Carole signed off on her last patient's chart, and filed it away for when Doctor Burke made another round later in the evening. She stood up and stretched as her fellow nurses chattered around her at the nurse's station set up in the middle of the third floor. Almost everyone was sitting and catching up on various paperwork and patient- folders. For whatever reason, tonight had been very slow. Not that Carole wasn't glad for it, because that meant less people were injured or harmed in some way.

"You off for the night?" Sophie asked as Carole tugged her coat from the coat rack and pulled it on.

"I've got a group of men to get home to, and unless Kurt got home in time to cook then I'm sure Blaine and Finn are both curled up somewhere, sobbing from hunger pains," Carole said, smiling brightly at the thought of what she was going home to now.

A month ago she had been still returning to her tiny house with Finn. She'd being heading home to either cook something frozen, or to steal the last of whatever Finn had ordered for dinner. Now she went to Burt's home and spent the evenings with all four of her boys. Carole never would have imagined getting to laugh her way through making dinner with Kurt or Blaine or both of them, watching Blaine and Finn battle it out on Finn's gaming system, or curling up with Burt in his lounge chair while Blaine and Kurt fell asleep on each other and Finn texted Rachel. Some days she was almost positive the life she was living now was the dream, and that when she went to sleep at night she was actually waking up in a reality where it was just her and Finn alone.

Two of the other nurses turned and laughed at her words.

"You and Burt are so smitten– "

"It must be crazy going from having one son to three– "

"It's worth it," Carole replied, wrapping her scarf around her neck carefully and grabbing her purse. "Blaine's a very sweet boy. All of my guys are. I'll see you bright and early on Sunday!"

The other nurses waved and called out their own goodbyes for the night as she left the little station and headed towards the elevators. She'd barely made it two steps when a voice called out her name behind her.

"Carole! Wait!"

One of her closest friends and co-workers, Judy, jogged towards her. The stunned expression on the woman's face was more than enough reason for her to pause. A trickle of worry curled down her spine as she took in Judy's wide, horrified eyes and heavy breathing. Clearly, the other woman had come running from somewhere with something urgent to tell her.

"Oh, thank god, you haven't left yet. We just got a call– "

Carole's insides frosted over. There was no reason she would be singled out about a call after her shift was done unless she was in some way connected to the person or persons involved. Only something near and dear and personal would create this reaction and her immediate thought was Burt. Even though he'd been doing so well these past two weeks, there was always the chance for complications or second attacks. There was still that lingering fear in her mind that he would relapse like so many other people did after a heart attack as severe as his.

"Burt had a- another heart attack? Are they bringing him here n– "

"Carole, it's not Burt," Judy said quietly and the tears glistening in the other woman's eyes made her throat constrict at all of the sudden possibilities whirling through her mind. If it wasn't Burt... she didn't even want to think about which of her boys it was. Though really, she was almost certain she already knew the answer to her unspoken question.

"There was some type of assault over on Thomas Street," Judy said bracingly, gripping Carole's arm tightly at she wobbled on her feet. But Carole barely heard anything beyond that. Blaine's voice echoed through her head from weeks ago as she sat there and the horror seeped into her skin.

"This isn't your little fantasy world where we live happily ever after or some other bullshit, "Blaine snapped. "This is reality. This is what happens to guys like us."

"Carole?" Judy called in concern, giving her a little shake and Carole snapped out of the memory, her breathing shaky as she listened to Judy repeat everything she knew so far.

Both Kurt and Blaine had been involved, along with four other men. One of her boys had sustained serious injuries, one of the men was dead, one was in custody, and the other two had escaped for now. She could barely process the words, it almost sounded like they were flowing into her ears through a fog, coming out gargled and distorted. Her mind was blank, numb. Not her boys. After everything they'd both been through on their own, and now together, they deserved to have peace in their lives. To enjoy the happiness it had taken them both years to find.

The other nurses at the station were dividing off and preparing to meet the ambulance at the entrance as Judy ushered her over to her desk chair and sat her down.

"Shh, sit down, Carole," Judy said soothingly and it was only when the other woman handed her a tissue that she realized she was crying. This couldn't be happening, there was no way this was real. The world wouldn't let those bastards win and destroy the first good thing Blaine had had in years, or the boy Kurt had been hoping and dreaming of for just as long. Not when they'd both fought so hard just to make it this far. There was no way it could all just come crashing down to turn into dust and vanish into the air like nothing had ever happened. It just couldn't.

"I need to go meet them," she said slowly. She closed her eyes briefly and let her training and years of experience kick in as she wiped her eyes and stood up.

"Carole– "

"I have to be there for him," Carole insisted, and which him it was that wouldn't be strapped to a gurney when they passed through those doors wasn't something she ever wished to find out. That didn't change the fact that in less than ten minutes she would. "Did they say who was badly hurt?"

"No. One with serious injuries to his head and chest, and the other with a few lacerations and a possible fractured clavicle."

Carole took a steadying breath and squared her shoulders. First, she was going to help her boy, get him some x-rays, and calm him down. Once she knew more details about the second one's condition, she'd call Burt. It felt like a dagger had sliced through her stomach at the thought. What if it was Kurt? Burt would be devastated as soon as he heard, might even have another heart attack for all she knew. He probably wouldn't fair much better if it was Blaine being wheeled into the hospital. As awkward as some of his interactions with Blaine were, she could tell how attached he'd already become.

God, this was too much and too horrible to fully process. She quickly followed Judy to the elevator and down to the Emergency Room entrance. As soon as they passed through the electronically locked door into the entry way she could see the ambulance, the siren off, but the lights still flashing. There was a rush of EMTs hopping out and pulling the back doors open. Two of them leapt in, and a moment later one returned, practically hauling Kurt out of the ambulance. She didn't even want to think about what that meant for Blaine.

"Blaine– no! He needs me!"

Carole rushed through the doors ahead of the rest of her colleagues as Kurt, his right arm in a sling, tried to fight out of the EMT's hold in order to climb back into the ambulance.

"Kurt, sweetheart, it's Carole," Carole took hold of his uninjured arm and cupped his face to make him look at her. "You need to let them do their jobs so they can help Blaine."

"I– I– " Kurt stammered, his eyes wild as tears streamed down his face. Two EMTs hopped out of the back as a gurney was pulled to the edge. Carole could just see Blaine's form strapped down to the stretcher as they unlocked the wheels, pulled them down and rolled him quickly towards the doors as the doctors and nurses surrounded them, shouting directions and necessities as one of the EMTs explained what they'd deduced on the ride over.

As she held onto Kurt's shaking body, the rest of them rushed past except for Judy, who stayed with her and Kurt. Another ambulance pulled up behind the first, but the lights were off. A police car pulled up behind it and she knew immediately that whoever was in the back was already gone. The vindictive part of her sincerely hoped it was one of the assholes who had done this, but she didn't have time to dwell on it.

"Carole, let's get Kurt upstairs for a few x-rays, okay?" Judy encouraged gently.

Carole let her gaze return to Kurt's tear streaked face as she slid an arm around his waist. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's get you checked out."

"But Blaine," Kurt choked out. "Is he– what's going– he's going to be all right, isn't he, Carole?"

"We'll find out once we get you patched up," she told him as they headed back through the doors and to the elevator.

She held him tightly as they headed up to the x-ray room. Kurt trembled and shook and cried into her shoulder. She whispered softly to him while they x-rayed his shoulder, squeezing his other hand tightly even as her own tears fell. The image of Blaine's unconscious body being rolled past them wouldn't leave her mind all throughout the x-rays and the trip back down to find a room for Kurt. There'd been blood, but not as much as she'd imagined or seen with other people brought into the hospital. But it had still been painted over his face in streaks, the entire right side of his face had been bruised and swollen, and his curls had been matted with blood.

Judy finally found a nice room, big enough to fit a second bed once Blaine was patched up, but the sight of an empty room and no sign of Blaine sent Kurt over the edge again.

"No! Where's Blaine?" he demanded, trying to fight against them as they tried to settle him down into the hospital bed. His eyes were wild again, tears pooling in the corners, as he started to choke on his own sobs. "He's okay, isn't he? Please, Carole, please..."

The pleading tore straight through her heart, and the fact that she still didn't have any answers made her stomach clench and ache at the thought of what might be waiting for her upstairs when she went to check. The idea of having to return to Kurt's bedside and tell him something so horrific, so devastating and life- altering made her feel like she was breathing in poisonous gas. Every breath hurt, and her lack of answers only made Kurt's terror worse. He was hyperventilating and sobbing when Judy returned with a mild sedative for him. She stayed by his side until he drifted off to sleep. For now he was calm and relaxed, something Carole knew he desperately needed to be until she called Burt or until she knew if Blaine was still alive.

Carole headed up to the ICU and surgery unit floor, every step heavy and difficult as she headed for the nurse's station. Regardless of what she was told next she knew the answers would be painful and difficult for the others to swallow, even herself if things were worse than she'd originally thought. As a nurse she was beyond used to these types of situations in her day to day routine, but she knew the others weren't. They didn't have a place where they went to detach themselves from the situation the same way she did because of her job. Still, everything was so unexpected. Everything they'd been working towards could very well change in the next few moments. The boy she'd grown to love as much as her own son could be gone before she'd had the chance to really get to know him, or tell him that she remembered him from so long ago. When she reached the end of the hallway from the elevator that emptied out into the central hub, she found Sophie set up at the nurse's station making a phone call that sounded important.

"... yes, he was just brought in an hour ago, Mr. Anderson. He's still in surgery unit five... "

Carole froze at her words, realizing instantly who Sophie had called. Blaine's grandfather must still be listed as his primary emergency contact. She let Sophie finish the conversation before asking about Blaine's situation.

"He's still in there. They found some minor internal bleeding around his appendix and it was bruised pretty severely so they're removing it. Stitched up the gashes on his head. Once the swelling goes down around his eye he'll probably need some type of surgery to fix his eye socket. They won't know the extent of that injury until he's awake and some of the swelling goes down. He's got a ruptured eardrum, and a broken nose. Several broken or bruised ribs and quite a concussion. We'll have to wait and see how he is when he wakes up before anything can be assessed with brain trauma, but there's no swelling that they've detected so that's good news."

Carole melted into the seat next to her as she tears started up again. Blaine was alive. Her chest constricted as she choked up and hugged herself. She'd never been more thankful to hear such a list of injuries, because she knew it could be so much worse. There was still the risk of brain injuries, and the worries about his eye, but everything else would heal with time, though there may be a few lasting effects beyond some scars. Blaine wasn't done with them yet, wasn't going to give up or give in to what those men and the world wanted from him.

"Thank you," she muttered sincerely. "Do you know how much longer they'll be?"

"Another hour maybe?" Sophie guessed. "They're cleaning him up and wrapping his ribs, then checking everything a final time before they move him. Kurt's in 346C, right?" Carole nodded as she dabbed at her eyes. "I'll have them move him into the same room so you and Burt don't have to shuffle back and forth all night."

She turned to head back to Kurt's room, but Sophie called after her, sounding hesitant and worried.

"His grandfather didn't seem very... concerned over the phone," she started. "I'm not even sure he's coming or if any of you will want him to– "

"Blaine won't. Neither will Burt, I'm sure," Carole replied evenly. "You know what happened with them, but I know how protocol works and that he had to be contacted, Sophie. Don't worry about it, okay? We'll deal with him if he shows up."

"I'll give you a heads up if he signs in," Sophie said, standing to give her a brief hug before Carole went back to Kurt's room. Kurt's arm was still in a sling, his bloodied shirt draped over the bedside chair and his clavicle now covered in a dull bluish bruise, but he was still out from the sedative. With a heavy sigh, Carole settled down into the chair and picked up the phone on the bedside table, dialing nine and then Burt's house number.

Burt grumbled mutinously as he struggled through the simple stretching exercises his doctor had given him to start out with. It wasn't that he hated exercise or anything, but stretching! He was terrible at stretching. He glanced at the clock as he half- heartedly bent to touch his toes and a trickle of annoyance ran down his spine. Everyone was late tonight.

Finn had a football game, of course, and Carole's shift was probably running late because of an emergency, but Kurt and Blaine had no excuse. Especially if the only answer he got for the fourth night in a row was something vague about "studying at Blaine's". He wasn't stupid, he knew that was code for having sex, no matter how much he didn't want to think about it. He'd still rather have them here, even if he didn't want them doing that in his house, he knew somehow they'd have to all agree on some way for everything to work. Here they were safe, whereas Blaine's apartment, even with the locks, was a whole world of potential trouble.

Frustrated that he couldn't reach his toes, Burt stood up straight and checked his cell phone where he'd left it on the coffee table. No new messages from Kurt saying he'd be late. He hoped they'd all hurry up, because after dinner he was finally sitting Kurt and Blaine down to discuss house rules. It had taken him a few days of hard thinking and planning, and he was going to get their opinions (within reason) to get it set into something solid, but he thought he'd started a good foundation for it. Hopefully, Carole would be home by then as well. Between his temper and awkwardness addressing his son's sex life and Blaine's asinine comments, he didn't think they'd get very far very smoothly without her there to mediate.

Burt tucked his phone into his pocket and shuffled off to the kitchen to figure out something healthy for dinner when the house phone rang. He spun around and headed back to the island counter to grab the cordless phone, ready to get angry with Kurt for being even later than the night before, but the number was the hospital's. It wasn't that unusual since cell phones weren't allowed in the hospital, but it wasn't Carole's typical extension either. He didn't think much of it as he picked up.

"Hey," Burt greeted. He shuffled back to the healthy food chart set up on the freezer door and picked out something that sounded simple. "Got busy, did it? How do you make– " he squinted at the chart "Vegan chicken alfredo? Ugh, why does it all have to be ve– "

"Burt, there's been an incident," Carole's shaky voice said through the phone, and Burt froze, his heart plummeting at her words. If something had happened to Kurt– "Kurt's fine. He's going to be fine," she continued immediately, but the way she'd said that second part set him on edge.

Going to be fine implied that there was a reason Kurt shouldn't be, or that something had happened to him, but it wasn't drastic or wasn't the real reason she'd called. There was something major she was about to tell him and he dreaded whatever it was she said next. Because he knew from these past few weeks that Kurt and Blaine were almost always together, and if there was a reason that he needed to be told that Kurt was fine, then there was a reason that Carole had to assure him that Blaine was fine as well. Only she hadn't. She hadn't mentioned Blaine yet, and the thought that she'd given him the good news first to try to ease whatever was next terrified him.

"What happened to Blaine?" he demanded hoarsely, dropping into a chair at the kitchen table and resting his head in his hand as his heart pounded and his head shifted between fuzzy and clear. Two hours could have passed in the few seconds he'd paused to ask that question, or time could have run backwards on him and dumped him back into the middle of his stretching exercises. Nothing was going to make sense until Carole told him the rest of this. Until he knew what he was dealing with and the fear curling in his chest sunk back beneath the surface until the next time something happened to his guys.

"Those men were there when they left Blaine's apartment," Carole started, sniffling a bit. Burt could just picture her curled up in a chair somewhere, tucked away from prying eyes and trying her hardest to keep herself together. "I'm not sure about the details. The cops haven't stopped by to question Kurt or anything yet. He's fine. He's sleeping next to me, but... they hurt Blaine. Badly. He's still up in one of the surgery units."

"But he's... he's going to all right?" Burt asked, taking a deep breath and heading to the front door. He tugged his coat and shoes on as she explained what she knew of his condition, trying his best to steady himself as she soothed him while he choked up through the crackling phone line.

"I'll be there soon," he told her, shutting the front door behind himself and getting into his truck. A dull throbbing panic was gripping his chest, but Carole needed him. Kurt – god, Kurt needed him more than anything right now. They'd been strong for each other and strong for him when he'd had his heart attack, and not it was his turn to return the favor.

"They'll be fine. Both of them."

"I know," Burt replied. "It's just so unfair."

Burt was silent for a moment as he started his truck and backed out of the driveway. In the back of his mind he knew he should have seen it coming, at least the probability of it happening. Just seeing how those men were one time had told him they were trouble. His only hope had been Blaine settling in with them permanently before things would escalate, but it hadn't happened. He'd expected something to happen with them, and he hated that he felt like he could have prevented it. But Blaine was his own man, and he wasn't Blaine's guardian. Kurt wouldn't have listened to him, no matter what the threats had been, if Blaine had continued to go there.

"I'm on my way. I love you," he told her before he hung up.

Burt drove as fast as he dared, parking in the first spot he found and rushing into the emergency room waiting area. Carole was waiting by the front desk for him, and she flung herself into his arms.

"I'm so glad you're here," she mumbled as she ushered him through the electronically locked door and to the elevator. "Kurt's still asleep from the sedative, but he should be awake soon. Blaine's... he's still upstairs. They've removed his appendix because it was so bruised. He has a ruptured eardrum, a broken nose, several broken ribs but he seems stable, at least until more can be assessed when he wakes up. They'll have to do more surgery eventually – just the eye socket once the swelling goes down, don't worry." She squeezed Burt's hand as he frowned.

He breathed in a shaky breath and tried to steady himself. He could scarcely picture what Carole had told him – couldn't even begin to imagine the horror two of his boys had just gone through. He'd never wanted anything like this to ever happen to Kurt, even though part of him had realized it was almost inevitable when Kurt was as open as he was in a town like Lima.

He followed Carole down the hall towards the nurse's station as she pointed him towards the first door past it on the left. They were two feet from the door when a deep, bored voice behind him caught his attention.

"– No, Carl, I need them on my desk tomorrow– yes, I'm here to see my grandson."

Carole froze next to him, but she didn't seem as surprised as him when they turned around. It was the man's voice that had really caught his attention. The same smooth, deep tone of Blaine's voice, more crisp and clipped, but still distinct to his ears.

The older man standing at the nurse's station looked nothing like Blaine in his expensive suit and overcoat. He tapped his fingernails on the counter impatiently as the nurse asked, "What's his name, sir?"

"Carl, I don't care what you have to do– "

"Carl, what, sir? Last names are easier to search by," the nurse told him, pursing her lips in irritation. "There's also a no cell phone policy in the building. I'm going to have to ask you to turn it off, sir."

Dark anger clawed at Burt's insides as the man's hazel- green eyes – the same eyes that Blaine had inherited – narrowed and he glared at the woman. "Not, Carl," he snapped. "My grandson, Blaine Anderson."

Carole's arms circled around his bicep as he lurched forward, but he wasn't going to let this go. Let this bastard anywhere near Blaine after everything he'd done to his grandson. "Let me go," he told her, tugging his arm free and marching back towards the desk as Cameron Anderson hung up his cell phone.

"Is this phone policy really necessary? I have important business– "

"More important than your grandson?" Burt snarled angrily, jabbing the man in the shoulder with a finger as Carole raced after him and tried to hold him back. "That boy should be your entire world."

"Burt, please– "

"No," he snapped, tugging his arm free from Carole's grasp once more. "He's ruined enough of Blaine's life, he's not waltzing back into it and making it worse again. Not after all of this."

Cameron Anderson eyed them appraisingly for a few moments as the nurse – Burt thought her name was Lorie, but she wasn't one that Carole was close with so he wasn't sure – gaped at them. The man flashed her a charming, reassuring smile, probably meant to soothe her worries, but to Burt it was the emptiest smile he'd ever seen. His eyes glinted in the artificial lights, and while they may have been the same color as Blaine's, they had none of his warmth or love.

"And who exactly are you? I don't believe you've ever met me or my grandson," Cameron said with authority, eyeing Burt's worn jeans, flannel shirt, and baseball cap. It was a look Burt was overly familiar with, someone judging his wardrobe and appearance or his life's work to mean he was somehow less than able or intelligent in some way. Another hot wave of anger washed over him as he hands curled into fists at his sides. He'd only heard one simple story about the man, but he'd already pegged him as a disgusting excuse for a human being. Everything about the man in front of him only confirmed his thoughts. He wasn't hysterical or worried or here because he cared. He was here to save his own skin and then drop Blaine like he was nothing all over again.

"Oh, really? How's he doing in school then? If you live with him then aren't you the least bit concerned that he hasn't been home in almost a week? Why don't you explain to me why your grandson has all but moved into my house?" Burt demanded as Carole tried once again to prevent him from tackling the man like he so desperately wanted to.

"That's preposterous," Cameron said loftily. "The boy's been living on Thomas Street since we moved here– "

"Living by himself, you mean," said a voice from behind Burt. They all turned to find Jim Ferguson, and another cop, a higher level officer by the looks of him, standing just behind them, watching the exchange closely.

"Of course he's not living alone," Cameron said in exasperation. "I can't be there every night because of distance and work. I've arranged for Milton, the landlord, to look after him when I'm not there. I know him personally, since he rented the plot of land from me years ago. Clearly, Blaine's been getting into more trouble and Milton isn't doing what is expected of him. Rest assured I'll be pressing charges against him for it."

The outright lie was what did it for Burt. Blaine had done nothing to attract those men's attention in the first place. That had been Cameron's doing by leaving him there and talking loud enough for them to hear. And even if the part with the landlord was true, that didn't change the fact that he'd failed to check up on Blaine since May. Anger completely taking over, Burt lurched forward to shove the older man, but Jim stepped in and held him back even as he fought against his hold.

"Burt, stop!" Jim demanded sharply. "This is only going to make everything ten times worse."

Cameron straightened his coat, looking at all four of them with disdain. "Excuse me, while I go call the babysitter watching my granddaughter. " With a curt nod he pulled a little business card from his pocket and handed it to Carole. "If there's anything else you'd like to discuss, make an appointment."

With a final look, Cameron Anderson walked briskly down the hall back to the elevator.

"That's his grandfather, then?" Jim muttered as Burt relaxed in his tight hold. "Definitely not a friendly man, is he?"

Burt just growled in reply to his words as Jim released him. He was seething at the encounter with that man. Why the hell had he even bothered showing up when it was so obvious he didn't care? Was he only here for some quick damage control before he dumped Blaine off somewhere else? Perhaps he was even going to remove Blaine from Lima permanently. The thought of how Kurt would react to that made his heart jolt painfully in his chest. His hand shot up to clutch the spot on instinct and Carole gasped in terror.

"Burt, you need to relax and calm down. Your heart can't take all of this stress, honey."Carole's arm wrapped around his waist as she ushered him towards Kurt's room. "Come on, let's get you off your feet."

He let Carole and Jim help him into the room. The first thing he saw was his son, sleeping soundly on the hospital bed, his bloodied shirt draped on the chair and his right arm in a sling. There was a little scrape on his left cheek, and some bruising along his collarbone, but otherwise he looked fine. The same way he'd looked when he'd broken his arm in fourth grade. Only he wasn't a little boy anymore, even if he would always be Burt's little boy. He was nearly an adult, who had just been through all sorts of hell and watched the man he loved almost beaten to death. He let out a choked sigh, and settled down into the chair next to Kurt's bedside, watching his son's chest rise and fall slowly and evenly as he rested.

"We had to give him a sedative to calm him down," Carole said as she rubbed his shoulders soothingly. "He'll be out for another hour at least. Any heart flutters or pains? Should I call the doctor?"

"No, no, just got too worked up," he muttered. Burt hated how weak and useless he felt right then. He wanted to be the protector, the defender, the one strong for the people he loved and kept by his side. Yet he couldn't even defend his boys without almost putting himself right back in the hospital. "If he comes back I am not letting him into this room."

"You can't legally stop him," Jim said sadly. "If you push him, he could have all three of you removed from Blaine's room and life permanently. At least until Blaine wakes up and can speak for himself."

"I'd like to see him try and stop Kurt," Carole said. Burt followed her line of sight to his son's sleeping form. Nothing would keep him from Blaine. He was certain of it. He'd never imagined his son finding a love quite like the one those two shared. At least not when he was so young. "You should ask the men who did this to them about the day Cameron dropped Blaine off," Carole told Jim and the other officer. "Kurt said Blaine told him they were there and heard the whole exchange."

"Their word won't count for much. The rest of his neighbors aren't looking too promising either," the second officer told them. "They've all got records, some of them were even prosecuted by Cameron Anderson. Their words won't hold up in court."

"No, she's got a point," Jim countered. "The men who did this wouldn't want to make Blaine's life any easier by getting his grandfather out of the picture. If they gave a statement then you might at least be able to make a case."

"They're drunks, Jim," the other man retorted. "And half of the judges are in that man's pocket. Every officer in Ohio knows that." He shook his head and sighed resignedly. "I'll be back once Anderson's out of surgery. We've got to handcuff him to his bed until they sort out everything at the station."

"You've got to what?" Burt spluttered, trying to rise to his feet, but Carole and Jim both forced him back down.

"It's standard procedure, unfortunately. The hospital is out of his ankle monitor's radius, so coming here set it off. Obviously there's good reason for it, but until everything's sorted and it's clear that Blaine didn't provoke them, then it has to be done. We'll probably have to have an officer stationed outside the door as well."

"But, there's no way he would have– "

"His record's against him," Jim cut in. "We'll do our best to get it sorted out right. He's only supposed to have the thing for another three or four weeks, according to Robinson back at the station, but for now we've got to follow protocol."

Burt sunk down into his chair, staring at Kurt's peaceful face. Everything was a mess, a disaster. If just one little thing didn't go right, Blaine could very well end up back in a juvenile detention center, or Cameron could remove him from the area permanently. For the first time in a long time, he honestly had no idea what to do.

Jim and the other officer left them alone and Carole sat down on the arm of his chair. As she hugged him around the shoulders, he could feel her trembling. All of the possibilities were terrifying and overwhelming. They'd built up so much around Blaine these past few weeks – Kurt's entire life had become centered around him – the thought of him being taken away for good was too much to bare.

They sat there together for what felt like hours as they waited for Doctor Burke to come by with news of Blaine. Carole took a few minutes to call Finn's cell phone and leave him a message explaining what had happened and where they were. Burt could barely even imagine what his reaction would be once his football game was over and he changed into his normal clothes, dug his phone out of his pocket and heard the news.

He wasn't surprised that Cameron never returned. Like Carole had said, the man had probably only shown up to "make an appearance" so things didn't look suspicious. Burt didn't doubt that she was right. His only hope now was that the man could either be charged with child neglect and abandonment, or that he never showed his face around here again. It was half past nine when there was a knock on the door and a woman, who introduced herself as Doctor Burke, entered the room.

Besides telling them that Blaine had pulled through everything fine, she had little more to add to what Carole had already told him. He was critical, but stable, with no sign of any brain swelling so far. She spent a few minutes giving them a brief idea of Blaine's recovery timeline and then bracing them for how bad his face looked right now, for when they wheeled him in and set him up in the room.

The moment Burt caught sight of Blaine's bandaged and bruised face he had to fight down the urge to gag. His mind created a few fleeting terrible images of how the injuries had occurred, but it was still difficult to comprehend. Just this morning Blaine's face has been clean-shaven, and smiling. Now the entire right side, Blaine's left, was swollen and an angry, blotchy blackish- purple. There was a bandage covering his ear, a lot of padding pressed into his left eye that was held down by a dressing wrapped around his head tightly, and his cheekbone was sunken in. His nose had been set, but was swollen and bruised, and the eye that Burt could see was surrounded by a dark bruise ring. His lips were puffy and the lower one was split.

"He's on a lot of pain medications right now, and I went ahead and numbed his face, just in case he does wake up," Doctor Burke explained as she checked the various monitors he was hooked up to. "At the earliest he'll probably wake up briefly sometime tomorrow afternoon. We're pumping him full of sleeping medications until the worst of the pain has subsided, though we can only do that for the first six to twelve hours. Anything longer could cause problems. His ribs;" she pointed to the same side that had taken most of the damage on Blaine's face, " two broken and one bruised on this side. And two bruised on the other. We've wrapped them, and it's very important that he doesn't try to sit up or move a lot," she stressed.

"Thank you, Ruth," Carole murmured as she sat down on the edge of Blaine's bed and took hold of his hand.

"I'm going to go look at Kurt's x-rays and I'll be back to set his shoulder or wrap it once he's awake, okay?"

Burt nodded jerkily as he stared down at Blaine's small, unmoving form. He barely recognized him with all of the bruises and bandages in the hospital gown. A voice in the back of his head, that sounded suspiciously like Kurt, told him the gown was tacky and horrible with Blaine's skin tone. With a watery smile he glanced back over to Kurt, still sleeping soundly, and breathed in deeply.

His boys were safe for now, even if Cameron Anderson returned. They were going to be okay somehow. He'd make sure they would.