A/N: I'm sorry for the delay of this. It has a beta now, so updates might take a bit longer than before, but hopefully in exchange you'll be able to read chapters with better grammar.
Chapter 9
Ever since Dave joined the circus, he's been nothing but content. There was always a relaxed and chilled mood in the air and everyone was always smiling and enjoying themselves. Of course, there were some fights among the circus members but it's never anything serious, since the fights are usually about who does the dishes tonight, who's wearing what for the shows, and other stuff that are never really important.
Dave thought it was going to be weird at first, to live and to travel around the country with a bunch of guys that had incredible abilities; he thought that being part of a traveling circus was going to be weird. After all, it's not what you could call a 'normal' life.
It wasn't weird though; Dave loved every single minute of it.
As a result, the incredible tension that now fell upon the circus was almost unbearable. Dave had seen it coming, but he hadn't expected it to affect him so badly.
It had been only yesterday that his friends witnessed a very distressed Kurt seeing a terrible future. No one but Kurt, William and himself know about what the future has in store for all of them, and Dave finds it hard to keep such a secret. It's simply too much pressure.
Just as he predicted, Kurt's request about not wanting to see his friends was not welcomed in the slightest. They also found it particularly suspicious that after his 'meeting' with Kurt and William, Dave moved his trailer next to Kurt's.
Dave shifts in his bed. It's early in the morning and his anxiety about the current present and the possible future kept him awake the entire night. There's a big burden on his shoulders, and he's the only one carrying it, the only one watching after Kurt, and he knows that bad things could happen to his dearest friends and his beloved circus.
Dave doesn't want to get up. It's incredibly uncomfortable having to face his friends, knowing what he knows and not being able to tell them anything; after Kurt's episode –his friends kept calling it that way - Dave can constantly feel his friends' gazes on him.
It's not only the information that Dave has to keep to himself; it's also being torn between Kurt and William, and the rest of the circus crew. His friends seem to suspect that Dave knows more than he's willing to say and while he wants to tell them everything, Kurt and William have asked him not to say a word, at least for now.
He sighs, and gets up anyway to get dressed because today they have to hit the road for a show tomorrow in Ashland.
Dave leaves his trailer, heading right to Kurt's. He's worried about Kurt as well; after he left the boy sleeping in his trailer, Dave had returned later with his dinner just to find Kurt sleeping, still in his same clothes and under the blanket that Dave covered him with. Dave had tried to wake him up, but Kurt was deeply asleep, so he'd left, leaving Kurt's dinner there in case he woke up later feeling hungry.
At some point, Dave was expecting to maybe interact with Kurt in a more normal way, since his friends do spend time with Kurt, either when they were eating together or just hanging out. It made Dave somewhat anxious to share a meal with Kurt, but in the end, they shared nothing.
Their trailers are now right next to each other; no one is allowed near to them, even more so when Dave's not around. So Dave quickly finds Kurt's door and knocks it a few times.
There's no answer.
Dave knocks at Kurt's door again, and since once again he receives no answer, Dave ventures inside, since he has to check on Kurt. No one will if he doesn't after Kurt's special request. He quietly steps in, and there's silence inside.
He lets out a defeated sigh when he finds Kurt sleeping in his bed. It really seems that sleeping is all what Kurt does. Yet, Dave notices that Kurt changed his clothes and now he's under the covers of his bed, unlike yesterday night.
"Kurt?" Dave calls him softly. Kurt only stirs in his sleep, but doesn't wake up.
Dave rolls his eyes, and he's about to turn around when his eyes lay upon Kurt's table and finds that the plates with food that Dave has left yesterday are empty on the tray. It's obvious now that Kurt did wake up when Dave wasn't around, ate by himself, changed his clothes and returned to bed.
He picks up the tray and leaves. He's closing Kurt's door when Sam's voice startles him.
"Morning, Dave."
Dave's heart beat picks up. "Sam, what are you doing here?" God, if Kurt sees him… it's really hard for Dave to see Sam and not imagining him falling to the ground while flying and breaking his neck. It's hard to stare at Sam without wondering if they are going to be able to prevent his –possible- death, or without hugging him and hope for the best.
And that's him. Kurt will obviously react worse at seeing Sam.
"Hey, someone's gotta pick you up to go to the camp anyway, right?" Sam tells him with a smile, but Dave catches him not so subtly gazing at Kurt's trailer every now and then, looking worried and even longing.
It pains Dave to see his friends so worried and puzzled about Kurt and not even being able to know what's going on, or to check on him. Sam is not the only one who's been gazing at Kurt's trailer; after Kurt's episode, Dave had spent the rest of the day at the camp and he'd caught all of his friends every now and then stopping whatever they were doing to stare at Kurt's trailer in the same way than Sam is staring at it now.
"I guess," Dave says, since Sam is right. "Let's go. Kurt's sleeping anyways."
They head to the camp, and Sam looks like he wants to say something but he doesn't. In the camp, everyone is setting the table for breakfast and Dave decides to stay with them. "Can I have breakfast with you guys?"
Noah, Tina and Sebastian look up at him, frowning. "Why do you ask for permission? Of course you can," Sebastian tells him.
Dave shrugs. "I don't know. It just came out that way."
His friends are coming and going, but the tension can still be cut with a knife and it depresses Dave. They all look at Dave, trying to pass unnoticed but Dave catches all the glances.
"Kurt was sleeping," he announces, and everyone looks at him properly now. "He was sleeping yesterday as well. I haven't seen him awake since we talked to William. He ate dinner though," he says, pointing at the empty tray. "But not with me, since as I said, he was sleeping when I arrived with dinner yesterday night."
They all nod, not looking any happier and how could they? Dave is not telling them anything great or comforting. His friends place breakfast on the table, and they all sit around Dave; they are all have these gloomy faces and Dave wants just to tell them everything. Dave still has plenty questions like who these Dalton people are, and he hasn't been able to William so far.
"Where's William?"
Finn shrugs. "He went downtown, so we're hitting the road later. He said he had to make some phone calls."
Dave nods, trying to look casual. Kurt said that these Dalton people were not going to attack them here, so knowing this, William probably left them alone since they were safe in the camp. William did say yesterday he was going to try to find out what these people were up to, so he probably went downtown to do so.
"I just don't get it," Tina breaks the silence. "What did he see?"
"Something awful, that's for sure," Santana intercedes, sipping on her coffee. They all look at each other worried.
"Did he say anything to you?" Quinn asks him.
Dave swallows hard. "He just sleeps," he says, telling a half-lie.
"He does that when he's upset," Rachel tells him.
"What? Sleeping?"
They all nod. "It's not the first time he's closed himself off from us," Rachel continues and Noah snorts, clearly not welcoming Rachel's comment.
"Not after a vision," Noah tells her, sounding slightly irritated. "This is weird, alright? There's something going on, and Kurt's there going nuts and we can't do anything about it. Plus, there's something going on with the future, and if he doesn't want to see us anymore it's because it's bad, so don't compare this to what happened before, Rachel."
"No need to attack me, Noah!" Rachel snaps at him.
"Guys, please," Finn tries to prevent a fight.
"What happened before?" Dave can't help asking, and at least helps to distract his friends from this argument.
"It didn't have to do with his visions," Noah grumbles, like it's obvious but Dave wouldn't be able to know that.
Mike sighs, grabbing a toast; then he looks at it like he's suddenly lost his appetite and puts it back in the plate. "The first time was long ago, when he first joined us. Rachel trained him, and he could be accompanied by one person, but when they were training for two people, he got way too distressed and knocked himself out with chloroform. He just used too much."
Dave blinks, not really getting it. "And?"
Rachel stares at him, looking almost guilty. "We couldn't wake him up, so we were forced to take him to a hospital. You can only guess how it was for him to wake up over there."
Dave's stomach flips; he actually can imagine that. "Oh, God."
"The doctor told William that Kurt overdosed, and that when we learned about how much he could use. But Kurt woke up in a hospital, already crazy," Finn continues, with an attitude a little more carefree, as usual. Dave has to admit that Finn not being always so damn solemn and serious about Kurt helps him to ease the tension. "And thanks to William's persuasion we took him out as soon as he woke up. But the trip back to the camp was terrible, and when he finally was left alone, he obviously didn't want anyone around; slept all time and only ate when he was alone, leaving the empty plates for us since he didn't even want us to stay with him to share breakfast or something. He stayed that way for almost two weeks, so go figure."
"So he's doing this on purpose?" Dave enquires, feeling slightly like hell. Kurt is shutting him out? "He was sleeping yesterday when I left dinner for him; now he's asleep and he did have dinner. I'll probably find him sleeping when I take breakfast to him; I thought we were going to eat together."
"Not to be a bitch, but don't count on it," Santana tells him, and Dave rolls his eyes. Kurt is a really difficult person, even if it's not his fault.
"But the other time…" Rachel starts. The others shoot her looks that reek of suspicion, and she practically clamps her mouth shut in her haste. Dave grows quickly curious.
"What happened?"
"Erm.. nothing," Mercedes says.
Dave snorts and notices that for the first time in the morning, most of his friend's gazes - instead of being fixed on him - are fixed on Sebastian. "You know I'm not buying that, right?"
Sebastian chuckles, but his eyes are deadly serious. "There are these people… who want Kurt," he says, making Dave frown. "Well, not just him, but they have a special interest in him." He pauses, steeling himself before continuing quietly, "One night, not long ago, they sneaked into our camp and tried to kidnap him while we were sleeping."
Dave's blood turns cold; is it possible that…? Kurt told William that these Dalton people were not getting any friendlier, so that means that they have done something bad before. Kurt said that these people wanted to have them. Is it possible that they are talking about the same circus?
"The Dalton guys?" Dave asks quietly and suddenly there are twelve pairs of eyes looking straight at him. Dave knows right away that he just fucked everything up.
"Where did you hear that name?" Mercedes questions him.
Yep, Dave just fucked everything up alright. "Hum…"
"Oh, God, that's what Kurt saw, right?" Quinn enquires, taking her hands to her mouth. "They are taking him again? Maybe he saw them succeeding and that's why he's so scared!"
Santana is giving him a very inquisitive look. "Kurt can't see his own future," she says, quietly. "He saw our future. Did he see them? The Dalton people? With us?"
Dave sighs, defeated. "I don't even know who they are, he just mentioned them," he mumbles, trying to be nonchalant about it.
Everyone keep on staring at him though, and Dave feels beyond uncomfortable. "You know what Kurt saw," Mercedes states.
"Hey, I asked first. You were telling me about Kurt shutting away from everyone, and that some people try to kidnap him," Dave defends himself. "I want to know-"
"This is more important, David," Rachel tells him, looking really upset. "You must tell us what Kurt saw; we're dead worried."
"You can't force me to tell you something he asked me to keep in private," Dave states, and he hates to fight with his friends but he's a bunch of nerves.
"We're just worried, David. You need to tell us," Finn says and Dave slams his fists against the table.
"Stop pushing me! You think you're the only ones worried about this? I'm in the middle of this freaking mess! I have to keep it from you, I have to look after Kurt and he's just shutting me out, and I also have to pretend that everything's fine and even with the things I know, I still don't get half of the stuff I know because as usual, I know fuck-all about anything!"
His friends look somewhat guilty, but he's right and they know it. Ever since yesterday afternoon, his friends have been giving him weird glances, the burden of the future is unbearable and on top of everything he has to keep it cool, like everything is fine. Kurt became his responsibility and with Kurt ignoring him, Dave feels he's just failing at taking care of him. Dave feels that there's a big clock above his head ticking and ticking, and the moment when they'll get attacked will arrive at any minute. He needs to know more, and he needs to know now.
"The Dalton guys are a group of people like us, David," Sebastian tells him, in a calmer tone of voice.
"Another circus? Dalton's circus?"
They all let out a cold laugh. "They actually are a bunch of clowns," Noah says, and Dave remembers he did the same remark when Dave asked about the Blaine guy.
"Is there where Blaine went?"
Sebastian looks somewhat hurt, and nods. "Yes. But they're not a circus; they call themselves that, since they all live in a building that has previously been a school named that way: Dalton. We don't know where it is; they've never told us. It's a secret place, sort of like we are. I mean, we're not a secret but no one knows what the New Direction's circus is actually about. As for them, they're more like… a bunch of second-rate criminals."
Dave blinks, not really getting it. "What?"
"William created this circus for people like us," Mike tells him. "We can exploit out abilities, being with people like us and being safe from what could be a not very understanding society. The circus came handy, since we could translate our abilities into acts, and never get caught for what we can actually do."
"I know this," Dave says.
"We're not the only people with gifts like the ones we have," Mercedes continues. "There was this woman, Shelby, that created another group like us. She recruited people with abilities but she didn't start a circus. What they did was rob places without getting caught to live a high class life; they exploit their abilities that way."
Dave stays silent expecting that someone will tell him that it's just a joke, since it sounds like one. "You're not serious, right?"
They are all looking at him dead serious though. "It's a very attractive place to be, David. You feel like an outcast, having a weird ability and then this woman invites you to this incredible mansion, you get dressed with the most expensive clothes, drive the most expensive cars, eat fancy food, while most people in this country are currently in a very tight economy," Sebastian explains to him, his voice sounding bitter. "In exchange, you have to help to get the money to afford all that. So they use their abilities for that."
Dave says nothing and this time Quinn speaks. "Just think about it. I can walk through walls, I could easily walk into the vault of a bank at night and come out with lots of money, Rachel could read people's mind to know where they hid their money, Santana could teleport herself to places where big fortunes are kept…"
Dave understands it, but it still doesn't make it any better. He never thought that something like their abilities could be used for stuff like that. It does make sense, but he never knew about these incredible gifts, and he first got to know them in the comfortable and happy environment than the circus provides.
"They think they're so much," Noah tells him indignantly. "Always strutting around with their fancy suits and flashy cars, as if we could freaking envy them. Every now and then they find us, trying to convince us to join them. We always told them to go to hell."
Dave's heartbeat starts picking up again, remembering what Kurt told him about the attack. Some Jesse guy told them that if they didn't join them in the good way, they'd do it in the bad way. The sudden fear is almost overwhelming, since what Kurt told him about their future seems like it's taking shape right now.
"B-but why? I mean, they are getting rich already for what you say," Dave asks, trying not to show any distress, since he doesn't want his friends to know any more of what they know already.
"Well, they consider that people with special abilities like us are superior to anyone," Rachel, pushing aside her plate with bacon and resting her elbows on the table. "So we shouldn't live like freak shows, entertaining a boorish rabble of people. Let alone live a low class life, getting money from this boorish rabble to support our poor lifestyle. Their words not mine."
"And don't forget that greed has no limits, David," Mercedes intercedes. "Yes, they have lots of money, but it's never enough."
Dave starts growing anxious. He wants to tell his friends about what Kurt saw, but he's not sure yet. He promised he wouldn't make his friends panic for nothing; still, what his friends are telling him now do make him want to warn them about the future.
"They were not a trouble at first; they would reach us, try to make us join them and there was a lot of bickering, but nothing else."
"But Blaine joined them," Dave states, and Sebastian looks away.
"And Jesse," Mike states and Dave opens his eyes wide. Jesse. Kurt mentioned him; he was obviously someone who belonged to the circus, Dave realizes now. "Fuck, Kurt saw him."
"He was one of us as well," Mercedes informs him. "He took off around two years ago."
Dave mentally face-palms himself, since he's terrible at hiding stuff. "Yeah, Kurt mentioned him. I didn't know who he was talking about."
No one looks happy about it. Noah lets out a quietly scornfully 'That jerk' between his teeth. But Dave is nervous; the future seems closer and more tangible now that his friends are telling him this. The Dalton guys are not any longer and abstract threat.
Dave shakes his head, trying to think straight. He decides not to think about it, going back to their conversation. "So they tried to take him."
They all nod. "I never heard Kurt yelling so loud," Sam says as his face darkens. "He woke us all up, and we got him before they could even pull him out of his trailer."
Dave doesn't realize he's been clenching his fists until he notices the pain in his palms as he's digging his finger-nails in his skin. He doesn't know these people, but he already hates them deeply. Dave's very aware of Kurt's fragile state and the idea of people messing with him enrages Dave.
It doesn't make sense though. Kurt said that the Dalton people are going to take Rachel, and that they wanted Quinn; they wanted to take them not just Kurt.
Dave doesn't want to give away any more of the future so he thinks hard how to phrase a question without slipping any more information.
"So they want Kurt," Dave states, knowing it's not that way or at least not completely.
"In spite of having more members than us, they think we have better gifts," Artie speaks for the first time ever since they started having breakfast. "That our abilities could be more useful for their plans. At first, to them it was 'the more the merrier' or so they said; if we all joined them, they'd be fine with it. Shelby wanted that."
"Shelby, the circ- well, not circus. These people's leader," Dave clarifies.
"She's not ruling Dalton anymore," Santana informs him. "She decided to live a more normal life and this asshole, Dustin took her place and he's… much bolder. Shelby wanted us to join them, and she did think people like us are better than regular people, but she wouldn't hurt us. This guy though, he was the one who planned Kurt's kidnapping."
Dave stares at his coffee, already cold and he's still torn between saying what he knows and keeping his mouth shut. "If they want you all, why did they come for him?"
"Because he's the weakest," Santana states like Dave's stupid.
"Santana!" Rachel snaps at her.
"What? It's true," Santana tells them all. "We all know this; it's not about how strong out gifts are, is about how much resistance we can put against them. William then found out that they have special interest in Kurt and Rachel, also in Artie and Quinn."
Artie snorts. "Like they don't want you…"
"They also want me and Santana," Noah speaks up. "But they would never be able to catch San, and they wouldn't be able to fight me. But Kurt's weak, sadly. Rachel and Quinn are women-"
"I'm in a wheelchair," Artie finishes for Noah.
Dave frowns. "Why you?"
"In the… world of gifted people, mentally based abilities are considered the rarest ones, but also the stronger ones," Artie explains to Dave and Dave pays close attention. Until yesterday, the world of gifted people ended with this circus. "Even more the physic ones. And they quite hate us, because while they have no one with mentally based abilities, in this grubby circus as they call us, we have William, Rachel, Kurt, and myself."
"And we'd be the most useful for his plans. As Quinn said, she could get into any bank vault, Artie could maneuver everything they could use for a robbery away from the crime scene," Rachel continues, looking sadden. "I could get all kinds of information, Kurt the certainty and we're all, supposedly more accessible."
Dave nods quietly, but he really think that Kurt being as he is, he could be quite useless for these Dalton people. Jesse was one of them, so was Blaine; don't they know that Kurt's a mess?
"But Kurt's a mess," Dave blurts out before he can even think about it, and thankfully, instead of receiving angry looks, everyone nods at him.
"Do you know what keeps this circus running, David?" Rachel enquires with a calm voice.
"Ticket sells?"
They all snort at the same time. "With this economy? David, out tickets are twenty to twenty-five cents. We're fifteen people to feed, with fourteen cars to run and a tiger. We offer two shows per week, if we're lucky we add shows or sell out," Rachel continues and Dave gets it.
"The racecourse money," he mumbles and once again, everyone nods.
"William doesn't make huge bets," Mercedes says. "We know it's not the most honest thing to do, so he bets expecting to win just enough to get by and not to raise suspicions. And Kurt only needs to see him. Do you imagine how much money you could make, placing a huge bet in a winning horse or a greyhound? Imagine several of those winning bets; they could get loaded without even having to do anything."
Dave feels the cold sweat running down the back of his neck. It all makes sense, and that only leads to a very bad and certain future. By personal experience, Dave is aware that keeping secrets brings nothing but bad stuff. His heart beats hard and fast inside his chest, as he grows more and more anxious.
This is bad. And even if his interaction with Kurt is minimal, and Dave also doubts about the level of sanity of the boy, he really agrees with him: these Dalton guy don't seem to be people that you can convince them not to do something bad, just by chatting politely to them.
"They're coming," Dave tells them, defeated. "Kurt saw them coming; he's upset because they weren't any friendly, just like they weren't the last time. They want to take some of you. William is now trying to figure out what they are up to, in order to talk to them to make them change their minds."
Quinn, Tina, Mercedes and Rachel stare at him with solemn faces; Brittany, Artie and Finn look as they are trying to conceal their worry while Sam, Noah, Santana and Mike instead, are almost grinning. Sebastian's eyes are fixed on the ground.
"You can't tell them I told you," Dave keeps on talking, deciding not to be specific about the damages of that potential attack. "They made me promise I wouldn't say a word, at least until William finds out more about this. William is going to tell you all, but he doesn't want to scare you or something."
Noah nods, scornfully. "Can't wait to beat their asses if they try to play cocky with us," he says, and Santana nods at him, with a smug in her face.
Some of them look pleased at the prospect of an encounter and Dave is not liking this reaction. They are not aware of the seriousness of it, and Dave can't blame them but still…
"We have around two weeks before this happens," Rachel speaks up, being always the logical one. "Did Kurt say anything else?"
Dave shakes his head slowly. "He doesn't know when or when it's going to happen. He's very scared and upset."
"Can't blame him. God knows what he saw," she continues. "But the important thing, is that we can do something about it, now that we know. We can be prepared; William won't know you told us, David."
They all nod at that, saying that no of them is going to say a word. But then, the mood in the table suddenly changes; everyone is much more relaxed and even content. His friends start talking about being able to prevent the Dalton boys doing any harm to them, or to Kurt, but in an almost condescending way.
All the bacon, eggs, toasts and coffee have turned cold long ago and no one seems to mind. Everyone is chatting much more animatedly, and Dave even hears between the chatter some random comments about sending the Dalton guys off, and kicking 'those douches' asses.
Dave can't join the conversation. Everything is all wrong.
A part of him is relieved, because he let part of the secret out. The other part yet, is even more worried than before. Kurt said they won't win in a future fight against the Dalton people, at least not in the future that Kurt saw: the Dalton people outnumber them.
Yet, his friends seem to be convinced that by knowing that these people will show up at some moment, they'll be prepared. Dave doesn't think it's a matter of being prepared or not, if the Dalton guys are going to be much more than themselves. But his friends are more relaxed and happier, and Dave doesn't have the heart to kill the mood. He can't simply say 'They're going to take Rachel, kill Lily and apparently kill Sam or hurt him pretty badly.'
It devastates Dave though; he feels incredibly alone now, because it seems that his friends are feeding a false sense of hope, and Dave can't just break into it. His throat grows tight, being pretty much trapped between the future and his present.
"I'd better go and take Kurt some breakfast," Dave says, getting up and busying himself with a plate, picking some random stuff. He's not really paying attention to what he's going to feed Kurt with, since the boy will be probably sleeping; but Dave needs to leave this place before he starts yelling that they're all in great danger.
Tina and Quinn help him to prepare a decent breakfast for Kurt, and as soon as the tray is full, Dave leaves the camp in the direction of Kurt's trailer. For some reason, Dave is sure that Kurt's sleeping so he doesn't even bother at knocking; Dave simply goes in, closing the door behind himself and leaning his back against it.
He sighs deeply, resting the back of his head against the door, shutting his eyes. He's almost relieved being inside, away from all the spirit of faux safety that fell upon the camp. It's funny, because when he opens his eyes he's standing in Kurt's trailer; a trailer that looks twice as small as any other trailer in the circus due the amount of stuff that Kurt has hoarded inside. But somehow, Dave feels he can breathe properly inside this tiny place that it's practically Kurt's home.
Kurt is fast asleep, just as Dave expected him to be and he doesn't even bother waking him up. He walks towards Kurt's table, placing the tray and sitting down; he stares at Kurt who seems completely calm and peaceful on his sleep, a complete opposite of the Kurt that Dave knows when he's awake.
Dave envies him, because just for a second because Dave would like to be asleep and away from their troubles. Yet, he remembers that what's bothering him, it's probably bothering Kurt a hundredth times harder.
They are royally screwed, Dave knows. He doesn't really hope that William will bring any better news; apparently, everyone is positive that this future encounter with the Dalton people will be very unlike to the way Kurt witnessed, and maybe they're right and Dave is worrying too much.
Is there's something that Dave knows is that Kurt's fragile and easily disturbed, so Dave could think that Kurt was just being Kurt. After all, Dave has never seen the boy in acting normal. In fact, the few times that Dave has interacted with Kurt, the kid was always perturbed.
Yet, Kurt's shaken up state, his frightened eyes and his broken voice telling him their future are still in Dave's head. He can't seem to join the circus crew positive attitude towards their future.
In the almost solitude of Kurt's trailer, Dave lets himself panic a little.
William returns later in the morning, right before lunch. He doesn't say much to Dave, who remains in Kurt's trailer with a sleeping Kurt. They decide to skip lunch and head to Ashland, just a four-hour drive away.
They have a show tomorrow and while they pack the camp, Dave wonders constantly is the Dalton people are going to be there, just waiting for them. No one seems concerned about this; the only modification to their plans is that Dave is going to be driving Kurt's trailer this time, and probably until Kurt's ready to meet other people.
Dave tries to relax when they hit the road, but the truth is that he doesn't even have a nice sight to distract himself with. They are in the Midwest, somewhere between Missouri, Kansas or maybe Iowa; Dave finds hard to know where he is almost constantly.
They're always going from one place to the other, and they're also visiting small towns. He'd remember the names of cities like Chicago, New York or Los Angeles, and which state they are in, but the circus never visits those towns. Instead, they move from small town to small town, with names like Franklin, Oxford, Georgetown, or Springfield and there are at least twenty cities –let alone small towns- with those names in the country.
The view in the road is boring, with miles and miles of countryside. Every now and then Dave sees a bunch of cows in the horizon, but that's it.
He feels himself growing sick, and paranoid. He has never even seen these Dalton people, but he has the constant feeling that they are going to be right there in the middle of the road, ready to hurt them. Dave realizes that Kurt didn't say if they were going to get attacked during day or night; after all, the guys told him that they tried to kidnap Kurt in the middle of the night.
"They got into the camp, Karofsky," Dave grits between his teeth, trying to calm himself down. "They won't jump us in the middle of the road."
And nothing changes.
Four hours later, just like William told them, they arrive to Ashland. Ashland is incredibly small, and according to their 'Welcome' sign, its population is only 657 citizens but all those people welcome them warmly.
Dave feels beyond stressed though. While the circus crew stays with the people of Ashland who are gathering around them, Dave drives a little further, keeping the all time distance from everyone else. For the first time, he's doing it for both, Kurt and himself.
And it's not like Kurt's going to be able to see people's futures, since Dave is right there a couple of feet away, driving his trailer. Yet, in case that Kurt's awake or wakes up, Dave tries not to startle the boy by breaking his routine.
After parking his truck, Dave heads to Kurt's trailer. He knocks at his door, and he starts getting used to receive no answer. Like he did before, Dave ventures inside, finding Kurt yet again, asleep and the breakfast remains untouched.
Dave frowns to himself; and for a minute he worries. Kurt can't possibly sleep so much. Dave spent almost the entire morning in his trailer and Kurt hasn't even flinched. And then they've been on the road for four hours more.
Dave steps closer to Kurt's bed, slowly shaking the boy and he swallows hard when the boy doesn't even move. Dave touches Kurt's face and he's warm so there's no chance that Kurt has died or something, but Dave still shakes them harder.
"Kurt? Kurt, wake up," Dave calls him, and Kurt knits his brows together in his sleep, grumbling softly and then he turns around.
Dave sighs, relieved. After making sure that Kurt is at least alive, Dave leaves the kid's trailer. He still has to tow his own trailer, so he waits outside, until Mike starts approaching, to let Dave know he can go back to the camp.
Dave goes back to the camp and still, nothing changes. It's almost disturbing how everything seems to be just like every other day; like any other arrival to any other town in the middle of nowhere. He has to fight against the urge of grabbing who ever is closer to him by their shoulders and shake them, hoping they come to their senses.
And maybe he is exaggerating; they are fifteen people, everyone knows better than himself and thirteen of them are sure that nothing wrong is going to happen to them. But still, Dave wishes that someone else was feeling as bad as he's feeling. The only person who's as upset as he is sleeps all day.
Ever since yesterday afternoon he hasn't seen Kurt awake even once, and even though Dave needs to share the burden with someone, he won't wake Kurt up just to load him with his worries.
Dave tows his trailer next to Kurt's and later they put the tent up with the help of the citizens of Ashfield and after showering, Rachel calls Dave to have their training hour.
He gapes at her. "Are you serious?"
Rachel crosses her arms over her chest. "We skipped it yesterday. We can't keep on missing training hours. The girls are cooking, so we'll train a bit until dinner is ready."
Dave really doesn't want to do it. The last thing he'll be able to do right now is to focus on unblocking Rachel. "Rach, c'mon. I can't take you to my trailer, Kurt's next to-"
"I talked to William. It's only seven o'clock, none of us will be using our abilities in the camp, so we can train in my trailer."
Dave rolls his eyes, and follows her. He's been in Rachel and Quinn's trailer before; it's the girliest one. They have flowery red wallpaper. Their curtains are pink with ribbons, and their beds have colorful covers and pillows, just like their pretty tablecloth placed on their dinner table.
Santana and Brittany are both girls who share the same trailer and their trailer isn't half as girlish as Quinn and Rachel's. On their way to the girl's trailer, Tina joins then to be the third part of Dave's training.
Once inside, Dave lies down in Quinn's bed. It's his routine, he always does his training being laid down, and it doesn't seem relevant to his training so he wonders is he should be sat down or something. Maybe a vertical position will help his brain to focus.
Still, he lies down as usual while Rachel and Tina sit at the table; Rachel sets her clock and says. "Alright, you know what you have to do."
Dave sighs, and closes his eyes. He finds hard time focusing.
At first, he starts thinking about Lily dying and that leads to Sam, maybe, dying. He tries not to think that Sam won't die, but then he thinks about how shocking must have been for Kurt, to actually see that happening. So he starts thinking about Kurt and he wonders if he has woken up, or if he has eaten or how the hell does he manages to sleep so much. Then he remembers that once William said that Kurt takes sleeping pills, so maybe that's his way to cope with the stress.
Plus, they were also in the road, and Lord! Dave's so dumb; Kurt's always knocked out when they are travelling. Obviously Kurt has those pills with him.
Focus, Dave, damn it. Unblock Rachel! He tells to himself, and his head is full of thoughts, the mess of thoughts start fading until there's nothing, just a white light and the complete silence.
"Tina! That's so gross!"
Dave startles at the sound of Rachel's voice, blinking repeatedly and Rachel is suddenly taking her hands to her mouth, gaping at both of them, Dave and Tina while Tina looks at first confused and she blushes furiously on the second later.
"What?" Dave enquires, dumbfound.
"Oh my God! David, you did it!" Rachel practically yells, standing up and throwing herself at Dave. "You did it! I knew I would train you just right!"
"What happened?" Dave blushes as Rachel lands on top of him, but she quickly removes herself from him, sitting by his side. Dave sits in the bed, still not knowing what the hell is going on.
"You unblocked me!"
"What?"
"Oh, Lord, Rachel, you heard that?" Tina asks, looking completely mortified.
Dave smiles widely, and for the first time in what seems to be forever, his chest feels slightly warmer at the small prospect of hope; maybe not for their future, but at least for his control of his ability. "What? What did you hear? How did I do it?"
Tina and Rachel exchange a look that Dave doesn't get at first. "Just… Tina having dirty thoughts about Mike."
"Rachel!"
Dave presses his lips together, half embarrassed and half amused. He didn't think that Tina would spend his useless hour having dirty thoughts about her boyfriend.
"It was just small, almost like a fainted whisper and I'm sorry I spoke up," Rachel continues hurriedly, but more excited than Dave has ever seen her. "But I got grossed out, I didn't want to hear that and I didn't realize that Tina didn't actually say a word, and I broke your concentration but it was there! You did it!"
And Dave smiles at her, but then he frowns at himself. "But… how did I do it? I didn't even realize, I wasn't really focusing much," he mumbles, and Rachel glares. "I'm worried about this Dalton thing, alright? And then I told myself to unblock you and everything faded and you were yelling at Tina-"
"David, David, it's fine," Rachel cuts him off, and Dave pants. He didn't realize he was so frenzied.
"If I don't know how I did it, how can I do it again?"
"If you did it once, it means you can actually do it, David," Tina tells him, as her skin color starts returning to its normal pale. "It's the first step, actually the biggest one."
"We have to tell everyone!" Rachel states, taking him by his hand and practically dragging him out of the trailer. "Guys! Guys, David did it!" she starts venting as they approach to the center of the camp, where everyone is getting dinner and the table ready.
For a small moment, Dave forgets about his troubles and lets himself be happy and a little self-conscious at getting everyone's attention. But then it slowly starts sinking down to reality, and he feels worse; they shouldn't be celebrating anything. There are bad people out there, two weeks close to attack them and hurt them. Kurt is so upset about this that he's knocking himself out constantly.
So after receiving hugs and congratulations from everyone, Dave heads back to his trailer just to 'get a sweater' in order to give himself an alibi. He quickly gets a sweater and on his way back to the camp, he knocks at Kurt's door a few times, and as usual he receives no answer.
"Can I take my dinner with Kurt's?" Dave asks the guys, when he's back to the camp. "Kurt's awake, and I think he could use some company."
They all stare at them, with a mix of hope and excitement and Dave feels like hell about lying to them, but he's not really comfortable in the camp and he'd like to be alone. Being with Kurt is almost like being alone so…
"Yes! Yeah, you do that, boy," Mercedes tells him hurriedly, and she starts filling the tray with food and drinks, with the help of Noah and Sebastian.
"You tell us how he's doing alright?" Finn requests, and Dave nods.
Dave returns to Kurt's trailer with a tray full of warm food, and locks himself in there. Kurt is still sleeping, but when Dave sits at the table, the plates in the lunch tray have been emptied and that means that once again, Kurt woke up, got up strategically when Dave wasn't around. Dave doesn't really know how the kid does that.
He sends a last glance to Kurt's sleeping figure and begins to have his dinner. He keeps on staring at the boy every once in a while, with the hope that he might wake up at some point but Dave knows Kurt won't.
Still, Dave doesn't mind. It's almost strange how he's getting used to seclude himself inside Kurt's trailer. It's like being alone but not really since Kurt's always there, and Dave likes that. It's an odd way to be by his own, and that's exactly what he wants now that he's worried to death and everybody seems not to mind about their future, and at the same time, Dave has the urge to feel his worry with someone, and Kurt's there, obviously as upset as he is, even if they don't really share a word.
Dave has his dinner in a relative peace; he has forgotten about his improves during training, since the sight of Kurt reminds him of yesterday's events, and the visions of the future that Kurt trusted him with and that's all what Dave has in mind now.
He sighs, defeated and unsure about how long he'll be able to deal with this.