A/N: This is probably going to be one of my longest chapters. There's a lot going on here, but I think it all fits together. Everything is coming together here, and the support is building. So, sit back and enjoy!

Prom is the dance of the year. Gay couples have always been excluded from this pivotal event, and the same treatment ensues at McKinley High.

I could never own the genius of Glee.

Never Alone

The alarm sounded like a gunshot, jolting Santana from her deep, mellow sleep. Rubbing her eyes, inwardly cursing about stay out so late, Santana stumbled into her bathroom. The night before had been inspiring. Watching Mr. Hummel accept his son – and his boyfriend – really moved Santana. The past few months at McKinley had been wearing on the young teenager. So much had happened ever since…well, ever since Brittany started seeing Artie. It forced Santana to think about her sexuality.

Her sexuality.

A struggle that she hadn't shared with anyone but Brit and Ms. Holliday. It was just too hard, too emotional to even think about. And Santana didn't do emotions. It made her feel twisted up inside, which made her feel so, so out of control. Santana was a very in control person, most of the time. She knew who she was and who she wanted to be…and yet…

A few weeks back, she started wondering around online when she found a GLBT networking site…intriguied, and bored out of her mind, Santana began clicking and soon she had created a full profile page…minus her sexual orientation. Soon, lesbians were friend requesting her…asking to meet up. None of them captured her interested until one girl, a senior from McKinley, signed on…and she was gay…

"Santana! Get your ass down here, you're gonna be late!" Santana's mom, Lucy, hollered. Santana stared at her reflection, her mind reeling over the past few months…the dinner last night…being with Joey…loving Brittany…

"Mom…," Santana mumbled weakly. Lucy was waiting impatiently at the end of the stairs. The haughty expression vanished from Lucy's face the moment she saw Santana's expression. Lucy could remember only three times in Santana's life when she was this upset: when her father left, the third week of March of that year and now.

"What is it, sweetie?"

"I – I need to tell you something…"

It was surprisingly easily for Blaine to be back at Dalton after leaving Kurt's earlier that morning. Although, having his boyfriend there to wake him up, make him coffee and breakfast was probably why Blaine was okay with being back at the zero tolerance school. That, and seeing and learning fully about the support system Kurt has in McKinley eased Blaine's conscience as well.

The day had gone uneventfully so far. Warbler practice wasn't nearly as exciting without Kurt or prospective competitions. Now, Blaine was hurrying the long hallways to his Journalism class. In the class, they'd been discussing how modern media affects everyday lives, especially the talk show format.

"Thank you for joining us, Mr. Anderson," his teacher quipped just as the bell rang. Blaine slid into his seat, automatically looking for Kurt before remembering he wasn't there…but they already had plans for the weekend.

"Now, we've been talking about the merits of day time talk shows. Today, we're going to watch "The Talk". Remember, be critical of the format, not the content for today. The producers know what everyday viewers want of a show. It may seem like petty gossip to you, but in reality, what the hosts talk about on the show really do inspire their viewers, which is why the day time talk show works. And who knows, maybe something exciting will happen today."

Mr. Johnson clicked on the large TV, settling into his desk. Blaine felt his eyes slid out of focus. He had gotten, at most, six hours of sleep on top of driving for well over three hours the day before…maybe going down to Lima everyday wasn't the be—

"Oh! Now, this kind of thing happens a lot. Breaking news! Stay focused on format, not issue," Mr. Johnson perked up once the clip for Breaking News streamed through the talk show, cutting off the women bickering about the merits of fabric softener (?).

"We have breaking news coming in right now from the outskirts of Lima," A clean cut reporter sat behind her desk, "We will return to the regular scheduled program as soon as we hear from our on-field reporter, Rod Remington. Rod's reporting from outside McKinley High School," The screen spilt in two, showing Rod Remington just outside McKinley. Blaine's inside started to freeze when he saw a large sign in the background.

"Thank you, Marty. This is Rod Remington reporting live, outside of McKinley High School, where a group of protesters has gathered. According to the members of the crowd, a gay student attempted to buy a ticket for the Prom coming up at the end of May. The student council refused to sell him a ticket, something that the protesters firmly believe was the right decision."

Blaine stared at the television, millions of thoughts and emotions working through his head. Protesters outside of McKinley…people that we're personally against him and Kurt attending a dance…a dance? It didn't make any sense. Why? Why? The mantra repeated over and over in Blaine's head.

"Wow, um, this is definitely breaking news," Mr. Johnson's voice broke Blaine from his thoughts. Blaine looked around the classroom, his eyes meeting with Wes and David's. They knew about Kurt's insane idea for Prom…such an insane idea…

"Mr. Johnson!" Blaine cut over his teacher's monologue on the news, Blaine's shoulder bag already on, "I need to leave."

"I don't kno-," Mr. Johnson started, but was throw off by Blaine's fierce gaze. He just nodded mutely. Blaine bolted from the room, sprinting down the halls and wrenching his care door open, all the while trying to call Kurt.

Kurt. If anything, anything happened to Kurt, Blaine didn't know what he'd do. The protesters were just protesters…for now. What if they found out who tried to buy the ticket? What if they rushed the school, searching for Kurt? Obsessing over what could/could not happen wasn't helping. Tearing out of the Dalton parking lot and onto the empty interstate did help.

For now.

Kurt, Mercedes and Rachel all had the same free period, the second to last class period. Ever since Kurt came back to McKinley, they had started going off campus to pick up snacks for Glee club and to just escape from school. The trio was heading out the front doors when they ran into Finn was coming in.

"Kurt! You shouldn't leave today!" Finn said, panicking.

"Why not? We need a break from this place, so you better have some explanation for getting all crazy on us, boy," Mercedes sassed.

"Um, how do you not know what's going on?" Finn asked stupidly.

"What is it, Finn?" Kurt snapped. Finn shuffled his feet, trying to fit his words together, "If you don't have anything to say, then let us go."

"Dude!" Puck blasted through the front doors, "They're demanding to know who tried to buy the ticket!"

"Puckerman," Rachel began, "What's going on?"

"It's a mob…they're protesting you trying to buy a Prom ticket, Kurt," The students were silent for a few minutes, the horrible realization at their feet. But why? Why? The protesters came out very quickly, gathering a full force, by the peeks Rachel, Kurt and Mercedes got from the library, which had a full view of the parking lot.

"Listen, man, it'll be okay…," Finn started to say when Kurt's phone buzzed loudly.

"Hello?"

"Kurt? Jesus, I've been trying to call you for over an hour now! Where are you? Is everything okay? What is going on? The news on the radio won't stop talking about it," Blaine's voice rushed over the line, dropping all pretenses. Kurt gripped the phone tightly.

"How did you even find out?"

"Journalism. We were watching those God awful daily talk shows when there was a breaking news bulletin. But where are you? Are you okay? What is going –,"

"I have no idea. I just found out that there's a mob…Rachel, Mercedes and I were heading out when Finn and Puck warned us. Nobody's made an announcement or anything."

"Okay…okay…listen, I'm on my way to McKinley right now."

"What? Blaine, that isn't a good idea," Kurt sprang from his seat. Rachel and Mercedes jumped at Kurt's outburst, frantically trying to ask him what was going on.

"I don't care. I'll change my clothes before I pull in. No one knows who I am, expect the glee club. It will be fine, Kurt."

"And I'm fine right now. We're in the damn library. I'm not going anywhere," Kurt hissed furiously. As much as he wanted to see Blaine, he didn't want him to get caught up in the protesters. The thought of Blaine getting asked questions…about getting called names pained Kurt.

"Kurt," Mr. Schue appeared from behind the stacks, "I think Blaine should come. I think everyone should come, with their parents. It looks like we have some planning to do about all of this. Stay with me until Blaine gets here. I'll escort him into the building."

Kurt looked up to his teacher, his coach, widely. Mr. Schue was serious. And right. It was time to make a game plan.

Will Schuester was hurrying down the halls just as the final bell rang. There was too much going on now, too much for him to even process. How the hell was he supposed to be there for his students, for Kurt, when a freaking mob formed during the day? How was Kurt supposed to be safe? How did this happen so quickly? And when, when, did he start feeling so alone? None of the teachers were helping, no one said anything, all day, about the mob. There was no announcement, no warnings, no help extended…everyone knew who tried to buy the ticket…and no teacher help—

"Will? Will? What is going on? You look you've been hit by a bus or something," Emma was there, the very bane of Will's existence, trying to get his attention.

"Uh, I'm sorry, Emma, but there's somewhere I have to be. I already had to leave a class early to help out a – a student."

"With the glee club? Look, Will, I know what's been going on with the whole Prom debacle," Emma's words froze him in his tracks. Of course she knew…she always knew about the glee club and about the drama there, "I know that you want to help Kurt get through this. But, Will…

Will looked over at Emma, who was stepping closer and closer to him. He could see straight into her eyes, into her heart…

"You don't have to do this alone. I want to help," Emma said quietly. Will stared at her for a minute before reaching out to her, the first time in months, and he hugged her.

"Okay," Will mumbled, "We're all meeting in the choir room…with their parents to talk everything over. It just seemed like the best idea."

"That sounds perfect, Will," Emma said, breaking the hug and leading the way to the choir room.

Will had never seen the choir room so jam packed. But every single student of his was there with their parents. There was Brittany sitting next to a shorter, brunette middle aged woman chatting with an exact replica of Santana. Tina and her parents were off in their own corner with Mike and his dad, whispering to each other while Artie's father was standing tall for his son while talking to Quinn's pinched face mother. And of course, Burt and Carole were gathered around their sons and Blaine. Mercedes stood to the side with her mother and aunt entered the room through the side door and were making a beeline for the Hummel-Hudson family when there was a commotion in the front of the room.

"Daddy, it's okay! I'm fine, I promise," Rachel was insisting as she and her imfamous dad's stepped into the room. Will's heart turned to ice. He'd all but forgotten about Rachel's parents…the mob outside…

"What happened?" Will hurried over to the family. Rachel smiled at him.

"Oh, nothing serious, Mr. Schue. Some Cheerio mocked my outfit. Daddy gets upset when anyone makes fun of me. My clothes, specifically."

"Yes, well, we like to give our daughter free reign in anything. She's very individualistic. I'm Lucas and you must be Will Schuester. We can never get Rachel to stop gushing about you," Lucas grasped Will's hand tightly.

"You like to give Rachel free reign. I am appalled by what's she's wearing. I'm Ron, Lucas's partner, most unfortunately and Rachel's better father." Rachel beamed at her dad's, while enjoying Mr. Schue's expression. Lucas just winked at Will before heading more into the choir room. He spotted Kurt and Blaine talked to each other.

"Well, hello, there. I'm Lucas, Rachel's dad. And don't let that man tell you differently," Lucas stage whispered, "Now, I'm going to guess who's who here -,"

"Lucas, will you please try to not embarrass two boys you don't even know," Ron was at Lucas's side, "Please excuse my husband." Kurt and Blaine's eyes widened at these words.

"Wait. You're married?" Kurt choked.

"In all intents and purpose, aside from legally, we are. We don't need a marriage license to tell us that. Lucas, of course, still tells everyone I'm his boyfriend…sometimes not even that. Don't ask why I keep him around. C'mon, Lucas, I think that fine man wants to start."

"I was enjoying myself."

"Of course you were," Ron pulled his husband away from Rachel, Kurt and Blaine, who were watching her dad's in total awe.

"Why haven't I met them until today?" Kurt demanded to Rachel. She giggled a bit.

"Because their always so busy…they have their high power jobs and then me to help me with my performances. It's always a long process for them to meet my friends, I guess."

"They're my idols right now…"

"I'm sorry, Kurt. I should've introduced you sooner…"

"Hey, don't worry, Rachel. I know them now. I'll be taking advantage of that," Kurt promised, Blaine nodded fervently in agreement.

"The kids and I made an agreement last night," Burt said loudly, over the din of the voices, "That this fight would stop if anything gets violent." Emma was nodding in agreement.

"That's all fine and great," Lucy spoke out, "But if it does, how can anything be done to help violence from happening? This is just a terrifying situation."

"I'm confused. Santana's mom has only been scared of cheese," Brittany piped in, "It gives her pains. I thought this was about Kurt and Blaine…," Brittany looked at her best friend carefully.

"I'm sorry, but I'm inclined to agree with Brittany," Blaine began, "I don't know -."

"You don't know anything, pretty boy," Santana snapped, "Look, it just happens that I'm seeing someone. I didn't say anything yesterday because it was about Kurt and Blaine. I was waiting for the right moment. I'm gay."

"Seriously? You've sl—um, been with guys, before," Quinn snapped, before remembering their parents were there.

"It's fluid, okay," Santana quipped right back, "Long story short, I met someone here from McKinley. We've been seeing each other for a few weeks. We talked about it before tix went on sale. We want to go to Prom, too. And lay off my mom. She just found out this morning."

There was a stunned silence. No one knew what to say.

"Okay, well, now that we know that, it's time for all of us to really sit down and talk about this," Will sat down on a stool, Emma joining him. Everyone took this as a sign to sit down with their families.

"The first question should be if you want us to call ACLU," Lucas asked once every was settled down. Lucy and Burt looked over at Lucas questioningly, "The American Civil Liberties Union. They have teams of lawyers waiting to cases just like this. HRC would be a good idea, too, but they're much more activist. That, and HRC – the Human Rights Campaign – works exclusively for GLBT rights."

"Okay, okay, wait a second," Burt responded, "First off, I don't know a damn thing about these organizations and second off, I don't want anyone knowing publicly – nationally – about this. Those organizations may be fantastic or whatever, but not at the expense of my family's privacy." Parents murmured their assent.

"So, no big name help…," Emma was scribbling in a notebook, "I think the first question should be is every parent is, relatively speaking, okay with what's probably going to happen here. All of you saw the protesters, which is more to say than most of the glee club and the teachers."

"Are you two the only teachers standing behind our kids?" Lucy demanded. Emma and Will exchanged glances.

"So far. The faculty claims they don't know who tried to buy the ticket, but well," Will broke off hesitantly.

"I think more teachers might jump board, but it's extremely challenging; our careers are at stake right now. McKinley doesn't have a sexual orientation discrimination policy…for hiring or regarding students. The only reason, I think, that Will and I will be able to pull this off is that we've been - or are - married."

"Regardless, it still means a lot," Lucy said, much more demurely.

"Kurt has been 'Cedes best friend since day one of the glee club," Mercedes' mother, Tiffany said, "He used to practically live at our house."

"What about the girl Santana is seeing? Shouldn't she be here?"

"She has track practice. And her name is Joey."

"Damn! Santana, I've trying to get that girl since I got here," Puckerman said loudly. Laughs filled the room.

"No wonder why you couldn't get her, then, Noah," Santana said sarcastically, "You don't have enough lady action going on."

"Alright, Santana," Emma cut Puck and Santana off, "I want you and Joey to come to my office tomorrow. And will you tell her everything we talk about today?" Santana nodded.

"Now, wait a second. Where the hell are Blaine's parents?" Burt announced. Blaine shuffled his feet awkwardly, feeling the stares on him. Before he could respond, however, he felt Kurt place a hand on his shoulder.

"Dad, don't," Kurt said quickly, "We should stay on track right now." Kurt looked over at Mr. Schue, who just nodded.

"I think the best way to move forward right now is to just be flexible. None of us has been in a situation like this before. Flexibility could be anything, really, I think," Will started.

"That's a good start…but we can do better starting right now," Emma continued, "Blaine, where do you live? And where do you go to school?"

"Um, oh, I live in downtown Westerville and attend Dalton Academy."

"That's a good hour, hour and a half drive, right?" Blaine just nodded, mumbling to himself, half-smiling.

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to be driving down here everyday. How many times have you been here this week?" Blaine averted his gaze from Emma's before finally responding.

"Three."

"Dang. I knew there was a reason why I was getting used to you being around. I swear, I was looking for you in classes today," Mercedes said, looking at Blaine curiously.

"Maybe we could establish the best days for Blaine to be here?" Emma suggested. Seeing other glee members nodding as well as their parents, she pushed on, "That means he wouldn't come on days like today, in total fear. Everyone needs to be working together and keeping each other strong. And as a compromise, at the beginning of glee, Kurt calls Blaine to tell him what's happened through the day."

"That could work for me. Just means I don't have to stress about him sleeping on our couch," Burt grumbled humorously.

"What if the protesters stay? What about that walk from their cars into the building?" Puck voiced out, " 'Cause back when I whammed on kids, the best time to snag 'em was in the parking lot. There are no teachers, no cameras, no friends, nothing."

"What a carpool? No one has an afternoon job, right?" Rachel responded, "The members in the closet neighborhoods could just ride together. Strength in numbers."

"That still doesn't resolve when I'm going to be coming down here. I'm just as much a part of this as the rest of you. Probably even more," Blaine shifted in his seat angrily, "I know you want to help and that's fantastic. Santana and whoever she's with understand, to a degree. It's different for girls. There isn't nearly as much physical or frontal verbal abuse. I know what's it like for Kurt. So, unless you have some plan for when I should and shouldn't be here, I'll keep coming down every single day."

"Wait a second," Mercedes hesitated, looking at Blaine, "What if you spent the weekend down here? You could stay at someone's house for the weekend. And we could pick the weekends with who's house you stayed at. Everybody doesn't have to do it, but then you'd be here at least three days a week."

"Mr. Schue, that could work," Sam said, "We have our glee rehearsal Friday afternoons and Blaine could be a part of that every now and again." Will nodded his affirmation at Sam's idea.

"That's perfect, actually," Blaine said excitedly, "Dalton gets out earlier on Monday, Wednesday and Friday…the Warblers have their big practice on Monday, so I could come here on Wednesday and Friday afternoons."

"Wait," Carole stood up, "Who would Blaine stay with? Your parents don't even know him. We barely know him still."

"I'd do it," Lucy smiled, "As long as Santana was okay with it." Santana just nodded. In a few short minutes, the houses and weekends were divided for where Blaine would stay. Mercedes, Rachel, Puck, Santana, Sam and Kurt and Finn's houses for the rest of May and April.

After hashing out the carpool plan, and agreeing to allow Will and Emma to drive the students cars home, the group began to slowly disperse on a high note. The plans were laid out. Everyone was on board, ready for anything. The acceptance of the group of students and parents reached out to everyone. Will had noticed, throughout the meeting, that Kurt and Blaine were more at ease with holding hands, and moving closer together. And tomorrow, the New Directions was going to give Blaine a welcome worth remembering.

A/N: I threw in Santana's sexuality journey in here because I feel like it might come in Glee's actual Prom episode. The thing with Santana and Joey is that are not exclusive. They still fool around with other people and their story is not going to be central to this story. I will explore her journey a little bit, but I really added her so Kurt wouldn't be the only gay student at McKinley going to Prom. It eases the tension a bit more.