Author's Note:

As I said last time, hurdle one managed, now for the rest. Just to clarify, this chapter does rewind just a bit, back to when Dan left, and then it'll catch back up.

Okay, enough from me ... on with the show!

Don't know anything, don't know anyone, and certainly don't own anything. (I wish though!) Please feel free to review with constructive criticism, etc.

04 - Bridges

In the car Dan took out his phone and called Derrick back. "Sorry about that," Dan said, "I was trying to make sure Blaine didn't get killed."

"What?" Derrick said. "Is he okay? I feel so terrible."

"No, No, he's fine," Dan said. "This one isn't really even about you." Dan knew his brother was remembering a prior incident where his choice of profession had brought embarrassment to his family, an incident which prompted him to use his middle name for business instead of his family name.

"Is he okay, seriously?"

"Yeah, he's going to be," Dan told him. "It was just that one grain of sand too many, his father's scale finally tipped and he let Blaine know what he was really thinking. From the sound of it, he's better off not being there anymore."

"Oh, man!" Derrick said. "Well, I've got good news and bad news."

"Okay, Shoot."

"They had a source there, someone, either the doorman or one of the servers that tipped them, they got a look at their IDs and they made sure to keep the rest of the boys out of it since they were underage. They dotted all their 'I's and crossed the 'T's, so we can't touch them. The copy wasn't even that bad, it just had his name and face ... nothing libelous or anything."

"The mention was enough for his dad," Dan said. "Again, not your fault."

"I know, that's the sad part," Derrick said. He laughed. "I stuck it to them though."

"What?"

"I pointed out that they had pictures of me and my fiancé, and they could have broken it as an exclusive had they just asked and left the boys out of it," Derrick said. "Of course Bryce was pissed too, and had his reps stick an injunction on their use of any photos of him, so now they have the photos of the both of us and can't use any of them."

Dan laughed at the glee that could be heard in his brother's voice. "You go bro ... bros!"

They both laughed.

"So what's Blaine going to do?" Derrick asked.

"Well he's not sleeping in his car anymore."

"What?" Derrick said.

"Kid logic..." Dan said. "He didn't want to dump on anybody."

Derrick sighed. "Do you need help with a protection detail?" Derrick asked.

"No, I think I handled it the smart way," Dan said. "I got Kurt back first and Kurt will keep anyone else from killing him."

"Anyone else," Derrick said.

"Exactly," Dan said. "He hit him so hard he knocked Blaine's glasses across the room."

"Shit!"

"Just glad it was open handed or he might have broken his jaw," Dan said. "Anyway, I'm heading out to set a little plan in motion to try and arrange something a little more permanent."

"What are you thinking?"

"Your room."

"Oh..." Derrick said. "Why not yours, it was bigger."

"No it wasn't, yours was bigger."

"Was not," Derrick said in almost a whine.

"It was ... I used a measuring tape. Yours was at least a foot wider."

"Couldn't have been..."

"Face it, you just had more shit," Dan said. "Bye, I've got to go so I can get back; I don't like leaving them alone for too long."

"Bye, Danny," Derrick said laughing.

Dan returned a few hours later. He walked in to find the two boys curled up on the sofa watching TV.

"I don't need to check for pulses do I?" he said entering the living room with a mock frown.

"No, we're fine," Blaine said laughing.

"Though I gave him a pretty nasty mark," Kurt said grimacing as he looked at the hand-shaped mark that was now coloring itself in on Blaine's left cheek.

"I told you I deserved it for being such an idiot," Blaine said. "Besides if it's there already, maybe everyone else will see it and feel bad and not add their own."

Dan smiled as he sat down in a chair near them, sitting his messenger bag down beside him. "So you two are all good?"

The two boys looked at one another and nodded.

"Okay, good, 'cause I think it's going to take a united front for you to pull your ass out of this one." Blaine and Kurt both shared a nod. "Have you guys told anybody else that you've been found and that you're not dead?"

"To be honest, with Kurt's reaction, I'm kind of afraid to," Blaine said frowning.

Dan nodded in agreement. "Well first off, let's just put it out there that you're not sleeping on the streets or in your car." Blaine started to open his mouth but Dan continued. "Control your man there Hummel, his babbling just gets him into trouble." Kurt smiled and placed his hand over Blaine's mouth. "Thank you. You can stay here with me as long as you like ... there's plenty of room."

Blaine reached up and pulled Kurt's hand away. "I was meaning to ask you why you have such a huge house. We've seen Mr. Schue's apartment and it's tiny compared to this."

"Now that bit of babbling did make sense," Kurt said allowing his hand to drop.

"This was my folks' house when we first moved up here to Ohio," Dan said. "When they decided to move out closer to Westerville, to be closer to some more of my mom's family, I decided to buy it from them as an investment. They gave me a ... substantially reduced price, but it was still a pretty penny especially on my starting salary."

"Wow," Blaine said. "That was pretty smart."

"Well I try..." Dan said and both boys laughed. "So, you can have Derrick's old room."

"I ... Thank you, really," Blaine said, "but I don't want to get you in trouble. I mean, I felt bad enough in New York. When I really sat down and thought about it you took on a huge responsibility and that student teacher thing... I just can't."

"Okay, then let's hear your better plan," Dan said.

Blaine's face dropped.

"Well, you could..." Kurt started.

"No..." Blaine said. "I know what you're thinking and that would never work. Your dad couldn't handle us sharing a room ... hell; I don't know that I could handle us sharing a room without..." Blaine tipped his head to the side and kind of nodded. "And bunking with Finn is just not fair to him, plus I'd never feel comfortable imposing like that."

Kurt frowned. "It was worth mentioning."

Blaine nodded, then leaned over and kissed him. "Thank you, anyway."

Kurt smiled. "So, like the man said, what's your better plan?"

Blaine sort of rolled his eyes. "I don't have one. But I'm still not going to feel right living like some sort of mooch."

Dan held a finger up. "I figured that would be one of your objections." He removed his notebook from his bag and slid some papers from between the keyboard and monitor and sat them on the smooth top. "Got a dollar left?"

Blaine looked at him strangely.

"Do you have a dollar left in your pocket?" Dan said again. "Any kind of cash?"

"Yeah," Blaine said reaching for his wallet.

Dan held his hand out. Blaine removed the dollar bill from his wallet and handed it to Dan, who took a pen out of his bag and wrote something in at the top of the sheet and then handed it to Blaine.

"What's this?" Blaine said looking at the papers.

"It's a rental agreement," Dan said. "You were getting a job at King's Island, and if you don't get that one you can find something else. I wrote it up ... kind of a cross between one you would get anywhere you would rent and one that you would have in a college dorm."

Blaine's eyes grew wide.

"Rent, utilities, room, board, all included," Dan said. "The main difference is that most places ask for first and last month's rent upfront and that one says that first and last month's rent are waived, so that you have to time get yourself established. You just gave me the one dollar down to seal the deal."

Blaine shook his head. "I... I just don't know what to say."

"There isn't much to say," Dan said. "You need a place to stay. None of us are going to let you stay on the street." Kurt nodded. "I have room, so since you don't have any other relatives close enough to ask..."

It started out as a shake but ended up as more of a nod. "Okay. I guess I can't argue."

"Good, the dumb streak is screeching to a halt," Dan said. "Here take this." He pulled a cell phone from his bag.

"This is yours isn't it?" Blaine said.

"Actually that one's yours now," Dan said. He removed the iPhone that Derrick and Bryce had given him in New York from his pocket. "This one's mine. I switched to a family plan and added a line. That'll be ten bucks a month included in your rent. I tried to get your old number ported over, but you guys were on a different carrier, so you're going to have to give everyone your new number."

Blaine was speechless. "Are you sure this isn't going to get you into any trouble?"

"School's out," Dan said. "I'm not your teacher. You're eighteen, so you're an adult; you need a place to stay, I have a room, and that is a legal document - as soon as we sign it. When school starts back if we want to reexamine, fine, we will. As far as I'm concerned I know how to password protect my computer, you're not going to get any cheat sheets from me, all you have to do is change your address in your school file. Done deal."

Blaine was smiling. "As my landlord, I feel I should warn you that I'm a homosexual, and I may be tempted to invite men over on occasion." Kurt turned and raised an eyebrow at him. "Well maybe just one." Kurt nodded.

"The last occupant was the same, so should the walls decide to talk you won't be too shocked." They both laughed. "Okay there are two unwritten caveats to this deal."

Blaine raised his eyebrows.

"First, you need to make nice with your friends so that we can get some big, strapping foot player types in here to help you with your move. I've been using that room as an office. It's a little bigger than the other one ... my old one, so I'll switch with you if we can get some help with the heavy lifting."

Blaine smiled. "I think I can find a couple, three or four guys that might fit the bill ... provided they'll speak to me after some stupidity on my part. Hopefully I haven't torched all the bridges."

"Okay and the second one... You should call your mom. At least let her know that you're okay and safe," Dan said. "You can ask her not to tell your father; not tell her exactly where you are if you don't want to, but give her your new number and let her know you're okay. You can even screen your calls or not talk to her just text her, I don't care. From what you said, though, this was mostly your dad's decision and ... you need to keep whatever bond you can alive."

Blaine nodded in agreement. He took a deep breath and tapped in her number and hit dial.

"Hello?"

"Mom?"

There was a rustling and then the sound of a door closing. "Blaine? Is that you?"

"Yeah, Mom."

"Oh thank God. Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I just wanted to call and let you know."

"Oh my God. I am so sorry. He had no right. No right at all to force you out."

"He didn't throw me out Mom ... I left."

"I know, but he made it unlivable for you here. Made you want to leave."

Blaine was fighting the tears again that he didn't want to give in to.

"Are you okay where you are? Are you safe?"

"Yes, I'm at a friend's and he's said I can stay with him."

"Is it him? Your boyfriend, the one that you couldn't bring around and introduce to us?"

"No, another friend ... and I'm sorry about that."

"I am too. I'd love to meet him, even though your father wouldn't."

Blaine smiled. "Maybe we can go out to lunch some time."

"I'd like that."

"This is my new number, so you have it."

"Well, if you're safe and you're not planning on coming back, I guess your father can have your room."

"What?"

"Well, he's probably tired of sleeping on the couch by now. Hell maybe I'll move in there, I liked your choice of décor. You have great taste."

Blaine started ... something, Kurt couldn't decide if it was laughing or crying.

"Before you go, how do you do that thing with the phone again?"

Blaine smiled. "Y...you press the up arrow and make sure it's on my new number. You press the circle in the middle of the arrows. Then you press the down arrow until the one that says 'add contact' is the one that's a different color, and press the round one again."

Dan smiled ... it seemed help desk duties run in families.

"I love you, Blaine."

"I love you, Mom."

They hung up.

There was more of ... the emotion. "Baby, are you laughing or crying," Kurt asked pulling Blaine into a hug.

"A little of both," Blaine said.

"Everything alright?" Dan asked.

"She said ... since I wasn't coming home ... as long as I'm safe, they'll decide who gets my room," Blaine said, the other two looked at him questioningly. "She figures he's getting tired of sleeping on the couch." They all laughed. Blaine reached to wipe at his eye and Kurt grabbed the roll of tissue and handed it to him.

Once he'd wiped his eyes and nose he turned to Kurt. "She wants to meet you."

"I'd love to meet her too," Kurt said. "We should do brunch."

"She'd love that," Blaine said smiling.

Kurt's phone rang. "It's Dave," he said looking at the ID. "Hello?"

"Any news?" Dave asked sounding concerned. "Sam and I were going to go out looking again if not."

"Umm, yeah there's some news," Kurt said looking over at Blaine.

"Uh, g...good or bad?" Dave asked. You could almost hear him holding his breath. Kurt looked between the other two. "Are you and Sam off now?"

"I am, Sam's off in about twenty minutes," Dave said. "What's going on Kurt?"

"It's okay, it's good news," Kurt said. "When you guys get off can you meet me at my house?"

"Sure we'll be there as soon as we can."

"Bye, Dave," Kurt said hanging up. "Next band-aid huh?"

As Dan pulled into the Hudson-Hummel driveway they all noted that Dave's truck was already parked out front. He wasn't kidding when he said as soon as they could.

Blaine took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"You okay?" Dan asked him.

"For the moment," Blaine said. "I deserve what I got on my left cheek from each and every one of them, I just don't know if I have enough body parts to go around."

"Physical relations with you ... well physical contact of any kind, are my purview," Kurt said, "so they'll have to go through me to get to you."

Blaine smiled and they all exited the car and walked toward the kitchen door. Kurt entered, the other two following. "Dad, Carole, you here?" he yelled.

"We're in here honey," Carole said entering the kitchen. "Dave told us you said there was news?" She saw Blaine behind Kurt. "OH MY GOD!" she yelled and ran over enveloping him in a hug.

"What is it?" Burt said running toward the commotion. "JESUS CHRIST SON!" he joined in the hug.

The other three boys ran in from the other room.

"WHAT THE..."

"BLAINE!"

"THANK GOD!"

The two adults finally let go of him and stepped back. "Oh my God what happened to your face, Blaine?" Carole asked as she cupped his chin and turned it to get a better look at bruise forming on his cheek.

"That was me," Kurt said raising his hand.

Her eyes and his father's grew wide as they looked at him.

"I deserved it," Blaine said readjusting his glasses.

"What happened to the rest of your face, dude?" Finn said.

Blaine ran his hand over his stubble. "Long story," Blaine said.

"Mr. D you do good work," Finn said.

Dan shrugged.

"Mr. Deen," Burt said extending his hand. "Sorry, got a little distracted."

"Not a problem," Dan said. "Why don't we go in the other room, Blaine's got a lot to tell you." Blaine looked at him. "Your mess ... your explanation."

As they sat down in the other room, Blaine started explaining what had happened and apologized profusely for worrying them all.

"He really called you a..." Finn said. Blaine nodded.

"Some people..." Carole said.

Burt shook his head and said, "Some people just need to be taken out and hung by their..."

"Honey why don't you go start some coffee?" Carole said. Burt looked at her and took the hint.

"I called my mom tonight and let her know I was okay," Blaine said.

Carole looked relieved. She could imagine what she'd feel like if Finn were gone for days without calling. "So where are you staying? Because you can move in here if you need to."

Kurt shook his head. "No, because dad would never feel comfortable with him in my room and we couldn't put Finn out by putting him in his room."

Dan and Blaine both smiled at one another.

"Actually, thank you, but Mr. D already said I could stay at his place," Blaine said. "He has an extra room. And if I don't get that King's Island gig I'll get another job to pay him back."

"Guess he couldn't wait till you finished school, huh?" Dave said sadly.

"Well I'm an adult, I guess I just have to start acting like it," Blaine said.

"Oh honey, you shouldn't have to worry about things like this until you're at least eighteen," Carole said.

"I am eighteen," Blaine said.

She looked at him bewildered as Finn and Sam both said, "You are?"

Kurt nodded. "This past February."

Blaine lowered his head onto his hand and rubbed his forehead. He took a deep breath in and blew it out. He looked up somewhere around Dave and said, "I was attacked by some bullies my freshman year. Between the hospital, recovering from that, and the post traumatic stress, I failed my freshman year and had to repeat it ... so I'm a year behind." Kurt wrapped his arm around him, tears in his eyes. The age difference had come up, but the reason hadn't been made clear until tonight.

Burt had just reentered the room from the kitchen and stopped in his tracks. He put his hand on his wife's shoulder and she placed her hand on his, while Sam and Finn sat shocked. Dan's face was somber as well, he'd seen Blaine's transcript so he'd known that something radical had happened his freshman year, he just didn't know what.

Sam looked over at Dave. "You don't seem surprised."

"It came up that night in New York when you guys fell asleep and we went downstairs," Dave said. Sam reached over and took his hand.

Kurt kissed Blaine gently on the temple. "Are you okay?"

Blaine considered a moment. "Yeah ... I think it's finally out there, instead of in here. So ... yeah, I'm kind of glad I don't have to carry it anymore."

Dan glanced up and caught Burt wiping tears from his eyes. He made no mention or acknowledgement; he knew Burt was much more private than that. He imagined that he and Carole would discuss it later. His world had been set on its ear. The things he worried about happening to Kurt can and did happen.

Dan averted his gaze from Burt and happened upon Finn. He watched as Finn's gaze shifted between each couple, then settled somewhere in the middle of the room with a look of dejection. Dan placed his hand on Finn's knee to get his attention. "Why don't you go call Rachel ... let her know he's alright? Start that phone tree up."

Finn looked around at the paired hands then looked at the teachers face and saw the slight twitch of the eyebrow. A grin spread across his face. "Calling Rachel might be a great idea," Finn said. He fist bumped Dan as he walked toward the stairs.

"So are we having coffee or sitting around looking morose?" Dan said with a grin.

"Oh yeah," Burt said. "Coffee's ready!"

"Yes, coffee!" Blaine and Kurt said.

"I really don't see what you guys see in that stuff," Sam said.

"Don't worry, honey," Carole said laughing. "We have some pops too."

They sat around and talked for about an hour before Dave and Sam finally excused themselves, they both had to work the next day. Blaine asked them about helping him move when they had their next day off, and they both agreed. Blaine and Dan stayed a little while longer and Finn rejoined them for some cake.

Blaine apologized several more times, before he and Dan excused themselves. They would need to go back to "their place" and start making plans to get Blaine settled.

"I should probably start with shaving cream..." Blaine said rubbing his chin.

"I don't know," Kurt said rubbing his cheek. "It kind of tickles ... it's kind of interesting."

"Oh really?" Blaine said grinning.

"Yes really," Kurt said leaning over and kissing him.

Burt cleared his throat loudly as Carole and Dan grinned. "I have an extra razor if you need to borrow it," Burt said. Even Finn was grinning now.

"Come on now, Neo," Dan said. "You don't want to wear out your welcome."

"Neo?" Finn asked.

"Ask Sam, he'll explain it," Dan said winking at him.

End note:

Okay, there we go alive and safe, now to see what other mischief we can get into...

Need I say aloud that reviews are indeed like crack to an author? Well, I wouldn't feel right asking someone to support a drug habit, so let me just say that reviews are greatly appreciated. :)