TRIGGER WARNINGS: The following themes are in this fic: self-harm, addiction, homophobia, abuse, abandonment, self-destructive behaviors and thoughts, suicidal thoughts. If you are not into serious angst, depression, and dark fics, feel free to skip this one.

Chapter 33: Eyes of Despair

Blaine woke up at 7 am to an empty bed but a wonderful smell. He walked into the kitchen to find Kurt cooking breakfast. It's probably the most beautiful thing Blaine's ever seen. Kurt in the kitchen, with the autumn morning light illuminating him, as he wears only boxers and an adorable frilly apron. He's humming to himself while standing at the stove, and it's so damn cute Blaine fills up with the urge to hug him to death.

Of course, Blaine instantly wrapped his arms around Kurt from behind, placing a small kiss at the base of his neck. Kurt leaned into Blaine's embrace, feeling warm inside from it, and although they hadn't finished what they had started on Friday night over text, they didn't feel the need to, because they just enjoyed holding one another during this stressful time.

Sadly, it was short lived when Blaine realized it was Monday and he had emails to send to make everyone aware that he would not be in class, and at his internship for the next couple of days.

"Blaine, I'm so sorry. I swear I'm doing better. I even got up and made breakfast for us. You should go back and if you leave now, you could fly in before noon." Kurt felt horrible about burdening Blaine with his issues. And with the entire situation, especially because they were new to doing life together. "Kurt this breakfast is wonderful, and I appreciate you apologizing but you do not need to. I'm here for you, no matter what. And will be here for you until your father improves. No arguing." And with that Kurt took a deep breath and let Blaine in. "Thank you."

Kurt on his way into the hospital thought about the face from last night. The older lady brought back one of the only memories from the last year he didn't mind having. On a cold Sunday afternoon in January, after a rough binge the night before, Kurt had woken up in his own bed but without his cell phone. He had looked all over the house for it and hadn't found it. So eventually he got dressed and drove to all the places he could've possibly gone the night before since he could not remember what had happened the last night. He drove for hours, and finally, as the sun was setting, he gave in and went to Liam's house. It was a small, rundown house, in a suburb of Columbus, and when he knocked on the door, an older woman answered. He hadn't ever met Liam's mother or father and was sure that Liam had no plans of introducing him to them. He and Liam had been together for almost three months and he knew his relationship with Liam was all transactional and he knew it would only last as long as Liam wanted and needed him, and therefore he knew that he would never be introduced to Liam's parents. So, when the older woman answered the door, it caught him off guard. She looked exhausted, and yet so so beautiful. She was tall and slim figured like Liam, and she had beautiful, long blond hair and piercing green eyes. She was gorgeous and yet she looked so exhausted that it was almost like someone had taken the life out of her.

"Hello, can I help you?"

Kurt remembers suddenly feeling so sad. Seeing her and listening to her speak that cold afternoon was the sign that Liam, even to the people closest to him, drained the good. He was this individual that had led Kurt down the worst path of his life. In the three months, Kurt and he had been together Kurt had started drinking, using pills, and now Liam was his gateway to the vices he had become attached to. And even after interacting with his mother, he still stayed with Liam until he was arrested, and Liam abandoned him.

And as they walked into the hospital Kurt thought of the sad women walking in last night. The woman he was almost certain was Liam's mother. Why would she be in Lima? He shoved it to the back of his mind and went to his father's room.

As soon as he got into the room, he automatically knew everything would be okay.

"Hey, son." His father was sitting up and talking. "Oh my god, Dad!" Kurt ran to the bed and instantly started crying, hugging his father loosely as to not disturb the tubes and wires on his body. "Oh, thank god." "It's okay son. I'm going to be fine."

The doctors came in shortly after and announced that there was very little cognitive damage and that although his father's left side was much weaker than his right, he could rehab in a matter of a couple of months and be okay. Luckily, Kurt's father had a backup person who could run his car shop while he was rehabbing. And everything was looking up. "Kurt, listen to me, I love you. But you need to go back to school. I'm going to be okay." "No dad, I don't want to leave you." "Son, I will be in the hospital a little longer, and then I'll be at a rehab facility until I can live on my own. But you need to trust me when I say I got this. Your school is much more important, and your health is more important, and you need to go back to work."

Kurt was terrified of leaving his father but knew he was right. Blaine was in the waiting room, reading a magazine, while Kurt visited his father. He wanted to give them some privacy and wasn't sure if his father would be awake and figured this may not be a good time to meet. So, he waited for Kurt. A couple of hours later Kurt walked out, and for the first time looked relieved. "My dad's okay. He's going to be okay." Blaine smiled, and took a deep breath, "Oh, I'm so happy to hear that." "Yeah, me too. He wants me to go back to school tomorrow, and he said he's going to get everything worked out. Blaine, I'm so relieved." "I am too." Blaine wanted to give Kurt a hug but thought against it, remembering that they were in Ohio. "Okay, let's get going, so we can pack and head back." Kurt was confident in leaving, and as he walked down the corridor of rooms, he was in such a hopeful mood that he had to do a double take, as he walked past a woman crying outside of a room.

Kurt stopped walking and looked back. It was her. His heart got the best of him, and he didn't know what he was thinking, but he just felt like consoling her. "Blaine just give me a second." Blaine stopped and turned around to see Kurt walking towards the crying woman. "Ma'am. I know you may not remember me, but at one point I was a good friend of your son. I just wanted to let you know I'll be having you in my thoughts." She looked up, and the despair in her eyes was evident. "Thank you. If you want to see him, he's in the room to my right."

Kurt stopped, realizing that she was crying, not over a family friend or her own extended family but she was crying because her child was in the hospital bed. Liam was in the hospital.