Kurt glared out of the car window, ignoring his boyfriend's attempts at conversation. He was too angry to try and act as if everything was normal. He wasn't going to pretend that he wasn't being forced to go and see a psychotherapist against his will. He had missed one or two appointments with Doctor Morgan, but he knew that it wouldn't have made much difference to how he felt about everything going on in his life.

When Blaine and Kurt had got home after school, Burt Hummel had been waiting for them. He had received a phone call from the doctor earlier in the day, alerting him to the fact that Kurt had failed to turn up to his appointments. The two adults had scheduled an appointment after school, with the father assuring the doctor that his son would be there. When Kurt had got home from school, Burt had informed his son that he had an appointment with Doctor Morgan and that he was going, which was final. Kurt had tried to argue and get out of it, but his father had put his foot down.

Blaine parked his car outside Doctor Morgan's house, cut the engine and got out of the car. He walked around to the passenger side and he opened the car door.

"Come on Kurt," Blaine said patiently, knowing that this might take a while, "The longer that you prolong it, the longer you'll have to be here instead of enjoying a nice slice of cheesecake in bed and watching a movie with your boyfriend."

Kurt let out a groan as he got out of the car, accepting his boyfriend's helping hand. He stepped to the side, giving Blaine space to shut the car door. The two boys made their way into the doctor's house, their fingers entwined. The doctor left her front door unlocked during office hours, saving her patients from having to ring the doorbell or the receptionist to constantly be answering the door. Blaine could see how tense Kurt was, obviously nervous for what was about to happen.

Natalie, the receptionist, smiled at the pair of them when she noticed them come in, "Hello boys, I hope you're both well. It's been quite a while since I last saw you two. Kurt, you may go straight in as Doctor Morgan is expecting you."

The younger boy leaned in and kissed Kurt's cheek as he let go of his hand, "I'll be waiting right here. Courage baby."

Kurt couldn't help but smile at his boyfriend's words. He remembered the first time that Blaine had said those words to him. It had become a habit of some sort after he had texted the word to him.

"I'll see you in a bit," Kurt muttered as he made his way over to the door and pushed it open.

Alice Morgan was sitting in one of the armchairs, watching her patient as he came in and headed straight over to the chaise, laying down on it and turning his head to look out of the window.

"Your choice of chair today indicates to me that you're not too pleased to be here and have to talk to me, wanting to rest instead," Doctor Morgan noted as she observed the boy in front of her, "Am I right in saying that you have been struggling with sleep? Have you been taking the prazosin I prescribed for you?"

Kurt didn't bother to look at the psychotherapist as he spoke, "I stopped taking it as I thought that it wasn't really working. My Dad says that I need to finish the course to see whether it really has had an effect."

"Your father is absolutely right," the doctor replied softly, "I want you to continue with a nightly dose of prazosin and once you have finished the whole course, we will discuss further options. Right then Kurt, would you like to tell me how you have been feeling recently?"

Kurt simply shrugged, "It's pretty much the same as what I told you last time. I want everything to be okay, but it's not. That's basically it."

The doctor decided to try a different approach, "Has there been any changes since the last time that I saw you? Has anything in particular happened that you would like to discuss?"

"There probably is," Kurt stated, refusing to comment any further.

"Okay then, we'll take it one step at a time," Doctor Morgan said, trying to think of a way to get her patient to open up, "How is Glee club? Have you tried singing again?"

"Oh yeah," Kurt muttered, staring down at his hands, "I managed to sing the beginning of 'Let It Be' by the Beatles. My voice was pretty much the same and I did enjoy singing again."

Doctor Morgan smiled at that piece of news, "Kurt, that's absolutely fantastic! You've done so well to have the confidence to sing again. Now that you have sung and now you know what to expect, you'll want to practice more. Maybe in time you'll be singing as often as you were before."

"I guess," the patient mumbled, "I sang at Regionals as well. I didn't have a solo or anything, but I was actually able to sing instead of miming."

"This is a massive improvement, Kurt," the psychotherapist exclaimed, jotting down a few notes in the patient's file, "How did you feel performing on a stage in front of an audience?"

Kurt shrugged as he turned his gaze to whatever was going on outside the window, "I was terrified to be on display in front of so many people, but it did make me happy. Music always has."

"I'm going to give you an assignment," the doctor decided, knowing that this could help the boy, "Any time you feel angry or upset about anything at all, I want you to remove yourself from whatever is going on and find somewhere where you can sing or simply listen to music. It can be an outlet for your emotions in private. I know that you are someone who likes their privacy, so I think this assignment will benefit you."

Kurt had to agree that the assignment was right up his street. If the Glee club had taught him anything, he knew that he had to sing when he was going through anything emotional. Maybe that was why he felt a little better after he had sung 'Let It Be'.

When Kurt didn't say anything, Doctor Morgan decided to approach another subject, "Kurt, I want to discuss a delicate matter with you. Your father informed me that a former tormentor of yours was outed at his school and he tried to kill himself. How did you feel about all of this? Your father has told me that you've been acting out, closing yourself off from your loved ones, pulling disappearing acts and we both know that you've been missing your appointments. Do you feel that this attempted suicide has affected you?"

"Of course it has affected me!" Kurt snapped, trying his hardest not to roll his eyes, "Karofsky told me that he loved me on Valentine's Day and I rejected him. I then ignored all of his phone calls and find out that he had attempted suicide. I caused it! I should have helped him!"

"Kurt, you couldn't have known," the doctor tried to calm her patient, "None of this was your fault and there is absolutely no need for you to blame yourself. I understand that you went to visit your former tormentor. I'm sure he didn't tell you that you were to blame?"

Kurt let out a sigh, "No he didn't. He completely understood why I didn't answer his calls. Blaine also told me that I am not responsible, but I still feel that if I had picked up my phone that maybe things would have been different."

"You can spend your whole life wondering what could happened if you had acted in a certain way," Doctor Morgan explained, taking in how defeated her patient looked, "It's something that can stop you from moving on or looking forward in life. Of course, there is a chance that things could have worked out differently if you had answered the phone, but can you guarantee that it would be for the better? What if this boy hadn't called you? Would you still blame yourself? The only people who should be feeling guilty are the ones who targeted this boy and made him feel as if he couldn't live in this world anymore. That was not you."

Kurt didn't say anything as he tried to let this information sink in. Maybe David Karofsky trying to kill himself really did have nothing to do with him.

Doctor Morgan studied as he seemed to once again be fascinated by whatever was outside the window, "Did this bring back any feelings or memories of the times when you wanted to end your own life?"

Kurt scoffed at that, "Wow, you really don't beat around the bush, do you? Of course it did! I had many thoughts about ending my existence when I was in New York and a few since I've been home, but I don't think I'll ever act on them. The thoughts never lingered for too long. Yes, Karofsky's suicide attempt did remind me of all the times I was in a terrible and dark place. It ended up triggering a flashback, but I spoke to my boyfriend afterwards and it reminded me that he and my other loved ones were there for me. I know what I would be missing out on. If I did try and end my life, I would be causing pain to those who loved me and I would be missing out on seeing them live their lives. If I ever do get these utterly horrendous thoughts, I just focus on the important people in my life."

Doctor Morgan made a note of what Kurt had told her, "That's really good to hear, Kurt. You really have come a long way for you to be able to push past these thoughts. However, I am still concerned that you are having these thoughts. How often do you have these dark thoughts?"

Kurt just shrugged, "Not that often, to be honest. They might happen when I think I'm doing okay, but they usually occur when I'm stressed or just feeling like I can't have a normal life."

"Can you tell me why you feel that you can't have a normal life?" Alice inquired, needing to find out what was going on with the teenaged boy.

"Can anyone have a normal life after they've been forced to have sex repeatedly?" Kurt fumed, hating these stupid questions that he was constantly asked, "I missed out on part of my life because a group of bastards forced me to join a prostitution ring and kept me away from those who I loved. I should be in my senior year right now, planning to go to college. I always wanted to go to New York and live there, but now I doubt that will happen. I should be looking forward to my one year anniversary with my boyfriend this week after actually being together for one year, not just five months as I was missing for the other seven months. My family and friends went to hell and back while I was missing, not knowing if I was alive. I will always have to live my life knowing that I am broken beyond repair and no amount of therapy will fix that. That, Doctor Morgan, is why I can't lead a normal life!"

With that, Kurt swung his legs off the chaise and stood up. He brushed out any creases in his jeans and his shirt, created from lying down for so long.

The teenager turned to look at his psychotherapist, "It's been over an hour now, so technically I am free to leave. It was nice to see you again, Doctor Morgan."

The doctor looked flabbergasted as her patient strolled out of her office. Kurt just gave her a smile as he left, incredibly relieved that he no longer had to sit and talk about how he was feeling and why he was feeling like that. He truly hated talking about anything linked to New York and being forced to discuss his feelings with Doctor Morgan really angered him.

Blaine looked up as his boyfriend entered the room, "Hey you. Is everything okay?"

"Just peachy," came Kurt's snarky reply, "I just want to go home now."

Natalie glanced between the two boys, conscious of the tension in the room, "Would you like to book another appointment with Doctor Morgan? Will it be for next week or the week after?"

Before Blaine could open his mouth, Kurt quickly shook his head, "No, it's all fine. I just need to ring and book an appointment if I feel like I need to speak to Doctor Morgan."

The receptionist hesitantly accepted this, unsure if the boy was actually being truthful. Since the doctor hadn't informed her if Kurt did need regular appointments, Natalie had to let it go.

Kurt nodded at the receptionist, before exiting the doctor's house. Blaine scrambled to his feet and gave chase, offering Natalie a smile on the way out. Kurt was already at the car, impatiently tapping his foot and looking like he would rather be anywhere else.

"Hey, are you okay baby?" Blaine inquired, attempting to tread carefully and not upset the boy he loved.

Kurt simply let out a sigh, "I told you that I hate being forced to talk about everything. It just makes everything so much harder. Please can we just get out of here?"

Blaine nodded as he pulled his keys out to unlock his Prius. He watched as Kurt got into the car, before getting into the car himself. The former Warbler turned the engine on, put the car into gear and pulled away from the curb when it was safe to do so. Blaine kept glancing at his boyfriend, hating the awkward silence between them. Was it wrong of him to have conspired with Burt to get Kurt to see his psychotherapist when his boyfriend had clearly stated that he didn't want to be forced to talk about everything that had happened to him?

"I'm sorry if I've upset you," Blaine whispered as the silence became too much for him, "I only have your best interests at heart."

"I know sweetie, I know," Kurt smiled at his boyfriend as he reached over to give his knee a squeeze, "I guess that it's just something that I have to accept and put up with."

Blaine didn't know how to respond to that, hating that Kurt sounded so defeated. He wished that he could do something to make everything better.

"Are we just going straight home?" Kurt's voice interrupted Blaine's musings.

Blaine shook his head, "Actually, your Dad called me while you were in with Doctor Morgan and he told me to meet him at Breadstix. I'm guessing that your Dad thought that we should all go out for a nice family meal."

"Where I'll be questioned about Doctor Morgan, told to eat more, told that I'm not eating enough, told that I'm being too quiet and asked what's wrong," Kurt complained, feeling annoyed that he wasn't just allowed to go home.

"I'll make sure that no one gives you grief," Blaine reassured his boyfriend, "I want you to have a nice evening with the people you love."

Kurt didn't think he could love Blaine any more, but he was constantly proven wrong. He really didn't know what he'd do without Blaine. He never wanted to find out.

Blaine pulled into the restaurant's cark park and he quickly found a space. He turned the engine off and he exited the car. He quickly made his way around the car and he opened the door for his boyfriend. Kurt accepted the hand in front of him and he got out of the Prius. The two boys walked across the car park hand in hand, before reluctantly separating at the entrance of Breadstix. Neither of them wanted to attract any negative attention.

The couple immediately spotted Burt sitting in a booth with Carole, Finn and Puck. Burt smiled when he spotted them and he waved them over.

"Hey Noah, what are you doing here? Kurt asked as they reached the table.

Puck grinned at his favourite couple as they sat down, "Finn invited me. Rachel was busy with her Dads and thinking she's better than everyone else, so Finn asked his number one bro to come."

Kurt couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. With Puck there, his family wouldn't ask him any difficult questions or draw attention to anything that was going on with him. He was completely relieved that Rachel was not at the dinner. She may have become one of his best friends, but she was exhausting and she wouldn't let matters go.

"Hey Kurt, how did it go?" Burt asked, giving his son a smile.

Kurt glared at his father, unable to believe that his therapy session was being brought up in Breadstix, "It was fine, just fine."

Puck glanced between the father and the son, deciding to focus on the menu in his hands instead and not get involved in any drama.

Carole could sense her stepson's anger and uneasiness, so she placed her hand on her husband's arm, "Now, what should we have to eat? It all looks so good! I might have to go for a pizza. I'm going to be a little bit naughty and treat myself."

"I'm sorry, can you please excuse me for a moment?" Kurt requested as he quickly slid out of the booth.

The teenager practically ran to the bathroom, ignoring his Dad calling his name. He just needed some time to himself, just a minute. He immediately went inside a stall and locked the door. Kurt put the toilet lid down, before taking a seat and putting his head in between his legs. He just needed some time to pull himself together and to fix his mask in order to survive the meal, ensuring that everyone had a nice and pleasant time. It was so hard at times to pretend that everything was just fine and dandy. Kurt had just spent an hour discussing his demons with his psychotherapist and now he was supposed to play happy families at the local restaurant. Why wasn't he allowed to heal at own pace? Why was everything so hard?

Kurt ran his hands over his face, before he stood up. He took a deep breath, knowing that he could break down later if he needed to. The teenager unlocked the door and stepped out of the stall, heading over to the sink to look in the small mirror placed just above it.

Suddenly Kurt noticed some movement out of the corner of his eye and he realised that he was not alone. There was a man standing there, simply watching him, "Oh I'm sorry, am I in your way?"

As Kurt turned his head to look at the other occupant of the room, he instantly froze. He knew this man.

"Hello Angel," the man simply said as he took a step towards the boy he hadn't seen for a while, "Well, there is another name I could call you... Kurt."

Kurt immediately took a step backwards, but he found himself backed up against the wall. How could this man be here? This had to be a nightmare of epic proportions.

"How... you... H-h-how...?" Kurt started to stammer, praying to whatever was out there that he was hallucinating.

The man just laughed, before slowly licking his lips, "Oh how I have missed my innocent little Angel! You look so perfect, so angelic. You've been all I could think about for months and now, I finally have you again!"

Kurt pressed himself harder against the wall, feeling the fear spiking through him, "H-how are you here? Ohio... why? You... why?"

The man took a step closer, enjoying seeing the fear radiate from his angel's body, "I had to find you. After Manson was arrested, I looked for you. I wanted you to finally be mine. Imagine my horror when I couldn't find you in New York and I found out that all of Manson's 'sluts' were either dead or missing. I kept searching and I was losing hope when I came across an online article about a 'Kurt Hummel' who had been missing and was now home. When lo and behold, there was a picture of your beautiful face. I came immediately to Lima, determined to find you, and I have been searching for you ever since. It's fate that I randomly came here tonight to pick up some dinner and that you're here. It proves you're meant to be mine."

Kurt didn't know what to do as the man advanced towards him. This was all too familiar and he had thought that he would never be in a situation like this again.

Suddenly the older man was pushing his body against Kurt's, grabbing his wrists and holding them above his head with one hand so he was being stretched out against the wall. The man reached down to squeeze the young boy's arse as he ran his tongue up his face, savouring the taste of the porcelain skin.

"God I've missed this," the man whispered, his voice laced with uncontrollable lust, "This position brings back so many beautiful memories of your body aching for my touch."

Kurt could feel the tears building as he frantically struggled to get free. This man was so deluded that he thought the struggling was a ruse and a way to make things more interesting.

"Let me go!" Kurt managed to cry out as he twisted his head to the side, attempting to stop the man from trying to kiss him.

The man responded by biting down harshly on Kurt's collarbone through his shirt, "Oh baby, I love it when you play hard to get."

Kurt let out a startled cry as the man's hand moved so that he was palming the boy through his jeans. He desperately tried to pull his hands free, needing to get away from what was happening. He kept trying to scream for help, but there was no sound coming from his throat. This couldn't be happening again. It just couldn't be.

Kurt was too focused on trying to break free that he missed the bathroom door opening.

"Hey Princess, are you okay in here?" came Noah Puckerman's voice, something Kurt had never been more relieved to hear, "You've been in here for ages and Blaine is... what the fuck! Get off of him!"

Puck couldn't believe his eyes as he tried to take in the sight in front of him. What the hell was this guy doing to his boy Kurt?

Puck didn't even think as he charged towards the pair and grabbed the man, pulling him off his friend. He saw Kurt fall to the ground out of the corner of his eye, but he had to deal with the bastard who had been groping his friend first. He literally threw the man to the floor and held him down as he started pummelling every inch possible. He couldn't let this guy get away with this. No one hurt his boy, not on his watch.

Blaine entered the bathroom, needing to check on his boyfriend and not being able to wait any longer, "Kurt? Puck? What's going on?"

The sight that met Blaine was the boy he loved crumpled in a ball on the floor, while Puck was beating up some guy.

Blaine quickly turned and pushed the bathroom door open, "Burt! Burt!"

Burt looked up in panic at the sound of Blaine screaming his name from the bathroom. He immediately got up and ran to the bathroom, every horrific thought rushing through his mind. He pushed past Blaine to see Puck attacking some guy, while Kurt cowered on the floor in the corner.

Burt ran in and grabbed Puck by the shoulders, pulling him off the stranger on the floor. Blaine rushed past them and fell to his knees in front of Kurt, frantically trying to see if he was okay.

"Puckerman, what the hell is going on here?" Burt demanded as he glanced at the man who was slowly getting to his feet.

Puck was practically spitting fire, "This guy was hurting Kurt! He had him pinned against the wall and he was touching him!"

Burt let go of Puck as he turned to face the man who had been hurting his son and touching him inappropriately, "Did you touch my boy?"

"Your boy!?" the man jeered, shaking his head in disbelief, "He is mine! This angel belongs to me and only me! I have been looking for him ever since he was taken from me and he once again is mine. He belongs to me. I can do whatever I want with him!"

With that, Burt Hummel lost it. No one talked about his son in that manner. Burt drew his arm back and threw his fist forward, punching the bastard straight in the face. The man stumbled, before he collapsed in a heap, completely knocked out. Puck leapt forward and sat on the man, keeping him in place just in case he woke up and tried to escape.

"What the hell?" came an unexpected voice from the doorway, "Was that guy serious?"

Burt glanced behind him to see his stepson staring at the man on the floor, looking ashen, "Finn, you need to go back to your Mum and call the police. Let them know that there was an assault on a teenager in the bathroom and we've got the attacker here."

Finn nodded, before he turned and ran back to the table, informing his terrified mother about what was going on and pulling out his phone to call the police.

Burt focused all of his attention on his son, who was being held in a tight embrace by his boyfriend. He slowly made his way over the pair and he knelt down in front of them.

"Kiddo?" Burt's heart broke when he saw the fear and pain etched on his baby boy's face, "Kurt, do you think you can tell me what happened?"

Kurt let out a shuddery gasp, "New York... he wanted to... said I was his... he tried to..."

The traumatised boy shook his head when he couldn't speak anymore. Burt wanted to kill the man who had dared to touch his son against his will. Hadn't Kurt been through enough? The father watched as his son buried his face in Blaine's neck and the latter whispered reassuringly in his ear. It was times like this that Burt was incredibly thankful that Blaine was in his son's life. He slowly stood up, his eyes still on his son, before deciding to go and speak to his wife and Finn. He left the bathroom, avoiding Puck's questioning eyes. Burt didn't know how to explain any of this to him.

Carole was standing just outside the bathroom, waiting for someone to come out and tell her if Kurt was okay. She had desperately wanted to go in and see for herself, but the fear had held her back. She was angry at how cowardly she was being and she wished that she could be as brave as her stepson. The truth was that she was scared of what she might find in the bathroom. When her own son had come out, he looked like he was going to be sick and that had terrified the older woman. Finn was nearby, talking to their waiter about having to cancel their order and explaining what was going on.

"What happened?" Carole whispered urgently as soon as she caught sight of her husband, desperately needing to know about her stepson and whether he was okay.

"Some bastard sexually harassed Kurt," Burt replied brokenly, "Kurt mentioned something about New York and the man was claiming that Kurt belonged to him."

Carole clapped her hand to her mouth, "Oh my God! That poor boy! This is too much! Why does he continue to suffer? I should tell you that the police will be here very soon. Finn was the one who spoke to them."

Finn made his way over at that point, upon hearing his name, "What's going on? Is Kurt okay?"

"A guy that Kurt had encountered in New York cornered him," Burt explained, "Puck is currently holding him down while we wait for the police. I don't want to give him the opportunity to either escape or try and hurt Kurt again."

Finn looked horrified, "What the actual hell! How is Kurt doing?"

Burt let out a sigh, "Not good, as you can probably imagine. Blaine's with him and we all know that he has the best chance of getting through to Kurt."

The trio heard the door open and turned to see four police officers entering the restaurant. The waitress, Sandy, directed the officers over to the family.

"We've had a call about an assault of some sort taking place in the men's bathroom here. Is that correct?" the first police officer inquired, observing the distressed family in front of him.

Burt immediately nodded, "That's correct. A man harassed my seventeen year old son. He had him pinned up against the wall and he was touching him inappropriately. He's in the bathroom being held down by my son's friend."

The officers immediately headed towards the bathroom to find a teenager with a Mohawk sitting on top of a struggling man. They also took note of the two other boys curled up in the corner of the bathroom. One of the officers immediately headed straight over to the boys, needing to know whether they are okay and whether either of them required any medical attention.

Burt, Carole and Finn had all followed the police officers into the bathroom and were watching the scene unfold. Carole had tears in her eyes as she observed her stepson slumped in a corner, clutching onto his boyfriend. How could someone want to harm him?

Once the remaining police officers had made sure the man couldn't escape, Puck finally got off him, knowing that Kurt was safe and this man couldn't get to him. The officers had a tight grip of the man as he was read his Miranda rights and had his hands handcuffed behind his back.

"I've done nothing wrong!" the man was protesting, yelling out as he was lead from the bathroom by two police officers, "He's mine! He's my Angel and he belongs to me and only me! You're just trying to steal him from me and keep him for yourself! Angel! Angel help me! My Angel! Angel!"

Blaine clutched Kurt tighter to him, needing to keep him safe from the deranged lunatic who thought he owned Kurt. He could feel the relief seeping through his body as the man was pulled further and further away from his boyfriend.

"Mr Hummel, I suggest that you take your son home," the police officer said, satisfied that Kurt didn't need to go to hospital and just needed to rest, "I would like to talk to you all somewhere where Kurt feels comfortable. Here is not that place."

Burt nodded at that, "I will do. Thank you Officer. Kurt, would you like Blaine to stay, or would you rather that he wasn't there when you speak to the police?"

Kurt didn't reply. He knew that his father was looking out for him, but he needed Blaine. He just moved slightly closer to Blaine, his grip tightening on his boyfriend's shirt.

"Sweetheart, I think it's pretty obvious what the answer is. Kurt needs to stay with Blaine. To separate them now would be a stupid thing to do," Carole told her husband, "We can take Noah home and Blaine can take Kurt home. I don't think there's any point in trying to separate them at all tonight."

Burt looked like he was considering whether he should try and argue, but he decided otherwise, "Fine. The boys can stay together, but I want us all home as soon as possible. I think it'll be better for Kurt's state of mind if this situation is dealt with sooner than later."

Carole nodded, before she leaned down and informed Blaine of the plan of going home. The young boy nodded as he took it all in, glancing down at the older boy in his arms. He was glad that he wasn't going to be separated from the boy he loved, but he still didn't really know how to go from there on. Carole gave Blaine a reassuring smile and dropped a kiss to Kurt's temple, before standing up straight and heading out of the bathroom, taking Finn and Puck with her. The police officer who had looked after Kurt followed them out, wanting to have a quick word with Puck and to find out his version of events.

Burt moved forward and he caught Blaine's eye. He tilted his head towards Kurt, gesturing that they needed to stand up. Blaine gave a small nod, implying that he understood what Burt meant. Burt reached down and gently placed his hands on his son's arms. Blaine slowly pushed Kurt upwards, helping Burt get his son to his feet. Blaine jumped up himself and he wrapped an arm around Kurt's waist, supporting him and needing to be close to him.

"Kiddo, are you okay to walk? One of us can carry you if needed?" Burt asked in concern, eyeing the way his son was leaning heavily on Blaine.

Kurt shook his head, just wanting the questions to stop and to get out of the bathroom and go home.

The trio exited the bathroom, followed by the last remaining police officer. They were immediately greeted by the manager of Breadstix.

"Mr Hummel, I am so very sorry that this has happened to you and your family," the manager expressed his condolences, "We've prepared your order for you all to take away... free of charge of course! I hope everything will be sorted out and if you need anything at all, please let us know so that we can help."

"That's incredibly kind of you," Carole stated, coming over and accepting the bags of food that had been presented to her, "We will let you know if we need anything. Thank you."

Blaine took his opportunity to lead Kurt over to the exit, knowing that Burt, Carole, Finn and Puck could deal with the staff and the police. He spotted a police officer talking to Puck, obviously getting information about what had happened and how the teenager was involved. Blaine wondered how the Hudmels would explain everything to Puck or whether they would keep him in the dark and ask him not to mention it to anyone.

Blaine helped Kurt as they walked over to the doors, letting him lean on him as much as he had to. Blaine needed to get his boyfriend out of there. He could see all the people staring at them and he hoped that Kurt hadn't noticed them. He tried to shield him as best as he could and get him out of there quickly and safely. Blaine hoped that no one realised that the boy involved in all the commotion was the same boy who had gone missing for months. If people put two and two together, news of what happened would get out and soon enough, the Glee club would be questioning Kurt and upsetting him even more. Once Rachel got wind of this, there would be no stopping her in finding out what happened to Kurt.

As soon as they were outside, Blaine ushered Kurt over to the Prius, keeping a tight grip on his boyfriend. He opened the door and helped Kurt in, before rushing around to the driver's side.

The drive back to the Hudmel's house was tense, with both boys unsure how to act or what to say. Blaine kept glancing at Kurt, who had just given up and was staring out of the window. The radio was softly playing music, as if it was attempting to remove the stifling silence between the two boys in the car.

Kurt froze when he recognised the song that had just started as 'I'm Not Okay (I Promise)' by My Chemical Romance. He almost wanted to laugh at the irony and the timing of the song coming on the radio. He clearly was not okay and he could promise that. He had recently been deceiving himself, believing that he was getting better and that he was doing okay. Anyone just looking at him could clearly see that the boy in question was really not okay.

Blaine quickly changed radio stations when he realised what song was playing and the poor timing of it. He settled on the station playing 'Happy' by Pharrell Williams, hoping to bring some light to their dark situation. Kurt did not look impressed or amused by the song choice, but Blaine left it on, not knowing what else to do.

The younger boy parked his car on the drive, before getting out and rushing around to the passenger side where Kurt had already opened the door and started to get out.

"I can walk on my own!" Kurt grunted as Blaine helped him out, before wrapping an arm around his waist.

"I know that, honey," Blaine replied softly, "You've been through a horrific ordeal once again and I just want you to know that I'm here for you."

Kurt could feel his eyes starting to brim with tears, "God I'm sorry! You're trying to help and I'm just bitching at you. I should be counting my blessings that you haven't left me after everything!"

"Hey!" Blaine brought the two of them to a sudden stop, just outside of the front door, "I don't know why you think you have to count your blessings, but I am not going to leave you! I love you so very much and I will always be there for you, even if you don't want me around. I can take you 'bitching at me', especially after you've been through so much crap. I'm in this for the long haul, baby!"

Kurt let out a watery chuckle as he leaned in and placed a chaste kiss to Blaine's lips, "I love you too."

Blaine smiled as he took a step back to give Kurt space to unlock the front door. The two boys headed inside, closing the door behind them, and sat down on the sofa. Blaine immediately held his boyfriend to him and Kurt leaned into Blaine's embrace, hating that for the second time that day he would be forced to talk about something horrific that had happened to him. He wouldn't be surprised if his Dad called Doctor Morgan for an emergency appointment.

Kurt tensed at the sound of cars arriving outside, knowing that the interrogation was about to begin.

Burt burst through the front door, closely followed by Carole and Finn. The father seemed to visibly relax at the sight of his son and his boyfriend sitting together on the sofa. Carole smiled at the two boys, before she turned to welcome the police officers into their home. Two of them had been involved in dealing with the situation at Breadstix, while the other officer was someone who Kurt recognised from when he had returned to Lima. Carole gestured to the officers to take a seat and asked if they wanted any drinks, which they politely declined. She took the bags of food into the kitchen and turned the oven on, ready to warm the food up once the family had been left alone. Puck had been given his own food when he had been given a lift home. Burt had informed the teenager that they would discuss what he was involved in, but if he could keep it to himself for the time being.

Carole came back into the living room and took a seat next to her husband, who instantly wrapped an arm around his wife. They just wanted all of this to be done with. The whole room was tense as they waited for the police to start.

The first officer cleared her throat, "I don't think we've actually introduced ourselves to you. My name is Officer Alisha Hubert and this is my partner, Officer Joshua Bell. We were both at the restaurant with you earlier this evening. The officer with us is our colleague, Detective Owen Park. He was part of the team looking into Kurt's disappearance and he has been in contact with the New York Police Department during the time of Kurt being missing. This contact has continued since he was found. Once we've discussed what happened earlier this evening, Detective Park will fill you in with everything that has been going on."

Burt didn't know how to react to that information. What if something bad had happened and it was about to disrupt Kurt's life yet again?

Officer Bell pulled out a notebook, "Can you walk us through exactly what happened tonight, Kurt?"

Why couldn't they all just leave him alone? Why did he have to relive all the horrific moments of his life? Why did he have to suffer like that?

Kurt took a deep breath, reminding himself that it would all be over soon, "I excused myself from the table in Breadstix where I was sitting with my family to go to the bathroom. I went into a stall just to try and pull myself together as it had been a really long day. I just wanted us to have a nice family meal altogether. I gave myself a chance to breathe, before I stepped out of the stall and moved over to the sink. I suddenly realised that there was someone with me in the bathroom, but I didn't think anything of it. I simply apologised for being in their way. I looked up to see a man watching me. It was a man I knew and someone I hadn't seen in nearly three months."

"And how did you know this man?" Officer Hubert suddenly interrupted, "I just want you to know that we do know the circumstances of your disappearance, so please don't feel that you have to explain everything to us."

Kurt still felt sick to his stomach as he recalled his relationship with this particular individual, "He was one of my so-called customers in New York. He was one of the earliest customers I had. It didn't seem long before he was deemed a regular at the brothel. According to Manson, this man requested his 'Angel' every time and was happy to pay ridiculous prices. There was something that really... creeped me out about him. He was fascinated by the way I looked and would talk about how I was his Angel. He always said I was his. He... he always wanted to control me, to own me. Some of the other customers may have physically hurt me more, but he was the customer I hated the most. This man seemed to think that I belonged to him and that he could use me for however he pleased. If I ever tried to fight back or refuse, his response was to start choking me while whispering in my ear about how I was being a bad Angel and that I needed to be a good boy, needing to obey my owner. I would have to apologise to get him to stop choking me."

Kurt had to use every inch of strength he could muster to fight off any flashbacks that attempted to overwhelm him. He couldn't go into detail about what that man had done to him. The humiliation, the pain, the mental and physical scarring... he almost hated him as much as he hated Manson. He could see how heartbroken his family and Blaine looked as he spoke about what the man had done to him. They could never know the full extent.

"I know that must have been incredibly hard for you, Kurt," Officer Bell said sympathetically, trying to hide his horrified expression, "I don't know if this will make any difference to you or to your loved ones, but the man in question has been identified as Steven Andrews. I can ensure you that he will not be bothering you again. He will return to New York to be sentenced and I promise you that he will be going to prison. Now then, can you tell us what happened when you saw Mr Andrews?"

Kurt moved closer to Blaine, needing the reassurance that he was safe, "He greeted me by calling me 'Angel', then proceeded to call me by my real name. He told me that he had been looking for me ever since Manson was arrested. He seemed to have this fantasy about finding me and making me his. He eventually came across an article about me by pure chance, with a picture of me and information about where I lived. He told me he came to Lima and he continued his search, knowing that he was close. Apparently it was once again pure chance that he found me tonight. He was simply in Breadstix to collect takeout food. In the bathroom, he backed me into a corner against the wall and grabbed my wrists, holding them above my head so I was stretched out. He... h-he grabbed my arse and... l-l-licked my face, telling me that he missed it. I tried to break free, I swear I really did, but his grip was too tight. He bit down on my collarbone, telling me that he liked it when I played hard to get. He then reached down and... I-I... oh God! I can't! I can't do this!"

Kurt turned his head and buried his face in his boyfriend's neck, finally letting the tears that had been building up fall. He felt Blaine wrap his arms around him, pulling him closer and letting him know that he was there for him.

"It's okay sweetie, I promise. You've done so well," he heard Officer Hubert say, "You don't need to continue anymore. You've given us everything we need. You've been amazing, Kurt. You should be so proud of yourself!"

Officer Bell tore his eyes away from the distraught teenager to look at the boy's father, "I suggest that we talk to you and your wife later. I think that it may be best if Detective Park speaks to all of you now and then Kurt is free to go and get some rest."

"I agree with you there," Burt said, glancing at his son, "We can continue talking about what happened afterwards."

Kurt moved back slightly so he could listen to what the detective had to tell them all. He kept close to his boyfriend, needing that extra comfort and reassurance. He sat up straight, showing the detective that he was listening. He was almost terrified to hear what the man would say.

Detective Park gave a little cough to clear his throat before he spoke, "Right, like my colleagues have already said, I was part of the team involved in looking at Kurt's disappearance and I worked alongside the New York team. They have been keeping us up to date with everything and someone would have been in touch with you and your family over the next few days if I wasn't here this evening. We decided after what happened this evening that I would come and speak to you now."

Park seemed to pause for effect, "The big news is that today Thomas Manson has been sentenced to life in prison. He did plead guilty, most likely in an attempt to have his sentence reduced, but this was to no avail. This was because of the extent of his crimes and that the judge deemed that a man like him should be left to rot. Two other men, Lee Briggs and John McIntyre, were also sentenced to life in prison. It is common knowledge as to why the men have been imprisoned, but I can assure you that the names of the victims were not released due to the majority being underage."

"Thank God for that!" Burt cried, happy to know that these bastards were now locked up, "What about the other men involved? Will the victims' names always be a secret?"

"The New York Police Department are still searching for a few more men working for Manson and being involved in the prostitution ring, but we remain optimistic. They are tracking them all and are closing in on two of the main henchmen," Detective Park explained, hoping that he was appeasing the family, "Unfortunately, the victims' names may not always be confidential. There have been records in the past where journalists or people in general have put two and two together. The world is now a place where someone can post their opinion on social media and there is a digital footprint of this view forever. We do our best to monitor this and keep those involved safe. The point of all this is that you're safe, Kurt. The men involved are behind bars or very soon to be behind bars. No one can hurt you."

The boy in question closed his eyes as he leaned back against the sofa, pulling his boyfriend back with him slightly. Kurt let the detective's words wash over him as he tried to focus on a coherent thought. A man whose job it was to protect people and uphold the law had told him that he was safe and that no one could hurt him. Why didn't he feel safe? There was no reason for him not to, but Kurt just couldn't shake the feeling. Surely saying that no one could hurt was a bold claim as no one ever knew what was around the corner.

"Thank you Detective Park," Kurt whispered as he fought to open his eyes, feeling exhausted from the day's events, "If you all don't mind, I think I need to rest. Carole, before you say anything, I'm really not hungry. Thank you for everything, Officers."

All three of the police officers seemed to smile sadly at him, angering him slightly as that seemed to be the look he was most often on the receiving end of.

"Rest is a good idea, Kurt," Officer Hubert replied softly, "Blaine, may we just have a word with you for a moment? Would you be able to give us your version of events before you join your boyfriend?"

Kurt untangled himself from his boyfriend, before muttering a goodnight to his family and the police officers and heading up the stairs. He practically ran to his room, revelling in the fact that he had some alone time for a brief moment or two. Kurt lay face down in the middle of bed, shutting his eyes, as he tried to process his thoughts, unsure what to think about everything.

It was strange to think that some of his tormentors in New York were in prison or that they soon would be. Did this mean that he was free? Did this mean that he would be left alone? Kurt dreaded to think who else might be searching for him. That man, Steven Andrews, may have been the most deranged, but there had been a few others who were besotted by his angelic features.

Kurt felt sick at the memory of what had gone on earlier that evening in the bathroom at Breadstix. Every time he hoped for a normal life, something would happen that would demonstrate to him that he just give up and accept the abnormality of his new life and how messed up it was.

The teenager suddenly opened his eyes wide as a thought suddenly occurred to him. Kurt turned his face to the side, trying not to panic, as he realised that he would have to talk to Puck about what had gone down in Breadstix. Puck had been the one to walk in and see the man holding him against the wall, touching him inappropriately. Puck had saved him, pulling the man off him and holding him down. His friend deserved an explanation, but Kurt didn't know if he could give him one.

Kurt suddenly felt a hand gently running down his back and he immediately tensed, "It's okay baby, it's just me."

The older boy felt himself relax as Blaine continued his ministrations, "How you feeling, Kurt? Carole says that she'll be up in a bit with some dinner. Your parents are worried and have said that you need to eat. I just thought until then we could just cuddle and talk. What do you think?"

Kurt responded by simply shuffling over on his bed and giving Blaine space to lie down next to him. The former Warbler immediately seized this opportunity and laid next to his boyfriend, gathering Kurt into his arms so his head was laid on his chest, holding him tightly to him.

"What's going through your mind?" Blaine whispered, leaning down to kiss the top of Kurt's head.

"Everything," Kurt admitted, needing to let some of it out, "I've realised that I'll have to tell Puck something, but I don't know what to say. I'm thinking about how Detective Park said I was safe and that no one can hurt me. I can't shake the feeling that it's not true. It's a bold thing to say. I just... I just... I just don't know anymore."

"Okay, take deep breath," Blaine said, only ready to continue once he had seen his boyfriend take a deep breath, "Puck just wants to know that you're okay. You don't have to tell him the full truth if you don't want to. You could just say that it's a man that you encountered in New York and you wouldn't be lying! Look sweetie, I hate that you're feeling unsafe and worried. I promise that I'll do everything in my power to keep you safe. It is a bold claim, but I claim that I will try my very best to keep you safe and out of harm's way."

"You're too good for me," Kurt whispered into Blaine's chest, "I love you so much."

Blaine pressed another kiss to his hairline, "You're too good for me. I love you too... so much."

Once again, Kurt wished he could stay in this moment with Blaine and not have to think about any of the demons from his past trying to break him again.

(break)

Sally Jenkins was trying to meet a deadline. Her article about Thomas Manson being sentenced to life in prison and the discovery of his prostitution ring involving young teenagers was lacking something. Normally, Sally would have been ecstatic due to being able to write about such an interesting topic, but she was really getting frustrated at how difficult her task was. The outcome of Manson's sentencing was the main news across a large portion of the United States of America, meaning that Sally had to get this article absolutely spot on. The factor holding her back from completing her task was that there wasn't much information about the prostitution ring available to aid her in writing the article, especially since Sally needed facts to impress her editor. She had always wanted to be a journalist and now her editor had entrusted her with such an important task, she needed to show her potential. She finally had the chance to write about the main news, rather than writing simple pieces about news like the local show choir team winning a competition. Sally had dreamt of writing the perfect article and then being personally asked to come and write for the New York Times. She desperately wanted to be a serious journalist in the city of her dreams. This seemed like it could be her ticket there.

Sally let out a frustrated groan as she hit another mental block. Maybe she was be looking at writing this article in completely the wrong way? She ran her fingers through her long blonde hair, messing it up slightly as she tried to rack her brain for answers.

All she knew about Thomas Manson was that he had taken a group of about ten teenagers and used them as a part of his prostitution ring in New York City. There hadn't been much in the news about the teenagers, but Sally was determined to uncover some information for her article. She could start off by using what she already knew and by also looking into missing teenagers who had been found around the time of Manson's arrest.

Sally tapped her nails impatiently against the desk as she waited for the database to load on her laptop. She was slowly starting to make links with possible teenagers involved in Manson's prostitution ring. One possible victim was a young girl called Hayley Morris, who had gone missing from her foster home in Queens in the new year of 2011. She had been killed mid December 2011, around the time of Manson's arrest. There were three boys who it seemed were also likely to have been involved: Luke Shields, James Carlton and Nicholas Wood. The latter had been killed on the same day and in similar circumstances to Hayley Morris, whereas the other two had been found in New York and had returned home to their families around Christmas time.

During her research, one name caught Sally's eye. She instantly knew that name. She remembered when Kurt Hummel went missing and how his face and his name were everywhere. His family had been so desperate to find him. Sally had been relieved to hear that he was found safe and sound, but the young woman had always thought that it was peculiar that there hadn't been much coverage on Kurt's return home to Lima. The family had released a statement about how overjoyed they were to have their son home, but nothing was ever mentioned about what had happened to him. It just seemed that everyone had just moved on.

Sally sat back in her chair and just stared at her computer screen, feeling sick to her stomach. It was completely obvious what had happened to Kurt Hummel during his seven month disappearance when all the information was laid out on display. The poor boy had been snatched from the streets and had been forced to be part of a prostitution ring by Manson and his men. Sally's research had taught her that Kurt was taken to hospital in the early hours of December 18th 2011, which was the same day that Manson had been arrested and that Hayley Morris and Nicholas Wood had been killed. Sally's attention was also drawn to a few tweets from a couple of nights ago about Kurt being involved in an incident at the restaurant in Lima, suggesting that Kurt had been assaulted by an older man. Sally wondered if maybe the man knew Kurt due to his link with the prostitution ring.

The journalist was suddenly hit by inspiration, finally ridding herself of the mental block. She could focus more on the impact of Manson's actions on his victims and write in a way to show her readers what a monster Manson was. Sally truly didn't understand how Manson could have done such a thing to young adults, but she was certain that there wasn't many people who did understand. Giving her readers the names of the victims made the situation more real in their eyes and they could relate to what they were reading, imagining what it would be like if their own loved ones were in that situation. Giving names made the whole situation even more devastating than anyone could ever imagine. It was all very well to say that Manson snatched teenagers, but it takes it to a whole new level when readers realise that this actually happened to these people. Writing about Kurt Hummel would draw more readers in as so many people had been desperate for the young boy to be found and they would want to know his story.

Maybe other journalists had come to the same realisation that she had and discovered the truth about Kurt Hummel's disappearance. It seemed that none of them had been brave enough to share their story as news about a prostitution ring was not an easy topic.

Sally had a quarter of an hour left before her deadline as she read through her finished article. Suddenly the journalist was hit with a wave of uneasiness about her written work. Was she being selfish writing about teenagers whose lives had been ruined by Manson and his gang of men? Was she opening a large can of worms and disrupting all of their lives yet again? What about the family of the teenagers who had been killed? Was this article really worth it?

Sally stared at her laptop, wishing that there was a sign telling her what to do. One could argued that it was her duty as a journalist to report the facts. If she was hiding information, she wasn't being a true journalist.

The young woman just wanted to the best that she could be. It was with this thought that helped Sally to summon the courage to attach the article in an email to her editor and press send.

(break)

Kurt just stared at the food that had been placed in front of him, trying to work up an appetite to eat some of the toast before he had to leave for school. He could hear his parents chatting about their plans for that day, while Finn was stuffing more food into his mouth. He could see Blaine happily munching on his toast next to him out of the corner of his eye. He had been so relieved that his Dad had let his boyfriend stay over since the incident at Breadstix, especially since the nightmares were keeping him up half the night. Kurt wished that he could just skip school and sleep, with Blaine holding him close, but he knew that his parents would definitely not allow that.

The TV was blaring out some music from the living room, due to Finn's forgetfulness to turn it off after he had watched some cartoons when he had woken up. Kurt managed to recognise the music as the intro to the local news channel, which played just before the headlines were read out.

"Finn, go and turn the TV off!" Carole reprimanded the quarterback, "We're trying to have a nice family breakfast before the day begins and I can't concentrate with that noise."

Carole watched as her son quickly did as he was told, before turning to look at Kurt, "Come on sweetheart, I'm going to need you to eat more than that for breakfast. You need to build up your strength."

Kurt let out a sigh as he picked up a piece of toast and started nibbling on the corner.

When everyone started to finish their breakfast and clear their plates, Kurt dropped the piece of toast that he was holding and claimed he was done too. He quickly threw the remainder of his breakfast away before Carole could tell him to eat more. The three boys went to retrieve their bags and jackets from the living room so that they were ready for school.

"Hey Finn," Kurt suddenly said, remembering that he had wanted to ask his stepbrother something, "Is it okay if I drive today?"

Finn simply shrugged, "If you want. I need to take my own car today as I have football practice until really late. Coach Beiste wants to make that we're all on top form."

Kurt turned to look at his boyfriend, "I think I'm still going to drive. I've been relying on being driven around recently, so I would like to get back behind the wheel."

Blaine just chuckled and nodded as he put his jacket on, happy to see his boyfriend showing signs of being happy after everything.

"Bye guys!" Fin bellowed as he opened the front door.

Carole's reply was lost to the sound of the phone ringing. Burt got out of his chair to answer the call, giving the boys a wave as he did.

The three boys left the house, closing the front door behind them, and each got into their designated cars. As Kurt pulled off the drive and started heading down the street, once Finn had driven off, he thought that he saw the front door to his house open and his Dad step outside, looking absolutely beside him. He was probably just imagining things, especially as he was still slightly on edge after the whole Breadstix incident.

The drive to school was a pleasant one, with the couple discussing anniversary plans and if there was anything in particular that either of them wanted to do to celebrate. It seemed to be understood that Breadstix was definitely not an option without having to say anything.

Kurt and Blaine headed into the school building hand in hand, ignoring the people staring at them or whispering about them. Kurt had hoped that the students at McKinley would be used to the two of them as a couple by now, but due to all the unwanted attention they were getting, that was clearly not the case.

The older boy was incredibly relieved that they had Glee club first thing as he wanted to spend some time with boyfriend and have the opportunity to relax. That clearly was not going to happen as they found the whole room in complete distress when they walked into the choir room.

The majority of the members were in tears, quite a lot of the New Directions looked like they were about to be sick, but it could be said that every single person looked absolutely devastated. Finn was ranting, looking like he wanted to kick several chairs over, and Mr Schue was trying to calm him down, looking distraught himself. Kurt looked at every single one of his friends, wondering what on earth had got them in this sort of state. Finn must have only been there a few minutes before them, so what had happened to get him so worked up?

"What is going on!?" Blaine demanded as he took in the state of the occupants of the room, focusing on Finn who would be most likely to inform them of what was going on.

No one said anything. They all just stared at Kurt, not knowing what to say or how to act. Nothing could have prepared them for this. It was worse than anyone could ever have dreamed.

"Guys?" Kurt pleaded, desperately needing to know what was going on, "Finn... please tell me what happened!"

Finn just stared at his stepbrother, unable to bring himself to say anything. How could he? This would destroy his brother for sure. Kurt had worked so hard and he had done so well, but all of it could be ruined in one go.

It was Rachel who stepped forward nervously, clutching some paper in her hand, "Kurt... this came out today."

Kurt reached over and took the paper, as everyone watched on with bated breath, noting that it seemed to be an article from an Ohio newspaper. He made sure that Blaine was able to read it too as he focused on the written words in front of him. Kurt's eyes blurred as he read the text, unable to blink for one moment. This couldn't be happening. This seriously couldn't be happening.

The article talked about Thomas Manson being sentenced, but the main focus was all about how his crimes had affected his victims. There, for everyone to see, was a picture of one Kurt Hummel from when he had returned to Lima. He briefly noticed that there was pictures of some of his friends or the other survivors from New York. Kurt could see that the author of life ruining article, Sally Jenkins, had named and shamed all of them, even dragging up the names of Manson's dead victims. Hayley didn't deserve this. None of them did! Why was this happening? This could not be happening!

"Kurt..." Rachel started, unsure how to continue, "Is... Is this t-true? You were... Kurt... I'm so sorry!"

The boy in question looked frantically around the room, needing someone to tell him that this wasn't happening. This had to be a nightmare. Kurt had to be having a nightmare and soon he would wake up in bed with Blaine and tell him all about it. He turned to his boyfriend, needing Blaine to save him, but the moment he looked into his boyfriend's hazel eyes, he knew all was lost.

Kurt couldn't breathe. He was now trapped, with no escape. His worst fear had come true. Everyone knew what had happened to him in New York. Everyone knew and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.