Chapter 10: Forever Isn't A Promise

"Blaine, please try to calm down," Kurt soothed, sitting on the station floor next to Blaine, who was close to having a panic attack. The instant Lieutenant Jacobsen started talking about various orphanages and troubled youth homes he could go to, he ran out of the room and back to the room they'd been in previously, where he sank to the floor in a corner and hugged his knees to his chest.

"I can't go to one of those homes, Kurt, you can't let them leave me there," he said quickly, breathing in rapid, panicked gasps as Kurt wrapped his arms around him. "You shouldn't have called them. Now they're going to take me away and I'll have to move and I'll never see you again and I can't…" He broke off with a choked sob, clutching Kurt's shirt in his trembling fists as he leaned against the boy's chest.

"Blaine, sweetie, calm down," Kurt murmured, rubbing soothing circles at the nape of Blaine's neck, twisting the curls there around his fingers. "It's going to be okay. They won't send you anywhere like that, I promise. I'll talk to them and my dad will talk to them and we'll get everything worked out so you can come home with us. Sweetheart, I wouldn't let anything happen to you that you didn't feel completely comfortable with."

Blaine relaxed slightly and hugged Kurt's waist tightly. "I love you. I know you won't let them take me away. I trust you, always and always."

Kurt felt his eyes water at Blaine's words. It was such a small sentiment but it meant so much coming from Blaine, who had been learning his whole life that he couldn't trust anyone, not even his family. Blaine, who barred himself off and didn't trust another living soul, trusted Kurt. And it was an amazing feeling to have earned that trust.

"I'll keep you safe, Blaine, I promise. Safe in my arms, okay?" Blaine nodded and snuggled up closer to Kurt, humming contentedly. Kurt smiled softly at him and kissed his forehead, but their moment was soon interrupted by Jacobsen entering the room.

"Blaine? How are you doing? What was that all about?"

"He doesn't want to be taken to a group home like you suggested," Kurt answered, feeling Blaine tense and knowing that meant he didn't want to talk about it anymore.

Jacobsen frowned, confused. "Well, where do you suggest he stay, then?"

Kurt smiled. "I have the perfect place."

Blaine was tense during the drive to the Hummel household, and Kurt wasn't much better. They'd decided that, after the Lieutenant left the house, Kurt would enter the house and he'd tell Carole and Finn the big secret. He was glad that he wouldn't have to hide from his family anymore, but he hated the fact that it would only bring them more heartache when he was taken away once again.

Blaine, no matter how many times Kurt assured him that Carole was the nicest lady on the planet, couldn't fight his anxiousness. He had this terrible fear and insecurity that she would take one look at him and toss him aside just as his own mother had done when he'd come out. He was also afraid that Burt would turn out to hate him once he got to know him better. So, he made up his mind. He wouldn't let them get to know him. He'd act the part of a perfect, dapper, untroubled teenager who was a joy to have around. Because he didn't believe that that was what he was at all.

"This the right place?" the Lieutenant asked the boys, who were both startled out of their thoughts in the backseat. Kurt nodded, taking a deep breath.

"Yeah," he said. "Is it alright if I stay in the car? It might be a little… awkward, given that I haven't seen much of my uncle lately." He cringed slightly. It felt so odd to call his father 'Uncle Burt' when he was talking about him to the Lieutenant. But it would be too hard to explain that he was Burt's son when they probably had record of his death somewhere.

"Sure. Is that okay with you, Blaine?" Blaine nodded. "Okay. Let's go inside. You're sure they're expecting us?" Kurt smiled and nodded. "Perfect."

Blaine and Jacobsen walked up to the front door and the Lieutenant knocked on the door, waiting for a few moments. "Just a sec!" called Burt from the other side of the door before it was pulled open and the man smiled kindly at Blaine. "Hey, kid. Come on in, Blaine. Carole's making dinner and Finn's watching the game so you can join him. I'll be there in a minute once we get the paperwork filled out." Blaine nodded silently and followed Burt inside, finding his way to the living room and taking a seat on the couch. Finn sat in one of the arm chairs and Blaine shifted uncomfortably for a moment.

After a few awkward minutes, he cleared his throat and tried to start up a conversation. "So, uh, Finn…"

In the other room, Burt was talking to Lieutenant Jacobsen about signing the documents to be Blaine's legal guardian. "And you're sure that his father is being put behind bars for what he's been doing to Blaine?"

Jacobsen nodded. "Of course. We wouldn't let him near Blaine again after seeing firsthand what Blaine's been through. He showed me his injuries and told me what happened, and I can assure you that Mr. Anderson will be in jail for a very long time for what he's put his son through."

"Good. That's good," Burt nodded, tensing up slightly with anger. He was angry at Blaine's dad. He was angry at Blaine's mom. He was angry at the world for putting Blaine through all the crap he'd suffered. He was angry that someone as kind and innocent as Blaine had felt so much pain; and from his own parents, to top it all off. "So I just sign here and here?" he asked, gesturing to the documents.

"That's right."

"Good." He scribbled down his signature and handed over the papers. "Thank you, Lieutenant. You may very well have just saved that poor kid's life."

The Lieutenant smiled. "I'm pretty sure you've done more saving than I have in this situation. Blaine seems very fond of you and your nephew." Burt frowned in confusion before he remembered what Kurt had told him in a text sent before they arrived. He smiled and nodded.

"Yes, he's a very sweet boy and we're more than glad to have him. Thanks again, Lieutenant." Jacobsen nodded and left. A few minutes later, there was a soft knock on the door and Burt knew exactly who that was. In the text, Kurt had also mentioned that he planned on telling Carole and Finn about the whole situation.

He opened the door and immediately pulled his son into a hug. He'd missed out on an entire year of hugging his son, so he had a lot of lost time to make up for. "D-Dad…"

"Shh, it's okay," Burt said, rubbing his back. "Let me go talk to Carole for a minute, okay? I don't want her to faint when she sees you. As for Finn, he'll probably go on about telling Puck that he saw a ghost." Kurt smiled with a watery laugh and went to sit on the front porch for a few minutes so Burt could prepare Carole for the big news.

A few minutes passed before the door was cracked open. Suddenly, he felt himself being enveloped in a tight hug from his step-mother. "Oh, honey, we've missed you so much. I can't believe you're here.

Kurt returned the hug and squeezed Carole tightly as tears leaked from his eyes. "I've missed you, too. And believe me, it's weird being here again. And by here, I mean, well, alive," he finished somewhat awkwardly.

Carole stiffened slightly and smiled sadly at him. "How long can you stay here?"

Kurt smiled sadly. "Well, I've been here for two months already, so I have four months before I have to go back. The last day of March is when I have to leave."

Carole had pulled back to cup his cheeks and look at him, but when he said that she pulled him into another bone-crushing hug, crying softly. "Oh, sweetheart…" she murmured.

"It'll all be okay," Kurt said unconvincingly, hugging her tightly.

"Let's go inside," Carole said after sniffling and releasing her grip on Kurt. She forced a smile. "You'll catch a cold in this weather."

Kurt didn't have the heart to correct her and say that he couldn't catch a cold since he was already dead.

He followed her inside and prepared himself to tell Finn the truth. He knew his brother had been hurting since his death, and he wasn't sure how he'd take the news.

"Finn, can you come in the kitchen for a minute?" Carole called as they made their way past the family room and into the kitchen. Kurt stood off to the side, where Finn couldn't see him right away, and waited for his brother to enter the room. He took a few deep breaths before startling when he heard a loud gasp.

"Kurt…" Finn whispered in disbelief, stepping closer to his brother. Kurt opened his eyes and looked up at Finn, smiling a teary smile. "You're really here?"

Kurt nodded, letting Finn hug him tightly and returning the gesture with a feeling of relief. "I'm really here," he confirmed as Finn squeezed his torso.

"How?" Finn finally asked, stepping back slightly to get a better look at Kurt. He looked confused; relieved but confused. "You… You were—I mean—"

He couldn't finish the sentence, choking on his words and staring at Kurt in disbelief.

"I know," Kurt nodded, swallowing. "But I came back. Well, sort of. I'm here until March because I was sent as a guardian angel, so to speak. I'm here for Blaine, but…" he trailed off, looking between Finn and Carole. "But I had to come see you before I left. It hurts too much being so close and unable to actually see you. I'm not supposed to tell anyone about the secret, but you're my family. I had to."

Finn hugged him again and they stood there silence for a while before going into the living room. Kurt saw that Blaine sitting on the small sofa, looking uncomfortable. His knees were pulled up to his chest and he looked so small. Instantly, Kurt moved to his side, wanting to comfort the boy.

"Blaine?" he murmured softly, brushing the boy's hair out of his face. He grabbed one of Blaine's hands and laced their fingers together. "Blaine, sweetie? Are you feeling all right?"

Blaine looked into Kurt's eyes, studying him and debating whether or not he should speak up. "I…" he trailed off, shaking his head. "I'm tired," he said, and it wasn't a complete lie. That wasn't the only thing bothering him, but it was true nonetheless. It'd been a long and tiring day. "I'm fine."

Kurt didn't seem convinced, but he decided to let it go since they weren't able to talk alone at the moment. "Okay." He smiled softly and shifted so he was sitting comfortably next to Blaine, wrapping his arm around Blaine's shoulders. "You can relax, sweetheart. Lean on me if you want to rest for a bit. You've had a long day."

Blaine nodded and leaned against Kurt's chest, relaxing into the comforting embrace. For a moment he forgot he was supposed to be shelled up and distant from the Hummels to protect himself. He just let himself enjoy being held by Kurt.

"Do you boys want to head to bed? You're both exhausted." It was Carole who spoke. Kurt looked over at her and smiled, nodding before nudging Blaine.

"Sweetheart? Let's go lay down, okay?"

Blaine looked hesitant. He wasn't sure if Carole knew that they were together, but he still felt like he was being tested. Like if he said yes, he'd be banned from sleeping next to Kurt ever again. However, Kurt's hand warm on his shoulder and a reassuring kiss on his cheek eventually convinced him to take the offer. He followed Kurt downstairs to a room that was obviously Kurt's, or it had been a year ago. Burt and Carole probably hadn't ever cleaned out his stuff. Blaine looked around with a small smile.

"I've got some pajamas you can borrow," Kurt told him, squeezing his hand before going to get some clothes out of his dresser. He handed Blaine some sweatpants and a white sleeveless shirt. Then he put on his own pair of similar night clothes and climbed into the double bed, pulling the blankets back for Blaine. "Come on. You'll feel better after some sleep."

I doubt it, Blaine wanted to say, but he didn't. He climbed into bed and nestled close to Kurt's chest, smiling contentedly. He at least felt at peace when Kurt held him like this. He didn't feel scared or nervous. He just felt safe and warm. "Goodnight," he whispered.

"Goodnight," Kurt repeated, kissing Blaine's forehead before settling down and closing his eyes. They were both asleep in minutes, exhausted.

For the first night in a long time, Blaine was sleeping soundly without nightmares. He didn't stir or utter any terrified whimpers. He slept peacefully curled into Kurt's warm and loving embrace. They both slept for a long time, comfortably happy.

That is, until around two in the morning when a nightmare had Blaine trembling and crying out and thrashing around in Kurt's arms. "Let me go! Let me go!" he begged, eyes shut tight and so far from consciousness that he thought he was being restrained by his dad. "No!" he whimpered. He pushed against Kurt's chest and Kurt finally snapped awake, startled. He touched Blaine's shoulder to try and calm him down.

"Blaine, sweetie, wake up," he said gently. "It's okay. You're alright. It's me, Kurt. You're safe."

But Blaine just seemed to panic more, curling into a ball and crying. "Don't hurt Kurt! Don't hurt Kurt!" he chanted.

Helpless and unsure what to do, Kurt kept trying to grab hold of Blaine to calm him but Blaine kept pulling away fearfully. Kurt felt his heart ache for the boy and started crying himself. "Blaine, please listen to me. Please wake up. Nobody is hurting me and nobody is hurting you. Please wake up." He knelt next to Blaine's trembling form and wrapped his arms around Blaine's shoulders, crying into his shirt. "Please, I don't know how to help you…"

Blaine inhaled sharply and let out a shaky exhale, finally collapsing into Kurt's lap. Kurt pulled him into a tight and reassuring hug, tears clinging to his chin and dripping onto Blaine's shoulder. "Kurt?"

"Yeah," Kurt said softly, rubbing his palm up and down Blaine's back. "It's me. I'm here. You're safe."

"You're not hurt?" Blaine asked, sounding terrified.

Kurt almost laughed. "I'm not hurt. Shh, it's okay. Just go back to sleep, okay?"

"I don't want to," Blaine complained in a whisper, hugging Kurt's torso tightly. "When I sleep, he's there. If I stay awake, I know he can't get me."

"Oh, sweetheart," Kurt sighed. "Come here. At least lie down. I've got you." They settled back under the blanket, Blaine lying half on top of Kurt and trying to relax. Kurt rubbed his back and kissed his hair, whispering sweet nothings to him. Despite his efforts not to, Blaine fell asleep and stayed that way until ten o' clock the next morning.

When he finally woke up, Kurt had already made breakfast and left a tray for him on the nightstand. Next to the tray filled with delicious delicacies like bacon and French toast, there was a note inscribed in Kurt's neat handwriting.

I made you breakfast and I'm upstairs when you're ready to join the family. I love you, Blaine. Just holler if you need me.

Kurt

Blaine couldn't help but smile. Reading over the note again, he shouted in his sleep-rasped voice up the stairs and Kurt poked his head in the room a moment later, smiling softly. "Hey, sleepyhead."

Blaine grinned broadly. "You said to holler if I needed you."

Kurt nodded and made his way down the steps. "What do you need, sweetheart?"

"I need a hug," he said with an adorable pout.

Kurt couldn't help but chuckle at his ridiculousness. He rolled his eyes and sat on the bed next to Blaine, reaching to hug him. Blaine gladly returned the gesture. "No problem, there," Kurt said. "I rather enjoy hugging you, to be honest."

"You give the best hugs."

Kurt just smiled and kissed Blaine's cheek. He gently rocked back and forth, holding his boyfriend happily. "I love you."

Blaine nodded and nuzzled Kurt's shoulder. "I love you, too."

They stayed like that for a few more minutes before Kurt pointed out that Blaine's food was getting cold. Blaine reluctantly let go and started eating his breakfast. He finished quickly, shoveling down the food hungrily, and then they walked upstairs together. Blaine sat down on the couch, stiff and nervous being in the company of Burt and Finn. Carole was in the kitchen cleaning up after breakfast, and Kurt met her in there, smiling as he helped with the dishes.

Carole smiled at him. "It's a good thing he has you," she began lightly, catching Kurt's attention. "He seems so… withdrawn. But he trusts you… and only you."

Kurt nodded. "He's still scared, I think. Even with his dad out of the picture, he's still afraid that people will shut him off and hurt him if he lets himself trust them. But by some miracle, he trusts me. I'm just doing the best I can to help him…"

"My point is," Carole said with a sigh, shaking her head, "that he's got to learn to trust more than just you. What happens when you're gone and he's left alone again? It isn't good for him to rely on you so much. It isn't good for either of you."

Kurt paused in drying the plate in his hand, salty tears suddenly streaming down his face. "I don't know what I'm doing," he admitted in a helpless whimper, turning into Carole's offered hug. He started crying softly into her shoulder while she rubbed his back soothingly. "I just want to help him but I don't know h-how," he told her. "I love him a-and I don't want to see him h-hurt…"

Carole sighed and kissed his hair. "Honey, you're doing the best you can. And neither of you are alone now. It'll all be okay," she assured, wishing that she could say so for certain. But she just kept holding him, comforting him until he finally stopped crying. He sniffled a few times and pulled away, forcing a smile.

"Thanks, Carole… I think I needed that." He wiped his eyes, trying to appear normal and cheerful before going to join Blaine in the living room. He took a deep, shaky breath before doing so, sitting on the couch next to Blaine and nestling into his side before Blaine could notice his red-blotched and tear-stained face. He smiled as Blaine wrapped his arms around him and kissed his hair, oblivious to what had just happened in the kitchen. "I love you, Blaine," he whispered.

He felt Blaine's heart pounding in his chest where Kurt was resting his head against it, and smiled. He made Blaine's heart race with a simple sentence. He made Blaine happy. For now, that'd have to be enough. "I love you, too," Blaine answered just as softly. With those simple words, Kurt's heart was soaring and he wished that he didn't ever have to give up that feeling. He selfishly wished that he could stay with Blaine forever. But he knew he couldn't, so he just focused on Blaine's heartbeat and the fact that Blaine was still alive, that he still had his chance to be everything and anything he wanted.

A/N: Finally, after several weeks of being too busy to write anything, I've finally finished another chapter! I apologize for being so inconsistent with my updates, but anyone who knows me knows that I'm so busy right now that it's insane. The school play is coming up so we're having rehearsals almost every day and it's Midterms week so school is a pain. On top of that, I'm attempting to have a social life lately. Isn't that odd? Haha. Anyway, please forgive me and enjoy this chapter :) I hope to have another one out by tonight or tomorrow but don't hold me to that.

Love you, my lovelies :) Thank you for being patient with me.

Review please!