The night was cold and brutal, like every other night, and Kurt huddled into his blankets for some semblance of warmth. He was seventeen, homeless and alone.

Well, maybe not alone.

That was the night that changed Kurt forever, the night he came to him, it was raining. Kurt was hungry, shivering and wet. The nearest shelter was at least seven blocks away and in his weary state he could not muster the strength to walk that far. Instead, he turned into the desolate alley at his left, cursing a God he didn't believe in as he went. He gathered soaking cardboard boxes to cover himself for the night and pressed himself tight into a partially sheltered corner of the alley. The ally was behind Che Sez, a popular night-club in this side of town and a damn noisy one at that. He should've got up and found a more peaceful dwelling but his head was pounding and he was desperate for sleep. Ignoring the constant rumbling in his stomach, he tried in vain to make himself comfortable. Kurt didn't cry. Kurt had learned that crying rarely helped.

He fell into a fitful dream. He saw himself in his father's arms, a hug. Someone that had loved him once. It was a good dream. A short one. He soon awoke to raised voices, of thuds and gasps. To a yell that was filled with blind terror.

Peeking from under his hiding place, he searched for the source of his waking and quickly found him. Or them. He stayed low. He stayed low and watched.

"Get off me, you shit, I didn't take your money!" A boy no older than Kurt spat back, his chin jutted upward and blond hair framing his handsome face.

" What do you call this then?" A larger man demanded grabbing the boy and extracting the stolen money from his pocket.

"That's mine!"

"Funny that? Because it's marked at the edges with red ink. Just the way we do it. Isn't that strange, Azimio?"

"Let me show the faggot a lesson, Karofsky." Azimio grinned, one that sent a chill down Kurt's spine. "One he won't forget."

"Hold up, Azimio, let's see just how far the fairy will go for the money." Kurt winced. "On your knees, you shit." He pressed his hands tightly down on the struggling boy's shoulders, ignoring his whimpers for mercy. "Now you're gonna be a good lil' faggot and we'll try not to mess your pretty face up toobad." The bastard laughed.

Maybe it was the reminder of childhood taunts, maybe it was the resignation in the blonds' eyes, but he just knew he couldn't let him hurt the other boy. He had to stop it. Kurt was moving before he knew it. Kurt's chest collided with Karofsky's back and he rained down kicks, and punches as his free arm encircled the man's neck.

"Where the fuck—" The other one grunted, reaching out and tearing at Kurt's hair. "Get off him!"

"Run," Kurt gasped as the man beneath him bucked and writhed. "Get out of here, now!"

The boy only stared.

Kurt's adrenaline rush was over as quickly as it began and his hunger and weakness took over. Karofsky flung him to the floor with minimal effort. His grin wide and cruel as Kurt's head impacted the ground hard. "Look at that, two pretty faggots for the price of one," he said as he snatched Kurt up by his collar, shaking him like a rag doll. "Must be my luck—"

"Karofsky, back the hell off," a voice snapped from behind him. From the disadvantage that Karofsky held Kurt, he could not see the owner of that voice, but he did note that the pressure in Karofsky's hands loosened and his breath became shallow, if Kurt had not been so weakened from the blow to his head, he would have attempted to disentangle himself. Dizziness washed over him and he sought to keep conscious.

Karofsky coughed weakly. "Shit, man, you scared me, why you always gotta do that Howdino crap?"

"Houdini."

"Who deenie what?"

"The name is- Nevermind! Let the boy go and I'll leave you and your brain cell to struggle it out," the voice continued

"You out of your mind? This kid jumped me! And that one stole from me!" He pointed wildly in the direction of the boy I couldn't see.

"I said let them go." An edge entered the man's voice and Kurt could feel the shiver of fear in the body behind him. "Now."

Karofsky muttered a reply but it floated past Kurt in a blur of white noise, he was losing his fight with the pain emanating from the wound in his crown. His legs loosened, and his balance wavered. Sleep, he though. I just want to sleep.

A great thump woke him from his temporally paralysis. Karofsky had released him.

"Oh, God, is he ok?" the kid's voice was so far away and darkness was beckoning Kurt once more. He felt arms lift him gently and fingers brush his bangs away his forehead.

"Sam, go get the others I can't get him home by myself."

Frantic footsteps moved away, click clacking against the sidewalk , all the while those soft fingers caressed his skin.

" Stay awake, kid. Come on," the stranger said. "We're going to take good care of you. I promise."

Kurt tried to speak, tried to see the man who held him. But he could not. The darkness won out.

-tbc-