A/N: I wasn't going to post this today, because I haven't written the epilogue yet, so my LJ readers aren't getting an update until tomorrow. But I got a few reviews today that made me change my mind. (So don't forget to review, it might make me post faster! It definitely motivates me to write!)

To kina-san (& anyone else interested): No Burt yet, but I did write him in. Interestingly, I somehow completely forgot about him when originally drafting this story in my head. I added Finn because I love his interactions with Kurt, & wanted to show that at home, Kurt's migraines are at least common-place enough that even Finn knows about & respects them (whereas this is the first Blaine's really hearing about them). When I posted this chapter, I realized I was ready to write the epilogue, and Burt hadn't shown up at all! Which is unacceptable, because Burt is like, the coolest parent ever. So, I wrote an interlude, which comes after this part. Let me know what you think! (And what you'd like to possibly see in the epilogue, since it's not written yet.)


Blaine hung back while Carole left to get Kurt's medicine ready. He stood in the doorway to the bathroom, hands clenched into fists and shoved into his pockets, feeling awkward and useless and helpless, which was about the worst feeling. It was multiplied a hundred-fold because now, it wasn't just himself he couldn't help, but Kurt.

Blaine opened his mouth, but couldn't think of anything really to say. After a second, Kurt glanced up at him. Blaine felt pinned by his gaze. His eyes were a little red and puffy from throwing up; his skin had a sallow, sickly yellow tinge, covered with a light sheen of sweat. He should be helping Kurt, should be doing something, but instead, all he could do was stand there staring, indecisive and acting like a deer caught in headlights.

"Pajamas," he finally blurted. Despite the pain, Kurt was still able to give him a look that was half confusion, and half you're insane aren't you? "Carole said - get in your pajamas. Come on, I'll help you up to your room." He moved forward and reached out, but stopped, his hands hovering less than a foot from Kurt. He still remembered Kurt telling him in the car that he didn't want to be touched.

Kurt glanced from his hands to his face. He didn't smile, but his tone was soft. "I'm already in pain, Blaine." He reached out and grabbed Blaine's hand, but didn't pull himself up. Blaine could feel his hand shaking, and it was cold and clammy. But it was still solid, and it was still Kurt. He sighed a little, feeling his stomach clench, but also feeling inexplicably better. He was still unable to help Kurt, to stop his pain - but he was still Kurt, and he would eventually get better.

Blaine reached down and gently helped Kurt stand up. Blaine waited while Kurt stood still, grimacing and pressing his lips together as if he thought he might throw up again. If he did, Blaine wasn't sure he wouldn't end up joining him if he had to be this close to it, but thankfully - for all involved - after a moment Kurt took a cautious deep breath. "Okay," he whispered.

Blaine helped him slowly walk to and up the stairs, with Kurt placing his every step deliberately to avoid jarring his head. It took several minutes to reach his room on the second floor, and Kurt immediately sat down on his bed. Taking another deep breath in the hopes of settling his churning stomach, Kurt pointed to his dresser, hating how weak he felt, and the tremors in his arm just from lifting it. "Could you...get me some pajamas...please? Second drawer." Blaine darted over and pulled out the first pair he found, a navy silk top and pants, and gave them to Kurt.

Kurt sat still for a moment, trying to gather his strength to stand back up, when Blaine stuttered, "I'll just...go out in the hall. And...wait for Carole." At first, Kurt thought Blaine had finally had enough of trying to take care of him and was looking for an excuse to leave - until he saw Blaine's eyes dart to his pajamas, then away. And inexplicably, Kurt felt a smile tugging at his lips. He knew he was about as far away from his normal fabulous self as he could get, so the fact that Blaine was nervous about seeing him undress amused him.

"Okay," Kurt murmured. "Thanks." Blaine nodded, and seemed about to say something else, before simply swallowing and nodding again. He turned and left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Kurt sighed. Now that he wasn't in a moving car, with bright sunshine in his eyes, or downstairs hearing video game gunfire and smelling greasy pizza, his migraine seemed to be settling down somewhat. It still throbbed, and his whole body felt like one big live wire, but it was somewhat better than earlier. His stomach wasn't really settled, but he didn't feel like he was going to puke every time he moved, either, so that in itself was an improvement.

Everything seemed to take so much longer, and be so much more difficult, when he had a migraine. First he had to take off his Dalton uniform, which consisted of far too many separate pieces of clothing. He had to sit for just a minute while his head throbbed a rhythm Finn would be proud of, before slowly putting on his pajamas.

He was just trying to button up his top when there were two soft knocks on his door. He didn't say anything, and after a long pause, the door swung open and Carole slowly peeked in. When she saw he was dressed, she came in, Blaine trailing behind her.

"Hey, Kurt," she murmured, coming over and sitting gingerly on the foot of the bed. She held a small bowl with a few bites' worth of applesauce, small white flecks just visible mixed into it. "Do you think you can keep this down?"

"Yeah. I think so." He took the bowl and gingerly took a bite, testing it in his mouth to see how his stomach reacted. If there had been more, he might not have been able to eat it, but since there were only about three bites in the bowl, he finished it quickly, trying not to focus on the taste or texture. Applesauce, he knew, was like peanut butter; it tasted the same coming back up as it did going down. Hopefully, though, it stayed down, and the painkiller crushed in it would start to work quickly. "Thanks, Carole."

Carole smiled and softly patted his knee. "No problem, sweetie. I'll be back to check on you in a few hours. If you need anything, I'll be downstairs." She got up to leave, taking the empty bowl with her, and Kurt watched as she patted Blaine's shoulder as she passed him.

Blaine approached him, but instead of sitting on the bed like Carole had, he knelt in front of Kurt's knees. That was nice, since it seemed to take a lot of energy to lift his head enough to look people in the face. His headache was making the muscles in his neck and shoulders tight, and he really wanted nothing more than to lay down and try to sleep through it. Well, actually what he really wanted was to be knocked out until the pain went away, but he didn't think that was going to happen.

"Is there anything I can do?"

Kurt stared at him for a moment, unsure how to tell him what he wanted. He knew Blaine just wanted to help, to make sure he was as comfortable and taken care of as possible, but... Kurt sighed and glanced away to the side, then murmured, "Could you pull my curtains shut?" The transparent drape was pulled, but the heavier opaque curtain had been left open to let in the light, and right now he wanted it as dark as possible.

Blaine was up right away, hurrying over and pulling the curtains together, fussing with the material until he was satisfied not a single ray of sunshine was going to come through. Then he was back kneeling in front of Kurt, waiting for any other instructions.

Kurt reached out with a slightly trembling hand and placed it lightly against Blaine's cheek. Something of his thoughts must have shown on his face, because Blaine frowned and asked, "What is it? What can I do?"

"No, it's not... I just... I just wanna lay down." Blaine nodded in understanding, and started to move again, to pull down the bed covers for him, no doubt, trying to pamper him as much as possible. Kurt used his hand to put pressure on Blaine's cheek, making him pause. "Blaine, I... Thank you, so much, for helping me. I don't know what I would have done without you." That was the absolute truth, too; if it hadn't been for Blaine, he would have had to wait an hour for his dad to pick him up, and have another hour's car ride back home. Blaine had done everything he could to make Kurt as comfortable as possible.

Kurt leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of Blaine's mouth, caressing his cheek with his thumb for a moment. "I just...want to be alone, right now."

He was watching, and saw the moment Blaine understood just what he was asking for. He saw the flash of hurt and disappointment in his eyes, quickly pushed down as Blaine smiled softly. "Yeah, okay. You got it."

Kurt couldn't believe he felt guilty, but there it was, settling into the pit of his stomach, making him feel nauseous again. "Blaine-"

He didn't know what he would have said - told Blaine he'd changed his mind, of course he could stay, something - but Blaine smiled again and gently cut him off. "I get it, Kurt. You're sick, and you need to rest. You won't be able to rest if I'm here - you'll feel obligated to make sure I'm entertained, or something. You'll be focused on me, and you need to focus on you right now. I get it, I do." He paused for a brief moment, then flashed a smile that was still tinged with melancholy, but it was one of his usual happy looks. "Doesn't mean I don't wish I could still do more, or that I'm not disappointed I can't stay with you, but this is what you need right now."

Kurt leaned forward until he was carefully resting his forehead against Blaine's, and reached up until both hands were cupping Blaine's face. "I have no idea what I did to deserve you."

"You were you," Blaine said simply, as if it should be obvious. He reached up and gently pulled Kurt's hands away from his face, holding them between his own hands for a moment. He tilted his head up and pressed a kiss to Kurt's forehead before standing up. "Call me when you feel better. Even if you don't want to see me-"

"I always want to see you." Under other circumstances, Kurt would have been embarrassed at how needy that sounded, but it was nothing but the truth. Blaine gave him a dazzling smile. "Yeah. I know the feeling. I want to know when you feel better; I won't be able to stop worrying."

"Okay," Kurt murmured. "I love you."

Another small smile from Blaine. "I love you, too." He stood there for a moment, just staring at Kurt, who stared back, before seeming to shake himself and decide if he was going to leave, it might as well be now. He turned as he opened the bedroom door and raised his hand in a small wave, then slipped through the opening, pulling the door softly shut behind him.

The click of the latch was unnaturally loud in the silent room, or maybe that was just because of the migraine. Moving slowly to get under his covers, Kurt had to tell himself that he wanted to be alone, that Blaine's presence would make it impossible for him to relax, and he didn't want Blaine to see him like this any more than necessary. Blaine would have been bored to tears, unable to read or do homework in the dark room, unable to talk to Kurt, having nothing to do but just sit there in silence, for who knew how many hours. It was better that he wasn't there.

Kurt curled around his pillow, and told himself he was crying from his migraine pain.

To Be Continued...

Father/Son Interlude coming up next!