Blaine dropped on his knees to the ground, not even realising that tears were falling hot down his cheeks. "Kurt, Kurt, talk to me, talk to me" he pleaded.

Moving Kurt's head gently so it was in his lap, he stroked Kurt's hair urgently. "Are you alright?" Blaine looked down; Kurt's white shirt had a red stain spreading rapidly. The wound was on the left side of his stomach and it looked pretty nasty.

"It hurts Blaine" Kurt's voice was quiet, and his breathing was more apparent, as if every breath was using up a huge amount of energy. Kurt's eyes flickered upwards, not wanting to look downward, staring at Blaine as if he were the only person there.

"I know it does, I know, someone call an ambulance"

"I've already done it" Rosie sniffed, watching them from a few feet away, tears streaking her cheeks.

"You can't leave me now Kurt, please, hold on, please" Blaine said, one hand was fisting in Kurt's hair and the other was stroking Kurt's cheek, wiping away the few single tears there.

"I'm trying Blaine. Did they get him?" Kurt said, struggling to speak, his chest falling and rising quickly.

Blaine glanced upwards to where Ryan was being held by two police officers, handcuffed and looking rather pissed off. Not because he had practically murdered someone, but because he had been caught.

"They got him. He's not gonna hurt anyone else" Blaine said, trying to smile but watching Kurt in pain was killing him too.

Kurt shifted and cried out in pain, his hands flying to the wound and pressing down hard on it. Pressure was meant to be put on the wound. He remembered that vaguely from first aid training. Blaine saw what he was doing and reached his hand down and linked it with Kurt's and pressed down. Kurt winced.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry" Blaine murmured.

"Blaine, I was trying to tell you something earlier" Kurt said, quietly.

"Don't say it. Tell me later. You're gonna be fine okay, fine!" Blaine almost shouted, trying to convince himself as well as Kurt.

"I might not be. Blaine, I'm struggling to even see you right now, everything is flashing black so let me say this"

"Hold on Kurt, please, for me, do it for me" Blaine pleaded.

"I was trying to tell …you…that I" Kurt was clearly fighting consciousness and he swallowed.

"That I love you Blaine. I do" he breathed out finally. Blaine's face crumpled with more tears and replied "I love you too Kurt. You're gonna be fine. We have to go on that date remember?" Blaine sighed and leant downwards to kiss Kurt's forehead.

Blaine could hear sirens from somewhere. "You're gonna be fine Kurt okay?" he looked back to Kurt and his eyes were shut. "Kurt, no, wake up!"

The next hour was a blur. Paramedics ran over and bundled Kurt into an ambulance. Blaine vaguely remembered Rosie's arms around his waist and someone else telling him "Don't worry son". Probably Hank.

All he could think about was the fact that the man he loved was somewhere in hospital, possibly dying and he wasn't there.

"Can someone take me to the hospital?" Blaine sniffed and wiped his eyes.

"I'll take him" Leanne stepped forward; her own eyes were slightly red and puffy. "Come on sweetie" she put a motherly arm around his shoulders and helped him walk.

"We'll meet you guys there soon" Hank said, patting Blaine on the shoulder.

Blaine was pacing up and down the hospital corridor. He couldn't sit still; he couldn't drink the coffee Leanne bought him, he couldn't think about anything than Kurt.

The doctor had informed him that Kurt was in surgery right now and his family had been contacted. A police officer had also told him that Ryan was very likely to be put on trial and in jail soon, and that Blaine's own family were on their way. Even Cooper, who had dropped filming his new TV show to come to Blaine.

"Sweetie, please eat something, you're worrying me" Leanne said calmly forcing a bagel into Blaine's hand.

"I'm worrying you because I haven't eaten in a few hours and Kurt is in there with a bullet wound?" he said defensively pointing down the corridor.

"Eat" she said, walking away. She knew he didn't mean it, he was scared. She heard a feeble "thank you" and the sound of rustling paper bag.

He bit into the bagel when he saw the only other person he wanted to see aside from Kurt at that moment. His mother.

She was running down the corridor towards him, her face makeup less, her black curly hair tied back, Her arms outstretched. He got up and left the bagel on his seat. "Mommy!" he cried, hugging her tightly. He began crying into her shoulder and she into his.

"Baby, are you okay? Are you hurt?" she pulled back holding his face in her hands.

"I'm fine. I'm fine, it's Kurt we need to worry about"

"Blaine!" a male voice shouted and Blaine soon found his face being pushed against his brother's designer leather jacket, the smell of his aftershave filling Blaine's nostril. It was oddly comforting.

"Hey Coop"

"How is Kurt? Is he okay?" his mom asked quietly. Blaine shrugged.

"I don't know. He's in surgery right now. It was bad. He passed out in my arms" Blaine said, his eyes becoming distant as images of a dying Kurt passed through his head.

"Come on. What happened to my positive, charming son?" she said, squeezing his cheek.

"He fell in love"

"Love? Really? You love this guy?" Cooper asked, surprise in his voice.

"Yep" Blaine smiled the tiniest bit.

Blaine noted another group of people wandering up the corridor. Narrowing his eyes, he recognised the smaller girl as Rachel Berry, Kurt's friend. Clearly she recognised him too as she tapped the older man on the shoulder and pointed in his direction.

Blaine swallowed. This was not exactly how he imagined meeting Kurt's family properly. "H-hello Mr Hummel" Blaine said, debating with himself whether or not to shake the man's hand.

"Cut the Mr crap, it's Burt. Where's my son?" the man asked urgently.

"He's in surgery. I take it the police told you what happened?" Blaine asked nervously.

"Yeah they told me" Burt sighed and rubbed his temples. "Guess we're just gonna have to wait" The shorter woman next to him put an arm around Burt's waist and squeezed as she held her other hand out to Blaine "I'm Carole, Kurt's stepmother. This is my son Finn and his girlfriend Rachel" she said kindly, giving Blaine a warm smile.

"Blaine" he replied. "That's my brother Cooper and my mother Rebecca" Both smiled and waved briefly. Finn shook Blaine's hand and Rachel smiled wanly; her eyes were wavering with tears.

Leanne got up from her seat and walked over to the families, introducing herself. Rebecca got up and hugged the woman, whispering to her "Thank you for looking after my boy" Leanne patted her back comfortingly "It's alright. He's a good man. You brought him up well"

45 minutes later and Blaine was finding he got on with Kurt's family pretty well. Although they were all sick with worry, he found Finn and Rachel were really nice people. Burt had been silent for most of the time but every now and again, Blaine caught his eye and the man smiled as strongly as he could back at him.

Suddenly a doctor headed towards them and all of them jumped up at once. The doctor was a little shocked to see ten people staring back at him, all watching him with baited breath but he finally said the words they had all been longing to hear.

"He's gonna be okay" – a massive sigh of relief fell on the room – "He's weak, he's very likely gonna be in pain for a few weeks and he's gonna have a pretty nasty scar. But he's alive and that's all that matters"

"Of course. Can I see him?" Burt asked quickly. The doctor glanced at Blaine quickly, considering it had been him who had gotten there first. But Blaine nodded and stepped backwards, albeit reluctantly.

"Certainly, you are his father I presume?" the doctor said as Burt, Carole and Finn followed him down the corridor.

"Are you not going?" Blaine asked Rachel frowning.

"I'm not family. They won't let me in until later" she said, smiling weakly.

"Oh" Blaine's reply was simple.

Rachel looked at Blaine and said "You really love him don't you?"

Blaine looked up at her in surprise but nodded.

"He needs someone like you. You'll be good together. You were all he could talk about on that phone call, you know"

"Really?" Blaine said, his eyes glinting with happiness for a second.

Rachel rolled her eyes and sat down on one of the plastic chairs. Blaine sat next to her.

"You know I really enjoyed your performance when I saw you in Wicked. You have an incredible voice" Blaine said quietly.

"This could be the start of a beautiful friendship" Rachel laughed.

Finn returned for a second and beckoned Rachel. "He wants to talk to you"

Rachel glanced back at Blaine. "You gonna be okay?"

"I'll be fine. He needs you guys right now, not me" Blaine said, a little sadly.

"He does need you" Rachel said, squeezing Blaine's shoulder.

For what felt like the longest ten minutes of Blaine's life, he sat alone. The Saunders family had gone to the hospital canteen and his own family had joined them.

He thought about how strangely happy he felt. Kurt was alive and was going to be okay. He hadn't known the man long but he knew his feelings were true. He felt like he had known Kurt an entire lifetime. He felt that Kurt was the part of him he had been looking for all this time. He was going to spend the rest of his life with this man.

There was a polite cough and Blaine looked up to find the Hummel-Hudson clan staring down at him. "He wants to see you" Burt said. Blaine smiled and got up to walk away but Burt clapped his shoulder to stop him a second.

"He mentioned you two had something going on. Now you seem like a nice guy Blaine and if you make him happy then that's fine, but he's been hurt before. You hurt him, you have me to answer to, okay?" Burt said, his eyes fixed firmly on Blaine's face.

Blaine nodded. "Understood sir. Don't worry, I would have to die before any hurt got to him"

Burt grinned. "Okay then. Be careful, he's a bit sore and very tired. You know Kurt, he's not at his best when grumpy"

Blaine bit his lip nervously before pushing open the door to Kurt's room.

"Blaine!" Kurt said cheerily but quietly. He was sat up in bed, his hair messed up, his skin paler than normal. He was smiling though.

"Hi" Blaine replied, sitting on the chair next to the bed and pulling Kurt's hand straight into his. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired, everything aches but I'm alive"

"And that means everything to me" Blaine smiled at him. "Is it…bad?" Blaine gestured anxiously to Kurt's stomach.

"It's not pretty" Kurt sighed, using his free hand to rub his forehead.

"Can I see it?" Blaine asked. Kurt blinked a couple of times but without looking himself, slowly he pulled up the corner of his hospital gown. Revealing a red and nasty scar about 19 cm long around Kurt's side, it was deep but it would fade a bit over time. Blaine ran his fingers over it gently and very softly but even still Kurt winced. "I'm sorry!" Blaine cried, withdrawing his hand.

"It's alright. It's just sore" Kurt covered up his stomach again.

"You're still the most beautiful guy in the world" Blaine said, his eyes flickering to Kurt's lips.

"Even though I'm scarred for life?" Kurt grinned, tilting his chin upwards as Blaine leaned inwards.

"Even though" Blaine chuckled before kissing Kurt firmly but sweetly. They both needed the kiss – to know that the other was there and alive and their heart was beating. Kurt brought up a hand to hold Blaine's cheek and he stroked it gently with his thumb. Blaine pressed further forward, his tongue forcing Kurt's lips to part as he deepened the kiss, his hand moving to Kurt's opposite side on the bed. "Owww" Kurt murmured.

Blaine pulled back quickly, "Sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you! Again!"

"I don't care, come here" Kurt grabbed Blaine's face in his hands and kissed him once more. Resting their heads together, Kurt whispered "Did you mean it?" Blaine looked deep into his eyes. Those gorgeous green-blue eyes and replied "I've never been more sure of anything"

"Say it again"

"I love you Kurt Hummel" Blaine kissed his nose. Kurt smiled.

"Blaine Anderson. Will you do me the honour of being my boyfriend?"

"Nothing would make me happier" They shared a mutual smile, full of love and hope for the future.

There wasn't any more talking for a while.