A/N: Ello all! I hope those who have chosen to stick with this story are getting their money's worth. Oh wait, it's free. Um ...I hope they are getting some money's worth then.
Thankyou to all the lovely people who review and message etc. I love a nice review, I love a long long long detailed review or private message even more, and I've gotten a couple of them so I'm happy.

I love that several people are as confused about what's going to happen next as I am. The plot bunnies in my head only let me get a few spoilers now and then. (for they are mean and teasing bunnies)

I'm going to have to change the rating I think. Just to be safe. Some of the next chapters have a bit of a dark or adult-theme-tinged flavour about them, and I don't want to shock anyone. Now I just have to figure out HOW one does this.

Thanks again to all my regular reviewers and communicators. I hope you don't mind folks, but I stole some of your names for some of the minor characters in the story. If anyone IS offended, please tell me asap and I'll try to fix it. Be aware that I stole the NAME only. If you wind up having a unicorn or a dead person or a tree named after you, it doesn't mean you ARE one (etc). I just needed names, and the names were THERE in my reviews and messages and they were cool names and ...um ... so... (forgive me please?) (puppy dog eyes)

Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, nor do I claim to do so. I play in the sandbox, I don't claim the sand (although it DOES have a habit of getting into your ...um, yeah... It can be scratchy ok? Nuff Said.

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She was sure she had left her earrings on the dresser as usual, but although she had searched and searched she could still only find one. She turned up the volume on her I-pod and gave an experimental sashay across the room as she tried to cudgel her brain into coughing up its knowledge. She had taken them out of her jewellery box to see whether or not they matched her new dress as well as she had thought they might when in the store. She had smiled when the brilliant blue stones had indeed been enhanced by the blue of the dress. She had put the dress back in the closet and had decided to ... Her memory was struggling here.

She sat on the bed and stared into her mirror.

"Come on stupid girl, THINK! "She glared into her reflection's eyes. "Earrings, blue, they come in twos, not singles and you don't want the earring that's left to be all sad and lonely do you?"

Suddenly she had a thought. Sitting on her bed ...sitting on her...

She leapt to her feet and peered under her bed, finally kneeling as she swept the comforter away from the edge to allow more light to penetrate.

Twelve million dust bunnies, that book she had never read past page four of, assorted headbands and ...ahHA! One turquoise drop earring! She stood beside the bed, holding her prize aloft like a successful gladiator.

Her phone began to ring. Luckily she knew where IT was. She looked at the caller id. Kurt Hummel! What on earth...?

"Hello Kurt, "she answered, slightly puzzled, "What can I do for you?"

"Blaine and I really need your help, "the counter-tenor's voice sounded a little tense – as if he were nervous about what he was about to ask for. "We need you to help us talk to someone ..."

Quinn Fabray sat on her bed and listened to Kurt's request, the earring forgotten again in her hand. After a while she cried as she listened.

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Dave Karofsky sat staring at the very large, very ugly dog. It was black, mostly, and ...possibly part St Bernard? Maybe a bit of pitbull? Those ears looked ...yeah, it was a mongrel all right.

The dog looked back at him with soulful brown eyes.

When Kurt had first suggested Dave 'dog-sit' for Blaine while he was off in Chicago for his gig at Six-Flags he had been sceptical. Who would have thought that a preppy hobbit like Blaine would have a dog like ...like this MONSTER.

Dave tried to remember what he had learned while watching endless episodes of The Dog Whisperer while he'd been expelled.

No eye contact, or at least, no maintained contact.

Speak calmly and firmly, but don't shout.

Keep movements non-threatening but make sure you remain the alpha...

Geez, it's just a dog – how hard can this be?

The dog continued to stare at the nervous teen.

Dave looked over at the carton of food and other accessories Blaine had dropped over when he had delivered the dog. Blaine had been smiling a lot at him. That made Dave nervous. Even after the Bully-Whips Dave wasn't used to people smiling at him. Not since he was a kid.

The dog sighed and lay down, still staring at him with big brown eyes.

Blaine had spent a few minutes 'talking' to the dog, offering it a few choice treats to keep him calm Dave supposed. Dave recalled seeing a flash of what looked like gold as Blaine was saying something to the dog about 'being a good friend' or ...something.

Actually, Dave thought to himself, considering what he'd seen Hummel do, maybe Blaine HAD been talking to ...hey, Blaine had forgotten to tell him the dogs name!

Dave finally walked over to the dog, who was continuing to stare up at him.

He crouched down so he was at the dog's eye level.

"Hey boy, Blaine forgot to tell me your name. Is it written on your collar tag? Can I take a look?"

He tried to keep his tone even and low, so the dog would sense his mood and remain calm.

The dog perked his ears up and stared even harder at him.

/HELLO?/nervousness/ NAME?/sense of belonging/WE PACK NOW?/hunger, loneliness, hope/LOVE ME?/

Dave sat suddenly on the ground as his legs gave out. The dog raised its head and whined softly.

/ALPHA SAY DAVE PACK NOW/image of Blaine/DAVE LEADER?/image of Dave's face/HOME HOME HOME!/sense of safety,trust, protectiveness/FOOD NOW?/

Dave sat in front of the dog and began to cry silently. The dog licked his face.

He suddenly realised just how sneaky Hummel and his hobbit were.

He wanted to kill them for...

/FOOD NOW/smell of meat, hunger pangs/THEN WALK/sensation of running through long grass/BELONG NOW/joy joy joy joy joy/LOVE DAVE

Dave would have to thank the boys later, he decided, he had to go search for a can opener now.

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Pete led the two boys across town. They had left Kurt's car parked near the cinemas. (Blaine's car was parked in its spot at the Hummel's awaiting cleaning and fumigation before Kurt would even DREAM of sitting in it after that DOG had been in it.)

Pete knew the alleyways and parks of Lima well. He knew where the safe places to sleep could be found. (well, safer anyway) He knew which shelters were open when, and how to get some food or a bath or even some new clothes by behaving the way the shelter wanted you to.

Stephanie, he explained, had refused to go back to the shelter she had been staying at. She wouldn't tell him why but he suspected that the workers at the shelter might have erred a little too far onto the 'Christian' side of the phrase 'Christian Charity'. He explained to the boys that for the most part, the various shelters and charities were pretty good about not forcing their beliefs down the throats of the poor and vulnerable. Some issues however, he related, were like red rags to a bull. A pregnant teen would probably qualify as an entire signature Valentino red dress, Kurt thought, let alone a rag.

"How are gay people treated then? "Kurt asked as they walked quickly along the back ways to where Pete had left the homeless girl in the care of a small, ginger kitten.

Pete explained that most of the street people soon learned to hide things like that beneath the surface. Most places wouldn't turn away someone in need, no matter what their issue might be, but being welcomed and being judged were two very different feelings.

Poor Stephanie hadn't been able to hide her 'issue' though and had felt increasingly isolated and unwelcome at the shelter she had been in.

Since it was summer, the weather meant that there was little danger of freezing to death during the night (as there was in winter) and so the girl had run away from the shelter and had tried to make it on her own sleeping rough.

Meggle had led Pete to her one night, and the older man had taken it upon himself to keep her safe and as comfortable as he could. He had tried to talk to her, but the difference in their age alone was enough to make that awkward.

"I'm not sure what help a couple of gay teens are going to be then. "Kurt mused as he walked beside Pete.

"Oh, you two are gay? "Pete asked, "I hadn't realised...cool!"

He thought about it for a moment.

"I should have guessed, just from the way you two look at each other."

Kurt and Blaine both gave him slightly confused looks.

"It reminded me of how Lisa and I used to be. "Pete sighed as he walked. "All those years of trying to forget them, to avoid the pain, and all the time I was just hurting so badly."

Kurt gave him a gentle pat on the arm.

"Now, finally I can think about them, and it still hurts, but now I can also remember the good things. Never take each other for granted boys, love is too precious to waste or to let fade. "

As he spoke the small group approached a boarded up derelict building in the industrial area which backed onto a large park. With practiced ease Pete moved a section of the chain-link fence surrounding the structure and held it up for the boys to scramble in.

"Watch where you stand in here boys, "he said, "Some of the floorboards are a bit rotten, and some of the walls are a bit unstable, but this place has been vacant for years and it still hasn't fallen down."

"If it's not safe... "Kurt was concerned.

"It's relatively clean. It's dry and some parts of the roof don't leak, "Pete tried to explain. "There are only so many ways into the building, so if anyone tries to get in, Stephanie can spot them and either hide or get out. I've shown her all the exits and hiding holes. For a homeless person, this place is a palace."

Blaine smiled at Pete, but his eyes betrayed the deep sorrow and pity he felt for the plight of so many struggling people. Blaine made a promise to himself that he would try to do something about it. Pete continued to speak as they made their way through what looked like an old factory floor.

"Finding this place was the first piece of luck I'd had for years. Well, actually, finding Miss Meggle was the first, then here, and then you boys. Since I found you everything seems to be on the up. "

Kurt reached his hand out to squeeze Blaine's. They smiled at each other and their eyebrows said their usual silent 'I love you'.

Beneath a rusty, but solid looking set of stairs the boys could see what looked like a child's blanket fort. Cardboard was spread on the floor here, which was much cleaner and freer from dust than the rest of the building. A small ginger kitten was playing in a beam of sunlight which angled in from a hole high on one wall. Watching the kitten play was a figure in a large black heavy metal band T-shirt and black men's sweat pants. Stephanie was small, Kurt thought, she reminded him of Rachel Berry in that way, maybe even shorter. Her hair was jet black. Even Blaine could tell that it was dyed however, as the roots betrayed the fact with about two inches of light brown showing how long it had been since the young girl had been able to afford a hairdresser.

Her skin was pale, almost as pale as Kurt's, and she had multiple ear and brow piercings and even a nose ring. Thick black eyeliner completed the picture, but failed to hide both the delicate bone structure of her face or the pale and slightly unwell aura which hid beneath it. She looked, Kurt thought, like a Goth fairy.

"Alice Cooper and Tinkerbelle had a kid! "Blaine whispered in his ear as they approached.

Pete smiled as he saw the antics of his feline friend.

"Yo Steff, "he said, "You heard us coming through the factory floor I assume?"

Stephanie looked up from where she was kneeling and smiled at Pete. She looked warily at the two boys but remained on the floor.

"I almost legged it when I saw you had company, but Meggle wouldn't let me catch her to hide, and then I figured that you wouldn't bring anyone dangerous here Pete, so I stayed."

She reached out a hand to Blaine, who automatically reached back.
"Call me Steffi, "She smiled wryly as she used Blaine's support to haul herself to her feet.

Now she was standing it became obvious how pregnant she was. On her tiny frame the swollen belly looked painful. She was looking back and forwards between the two boys, obviously wanting an introduction and an explanation.

"Hi Steffi, "Blaine's charm was also automatic, "I'm Blaine, Blaine Anderson and this well dressed angel is my boyfriend Kurt Hummel."

Blaine had decided recently that when dealing with teenage girls, it was less embarrassing for all concerned to get the whole 'I'm gay and in a committed relationship' thing out into the light of day as soon as possible, BEFORE they started crushing on him (and on a few occasions, on Kurt).

A gentle smirk on Steffi's face showed Blaine the wisdom of this course as she looked into his eyes.

"I bet you say that to all the girls, hot stuff, "Steffi's smirk developed into a full grin, "I had sort of figured Kurt was playing for the other team, but I had hoped that you and me could be married and having kids by Christmas."

Blaine blinked in shock while Kurt snorted with laughter. Kurt liked this girl's style.

"But now my heart is shattered and our love is doomed, which is a real pity since I made a head-start on the 'having kids' part of it while I was waiting for you."

Blaine's eyes crinkled with laughter too.

The four sat on the floor and ate lunch and talked.

At first Steffi was reluctant to open up much, but eventually they got some of her story out of her. When Kurt reached into his almost magic messenger bag and offered her a tube of black lipstick (a present he had picked up for Tina and forgotten to take out he said) she almost wept.

They all wept at certain points in her story, but Steffi refused to give in to tears. Kurt and Blaine looked at each other in concern at this. It was obvious that the young girl needed to open up and really talk to someone, but they didn't feel able to convince her to fully relax and let her emotions out. Even The Speech had failed.

Blaine took a chance to chat to Meggle the kitten when Steffi had to run off to the bathroom in the nearby park, taking a much faster route through the back of the building. Pete went with her to keep her safe. Kurt sat thinking for a few moments and then joined in Blaine's chat with the kitten. It was an interesting experience, with long pauses in conversation while Blaine had to translate the kitten's comments for Kurt.

"We need to get Steffi somewhere safer and cleaner than here." Kurt finally said what he had been thinking for hours.

"We need to find her someone to talk with, she has some real issues locked inside that sarcastic shell of hers. "Blaine responded.

Meggle said they needed to find a mother who could teach Steffi how to litter properly, she was getting close to her time.

Kurt had an idea.

He hated his idea.

Finally, he shared his idea.

"Blaine, we both know someone who could maybe relate to Steffi's story. Someone who could understand her and her issues the same way you were able to understand mine."

Blaine's eyes widened as he realised who Kurt was talking about.

"But would she be willing to do that? I mean, Kurt, from what you've told me she went through some pretty rough times herself. Would she be ok opening up all those old wounds again for a person she's never met before?"

"Quinn Fabray may be a vain and self centred bitch sometimes, "Kurt smiled, "But she is also one of the most caring and generous people I know. She just doesn't like to let people in on her secret."

Blaine smiled at Kurt's description. Kurt could have been describing himself, Blaine thought.

Kurt found his phone and began to look for his listing for Quinn.

"You know I don't believe in religion or God or anything, "he said as he found the number, "Well Quinn is a Christian in the BEST sense of that word. She doesn't judge, she doesn't hate, she just offers her heart and her help to those in need. More people should be like her. Certainly more 'so-called' Christians."

Kurt discovered he had no signal in the old factory. His phone apologised to him and he patted it absently and comforted it.

"Must be the metal in the walls, "he said, "I'll go for a stroll in the park too I guess. I'll meet her on the other side of the park and walk her over. It will be easier than trying to explain how to get here the way we came."

He passed Pete and Steffi as they came back into the building. Pete showed him the safe path out and Kurt explained to Steffi who he was calling and why. She was dubious, but eventually agreed to talk to Quinn. She wasn't looking at all well now and Kurt really wanted to get her somewhere safe and clean.

Kurt explained the problem to Quinn as he walked across the park to where she agreed to meet him. Quinn arrived and they took the fifteen minute stroll across the park to the industrial area where the abandoned factory was located.

Quinn and Steffi sent the boys out of the room so they could chat in private. After about an hour Quinn appeared breathless in the doorway of the room the boys were talking in. Before she could say anything Kurt reached into his bag and offered her the small box of tissues he kept in there (for makeup and/or weepy movie emergencies).

Another hour passed and finally Quinn and Steffi finished talking.

"I've tried to convince Steffi to come home with me, "Quinn explained, "But she wants to stay here for now. I've also told her that I do not give up that easily and I am a WAY scarier bitch than her, so we're going to keep fighting about it until she gives in eventually."

Steffi snorted, but the small, genuine smile she gave Quinn showed that some connection had been made at least. Certainly her face was tracked with tears but she seemed less tense.

"I don't need to be a burden for someone else, "she said, "But Quinn, if you feel like talking some more about ...you know, well, feel free to pop in anytime."

"I will be, don't worry."

As Quinn, Kurt and Blaine walked across the park to where Quinn had left her car they talked.

"Thanks for what you are doing for Steff,i Quinn, "Kurt smiled at her.

"I like her, "Quinn said, "She has guts, which she's going to need."

"Did you talk about what she's going to do with the baby? "Blaine asked.

"Not yet, first we have to get her to my house. She needs somewhere safe, and access to a doctor. I'm worried about her health, she's very underweight for her stage of pregnancy."

"She's due in a month she thinks? "Kurt took Blaine's hand as they passed through a patch of wildflowers. The blooms reminded him of the day they had put the rings on.

Quinn reached in to her purse for her car keys as they watched a couple with a young girl packing the remains of their picnic into the car next to hers.

She sighed, the girl was about the age Beth would be.

"We only have a couple of weeks to convince her to come to my place, "Quinn said, "With her size and weight I want her close to medical attention, that baby could be a problem."

She offered the boys a lift back to the cinema where Kurt had parked his baby.

"I should be thanking you boys too you know, "she said.

"Why? "They spoke in unison.

"Steffi really needed to talk her issues through with someone who understood them, "she was crying.

"It turns out, so did I."