Chapter 1: Visit

~A pity beyond all telling is hid in the heart of love~

Aside from the smell of his mother's perfume, Kurt remembered the movement of her fingers as well.

He remembered being an eight-year-old boy again, with chubby cheeks and wide curious eyes as he followed his mother around the house, watching her do her daily activities. He watched her sew, mesmerized by the sureness of her fingers as they push the needle in and out of the cloth, making no mistakes. He loved the way she played the piano, her fingers drifting over the piano keys like white butterflies. Those fingers were the same ones that ran through his locks, stroking his hair reassuringly as Kurt lay against her chest at night, inhaling her sweet perfume.

Right now, he felt as if her fingers were stroking his hair again, as if trying to calm him down as Kurt drove towards the Lima Memorial Hospital.

Kurt did not even remember leaving the music store without buying anything, nor did he remember entering his car and started the engine. All he knew was the fact that right now, he was driving towards the hospital where Sebastian currently resided.

Hospitals.

How Kurt hated them. He hated the intense clean medicine smell of the place, hated how everything was so white, hated how hospitals were the place where the sick and the dead were. Kurt remembered standing there, feeling helpless as his dad lay on the hospital bed, his eyelids unmoving and his body still. How scared he felt, about the possibility of losing another parent. Kurt had been so desperate, even praying to a deity he did not believe in, thinking pleasepleaseplease save my dad, ohmygodohmygod don't let him die, wakeupwakeupwakeup…

Kurt sighed as he parked his car in an empty parking spot, getting out before locking the car doors. He made his way towards the hospital main entrance and entered inside. The hospital smell hit him hard, making Kurt wrinkle his nose in distaste. He shook his head and approached the counter. The woman behind it was young, with light blond hair and dark brown eyes. She was pretty, the kind of girl a boy would hit on at first sight. The nametag pinned on her uniform said her name was Clarissa.

"Hello," Kurt said. "I'm looking for a patient,"

"Name?" asked Clarissa, smiling politely.

"Sebastian Smythe. He was involved in a car crash recently,"

Realization dawned in Clarissa's eyes. "Oh, the boy from the news," her tone held pity, which Kurt knew Sebastian would not exactly appreciate. "Poor boy, losing his parents like that,"

"Yeah…I suppose," Kurt answered slowly.

Clarissa let out another sigh before looking at her computer, her fingers typing on the keyboard. "He's in Room 5021, fifth floor,"

"Thank you," Kurt gave her a small smile before making his way over to the nearest elevator. He was silent throughout the elevator ride, his heart pounding in his chest. Why was he nervous? He was only seeing Sebastian, for goodness' sake. Just another guy he knew. Albeit a guy he did not exactly like, but still. But the prospect of seeing someone lying injured on the hospital bed still made Kurt's head spin a bit. Why on earth did he go here in the first place?

The elevator stopped and its doors slid open with a 'ting'. Kurt walked out and followed the corridor leading towards Sebastian's room. 5018, 5019, 5020….5021.

Kurt stared at the door in front of him. He could hear the soft sound of the television from inside the room, indicating that Sebastian might be awake. He hesitated as he raised his hand to knock. Should he have brought a gift? Flowers? Fruit baskets? It was a matter of courtesy, after all. But then again, this was Sebastian. The same guy who insulted him at every given opportunity, even after his heartfelt apology before Regional's. Kurt remembered thinking some things never change…

Taking a deep breath, he gave two light knocks on the door. A hoarse "Go away," could be heard from the other side of the door and Kurt could not help but smile. This was Sebastian's room alright. Ignoring the unwelcoming reply, he twisted the knob and opened the door. He automatically turned towards the bed and his eyes widened slightly.

On the bed, lay Sebastian, looking…well…rather horrible. His forehead was covered by bandages and there were purple bruises and cuts on his cheek. His left arm was in a sling. There were also bandages peeking from under his hospital gown. His hair was a mess. Sebastian looked like he just got out from a gang fight rather than suffering from 'a minor head injury and a few scratches'.

"Oh my god," The words left his lips before Kurt could stop them. Sebastian caught his eyes and from the way his own eyes widen, Kurt could tell that Sebastian had not exactly expected to see him. Not that he would.

"Look what the cat brought in," Sebastian called out after a moment of silence. "It's the princess of Lima, Ohio,"

"Oh shut up," Kurt retorted automatically before stopping himself. He shook his head for the umpteenth time today and looked at Sebastian. "You…look terrible," Kurt finished lamely.

"Gee, thanks for the compliment," Sebastian replied sarcastically. But from the way his voice shook and wavered in the end, the sarcasm was clearly half-hearted. Sebastian looked away from Kurt and trained his gaze onto the television screen at the corner of the room. It showed the earlier news; the same female news anchor, the same wrecked car, the same picture of Sebastian. Kurt sucked in a breath before letting it out shakily.

"Why are you watching that?" he asked softly.

Sebastian did not answer at first. He continued to watch the news as if it was the most engrossing film in the world. His eyes, normally light green, were darker than usual, though. When the news was finally over, Sebastian grabbed the remote and abruptly switched off the television. His eyes still would not meet Kurt's as he stared out of the window.

"I just want to make sure it was real," Sebastian whispered in the end.

Kurt had no reply to that. He stood there awkwardly; his hands limp at his sides. He watched as Sebastian sighed wearily and finally, finally turned to Kurt. His gaze was tired. He did not smile. Nor was there his usual smirk. "What are you doing here, Kurt?"

Kurt hesitated. "I…just wanted to make sure you're okay," he said in a surprisingly small voice.

Sebastian raised his eyebrow. "Well, if you count three broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder and a bump in the head as okay, then I'm terrific,"

"The news anchor really downplayed your injuries, huh?" Kurt forced out a smile.

Sebastian seemed to detect Kurt's effort to make a light conversation and let out a tiny smile of his own. It lit up his face a little. "I guess she did,"

An awkward silence greeted them once again. Kurt busied himself by looking around the room. It was a rather medium-sized, with pastel colored walls, a sofa back up against the wall beside Sebastian's bed and a television at the corner of the room. It was pretty ordinary.

"You're right,"

Kurt's head snapped up when he heard Sebastian speak. He turned towards the boy to find him looking at him.

"What's right?"

"The thing that you said the other day,"

For a moment, Kurt was confused. Then, his words came rushing back to him. Someday Sebastian, you'll know what's like to lose someone you cherish…

Oh.

Kurt suddenly felt numb all over. He had said those words in the heat of the moment, but he never truly meant them. Just meaningless words. Meaningless, meaningless, meaningless. Guilt washed over him and Kurt started to feel sick.

"I….Sebastian…I…" he trailed off, not knowing what to say. What could he say?

"Forget it," Sebastian said curtly. "It's called karma, Kurt. I've dealt with it before,"

"I never truly meant what I said, Sebastian, I…" Kurt's eyes slid to the floor. "I'm sorry,"

Sebastian said nothing. He looked down to his white bed comforter, his fingers playing with the material absently. His gaze was hard and cold. Almost unforgiving. Kurt looked away. He bit his lip, trying to keep it from quivering. He had never felt more terrible in his life.

They say be careful of what you wish for…

"Look," Kurt started. "Do you have any relatives you could stay with?"

Sebastian, clearly surprised by the sudden question, lifted up his gaze to look at Kurt questioningly. "Why?"

Kurt shifted uncomfortably. "It's just that…you might be leaving the hospital in…" he looked at Sebastian for an answer. The latter merely sighed.

"Three days,"

"Right," Kurt continued. "And well, you need a place to stay since…er…" he trailed off. But both boys knew what his next words were. It does not take a genius to know them. Since your parents are dead.

"No,"

Kurt looked at him in surprise.

"I'm sorry?"

"You asked whether I have any relatives to stay with," Sebastian explained with exaggerated patience. "The answer is no,"

This…well, Kurt did not expect this. He stared at Sebastian, who had begun fidgeting under his gaze. "Stop staring at me. If you have a crush on me, at least be discreet about it," Sebastian said sharply. Normally, Kurt would scoff at this, but his brain was still processing the answer that Sebastian had given him to his previous question.

"That's impossible," he said at last, completely ignoring Sebastian's earlier sarcasm. "You must have some relatives living nearby,"

"I don't,"

"Grandparents?"

"In Paris,"

"Aunts or uncles?"

"Ditto,"

"Cousins?"

"Unless you want me to catch a plane all the way to Norway which I won't, that's not a good idea,"

"So you're telling me, the only Smythes living in Ohio were you and your parents?" Kurt asked, exasperated.

Sebastian shrugged his good shoulder. "Pretty much,"

Despite how sad it actually sounded, Kurt couldn't help but to throw his hands up in the air in exasperation. So far, Sebastian was not helping him out at all. He found himself pacing in the room, mulling over the fact. Sebastian watched him with semi-interested eyes.

"Why are you getting so worked out about?" Sebastian asked. "I don't see how this is any of your concern,"

Kurt stopped in his tracks as Sebastian's words sunk. True, it was not his concern. Why on earth should he care? As far as he was concerned, Sebastian was not exactly his most favorite person. He could just leave right now. On the other hand, though…

It was your words that somehow got him in this situation.

Kurt let out a breath and turned to Sebastian. "Because I'm a nicer person than you are, that's why,"

Sebastian seemed to consider this and shrugged. "Whatever," he said and turned away. Maybe Kurt had imagined it, but did he see the corner of Sebastian's lips lift slightly? Kurt dismissed it as an imagination.

"So what are you going to do when you are discharged from the hospital?" Kurt asked quietly.

Sebastian, once again, did not answer right away. He continued to stare out of the window, as if the view of the garden interested him more than anything else. After what had seemed like an eternity, Sebastian spoke.

"I'll just live in the house alone, I guess,"

Kurt was slightly, okay, very, taken aback by his answer. "What?" he said dumbly.

"You heard what I said," Sebastian turned to him, his eyes turning dark once more. "My parents are dead, I have no relatives and my friends' list? It's not very long despite my charms. Most of the Warblers live pretty far away," he paused. "I'm fine being alone. I can take care of myself,"

Kurt was about to reply when a nurse poked her head inside the room. She was short and plump, in a cute way. She would have been cuter, though, if she smile a bit. "I'm sorry, sir, but visitation hours are nearly over,"

"You better leave, then," Sebastian chimed in tiredly, lying back against the pillows.

Kurt hesitated but the nurse looked pretty firm and strict so he let out a breath and nodded. As the nurse led Kurt to the door, he turned towards Sebastian.

"No one should be alone, Sebastian. Not even you,"

A/N: Omg yay! Positive hits! Thanks you guys! I was starting to worry I'm getting rusty. Reviews are lovely and greatly appreciated. Like, seriously.