Kurt smiled when he looked over at Blaine, who was trying his hardest to keep a straight face listening to his brother teach. Cooper occasionally would look at him and almost laugh as well, but they both somehow managed to keep their composure.

Everyone, however, jumped when the door opened, slamming into the wall. Kurt’s jaw dropped when he saw Mercedes.

“Cedes, what are you doing here?!”

“I need to talk to you. Now.” Cooper spoke up.

“Who are you?”

“Co-, I mean, Mr. Anderson, this is Mercedes. My best friend from McKinley.” She grabbed Kurt’s arm.

“Yeah, and I need to talk to you. Now.” Cooper walked over.

“Wait, you can’t just take him out of my class.” Mercedes looked at Kurt, her expression giving him chills.

“Its about David.”

“…um…Mr. Anderson, this is actually really important. Could I be excused for just a minute?” Cooper looked at Blaine, who nodded vigorously. Trusting Blaine’s judgement, Cooper nodded. Mercedes pulled Kurt out into the hall.

“What happened?” She handed him the newspaper.

“You need to see this. And I wanted you to hear it from me rather than on the street.” Kurt looked down at the headline circled in red pen and felt his heart drop, the words cutting through him like a knife. Domestic Abuse Prisoner Attempts Suicide. He forced himself to continue reading through the article.

Reports from eleven o’clock yesterday night confirm that prisoner David Karofsky, 18, imprisoned for domestic abuse, attempted suicide yesterday afternoon. Taken into custody last Friday evening, Karofsky had reportedly been ‘nothing but trouble’ to prison wardens and other inmates since his arrival. He was found on the floor of his cell at approximately ten thirty last night with a belt around his neck with matching ligature marks. Reports say that Karofsky’s make-shift noose snapped at a point in time long after consciosuness was lost, but slightly before death. Karofsky is now in Lima Community Hospital in critical condition. Doctors say they are not yet certain whether or not the young man will pull through.

Kurt couldn’t believe what he had read. David was in jail because of him. He attempted suicide because he was in jail. And now he was in the hospital in critical condition. He dropped the paper as he felt his knees collapse under him. Mercedes got down on her knees and hugged him as tears streamed down his face.

“Its ok, sweetie, its ok.”

“C-can you get Blaine?” She nodded and made her way to the door of the classroom. She opened the door, again interrupting Cooper.

“Blaine. He needs you.” Blaine looked at Cooper who nodded, pointing to the door.

“Thanks, Coop.”

“Mr. Anderson here, Blainers.” Blaine glared back a him, but continued to the door. When he saw Kurt sitting on the floor crying, he panicked. He turned to Mercedes as he knelt down, holding Kurt close to him and trying to comfort him by rubbing his back.

“God, what did you tell him?” She pointed to the crinkled newspaper on the floor, and watched as Blaine picked it up with his free hand, reading over the article. Once he finished, he wrapped his arms tightly around his boyfriend. “I’m so sorry, Kurt.”

“W-would you mind if I went to see him?”

“Not at all. As I matter fact, I’ll go with you.” Kurt picked his head up from Blaine’s shoulder, his eyes red and puffy.

“You don’t have to.” Blaine smiled and kissed Kurt’s cheek, red and salty from the tears.

“I know.” Kurt smiled slightly and put his head down on Blaine’s shoulder again. “I’m gonna go tell Cooper, ok?” Kurt nodded. Blaine stood and walked back into the classroom, going right up to Cooper. He whispered so the class couldn’t here him. “Its his ex. He attempted suicide and is in critical condition in the hospital. The doctors don’t think he’s gonna make it. He wants to go see him.” Cooper went to his desk and pulled his keys out of the top drawer.

“Class dismissed. But don’t tell anyone.”

“What are you doing?”

“Coming with you. Its last period, I can leave a few minutes early.”

“I can drive.”

“Nope. Kurt sure as hell can’t and you have to take care of him. I’m driving.” Before Blaine could respond, Cooper was out the door and he had no choice but to follow unless he wanted to get left behind. He ran out to see Cooper and Mercedes helping Kurt to his feet. Blaine wrapped his arms around his still crying boyfriend as they walked to Cooper’s car, except Mercedes who was taking her own car to the hospital. Kurt and Blaine climbed into the backseat of Cooper’s blue Ford Focus.

“You guys ok back there?” Cooper asked as he backed out of his parking space. Blaine had Kurt huddled into his chest sobbing, but rubbing his back definitely seemed to help.

“Yeah, we’re ok.”

“We’ll get there in about forty five minutes, Kurt. Don’t worry. Its gonna be fine.” Kurt wasn’t believing it. He knew what the doctors thought. He knew what ‘we’re not sure’ means.

___________________________________________

Walking into the hospital, Kurt was frantic. He wasn’t sure what he should expect to see. Mercedes somehow managed to get lost, so it was just Kurt, Blaine, and Cooper walking up to the front desk.

“Excuse me, what room is David Karofsky in?” Blaine and Kurt had nominated Cooper to do the talking.

“I’m sorry, only family is allowed in to see him right now. Are you family?”

“Yes. I’m his cousin, this is my brother, and this is David’s brother.” They would never regret the decision in having Cooper do the talking. Otherwise, they probably would’ve never gotten in.

“Ok, he’s in room 284. Right down the hall on the left.”

“Thanks.” Kurt turned to the two others as they began to walk towards the doorway leading into the large hallway.

“Guys, would you mind staying out here for a while?”

“Not at all.” Blaine kissed Kurt’s temple, making sure the nurse at the reception desk didn‘t see. “Come get us if you need anything.” A man dressed in green scrubs walked up to Kurt.

“You’re here to see David Karofsky, right?” Kurt nodded. “Ok, well, his vitals are looking good. He’s stabilizing. At this point, its very likely that he will pull through.” He nodded again, this time a smile appearing on his face.

“Thank you.” He looked back at Blaine and Cooper before making the trip down the hallway. He located the room and took a deep breath before stepping inside and gasping at the sight. David was laying on the bed nearest the window with a tube sticking out of his mouth and IV’s running into both arms. The ligature marks on his neck were very clear as were the seemingly fresh bruises on his face.

“My God, David…” he whispered, slowly walking closer to the bed. He sat down in a chair to the left of the bedside. “I’m so sorry…I-…God, I did this to you…” The tears started again, worse than before, now that he saw David lying in the hospital bed. He sat there for a while silently, just to be next to him.

Suddenly, David’s body started seizing violently. Alarms rang from the machines monitoring him and doctors and nurses came from every direction, shoving Kurt out of the way, who appeared petrified in place. The next thing he heard above the shouts of all the people in the room was a continuous beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep, and one of the doctors grabbed the paddles and gave shock after shock to David’s now bare chest, but to no avail. Everything went silent, nurses and doctors clearing out of the room, a few hanging around to disconnect the IV and monitor and everything else he had been hooked up to. The last thing they did before they left was pull the thin, white sheet of the hospital bed up over David’s face.

_______________________________________________

“So, why did he wanna come here? I mean, he’s his ex, right? He went to jail when he called the cops on him.”

“He was with him for so long, though. That’s the thing. If it wasn’t such a long relationship it would be different.”

“Yeah, I guess your right…and what if this guy doesn’t pull through?” Blaine sighed.

“Then Kurt will be devastated. I mean, of course I’m not saying that I wouldn’t stay with him and help him as much as he needs, you know I would. I’d just feel…so sorry for him.” Their conversation was interrupted by a high pitched scream that Blaine immediately recognized as Kurt. He bolted down the hallway to the room where Kurt was. Cooper realized that it was Kurt about the time Blaine ran into the hospital room to find Kurt in the chair next to the hospital bed, his face distorted in grief. He went to him immediately, kneeling down beside the chair and taking hold of Kurt’s hands.

Cooper caught up, walking into the room and taking in the situation: David unhooked from all monitors with his face covered, Kurt sobbing on a chair sitting next to the bed, and his brother kneeling next to the chair trying his hardest to comfort Kurt. For once in his life, he couldn’t think of anything to say. Nothing helpful, nothing witty, not even anything remotely rude. His mind just went blank. The only thing he could think to do was join Blaine in trying to comfort Kurt, so he walked over and stood over the head of the chair, leaning in and hugging Kurt from behind.

Kurt may not have had feelings for David anymore, but that doesn’t mean that he didn’t blame himself for David’s death.