Title: Broken and Bruised
Author: an-alternate-world
Rating: T
Characters/Pairings: Eventual Klaine
Word count: (This part) 3,431; (Total) 8,228
Summary: A brutal attack on Kurt leaves him in the hospital and as his body heals, Blaine finally comes to the realisation that he has feelings for the taller boy.
Warnings/Spoilers: Violence, homophobic slurs. Set post-Christmas and ignores Valentine's Day/Silly Love Songs episode.
Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with Glee, FOX, Ryan Murphy or anything else related to the Glee universe.

His mouth tasted like cotton-wool and when he cracked his eyes open, the world was too bright and he shut them again. The beeping from his left was bloody annoying too and there was a slower beep on his right and when he opened an eye to little more than a slit, he saw the heart monitor on one side and the IV on the other as it drip drip dripped liquid down the tube that snaked into the back of his right hand.

"Kurt?" he shifted his gaze to the door and saw Finn. "Kurt! Thank Cheesus, you're awake! I'll be right back!"

He disappeared and Kurt raised a hand to his jaw and cringed at how swollen and sore it was.

"Ahh, Mr. Hummel," a doctor breezed into the room with a nurse. "It's so lovely to see those eyes open. Now, don't try to talk because your jaw is exceptionally bruised and swollen, but luckily somehow it didn't break. You must have very strong jaw bones," the doctor winked and Kurt rolled his eyes. "You've been out for three days now an- "

Whoa. Hold up. THREE DAYS?

"Kurt?" the doctor touched his hand and brought Kurt back to the present. "Yes, you were out three days. You were badly injured. You uh…you had a punctured lung which was why you were having so much trouble breathing. Do you remember?"

Dimly, Kurt could remember choking and the pain that felt like fire in his chest. He nodded carefully.

"When the ambulance arrived, you were choking on your own blood. It was lucky one of your friends knew first aid and managed to expel some of the blood from your throat."

Vague sounds and pressures and he wondered who it was that knew what to do.

"When you arrived, we had to take you straight into surgery and…we had to remove your spleen because it was too damaged. You had three broken ribs and two cracked ones," the doctor spoke quietly as the nurse fussed around him. Kurt's head reeled as he tried to take it in. "We'll need to keep you here for another week or so until some of the swelling goes down. One of your kidneys got injured so we need to keep a close eye on it but we think you should be alright."

Kurt felt the nausea in his stomach again. "Kurt, you need to know. You were lucky."

Lucky?

The doctor must have understood the look in his eyes. "We could see bruising that was incredibly close to your spinal column. You could have ended up paralysed. Worse, if the ambulance had been delayed a few minutes and your friend hadn't known what to do, you would have suffocated and probably died."

Okay. Maybe he was lucky.

"I'll…would you like a minute? Your family have barely left the hospital in days and now they know you're awake, I don't think they'll leave until they've seen you properly."

Kurt tried to take a deep breath and winced at the pain. He nodded and hoped the doctor would make the right decision.

"I'll go and get them for you," the doctor smiled and left the room.

Kurt took small, shallow breaths and the agony in his chest abated slowly.

"Kurt!" his father was in the room first and kissing his forehead carefully. "Thank whatever exists. My boy, my boy. I was so scared." He brushed Kurt's hair off his face and Kurt noticed the tears.

Carole took the hand which held his IV and stroked her thumb across it. "I'd ask how you were but I know you're not allowed to talk yet. I fully expect you'll ignore that in a few days because you can't stand to not have a say in things."

The uninjured side of Kurt's face quirked in an attempt at a smile and Finn snorted from the foot of the bed where he stood, a hand awkwardly placed on Kurt's ankle. "It's good to see you awake, dude. Like, really good."

Burt pulled up a chair opposite Carole and they each held a hand between them. It was comforting. Like a family. Sort of. He just hated that the feeling had to come from him being in a hospital bed.

"Hey, dude?" Finn spoke suddenly, breaking the tranquillity. "Um, so. The doc probably told you we haven't left much in the last few days," Kurt nodded, "but Blaine like, I'm pretty sure he hasn't left. Like, he's always here when we are and before and after and I think the nurses have probably been charmed to ignore him or something because there's no way he should have been here that much but anyway so –"

"Blaine's outside, honey," Carole said softly. "Do you want us to get him?"

The look in Kurt's eyes told them everything and Finn ducked his head out the door. "Come on!"

Nervously, Blaine stood in the doorway and raised his eyes from the floor to Kurt's eyes. And Kurt could feel the sting in them as he took in the bedraggled look of the boy who was usually so put together.

"Kurt," Blaine breathed, moving around Carole and placing a gentle kiss to his hair. "I didn't…I thought…" he laughed brokenly.

Burt cleared his throat and Blaine took a step back but Kurt let go of Carole's hand quickly and grabbed at Blaine's arm and the shorter boy smiled, cradling it between his two and Kurt felt the warmth and security seeping into him..

It was another three days before the swelling around his jaw had abated enough that he was allowed to try and speak. At first, his voice was raspy and crackly and the nurse placed a straw in his mouth while he sucked down some water.

"How's my kidney?" he whispered.

The nurse's eyes widened and she broke into giggles. "Fine, Mr. Hummel. It'll be fine. Of all the things you could start off with…"

He gave a lopsided smile in response.

"Your friend is here. The short one? I'm not sure he ever leaves but he insists he's been to school and he's in his uniform and just managed to get an early mark because he had a free and it's a Friday," the nurse babbled, fluffing his pillows behind his head.

"Blaine?" he croaked.

"That's it!" she smiled. "Such an unusual name. And yet it suits him. Should I send him in?"

"Absolutely."

She nodded and checked the various machines around his bed and left, and Blaine entered only a few minutes after.

"You look better," Blaine commented. Kurt snorted. "Okay, well…you still look like hell but…at least your jaw doesn't look like someone slapped tar on it."

Kurt grimaced. "Thanks for that."

Blaine grinned. "You're talking!"

"Barely," Kurt motioned for the cup of water beside the bed and Blaine obliged, placing the straw between his lips. Kurt swallowed the soothing liquid down and nodded when Blaine could remove it.

Blaine took the seat beside Kurt's bedside, picking up his hand again. Kurt was pretty sure this hand-holding thing was never going to get old. It left little tingles in his tummy. Not that he'd admit it, of course.

"I imagine the police will be by soon enough. Wanting a statement. Wes, David and I gave ours days ago but we didn't really know much," Blaine said, filling in the silence. Kurt cringed at the idea of a statement and Blaine saw the look cross his face. "Kurt?"

"I don't…want…"

"Don't say that. It doesn't matter what you want or how much of a hero you want to be. This went too far. If you know who did it, you have to turn them in. Do you hear me?" Blaine said firmly.

Kurt stared into Blaine's eyes and he could see the anger and the hurt and the fear and…and things he didn't want to see and he nodded. Blaine smiled and went back to stroking his fingers across Kurt's hand.

"I don't…I don't think I've ever been so scared," Blaine admitted, looking away. "Seeing you…there was so much blood. And we didn't even know the injuries to your ribs or spleen or even your lung then. I was so sure your jaw must have been cracked and then you wouldn't be able to sing and I knew that would drive you crazy."

Kurt smiled weakly but Blaine wasn't looking at him. He was looking anywhere else but at him. His eyes were flitting all over the place. "And then…then you started shaking and I knew…and I couldn't find your damn keys…and then you were coughing and there was blood and you were choking and I…" his voice cracked and Kurt squeezed Blaine's hand. "And you were so silent. Everything was so silent. David had to pull me away from you as the medics moved in and Wes was clearing out your mouth as they assessed the injuries to your chest and if they needed CPR or a defibrillator and…Jesus, Kurt," and the way he said it, with such agony, reminded Kurt of that night when Blaine had first arrived and seen him, even though he couldn't get his eyes open to see Blaine. And he'd have to thank Wes for knowing first aid. And ask him where he learned it so he could take a course too. "David held me so tight I thought I'd break something because I was screaming and hysterical as they loaded you into the ambulance and pulled away and there was still your blood on the ground and then Wes…" Blaine snorted and shot a smile at Kurt. "Wes slapped me."

Kurt's eyes widened. "He…what?"

"He slapped me. Brought me back to my senses good and proper. We gathered up your things and David drove your car back to Dalton while Wes drove me here because I couldn't drive anymore and then I remembered your family and your cell was pretty much destroyed but I managed to get your home number and I called and Finn answered and he was laughing and…and when he heard it was me and probably how I sounded he went so silent and all he wanted to know was which hospital you were in," Blaine shook his head. "Still don't know how he did that. Maybe because there's no other way I'd be calling your house. Anyway, your family turned up after driving like mad I expect because they should never have gotten here so fast but you were still in surgery. You were in surgery for what felt like months. And when the surgeon finally came out, Carole fell to her knees and Burt was holding her up and Wes and David had to steer Finn into a chair and I just…I don't know what I did, I guess. It's kind of just…blank."

Kurt squeezed Blaine's hand again, trying to remind the smaller boy that he was here and okay. He was lucky.

"I'm sure I left. I mean. I'm pretty sure. I know I changed my clothes at least. I think I could just get here first and leave latest because I'm so close," Blaine mused. "I probably sound creepy."

"Not creepy," Kurt rasped.

Blaine smiled and quickly wiped away the tear that had spilled down his cheek. "I was so scared…"

"Hey," Kurt whispered, tugging at Blaine's hand. "I'm okay. I mean, I'm not brilliant. But I'll be fine. Nothing time won't fix anyway."

Blaine nodded and raised Kurt's hand to his face, clearly debating before pressing a soft kiss to Kurt's palm. Kurt felt his face flush and his insides curl.

"Knock knock," a voice spoke from the doorway and Kurt glanced up to see two police officers in the doorway. "We heard you were awake and were hoping you'd be up to a statement."

Blaine looked up at Kurt who had frozen. "Remember. You tell them everything. I'll be right outside waiting and when you're done, I'll be right back here, okay?"

Kurt nodded and Blaine kissed his palm again, leaving the room.

"Nice boyfriend you've got there," the female police officer said, stepping further into the room.

"He's not- " Kurt started.

"Then he just hasn't made himself clear enough yet. You will be," she smiled, and Kurt felt warm with her words. It was so nice to just be accepted for once.

The male officer cleared his throat, pad out and pen poised. "Let's get going, shall we?"

Kurt took a slow breath in and began, carefully avoiding mentioning Azimio's name throughout his entire statement. When he finished, the female officer glanced at the pad her partner had been scribbling on.

"Do you know who did this, Kurt?"

The question he'd been dreading. He shut his eyes and tried to lie, but he kept remembering Blaine's words. He couldn't let this happen again. He knew Karofsky wasn't a threat anymore. Not really.

"He…he was a jock, at my old school," Kurt's eyes darted to the door.

"David Karofsky?" the female asked, and Kurt shook his head.

"N-no. His…friend. Azimio. Adams. Azimio Adams," he whispered, and felt the tears start.

"Thank you, Kurt," she said gently, touching his hand. "We'll leave it there for now. I'll go get your soon-to-be-but-not-yet boyfriend, okay?"

Kurt nodded his head weakly and the officers left, Blaine reappearing and carefully holding Kurt as the tears overtook him.

It was two weeks since the attack and Blaine's birthday was tomorrow and he was finally getting discharged but he hadn't bought anything and he felt like crap because of it. Azimio had been arrested and charged and despite his protests, he had split knuckles and apparently there was some hair or something that Kurt had on his clothing that shouldn't have been there since Kurt had been at Dalton for months so it was kind of an open and shut case.

"I don't want a wheelchair!" he whined, and his favourite nurse, Nancy, laughed.

"Sorry darl, but it's policy."

"Why?" he asked petulantly.

"Because if you get injured on hospital property while heading home, then you can sue the hospital."

"Oh," Kurt said. He hadn't thought of that. He stayed silent the rest of the trip to the exit and smiled when he saw Finn and Blaine were picking him up.

"Hey little dude!" Finn said, holding his fist out and Kurt bumped his fist against it.

"I'm not that little," Kurt whinged some more as he gingerly stood up and wobbled unsteadily.

"Not compared to your curly-headed Warbler lead," Finn snickered and Blaine batted his shoulder. "Hey, you know it's true."

Kurt giggled softly, careful not to aggravate his injured ribs and Blaine glared at him, betrayed, which only made Kurt giggle more until he was left clutching his side and making 'stop' motions. Nancy wrapped him in a blanket as he got settled into the car and scolded the two boys, even as she bit back her own laughter.

"Thanks Nance," he whispered.

"I'd say anytime but I don't want to see you here again!" Nancy replied. Kurt smiled and she waved, pushing the wheelchair back into the hospital.

"Come on, let's get back to Dalton," Blaine bounced in his seat and Finn drove off.

It was a bit of an awkward journey back to his room because his legs were a bit unsteady and being supported was difficult because his ribs still groaned in protest at being touched and he kept running into Warblers who were asking if he was okay all of the time and he felt it was far too impolite to just snap at them so he'd stop and have a brief conversation before Blaine would halt it and they'd move on, only to turn a corridor and run into someone else. He was pretty sure Finn was going to explode with frustration soon enough.

But finally, finally they were at the home stretch and Kurt pushed open his door and was struck by how glad he was that he didn't have to share with anyone having transferred so late because the idea of sharing a room with another boy being so close to him set his teeth on edge even though he knew it wasn't like he'd have to be sharing a room with Azimio, it was just the sheer thought of anyone else being so close…

He stumbled over to his bed and laid down slowly as Blaine fussed with the pillows and Finn just stood looking lost. When Kurt was sufficiently comfortable, he shoved Blaine away and he took the hint, sitting in the chair by Kurt's desk.

"So uh…" Finn rubbed the back of his neck. "I might…go."

Kurt smiled. "Thanks Finn. You know, for helping me back and telling New Directions and not destroying Azimio's face and stuff."

Finn chuckled. "Me? Honestly, it was more Mercedes and Quinn you had to watch out for. And they've got nails, dude. Seriously! Those things can be lethal!"

Blaine burst into laughter and Kurt grinned. "Well then, thank the girls for keeping their claws sheathed. I'll be home in a week or two and see them for myself, okay?"

Finn nodded and scratched behind his ear, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. "Alright, I'll get out of your hair. Let you settle in."

Kurt held out his fist and Finn bounced like an excited boy to his bedside to touch it. "See you soon, little bro."

"I'm older than you!" Kurt shouted as Finn left the room. He sighed. Just because Finn was huge and Kurt hadn't been blessed with genes that gave him a build for football… Besides, he remembered when he'd first joined Glee club and been practically the same height as Rachel, and now he was a good four inches taller than her, thank you very much!

"He's just teasing," Blaine said, breaking into his thoughts.

"I know," Kurt scowled. "But I'm like, four inches taller than I was when I was a sophomore. He could lay off a bit."

"Really?" Blaine asked. "Four inches? Damn. I wish I could grow a bit more."

"But I like you as you are," Kurt said without thinking. And then flushed all the way to the tips of his ears.

"Do you now?" Blaine said, smirking and moving to sit on the edge of Kurt's bed.

"I…y-yes…you're…" Kurt floundered. "Fun size!"

Blaine gaped at him. "FUN sized?"

Kurt snorted. "Um. Yeah. You know. Cute. Put-in-your-pocket."

Blaine shook his head. "You thank your strapped ribs for this because otherwise I'd be tickling you until you were begging for mercy. As it stands, I'm going to leave now and write a post-it and stick it to my door and it's going to say "When Kurt better: TICKLE."

Kurt laughed and then stilled as he aggravated his broken ribs. He hated how careful he had to be. Blaine's smile wore off and he touched his lips to Kurt's hair.

"I'm still going to write that post-it, but I have some homework to do."

Kurt groaned. He'd completely forgotten about all the work he would have to catch up on. He'd tried doing some at the hospital but it was so hard to concentrate.

"Don't worry, Wes and I spoke to your teachers and they all know that you're totally capable of all the work so really you just need to hand it in at some point or other. It's more important you keep up with what's to come, rather than catch-up for now."

Kurt nodded, glad his teachers were being so lenient. I wonder how much I can take advantage of that…

"I'll come and get you before dinner, okay?" Blaine said, touching Kurt's hand and then moving towards the door.

"Yeah, I'll have a nap or something. Pretty tired still. And I've missed my bed," Kurt cooed, rubbing his soft blankets and sheets.

"Sleep well then," Blaine said and then he was gone.

A/N: My goodness, I'm astounded at the response this has received! Thank you to all those who have reviewed and I hope this part does enough justice for those who gave me various suggestions of where I could take it! x