"Fag." The football players walked away, Karofsky leading them and laughing harshly. Kurt rolled his eyes at the originality of their slur. Mocking them was the only thing that kept the tears back. He picked himself out of the garbage, shuddering at the damage done to his Alexander McQueen, and went to his car. The sooner he could get home, the better.

"Hi Dad." Burt's nose scrunched as the scent of garbage filled his house. He turned away from the television to see Kurt, covered in stains and crumbs.

"Kurt? What happened?" Kurt sighed and told his latest dumpster diving story. Burt's heart always ached when he heard the torment Kurt suffered, but he stayed quiet and let his son finish the story. "Who were these boys who did this to you?"

"The football team, same as usual." Kurt left his father and went to the basement stairs. "I'm going to shower."

"Wait!" Burt stood and went to his son. "I've gotta go out of town tonight, some guy asked me to make a house call on his Mustang. Will you be okay?" Kurt nodded. "I made you some dinner-"

"Dad. It makes me very happy that you care enough to cook, but I will die if I eat whatever you made."

Burt laughed. "Very true. Have fun kid."

"Oh, I'll try. Have fun with that Mustang, Dad."

"Oh, I'll try." He winked at Kurt and left for the door.

"Shit!" Burt slammed the hood of his car, angry that it chose today to break down. The part he needed wasn't anywhere on his person. The only help in sight was an oversized mansion, a place where Burt doubted anyone would know what he needed. But the mechanic wasn't going to turn down help, not in this weather. The rain was slamming the metal of his car, making sharp pinging sounds that he could hear all the way from the front door of the grand house.

"Here goes nothin." He knocked, and the door slid open with a creak. Burt raised an eyebrow. "Hello?"

Kurt grabbed his keys and his raincoat, holding the directions Burt had left on the counter in his shaking hand. Burt hadn't come home. Hadn't called. It was like he had fallen off the face of the plant.

He climbed into his car and turned on the ignition, is headlights gleaming through the rain that hadn't stopped since Burt left. He pulled out of the driveway and headed for the highway.

"What the hell?" There was Burt's car, pulled over on this dirt road. Kurt parked behind it and climbed out, running up the walkway of the nearby mansion. Why would Burt stop here?

Kurt knocked on the door. It opened at his touch, and he glanced inside its dark depths. Kurt gingerly stepped inside, mustering all his courage to call out again. "Dad? Dad? ANYBODY?" Kurt heard quiet muttering from the corner. "Is someone there?"

The muttering stopped, and Kurt shook his head. He needed to find his dad and get out of here. Kurt climbed the giant staircase, calling again. He swore he could hear a faint response from the right, and he ran up their stairs faster than he thought possible. "Kurt?"

"Dad!" He ran into the nearest room, full of dungeons and dripping water. "Dad?"

"Kurt! Kurt you need to get out of here!" There was Burt, wheezing and coughing behind a barred door. "You'll be in trouble if you don't get out of here!"

"No! I can't leave you!" Kurt leaned down to take his father's hand, not caring if his designer jeans got dirty. "Who did this to you?"

"I did." The hair on the back of Kurt's neck stood on end. He turned to face the owner of the growling voice, but couldn't see through the dark.

"Who are you? Why are you doing this?"

"Your father trespassed on my property!" The man's voice had quickly escalated to a shout. "He's my prisoner now!"

"You have to let him go!" Kurt turned to face his father, still coughing behind the dungeon door. "He's sick, he could die in here." The thought of losing Burt brought tears to Kurt's eyes. "Please. Please just let him go." He turned to face the man again, walking into a thin beam of light. "Please, I'll do anything."

The boy was beautiful, beyond compare. Tears shimmered against his pale cheeks, which were rosy in all the right places. His eyes were the most amazing blue he had ever seen. His lips were pouted in sadness, trembling ever so slightly. He could be the one... "Take his place."

Kurt didn't need to think twice. "Deal." Burt cried out, telling Kurt what a mistake he's made.

"You haven't even seen him, Kurt! You can't do this!"

Kurt considered his father's words. "Come into the light." He heard a rough sigh, and the sound of claws against stone. "Oh god." He was a beast, a monster. His black fur reflected in the moonlight, and Kurt could feel his hot breath from above. He broke down into silent tears, knowing what his fate would be now.

"A deal's a deal."