'Shame. Pain. Fear.

Stop! Please stop!

Gun. Noah. Blood.'

"Noah!" Kurt's voice cuts into the night.

Arms hold him close, "Kurt, it's just a nightmare. You're okay. I've got you. You're safe. He can't hurt you."

'Noah.' At the realization of the identity of his soother, Kurt relaxes. 'Noah wasn't shot. Noah's here.' "Noah..."

"Yeah, it's me. Just me."

'For now.' It had been just them before...before it happened, and they hadn't been safe, and there was a gun.

Kurt doesn't want to lose the warmth of his boyfriend's embrace, or the security or happiness or comfort... but he can't let that happen again. Not to Puck. Not because of him.

Kurt pulls away from the strong chest and loving arms.

"Hey, come back."

"Noah, we can't do this."

"What? Hey, you need me to take the couch, I got the couch." Puck leaps from the bed.

"No..." This is harder than Kurt had expected. "No, Noah, we can't do this."

Puck catches on when dread fills his stomach, "Kurt... don't..."

"We can't see each other anymore. Never again. You have to be normal."

The speech instantly brings Noah back to the words Kurt promised to Isaac. But, they were just supposed to be words to make him stop. They weren't supposed to mean anything! Puck racks his brain for anything he might have said that would make Kurt doubt him now.

"Kurt, no, we were lying to him! We didn't mean it!"

"I meant it. You can be normal. You can be happy with women."

"I'm happy with you!"

"You shouldn't be. It's wrong. It gets you hurt. He could have killed you, Noah!"

"And he did rape you! Why are you so worried about me?"

"That shouldn't have happened to you! I'm the fag, not you! I can't be the reason someone hurts you."

"Kurt, this was not your fault!"

"Of course it is!" Kurt collapses into sobs.

Puck takes a step towards him, still wanting nothing more than to comfort him.

Kurt puts a hand out to stop him, "Don't make this harder than it has to be. Just go."

"Kurt, please."

"Get out!"

"I love you."

Kurt's voice is drowning in tears, "You shouldn't."

It takes everything Puck has to obey Kurt's wish as the small boy cries into his pillow.

By the time Puck makes it upstairs, he's crying, too. He wants to just make it out of the house with the sliver of dignity he has left, but of course Burt and Carole are camped out in the living room and of course tragedy to a child has put them in hyper-parent mode, so of course they immediately wake up despite obvious exhaustion and see his tear-streaked face.

Carole rises from the couch, "Noah, what's wrong?"

"Kurt kicked me out." 'I sound pathetic.'

"Oh, Sweety, I'm sure he just needs some time."

"He broke up with me." Puck scours his mind for instructions on how to construct that badass Puckzilla facade he once lived in. He settles for a blank expression, "I'm just gonna' go home...or..." No, not home. Home is where it happened, and he never wants to see his bedroom again.

Carole stands, "Your mother and sister are staying at my place. You are, of course, welcome to, as well. You can have Finn's room. Here, it's practically morning; I'll just drive you over now." She leads Puck to the front door by his shoulder.

"Thanks, Mrs. Hudson."

There's no traffic as the sun peeks over the horizon.

Puck looks miserable and the mother in Carole makes her try to change that. "I'm sure he just needs a little time. This is hard for both of you, and he's just trying to cope."

Puck doesn't mean to say it, but he needs to talk to someone and Mrs. Hudson is a mom whom he has known all his life, "He blames himself. He thinks he went and turned me gay and practically ordered me to go back to women."

Carole stores that information for later. "I know it doesn't seem it, but that just shows how much he cares about you. He's putting your welfare before his own, and he's going about it all wrong, I know, but he's doing it for you."

"I don't want it! I want him! Jesus, this is so stupid. He just wouldn't listen!"

"He's stubborn, like his father, but he loves you and he's smart enough to realize that. Just give him time."

'Yeah, time. Heard you.'

The rest of the ride is spent in silence as Puck contemplates the unfairness of it all... and then feels guilty for it.

Upon entering Finn's bedroom, Puck is attacked by a 4 1/2 foot blur of pink.

"Noah! Where were you? I was worried! Is Kurt better?"

Puck picks his sister up and sets her down on the bed, "Shh, Sarah, you'll wake Mom. I was at Kurt's." Puck lies down next to Sarah, fully planning on being asleep in the next minute.

"And?"

"And what?"

"Is Kurt okay?"

"Kurt's... getting better."

"Then why isn't he here?"

"Because Kurt has his own room."

"But, you're always together."

"Not anymore, Bucket."

"Why?"

"I'm going to sleep now."

Sarah curls up into her big brother's side, "Goodnight, Noah."

When Carole returns to the Hummel home, Burt and Kurt are on opposite ends of the couch, staring blankly at the morning news.

Upon seeing his girlfriend, Burt spares his son a quick worried glance before following her into the kitchen.

"Carole, I don't know what to do. He's just sitting there, and I can't hug him if he doesn't ask for it or I might scare him, and that whole thing with Noah-"

"Burt."

He shuts up, praying she has the answer.

"Make waffles."

"...What?"

"Your son needs to eat. He likes waffles. Make him waffles."

"But-"

"I'll talk to him."

The relief has Burt feeling weightless for a moment, "Thank you."

"Add vanilla to the batter." Carole gives him a quick kiss before sitting beside his son.

"Good morning, Kurt."

Kurt's mouth almost accomplishes a smile, "Morning."

"How are you feeling?"

Kurt's eyes darken for a bit before he shrugs. Not well.

Carole takes his hand in hers. He doesn't pull away, instead meeting her eyes with his own. Good sign. Excellent sign.

"Honey, I know I'm not your mom, and I'll never replace the amazing woman who gave birth to you, but I think you could use some mothering right now. You can ask Finn; I'm a great mom. Do you think you could let me mom you, just for a while?"

Kurt's whole demeanor seems to soften and warm, "I think I need a mom right now."

"Good. Can I hug you now?"

Kurt leans into her open arms. Carole holds him for a while, putting as much love and strength into the embrace as she has.

She pulls back just enough to look at the boy. He looks genuinely peaceful.

"Come on. Your dad is making waffles."

Kurt brightens. Waffles are a (not so) secret indulgence he allows himself because they are just too good to pass up and now is a really good time for waffles.

They make it into the kitchen in time to see Burt sloppily pour batter into the iron before shutting it quickly, with an obvious fear that it might actually bite.

He turns to see his son looking significantly better than he had a few minutes ago, and smiles.

Kurt walks up to his dad and hugs him.

Burt only lets himself be surprised for a second before relishing in the feeling of his son still letting him in.

He can not thank Carole enough.

It's summer and the first day without football practice in a week, so Finn doesn't get up until noon. It's another hour before he bothers to check his phone.

He has one text from his mother, which is weird, since she's more the voicemail type. Finn decides his mom is trying to be hip, or however she words it.

He reads the message: "Hey, sweety! Please come to burt's when you get up. We want to talk with you."

Uh-oh. Even though he hasn't actually done anything wrong, he feels the uh-oh.

By the time he reaches the Hummel home, he's prepared an "I Didn't Do It" speech, which pretty much consists of the words "I didn't do it."

His mom and Burt are both on the couch. Carole beckons him over.

It's all happening too fast.

"I didn't do it!" There goes the speech.

"You're not in trouble, Honey. Come sit down."

Finn flops into the chair adjacent to the couch.

Carole continues, "Finn, you know how we've been slowly moving into Burt's home while we're waiting for our's to sell?"

Finn nods. He's aware his mom and Burt had reconciled the family clash after what Finn refers to as "The Time I Yelled At Kurt's Room And Got Kicked Out." He actually feels a lot guiltier than the name would imply.

"Well, for a little while, we'll be staying here and not going back to out house at night."

"Umm, okay... Why?"

"Because the Puckermans are staying there."

Puck. The dude who knocked up Finn's girlfriend, who hit on Rachel because she had a crush on Finn, who had started to spend all his time with Kurt just because he like Finn better, even if it was because of a totally-not-reciprocated crush. Now he gets his house, too? "Puck! Mom, come on-"

"Finn, you need to listen. I know you and Noah have had your differences, and you know I support you 100% with the Quinn thing, but you need to put that all behind you. The Puckermans need a place to stay and they are staying in our house."

"What's wrong with their house?" It's not an argument. There is genuine concern in Finn's voice, and for that Carole is proud.

"Something very bad happened to Noah and Kurt there."

'Kurt? How come no one mentioned him yet? Oh, God, Burt looks really sad.' "Kurt? Where is he? Is he okay?"

"He's in his room."

"What happened?"

"I was raped," Kurt is standing in the basement doorway with a totally unreadable expression on his face.

Suddenly Carole feels ten kinds of guilty. She just earned the boy's trust, and here he catches her talking about him behind his back. "Kurt, we weren't going to give him any details. We just thought he should know something happened."

"Now he knows." Kurt doesn't sound sad or angry; he's just...honest. Just like that, his conversation cameo is over and he retreats back to his room.

Carole turns back to her son, who looks like he's seen a ghost...kick a puppy.

"Honey?"

"He was... He was...?"

"Kurt's going through a lot right now and he needs our support."

Finn slowly nods, then turns to Burt, "Can I go see him?"

Burt has to clear his throat before he can speak, "Yeah, sure, just...listen to him. If he says out, you get out of there."

Finn nods again, then embarks on the impossibly long journey to the basement steps. He knocks his knuckles against the banister, "Kurt? Can I come in?"

Finn can't see into the room yet, but he hears the reply, "Why do you feel the need to ask permission?"

"Umm...'cause it's your room."

"Then, yes, you can come in."

Finn descends the rest of the stairs to find Kurt lying atop his covers, staring up at the ceiling.

Finn's not really sure of the protocol, so he just stands by the bed. "Are...are you okay?" 'I'm an idiot.'

"I'm fine, Finn."

Brick wall.

"Well, umm, if you need to, like, you know...talk, you can, with me."

Kurt finally looks at him, "Why?"

"Because sometimes you need to talk."

"Why do you care, Finn?"

"Wha...? Dude, I'm your friend."

"Friends? Finn, we've hardly even seen each other since school let out, and we practically live together."

"That's because you spend all your time with Puck! It's got nothing to do with you."

Kurt's eyes darken, "Well that's not going to be a problem for you anymore."

A horrible thought forms in Finn's mind, "Wait, Puck's not the one who...?"

It takes a bit for Kurt to mentally finish Finn's sentence, "No! He would never do that to me. He likes women."

"Okay, good. But, if he had, I'd have totally kicked his ass for you, you know."

"Do not use this to settle your childish rivalry!"

"I'm sorry! Shit, I didn't mean it like that. I meant anyone- anybody hurts you- you just tell me... I'll kick their ass. I... I just want to help." Finn looks down at his hands folded in his lap.

Even though the Finn Crush exists only in a memory, Kurt can not resist the Nervous Finn Look. He places his hand on Finn's, "Thank you."

Finn meets his eyes, adorably hopeful, "You'll let me help?"

Kurt can't help but be touched by the open enthusiasm. "I think a few hours of mindless video games would help."

That is something Finn can handle. "Is my console still hooked up to your TV?"

"I haven't touched it since you had Matt over."

"Awesome!"

Killing zombies actually makes Kurt feel better.

Carole, in her expert role as mother, ensures both her little post-apocalyptic sharpshooters are well-fed on more of Kurt's "secret" favorite food: steak tacos, strawberry parfaits, and cinnamon hot chocolate.

The gesture doesn't go unnoticed, and she finds herself on the receiving end of more Kurt hugs than she'd gotten since meeting the boy.

While Finn is taking yet another bathroom break (cocoa flies through that boy like a jet), Burt brings down a blanket and pillow and plops them onto Kurt's bedroom sofa.

Kurt assumes it's for Finn until the man gets comfortable.

"Uh... Dad?"

"Carole hogs the sheets." Burt hopes the tossed out excuse will make this possibly embarrassing arrangement easier for his son to accept.

"Dad, you don't have to sleep down here."

"I know. I just don't want you to be alone."

"But, your back, and Finn's here..."

"I don't think you want Finn here when you wake up from a nightmare."

Kurt doesn't want anyone here when he wakes up from a nightmare. "Dad, if I wake up from a nightmare, I don't want a man in my room."

Burt is stricken by the comparison made between him and his son's rapist.

"I'm sorry! Dad, I didn't mean-"

"It's okay. You're right. I wasn't thinking."

"Dad, I- I don't think of you that way!"

"Hey, Kiddo, you don't have to explain. It's okay." Burt gathers up the bedding.

He gets to the stairs and turns around, "Just, you know I wouldn't hurt you, right?"

That does it. Kurt can't hold back the sob, "Yes, Dad!"

"Good. I won't." Burt continues up the stairs.

"Dad...I..." 'Wait!'

Burt drops the bedding on the steps and returns to his crying child. He wraps his arms around him in a gentle hug, "I love you, Kurt. We'll get through this. I promise."

Kurt squeezes back with all his strength, and if it's a little difficult for Burt to breathe, he doesn't mention it.

And then Burt's gone.

Kurt collapses to his bed, feeling like a pile of wretched guilt.

When Finn emerges from the kitchen with a late night snack, he notices a blanket and a pillow on the living room couch. No one has actually told him where he was going to sleep, or even where his stuff is, so Finn figures he must be assigned that spot. It's probably also bedtime, since his mom and Burt are nowhere to be seen, but what teenager keeps track of that on vacation?

Oh, yeah, Kurt does.

Finn feels he should at least say goodnight, since they'd parted in the middle of a game and all. He manages to eat and descend the stairs at the same time, so when he finds Kurt sobbing into his comforter, when he'd been totally fine just five minutes ago, all that his mouth can produce is, "Wha wah?" The concern on his mustard-stained face would be enough to translate the mumble into "What's wrong?" if Kurt were actually looking, but he refuses to remove his face from his bed.

"Perfect timing!" Kurt isn't even sure if he's mad.

Finn takes intentionally loud steps the rest of the way into the room to be sure not to sneak up on the shaking form.

Kurt hears him make his way to their paused game. "Finn, I'm really not up for playing right now."

"I know. I'm turning it off so you can go to sleep." A few clicks and the room loses its eery blue glow.

"Good night, Kurt. Feel better."

Finn was being really sweet, and Kurt's tired of feeling guilty.

Finn is tall, taller than most couches can accommodate, so he can't achieve a nice, deep sleep. Normally, he can sleep through a parade (and has actual supporting evidence), but now he's waking up to every little sound: the refrigerator motor kicking on, wood creaking as the house settles, two cats fighting down the street... and a scream.

Kurt's scream.

Finn is halfway down the stairs when he sees Kurt, in bed, alone, just having a nightmare.

The terror is replaced by such relief Finn stumbles down the last few steps. By now, his mind has caught up with him. Is waking Kurt up a good idea? Will it just scare him more?

But, he looks so miserable...

Still asleep, Kurt slips a hand from his mangled sheets and reaches out to Finn.

That decides it.

Finn kneels by Kurt's bed, trying to look as non-threatening as possible, and grasps the offered hand. "Kurt, wake up!"

"Noah!" Kurt's eyes don't open.

'Noah?' Well, that's a surprise. Then Finn remembers his mother saying something had happened to both of them. Puck had been there, too...

Not important right now.

Kurt lets out a scared whimper and strengthens his hold on Finn's hand.

Finn places his other hand on Kurt's shoulder and shakes, "Dude, it's okay! You're asleep! Wake up!"

Kurt's eyes fly open, but his nightmare lingers. He launches himself off the bed and onto Finn's lap in escape before his environment fully materializes.

Finn lets out an "Oof," but to his credit, he catches the boy.

Kurt's legs are still tangled in the sheets, and he's trapped, and he knows he's safe by he's still scared, so he just cries.

At first, Finn's a little too shocked to do anything. He holds Kurt to him like he's a football Finn didn't know had been passed to him, and now he's got to go for a touchdown, and he's the quarterback so he's not really used to this...

But Kurt's crying, so he has to do something.

"Hey, it's...uh... It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. You can stop crying."

Kurt covers his face, "I really wish I could."

"D-do you want me to get your dad?"

"No!" Kurt works at steadying his breathing. "I'll be fine. I just..." He struggles with the Egyptian cotton vice around his legs.

Finn calmly slides it from the frustrated limbs, freeing the boy.

"Thanks," Kurt's voice catches in what could be a laugh but is probably just a sob.

Finn is still holding Kurt in a one-armed hug. "No problem."

Now Kurt just feels ridiculous, "I'm sorry, Finn. I didn't mean to- I shouldn't have-"

"You want back in bed?"

Kurt nods and Finn helps him stand. He sits on the edge of his bed, winces, and leans on his side.

Finn notices, "Did I hurt you?"

'When I fell on you?' No, I'm still just...sore."

'This can not get more mortifying.'

"You called out for Puck."

'Well played, Universe.' "Huh?"

"You said 'Noah' in your sleep."

"Oh."

"Umm... Kurt?"

'Please don't ask about it. Please don't ask about it. Please don't ask about it.'

"Was...did... You don't have to tell me anything about... but... I know you said he wasn't the one who... but, was Puck also... Did they do it to Puck, too?"

"No," Kurt answers as soon as Finn finally makes sense, "they didn't touch him."

"Good," Finn sighs. Then, "I mean, it sucks, what happened, totally, but good that... umm..."

"I'm glad Puck wasn't hurt, too."

"Yeah, that. I just, you know, still wish you weren't and all."

"Thanks, Finn."

"So, are you feeling better?"

"Much."

"Well, good night."

That hadn't been so bad.