“Oh Blaine!” sighed Santana as she rushed around the bed, to the seat opposite the chair Kurt had vacated earlier that day. She grasped his hand in her own rubbing her thumb soothingly over Blaine’s hand, and running her other through his now unruly mess of curls. “Oh Blaine” she sighed once more.

Kurt watched Santana as she silently fussed over Blaine, carefully pushing hair off his face and tucking the blankets more securely around him. He smiled, the only time he had ever seen Santana act remotely like this was when Brittany had fallen in glee club and sprained her ankle, but even that didn’t come close to the concern that was etched onto Santana’s flawless face.

Nearly an hour later Blaine was still asleep and Kurt had managed to dose off in the uncomfortable hospital chair, leaving Santana pretty much alone.

“Blaine,” she said quietly, careful not to wake either of the boys. “When I found out, I-I was so worried, I prayed that it wasn’t you, that it was some other Blaine. I really care about you. You’re my friend, probably one of my only friends. You let me cry down the phone to you, or on your shoulder. I don’t know if you told Kurt, but you are the only one who knows what I’m going through. I’m so confused by my feeling that I get angry but you still sit there and listen and hold my hands even when I insult you. Just knowing you’re hurt pains me Blaine. You’re such a good friend you don’t deserve this, any of this. You’re my best friend; I don’t want you to hurt.” She fell silent simply listening to the boys’ steady breathing.

“You’re my best friend too Santana.” Said a quiet voice from on the bed. Santana looked up, startled and slightly embarrassed that her emotional outburst was actually heard to meet Blaine’s hazel eyes and the soft smile he was giving her.

With a small smile she stood up, not letting go of his hand to pull him into a careful hug, avoiding hurting his ribs at all costs. “Oh Blaine. Don’t scare me like that, or next time I will endz you.” She replied with a smile, a wink and a quick peck on Blaine’s cheek.

...

When Dr Lopez came back that evening to check on Blaine, he was surprised to find his daughter sat next to Blaine on the Bed with Kurt sitting at the foot.

“Santana?” He said in a dazed shock. “What are you doing down here?” He asked.

“Oh, well Kurt goes to school with me, Pap� and Blaine is my best friend.” She said with a small smile as a light blush coloured her cheeks.

“So this is why you were so quiet last night and this morning.” He concluded, smiling at the genuine smile on his only daughter’s face as she blushed again shrugging then giving a small nod. “Okay” said Dr Lopez getting back on track. “Blaine, let’s check your bandages then we can see about getting you home.” He said smiling.

Twenty minutes later Blaine was being lowered into a wheelchair, both Kurt and Santana hovering cautiously beside him, and with that Kurt was wheeling him out to his Navigator chatting animatedly to the pair of them. Over the other side of the hospital parking lot there was the bang of a car door. The noise made Blaine flinch violently, his breath suddenly coming in short gasps. In an instant Kurt was in front of him, clasping both of Blaine’s hands in his own and his beautiful blue eyes gazing softly into Blaine’s whispering calming words to his suddenly distraught boyfriend. Santana, seemed lost, not knowing what to do, she crouched down next to Kurt, beside the wheelchair running a soothing hand through Blaine’s hair.

“Hey, shh, look at me. Everything’s fine, no one is going to hurt you here Blaine.” Kurt murmured soothingly rubbing small circles on the back of Blaine’s hands. It took a full five minutes to calm Blaine down enough to get him into Kurt’s Navigator, next to Kurt in the backseat who continued to run a comforting hand through Blaine’s hair as Santana drove them back the Kurt’s house.

...

What seemed like an eternity later they arrived at the Hummel-Hudson house, they managed to get Blaine into the house and onto Kurt’s bed relatively easily.

“Blaine,” Kurt started cautiously, unsure how to broach the subject. He looked to Santana where she was sat cross legged at the end of the bed who gave him an encouraging nod. “I think we need to talk about what happened.” Kurt said in one breath, watching Blaine pale visibly and feeling his grip tighten in his hand. Kurt could feel him starting to shake.

“Hey, Blaine, hey, it’s ok” Kurt responded soothingly continuing to rub soothing circles on Blaine’s hands.

“We-we’re just worried about you. We need to know what happened a-and maybe talking about it will help.” Santana spoke up from her seat at the end of the bed.

Blaine looked up taking in the faces of his two friends on the bed and gave a small nod. “O-ok, it’s just; I thought if I didn’t talk about it I would be able to pretend like it didn’t happen.” He admitted in a small voice. Kurt gave Blaine’s hand a comforting squeeze and a warm smile. “I-I went to buy you some flowers,” Blaine started with a shuddering breath. “Th-that’s where I was, at the flower shop, the one near the Lima bean.” He continued looking up for confirmation the other two knew where he was talking about. They both nodded and Blaine looked back down. “There was a group of them, like five or six,” Blaine continued his breathing coming slightly quicker than it had moments before.

“The woman in the shop, she asked who the flowers were for, and I-I was so stupid, I didn’t think. I was in Lima, Ohio; it’s not exactly the most accepting place is it. I told her they were for my boyfriend. The group of guys, they left the shop as soon as I said it. I-I didn’t think anything of it, b-but when I left a-and I-I was walking back to my car, th-they, I don’t know what happened. I-they, they knocked me to the ground and they just, the just kept kicking me, everywhere. A-all I could feel was pain. Wh-what if someone hadn’t heard what was going on. I-I thought they were going to kill me, Kurt. I-I was s-so scared!” and with that Blaine broke down into sobs. Kurt wrapped his arms protectively around his boyfriend. He’d never seen Blaine or anyone look so broken. The three of them sat on Kurt’s bed for the next hour until, Blaine’s sobs turned to hiccups and exhausted he fell asleep in Kurt’s comforting embrace.

As soon as Kurt was sure Blaine wouldn’t wake up if he moved, Kurt silently vacated his seat next to Blaine on the bed which was quickly occupied by Santana, pressed a kiss to Blaine’s hair line and headed down to the kitchen to get Blaine a glass of water for when he work up.

“You look exhausted kiddo,” Burt said coming up behind Kurt, making him jump a little.

“I’m fine Dad, I love him, and I hate seeing him feeling so vulnerable.” Kurt replied turning to face his dad.

“It’ll be ok; the police will catch the people who did this to him. His parents called about half an hour ago. They finally managed to get a flight back from visiting his grandparents. They should be here at about ten tomorrow morning. They said to thank you for being at his side the whole time.” Burt said smiling, giving his son a comforting squeeze to the shoulder. “Just remember, kiddo, you may have to be strong for Blaine, but we’re all here for you too, especially Carol, Finn and I. They were both so worried when I spoke to them last night. They get back from visiting Carol’s sister at about half past ten tonight; Finn has football after school tomorrow.” Burt continued pulling Kurt in for a quick hug.

“Thanks dad” he said with a smile returning Burt’s hug. “I know I have you guys, and Blaine does too. I’d better get back upstairs though, I don’t want him waking up with me not there.” He said walking back out the kitchen, feeling a less alone than he had since Blaine told them what happened.

Walking back into his room, Kurt smiled finding Santana asleep, her head resting gently on Blaine’s shoulder, their finger intertwined. Who would have thought it, Kurt smiled to himself, Santana and Blaine being best friends. Walking round to the other side of the bed he got in too, his heart lighter than it had been the past two days, in the knowledge that even though there are bound to be more tears in store, the three of them would get through this together.