You and Me Against the World – Chapter 10

(I do not own Glee or any of the characters.)

By Sunday afternoon all of Lima knew about the two high school boys that went down to Columbus and picked a fight at the Monster Truck Rally. A Columbus TV crew had been at the rally and had the entire fight on tape. Many of the rally fans had also taped it on their video cameras and phones.

The local TV station had played the combined footage over and over again. Carole, Burt, Rachel, and Finn grimaced at the sight of Karofsky's rage.

"That could've been Kurt," Carole said holding her hands over her month in disbelief. "How could one high school boy have so much hate?"

"If it had to happen, I'm just glad that those two guys in Columbus were surrounded by friends. Imagine Karofsky cornering Kurt alone," Finn added. "At least Azimio had the sense to back off."

"It looks like an open and shut case to me," Burt said. "They have it all on tape, but both Karofsky and Azimio are both under 18. With a hate crime, you have to prove intent."

"They can do that with Kurt's testimony, can't they?" asked Finn.

"They can, but right now Kurt's not involved, and I think he'd like to keep that way. If he sees this TV footage he's going to be pretty shaken up," Burt said

"Finn, please call Blaine and tell him about the news on the TV. Kurt doesn't need to be alone right now," Rachel offered.

"I'm on it," said Finn. "Maybe Blaine will have a chance to see it before Kurt does."

It was a quiet dinner at the Hummel/Hudson house that evening. Carole couldn't watch the TV anymore so she went to bed early. Burt retired to the den and worried. He tried to call Kurt many times, but Kurt didn't pick up.

Rachel was concerned about her father's reaction when they saw the news so Finn took her home. Hiram and Leroy were stunned, but being ACLU lawyers, they'd seen this kind of hate before.

"It's going to be alright," Finn said to Rachel. "Kurt's safe and he with Blaine. Maybe this will serve as a warning to all of the haters at school and get the school board's attention."

Rachel curled up under Finn's arm on the Berry couch. "I certainly hope so. I've been slushied and bullied, but nothing like this," Rachel said drawing herself a little closer to Finn."

"You have me," Finn said to her kissing her on top of the head.

Rachel smiled as she looked Finn in the eyes and then gave him a soft kiss.

"I really enjoyed the Valentine's Dance. Thank you for singing Just the Way You Are to me," Rachel said.

"Well I meant every word of it Rachel. You're amazing in every way especially to me. I want you to know that and stop comparing yourself to other girls," Finn said.

"You mean Santana?"

"I thought that we agreed to stop wasting our time talking about her? She's a hater too," Finn said while giving Rachel a soft kiss on the neck.

"Agreed, as long as we have each other's back, we can ignore them and concentrate on us," Rachel smiled enjoying Finn's kisses.

Leroy entered the living room and cleared his throat. Startled, Finn jumped back from kissing Rachel.

"It's been a long day," Leroy said. "How about you two say goodnight and call it a day?"

"I was just telling Rachel goodnight," stammered Finn. "Do you want me to pick you up tomorrow morning for school?"

"I'll be waiting," Rachel said giving her embarrassed boyfriend one more goodnight kiss.

-/-

Kurt arrived back at Dalton a little before eleven that night to find Blaine waiting for him in his dorm room.

"What are you doing here?" Kurt asked throwing his over night bag onto the bed.

"Finn called me and wanted me to be with you when you saw tonight's news. Karofsky and Azimio make the six o'clock news. I saw it earlier and it's not pretty," Blaine said.

Blaine and Kurt turned on the eleven o'clock news and the Lima boys were the lead story. Kurt sat in amazement as he watched Karofsky and Azimio throw ice and food at two assumed gay men in the audience. Then the two boys wearing McKinley lettermen jackets got up and came down to confronted the couple. Words were exchanged and then Karofsky swung first. The look on his face was frightening even on a TV screen.

The fight soon became a riot as the couple's friends joined in. That's when Azimio backed off, but the crowd continued to hit and kick him. The police finally broke it up with several people going to the hospital for injuries.

The TV announcer went on to say that the DA's office wanted to charge the two Lima boys with a hate crime for targeting the gay men, but the two were under eighteen.

Kurt began to shake as the tears rimmed his eyes. "That could have easily been me," Kurt said as Blaine pulled him into a hug.

"Go ahead and cry it out, if that's what you need to do," Blaine said as he held the trembling boy. "You're safe now. No one's going to hurt you; me and Finn and a lot of other people have your back."

"I've done absolutely nothing to Karofsky, just like those two guys in Columbus have done nothing to him, and he goes into a rampage like that? Do I have to spend the rest of my life in fear of all of the Karofskys in this world? Wouldn't it just be safer to hide who I am?" Kurt sobbed.

"Absolutely not," Blaine said trying to calm Kurt down. "You've every right to be who you are, and no one's going to take that away from you because I won't let them. You and me together, we can handle the bigots."

"Did you say together?" Kurt asked wiping the tears from his face.

"You heard me correctly. As long as I have you and you have me, we can handle the haters," Blaine said helping Kurt dry is face with his handkerchief.

"Kurt, you've got to know how special you are to me. I don't know if we have what it takes to be a couple, but I'd like to try. I do have to tell you that I am damaged goods. I had what I thought was a boyfriend in my home town but that ended badly," Blaine said with a sad look on his face.

"I'm damaged goods too," Kurt said. "I've never had a real boyfriend, but you've seen how Karofsky and Azimio terrorized me."

"So are you willing to try, one damaged gay guy and another damaged gay guy? You and me against the world?" Blaine asked.

"You and me against the world," Kurt answered.

"I want to talk about this some more, but before we do, please call your dad. He's been worried sick about you and has called a dozen times this evening," Blaine said giving Kurt a hug.

"He's probably asleep by now," Kurt said looking at the clock.

"He said that he'd wait up for your call," Blaine said handing Kurt the stack of messages.

Kurt called the familiar number, and before it rang a second time Burt picked it up.

Blaine heard one side of Kurt's conversation with his dad.

"Dad, I'm alright, I'm back at Dalton. Blaine's here with me. Yes we watched the news together. I had to go Columbus to see Karofsky. No, he was handcuffed to a hospital bed. I'll tell you more about it later. Dad, I'm better than I've been in a long time. Blaine and I are going to try and be a couple. Thanks Dad, I'm happy too. Give my love to Carole. I love you too. Bye."

Blaine was standing there in amazement before he said, "I didn't mean to ease drop, but did you go to see Karofsky this afternoon? Is that why Finn and Rachel drove me back?"

"I had to go. I told him that he saw himself in me and he despised that part of himself. That's why he's taking his hatred out on me and every gay person that he comes in contact with. He hates himself for being gay," Kurt said.

"What did he say?" Blaine asked

"He did not confirm or deny it. He asked me if I was going to testify against him." Kurt answered.

"What did you tell him?

"I told him that I wasn't going to go to the DA's office and volunteer, but if I were subpoenaed I'd testify against him and I'd not lie."

"I'm so proud of you. If you do testify, then I'll be right there with you," Blaine said squeezing Kurt's hand.

-/-

Finn picked Rachel up promptly at 7:30 Monday morning.

"Good morning beautiful," Finn said giving Rachel a kiss as he opened the truck door for her.

Good morning my knight in shining armor. Thanks for picking me up. Did you ever hear from Kurt last night?

"Yes, he called around 11:30 last night from Dalton. You'll never guess where he went yesterday. He went to Columbus to confront Karofsky in the hospital."

"You've got to be kidding," Rachel said in astonishment. He didn't try to hurt Kurt did he?"

"No, the police have both Karofsky and Azimio handcuffed to the hospital beds. I don't know a lot of the details, but don't tell anyone about it. Burt wants to keep Kurt out of this if possible. And now are you ready for some good news? Kurt and Blaine are going to try being a couple," Finn told her.

"Yes," Rachel said as she fist pumped the air. "I could tell by the way that the two of them were looking at each other this weekend that it was just a matter of time."

She hugged Finn's neck and gave him a kiss on the cheek in her excitement. "I hope that they are as happy we are," Rachel said.

"They'll have to try extra hard to be that happy," Finn smiled at her.

The day at McKinley was a tense but quiet one. Principal Figgins had been in his office most of the day with either members of the school board, the school superintendent, or the Columbus police. Mr. Schue also spent his lunch break in there being questioned by Figgins.

"Mr. Schue, are you in trouble?" Finn asked him when he joined them glee club for practice.

"I don't think so Finn," Mr. Schue said. "I didn't tell those two to go to Columbus and start a fight when I gave them the tickets."

"Now if no one else has anymore questions about this unfortunate situation," he continued, "I'd like to tell you how proud I was of all of you on Saturday night. I'm also glad that Kurt came back and did a song for us or should I say for Finn and Rachel. I'm so glad that you two are back together."

"We are too," Finn said. "We are too!"

"Do you think Kurt will ever come back to McKinley?" Mr. Schue asked.

"I don't know," said Finn. "He's pretty happy at Dalton right now."

"He's found a boyfriend at Dalton!" Rachel jumped in. "Do you remember the Warbler's lead at Sectionals? That's him, that's Blaine, Kurt's boyfriend! I saw the two of them this weekend, and I've never seen Kurt happier!"

Everyone clapped and cheered wildly except Mercedes. She was happy for Kurt, but she also felt like she was losing her best friend too.

After Glee, the basketball players and the Cherrios headed off to practice. Rachel got a ride from Tina and headed home.

"I'll meet you after practice at your house," Finn said to Rachel. "I know that I'm going to need your help with Algebra II tonight. I don't think anyone was paying attention in class today."

"I'll be waiting, I'll go ahead and get started on my calculus and Spanish homework so I'll be finished by the time you arrive," Rachel said giving him a good bye kiss.

Santana just rolled her eyes and said to Brittany, "I think I'm going to be sick if they get any mushier."

An hour and a half later Finn was ringing Rachel's doorbell wearing his gym clothes and carrying his gym bag and backpack.

"Phew, didn't you shower after practice today?" Rachel asked as she stood down wind from him.

"Nah, the maintenance men were there and I didn't feel like getting naked in front of them, can I please use your shower instead?" Finn asked with a puppy dog look.

"You know where it is, there's clean towels in the linen closet. Do you want me to get some of my dad's shampoo for you?" Rachel asked.

"Nope, I'll just use some of yours if you don't mind," Finn said to her.

"That's okay if you don't mind smelling like strawberries and vanilla," she said.

Rachel was downstairs working on her lap top when she heard the water running in her shower upstairs. The thought of Finn using her shower did bring a smile to her face for just a second. She returned to her work on the computer when she realized that she needed to print a page. She hit the print button and sent the command to her upstairs printer.

Running into her bedroom to get the copy, she didn't see Finn standing in the bathroom doorway drying his hair with a towel. He was shirtless, but had his jeans and boxers on. The jeans were unbuttoned and she could see the top of his red plaid boxers. His torso and arms glistened with the water droplets. Stunned by the sight in front of her, she dropped her papers and her jaw. Finn finished towel drying his hair before he saw her standing there in front of him.

"Rachel, I'm sorry, I didn't know that you were in here," Finn said reaching for his shirt and socks.

"There's nothing to be sorry for," she said breathlessly.

"Let me dry your back."

Rachel took the towel from his hands and started to blot the water from his back ever so slowly, taking in every curve of every muscle. When she moved around to dry his chest, it was too much. Planting her hands onto his shoulders, she pushed him backwards onto her bed landing on top of him.

Straddling him she peppered his face, jaw, and neck with kisses as he unbuttoned her blouse. Clothes were hitting the floor when they heard the front door slam.

"Pumpkin, we're home," Leroy shouted from downstairs. "We saw Finn's truck in the driveway, is he here studying with you?"

Rachel jumped off of Finn. "Did you hear that? My dads are home! It's too early for them to be here?" Rachel whispered. "Quick, grab your clothes and run into the bathroom."

Finn jumped off the bed and gathered up as many of his clothes as he could find before scurrying into the bathroom.

Rachel found her blouse and got it back on as quickly as possible before smoothing the bed.

Finn and Rachel were pretending to be working a math problem when Hiram stuck his head into Rachel's room.

"Dad, you're home early," Rachel said while trying to appear as if nothing was happening five minutes earlier.

"Leroy and I decided to come home early to see how school went after this weekend's excitement. Hello Finn, needing help with math I see," Hiram observed quietly.

"Yes sir, Mr. Berry. Rachel's trying to help me with this one," Finn stuttered.

"Well dinner is going to be at six if you'd like to stay," Hiram said to Finn before he turned and left.

"Finn, you have your t-shirt on backwards," Rachel whispered to him.

"Well Pumpkin, I'm sorry. Do you think your dad suspected anything?" Finn asked with his famous half smile.

"Nobody calls me Pumpkin except Daddy, and nobody calls me Rach except you," Rachel said lightly kissing Finn on the lips.

-/-

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