AN: This is sort of on the AU side for now... I dunno. Don't own the characters of Glee and whatnot. Hope you like it!

Chapter One: Gone

David Karofsky was gone, graduated. The Hummel-Hudsons' money for Dalton Academy was gone, spent. There was only so much money that had been set aside for Burt and Carole's honeymoon, after all. Even with two incomes they just could not afford another year of Dalton Academy for Kurt. Surprisingly, Kurt found himself to be perfectly fine with this. Blaine had also graduated in the past year and even though Kurt had spent almost a year at Dalton he never made many friends. Or at least, they weren't the same kind of friends that he still had back at McKinley. Mercedes and Tina had both been ecstatic when they heard the news that Kurt would be back in the fall; mostly the whole glee club was, even Rachel. Since there was no more threat of Karofsky, everyone thought it was a great idea.

Despite Dalton's zero-tolerance bullying policy, Kurt never did feel welcome at the private school. Through the individual-stifling uniforms, there was still a form of discrimination. Though they weren't poor and made enough money (just not enough to afford the expensive private school), most of the other students at Dalton were rich and took a lot of opportunities to rub it in the few less privileged kids' faces. They were also just passive-aggressive enough that reporting it would do nothing.

Kurt sighed as he packed the clothes that he had barely worn while attending the boarding school. What a waste, he at least thought that he would get some use out of them. He closed his suitcase with a snap and lifted it from the bed. His side of room was threadbare, just as it was when he arrived. No trace of Kurt Hummel was left, just as no trace of Kurt Hummel would be left in the school, not even within the Warblers. Though the glee club members were "like rock stars" Kurt could never shake the feeling that he was just not part of this. Carrying his luggage to the door, he suddenly grinned. His roommate was at lunch and Kurt preferred it this way. Sure, McKinley didn't have the bullying policies, but it was where he was truly happy. Forget Blaine, forget the Warblers; he wanted a different direction, an old directions: New Directions. Flicking the switch as his phone vibrated in his pocket, he shut the door and headed out to join his family.

"Be there in a minute," he texted back to Finn.

Kurt woke up on the first day of school with his stomach twisted in excited knots. Going back to McKinley was something he had been looking forward to all summer. New Directions was still running and he would definitely be joining up again. Due to Dalton's rigorous academia, Kurt hadn't been able to do much other than glee club and school work. He was practically aching to rejoin the Cheerios, surprising, but true. It helped that the cheer squad was going on a really great trip for their competition that didn't fall on the same day or even week as Glee's.

The counter-tenor got ready for school, roused his stepbrother from sleep, and began eating breakfast. Finn took forever to get ready in the morning and he had time so he took it slow. He pulled out half of a grapefruit and sat at the table, digging a spoon into the fruit. Now that Carole lived with them, he didn't have to make sure his father ate healthier meals. By now Burt had already eaten and was opening the shop. While Kurt was carefully eating his grapefruit, he heard a series of thumps. Looking up he saw Finn, rubbing sleep from his eyes, stumbling down the stairs.

"Morning, Kurt," he muttered through a yawn as he slumped down at the kitchen table. "What's for breakfast?" Finn eyed the grapefruit half and lowered his brows, frowning.

"There's some cereal in the cabinet, milk's on the fridge door," Kurt replied with a smile. Finn nodded and stood with a groan, heading over to the cabinets. Kurt continued eating his grapefruit quietly. This comfortable routine had occurred throughout the summer when they both were awake in the morning. It was surprising how well they got along in the same space, considering the rocky start they had when the Hudsons were moving in. Kurt and Finn ate their breakfast in silence before gathering their bags and headed out to Kurt's car. Finn had been upset by the arrangement, he wanted a car, but business had been a bit slow, so Burt said that he had to wait for a car. "Just get in the car, Finn," Kurt responded to the frown Finn was wearing.

"Fine, this really sucks though," Finn relented as he pulled open the passenger door and slid in.

"Yes, I know, Finn. You'll get a car soon," Kurt replied when he was inside the car too, buckling his seatbelt. Finn nodded and sighed as his stepbrother started the car and drove them to McKinley. Kurt could barely suppress his smile as they pulled into the student parking lot. Hell, he was practically bouncing up and down in his seat. Finn gave him an amused, but genuinely fond, look as he parked the car. He smiled wider and hummed as he cut the engine and got out; locking the doors after Finn lifted his bag out and shut the passenger side's. Together they walked across the parking lot and into the school.

"I'll see you later in glee, Kurt," Finn smiled and gave his stepbrother's shoulder a squeeze and headed for his first period class. Kurt headed towards his own room, passing his old locker on the way. He stopped for a second, staring at the beige metal that he had been shoved into countless times in the past, and remembered that Karofsky had graduated. It occurred to him that just because Karofsky and Azimio were both gone, there might still be bullies around. Would he make it through the year without getting shoved around and attacked with slushies? He would have to see. Heaving a sigh, the boy turned from the locker and headed to his first class.

After first period, Kurt passed the signup sheet for New Directions; it had the usual names on it, he signed his name with a flourish, and continued on. A looming figure suddenly appeared behind him and he made impact with a locker. He caught a groan in his throat and instead glared up, fully expecting to see Karofsky, but was met with an unfamiliar face; a new ham hock.

"Fag," the large boy spat before trudging on down the hall.

"No duh, Neanderthal!" Kurt found himself shouting back. "I came out of the closet two friggin' years ago! I wish people would quit telling me what I already know like it's a bad thing!" The kid stopped and stared at him in shock. What a wonderful first day back. For a minute Kurt thought the kid was going to beat him up, but instead he sneered and stormed away. Kurt took that as an opportunity to escape the stares and whispers and hurried to his next class.

He sat down next to Mercedes and got out his planner and folder. The adrenaline coursing through his body was slowing and his breathing was less erratic.

"Kurt, are you okay?" Mercedes asked when he turned to her.

"Yes, I'm fine. I just…do you think it was a good idea for me to come back?"

"Of course. Boy, what's wrong?"

"I yelled at some guy when he shoved me into a locker and called me a fag," he replied, scribbling in his planner, trying to remain aloof. Mercedes groaned.

"Did Karofsky, like, train the underclassmen to pick on others or what?" Kurt shook his head.

"You guys said he got a little better last year, though…whatever, it doesn't matter. I'm fine, I promise," Kurt muttered as the teacher began to pass out syllabi. It was ridiculous that even though the kid wasn't Karofsky, Kurt's thoughts always came back to the hockey player. He wanted it to stop. It wasn't fair that he was so affected, and Karofsky just continued on with his life, graduated and in college, like nothing ever happened. It was so unresolved.

Maybe he should contact Karofsky and resolve it himself.

No, that was crazy.

Was it?