Once again, thanks to Kristen for being my unofficial beta and for not killing me, despite how much she wants to. Enjoy!
Kurt's cheeks were crusted with dried tear tracks when he attempted to blink his eyes open. It took a few times before he was able to fully open his eyes. Kurt rubbed a hand across his face. He wished that he was the type of person who woke up groggy and completely out of it. Then he could forget the circumstances that made him cry himself to sleep.
Kurt looked around to see what had woken him up. Nothing was out of sorts in the apartment but he could hear voices coming from down the hall. Rachel must be coming back from her classes, he figured and slowly rose to his feet. Judging by the second, deeper voice he was hearing, Brody was with her.
Before Kurt could retreat to his room and clean up slightly, Rachel had unlocked the door and opened it.
"We're here!" she announced herself as she burst in through the doorway. She took one look at Kurt's red, tear-streaked face and her eyes widened. "Oh my—Kurt, what happened?"
Kurt gave an awkward half sad smile, half pained grimace as he stared at his exuberant friend. He pretended not to notice Brody hanging back in the hallway uncomfortably.
"I—" he began and winced at the raw tone his voice held. It was scratchy from all the crying he had done. Kurt tried again. "I have to go back to Ohio."
He was surprised that his voice didn't crack and that he didn't stutter.
"What? Why?" Rachel looked horrified. She couldn't imagine ever going back to Ohio except for the holidays and occasional school break. She loved New York too much.
Kurt hesitated. He wasn't sure if he could explain without breaking down again.
"Cooper called," he said tentatively. Already he was starting to get overwhelmed by the oncoming tears. "Blaine…" Kurt paused. "Blaine's i-in the hos-hospital."
Tears started streaming down Kurt's cheeks again.
"Blaine, your ex-boyfriend?" Brody's question made Kurt break down completely. Rachel shot Brody an annoyed look.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Brody," she said in a snippy voice before shutting the door in his face. Immediately after, she wrapped Kurt into a hug. Kurt clung to her desperately. She was the only one he could rely on right now.
"What happened to Blaine?" she asked softly. "Was it bullies? Was it Sebastian?"
Kurt shook his head.
"N-no," he stuttered out. "It was h-him-himself."
Although Kurt couldn't see her face, Rachel's eyes widened and her jaw dropped slightly. She held Kurt tighter.
"He tried to commit—?" she couldn't finish the sentence. Kurt nodded and broke into a fresh wave of tears.
"Is he—?" Rachel asked again.
"I d-don't kn-know," Kurt choked out. "I just h-have t-to get to Ohio."
Rachel could tell that Kurt was in no position to do anything at the moment. She squeezed Kurt one last time before letting go.
"Okay," she agreed. "Then we'll get you to Ohio. I'll buy the plane ticket for you, get you to the airport, and we'll call someone to pick you up from the airport in Ohio and bring you to the hospital. You're in no condition to drive."
Once Rachel had settled Kurt on their couch, curled up in a blanket with a box of tissues next to his side, she grabbed his wallet and her laptop. She scanned the flight departure times, searching for an available seat on a flight leaving within the next six hours. She kept one eye trained on Kurt the entire time, preparing herself for another breakdown. The tears slowly trickled to a stop and Kurt stared at the wall in front of him blankly.
"Okay," she said after fifteen or so minutes. She had found an available flight and had booked it using Kurt's credit card. "Your flight is leaving in just over three hours. Who should we call to pick you up?"
It was like Kurt didn't hear her. He just continued staring at the wall.
"It's all my fault," he said in a broken, monotonous voice. "He wouldn't be in the hospital if we hadn't broken up."
"Kurt," Rachel said sadly. "It's not your fault. You didn't know."
"He called today," Kurt said in the same broken voice. "I was the last person he called. It's all my fault. If I had just picked up…"
Rachel reached over and gave Kurt a tight hug.
"It's not your fault," she said softly. Anger flashed in Kurt's eyes. He threw off Rachel and the blanket.
"Yes it is!" he yelled, swinging his arms around wildly. "It is my fault!"
Rachel shrank back slightly, afraid of the way Kurt was acting. Kurt paced angrily for a few paces before he stopped.
"It's all my fault," he repeated and broke down into tears once again.
"I'll be back in a few minutes," Rachel said carefully. "I'm going to pack your bag for a few nights." She had to get out of the room. She didn't like this side of Kurt and didn't know how to make things better.
Rachel emerged from Kurt's room a few minutes later with a carry on suitcase filled with clothes and all the essentials he would need over the next few days. She hadn't bought a return ticket because she didn't know the exact situation and therefore didn't know how long Kurt would be staying in Ohio. When she emerged, Kurt was curled back up on the couch, staring at the wall blankly once again. A few tears trailed down his cheeks. Rachel hesitated by the doorway. She didn't know how to deal with Kurt like this. He had always been so strong, even in high school. He had put up with so much more than all the other members in glee club combined probably. Now he was so broken.
Rachel placed Kurt's bag next to the door and sat next to him on the couch.
"I'm calling Tina," she declared to Kurt. "She'll pick you up from the airport or find someone else to." Kurt didn't acknowledge her comment. Rachel reached for her phone and found Tina in her contacts. Tina instantly picked up.
"Rachel?" Tina sounded surprised.
"I need you to pick up Kurt from the airport in Columbus," Rachel didn't bother with exchanging greetings. "He needs to go to the Westerville hospital."
"What happened?" Tina's voice sounded panicked. Rachel was prepared to tell her but Kurt started shaking his head. He didn't want anyone to know just yet.
"I can't tell you that yet," Rachel replied. "Can you pick Kurt up or not?"
Tina sighed.
"What time is his flight getting in?" she asked.
Less than three hours later, Kurt was boarding his flight to Columbus, Ohio. Two hours after that, the plane touched down. He had spent the entire flight alternating between staring blankly out the window and breaking down into sobbing fits. Luckily, no one was sitting next to him. Tina was waiting for him at the airport and immediately wrapped him up into a large hug after seeing how awful he looked. Within half an hour, Kurt and Tina were pulling into the parking lot of the Westerville hospital.
"Thanks," Kurt muttered as he shakily got out of the car. It was the only thing he had said to Tina on the entire trip. Tina nodded, watching Kurt carefully. She wasn't sure if he could make it to the doors. He looked like he could fall apart any minute.
Kurt spotted Cooper instantly. It was impossible to miss that mop of hair.
Cooper looked up as Kurt stepped in front of him.
"Do you know anything more?" Kurt asked hesitantly after the boys had traded comforting hugs.
"A bit," Cooper replied.
"And?" Kurt wasn't sure if he wanted to hear the answer but he braced himself for Cooper's reply anyway.
