Hello everyone! Sadly, this isn't the next chapter to my Harry Potter story. My favorite T.V. show right now is Glee and I've wanted to write stories for this show for ages. This story is one that I've been meaning to write for awhile. I hope you all like it! This is my take on the Super Bowl episode and Kurt and Blaine are my new favorite couple now! Be forewarned, I had the plot already planned out before I saw the episode.
P.S. I really don't know the rules/positions of football so bear with me if I use any of the terms wrong!
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of this story! All of the rights go to Fox and Ryan Murphy!
I'll Always Be Here For You
Kurt sighed as his Dad, Burt, pulled their car into one of McKinley High's numerous parking spots. The parking lot was nearly deserted, save for a dozen cars that probably belonged to the football team. Kurt's father had insisted that they arrive 45 minutes before the game started so they could claim the best seats in the stands.
"Well here we are." His father twisted the key in the ignition and the car turned off. He turned to look at Kurt, who had been staring out the window.
"You know Kurt if this makes you uncomfortable in any way, we can leave. Carole and Finn will understand-" his father said.
But Kurt cut him off, shaking his head quickly. "No it's alright Dad. I know how much you want to be here and I don't want to ruin it for you. I can handle myself for a few hours."
His father nodded slowly, but looked unimpressed. "Alright then. If you're sure you'll be okay. Just-just stick close to your friends you hear me? I mean your Glee kids will stick up for you and isn't your other friend supposed to be stopping by as well? That kid from your new school?"
Kurt turned to look at his father. "Who-Blaine? Yeah he should be heading over here now. He and the Warblers are going to perform alongside the Glee Club during half-time. "
Burt nodded and Kurt could swear he saw some sort of emotion flicker across his father's face. Was it relief? But just as quickly as it had come, it had gone and the serious expression was back again.
"Well that's good then," Burt said quietly. He reached for the keys and pulled them out of the ignition, putting them in his pocket with a sigh. "I just want you to look out for yourself Kurt. If you feel unsafe in any way I want you to come straight to me and I will take you home. I want you to promise me you will do that Kurt."
Kurt nodded but didn't say anything.
"Kurt-answer me," his father said sternly, his eyes narrowed.
"Okay Dad. I promise," Kurt answered quietly, nervously playing with his brand new Marc Jacob's scarf. The scarf was silk blue and it had been a Christmas gift from Blaine. "A scarf is the perfect accessory to any outfit," Blaine had said to him with a smile. Now, Kurt never went anywhere without it.
Burt nodded, seemingly satisfied, and unbuckled his seat belt. Kurt followed suit and climbed out of the car. He closed the car door with a soft snap. Before turning to follow his father into William McKinley, Kurt quickly checked his appearance in the side-view mirror. He smoothed his hair back into place and fixed his jacket. He always made a conscious effort to look as fashionable and perfect as possible. Pleased with his appearance, Kurt turned and ran to catch up to his father.
Kurt and his father didn't really talk until they stepped into McKinley High.
"So where does your Glee club practice? Is the room far?" Burt asked.
Kurt raised his eyebrows, a look of feigned shock on his face. "Dad! Would you really rather go pick out your seat in the stands than meet my friends?"
Kurt's father shook his head quickly, evidently not catching on to Kurt's joking attitude. "N-n-no! I didn't mean it like that! Of course I'll come and meet them," said Burt, looking flustered.
Kurt just laughed loudly. "I'm kidding Dad! You really don't have to come. I know you met them from your wedding-"
Burt cut him off with a wave of his hand. "No Kurt. I want to see them and thank them personally for their performance at the wedding. You guys really made our wedding special."
Kurt smiled and nodded. He led his father further down the school's main hallway. The entire school, normally packed with students and teachers, was eerily deserted. And although Kurt hadn't set foot in McKinley since he transferred to Dalton, he could find his way around his old school blind folded. Kurt and his father turned down another hallway and stopped in front of the first door on the right.
Beyond the door, Kurt could hear a group of people talking. Snippets of conversation could be heard from outside of room.
Kurt smiled as heard Rachel's loud and obnoxious voice ring clearly over the conversations of the other kids. "Why don't I give you a few pointers before our performance Artie? Although I won't be singing lead, I am always willing to help out any of my fellow Glee club members."
He didn't hear Artie's reply but Kurt could have taken a guess at what the response might have been. He stepped closer to the door and peered through the window pane.
The choir room was just like he remembered it. Shelves upon shelves lined the room's walls, all of them bearing hundreds of songs and thousands of pages of sheet music. In the middle of the room stood a black grand piano without the presence of their usual pianist. To the right of the classroom was Mr. Schuester's office. At that moment Kurt saw Mr. Schuester standing outside of his office, rifling through a stack of papers in his hand. Kurt assumed that was the music for their half-time performance. Near the back of the choir room was where all of the Glee club members sat. A few rows of chairs, currently filled by the Glee club, were placed neatly in the back.
Kurt could see all of his friends talking animatedly to one another. Mercedes and Tina were comparing make-up brands together. Kurt could tell from where he was standing that they were both trying to figure out which make-up went better with their football uniforms. Sam and Quinn were talking quietly to each other and holding hands. Puck and Lauren were getting ready for the performance in their own way. Both of them were on the floor doing pushups and squats. Kurt winced and looked away. He never saw the point of working out and being sweaty. It just meant an extra 45 minutes of showering and fixing his hair. Looking past Puck and Lauren, Kurt saw Finn and Mike on the other side of the piano. It looked like they were both going over the choreography for their performance. Brittany and Santana were sitting on the floor near them, stretching and talking happily. Finally, Kurt saw Rachel still trying to give Artie singing tips. Kurt laughed as Artie started to wheel himself to the other side of the room, the annoyance clear on his face. Rachel, ignorant of Artie's attempt to get away, just stood up and followed him across the room, still chattering loudly.
Kurt took a deep breath and glanced at his father. The nervousness must have shown on Kurt's face because his father smiled and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It'll be alright. If they really are your friends, they will be more than happy to see you."
Kurt nodded and turned back to the door. "I hope you're right. If I had a choice, I would never have left McKinley."
Kurt's father just nodded and squeezed his shoulder gently. "Remember what I always used to tell you?"
Kurt shook his head, tearing his eyes away from his friends in the choir room. "What?"
"No one pushes the Hummels around," said Burt smiling.
Kurt chuckled and grinned at his father. "Thanks Dad."
"I'm always here for you son. Now go on and get in there!" said Burt.
Kurt nodded and faced the choir room, took a deep breath and opened the door.
When Kurt entered the room, the atmosphere changed completely. A moment ago everyone looked relaxed and they were talking happily to one another. However, when Kurt opened the door everyone in the room swiveled sharply to face him. With everyone's eyes on him, Kurt felt extremely uncomfortable. Sure he sang in front of a thousand people at Regionals, but this moment for some reason felt different. Kurt felt his face grow red and shifted anxiously from one foot to another. There was dead silence in the room; even Brittany, who normally broke the tension with her moments of "wisdom," was silent.
Kurt looked from one face to another, each with a combined look of shock and surprise. Kurt understood how they felt. Since he had left, he hadn't seen any of them since Sectionals and even then their reunion had been brief.
Kurt cleared his throat uncomfortably. The words that he wanted to say seemed stuck in his throat and to avoid any more awkward moments, he just settled on saying the first words that came to mind. "Hey guys."
At first no one said a word. They just continued to stare at Kurt, open-mouthed. Thankfully, Mercedes was the first person to react. She stood up, placed the forgotten make-up on her chair, and walked towards Kurt. She stopped in front of him, still not saying a word. All of a sudden, she lunged for Kurt, wrapping him in a tight hug.
Kurt gasped as Mercedes squeezed the air out of him. As soon as he caught his breath, he hugged Mercedes back. Out of all of the people in the Glee club, Kurt was probably the most upset about leaving Mercedes. They had become really close during their two years in Glee together and Kurt and Mercedes often went to each other for fashion advice.
"Kurt I can't believe you're here," Mercedes said softly. She beamed at Kurt who returned the grin happily.
Kurt sighed. "I can't believe I'm here either. I never thought I would miss this school so much."
Mercedes smiled. "Well, we all missed you Kurt," she said, grinning.
"Kurt," a quiet voice said behind him.
Kurt turned slowly and saw Finn standing behind him, his hands in his pockets and his face expressionless.
"Well hello Finn Hudson," Kurt said coolly. Kurt was glad that his voice didn't betray his emotions. He was shaking on the inside and Finn's unreadable expression wasn't helping his nerves. He wished Finn would just say something to him.
Finn strode forward and stopped right in front of him. Kurt couldn't meet Finn's eyes so he just stared at the ground. All of a sudden, Finn grabbed Kurt into a tight hug. Kurt gasped with shock and surprise. He smiled and returned the hug.
"Well you were the last person I expected to see here," Finn said.
Kurt snorted with laughter. "Well if my presence is unwelcome than I can easily leave."
Finn laughed and wrapped an arm around Kurt's shoulders and Kurt smiled up at Finn. Without any words, Kurt knew that Finn had no hard feelings about him leaving McKinley. This came as a great relief to Kurt because even though they had their differences about a lot of issues, Kurt really cared for Finn and saw him as a true brother.
All of a sudden, Kurt felt a sharp tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Rachel, grinning with her hands on her hips.
"Welcome back Kurt," said Rachel, smiling broadly. "So are you here to stay then?"
Kurt shook his head. "No. I'm sorry. I'm still staying at Dalton." He didn't miss the glum expression that flashed across Rachel's face at his reply.
"Wait. Why not?" Finn said quickly.
Kurt sighed, not meeting his friends' eyes. "It's like I said before, I will never be safe if Karofsky is still at this school. I really don't want to go back to being terrified all the time-" At this point, he raised his hand to stop Puck and Sam's outraged replies. "-and no I don't want you guys to protect me either. The truth is that you won't be able to be near me all the time and I don't want any of you getting hurt again for my sake. Thanks for all of your offers guys and I really mean it. You have been more than amazing friends to me and I will never forget it."
Now, Kurt raised his eyes to look at all of his friends. Puck and Sam still looked angry and Mercedes and Finn were looking at him with understanding.
"So why are you here today Kurt?" Rachel said quietly.
Kurt grinned. "Why else? Just because I don't go here anymore doesn't mean that I have to miss out on the championship football game. And of course I wanted to see you all perform at half time. What song have you chosen?"
"It's a mash-up of Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' and Yeah Yeah Yeah's 'Heads Will Roll'." Finn said.
Kurt nodded his approval. "Oh 'Thriller' is a personal favorite of mine and-"
"And even though Artie is singing lead, he still won't let me offer him my wise advice about singing such an iconic song. Obviously I have had much experience with this. Need I mention my performances of 'Don't Rain on my Parade,' 'On my Own,' and more recently 'Don't Cry for Me Argentina?'" interjected Rachel, annoyance leaking into her voice.
Everyone in the choir room just stared at her. Kurt himself was stunned. "Oh my god. I really don't miss that loud, and annoying voice of yours!"
Everyone in the Glee Club laughed and even Rachel, after a few moments, cracked a smile.
"See Kurt I told you that your friends would stick by you," said a voice from behind Kurt.
Kurt turned to see his dad and Mr. Schuester standing behind him. They were both grinning broadly at Kurt.
"I know. I never doubted you for a second," Kurt said happily.
Burt nodded and turned to face the rest of the Glee club. "Listen everyone I just wanted to personally thank you all for what you did at my wedding. Carole and I were so impressed and it was more than we could have ever hoped for."
"Well we're just happy that we got to be a part of your big day Burt," said Finn.
Burt grinned and clapped Finn on the shoulder, fondly. "Well I'm glad I get to be here for your special day quarterback. You go out there and win that thing for me!" Finn laughed and nodded at his step-father.
"Well I hate to ruin this reunion guys but we should really head down to the field. People are starting to arrive and we have to change into our costumes," said Mr. Schuester, walking up to stand in the middle of the choir room.
"Don't worry Mr. Schue we have make-up covered," said Mercedes, gesturing to the small pile of eyeliner, blush, mascara, and eye shadow laying on the chair.
Mr. Schue nodded. "Ok I need girls to get changed in their bathroom and guys in their bathroom. We will then meet on the field in 45 minutes. This should give everyone-" At these words, he shot the girls a meaningful look. "-enough time to get ready. Is that alright? "
Everyone nodded, suddenly serious.
Mr. Schue clapped his hands together and motioned for them to stand. "Alright guys just remember this one thing-when we perform tonight, heads will roll!"
Kurt laughed along with everyone else as they all walked out of the choir room. He motioned Finn and Mercedes toward him before they went to change. "My dad and I are going to go and find seats okay? So I'll come down and find you before you perform."
Finn and Mercedes nodded and hugged him in turn. Kurt returned the hug and waved good-bye to his friends. Then him and his dad walked out of McKinley and headed toward the football field.
Mr. Schue was right in saying that the tons of people were starting to arrive. Kurt was shocked when they stepped into the stadium. Nearly half of the stadium was already filled with people. Kurt could see red and white clad fans hurrying up the steps trying to save as many seats as they could. A little ways away Kurt could see two men arguing. One man, covered entirely in red paint, gestured angrily to a seat near him and then pointed to himself. He was yelling the entire time and that seemed to set the other man off. This man had on a white shirt with the words "Go Carmel High!" written in red paint on the back. This man started yelling as well and he kept pointing at the seat of the McKinley fan. Kurt shook his head as the fight started to escalate. The men started to shove each other, looking more irate than ever. A few feet away, the referee finally noticed the fight and ran over, blowing his whistle. Kurt never saw what happened next. A cold sweat broke out on his body and his breath started to quicken. He glanced over at the McKinley High football team and saw something that made his heart stop.
Dave Karofsky was sitting on the benches, tying up the laces on his shoes. Karofsky must have felt someone staring at him because he suddenly looked up and glanced around.
Kurt gasped and automatically backed away. He soon realized that there was nowhere for him to hide. He was standing wide out in the open on the sidelines. But it was too late; Karofsky had seen him.
Kurt slowly looked up and met the eyes of his tormentor. Karofsky's eyes were wide with shock, but it was quickly replaced with a glare.
Kurt was speechless; his mouth was open but no words came out. He backed up even more, trying to get as far away from Karofsky as he could. He was concentrating so much that he didn't realize he ran right into someone.
He spun around so quickly that he almost fell over. The boy Kurt had run into lunged forward and caught Kurt in his arms before he hit the ground. Kurt steadied himself and turned to the other boy, an apology already on his lips. "Oh no. I'm so sor-" But the words died as soon as he saw who it was.
A boy about his age stood behind Kurt, his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. He was wearing dark colored jeans, a heavy black jacket, and a red scarf. This was a different look than what Kurt was used to seeing. Kurt's fellow classmate at Dalton was usually seen in his black and red uniform. Kurt couldn't say that he didn't like the change of clothes. The boy stepped closer to Kurt, the smirk still on his lips.
"What's the matter Kurt? Do you hate sports so much now that you've taken to running away whenever you're near a game?" said the boy, his eyes glimmering mischievously.
Kurt glared at the boy, a scowl on his face. "No. For your information, I think I'm experiencing heart palpitations because I just saw a man wearing the most horrendous fashion combination. He was wearing a polka dot tie and a striped shirt! I'm surprised the Fashion Police haven't come and arrested him for that serious mistake. It's an atrocity-"
The boy laughed and cut Kurt off with a smile. "Well hello to you too Kurt."
Kurt's glare softened instantly and he smiled. "Hey Blaine. Where are the rest of the Warblers?"
"They're unpacking the car and setting up the costumes," said Blaine.
Kurt nodded and subtly glanced around the field, searching for Karofsky. At that moment, he couldn't see him and he quickly turned back to Blaine.
Of course, Blaine had noticed Kurt's glances and gave him a questioning stare. "What's up Kurt? Is everything ok?"
Kurt nodded quickly, a forced smile on his face. ""Y-y-yeah-why wouldn't it be ok?
Blaine sighed. "Even though I haven't known you for very long Kurt I know when you're lying. You start stuttering and you can't look anyone in the eye. So come on tell me what's really wrong."
Kurt fiddled with his scarf and swallowed hard. "I saw Karofsky, just now across the field. He noticed me and he looked really angry. And I'm s-s-scared because I haven't seen him since he almost got expelled. I really don't know what he'll do and-" Kurt hadn't realized he was rambling. His breathing had also quickened to the point of hyperventilating. He felt like he was going to collapse. He abruptly stopped talking and quickly looked at Blaine. Blaine was staring at him with sympathy in his eyes.
Blaine put his hands on Kurt's shoulders, steadying him and looking deep into his eyes. "Woah hang on Kurt. Just calm down and take a deep breath."
Kurt nodded and breathed in deeply and then exhaled sharply. "Ok good job Kurt. Now do it again."
Kurt repeated the motion. He was slowly starting to feel calmer and his breathing was starting to normalize.
Blaine's voice was soft with understanding. "Are you feeling better?"
Kurt nodded and straightened up. "Yeah I am. Thanks a lot Blaine."
Blaine squeezed Kurt's shoulders. "Don't worry Kurt; everything's going to be okay. Just stick by me and your friends and we won't let Karofsky near you. Okay?"
Kurt smiled shakily. "Alright."
Blaine smiled back and stepped away from Kurt. He reached into his jeans pocket for his phone and pulled it out. He flipped it open and clicked on one of the messages. "Hey Kurt I have to go and help the Warblers set up for our performance. Do you mind saving me a seat in the stands?"
"Of course I will. I'll see you in a little bit," said Kurt.
Blaine nodded, waved to Kurt, and walked away.
Kurt smiled and searched the people in the stands. He couldn't tell where his father had decided to sit. He searched the faces of the hundreds of cheering people and finally found his father. Burt was sitting next to Carole in one of the middle rows. Kurt made his way up the steps toward them. Carole was the first to see him and she waved him over. Carole hugged him tightly and kissed him on the cheek. "How are you sweetie?"
"I'm alright Carole," Kurt responded with a smile.
"I saw you talking to your friend Blaine so I decided to save seats for you both," said Carole cheerfully.
Kurt thanked her gratefully and took his seat next to his step-mother. He was just in time because the lights around the stadium started to flicker.
All across the stadium, everyone became quiet. There was a tension in the air that seemed to suffocate the entire atmosphere of the stadium. Kurt sighed, unaware that he had been holding his breath. Just then, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Blaine, slightly out of breath, sitting in the seat beside him. Kurt gaped at him, openmouthed. He hadn't even seen Blaine walk up the stairs to the seat next to him, so his shock was not entirely unwarranted.
Blaine just shook his head and grinned at Kurt, eyes glimmering. "Everything's all set. We are performing first and then New Directions will follow after."
Kurt nodded. He started to respond but he was cut off by the crowd's sudden, thunderous cheer. He searched the field, trying to figure out the reason for the sudden excitement.
Kurt felt Blaine lean in toward him, their shoulders brushing together. Blaine pointed to something on the field near the sidelines and Kurt found the reason for the noise. Both football teams were walking out onto the field. McKinley was the first to reach the middle of the field and Kurt could see Finn, Puck, and Artie among the jumbled mass of red-clad football players. Karofsky was near them and Kurt automatically stiffened. Blaine noticed his discomfort and quickly placed a comforting hand on Kurt's knee. He squeezed it gently, and the gesture slowly calmed Kurt down. Kurt leaned into Blaine and forced his breathing to slow. He definitely didn't want to have another panic attack when his father was so close. Kurt didn't want him to have to worry.
With a sigh, Kurt refocused his attention back onto the game. Both teams had lined up in their starting positions. He faintly heard Finn yell "Hike!" and the game had begun. Kurt saw Finn jog backwards, the football in hand. Finn paused for a second, scanning the field. He quickly threw the ball to Puck who started to sprint across the field. Finn had thrown the ball not a moment too soon for a Carmel High running back slammed into Finn, knocking them both to the ground. Meanwhile, Puck had run about 20 yards before a Carmel High player tackled him. The referee's whistle sounded loudly over the groans and cheers of the crowd. Both teams on the field broke apart roughly. Puck glared angrily at Carmel High's wide receiver who in turn smirked smugly at Puck.
Kurt watched breathlessly as the game increased in ferocity. In just a half hour, McKinley managed to earn a touchdown and a field goal. However, Carmel High also managed to earn a few points, much to the chagrin of McKinley fans. This meant that the score was 9-3 with McKinley in the lead. But as the game went on, the players became more vicious. Many players had to be taken off of the field because of injuries. Artie had to be carried off the field because a Carmel High defensive tackle had slammed into him and flipped him over. This had upset all the McKinley players and they had almost started a full-scale fight. The confrontation was broken up before any lasting damage was done, but everyone's anger was still at a boiling point. The game continued and the scoreboard showed that there were five more minutes in the first half. Kurt leaned forward and watched with bated breath. He heard Finn yell "Hike!" and chaos broke loose. The McKinley team and the Carmel High team clashed together, each trying to gain an advantage. It was a jumbled mass in the middle of the field as the two teams fought fiercely. From what Kurt could see, it looked like Finn had caught the ball from McKinley's center. The quarterback surveyed the field, looking for an opening. A yell suddenly sounded from the other side of the field. Kurt saw Sam waving his arms, gesturing for Finn to throw the ball. Finn only hesitated a moment before throwing the ball to Sam halfway across the field.
The ball spiraled through the air toward Sam. Kurt grinned and started to cheer. It looked like a perfect pass. Sam would catch the ball and have a clear opening to the end zone. It seemed like all of the McKinley fans agreed with Kurt for an excited cry erupted from the mass of people. Both football teams also paused, watching the ball's descent.
All of a sudden, one of the Carmel High players appeared out of nowhere. Kurt instantly recognized him as the same wide receiver that had tackled Puck. But Sam didn't seem to see the defensive player. He was so concentrated on catching the ball that the sudden cries of hundreds of McKinley fans didn't seem to faze him. The Carmel High wide receiver reached Sam just as the ball was in catching distance. Kurt gasped as the player slammed into Sam, knocking him out of the way and onto the ground. Sam lay motionless on the field as the ball fell easily into the wide receiver's hands. As the shock set in across the stadium, the Carmel High player spun around and sprinted up the field toward his own end zone. He easily bypassed all of the stunned McKinley players and jogged languidly into the end zone for a touchdown and a field goal. The Carmel High fans and players cheered as the score was raised to 10-9. The referee blew sharply on his whistle, signaling the end of the first half.
The McKinley fans were stunned as their football players rushed towards the still-motionless Sam. Coach Beiste and Mr. Schuester were also running out onto the field, yelling for a medic. Kurt leaned forward in his seat, his eyes straining to see what was happening down on the field. With a frustrated sigh he stood up and started to make his way down the bleacher steps. Kurt ignored his father's questioning yells and started to run across the field. His blood was pounding in his head as he thought of Sam's motionless figure lying sprawled on the ground. He sped up even more, willing himself to run faster. He reached the huddled mass of people out of breath, trying to push through the crowd.
Finally, he found a way through the large group and paused mid-step. Inside the circle of people, Kurt found himself standing next to the Glee club and Mr. Schue. All of his friends were staring down at Sam, worried looks etched upon their faces. Coach Beiste and the medic were kneeling next to Sam. The medic was shining a light into Sam's eyes and checking his pulse at the same time. Quinn ran forward and dropped to her knees next to her boyfriend. She stroked his hair and held his other hand as she looked worriedly from Coach Beiste to the medic.
All of a sudden, Sam groaned and opened his eyes. Quinn gasped and flung her arms around his shoulders, hugging him tightly.
"What happened?" Sam mumbled softly.
"You were tackled pretty hard by that brute of a wide receiver," Quinn responded. Her eyes were shining with unshed tears and she shook her head quickly, trying to hide them.
"How are you feeling Sam?" Mr. Schue asked.
"I've felt better," Sam replied. He tried to push himself up but he fell back to the ground with a wince.
"Okay son I need for you to tell me where the pain is so I can treat you," the medic said. He quickly grabbed his black bag and rummaged through it. A few seconds later, he pulled out a pad of paper and a pen. He flipped to a clean page and stared at Sam, his pencil poised and ready to write.
"Well um-" Sam stared at the ground and frowned in concentration. "I can't really move my shoulder. I think it might be dislocated. And my chest hurts when I try to sit up."
"Hm-well it seems that you're right about the dislocation of your shoulder and I think you might have a couple of bruised ribs. The good news is that it's nothing serious."
Sam nodded and grinned. He met Quinn's eyes and she smiled back, kissing him softly on the lips.
"Sam do you think you can walk back to the sidelines?" Coach Beiste asked.
"Yeah definitely. I just need someone to help me up and I think I can take it from there."
Coach Beiste nodded and knelt down on Sam's uninjured side. With Mr. Schue's help, they were able to pull Sam to his feet. Kurt and the Glee Club cheered as Sam gingerly took a step forward. Quinn stood by him the entire time, her arm around his waist.
As soon as Kurt saw that Sam had safely made it back to the sidelines, he headed toward his seat. Kurt saw his father and Carole talking quietly together. Blaine was standing on the steps and he ran down to meet Kurt.
"Kurt what happened? I saw Sam walk off the field. Is he alright?"
Kurt nodded. "Yeah he's going to be fine. He has a dislocated shoulder and a couple of bruised ribs. The medic said that it wasn't serious and I'm sure they're checking him over now."
Blaine grinned gratefully. "I'm really glad to hear it. And just so you know I got a text from Wes and he said that we should come and get ready for our performance. We have to be in our places in about 5 minutes."
"Okay sure. Let's go."
Together, Kurt and Blaine headed toward the locker room. Inside they found the other members of the Warblers, already dressed in their uniforms.
"Hurry up you two! We have to be out there in three minutes!" Wes said, looking slightly annoyed.
Kurt and Blaine quickly changed into their black and red uniforms. Kurt ran a comb through his hair, trying his best to make it perfect. He heard Wes yell for everyone to get outside and in their places on stage.
Kurt followed the rest of the Warblers on stage. They formed a circle, their backs facing the crowd. Kurt heard the announcer introduce the Warblers and the crowd burst into cheers. As soon as the clapping died down, the Warblers began to sing.
The first few bars of "Bills, Bills, Bills" went great. Kurt was happy as he heard the crowd's positive reaction to the song. A thrill of excitement jolted through him, a thrill he only felt during a performance. After the first verse of the song, the Warblers opened up their circle to allow Blaine to step through. The crowd cheered again as Blaine took the lead. Kurt caught Blaine's eye and Blaine winked at him. Kurt grinned and continued to sing as the crowd cheered loudly.
The rest of the song finished in a blur. As the end of the song closed, Kurt and his fellow Warblers let Blaine exit the stage. Then they closed their circle and the lights dimmed. The crowd of people gave a standing ovation to the Warblers. Kurt could see the New Directions standing near the sidelines dressed in all their costumes and zombie make-up; they were cheering loudly and Kurt saw Rachel give him a congratulatory smile.
The Warblers exited the stage and walked toward the New Directions. Kurt smiled at his friends and whispered "Good luck" to Mercedes as he passed her. McKinley's Glee club took their places on stage as the audience once again quieted down.
A wolf whistle sounded from one of McKinley's football players. Kurt turned just in time to see Azimio and Karofsky laugh and point at Finn. "Looking good up there Glee boy! I didn't know the quarterback of the football team wore make-up!" Karofsky laughed and high-fived Azimio. Finn bit his lip and chose to ignore them and Kurt glared angrily at them from the sidelines. Unfortunately, Karofsky noticed Kurt's stare and his eyes narrowed dangerously. Kurt's tormentor shook his head and his glare darkened. Kurt quickly looked away but not before noticing a smirk spread across Karofsky's face.
As the stadium lights dimmed again, the crowd fell silent. The musical introduction to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" began and the Glee club started to sing. Artie took the lead on "Thriller" and Santana sang the refrain for "Heads will Roll." The Glee club was dressed in ripped clothing with make-up covering each of the member's faces. As the refrain of "Thriller" started, the crowd cheered as the Glee club broke out into the song's signature dance.
As the song started to end, Kurt led the Warblers in a standing ovation for his former Glee club. Rachel, looking elated, smiled at the crowd. The New Directions exited the stage and headed toward the sidelines. Kurt ran out to meet them and hugged Mercedes and Rachel.
"Congratulations! You guys did such a great job!"
"Thanks Kurt. I guess Artie didn't really need my advice after all. He sounded amazing," said Rachel. Kurt and Mercedes looked at each other and they both burst out laughing. Rachel just shook her head and walked past them. Kurt and Mercedes followed her and took their places on the sidelines. The referee blew his whistle and signaled for the second half to start. Finn, Puck, Sam, Mike, and Artie quickly pulled on their jerseys and headed out to the middle of the field. The Carmel High football players eyed the five Glee club members warily as they approached. Kurt didn't blame them; after all, the make-up completely transformed the guys so they looked like something out of a horror movie.
The referee raised his whistle to his lips as both teams knelt down in their starting positions. He blew the whistle just as Finn yelled "Hike!" The McKinley catcher tossed the ball and Finn caught it easily. He scanned the field and threw it quickly to Puck, who once again started sprinting down the field. Puck, in all of his zombie make-up, easily intimidated most of the Carmel High players. But some of them took a chance and dove at Puck, trying to tackle him to the ground. Puck easily avoided them and ran straight into the end zone for a touchdown. The McKinley spectators cheered and screamed as the referee blew his whistle. The score was now 16-10 with McKinley earning a touchdown and an extra point. Kurt cheered along with New Directions as Puck jogged back to his team. Finn clapped him on the back and high-fived him, grinning madly.
The game continued on and after a half hour no one had scored again. There was just two more minutes left in the game and Kurt knew that McKinley was going to win. There was no way that Carmel High would be able to score a touchdown.
But Kurt spoke too soon. The referee blew his whistle loudly and the Carmel High fans screamed. Kurt stood staring open-mouthed at the scoreboard. To his horror, Carmel High's number changed from 10 to 16. Finn and the rest of the team were equally shocked. Finn and Puck ran up to the referee and started yelling at him. This made the wide receiver of Carmel High run up to Finn and Puck as well. He yelled angrily at them to get back to their positions. Obviously, Puck had retorted and he made to push the wide receiver away. Finn stepped between them quickly and pulled Puck away before anything could happen. Puck was still yelling insults at the wide receiver as he was led away. The referee blew his whistle loudly, making Kurt wince. Kurt turned to stand near Blaine who smiled when he saw Kurt.
"Good game huh?"
"Yeah I guess you could say that. Not that I really understand what's going on, but…" Kurt said with a smile.
Blaine laughed. "It's almost over, so you'll be put out of your misery soon."
Kurt nodded and leaned against his friend. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mercedes grin widely at him. He shook his head slightly at her and turned to face the game.
The McKinley fans were getting nervous. There were two minute left in the game; all they needed was one more point to win the game.
Finn saw Coach Beiste wave his team over to the sidelines. He jogged over and joined the huddle that was forming.
"Okay guys now this is it, your big moment. Just play like you've been playing all game and we'll be fine. Does anyone have any last minute strategies?"
"I do," a voice said from near the bench.
Finn turned to see Sam lying down on the bench. He winced slightly as he sat up and put a hand on his ribs. "The thing that got you guys the last touchdown was intimidation. Scare them a bit and it will throw them off. That will get us the last point we need to win the game."
Coach Beiste turned back to her team. "Sam does have a point. Does that work for everyone?"
The team nodded in confirmation and headed out to the middle of the field. But they didn't walk onto the field; they hobbled toward the other team, moaning loudly.
Kurt raised his eyebrows questioningly. It was a pretty weird sight to see his friends move slowly across the field. Mike Chang was crawling on the grass, twitching sporadically as he stared blankly at the opposing team. "What in the world are they doing?"
Blaine shook his head. "I don't know but it looks like they're trying to confuse the other team. Maybe they're using intimidation to make Carmel High fumble."
Whatever they were doing, it seemed to be working. Carmel High's team was backing up slowly, eyeing McKinley nervously. The referee, also looking quite unnerved, blew his whistle loudly, which made the Carmel High team jump startled.
The two teams sank slowly into their starting positions. Finn yelled "Hike!" and the last two minutes of the game began.
The intimidation tactic clearly worked because Finn was able to throw the ball far across the field without any interference from the other team. Puck caught the football and started running toward the end zone. Carmel High's wide receiver managed to shake off his nerves and he started to sprint toward the ball and Puck. Puck smirked at the oncoming player. The wide receiver dove at Puck, reaching vainly for the ball. Puck spun out of the way as the wide receiver plowed into the ground. He jogged back a few steps and raced into the end zone. He sped to a halt just as the referee's whistle blew, signaling the end of the game.
McKinley fans exploded with applause. The wall of sound echoed around the stadium and the metal stands groaned creakily in response to the noise. The McKinley football team ran around the field, yelling and grinning. Coach Beiste and Mr. Schuester were hugging. The referee waved Finn over and thrust the trophy into his hands. Finn held the trophy up for the fans to see and Kurt could see the words "Conference Championship Winner" reflected from the stadium lights.
The McKinley High Titans ran over to the sidelines. Finn embraced Rachel tightly but they quickly broke apart, both of them looking uncomfortable. Quinn and Sam sat on the bench as they watched their friends celebrate the victory.
Kurt turned to Blaine and hugged him. Blaine hesitated slightly but returned the embrace. Behind his friend, the crowd parted and Kurt saw Karofsky staring at him with a shocked look on his face. Karofsky shook his head angrily, threw his football helmet to the ground, and walked away. The crowd merged again before Kurt could see where Karofsky had gone.
Suddenly, Kurt gasped as someone pulled him forward. Mercedes and Rachel were tugging him toward the rest of the Glee club who were currently hugging Finn, Puck, Artie, Sam, and Mike.
Kurt laughed and he pulled Finn away from the rest of the group. They walked a few feet away from their friends and Finn grinned at his step-brother. "So how did you like the game?"
"As much as I hate to admit it, it was pretty exciting. Congratulations on winning by the way; a conference championship title sounds very impressive."
Finn nodded. "Yeah it is, especially for this school. This is the first time the Titans have ever won more than one game, let alone a conference championship. Now that we've won we'll be on top at the school again and the Glee club won't take any more crap from the football team."
Kurt snorted with laughter. "I hope it's going to be that easy. You guys really deserve a break from all of the slushies. I swear some of my jackets have been permanently stained from the food dye."
Finn laughed loudly. "I really miss you Kurt-we all miss you."
Kurt gave a small smile. "I miss you guys too."
"Hey Kurt, Finn!"
Kurt and Finn both turned to see their step-parents walking towards them through the crowd. Finn's mother hugged her son and Kurt's father clapped his step-son on the back. "Congratulations Finn! That was some game you played today."
Finn's mom nodded happily. "And you and Kurt both did amazing at the half-time show. I loved the Warblers and New Directions blows me away every time."
"Hey listen you two we decided we're going out to Breadstix to celebrate the win. New Directions and Blaine can come as well. Are you both ready to leave?" Burt asked.
"Yeah I am. Let me just tell the rest of the Glee club and we'll meet you out by the car," Finn said. He grinned at Kurt and turned, pushing his way through the crowd.
Kurt looked back at his father and step-mom. "I'll go and ask Blaine right now. And I have to go get my clothes out of the locker room. I left them there before we performed."
His father nodded. "Just meet us by the car when you're ready."
Kurt smiled and walked through the slow-thinning crowd of people. Most of the spectators seemed to have left before the parking lot became congested with people trying to leave the school. As such, Kurt had no problem finding Blaine, who was talking quietly to Wes on the bleachers.
Blaine looked up as he saw Kurt approaching. Wes eyed the two of them and stood up, a slight grin on his face. "Well this is my cue to leave. Good job today you two and I'll see you at school tomorrow."
He walked past Kurt and headed toward the rest of the Warblers. Kurt, smiling happily, took Wes's seat next to Blaine.
Blaine noticed Kurt's grin and he raised a questioning eyebrow. "What's up? You look really happy all of a sudden."
Kurt nodded. "I was just talking to my parents and they decided to take the New Directions and I to dinner at Breadstix. They also asked if you wanted to come as well."
Blaine stared at Kurt, a mischievous smirk on his face. "So is this just an excuse to ask me out on a date?"
Kurt shook his head quickly and he smiled playfully. "Not unless you want it to be. Although this would probably be considered a group date because there is going to be at least 10 other people with us."
Blaine laughed, his eyes glimmering. "Touché. And of course I would love to come."
Kurt clapped his hands together and stood up, a huge smile on his face. "Great! So I'll just meet you back here in a few minutes? I have to go and get my clothes from the locker room."
Blaine nodded, stood up as well, and followed Kurt down the bleachers. "Alright. I've already got my clothes so I'll meet you here."
Kurt grinned and walked down the field. He headed into the darkened locker room and slowly felt along the wall, searching for the light switch. After a few minutes of searching, Kurt grinned triumphantly and switched the lights on. The locker room was suddenly flooded with light. Kurt looked around the empty room; football pads and forgotten uniforms were lying haphazardly on the benches and the floor. Kurt blinked quickly as his eyes adjusted. He headed over to his locker and pulled it open. His clothes were sitting in a neat pile in his locker, exactly as he left them. He took out his jacket, pulled it on, and buttoned it up. Then, he pulled out his scarf with a smile. He ran his hand over the soft, silky fabric, admiring the way it flowed across his fingers. Kurt wrapped it around his neck and he pulled the rest of his clothes out of his locker. He closed his locker with a soft snap.
Suddenly, a bang sounded from inside the locker room. Kurt gasped and dropped his clothes. They landed on the floor in a heap but Kurt paid no attention. He slowly peeked around a section of the lockers, searching for the source of the noise.
No one was there. Kurt sighed and shook his head, forcing a grin on his face. He didn't know what he was looking for or what he was expecting. With a frown of disappointment, Kurt began to pick up his soiled clothes. He piled the folded clothes back in his arms and he turned to leave the locker room.
But someone standing right in front of Kurt made him gasp and fall back into the lockers. Karofsky was directly across from him, a dangerous smirk on his face. "Hello Lady Boy. Long time no see."
Kurt stared, gaping at the football player. He opened his mouth but no sound came out.
Karofsky grinned at his silence. "What's wrong Fancy? Aren't you happy to see me?"
Kurt just shook his head, his eyes wide with fear.
"Well I'm very happy to see you. After all, you are the one that almost got me expelled." At this, Karofsky's grin disappeared and he took a step toward Kurt. In response Kurt took a step back, but to his horror he found his way of escape blocked by the lockers. He pressed himself into the lockers, trying to put as much space as he could between him and Karofsky.
Karofsky just sneered at Kurt's attempts to escape and he lunged toward the boy. Kurt didn't even have time to cry out before he was slammed back against the lockers. His head smacked the metal and he groaned, lights popping in front of his eyes. He slid to the floor at Karofsky's feet, clutching his head.
Karofsky just glared at Kurt and he crossed his arms across his chest. "You know what Fancy? I can't believe you even came back here today. It's not like your friends can help keep you safe and you know what else-?" At these words, Karofsky reached down and grabbed Kurt, slamming him back up against the lockers. Kurt gasped at the impact and Karofsky took this opportunity to kiss Kurt hard on the mouth.
Kurt's eyes widened and he twisted frantically, trying to break Karofsky's hold on him. Unfortunately, this had no effect and Kurt slumped forward limply. He could feel Karofsky grin against his lips and he saw him step closer. Without a moment of hesitation, Kurt kneed Karofsky hard and his tormentor cried out. The grip on his jacket loosened and Kurt took the opportunity to run. He leapt over Karofsky and started to run toward the door.
He had almost reached the door before a hand shot out and snaked around his ankle. Kurt gasped and fell to the ground. He spun around to see Karofsky walking toward him, his eyes narrowed angrily. "I can't believe you think it's going to be that easy to get away." He shook his head in disbelief, the anger still not leaving his eyes. "Lady, Lady, Lady-what am I going to do with you?"
Kurt stared up at Karofsky, fear paralyzing him. He couldn't move as he saw Karofsky reach for him once again.
Blaine glanced around the field again, looking for any sign of Kurt. This was probably about the fifth time he had searched for him. Kurt had said he would only be a minute, but it had been fifteen minutes since Blaine had last seen him. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Where could he have gone?
He started when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Rachel staring at him, concern in her eyes. "Are you ok Blaine? You look worried."
Blaine shook his head. "You haven't seen Kurt have you? He said he would meet me back here in a few minutes, but it's been too long. I'm starting to get worried."
Rachel bit her lip worriedly. "No I haven't seen him since the game ended. I thought he would be waiting at the car-" She stopped when a look of dread spread over Blaine's face. "If you think this might have something to do with Karofsky, I can tell you that I saw the entire football team leave together after the game ended."
"But did you see Karofsky with them? I don't know why but I have a really bad feeling about this. You should have seen how scared Kurt got when he saw him."
Rachel shrugged helplessly. "No I never saw Karofsky with the rest of them. But I don't think he would even dare to try something with all of us here; it wouldn't make any sense-"
Rachel was cut suddenly cut off as Brittany ran up to her. "So did you hear the good news?"
When Rachel didn't respond Brittany smiled. "Well I guess I'll have to tell you then…Kurt and Karofsky are dating!"
A stunned silence met Brittany's explanation. "W-w-wait what are you talking about Brittany?" spluttered Rachel.
"Well I went down to get my Cheerios bag from the locker room and I heard muffled shouts and cries. So I hid behind the door to see what was happening."
"And what did you see Brittany?" Blaine said quietly.
"I saw Kurt and Karofsky kissing! It looked like they were having a good time because Kurt kept shouting. But I really couldn't hear what he was saying; it was sort of muffled."
Rachel gasped and Blaine shook his head angrily. "Or it could make perfect sense," he said softly.
"What do you mean?" Rachel asked, looking confused.
"Karofsky must have realized that we thought he wouldn't do anything to Kurt, not with all of us around him at least. Today of all days would be the perfect opportunity to get his revenge."
Rachel looked around, her eyes wide. "Well what should we do? Karofsky is dangerous; one person can't go and confront him. It has to be an entire group or else he won't listen."
Blaine paused for a moment, thinking quickly. "Ok Brittany I need you to go and find Kurt's dad and step-mom; they should be waiting by their car. I need you to tell them to come over here as quickly as they can. Rachel I want you to go and inform the rest of the New Directions. Tell them what's happening and that I need all of the guys to head down to the locker room."
Rachel nodded and Brittany ran off toward the parking lot. Rachel raised her eyebrows. "What do you plan on doing Blaine?" Blaine's silence spoke volumes and she gasped. "You can't go and confront Karofsky by yourself! You'll get hurt! Weren't you listening to anything I said before?"
Blaine just shook his head. "I have to go help him Rachel. You have no idea how important Kurt is to me. And believe me I know you would do the same thing if Finn was in trouble."
Blaine turned to leave but Rachel stopped him, grabbing onto his arm. "Why would you compare you and Kurt to me and Finn-?"
Blaine shrugged, his eyes glimmering with an unreadable emotion. "I just know how much you and Finn care for each other."
"But…why…oh!" Rachel paused with sympathy in her eyes. "I understand. Go find him Blaine; I'll gather the guys and everyone will meet you down there."
Blaine nodded and they both ran off; Blaine ran toward the locker room and Rachel ran to the rest of the New Directions.
"Hold on Kurt," Blaine said softly as he headed down the stairs. "I'm coming for you; I won't let him hurt you anymore."
Down in the locker room, Kurt was barely hanging on. After Karofsky had tripped him, he had been yanked up and thrown into the lockers again. This had been the worst hit so far and he had almost lost consciousness. Karofsky had laughed as Kurt attempted to pull himself up from the floor. Kurt's knees buckled and he grabbed onto a locker door for support. Karofsky just shook his head at Kurt and he grinned nastily. "Had enough Lady Boy?"
Kurt ignored him and concentrated on standing upright. He looked around the locker room as subtlely as he could. He needed a way to escape this torment. He already tried to reach the door leading to the field and that didn't work. But…what if he tried to escape when the lights were off? The light switch was on the far side of the wall, about 30 feet from where Kurt was standing. All he needed was a distraction. Kurt's hand brushed against the contents of the locker he was standing against. A circular object met his fingers and he grabbed it. He glanced down at object and quickly read the label. "Protein Powder" was written in green lettering on the side of the bottle. Kurt hid the bottle behind his back as he felt Karofsky spin him around. He looked into the face of his tormentor, his eyes hard.
"What's wrong Gay boy? Can you speak?" Karofsky asked mockingly.
Kurt took a deep breath. "I can speak, you negligent oaf!" With those words, he quickly flipped the bottle open and threw the powder in Karofsky's face. Karofsky yelled in pain and stumbled backwards. Kurt sprinted toward the light switch and frantically reached for it. He flipped the light switch and the locker room plunged into darkness.
Kurt spun around and pressed himself against the wall. He took a deep breath and listened intently. The locker room was eerily quiet and Kurt stepped forward warily. He started to feel along the wall, heading toward the exit. All of a sudden, Kurt heard heavy footsteps heading toward him. He gasped and broke out into a run. The footsteps were getting closer and Kurt quickly dove to the side. He hid behind a set of lockers, gasping quietly. The footsteps passed hastily and Kurt sighed. He walked around the lockers slowly, listening for any noises.
Suddenly, Kurt heard a dark chuckle behind him. He spun around just as Karofsky roughly grabbed him. He pushed Kurt forcefully against the lockers and punched him hard across the face. Kurt cried out and slumped against the lockers. In the darkness, he faintly saw the outline of Karofsky raise his hand again to hit him. Kurt raised his hands above his head, bracing himself for the blow. All of a sudden, a faint yell sounded from near the exit doors. "Kurt!"
Both Kurt and Karofsky paused, listening as the new voice came closer. Kurt smiled happily as he heard Blaine call for him again. "Kurt where are you?"
"Blaine! Blaine I'm over here! Hel-!" Kurt suddenly felt a hand over his mouth, cutting off his cries for help. Karofsky hissed dangerously in his ear. "Make another sound and you will regret it."
Kurt felt himself being pulled backwards into a dark corner and he struggled as silently as he could. All of a sudden, the locker room was filled with light. Kurt looked past Karofsky to see Blaine standing by the light switch, his eyes searching the seemingly empty rocker room. Blaine stepped closer to Kurt and Karofsky's hiding place.
Karofsky abruptly stepped out of the hiding place, dragging Kurt with him. "And here's the other Lady Boy."
Blaine turned around quickly, his eyes narrowed. "Hello Karofsky."
"What brings you here? Are you here to rescue your little boyfriend?"
Blaine chuckled. "As a matter of fact I am. So why don't you just let him go and we can all go our separate ways?"
Karofsky chuckled grimly, his dark eyes gleaming. "I don't think I can do that Gay Boy. You see Kurt and I have a little unfinished business we need to take care of-"
"Does this business have anything to do with you kissing him?" Blaine asked softly.
Karofsky suddenly snarled. "It has everything to do with that!" He pulled Kurt toward him quickly and whispered quietly in his ear. "Don't think I know the relationship between the two of you. I saw both of you on the field today and make no mistake I will make sure that nothing happens between you two."
Kurt's widened eyes met Blaine's confused ones. Blaine's eyes narrowed as Karofsky smirked at him. Kurt gasped as Karofsky leaned down and pressed his lips firmly to his. Karofsky's hand traveled up to the scarf wrapped around Kurt's neck. He roughly yanked it off and dangled it teasingly in front of Kurt's face. "You want this Lady? Well I wish I could say I was sorry about this but…" He suddenly grabbed the scarf with both hands and easily ripped it in half.
Kurt twisted angrily in Karofsky's grip as he watched the scarf fall to the locker room floor. Karofsky laughed softly in Kurt's ear as Kurt's eyes filled with angry tears.
"Karofsky let him go now." Blaine's voice was quiet, menacingly soft.
"Or what? What could you possibly do to me?" Karofsky asked, smirking slightly.
"Well I don't think I could do much by myself, but…" At these words, Kurt heard thunderous footsteps from outside the locker room doors. A bang echoed around the room as the door burst open. New Directions, led by Finn, ran through the doors and stopped behind Blaine, who now had a small smirk on his face.
"…I'm pretty sure a group of people could persuade you to leave Kurt alone." Blaine's smirk widened and he stepped forward. "Let him go Karofsky. You're outnumbered and there's nothing you can do about it."
"Yeah Karofsky, you've been getting away with so much crap for too long. You need to be put in your place once and for all," Finn said angrily.
Karofsky's grip tightened around Kurt and chuckled forcibly. "And what do you plan on doing? You have no proof that I ever hurt Lady Boy!"
Blaine shook his head, staring at Karofsky. "I think the bruises all over his body will beg to differ." He switched his gaze to Kurt, the concern prominent in his wide eyes.
Kurt had no idea what he looked like right now. As he met his friends' shocked gazes, he knew he must look awful. His cheek felt swollen and tender and his back felt really sore. He struggled in Karofsky's tight grip, becoming increasingly uncomfortable.
Kurt met Blaine's anxious eyes; tears streamed down his face as he stared helplessly at his friend. Blaine opened his mouth and closed it quickly. Kurt saw Blaine motion toward him with his hand. It was a slight motion and thankfully Kurt didn't think Karofsky noticed the gesture. Kurt met Blaine's eyes again and he realized what he wanted him to do. Kurt took a deep breath and shifted slightly in his tormentor's grasp. All of a sudden, Kurt kicked backward with his foot, hitting Karofsky directly in the groin.
Karofsky cried out in pain and Kurt took advantage of the opportunity. He stumbled toward his friends and fell directly into Blaine's arms. Blaine caught him tightly before he hit the ground, holding him close to his chest. Finn, Puck, Mike and Artie quickly stepped in front of Kurt, blocking him from Karofsky.
Karofsky made a sudden move toward Kurt and Blaine, anger in his eyes. Finn and Puck leapt at Karofsky and tackled him to the ground, pinning him down without much difficulty.
All of a sudden, Mr. Schuester and Coach Beiste ran into the room, flanked by two policemen. Without a word, the policemen stepped forward and restrained Karofsky. Karofsky glared at Blaine and Kurt, who was currently lying huddled in Blaine's arms. He was led from the room quietly, taking the heavy tension with him.
Mr. Schue walked over to Kurt and knelt down next to him. "Kurt we have to take you to the hospital. We have to make sure you're okay."
Kurt nodded silently and with Blaine's help, he stumbled to his feet. He swayed when he straightened up; the exhaustion from the past events finally catching up to him. The last thing Kurt could remember was staggering forward a few steps and collapsing to the ground. As the world went dark, he heard the frantic cries of his friends calling out to him.
Kurt slowly opened his eyes to a blinding white light. He groaned as he sat up, blinking quickly. As the world came into focus, Kurt realized he was lying in a hospital bed. The room he was currently in had bright white walls with white draping. A soft, constant beeping made Kurt turn his head. He saw a heart monitor near the left of his white bed, consistently beeping. An IV was connected to his arm, steadily pumping fluids into his body.
A soft creak made Kurt spin around. Blaine was standing at the door, staring at Kurt with a shocked expression on his face. Kurt grinned shakily at Blaine, motioning for him to come inside. "Hey Blaine."
"Hey Kurt. How are you feeling?" Blaine asked softly. He stepped inside the room and closed the door. Kurt could see he was carrying two coffee cups in his hands.
Kurt nodded at the drinks. "Thirsty?"
Blaine laughed and took a seat in the vacant chair on the right side of Kurt's bed. "No not really. I went to get some for myself and I thought I should get some for you as well." His eyes glimmered. "And since I know your coffee order I thought I would do you a favor. So here you go, one non-fat, Grande Mocha."
Kurt's face reddened slightly and he took the coffee with both hands. "Thanks Blaine." He took a sip and sighed happily, leaning back into his pillows. "So what happened to me? The last thing I remember is collapsing after they took Karofsky away."
Blaine's eyes darkened when Kurt mentioned Karofsky's name. "Well the same medic who treated Sam was still at McKinley when you collapsed so he called an ambulance over. Your dad, step-mom, Finn, and I rode in the ambulance with you."
Kurt nodded and Blaine continued. "The doctors told us that you were dehydrated, you had a few bruised ribs, and you have numerous cuts and scrapes on your body."
Kurt gingerly raised a hand and touched his cheek. It was still swollen and it hurt a lot.
Kurt took a deep breath and stared at his bed sheets. "What happened to Karofsky?" he asked quietly.
Blaine glanced over at Kurt, sympathy in his eyes. "He's been put on probation and he's been sent to juvie to await his trial. And don't worry Kurt; you can bet that we all be there to testify against him."
Kurt sighed and let out the breath he didn't know he had been holding. Relief coursed through him and it felt like an enormous weight had been lifted off of his chest.
He glanced over to see Blaine staring at him. Kurt was shocked to see that Blaine looked close to tears.
He saw Blaine take a shuddering breath. "Kurt I'm so sorry about what happened today. I should have stayed with you and then none of this would have happened. I just thought that since you had all of your friends with you, Karofsky wouldn't try anything."
Kurt shook his head, waving off Blaine's apology. "It's alright Blaine. You couldn't have known that this was going to happen-I didn't even think it would happen. And look, save for a few bruised ribs and scratches I'm okay."
Blaine leaned forward, a small smile on his face. "Are you sure you're okay Kurt?"
Kurt blushed, his eyes locked with Blaine's. "Y-y-yeah. I'm alright." He watched as Blaine stood up and stepped closer toward his bed.
All of a sudden, Blaine lowered his head and kissed Kurt softly on the lips. Kurt gasped as his eyes slid shut. This felt so different than when Karofsky had kissed him. Blaine's kisses were full of love and caring, not at all like the hatred he had experienced in the locker room. This was everything Kurt had hoped for when he imagined Blaine and him together. Kurt sighed happily and kissed back, wrapping his arms around Blaine's neck.
Blaine smiled when he felt Kurt respond to the kiss and he straightened up. Kurt scowled at his friend, but his glare softened when saw Blaine grinning. "Why did you stop?"
Blaine shrugged and reached into his bag on the floor. Kurt's eyes widened when he saw Blaine pull out a silver box. "What is that?"
"It's a gift. I know it's not much of an apology for what happened to you, but I knew you would appreciate it." He handed it to Kurt with a small smile.
Kurt took it hesitantly, running his hands over the smooth, shiny, silver paper. The ceiling lights reflected off the wrapping, making the paper sparkle brilliantly. Kurt took a deep breath and slid his hand under the loose section of the wrapping paper, tearing it apart.
Underneath the paper was a black velvet box. Kurt pushed the wrapping paper aside and opened the box with bated breath.
Kurt gasped when he saw what was inside. Lying on top of a cream fabric was a silk blue scarf, an exact replica of the one Karofsky had ruined. Kurt picked it up gingerly and gaped at Blaine. "When did you get this?"
Blaine sat down in his chair and glanced at Kurt. "I bought it after I accompanied you to the hospital. When I saw that you were ok, I drove over to the mall and picked it out." Blaine nodded at the scarf. "Look on the back."
Kurt turned his new scarf over curiously. On the back, sewn in gold lettering, were the words "Kurt and Blaine." The words were surrounded by a gold heart.
Kurt stared at Blaine with tears in his eyes. "B-b-Blaine-I don't know what to say-"
Blaine just shook his head and kissed Kurt softly. Kurt kissed him back, the tears falling from his eyes.
Blaine leaned back and rested his forehead against Kurt's forehead, looking deep into his eyes. "You mean so much to me Kurt. And I think I'm in love with you."
Kurt just gaped at Blaine, speechless. He opened his mouth and closed it quickly, struggling to find the words to say how he felt. "I'm in love with you too Blaine," he said quietly.
Blaine grinned at Kurt and laughed softly. "And Kurt-?"
Kurt raised a questioning eyebrow. "Yeah?"
Blaine playfully bumped noses with Kurt and kissed him lovingly on the lips. "I just wanted to let you know that I'll always be here for you. I promise that I will protect you and make you happy." He took a deep breath. "Kurt, will you be my boyfriend?"
A wide grin spread across Kurt's face and he flung his arms around Blaine, hugging him tightly. He kissed Blaine on the lips while his tears fell again from his eyes. "Yes Blaine! I love you; how could I say no?"
Kurt and Blaine laughed and they leaned into each other. Kurt sighed and closed his eyes. He leaned against Blaine, listening to his breathing. Now Kurt knew that he had found happiness. Blaine was the best thing that had happened to him and he knew that nothing could hurt him if Blaine was with him.
So what do you think of the story? Was the ending a little too cliché? I would love to hear your thoughts so please review! I hope you liked it and thanks for reading! 02/20/2011- Thanks to everyone for the reviews and favorites! I can't believe you all liked the story so much! It makes me so happy! :) I'm thinking of writing a sequel to this story...would anyone be interested? Let me know what you think and I'll see what I can do!
