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Chapter 9

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"Nope."

"Puck, it was the agreement we'd made." Burt wasn't happy about it either but the time had come calling.

"I also don't like it." Finn volunteered darkly and Kurt had his arms wrapped around Puck's waist while Puck closed his arms around the outside of Kurt's body. "It's like he's going to be institutionalized"

"Or imprisoned." Puck tightened his arms even more around Kurt. "He wasn't the one who did something wrong, why are they doing this to him?"

"We were lucky, we were able to have Kurt home every night for as long as we have." Carole said softly, all of her boys were having problems with this and she wasn't fairing much better.

"It was bad enough he had to go back up there on Saturdays but now he's going to be there for life!" Puck shot at them.

"Stop being so dramatic." Carole snipped. "It's just for the remainder of two years. He'll be home on holidays."

"But not every night or Sundays." Finn said glumly.

Burt knew he had to step in, Carole couldn't be seen as the only bad guy. "For Kurt's safety, and the other boys there, this is their policy. We have to follow or Kurt won't be able to attend anymore." That wasn't an option for any of them, even Kurt had found that he liked attending. "They had been lenient with us due to his condition. Now that's passed and so it's now time for him to fully join the ranks of the Dalton Academy and experience it in the same way the rest of them do."

"I can't believe you're ok with him spending not just a night there and away from us but all the nights! It's a two hour drive, what if something happens?" Finn questioned, they'd all known this was going to be the case eventually but it seemed too sudden for all of them. "Can't he, I dunno, slowly build up? One night this week, two next, and so on?" Kurt hadn't slept anywhere other than in his bed since his release from the hospital. He hadn't tried to sleep over at one of his friends' and they hadn't been about to let him go anyway. Only Puck had slept over and there was never a question of whether or not he could or should.

Kurt had to speak now and speak up for his classmates. "They're different Finn, Noah. Not only am I one of the taller ones among them, but they've all spent time getting to know me and I've gotten to know them. They're good guys."

Burt was thinking about the ones he met. "Sebastian's going to be your roommate?"

Kurt turned to him as Finn got puffed up hearing that there was something suspicious in Burt's mind and tone. Kurt wished he could actually wave his brother down. "Along with Blaine and David."

"Hmm." Burt thought to himself. "David's a good guy. I'm glad the name isn't an indicator for personality like some names are. He's done well keeping the others in line and he'll protect you from unwanted advances."

Kurt rolled his eyes, his dad just wouldn't listen to a thing he said about Sebastian. He didn't exactly love Blaine either for whatever reason. He was smitten with David though. In his mind, that boy could do no wrong. It wasn't a fair assessment to any of them, they couldn't all live up to whatever his dad had built up in his mind. "None of them are interested in me like that."

"Kurt-." Burt paused, maybe it was better not to challenge Kurt's delusion about that, it would be harder to room with them once someone brought it to his attention. Hopefully if anyone did, he'd brush it off like now and those two wouldn't act on their interest. Kurt didn't have anyone to compare it to, so he didn't know what to look for. Let him deny it for as long as possible.

"Sorry to be the one to bring this up, but what about therapy?" Puck asked.

"There's therapists at the school. Kurt doesn't need a non-verbal expert anymore." His voice was still faint and way deeper than it had been but he was talking at a fairly decent clip now. He was never exactly a strong sound to begin with, so it was still a very good step.

"And the night terrors?" Finn asked hesitantly and Kurt looked at him in puzzlement. "You never remember them. If I touch you, it makes it worse."

Burt and Carole shared a look. "We'll talk to his current therapist, see what she recommends. Maybe we can push off the school for a bit longer if we have a therapist asking."

"Great!" Puck was hoping that would be for life, but he was just deluding himself. "Let's have a party to celebrate you not having to be institutionalized!"

"Uh-" Kurt hadn't been expecting that and Finn excitedly joined in. "Finn, you're 20, you hardly know any of the people Noah is going to invite."

"Yee of little faith my little brother. I have hung out with Puckerman numerous times and we are all fairly good friends. I probably know them better than you."

"Yeah, probably." Kurt huffed nearly under his breath but the other two heard him and they dragged him with them into a hug and then down the stairs to plan. Puck was the year ahead of him and Finn was a year ahead of Puck.

Burt looked to Carole. "Should we be worried?"

"Why? Because our underaged son is going to be having friends over that are also underage and will be sleeping over while we have two other boys in the house that are of age? Nah, not worried at all." Carole teased him back. She wasn't worried though that anyone would be inappropriate at least in that way.

–

The party had surprisingly a lot of people, especially for being so last minute and the parents not really knowing each other. Kurt didn't know half of the people there but thankfully other than his brothers there was not a big jock in sight. Except... his eyes narrowed, who was he?

A Bieber cut and style, bleached to the end of it's life blond came in and shook Puck's hand while going into a bro-hug. Kurt stood up a little straighter, his gaydar going off even though he had very little to go by. It was the first one he'd ever seen in Lima.

"Down boy, he's dating Quinn." Santana's smoothly vile voice sounded in his ear and he spun to her in surprise. He took several steps back in a fear he hadn't felt for months. She blinked at him in returned surprise and then she laughed, a little sharp and a little grating and very degrading toward him.

"Satan, who invited you here? I obviously wasn't given a full look at the roster. I wonder who I'll have to speak to, to correct this oversight." His words were still sharp and flung like tiny daggers but they bounced harmlessly off her impenetrable skin.

"I see Gay Hogwarts hasn't helped file your claws at all." Santana sneered. "Nor has it improved your fashion sense." She flickered her eyes over Kurt's outfit for the night, complicated weave of buckles and belts made up his pants. She wondered if there was a material underneath or if that was all it was.

"This is my home, I don't have to put up with you. I don't even know how you got here in the first place." Kurt could have fought but his heart was still racing and what he'd already said was wearing on him. She would attack if she smelled injury and he had to be as close to his old self as possible. It was hard to be that way these days though, both physically and emotionally. Then he'd remembered exactly where they were and who was there and he allowed himself to rely on others.

"Wait!" Santana shot out a hand and rested it on his shoulder, holding him in place when he tried to move. "I... I don't want that."

"I don't care what you want."

"No, I... I mean I came because I heard you were having a party and I wanted to see you. I wanted to apologize for anything I contributed to. That was above and away wrong of them and I have started to see what kind of behavior led to it. I don't want to follow in their footsteps. If at all possible, I would like to make amends with you."

"You can start by not touching me." Kurt said calmly and Santana retracted her hand quickly. He eyed her and she seemed sincere enough. "Is this something you're serious about? You're not putting me on or going to prank me? You're not going to get me alone somewhere or in a particular spot and then dump pig's blood on me?"

"Ew, no, gross – A. B, I saw Carrie, that didn't turn out well for anyone in that school. C, this is your house, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't make it out of here alive because of three very big guys and your mom. And in no particular order but the most important, D, I am serious. I was in the wrong and I fully accept it."

"Is this something of a limited time offer?" Kurt checked.

"No, I meant it and it won't expire. I know it will take time for you to accept it or even come up with things I can do to prove it to you, but I am willing to wait." Santana smiled weakly. "I'll probably make a hundred mistakes while trying though, but I am trying."

"Santana!" Puck wrapped an arm around her shoulders and dragged her in for a kiss. "I didn't invite you." Puck said after a moment, realizing that she was there and looked to Kurt guiltily.

He let Puck off the hook with a small hand gesture. "Santana and I were working out her penance."

"Ooh, that's a tough spot to be, he's vicious." Puck said to Santana, not even remotely joking.

"I can handle whatever he throws at me." Santana braced herself and closed her eyes mockingly just to prove her point.

"I accept your apology." Kurt said simply and Santana's eyes opened in shock. "I don't need you to do any kind of benediction, just knowing you're sincere is enough. Maybe though, just be nicer to people in the future?"

"Sure thing, Lady Hummel." Santana said and then shook her head. "Sorry... That was old me and just slipped out. I will try, Kurt."

Kurt nodded, accepting her apology but not really wanting to push things too hard by sticking around her for much longer than he had to. "Thanks for coming, Santana." He walked away to go talk to someone he did actually know, and like.

Mercedes scooped him up into a hug the second he came up to her side. He had been tempted to just let Puck and Finn throw this party and then disappear. They wouldn't notice and would think he was there the entire time. It would be a win-win. Then he'd seen a friend he hadn't seen nearly enough of.

"None of your new friends? I thought for sure we'd see some of your new classmates." Mercedes looked concerned over this and her eyes skated over his entire being from head to toe. "They are being ok, right? You are making friends?"

"'Cedes, yes. They just don't get out much."

"They keep them locked up like animals." Finn complained moodily. This party was not improving his disposition at all, in fact, it was driving home the fact that Kurt wouldn't be here at night very soon and it would be a good long while before they'd see each other again.

"Kurt-"

"No, 'Cedes, relax, it's not like that. It'll be fine. I'm sure if I absolutely needed to go home for something or I just can't be there another minute, they'd let me leave for the night."

"I don't know..."

"It's going to be like no time has passed at all before I see you next. It's ok."

It really wasn't, Kurt was terrified but he didn't let it slip to his friends or family. They didn't need to be burdened with his fears when there was nothing they could do for him.

"It's gong to be longer than you think." Finn snapped.

"Finn!" Mercedes chided him, glancing fretfully at Kurt again. "He doesn't need to hear the negatives so forcefully!"

"I get it. I do." He went over and hugged Finn who could easily wrap his arms around Kurt three times and still have left over arm space. "I'm still allowed phone calls and video chats." He prodded Finn in the ribs. "I'll set everything up for you before I go so nobody can claim that they don't know what to do. I'll even be able to help troubleshoot your way through anything that comes up."

"I still don't like it, but mostly because I'm going to miss you dude."

"I'm going to miss you too." He looked at Mercedes, he already missed her. He barely saw her since he came back from the hospital. Nobody had really been allowed in to his hospital room because of the sensitivity of his lungs and throat. Any small bug could have been the end of him. Everything had to be in a containment field and decontaminated before entering.

Even though he'd gotten through that hurdle, his family had been worried still. For awhile there he was more prone to getting sick if they weren't careful but it wasn't quite as severe as before. Then before he knew it he was being carted up and to Dalton. Surrounded by boys and germs he didn't know but they'd been reassured again and again that it was fine. Mercedes was allowed over but between her schedule and Dalton's, it was hard to find time to see her.

Most of the other McKinley kids had reached out but he hadn't wanted to see anyone, not really. It hadn't been their fault, they'd done what they could and nobody, not even he had expected what was coming. There hadn't even been the slightest hint, it had just escalated far too quickly for anyone to even begin to make a move to stop it.

He had been in a funk and depressed afterward and if it wasn't for Puck and Finn, he might not be as far as long as he was by the time he went to Dalton.

They each handled it differently but neither really allowed him wallowing time. Being jocks and their sheer size should have worried him but they had always been behind him, been his friend, been his brothers. He hadn't feared them for a minute. Puck and Mercedes had been the ones to find him, to save him. Mercedes called 911 while Puck had performed CPR on him, saving his life until the paramedics could get there. He'd practically lived with them since Kurt returned from the hospital. It was likely while he was in hospital too or at the hotel next to the hospital.

Mercedes had gone looking for Kurt when he hadn't shown up for Glee practice nor responded to her texts. The others were sure he was fine and just running late and his phone died. She'd found Puck on the way and they searched together. The way Mercedes told it, they'd heard the jocks laughing as they walked away but didn't chase down the jocks. Instead noted who they saw and headed for the direction they came from, knowing something was wrong.

Puck had stayed with him, holding him. Mercedes keeping the lady on the phone updated but at his knees, with a hand resting on one in comfort for him and self-reassurance for her. His body had been still warm, it was a sign that kept Mercedes from breaking down and losing it. He was unconscious and didn't remember any of that. It did help to know what happened after he lost consciousness.

Mercedes reclaimed Kurt and kept one arm around his the entire night. She even pulled him down to snuggle with her when they grew tired of walking around and standing. It was fine though, Rachel Berry, Senior extraordinaire was boring them all with controlling the mic, one song after another. Nobody fought her for it though, they'd all just given in to her demand to be center stage and all eyes on her. They'd all known that's where she would be. She brought her own machine and mic too. Mercedes and Kurt had used to battle her for first chair but they were lowly juniors .Now that Kurt was out of the picture, Mercedes didn't even bother to be put in the running. She claimed she'd just get it next year, she wasn't worried.

They would probably just hand her the reigns next year. There wasn't anyone even close to her talent. She just chose not to be as bossy and naggy as Rachel.

"Kurt, my friend, this one is for you. Feel free to join if you wish." Rachel pointed at him from across the room.

"Does she even get how vastly inappropriate that is?" Mercedes asked.

Kurt didn't even bother to lift his head from her shoulder. He was kind of sleepy. "At least she's not dragging me up to the stage and putting me in front of the microphone."

"I'd have to hit her with it if she tried." Mercedes said in all seriousness and Kurt just snuggled into her some more.

"That's one of the reasons why I just adore you." Kurt murmured and Mercedes patted his head in companionship. They would go to the bat for each other, had many times before. Everyone in this room had been dressed down by both of them at one time or another either for the other or themselves.

"Come on Kurt, you know you want to sing this with me!" Rachel did a little dance and reached toward them enticingly but she was all the way across the room.

"Hey, Rachel, knock it off." Finn whispered loudly from the side of the stage and it was picked up by the microphone. "Or I'm going to have to kick you out of the party."

She looked over at Finn startled. "Oh, no, I will stop asking. Enjoy the rest of the party."

Rachel went back to hogging the mic but nobody challenged it from her. It just wasn't worth the drama to do so tonight. They were all there to see Kurt and it was rare enough as it was, especially these days. So that's exactly what they focused on, being with Kurt. Rachel could run background music if she wanted, she wasn't impeding anyone from their true goal.

–

The request for a stay of execution, Finn's words, was granted. However, Kurt had only been given a few extra days. The therapist requested for him to be prescribed some sleeping pills and they were to monitor how he did over the next week.

Since he slept through the night without any incident, they were all resigned to the fact that he had to now move to Dalton full time.

The Sunday afternoon after everything was packed up and ready to go – not much, considering what Dalton allowed to be brought – McKinley High students both current and past, got together and sang him off. The song spoke of being apart but never far away, never truly being separate and being there for him if ever he needed them. Finn and Puck had joined them for a one time only thing. They were both pretty good and Kurt knew the second that he was on the road with his dad and out of sight, Rachel would be asking Puck to join. For Finn, it was too late, he was already long graduated from high school.

That gave Kurt something to smile about even when he felt like dissolving into a pile of tears while his dad drove for the first time since the first day to Dalton Academy.

He had expected it from McKinley. He was not expecting to get to the parking lot and to be greeted by the entire Warbler team standing on the top of the steps and a few below. "This is a great sight more than usual." His dad said, drawing him out of his funk that he'd been in the entire drive up. He had seen so many together before, but only during their practices. Even their impromptu performances had never involved all of the Warblers.

Kurt looked around and saw a lot of Dalton boys camped out on the grounds, waiting for the Warblers to begin. They were out of the way from incoming and outgoing cars though and so Burt had been able to pull up easily. Kurt wondered how long they'd been there. "Yeah, yeah it is." Kurt agreed in a bit of a daze.

"This school has been very inclusive with you." Burt was sounding very impressed and happy with his decision to move Kurt to Dalton after the incident in McKinley. "This is very nice of them."

Kurt's lips wobbled. "So incredibly nice of them." He wondered who had spearheaded it or if it had just been a given once his stay at Dalton was official.

As soon as he got out of the truck, the group started singing a song of welcome, of friendship and acceptance. The unexpectedness of it did what McKinley could not do. It pulled forth Kurt's tears and they spilled over onto his cheeks. The only thing that saved him from being mortified on his own behalf was that he hadn't given way to sobs.

The group came forward and surrounded him in hugs when they finished the last notes. He wasn't scared or startled or uncomfortable at all. He just relaxed into their combined embrace and raised his arms to open himself up to even more of it.

"Yep. Damn good job picking the right school." Burt joked, praising himself when they moved apart. Some split off but the main core stuck around to help them them move Kurt's things into the dorm. There were going to be far too many in there with them to have any moving around space, but that was a sacrifice no one complained about. He would have plenty of time to put his stuff away.

Burt was so happy that his son had been taken in so easily by the others, had taken him under their wing and into the fold. He was feeling far better about Kurt at this school, staying the weeks between holidays than he ever had before. It was such a relief. He was even smiling and laughing with Blaine and Sebastian, giving them a lot more leniency and approval than before. He liked them far more as they helped put Kurt's stuff away under Kurt's direction. There were a few things David and Wes said had to go back to Burt's house, casting a weary eye at Blaine and Sebastian or explaining that Dalton didn't allow it even though it wasn't on the official list. It really was a good set up for Kurt, Burt thought with a happy buzz.

Still, before Burt left, he snagged an arm around Kurt's neck and upper shoulders and brought him in close so their heads were inches apart. "If you need anything, anything at all, I'm a call or text away. If there's anything that even strikes you as hinkey, I will pull you from here until we can get it sorted out. Got it?"

Kurt's eyes shone dangerously for a brief minute before Kurt nodded. "Yes, I got it Dad. Thank you."

"I expect calls anyway, daily. I want updates and I want to hear your voice."

"Even if it's not mine?" Kurt let slip for a second, without meaning to. It had been meant as a joke but came out so much more bitter.

"Doesn't matter what it sounds like, Kurt. It's your voice. I'm hearing from you and that's all I want and need, ok?" Burt held his gaze steady and there were so many other boys in the room but neither paid them attention.

The others for their part tried not to pay attention to the close father and son and give them privacy with so many of them around. They chatted with each other and joked but they were all touched by the bond between parent and child. Not many of them had that with their own parents, some were lucky enough, but it was still on the less common side for those present. Even those who had a close relationship with their parents still wondered if their parents would fight for them the way Burt did for Kurt. Some knew the answer was yes but there were others who wished it was or weren't sure. Some wanted just a fraction of the love these two shared with one or both their parents.

What's more, they knew just looking at them, that Kurt would fight for Burt just as fiercely. They all wanted to be part of the list that Kurt would do that for.

There were definitely a few working their way onto that list already with each passing day. Some were a little further ahead than others and most in the room had started progressing.

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EAN: I was originally going to make it 4 years between Finn and Kurt and have Puck be 2 years between them, but... I didn't, when I went to write it in specifics, I didn't like it. So they're all just a year apart in a line in terms of school but the ages themselves are closer to 4. Math, it works out, lol... o_O

Finn was also never in Glee in this universe and their parents married far earlier on (more like Big Brother timeline but different). All of you know how much I love Santana and hate Rachel, but Santana wasn't always nice to Kurt. I'm all about expanding their characters to show all of them and this is just a side to her that I don't write as often, but she's still all in there. She's just not as much of a focus this time around.