Hello everyone! Happy Friday! I think this may bring more questions than answers...

Chapter 4

"Hey Homo," someone called and Kurt knew just from the lack of malice in his voice, the comment was not directed at him. That was at least some sort of relief. Kurt quickly traded out his coat for some books, if he managed to get to class while there were still a lot of people in the hallways, he might not end up in a locker today.

Kurt glanced at his phone, trying not to pay attention to the joking term. Just because there wasn't malice didn't mean the comment was okay. Kurt saw a text from Blaine. It was a picture of Blaine and what Kurt assumed was Pavarotti. Blaine had a sugar cube in his hand. Blaine's smile was huge and Kurt felt one spread across his face before he could stop it.

"Why are you smiling, fairy?" Kurt looked up and saw Karofsky looming over him.

"None of your business," Kurt pulled his bag over his shoulder and tried to side step the football player.

Karofsky moved in front of him again, "Oh really?" He watched Kurt's eyes flicker back to his phone. He reached out and snatched the phone from Kurt, he glanced at it and made a face. "Look, can we somewhere and talk?" His voice was quiet by the end.

"I'm not going anywhere alone with you," Kurt said in a quiet but steady voice, "and give me my phone." Karofsky's fingers were moving and the last thing Kurt wanted was for the picture to get deleted.

Karofsky's eyes turned pleading, "Kurt, I know you heard what just happened. Who did you tell?"

Kurt moved back all of a sudden because he felt stifled. "I didn't tell anyone. They were just joking around. Get used to it, I had to."

Dave glanced around before punching the locker a few feet from Kurt. "Dammit Hummel. If I find out you told someone I swear to god, I will kill you." Though this wasn't the first time he'd heard the threat, it still terrified him.

"Leave." Kurt whispered, glaring up at the stockier boy.

Karofsky threw Kurt's phone back at him before fleeing down the hall towards the weight room.

Kurt slid down the locket and clutched his bag, though he wanted to go to class, he couldn't will his legs to move.

"Kurt? Kurt? Are you okay? Oh my god, answer me!" Kurt heard Blaine's voice and looked around, panicked. He didn't want Blaine to see him this way. He looked at his phone and saw Blaine's picture beaming up at him. Sometime in the argument, Karofsky must have accidentally hit the "call" button.

"Blaine," Kurt whispered brokenly into the phone, his voice cracking and the tears finally falling.

"Kurt," the relief in Blaine's voice warmed Kurt and gave him some strength, "Are you okay? I'm getting into the truck now."

Everything from past experience told Kurt to say that he was fine and Blaine could stay home and do whatever he did during the days. But this was Blaine, this was the boy who showed more kindness to him in a month than most of his friends did in years. "N-no…"

Kurt heard the sound of Blaine's truck coming to life. How much had the boy heard? "Go home, Kurt, if you can drive. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"I can," Kurt whispered before hanging up.

Kurt saw out in the front of his house on the steps. It was the middle of December and he was freezing, but Kurt wanted to be numb.

He could hear Blaine's truck two blocks away and he immediately felt warm again. Two seconds later this went away as he saw two heads in the truck.

Blaine brought Jessa with him.

Blaine didn't turn off the truck when he pulled to the side. He ran from the truck to Kurt. He fell to his knees and took Kurt's freezing hands, "Kurt, why are you out here? You're going to get sick! Sectionals are tomorrow!"

Kurt shrugged.

Blaine wrapped his arms around the slender boy's body, "You're freezing."

Kurt stared into the snow pile in front of him, tears falling soundless, for what he wasn't sure, "I just…"

"I know," Blaine breathed, pulling away, "You wanted to feel numb. Are you okay to drive?"

Kurt was confused but he nodded.

Blaine stood quickly, pulling Kurt up with him, "Then let's get out of here. We can go wherever you want."

"Why am I driving if your car is running?" Kurt tried not to glare at the figure sitting in the heated truck.

Blaine walked towards the truck, "Jessa, go but keep your phone on, okay?" Blaine didn't wait for a response but tapped the back of the truck. She tore down the street quickly.

"Where is she going?" Kurt was happy she was gone, but was also confused.

"I figured it would be better for you if you drove, so you have something to focus on," Blaine grabbed Kurt's hand and pulled him towards the Navigator.

Kurt wanted to ask why Blaine brought her with at all, he could have let the truck sit outside.

"Your Dad would have known something was up if he saw my truck," Blaine explained.

Kurt nodded, Blaine was a lot smarter than he got credit for. "You really want to do anything?" Kurt raised an eyebrow towards Blaine, who just shrugged.

"I mean, I'm not in the mood to go to a strip club or get a piercing, but I have a feeling you feel the same way," Blaine smiled easily at Kurt, who found himself smiling back.

It struck Kurt just how small this town looked to him, there were so few things he could actually do. But to Blaine, it was huge and had plenty of opportunities. "We could go to the mall…I could use some retail therapy," Kurt shot a shy smile towards Blaine.

"Sounds great! I have some extra cash from the Christmas trees and I could use a new pair of overalls," Blaine pondered a moment, "maybe a pair with a nice pocket on the bib…"

"Don't patronize me," Kurt warned, pushing him to the side.

"You don't like my fashion?" Blaine asked in a particularly thick accent, "How about Michael Kors overalls?"

Kurt gently pushed him again towards the passenger seat, "Get in, we can get you some clothes for fashionable men."

Blaine threw his head back and laughed, "Fashionable men? Where the heck would I even wear that stuff?"

A date with me, Kurt wanted to say. "I'm sure you'll find something."

Blaine glanced at his watch, "Don't you have Glee today? Sectionals are tomorrow! Will we have enough time to completely make me over?"

Kurt's heart jumped – a makeover? "If you want a makeover I can miss a practice. Besides, I finally convinced Mr. Schue to give me a solo."

"What are you singing?" Blaine turned in his seatbelt, looking like an excited school girl.

Kurt blushed, "Oh, nothing. We had to choose a song last week that spoke from our hearts. He liked the emotion I put into the song."

"So you're singing nothing? There is nothing in your heart?" Blaine's eyebrows couldn't go any higher.

"I'm not telling you, it was a personal assignment!"

Blaine turned back around in his seat, "That you're going to sing in front of hundreds of people?"

"But they didn't know the assignment," Kurt argued, "Now you do."

"I thought we were best friends?" Blaine asked, a hint of a blush on his cheeks.

"We are," Kurt reassured him as Kurt's heart broke further, "But still."

"I'll just have to go to sectionals tomorrow," Blaine shrugged.

"Yeah right, why would you do that?" Kurt just laughed, no one showed up to sectionals, not even his Dad, who mysteriously always had an emergency that day.

Blaine shrugged again, "To support you?"

Kurt pulled into a parking spot and just looked at the boy next to him, "You'd do that?"

"Kurt, I already told you you're one of my best friends, so of course I'll support you." Blaine rested his hand on the juncture between Kurt's neck and face, cupping his ear softly. His thumb stroked Kurt's jawline softly, "Are you really okay?" his voice sounded soft, but Kurt could hear anger behind it.

"I'm fine, Blaine. I just…need this. I need to know someone cares if Karofsky would throw me down the steps one day," Kurt sighed heavily, trying to block his tears.

Blaine looked at him with wide eyes. Tears danced in the corners and he moved his other hand to grab Kurt's hand, "Kurt, please don't even think that. This boy…he's all talk. I know you're afraid and you do have the right to be. I saw what he did to you before," Blaine's eyes flickered towards where the bruises were. "If he would ever hurt you, so help me god I would find him. It kills me that you don't have anyone to protect you," Blaine let a tear trail down his cheek before he wiped it away harshly. "Let's get out of here and have some retail therapy."

Kurt agreed quickly and they got out of the car. Blaine threw and arm around Kurt's shoulder, pulling him close as they walked through the door together. Kurt snuggled in more, wrapping his arm around Blaine's waist.

They walked around together like that – just enjoying each other's company. Kurt relished the fact that Blaine didn't care what anyone thought of them, he just supported his friend. Kurt was so wrapped up in this boy that he didn't even go in any stores, he just let Blaine lead him in laps around the different wings.

Forty minutes later Kurt decided that he should at least get some shopping done, but he needed a pick me up, "Do you want to get some coffee?" he turned to Blaine, who jumped a little at the sudden sound of Kurt's voice.

"Sure," he turned and led Kurt towards the coffee shop.

"How did you know where to go?" Kurt asked as he grabbed a sugar packet and a stirrer.

Blaine looked up from his own coffee, "What?"

"You knew where the coffee shop was…" Kurt trailed off, hoping Blaine could explain.

"Oh," Blaine stopped and shrugged. Kurt realized this was his go to response. "I mean, we hicks do come here sometimes. Like I said, we need overalls."

Kurt shook his head and just laughed quietly. "Did you want to go find some? I think there's a tractor supply company somewhere around here…"

"No, I think I need something nicer. Something to wear to a show choir Sectionals," Blaine sipped his coffee and winked over the cup.

"You're seriously going?" Kurt wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer. Blaine going would mean so much to Kurt, and he didn't want to get his hopes up for something Blaine meant as a joke. Especially because the song was for him.

Blaine gave him an exasperated look before laughing, "Kurt, yes, I'm going. I want to hear you sing, I want to see the people you always talk about, and I want to cheer for you when New Directions wins just because of you."

Kurt opened his mouth but nothing came out. Truth be told, he just wanted to wrap Blaine in his arms and kiss his face until he had to be at sectionals. "Thank you," he managed delicately.

Blaine seemed to realize how much this simple thing meant to Kurt, and he reached over to give his hand a squeeze. He pulled it away though and smiled softly at the boy.

"Blaine Anderson!" a voice shrieked as a girl flew at the short boy.

"Lillian!" Blaine laughed, hugging her back with a huge smile on his face. "How have you been?"

"Me? How have you been! One day you're coming here all the time and the next you're never around!" the girl glanced at Kurt, "Hi! I'm Lillian."

Kurt gave her a polite smile, "I'm Kurt." He didn't trust this girl either. Who was she? An ex girlfriend? A friend of Jessa's?

She shot him a mega-watt grin before turning back to Blaine, "Seriously, Blaine…"

Blaine shook his head, "This isn't the time, Lilly."

She glanced at Kurt again before sighing, "Okay, truth is I have to get back to work anyway," her face moved to Blaine's face, "Please don't stay away again? I miss you."

Blaine glanced at Kurt before looking at Lillian with an intensity that Kurt had never seen, "Have you seen Alexander?"

She nodded, "I have. He's doing well. He misses you."

Blaine tensed and Kurt was almost terrified of the look in his eyes, "Yeah well, he shouldn't have done what he did. I can't have a relationship with someone who did that to me."

"Blaine, he didn't have a choice…" Lillian started, reaching out.

"He did, and he chose what would be easy for him. But what about me? Did he think about how much he screwed up?" Blaine spoke quickly and quietly. He lost almost his entire accent and practically growled.

"Just…answer his call sometime. Or go out for coffee with him."

Blaine grabbed Kurt's arm, "He's the last person I'd want to have coffee with. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some shopping to do."

Kurt let Blaine steer him towards a bench, "What was that?" Kurt asked as he watched Blaine run a shaking hand through his hair.

Blaine looked up at him, and Kurt saw how broken Blaine looked, "It's…complicated, Kurt."

Kurt put a hand on Blaine's knee, marveling at feeling a piece of Blaine he hadn't before, "You know, just like you're there for me, I can be there for you too."

Blaine's eyes told Kurt that he wanted to tell him. He wanted Kurt to know everything, but they hardened just as quickly. "Kurt…today is about you. I don't want to saddle you with things before your big day tomorrow. You have enough to worry about, you don't need to add me to that list."

Kurt sighed, but there was finality in Blaine's voice, "You'll tell me one day?"

"Yes," Blaine nodded, "I promise you, it isn't as good as you think."

Kurt paused, "Can you just answer one question?"

Blaine hesitated but nodded, "Shoot."

"Was Alexander a boyfriend?" Kurt hoped he could at least get some answer about Blaine's sexuality.

Blaine peered at him from under his eyelashes, "No, Alexander was not a boyfriend."

Kurt nodded and felt his heart break a little.

Blaine laughed a little, "It sounded like that, didn't it?"

Kurt nodded, "It did. You might want to watch what you say. You don't want someone overhearing."

Blaine stood and pulled Kurt up, "Come on, we have to get moving if we want you to pick out an outfit for me to wear."

Kurt noticed Blaine's avoidance again but followed him to Macy's, his mind completely going elsewhere when he saw the sales. "Mr. Anderson, are you ready?"

Blaine looked at him seriously, "I am."

"You go get a dressing room, I'm going to get some clothes." Kurt was already darting his eyes around the store. "This is going to be amazing."

Blaine moved towards the dressing room, eyes running over the racks and piles of clothing. He grabbed a few things before he went into the room.

Blaine sat on the little bench with his hands grasped while waiting for Kurt.

Kurt ran all through the men's section of the store, grabbing things he knew Blaine probably wouldn't like, and things that might suit his tastes better. He was silently debating whether Blaine was more of a tie or a bow tie man when he saw the most amazing pair of dark washed skinny jeans. They wouldn't look right on him, but on Blaine they would be breathtaking.

Kurt grabbed a few pairs, he forgot to ask Blaine his size so he had to guess. Thank god he'd spent the better part of the past few weeks inspecting Blaine.

Kurt walked into the dressing room and bent over to find Blaine's shoes. One man wore dress shoes, another wore alligator boots, and then Kurt found Blaine's old work boots lying abandoned. He knocked on the door, "Blaine?"

"Come in, silly," Blaine called.

Kurt opened the door and almost passed out at the sight. "Oh my god, Blaine, why?"

Blaine stood in front of him in a pair of overalls, no shirt, bare feet, and a big straw hat on his head. "Do you like?"

"Where did you find those?" Kurt couldn't take his eyes off of Blaine's chest, the muscles there shined in the fluorescent lighting.

"You'd be surprised what Macy's sells," Blaine turned in a circle, "Do you think I could wear these? I mean, your friends might be impressed."

"Blaine," Kurt warned, "They know your family owns a farm…"

Blaine laughed, "You told them? Wow. I'm actually surprised you admitted your best friend is a farmer."

"Maybe I like that you aren't some boy from the suburbs." Kurt shot back, his eyes still flickering his chest.

"Oh I understand," Blaine started shaking his hips and humming, "You think my tractor's sexy?" he started singing and dancing closer to Kurt. "It really turns you on?" Kurt shifted uncomfortably. "He's always staring at me," Blaine moved closer, dancing in a way Kurt wasn't sure someone who grew up on a farm should know. Blaine sort of hummed and danced closer, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he laughed. "I kinda forget the rest of the words."

Kurt shook his head, "Thank god!"

A pout formed on Blaine's lips and he was entirely too close for Kurt to ignore it, "You didn't like it?"

"Well, you are quite the showman," Kurt commented, trying to make it sound as innocent as possible.

"That wouldn't be the first time I've heard that," Blaine threw him a wink.

"Oh really, whose bed have your boots been under?" Kurt threw back.

"Shania Twain, very nice."

Kurt, in a moment of childishness, grabbed Blaine's pants off of the floor, "You know, maybe you could wear those out of the store. I'm sure they'd love that." He backed up and opened the door quickly.

"Kurt Hummel….you give those back right now, you hear me?" Blaine said quietly, moving slowly towards Kurt.

Kurt dashed out of the door and felt Blaine on his heels. Kurt dodged through a few displays and almost fell over a little boy. "Look Blaine, everyone can see!"

Blaine was breathing heavily but getting close enough to grab him.

"EXCUSE ME," a sales attendant said, "You boys are going to have to leave the store."

"But…I need my pants for that," Blaine said weakly, pointing to Kurt, "he took them!"

"You just tattled on me, country boy!" Kurt whispered, completely mortified.

The man looked at Blaine, "I'll accompany you back to the fitting room. You will leave the store immediately sir," he said to Kurt. "Your friend will join you as soon as he has proper clothing on."

"Proper clothing," Blaine mouthed to Kurt as the man pulled him in the opposite direction.

Kurt stood outside and waited for Blaine. It took him precisely two minutes and he stood in front of Kurt, a glint in his eye.

"I cannot believe you got us kicked out of Macy's," Kurt said.

"Me? I got us kicked out. You, my dear friend, had to start the chase." Blaine checked his watch, "And I wish we could argue about this more, but I have to get back to my Ma, and Jessa is waiting for me at your house."

Kurt nodded and they walked back to the car in silence. Kurt couldn't tell if Blaine was mad or annoyed. The ride home was also silent and Blaine sang under his breath to a few of the older songs on the radio.

Kurt pulled into his driveway and stopped the car, "Are you mad at me?"

Blaine looked at him, "No! I just…sometimes I like being quiet, you know?" Blaine opened the door and hopped out. He crossed over the front of the car and stood near Kurt.

Kurt nodded quietly, still thinking Blaine was mad, "Will you still come tomorrow?"

"Yes! I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Kurt smiled that big smile again, "Thank you. I'll let you get back home." He started walking back towards his house.

"What, I don't get a hug?" Blaine asked, standing there with his arms open.

Kurt fell into them, his arms wrapping around Blaine. He just wanted to tell him not to leave.

But Blaine walked back to the truck and back to his life.

The Next Day

Kurt braced himself behind the curtain. His solo was what would introduce the New Directions to the audience and the judges.

The curtain rose and the music started. Kurt's eyes danced over the crowd in search of the curly haired boy. He didn't find him, but he opened his mouth and sang anyway:

Every time that you're near
All my cares disappear
Darling, you're all that I'm living for
I want you, I need you, I love you
More and more

I thought I could live without romance
Before you came to me
But now I know that
I will go on loving you eternally

Kurt's eyes still scanned the crowd and eventually they landed on Blaine. His hair was gelled again, and he wore a button up shirt and a tie. Kurt hoped he didn't know the song was about him. He smiled at Kurt and gave him a thumbs up with his right hand.

Jessa held his left hand.

Reviews? Questions?