"I'm going to take you home," Kurt whispered. Blaine just sat there, avoiding Kurt's eyes. They'd been sitting there for nearly an hour, Kurt trying to talk to Blaine, Blaine refusing to speak.
"I'm going to make this better," Kurt said. "I'm going to make you better." He reached out to touch Blaine's hand, but as soon as he did so, Blaine dropped them from his lap. Kurt sighed and stood up.
"Blaine?" All he wanted was for Blaine to look at him. "I…I want to take care of you. You know, I was thinking about it all the way over here. You've always been the one taking care of me, with all that stuff in high school, helping me out and helping me feel like I was special. I want to help you now. Okay?"
Blaine didn't move. He didn't even look up. He just sat there, staring at the floor. Kurt waited hopefully for a moment before reluctantly leaving the room. He walked out to the waiting room.
Wes was sitting on a chair, surrounded with neatly labeled boxes. He stood up as Kurt approached, a friendly smile on his face, hand outstretched.
"Hey," Kurt shook his hand. "Thank you for everything, Wes." Wes shook his head.
"It's no problem. I just…I really hope Blaine's okay. How is he doing?"
"He's not talking to anyone," Kurt said, absentmindedly playing with the sleeve of his shirt. "He's been seeing a therapist, but they can't tell me how that's going. He's…he's going to be okay, though. He has to be."
"And you're taking him back to New York with you?"
Kurt nodded.
"Are you sure you can handle all that? I mean, you're still in school-"
"It'll be fine. I just worry about leaving him alone. I already called the school and dropped a few classes, but I'm still going to be gone a few hours a day. That does worry me."
"If you need any help, just let me know," Wes reached out and gave Kurt a reassuring pat on the back. Kurt felt himself smile, a genuine smile.
"Thank you." He looked at the stack of boxes. "Would you mind helping me get these into my car?"
Kurt stood outside Blaine's room, watching him sleep. There was so much he didn't understand. But he knew he wanted to get Blaine out of the hospital, away from the unnatural lights, away from the poking and prodding. He wanted to bring Blaine somewhere where he could feel safe, and comfortable.
"Kurt?" He spun around to see a nurse, Blaine's nurse, holding a clipboard. "Hi, sorry to bother you." Her voice was soft and melodic. "We have his release form, but there are a few conditions." She handed him the sheet of paper.
"He has to see a therapist at least once a week. I've written down a list of places close to your apartment. He also shouldn't be alone too much. I know you have school, but if Blaine is feeling, or acting, somewhat depressed, even slightly depressed, it would be best not to leave him by himself."
She leaned against the window, nervously tapping her fingertips against it.
"There are some other things you should know," she said, not looking at Kurt. "The first night he was here, after we stabilized him and everything, he told me about you. He said that he was afraid you weren't going to want him after you found out how messed up he was." She took a deep breath. "He's…he's not the same person he was, or at least, he's not the same person you knew. I just want to make sure you're not going to run out on him."
Kurt looked through the window, back at Blaine. He watched him as he shifted a little in his sleep, his mouth slightly parted. Kurt smiled sadly and shook his head.
"I won't leave him. I'm just worried that he's already left me."
The first hour of the drive was spent in silence. Kurt played with the radio a bit, trying to find something Blaine might like. Eventually, he just gave up, letting the silence consume them. Kurt glanced over at Blaine who was resting his head against the window.
Kurt's eyes roamed over Blaine's face, hardened, saddened. The nurse was right, Blaine wasn't the boy Kurt knew. Kurt felt his throat lock. Signaling, he veered off the highway and into a little town. Blaine didn't even seem to notice.
Kurt wasn't really sure what he was doing. He wanted Blaine to just say something already. He turned off the main road and headed down street after street of small houses, little shops, and empty plots of land, until he came to a place where no one could see them or hear them.
Kurt stopped the car and pulled the keys out of the ignition. Blaine's eyes were closed, his chest rising and falling. Kurt watched him for a second before leaning over and whispering in his ear.
"Do you love me, Blaine?"
Blaine's eyes opened slowly and focused on Kurt. He sat there, looking up at Kurt, his eyes wide and beautiful. Finally, after several anxious heartbeats, a small smile crept up on Blaine's face.
"I'll love you forever, I thought you knew that."
Kurt let out somewhere between a laugh of relief and a sob. He grabbed Blaine's hands, running his finger across Blaine's palm, feeling the warmth and familiarity. He felt his cheeks get wet as tears started to roll down his face.
"God, I love you so much, Blaine," he whispered, pulling himself closer.
Blaine didn't say much else, but something had changed, and Kurt was grateful for that. Sometime during the final hour of the drive, Blaine fell asleep. Kurt smiled to himself as he listened to the soft noises Blaine made, remembering the first time they'd slept together. It had been the night before the two of them left for college, and Kurt knew then that he'd always love Blaine.
When they reached Kurt's apartment, Blaine woke up, almost as if on cue. Kurt sat there in the dark car for a moment, just looking at Blaine. Just as Kurt was about to turn around, Blaine leaned up and touched a light kiss to Kurt's cheek.
"I'm so sorry," he said. "I'm so sorry, Kurt."