Over the next two days, Kurt made a point of keeping his head held high. He was constantly telling himself that he had nothing to be ashamed of and that the only one who could get him down was himself. He would not give David permission to make him feel like less than he was.

To that end he had been tirelessly pleasant with Rachel and Santana, to the point of them asking him if he had been smoking the peace pipe. Kurt exposed himself as being innocent of that when he had asked what they meant and they both laughed off his naïveté.

The games had begun, but they were largely focused on ranch skills in the beginning. He had heard from Rachel that Finn had won the cattle branding competition which she had taken the previous day off to go and see. Apparently it had been quite the event as Rachel had brought Finns clothing back for mending, full of tears, holes, scuffs, and drops of blood which Rachel had to assure Kurt did not belong to Finn. Rachel had gone on to tell Kurt that the second and third place competitors had gotten into a fight after the event, each accusing the other of making eyes at a woman they had claimed as their own. Rachel found it romantic, Kurt thought it was utterly stupid.

On the positive side, many of the competitors had brough their mending to Kurt and he was kept quite busy during the day doing the tailoring. Being busy meant he didn't have a lot of time to think, which was good because Kurt had the toughest time when left alone with his thoughts.

The day of the branding event, Kurt had gone to the general store to get a bolt of fabric to make patches out of. On the way he had seen Blaine and Mike in conversation outside of the doctor office. They were both smiling and laughing which seemed quite foreign on both of their faces, at least in Kurt's experience with them. He thought it must be nice for Mike to have someone talking to him and Kurt made a mental note to try and strike up conversation with the lanky Asian man the next time he saw him. If Blaine could make the effort, Kurt certainly could as well.

Blaine had been in the saloon each night, continuing to hit on Kurt all the while. Kurt responded to Blaine with silence accompanied by a smirk each time. He wasn't going to let Blaine get the better of his emotions again. Kurt had decided that if someone actually found him attractive, he should be allowed to enjoy it a little bit, even if he couldn't flirt back. Somehow Blaine got away with his advances but Kurt knew he wouldn't be that lucky. He wasn't about to risk getting hung for his homosexuality even if Blaine was.

Blaine didn't speak much with the other patrons unless he was playing cards. Blaine had quickly garnered a reputation as a master poker player and he was frequently invited to tables to play in the hopes that others could best him and win a good bit of coin. However, much to the dismay of his challengers, Blaine continued to win. Depending on how late it was into the evening, and how drunk his challengers were, Blaine would get involved in fights with the angry losers accusing him of cheating and having cards up his sleeve.

Blaine could hold his own in a fight, and Kurt had to take a couple of Blaine's victims to Mike to be stitched up. This had allowed Kurt to get to know Mike a little better, discovered that his family was in Boston and he and Tina had met in secondary school. Even though Tina had served as Mike's nurse, her real passion was for art and theatre, however there wasn't a lot of jobs in the east right now so they had come west to be able to afford a home with the hopes of starting a family soon.

Every time Kurt had gotten back to the saloon, Blaine would be sitting, looking no worse for wear, and nursing a drink solemnly. When Blaine would see that Kurt had returned, his melancholy would evaporate and a smile would light up his lips. Kurt would watch as Blaine would finish his drink quickly just so he could call Kurt over to get it refilled and test out a new line. It was almost endearing.

Meanwhile Kurt hadn't had any more late night visits from David, though the gossip in town was that he and his men had roughed up a woman who was claiming that David's dad had and affair with her, impregnanted her, and abandoned her when he found out. The only part of the gossip that was truly outrageous was that the woman would have made any fuss about it. It was common knowledge that Karofsky men slept around and dumped the women once they got bored of them, and it was also common knowledge that you didn't mess with them either. For this woman to have said anything was asking for trouble.

Kurt had left David to be served by Rachel or Santana when he had come in for drinks with his men. As much as he was trying to convince himself that what David had done didn't matter, Kurt didn't want to put himself into a bad situation either. Kurt did his best to ignore his tormentor, and act as if nothing had happened, but every now and then he could feel David's eyes grazing over him which caused him to shudder.

This evening however, Rachel was going to be late as she was watching Finn compete in the cattle herding competition and Santana was already occupied when David and his posse came in the door. Kurt spent a moment hoping that Rachel would arrive back early or Santana would just leave what she was doing before realizing that he had to step up and take their orders.

"Well, well, well. If it ain't the little sodomite." Azimio was the first to see Kurt come to the table. "And here I thought you weren't attracted to us anymore."

"Orders gentlemen?" Kurt spoke plainly, ignoring the slight, hoping that he could get through this quickly.

"He speaks so uppity hey? Like he's better than us." Kyle snickered and Kurt's heart sank a little as he realized he wouldn't be able to get their drink requests without some slurs being thrown his way first.

"Well I'd suggest we smack him around a bit, but I bet a cocksucker like him would like that." David's lips turned into a wicked grin and Kurt saw a heinous look flash through his eyes. Suddenly all of Kurt's self talk about being better than what he allowed for was gone, and he trembled in place.

"Aw look'it him. Dave you got him all excited now." Kyle said as he saw how Kurt quivered and paled, eyes locked on David. The group laughed heartily for a moment before being interrupted by another voice.

"You all should probably leave him alone now. I need another drink and you're taking up all his time." Blaine had come up to the table standing to the side and slightly in front of Kurt as he spoke holding an empty glass back to Kurt which Kurt took with a shaky hand.

David snarled, "You should mind your own fucking business half blood."

Kurt could see Blaine's mouth twitch into a grin and the shorter man lifted up his hands, palms out, "Can't fault me for wanting another drink. You know what they say, whiskey and beer warm the blood better than any woman and also won't talk your ears off."

The table laughed at the statement and within a moment, Kurt was taking orders and pulling over a chair for Blaine to join them. It took awhile, but Kurt managed to regain control over himself and stop the involuntary tremors. He chastised himself, realizing that he had shown David just how much he had gotten to Kurt.

The table was involved in long and drawn out card game for the rest of the night and they were the last patrons left in the saloon at closing. Azimio had fallen asleep in his chair, having lost all his coin for the night awhile ago and Kyle had folded this round, looking back and forth between David and Blaine as they increased their wagers. Kurt was watching behind the bar, secretly rooting for Blaine, who always left Kurt a good tip.

"Call." David spoke, putting the rest of his coin into the impressive pile at the centre of the table.

They exposed their cards and before Kurt could see what was shown, David was swearing up a storm, slamming his fists onto the table and waking up Azimio with a start.

"Goddamn fucking savage cheat!" David stood and bellowed at Blaine who calming drew the coin to him and began counting it out, ignoring the angry gorilla in front of him.

"I didn't see him pull any cards David..." Kyle spoke quietly from where he sat.

"I don't fucking care. No one is that lucky. He fucking cheated and I'm gonna teach him a goddamn lesson!" David yelled, pulling back his fist as he prepared to lay a punch on Blaine.

Without realising it, Kurt called out Blaine's name, warning him of the impending hit. Blaine moved his upper body to the side just as David launched his fist forward, causing David to hit the back of Blaine's chair. He screamed and recoiled his hand, eyes looking toward Kurt with murderous intent.

Kyle and Azimio were on their feet at this point, each with an arm on each of David's shoulders, gently pushing him back.

"Come on man. Not worth it. Let's go."

David grumbled agreement and let himself be led out by his two sidekicks, leaving Blaine at the table, counting and putting away coin into a purse as if nothing had happened.

Kurt expelled a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and went to the table to start collecting the empty glasses to bring back to the kitchen where Rachel and Santana were doing dishes. When he returned, Blaine was up and leaning against the counter.

"You already paid your tab Blaine. You don't owe anything. Have a nice night." Kurt noted, coming up to Blaine. He often reminded inebriated patrons they had already paid, even though Santana said it was better for business if they forgot and repaid.

"Oh I know. Just wanted to see what a night with you would cost is all." Blaine smiled wryly and winked to Kurt.

In a flash, Kurt was back in his room, coins being tossed down at him by David who was calling him a whore. Kurt's hand flew up and slapped across Blaine's cheek, the impact stinging his hand and making Blaine's head snap to the side slightly.

Kurt stood there a moment, transfixed by the angry red welt he had left on Blaine's cheek, and the shock that he had acted, again, in a fit of momentary rage. As he stepped back and lowered his hand, Blaine's head turned back to look at Kurt, no longer smiling.

"Well goodnight then I guess."

Blaine left, not saying anything else. Kurt found himself surprised, given how much he had seen Blaine fight back before when he had been attacked. Kurt had expected to end up at Mikes with stitches. Instead, he was left alone in the saloon, looking at his palm which was red and tingled.

Kurt eventually returned to cleaning up, and paused in that when he found that Blaine had left him a sizable pile of coins at the table. His eyes welled up with tears as he counted them out. How could someone be so crude but so kind all at once. He knew he would have to apologize. He had acted rashly and for comments that wouldn't have otherwise fazed him if it hadn't been for David.

He yelled into the kitchen that Blaine had left something behind and he was going to return it and rushed out the door, walking quickly towards Blaine's campsite.

Kurt looked up at the crescent moon as he walked briskly through town, and because he wasn't watching where he was going, he tripped over a rock by the general store, falling to his knees and cursing under his breath as pain shot up and down his legs.

"So my little whore is on his knees again. How fitting." Slurred David's voice, and Kurt's head shot up, seeing David walking toward him, bottle in hand. Did anyone in this town ever stop drinking?

Kurt moved to get up but David lurched forward and hit him across the head with his bottle, causing Kurt with let out a sharp yelp of pain and fall to his side.

"You little ass fucker warned that cheating injun that I was goin' to hit him!"

Kurt let out a small whimper and put his fingers to his head, hissing as he found a cut along his hairline with them. "Please David..."

David grabbed Kurt by the hair and pulled him towards the alley between the general store and the smith shop. Kurt cried out in pain, trying to pry David's hand out of his hair with his own hands and awkwardly trying to get to his feet at the same time.

"Yah you're going to beg all right..." David mumbled, his words slurred. He shoved Kurt to the ground again as he reached the secluded space between the buildings and unbuttons his pants, letting them drop to the ground.

"You make me come now or I'm going to make your ass bleed to match your head."

Kurt whined softly, spitting out the dirt he had gotten into his mouth as he hit the ground. He was incredibly dizzy and wondered how much he was bleeding, but he forced himself to sit up on his sore knees, pulling down David's briefs and freeing his erection.

The memory of the last time Kurt had seen David's manhood made him gag a little, but he once again dragged his lips back and forth over the erection while David moaned above him. Kurt felt David's hands in his hair and he winced as David rubbed a finger into the gash on his hairline.

"Oh god you little whore. Keep going."

Between the pain and the humility, Kurt silently cried as he kept up the pace, David pushing Kurt's head onto the sweaty, hairy based of his cock as he came. Kurt gagged, but couldn't move as his throat was hit with the draining of semen. As David went flaccid, Kurt was allowed the breath again, being pulled off and thrown back to the ground.

"Fucking slut..." David slurred, redressing himself and then taking a sip out of his bottle.

Kurt coughed into the dirt, and he tried to push himself up to standing, instead slumping further into the ground. As his vision became spotty and dark, he watched as David walked off into the night, leaving him there, alone, beaten, and used.

When Kurt awoke, he wasn't in the dirt and it wasn't night time. He was wrapped up in a blanket and inside a small Canvas tent. His head felt foggy and his head was screaming with pain. Kurt moaned and reached up to feel where he had gotten his cut and Tom his surprise, found his head was bandaged.

Kurt tried to sit up but when he did discovered that caused him overwhelming dizziness and laid immediately back down.

The door flap to the tent opened then and to Kurt's astonishment, Blaine was the one who entered. The man wasn't wearing the duster Kurt had always seen him in, and was carrying a small bowl and spoon in one hand. Blaine sat down beside Kurt once he was inside.

"What....?" Kurt started to ask and then hissed in pain as the attempt to speak make some nerve in him scream out in protest.

Blaine looked over Kurt, checking out his bandage on his head, and then, to Kurt's embarrassment, lifting up the blanket to check on bandages on Kurt's knees that he didn't realize were there. Kurt was suddenly very aware that he was stripped down to his own briefs and undershirt and his face went red.

"You'll be fine." Blaine said nonchalantly, recovering Kurt with the blanket. Kurt had a hundred questions forming in his head that he couldn't asked without risking making himself hurt, so instead he looked at Blaine with his best questioning eyes.

Blaine dipped the spoon into the bowl and then put it to Kurt's mouth. "First you need to drink. Then I will talk."

Kurt inwardly fumed about being ordered to do anything, but slowly opened his mouth, just a little, to slow the spoon in. It tasted like the spiciest chicken broth he could ever conceive of and his scrunched up nose and slight gagging sound made Blaine chuckle.

"Old medicine woman's pain relief soup is painful to take but worth it."

So Kurt was having his first taste of native food then. He made a mental note not to go to any restaurant in the future that specialized in native food if this was any indication of how it tasted. Despite that, he continued to begrudgingly drink down the soup as Blaine spoon fed him, hoping that it would actually give him some relief from the pain roaring through his head.

Once the soup was done and Kurt's taste buds had been sufficiently killed off, Blaine set down the bowl and spoon and looked to Kurt with sad eyes. "Why would anyone do this to you..."

Kurt glanced down, avoiding the eye contact out of shame.

"Is it because you're like me...?" Blaine asked.

He means gay, Kurt thought to himself. Blaine certainly wouldn't assume Kurt had native blood given how pale he was, so it had to be that.

Kurt gave Blaine a nod, because even though it wasn't entirely accurate, it was the closest thing to a reason he could give.

Blaine just sighed and pulled off his hat, revealing that all his dark ringlets of hair. As he set it down to the ground, he reached up to comb his fingers through his hair. Kurt watched him, realizing for perhaps the first time just how striking this man was.

"You're braver than I am. You stay in one place and face the danger, I... don't." Blaine finally spoke, not looking back at Kurt as he did.

Kurt tilted his head slightly. Blaine fought off numberous attackers since he had arrived in Lima, with no trouble, how could he think he wasn't brave?

"I found you this morning. I took you to my camp to patch you up. I would have taken you to Mike but I trust my own remedies more. You need to rest. I told Santana and you won't work tonight...."

Kurt opened his mouth then, fighting against the pain of it to speak in protest, but Blaine's finger pushed against his lips to shush him. "That soup should make you sleep. Just rest."

Kurt whined against the finger on his lips, but his eyes did feel heavy and before he knew it, he was out again.

The next time he woke up, Kurt's head wasn't throbbing and all he could feel in it was a dull ache of reminder that it had been so sore.

He could push himself up to sit, alone in the little tent again. It was night and he was missing his shift. He had to get up and get there so he wouldn't lose any wages. Missing a night of working was like accepting that he wasn't going to eat for a month.

He grunted and groaned, trying to make himself move less stiffly as he looked around for his clothing, not finding them anywhere inside the tent. That figured. He wrapped the blanket around himself and crawled out.

Blaine was sitting beside the fire, holding a pot over it to cook something within. He tsked as he saw Kurt and scolded, "Get back in there and sleep. Your body needs rest to heal."

Kurt grumbled and started looking around for his clothing, ignoring the demand.

Blaine set the pot down on the ground and walked over to Kurt, putting his hands on his shoulders, "You need to rest."

Kurt pulled away from the touch and winced at the pain caused by his sharp movement, "I need to work. I can't afford not to. Not all of us have money to gamble."

Blaine frowned and reached into one of the pouches on one of his belts, pulling out some coin, "How much do you earn in a night?"

"I am not buyable!" Kurt snapped and started looking again for his clothing. "Where did you put my damn clothing...."

Blaine's frowned, tucking the coins back into his pouch and looking hurt. "They were bloodied so I asked Santana to bring you a fresh set from your room once her work was done...."

Kurt looked back at Blaine, "So I'm stuck here?!"

Blaine sighed and went to his Appaloosa, who was laying beside the tree she was tied to. He pulled a bag off the saddle sitting beside her and started digging through it, pulling out a pair of suede trousers and lined dress shirt which he tossed toward Kurt. "Here. Go then."

Kurt blinked and reached down to collect the clothing on the ground, going back into the tent to dress. The clothing was a little short on him, but Blaine was also built more broadly so it all evened out.

Kurt waited a moment before going back out. He had ended up here after all, meaning to see Blaine last night to apologize for slapping him, the having Blaine find and take care of him after his ordeal. Blaine hadn't taken advantage of him while he was hurt, and Kurt was trying to rush out on him despite his kindnesses.

When he did come out, Kurt walked to where Blaine was sitting by the fire and quietly sat down beside him. "I'm sorry. I was coming here last night to say I was sorry when I was attacked...."

Blaine looked over at Kurt but didn't say anything, just watched him, admiring his pale beauty in the glow of the moonlight with the firelight dancing off his eyes.

Kurt didn't notice Blaine watching him, finding it easier to speak freely if he didn't make eye contact with him. "And you took care of me and I was rude. I'm sorry again."

After that, there was quiet between them for a minute. Kurt not knowing what else to say and staring into the fire, and Blaine just enjoying looking at him and listening to his voice.

After the silence stretched out for awhile, Blaine pulled his harmonica from his vest breast pocket and began playing the same tune he had played the other night Kurt had come out to his camp.

Kurt listened and felt himself soften and relax. He was still tired, more than he cared to admit, and the music was incredibly soothing. If he hadn't been sitting up, he probably could have fell asleep within moments.

He must have zoned out though, because before he knew it the music was done and Blaine was standing behind him, draping the blanket over his shoulders. "No... I need to work...." Kurt protested softly.

"You can hate me for it, but I will pay you to rest and heal. Double what you normally make. If money is truly such a problem for you, then you would be a fool to refuse me."

Kurt looked back to Blaine, jaw dropped in stunned silence. He would be a fool to refuse that, and all he had to do was sleep and rest? Kurt nodded, though his face must have still looked unsure because Blaine felt the need to clarify.

"Just resting and healing. I know I joked about other things before but that's not what I'd pay you for."

Kurt allowed Blaine then to lead him back into the tent and help him back into a laying position, during which time Blaine told him that he would tell Santana and make sure his job was safe in the meantime.

"Thank you." Kurt uttered, resting his head on the pillow and looking up at Blaine through half lidded eyes.

Blaine smiled softly back and pulled out his harmonica again, allowing Kurt to fall asleep to the strange, sad song.

Throughout the night, Kurt woke several times. The first was hearing Santana and Blaine talking outside.

"You know when you're not in the saloon my profits seem to drop half blood." Santana's voice spoke.

"You'll make due." was Blaine's simple response.

"How is he? Can I see him?"

"He is sleeping. His knees were bruised and cut up, he had bruises and cuts on his head in several places, and a large gash by his temple I stitched up. It is minor overall, but only if he lets himself heal before moving too much. Damage around the head can cause many problems if not allowed to heal up before returning to normal life."

"So you're a hustler AND a doctor. Impressive."

"I learn the skills I need to know to survive."

"Anyhow half blood, here's some clothes for him. Rachel and I will take care of the saloon if you take care of him. Boy never takes time off anyhow, so I'll count this as his vacation."

"Do you know who attacked him?"

Santana let out a bit of a snort, "I can make guesses, but I haven't heard anyone bragging about it so I can't know for sure."

"You will tell me if you do find out." Kurt could hear Blaine's voice grow cold as he said it.

"Even if I did, what are you going to do? You'll just make it worse for him if you retaliate. He's tolerated in this town as it is. You get to leave, he doesn't. He'd have to live with whatever repercussions there would be for anything you'd do."

Blaine murmured a response that Kurt couldn't make out and then there were footsteps and silence. After a little while, Kurt had fallen asleep again.

The next time he woke up, was because of snoring. He looked to his side and saw Blaine laying by the door, uncovered, with a gun in his hand, and sleeping. Every now and then Blaine would let out a little snore followed by a murmur. Kurt watched him for awhile sleeping like that before crawling over and draping the blanket over him. He then laid back down where he had been and fell asleep again.

Waking again he discovered the blanket had made its way back onto him and he could tell through the canvas that it was morning. He heard the telltale sounds of the morning hustle and bustle outside - a medley of different voices, horse sounds, and shop door bells all at once. He grumbled and pulled the blanket up over his head to try and drown out some of the sound but stopped when Blaine lifted the flap and came in again, carrying a plate and mug.

"Good, you're awake. Breakfast." A plate was held out to Kurt and he sat up, taking it and surveying the mix of potato hash and bacon. His stomach growled demandingly and he took the fork sitting on the plate and eagerly scooped up the food to eat.

Blaine sat beside him and placed the mug beside Kurt, in which Kurt could smell the deliciously strong aroma of coffee. Within ten minutes, Kurt had finished off the meal and the coffee and had a hand on his stomach appreciatively.

Blaine took away the plates and when he came back he was carrying a satchel. "Need to check your bandages." he explained and settled beside Kurt again, taking bandages and several little jars out from the bag.

"Alright." Kurt leaned toward Blaine, offering his head up for inspection. In truth Kurt felt better than he had in a long time. He hadn't slept so long, or so deeply for a long time, and wounds or not, that made a lot of difference.

Blaine gently unwound the bandage and set it to the side on the ground. Kurt could see that he had bled into it from the large, dark ruddy stain on it. He wondered how it looked and if it would end up leaving a large scar.

"Good. Very good. I'll clean it up and rebandage it, but you shouldn't need anything more once that bandage is done with." Blaine said as he examined it. He picked up on of the jars and unscrewed the lid. Kurt could smell something bitter, and when Blaine dipped a finger into the jar and then swiped some of the yellowish ointment to Kurt's head, Kurt pulled his head back and howled in protest, his gash stinging and burning all of a sudden.

Blaine shook his head and smirked slyly to himself, "It helps clean and heal the wound." He cleaned his finger off in the unbloodied part of the old bandage and went to cut a new length of bandage while Kurt grumbled.

"Shouldn't leave a scar...." Blaine said, winding the new bandage around Kurt's head and delicately wrapping it together so it would stay on.

"Thank goodness..." Kurt stated.

Blaine chuckled, "For someone who doesn't like being flirted with, you sure are vain."

Kurt balked, "No! I mean...." His face went beet red.

Blaine shook his head dismissively and nodded towards the blanket, "Let me see your knees."

Kurt obliged, secretly chastising himself for being so concerned about his looks when he should just be happy he was alive. Blaine pulled off the bandages and Kurt could see that his knees had scabbed over with large angry bruises surrounding them.

"They should be okay now without bandages. I wanted to make sure they didn't get infected. The knees of your pants were torn up when I found you and dirt and small rocks were lodged in the meat of your knees."

Kurt grimaced, knowing that had come from being on his knees in front of David. Blaine saw Kurt's face pale and he tucked a finger under Kurt's chin, tipping it up to force him to look eye to eye with Blaine.

"Hey, it's alright. No infection. It'll heal up fine."

Kurt nodded, a blush forming in his cheeks. "Thank you for all this."

Blaine shrugged it off and repacked his medical equipment quietly, finally responding after a moment. "I had to take care of myself when I was attacked for who I was. I feel better knowing that you don't have to."

Blaine left right after saying that and Kurt stared blankly after him and then at the door where he exited. Kurt's heart melted as he realized that Blaine was rude to keep people at a distance, and antisocial for the same reason. Blaine was just avoiding being hurt the best ways he knew how. Like Kurt, he was surviving.