It was early, stupidly early. The room was still dark as Jeff fumbled around trying to find his phone. He hadn't been asleep for long thanks to a games night with Nick and the guys but he'd crashed as soon as his head had hit his pillow. Unconsciously, struggling to find his phone under the mound of blankets and pillows he had wrapped himself in he tried desperately not to wake up, hoping that the ringing would stop. Running his hand under his pillow again he found it, squinting at the screen to see who the hell was calling at this time of night, he debated ignoring the call altogether and hurling the phone across the room. Still not fully 'with it' he slid the green bar across and pressed the phone to his ear, eyes still shut in a vain attempt to sleep.

"Sup" he managed to groan into the handset.

"Jeff. Jeff can you help me please?" came the whispered voice.

"Kurt?"

Trying to clear his head he pushed himself up onto this elbow, squinting as he reached for his lamp; fumbling about he knocked his watch to the floor with a loud scattering noise as he groped around on his desk, while still trying the hold the phone to his ear. Flicking on the lamp and wincing at the brightness Jeff rubbed his eyes with his free hand and swung his legs over the side of the bed, resting them on the cold wooden floor.

"Kurt? You okay?"

"Jeff" came the almost silent reply "I'm outside. Do you think you could come and get me please?"

"Sure. What's up, lost your key?" said Jeff as he shuffled around his room pulling on his sweats and a screwed up T shirt from the floor beside his bed.

"Not exactly" sniffed Kurt.

Feeling a little more awake Jeff considered Kurt's response to this remark as he attempted to pull on a mismatched pair of tube socks. No snippy come back, no put down. "Hey Kurt. Weren't you going home this weekend?" he questioned, pulling his phone from between his shoulder and chin and holding it to his ear again.

"Yeah, didn't quite work out that way" was the murmured response.

"Where exactly are you" Jeff asked uneasily as he grabbed his dorm key and headed out of this room and down the corridor.

"In my car" was the quiet reply.

"Okay, hang tight I'm on my way."

It was cold tonight, bitterly cold. Jeff wished he'd thought to put on some kind of sweater as he pushed his hands further into the pockets of his sweats in an attempt to warm up. Hunching his shoulders he headed across the dark campus towards the parking area. Glancing over his shoulder, he noticed a muted light visible through a crack in the curtains from the common room window; the rest of the dorms appeared to be in darkness; turning back he headed steadily down the main pathway toward student parking. The grounds were silent and tranquil with the large tree's casting gently moving shadows in the moonlight.

As usual most of the students had returned home for the weekend break so there were few cars left at the school. Jeff found Kurt's navigator parked rather haphazardly under a large oak tree in a dark corner of the lot. The car was in darkness which he considered strange as he moved steadily toward it. Approaching the passenger side Jeff hunched down and rapped twice on the window.

"Hey, Kurt. You in there?" he called cupping his hands against the glass and peering in.

A click of the lock releasing was the only response he received. Stepping back and tugging the handle of the door, Jeff opened it and stuck his head inside the dark vehicle peering around for Kurt.

Huddled in the dark, behind the wheel was Kurt. His white face grubby and tear stained, dried blood on his lip and a dark bruise forming around his right eye. Kurt glanced toward Jeff, a sob escaping his throat as he brought his hand to his mouth in an effort to disguise it.

"Jesus Kurt", barked Jeff as he slipped into the car, shutting the door loudly behind him. "What the hell's happened?" as he reached out tentatively to place his hand on Kurt's knee.

Kurt continued to sob, his breath hitching as he tried to control himself. Jeff continued to hold his knee, gripping his shoulder with his free hand in an attempt to comfort his friend.

Kurt breathed deeply as he tried to compose himself enough to be understood. "I stopped off at the mall to meet Mercedes on my way home but she cancelled on me at the last minute" Kurt managed to get out before he began sobbing again and Jeff was at a loss as what to say so he stayed silent.

"I, I was unlocking the driver's door when someone grabbed me by the wrist and dragged me round to the back of the car" Kurt managed with a shaky voice. "It, it was Dave" he added.

"You know about him right. Blaine explained all about him to you guys yeah?"

Jeff nodded silently, studying the bruise on Kurt's eye through a frown of his own.

"Well, it turns out he wasn't very impressed that I'd come back to Lima after he told me not to, so he, he decided to explain to me how upset he really was."

"Damn Kurt", moaned Jeff. Raising his hand to Kurt's cheek to cautiously touch the bruise. "How the hell did he do this to you in broad daylight?"

"Well you know it really didn't take him that long" mumbled Kurt, looking down to his lap. Silence filled the car.

"Please don't tell Blaine" whispered Kurt.

"What?" questioned Jeff, "haven't you called him yet?"

"No" whimpered Kurt, "I really would like it if he didn't know."

"And how do you think that's going to work Kurt? I mean really, if this had happened to me and I didn't tell Nick he would flip shit. Not forgetting the little matter of your cut lip and black eye; don't you think he'll notice them tomorrow morning?"

"I was kind of hoping I could hide in your room this weekend" mumbled Kurt, still not looking Jeff in the eye.

"Kurt, I really don't understand. You've got to tell Blaine, come to think of it why you didn't call him tonight?" asked Jeff frowning slightly in confusion.

"I don't want him to know Jeff" sniffed Kurt.

"But Kurt..."

"No Jeff" Kurt's eyes snapped up and blazed into Jeff's, "he can't know" Kurt's voice had regained some of its usual strength but it cracked on the last word as his eyes cast downwards again.

"Okay, okay, calm down, its okay" said Jeff trying desperately to try and read the situation.

Kurt sniffed and wiped his eyes, "thank you."

"Hey, how about we get you inside and see how you feel then?" questioned Jeff, lowering his head to try and catch Kurt's downcast eyes.

"Sure" Kurt managed with a small smile.

"What about your Dad Kurt? Wasn't he expecting you home like hours ago? Come to think of it, how long have you been out here anyway?" Jeff queried carefully.

"Oh" mumbled Kurt his eyes still cast downward, "I drove about for a while; you know, trying to decide where to go. I eventually text him and told him I couldn't make it back, gave him a story about a major homework assignment" Kurt explained guiltily, "but I've actually been sitting out here for a while now. It feels safe you know?"

"Oh right. Okay then. Shall we?" prompted Jeff.

Jeff opened his door and slipped out into the cold, he jogged round to the driver's side and opened Kurt's door waiting for him to get out, frowning again as he noticed Kurt gingerly place his foot down on the ground, twisting Kurt grabbed his bag from the back seat and carefully stood.

Jeff closed the door and pulled Kurt toward him, placing his arm under Kurt's so that he could support his weight.

"Jeff" he protested, "that really isn't necessary."

"Shut it Kurt. Don't even try to make out that your ankle isn't hurting" snarked Jeff "just accept the help and get over it."

"Jeez you're cranky at night" smiled Kurt "perhaps you should sleep more."

"Yes, well that's hard to do when you're playing hero" smiled Jeff.

"You know, I always thought of you more as an angel" Kurt smiled back. "must be something to do with your blonde halo."

"Thanks alot" puffed Jeff as they made their way back across the campus toward the dorms, Jeff supporting Kurt's weight as he pulled him close.

"Really though Jeff, thank you for this. I really appreciate it and I know I'm asking alot for you to not tell Blaine."

Jeff just nodded in response not entirely comfortable with the situation he had now agreed to but sure that for tonight anyway he was doing right by his friend.

Neither boy noticed the common room curtains move back into place as they entered the dorms nor did they see the door crack open as they made their way up the dark corridor. Jeff's arm still slung around Kurt, with Kurt in turn learning into Jeff's shoulder.

Kurt learned against the door as Jeff searched for his key, gingerly placing some weight on his ankle as a fresh set of silent tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Hey" said Jeff, gently raising his hand to Kurt's cheek. "You'll be fine, just let's get you inside, okay."

Kurt raised his eyes to Jeff and nodded silently as Jeff tenderly brushed his tears away.

Pushing the door open Jeff ushered Kurt into the darkness and closed the door with a click.

Neither boy noticed the common room door was now closed.