Blaine watched as the sun came up and started making its way across the sky. Twelve hours. That's how long it had been since he'd found Kurt. He hadn't been able to see him again, though they did say he was awake now. Kurt had asked for no visitors, even Blaine. Blaine had no idea how to feel about that, but whatever it took for Kurt to get better is what he would do. He remembered promising himself that if leaving was what Kurt needed, then he would. But, god, he hoped that wasn't what was going to happen. Juliet was in with him now. She'd been able to get in based on being his therapist. Blaine didn't know if she would be able to or willing to share anything with Blaine, but he was hoping for some kind of news.

Jason and Colton had gone back to the dorms. The police had given the okay for the room to be cleaned. The school paid for professionals to go in and Jason and Colton would make sure everything came out okay. He was beyond grateful for their presence. They seemed to know when Blaine needed to talk and when he needed silence, which was more often than not. Wes had stopped by at one point to deliver food to the three of them. He had already talked to the administration and got Kurt and Blaine excused for two full weeks from their classes. Their homework would be delivered by various classmates and they were expected to keep up.

"Blaine?"

He turned and saw Juliet standing there, a compassionate smile on her face. Standing, he motioned to the chair next to him and they sat down.

"How is he?" Blaine asked.

Juliet saw the desperation in the young man's eyes. He really loved Kurt, the kind of love that could survive something this devastating. "Well, physically, he is going to be fine. His blood levels are all back to where they need to be. They will keep giving him vitamins and nutrients in the IV, but other than that, his wrists will heal just fine."

Blaine seemed to collapse with relief, slumping into his chair. "Thank god," he muttered.

"Kurt asked me to talk to you about some things," Juliet said and saw Blaine sit back up, completely alert, worry in his golden eyes.

"Will he see me?" Blaine needed to know.

"Not yet. He wanted me to talk to you first. What do you know about what happened to him that night?"

Blaine thought for a moment and shrugged. "I ran into Sebastian in the hall and he had blood on his face. He said he'd seen Kurt and roughed him up and that he'd left razors behind in the room. Wait, no, he said Kurt liked it rough... oh sweet Jesus," he said, his face going pale with shock. "I never even put that together. Did he? Was Kurt?" He couldn't even say the words. Had his love been violated?

"He wasn't raped, no. He was sexually violated. The perpetrator was preparing him to be raped, I guess would be the delicate way to put it," she said, her own cheeks pale. "But Kurt was able to fight him off. I guess he punched him and clawed his way free. The perpetrator called him names and tormented him pretty bad, bringing up the cutting and the feelings behind it. That and the fact that he'd already been having a bad day resulted in Kurt feeling he had no other choice but to take his life. He thought he was too dirty for anyone to care about him anymore."

"Kurt," Blaine whispered, tears streaming unashamedly down his face. What his love must have been through. Sebastian's filthy fingers had touched the body he loved, the body he'd spent hours worshiping and loving and giving pleasure to. His hands tightened into fists, wishing he had Sebastian in front of him so he could kill him. Then he'd revive him only long enough to kill him again.

"He knows it's not his fault, doesn't he?" Blaine asked, turning his wet eyes to Juliet.

"I think he does. That's why he wanted me to talk to you. I think it's your opinion that matters the most to him right now," Juliet said gently. "He is afraid you will be ashamed of him or think he was at fault or that he led the perpetrator on. These are all very common thoughts in sexual abuse cases."

Blaine sobbed into his hands, unable to keep it inside, an anguished moan escaping him. He felt Juliet's comforting hand on his back. He cried for Kurt, for losing that safety that all people had a right to, the safety of knowing their body is theirs and theirs alone. He cried for Kurt thinking he needed to worry about what Blaine would think. As if he could feel anything except compassion and love for what Kurt had been through.

"Of course I don't blame him. If anything, I'm at fault for not being there to protect him," Blaine said brokenly. "I should have left dinner earlier, been there for him. But I wasn't." More wracking sobs consumed him. He'd never felt such guilt.

"Blaine, look at me. Come on," she said, taking his chin. Her brown eyes were warm and sincere. "The only person to blame for any of this is the perpetrator. You couldn't have predicted this would happen anymore than Kurt could have. Kurt actually says you did save him by teaching him self-defense. He says without that, he wouldn't have gotten away when he did. You saved his life in two ways, Blaine. Keeping him from getting raped and bringing him back when his heart stopped. You are his hero," she said, a small smile on her face.

"Could you, could you please tell him, I don't blame him. I would never, could never, fault him for any of this. I just want to love him, to take care of him and help him be happy again, if that's possible," Blaine said, his voice strong and sure.

"Of course it's possible," she said, patting him on the knee. "Kurt asked me to be the judge of how I thought you feel towards him. I know now you should be with him. You two can heal each other. I'll let him know that you can come in, oh!"

Blaine had wrapped his arms around her, muttering 'thank you' over and over under his breath. Finally he freed her, his eyes shining with emotion. "Thank you so much, Juliet. Thank you for being there for him."

"I am so glad I can be. Now, Kurt will be eligible to be checked out on Tuesday, if I give the okay, which I will decide on at the time. I would like him to be checked out under someone's care. Namely yours, if you are up to it. He shouldn't be alone for the first few days. The stress and trauma could hit him at any time and he will need someone who cares to be there for him. I also think he would do best in a room that isn't the one he was attacked in. Do you think you are up to it?"

Blaine was already nodding. "I will do anything and everything I can to help him," he said, already thinking of ways to make it happen.

"Okay, let me go talk to Kurt and then I'm sure you'll be able to see him," she said standing.

He stood and offered his hand, shaking hers gently but firmly. "Thank you so much. I'll be right here," he assured her.

"I figured you would be," she said with a smile.

Blaine was on the phone as soon as she turned away. "Colton, it's Blaine. Hey, you still have no roommate, right?"

"Yeah, why?" Colton asked.

"Juliet is going to release Kurt to me when he gets out on Tuesday. He shouldn't have to go back to the room where... everything happened. What do you say to a room swap? You can stay with Jason and Kurt and I can move into your room? Just until..."

"Okay."

Blaine's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Okay? Just like that?"

"Of course. Anything I can do to help Kurt. Of course, I'm kind of winning in the bargain too," Colton said, his voice shy on the phone.

"That's great. Thank you. Do you think you and Jason would mind moving Kurt's stuff?"

"Sure. Do you want us to get Wes to help move your stuff, too?" Colton replied.

"Uh, yeah, that would be great. Thank you," Blaine said, surprised at the offer.

"No problem. We'll bring you dinner tonight, too, Jason says. So, we'll see you around six, okay?"

"Yeah, sounds good. Give Jason and Wes my thanks as well," Blaine said, and they hung up. Blaine hadn't had many close friends in his life, but he was realizing that he had several now. They didn't even blink at setting aside their lives to help him and Kurt. Now everything would be perfect. He would be able to keep an eye on Kurt and be right there if he needed anything.

Juliet came around the corner, a smile lighting her features. "Kurt would love to see you now, Blaine."

Blaine ran up to her and grabbed her in another hug, before they turned back the way she'd come. "Thank you so much. And I already arranged for Kurt and I to have a room of our own. Our friends will have his stuff moved over by the time he's ready to get checked out."

"Great! That will do him good," Juliet said. "Now, he's still weak and may fall asleep. But he's okay to have you stay until visiting hours are over, if he is up to it. Just respect his wishes, even if it seems odd. If he wants to be alone, give him that space."

Blaine nodded along with her. "Of course. Anything he needs."

"I know you'll do well together," Juliet said, and motioned to a room that had a large window.

Blaine knew it was so people could keep an eye on Kurt all the time. He figured it probably drove Kurt nuts, knowing what a private person he usually was.

Not moving forward, he was suddenly filled with fear. What did he say? What if he said the wrong thing?

Juliet nudged him forward. "You'll do fine. Just love him. Talk to each other, make sure he knows you are in this together."

Blaine nodded and walked forward to the door. He turned and Juliet waved before walking back down the hall. Opening the door, he fought down the butterflies in his stomach and peeked his head in. Kurt was sitting up, pale and so fragile looking. Blaine smiled, joy at seeing him with his eyes open, filling his heart.

"Hey, baby," he said softly.

"Hi, Blaine," Kurt said shyly, playing with the cord attached to his finger to track his pulse.

"Can I come in?" he wanted Kurt to always have the choice to say no.

"I'd like that," he replied, a small smile on his face.

Blaine walked in and pulled a chair near the bed, but not too close. "I hear you are doing pretty good for the most part," he said casually.

"I guess so. The doc said I have to keep the bandages on until the stitches come out," Kurt said, holding his hands up to reveal the bandages that went from around his hands to his elbows.

"We'll just have to find some extra long gloves for you," Blaine said with a smile that Kurt returned hesitantly. Even as pale as he was, he was breathtakingly beautiful, his eyes gray-green in the bright light of the room.

"I'm sure I have some somewhere," Kurt mused. "Blaine?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are you sitting so far away?" Kurt asked, his head down again.

Blaine immediately scooted closer to the bed, holding a hand out to his boyfriend. "I just didn't want to crowd you. My first impulse is to jump on the bed and cuddle you, but I didn't want to freak you out," he said with a grin, hoping Kurt knew he wasn't staying away for a negative reason.

"I think the nurses might have a problem with that," he said, a weak laugh escaping him. He hesitantly slid his hand over Blaine's, sighing as Blaine wrapped their fingers together. "Your hand is really warm. I can't seem to get warm enough."

"Do you want me to find you an extra blanket?" Blaine asked, already looking around.

"Would you mind? The nurses have heated blankets," Kurt said softly.

"Of course, give me a minute," Blaine said, lightly brushing his lips along Kurt's hand, seeing the pink blush appear on his face. Lord, he hoped that hadn't been over the line. Judging by Kurt's small smile, it was okay.

He hurried into the hall and talked to a nurse. Coming back in the room a moment later, Kurt's eyes widened. "What did you do, take them all?"

Blaine shrugged. "I can't help it, she left to go help somebody. All these were just sitting there," he said, nodding to the tall stack of blankets in his arms. Within minutes, he had Kurt wrapped up like a human burrito, enjoying his sighs of bliss.

"This feels amazing. I feel like I haven't been warm in a week. Thank you," Kurt said, closing his eyes.

"Anything I can do, I will," Blaine said fervently, taking Kurt's hand under the blanket he'd piled on him. Kurt looked over to him. "Anything," Blaine said.

"Thank you," Kurt murmured. "I guess I have a lot to thank you for."

"Don't worry about any of that," Blaine responded, shaking his head. "I love you and I am here to do anything and be anything for you. I'm not going anywhere." Then he remembered Juliet saying to let him talk if he wanted. Shit. "But you know, if you want to talk, I'm here to listen as well."

"Well, I just wanted to thank you for saving my life. I, um, am really glad I'm not," Kurt's voice trailed off.

Blaine cleared his throat and gave Kurt's hand a light squeeze. "Me too, babe. Me too. And you are welcome."

"I love you, Blaine. I need you to know that when I did want to die, in those horrible minutes, the thing I regretted the most was losing you. Losing out on the chance to love you and be with you," Kurt said quietly.

Taking a deep breath, Blaine nodded. "I love you, too. And selfishly, I'm glad you are here to let me keep loving you as long as you'll have me."

"Even if that's forever?" Kurt said, a twinkle in his eyes.

"Especially if it's forever," Blaine said with a grin that he was glad to see Kurt return.

. . . . .

Blaine said goodnight to Kurt, promising to be back as soon as they'd let him in the door. Kurt had asked for a goodbye kiss and it had been so sweet and soft. As he walked out the door, Blaine realized he was shaking. The last time he'd touched those lips, he'd been trying to breathe life into them. Now his lips were alive and his forever. He hoped. His phone beeped and he checked the text message.

The package is ready for delivery.

Blaine left the warm thoughts of Kurt's lips behind. His face darkened into an expression nobody would have recognized. He quickly texted back, his long stride taking him to the elevator.

I'm on my way.