As a general rule, Kurt loved October. The autumnal colors were always gorgeous and worked fabulously with his complexion. (The same could also be said for spring and he certainly rocked both seasons as fiercely as he could) The changing temperatures allowed for the maximum variety of outfits and layers. Not to mention the chillier nights were perfect for things such as drinking hot chocolate and cuddling by the fireplace if one was so lucky as to have a fireplace. Kurt made a mental note the next place he lived was going to have a fireplace.

And it was becoming very clear to him the next place he was going to live wasn't going to be with Austin. He had gone over every pro and every con at least three times a day since Austin had initially asked him. Which, at this point, was a little over a month ago. Even when he tried to make himself say yes, Kurt couldn't do it. The answer was always no.

Of course while mentally he could say no, it was a completely different ballgame to actually tell Austin it wasn't going to happen. He tried. Well maybe tried to try was a better phrase. It wasn't because the topic hadn't come up the entire month. It had. Multiple times. It was just every time the subject would come up, Austin would get this hopeful, puppy dog look in his eyes and Kurt could feel his resolve to tell him no crumble. He just couldn't kill the hope in those eyes. Especially when it seemed his reasons for saying no were entirely wrapped up in his apparently not-so-forgotten high school daydreams about his future with Matt. A fact Kurt was going to chalk up to his therapy and all the constant discussion of his growing up and his need for control. With the constant reliving of his past in order to understand and help his present, it was only normal for him to experience some previously resolved feelings. At least that was what his therapist had explained to him. It was why he had been advised to not make any major life changes for at least a year after starting therapy.

And while that sound good and reasonable in the context of a therapy session, using it as a reason to not move in with your boyfriend apparently wasn't a good idea. Even when the boyfriend was as supportive as Austin was.

"You know I don't want to jeopardize your recovery Kurt, but that sounds like a convenient excuse to me. It makes sense when you start therapy sure, but you've almost been in it for a year already. And I'm thinking if I asked you in January, you still would hem and haw. This shouldn't be this difficult of a decision."

Austin was right. Kurt knew he was right. And Kurt also had the feeling once he finally said no, that was it. He and Austin were over. That was the real reason Kurt was dragging his feet on rejecting the idea of moving in together. As much as he didn't want to move in with Austin, he also didn't want to lose him over this. He just needed to figure out a way to tell Austin no without losing the relationship. Granted it probably would have worked better if he had just said no instead of asking for time to think about it, but no one had ever said Kurt Hummel took the easy way in life. Apparently if there was a hard path, he was destined to find it.

The familiar theme from Firefly thrilled from his cell phone, causing Kurt to smile. "Hey Matt." He answered, trying to keep his current anxiety out of his tone. Matt had always been able to pick up on his slightest verbal cues in seconds and was even better at now that he actually studied human relations. "What's going on?"

"Not much. I was just going to tell you about the latest video Artie sent me. But it sounds like something's going on with you. Everything ok?"

Kurt shook his head, trying to suppress a chuckle at his thought coming true. "Everything's fine. "

"You don't sound fine." Matt responded back skeptically. Kurt could see him lean back wherever he was and cross his arms in front of him, tilting his head to the side. "Is something going on?"

"Nothing that isn't drama of my own making. This means I can handle it and it has nothing to do with me not eating so get that thought out of your head right now."

"I wasn't thinking that."

"Yes you were." Kurt countered easily.

"Maybe I wondered it for a quick second." Matt allowed. "But I am well aware that you are capable of creating drama in all sorts of arenas that have nothing to do with eating. Better?"

"Better." Kurt agreed warmly. "It's just…..I need to tell someone something they aren't going to want to hear. And when I say it, I'm pretty sure that will be it for us. And if I said this earlier I probably could have avoided all of this but I didn't and here I am."

"Wow." Matt whistled softly. "That's a whole lot of vague for me to work with."

"Well that's because I wasn't asking you to work with it. Honestly Matt, I can handle this. I just need to do it and stop dragging my feet."

"Can I make a suggestion?"

"So long as you realize it may not be appropriate at all."

"Oh yeah. I get that. Speaking from experience, it generally goes better when you're telling someone something they don't want to hear, if you have a plan. In this case, spontaneous sucks. Bites you in the ass every time. Have. A. Plan."

"And just how did you get this experience Oh Wise One?" Kurt teased.

"Watching television." Matt deadpanned before a tell-tale beep cut through the line. "Hold on. We're not done vaguely talking about this."

"Yes sir." Kurt laughed as Matt switched lines. With a sigh, he looked down at the blank sheet of paper in front of him. It was supposed to be used to complete some initial sketches in his theatrical design class (he had been fortunate to have drawn West Side Story and was working with actual people than his poor classmate that had drawn Shrek) but as he picked up his pencil, he started to draft one of the hardest speeches he would ever have to give in his life.

He had barely finished writing "Austin, I know I should have said something…." when Matt clicked back over. "Who was that?" Kurt teased. "Your new boyfriend you don't want everyone to know about?"

The shaky intake of breath that greeted his joke instead of Matt's usual laughing no was cause for alarm. "What happened? " Kurt asked. "And don't tell me nothing."

"That was….they said….Leah." Matt rambled, not able to finish a sentence. Kurt didn't have to see him to know Matt was close to tears. He had only heard Matt sound like this once. The day he left home.

"Matt." Kurt said softly. "Take a deep breath and start again. What happened and what does Leah have to do with it?"

"That…that was the police. Leah was in an accident. They're taking her to OSU's Medical Center." Matt managed to get out. "They wouldn't tell me anything. So it's not good. It's not good."

"Oh Matt." Kurt sighed, closing his eyes. Of all the people to be hurt in this world, it would have to be the only family Matt still had. Everything could be fine, but the police calling and not Leah was not a good sign. He watched enough hospital dramas over the years to know that much. "How far away are you from the hospital?"

"I'm at the apartment. It's a couple of miles."

"You shouldn't drive. Is there anyone you can call to take you there?"

"Clara. She's doing one of her clinical there."

"Good. Hang up and call her. I'll call the Changs and everyone else on the phone tree. You won't be there an hour before someone from home is sitting with you, ok?"

"Ok." The two letters were so soft and broken Kurt had to strain to hear them.

"Matt, she's going to be ok. She's too damn stubborn not to be. Get to the hospital and find out all the facts. I promise you she's going to be ok."

"Alright. Alright." Matt took a deep breath. "I need to go. I need to get there and I need to see her."

"Go. I will take care of everything else. She'll be fine."

"God I hope you're right." Matt sighed as he hung up.

Kurt stared at the phone in his hand. If he believed in a higher power, this would have been the perfect time for prayer. But as it was, he sent out all his positive thoughts to Leah and Matt. He stood up from the table, racing up the stairs towards his room. He had no doubt Susan Chang would be in the car before he finished telling her what had happened. Still right now Matt needed all the support he could get.

And his phone worked perfectly well from the car.