CHAPTER 75
Everything was quiet. It was as if there'd been a dark storm raging outside for hours and it suddenly passed. Jeff had been talking for so long, pausing only to take a drink or to let Blaine throw in his two cents when he thought Jeff was leaving out something important. Kurt wasn't sure when it happened, but they were all around Jeff now, the blonde still in his corner of the sofa with Nick on his left…Kurt had taken up the chair Nick abandoned to Jeff's right and Blaine was on the floor with his back against the coffee table at Jeff's feet. It was a very intimate scene, supporting what they'd spoken of and it was fitting.
Still…nobody said a word. Jeff was still…very still, with his head leaned back against the sofa and his eyes closed. Nick's head was bowed, his chin resting on his chest as he fiddled with his own fingers, and Blaine's elbows were resting on his knees while he held his head in his hands. Clearly…so, so clearly, it had been a horrible, terrifying time for Jeff. With Blaine's help and strength they'd made it through, but Kurt could not imagine that this was something you just moved past unscathed.
Kurt felt like there were really no words he could come up with that were adequate to express what he was feeling, so he said nothing at all for a few minutes. Nobody did…and that made it all the more uncomfortable. Finally, Jeff spoke again, but he did not move or open his eyes. Kurt could see tears on his face now, and wondered when that had happened…he'd been so zoned in his own thoughts that he wasn't watching anyone else.
"So um…I had my mom send this up here…" Jeff said, motioning to the envelope on the table. Blaine picked it up and handed it to him. "I'm not sure why I kept all this stuff…I should have gotten rid of it by now, but I didn't. Every now and then I flip through it to ground myself. Oddly, now that it's so many years later, I can read what's in here and see that…" he heaved in a breath, "that it wasn't my fault…really. I only wanted to make him stop. What he was going to do to Owen…" he said, breathing heavy now, "I couldn't let him. I couldn't…." he choked out. After a deep breath and a few minutes, Jeff pulled a stack of papers from the envelope. There were official looking documents, a file folder, pictures of a younger Jeff's injuries as well as another boy, who Kurt assumed must be Owen because Jeff spared a small smile for the photo despite the injuries it showcased. He pulled out a handful of newspaper clippings that had the story but no names. There were crime scene photos, and Kurt wondered how he ever got them. It was an envelope full of all of Jeff's guilt, essentially, and because he could think of nothing else to do, Kurt shifted the envelope to the table and sifted through the items scattered there. He shared a glance with Blaine, who then picked up a stack of papers with an attorney's name across the top and started reading.
Nick did not move throughout the entire ordeal. He said nothing, did not meet anyone's eyes and there was a point when it crossed the mind of both Blaine and Kurt that he may have fallen asleep…but it was very highly unlikely. Blaine assumed that after everything he'd heard, he was taking it all in and processing the only way he knew how. Still, Blaine prayed that he would say something soon. Jeff looked broken and near to tears again and it was evident he was waiting on Nick's reaction.
Noticing the time, Kurt quietly got up and moved to the kitchen, searching through the refrigerator to see what he could find. He needed to be doing something…something besides sitting still. Working with what he had, he fixed chicken quesadillas with some salsa and busied himself in the kitchen while the silence went on around him. Clearly nobody knew quite what to say. He set the plate of food on the coffee table and refilled drinks, trying to find something…anything to do to keep his mind from seeing the vivid picture Jeff had painted. Finally Kurt could bear the silence no more.
"I need for you to know how very sorry I am, Jeff, that all of that happened to you. I can't begin to imagine…I can't…the images that you painted here are horrific, and I'm certain they pale in comparison to the real deal by degrees. I know this wasn't…and isn't…something you could just 'fix' and move on from, and I know that it will stay with you forever, but I also think it's important to reiterate that it wasn't your fault. None of it was, and as much as you may want to regress back to the "I should haves.." and "what ifs…", there's no point. It won't change a thing, and truthfully, I think…well, this is just me, but I think that you handled it as anyone would have…or could have. You were young, Jeff. You did what came naturally when it happened…you defended your friend. You saw the threat and sought to neutralize it in any way possible. You did what had to be done. Circumstances made it so that objects happened to be there that changed the game. There's no help for that…."
Jeff met his eyes, finally, and Kurt gave him a weak smile.
"I have to know, though…" he smiled a bit wider. "Have you spoken with Owen since then?" Jeff's own smile appeared then, and he blushed a bit with it.
"I have…I do. He's living in California now…he's married to a man named Curtis, and he has a son and a daughter…he's very happy and we email and talk on occasion. I've not met his family, but he speaks very highly of them, and I believe he's happy. We don't really bring up what happened all those years ago, but it's a bond between us that'll never go away." Jeff finished. Kurt nodded, still with a small smile.
"Good…I think that's good, right?" Kurt asked.
"It is. It was a rough time for us both. He always said the same…that it wasn't my fault…that if it wasn't for me it would have been so much worse. It could have been him who died instead of…" Jeff cut off, taking a deep breath. "Ok, enough of that for now." He sighed out long and loud. It was taking its toll on him, clearly. His eyes were misted over and he was fidgeting. Nick had still said nothing.
"Can I get anything for anyone?" Kurt asked quietly, willing Nick to say something…anything…and spare Jeff the agony of waiting to see what was going on in his mind. Was it too much for him? Was he going to absolve Jeff of his obvious guilt…either for the boy's death or for what had happened with Blaine afterward?
"Ok, well, I'm going to just address the elephant in the room…" Jeff began, looking at Blaine, then at Kurt…lastly, casting a longing glance at Nick, who was still focused on his own lap. "Kurt, I'm not sure what I said that made you realize what had been between Blaine and me…I didn't think I was that transparent, but clearly I must be-" Jeff began, but Kurt chucked and cut him off.
"It's the way you speak about him. It's the vehemence in your tone when you tell me what a good person he is, how gentle, how understanding. It's how you seem to be in awe of his caring nature and seem, at the same time, so familiar with it. When you were…when we were talking and you suddenly rubbed your neck and said 'this is so uncomfortable', I couldn't find any other reason why you'd be uncomfortable telling me those things…and then it dawned on me. How could you possibly be so sure of Blaine's gentle nature in a romantic setting…unless you'd experienced it first-hand. I knew then. I wasn't angry then, and I'm certainly not angry now. I want you to know that. I want you both to know that.
I know that maybe I could be. I could throw a fit and say you should have told me, considering…..but let's be honest…I'd very much rather have Blaine tell me that you were his first and that you two shared a mutual attraction of sorts…even if not a romantic love. That what you had together was born of friendship and a wish for strength and healing…that you were safe, and you felt safe together. That's infinitely better than some random one night stand whose name you can't remember. I'll never begrudge you that. The story you told us today is…well, it's a beautiful story of two friends who clearly care very much for each other. I wasn't around then, and neither was Nick…and although I can only speak for myself, I can honestly say that it's none of my business what happened 10 years ago. But know this…I love you both…Blaine as my boyfriend, my lover, my confidant…and Jeff as my very good friend who I trust implicitly. And I thank you for trusting me enough to share your story." Kurt said, tears in his eyes now as he grabbed Jeff's hand and held it tightly. Jeff was dealing with the same, and he grabbed a tissue from the box on the bottom shelf of the end table.
Blaine grabbed Kurt's other hand and squeezed it, sharing a loving smile with him and needing to know Kurt would do the simplest gesture and just squeeze back…and he did. It was a show of love and solidarity and he desperately needed it now. Kurt glanced at Blaine, then at Nick and gave a small shrug, neither allowing Jeff to see. They were frightened of the fact that Nick remained quiet. It was time to give them their privacy and let whatever was going to happen play out.
"Jeffie…I'm going to take Kurt back over…home…if you think you're ok now?" Blaine said. Jeff nodded and bit his lip, uncertainty in his eyes. "But I also need you to know I'm taking some of these quesadillas, because let's face it, Kurt's a freakin' wonder in the kitchen and he didn't feed me this morning before he dragged me over here." He added, trying to lighten the mood.
It worked and Jeff huffed out a small laugh, Blaine smiling as well when he saw it reach Jeff's eyes. "Go ahead, you pig. Help yourself."
The boys took turns hugging Jeff and offering as much strength as they could with it. They made their way to the door, stopping only briefly to turn back and look at the two still on the sofa. They gave Jeff a nod and opened the door.
"Nothing has changed, Jeff. I'm still right here if you need me, man. I'm right down the hall." Blaine said with a small smile before they closed the door and left the two on the sofa alone.
As Kurt walked through their door he heard another door in the hall open. Nick stuck his head out into the hall and saw them and got Blaine's attention.
"Blaine, I'd like a word?" Nick said.
Blaine cast a look at Kurt, unsure what it was about…well, very sure what it was about, but in what capacity? Kurt gave a weak smile and nodded, turning to close the door and leave Blaine in the hallway as Nick closed the door behind him to shut Jeff out.
"Look…Nick…I…" Blaine began, but Nick held up a hand and stopped him, his eyes dropping closed as he took a deep breath.
"I am employing everything within my power to remain calm right now. I have just been told the most horrifying story of hatred and pain that I've ever heard, and the star of the show is the man I love beyond all words. I'm telling you this because…" he paused, a sort of small hiccup coming out as he squeezed his eyes shut, "because I know you get it. I know you understand what I'm feeling right now. What I need to say…what I should have said well before now is that what you and Kurt went through with Jackson…I can't…I just can't imagine. Hearing about it is one thing, but Blaine…being there, living through it with him…Jesus Christ…." Another deep breath. "Anyway, I am in awe of the kind of bravery it took to go through that and come out strong on the other end, and for that…well, I just don't have words. He's truly lucky to have you by his side.
That being said…about Jeff…and you…" Nick began again, and Blaine tried to butt in once more, but once again Nick stopped him. "Hear me out, yeah?" he said, jaw clenched. "Talk of past lovers is not something Jeff and I have ever dwelled upon…mentions of 'I was there with my boyfriend…' or 'when so and so went to a wedding with me' or the like…it's about as far as it's gone. It never mattered to me. Now, finding out it was you…" Nick says, shaking his head again as if to clear it.
Blaine was certain he was about to be reamed…chewed up and then probably spit out as well. He couldn't really blame him. It was a lot to take in, he supposed. He stayed silent waiting for the anger and maybe the disgust.
"Finding out his first lover was you, Blaine, is something I wasn't expecting, but I'd be lying if I said I was surprised, I mean, as I said, that picture is worth a thousand words and anyone could see the adoration on his face…on yours. I want you to know, though…after today…after all this, I need for you to know that I am so very, very fucking thankful that it was you, Blaine." He said, his voice finally breaking on a sob and Blaine's eyes went wide. NOT what he was expecting.
"Thank you…thank you for being there for him…with him…when he needed you most. Thank you for caring enough to make him talk, for everything you did to stay with him and make him feel safe. Thank you for giving him something he can look back and fondly remember as the beautiful thing that happened after the darkness. Most of all, thank you for being an amazing friend to him and for bringing him into my life, because he is, without a doubt, the most amazing man I've ever met…and after hearing that, I don't honestly think he'd be here if you hadn't done what you did. For that, I am forever in your debt. If at any time…any time at all…if there is anything you need or Kurt needs or…anything… you tell me and it's yours." Nick said, grabbing Blaine into a bone crushing hug in the hallway and gripping him tightly for all he was worth. "Thank you for healing him and bringing me Jeff, Blaine. This is not something I can ever fully repay, but I'll go to my grave thanking you for it." He backed away towards the door leaving a silent and partially stunned Blaine in his wake, his curly head only able to nod. He was afraid to say words because he knew he'd just burst out crying if he tried.
Nick moved back inside the apartment quietly. He needed to talk to Jeff. He needed Jeff.
Nick came back in to the apartment and sat back down on the edge of the sofa, his elbows rested on his knees and his face in his hands. The silence stretched on and Jeff nearly screamed with frustration. All he wanted was for Nick to say something…scream, yell, get angry, be ok with it, but for God's sake…say something! When the silence continued, Jeff finally forced himself up from the sofa and carried the food back to the kitchen, picking up a couple of glasses from the table as he went. When he made it to the sink and set the glasses down, he leaned heavily there for a few minutes, his knees feeling weak, and just closed his eyes. He was shaking now and a sob threatened to escape when he felt arms circle his waist. He gasped in his surprise which caused him to cough and sputter. Nick…
"Baby…" was all he said and Jeff was spinning in his arms to hold him tightly. Then he did sob.
"I should have told you…I should have put it all on the table when we started getting serious, and I'm sorry that I didn't…it's not easy for me to talk about and I was so scared, Nicky…so fucking scared that you'd run…God, please don't run from me…" Jeff cried.
"Please babe…calm down…god, Jeff, please don't think that. I'm not going anywhere! Why in the world would you think I'd run?" Nick said, incredulous.
"I've killed someone, Nicky…"
"Self defense, Jeff…there's a huge difference between that and what it could have been. You didn't leave for the movies that night thinking 'I think I'll kill someone tonight on the way home…'. In fact, I'd be willing to bet that's the very last thing that might ever cross your kind, beautiful mind. Oh, babe…my God, no…I'm not going anywhere. I'm sorry, but you're stuck with me, Sterling." Nick smiled, holding Jeff so tightly just so that he made his point.
"And Blaine….you're not angry? I know we've never really discussed previous relationships in any detail…I wasn't intentionally not talking about it, but it's not something I bring up…because of the circumstances. I know I'm allowed to talk about it now, but…it's …it's not a time in my life I enjoy recounting…not that things with Blaine weren't…god…I'm fucking this up…." Jeff huffed, running his hand through is hair.
"You're not fucking anything up…we're good…you and me, we're fine as long as you're ok? I'm not angry, I'm not upset…..well, that's a lie. I'm very insanely upset at those guys for what happened, and given the chance I'd like to get 'em all in a room and express my anger…physically…but that's not the answer, and it won't change a thing. What does need to be said, Jeff…what I need for you to know is that I'm so God damned proud of you…you didn't run…you stayed, you fought, you were strong for your friend…for yourself. You're so strong…." Nick said, pressing his lips to Jeff's in a calming kiss, resting their foreheads together and smiling when his eyes met the beautiful warmth of Jeff's. He hated that Jeff even questioned whether he'd run from him or not…he needed him to know that was never an option…not now, not ever.
"Be with me…can we just…can we lay in bed and just…just be? For a little while?" Nick asked, taking his hand and tugging him toward the bedroom. Jeff nodded and let himself be led away.
Nick took his time undressing himself and Jeff as well, and pulled him down beside him in bed. They lay facing each other, Nick staring into Jeff's eyes in wonder at what the man had been through in his life…losing his father, being attacked for his sexuality, being accused of killing a young boy no matter what the circumstances, losing his job and his home because of Nick's father, and now…hurting, and questioning everything…including Nick…because of what he'd had to endure.
"There will come a time, Pretty Boy, when we'll stand before a judge, a priest, a pastor, an officiate of some sort…and they will say "for better or worse…" and I will look into your eyes and say 'I do' with every fiber of my being…but until then, it still stands. For better or worse, babe, you're stuck with me until you tell me to go…and even then I'll fight you on it. I'll fight you tooth and nail, because I can't be without you." Nick said, staring into Jeff's eyes.
"It was worth it…" Jeff muttered, dropping his gaze to Nick's mouth and back to his eyes.
"What was worth it?"
"Everything. Every single bad thing I've ever endured in my life was worth it and I'd do it all over again if it only brings me back to you….as long as it brings me to you, Nicky."
Nick leaned in and kissed him then, softly, yet with every ounce of passion he could muster and pulled Jeff close to his chest. "Love you….always…no matter what." Nick whispered.
"Do you think they'll be ok?" Kurt whispered to Blaine as they snuggled on the sofa in front of the T.V. The sound had been muted and the picture was a rerun of something neither was paying any attention to.
"I know they will. There's no doubt in my mind that everything will be fine between them. Nick had a lot to say in the hallway, and although I thought he was going to be less than receptive, he was actually…thankful…toward me. That feels odd…is that…isn't that sort of odd?" Blaine asked.
"I don't think so. Think if the tables were turned. What if it had been me? Wouldn't you rather find out that my first time was with someone you respected and actually liked…someone who loved me in some capacity, and someone who was insanely worried about my health and well-being? I think that's infinitely better than the alternative, and Nick's a pretty level headed guy. He'll see the big picture. What I worry about is Jeff. He has this…this thing he sometimes reverts back to where I think he might wonder if he's um…what the word? Worthy? Yeah…like he thinks he's unworthy of Nick's affection or something."
"It's the guilt. It's those damn cops treating them the way that they did, and planting it in their minds that they were somehow at fault…that they were less. I always thought something should have been done to them for how they handled it. Pissed me off then and it still pisses me off!" Blaine said angrily.
I honestly think they'll be ok, though…and maybe Jeff will be a little more relaxed knowing there are no secrets anymore."
"I think you're right…I hope you're right. I haven't heard yelling, and I didn't hear anyone leave, so I'm hopeful." Kurt told him. "Are you still hungry? I can make you something if you want?"
"No…no I'm ok, don't worry. Actually, I need to call Cooper. He wanted to meet me about something today…talk about something. I'm not sure what, exactly, but if you're alright with it, I think I'll give him a buzz and see what he wants to do?"
"Sure…yeah. I have some things to get done…laundry, straightening up in here. I have to pack all of this up and get it to the loft this week. There's no reason for it to be here when I'm not working here anymore. There's too much noise upstairs anymore, anyway, so I've been working there. Doesn't help that you're not here, either." Kurt teased him.
"Soon. I'll be back for good soon and you'll be so sick of me." Blaine laughed. "I tend to kinda walk out of my clothes on the way to bed and leave them where they lay."
"What's my reward for picking up after you on occasion?" Kurt teased.
"Oh…um….c'mere…lemme show you real quick before I call Cooper?" Blaine told him, biting his lip with a smirk and dragging him back to the bedroom.
"Hey baby bro…what's up? Did you get done what you needed to get done this morning?" Coop asked as Blaine sat down at a small restaurant near Coop's condo.
"We did, yeah. It wasn't a pleasant morning, or topic of conversation, but it's over and done with and I think all is well." Blaine explained. Coop raised an eyebrow. Blaine huffed out a laugh. "All is well, Coop, no worries. So what's up?"
"Ok, so you're moving up to the third floor, right?"
"I am… we are. I'm moving in with Kurt this weekend…moving my stuff into his apartment only long enough to let it hang out there for a couple of weeks before I move upstairs…and drag him with me, bodily, if necessary." He smiled. "He asked me to move in with him this week, and I don't think he's going to mind having more space to share when we get to move upstairs."
"So Trent and Thad are then moving into his apartment?" Coop asked.
"I'm fairly sure, yes. As long as Kurt moves out of it, they'll move in there. They don't need three bedrooms."
"And Jeffie…he needs three bedrooms at your place?" Coop smiled.
"Jeff's moving in with Nick this weekend…I think. As long as they're ok after this morning, he is, anyway. He was all packed up to go, it seemed." Blaine replied. "And no, he doesn't need three bedrooms."
"Good…because…I do." Coop said, eyes shifting, but with a smile.
"You do, what?"
"I'd like to…um…I'd like to rent the apartment from you, Blainey."
"What the hell for? You have a place, Coop, and it's nicer than my apartment anyway."
"It's different from your apartment…it's upscale, it's more expensive, it's on a higher floor in a bigger building…but it's also not where Maggie and the kids are. So it's different, but not necessarily nicer. I know she won't want to move the kids from the neighborhood…and she'd miss you and Kurt and Helen…but I want to be with them, and not just on occasion. I want to ask her to live with me, Blaine, and for that, I have to have somewhere for her to be…and she adores your place. She always talks about how homey and beautiful it is. She loves the original wood and the ceilings and the light from the big windows. I just thought, if you didn't have someone for it, already, then maybe…me?" Coop asked.
"I'm a little unnerved here, Cooper. I mean, you went through that whole tirade and didn't make a single joke or sexual reference and I'm not sure I can take you seriously like that. You're not yourself." Blaine deadpanned, looking Coop in the eye. "Who ARE you?"
"Stop it!" Coop laughed, slugging him in the arm. "C'mon man…you know it's inevitable. She and I are going to be together…sooner rather than later if I have my way. I want them near me, all the time, every day. This way the kids will have their own rooms and we'll have our own space. It doesn't have to be forever there, but it's a start. Will you rent it to me?" Coop asked with such hope in his eyes that Blaine couldn't bear to tell him no.
"As long as things work out as they should…as long as Kurt moves in with me, as long as Trent and Thad move into Kurt's place, as long as Jeff moves in with Nick…then the apartment is for rent…and you may have it." Blaine smiled. Coop whooped out loud right in the middle of the restaurant, drawing the eye of many diners. "On one condition…." Blaine added, and Coop could tell he was serious about this.
"Oh God, now what!?" Coop asked, eyes wide.
"My apartment with Kurt is our private space. YOU do not just walk in uninvited…ever. Kurt may brush it off as nothing, but I wouldn't do that to you and I don't want you doing it to me." Blaine smirked.
"Gawd, Blainey, you just rip the fun out of everything, don't you?" Coop sighed, laughing. "Ok, you've got a deal!"
The first half of the week sped by. Blaine went back to Westindale and Kurt and Jeff worked diligently on the show with David freaking out, yet keeping everything moving along as it should be. He'd brought in a couple of people to help, the pair having done shows before that he'd seen and admired, so everyone followed their lead and instructions on everything from setting up the runway, the large screen behind it, and the backstage area as well as who would walk when, where and with whom.
The first snag came when one of the new people mistook Kurt for someone of a lesser status in the company and tried to send him off for coffee. By the time that conversation was over, David was hauling a fuming Kurt to the backstage area to cool off and the woman, Beverly, was told in no uncertain terms that part of her job was to know who she answered to, and as the designer, Kurt pulled one helluva lot more weight around those parts than she did. Kurt and Beverly avoided each other at all costs after that, but so far it was the only snag. Kurt kept up hopes that there would be very few snags, as he knew that hoping for none would be a lost cause. Something would happen. Something always did.
Blaine called him Tuesday afternoon between classes and told him that Kailey had called him into her office to see if he would reconsider taking a job with them the following school year. Despite how much he loved the kids, he refused. Being away from Kurt wasn't something he was willing to do, and with the new apartment and his friends and family back in the city, he felt it best for his mental well-being to decline. She wasn't happy with his decision, but said she understood. After this week he was down to two weeks before he could be home with Kurt every day, and he couldn't wait.
"Oh! And I had lunch with Eli today!" Blaine said with enthusiasm, but not excitement.
"Oh goody, see how happy I am to hear it!" Kurt deadpanned. "Please, do tell me how much fun you had with that rats ass." He said, his sarcasm heavy.
"Now Kurt…it was actually not as bad as I thought, and well worth being with you all weekend." Blaine smiled into the phone. "He was right, the guy works right across the street from that little place where we got ice cream when you were here? Anyway, he said he has only heard from him once since they got back in town last Friday and he apparently saw us, because he texted him twice and then called while we were having lunch. To his credit, Eli didn't answer or even text back while we were there. But he was focused on the guy across the street…he was waiting tables on the patio of the café and our conversation was pretty non-existent because he was too busy watching the guy!" Blaine laughed.
"Oh my gosh, well, since he's Mother Teresa, you really should just have lunch daily-" Kurt began.
"Ok, ok, enough with the snark, Mr. Sassy Pants!" Blaine laughed. "But get this, as we were driving back, I asked him about his son and he nearly wrecked the damn car, Kurt. I was actually scared for a minute there!"
"Oh my God, how did you segue into that conversation?" Kurt laughed.
"I didn't…really. I said 'How's your son doing? Does he go to daycare or something while you're here?' and I thought, well, if he doesn't have a son and that was all bullshit, he'll give me a WTF look and be all 'what the hell are you talking about, Blaine?' but instead, like I said, he nearly wrecked the damn car. He skidded to a stop on the side of the road and stared at me with huge eyes…almost frightened, but definitely freaked out and uptight, that's for sure!"
"And…go on!" Kurt said, finally excited to hear what Eli had to say.
"And, he said…probably without thinking at all…'how the fuck do you know I have a son?' to which I replied 'I thought we talked about it when I had orientation that day?' and he said, flatly 'I wasn't at your orientation, Blaine….'. I just played it off and said 'oh, must've been someone else…maybe Ben Hatter?…but hey, you do have a son then? Who knew!?' and he was as white as a sheet, Kurt, it was crazy. He mumbled something like 'yeah…he's…yeah, with his mother's family…' and that was the end of that. He didn't say another word the whole way back to school. It was insane!" Blaine said, a little too excited.
"Be careful, Blaine. If he feels cornered he may strike out at you in some way. I don't want you getting wrapped up in any of that crap, ok?" Kurt said, the concern in his voice evident.
Wednesday, late morning, brought Eli into Blaine's classroom in a foul mood muttering to himself, he thought, as he was unable to understand what his T.A. was saying right away. Blaine was laying on the floor under his desk attempting to screw in a piece of hardware that held the long, narrow, center drawer in. It had fallen during an earlier class and scared the hell out of the whole class, including him, when the metal clanged to the floor during their quiz. A few more seconds and he realized that Eli wasn't talking to himself, but he was hissing at someone on the phone. It was then that he also realized he was probably completely hidden from his view in his current position.
"…don't care what the hell you have to do, you make it happen!"
"Don't make me bring the kids into this Senator. We've already seen what happens to Maddie when she's in my care…we can work with Tyler this time if you'd like. You know very well that I don't mind the boys…"
Blaine was still, not making a sound, just listening to the conversation and taking everything in. At this point he'd heard too much to reveal himself and assume Eli would be cordial about him having heard his words. He was intrigued, though, and disgusted. Was he threatening Tyler? Is that why the poor boy was such a different kid with Eli gone? He felt his hands ball into fists and his breathing increase.
"OUR DEAL, Senator, is for you to compensate ME for my silence. Seems to me that two very prominent gay men who put their children in an exclusive school that costs a fortune would look pretty bad if the world knew that they ended up with a teen pregnancy because they couldn't control their little bitch of a daughter and keep her legs together!"
Blaine felt sick…absolutely, without a doubt, sick.
"No YOU listen! You want this to go away? Fine, but I want my son! He is MY son! One way or the other, I will have him, and the sooner you let go, the easier it will be! You give me Jack and I walk away. You'll never see me again."
A pause, where Blaine could absolutely hear the man on the other end of the line screaming into the phone in anger. Unfortunately he couldn't make out the words.
"Fine, play it your way. I'll tell your kids you said hello when I see them tonight. Both of them, Senator, especially beautiful, sweet Madeline who's getting so good at what I love….anything to keep her precious, little brother, Tyler safe, right sir? Sweet dreams!" Eli said before disconnecting the call, slamming his bag down and rifling through it. Blaine held his breath, not knowing how the hell he was going to get out of that room without Eli knowing he'd heard everything. He was frozen under the desk when he heard Eli's phone buzz and the man sigh.
"This is Eli." He said as he answered. "Yes, Kailey, I'm free this period. I usually take lunch this bell. Sure, I'll be right there. Uh huh." He said, then picked up his bag and left the room muttering under his breath. All Blaine could make out was the word 'bitch' before he was gone.
Blaine breathed a sigh of relief and crawled out from under the desk, his heart pounding and his brow sweaty. What the hell had that been about? Something wasn't right, and it was clear he was threatening someone…a Senator even. Seems Eli didn't play with the small stuff. And who were these kids? He didn't have a Maddie in any of his classes, but he did have a Tyler…several, in fact. He thought back to his Tyler, as he'd become after their lunchroom incident, and thought if he ever found out Eli was hurting that child that he might kill him with his bare hands. Regardless of which Tyler it was, though, he was going to have to say something to Kailey, and soon.
"Hello, my love, slow day?" Kurt said as he answered his phone. "Two calls in one day…I feel special."
"No…not really slow, but I just really wanted to hear your voice…to talk to you." Blaine replied.
"Is everything ok? You sound down, B. What's up?"
"Kurt…I was fixing something under my desk today and I was out of sight of the door. Eli came in and he was on the phone with someone, a Senator, no less, and he was threatening him…it sounded like he was blackmailing him, Kurt, and he said something about kids and wanting his son. It was all very bizarre, and I know I'm going to have to tell Kailey. I'm going into her office first thing in the morning. I was going to do it today, right after my last class, but she's gone for the day." Blaine explained.
"I think you're doing the right thing, Blaine. If he's done something with a student, it's your job as an educator to protect those kids. I know you'll do the right thing."
"I will, I have to. I'm just worried because he was so angry when he ended the call, and he told this guy he'd be seeing his kids tonight. Kurt, I don't know what kids he's talking about, but what if he's tormenting one of the kids here. And he also mentioned "Tyler". I'm not sure if that's my Tyler or another, but it doesn't matter in the big scheme of things. He could be harassing someone right now and I'm doing nothing. Tell me what to do, Kurt." Blaine whined, clearly uptight.
"Blaine, do you know where Tyler's room is? You can go there and see if he's ok. I don't know that you can hunt down each and every Tyler in the school, but it's a start." Kurt offered.
"I will. I'm going to. I'm just…Kurt, I'm so damn angry!" he said, closing his eyes and leaning back on the bed. "What kind of jerk takes a job with kids and then uses them as pawns!?" he nearly yelled into the phone. He sighed long and loud and just listened to Kurt breathe on the other end of the line for a second. They talked it over for a few minutes, what Blaine could do, what he shouldn't do, how he should approach things with Kailey, etc. Then they were just there, together, but so far apart, listening to the silence.
"Y'ok now?" Kurt asked, having stepped into another room where it was now quiet.
"Yes…no. I don't know. I'm trying. I want to be with you. I don't want to be here anymore. I'm such a baby, Kurt." Blaine whined.
"You're not a baby, you're homesick. I miss you, too, and I wish you were here with me, but you have bigger fish to fry, so go take care of that and ease your mind, ok? You're an amazing person, Blaine, and I know you'll do whatever you have to in order to make sure Eli isn't hurting one of those kids. It's not in you to sit back and do nothing. That's why I love you so much." Kurt offered. After a pause where Blaine just continued to breathe, he added. "I'm having dinner with David and Jeff to discuss last minute things. Thank God that woman isn't coming with us, but call me tonight, ok? Let me know what happens?"
"I will. Thank you…you always know what to say. I feel better. I'll call you later. Love you."
"I love you, too, B. So much. I'll talk to you later."
Thursday morning dawned with a tired Blaine. He'd walked the dormitory halls all evening until the wee hours to make sure there was no sign of Eli. Even if he had tried to go to bed earlier, he'd have only laid there, awake, worrying. Kurt talked softly on the phone with him, which made Blaine laugh because there was no reason for Kurt to be whispering just because Blaine was…but he did.
Blaine showered and got himself together earlier than normal, intending to find Kailey in her office before any classes. He approached her office and found the secretary looking at him with wide, amused eyes.
"Oh! Well, hello Mr. Anderson, I was just going to page you! Ms. Marsh would like to speak with you if you have a moment." She smiled.
"Oh good, I need to speak with her as well." He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. He walked right in to her office and began speaking, his mind rattling with everything he wanted her to hear.
"Oh, Blaine! Good, I'm glad you're here!" she began, but he cut her off, striding right up to the edge of her desk.
"Hi, Kailey, listen, I know you wanted to talk to me about something, but there's something really important I want to bring to your attention and it can't wait. I hope I don't sound rude, but I'm certain it's more important than whatever you were going to speak to me about. Honestly, I'm not sure where to begin, but it's about Eli…Mr. Clarington. I don't want to smear anyone, and I sincerely hope I'm misreading the situation, but I'm afraid he's not all he seems to be. You see, yesterday I was in my classroom fixing the metal hardware under my desk that holds the drawer in…"
"Blaine…."
"…and he came storming in and he was ranting to someone on the phone, just yelling and hissing and…"
"Blaine….."
"anyway, he mentioned the name of some of our students and from what I could gather, he has a bone to pick with one of their parents and…I really need to just tell you I'm not at all comfortable with the conversation I overheard…."
"Blaine!" she said, loudly now, completely cutting him off with a shake of her head and a smile. When he finally looked up from his rambling, she was standing from her chair and gesturing for him to sit down. "Please….take a seat." She laughed.
"Sorry, I'm just uptight with it."
"I can understand that. I want to show you something, but before that, I want you to meet Officer's Daniels and McCarthy. I called them yesterday after overhearing this conversation on the monitor in your classroom. If you'll recall, Blaine, there was an uncomfortable conversation between Kurt and yourself at your room last week, and I happened to be walking down the hall. I apologize, although I wasn't eavesdropping, but I heard what you were arguing about, and thought to do something about it. I didn't want to go to Mr. Clarington without some proof of his advances, so I used the monitors in the classroom to watch and listen. They're in every classroom, and although I don't watch them daily, when we have an issue with a student and the parent doesn't seem to...grasp the gravity of what happens in the classroom, shall we say…it's much easier for me to show them what's going on.
In this case, I happened to catch the same conversation you overheard yesterday, and I went immediately after the next bell to seek assistance. Approaching him on my own wasn't on my list of rational things to do. I sent for you this morning to inform you that you are, unfortunately, a witness to the conversation, and they'd like to speak with you. I've covered your first class for you." She said, looking almost contrite.
"You look like you're sorry for something?" Blaine asked, a half smile on his face.
"I'm not sorry for hearing him. I'm sorry that you'll be dragged into it." She told him.
"I'm not. If he's harassing a student, it's not ok. If what I understand is correct, he has more than harassed a student named Maddie, and that makes me want to do bodily harm…though I'll refrain." He grimaced, looking back at the officers standing behind him. "I also think I should tell you that Eli's cousin is a friend of ours, of Kurt's and mine, and apparently Eli has ranted about the situation at family functions, although at the time he was probably rip roaring drunk!" Blaine told them.
"I'm sorry to say that my fears are the same as yours, Blaine. I am absolutely horrified at the notion that Mr. Clarington may have had inappropriate relations with a student, and I assure you that it will be dealt with accordingly. I was very well aware of Madeline's condition last semester, but she was not at all forthcoming about the father of her child, and there is nothing I can do to force that information from her. Finding out that the father may be a staff member yesterday made me want to be sick, and I knew this was something I needed more help with. The conversation he had with the Senator yesterday was recorded and I've given the police a copy of the tape. When they saw you climb out from under the desk, they wanted to speak with you as well." Blaine just rolled his eyes and the craziness of the situation. What are the odds of him being under the desk when Eli came in. Then he snorted.
"Ha! You knew I was there and you called him out of the room on purpose, didn't you!?" he laughed.
"I did…you can thank me later." She grinned back. "Ok, gentlemen…I'll leave you to it. You may use my office for as long as you need." Kailey said, and left Blaine in the company of the police officers.
By the end of the day, Eli was being led away in handcuffs. He was silent, which was unnerving, but sneering at Tyler and his sister Maddie, who Blaine had finally met. Eli was passed screaming at Blaine. He'd already done plenty of that in Kailey's office earlier when Blaine had inadvertently walked passed her door on his way to lunch. He'd been asked by Kailey to come in, shown the video of him in Blaine's classroom, and consequently assumed that it had been Blaine who'd blown the whistle. Kailey had informed him otherwise, but after his conversation with Blaine the previous day about his son, and then seeing Blaine in the room while he was on the phone with the Senator…well, he had his mind made up and nobody and no one was going to change it.
Maddie was holding on to her dad's with both arms, and sobbing softly, while Tyler stood between his dads and Blaine, all of them watching Eli being led away by the police officers through the windows outside Kailey's office. As it turns out, Eli had taken advantage of Maddie at a very hard time in her life. He made her feel comfortable around him, got her to trust him, and had then done the unthinkable. Maddie had tearfully, and with much embarrassment and shame, informed the officers that, no, he did not force himself on her…that she was a willing participant. But it didn't matter. At the time, she was not of age, and Eli would pay the price. Blaine only hoped that having him away from her and not constantly lurking around her every day would bring her spirits up and they'd find the young girl they'd thought lost to them for the past year and a half.
"Thanks for helping Maddie, Mr. A." Tyler said softly, not looking away from Eli as the police car pulled away.
"Oh, I think it was much more Ms. Marsh's hand in it than mine. She pays attention when it comes to you guys." Blaine said, ruffling Tyler's hair. "But I want you to know, buddy, that if you need to talk to someone, if something doesn't seem right, or if you're frightened, you need to come to a teacher. Don't let one rotten teacher make you think everyone's like him, ok?"
"I won't Mr. A. I know I can always talk to you. You get me." The boy smiled.
"I kinda think that's because you get me, Tyler." Blaine told him, smiling widely. The Senator and his husband shook Blaine's hand before they left and Tyler fist bumped him. All in all, it turned out to be a pretty decent day.
Now….now he could go home to Kurt with a clear head. Tomorrow was a huge day for the love of his life, and he planned to be there for whatever Kurt needed of him. Little did he know the utter chaos he'd be walking in to when he got home.
A/N I wanted to say thank you to you guys. This week has been odd for me, finding out that several authors (acquaintances / friends) of stories I've been reading have gotten hateful and very unkind reviews on their work, mostly from "guests". I am blessed and very thankful to have respectful readers and reviewers, and you always seem to make my day, not make me cry. For this I'm eternally grateful, as I'm pretty thin skinned and I'd probably fold like a house of cards and abandon this while I stuck my head in the sand and cried. It's ok to not be thrilled with what you're reading, but to flame the author, on a public site, no less...well, put yourself in their shoes first. They put time and effort into writing a story and setting it out there for FREE for anyone to enjoy...take it with a grain of salt. Anyway, thanks for always being kind, even if you didn't agree with what I wrote!
That being said...here, take these two little gifts :)
One shot from sufferingfromwritersblock, in response to Sebastian's story with Jimmy in ch 69...He and Hunter go out to dinner and return home, where fun ensues over the railing in the hallway of the apartment building. s/10449056/1/Bas-Belts-and-Banisters
And also, for ForbiddenDusk, for posting the 1000th review (God LOVE you guys!) I offered to write a one shot of any scene that she wanted extended. She picked Nick and Jeff in Kurt's office as they called Nick's car and found Kurt apparently in the middle of playing with Blaine on the way home...and Kurt clearly doesn't now how to hang up the phone correctly. Enjoy! s/10449133/1/ and if that link doesn't work, it's on my page, called Pushing All The Right Buttons.