~ CHAPTER 15 ~
Of Pain and Healing


Burt was having a relaxed evening so far. Oh, there was some trouble at Neal's again but it wasn't something he couldn't fix after yelling at Puck for an hour on the phone about the late deliveries of warmer clothes. And, yes, Kurt was a bit late in coming home but Burt trusted Blaine fully when it came to his son.

He wasn't in on the whole situation, but Burt knew that there was something more than friendship brewing between his son and Blaine. He had been a bit uneasy at first but after seeing the boys together he was sure that Kurt couldn't be as happy as he was when Blaine was near him. So Burt had put aside all his worries and concepts. As long as Kurt was happy, Burt didn't gave a shit about what the townspeople may think once it was all out in the open.

He was just about to call Blaine to ask if Kurt was late tonight, or staying with them uphill for dinner again, when Finn burst in through the front door, his chest heaving and worry echoed in his face. Burt put back his mobile and frowned at Finn, as his stepson dashed to the kitchen, and came right out again, looking flustered.

"KURT!" Finn yelled upstairs, and that's when Burt's heart gave him a warning bell. "KURT, YOU UP THERE?!"

Burt grabbed Finn's arm forcefully as the boy made to rush up the stairs.

"Son, you mind telling me why you're yelling?" he asked as calmly as possible.

Finn huffed in agitation and then, as if realizing he could simply make things easier, he asked Burt. "Is Kurt home yet? Is he here?"

Burt went still. Then caught himself and said, "No, I think he's still with Blaine. Maybe he's late. I was actually about to call and—"

But Finn's face had gone a dangerous shade of green and his eyes popped out even more. "No, that's...I saw...I saw him run but..."

Burt grabbed Finn by shoulders and forcefully shook the terrified boy. "Calm the fuck down, Finn. And tell me what this is about?"

Finn shuddered and nodded shakily, flopping down on the couch and grabbing his head in his big hands. "I was at the station and...I thought I saw Blaine walk Kurt down and...Kurt passed by the station and told me he was headed home. I watched him go." Then he looked up at Burt, worried still. "When I finished up drawing the day's record, I told Garret I was leaving as well. And right by the Main Street I found—I found Dave Karofsky."

Burt took his phone out and dialed fast. If Dave had Kurt, then this was a breach to the law, and it meant they would have to now kill Dave.

"Dad...it's not what...Kurt wasn't there!" Finn said loudly till Burt was paying him attention again.

"What do you...Kurt wasn't there? Like...he escaped?" Burt inquired, now shaking in concern too. "Be clear boy, what happened!"

"Dave...and Lauren, they were unconscious and bleeding in the road. They had blood oozing from their mouths and...they were out cold and I thought..." Finn surpassed a shudder. "I thought Kurt fought them off and ran home. But—but he isn't here, Dad. HE ISN'T HERE!"

Burt cursed loudly, till Carole came down from their bedroom. She looked at both the men and went still in concern. "What is going on? Finn...what is happening? Where's your brother?"

"Mom—he's missing." Carole choked and Finn ran to hold her as she almost fainted on the stairs. "Shhh...it's gonna be OK. I'm sure he's fine..." He looked at Burt. "Right, Dad?"

But Burt was already out of the door, his gun at the ready. He had just reached the start of the Main Street when he saw Blaine and his Warblers running towards him.

Burt stopped short at one point. He cursed again. There on the road were sure signs of scuffle, and smudges, and three small pools, of blood. This is where Finn must have found Dave and Lauren. But where was Kurt...?

"Burt...is Kurt home yet?" Blaine stopped right in front of Burt and he looked out of his mind. "He went home, right?"

But one look at Burt's face was enough. Blaine's face broke as if he'd just lost something precious. But he managed to remain composed. "Thad was at the telescopes he saw...he saw the fight."

Burt turned to Thad and grunted. "What happened?"

"It was Dave, sir," Thad explained. "He had followed Kurt. I tried calling Blaine but his phone had been left in the basement where they'd been training. By the time Blaine got up and I told him, Lauren and Dave were unconscious and Kurt was nowhere in sight...I'm sorry. I got too busy in contacting Blaine that I didn't saw what...what was happening and..."

"That's OK." Burt looked at Blaine sternly. "Now, son, I know you are a capable tracker. I need you to track my son. If he's been taken, we need to free him before Edward could try anything."

Blaine looked angry and fierce as he said, "I'll go to the last corners of hell if need be, but I'll find Kurt. You have my word."

Finn joined them at that moment, having run after Burt. "I called...Puck and Santana. They are on their way!"

"Good. We need all the help we can get," Blaine said and then knelt on the road.

It was that 'prime time' in Hilltown when people had gone back to their homes and not much traffic was to be had. Which made it a perfect crime scene. The start of the Main Street was a deserted corner, a juncture where there weren't many houses for a few yards at least. The Hill stood right on the top of this juncture, but it was nothing but an expanse of trees and bushes and looming mound and shadow. Dalton House wasn't even clearly visible from this point, just a few blurry lights winking in and out of sight as an indication of its existence.

Blaine examined the road carefully, repeatedly going back toward the smudgy blood spots on the ground. At last he stood up, his face looked like he'd made his mind up.

"This...it's Vampire blood," he explained, pointing at the largest pool. "I'm assuming Dave. And the next one is also Vampire blood, see how it stinks bad and rotten. I'm guessing that was Lauren."

He then came back to the smudgy blobs on the ground. "This was Kurt. He is bitten, I'm certain of it. He must have retaliated, I guess, and when he lost his strength he fell here."

Finn shook his head in shock. "If he was bitten then why isn't here another pool of blood?"

"That's what I was guessing too," Nick said worriedly. "If both Lauren and Dave attacked and bit Kurt he must've bled a lot."

"That's the part that's bugging me." Blaine pointed at the smudges again. "See how they are in a line? As if Kurt dragged himself or something? But just for a little while. Drag marks barely began before vanishing entirely."

Nick's eyes sapped wide and Wes said, "No fucking shit!"

Blaine only nodded. "Kurt didn't run. He was moved. Someone came, picked him up and ran away with him. From what I can spot on the road, they didn't leave behind many tracks. More indication that it was definitely another Vampire who took him."

"Sebastian?" said a voice from behind them.

They all turned around to find Santana, Quinn and Brittany standing there. Andy was standing just a few steps behind too. He gave Blaine one look and then looked back at Burt, appearing casual.

"Maybe," Blaine managed to say, acting as if he wasn't shocked at his father's coming. He had to focus on tracking Kurt just now. "I can't be sure. But I do know that they took him that way."

And Blaine pointed at the direction of High School road.

Santana nodded readily. "There are a few abandoned warehouses over there, as well. It's certainly the most obvious place to go."

Burt was already moving in that direction. "Well, I'm going with Finn to check out this road then. Blaine, have your Warblers search all the other warehouses as well. Trinity, you guys try and find scents, however you do that, and make sure if it really was Sebastian who did that."

Everybody took their orders and spread out. Blaine led Finn and Burt to where the tracks pointed. Nick took charge of his Warblers and they divvied up in two more groups to search the warehouses.

Andy suddenly came behind Nick's group. Nick hesitated, not knowing how to handle the situation when Andy simply said, "You might need someone like me for recognizing scents. Or warning off any ambush."

Jeff was visibly gnashing his teeth but he said, "Yeah. Sure. Come along...Andy..."

"Where have you left Cooper?" Andy asked before they could take any further steps.

Nick didn't look back as he replied, "Hunter's staying with him." Then they talked no more and hurried toward the first warehouse beside the School.




They were searching the third abandoned building when Santana called on Burt's phone.

"Yes?" he asked receiving the call.

"This is a Vampire alright!" she replied, sounding a bit off. "But I don't recognize the scent. It may be that he's one of Edward's special guards. But that's all I can tell. By the smell I can say this, though; This one had been after Kurt for a long time."

"OK, keep looking. We'll contact if anything came up." Burt turned to Blaine and Finn and explained what Santana had said.

Blaine suddenly frowned. "It can't be—I think I've got an idea but...I saw someone following him too. I just didn't think that it could..."

Blaine's voice was drowned by a blood-curdling screech.

They went still, their hearts thudding violently.

Another anguished yell rent the air and Burt almost dropped on his knees.

They recognized the voice. It was Kurt.

As one, they rushed toward the stairs, to the second floor from where the screams have come.

There on the dusty floor, they found Kurt. He was writhing in pain, his face gone pale and his shirt was colored black in his blood. His neck was almost slashed open by the coarse bites. His eyes rolled back into his skull and he was clenching his fists so tight that his nails had drawn out blood.

He screamed again, shuddering violently.

"KURT!" Burt threw himself at Kurt, trying to control him as he writhed ferociously

Finn was sobbing as he tried helping Burt, holding Kurt's legs and failing. Kurt was too strong, and in too much pain.

Blaine stood there as if he was under some kind of spell. He could feel Kurt's pain, he could see the way Kurt shuddered like he was on fire. He hadn't seen anyone in so much pain since—since Grandpa.

The spell broke, and Blaine went to help them. He encircled Kurt's torso from behind and lifted him upwards, Finn grabbing Kurt's legs tightly.

"Where to?" Blaine asked frantically.

Burt looked agitated as he tried to think of a place. "Not the Hospital! Edward would know...FUCK! I don't know where...I have no...plan I—I..."

Finn was still sobbing but he somehow controlled his sorrow enough to suggest, "Maybe we should take him to Sue's. Doctor Shelby and Berry might be able to help us. And its out of the reach of Edward."

Burt looked at Finn thankfully and grunted. "Yeah. Yes, let's...we're talking him to Sue."

They dragged Kurt down and outside, trying to gag Kurt's anguished screams and howling. Burt called Puck to come and get them. He also called other search parties about Kurt and ordered them to get to Sue ahead of them, and get her prepared.

Puck came with Riley in their VW and helped to load Kurt in the back. Then they were making their way to the Deserter Headquarters as fast as possible.
-----


Dave was in pain. Too much pain. He didn't remember this much pain since he got turned, and it had been ages ago.

When he finally woke up in the middle of the road, he was aware of how the fire still traveled in his veins. He was aware of how Lauren was also gaining consciousness and moaning in pain, almost crying out for help.

Then he remembered. Kurt. He has been drinking off Kurt—then he'd felt the fire.

"D-Dave...?" Lauren's broken voice reached him. "What is happening?"

"I dunno...I can't...focus..." Which was odd. Never in his 80 years as a Vampire he'd ever lost focus. What the fuck was wrong with him!

He somehow, painfully, managed to get back on his feet. He tried to smell the air. He distinctly remembered that someone—a woman—had been here. She'd taken Kurt away. If only he can catch the scent...

"Weird..." he said out loud. He couldn't concentrate on the scents. All he got was the night air and his own rotten blood. He smelled Kurt's blood too. But tantalizing or not, he had no urge to follow this scent. Not with the pain he still felt in every particle of his being.

He helped Lauren and tried to summon enough energy to escape.

His breath rushed out of him as he realized that he couldn't feel the energy anymore. He was too weak.

"Dave...?" Lauren suddenly spoke, her voice alarmed. "Dave...why am I bleeding?"

Now he took a good look at her. Then himself. His skin was bleeding. Leaking. His mouth was not only covered in Kurt's blood but also his own. He was...vomiting blood...?

"We need to get back to the Mansion!" he exclaimed. "Edward needs to know. It's Kurt's blood...it was poisoned! It's poisoned us!"

And stumbling like an extremely frail, old man, he made to the deserted land behind the Filling Station, into the Old Graveyard and away.

They barely made it out of the sight when he felt, some of his Vampire energy coming back to him, the commotion at the crime scene. The Warblers must have reached there. He didn't believe in God anymore, but still, he muttered "Thank God," as he sped up a bit, Lauren leaning to him heavily.

The moment they entered the forest near the mansion, they knew something was wrong. Either the forest was too quiet or they were going deaf. The earth seemed to be moving underneath their feet.

Lauren was the first to fall hard on the ground. Dave followed shortly.

With blurred vision, Dave looked at his companion and saw the shock and terror mirrored in Lauren's sallow face.

"Are we...dying?" Lauren asked, her voice sounding too human as it broke. "For real...dying?"

Dave huffed out a huge breath, blood came out of his nose. "Maybe. I think so."

"Oh...that's...a relief." Lauren settled on the ground comfortably, almost as if she was laying in her grave. She even folded her hands neatly on her chest. "I just wish I had a chance to...to tell Puck that I still like him..."

Dave found himself smiling, as he too settled comfortably on the forest floor. He had nobody he loved. Not even his family. Maybe his mother but...not even her. He had never felt any attachment to anybody. So in his last moments, he felt only regret. He felt sorry that he had led a miserable life, hurting people, breaking law so many times.

As he looked at Lauren's face, he thought he saw tears leaking from her eyes, mixed with her black blood. Funny. And then he was in darkness again.
-----


Pain.

That's all Blaine felt. It wasn't the kind of Pain he could heal or put antibiotics on. It wasn't even the kind that came from loss, as he'd felt when he first heard of Andy's 'death.'

No. This Pain was even worse. Because it was Kurt's Pain that he felt. Every single time Kurt's body thrashed, or shuddered or went into convulsions—Blaine felt the Pain. Every time Kurt screeched, Blaine felt the Pain.

He held Kurt's hand through the whole drive. He remembered with a strange sense of sadness that once, their positions had been reversed. Kurt had been the one holding his hand, while Blaine shrieked in agony. Now, Blaine would've given anything to be in that position again. As long as it meant Kurt wasn't the one actually going through this.

But all he could do was hold on to Kurt's hand. He didn't even wince as Kurt, with his super-human powers, clenched Blaine's hand so tightly that a few joints broke. Physical pain didn't even register on Blaine. It was nothing compared to what he was actually feeling.

As they stopped messily outside the Headquarters, Blaine scooped up Kurt in his arms, unmindful of the convulsions Kurt was still going through. Everybody got out of his way, only Burt followed him closely, repetitively looking at Kurt's face as if it was the last time he'd ever see it.

Sue, Shelby and Hiram were ready. Mike had reached them first with the news.

They had ICU facilities in a room, where Blaine put Kurt on the gurney. The whole cot shook with the force of Kurt's seizure-like pain.

"Strap him!" Sue yelled and Leroy and Rachel, working as assistants, did exactly that.

Kurt was under control now, but Blaine had no intentions of leaving Kurt alone.

"OUT EVERYONE!" Sue ordered again.

"I'm STAYING. He's my SON!" Burt was yelling, but Blaine didn't hear any of this.

"Burt, please. We'll help Kurt the best way possible but you gotta go. Trust me you don't wanna see this!" Hiram was saying.

Burt gnashed his teeth with held-back sobs. But he nodded, gulping thickly. Then he left the room, banging the door shut behind him.

"Blaine..." Hiram was saying to him now. "Son, you need to leave too."

"No."

"Blaine—please don't make this harder than it already is."

He looked up at the healer and repeated, "No."

He didn't know if it was the dead tone of his voice, or the wild look in his eyes, but Hiram backed away as if he'd been punched. A few seconds later, Hiram pulled on his mask and signaled the others to start the operation.

Blaine stayed through the whole process. He had almost stopped them when they had cut open Kurt's throat a bit more to clean up the Vampire venom from the wound. He'd almost killed them all because of the way Kurt yelled—his worst one yet. But it had taken all of his self-control to let the healers do their jobs.

He stayed as they poured in vials and vials of disinfectants on Kurt's neck. He even stayed, and helped keep Kurt's neck in place, as they sew him shut.

Then Leroy hooked Kurt on an IV and injected two pain-killers into Kurt's system.

"Two would keep him down," Leroy explained for Blaine's benefit. "He isn't exactly normal enough for normal measures."

Even when the pain killers started working, Kurt didn't stop struggling and screaming. His yells eventually faded into grunts, then moans...then he was silent.

Sue ripped off her mask and sighed. She almost had the look of affection on her face as she touched Kurt's forehead lightly.

"He's gonna be fine," she said. Then she collected herself again, throwing Blaine a superior look. "I'll inform Burt."

Blaine felt Rachel come up beside him, her eyes soft and kind. "I think you should rest now. He'll be OK. I'm here, keeping watch, I promise."

Blaine reluctantly let go of Kurt's hand—and noticed the straps that were holding Kurt's arms in place. Rachel gasped as she noticed too. Kurt had squirmed and fought against his bonds so much that they were almost coming off of their joints with the gurney.

Blaine hesitated a second, but then he just leaned down and kissed Kurt tenderly on the lips. He didn't even care that Rachel or Hiram saw him. He didn't care about anything anymore. He only wanted Kurt to be fine again.

He went outside the makeshift ICU and found Finn and Burt sitting right by the door, on the floor, waiting.

Burt stood up at once. "Sue said he's fine but he was yelling..."

"He's OK now. Sleeping it off," Blaine said. "I guess we just gotta wait for him to come to now."

"How bad is he?" Finn asked.

Blaine knew at once what this question had meant. He answered carefully. "I don't—believe that its possible for him to turn. He's already a miracle. I can't believe that getting bitten would have any effect. Besides, he didn't take in any of the blood from Dave or Lauren, Leroy assured me."

Burt nodded but Blaine knew that he wasn't certain. Because he himself wasn't. There was no telling what changes might occur in Kurt now.

The next few hours were more painful for Blaine.

His Warblers had swept the town again, trying to track that mysterious woman whom Blaine suspected might be following Kurt apart from Dave. There was no news of her, or anyone of her description.

Puckpeople had tried to quash all the rumors about the attack in the town. Edward couldn't know about any of this. He'd take this moment of Kurt's weakness to his advantage and might even come for him. It was unacceptable. So within the next few hours, Puck reported back to Burt that apart from Thad on the Hill, nobody had seen the fight.

Trinity had reported that Edward hadn't heard of anything yet either. But it was about time Dave and Lauren's absence would be taken into notice. Edward would freak then. But as of now, nothing.

Quinn assured that she would be combing through the forest with her girls and Andy, in case they stumbled upon the woman, whose scent they'd picked up at the Main Street.

Through all this development, Blaine just sat outside the ICU door, waiting for any indication that Kurt was going to be fine. He heard the news, responded in short words, but otherwise stayed out of any human contact.

It was almost 2 o' clock in the night that some new things occurred. Kurt still hadn't responded other than stirring in pain again; till Rachel gave him another double-shot of the pain killers.

Jake rushed inside the hallway they were sitting in, looking strange and nauseated.

"It's Trinity. They're here," was all he said, before rushing out again.

Having the Trinity in Headquarters was no news anymore. These past few days, they'd have enough meetings with the girls that the novelty had worn off quickly. But Blaine perked up because of the way Jake had been reacting.

Sure enough, Santana strutted her way toward them in her usual, Vampire-ish grace, her high-heels clacking loudly in the silence.

"What happened?" Burt demanded.

"We tracked the scent back to the Mansion." Santana elaborated as Blaine frowned. "Yep, Smyth Mansion. Someone from our own had been the one following Kurt. I could be right, it could be one of Edward's elite guards. But that's not why I'm here. I'm here to ask Sue for some help."

"Who's been hurt?" Blaine asked.

"Come and see..." And she clacked her way out again, leaving Blaine and Burt no choice but to follow.

"I'll stay here..." Finn said after them.

Santana led them outside in the main hallway, the one with the soft boards. Many resident Deserters were gathered around something, talking in hushed, scared voices.

"Out of the way! What's this crowding around for?" Sue had arrived the scene just as Santana did.

A strange sight greeted Blaine. For a Warbler, he let out an audible gasp, surprised beyond comprehension.

There were two bodies on the floor. Skeletal looking, pale and almost decaying. But there was no mistaking them. One was female, rather curvy; the other was tall, broad-shouldered male.

Dave and Lauren.

"Jesus!" Burt exclaimed. "Are they—dead?"

"No," said Quinn who had been standing by them already. "That's what we thought as well. But that's not the weird part here..."

Before Blaine could ask what the weird part was...Sue knelt to the ground beside Dave and Lauren and examined their bodies. She checked their eyes, frowning, and then she let out a shocked "Huh!" backing away as if electrocuted.

"Yeah—that's what I did too," Brittany admitted in a soft voice.

"It's impossible! It can't be!" Sue exhaled, for the first time ever, looking speechless and out of any witty comebacks.

"WHAT?" Blaine asked vehemently.

"The are alive," Sue said. "Like ALIVE. As in, they have pulse."

The Deserters who had been murmuring to each other in the background fell silent at that. Nobody moved a muscle.

"That's a load of crap!" Puck broke the silence. "Vampires don't have—P-PULSE!!!"

Santana rounded at him, her bitch-mode on full time, and smirked. "Exactly."
-----


Andy was getting used to staying on the sidelines. But he had to admit, having to track scents, running with his newly-extended senses, was an amazing feeling. He wasn't excited about being a Vampire, per say. The only reason he'd chosen to be like this was because he got to help his sons. That's all.

But recently, with so much going on, and amid so many hunts with Quinn at nights, he had slowly come to accept this way of living. He had insisted on hunting animals only, and Quinn had granted his wishes. She'd told him that she won't force him to do anything he didn't want to. So far, she'd been true to her word.

But thrill or no, he missed his old life as well. He missed being on the Hill. He missed the Dalton House. He missed his sons.

But he always told himself that staying far from his sons meant that he got to help them even more than he could have done as a human. Look where it had gotten him, helping, in the first place. He'd went and got himself TURNED! No, helping as a super-strong Vampire was more productive. Thus far, at least.

But it was the moments like these that he felt the longing the most. When he was in front of his kids but couldn't talk to them. In the previous meetings, Blaine and Cooper had been present. But excluding hurried hugs from Cooper, or a few words, there hadn't been much interaction. Blaine, in fact, treated Andy as if he was just another ally. A business partner of sorts. Blaine's manner always remained passive and controlled—unlike the open, friendly and honest son he'd known all his life.

At the Main Street, Andy had known how much Blaine was hurting. It was apparent that Kurt had been a close friend of his. The way Blaine had been barely holding on to his sanity had been apparent to Andy, after all, he had raised the boy. He knew Blaine inside and out.

But it wasn't until now, as they were all gathered around Dave and Lauren's freakish looking bodies, that he discovered just how close Kurt had been to Blaine. When Santana had come with Blaine and Burt, Andy had to try really hard to not break away from his safe distance and hug Blaine close. His son had looked like a dead man. His son had looked as if there was nothing left.

"You want ME to WHAT?" Sue's angry voice broke Andy's thoughts.

Sue was presently, having controlled her initial shock, standing with her hands on her hips. She was glaring daggers at Quinn.

"Please, we have to."

"Not to appear cruel or anything," Burt said, "Sue does have a point. Why would we try to save them when they had attacked Kurt and now he's—he's in pain..." Burt barely kept the grief out of his voice.

"I understand your feelings, Burt," Quinn said soothingly. "But think about this. Kurt is still unconscious, and healing. There's no way to tell when he'll wake up or tell us exactly what happened. Were we to help save Dave and Lauren, there might be a way to figure out what the heck actually happened tonight."

Andy had grown fond of Quinn by now. And not because she was his sire. No. Quinn had a way with things and words. She was smart, intelligent, and more often than not, kind. And he saw, with growing admiration, as everyone considered her argument.

"She's right," Blaine said finally. Only Andy detected the slightest tremble in his voice. "We need to find out what happed to Kurt. And if that means helping...these...people... Yes, I think we should help them."

Sue threw her hands up and mumbled loud enough for everyone to hear, "Good gracious! It's like I'm not even the boss anymore! In my own fucking house—ugh!" But she signaled a few of her boys to pick up Dave and Lauren and follow her to another make-shift operating room.

Just as everyone dissipated, Andy took the chance and followed Blaine and Burt. Quinn threw him a look but he mentally informed her that he wanted to talk and comfort his son. She nodded once and followed Sue in another direction.

Andy found himself in another small hallway. Relying on his new senses, he smelled Kurt and Rachel behind the closed door. He was ashamed that his mouth watered a bit, as it did every time he scented blood, but he focused on the task at hand.

Blaine looked slightly shocked that Andy had followed him like that, but he didn't say anything. He just slipped against the wall, till he was on the floor sitting cross-legged.

After hesitating a few seconds, Andy slid next to his son. Blaine barely acknowledged him. Feeling bold, Andy took hold of Blaine's hand, squeezing gently to let his son know that he wasn't alone.

And before he knew it, Blaine had thrown his arm around Andy, and was silently sobbing. Recognizing this from Blaine's childhood, Andy tightened his own arms around his son, holding him close.

"It'll be OK," he whispered. "It'll be fine. We'll get through this, son. Don't worry."

After a few minutes of sobbing, Blaine let go of his father. Andy had expected him to shy away or look disgusted, but Blaine did neither. In fact, Andy kept his arm around his son, and Blaine didn't shake it off.

"What's gonna happen now?" Blaine asked unexpectedly.

Andy replied simply, "Whatever. We just gotta hope that it's better than what had already happened."

"What if...what if Kurt didn't make it through?" Blaine's voice broke again and his eyes filled up. He rubbed away at his tears forcefully, looking like his adorable self.

"He will. He's strong." Andy wavered. "But may I ask you something, son?"

Blaine just shrugged, sniffing loudly.

"I've noticed that Kurt seems to be one of your close friends." Andy felt Blaine stiffen a bit. "And I understand how this must feel like. But—we've seen how strong he is. You've been training him for weeks now and...you know he's strong."

Blaine said nothing, just kept looking at Andy silently, sometimes rubbing his eyes or sniffing.

"What I'm saying is, he's more likely to get through this than any of us. OK?"

Blaine just stared, till Andy felt self-conscious. Why was his son looking at him like that? Then with a shock, Andy realized that Blaine wasn't just staring. He was observing. He was observing the changes in his father.

"You are not the same person anymore," Blaine said suddenly, and it hurt Andy to hear it from his son like this. "You've changed."

Andy looked away, not sure how to explain himself to his son. He suddenly felt as if he was a disease, an abomination.

"But," Blaine went on softly, "you are STILL my father. You are family."

Andy looked back suddenly to find his son smiling softly at him. If his heart had been beating, it would've given a leap. He smiled back and gathered Blaine in another hug.

This time Blaine returned the embrace tightly as well.

"So, I don't know how to tell you this," Blaine said, letting go, suddenly looking nervous for some reason. "But I suppose it doesn't matter anyways. You still love Nick and there's a chance you might still love me."

Andy frowned at the sudden turn in conversation. "Blaine what are you saying?"

Blaine smiled at his father brilliantly. "I think I might be gay, Dad."

The only thing that registered in Andy's mind was the fact that Blaine had called him 'Dad' for the first time since the transformation. Then he realized what Blaine had actually said. And everything fell into place.

"So...Kurt isn't just your friend, then?"

Blaine looked shocked that Andy had only reacted in this way. "Uh...yeah. He's, I think, my boyfriend..."

"You think?" Andy turned a bit teasing. "Or are you sure?"

And he was rewarded with a blushing smile from Blaine. For the first time, Andy didn't feel the urge to sink his fangs into a human being because of blushing. No. On the contrary, Andy felt elated. His son was happy.

"Actually...we didn't make things official until last night. Then he got attacked and—" Blaine's blush faded as sorrow took place of transitory happiness.

"Oh, Blaine," Andy pulled Blaine close till his son was almost in his lap, with Blaine's head resting on his chest. "I'm sorry son. I know how it hurts loosing the one you love. But I just know that you'll never loose Kurt. I just know it."

"I hope you are right, Dad. I just want to be able to BE with him, you know. I want to be able to tell the world that I'm in love with him and that he is mine. But—I get scared that the people won't accept us. I don't need their acceptance but, Kurt might feel bad and I don't want to put him through something like that."

Andy just chuckled. "Well. Hilltown needs to put away the conventions. You'd think with the Vampires ruling them, they'd change their view of world but they are stuck with the same old minds."

Something was in Andy's playful tone that made Blaine look up at his father in curiosity.

"What do you mean?"

In answer, Andy just pointed at someone in the hallway.

Blaine turned around and found out that apart from Burt, Finn and themselves, Hiram and Leroy were now also present.

"He means us," Leroy said, a smile playing at his lips.

"Us..?" Blaine exhaled, still not realizing.

In answer, Leroy just leaned over and kissed Hiram swiftly on the lips. Finn let out a rough cackle and Burt rolled his eyes.

Andy watched with a proud and silent wonder as Blaine's mouth hung open, his eyes shocked.

"For the protector of the town, Blaine," Andy remarked, "you are a lot more ignorant that I'd believed."

"Wait. Wait—you two are—a couple!" Blaine straightened up, looking energized and curious. "How long—wait I thought you were married to Shelby, Hiram!"

"I was." The doctor said with an affectionate smile at Leroy. "I had a wonderful daughter, Rachel. But then, we figured out that our married life wasn't well—sexually, if I may say—exciting anymore. And then I stumbled across Leroy and fell in love."

"So Shelby just...let you?" Finn asked this time. Andy knew that the boy must've heard stories but wanted to be sure just in case.

"When I told her, she was sad," Hiram admitted softly. "But she understood. We decided that we can be parents to Rachel still, but that didn't mean we have to stay married. So we divorced. We have been in the operation theaters so many times together, saving lives. It doesn't even matter anymore. She accepts me and Leroy and is our best friend. I feel truly blessed sometimes, and that's saying something in this hell of town!"

Blaine slumped back against his father, and huffed out the breath he had been holding. Andy tightened his arms around his son again, cherishing the feeling while it lasted.

"Wow," Blaine said finally. "All this time Kurt and I had been wary. But to know that its possible to be together and out...it's incredible!"

"All the more reason for you to hope that Kurt is going to make it," Burt said with a smile.

Blaine blushed again, stammering, "Are y-you sure? I mean, that K-Kurt and I are..."

"I've never seen him happier than when he's with you," Burt said with a shrug, like it was the obvious thing. "I've known about his sexuality since he came out to Paul. He's still the same, regardless of the changes."

Blaine smiled gratefully and looked at his father. Andy smiled back, feeling blessed despite being the monster he'd become.

"As are you," Andy heard Blaine mumble, yawning as if feeling sleepy suddenly. "You are still the same, Dad. Regardless of the changes."
-----



Fire in my veins. That's what I feel. Liquid fire.

It burned everywhere. Everything. I was melting.

When Dave sank his teeth into me, I knew it was going to hurt. But the word 'hurt' didn't even came close to what actually happened.

I realized it now, why being a Vampire changes you into a monster. After such amount of pain, nothing human could survive.

That's what I felt slipping through my grasp—the Humanity. And I tried holding on to it. I tried so hard. But the pain was such that I couldn't remember any human experience to hold on to. Not when Lauren started draining the humanity left inside of me as well.

Then I remembered the endless honey colored warmth of someone's eyes. In my last moments, I remembered the warmth of someone's strong hands holding me close. I remembered the touch of soft lips against my own.

Blaine.

With everything that was left within me—I held on to his face, his memory. Blaine was my last cognizant thought. He was the last human memory of me.



I wake up in a straight bed, and I feel the straps holding me down. There's a belt buckled around my forehead to prevent my head from moving as well.

Alarms sound in my head and I realize that I must feel threatened at being bound this way. But then I hear a rustle of jeans as someone hurries over to me.

A gasp. Then someone touches my cheek softly, tenderly. I relax a bit at this.

"Kurt...?" I hear Rachel's voice. "Are you...is this YOU?"

Her strange question catches me by surprise that I open my eyes at once, and get momentarily blinded due to the lights. Her face, anxious and anticipating, comes into focus.

"Yye..." My throat feels raspy. And injured. I clear it, feeling a distinct amount of pain in my vocal cords. "Y-yes. I'm fine. Where..."

"You are here, at the Headquarters. We couldn't take you to the hospital."

I let it sink. Why would I need hospital again?

And then I jolt against my bounds as I remember the events of the night.

"I got bitten...!"

Her alarmed face is all the answer I need.

I try to force myself out of the bounds. But they won't budge.

"What happened to me?" I try to ask her, try to NOT shout. My throat hurts even more, nevertheless, my voice remains strained. "What happened to the others? Where...is everyone...?"

"Kurt, please, calm down! They are here. I assure you they are here. Everyone is waiting outside...Please...OH!"

With a sense of victory I pull away my right hand, the straps dangling from it. I know I should be amazed that I have managed such a thing without much trouble—but I'm too worried to meet my family to care. I promptly try the same mechanics with the other bounds, tearing with my free hand at the strap holding my head.

Rachel suddenly appears with a huge syringe. And I stop struggling in fright. I really don't like needles.

"Kurt...if you don't calm down right now...I'll..."

But then I am screaming. I have no idea if it's words or just mindless screams. All I know is that my throat hurts again, very much. And I feel myself slipping, and I feel the sting of the syringe on my strapped arm.
-----


Blaine had not intended to doze off. But he was feeling too spent, too light after his talk with Andy that he had succumbed to the sweet surrender of the dreams.

But the dreams had been fitful to say the least. He kept imagining the scenarios where Kurt got hurt and bitten by Dave and Lauren. Each one more cruel than the last.

So it wasn't his fault when he jumped up in one fluid motion, reaching in his jacket for his customary saber (whishing badly that he had his sword with him instead), when he heard the screams.

Kurt's screams, to be precise.

Burt and Finn jerked violently and stood up too.

Blaine realized belatedly that Andy, Hiram and Leroy had left, as they were not in sight. Much time has passed, hours maybe, but he couldn't bother with that right now.

"Kurt..." Burt exhaled, slightly happy but then his eyes filled up. "Oh, Kurt..."

Blaine realized suddenly that Kurt wasn't just screaming. No, he was calling.

"DAD! DAD...WHERE ARE YOU?! DAD!!"

"Is he traumatized?" Finn asked in a dreadful whisper. "Is he thinking that Uncle Paul is still alive...?"

Burt shrugged, still silently crying. But then Rachel was calling for them too.

As one, they entered the makeshift ICU and Blaine inhaled in shock, just as Finn swore loudly.

Three things registered on Blaine in one glimpse of the cot.

One: Kurt was healed. There was not a single sign of wounds on his throat. Two: His one hand was dangling free at his side, he must've torn apart the straps. Three: He looked miserable. He was crying frenziedly, all the while screaming for DAD!

Blaine relaxed. Kurt had tears in his eyes. He was crying. He was still human. He was still amazing. And he was in pain.

"Kurt..." Burt said, moving in front of his son.

Kurt went still as his eyes darted around the room, mindless and out of focus.

"Dad...?" he said, sounding unsure.

"I gave him the sleeping shot. Just one, but he's still half-aware..." Rachel explained, sounding anxious.

Blaine moved forward as well. And Kurt's eyes found him.

A drastic change came over Kurt's features. His shoulders suddenly relaxed, his eyes grew heavy and a slow smile appeared on his perfect lips. Then Kurt looked back at Burt.

With his free hand, Kurt reached out for Burt. "Hey...Dad..."

Burt was visibly struggling against the tears as he clasped Kurt's hand and kissed the back of it. He sat by the edge of the cot, smiling down at his son.

"Hey, buddy. How are you feeling...?"

Kurt frowned a little, then joked. "Like somebody gave me pins to eat. My throat hurts."

Burt chuckled lightly, blinking against his tears. "Yeah, you spent an entire hour screaming your guts out, of course, it hurts."

Kurt sniffed, wrinkling his nose in such an adorable way that Finn tittered, rubbing against his own tears. Blaine let out a shaky laugh, not believing his eyes.

"And I feel woozy," Kurt remarked, yawning big.

"You need rest." Rachel was back, pretending to be a doctor. "And food. But first..." She held a juice bottle for Kurt, slipping the straw in his mouth.

Kurt took a long sip, and sighed. "Rachel Berry, you are an angel."

Now, Finn and Burt were hovering over their boy, smiling and crying equally. There was so much joy in their little world. Blaine felt out of place. He saw as Rachel smiled softly at the family and left the ICU silently, giving one adoring glance to Finn.

He got up silently too, and was about to leave when he heard...

"Ey, Blaine..." Kurt was saying, sleepily but coherent. "Where are you running to? Cm'ere..."

Burt nodded in encouragement as Blaine sat on the other side of the cot. Kurt let go of his father's hand and took hold of Blaine's instead.

"Dad...is it OK if Blaine and I date?" he asked, still looking tired, his eyes heavy with sleep.

Burt laughed roughly. "OK? Hell yeah. It's all kinds of OK, Kurt. In fact, if you ever dated anybody apart from Blaine, I'd be really offended."

Blaine blushed at this praise and looked down at his beloved (official) boyfriend—only to find Kurt smiling up at him in the same amount of love.

"He's so beautiful..." Kurt mumbled and brought Blaine's hand to his cheek, snuggling against it.

Then he slept soundly. Around him sat, the three men who loved him most in the world, smiling and feeling thankful.