Kurt lets everyone know that Noah is ready to leave and the nurse brings a wheelchair in the room.
After a few minutes of arguing Noah gets into the chair. Kurt and Rebecca walk on each side of him, almost as if guarding the young man. Tom and Abby walked behind as if they were guarding him too.
They made the oddest looking group, the only real blood ties or family resemblence were between Noah and Rebecca.
Once they reached the front door, it was decided that Abby would drive Noah in her Mountaineer back to Tom's house with Kurt following in his Navigator.
Tom would take Rebecca with him to the pharmacy to fill Noah's percriptions and go by the grocery store. He knew that his kitchen had very little in the form of actual food.
Tom gave Abby directions to his house and a key for the front door. She made him and Rebecca promise to buy more real food than snacks.
Once Noah was belted in and Kurt had pulled up behind her in his Navigator, she started the drive to Noah's new home.
Noah broke the silence first.
"Thanks." Noah looks out the window.
"For what?" Abby never takes her eyes off the road.
"For being a bitch to me." Noah glances at her, rubbing his hands on tops of his sweatpants.
"You know if I wasn't driving I would hit you just like I did Tom." There is only mirth in her voice.
"I am injured, you're not suppose to hit the injured." Noah tries to look pitiful, even though he already looks like hell.
Abby looks at Noah out of the corner of her eye, the look on Noah's face is priceless and Abby cant help but laugh softly. It is a cross between, my puppy just got kicked and Ha Ha I know a secret.
She shakes her head at him.
"You just needed a nudge to make the right choice, we all do sometimes. I am a pretty nice person most of the time, unless you make me angry."
"Yeah, my sister said you were mean and crazy when she first met you. But that you stayed with me last night and you held my hand all night." The last sentence is said in a voice barely above a whisper.
She reaches over the consol of the SUV, gently takes the sleeve of his shirt between her fingers.
Noah looks at her hand. He slowly reaches for it, watching her small hand be engulfed by his larger calloused one.
"Noah, anytime you need me, I will be there for you. And that goes for your sister too."
She watches as Noah leans his head back and closes his eyes still holding her hand.
The rest of the ride is in comfortable silence.
They arrive at Tom's house with only getting lost once, turning left instead of right.
Kurt pulls in and parks beside her SUV.
Abby starts to pull her hand free from Noah's, he hangs on tight for just a moment.
"Noah were here." Abby doesn't say home because it isn't home yet for him or his sister. She knows that will come in time.
Noah's eyes slowly open, he looks around and then down at his hand. He smiles and reluctantly lets go.
Kurt is opening his door, chatting about the yard and the house.
Abby is walking up to the door when the lady from next door, who looks to be about eighty, walks into the yard. She is staring at Noah and Kurt.
Abby knows the old woman is curious about them, especially about the guys. They are a sight for sore eyes, one that is prissy and one that looks like a truck hit him.
She looks at Abby with a frown, "Tom isn't home, hasn't been home all day."
"Tom knows we are here, he gave us a key to get in the house." Abby holds up the key hoping that the old biddy will just go away.
"Well he didn't say anything to me about it. I think you should wait until he gets home to go inside the house." The old lady declared to them.
Abby has had enough and lets the old biddy have it as nicely as possible.
"Look, Noah needs to lay down before he falls down. Tom knows we are here, he gave us a key to get in the house. Noah is going to be living with Tom for a while and so is his sister. They are at the grocery store stocking up the kitchen."
Abby starts to turn around, when she hears the old lady say something entirely out of line and it is directed at Noah.
"So he's bringing the delinquents home now. I will have to lock my doors and windows from the looks of him. No telling what he did or what kinda drugs he's on. Don't need his kind here in this neighborhood." She is pointing a crooked, snarly finger at Noah.
That's it. Abby goes off.
"Let me tell you about this delinquent. He is someone that needs help you old bitch, not condemnation. He doesn't need someone like you making a judgment against him without knowing the circumstances."
Noah reaches out for her as they get closer, "Abby let it go, I am used to it."
Abby sees the look in Noah's eyes and it breaks her heart, she takes his hand in hers. She turns back to the old lady.
"If you have Tom's cell phone number then I suggest you call it. But you need to leave now, before I tell you exactly what I think of you and your judgment in very explicit terms. You wont like what I have to say to you lady."
The old lady walks off muttering under her breath about calling the cops.
Abby looks at Noah, "Are you okay."
"Yeah. She just said out loud what everyone else thinks about me." His shoulders slump over a little more.
"I don't think that about you. And I am quite sure Princess doesn't either." She smiles at the indignant look on Kurt's face at the nickname.
"No I don't think that about you Noah. And Abby, DON'T CALL ME PRINCESS!" He glares bullets at Abby.
"But its okay if Braveheart calls you Princess, right?" Noah cant hide the lopsided smile.
"Yes its okay if Braveheart. Dammit Noah stop that." Kurt stomps his small foot for emphasis.
Noah is laughing with Abby as they both try to look innocent.
They walk up the steps to the house. After a couple of attempts to unlock the door, it finally opens for them.
They walk in slowly looking around, it is a total mess. Clothes, magazines, papers lying around everywhere in the living room. The kitchen is not in much better shape.
"Oh, wow. This place is a disaster." Abby's eyes are wide in shock. Men! She looks at the dishes and the food still on the stove.
She yells to Kurt who is standing with Noah in the hallway.
"Can you find the couch Kurt?"
"Maybe.." Kurt leaves Noah leaning on the door frame as he starts to move stuff off the couch. For the love of prada….
"Abby can you find some garbage bags?"
"Shit, I am almost too scared to open the cabinets to look Kurt."
"Well we need them in here. My God these are last weeks newspapers."
Abby looks under the sink and finds a box of bags. She is taking them to Kurt when she notices Noah's eyes closing. She goes to stand next to him, ready to catch him if he falls.
Noah opens his eyes grateful to see Abby standing next to him.
"Abby can I ask a favor?' Noah's voice is light.
"Sure. What do you need?" She looks up at him with a small smile. Abby thinks he is hungry.
"Can Kurt help me take a shower or something. I haven't had one since the day before ….." He softly touches his lip and feels the stubble on his chin.
"Uh, I guess if Kurt doesn't mind." Abby is shocked by the request, but she understands too. It had something to do with the old bat in the front yard.
Kurt walking into the hallway, "If Kurt doesn't mind what?"
"Helping Noah take a shower or bath." Abby looks at the face Kurt is making at the request and sends him a silent message with her eyes.
Kurt stops making the face and sees something in Abby's eyes. There is more going on than just a simple bath.
"Come on Braveheart", Kurt gently places himself under Noah's arm and begins to walk them down the hallway towards what he hopes is at least a decently clean bathroom.
"Uh Abby do you know where the bathroom is?"
"Not a clue, this is the first time I have been here too. Just open doors until you find it. I will clean up the living room and make Noah a bed on the couch."
The first door Kurt opens is a large bathroom. There is a deep old fashioned bath tub in the far corner. Surprisingly to Kurt this room is the cleanest one they have seen so far.
Kurt helps Noah sit on the toilet and walks over to the tub. He rinses it out before putting the stopper in and letting it fill with hot water.
Noah has been quiet since Kurt agrees to help him with the bath. He just keeps hearing what the old lady was saying about him. His mind wants to let go and just scream that he is a human, that all he needs is someone to help him find his way.
He looks at Kurt and sees him fluttering around the bathroom. He knows that Kurt is there for him and he likes that idea. Its not in a gay way either.
It's in a different type of way, one that maybe surpasses friendship and goes more for bromance.
"Thanks Princess." Noah finally speaks to his friend.
"You know this is getting to be a habit today. First I dress you and now I am undressing you. If I didn't know better I would say you are enjoying this Braveheart." Kurt sticks his tongue out at Noah, who simply nods.
"I told you, I would just keep working on you", Noah winks at Kurt who squeals a little bit.
"Stop flirting with me Noah. I might start crushing on you if you get too friendly with me. At least that is what Finn thinks of me anyway." Kurt regrets what he says as soon as he sees the dark look cross Noah's features.
"I am sorry Noah, I shouldn't have said that." Kurt tries to smooth it over.
"I don't give a flying fuck what that prick thinks of you Princess. I trust you and I want you to be around me. I need you to be around me, to help me hold it together. I don't know why, but if you leave me or you let anyone tell you to stay away from me then I am not going to make it through this hell."
Kurt sees the fear in Noah's eyes and his heart breaks for his friend. He walks over to where Noah is sitting and kneels down in front of him….
"No one is going to keep me away from you Noah, no one. I think I need you as much as you need me. And so not in a gay way either. A friend is someone that you can talk to, someone that can hold you when the world gets to be too much. I don't have any guy friends. Most of them think like Finn, if I get too close then I am trying to get in their pants and I am most definitely not."
"So Braveheart, I am not going anywhere. Now lets get you in the tub, okay?" Kurt starts to take Noah's shirt off.
"So you might crush on me huh, Princess?" Noah tries to help Kurt take off his shirt. Kurt just slaps his hands away.
"That is not what I said Noah."
"So you might crush on me?"
"Gucci, do you want me to crush on you Noah Puckerman?"
"Well I am a stud and have you checked out my…." Noah winces in pain when he tries to strike a body building pose for Kurt.
"See what happens when you tease me, karma is a bitch Braveheart." Kurt has worked the shirt up to Noah's neck and is desperately trying to get his arms out of the sleeves.
"Ouch Princess", Noah is trying to hold his hand over his heart but Kurt keeps slapping his hand away. ….
After a few more slaps and threats from Kurt, Noah is freed from the shirt. He reaches over and turns the faucet off.
"Okay now that part is over, I have to take the bandage off of your ribs. Are you sure you don't want Abby to help with this?"
"Princess, you can do it. You watched the nurse just everyone else did, just no crying okay? Promise?" Noah knows what the bruises look like and he knows that Kurt will have a melt down if he doesn't make him promise.
Kurt looks at Noah and sees the desperation in his eyes.
"Okay, I promise not to let you see me cry, how is that?" Kurt knows that he is going to cry no matter what he tells Noah.
He starts unwrapping Noah's ribs, being extra careful not to pull the ace bandage tight as he is doing so…
As the bandage falls from Noah's chest, Kurt cant help but gasp at the sight. He thought it was bad seeing the bruises peek out from under the bandages, but seeing the full picture of Noah's chest is horrific.
There are so many, different sizes, different colors. It makes him sick at his stomach enough that he has to look away. He takes the bandage and lays it on the vanity, he uses the distraction to force the bile and tears back that are threatening to spill.
Noah sees Kurt's refection in the mirror and knows that Kurt is trying to keep it together. He stands and gingerly walks up behind Kurt, gripping the edge of the vanity.
"Its okay Princess."
Kurt looks at him in the mirror and sees the pain etched on Noah's face.
"You should be sitting down Noah."
"Not until I know you're okay Princess", Noah leans his head on Kurt's shoulder.
"Noah I cant lie to you, this," pointing to Noah's chest, "makes me sick. I just want to kill the bastards that did this to you."
"I know. But it is over now. Hey I'm here with you, Princess, not back in that hellhole. And I don't think you are going to let anyone else hurt me are you?"
"No I am not. I will kick their sorry ass if anyone tries, except maybe Abby. That girl is mean and has a mouth like you do." Kurt tries to smile. Noah chuckles.
"Yeah she does doesn't she?" Noah smiles a little bit at his own question.
"Kurt let me have your hand", he takes the offered hand and places Kurt's fingertips on one of the bruises on his chest. Kurt tries to pull away, but Noah won't let him.
"Its okay Princess. Touch them, I am not going to break anymore than I already have in front of you." Noah watches as Kurt traces the bruise. He doesn't understand why he needs Kurt to touch them, only that he does.
Kurt traces the bruise and moves on to another one. He looks at Noah and watches him close his eyes at the contact.
He walks behind Noah, looking at his back. There are more bruises there. He gently touches the foot shaped bruise that covers Noah's kidney region. He hears the sharp intake of breath.
"Noah, I am sorry."
"Don't ever apologize for something they did to me. You didn't do this." Noah looks at his reflection in the mirror, seeing the different colors that litter his chest.
Kurt can hear the anger in Noah's voice. He gently scrubs Noah's Mohawk with his fingertips, hoping to calm him down.
Noah turns to Kurt and lays his forehead against Kurt's. The words are breathed over Kurt's lips. "Remember that I want you here with me. You aren't them, Princess."
Kurt lays his hand gently on Noah's non bruised cheek, "I will be here as long as you need me Braveheart."
"Now lets get you into the tub before Abby thinks I have drowned you." Kurt smiles at Noah.
Noah simply nods back to him and sits down on the toilet again.
Kurt helps him with his boots, socks and sweats. They opt to leave the boxers on, Kurt still doesn't want to meet Puckzilla.
Migration by Mark Salling
Cuz you're my friend and I know
You feel it too
You can follow me
To a final destination
Whatever you need