Hi Everyone,
It's the Regionals chapter, and there's quite a lot of drama, romance, angst, and pretty much everything else; it's a long one.
I do not own Glee…if I did there would be more Kurt and Burt scenes.
Have fun!
A Journey-Chapter 10
Kurt's breathing hitched, and his eyes shot open as Blaine's lips traveled down to his collarbone.
They had taken advantage of the fact that Jake had left for the weekend, and were currently occupying Kurt's bed. A sliver of sunlight shone through the closed curtain, and highlighted the spaces between the two boys in odd shapes that changed form with every movement.
Kurt's fingers traced the curve in Blaine's back which elicited a shiver from the older boy, and made Kurt smile triumphantly. Blaine's eyes were sparkling with some emotion Kurt couldn't place, and he slowly kissed a fiery line from Kurt's jaw to his chin.
Kurt's lips parted at the contact but no sound escaped his mouth, and he pressed himself closer to the boy he was practically molded to.
Blaine reached behind him at that moment to grab Kurt's hands and pin them to the pillows, "Stay," he gasped.
Kurt smirked, "What's the matter?"
"You're distracting me," Blaine said pointedly.
Kurt shifted slightly, causing Blaine to gasp, "That's kind of the point."
Blaine let out a sharp breath, and continued pressing his lips to various parts of Kurt's neck.
Kurt slowly brought his hands down to wrap around the older boy's neck, "Is this okay?" he asked.
Blaine leaned forward to press their lips together, and he felt Kurt's pulse change beneath him. "Don't try anything funny," he said into the kiss.
"I hardly think putting my arms around you is funny."
Blaine traced Kurt's lips with his finger, "You know what I mean."
Kurt suddenly sat up, bringing Blaine with him, and rested his head on the older boy's shoulder. "Are you real?" he whispered.
Blaine's eyes grew soft, and he pulled the younger boy into his lap and gently stroked his hair, "Of course I am."
Kurt sighed and listened to Blaine's easy breathing, and smiled when he felt his breath wash over his neck. He moved his hand, searching, and when he found what he was looking for, their hands twined together. "I'm singing a duet with you at Regionals right?" he asked hopefully.
Blaine leaned down to kiss the top of his head and answered, "Yes we'll be singing together."
"Do you know what song we'll be singing?" Kurt asked lazily. He was focusing on the sensations Blaine's fingers made as he caressed his hand.
Blaine turned his cheek so it rested on the top of Kurt's head, "No, Wes and David are keeping it secret." When Kurt scoffed in response he added, "They say it's perfect for us though."
Kurt's shoulders shook with his laughter, and he replied, "If they mess up again, I think we'll have to start our own band."
Blaine smiled, "We would be great too." His fingers continued tracing patterns across Kurt's skin, and his heart swelled at the response he was receiving.
Kurt's breath grew heavy and his body settled against Blaine's; his eyes continued to close, and he felt the warmth of their bodies surround him like a blanket.
Blaine noticed the change in him, and gently laid him down into the pillows. Kurt began to object but was shushed, "It's okay, take a nap," the older boy responded.
"It's like one in the afternoon," Kurt said sleepily.
Blaine laughed, and pulled the sheets around the other boy. He shifted on the bed, and felt Kurt's hand wrap around his wrist. "Don't go anywhere," he said, his blue eyes swimming with desperation.
"I wasn't going to go anywhere," Blaine replied as he slid in next to the half sleeping boy. He kissed him lightly before being drawn against him, and falling into a heavy sleep.
Beep…beep. Tom's phone vibrated across his desk, the plastic shell scratching against the mahogany wood. He walked over to pick up his phone, and noticed there was a text from Brian. "Please come to John's dorm, he's done something," it read. Tom stared at the words on the screen, and blinked a few times before replying. He then grabbed his coat, and rushed down the hall. The front door slammed behind him, as he ran down the sidewalk to the other side of campus. His breath came in short pants, and he slipped twice on the ice. A million thoughts went through his mind, "What happened? Is he okay? What does Brian mean by 'something?'"
He ran past two boys who were walking in the opposite direction, but doubled back when he realized that they were Kurt and Blaine. The duo gave him equally quizzical stares, and he stopped short. "John's in trouble," he exclaimed.
Blaine stepped forward, holding tight to Kurt's hand, "What happened?"
"I don't know," Tom said turning back down the hallway. He heard footsteps following him, his heart hammering in his chest as he raced to find his brother.
The three boys stopped in front of John's dorm. The door was ajar, and Tom paused before pushing the door open and stepping inside.
A gasp escaped Kurt's lips, and Blaine looked equally shocked. The entire room had been upended; bed sheets lay scattered on the floor, pages from books littered the desk and bed, and Brian was supporting a drained looking John by the window.
Tom walked slowly over to his brother, taking care to step around the various items strewn throughout the room. "John?" he asked tentatively.
John's eyes were glassy and unfocused, and his lips brushed together silently.
Kurt moved to John's side, and questioned Brian, "When did you find him?"
"About fifteen minutes ago," he replied. There were tears in his eyes, as well as fear for his best friend.
"Hi, we need a nurse to the southwest dorm, room 111," Blaine instructed to someone on his phone. He listened intently to the receiver, "John Coleman. He's a freshman," he replied.
Tom took his brother from Brian's arms, and sat him down on the bed. He didn't seem to have any cuts or bruises, but he wasn't responding to any of the boys around him. Tom looked around, and noticed the bathroom door was shut. He motioned for Kurt to sit with him, and walked towards the closed door.
"Can you tell me what happened?" he heard Kurt ask John from the bed.
Tom blocked out the other boys, and reached out to turn the door knob. His stomach plummeted when he was met with resistance, and whirled around to get assistance.
Blaine had a bad feeling about this; he stuck his head out the door in the vain hope a nurse was coming without any luck. He exchanged a knowing glance with Tom, and then at the pale boy on the bed.
Brian sat down on John's other side with wide eyes, and tried to get John to talk. The small boy just sat silently, and laid his head on Brian's shoulder.
Tom moved to kneel in front of John, "How many did you take?" he asked softly. His looked at his brother, and saw his eyes widen at the question. "John, answer me."
John closed his eyes, allowing a tear to escape down his cheek, "…so tired," he whispered.
"Brian, keep him awake," Tom ordered. He got to his feet, and walked to the door. "Where is that nurse?"
At that moment, two men in white coats walked down the hall in a timely fashion, and Tom ran to meet them. "Please hurry…my brother…"
They picked up the pace, and went to stand by John. Tom followed, and stood at their heels. One of the men was asking John a series of questions, while the other was taking his vitals.
Brian had started crying, and even Kurt had tears in his eyes as they realized what was happening.
An ambulance was called, and Tom followed his brother into the emergency vehicle.
The President was soon brought down to the scene, and asked everyone questions about what happened, as well as took down their information to file away in her office.
"What's going to happen to him?" Brian asked shakily.
Blaine looked at the shaking boy, "I don't know, but their going to take care him." He motioned for them to follow him, and the trio made their way to Blaine and Kurt's dorm.
They walked up the stairs, passing by a few curious boys on the way. Blaine unlocked his door, and ushered Kurt and a still shaking Brian inside.
Once the door was closed, Kurt asked, "What was he doing when you found him?"
Brian leaned against the wall, and then moved to Blaine's bed before answering, "He was slumped on the carpet by the window. I went over, and crouched down beside him to ask what he was doing, but he didn't answer. I have never seen his room like that before, and I was afraid because he was acting like he wasn't really in the room with me."
Blaine nodded, "That was the medication he took."
Brian took a shaky breath, "I didn't even know that he was still on the medication."
"He didn't want you to know," Blaine replied, his voice soft.
"I thought he had everything figured out. He said he was going to live with Tom during the breaks, and that there wasn't going to be anymore problems," Brian continued, his voice growing frantic.
Kurt put a hand on his shoulder, "He didn't want to worry you."
Brian stared at his hands, his head hurt, and he just wanted to go to sleep. These kinds of things didn't happen to people, and as he looked around the room, he wondered why the furniture seemed to move with his eyes. "I just…don't know," he said, his voice trance-like.
"I know, let us take you to your room," Blaine suggested.
The older boys helped him stand, and walked with him to his room. He fell into his dorm in a fluid motion, and moved to the bed in a daze.
Kurt got him some aspirin, while Blaine took some blankets out of the closet. Once situated, Brian gave them a sleepy smile, and murmured thank you.
They retreated shortly thereafter, and wondered what was going to happen now that a storm had fallen upon them.
The next day, Wes and David decided to hold a small meeting for the Warblers, after Tom had called them from the hospital.
Only a few boys showed because of the specific day, but the others had all gotten emails explaining the situation.
Wes called the boys to attention, "The event that occurred yesterday affects us all, and our thoughts go out to both John and Tom." It seemed like any negativity between the council members and the other Warblers had subsided since Friday.
"It doesn't look like John will be joining us for Regionals next week, however, at this point in time, anything could change," David explained to the group.
A few boys shuffled their feet, and a chatter began among the younger members. A junior named Theodore shushed them, and glanced sideways at Brian, who was sitting to his right.
The freshman had been quiet all morning, which caused many of his peers to worry for him. Despite his protests, Blaine had set up a counseling session for him with the school's therapist during his free period Monday.
Even though John was the bearer of multiple problems, his depressed demeanor affected Brian deeply, and everyone wanted to make sure that he had someone to talk to if he felt the need.
"Does anyone have any concerns or comments before we wrap up the meeting?" Wes asked.
Everyone looked around the room, and shook their heads.
Wes banged his gavel, "Okay, we'll meet again for our usual rehearsal Tuesday at threes."
The group dispersed, a ruckus of bags and shoes as they filed out the door. Brian stayed behind to talk to the two council members, and Kurt gave him a smile as he walked out with Blaine.
The couple headed in the direction of the dining hall for lunch. Blaine reached down and took Kurt's hand in his while they walked. As they passed a gazebo Kurt said casually, "It seems warmer today."
Blaine nodded and surveyed the land around them, "Maybe it'll stay like this."
Kurt eye's sparkled, "You know what this means."
Blaine smiled but shook his head, "No, what does this mean."
"I have to buy a whole new wardrobe," he answered beaming.
Blaine put two and two together, "I assume you'll drag me along with you?"
"You assume right," Kurt replied. "Have you seen the new spring collection by Marc Jacobs?"
The older boy chuckled, "No, but I'm sure you have a magazine somewhere."
Kurt nudged him with his shoulder, "You know me so well."
As Blaine held the door open he said, "I would hope."
They picked the day's special, and took a seat at their usual table. The sun shown through the windows, but the mood was off. The students remained mostly silent throughout their meals, speaking only to ask a question regarding things like Tuesday's homework, or to pass the salt.
Blaine pushed his food around with is fork, "I think," he began, "that we might have to change our day out to a night out some other time."
"Anything is fine with me," Kurt said as he took a sip of iced tea. He felt Blaine's hazel eyes glide over his features, "Is everything okay?" he asked.
Blaine's eyes never left his, "Are you okay?"
Kurt wanted to look away, but he felt pinned by his boyfriend's concerned stare. He crossed his legs under the table in a nervous gesture, "I'm just worried."
Blaine drew him into a hug, and ran his fingers down his spine. Anything he could have said would have been too cliché, so he settled for holding the younger boy to his chest.
Kurt kept his eyes open and held his breath in an attempt to control the stream of tears that were forming. When he did breathe again, it came out as a jagged gasp, and he felt Blaine's lips caress his cheek.
"I love you," Blaine whispered, his lips floating over Kurt's cheek. The latter boy couldn't hold the tears back any longer, and they spilled out over his cheeks in a frantic rush, only to soak through his dress pants in an abrupt finish.
Classes dragged by that Monday, and Kurt found himself glancing at the clock almost every five minutes in each of his classes. He was anxiously waiting for Tom to call and update on John's condition, and he had a satchel full of homework to begin.
After his last class, he made his way to his dorm room, tired but determined to begin work. He saw shadows on the other side of his door, and walked in to see Jake putting away freshly washed clothes.
Jake stopped, "Hey."
"Hi," Kurt nodded, making his way over to his desk.
Jake hung up the last pair of pants, "How are you?" he asked.
"I'm doing alright," Kurt said conversationally. He opened his books, and sat down with a pen in his hand.
Jake sat down on the edge of his bed, "How are you really doing?"
Kurt peeled his eyes from his book, "It's all kind of jumbled, honestly."
"Have you thought about talking to anyone?"
"I don't need too," Kurt replied.
Jake didn't miss the shortness in his roommate's voice, but he knew the subject wasn't closed. "If you ever-" he began.
"I'm not the one who overdosed," Kurt spat, cutting him off mid-sentence.
Jake shrunk back slightly, "I know, but when someone makes a choice like that it affects everyone close to them."
Kurt remained silent, and turned the page, his eyes skimming over the words. "I have homework," he replied.
Jake waited one more minute before picking up the laundry basket, and putting a hand on Kurt's shoulder.
Kurt didn't breathe, and waited until he heard the door close before exhaling sharply, and resuming his assignment.
He was halfway done with his math homework when he heard his phone ring. He rose to look at the caller id, and picked it up when he recognized his father's number.
"Hi dad. No this is fine."
He listened intently for a few moments, and then sat down at the next thing Burt said. "What?" he asked into the receiver.
"No, sorry I understood you," he said astonished. "Are you sure?"
Burt mumbled something else, and Kurt nodded. "Okay, thanks for telling me. Do you know why?"
Kurt was so wrapped up in his conversation, that he didn't notice Jake come back into the room.
The other boy stood awkwardly, waiting for Kurt to finish, and trying hard not to listen. He didn't really know what was going on. He caught something about Kurt's old school, but that was it.
Kurt ended the call shortly thereafter, and sat still for a moment, absorbing the information his dad had told him. He got up, and turned around to see Jake politely looking away.
Kurt cleared his throat, "Hey," he said stiffly.
"Did I interrupt anything?" Jake asked.
Kurt took a seat on his bed, "No." His face still held it's look of shock as he asked, "Do you know where Blaine is?"
Jake shook his head, "I haven't seen him."
Kurt let out a shaky breath, "Okay, I need to call him."
"Is your dad okay?"
"Oh yeah, definitely, I'm just shocked is all." Kurt replied. He thumbed through the contact list of his phone, and dialed Blaine's number.
Blaine picked up on the second ring, "Is everything okay?"
"I wish people would stop asking me that," Kurt replied. "I need to talk to you about something, could you come to my room?"
Kurt heard static from the other line, "Sure, I'll be right there."
He ended the call, and waited for his boyfriend to come and see him. "What happened?" he wondered.
When he looked up again, he saw Jake still standing patiently. "Did you need something?" he asked.
"Did Tom call you back?"
Kurt checked his missed calls, "No," he answered.
Jake looked disappointed, "Okay." He turned to go but halted, "Will you be okay until Blaine comes?"
Before he could say anything, Blaine peered inside the room from the hall. Jake followed Kurt's gaze, and invited the junior in with a wave of his hand.
Kurt felt an arm wrap around his middle as Blaine took a seat next to him, and he suddenly felt lighter now that he was here.
Jake bid them farewell, and turned down the hallway.
Once they were alone, Blaine pressed his lips to Kurt's forehead, "What's going on?"
Kurt swallowed nervously, "It's Karsofsky."
Blaine stiffened on the bed, "What about him?"
"He got expelled, for good this time."
"Sshh! Quiet down!" Wes shrieked, as Kurt hurried out the door.
The Warblers waited with bated breath, and Brian's eyes followed him as he talked in hushed tones to Tom on the phone. Blaine got up from his spot on the sofa, and leaned against the doorframe for the news.
"Hey," Tom said. "How is everyone?"
Kurt didn't miss the fatigue in the senior's voice, "We're doing okay, how are you and John?"
"I'm fine, John is going to stay here for the next couple days."
"How is he?"
"Tired, he's been sleeping a lot." Tom paused, "He won't be joining us for Regionals."
"How did he take the news?"
Tom sucked in a breath, "He wasn't happy."
Kurt caught Blaine's eye and nodded once, "I'm sure, but it's good that he's there."
Blaine walked back inside the rehearsal room to give Wes and David the news.
Kurt continued, "Where will he stay?"
"The doctors are transferring him to a unit on the second floor with other kids his age," Tom explained.
"Have your parents come to visit?"
"No. However, I finally got a hold of our cousin, and she's going to come up and see him."
Kurt smiled, "That's great, when is she coming?"
"She'll be here tomorrow. Kurt, I'm not sure if I'll be able to make Regionals either. I may have to take a few days, and explain everything to my cousin."
"That's alright," Kurt replied. "I'll let everyone know."
They ended the conversation after that, and Kurt slipped his phone back into his pocket before returning to the other boys.
Wes was handing out the new set list when Kurt sat back down, and Brian discreetly stood up to sit next to him.
They whispered back and forth for a few minutes while Wes finished making his way around the room.
The sound of a gavel resonated across the walls when Wes sat back down. "Okay everyone, while we are saddened by the turn of recent events, the show must go on," David spoke. "The papers you're all holding contain our song choices for Regionals, and this time there will be no exception," he continued, shooting daggers at Kurt and Blaine.
Kurt looked down at the printed type and gasped. He met Blaine's wide eyed smile, and then at Wes who appeared bored.
"I told you they thought the song was good for us," Blaine whispered.
"The two songs are 'Here in Your Arms' by Hellogoodbye, and 'Funny The Way It Is' by the Dave Mathews Band," Wes explained. "Kurt and Blaine will duet on the first song, and we'll all sing the second song together," he continued.
"We were thinking that we would open with 'Funny The Way It Is' like our normal routines, and then go into the duet," David said. The rest of the boys nodded in agreement, and stared at the red face couple.
Wes pushed his chair back and stood up, "Let's start rehearsing."
The boys formed a group, and went over choreography and lines for the next several hours. While their bodies were learning their steps, their thoughts were with Tom and John, and they all knew Regionals wouldn't be the same without them.
"Will you go back to McKinley?" Blaine asked. He was lounging on Kurt's bed Wednesday afternoon finishing his homework.
Kurt peeked his head out of the bathroom, "I don't know." He finished wiping down the counter and yelled, "Jake! Don't make such a mess!"
Jake flushed a charming shade of scarlet from his desk, and buried his nose in a book, "I'm sorry, I had to hurry this morning."
"I'll say," Kurt replied. He threw the soiled towel into the hamper, and washed his hands.
When he joined Blaine on the bed he was met with a humorous pair of eyes, "You fight like an old married couple."
Kurt swatted him playfully, "The only person I want to fight with in seventy years is you."
Blaine beamed and folded Kurt into a hug.
A loud noise sounded from the corner a second later, "Trying to work here," Jake announced.
Kurt leaned back a respectable distance, but rolled his eyes at his roommate's comment.
Blaine pressed his fingers to Kurt's cheek, "Will you leave?"
Kurt could hear the anxiety in the other boy's voice, "I won't leave this year, but I don't know about next year. Dalton is expensive, and I don't want my dad and Carole to have to sacrifice any more for me than they already have."
Blaine touched his cheek, "It's your dad's job to keep you as safe and happy as humanely possible, and I would hardly call that a sacrifice."
Kurt swallowed, and his vision blurred with tears, "My dad could be using this money for something that he can actually enjoy."
Blaine took Kurt's hands in his, "Knowing that you're happy here makes him happy."
"I don't want to interrupt anything," Jake interjected, "but Blaine is right. You deserve to be happy and feel safe, no exception."
Kurt's lips turned up in a small smile, and he felt his cheeks grow warm. "Thank you," he whispered.
"Your welcome," Blaine replied. "Do you know why he got expelled?"
Kurt shook his head, "No, Principle Figgins wouldn't tell my dad. He just recently found out, but whatever Karofsky did, it must have been really bad because he's not coming back."
Blaine nodded, looking thoughtful. "Maybe that's best."
"If he moves, it's not the end of the world," Wes exclaimed.
Blaine stared back, and remained silent.
The senior sighed, and stood up to sit next to the sullen looking boy. "Kurt transferred here because he wasn't safe at his old school, right?"
Blaine nodded.
"Now that it's safe for him to go back, there's no reason why he shouldn't," Wes said softly.
"Do you want him to go back?" Blaine asked finally.
"I don't think my opinion really matters here. I think that whatever Kurt chooses will be okay."
Blaine shifted uncomfortably on the sofa, and focused on a dark shadow on the wall.
"What are you afraid of?"
"He just assumes that he'll go back next year, and it makes me think that it's his way of breaking up."
Wes raised a brow, "If he moves it's not because he doesn't love you, it's because he wants to be surrounded by his friends back home again and lessen the financial burden for his dad."
There was a long stretch of silence, and Wes's words hung in the air as Blaine processed them.
"You're right," Blaine said in amazement. "I don't know what got into me."
"Kurt is your first boyfriend. It's going to be bumpy and messy, but it's also going to be amazing and incredibly mushy."
Blaine flushed and looked away, but he also thought about what Wes was saying. He realized he was clueless at romance, and like everyone else his age, he had no idea what he was doing.
Wes leaned forward in his seat, "Do you get what I'm saying?"
"Yes," Blaine replied. "Thank you. Now I need to go find Kurt."
Wes met Blaine's eyes with a smile, "Have fun."
Blaine stood up, and ran down the hall to find his boyfriend. He knocked on his door but after a few minutes of waiting, he turned around and called him. As he neared the stairs, he heard the voicemail pick up, and left a brief message. He stepped down the first stair, and saw Jake round the corner coming up to the second floor. "Have you seen Kurt?" he asked.
Jake shook his head, "No, I haven't."
Blaine thanked him and raced down the stairs, his heart pumping hard. He had a bad feeling in his stomach, and his mind swam with dark thoughts. He checked the dining hall, the rehearsal room and called him once more before he found himself in the parking lot. He looked for Kurt's car, and his heart plummeted when he found the spot vacated.
"I can't thank you enough for coming," Tom said as he and Melissa sat down in one of the hospital's conference rooms.
His cousin waved his comment away with a flip of her hand, "It's no problem at all, I am very happy to help."
Tom nodded and gave an answering smile.
"So tell me what's been going on." She leaned forward in her seat, and waited attentively for Tom to begin. Although she hadn't spoken to her cousins in years, she was happy he had called her, but when she found out the reason, she was enraged. She flew right up to see Tom and John, and she had met with their parents briefly. The two adults seemed less than pleased to see her, but when they realized that she would hopefully take their youngest son off their hands, they set up a time to sign off on the papers.
Tom's voice shook as he explained the events from the last couple months up until the previous weekend, and how he was completely alone in caring for John.
Melissa's face gave no look of shock or disgust as she took everything in, and when he finished speaking she had already made her decision.
Two floors down, the hospital doors opened up, revealing a tall boy dressed in a dark blue blazer.
"Hi, John Coleman." Kurt said from behind the receptionist desk, as he waited patiently to see the freshman.
"Are you family?" the nurse on duty asked.
"No, a friend from school," he answered.
"I'm sorry but he isn't permitted to have any visitors besides family," she replied.
Kurt's face fell, "Okay, thank you." He turned around, and noticed Tom walking down the hall towards him. He gestured to the senior, and met him halfway down the hall. "Hi, how are you?"
"We're hanging in there," Tom replied. His shoulders slumped, and his eyes were bloodshot; Kurt concluded that he hadn't slept in quite a while. They made their way over to the waiting area, and sat down next to a small table filled with magazines and tissues. "Are you guys ready for Regionals?"
Kurt nodded, "Yeah, we're wrapping up rehearsals this week."
Tom gave a small smile, "You'll do great."
There was a short break of silence, and Kurt surveyed the area around them. There were nurses, doctors and other workers bustling around the hospital, and phones seemed to be ringing every five minutes. "Has anything changed?" he asked, turning back to Tom.
"John's adjusting well, and he's getting along with the other kids," Tom said with a smile. "He's been getting a lot of support, and I just spoke with our cousin from Florida."
Kurt listened intently, his lips turning up in a smile. "That's really good, what did she say?"
"She's willing to do anything to help us, and it looks like John will move in with her over the summer."
Kurt beamed. He was hardly able to contain his excitement, and he had to remember that he was in a hospital. "That's awesome," he exclaimed. "Does he know yet?"
"Yeah, and they got along great so it's looking pretty good."
Kurt nodded, his smile filling his whole face and touching his eyes, "That's great."
Tom nodded, "I'm just worried about what will happen when he's released."
"Are they going to refer him to a therapist?"
"Most likely," Tom sighed and put his head in his hands. "I've been a wreck these last few days," he said quietly.
A wave of sympathy washed over Kurt, and he leaned forward in his seat, "Tom, anyone in your position would be a wreck. You've been taking this all on by yourself, and everyone is surprised that you're still going strong. Let your cousin share some of the responsibility, and know that you and John have support."
Tom let out a breath and straightened up, "Thank you."
"Were all here to help," Kurt replied reaching up to squeeze Tom's shoulder. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket for the fourth time, and took it to see who the caller was. "It's Blaine," he said looking at Tom.
"Go out into the lobby," Tom told him. "They don't like it when people use their phones here."
Kurt stood up, and walked past the nurse's station out into the lobby. He picked up on the last ring, and heard Blaine breathe a sigh of relief.
"I'm sorry Blaine," he said in hushed tones.
Blaine sat down on the sidewalk, "I'm just glad you picked up, where did you go?"
"I went to the hospital to visit John, but they wouldn't let me see him," Kurt said.
"They usually don't. Did you see Tom?"
Kurt nodded, "Yeah, I was talking with him before you called."
"Okay, I'm glad you weren't alone there," Blaine sighed.
"I'm going to come back now," Kurt announced.
"Okay, call me when you're five minutes away, I'll come meet you."
They hung up, and Kurt walked back inside to say goodbye to Tom. He glanced at the waiting area but found it empty. He approached the receptionist, but she hadn't seen Tom leave. He thanked her, and left a message for him before he left.
The drive back to Dalton seemed longer than the drive to the hospital, and Kurt found his thoughts wandering from John to Blaine, and then to Regionals. He caught up to traffic, and sat patiently while he waited, inching forward every minute for the next two miles. Finally traffic dispersed, and everyone picked up the pace. He switched lanes as he got closer to his exit, and took the bend closest to Dalton.
The sun was setting at a rapid pace, casting long shadows as he passed businesses and residential areas.
Finally, he passed the coffee shop they enjoyed going too, and called Blaine to let him know he was close.
As he pulled into the parking lot, he saw Blaine coming out the dorm towards him. He slid smoothly into his space, and turned off the engine. Blaine bounded to his door, and pulled him into a hug when he got out. "I am so happy to see you," Blaine whispered in his ear.
"I worried you a lot," Kurt stated.
Blaine pulled back, "Well you leave without telling anyone, and all these scenarios kept running through my head."
Kurt crushed himself to Blaine, "let's go inside."
They walked back up the sidewalk, linked only by their hands.
"Come to my room?" Blaine questioned.
Kurt laughed, "Is your roommate ever there?"
Blaine smiled, "He has a part time job in the evenings, so he doesn't come back until nine-thirty."
"Ah," Kurt nodded.
Blaine unlocked his door, and motioned for Kurt to go inside.
Kurt went to the bed, and sat down while Blaine slid out of his blazer and took off his tie. His cheeks flushed, and he turned away until the sounds of clothing being shed silenced.
Blaine took a seat besides Kurt, and looked at him with an amused expression on his face.
Kurt's eyes traveled from the window to Blaine's amused features, and he flushed in spite of himself. "What?"
Blaine continued smiling, "I wasn't undressing you know."
"Obviously," Kurt stated, gesturing to Blaine's dress shirt and pants that clothed his body.
"You're blushing," Blaine said in a sing song voice.
Kurt looked down, and nudged Blaine's shoulder in a half hearted attempt to get him to stop talking.
Blaine replied by wrapping his arms around Kurt, and pulling him to his chest.
Kurt molded himself to Blaine, and wished that his cheeks would stop flaming. The older boy leaned back and gave him a careful look before he laid back, bringing him with him.
At first, they lay on their sides facing one another, and focused on the heat between their bodies. Then, Kurt slid closer to his boyfriend, and Blaine opened his arms for him. They wrapped themselves in the embrace for a little while, just listening to the sounds of their breathing. Kurt shifted onto his back, and felt Blaine's hand slide down to rest on his hip. He froze, and felt Blaine do the same.
"Is this okay?" Blaine asked.
Kurt turned his head and leaned closer to Blaine, causing his shirt to rise up. Blaine's heart pounded violently in his chest, as he felt Kurt's skin beneath his hand. Kurt leaned into his touch, and smiling said, "You're not breathing."
Blaine scoffed, "I wonder why," he said sarcastically.
Kurt smiled in satisfaction, and leaned his head against Blaine's shoulder.
He felt his brain turn to mush, and his skin engulf in sparks as Blaine's fingers drew slow circles along his hip. He tried not to think of how close Blaine's fingers were to other parts of his body, and he closed his eyes to the sensation now filling him.
After the room grew dark, and the shadows retreated to their designated corners Blaine spoke, "Did his cousin show up?"
Kurt nodded, "Yeah, everything seems to be going well. Their going to have a lot more help now, and John seems to be adjusting smoothly."
"Good," Blaine answered.
The school had become a flurry of nerves and growing anticipation as regionals crept closer, and the Warblers had been rehearsing almost everyday in preparation.
"Are you excited for tomorrow?" Blaine asked, as he sat down next to Kurt.
"Yes, but I'm not sure I'll sleep tonight," he replied laughing.
"That's alright, I'll be up at three tomorrow morning making sure my hair behaves," Blaine smiled.
Kurt eyed Blaine's well behaved curls, "How much gel do you use?"
"Trust me," Blaine replied, "You do not want to know."
Kurt smiled, his blues eyes shining with suppressed laughter, and he looked around him to see Brian poking his food with his fork. "Brian?" he questioned.
The quiet boy snapped his head up quickly, wincing at the pain it caused before meeting Kurt's eyes.
"How is everything?" Kurt asked.
Brian's eyes searched the table nervously, and he took in Kurt's concerned expression with disdain. He didn't want people worrying about him, he was fine, in fact the only person they should be worried about was John. He murmured some half hearted answer, and went back to pushing his rice around. It clung to his fork, and the more he stared at it, the more he was disgusted by it.
"Brian."
He sighed and put his fork down with a clank, "What?"
Kurt stared back with wide eyes, and Blaine studied his demeanor as he spoke, "Can we go over to a table by the window?"
Brian glared and spat angrily, "Nothing's going on!"
Blaine didn't bat an eye, "Okay, what's on your mind?"
Brian glanced around him and lowered his eyes, "It's my fault."
Blaine leaned forward, "What's your fault."
Brian ran his hand through his hair, "When we left to go to our rooms that night, he seemed distant and I..I didn't think anything of it."
Blaine clasped his hands together, and licked his lips as he thought of how to word his next sentence. "Brian, I want you to look at me," he said seriously. He waited until Brian's eyes met his, "I know how easy it is for you to blame yourself for John's actions, but you cannot do that."
"But-"
Blaine interrupted him, "No, Brian. This is not in anyway your fault."
"I should have seen it."
"Did John ever seem like he wanted to kill himself?" Kurt asked tentatively. "Did he ever talk about it, or give you any reason to believe he wanted too?
"No, and that's the problem," Brian cried. A few boys at the table gave him worried glances, and some stared pointedly at their food. "After the incident with the Dean, he never talked to me about personal stuff, and I felt like he kept pushing me away. He only began opening up to me again a few days before he overdosed. " With that last remark, he put his hand to his mouth, shoved his chair back and rushed down the aisles to the doors. He ripped them open, and left the dining hall leaving Blaine and Kurt hurrying after him.
They found him sitting on a bench by his dorm, staring at the ground in an attempt to hide his tears. Blaine sat down next to him, and Kurt sat on his other side. "Brian, did you go to the counseling session?"
Brian sniffled a few times, "No," he whispered.
"Why not?" Kurt asked softly.
Brian was silent for a few moments, "I didn't go because then I would have to think about what happened, and that would just make it real." He shook his head sadly, "I mean, I know it's real, I found him, but, everything was a blur, and I didn't actually realize what had happened until the ambulance was rushing him away."
"This is scary," Blaine said, "and, the only thing we can do is support him, and be there for him every step of the way. Everyone is going to deal with this in different ways, and that's why we need to talk about it."
Brian nodded, "Okay."
Kurt smiled and gave him a small hug, "Everything will be okay."
The younger boy smiled through his tears, and for the first time that week he felt as if a weight had been lifted.
Their bus pulled into the parking lot three hours before New Directions was scheduled to perform. They were going to be performing second, right after New Directions, but before Aural Intensity.
The doors rolled open, and the Warblers filed out, forming a tight group as they walked up to the double doors.
Hand in hand, Blaine and Kurt speed walked to the food court in the back of the lobby, desperate for something to eat. They put in their order, and came face to face with Sue.
"Well if it isn't Porcelain and Porcelain's unnaturally short boyfriend," she commented.
Kurt stared at her, "How did you know?"
She gave a dramatic sigh, "If your sickening giddiness wasn't explanation enough, then I would have to say your linked hands would have been my next answer."
"Oh," Kurt replied, his brow raising up as he took in her track suit turned business outfit.
"Your food," the woman behind the counter said, her hands filled with sandwiches and fountain cups. They took their food, and headed over to where the other Warblers stood.
"Does she always dress like that?" Blaine asked, turning around to catch a glimpse of Sue, who was now yelling at another customer next to her.
Kurt nodded, "Yes she does."
"I don't think I've ever met anyone quite like her," Blaine noted in amazement as he unwrapped his sandwich.
Kurt finished putting the cover on his drink, "Oh trust me, she is one of a kind."
Blaine smiled, and they tuned in to hear Wes ask, "…any questions?"
Kurt met Blaine's eyes with a confused look, "We're sorry, we didn't catch the first part."
David sighed and Wes had a pained expression on his face, "Please, pay attention to what we're doing here instead of the lady in the," his eyes moved over Sue's outfit, "track suit," he finished, eyes narrowing.
Kurt suppressed a laugh, and Blaine's lips turned up at the corners.
The two council members led the group towards the elevator, and made their way to their room to wait for the performances.
Kurt caught sight of Brian in the front of the group, and hurried forward to catch up with him, a confused Blaine in his wake. "Hey Brian," he said.
The freshman turned around, "Hey." He looked tired, and Kurt could tell he was trying as hard as he could to keep his thoughts on their performances.
Kurt crowded into the elevator with the other boys, "How are you doing today?"
"Alright," he answered.
The floor lurched under their feet as they flew up to their destination, and Brian put his hand on the wall in an attempt to steady himself.
Kurt took in his white expression and wide eyes and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"I'm okay," Brian stuttered, his breathing erratic.
The elevator let out a single 'ding' as the doors opened up to the third floor. Brian was the first one out, and he breathed a sigh of relief in the hall.
Blaine stood at Brian's side, "I'm going to remind you to take the stairs next time."
"I'm just a little claustrophobic," he replied.
"Exactly our point," Kurt explained, as they made their way to a sofa on the far side of the room.
"Can we get you something to drink?" Blaine asked.
Brian shook his head, "No, I'm better now."
"Okay, there's a food court downstairs if you want something," Blaine told him.
Brian smiled, "Thank you."
Wes banged his gavel on the desk, "Okay everyone we need to continue rehearsing."
Kurt leaned towards Blaine, "He brought his gavel with him?"
Blaine smirked, "I'm surprised he doesn't take it to his classes."
Kurt smiled, and turned back towards the front of the room. "This should be fun," he said.
Blaine smiled, and for the next two hours they practiced their lines and steps until it was ingrained in their heads.
David gave them a round of applause when they finished 'Here in Your Arms' for the sixth time, and smiled enthusiastically at the group.
Kurt was sure his hair had come undone, but when he caught a glimpse of Blaine he had to press his lips together to keep from laughing. His boyfriend's face resembled that of a cherry tomato, and a few curls had begun to strain against the gel holding them to his head.
Blaine followed Kurt's gaze, and raised a tentative hand to the top of his head. His face fell when his fingers tangled in the runaway curls, and he fished inside his pocket for his phone. "Kurt, do they have a convenience store here?" he asked, his voice tinged with desperation.
"Uh probably not, this is a theatre," Kurt reminded him.
Blaine swore under his breath, "This isn't good, I don't have any gel with me."
Kurt walked up to him and studied his hair, "Actually, I could make it work with my products."
Blaine gave him an incredulous look, "You carry hair gel with you?"
Kurt turned around and fished around his bag, "Not usually, but we're going to be performing today, and I wanted to come prepared." He glanced around the room at some of the other boys; Brian was talking with Wes and David, and there were two other boys deep in discussion by a window. "Come with me," he said, pulling Blaine out of the room. They found the men's room two minutes later, and hurried inside.
Blaine headed right for the mirrors, and groaned when he saw the condition of his hair. "I look like a poodle," he complained.
Kurt washed his hands, "You do not, now let me fix it." He rubbed some of the gel between his palms, and began restyling Blaine's hair. "Wow," he commented.
Blaine craned his neck to try and see his hair in the mirror, "What?" he asked.
Kurt added more gel to Blaine's curls, "Usually I don't have to use more than a dab, but your hair is really unruly."
Blaine smirked, "Now you know why I go through a bottle a week. How much time do we have?"
"We have a half hour left," Kurt said, glancing at his phone.
The door opened slowly and Brian called, "Is it safe in here?"
Kurt and Blaine exchanged a glance, "Yes?" Kurt said questioningly.
Brian stepped in, "Sorry, I've just heard stories."
Blaine raised a brow, "About?"
Kurt flushed and whispered in Blaine's ear.
Blaine's eyes widened, "Seriously?"
Brian looked at his shoes, and felt his face heat up.
Blaine looked at his now controlled hair, "You have a lot to learn my friend."
"Okay," Kurt announced, "Let's go back to the room."
"There you two are," Wes exclaimed loudly. "We were starting to wonder, if you know what we mean."
Kurt crossed his legs as he sat down and huffed, "Alright, I let it slide with Brian, but Wes, seriously?"
Blaine spoke under his breath, "My point exactly."
"Anyway," David started, "Do we need to go over anything before the first performance? We're going second, but we want to make sure everyone is ready."
"Okay, let's head down then," Wes said to the silent group.
Blaine and Kurt sat together with Brian on Kurt's right. New Directions was amazing like usual, and Kurt found himself smiling at their performance. He couldn't wait to congratulate them on their work even if they didn't win.
When Kurt found himself on stage with the curtain closed, his stomach began to swarm with butterflies. He was afraid they might eat his stomach, and he focused on taking deep breaths to calm himself. Blaine pressed his lips to his cheek, and twined their hands together. "Are you ready?"
Kurt opened his mouth, but the butterflies had somehow flown up to tangle in his vocal chords. He settled for nodding unconvincingly, and Blaine smiled against his cheek. "Don't worry," he said.
Kurt sighed, "When are we on?"
Before Blaine could respond, Wes had taken center stage, "Everybody take your places."
Blaine pulled away from Kurt reluctantly, and took his place in the front of the stage. The Warblers stood in a U shape, with Blaine in front; Kurt was placed at the end of the line, on Blaine's left. Their name was called, and the curtain lifted.
At the sound of the music, Blaine began to sing:
Lying in the park on a beautiful day
Sunshine in the grass and the children play
Sirens passing, fire engine red
Someone's house is burning down on a day like this
Wes, David, Kurt and the junior named Theodore all walked forward a couple steps. Blaine looked out at the audience as he began the next verse, and he could tell that they were reacting to the song:
And evening comes, and we're hanging out
On the front step and a car goes by with the windows rolled down
And that War song is playing, "Why can't we be friends"
Someone is screaming crying in the apartment upstairs
They all joined in for the chorus; Blaine's voice rang out above the rest of the group, and they began to move again. The four boys in the front skipped to opposite sides of the stage, while the boys who hadn't moved split up into two groups and met Blaine in the middle. Now Kurt and Theodore stood to the right of the stage, and Wes and David were on the left:
Funny the way it is, if you think about it
Somebody's going hungry, someone else is eating out
Funny the way it is, not right or wrong
Somebody's heart is broken - it becomes your favorite song
Blaine walked to the edge of the stage as he took the next verse, and he hesitated for a moment as he looked out into the audience at a familiar face:
Standing on a bridge, watch the water passing underneath
It must have been much harder when there was no bridge, just water
Now the world is small, compared to how it used to be
With mountains and oceans and winters and rivers and stars
Blaine stood still for a moment, and then backed up into the group of boys who parted to let him in, and then closed to engulf him before shooting off to opposite sides of the stage again:
Funny the way it is, if you think about it
One kid walks 10 miles to school, another's dropping out
Funny the way it is, not right or wrong
On a soldier's last breath, his baby's being born
The boys began to walk backwards as they sang the last verse; until they stood in their original positions:
Funny the way it is, not right or wrong
Somebody's broken heart become your favorite song
Funny the way it is, if you think about it
One kid walks 10 miles to school, another's dropping out
The crowd went wild, some people giving a standing ovation, while others cheering wildly. Everyone smiled at one another, and immediately, they got into position for their next song.
The Warblers began walking around the outskirts of the stage, while Kurt went to stand beside Blaine. They grinned when they heard the music come on overheard and Blaine sang:
I like where we are,
When we drive, in your car
I like where we are... Here
The other boys began to hum, and dance around the couple in the middle. Kurt smiled as he sang the next verse:
Cause our lips, can touch
And our cheeks, can brush
Our lips can touch here
Kurt and Blaine ran to opposite ends of the stage, and the rest of the boys met in the middle:
Well you are the one, the one that lies close to me
Whisper's "Hello, I've missed you quite terribly"
I fell in love, in love with you suddenly
Now there's no place else I could be but here in your arms
The duo ran back to the center of the stage, but instead of stopping like Blaine, Kurt ran right past him and circled around him. Blaine sang his verse like he was trying to get Kurt to come back, and slowly he did:
I like where you sleep,
When you sleep, next to me.
I like where you sleep... here
Kurt sang the next verse as he looked at Blaine:
Our lips, can touch
And our cheeks, can brush
Our lips can touch here
There was a brief lapse in time where everything faded into the background, and it was only them on the stage. Blaine wanted to kiss the other boy, but he remembered his steps and tore away from Kurt as they sang the chorus once again. As they danced across the stage, Blaine half whispered his lines, and he felt Kurt brush past him with his lines:
Our lips, can touch
Our lips, can touch...here
Kurt emitted a laugh as Blaine finally caught up to him, and pressed a finger to his lips. Their hearts stopped beating, but they closed the song with the final chorus; moving slowly down the stage, while the other boys swarmed around them.
The crowd cheered once more, and Kurt saw the entire row of New Directions stand up like they did at Sectionals. He beamed, and nonchalantly took Blaine's hand.
They were ushered off the stage as Aural Intensity gave their performance fifteen minutes later, but Kurt hardly noticed them due to Blaine's uncanny ability to turn his brain to mush.
Finally, the three groups stood on the stage together, waiting for the results. Kurt's stomach was infested with butterflies again, and his face reminded Blaine of a corpse. They stood, hardly daring to breath as the announcer said, "In third place, New Directions."
The audience clapped politely, and some people booed. Kurt was stunned, he would have thought if New Directions didn't win, they would have at least come in second. He glanced over at Rachel, who looked heart broken and enraged at the same time.
On his left, Aural Intensity was looking relaxed and laid back, and Sue appeared bored.
"In first place," the man continued after giving Will and the McKinley high kids some flowers, "is," the crowd waited, straining in their seats. Blaine clutched Kurt's hand so tightly his knuckles were turning white, and Wes and David nearly fell over from standing so still. "The Dalton Academy Warblers," he screamed.
Blaine grabbed Kurt and crushed their bodies together, Wes and David cheered, giving smug looks to Vocal Adrenaline, Brian gave high fives to the other boys, and Sue looked murderous. Mercedes and some of the other New Directions members came over to congratulate Kurt and his group members. The crowd roared, and Blaine couldn't help noticing that face out in the audience again. Kurt followed his gaze to a tall brunette in her late teens, bouncing off the heels of her feet as she waved to them.
"Do you know her?" Kurt asked, gesturing to the excited girl.
Blaine nodded, "That's my cousin."
They shared a few words with the others before going backstage to visit Sophie. "I didn't even tell her the date of our performance," Blaine said as they walked down the stairs.
Sophie met them at the entrance, and took a tentative step forward. "Hi," she said cautiously, taking in Blaine and the boy attached to his hip.
"Hey Sophie, how are you? What are you doing here?"
"Well," she said giving a small smile, "I heard today was Regionals, and I also wanted to personally apologize to you."
Blaine nodded, "Thank you, I appreciate it. I would like to introduce you to someone," he said gesturing to Kurt. "This is my boyfriend Kurt, and Kurt this is my older cousin Sophie."
Kurt stepped forward, and greeted the young woman who seemed to be more in her early twenties than late teens. "It's very nice to meet you," he said.
"You too," she answered beaming. "You guys did an amazing job, and I'm so happy for you."
Blaine smiled but gave her a look of confusion "How did you hear that today was Regionals?"
She sighed, "Blaine, it was on your school website."
He laughed, "I forgot we put up specific dates."
She nodded, "So, will there be a celebratory party?"
"Most likely," he grinned.
She smiled and looked over their shoulders at the boy approaching, "Who's this?"
Kurt turned and a smile lit up his face, "Hey Brian."
The younger boy bounded up to the small group, "What's going on?"
"Brian this is my cousin Sophie, and Sophie this is Brian, he's a Warbler too," Blaine said gesturing between them.
She smiled, "Nice to meet you."
He smiled cordially at her but turned to face the two boys, "Wes and David are looking for you."
Blaine looked at his watch, "We haven't been gone that long have we?"
"Probably not," answered Brian, "but you know how they are."
Kurt smiled and looked at Brian, "That we do."
"I'll let you guys go," Sophie said.
"It was nice to see you," Blaine replied honestly. They embraced quickly, leaving Kurt and Brian standing somewhat awkwardly. The two boys felt the moment was more private than Blaine or Sophie was letting on, and they looked away politely.
Five minutes later, the three boys made their way back up to their room, meeting some members of New Directions and chatting about their performances along the way.
All of a sudden, Wes let out a shriek of delight causing half the boys to jump and stare at him incredulously.
"Wes?" David asked curiously.
Wes scanned the room, his eyes beaming and his phone in his right hand, "Our favorite brothers are returning this weekend."
Brian stared at the senior, lost for words, his eyes shining with happiness. "He's coming back," he whispered.
Kurt walked up to him and put his hand on his back, "I can tell you're happy."
Brian turned around, his heart was beating fast in his chest and he felt overcome with emotion. "I wasn't there for him before, but I'll be there for him now."
Kurt smiled, "That's all we can do."
That took quite a long time!
The two songs they sang for Regionals were "Here in Your Arms," by Hellogoodbye, and "Funny the Way It Is," by Dave Matthews Band.
The next chapter will feature a special assembly about suicide to the students at Dalton, and we find out why Karofsky was expelled from McKinley.
Have fun watching Glee everyone :D