Author's Notes: I'm not a medical person so the procedure may be completely wrong - this is my disclaimer for that.
Also I have university exams coming up so just a warning that updates might be less frequent for the next few weeks, I'll try to keep it as updating at least once a week though.
Chapter 24
"Well I never thought I'd do THAT" Kurt commented to Blaine at the sidelines as the football team hurried to de – zombie themselves.
"I don't know all that talk about courage – maybe what's really needed is singing and dancing with your bullies" Blaine said dryly.
"Obviously, why didn't we think of it before" Kurt replied sarcastically.
"Because life isn't the Disney channel and they'll all be back to their usual ways within a week" Blaine said grimly.
"Yeah that would be it" Kurt sighed.
"Just a heads up, your dad totally freaked out about your arm – he wanted to drag you off now but Carol told him you'd be fine with it strapped up for now, I don't think he'll ever let you play football again though."
"I don't want to anyway until they make some serious changes to the players."
"Yeah that's a fair point. Was that late joiner Karofsky?"
"Yep, guess he realized no one was laughing at us"
"I hate to say it but he was good, reckon he's going to try and stick around?"
"God I hope not, I'm all for him sorting himself out but...I can't imagine being in Glee with him every day"
"Understandable, how's the arm holding up?"
"It's ok"
"Well let me know if the pain gets worse and you need me to rush you to the emergency room"
Sam grinned as the whistle went. We WON he repeated to himself, trying to make it seem more real in his head.
Turning, he took in the McKinley section of the stands which had immediately erupted into cheers as the whistle went. His smile faded slightly as he saw Kurt hugging Blaine as they jumped up and down.
FRIENDS he reminded himself sternly, making his way quickly to the locker room to sort himself out.
"What are you excited about?" Kurt asked Blaine breathlessly, stopping jumping as his arm was hurting. "This isn't even your school!"
"It seemed the appropriate reaction"
"Right, well you enjoy your jumping – I'm going to go find Sam and get this arm sorted out, see you Monday for coffee?"
"Of course, let me know how the hospital goes"
"A word" Karofsky said, appearing suddenly and spinning Blaine around as Kurt walked out of sight. "You two ladyboys dating?"
"No, why?"
"Just needed to check something" Karofsky smirked, slapping Blaine on the back and knocking him forward as he went.
"What was that about?" Rachel asked concerned, coming over from where she had been with the girls.
"No idea, just asked if me and Kurt were dating for some-Rachel?"
"This isn't good" Rachel told him worriedly.
"Kurt!" Sam called, pulling the smaller boy through the crowd that had gathered.
"Thanks, woah it's getting mad out here"
"Yep, come on let's get out of here quickly, don't want to be stuck behind all these people getting out of the parking lot"
"Wouldn't want to delay the fun of the hospital" Kurt said quietly and sarcastically following Sam out.
"I heard that!"
"Of course you did"
"I don't think I can do this" Kurt said as they sat in his car outside the emergency room. "I think I'm about five seconds away from totally freaking out"
"Hey" Sam said, taking Kurt's hand and squeezing it. "I know you, you're the bravest person I know – you're going to be fine. And I'm going to be with you all the way through this. Come on you just spent a football game facing down guys twice your size – this should be easy"
"Yeah...glad you're here"
"Always" Sam said sincerely, leaning across and capturing Kurt's lips with his.
Sam broke away from the kiss a couple of minutes later. "Ok we should probably sort your arm out first before making out in your car"
"You're such a spoilsport sometimes"
"And you are trying to distract me to put off going in there for longer"
"You started it" Kurt pointed out.
"Well I'm finishing it, emergency room now, make out later"
"Fine" Kurt pouted.
"Kurt Hummel" a doctor called half an hour later.
"Come on" Sam said, when Kurt showed no sign of getting up. "It can't stay dislocated forever"
"And you are?" the doctor asked when he approached the door with Kurt.
"I'm his step-brother, Finn Hudson" Sam said smoothly.
"Ok right this way boys"
"Finn? Really?" Kurt asked quietly.
"Well I realized they probably wouldn't let me as your boyfriend through, just go with it"
"Uh huh...let's just hope none of them saw us in my car earlier, god I hate the smell of these places"
"Chill, couple of hours at the most and we'll be back home" Sam assured him.
"Ok Mr Hummel...I see it's your left shoulder that is dislocated, how did this happen"
"Playing football" Kurt said "Got tackled badly"
"By a guy twice his size" Sam added.
"Right well I'm going to have to try and manipulate it back into place so if you just hop up onto the bed and take your jacket off, your brother might want to stay because this will hurt"
"Brilliant" Kurt sighed, doing what the doctor told him.
"Ok Mr Hummel take deeps breaths for me while I do this, in...and out...in...and out"
Sam felt Kurt's hand tighten in its hold, looking up he noticed Kurt had shut his eyes and was biting down into his lip.
"So after this I was thinking me and you should have a lord of the rings marathon" Sam said lightly, getting his hand further crushed for his trouble. "Or you know you should really get around to seeing Star Wars..."
"Not helping" Kurt whispered.
"I don't know you're focussing on that idea rather than what's happening" Sam pointed out.
"True but – AGH!" Kurt exclaimed.
"Ok Mr Hummel I think that's back in, we'll have to send you down to x ray to have it checked before casting it but the worst part is over"
"Thank goodness for that" Kurt grimaced.
"I can't believe you turned down the rainbow cast" Sam joked as he entered the room.
"Yeah funny that, this blue ones fine"
"Yeah but not as amusingly ironic" Sam said, "Drink?" he asked, heading to the kitchen.
"Hot chocolate would be great" Kurt sighed, flopping down onto the sofa. "Doesn't look like anyone else is back yet"
"They've gone to Breadstix for a celebratory meal" Sam read off of a post-it note, poking his head around the door. "They said we're welcome to join them if we feel like it"
"No think I'm ok. Dad's going to be so over protective about the cast, I'll put that off for a bit longer"
"He just cares" Sam told him, handing him his hot chocolate while he sipped his tea. "So you survived the hospital" he added casually.
"Yeah, who'd have thought it? ...thanks, I couldn't have done it without you"
"Course you could have, I have every faith in you but you're welcome anyway. I didn't realize how much they affected you"
"No one does, well my dad...and Finn found out after the wrist incident but apart from that." Kurt took a deep breath before continuing. "My mom had cancer"
"Right"
"And they were trying this new treatment that she had to stay in hospital for – but it didn't work. I visited her every other day and...I was 10 and I watched my mother slowly die in front of me" Kurt said, his voice breaking.
"God Kurt, no wonder you're so scared of them"
"Doctors, hospitals – they're meant to make people better" Kurt continued, blinking back tears. "And even though I'm old enough to know life just sucks sometimes now, I don't think I've ever forgiven them for not saving her"
Sam moved closer to Kurt on the sofa and wrapped his arm around the smaller boy.
"Sorry I'm offloading onto you" Kurt mumbled into Sam's chest.
"Don't apologize. I'm honoured you can even talk to me like this, given how closed off you are to other people"
"Guess I must really like you"
"That's good to know" Sam smiled.
"You're not really going to make me watch Lord of the Rings or Star Wars tonight though, right? That might make me change my mind"
"Nah I'll save it for another night don't worry. You can choose, although I might fall asleep in the middle of it"
"Me too, it's been a long day" Kurt yawned, resting his head on Sam's shoulder.
"Have you heard from Kurt yet?" Burt asked Finn as they entered the house.
"He texted me an hour ago to say they were home safe and sound..." Finn trailed off as he entered the living room. "They're here"
"Oh they look so sweet" Carol said, grabbing a blanket from the cupboard and draping it over the sound asleep Sam and Kurt. "Come on, we shouldn't wake them" she said to Burt, chivvying him up the stairs
"But-"
"No buts Burt I doubt anything untoward is going to happen in the living room. That goes for you too Finn" she whispered back down.
"Yeah I'm going" Finn said reluctantly, first crossing to the sofa and checking that Kurt's cast wasn't being crushed. "Sorry dude should have made sure you were better defended on that field" he muttered regretfully "night Kurt" he said softly, closing the door behind him.