It was the first time that Kurt ever thought that it was his fault when Uncle Tim smacked him across the face. Not necessarily because Kurt had done something to provoke his uncle into his latest assault, but because Kurt had been stupid enough to stray from his normal routine and he found himself in the same room as the man for longer than twenty seconds. Kurt was well aware of the half an hour he had the house to himself after school before his uncle got home from work. He used that time to make sure he had everything he needed for the night in his room before he shut the door and let the night go by. But when both Rachel and Blaine begged him to stay with them after school for just an extra half an hour, he stupidly accepted. He should've learned after coming back from Valentine's Day party, that it wasn't a good thing to risk being out of the house, even when Uncle Tim wasn't home, when he should be inside. But he had wanted to stay and be with his friends. He wanted to feel Blaine's arms wrapped around him and his laughter in his ear. He wanted it all so bad that he took a risk, and he'd yet to decide if it was worth the price.

Did thirty minutes of laughing outweigh the smack to the face? Did watching Rachel talk about her plans for New York outweigh the shove into the wall? Did the feel of Blaine's arms around him outweigh the punch to the gut? Or the kick to his knee that caused him to fall to the floor?

There was only a month left before graduation. Four weeks was all he had left before he would walk across that stage and then be on a plane with a one way ticket to New York. Was the light that grew brighter every day worth a few dark moments along the way?

The next day, Kurt wasn't sure if he should get to school early. He was okay. It was nothing compared to the last time, but his knee hurt and he was limping. Before, he didn't have to worry about limping through the hallways because if anyone asked, and they never did, he could say he pulled a muscle or something. But now that he'd let Blaine and Rachel in on the reality of his life, they would both know that if he came limping down the hallway, that something more had happened. Kurt also knew that if he skipped their usual morning gathering, which had now grown to include Tina, Mike, Mercedes, Santana and Brittany, that both Blaine and Rachel would know something was wrong. So he tried his best to hide the limp as he walked into the auditorium to find Blaine, alone, sitting at the piano. Kurt watched him for a moment, Blaine so totally focused as his fingers plucked out a couple stray notes, trying to find the right one.

"Hey," Kurt finally said trying to sound as normal as possible, knowing the second he took a step Blaine would notice his limp, "Everyone else isn't here yet?"

"No," Blaine said standing up, a smile on his face that made Kurt's heart do funny flips inside his chest, "I think Rachel is giving us one of our "alone" mornings."

Kurt smiled, "Well then I have no reason to be angry that Mercedes promised to bring coffee this morning."

"She, well I assume it was her, dropped it off before I got here," Blaine said smiling, "Come here."

Blaine extended his hand out so that Kurt would cross the distance between them and take it, that look in his eye that Kurt knew was meant only for him. That look that made Kurt smile instantly and that reassured him that everything was going to be alright. It was a shame to watch it disappear quickly when he took a step, trying hard to keep his face emotionless and his body working like it should. But it failed. The limp was slight but Blaine picked up on it right away.

"What happened?" Blaine questioned taking long strides to close the distance between himself and Kurt. When Blaine reached up to cup Kurt's cheek in his hand, Kurt wished that Blaine's eyes still have that reassuring glow. Instead they darted over him with concern.

"N-nothing," Kurt placing his hand over Blaine's where it laid on his cheek.

"Kurt, don't lie to me," Blaine said in a tight whisper.

"I'm okay," Kurt breathed.

"You are not. You're limping."

"It'll be gone by tomorrow," Kurt said pulling Blaine's hand away from his face entwining their fingers so that he didn't have to let go of Blaine completely.

"You're making excuses again," Blaine said and it wasn't hard to hear the way Blaine's voice dropped as he did; like he was hurt, like he was disappointed in Kurt.

"Blaine, please leave it alone," Kurt begged.

"No, Kurt, I can't," Blaine said taking hold of Kurt's other hand, "I was stupidly okay with keeping this secret while I knew that he wasn't hurting you. But he hurt you again and I can't just sit by and let that happen."

"What are you going to do?" Kurt questioned, "There's nothing you can do."

"There is. I just don't know what it is yet," Blaine said before placing a kiss on Kurt's cheek, "But I need to help you."

After a brief moment of tense silence, the conversation ended when Santana and Brittany came bursting into the auditorium followed by all of the New Directions. Kurt was relieved that the conversation could be, at least temporarily dropped. He pushed the uneasy feeling in his stomach away and settled himself next to Blaine to enjoy some time with his friends.

"Kurt," Miss Pillsbury said, "It's been brought to my attention that you're having some trouble at home."

Kurt could feel his stomach threatening to reject his lunch as he sat, suddenly light-headed, in a chair across from Miss Pillsbury in her office. He should have known why he'd been called into her office the moment she sat him down and looked at him like was a kicked puppy.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Kurt said trying to keep his voice steady.

In the past, Kurt had been able to get past his good intentioned guidance counselor with simple lies. It was her that he'd convinced earlier in the year that what she thought was self-harm was nothing more than an accident. But this time, things were different. This time people knew his secret. They knew, and they had told.

"Kurt someone, one of your classmates, came to me yesterday and asked me to speak with you because they think that you need help," Miss Pillsbury explained, her hands folded on the desk in front of her, "from an adult."

Kurt narrowed his eyes and tilted his head slightly to the right, forging confusion, "I'm sorry that someone wasted your time Miss Pillsbury, but I don't need help from you or anyone else. There is nothing wrong."

Kurt took hold of the strap of his bag and stood quickly, "Thank you for your time Miss Pillsbury. I'm sorry that it was wast-"

"Does your uncle hurt you, Kurt," Emma questioned abruptly and with more assertiveness in her voice than Kurt thought the guidance counselor was even capable of. That and the specifics of her accusations froze Kurt where he stood.

"W-who told you that," Kurt questioned avoiding eye contact and hoping that Miss Pillsbury didn't take his statement as a confession.

"They asked that they remain anonymous."

"It was Blaine wasn't it?" Kurt said turning to look at the guidance counselor feeling completely betrayed by the one person who had promised never to betray him. The person who had told him that he loved him just that morning.

"I can't say who said anything Ku—"

"I know it was him," Kurt interrupted, his voice slightly more panicked now. What if he couldn't lie his way out of this one? What if now after he'd made it this far, everything would blow up so close to the end? "And he's wrong. He has no idea what he's talking about."

"Kurt, these are very serious accusations. Blaine wouldn't have come to me if he wasn't sure. I mean he looked pretty sure and I think he cried a little bit."

He wanted to feel a warm tingly feeling in his chest at Miss Pillsbury's words. He wanted to feel what he'd started identifying as love wash over him. But the feelings he was feeling toward Blaine didn't give him that same sense of security that it had that morning. Now he'd never felt more vulnerable in his life.

"I will speak to him Miss Pillsbury," Kurt said taking a step toward the door, "But please be assured this is nothing more than a misunderstanding on Blaine's part. I'll make sure he stops by to see you before the end of the day to clear this up."

Kurt walked out of the guidance counselor's office, determined to find Blaine, and fast. Checking the time he knew that he would be in the choir room so he could rehearse for the coming assembly with Rachel. And that's exactly where Kurt found him bent over some sheet music on top of the piano.

"You told Miss Pillsbury," Kurt shouted the moment he passed through the doorway, pulling it shut behind him.

Blaine looked up from his music, shocked by Kurt's presence, but not by his accusation, "I told you that I was going to help you."

"I didn't think you would go tell a teacher," Kurt said moving to stand on the other side of the piano.

"Kurt, I'm scared for you," Blaine said, his voice breaking.

"You promised that you weren't going to say anything to anyone. You promised me, Blaine."

"No, Kurt, I didn't," Blaine said raising his voice, "I promised you that if I thought you had this under control, I would keep this secret. But he hurt you again Kurt. He hurt you and I can't just sit around and let him do that. If you're not going to take control of your life, I am."

"You don't get to make choices for me Blaine. Not about this," Kurt shouted, "Do you have any idea what you just did Blaine? Do you have any idea?"

Blaine remained quiet as the tears began to well up in Kurt's eyes.

"If she calls my uncle… If she so much as hints that she thinks that something is wrong, and that he's responsible. He'll..." Kurt's voice trailed off. He couldn't say it. He couldn't say it because saying it scared him just as much as it actually happening.

"Kurt, I'm so-"

"No, Blaine. I need you to go to Miss Pillsbury and tell her you don't actually know what you're talking about and that there is nothing going on. I already told her this was a misunderstanding so all I need is for you to tell her too. Before she calls the police, or worse, my uncle."

"Kurt, I can't do that. You need help."

"You promised me that you'd never do anything to hurt me Blaine. You promised that you loved me and that you wouldn't do anything that ever hurt me. Well guess what Blaine? This is going to hurt me. This is going to hurt me worse than the fact that you betrayed my trust in you. This is going to hurt me worse than the fact that I don't ever want to see you again and there are still three weeks left of school and you're locker is right next to mine! This is going to hurt me Blaine more than you can even imagine."

"Kurt if you let Miss Pillsbury, or the police help you he won't ever hurt you again. I don't understand why you don't get that? I don't understand why you haven't done anything about this?"

"I don't have to explain my reasons to you, Blaine. But I thought you would at least respect that I'd made a choice."

"Kurt, I love you. I can't just stand around and let it keep happening. You can beg me this time, but what about when you beg me next time or the time after that."

"There are three weeks until graduation, Blaine. Then I'm gone. There aren't that many times left."

"I don't care! The first time was enough for me to know that I can't be quiet about this Kurt. I'm sorry that I betrayed your trust, but I will not be sorry that I tried to help you."

Kurt stood quiet for a moment. He looked at Blaine and tears the tears rushing down his cheeks and knew that was crying just the same. But he took a deep breath and squared his shoulders before he spoke, "Blaine, if he kills me. It's going to be on you."