*** TRIGGER WARNING ***

This chapter contains scenes of violence, course language and depictions of non-consensual sexual acts.

~~~ This story is rated 'R'. ~~~

Viewer discretion is STRONGLY advised…

Chapter 23

Six days.

It had been six days since Kurt had been all but thrown out of Blaine's motel room.

Six days since he'd held the broken boy in his arms.

Six days since he'd heard the desperate pleas slip from Blaine's bruised lips.

And six days since Kurt had been able to breathe easily.

Blaine hadn't returned to school.

Not that Kurt had expected him to.

When he'd returned home after midnight that night, Kurt turned on his phone to find twelve missed phone calls from his house phone.

Even Finn had sent him a text asking him where he was at.

Kurt hadn't been surprised to find his father waiting for him at the kitchen table when he walked through the front door.

The look on his face hadn't been a pleasant one. Or even a relieved one.

Burt Hummel had looked right pissed.

Kurt never questioned his father's disapproval of the situation. He had admittedly been stupid to not let Burt know of his whereabouts.

But he was so emotionally and physically drained after the events of the evening that he couldn't care less.

He didn't care that his father looked more disappointed in him than he ever had before.

(Kurt knew damn well that his father wasn't exactly mad… but rather, worried.)

He didn't care that he was grounded for the next three weeks.

(Really, where would he want to go, anyway?)

He didn't care that he was banned from shopping during those three weeks.

(Okay, maybe that one stung a little bit.)

He didn't even care that he wasn't allowed to have friends over for those three weeks either.

(Because really… what friends?)

All Kurt wanted was to make sure of was that Blaine was safe.

But even that didn't seem like anything he could control at this point.

He'd tried hard, (so hard) to make Blaine understand that he was in a bad situation.

But it was as though the curly-haired boy refused to see the logic.

Kurt remained in a cloud of disbelief for the entire six days.

Why would Blaine do that to himself?

Why would he choose to stay in that disgusting motel?

Why would he willingly stay away from the people who obviously cared about him?

And why, in God's name, would he stay with that arrogant asshole Sebastian?

What reason could Blaine possibly have for keeping himself shackled in that sadistic situation?

Kurt didn't understand.

He didn't understand it at all.

He never told his father what actually happened that night.

He never mentioned that he'd finally found Blaine.

What good would that possibly do?

Kurt knew exactly what his father would say; 'Blaine is sixteen. He is old enough to make his own decisions.'

But he hadn't seen Blaine's face.

He hadn't heard his desperate cries.

He hadn't felt the boy trembling in his arms.

No. Kurt didn't understand it at all.

He spent the better part of the week moping around with his shoulders slouched and his face downcast.

Burt had forced him back to school, but Kurt had simply floated from class to class numbly.

He never initiated a conversation with anyone, and truthfully, no one really bothered to talk to him either.

Kurt didn't mind.

He didn't have anything to say anyway.

He attended his classes. Even glee club.

But he didn't sing.

He couldn't sing.

What would he possibly sing about?

No one bothered him in the hallways.

None of the jocks slushied him or tossed him into the dumpster.

He didn't even see David Karofsky once the whole week.

At least, he didn't think he had.

But Kurt had kept his chin lowered and his eyes cast down to the floor for the entire six days, so he couldn't be certain.

On the following Friday afternoon, Kurt returned home from school and tossed his messenger bag sloppily on the floor by the front door.

He didn't hang up his coat, but rather laid it over the railing of the staircase.

He didn't set his winter boots neatly off to the side of the entryway as he usually did, but rather just kicked them off and let them stay where they landed.

Kurt wondered through the home silently and emotionlessly until he came to the staircase leading to his basement bedroom.

He had only taken a single step down when he heard his father call his name from somewhere in the house.

Kurt ignored the shout and continued to slump his way down the steps, before he walked over to his bed and flopped lifelessly on top of the unmade sheets and blankets, still fully dressed in his school clothes.

The bed was cold. But he didn't care.

He laid on the cold bed unmoving for several minutes before he heard heavy footsteps coming down the staircase.

"Kurt?" His father's voice echoed. "You down here buddy?"

Kurt pressed his face further into the cool blankets.

If I ignore him, maybe he'll go away.

"Kurt?"

Or, maybe not.

His father stepped up next to the bed and gently sat down next to his lifeless son.

"Didn't you hear me call you? Carole and I wanted to speak with you in the kitchen."

Kurt grunted a noncommittal answer in a tone that he didn't even realize his voice was able to create.

"Kurt…" His father sighed heavily. "We need to talk."

Kurt remained prone.

He didn't feel like talking.

"Buddy… you have to talk to me. You're starting to freak me out."

Nothing.

"I know that sometimes you get a little moody and all that, but this is… this is… scaring me."

Kurt felt a pang of remorse, which lasted for a fraction of a second.

Then he went numb again.

"Kurt… please look at me."

Burt's heart ached as he looked at the mess of a boy in front of him.

This was not his son.

His son was a happy person by nature.

Kurt was strong.

And courageous.

Even after the shitty hand that life had dealt him over the years… he'd pulled through. Nothing got him down.

Nothing until now.

"Is this still about Blaine?"

Kurt's heart fluttered when he heard the name. But he still didn't move his body.

"Kurt...I understand that you're worried. I do, honest." Burt sighed, placing a gentle, calloused hand on Kurt's shoulder. "But this is… unhealthy."

When he got no reply, the elder Hummel continued his practiced speech.

"You're not yourself anymore. You don't talk, you barely eat… and I haven't even seen you do your moisturizing routine in like… three days."

Burt waited for a witty reply from the boy, but received nothing.

Wow, he really is messed up.

He wondered if the punishment he'd handed out six days ago had been too severe.

Maybe it would do Kurt good to get out and see his other friends. Or maybe he needed to go and indulge in a little retail therapy to get his mind off the long lost Blaine.

If Burt was being honest, he hadn't really meant for it to be a punishment. He was hoping that by forbidding Kurt to leave the house except for school and glee club it might encourage the boy to relax a little.

Maybe even get some sleep.

Kurt looked… awful.

Burt knew that if he ever said that to the boy's face, he'd never hear the end of it, but it was the truth.

His son's face was sunken in, his skin looked even more pale (if that was even possible) than usual, and his eyes looked… dead.

A shiver ran up Burt's spine.

"Buddy… please look at me." Burt sounded genuinely distraught. "Carole and I are really worried."

Kurt sighed.

Time to get this over with.

He rolled onto his side but still remained horizontal.

His eyes met his father's and he once again felt a tiny pang of regret.

His dad looked… awful.

He had dark swollen bags under his sad blue eyes and his mouth was fixed in a permanent frown.

Burt Hummel rarely frowned.

Has he always had those lines around his eyes?

His father seemed to relax slightly after Kurt had made the effort to actually look at him, but man still looked far more tense than Kurt had ever seen him.

Even at his mother's funeral.

"There you are." Burt said, forcing a sad smile onto his lips. "Can I get you anything?"

Kurt shook his head slowly.

Burt sighed. May as well get right to the point.

"Still no sign of him hey?"

A tiny nagging voice inside Kurt's brain told him that he should just tell his father everything.

He ignored the voice and shook his head.

Burt mindlessly looked around the bedroom and sighed once again. "I'm sorry buddy."

The pair of Hummel men sat in silence for several minutes before Burt decided to change the subject.

"Carole is cooking your favorite meal tonight! Vegan lasagna with lots of vegetables."

"I'm not hungry."

"Wanna watch a movie later? I bet there's one of those… musical thingies on. I'll even let you watch it."

"I have homework."

"How about…"

Burt was interrupted.

"Dad, please… just go back upstairs." It sounded far worse once the words left Kurt's lips. He frowned, and decided that he'd better amend his last statement.

Damage control.

"I-I'm just…not feeling well."

Burt sighed.

He hated seeing his son like this.

He sounded… empty.

This Blaine thing was really getting to him.

Where the hell is that kid?

Time to try a new approach.

"Maybe Blaine moved away or something." Burt offered with a shrug.

Kurt was not prepared for the sudden change of subject. His eyebrows rose and he looked at his father incredulously.

"I mean it." The man stated. "Or, maybe, he's staying with someone else and they've gone on holidays or something."

The look of doubt on Kurt's tired face triplicated.

I should just tell him the truth.

"What? Don't look at me like that!" Burt chuckled. "He's probably laying on a beach somewhere soaking up the sun while were stuck here in Lima, Ohio freezing our asses off!"

Or his douchebag of a boyfriend is throwing him across the room.

"He's probably laughing about something ridiculous as we speak…"

Or he's sobbing in the corner of that filthy motel room.

"He's probably…"

"He's not okay, dad." Kurt interrupted sternly, sitting up from the bed suddenly enough that it surprised the older man.

"Kurt?"

The teenager swallowed the lump in his throat before looking his father directly in the eyes.

"He's not okay."

"Kurt… what's going on?" Burt's heart stuttered slightly when he heard this new, completely flat tone slipping from his son's lips. "What happened?"

Kurt was quiet momentarily as he considered his predicament.

It's time…

"The other night, when I was late getting home." Kurt whispered slowly. "I wasn't at Mercedes' house."

Burt's eyebrows lifted. "Oh?"

"I was searching for Blaine again."

Burt couldn't say he was surprised. His son had been desperately looking for the boy for days.

He recalled finding it… odd when Kurt told him that he'd been at his friend's house Friday night instead of scouring the neighborhood.

"And I found him."

Burt's heart stopped.

What?

"Wha- where?" Burt couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Kurt found Blaine? Why hadn't he mentioned it before?

"He's staying in a motel…" Kurt started cautiously.

He hesitated before adding "… in Lima Heights Adjacent"

Burt's eyes widened.

"What is he doing down there?" Burt exclaimed. "That place is… iffy."

Kurt sighed.

You have no idea.

He wasn't sure how much he should tell his dad. He didn't want him to freak out and go charging down to the motel room himself.

He'd probably throttle Sebastian with his bare hands.

On second thought… maybe he should tell him everything.

"He works down there." Kurt supplied warily. "In a bakery."

"Huh." Burt grunted, obviously surprised. "Who is he staying with?"

Kurt grimaced.

Now or never…

"Well…That's the thing."

Burt gasped. "Surely he's not there by himself?"

Kurt didn't reply, but his silence was enough to provide Burt with an answer to his question.

"Oh shit." He murmured. "Did you tell him to come back and stay here?"

Kurt's face fell. "I tried… but… he… he won't listen to me."

Burt felt as though he was missing a crucial part of the story.

"Kurt… did something… happen?"

Burt leaned closer to his son and put a comforting arm around his shoulders.

"You can tell me Kurt, I won't be upset."

Kurt didn't know when the tears had gathered in the corners of his eyes, but when he suddenly felt one slip down his cheek, he began to lose control of his already unpredictable emotions.

"H-he… I-I couldn't… He w-won't…"

Burt tightened his grip on his son's shoulders and closed his eyes momentarily. Kurt normally had impeccable speech. He always articulated his words appropriately, but

right now, the boy couldn't even form a structured sentence.

It was painfully obvious that that what ever had gone down in that motel room had been something serious.

"Slow down, Kurt." He hushed softly. "Tell me what happened."

"I found his room by talking to the creepy motel guy. It was unlocked so I just went in."

Creepy motel guy? I'm sorry… what?

"I found a bunch of Blaine's stuff so I knew it was his room." Kurt continued. "But then he came back."

Burt looked at his son curiously when Kurt didn't seem willing to finish his story.

And?

"…with his boyfriend."

Oh.

Burt sat puzzled for a brief moment before the pieces fell together and he did a mental face-palm.

Blaine has a boyfriend.

Kurt is upset because Blaine has a boyfriend.

Of course he's upset.

How did I not see this earlier?

It all made perfect sense.

Kurt's near obsession with the black-haired boy.

The desperate search to find him.

And now the depression.

Kurt has a crush on this boy!

But Blaine has a boyfriend!

So now Kurt is jealous!

The dull ache that had subsided in Burt's heart over the past few weeks lightened as the new information came to light.

Just a simple case of High School crushes.

Kurt never noticed his father's sudden smile or the weight that seemingly lifted from the older man's shoulders.

The tears were falling quickly and readily.

"He's an asshole dad… an asshole." He sobbed.

Burt shook himself.

"Who? Blaine?"

"No… Sebastian."

Oh.

The boyfriend.

Well, of course Kurt is not going to like this guy.

But he is taking this really…

Burt's thoughts were interrupted when Kurt started sobbing uncontrollably, words spewing out of his mouth in incoherent sentences.

"I-I…. B-Blaine… S-said no, b-but… d-didn't stop…"

Red Flag.

Burt's heart speed up, his fatherly instincts kicking in as the fragments of the sentence he'd just heard fell together.

"Kurt…?" Burt hesitated, unsure if he wanted to hear the answer to this question or not. "Did he do something to you?"

The teenager's sobs grew louder and less controlled.

"Kurt… did Blaine hurt you?" Burt was growing angry.

"No!" Kurt sobbed. "He wouldn't!"

Burt breathed a sigh of relief.

Okay, so… what the hell happened?

Kurt glanced up at his father through the tears in his hazy eyes and the horrified look on the older man's face sent shockwaves through him. He suddenly dropped all of the barriers he'd put up and fell apart, spewing out the details and the information he'd learned about Blaine over the past weeks.

He told him about the summer job at the lawyer's office and the man who'd come on to Blaine sexually.

He told him about that same man blaming Blaine and causing him to be kicked out of his own home, abandoned by his own family once again.

Burt had to bite his tongue to refrain from interrupting Kurt with questions, concerns and profanities.

Then Kurt told him about Sebastian.

Burt Hummel couldn't believe what his son was telling him.

Blaine had been… abused by his boyfriend.

Violently.

The bruises, the looks of genuine fear, the distrust.

It all made sense.

When Kurt hesitantly told his father about the unwanted sexual advances, Burt wanted to rip this Sebastian's head clear off.

No… he wanted to rip his balls off and shove them down his throat…

That explained why Blaine had been so… sore.

Oh, Blaine.

Poor Blaine.

It was bad enough that the kid had an asshole for a father, but for him to end up with a boyfriend who would treat him so poorly?

Unbelievable.

And what was this about a fight club?

These boys actually started a club where they… beat the hell out of each other, just for shits and giggles?

Wasn't there a movie about that?

Kurt finished his story by telling his father how Blaine had kicked him out of the room, shouting angry, hurtful words at him.

It broke Burt's heart even more than he ever deemed possible.

Only because he knew that Blaine would never have meant those things towards Kurt.

A silly bout of jealously would have been so much easier to deal with than this.

When Kurt finally finished talking, the emotions from six nights prior had resurfaced tenfold, sending him into a fit of hysterics.

Burt grabbed his son and pulled him into a tight embrace, ignoring the steady stream of tears that were pooling down his own face.

How in the world am I going to fix this…?

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Kurt said the following morning. "He really, really didn't want me here dad."

It had taken Burt several hours to calm his son down the previous evening. They'd eventually fallen back into Kurt's bed, where Burt remained until his son fell into a restless slumber.

He'd pulled the covers over Kurt's still form, and then slowly crept up the stairs to where Carole had remained seated in the living room, anxiously awaiting the explanation as to what had transpired over the past few hours.

They'd discussed it, and concluded that the only logical thing to do was for Burt to go to the motel and speak with Blaine himself.

Try and talk some sense into the boy.

Burt had decided to wait until the following morning to make his move, and was not at all surprised to find Kurt dressed and waiting by the door for him when he was ready to leave.

So now the pair of Hummels found themselves pulling into the parking lot of the run-down motel, the exterior of which sent chills up Burt's spine.

This place is a dump.

They climbed out of the car simultaneously and Kurt directed his father to room number fourteen.

Burt gingerly knocked on the door, unsure of what awaited behind it.

Would it be Blaine?

If it was Blaine, would he be relieved to see Burt? Angry? Afraid?

Or would it be Sebastian who answered the door?

If it was, Burt had plans to punch the supposed meerkat smirk right off his face.

Burt very much hoped it would be Sebastian who opened the door.

That asshole deserved what he was going to get.

But much to Burt's dismay, no sounds emitted from inside the motel room.

"He's not here." Burt announced with a disappointed sigh.

However, before he could step to the side to peek inside the broken window, Kurt had reached forwards and turned the knob of the unlocked door and stepped inside.

"Kurt!" The elder Hummel hissed. "You can't just… go in!"

Kurt never heard his father's words.

The scene that he found before him held him speechless.

Blaine's normally pristinely organized room was in complete shambles.

The pile of textbooks that had been neatly stacked on the desk was strewn all over the floor. There were papers scattered all over the room, including the newspaper clipping and the business cards. The pile of Kurt's clothes now lay in a messy heap on the floor next to the desk chair and the bed was… rumpled.

A shiver ran up Kurt's spine as he considered…

No.

No. I'm not thinking about that.

I can't think about that.

Kurt noticed that the full-length mirror, which had been hanging on the wall across from the bathroom, had fallen from its hook. He realized at that point, that the mirror hadn't actually been hanging on the wall, but rather on a dingy looking door that obviously led into the adjacent room.

"Not much of a housekeeper hey?" Burt said, peeking his head inside the door. He was still quite nervous about just entering the boy's room without permission.

Or a key.

Kurt was stunned.

Something happened here.

Something bad.

"H-he… it shouldn't be like this…" He whispered, bringing his fingers up to cover his mouth.

His eyes caught sight of the broken guitar lying on the floor and his heart sunk.

'Please be careful with it… it was my grandpa's…'

The memory sliced him like a blade.

The guitar had obviously meant something to Blaine.

And now it was nothing but a piece of splintered wood and broken strings.

"Kurt… something happened here, didn't it?" His father's voice echoed from behind him.

Kurt took several steps forward, reached down and picked up the splintered pieces of wood. He turned back to where his father remained in the doorway, but he couldn't speak. He couldn't possibly form the words.

So instead, he nodded.

Kurt pulled the pieces of the broken instrument into his chest in an awkward embrace.

What happened to you, Blaine?

Where are you?

Burt stepped further inside the room and surveyed the damage.

"Do you think it was Sebastian?"

Kurt shrugged emotionlessly.

He didn't know.

He didn't know what had happened.

He didn't know anything anymore.

"Maybe he just ran off?" Burt offered. But he knew it was a lie.

Kurt was just about to answer when a chilling voice sounded from behind his father.

"Can I… help you with something?"

Burt spun around and came face to face with the most disgusting looking man he'd ever seen.

And he'd seen some nasty looking folks.

The man's hair was wiry, unkempt and greasy and his face was unshaven. He smelled as though he'd not showered in months and his eyes looked… dangerous.

"Uh… shit." Burt stuttered, backing himself up so he remained between this man and his son. "We musta got the wrong room."

"Yes…" The man sneered, unconvinced. "You musta."

He leaned over and looked beyond Burt to where Kurt stood dumbly in place.

His eyes roamed from Kurt's face, all the way down his body and back up again.

He licked his lips.

Burt's eyes narrowed at this man's inappropriate gesture and his anger began to rise.

He was about to speak when the man suddenly flashed his eyes back to Kurt's and he spoke with a raspy, methodical tone.

"Haven't we met before?"

Kurt's breath caught. His mind scrambled to form a coherent sentence.

"No." He squeaked. "I've never seen you before in my life."

Yes, 'cause that's an original thing to say.

The man smirked, and then he licked his disgusting lips once again.

"Huh… just thought you looked quite familiar."

Kurt's voice left him at that point so he just shook his head frantically.

"Funny." The man chortled. "I never forget a…" He tilted his head and let his eyes obviously roam back down Kurt's torso before adding, "…a face."

"We're leaving." Burt cut in. He'd seen enough.

Blaine was obviously not here and that guy… was just… wrong.

The man took several steps back, allowing room for Burt to push his way past, closely followed by Kurt.

Just as they were about to climb into Burt's truck, the motel manager, who had been leaning against a cement pillar outside an adjacent room, looked at Kurt and smiled.

"Blaine's gone."

Burt almost stumbled over the cement cinder block lying in front of his truck.

He spun around and looked at the man, who was still very much staring at his son.

"What did you just say?" Burt growled.

Finally, the man turned his stare towards the elder Hummel and smiled once again.

Even his smile was disgusting.

His teeth looked yellow and rotten, obviously from years of neglect and tobacco use, and Burt was certain, if he'd tried, that he'd be able to smell the man's putrid breath from thirty feet away.

"I was just saying, if you're looking for Blaine… he's not here."

Burt narrowed his eyes at the filthy man before him. "Where is he?"

"Dunno." The man snapped, standing up from his position against the pillar and walking away from the two Hummels. "He dropped his keys off a couple days ago and said he was leaving. Something about staying with his boyfriend from now on. Filthy fags."

Burt and Kurt watched in disgust as the man stumbled his way past the remaining rooms and into the office.

"Let's go." Burt scoffed, turning towards Kurt. "That asshole is obviously useless."

Kurt nodded hesitantly before staring back sadly at the door labeled '14'.

Oh, Blaine… I certainly hope you're safe.

Another week passed.

Kurt had all but given up hope of ever seeing Blaine again.

He resumed his normal routine of school and glee club, and Burt had lifted his punishment early, but something was still missing.

He could never quite get rid of the nagging voice in the back of his mind that something was still desperately wrong.

Of course something is wrong.

Blaine is with Sebastian.

Sebastian is an asshole.

He doesn't deserve Blaine.

His mind continued to weave itself though denial, doubt, sorrow and anger as the week progressed.

At times he'd find himself livid at Blaine's actions.

Why would he do that to me?

Why would he get close to me like that and then push me away?

Then there were times where he'd find himself silently crying to himself.

I wonder if he's okay.

What if…

No… I cannot play the what-if game… again.

So Kurt pretended to be okay, and immersed himself in schoolwork, shopping and glee practice.

But there was always that nagging voice.

Kurt decided to stop at the Lima Bean on his way home from school that evening for a non-fat mocha.

He'd fallen asleep three times during class; once during history (which wasn't all that uncommon), and twice during French.

Even though it was only Thursday night, Kurt had made the decision earlier to catch up on some of his homework that he'd been falling behind on.

He had a six page paper due Monday about the Czech uprising of 1968, a full list of verbs that needed conjugated for his French class, as well as some physics questions that he hadn't finished in class.

Screw the non-fat mocha. I might need a triple espresso.

Or nine.

As he pushed open the metal door leading into the coffee shop, he was almost run over by a burly teenager with a mohawk carrying three cups of hot liquid.

"Jesus! Watch where you're…" The boy scolded while precariously rebalancing the three cups in his fingers with such concentration that his tongue stuck out from the corner of his mouth.

Kurt immediately recognized the tongue piercing.

"…Oh! Hey Hummel!" The teenager added cheerfully upon realizing that it was Kurt he'd almost mowed over.

"Hello, Noah." Kurt said, holding the door open for the other teen.

"Sup dude?"

Kurt rolled his eyes.

There's no wonder why you and Finn are such good friends.

"Not much, just grabbing a coffee. You?"

Noah Puckerman grinned. "Yep! Same here. Picking up some javas for a couple friends."

Kurt gave a subtle nod of approval and was about to say goodbye when Puck broke the silence.

"Dude, have you seen Blaine lately?"

Kurt's breath caught.

Puck never noticed the look of shock that was engraved on Kurt's face.

"That dude like… totally disappeared." The mowaked teen sounded almost concerned. "I haven't seen him in school, or football, or… uh… glee."

Kurt winced.

Tell me something I don't know.

"He's… staying with a friend right now." Kurt supplied.

It wasn't a total lie.

"Oh." Puck said dumbly. "That's weird. And shitty 'cuz that little shrimp could play some serious football!"

Kurt couldn't prevent the smile that formed delicately on the corner of his lips as he remembered the day he watched the football game with his dad.

If only I'd been watching Blaine that day instead of wasting my time watching Finn.

Kurt looked up at the (much) larger football player standing next to him and smiled gently.

"I should go get my coffee now."

"Sure dude." Puck nodded. "But if you see Blaine… tell him that me and the… uh… rest of the guys miss him… okay? But don't make it sound too gay or anything alright?"

Kurt had smiled a genuine smile and nodded before turning to walk into the café when he heard his name being shouted from across the parking lot.

He turned quickly and saw a navy blue blazer headed in his direction.

Nick.

It didn't exactly surprise Kurt that the Warbler would be at the Lima Bean.

Everyone deserves a cup of Lima's finest.

But what did surprise the hell out of Kurt was when the blazer-clad teen stopped in front of Noah Puckerman and helped himself to one of the cups of coffee that he was still balancing dangerously.

"Thanks Puck." Nick said with a grin.

Puck nodded, readjusted the two remaining cups in his hands and walked back in the same direction that Nick had just come from.

Kurt's eyes followed the mohawked teen, until he saw him climb into a white Cadillac and hand the final cup of coffee to yet another teen wearing a Dalton blazer.

This one however, Kurt did not recognize.

"How do you know Puck?" Kurt asked, turning his eyes back to Nick, who now stood in front of him.

"We… uh, met through a mutual friend." Nick supplied casually.

Kurt couldn't help but notice the weirdness and hesitation that was etched into the teen's voice.

Now what is he trying to hide?

Kurt also noticed that Nick was quick to change the subject.

"Stopping for a coffee?"

Kurt raised an elegantly shaped eyebrow.

Good observation chief.

"Yes." He forced a smile. "I have a lot of homework to do tonight."

Nick smiled weakly before looking around the busy parking lot cautiously. Kurt could tell that there was something on the other teen's mind, but it looked as though he was hesitant to talk about whatever it was.

"So… uh… Have you seen Blaine lately?"

Kurt's eyebrows popped up into his hairline.

That was unexpected.

"Ummm… no." Kurt answered warily. "Haven't you?"

Kurt instantly noticed the change in Nick's demeanor as he shook his head.

He looked… worried.

"He… he hasn't talked to anyone from Dalton in almost a week."

Kurt's heart stuttered.

Oh?

"I thought he was staying at Sebastian's now." Kurt suggested curiously.

Nick narrowed his eyes, as though wondering how Kurt could have possibly come up with that information.

"Sebastian hasn't seen him since last Friday."

Oh fuck.

"What?" Kurt couldn't help but allow his voice to climb several octaves with the single word that escaped his lips.

"He said he was over at Blaine's place Friday night, but they had an argument or something."

Yeah… or something.

"Sebastian said Blaine was being a dick…"

Riiight…Blaine was the one being a dick…

"… and that he pissed him off so he just left."

Yes, right after he threw Blaine across the room because he wouldn't have sex with him.

"He told me he went back to talk to him this week but he was gone. Everything was cleaned out of his place, as though he'd never even been there."

Kurt bit his bottom lip.

This is so not good.

If he is not at Sebastian's… Where the hell is Blaine?

Nick looked at Kurt.

Kurt looked at Nick.

Neither teenager knew what to say.

Kurt certainly wasn't going to tell Nick about what happened the other night. He seemed to be friends with Sebastian, and he had no desire to get on that guy's bad side.

However… Blaine was still apparently missing.

Something had to be done.

"He was staying in a motel." Kurt blurted out without thinking. "In Lima Heights Adjacent."

"Shit…" Nick cursed. "Seriously?"

Kurt nodded.

"How do you…?" Nick started but he was interrupted.

"Don't ask. Just… trust me. He was there."

"Okay."

Kurt took a deep breath before a sudden thought hit him. "Did you say that the room was completely empty? Like there was nothing in there… at all?"

"That's what Sebastian told me."

Hmmm… that's weird. There was still stuff there Monday night.

Kurt didn't mention to anyone (especially not his father) that he may or may not have made a quick stop at the motel room three nights ago on his way home from school.

He wasn't… exactly... allowed to go back there, accordingly to his father, but he'd been dying of curiosity.

Plus, there was something he needed to do…

Nick interrupted his train of thoughts.

"Kurt? What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that I need to go see for myself." Kurt said, turning back towards the parking lot.

"What about your coffee?"

"Forget it. Are you coming or not?"

Nick looked as surprised as Kurt felt.

He had no idea why he'd asked Nick along, it didn't even make sense.

I hardly even know this guy.

Nick sputtered a little bit before looking over to the white Cadillac.

"Uhhh… y-yeah." He stuttered. "Let me just go… check."

Kurt rolled his eyes once again.

This kid has got some serious issues.

"I'll be in my car. It's the black Navigator." He thumbed over to the general vicinity of this vehicle.

"Yeah… okay. I'll be there in a minute."

Kurt shook his head in disbelief and walked over to his car and waited for the strange boy in the blue blazer to return, all the while processing this new information.

Blaine… where the hell are you?

It wasn't exactly an awkward silence, but it wasn't particularly comfortable either.

Neither boy had much to say, so Kurt focused his attention on the road, and Nick continued to take thousands of tiny sips from his coffee cup.

Kurt couldn't fathom that there was even any liquid left in it.

"So…" He started, desperate to break the ice. "Dalton, hey?"

Nick looked over at Kurt and forced a thin smile to his lips. "Yeah. It's a good school."

"I don't really care for the uniforms… no offense, but other than that, it seems pretty cool."

Nick nodded. "You like McKinley?"

Kurt snorted.

He looked over to Nick while stopped at a red light and raised a single eyebrow.

"It's public school and I'm gay. Do the math."

Nick's eyes widened and his lips formed a round 'o'.

Kurt smiled to himself.

"Do you get bullied?"

"I used to…" Kurt explained sadly, unsure why he was so eager to open up to this boy he barely knew. "But then Blaine… h-he stood up for me and it hasn't been… as bad since."

"Blaine is a good guy."

"Yes he is." Kurt admitted, staring longingly out the window as the light turned green. He returned his glance forward and pressed his foot down on the accelerator, continuing on down the snow covered street.

"Are you dating the black eye guy?"

Kurt regretted the words the moment they'd slipped from his mouth.

Not subtle Hummel. Not subtle at all.

"Jeff? Yeah, we've been together for a few months now."

Oh. Didn't see that coming.

"I didn't mean to… pry or anything, I just saw you…kiss him the other day."

Nick laughed. "Yeah… he gets a little handsy at times."

"What happened to his face?"

"He…uh… walked into a door knob."

Kurt thought for a minute.

The blonde he'd met at Dalton was tall.

Like six feet tall.

There's no way he walked into a doorknob.

If he had… it wouldn't be his eye that got bruised.

Kurt winced at the thought, but decided to ignore the blatant lie.

"He's not… from here is he?"

The tall brunette laughed again. "No, his family is from Perth. It's in Australia. They moved here about a year ago."

Nailed it.

"You two are pretty… comfortable with each other, aren't you?"

"What do you mean?"

Kurt sighed. "You're both obviously… out… right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"You don't get hassled for it, at all?" Kurt wondered.

"Not even a little bit." Nick said proudly. "It's not like we're the only gay couple in school Kurt."

He looked at Kurt's surprised face before adding with a hearty laugh. "Dude… it's an all-boys private school… what did you expect?"

Kurt snorted.

Touché.

There were a few moments of silence as Kurt maneuvered the Navigator through the snowy streets.

"Kurt…" Nick asked quietly several minutes later. All hints of humor had been removed from his voice. "Do you think Blaine's okay?"

Kurt sighed. "I honestly don't know."

"Oh my god, this place is horrible." Nick exclaimed as the two teens pressed their way into the still unlocked room marked '14'. "Why would Blaine stay here willingly?"

Kurt shrugged, stepping into the dimly lit motel room. "I don't think he had a choice. I assume it's all he could afford."

When Kurt's eyes adjusted to the dimness of the room, his heart stuttered in his chest.

Sebastian had been right. The room had been gutted.

Kurt wasn't expecting Blaine's belongings to still be strewn about the room, but… this was ridiculous.

The lamp was gone. The mirror was gone. Even the fridge had been taken out of the room.

What the hell happened?

The pair quickly toured around the suite that proved completely useless. There was literally nothing here that could prove that Blaine had ever even lived here.

Kurt was stumped.

He's not here.

He's not at Sebastian's.

He's not at Dalton.

He's not… anywhere.

His heart sunk as he considered the new realization.

Blaine is… gone.

Kurt stood sadly in the middle of the empty room for several minutes before Nick's voice startled him back to reality.

"Uhhh, Kurt? We should probably go."

"Yeah, you're right." Kurt looked up at the teenager sadly. "There's nothing here."

The pair turned and walked back out to the car, but before Kurt climbed in, a thought struck him and he looked back at Nick, who was once again climbing into the passenger seat of the Navigator.

"Hold on, I just want to check one more place… I'll be right back."

Kurt quickly stepped back into the grungy motel room and headed straight towards the closet.

The same closet that he'd hidden in almost two weeks prior.

He opened the rickety door slowly, almost praying that Blaine would just pop out and yell 'surprise.'

Blaine didn't pop out.

There was no surprise.

There was nothing.

"Damn it Blaine! Where the hell are you?" He screamed.

He didn't really know why he screamed.

Well… knew why.

He was pissed off.

Frustrated.

Annoyed.

Worried.

Kurt took one last look around the room, breathed a heavy, defeated sigh and was about to turn around to leave when he heard something.

His head perked up and his eyes widened.

What was that?

The stood stock still in the middle of the room for several minutes listening for any sound that might tickle his eardrums.

Nothing.

I swear to god, I heard something.

He wasn't even sure what kind of a 'something' that he'd heard.

A whisper?

Someone crying?

What was it?

Another sound ripped through the silence and this time Kurt heard it clearly.

It was a groan.

His mind raced as he moved over towards the wall on the east side of the room and pressed an ear to the peeling paint.

He listened for what seemed like forever.

Nothing.

But he'd heard something.

A groan.

Kurt considered this for a moment.

His mind wanted to tell him to grow up.

A groan. In a dodgy motel room.

Do the math Kurt, do the math.

Ew.

But his heart was telling him otherwise.

Something was pulling him towards that wall.

He needed to listen.

Kurt pressed his cheek flush against the filthy wall, sending a silent thought to himself that he would have to perform an extensive cleansing and moisturizing routine that night.

He listened for all he was worth.

Still nothing.

As he kept his face pressed tightly to the wall, he let his eyes roam the room once again, desperate to take in any new information.

Nothing.

He tried closing his eyes.

He'd heard once that blind people could hear better than most. Something about compensatory senses or something.

Nothing.

He kept his eyes closed and decided to try a new approach.

"Blaine?"

It was barely more than a whisper.

Silence.

A sound from the other side of the wall, several minutes later made Kurt jump back dramatically.

"Kuuurt?"

Kurt's heart dropped to the floor.

Had he imagined it?

He pressed his face back into the wall once again. "Blaine, is that you?"

Nothing.

Damn it.

Kurt's heart was racing now.

He'd heart it. He knew he'd heard it.

Blaine was here!

Blaine was on the other side of this wall!

Kurt looked around desperately. He needed to get through the wall.

Maybe he could pound his way through the wall with the desk chair.

Or maybe he could rip off a piece of pipe from the dingy-looking bathtub and carve his way through the plaster.

His eyes settled on the discolored portion of wall where the full-length mirror had been hanging only a few days before.

Or I could just walk right into the room through that friggin' door.

{insert mental face palm}

Kurt couldn't breathe as he walked over to the hidden door and placed his hand upon the dusty doorknob.

His heart was beating so fast, he was certain Nick could hear it from where he waited outside in the car.

He silently uttered a prayer to anyone who would listen as his fingers gingerly turned the knob.

It was unlocked.

Kurt gulped as he slid the door open only an inch.

He paused, listening for any sound and watching for any signs of movement.

Nothing.

He slid the door open another inch.

The dry, unused hinges creaked, shattering the silence and sending a wave of panic through his core. He froze, and his lips pulled in a silent gasp.

He closed his eyes.

Seriously Kurt? Just because you can't see them… doesn't mean they can't see you…

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

He unwillingly pried his eyes open once again and inched the door open enough so he could see inside.

It was dark. Incredibly dark.

There was no light coming in from any of the windows.

It was so dark inside the room that it was as though there were no windows at all.

Kurt stood silently peering into the room until his eyes adjusted to the lack of light before pushing the door open another three inches.

As much as he wanted to call out to Blaine, or even whisper, for that matter… no words would come.

Kurt cringed when the door hit something solid on the other side of the wall, shattering the silence once again with a loud bang.

He froze in place, too terrified to move.

He stood silently for several minutes without any indication of movement from the other room.

He peeked his head inside the opening in the doorway he'd created and looked through the darkness at what the door had bumped into.

A table.

Kurt closed his eyes, took a deep breath and pushed the door the remainder of the way open, nudging the table along with it.

A horrible high-pitched screeching noise accompanied the movement as the table slid across the tile floor.

Obviously there was no carpet in the adjoining room.

The door was now open enough that Kurt was able to turn sideways and stick his shoulder through, followed by his head… and then his…

Damn these pear-shaped hips!

He pushed the door open another two inches angrily; just enough to snugly slide his hips through.

He was inside the room.

And he had been right.

There was no light. Whatsoever.

He could see that there were blankets covering each of the windows, leaving the room in a state of chilled darkness.

Only a thin slice of dim lamplight illuminated in from the door that he'd just entered through.

His eyes adjusted to the darkness quickly, his pupils dilating to let in what little light remained.

He stepped further into the room, taking one agonizingly slow step after the other, until his shin was rudely introduced to yet another table.

"Gaaak"

So much for stealth mode.

Kurt pressed his fingers to his shin, desperately trying to prevent any (more) sounds of agony from slipping through his clenched teeth.

Really though, if no one has jumped out and grabbed me yet…

NO! I'm not going to think about that.

Kurt fumbled his way to the opposite wall and reached his hand up to where he could see the vague outline of a light switch.

When he flicked it on, he squinted as his eyes adjusted to the new light.

It wasn't bright… but…

Oh fuck.

Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck!

Kurt's jaw dropped as he looked around the newly lit room in a state of panic.

Cameras.

Everywhere, there were cameras.

He stood in the middle of the room, staring like a deer caught in the headlights.

Then he saw the bed.

And the chains.

And the wall.

Oh god, the wall.

There were… tools hanging on the wall.

Or were they toys?

Were those… handcuffs?

Oh god.

What the fuck?

Red flag.

Red flag.

RED FUCKING FLAG.

Get out.

Get out now.

Kurt stumbled across the floor of the room towards the front door.

He needed out.

This was bad.

Really bad.

As Kurt hastily attempted to step over a box of… something on his way to the door, he tripped and found himself flying forward. He reached his hand out to grab the only thing he could get a hold of, which ended up being a heavy blanket, which was draped over a large square… something.

As he tumbled to the ground, his elbow connecting harshly with the unforgiving floor, and Kurt let out another not-so-silent (or brave-sounding) howl.

When Kurt rolled over onto his front, his eyes focused on that previously covered large square… something.

It was now an uncovered, large square something.

Actually it was a box.

No, not a box.

A cage.

A shiver ran up Kurt's spine.

When his eyes located the contents of that box… no… that cage… the acidic taste of bile instantly rose in his throat.

"B-Blaine?"

Kurt's eyes immediately filled with tears as he pulled himself up, ignoring the screaming pain in his elbow.

There, lying against the far wall of… the cage… lay the curly-haired boy he'd been desperately seeking out.

Blaine was lying curled up on his side, with his knees pulled up into his chest and his back towards Kurt, but he was definitely not moving.

"B-Blaine?" Kurt sobbed again.

He reached his arm in through the bars of the… cage… trying desperately to rouse the motionless boy.

His trembling fingers came to within inches of the boy's back… but no further.

I can't reach him.

"Blaine? Can you hear me?" Kurt pleaded desperately.

No response.

Kurt fumbled his way around the side of the cage, desperate to see Blaine's face.

Desperate to see his beautiful honey-brown eyes again.

His jaw dropped and his breath stuttered when he got to the opposite side of the cage and found that his wish had been granted.

Blaine's eyes were open.

But they weren't beautiful.

They were empty.

He was just staring. At nothing.

He barely recognized the boy in the cage.

His face was hollow, and far paler than Kurt ever deemed possible.

And covered in a thick growth of dark stubble.

"B-Blaine?" Kurt was unable to form any other words.

Blaine's eyes never registered the sound.

"Blaine, please! Look at me!" Kurt was begging.

Nothing.

The emptiness behind the boy's eyes was endless.

Kurt reached his hand in between the metal bars and gently placed his still-trembling fingers on the boy's neck.

There was a pulse.

Kurt stared at Blaine's chest. It was rising and falling slowly. Shallowly.

He was breathing.

But why wouldn't he respond?

"Blaine!" He shouted, reaching his other hand inside the bars and shaking the boy harshly. "Please! Just… please!"

Blaine's lifeless eyes flickered.

Kurt's widened. "Blaine? Can you hear me?"

Another flicker.

"Damn it, Blaine!" Kurt shouted, vigorously shaking the dazed boy once again. "Please, look at me!"

Kurt's chest ached when he saw Blaine's dead eyes drift lazily from where they'd been fixed on the wall across from him and his eyelids sunk, causing them to almost completely fall closed.

Is he drunk?

"Blaine!" Kurt begged, placing his hands on either side of the boy's face. "Please wake up!"

The hazel eyes slowly drifted back open and Blaine moved his head slightly in Kurt's general direction.

Such a simple movement looked as though it had taken an excessive amount of effort.

"Blaine. It's me. It's Kurt. Please just… just, look at me."

The eyes drifted back closed.

He must be drugged or something.

"Blaine, stay with me." Kurt sobbed, tears pouring down his face. "Please… just… stay with me."

Kurt moved back to the front of the cage, desperate to rip the doors open and pull the boy into his arms.

It was locked.

With a padlock.

The lock itself looked old and rusted, but after pulling on it with all his strength, Kurt was unable to pry it open.

He began to hyperventilate.

I need to get him out.

Oh god Blaine… what do I do?

Kurt hesitated, but then stood up from his place on the floor next to the cage and looked around the filthy, crowded motel room. His eyes came to rest on a fire extinguisher next to the window and he ran over and picked it up.

He carried it back over to the cage, but before he lifted it above his head he whispered to the still unmoving boy.

"This is going to be loud. I'm sorry."

Somehow he knew that Blaine never heard the words.

Kurt brought the heavy fire extinguisher as high above his head as he could muster, before bringing it down heavily on top of the rusted lock with a loud bang.

Nothing.

He tried again and again.

No change.

"Damn it!" He screamed, out of breath.

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime later, the lock finally gave away and broke off.

Kurt tossed the heavy metal canister to the side and roughly ripped open the cage door.

He awkwardly reached in and pushed his hands underneath Blaine's still form. One arm under his upper back and one below his knees.

Kurt grunted slightly pulling the boy out of the cage.

Blaine's body was a dead weight.

Once he had successfully extricated him from his cold, metal prison, Kurt gathered the boy into his arms and held him close.

Blaine was shivering violently. His breaths were coming in short, shallow gasps now, but his eyes were still completely hazed over and unfocused.

"B-Blaine… what did they do to you?"

Blaine's eyes drifted closed for a moment before it looked as though he'd made a conscious effort to open them back up and move his dead stare towards the voice above him.

"Blaine? Can you hear me?"

For the first time, Blaine acknowledged Kurt's desperate pleas.

He nodded.

It was a tiny, almost unnoticeable nod, but to Kurt it felt as good as if he'd screamed out to him.

"Oh, Blaine!" He sniffed, holding the tiny teenager even tighter in his shaking arms.

"It's going to be okay now. I'm going to get you out of here."

"Kuuurt?"

Blaine's parched, cracked lips barely moved, and for a moment, Kurt was almost certain he'd imagined it.

Blaine had spoken his name.

The single word had sounded sick, weak, and broken.

But he'd spoken.

He was still in there somewhere.

"It's me Blaine. I'm here." Kurt rocked him back and forth. "I've got you."

"C-cam" Blaine whispered weakly before his eyes drifted closed once again. It was as though the boy was struggling with all his strength to keep himself awake.

Kurt frowned.

Cam?

Who's Cam?

"Blaine, honey… who is Cam?" Kurt asked softly, rubbing gentle circles into Blaine's back. "Is that who did this to you?"

A gentle shake of Blaine's head answered the question.

"Wa… watch…" Blaine's voice was raspy and rough, as though he'd not spoken in weeks.

Perhaps he hadn't.

"Blaine," Kurt said sadly, looking down at the boy's heavily bruised wrists. "You're watch is gone."

"N-no…" Blaine slurred as a frustrated tear streamed down his cheek. "He's watchin…"

But he didn't finish his sentence. His eyes appeared to grow heavy once again and they slipped closed, and his body became suddenly more relaxed in Kurt's arms.

"Blaine! Wake up!" Kurt exclaimed, propping the boy up once again and tapping on his bruised cheek. "Please, open your eyes! Look at me, Blaine! Look at me!"

No response.

Oh god.

We have to go.

I have to get him out of here. He needs a hospital.

Nick can drive. I need to be with Blaine.

Kurt stood up awkwardly, lifting Blaine up simultaneously and held the boy securely in his arms.

He nestled Blaine's face carefully into the spot between his neck and his collar bone and carried him gracefully across the room.

Kurt was about three feet from the front door when it suddenly swung open, and the motel manager stepped in, with a devastating look of anger mixed with… what almost looked like…hunger in his eyes.

Kurt was so startled that he almost allowed the boy to slip from his grasp.

The moment Kurt saw the devastatingly horrible look on the man's face the pieces of the puzzle just fell into place.

Blaine had never made it to Sebastian's.

The thought made Kurt's stomach churn.

What had this sick monster done to Blaine?

Horrible, gut-wrenching images suddenly flooded Kurt's imagination, burning permanent holes into his mind's eye.

The bed.

The chains.

The handcuffs.

The… cameras.

Kurt started shaking so violently that his hand actually slipped out from underneath Blaine's knees and he nearly dropped him.

Blaine's eyes slipped open slightly at the sudden movement, but when he saw that the man had entered the room, and was now standing only feet away from him, (and Kurt) it was as though a new wave of strength overcame him and he was instantly fully alert.

"No. Pleassse donnn hurr hmmm…" He slurred. The multitude of drugs in his system made it impossible to remain fully cognisant.

"Hello Blaine." The man snarled. "I see you invited company."

Kurt remained speechless, Blaine still held firmly in his arms. The muscles in his shoulders began to burn from holding onto the other teenager, but he was so terrified that he didn't even notice.

"You know I'm always up for a third." The man added with a disgusting grin that made Kurt's skin crawl.

The man's incongruous words haunted Kurt, but they also empowered him.

You will not fucking touch him again.

"Get out of my way." Kurt growled, in a pitch that even surprised himself. "I'm taking him to the hospital."

The monster smiled, his disgusting, rotten teeth showing through his thin lips. "No, Kurt. I don't think you will."

Another chill ran up Kurt's spine when he heard his own name spoken with such distaste.

"Get out of my way." He repeated in a voice even more fierce than before.

"What are you gonna do, princess?" The man sneered. "You think you can get past me?"

Kurt's mind raced.

He mentally calculated the amount of time it would take him to turn around and run back though the side door into the adjacent room.

Not an option while he was holding Blaine.

And there's no way I'm leaving him behind again.

His cell phone!

…was sitting in the cup holder in the console of his car.

Nick! You need to call the police!

"P-please just let him go." Kurt cursed his voice for failing him. "You've hurt him so much already."

"Hurt him?" The man looked amused. "Oh baby, you don't understand. He screamed for me. He loved every minute of it."

Kurt had to close his eyes and concentrate to prevent himself from vomiting.

"Wanna see?" The man said with a grin. "Put him on the bed."

Several tears had made their way down Kurt's cheeks, and when he looked down at the boy in his arms, his heart broke into a thousand jagged pieces.

Blaine looked terrified.

His eyes were wider than they'd been since Kurt had found him and his bottom lip was quivering.

But what Kurt didn't know, was that Blaine was not afraid for himself.

"Do it." He whispered shakily.

Kurt gasped. "W-what?"

"D-do what he says. Let him have me." Blaine's words were slow and calculated, as though it took every ounce of effort for his brain to connect each syllable. "You n-need to run away."

Tears slipped from Kurt's cheeks and landed onto Blaine's ratted clothes. When Kurt looked closer, he was horrified to see that they were the same clothes that Blaine had been wearing almost 2 weeks prior.

They were Kurt's clothes.

But they were so dirty and torn that Kurt had never even realized that they should look familiar.

"I-I'm not leaving you here." Kurt stuttered.

"That's sweet." The filthy man interrupted. "Now… put him down on the bed."

"No." Kurt shot the man the most harsh bitch glare that he could muster. "You're not going to touch him ever again."

To Kurt's horror, the man reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a shiny silver handgun.

"Actually, Kurt. I think I'm gonna do exactly what I want." He smirked, aiming the pistol. "Now, do as I say and put him on the bed, and I won't shoot you. I'm gonna fuck him raw. I'm gonna make him scream. And… I'm gonna make you watch."

Kurt gagged.

No no no no no no no

He felt Blaine begin to tremble in his arms.

"K-Kurt… please…" Blaine sobbed. "Just do as he wants."

Kurt stood in the middle of the room in complete shock.

He didn't know what to do.

"Kurt… I'm going to count to three. If that little bitch isn't splayed out facedown on the bed for me when I get to three… you're gonna have big problems. Got me?"

"One…"

Kurt began to shake violently.

What do I do?

"Two…"

Oh my god…

"Thre…"

"STOP!" Kurt screamed. "I'll do it."

"What?" The man with the gun asked.

"I'll do it." Kurt repeated. "I'll do whatever you want."

The man looked at Kurt incredulously.

Blaine struggled in Kurt's exhausted arms.

"Kurt… no! What are you doing?"

Kurt looked at the horrified boy in his arms sadly before setting him carefully on the floor next to the bed.

"You can do whatever you want to me, but you leave Blaine alone."

The man's eyes light up like a thousand candles.

"Get on your knees."

Kurt's eyes widened when he realized that the man had instantly taken him up on his offer.

"Kurt!" Blaine sobbed. "Please stop! Don't let him do this!"

Kurt closed his eyes momentarily, gathering up his remaining strength.

"I'm not going to let him hurt you anymore Blaine."

"No Kurt! Please! You don't know what he'll do to you!"

Kurt looked away from the malnourished boy who remained on the floor several feet to his left, so weak and doped up with drugs that he was unable to move his limbs.

"Kurt, stop! Please! Just go!" Blaine was hysterical. "He's already… ruined me. Please don't let him hurt you too."

Kurt's chest ached at the boy's heart-breaking words.

But he took a deep breath before he closed his eyes.

And slowly dropped to the floor.

He could still hear Blaine screaming desperately next to him, but he couldn't make out his words, and he refused to look at him.

He needed to be brave.

Courage.

Blaine had been through… who knows what kind of hell over the past… who knows how long…

I can do this.

For Blaine.

The man greedily stepped over Blaine's trembling form until he stood directly in front of Kurt.

He stared down at the porcelain-skinned teenager kneeling in front of him and a twisted grin formed on his face.

"I want you to suck me off, princess."

Kurt clenched his eyes closed and balled up his fists as he heard the man unzip his filthy, sweat stained jeans.

By this time, the monster was close enough to him that he could smell his putrid breath.

That alone was enough to make Kurt gag.

I have to do this.

For Blaine.

The man palmed himself inside his jeans, and Kurt's mind began to race.

I have to do something.

I need to get Blaine out of here.

Where's Nick? Why hasn't he come looking for me?

When the man reached inside his jeans and started fondling himself, Kurt had to turn his head away.

The monster roughly grabbed his chin and brought his face back towards him.

"Don't be scared princess…"

Kurt struggled away from the man, which only earned him a violent slap across the face.

"Don't fuck with me!" The man shouted.

Blaine's screams intensified. "Leave him alone!"

Kurt continued to wriggle away.

He crawled desperately, on his hands and knees away from the man until he heard a terrifying click.

Kurt turned around slowly to see that the man had lifted Blaine up off the floor and had the gun pressed tightly to the boy's left temple.

Blaine's eyes were once again wide and tears were pooling down his bruised cheeks.

"Run Kurt! Just go!"

The man lifted Blaine up off the floor by pulling on the boy's curls, eliciting a pained scream from the frail teenager.

Kurt stopped dead in his tracks.

"Stop it!" He begged. "You're hurting him!"

"I'll fucking kill him if you don't get over here and suck me off!"

Kurt was sobbing uncontrollably.

"One…"

"Two…"

"S-stop!" Kurt shouted again.

He crawled his way back over to where the man stood, with Blaine dangling helplessly beside him.

"P-put him down f-first."

"No! Kurt!" Blaine wailed. "Please don't do this!"

The man literally dropped Blaine onto the floor in a heap with a sinister laugh.

While the monster's head was dropped, taking in the sight of Blaine, who was now writhing in agony on the floor, Kurt jumped at his sudden opportunity.

He grabbed a glass lamp that was lying next to him and leapt up from the floor, swinging the makeshift weapon wildly.

The glass base of the lamp shattered upon impact with the man's face, leaving behind an array of cuts and scratches.

"Arrrghh!" The man screamed. "You little shit!"

Kurt darted around him, wrapped his hands around Blaine and lifted the still-sobbing boy back into his arms.

They didn't get three steps before the monster attacked.

He'd grabbed the remainder of the broken lamp and swung it fiercely, catching Kurt in the neck.

The broken glass sliced into the left side of his neck, just under his ear, and a profuse amount of blood came pouring out.

Kurt screamed in agony, and a second hit connected with his torso. He was thrown off balance and lost his grip on Blaine, who tumbled to the floor once again.

The man charged at Kurt, knocking him to the floor and then sat heavily on his already heaving chest.

The monster stared into Kurt's wide eyes.

His eyes were black.

Kurt had never seen such terrifying eyes in all his life.

He would never forget those black eyes.

He squeezed his own closed, desperate to clear the sight from his memory.

The man put his left hand back into the fly of his jeans and started fondling his growing hardness, while his other hand remained on the gun still cocked and pointed at a terrified Blaine, who sat only inches away.

"You're gonna suck me off now, you little bitch." The man growled. "Or so help me, I'm gonna put a bullet between your boyfriend's eyes!"

Kurt refused to open his eyes.

Maybe it won't be so bad if I can't see it.

"Open your fucking eyes and look at me or I'm gonna fucking shoot him!"

Kurt couldn't do it. He couldn't open his eyes.

I can't do this.

I can't do this.

"LOOK AT ME!"

I'm so sorry Blaine.

I can't…

BANG!