“Come on, Blaine. Take the shot,” Jesse’s voice was hot and heavy in his ear, his breath against his ear in hot, moist puffs. Blaine shuddered as it sunk in that it was his horrible ex-boyfriend who was shamelessly grinding a half-hard erection into his ass. He pushed back, making Jesse stumble and drop the shot glass. Blaine felt hands on him, touching him all over and his clouded mind had enough sense to tell him that maybe this wasn’t such good idea. Maybe he should go find Kurt and get out.

Blaine looked over to wear he knew Kurt was sitting by the bar, and as his vision blurred, then focused, he realized Kurt wasn’t there anymore. Sticking out a hand, he pushed Jesse away and stumbled through the crowd.

“Blaine, where are you going?” Jesse grabbed his arm and whined in his ear.

“Kur-…” Blaine stumbled and ripped his arm from Jesse’s grip. Before he knew it, he was leaning against the bar, looking both directions with a dazed look on his face.

“Can I help you?” The bartender was there, in front of him, there looked like there was two of him. Maybe it was twins. Twin bartenders. Twin gay bartenders. The thought made Blaine laughed, but then he remembered.

“Kur-rt.” Blaine managed to say, pointing at the empty glass still sitting on the counter. The bartender looked at him quizzically, then set down the glass he’d been cleaning.

“That little twink with the high voice?” he asked. Blaine narrowed his eyes and swayed back, looking at the bartender in what was meant to be an offended way.

“Notta twink. He’sha man. Myyy man.” Blaine jabbed a finger at the guy’s chest, but his slightly blurred vision miscalculated the distance and his hand fell to the bar. He looked down at it and giggled a bit before looking back up.

“Well, your man just went to the back room with some big nasty lookin’ fellow. A real creeper. Was watching him all night long and the next thing I know they’re heading that way all up on each other.” the bartender said. He pointed towards the end of the bar, where past them was thick purple curtain that blocked off a hallway. Blaine looked over at it, studying it for a moment, trying to figure out what it meant.

And when the realization hit him, it was as though a tidal wave of instant sobriety had washed over him. He stood up straight and gripped the bar to steady himself. One of his fists clenched and he found himself striding toward that curtain without only one thought on his mind. Before he realized it, he was standing in front of the curtain, pushing it aside and heading down the dark hallway.

He burst into the first room. Guy giving a blow job. Not Kurt.

The second room yielded an enthusiastic threesome. Still not Kurt.

In the third room were two guys making out against the wall. Neither of them were Kurt.

“Kur-urt?” Blaine fell into the fourth room, finding it empty. “Fuck!” He kicked the door and winced, limping and swaying into the fifth room.

There was Kurt. He was lying on the bed, his eyes closed, his body limp, and his shirt undone. Blaine stumbled toward him, thankful he found him before anything bad happened. He stepped towards the bed, reaching out to Kurt, when suddenly, something collided with the back of his head, pitching him forward and sending him into a realm of darkness.

. ~ . ~ .

Blaine awakened just a few minutes later, sitting against the wall on the far side of the room, looking at the bed where Kurt was stilly motionless. His head hurt something terrible, but he blinked and tried to push past it. Kurt was more important than his pain. He blinked and tried to move, but found his hands and feet were tied. When he heard movement, he froze and glanced over to see a large figure enter the room. Relaxing, he pretended to be asleep, squinting his eyes and watching the large man.

The bed squeaked under the man’s weight and Blaine heard the clink of a metal belt buckle being undone. He felt anger and fear boiling through his body. His heart stopped for a moment in his chest when he heard the man speak.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said to Kurt. Blaine could barely see him caressing Kurt’s face lightly. “I missed you so much, Kurt. I know you’ve had to suffer through the pain that ridiculous little hobbit has caused you, but Davey’s here now. Davey’s here to protect you and love you just like you deserve.”

Blaine clenched his fists in an effort to keep quiet. He knew what was happening. He may have been drunk and slightly out of it but he knew that was David Karofsky on that bed with Kurt and he knew this wouldn’t end well unless he did something to help the man he loved. His stomach twisted as Dave continued to speak.

“You’re gorgeous. Your beautiful, pale body. You’re like an angel. A beautiful, perfect angel that deserves the touch of someone who loves you, not just someone who wants you.” Dave was now moving his hands other places, places Blaine couldn’t see but guessed were places only Blaine was allowed to touch.

“I’m going to make love to you, Kurt, just like we always talked about. I’m going to hold you and kiss you and make love to you.” Dave continued to speak as he caressed his hands along Kurt’s hip, his hand making its way to the button of Kurt’s jeans.

Dave kept muttered how much he “loved” Kurt and how delicious Kurt’s body looked or something of the like, and as he was distracted, Blaine slowly, carefully, quietly moved to crawl to his feet. Dave, in his haste to satisfy his lust and have Kurt to himself, had tied Blaine’s hands in front of him. He’d undone the belt around his ankles and he crept over to where Dave was kneeling above Kurt. Without saying anything or making a sound, Blaine raised his arms up in the air, then brought his elbows down hard on based of his neck.

Too stunned to even cry out in pain, Dave just froze. Blaine grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him off the bed with strength he didn’t know he possessed. He shoved Dave to the floor and kicked him hard in the side. In a sudden mad rush of anger, he stood over Dave, then grabbed the man by his hair, pulling his head up, then slamming it hard into the floor, effectively knocking him out.

The room was silent for a moment as Blaine stared down at Dave, then he hurried to the bed where Kurt was lying. He knelt beside him, panicking slightly as his adrenaline rush began to fade. He didn’t know what to do. Confused and still quite intoxicated, Blaine looked stupidly at his hands, then struggled against the tie – Kurt’s tie – that bound them together. He let out a pathetic cry of frustration as his struggles proved futile.

Struggling against the bond, he tipped himself backwards and he went tumbling off the bed. Crying out again, he scrambled back onto the bed, pounding his hands against the mattress, as if that would help his predicament. He tugged and tugged until a sharp pain in his wrist told him that maybe that wasn’t such a good idea. He remembered Kurt beside him and turned towards him, his alcohol impaired vision making him see two of Kurt. The eyes of both Kurts were closed and Blaine began to panic a bit.

“Kur?!” Blaine said, his voice high and whiny like a child’s. “Wake up Kur…” He grasped Kurt’s open shirt in his hands and shook him a bit. His head pounded and he knew he had to do something…that he should call someone…but he didn’t know who to call or where a phone was or how to move his legs and his head hurt so bad and Kurt was just lying there.

“Kur!” Blaine shook him, crying and muttering please and wanting to do something but when he moved he realized his hands were still tied together and he pounded them against the bed, screaming a bit in frustration. He tugged and tugged and his hands still weren’t coming loose and the fabric was beginning to bite into his skin. It hurt and that sudden realization stunned Blaine, then he remembered Kurt and how he was supposed to do something and crying out once more, he slammed his hands down on the little table beside the bed, sobbing again at the shooting pain, but gladly willing to cut them both off if it meant freeing them and carrying Kurt outside where someone would know what to do to help him.

Then a little moan beside him made him freeze, tears rolling down his cheeks. He slowly turned his head towards Kurt, who’s eyes were half open, looking up at him. Kurt let out a low groan before squeezing his eyes shut again.

“Kur-rt?” Blaine said, scrambling to kneel beside Kurt, hovering over him. “Shh-tay Kur…don know whato do.” Blaine whimpered and tried to focus, trying to sober up, but he felt like the alcohol was still just sinking in and now he was getting drunker by the second which sucked because Kurt needed him.

“Blaine?” Kurt whimpered, one eye opening to look up at him.

“Pleash you gottashh-tay!” Blaine helplessly held up his hands. Kurt let out a groan and slowly raised an arm. He grasped Blaine’s hands and pulled them down. His breathing shallow and his mind on the precipice between conscious states, he tugged on the knot and the fabric fell off easily, then his hand fell onto his chest with a thud and he was out again.

Now with his hands free, Blaine finally remembered his cellphone in his pocket. He pulled it out and fumbled with it, concentrating on the touch screen as he tried to tap out his password. After four tries, he managed to get the password in and he tried to find the button to bring up the phone. When he finally did, he typed in 9-1-1 and reached for one of Kurt’s hands, squeezing it tightly.

“9-1-1 please state your emergency.”

“’m atta bar. A gay bar,” Blaine stated.

“Sir, if this is come kind of prank…”

“No! Drugged…’m fianc� was drugged. Won’ wake up. Can’ wake hm up. Karo-sky did it. Knocked hm owww then try to save Kur…”

“Alright, sir, just calm down. I’m tracking your cellphone signal, so please stay on the line. As soon as I can tell where you are, an ambulance and a police car is on the way.”

“’m scared,” Blaine whimpered. He clutched onto Kurt’s hand, feeling fear and overwhelming disappointment in himself for letting it get like this. For letting himself get so drunk that he could let someone do this to Kurt.

“Just remain calm, sir, and stay on the line just a moment more. I almost have your location.”

Blaine didn’t respond. He just squeezed the phone in one hand and Kurt’s hand in the other. Help was coming. Soon. A sudden wave of sleepiness hit him and he sunk into the dirty old mattress, laying his head on Kurt’s chest. The phone fell from his hand and his eyes drifted closed.

. ~ . ~ .

When Kurt woke up, the first thing he saw was the white ceiling above him. He blinked and groaned as his head pounded like a mallet was trying to bust through his skull from the inside out. He turned to the side and blinked a few times until his surroundings began to register. First it was a steady beeping sound, and then it was the machines around him and the needle in his veins. Then, his eyes settled on Blaine, curled up in one of those uncomfortable hospital chairs, wearing a pair of blue scrub pants and a hospital gown. He seemed to be asleep, until he sensed Kurt’s eyes on him.

“Blaine?” Kurt whimpered slightly, one of his hands reaching out to him. Blaine began to stir and then slowly sit up, as though all of his limbs ached.

“Hey,” Blaine said, his voice kind of hoarse.

“Why are you…” Kurt trailed off and pointed to Blaine’s attire. Blaine looked down and picked at the gown.

“I’m supposed to be in my own room, but I’d rather be here,” Blaine said. He shrugged a bit and moved closer to Kurt’s bed, taking his hand. “Alcohol poisoning and a small concussion. I had to get my stomach pumped and all that jazz.”

“Blaine…” Kurt squeezed his hand. “What…what happened? I…I remember watching you dance and then it’s all…”

“I don’t really remember much. I just know I was dancing one minute and the next, here I was. The doctors say you were drugged and the police…well…they said that apparently I called 911 and when they got there we were both passed on a bed and…Dave Karofsky was on the floor,” Blaine explained as much as he knew.

Kurt looked up at him with wide, fearful eyes. “D-Dave? How?”

“He got out on good behavior. But one of the conditions of his parole was he had to stay so far away from you. Twice the restraining order or whatever. Obviously he didn’t do that, so he’s back in jail for a very long time,” Blaine said. “Probably with no possibility of parole this time.”

Kurt was silent for a moment as he looked away, trying to remember what had happened the night before. Nothing seemed to be coming to him. He felt his hospital bed dip as Blaine sat beside him.

“I’m so sorry, Kurt. So sorry. If I hadn’t insisted on going to that awful bar none of this would’ve happened. You don’t have to forgive me, ever, but I never meant to put you in a situation where you’re get hurt. And I’m going to do everything, everything in my power, hire all the best lawyers and everything to make sure that asshole Karofsky never comes near you ever again.” Blaine squeezed his hand and brought it up to kiss his knuckles softly.

“Did he…” Kurt paused to clear his throat and glance up at his fianc�. “Did he do anything?”

Blaine shook his head quickly. “No…no, they examined you and they said there wasn’t any evidence of…you know…”

Kurt nodded in understanding. He looked up at Blaine and spoke again, his voice coming out in a broken little whisper that made Blaine’s heart twist in his chest. “You’re the only man who’s ever done anything to me, and it scares me that someone, that Dave could get to me so easily like that. I thought I never had to worry about him before.”

“Well you weren’t supposed to have to worry about him. I don’t know what went wrong.” Blaine rubbed his thumb over the top of Kurt’s hand. “I love you, though, and I…I thank you for letting me be that one and I love you so much.”

Kurt just nodded and looked away from Blaine. “I’m scared now.”

“I know,” Blaine whispered. “I know. But I’m gonna keep you safe, ok? Always. I promise you from now on, no one will ever hurt you.”

Biting his lip, Kurt looked up at him and nodded. Blaine could see in his eyes that he didn’t quite believe it.

Episode Eight: One More Round
Scene 1

(EXT. Prison yard. Circles around the tall chain link fence with curled barbed wire on the top, then focuses in on a group of inmates in one part of the yard lifting weights, most of them with their orange jumpsuits around their waists, their torsos either shirtless or covered in a white t-shirts. Focus on Darren on the bench, his white shirt damp with sweat and his more defined arms working as he benches weights. He grits his teeth as he pushes himself, beads of sweat rolling from his forehead, and his hair longer and damp with sweat.)

GUARD
Alright, ladies, times up. Time to head inside.

(Darren puts the weights up and sits up, grabbing a towel from by his feet and wiping his face off. He stands and drapes the towel around his neck, then he walks towards where the rest of the inmates are gathering, ready to head in. He has a more confident walk about him, maintaining a serious, tough looking expression. His arms and chest are considerably more defined and he looks changed already.)

INMATE 1
Hey, Puppy, you lookin’ gooood.

DARREN
(turns around, fist raised) Back off, bitch.

INMATE 1
(holds hands up in defense) Alright, alright.

INMATE 2
Better watch out man, the Puppy bites!

(everyone busts out in laughter and Darren makes a face)

DARREN
Haha, very funny guys. Just be careful. Puppy really does know how to use his teeth.

(There is more laughter as they head inside.)

. ~ . ~ .

Episode Eight: One More Round
Scene 3

(INT. A perfectly pristine, clean office with off-white walls and beige furniture. Chris is sitting uncomfortably in one chair while an uptight looking older woman sits in the other.)

DR. REAGAN
Is there a particular reason you asked of your own free will to come see me?

CHRIS
(looking down at his hands folded in his lap) My boyfriend’s in jail.

DR. REAGAN
Ah, I see. That could take quite an emotional toll on someone’s life.

CHRIS
He’s accused to killing the man who almost killed me.

DR. REAGAN
(momentarily shocked) Well, I…

CHRIS
And that man almost killed me because he thinks I killed his sister, but really I just pulled the plug on her life support because she asked me to.

DR. REAGAN
That’s quite a web you’ve spun yourself.

CHRIS
And I won’t tell Darren but I’m absolutely terrified to go anywhere because I just keep imagining what happened with Charlie and how it was so easy for him to find me and stalk me and follow me into my house and beat me within an inch of my life. But I have to go out and I have to face my fears but I’m so scared and then there’s Darren who’s in fucking jail and he’s so brave and it’s all my fault that he’s there!

(Dr. Reagan waits until Chris is finished, then gives a moment of silence before she leans forwards and sets a box of tissues in front of him. He take a couple and blows his nose loudly)

DR. REAGAN
Now that it’s out, is it better?

CHRIS
(shakes his head) No. But I feel better that someone knows.

DR. REAGAN
I get the feeling we’ve only scratched the surface of your problems.

CHRIS
(laughs a little) Yeah. That’s just the last six months.

DR. REAGAN
Darren…is that your boyfriend?

CHRIS
Yeah.

DR. REAGAN
Why don’t you start by telling me how you met him?

CHRIS
I met him about a year ago. He was looking for a place to stay and he had this ad in the paper, so I called him because I had an extra room and I had just broken up with my ex-boyfriend Eddie. He came by and he had this obnoxious girlfriend he was trying to get away from. He seemed nice, so I told him he could stay if he wanted.

DR. REAGAN
Were you attracted to him when you first met him?

CHRIS
(shrugs) I found him attractive, yes. But he kept saying he was straight so I told myself I couldn’t and then I just kept getting frustrated with him because I kept trying to put these boundaries between us but he just knew how to push them.

DR. REAGAN
When did he approach you with the possibility he might not be straight?

CHRIS
He…he kissed me. One night, we were just sitting there and he just…kissed me.

DR. REAGAN
And how did you respond to that?

CHRIS
I was mad at first, then I caught him in bed with his girlfriend again so I tried to run off with my ex. That’s when Darren said he loves me.

DR. REAGAN
And you’ve been with him ever since?

CHRIS
Yeah. He’s…he’s amazing. He’s so strong. I warned him the things that come with being gay, but it doesn’t seem to matter with him. As long as he’s with me.

DR. REAGAN
But things aren’t as happy as you say they are, are they?

CHRIS
(shakes his head and sighs) No. They aren’t. I…I need him. I love him so much. But…but I don’t know if he takes it as seriously as I do. You don’t just decide you’re gay after twenty-five years of being straight. I look in his eyes and I see how much he loves me but there’s…there’s always something else. Something I don’t know if I can trust.

DR. REAGAN
I think we’ve found what we need to work on.

. ~ . ~ .

Episode Eight: One More Round
Scene 4

(INT. Living room. Chris, Ashley, Karyn, Chuck, and Darren’s parents are sitting in the couch and on chairs as Bradley stands in the living room, his laptop hooked up to the big screen TV.)

BRADLEY
I’ve done a lot of digging, and the police don’t have a case. Our evidence is solid and once I present it, they’ll know they don’t have a case.

ASHLEY
And then can Darren sue them?

BRADLEY
If that’s the course of action that Darren wants to take, then I can help him pursue it.

CHRIS
What’s the evidence?

BRADLEY
Well, after a few more conversations with Darren, I was able to track down security camera videos that place Darren at a gas station nearly twenty-five miles away from Charlie at exactly the same moment another security camera catches the two gunshots witnesses heard in the park the night Charlie died.

(He presses a button on his laptop and a black and white video of a gas station shows up. The timestamp in the corner reads 9:15 PM. Darren’s car is at a gas pump, and he comes out of the gas station with an armful of food. They watch in the video as he comically tries to open his car door without dropping it, then he gets in and a moment later, he drives away.)

BRADLEY
The next video is outside a coffee shop across the street from the park.

(He presses another button and the next video comes up, timestamp exactly the same. Charlie is seen, walking across the street with one hand in the pocket of his jacket. He stumbles across the street and disappears into the park, out of sight from the camera. A minute passes, and two quick gunshots are heard, then nothing. Bradley shuts off the video and closes his laptop. The room is filled with silence, then Chris stands.)

CHRIS
(pointing at the laptop) Is that gonna be enough to get Darren out of jail?

BRADLEY
Besides the fingerprints on the gun that was found with Charlie’s fingerprints and not Darren’s, yeah I’m pretty sure they’ve got no case and this proves it. He’ll be out by the end of next week at the latest.

CHRIS
Good.

(Chris puts his hands in his pockets and walks around the couch, then disappears in the direction of the kitchen. They’re all silent for a moment before Karyn starts to stand, but then Mama Criss stands.)

MAMA
No. You let me talk to him.

(She follows Chris and finds him outside, sitting in the grass. She picks up a chair from the patio and carries it out to sit beside him.)

MAMA
You want to tell me what you think?

CHRIS
I miss him.

MAMA
We all do.

CHRIS
It’s been two weeks. I can’t imagine how hard it must be for him.

MAMA
I tell you a little secret, ok?

CHRIS
(looks up at her and nods) Ok.

MAMA
I went to the jail and saw him.

CHRIS
You did? How was he? Is he alright? Does he miss me?

MAMA
Funny. He ask me those same questions about you.

CHRIS
So he’s ok?

MAMA
He wants to come home, but he is fine. (she lets out a sigh and leans back in the chair) He won’t be the same when he comes back, though. He used to be so fun, but he’s tougher now. I could see it in his eyes.

CHRIS
I don’t care how, we just need to get him out of there.

MAMA
I know, Chris. I know.

. ~ . ~ .

Episode Eight: One More Round
Scene 6

(INT. Jail cell. Darren is lying on his bunk, looking up. The picture of Chris is there, stuck against the metal of the upper bunk by a dried piece of gum. The top bunk shifts, and Mops jumps down and looks at Darren.)

MOPS
Puppy, you spend too much time thinking about your kitty cat.

DARREN
Fuck off.

MOPS
He’s a cutie.

DARREN
Go back to your nap, old man.

MOPS
I saw that picture when you weren’t looking. I wouldn’t mind fucking his ass.

DARREN
If you value your dick, you’ll shut the fuck up now.

MOPS
Aw, did I offend little Puppy? Well I wouldn’t mind fucking your ass either. (moves toward Darren.)

DARREN
(sits up and kicks his foot out, sending Mops stumbling back until he hit the wall) Hands off, old man. I don’t want your disease infested dick anywhere near me. Don’t play stupid, old man, I know there hasn’t been a single guy that shared a room with you that didn’t get out of here and have at least seven diseases they didn’t have before.

MOPS
You think you know everything. You don’t know nothing.

DARREN
Then why don’t you educate me?

(They stare for a long time at each other, Darren’s face cold and his body on edge, ready to fight. The old man’s shoulders slump a little and he retreats to his top bunk.)

MOPS
This isn’t over.

(Darren stays sitting up for a long while before he lays back down, his hands folded behind his head, and continues staring up at the picture.)