It had been over a week and Blaine hadn't heard anything from Kurt. He had tried to text him just one more time, but Rachel and Mercedes had sufficiently warned him against texting too often. Tina had told him if he texted more than once then it would be too often.

The waiting was horrible mostly just because Blaine didn't know how long he would be waiting. Kurt had said 'awhile' but awhile could be months. They had only known each other for two and a half weeks at this point and for more than half of that they hadn't spoken.

Blaine knew he shouldn't be upset. Kurt had a boyfriend so this friendship was a back burner to that. But Blaine didn't have anyone else. All of his friends were tied up in their relationships and their lives and nobody had any real time for Blaine. Karofsky still shoved him against lockers in public, and now he would actually pin him up and whisper death threats in his ear.

Blaine's verbal assault on him had done nothing but to provoke the situation into a more volatile one. And Blaine was scared. He wanted to call Kurt but nothing had screamed 'emergency' yet.

But it had gotten to the point where he was scared. Death threats were one thing, but if Karofsky decided to act upon them, there would be no stopping him.

Blaine's mom had understood, and she said she would talk to his father and talk about a plan. To expel Karofsky or get Blaine out. These seemed like the only two options, and Blaine wasn't sure which one was better.

It wouldn't all be so bad if someone would just notice. Blaine hated attention seeking, and he didn't want to worry the others, but it had begun to bother him that they didn't seem to notice or be even remotely perturbed by Karofsky's fascination with assaulting Blaine. And ever since Karofsky had told the football guys that Blaine had hit on him, it had been much worse.

"Alright Glee Club, I think it is high time that we start preparing the entertainment for the wedding event of the year!"

The Glee kids cheered at Schuester's words and a couple of the guys clapped Finn on the back. He stood up and motioned for them all to settle down.

"I just wanted to thank you all for agreeing to help out for my mom's wedding. We don't have a lot of money to spend on it, but my mom loves hearing you guys sing and my future stepfather agrees that y'all sound pretty good. So let's not disappoint them!"

More cheers from the Glee kids as Will moved to the board and wrote "Marry You" on it. Some of the girls shrieked at the Bruno Mars song and the guys looked around, confused, wondering what they were missing.

But Blaine sat in the back, silent, withdrawn, and wondering how long Glee would last, or rather, how long he had until he would be in the halls of McKinley, dodging jocks and just trying to make it to his next class alive.

Will organized the kids into dancing formation, Blaine got paired with Mercedes, and he spent the rest of the period glancing at the clock, trying to prepare for passing period.

Blaine could barely even concentrate as he tried to get his books out of his locker. Every time someone walked past him, he flinched.

And with good reason.

Azimio came up from behind Blaine and picked him up by his shirt with both hands. He turned him around and threw him against the locker, keeping Blaine's feet from touching the ground.

Karofsky was behind him along with 4 other jocks from football and hockey respectively. Funnily enough, the one time they got along was bullying Blaine.

"What's up Blaine Homo" Azimio asked, dropping Blaine on the ground and then bending down to rip off his bow tie. "Didn't anyone tell you fag dressing is so last season?"

Blaine massaged the back of his neck, irritated from getting the bow tie yanked off. "Sorry."

Karofsky stepped forward and crouched down in front of Blaine.

"Not yet Anderson. But you will be."

Karofsky grabbed the collars of Blaine's shirt and thrust Blaine against the locker, his head making a loud clanging noise against the metal, then dropped him again.

The other football guys looked nervous. "Dude, Karofsky, ease up."

Karofsky stood and motioned for the other guys to follow him.

Suddenly, Puck ran up behind Karofsky and turned him around.

"What-" Karofsky started and Puck punched him in the face, knocking him down.

Blaine watched in surprise as the guys, momentarily stunned, each got punched somewhere or kicked somewhere else by Puck. One guy, got behind him and was about to grab him, but Sam came from nowhere and tackled him.

The guys Puck had originally punched were all getting up now, and with Sam preoccupied, Mike was by Puck's side.

The guys stood there, sizing each other up, when Puck spoke. "Let me make this real clear for you guys. Blaine Anderson is under our protection. He might be different then what you're used to but I suggest you get used to it because he's sticking around. Mess with him, you mess with us."

The guys just stood there and Azimio finally gestured for them to leave.

Sam walked over to Blaine and offered a hand. Blaine took it and looked at all the guys stunned.

He was about to thank them when a voice down the hall shouted at them, "Boys! My office. Now."

The four boys turned to see Sue Sylvester standing there.

Puck shrugged. "Whatever. I get to skip math now."

"The three of you just physically assaulted 6 boys bigger than you and with larger tempers. They're going to want to get you back so I feel the need to ask, what on earth made you think that was a smart idea?"

Mike fidgeted in his chair and Sam looked down at his hands. Blaine didn't know what to say but Puck looked at them all, aghast. "Are you guys really not going to say anything? Because I will."

Sue nodded at him. "Go ahead Puckerman."

"Those guys assaulted Blaine. They threw him against the lockers and ripped off his tie and insulted him."

Sue looked over at Blaine. "Is this true?"

Blaine looked down at his lap and nodded. He remembered Kurt told him to stop looking down, but Blaine could see his elbow was bleeding and the back of his head was throbbing and today, Blaine just didn't have the strength to listen to someone who wasn't talking to him.

Sam finally spoke up. "It was ridiculous. They just attacked him out of the blue. I know they're bullies, but this was violent."

Blaine whispered to his lap, "Yeah, out of the blue."

Sue eyed him. "Blaine Anderson you tell me the whole story right now."

The other guys looked at Blaine, surprised. Mike, who was next to Blaine, looked at him questioningly, "Blaine?"

Blaine finally looked up, staring at all the guys with a guilty look. Better they know now then later.

"Karofsky told the guys I hit on him in the locker room. They've been whispering death threats and throwing me against lockers for about two weeks now."

Puck stood out of his chair and stared blankly at Blaine. "They what?"

Blaine looked back at his lap.

"Has it been this bad for two weeks Blaine?" Sam asked him.

He nodded.

Puck ran to the door and opened it, running out of the room.

Sue stood up and went to follow him.

At the door she turned back towards Blaine. "You should have told me sooner. I'm going to go get Puckerman and then we're going to fix this."

Mike and Sam looked torn between following Puck and staying with Blaine. They decided to stay.

"Blaine, I didn't know it was this bad. I mean, the school has whispers about everyone, but I didn't know it was this bad. I promise, I would have done something" Sam said, squeezing Blaine's shoulder.

"I am so sorry Blaine. I know we've kind of always handled your sexuality kind of awkwardly. I didn't think about how everyone else just treats it like a problem. We just didn't know how to address it."

Blaine was still looking at his lap, twiddling his thumbs. "Yeah I know. I didn't want to force you guys to just be 100% okay with it all of a sudden. I didn't want to tell anyone about the football guys either. I guess I just didn't know how to say it."

Sue came back into the room, holding Puck by the collar and throwing him back in his chair.

"I'm gonna kill him" Puck whispered, fists clenched.

"You are going to do no such thing Puckerman. I am going to handle this. Blaine, we're going to call your parents and explain the situation. I'll be calling all of the football boys parents if you all will provide me with their names. I don't know what I'll be able to do, but this needs to end here.

Everybody was appalled in Glee Club the next day. Word had gotten to the rest of the members and to Mr. Schuester and Blaine could tell they were all talking about him when he walked in. Their whispers went silent and they all stared at him.

Finn got out of his chair and walked over to Blaine, giving him a big hug. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there."

Mercedes and Tina got up and hugged him too, and pretty soon the whole team had enveloped him. After a few seconds they all took their seats, Blaine sitting between Mike and Rachel. Mr. Schuester stood in front of them, silent for a few seconds.

"I think this just reinforces the fact that we are all a team here. We all protect each other here, but we also tell each other when we're in trouble" Will said, nodding his head towards Blaine. "We need to stick together and be there for each other. Karofsky, Azimio, and the other guys are currently in Principal Figgins office discussing punishment. If it's anything other than expulsion you guys will need to make sure that Blaine doesn't get attacked. This school tries its best to be bully free, but the truth is that the rest of the world might not be ready for everybody to be themselves. But that's what makes us special guys. Here, we all accept each other."

Now the entire club was looking at Blaine.

"You taught us a special lesson Blaine. Tolerance is not enough without action. We can just idly sit by and say we accept you. We need to work at it and work to make others see that you are exactly the same as everyone else."

Puck nodded and said, "Blaine. I know I've said that I understood but there was a time when I threw you in dumpsters and I'm sorry. Just last week for mashups I complained because you couldn't just easily kiss a girl. I'm sorry."

Blaine realized, once again, that he was where he belonged. This club loved him and he loved it. "Thanks everybody. Let's just hope that it gets better from here." Everybody smiled. Blaine stood up and gestured for them to stand too. "What's with all the solemn faces? We have a wedding to plan!"

Everybody clapped and cheered and stood up.

Will pointed to Brad and shouted, "From the top!"

Kurt was tearing off the cardboard cup holder on his coffee and idly looking around the coffee shop. He and Jacob had been avoiding each other pretty heavily and Kurt was missing his boyfriend.

The bell on the coffee shop door chimed and Kurt looked in the direction of the noise. Jacob looked around the shop until he saw Kurt. Kurt waved him over and he walked over, taking a seat across from Kurt.

"Hi" he said.

"Hi" replied Kurt.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too."

Jacob reached his hands across the table and Kurt grabbed them.

"Jacob, I'm so incredibly sorry. I should have listened to you. If you made a friend that made me uncomfortable then I would have expected the same from you. Blaine is just a friend."

Jacob nodded. "I know. I overreacted. I should have believed you when you said that Blaine meant nothing. I should trust you."

Kurt smiled. "I hope you do."

"I do, I do. But-"

Kurt let go of Jacob's hands and leaned back. "But what?"

"But, I was really quick to assume the worst Kurt. This week apart has made me do some thinking."

Kurt looked at Jacob, astonished. "Please tell me you are not breaking up with me in my favorite coffee shop."

"No no no!" Jacob assured him, grabbing Kurt's hands back. "I love you."

Kurt melted at the words from Jacob. "You've never said that before."

Jacob smiled. "I know. And I want you to take a week before you say it back. I think we might have just had our first fight and I want you to know you're ready. I took a week and you should have one too."

"You'll miss the wedding" Kurt started. Jacob then remembered but Kurt cut him off and nodded. "But I think a week is good. I can go stag."

Jacob leaned in and kissed Kurt and Kurt almost said it right then and there. He missed Jacob so much.

Jacob broke off the kiss and let go of Kurt's hands. "One week."

Kurt nodded. "One week."

Jacob stood up and started towards the door. Kurt jumped up and turned him around and kissed him again, deeply, so much so that Jacob knew exactly which drink Kurt had ordered.

Jacob closed his eyes and kissed Kurt back. Kurt pulled away and Jacob left his eyes closed for a second, closed his mouth, and then opened them. Kurt winked at him and said, "Something to hold you over."

Kurt then walked out of the door and past him, smirking at his spontaneity.

Jacob stood there momentarily before wiping the spit off his lips.

"That boy's going to be the death of me."

The Glee Club were all congratulating each other and giving each other high fives as they left the choir room.

"I hope your mom is impressed Finn" Rachel said, linking her arm with Finn's as they left.

"I'm sure she'll love it" Finn said as he kissed Rachel on the head.

Blaine smiled at them. They really were the perfect couple.

As Blaine finished packing his bag everyone else filed out of the room leaving him alone.

Sue walked in after Will had left. Will eyed her suspiciously but shrugged it off.

"Blaine?" Sue asked, tentatively.

Blaine turned around. "Hey Coach Sylvester."

Sue looked down.

"I went to the meeting and added everything I'd seen and what you boys said."

Blaine nodded slowly, beginning to understand.

"I'm sorry Blaine, but I didn't see them attack you and the only students that did are your friends."

"What happened?"

"They're sticking together. They didn't sell out Azimio or Karofsky."

"Sue, what's going to happen?"

Sue swallowed and grabbed Blaine's shoulder. "I'm sorry Blaine. One week suspension. I did my best."

Blaine turned around, knocking her hand off.

"I'm going to do my best to make sure those boys don't hurt you. I'll get hallway patrol and if I see them lay a single finger on you, they'll be out of this school, you have my word."

Blaine looked up and stared blankly at the wall.

"They'll be back in school next Monday."