"Look, Mom, I'm fine, you need to stop fussing!" Blaine said frustrated. He tugged his blue beanie hat over his black curly hair and pulled on his navy duffel coat, balancing his phone between his ear and his shoulder as he attempted to leave his apartment. His mother's voice continued to whine on the other line.

"But, Blaine, you've been living alone for two weeks now. You were the last child to leave the nest as such and you've moved to New York of all places! It is a mother's duty to check up on you!"

"Mom, you know I'm only a phone call or a Skype chat away if you are missing me that much. New York is not that scary, plus you know what a good opportunity this is for me!"

"Of course I know, but it's lonely round here without you or your brother" Blaine sighed. He knew how lonely his mother got, ever since she had packed up, taken Blaine and Cooper and left her husband.

"You have Melody to keep you company!" Blaine answered, trying to think of how to make his mother feel better. Finally, he had managed to put on his shoes with only one free hand so he made his way out of the apartment and got to the elevator.

"Blaine, I love that cat just as much as you do but she isn't the same as having my babies still at home"

"Mom, I know it's hard but you promised you wouldn't guilt trip me!"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry Blainey" his mother's voice became softer.

"I really have to go; I told Nick and Jeff I would meet them for a drink. This is their first time to New York and I haven't seen them in a while. But I love you"

"I love you too sweetie"

"I will call you tomorrow, I promise"

"Bye honey" Blaine smiled sadly at the phone and reluctantly pressed End Call.

He glanced at the time – 20:32. 'Crap' he thought to himself, he told Nick and Jeff he would be there at quarter past 8! Damn his mother and her ability to keep phone calls going on forever! He shot off a quick text to Jeff – 'Sorry dude, got held up on the phone with my Mom, you know how she can be. Gonna take a shortcut, see you in 10!'

He carried on walking down the street for a while before stopping in front of an alleyway. He looked down the small dimly lit street. He had told Jeff he would take the shortcut but he wasn't sure it was the most savoury of streets but it would cut quite a lot of time off his journey. Glancing back down the main street, he noticed a rather attractive man, looking as if he was just finishing a phone call and was deliberating the same thing as Blaine – to go down the street or not. Blaine couldn't help but stare at this guy – he was hot! Chestnut coloured hair styled in a fashionable quiff, tight dark denim jeans and a grey sweater. The guy shrugged and began to walk down the small alleyway.

Blaine figured at least with someone going in the same direction as him, it may be a bit safer. He followed the guy down the street.

"Rachel, I'm sorry okay?" Kurt said down the phone to his anxious roommate as he walked in the direction of home.

"Kurt, you told me you were going to go get some dinner, that was two hours ago! Where have you been?" Rachel screamed down the phone.

"Look, please don't be angry with me. But I lied. I went to the office"

"Kurt, you've been overworking far too much recently, you promised me you would relax tonight! It's Saturday for God's sake!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! But I hadn't finished that last design and they had be sent off by Monday and I wasn't sure whether Josh had e-mailed the retailers and-"

"KURT! Just come home please sweetie. Be quick as well. We can watch the Sound of Music and drink hot chocolate" her voice became more persuading.

"Fine, you had me at the Sound of Music. I call Maria though" he smiled as he heard Rachel laugh on the other end.

"Hurry up!"

"I'm on my way, actually there's a shortcut here. I will be home soon"

"I'll get the hot chocolate ready, bye!"

"Bye!" Kurt hung up and slowed his walk down as he stopped in front of the small dark alleyway. A few metres away from, he noticed a rather good-looking guy staring down the street with a puzzled expression. He didn't know this area that well but he had heard rumours – it wasn't the best neighbourhood. However, it would take him a significantly less amount of time to get home and he didn't want to make Rachel worry anymore. He shrugged to himself and began to walk down the street, keeping a firm hand on his phone and wallet in his coat pocket.

He heard some footsteps behind him and Kurt froze. 'Oh god, this was such a bad idea', he thought to himself.

"Ah!" Kurt jumped.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" the guy he had seen at the top of the street said, putting his hand immediately in the surrender position. "I didn't mean to startle you!"

"It's fine, don't worry, I'm not just not 100% sure about this street, so I'm a little jumpy"

"That's kind of why I followed you, I wasn't sure either and you looked pretty nice so I figured it may be safer"

"Well, I would be useless in a fight so maybe not" Kurt chuckled and the man smiled at him. 'Wow, he had a nice smile' Kurt thought.

"I'm Blaine"

"Kurt" the pair shook hands and shared a little smile.

"So where are you heading?" Blaine asked Kurt, moving to walk alongside him.

"Just to the left from the end of this street, the third apartment block there" Kurt said pointing in that general direction.

"Ah, I know the place, I'm heading to the bar a few blocks away from there"

"O'Brian's?" Kurt said and smiled when Blaine nodded in reply.

"I frequent there myself"

"I see, maybe I will see you there one day" Blaine said, hopefully, internally wishing his gaydar was reliable for once.

Kurt glanced sideways to look at Blaine. "Maybe I will"

The pair walked a few steps in a comfortable silence when

"YOU TOLD ME YOU WOULD HAVE THE MONEY BY TODAY" a man's voice shouted and echoed through the narrow streets.

Blaine and Kurt looked upwards to see two men on a balcony. The man who had shouted was pinning another guy against the rusting metal of the balcony, a large meaty hand placed on his neck.

The other guy was smaller in comparison and his face was slowly turning purple. He was clearly struggling for breath and had given up any attempt to fight back.

"I….tried…..not…enough….time" the smaller man spluttered out.

Blaine and Kurt glanced at each other with scared and shocked expressions. The men hadn't noticed them yet and they wanted it to stay that way, Blaine gestured for Kurt to step back into the shadow of a nearby house with him. They carried on watching the scene from there.

"I made it quite clear that you had to pay me back today Frank! Or something drastic would happen!"

"Please….I can't…two….more…days"

"YOU HAVE THE BALLS TO ASK ME FOR TWO MORE DAYS?" The larger man shouted once more, before using his free hand to punch Frank firmly and hard in the face. Blood spurted from Frank's nose.

Kurt bit his lip to stop himself from crying out and automatically reached out to grab Blaine's hand. Blaine grasped Kurt's hand firmly in his, squeezing it tight, both of them needed the comfort.

"AAAH" Frank screamed in agony. "Please…I'm sorry…I'm sorry"

"This was your last chance Frank. I told you" The larger man withdrew his hand from Frank's neck who gasped in relief, sucking in ragged quick breaths of oxygen. The larger man pulled something out of his pocket at which Frank's eyes widened.

"Please …No I can get you the mon-"BANG.

Frank's words were silenced. His body slumped lifelessly against the balcony. Kurt screamed and buried his head in Blaine's shoulder, not caring he only just met the man. Blaine placed an arm around the shaking Kurt, attempting to keep his own shaking under control.

However, the man who just stole Frank's life heard the scream and saw the two men, frightened and partly hidden by the dark. His face became an expression of worry before it became an emotionless mask. He darted around back into the house where the balcony was and his feet could be heard thundering down the stairs. Straight towards Kurt and Blaine.

"Kurt?"

"Yeah?"

"Run"