Chapter 21

"Are you sure you don't want any eggs?"

After several minutes of unanswered silence, Carole turned around from her position in front of the stove to face Kurt, who was sitting at the kitchen table. His shoulders were slumped and his posture was veryun-Kurt-like. He was usually so meticulous about how he presented himself.

Even his hair looked unkempt.

Today however, he sat quietly at the table, staring at the black and white pages of the morning newspaper, several slices of untouched toast with peanut butter lay on a green plate in front of him.

Kurt continued to flip mindlessly through the pages of the paper, skipping over the fashion section and going directly to the classifieds. He'd been nonchalantly checking out the obituaries over the past few days. He didn't tell anyone why, but he just couldn't get rid of the tiny nagging voice in his head that told him something was terribly wrong. He skimmed down the page and released the deep breath that he'd been holding when his eyes met the end of the list without seeing any familiar names.

Blaine wasn't dead.

It had been five days since Blaine had snuck out the Hummel's bathroom window.

Kurt had spent much of the weekend driving around Lima looking for any sign of his friend. He'd returned to the bakery but was saddened to learn that Abby hadn't heard from Blaine either. Kurt checked back at the school, the library, the bus stops, and even the homeless shelter.

No one had seen neither hide nor curly black hair of the boy.

Burt had forced Kurt to go back to school on Monday morning, much to his chagrin. He floated carelessly from class to class without speaking to anyone. His mind was constantly buzzing with new theories and he found himself replaying his past conversations with Blaine hoping to find some new information of his whereabouts.

He came up empty.

On the plus side, Kurt was happy that Dave Karofsky had seemingly forgotten about him for the time being. Not a single locker check, slushie or dumpster toss in the three days that he'd been back in school. He was thankful that he didn't need to deal with the football team on top of everything else.

Burt had contacted the police Monday morning, but the conversation proved unsuccessful after he'd mentioned that Blaine had actually left on his own accord. They told him that they would "keep an eye out for him", but said that officially their hands were tied until Blaine's parents filed a missing person's report.

Burt didn't see that happening any time soon.

Carole and Finn had all but moved into the Hummel home over the past few days. Carole was still working at the hospital several nights a week, but she had made herself at home. Finn, on the other hand, had been slightly less enthused about the move; he had opted to spend much of the past week at Puck's house. Tension was still high between him and Kurt, and both teens found it far easier to just avoid each other rather than try to work things out.

Burt and Carole had both noticed the awkward silences and disapproving glances between the pair of teenagers, but with everything going on, they too decided to leave it alone for the time being.

Kurt sighed, setting the newspaper down on the table.

"You look exhausted, sweetie." Carole said softly, setting a plate of eggs on the table in front of Kurt and looking deep into his eyes. They were bloodshot and had dark circles under them. "Are you getting any sleep?"

Kurt sighed again, glancing up at the older woman with a look of anguish. He shook his head slowly. "I don't know what to do."

Carole pulled a chair out from under the table, sat next to Kurt and placed a gentle hand on his knee.

"Oh honey. You've tried so hard to find him. You've done everything you can. It's up to him now."

Kurt nodded reluctantly, but in his heart he couldn't make himself agree with her sentiments.

What if he's in trouble and he can't help himself?

"He's been through so much." Kurt whispered. "What if he couldn't fight back this time?"

Carole's eyes fluttered closed momentarily and her eyebrows furrowed. She thought for a moment before choosing her words carefully. She didn't want Kurt to see how much Blaine's sudden disappearance had been bothering her. She was determined to maintain her rock solid façade.

"Blaine is… very… independent, Kurt. Ever since I first met him, he wanted to do everything for himself. He didn't have a great upbringing and I think that it just got… worse for him the older he got. His family never came to visit him the entire time he was in the hospital. A fourteen-year-old kid, all alone, and left to figure things out for himself. From the sounds of things, his life never got much easier for him after he left the hospital either. I don't know what is going on with him now, but I know that you've been a great help to him Kurt. You've only known him for a short time, but the other day, when you were in the living room together, I've never heard him laugh like that. You brought a sparkle to his eye that wasn't there before, Kurt. You did that. And I'm certain that he knows that he can trust you. He probably just needs a little time to sort himself out."

Kurt's stare remained on the floor during Carole's speech.

Did Blaine trust him? If he did, why did he lie about where he lived?

Kurt couldn't help but see the irony of the situation.

As much as I've supposedly helped Blaine, he's the one that saved my ass at school.

"Blaine is a good boy, Kurt. He knows that he needs help. Otherwise he wouldn't have showed up here the other night. He likely left because he didn't want to be an inconvenience."

Kurt quickly raised his head, and narrowed his eyes in confusion, "Why would he ever think that?"

"Like I said," Carole stated, squeezing Kurt's knee. "He's very independent. The entire time he spent in the hospital, he was constantly apologizing for 'taking up our time', and refusing help when he really needed it. I think that must have been how things went for him at home." She shrugged. "He's such a sweet boy, so polite and appreciative for everything. It's a wonder how he turned out so well with parents like his.

Kurt didn't miss the hint of acid in Carole's voice.

They sat in silence for a few moments before Carole sighed and stood up from the table. "I know you're worried about him sweetheart, we all are, but there's no use in making yourself sick over it. Can I make you a cup of tea before you head off to school?"

Tea? I don't want tea.

I want Blaine.

Kurt's eyes widened and his posture improved dramatically as he suddenly sat upright in his chair.

"Tea!" He exclaimed loudly.

"Yes honey, would you like a cup?"

Carole's words went completely unnoticed.

What was the name of that coffee/tea shop Blaine had offered to take him to?

Kurt closed his eyes, his brain desperately clutching at the distant memory.

Tea Tree.

"I have to go!" He announced abruptly.

Before Carole could even ask, Kurt had grabbed his coat and keys and was out the door.

The overpowering smell of coffee was a welcomed reward as Kurt made his way into the tiny coffee shop. Several patrons were seated throughout the shop, each with a steaming mug of morning happiness in front of them. Kurt waited in line for several minutes before he reached the counter.

A friendly-looking girl with pink hair flashed Kurt a brilliant smile.

"Good morning!" She said cheerfully. "What can I get for you?"

Kurt couldn't help but return her infectious smile; her effervescent personality was like a breath of fresh air.

It felt like the first time he'd smiled since Blaine left.

"Hi, ummm… may I please get a grande non-fat mocha?"

The barista smiled and wrote his order on the paper cup with a blue marker. "Of course! Anything else for you?"

"Well, actually…" Kurt said nervously, "I'm looking for a friend of mine. I'm wondering if you've seen him?"

The girl (Her name tag read Ashley) tilted her head to the side curiously. "Oh? What's his name?"

"Blaine." Kurt offered hopefully. "Blaine Anderson."

Ashley frowned. "Hmmm, That name's not familiar. What does he look like?"

Kurt sighed. He wished that he'd been able to find a photo of Blaine. He looked on Facebook, Twitter and even MySpace, but came up empty. There were no shots of him in any of the school newspapers, and he was too new at McKinley to be in any yearbook.

It was as though he never existed.

"Well… he's my age but he's pretty short. He's got curly black hair and big hazel eyes." Kurt explained thoughtfully.

The girl pondered for a moment but shook her head. "Not ringin' any bells… I'm sorry."

Kurt was deflated. He thought for sure that this might be his chance.

Just as he was about to turn away from the counter, a thought hit him.

"Triangular eyebrows! He's got these giant, bushy, weirdly-shaped triangular eyebrows!"

Ashley appeared surprised, but Kurt could physically see the look of recognition grow on her face seconds later.

"Oh my god! I totally know who you're talking about!" She said with a laugh. "He's only been in here a couple of times, but I'd never forget those eyebrows! Seriously dude… Get some tweezers!"

Kurt's heart leapt. "You know Blaine?"

"I don't know him at all actually, but he's been in here a couple times with some other guys. They were all wearing the same outfit. School uniform maybe?"

Dalton.

Kurt cursed his stupidity.

Of course Blaine would go back to Dalton! He basically told me that it was his safe haven.

Why hadn't he thought of this sooner?

"Oh my god Ashley! Thank you so much!" He handed the girl a ten-dollar bill. "Please keep the change!"

Kurt grabbed his coffee from the counter and all but ran out of the coffee shop, leaving the girl with pink hair standing behind the counter stunned but with a huge smile spread across her face.

Today, he was going to private school.

The entrance into Dalton Academy was impressive. Not unlike the mansion that Blaine's parents lived in, the building was designed by someone with expensive taste.

Kurt stepped out of his Navigator and brushed his hands down the pant legs of the grey trousers he donned. He'd made a quick trip home to research the school and to change into an outfit that better matched the school's assigned uniforms.

The Dalton website showed several photos of students wearing a navy blue blazer with red piping and grey trousers. The outfit was topped off with a blue and red striped necktie.

Kurt, thanks to his infinite array of fashionable outfits, was able to come quite close to matching the school uniform. He'd found a dark blue blazer, which he paired with a white dress shirt, and although he wasn't able to find a striped tie that would exactly match, he donned a bright red one.

He locked his car, took a deep breath and headed inside the intimidating looking structure.

After getting turned around several times, Kurt found himself walking in the same direction as a flood of other students. They all appeared excited, and were rushing quickly down a spiral staircase, so Kurt hiked his messenger bag higher up on his shoulder and followed the crowd.

As Kurt made his way down the intricately crafted staircase, he couldn't help but look around in awe.

A gorgeous round skylight filled the room with natural sunlight and multiple mirrors positioned on the walls reflected it throughout the area.

It was stunning.

As several more blazer-clad students rushed by him, Kurt heard mumblings of 'Warblers' and 'Senior Commons' and he could no longer withhold his curiosity. A tall brown-haired boy was sneaking past him on the staircase and he pulled off his sunglasses and decided to try his luck.

"Excuse me? Ummm… Hi. Can I ask you a question? I-I'm new here."

The brown-haired boy turned to look at Kurt and offered him a smile. "My name's Nick."

The teen reached his hand out and Kurt shook it with a surprised grin. "Kurt".

"Uhhh, so what exactly is going on?" Kurt asked, looking at the vast number of students still rushing down the staircase around him.

'The Warblers!" Nick exclaimed excitedly. "Every now and then they throw an impromptu performance in the Senior Commons. It tends to shut the school down for a while."

"So wait, the glee club here is kind of cool?" Kurt couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Nick grinned. "The Warblers are like… rockstars!"

Kurt looked doubtful.

"Come on." Nick said, nodding towards the bottom of the staircase. "I know a shortcut."

Kurt followed the taller teen through a gorgeous sitting room, complete with antique leather furniture and an expensive-looking chandelier hanging from the ceiling. A mural was painted on each of the walls and the floor was made of shiny marble. Kurt couldn't help but gawk around at the intricate designs and shook his head when he considered the sharp contrast to the often graffiti-littered hallways at McKinley.

Nick pushed open a heavy set of double wooden doors and led Kurt inside a room that was teeming with activity.

The Senior Commons room was filled with boys moving furniture and milling about. Most of them were wearing Dalton blazers, but some donned red vests over their white dress shirts. They all looked extremely excited.

"Ohhh, I stick out like a sore thumb," Kurt said, adjusting his messenger bag higher on his shoulder.

"Next time, don't forget your jacket, new kid." Nick said with a wink. "You'll fit right in."

He stepped back from Kurt and flashed him another brilliant smile, "Now, if you'll excuse me…"

Suddenly, without warning, a chorus of acapella voices filled the air and Nick turned towards the group of Warblers and burst into a stirring rendition of 'Uptown Girl'.

Kurt watched in awe once again as the group of boys sang in perfect harmony and danced around the room in choreographed steps. But the sight that intrigued him the most was undoubtedly the excitement and encouragement from the rest of the Dalton students in attendance. They were cheering, dancing and singing along with the music – something that would never happen with the glee club at McKinley.

Nick hadn't been kidding – the Warblers were considered rockstars by their fellow students.

The number ended several minutes later, with the group of performers laughing and congratulating each other.

Kurt stood in the doorway with a gigantic smile, clapping excitedly.

It was impossible not to see what Blaine had found so appealing about Dalton Academy.

"Latte?"

Kurt looked up nervously at the four boys sitting across from him at the small round table outside the Senior Commons room. He whispered a near-silent 'thank you' before accepting the paper cup from Nick.

"This is Wes, and David." Nick nodded his head first towards a young Asian teen and then to an African-American boy on the opposite side of him. "And this is Jeff." A lanky teen with blonde hair that was sitting immediately to Nick's left nodded towards Kurt with a smile.

Kurt couldn't help but notice that there was bruising around the blonde boy's left eye. Although it was covered up with concealer, some of the discoloration still peeked through; heavily contrasted against his pale skin. Kurt would never admit it to anyone, but he was a experienced professional at using make-up to cover bruises often left by jocks slamming him into the lockers at school. This boy had tried, but he had been unsuccessful in hiding the marks completely.

"It's very civilized for you to invite me for coffee before you beat me up for spying." Kurt said nervously.

"We're not going to beat you up." Wes admitted.

"You were such a terrible spy, we thought it was sort of… endearing." David smiled.

Nick took a gulp of his coffee and added with a sly grin, "Which made me think that spying on us wasn't really the reason you came."

Kurt glanced down at the cup of coffee in front of him. His stomach clenched slightly when his brain suddenly recalled the reason why he was at Dalton in the first place.

"Can I ask you guys a question?" He asked apprehensively.

After receiving a gentle nod from each of the boys, Kurt swallowed the lump in his throat and took a deep breath.

"Do you guys know Blaine Anderson?"

Nick's eyebrows immediately rose on his forehead and Wes and David exchanged a look that Kurt couldn't quite interpret.

Kurt studied the facial expressions of each of the four uniformed teenagers in front of him, knowing full well that they all knew exactly who he was talking about.

Wes cleared his throat and began to speak, but Kurt wasn't surprised when, instead of answering the question, he redirected one right back to him.

"Where did you say you were from again?"

Kurt took a hesitant sip of his latte, taking his time while swallowing the hot liquid. "I go to McKinley High in Lima. Blaine is a student there now."

He didn't miss the miniscule look of surprise that appeared on Nick's face.

After several minutes of awkward silence, Kurt decided that he wasn't going to get anywhere by waiting for these boys to offer any information.

"Have you seen or heard from him lately?" Kurt asked, carefully observing the facial expressions of each of the boys for any hint of recollection.

The blonde boy, Jeff, looked to Nick with a worried glance and the taller teen quickly turned his head to avoid his glance, choosing to look down at his own cup of coffee in front of him instead.

Kurt's eyebrows furrowed as David and Wes exchanged yet another odd look.

What is going on here? What are these guys hiding?

"Listen." Kurt said, sitting up in his chair. "I don't know what is going on with you guys, but I think Blaine is in trouble. And, if you are his friends, I think you owe it to him to help me find him."

All four of the teenagers in front of Kurt looked shocked at his sudden audacity.

"In trouble…?" Jeff spoke for the first time and Kurt noted that his voice was highlighted with an accent of some sort. Australian maybe? "What kind of trouble?"

Kurt was relieved to have finally made some progress. He breathed a sigh of relief before continuing.

"I'm not exactly certain. He was staying at my house and then… he took off the other night. I haven't seen him since."

"He was staying at your house?" Nick exclaimed. "But why wasn't he at…"

Nick's question was interrupted by a strategically placed (but not terribly subtle) kick under the table. He looked over to Wes, who was giving him a stern look of warning and a miniscule shake of his head.

He was obviously instructing Nick to stop talking.

Kurt didn't miss the exchange.

Seriously? What is going on?

"Please, if you guys know anything… you have to tell me. I'm really worried about him. He was… hurt pretty bad when he left my place." Kurt couldn't hide the emotion that was laced in each of the words he spoke.

"Hurt?" Nick sounded genuinely concerned. "Hurt how? Did you…?"

This time it was Kurt himself that interrupted the brunette teen sitting across from him.

"No! It wasn't me. It was some guys from school, I think." He sighed, obviously frustrated. "I don't know… I-I just… I don't know anything anymore." Waves of devastation rolled off of Kurt's presence with every syllable.

Nick appeared as though he wanted to say something further, but a fleeting glare from both Wes and David caused him to quickly seal his lips together and remain silent.

Several more uncomfortable moments of silence passed before Kurt pushed his chair back from the table and stood up, obviously not impressed with the situation.

"I can't believe you guys! Blaine could be outside freezing to death right now and you guys don't even care." He scoffed, pushing his chair back underneath the table with more force than was necessary.

"Some friends you are."

Kurt turned around in disgust and walked out of the room without looking back. In his haste to leave however, he miscalculated his exit and ended up storming down an unfamiliar hallway and found himself lost in the depths of Dalton Academy. After finally resigning forty minutes later and asking a teacher, Kurt made his way out of the massive school and into the parking lot where his Navigator remained untouched.

After he had climbed into the driver's seat, his foul mood progressed further as he struggled with his seatbelt. The damn thing would just not cooperate.

Moments before he would have exploded into a filthy string of expletives, he heard his name being called from somewhere behind him.

"Kurt! Kurt, wait up!"

Nick approached the driver's side window and Kurt rolled it down and looked out at the teenager, ready to let him have it at a moment's notice.

"Kurt! Phew! I'm glad I caught you." Nick declared, obviously out of breath. "I'm sorry about… back there. We're just… not allowed to talk about it."

Kurt scoffed. "Whatever Nick. If you don't want to help Blaine, fine. But get out of my way so I can."

Nick's face fell.

"I want to help." He said quietly. "I just… really can't talk about it."

"Talk about what?" Kurt was growing irate.

"The…" Nick started to speak but then hesitated before lifting his head, looking around to ensure no one could be listening in and lowered his voice. "The Club."

"The club?" Kurt repeated doubtfully.

What the actual fuck is this lunatic talking about?

Nick shushed him (Actually shushed him!) as he looked around once more. The teen looked completely paranoid.

If not for the severity of the situation, Kurt would likely have laughed at the lunacy of it all.

"Oh my god." Nick whispered. "Please… you have to promise not to tell anyone anything that I'm about to say…"

Kurt sat there dumbfounded.

Is this guy for real?

Nick leaned into the window of the car and looked Kurt right in the eyes before gulping audibly.

"Blaine is my friend. He's a friend to all of us, but… we really can't talk about the club."

Kurt closed his eyes and clenched his fists. "I don' t give a shit about this 'club'." Kurt derided, using air quotes to spitefully enunciate his statement. "I just want to know if you've seen Blaine and if he's okay."

Nick hesitated. "He hasn't been around for a few weeks."

Now we're getting somewhere.

"Did you notice anything weird with him last time you saw him?" Kurt asked.

Another moment of hesitation.

"He seemed… off." Nick said slowly. "He finally seemed comfortable and looked happy for the first time since he transferred here last year, but after he got kicked out, he kinda just… fell off the radar."

"Kicked out?" Kurt asked, lifting an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Oh god, I shouldn't be telling you this." Nick said, once again looking around the vacant parking lot nervously.

Kurt sighed.

Here we go again.

"Please?"

"His parents kicked him out." Nick announced flatly. "Like three months ago or something."

Kurt's stomach dropped.

Mr. Anderson hadn't been lying; he really hadn't seen Blaine.

"He showed up at Dalton the week before classes were suppose to start at the beginning of September but the Dean said that his father had suspended his tuition or something, so he couldn't go to school here anymore."

"That's why he came to McKinley." Kurt said dazedly.

It made perfect sense. Why else would he give up an amazing school like Dalton? He didn't have a choice.

"Why did he get kicked out?" Kurt asked. "I thought his parents knew he was gay years ago?"

Nick gulped. "He never really went into specifics. I think he was kind of ashamed about it or something. But I overheard him telling Wes that it had to do with a guy from his dad's office."

"Oh?"

"Yeah… Jeremiah? I think that was his name. He was an intern at Mr. Anderson's law office. When Blaine went home for summer break last June, his dad made him work for him at the office. Apparently he and Jeremiah hit it off right away; they started hanging out and became good friends. But I guess one night he had too much to drink and got a little friendly with Blaine and it freaked him out. He said he told his parents, but they didn't believe him. I guess the Jeremiah guy made some accusations about Blaine to cover his own closeted-ass and one thing led to another, including Mr. Anderson losing it on Blaine and accusing him of dragging the Anderson name through the mud. I don't think he approves of the gay lifestyle."

Ya think?

Kurt couldn't believe what he was hearing. Had Blaine ever had good luck with anything?

"So… Let me get this straight." Kurt articulated. "Blaine transferred here from his public school after he got bullied and attacked two years ago. He attended Dalton all last year, but went home over the summer and then he got kicked out of his own house."

"Yep. Pretty much." Nick said. "Shitty deal hey?"

"You're not kidding." Kurt exclaimed. "So… If he got kicked out in August, where has he been in the meantime? It's November now. Where has he been staying?"

"Not sure." Nick replied with a shrug. "I offered him a ride home last time I saw him, but he said he'd just walk. I remember that because we were down in Lima Heights Adjacent and I was worried about him walking alone down there. That place gives me the creeps."

Lima Heights Adjacent. Near Abby's Bakery no doubt.

"I think he said he was staying at a hotel or something, but I can't imagine he's still there. I don't know how he'd ever afford it." Nick offered.

Kurt thought to himself for a minute. "You don't know of anyone he might be staying with?

"I guess he could be at Sebastian's." Nick's voice lowered to barely above a whisper and Kurt almost missed the name at the end of the statement.

"Who the fuck is Sebastian?" Kurt exclaimed. This was getting ridiculous.

"He's… well… umm… He's Blaine's boyfriend."

Oh.

Well that changes things.

Kurt and Nick had talked for several more minutes before a worried Jeff had come running out of the school towards them. Nick looked terrified that he'd been caught talking with Kurt but when he realized that Jeff was alone, he calmed considerably.

Whatever it was that these boys were hiding, it must have been serious. Kurt had never seen a group of more paranoid teenagers. It was borderline freaky.

Before Kurt got the chance to ask Nick anything more about this 'Sebastian', Jeff had grabbed the boy by the hand and led him back into school, muttering something about 'not wanting to risk getting caught.'

Kurt watched as the pair of teens walked hand in hand back into the school. Every few steps, he noticed that Nick would casually glance over to the blonde boy with a genuine look of…love… in his eyes.

Wait…were they… together?

The quick, yet tender kiss the pair shared upon entering the school answered his question.

They weren't afraid to show their classmates that they were together? There was no fear in expressing their relationship?

Kurt sighed as he buckled his seatbelt and started the Navigator.

Was there a downside to Dalton Academy?

Kurt didn't like the idea of scouring through the dodgy neighborhood on the east end of town. Nick was dead on; Lima Heights Adjacent definitely gave him the creeps. But he knew that if he wanted to track down Blaine, this was the only lead he had up to this point.

He spent the remainder of the afternoon searching hotels and motels in the area - each slightly more disgusting than the last. At one point, a creepy hotel manager had even solicited Kurt, asking him to "stick around for the evening".

Kurt had left the vicinity immediately.

This neighborhood was bad news. What the hell was Blaine doing down here?

According to Google Maps, there was one last place that Kurt wanted to check out before calling it a night.

The 'Sunrise Motel' was a dive to say the least. It was a one level building with outside access only and consisted of about thirty rooms. The light blue paint was peeling off the side of the building and the roof looked as though it had not been repaired in years. Kurt shuddered when he considered what the inside of the rooms might look like.

Just as he had been doing all afternoon, Kurt parked outside the office and locked the Navigator before walking inside. Once to the front desk, he rang the tiny silver bell sitting on the dusty countertop and waited patiently until the manager appeared.

The man that appeared from the back room looked as though he hadn't showered in weeks, and the putrid smell that permeated inside the tiny office only accentuated Kurt's hypothesis.

"Need a room?" The crusty old man said. He looked about fifty, but Kurt doubted he was any older than mid thirties.

"Ummm… no thank you. I'm just wondering if you can tell me if my friend is staying here. Blaine Anderson?"

For the first time all afternoon, the man behind the desk raised an eyebrow as Kurt spoke.

"Never heard of him."

Bullshit.

"He's my age. Much shorter though, and he has curly black hair."

"How do you know him?"

Kurt felt like he might be sick.

Oh my god. Surely to Christ he isn't actually staying here.

"Ummm… my name is Kurt. I'm a friend from school."

The man grunted what sounded like 'uh huh' while thoroughly looking Kurt up and down.

He immediately felt the need to take a long and very hot shower.

"You his new boyfriend?"

Oh god this is awful.

"No. Is he here?"

Please, just let him be here so I can take him far away from this shithole.

"Nope." The man grunted again. Kurt noticed that his teeth were yellow and there were bits of chewing tobacco wedged in between each of them. His stomach churned once again.

"Haven't seen him." The man added.

"When was he here last?"

"Dunno. Couple night ago maybe?" The man slurred. Kurt was almost certain he was drunk. "Why do you wanna know?"

"I'm just looking to track him down. Can you tell me which room he's in? I'll leave him a note." Kurt wanted to get the information and get out before his stomach betrayed him and he threw up all over the place. Not that it would ruin anything of value in this disgusting hellhole.

"No can do." The man said with a sickening smile. "Privacy rules 'round here forbid me from giving out that information."

"Can I leave a note with you to give him then?"

"If you like. I'll drop it by his room tonight." The man ran his filthy tongue over his chapped lips and over his gums.

Kurt wanted to vomit.

The man handed him a piece of paper and he quickly scrawled out a note.

Blaine,

Please come back.

I'm sorry.

Kurt

"Did you two have a lover's quarrel or somethin'?" The man jeered, reading the note over Kurt's shoulder.

He quickly backed away from the counter and folded up the note.

"Please give this to him if you see him." Kurt uttered and he rushed out the door into the fresh air where he began hyperventilating.

Blaine was here?

Why would he stay here? That man is a disgusting creep! Surely Blaine would prefer to stay at my house instead of this… dump.

Instead of getting in his car and driving away, Kurt climbed in and pulled the car around the building and parked on the street; out of view from the office, but still in a position that Kurt could see if the man left or not.

He watched for several minutes before sure enough, the manager walked out of the office, looked around and headed down the hallway of the motel with Kurt's note in his grimy hand. He stopped in front of Room #14 and knocked on the door. Kurt was unable to hear whether or not anyone answered, but noticed that the manager turned the knob on the door and walked right in.

Was Blaine in there right now?

Why hadn't he locked the door in a neighborhood like this?

Kurt waited for several minutes until he saw the manager reappear from inside the room, this time without the note in his hand.

That had to be Blaine's room!

The disgusting pig of a man sauntered slowly back up the open hallway and into the office once again.

Oh my god! He could be in there right now!

Kurt's heart began thumping out of his chest.

Hold on Blaine! I'm coming!

Kurt decided to play it safe and wait until after sunset before approaching the room. He didn't want to risk the chance that the creepy manager might catch him sneaking in. He remained in the Navigator, with the doors locked and his eyes glued to the door labeled #14 in case Blaine came out.

About ninety minutes later, Kurt decided to make his move. He climbed out of the car, locked it once again, and slowly made his way up to the motel. He snuck into the hallway at the end of the row of rooms and treaded carefully up the old wooden planks leading towards the room he sought out.

Once in front of Room # 14, Kurt gathered his courage, swallowed his fear, and knocked on the door.

Nothing.

He waited for several minutes before knocking once again. He risked a look towards the office, hoping with all his might that there were no security cameras on the premises.

Kurt doubted that a dump like this could afford security cameras.

As he stood in front of the door, waiting impatiently, a series of terrified thoughts struck Kurt.

What if this wasn't even Blaine's room? What if someone else answers the door? What am I going to say?

Still nothing.

It appeared as though no one was home.

Kurt decided to press his luck and reached for the doorknob, turning it slowly.

It was open.

He was right! The door wasn't even locked!

Kurt wasn't sure if that development made him more or less uncomfortable.

He slowly pushed the door open and peeked inside.

It was dark.

And dingy.

And smelly.

"Hello?" He called out cautiously. "Blaine? Anyone home?"

Nothing.

Kurt opened the door completely and stepped inside. He turned around to lock it behind him only to realize that the lock on the door was damaged.

He couldn't lock the door even if he tried.

When he turned the light switch on by the door, a lamp in the corner of the room emitted a tiny bit of dim yellow light and the sight that met Kurt's eyes was not at all what he was expecting.

The room was extremely neat and tidy. Aside from the damp smell and the lack of light, it was fairly well kept and organized.

A pair of worn red boxing gloves hung over the mirror in front of the makeshift desk, which had a neatly stacked pile of textbooks laying on top of it and a familiar looking messenger bag laying on the floor next to an old wooden chair.

An ancient-looking guitar sat in the in corner next to the bed, displayed proudly on a small metal stand.

Kurt walked a few more steps into the room and saw that on the counter by the sink sat a pair of small red towels.

McKinley Titan towels.

Next to them, lay a familiar bag of toiletries and a neatly stacked pile of clothes. Designer clothes.

Kurt's own clothes.

With his heart hammering inside his chest, Kurt stepped towards the neatly made bed and looked on the nightstand.

Kurt gasped, and couldn't prevent the tears that began to fall when his eyes landed upon the items laying on the nightstand.

A paper cup from the Lima Bean with 'Medium drip' and a smiley face scrawled on the side in black ink, an old-looking pocket watch that looked vaguely familiar, and a bracelet made from dry braided blades of grass.

Blaine had kept all of the seemingly meaningless items from each of the times they were together.

The coffee cup from that day in the Lima Bean and the same bracelet Kurt had fashioned that afternoon in the Elementary School courtyard under the oak tree. The same afternoon that Blaine had come out at school after protecting him from Karofsky and Azimio in the boy's bathroom.

If he'd found these items in anyone else's possession, the word 'stalker' might come to mind, but since it was Blaine, Kurt found the act somewhat endearing.

He picked up the antique silver pocket watch and brought it up to his ear.

It still ticked away.

Old and tarnished, but still perfectly beautiful.

He set the watch back down on the nightstand in the exact same position as he'd found it.

There was a tiny refrigerator against the wall by the desk.

Kurt opened it up and wasn't surprised to see not much staring back out at him. A few bottles of water and a package of cheese slices.

Not much at all.

There was a narrow closet on the far wall of the room. Kurt snuck over to it and gently pried open the door, which was hanging slightly off its hinges.

Several articles of clothing stared back at him; a pair of jeans with a hole in the knee shared a hanger with a grey hoodie, a red McKinley Titans number sixteen game jersey, and… a navy blue Dalton blazer.

Kurt gently ran his fingers over the thick fabric of the blazer and down the red piping. His mind wandered as he considered all that might have transpired involving the boy wearing the jacket.

Blaine had made it seem as though some of his best memories had been while he'd attended Dalton.

If Kurt's brief experience at the school had been any indication, he could easily understand why.

It seemed as though the students at the school were all very accepting.

Aside from the odd, secretive behavior from the group of Warblers, Kurt had felt… welcomed and even safe inside the walls of the grand building.

He soundlessly replaced the blazer-clad hanger back into the narrow closet and closed the door.

Kurt stuck his head inside the door leading to the bathroom. The walls were painted a light mint green color and the mirror above the sink was cracked down the middle.

Even with the light bulb being burned out, Kurt could see the shape of the bathtub and noted that a grimy layer of dirt and… whatever else… made up a ring around the inside of the porcelain. The faucet was rusted and caked with a white alkaline-looking substance.

The tub was obviously not in working order.

A realization struck Kurt.

The weight room. The shower. The shaving kit.

Blaine had been using the showers at school because he didn't have one at home.

If you could even consider calling this a 'home.'

The toiletries that Karofsky and Azimio had destroyed that day in the gym room, were likely all that Blaine had.

No wonder he was so appreciative when Kurt had offered to share his own.

Kurt sadly walked back out of the dingy bathroom and stared around the tiny motel room once again before stepping back over to the desk.

Beside the stack of textbooks was an old rotary phone.

Cautiously, Kurt picked up the receiver and brought it up to his ear.

Nothing. No dial tone.

Not even the phone was operational here.

Also on the desk was a pile of papers.

Kurt picked them up and was shocked to see that there was a page ripped out from an old issue of the school newspaper. It was the front-page article that featured the McKinley Titans celebrating their first win last season. The photo accompanying the article showed a happy bunch of teenagers, holding a tiny boy dressed in football gear over their shoulders in celebration.

It was Kurt.

The day he'd won the football game with his field goal.

The page was creased, as though it had been kept in a pocket, or maybe a wallet for quite some time.

Next in the stack of papers was another page torn from what appeared to be a newspaper. Only this time it wasn't; it was a page torn from a phone book.

The 'Hummel Tires and Lube' ad stared back at Kurt and another tear fell from his face when he realized that Blaine had had the means to call his father's shop but had chosen not to.

He also found a business card belonging to Coach Beiste.

Blaine had had both numbers. Why hadn't he called for help?

At the bottom of the stack of pages was a letter. The return address was from somewhere in Ohio that Kurt had never heard of before, but he noted that the postmark was from several years prior. The envelope was addressed in neat cursive to Blaine Anderson.

It was official. He'd found him.

Blaine had been living in this filthy motel since god knows when.

Kurt suddenly found himself sitting on the bed, holding the tear-stained letter in his hands. It didn't feel right to open it and read it, so he just sat there, staring at the name on the envelope in silence.

Poor Blaine.

He really was alone.

He'd put on such a brave face at school, but all this time he'd been living in this lonely old motel room with a nasty old motel manager watching his every move.

Poor Blaine.

Kurt sat in silence for an unknown amount of time until the sudden shrill of his cell phone ringtone startled him so much, he nearly fell off the bed.

Burt Hummel Calling

"Oh shit!" Kurt exclaimed once he'd caught his breath.

He'd never told his dad where he'd been all day. Surely the school would have phoned looking for him this morning when he failed to show up for class.

He swiped his finger across the lock icon and held the phone up to his ear.

"Hello?" He answered quietly. He still didn't have any desire to get caught by the motel manager.

"Kurt? That you?" He heard his dad's voice speaking frantically into the other end of the line. "Where the hell have you been all day?"

"Uhhh…" Kurt started.

How much should I tell him?

"You're out looking for Blaine again aren't you?"

"Yes, but…" Kurt started. He racked his brain to think of a decent excuse. He knew his dad was going to fly off the handle.

"Did you find him?"

Or not.

Kurt remained silent.

How is dad not actually freaking out about this?

"Damn it." Burt's voice sounded stressed. "You didn't, did you?"

Kurt was just about to answer when he heard voices approaching from outside the motel room door.

"Shit! I gotta go! Call you later." Kurt quickly ended the phone conversation and jumped up from the bed. He ran over and put the papers back in their original place on the desk and was about to head for the door when he saw a shadow pass by the window and stop in front of the door.

Sheer panic flooded through his veins as he desperately looked around the room.

The closet!

He quickly tiptoed silently to the closet and jumped inside, pulling he door closed behind him, just as the front door into the motel room swung open.

"I see you haven't gotten that lock fixed yet." An unfamiliar voice rang out.

Kurt froze.

That wasn't Blaine's voice!

Who was out there?

He held his breath and brought his hand up and covered his lips, subconsciously hoping to muffle any sounds that may threaten to escape.

He looked around in the darkness of the closet. The only source of light inside the tiny space was filtering in from the crack between the door and the frame where Kurt had failed to close it completely.

Too late now.

He wasn't going to chance squeaky hinges.

A sudden thought hit him and his panic increased exponentially. What if Burt called him back?

Kurt couldn't risk his cell phone ringing right now, so with practiced ease, he reached around the side of the device with his graceful fingers and carefully switched on the 'mute' button.

He slowly released the breath he'd been holding, while trying desperately to control his panicked respirations.

He closed his eyes and clenched his fists.

Idiot! What were you thinking?

He was so afraid of being caught that his brain was reeling with possibilities.

Who was it? The creepy manager?

What would they do if they found him?

Millions of scenarios raced through his mind, each increasingly more morbid than the last.

For a brief second, Kurt almost giggled out loud when he realized the irony of his situation.

Of course the gay kid would choose to hide in a closet.

He struggled to maintain his composure until a second voice filled the room.

"I've asked for it to be fixed a dozen times, but the manager won't do anything about it."

Blaine.

Kurt's eyes widened.

Blaine was here.

A sudden surge of emotion flooded through his veins: relief, happiness, curiosity, and exhaustion.

Kurt had to fight the urge to burst out of the closet and gather the boy in his arms and hold him in a tight embrace.

'Cuz that would just be awkward.

Instead, he turned his head and strained to hear the conversation that was being held only mere feet away. He tried to peek through the tiny crack in the door, but all he could see were shadows dancing slowly on the walls of the motel room.

"Jesus B, This place is a shit hole."

No reply.

There were a few more minutes of silence before the unfamiliar voice spoke up again. "What's with the guitar?"

"Please be careful with it… it's…"

Blaine was interrupted as the teenager with an annoyingly nasal voice scoffed. "Fuckin' old?"

"It was my grandpa's." Blaine added slowly. He sounded mildly annoyed.

Kurt could hear the other boy replace the ancient guitar on its metal stand and walk towards the desk.

"When are you gonna be able to go again?"

Blaine shrugged. "Dunno. My shoulder is still pretty messed up."

"I still can't believe Jeff pulled that off last night. I totally didn't see that coming."

Blaine smiled. "I told you not to underestimate him."

"Did you see Trent's face? Ha! That prancy-ass little bitch couldn't believe it either."

Blaine shot the taller teen an unimpressed look. "Don't call him that. He's a nice guy."

"He's a loser."

Blaine scoffed. "Of course. How could I forget? No one is nearly as cool as the great Sebastian Smythe."

"You know it, babe."

Kurt's blood ran cold.

Sebastian.

Kurt strained his neck further, trying desperately to peek out the crack to get a look at the second occupant of the motel room.

His eyes scanned across the room and came to rest on a tall, thin boy dressed in the familiar blue Dalton blazer.

That's Sebastian?

Kurt couldn't help but feel a slight twinge of jealously as his eyes roamed up the boy's long frame.

What the hell could Blaine possibly see in this guy?

He wasn't even attractive.

At all.

His uniform was ill fitted; the trousers hemmed too short for the shoes he was wearing.

And what the hell was up with that obnoxious CW hairstyle?

He looks like he just stepped out of filming an episode of 90210 or something.

His smirky little face reminded Kurt of a meerkat. And his cocky voice matched it perfectly.

He's even less impressive in the flesh.

Kurt had to consciously muffle a disgusted snort as he watched the boy open his mouth to say something to Blaine. However, he couldn't make out the words that Sebastian said, because he was distracted by the other teen's giant horse teeth.

I bet that criminal chipmunk even smells like craigslist.

A disgusted scowl remained on Kurt's face as he stood inside the dingy closet listening to the conversation playing out in front of him.

"They miss you, ya know." Sebastian added after several minutes of indistinct chatter.

Blaine looked up from what he was doing.

"At the club." Sebastian derided. "The Warblers just won't shut up about you."

Kurt's scowl intensified.

Sebastian is a Warbler?

How could something that ugly possibly sing well enough to be in a show choir?

Kurt had still not been able to get a visual on Blaine, as the boy was seated out of his line of sight on the bed across the room but his silence had not gone unnoticed.

"Oh, come on B, you know you're the best in the bunch." Sebastian drawled. "Besides me of course."

Kurt could almost hear Blaine's eyes roll.

"You should come back."

Again, Blaine looked up from the floor. "You know that's not an option."

"I'm sure we could work something out with the Dean."

"I'm pretty sure my dad fucked up any chance of me getting back into Dalton Seb." Blaine replied.

No answer.

Kurt's stomach clenched at the tone of Blaine's voice. He sounded both devastated and sarcastic simultaneously. He wished he could just step out of the closet and push Sebastard (ahem…!) Sebastian out the door and give Blaine the big hug that he so deserved.

"God Blaine…" Sebastian continued his tirade. "This place is so… lower class. Why don't you just stay at my place?"

Blaine looked up at the taller teen with wide eyes but didn't answer.

"It's a pain in the ass for me to have to bring you back here each night." Sebastian wined. "And this place is a fucking dump. You could… catch something here."

Blaine's eyes widened further and a look of horror crossed his face. Sebastian however, didn't even notice.

"I-I stay here because it's close to my work." Blaine stuttered.

"That shit hole bakery?"

"Yeah, I've been getting shifts there almost every day after school."

Kurt frowned.

Lie.

Abby hasn't seen you in weeks, Blaine.

Sebastian didn't reply so Blaine continued on with his fabricated story.

"Plus, this dump is much closer to my new school. I've been going to class early every day for some extra credit work."

Kurt lifted his head.

Lie number two.

"You're such a fuckin' nerd." Sebastian jeered.

"Shut up." Blaine retorted. "I can't screw up another year of school Seb. I'm already a year behind. Plus my coach says if I miss another practice I'm off the team. Football is my ticket outta this town, I'm not going to risk losing it."

Lie number three.

You haven't been to practice in almost two weeks.

"That fat Puerto Rican momma must be shelling out for you then." Sebastian mocked several minutes later. "This luxurious establishment must cost at least five or six dollars a night."

Kurt could only imagine the sour look that would have crossed Blaine's face at that moment.

"Her name is Abby, and don't call her that." Blaine growled. "She's Hispanic and she's… amazing. She has been more of a mom than…"

"Okay stop." Sebastian interrupted. "Let's skip the emotional daddy issues conversation. I'm not your personal Doctor Phil."

Kurt narrowed his eyes.

Asshole.

Blaine was quiet for several minutes, obviously distraught from Sebastian's ignorant comments.

"Does your shoulder hurt?"

Blaine shrugged slightly. "Not as much as before."

"Wanna mess around?" Sebastian wiggled his eyebrows in a not-so-terribly-sexy fashion.

Blaine hesitated before looking at his watch. "It's getting late."

"Blaine. It's like 8pm. I don't think you're going to turn into a pumpkin or anything."

"I just don't really feel like it. I'm tired."

"Always with the excuses." Sebastian grumbled. "I thought you liked my big dick."

Kurt nearly dropped his phone and fell out of the closet.

Jesus Christ.

"Can't we just… talk?" Blaine sounded desperate.

Sebastian moved out of Kurt's line of vision and he could hear the springs of the bed protest as the he'd obviously joined Blaine.

"Babe, you can talk all you want while I'm thrusting… that would be hot."

"Sebastian." Blaine warned.

"Fuck, I love it when you say my name."

"Knock it off. You're disgusting." Blaine literally sounded revolted.

Kurt was having a difficult time maintaining his composure.

Oh god, please do not have sex while I'm in the room.

"Please…" Blaine sounded as though he was trying to push Sebastian off of him, "Just stop."

"Mmmm, I like it even more when you beg."

By this point, Kurt was literally freaking out. He had no desire to stand in the closet if the two teens were going to… be… intimate, but from the sounds of things, Blaine had no desire to even be intimate at all.

"Sebastian, I said stop."

Kurt could hear the sound of sloppy kisses being placed somewhere, and it made is stomach churn.

"Why? Are you still sore from me pounding you into the mattress last night?"

The acidic taste of bile rose in Kurt's throat.

I so did not need to hear that.

"I just thought that since you did that last night, tonight we could just… hang out or something."

Blaine's voice was much quieter and sounded significantly younger than it had only minutes before.

Sebastian laughed. "I vote for the 'or something'."

More sloppy slurping sounds.

"Sebastian stop. Please. I don't want…Mmmpphh"

Blaine's voice became muffled. It sounded as though he was trying to speak with a hand covering his mouth.

"Shhhhh stop talking. For someone with such a great voice, it sure gets annoying in a hurry."

Kurt was growing angry.

Leave him alone.

He heard rustling of blankets and suddenly Blaine's unadulterated voice could be heard once again.

"Get off!"

"Mmmm Blaine. I like it when you fight back."

Kurt was absolutely furious.

If this fucking chipmunk doesn't back off right quickly, I'm going to be forced to burst out of the closet and enter 'gay superman to the rescue' mode.

A heavy thud interrupted Kurt's action plan.

Blaine had fallen on the floor trying to get out from underneath the heavier teen.

"Sebastian, stop it."

"Why? What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"Nothing, I-I just can't tonight, okay?"

"What do you mean, you can't."

Blaine looked at his watch. "I just can't alright? I don't want to."

"What?" Sebastian's tone changed from annoyed to infuriated. "What do you mean you don't want to?"

Blaine cowered away. He knew this tone. Things tended to go south when this tone was brought into play.

Sebastian advanced on him. "What? Are you getting some from somewhere else?"

Blaine's eyes grew huge. "N-no… I-I…"

"Are you fucking around behind my back? Is that why you keep checking your watch? Are you waiting for me to leave so you can go meet your next fuck in the back alley?"

Blaine backed away from Sebastian until, for the first time since they'd entered the room together, he was positioned within Kurt's line of vision.

Kurt's stomach dropped when he saw how terrified Blaine looked. He had both hands out in front of his face in a protective stance and was continually backing away from the taller teen.

Sebastian took several quick steps forward and grabbed onto Blaine's left wrist. "Answer me!"

Blaine whimpered at the rough contact. "Y-you're hurting my arm!"

"I'll break it. Answer the question."

Tears were freely flowing from Blaine's still slightly discolored face. But he said nothing.

Kurt clenched his iPhone in his hand.

Should I call 9-1-1?

There's no way I can take that kid on by myself. He'd crush me.

Sebastian tightened his grip and Blaine couldn't withhold the second, more painful sounding whimper that escaped his lips.

"You fucking slut!" Sebastian roared. "It's true isn't it?"

"No!" Blaine sobbed. "I swear, there's no one else. Please don't be mad."

Sebastian abruptly dropped Blaine's wrist and turned his back to the trembling teenager. "I don't need his shit. If you're going to be a cocktease and not even put out, I'm fucking leaving."

"No! Please!" Blaine's tone transitioned from terrified to desperate at an alarming rate. "Please don't go!"

Once again Blaine stepped out of Kurt's line of vision as he rushed to catch Sebastian before he could leave.

"I'm sorry! It's my fault! Please don't go!" He begged. "You can do whatever you want… just please, don't leave me here."

Kurt's heart sunk.

Why is he acting like this? One minute ago he was trying to push Sebastian off of him, and now it's like he's terrified to be left alone. What is going on?

"What the fuck is your problem?" Sebastian countered. "Why are you acting like such a big baby?"

Blaine was so upset that he was unable to speak coherent sentences. Tears were still streaming down his cheeks as he reached for Sebastian's arm.

"Fuck." Sebastian shook his head. "What the fuck dude? You didn't use to be so needy."

"I-I'm sorry." Blaine sobbed. "I just don't want to be alone."

"I don't need this shit." Sebastian shrugged off Blaine's hand from his own arm and turned to leave.

"No!" Blaine shouted, reaching once more to grab onto any piece of Sebastian that he could find.

"Fuck! Just leave me alone!" Sebastian turned back and quickly brought up both of his hands and shoved Blaine with brute force.

The much smaller boy sailed through the air and crashed into the bedside table before landing on the floor in a heap.

Kurt jumped when he heard the crash and his heart began pounding even harder once he heard the door slam closed and the silence set in.

What the fuck just happened?

Blaine was lying on the floor by the bed, still sobbing uncontrollably into the mold-infested carpet.

His shoulder ached and his ribs burned as though they were on fire and he was shaking so violently that it almost looked as though he was having a seizure.

He didn't hear the gentle footsteps approach him from his left, so when a careful hand was placed onto his back, he jumped dramatically.

Blaine shot up from his position on the floor and shoved his hands in front of him, desperately pushing Kurt away from him.

"Shhhh Blaine. It's only me." Kurt whispered, strategically dodging the flailing limbs of the panicked boy in front of him. "It's only me."

Blaine gasped, choking on the air that was lacking in his system and sat straight up, ignoring the intense wave of pain that shot up his torso.

"Wh- wh-… But… Wh…" He stuttered. He was in such a state of shock that he was literally unable to speak.

"Shhhhhh," Kurt cooed again softly. "It's okay. You're safe now. He's gone."

Blaine's eyes were wider than Kurt had ever seen them before. They were swollen and red from crying.

"K-Kurt?"

Kurt did his best to force a smile onto his face. "Yeah… it's me."

"But… why? How…?"

Kurt thought for a moment.

How the hell am I going to explain this one?

"It doesn't matter." Kurt whispered, returning his hand to Blaine's back. "I'm here now okay? You're going to be alright."

Blaine lost it.

"P-please don't let him hurt me again."

Blaine looked up from the floor, causing Kurt's heart to shatter as the endless depths of hopelessness and despair that filled Blaine's eyes began to pour down his cheeks.

It was as though the floodgates opened up and the dam burst.

Kurt had never believed it was possible to cry so many tears and not turn into a shriveled up old raisin.

Blaine remained an arms length away from Kurt and he was trembling so hard that Kurt could hear his teeth chattering.

Kurt cocked his head slightly to the side and gave Blaine the most honest and loving look he could provide.

Blaine, unable to speak, only shook his head.

Kurt didn't care. Blaine needed this.

He needed this.

Slowly, Kurt leaned in to the other boy and opened his arms wide.

Blaine, finally understanding what Kurt was offering, took one last devastated glance into Kurt's trusting eyes and threw himself into the open arms.

Kurt's eyes fell closed as the sobbing mess of a boy fell into him with full force. He had to brace himself on his knees on the hard, unforgiving floor to prevent them both from toppling over.

He reached his left arm around Blaine's torso and gently brought it up and rubbed soothing circles into the top of Blaine's back between his shoulder blades. His right arm snaked around and he allowed his long fingers to caress their way into the curly black locks of hair on Blaine's head.

Blaine adjusted his position, forcing himself even closer into Kurt's tight embrace and nestled his face into the spot between Kurt's neck and collarbone.

Kurt could feel Blaine's arms reach around his back and pull him in even closer, solidifying the embrace. He could also feel the never-ending river of tears that were streaming down Blaine's face and onto his own body.

Kurt held the sobbing boy in his arms with every ounce of strength he could muster and rocked them back and forth on the rotting, disgusting floor of the Sunrise Motel.

"It's going to be okay." He repeated over and over, not unlike a mantra. He wasn't sure if his words were meant to sooth Blaine or convince himself, but they continued to tumble out of his mouth as he hung on to Blaine for dear life.

"I'm here now. It's going to be okay."