Blinded by tears, Kurt stumbled into the locker room, making a beeline for the sink as the urge to retch overtook his system. Nothing came. It was no surprise, as he'd already puked out his guts in the bathroom on the seventh floor.

With a sniff, he opened the faucet and cupped some water in his hands to rinse his mouth, and then again to splash on his face. He yanked a towel from the hook next to the sink and dried his face with harsh swipes.

It didn't even matter. As soon as he caught his own eyes in the mirror, he watched his face crumble again and felt a new batch of hot tears cascading down his cheeks.

Kurt wanted to scream. He needed to cry out his fury, his indignation, his grief, but couldn't. Not here. He staggered towards his locker, pressed his back against it and slid down to the floor, hugging his knees against his chest; having no clue what to do, or where to go.

He was lost. Stuck.

Bruce Anderson had checkmated him.

"You say that nothing in this entire world could convince you to leave Blaine? Well… guess again."

Kurt scowled. "I just told you there's nothing you could offer me-"

"I know." Bruce cut him off. "This isn't an offer. It's a promise. A promise of what will happen if you don't leave. Some reversed psychology, as I like to call it."

Kurt scoffed loudly. "Is that another term for blackmail?"

Bruce shrugged. "Whatever. Want to hear what's in envelope number 2?" He grinned cruelly.

With a sinking heart, Kurt remained frozen in his seat. There was no way to escape this, and whatever the contents of that envelope were… he knew it wasn't going to be good. Bruce Anderson almost literally had Kurt's future in his hands.

In other words; Kurt was screwed.

No longer awaiting Kurt's response, Bruce pulled the papers out of the envelope and started talking animatedly.

As if he wasn't threatening to sue for custody of Lily. As if he wasn't certain he'd find a judge in this conservative cow state to rule in his favor; against two disgusting fags. As if he hadn't obtained the written testimony of one Mr. Berton, accusing Kurt of committing pedophilic acts with his son; and wouldn't any judge be interested in that?

Feeling sick to his stomach, Kurt wrapped his arms around himself in a protective gesture. But the lowest blow was yet to come.

"So…" Bruce Anderson sneered. "You say you love my son. You tell me you would do anything for him, right?" He leaned forward, raising one eyebrow. "Here's your chance to prove it then. If you really love him, like you say you do, you'll let him go. You won't risk him losing his daughter. You'll sacrifice yourself for his happiness."

"You bastard." Kurt breathed.

"You can't win, Hummel." Anderson said, elated like a child who'd just gotten a new toy. "You'll either leave Blaine, or have him dump you when he finds out you are the cause of him losing his daughter. Either way, you'll be gone. The question is whether you'll allow Blaine to lose everything he has, or whether you're going to let him keep his girl. If you love him, the choice should be very easy."

"STOP IT!" Kurt yelled, as he clapped his hands over his ears. "JUST SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" He shouted, shaking his head frantically. He didn't notice the other man leave his chair, and yelped in surprise as a rough hand grabbed his wrist. Anderson jerked Kurt out of his chair and forced him to stand chest to chest with him, while tightening his grip so much so that Kurt was sure he was about to snap his wrist.

"Stop whining, you little bitch." Bruce snapped to Kurt, who was now shocked into fear. "Get out of here, go home, and start packing. You have a flight to catch next week. If you're not on that plane, I file for custody. Simple as that."

Kurt pressed his forehead against his knees, in a fruitless effort to muffle the howling sobs that wracked his body.

It was almost like a d�j� vu. The last time he'd cried like this, he'd been sitting in the same position in a hospital corridor, having just been told that he was going to lose Sam. He had wailed like an animal back then, and he was doing it again right now.

He was going to lose Blaine. There was no hope for them.

Bruce Anderson had been right; there was no way Kurt could win this. He wasn't even allowed to fight, because the battle simply wasn't his. It wasn't him who could lose his child. In order to protect Blaine and Lily, Kurt was forced to surrender without a fight.

Such a devious yet simple scheme.

Kurt's sobs came to an abrupt halt as the door to the locker room opened. The telltale sound of heavy boots and rustling fabric announced the arrival of somebody he really did not want to see right now.

"Damn, I can't wait to get out of this freaking costume! Stupid itchy beard! Oh hey, Hummel, bad hangover?" Sebastian chuckled, noticing the slumped down figure of his co-worker.

Kurt shook his head feebly, while still hiding his face against his knees.

"No?" Sebastian's voice was full of mischief. Kurt could sense Sebastian crouch down in front of him. "What's wrong then?"

With a shuddering sigh, Kurt lifted his head to look at Sebastian's semi-worried, semi-amused face. "Just leave me alone, please." He uttered, before pressing his clasped hands against his mouth.

"Whoa… what's with the snot and the waterworks? What's wrong, angel face, did Curly Sue get you the wrong tiara for Christm-" Sebastian's words turned into a surprised yelp as Kurt's hand shot out and hit his jaw.

"Oh my God!" Kurt shrieked, yanking his hand back against his mouth. "Oh my- I'm so sorry- I didn't mean to do that- Fuck! Oh my GOD!" He was crying uncontrollably, and his breathing was getting faster and faster. Sebastian seemed to be talking to him but somehow he couldn't make out the words, all he heard was a loud ringing noise in his ears.

The last thing he was aware of was a pair of arms catching him, as he fell into darkness.

"KURT, NO!" Blaine screamed. "Don't do this, please!" He grappled violently at Kurt's shoulders. "I won't let him take you away from me!"

Kurt blinked through his tears and looked into those beautiful hazel eyes.

Just one last time.

"I'm sorry, Blaine... I have no choice. I love you. I'll always love you…" He tried to channel every ounce of that love into his resolve as he did the hardest thing he ever had to do. Or was it the easiest thing?

With all the strength he had left, he shoved Blaine away from him.

Immediately, he felt a sharp pain explode in his chest, and then his lungs constricted, making it impossible to breathe.

This was it.

The end.

But it was okay. Blaine was safe.

He had made the right choice.

"Kurt, no!"

"KURT!"

"Come on, Kurt, wake up."

Kurt's eyes snapped open as he gulped in a huge breath of air. Panic coursed through his veins. Why was he lying on the floor?

"Shhhhh… easy now."

It was Sebastian.

"Boy, you sure take your fainting spells seriously." He smirked as he gently patted Kurt's shoulder. "You were out for almost ten minutes."

Taking another deep breath, Kurt averted his gaze. Something soft brushed his temple, and he noticed a patch of red from the corner of his eye. Apparently Sebastian had turned part of his costume into a makeshift cushion. It was an oddly sweet gesture.

"I'm so sorry for hitting you." Kurt whispered ruefully.

Sebastian waved his hand dismissively. "Never mind, I had it coming sooner or later."

"Yeah… you did." Kurt exhaled. "But still, I didn't mean to. I just…" He shook his head as his breathing once again quickened.

"Calm down, Kurt." Sebastian ordered. "Now, do you think you can sit up?"

Kurt answered with a tiny nod and allowed the other man to help him up from the floor and onto a chair.

"Here." Sebastian handed him some water in a plastic cup.

"Thanks."

Sebastian crossed his arms. "I called Blaine while you were out. He's on his way over. He asked me to take you to his office and wait there for him."

"You- Blaine knows?" Kurt breathed. "Oh shit fuck no."

"Uh, yeah?" Sebastian furrowed his brow. "Don't you think he needs to be informed when his boyfriend is having a mental breakdown?"

"It's just- you don't understand." Kurt closed his eyes in defeat.

Blaine was on his way to the hospital. Kurt would be forced to tell him what happened, and even worse, what was going to happen next. Thanks to Sebastian, he didn't even have time to prepare… or find ways to soften the blow.

"No, perhaps I don't." Sebastian said. "But what I see before my eyes is obvious enough. You look devastated and desperate enough to throw yourself out of a window. Whatever is wrong, you probably shouldn't be alone right now."

Kurt dropped his gaze to the floor. What did it even matter? He would be alone soon enough.

"Sooo… how are you feeling now?" Sebastian asked uneasily.

Kurt was curled up on the small sofa in the corner of Blaine's office, willing time to slow down, or just stop altogether. "I kinda feel like I'm going to die." He answered listlessly, staring at a faraway spot.

"Do you want to talk about it?" The other man offered, while looking through the window, keeping an eye out for Blaine's car. From where he was seated on the windowsill, he had a clear view on the parking lot.

Kurt shrugged, before focusing his gaze on Sebastian. "Can you tell me how to choose between my head and my heart?"

Pursing his lips, Sebastian seemed to ponder the question for a minute before responding. "You know… I honestly have no idea. I tend to listen to what my gut tells me instead."

Kurt couldn't help but let out a bitter chuckle. "My gut isn't helping me. It's feeling too sick right now."

"Ah." Sebastian replied. "Well… if you have to make a tough choice, I'd say pick the option that'll make you the happiest?"

"Neither of them will." Kurt sighed exasperatedly. "Okay… let me rephrase it. Would you sacrifice your own happiness for that of the one you love?"

Sebastian frowned deeply. "Um… probably, I think? But wait; how can that person be truly happy if you are not? I mean, we're talking about you and Blaine, aren't we?"

"It's complicated." Kurt replied softly.

"You don't say." Sebastian shot back, before throwing another glance outside. "Blaine's arrived, I see his car. He's probably already on his way up." He left his spot at the window and calmly sauntered towards the sofa with his hands in his pockets. "Look… I'm blowing my own chances with you by saying this; but whatever this problem is between you and Anderson… I hope you can work it out, 'cause I really hate seeing you like this."

A tiny, warm smile crept onto Kurt's face. "Are you letting your heart speak right now?"

"Yeah, I guess… Maybe you should do the same." Sebastian said, looking intently at Kurt. It only lasted a beat before he averted his eyes, while clearing his throat nervously.

Seconds later the door opened, and a flustered Blaine breezed inside. "I'm sorry it took so long; I had to drop off Lily at your parents, Kurt." He explained as he all but slammed the door shut and hurried to Kurt. "Thank you so much for calling me, Sebastian." Blaine nodded towards the surgeon, with a small, grateful smile. His expression fell again as he took in his fianc�. With the uttermost care, he lowered himself onto the sofa, almost as if Kurt were a frightened little bird that he was afraid to chase away.

"You're welcome." Sebastian nodded back, understanding that this was his cue to leave, and walked to the door. "I'll go then. Take care, Kurt."

"Sebastian." Kurt twisted around in his seat and they exchanged a look. "Thank you."

"Anytime, Kurt." Sebastian said with sincerity. "Anytime."

Kurt watched the door fall shut and was hit with a fresh bout of anxiety as Blaine gently touched his shoulder. Turning back to his fianc�, Kurt fixed his gaze on the dark blue fabric of Blaine's shirt.

"Babe?" Blaine whispered, and it was enough to make Kurt's breath hitch in his chest. "Will you tell me what's wrong? What happened? Why are you so upset?" He placed his finger under Kurt's chin and lifted his face.

Kurt's eyes were dry and prickly, irritated from the many tears he'd shed. They ached and he could barely keep them open. But Blaine's warm, hazel orbs were fixated on him, keeping him grounded, and he couldn't blink or look away. Those eyes radiated warmth, love, strength, trust… and a whole lot of worry. Sighing deeply, Kurt wrapped his hands around Blaine's left hand, brushing his finger over Blaine's engagement ring. How could something that felt so right ever be wrong?

"Kurt…"

"It's bad, okay?" Kurt finally blurted out. "It's… it's really bad." He shook his head. "I don't even know where to begin."

Blaine lifted his other hand to cup Kurt's cheek and nodded reassuringly. "It's okay, sweetheart. Just tell me from the start, alright?"

And so Kurt recounted everything that had happened that afternoon. Every rotten, little detail of his father's scheme, every slur and insult the man had thrown at him; ending with how he had finally passed out in the locker room. By the end, Kurt was shaking so hard that Blaine wordlessly pulled him into his arms and ran his hands over his back and shoulders in a calming gesture.

Throughout the entire story, Blaine had remained silent, with only the fierce clench of his jaw betraying his emotions. Kurt didn't quite know what to make of it. Either Blaine was shocked beyond words, or he had yet to realize what this would mean for them as a couple.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that, baby." Blaine murmured against his temple. "It's okay, I'm here now."

Oh shit. He doesn't get it.

"Blaine…" Kurt broke free from Blaine's grasp and tried to swallow the lump in his throat. "You don't understand, we-"

Blaine quickly pressed his finger against Kurt lips. "Shhh, it's going to be alright, I won't let him hurt you, honey."

"But-" Kurt tried.

"No, baby." Blaine shook his head furiously. "No."

Kurt was growing increasingly frantic. "Don't you see? I can't-"

"Stop it, Kurt…" Blaine warned. "You don't have to-"

"WOULD YOU JUST FUCKING LISTEN TO ME?" Kurt screamed, as tears sprung into his eyes.

"WHY?" Blaine yelled back. "So you can tell me you're breaking up with me? Not a chance in hell!" Taken aback by his own outburst, he then jumped to his feet and started pacing like a madman, while running his hands over his face repeatedly.

Kurt was sobbing into his fists. "I don't have a choice." He cried. "I have to leave, or else he'll go after Lily."

Twirling around, Blaine pinned Kurt with an incredulous glare. "Do you actually believe for one second that I would allow that bastard to take my own daughter away?"

Kurt sniffed and shook his head helplessly. "I… no… but…"

Blaine's gaze softened as he settled back next to Kurt. "Do you think I would allow him to take you away?"

Kurt wiped his cheeks and looked at Blaine. "I don't have a choice." He repeated softly.

"Do you want to leave me?" Blaine asked. "Do you want the life in New York? The apartment? The money? I'll let you go, if that's what you want."

"Of course I don't want that!" Kurt shouted. "But it doesn't matter what I want, does it?"

Blaine let out a cry of frustration. "Bullshit! That's what that son of a bitch wants you to believe! He poisoned your mind, Kurt! Hell, he probably thought you wouldn't even tell me the truth; that you would just pack your bags and leave!" He pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes and growled.

"I…" Kurt couldn't help but admit that that was exactly what he would've done if Sebastian hadn't called Blaine and made him come to the hospital.

Wow. He really owed that man.

"Come on, baby, please listen to me." Blaine took Kurt's face into his hands and gave him the fiercest look. "You and me and Lily are a family. We're in this together, the three of us, and nothing or no one is going to destroy that. Do you understand?"

When Kurt nodded, Blaine's mouth quirked into a small smile. "Good. Now… you said you'd never say goodbye to me, Kurt. And just yesterday I accepted your proposal to marry you. I'm holding you to those promises, you know." He muttered, and tenderly kissed the tip of Kurt's nose.

They kept their eyes locked for a few moments, and it was almost as if Kurt was trying to feed on the strength and fierceness he found in Blaine.

"Courage." Blaine whispered.

With a shuddering sigh, Kurt finally relaxed and leaned his forehead against Blaine's. "I love you." He breathed.

Blaine responded by draping his arms around Kurt's shoulders and pressing a sweet, tentative kiss against his mouth.

The touch shocked Kurt out of his funk and with a tiny whimper he parted his lips slightly to deepen their connection. It felt like coming home after being lost. For a short while that afternoon, Kurt had feared there'd be no more kisses or touches between them, ever again; but now Blaine was reeling him back in, reassuring him that they were not over.

Kurt would've been crying with joy and relief, if not for the fact that he hadn't a single tear left to shed in his body.

"Thank you." Kurt said, as they broke away from each other.

"For what?" Blaine replied quietly.

"For not allowing me to leave you. For stopping me from making a decision I never wanted to make." Kurt confessed honestly.

A dark scowl replaced the tender expression on Blaine's face. "He really pulled a vicious stunt on you this time, didn't he?"

Kurt's expression dropped. "He did… it was horrible. Your dad really scares me, you know?" He reluctantly held out his wrist to show the bruise that had formed.

"Fuck. He did that?" Blaine took Kurt's injured wrist and ran his thumbs soothingly over the black mark. "I'm sorry, baby… I promise you he'll pay for this."

Kurt shook his head. "You don't have to be sorry." A small shiver traveled under his skin as Blaine stroked the sensitive spot on the inside of his wrist. "Blaine…" Kurt groaned under his breath, and before he realized what was happening, Blaine's mouth was on his again. This time, Kurt responded more aggressively. He wanted to taste and explore every corner of Blaine's mouth, and touch every square inch of his body within reach.

They didn't know if it was passion or desperation that drove them – probably both – but neither of them really cared. They only knew that they needed each other.

While their tongues and lips played and battled together, Kurt dug his fingers into Blaine's hair and slowly sank back against the couch, further and further, until they were lying flat. The press of Blaine's body weight on top of him was comforting and thrilling at the same time.

"I love you so much, Kurt." Blaine breathed, before starting a trail of slow kisses at the corner of his mouth, following the line of his jaw, down to his throat and his shoulder.

"I love you too. I can't live without you." Kurt hissed sharply as Blaine sucked on the sensitive skin above his collar bone. He tightened his hand against the back of Blaine's head, while arching his neck. "Oh fuck yes… Mark me. Give me a hickey. I don't care if it's visible… I want everybody to see."

For a split second, Blaine lifted his face and stared at Kurt with a bewildered expression, but when Kurt gave him a determined nod in return, he quickly lowered his head again and latched his lips onto the same spot, sucking and kissing and biting; until a reddish-purple spot bloomed on Kurt's creamy white skin.

Reveling in the sweet pain, Kurt almost moaned in disappointment when Blaine pulled back to inspect the dark blotch. "I swear that from now on, I'll be the only one to bruise your skin. I won't let anybody else touch you anymore." Blaine murmured, as he ran a finger over the hickey.

The corners of Kurt's mouth twitched upwards. "I hope so."

They stayed like that for a few minutes, with Kurt softly petting Blaine's curls, and Blaine listening to Kurt's heartbeat. Both were reluctant to break the mood of feeling safe and cherished in each other's arms.

Unfortunately, there was still a harsh reality they needed to deal with.

"So what are we going to do?" Kurt asked hesitantly.

Blaine took a long, deep breath and slowly disentangled himself from the embrace to sit upright. "When is your shift done?"

Kurt twisted his head to peer at the wall clock. "It ended twenty minutes ago."

"Good." Blaine nodded. "Here's the plan; tomorrow morning I'm going to call David Karofsky; he can help us file a complaint against my father, and maybe get some kind of restraining order against him."

"Okay." Kurt said under his breath.

"And then I'm going to my parents' house."

Kurt scrambled upright. "What? Blaine you can't!" He grabbed his fianc�'s upper arm. "You'll make it even worse!"

"No I won't. I will put an end to this." Blaine explained calmly.

"But how?"

"I'm not sure yet..." Blaine confessed. "But I'm willing to bet everything that my father hasn't informed my mom about his plans."

Kurt loosened his grip on Blaine's arm as realization dawned on him. "You're going to tell her?"

Blaine nodded again. "Yes. And I'll pray to God that she won't let me down this time. I think we'll need her help to solve this mess." He added, before turning to Kurt with an affectionate smile. "But I don't want you to worry about that, baby. Let's just fetch your stuff from your locker and go home. I think we deserve a quiet evening together after this fiasco."

"Yeah. I'd love that." Kurt smiled back.

"Now, Dad please, don't get all worked up, think of your heart…" Kurt ran his hand through his shower damp hair as he paced around the bedroom, clutching his phone tightly in his other hand.

Maybe telling his father the truth hadn't been the wisest idea after all. He flinched as his dad yelled into his ear.

"How the hell am I supposed to stay calm when this asshole is threatening my own SON, Kurt?" Burt fumed. "That maniac is trying to tear my family apart and I won't have it, I swear I'm going to-"

"Dad, please!" Kurt interrupted him.

"What, Kurt, what?" Burt huffed.

Kurt sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Please let us handle this on our own. Just… could you and Carole look after Lily for a little while? Things could get ugly tomorrow morning, and we don't want her around to witness any of it. We'll pick her up tomorrow afternoon, I promise."

"Yeah sure, Kurt, you know we love to have the little buttercup over." His father reassured him. "But I'm still not too happy about you not letting me help." He grunted.

"But you are, dad. It's just… it's complicated and we need to tread carefully when it comes to Blaine's father." Kurt lowered his voice to continue. "Bruce Anderson is a deranged, dangerous man, and I don't want to provoke him needlessly."

A deep sigh sounded on the other side. "Blaine really hit the jackpot with that dirty bastard for a father, didn't he?"

"Yeah…" Kurt answered, realizing how lucky he was to be Burt Hummel's son. "Dad… I love you."

"I know. I love you too, kid." Burt's voice had softened. "Just promise me you'll be careful tomorrow, okay?"

"Will do, dad. Bye."

Kurt ended the call and threw his phone onto the bed. Standing with his hands on his hips, his eyes fell on his reflection in the tall mirror, just a few feet away. The grey plaid flannel pants and black long-sleeved Henley shirt he'd changed into did nothing to hide the slumped stance of his body. Taking a deep breath, Kurt tightened his abs, straightened his back and pulled back his shoulders.

There. Better.

If only he could erase the worn look on his face, and the dark circles below his eyes. He was so tired. The constant war against Blaine's father was really starting to take its toll on him, and he honestly had no idea how much longer it would take for him to finally break under the constant attacks.

He loved Blaine with all his heart, and he wanted nothing more than to be with him and Lily; but the stress and exhaustion was slowly killing him. Still, leaving Blaine would never be an option. So the only remaining choice they had was to finally settle this, once and forever.

With that final resolve, Kurt walked to the dresser and opened the tiny box that was lying on the wooden surface. He pulled out his engagement ring and swiftly slid it over his left ring finger, where it belonged. As he flexed his fingers into a fist and pressed a soft kiss against the white gold band, he could hear a piano tune travel through the apartment.

Looking back at his mirror image, he immediately spotted the difference, because - in addition to the exhaustion – his face now showed a hint of contentment, a touch of resolve, and a crazy amount of love. But most importantly, his reflection proved to him that a genuine smile was indeed the prettiest thing a person could wear.

Blaine's hands flew over the keys, hitting them in quick succession, as he tried to vent al his pent-up anger and frustration into the aggressive, staccato melody. It worked to a certain extent, but Blaine knew that there was only one thing that could truly relieve his anger; and that was beating the living crap out of his father. Oh, if only he could do exactly that.

A few minutes later, he'd had enough and switched to a slower, soothing tune. He smiled when Kurt came wandering into the living room, carrying two tumblers of scotch.

"I had no idea you liked whisky?" Blaine studied him with amusement.

Kurt placed Blaine's glass on the edge of the piano, and went to curl up in the armchair closest to the instrument. "Sam taught me to appreciate a good single malt. Besides, I figured we both needed something to take the edge off." He nipped at his drink and scrunched his eyes as the liquid burned along his throat. "Oooh yes… exactly what the doctor ordered." He deadpanned.

Shaking his head with a chuckle, Blaine carried on playing. The improvised slow melody gradually changed into a song Kurt recognized, at least judging by the excited gasp that escaped his mouth.

Blaine started crooning the lyrics, while sneaking glances at his fianc�, who was now beaming with joy.

In the instant that you love someone
In the second that the hammer hits
Reality runs up your spine
And the pieces finally fit

And all I ever needed was the one
Like freedom fields where wild horses run
When stars collide like you and I
No shadows block the sun
You're all I've ever needed
Baby you're the one

Blaine emphasized the lyrics by pointing at Kurt, while Kurt smirked and blew him a kiss in return.

For each man in his time is Cain
Until he walks along the beach
And sees his future in the water
A long lost heart within his reach

And all I ever needed was the one
Like freedom fields where wild horses run
When stars collide like you and I
No shadows block the sun
You're all I've ever needed
Baby you're the one

"Oh wow. That was beautiful, honey. I just love Elton John. He should sing at our wedding." Kurt said with a mischievous twinkle.

"I don't think that's possible, sweetheart." Blaine said apologetically. "But I'll do you one better, I'll show up wearing yellow shades and a glittery blazer."

Kurt threw his head back as he barked out a laugh, his eyes crinkling with mirth. "Okay, why don't you do that, and I'll dress up as Kiki Dee!"

"Deal!" Blaine clapped his hands excitedly. Kurt snorted as he took another sip of scotch.

Blaine retrieved his own glass from the piano and walked over to Kurt, kneeling down in front of him. "Merry Christmas, my love." He raised his glass and clinked it against Kurt's.

"Merry Christmas." Kurt whispered. "Our first Christmas together."

"The first of many." Blaine smiled.

"Promise?"

"Promise."