Notes: Picking up right where we left off in the last chapter.

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Chapter 19 - The Intervention

"What do you mean 'it's bad'?" Kurt's heart was beating out of his chest, his mind whirling with every bad scenario he had pictured over the week.

"Your texts on Friday really worried me. I know what he can do, he's an expert at thinking he can manage on his own, that he doesn't need anyone's help. But we all want to be there for him, we're his friends, we consider him family. So I told the guys everything, I had to. They're just as worried as you and me and we've been out looking for him all weekend. Earlier this morning we finally found him, drunk out of his mind, walking on the edge of the pier."

"Oh my god," Kurt breathed out in a whisper, equally relieved that Blaine was found as he was feared what had caused Blaine to drink that much. "Is he okay?"

"I honestly don't know… He told us to fuck off, to mind our own business and stay out of his. But mostly he just slurred and yelled incoherently. He nearly fell into the water several times, but David kept him from falling. I think he wanted to fall," Nick added quietly. "To end it, you know."

Kurt's chest tightened and he couldn't breathe. That was the thing he had worried about all week but hadn't allowed himself to think.

"He's sleeping now," Nick continued. "We finally managed to put him to bed after much persuasion and some force. David and I are on the boat making sure he's okay and won't be alone when he wakes up. The others have gone home to get some sleep."

"I'm coming over," Kurt said without thinking twice about it.

"He'll probably be out for a while."

"I don't care, I want to talk to him when he wakes up. He has to stop now, or he might…" Kurt couldn't finish the sentence. "If we talk to him together maybe he'll listen."

"Okay," Nick said. "We'll be here."

Kurt closed his eyes as he ended the call. He held onto the counter with both hands and stood there and just breathed for a few seconds. He should have been relieved, but he wasn't. Although Blaine was found this was in no shape over. They still needed to convince him to stop. Blaine didn't need to deal with it on his own, he shouldn't have to deal with it at all. He was too young, too broken by the fate life had decided to hand him. He was also too loved by friends who wanted nothing more than to help.

"What's going on, Kurt?"

The sound of his dad's voice made Kurt jump and turn around. He had forgotten that they were there, his dad and Carole, having breakfast. He was met by two sets of worried eyes and Kurt felt like crying.

"Is your friend in trouble?" Carole asked.

He was lucky. He had always been able to talk to his dad about anything that worried him. His dad had always listened without judging and had always been honest and straightforward with him. When Carole had joined them in their life there had been a second pair of ears prepared to listen and two new arms to offer comfort. That's what Kurt needed now, someone to tell him things would be okay, someone who could give him strength so he could be strong for Blaine, because right now he felt like it was too much to handle.

"Yes," Kurt answered with a choked voice. He let go of the counter and made his way back to the table with a heavy heart. The coffee he'd spilt had been wiped up and his cup was placed on the table. "He's in trouble and I don't know how to help him."

"Will you sit down and tell us about it?" Carole asked. Kurt nodded.

He told them the whole story, from how he met Blaine at the diner, to how they became boyfriends. He told them about Blaine repeating that his life was complicated and him believing it had to do with Blaine not being out. He told them about the night he saw Blaine getting into a car with a middle-aged man, about Nick and about confronting Blaine. He repeated what Blaine had told him about the harbormaster and what Blaine did to keep the harbormaster from telling his friends. He recounted his last conversation with Blaine, explained why Blaine didn't want to talk to him and that no one had heard from him in a week until last night.

It wasn't an easy conversation, partly because he wasn't a saint himself in this story, but mostly because it hurt so damn much to think about what Blaine was living with every day. By the end of it, Burt was red in the face and steaming with anger.

"You and I are going to have a conversation about your actions later, but first I want you to take me to that harbormaster," Burt said and stood up. "That man is a criminal!"

"Calm down, Dad, think about your heart," Kurt said even if he was so, so grateful for his dad reacting and wanting to act on what Kurt had just told him. The fear of a second heart attack was always present with Kurt.

Carole patted Burt calmingly on his back.

"My heart is just fine," Burt replied, "but what is not fine is this man taking advantage of your friend. It's unacceptable and it ends today!"

"I want to see Blaine first. I need to know if he's okay," Kurt said quietly. He took a sip of the small amount of coffee that was left in his cup. It was cold and tasteless and did nothing to ease the knot in his stomach. He looked up at Burt and Carole and saw in their eyes that the worry they saw in Kurt was transferred to them.

"Of course you should see him," Carole said with that motherly, warm tone only she had. "We'll go with you."

"Is this why you've been so jumpy all weekend?" Burt asked. "Stared at your phone and been on the edge every time you've gotten a text?"

"Yes, this is why," Kurt answered, surprised and not his dad had noticed.

They cleared the table and got into Burt's and Carole's car. Kurt was on edge the whole car ride. He was worried about the state Blaine was in and how Blaine would react to seeing him again. They stopped on the way to buy some breakfast for Blaine. Kurt knew there wouldn't be any food in Blaine's fridge, food wasn't something he prioritized spending his money on, but he would need it today.

When they parked by the marina, the knot in Kurt's stomach tightened. His fingers trembled when he opened the car door and stepped out onto the ground. He looked out over the marina, took in the sounds and smells. The day was too beautiful, the sun too bright and the breeze too gentle for the darkness they were about to step into. Kurt suddenly felt overwhelmed. He wanted to help Blaine, but was this the right way? Bringing his dad and Carole into this?

"Which boat is his?" Carole asked and her warm hand rested on his shoulder. A second hand, a bigger and firmer one was placed on his other shoulder. A light squeeze and a touch full of support gave Kurt his courage back. This was the only way.

"Follow me," Kurt said and took the lead.

Kurt spotted Nick sitting on one of the chairs on the small deck of Blaine's boat. There was no sign of David or Blaine. Kurt introduced Burt and Carole to Nick. He ignored that it was supposed to be awkward to meet Nick again after their night together and the fact that his dad knew what had happened between them, his focus was solely on Blaine.

"Is he okay? Is he still sleeping?" Kurt asked, the questions coming out in rapid succession because he just had to know.

"He's awake, David is in there with him. We heard him throwing up so we went in to help him, but he told me to get the fuck out. I don't want to argue with him, not now, so that's why I'm out here and David is in there cleaning up the mess."

Kurt swallowed down a hard lump. "Do you think he'll talk to me?"

Nick shrugged. "I don't know. Probably not, you know, considering…" He glanced at Burt and Carole before returning his eyes to Kurt.

"I'm gonna try anyway," Kurt said with determination. He wasn't scared to be yelled at, he just wanted to get through to Blaine.

Carrying the bag with breakfast items, Kurt entered the small cabin. The stench of vomit hit him as soon as he opened the door. It didn't matter that the small windows had been opened, the smell still lingered and made Kurt's stomach churn. Blaine was lying on his bed, facing the wall. David was by the sink, rinsing a cloth. He nodded a hello to Kurt when he entered.

"How is he doing?" Kurt asked David.

"Hard to tell," David answered. "He doesn't answer any of my questions, but I can only assume he's not feeling very well."

"Can I talk to him alone?"

"You can try, but he's not exactly Mr. Chatty,"

"Okay," Kurt said, still determined not to get deterred. He had gotten Blaine to open up before, hopefully he would get through to him now as well. "Thank you."

David lowered his voice and spoke for Kurt's ears only. "Is it true you guys are boyfriends?"

"Were," Kurt whispered back, "but yes."

"Okay," David nodded thoughtfully. "Maybe he'll talk to you then."

David left after that and Kurt was alone with Blaine. Blaine was lying motionless on the bed, curled up under his blue covers. Kurt couldn't tell if he had fallen asleep again or if he was awake, listening to his and David's conversation. He put down the bag on the counter next to the sink and walked the few steps to the bed. Next to the bed was a bucket and some folded cloths in case Blaine threw up again. Kurt sat down on the bed next to Blaine.

"Blaine?" Kurt's voice was gentle and careful. He wanted to reach out and lay his hand on Blaine's arm but didn't know how he would react to Kurt touching him.

"Leave me alone," Blaine hissed.

"What have you done…?"

"I said leave! I don't want you here."

"Are you okay?" Kurt asked even though the answer was obvious.

Blaine didn't answer.

"I've been worried about you," Kurt continued in the same gentle tone.

"I never asked you to care," Blaine huffed, still with his back to Kurt. "I'm not worth your time and you are not worth mine! Just leave me alone."

"You matter to me, to your friends, don't you know that? We don't want to see you hurt. I know that you're hurting, that I hurt you and I'm sorry for that."

Blaine's only response was a snort.

"Blaine… please…"

"You don't know anything. You have no clue."

"Tell me then. Where have you been this week? I've called and texted and I've been here. I called Nick, but neither him nor your other friends had heard from you either and-"

"So you called Nick?" Blaine interrupted. "How convenient. I hope you had a good time together."

Kurt sighed on the inside. His night with Nick had really hurt Blaine, perhaps more than he'd thought. "I'm not interested in Nick like that, you know that. I called him because I was worried about you and I didn't know who else to turn to. His is the only phone number I have of your friends. I called him because I was scared. Scared something bad had happened to you."

"And now you've seen that I'm still alive," Blaine said sarcastically. "You've done your duty as a good boy scout. Get the fuck out of here, I don't want to talk to you!"

Blaine's words hurt, but Kurt couldn't let them get to him. He had no intentions of leaving, not until he broke through to Blaine.

"How many men have you been with this week?"

"Leave!"

"How many?"

"Leave!"

"5? 10? 20? 100? How many does it take for you to numb yourself? To make you feel you are not worth anything else than those men? How many, Blaine?" Kurt knew he was provoking Blaine, pushing him, being unfair, but hopefully it was the way to get through to him.

"Leave! Leave! LEAVE!" Blaine had placed his hands over his ears to shut out Kurt's words.

"I'm not leaving," Kurt said calmly. "I told you I'm not running away, no matter what you do."

"I don't want you here! Or your stupid questions!"

"But you need me."

"I don't need anybody! I've been managing fine on my own for three years!"

"Have you really?"

"Fuck you!"

A noise by the door made Kurt turn around.

"Is everything okay in here?" Burt asked. Kurt guessed that all the screaming had made it impossible for his dad not to step in. Carole was right in his tracks.

The sound of an unknown male voice had Blaine turn around, too, and when he saw Burt he instantly sat up on his bed.

"Yes," Kurt answered. "Can you give us a few more minutes?" He noticed the tension in Blaine upon seeing Burt and how Blaine's eyes turned dark as charcoal and flickered between Kurt and his dad. Blaine's normally tanned face was pale, almost green, and it looked like he was trying not to throw up.

"Are you sure?" Burt asked. "Because it didn't sound like it was."

"You brought me a client," Blaine said, his voice both stone cold and ingratiating. "And he's got the Mrs. with him. Never done it with an audience before. It will cost you extra, but I'm up for anything. Just give me a few minutes to brush my teeth and I'll be ready."

"No, Blaine!" Kurt felt sick to his stomach that Blaine thought he would bring him a client, and that Blaine so eagerly said yes despite how bad he must feel. "This is my dad and my step mom."

Carole looked horrified, but Kurt couldn't tell what his dad was thinking. His face was neutral and his eyes were watching Blaine. When Kurt turned back to Blaine, there were beads of sweat on his forehead, his eyes were glossy and he was even more tense than before.

"Blaine, I would never-" Kurt started but didn't get further than that because Blaine suddenly reached for the bucket beside the bed and started to throw up again. If it was the alcohol he'd consumed the night before that brought it on or if it was the fear of seeing a potential 'new client', Kurt didn't know. Either way, Kurt was by Blaine's side, stroking his hand across Blaine's back.

"It's okay," Kurt said soothingly. "You're gonna be okay."

"Don't touch me!" Blaine hissed, still hanging over the bucket. "I don't want your pity." Then he threw up again.

Kurt had never felt more helpless. He couldn't get through to Blaine. Even in his weakest, most vulnerable moment, Blaine didn't want Kurt near him.

Kurt respected Blaine's wish not to be touched. He didn't want to force his presence on Blaine as some men had, but his heart broke into tiny little pieces as he moved away. Was Blaine lost to him? Was he beyond salvation? Who would help him if Kurt couldn't?

Carole stepped in then, the nurse in her acting on instinct. She wet a cloth and helped clean Blaine up. She got him to lay down again and after rinsing the cloth she put it in his forehead. She got him a glass of water and told him to only drink a little at the time. Blaine let her take care of him, too weak to put up another fight. Maybe he trusted her because she was a woman. She wasn't another man waiting to take what was left of his broken self, and she wasn't Kurt who had broken his trust and his heart.

The powerlessness Kurt felt made him apathetic. He'd tried, but he had failed. Now he just sat there, by the end of the bed, with no idea of what to do next. There were tears in his eyes. He loved Blaine but it wasn't enough to save him.

"Blaine." Burt's voice sounded through the small cabin. Blaine flinched. "My name is Burt Hummel and I'm Kurt's father. Kurt has told me what he knows of what you've gone through. I don't know how much of it he's got right, but I want to hear it from you."

Blaine looked at Kurt with wide eyes. "You told your dad?"

"I didn't know what else to do. I was scared and then relieved you were found, but I still don't know how to get through to you. This is too big for me to handle, I don't know what to do."

"Nobody asked you to handle anything! I'm fine handling this on my own."

"No you're not! You're not fine!" Kurt said, the tears falling down his cheeks now. "You live with constant fear, you told me that. Fear of someone taking it too far, fear of your friends finding out. Fear of feeling anything. I fear too. I'm so scared something bad will happen to you, and yes, I told my dad. I know that doesn't make me brave or anything, but he's the one I always turn to. I can tell him everything and most of the time he knows what to do."

"Did you tell him about your night with Nick too?" There was a challenge in Blaine's voice, as if he was testing Kurt's statement.

"Yes," Kurt answered, blushing and feeling mortified.

Blaine looked at Kurt for several seconds, his face unreadable to Kurt. Then Blaine turned to Burt. "Why?" he asked. "Why do you want to hear my story?"

"Because this ends today, Blaine. You don't have to live like this. Nobody should have to."

"So what is this? An intervention?" Blaine asked skeptically.

"Call it whatever you want. We're here to help," Burt said.

"Why should I trust you?"

"It's your decision whether you trust me or not, but I'm here because my son cares very much about you and in my book that's enough for me to step in and do whatever is in my power to help."

Blaine didn't look completely convinced.

"I'll be right here," Kurt said. "You're not alone in this."

Blaine was silent for a few more moments.

"Okay," Blaine finally said. "But I don't want you here," he added to Kurt.

"Wha… why not?"

"Because I don't trust you anymore. And I want her to leave, too," Blaine added and pointed at Carole. "She doesn't need to hear this. I want David to be present because I don't trust you either, Mr Hummel."

"Fine by me," Burt answered.

Kurt wanted to stay, to be by Blaine's side and be there for him, but he accepted that he had screwed up and lost Blaine's trust. Carole put her arm around his shoulders and guided him out from the small cabin. Kurt leaned on her, emotionally drained.

The sea air was refreshing and almost intoxicating compared to the stale air inside the cabin. Kurt barely noticed though, too deep in the thoughts that kept spinning around in his head.

Carole placed him in a chair. Nick said something to which Carole answered, but Kurt didn't hear what was said. He sat in his own thoughts, going over the past weeks, wondering if he could have done anything differently - except for the obvious - something that could have led Blaine down a different path so they didn't end up here today.

Time was lost to Kurt and when Burt and David stepped out of the cabin, Kurt couldn't tell if five minutes had passed or if it had been an hour. Kurt looked up when he heard them. Burt was red in the face and David's eyes were red from crying.

"I'm going to find that harbormaster," Burt said through gritted teeth.

"What did he say?" Kurt asked. His dad's determination to find the harbormaster seemed so much bigger than earlier that morning, it made Kurt wonder if Blaine had told his dad something he hadn't told Kurt.

"What you told me, only more details," Burt answered, somewhat dismissive. He had no time to fill Kurt in. "I'm finding that asshole now."

"I'm going with you," David said, his determination as strong as Burt's.

"No, this is a conversation between four eyes only," Burt decided.

"I'm going," David insisted. "We've let Blaine push us away in the past when we should have been there for him. I'm not letting that happen again. He needs us. What he told us… No, I'm going with you."

Burt exchanged a look with David and then nodded.

"I want to go, too." Kurt stood up, ready to leave. He'd made a promise to Blaine and to himself to always be in Blaine's corner. Right now that meant confronting the harbormaster and making him pay for what he'd done to Blaine.

"No. Definitely not," Burt said resolutely.

"But-," Kurt objected.

"No, Kurt. You're too emotionally involved. Besides, someone needs to stay here with Blaine."

"But Nick and Carole can stay," Kurt tried.

"If you think I'm letting your dad and David go without me," Carole said, "you're mistaken. I think a woman needs to be present to neutralize all that testosterone and make sure it doesn't get physical."

"That means you're staying here with Nick," Burt concluded.

Kurt wasn't sure Burt wanted Carole to come along, but apparently he wanted even less for Kurt to be there. Kurt had no energy to object, and honestly he'd rather stay with Blaine and make sure he was okay.

The trio left, leaving Kurt and Nick alone on the boat's deck to watch them as they disappeared down the boat slip.

"Do you think he's okay?" Nick asked after a while and nodded towards the cabin.

"I don't know. Probably not." Kurt looked up at Nick and noticed for the first time a dark circle around his right eye. He hadn't seen it before, been too focused on Blaine to notice anything else. "What happened to your eye?"

"Blaine punched me," Nick explained as his fingers went up to touch the bruised skin. "He was quite livid when we found him and when he saw me he lost it. You'd think he'd be too drunk to hit the air in front of him but he went straight up and punched my face before any of us could react."

"I'm sorry," Kurt said, feeling guilty. If he hadn't pursued Nick that night, he wouldn't be sitting there with a black eye.

"It's not your fault," Nick shrugged.

An uncomfortable silence settled between them and Kurt wondered if Nick was thinking about the reason for Blaine's anger too. Kurt hadn't been alone with Nick since their night together and now he didn't know what to say. Nick had texted that what happened between them that night was a mistake, but it was still awkward to sit there together knowing that it had happened and it was the reason for the black eye and the reason Blaine didn't want to talk to either of them.

"Should we check in on him, make sure he's okay?" Nick asked.

"Before we do that, can we talk about that night first?" Kurt asked. He needed to make sure they saw it the same way before they both went in to Blaine together.

Nick looked at Kurt like he didn't want to talk about their one night together at all.

"Sure…, yeah," Nick said, a bit uncomfortable anyway. "But I thought we agreed it was a mistake? There was a lot of alcohol and shock in that decision."

"I feel like I took advantage of you," Kurt admitted. "You had been flirty and you were there when I needed to hurt Blaine and get back at him. I'm sorry I used you."

"You didn't. I mean, I don't really have those kinds of feelings for you. I should have said no, but you were really persuasive and I was turned on by the 'you want me and I want you'speech."

Kurt noticed the blush on Nick's cheeks and felt his own heat up too. It had been an intense moment.

"So we can agree that you have no feelings for me and I have no feelings for you and what happened between us that night was a mistake purely based on the circumstances and would never have happened if it wasn't for those circumstances?"

"Yes, absolutely."

"Good." Kurt needed that, to clear the air between them so he could put it behind him and they could be in the same room without that night being an unspoken issue between them.

"Shall we see how he's doing?" Nick asked.

Kurt nodded and they both stood up at the same time. Nick gestured for Kurt to go in first. Kurt inhaled and breathed out slowly through his nose. The fresh air filled his lungs and calmed him, because he was nervous. He didn't know how talking to his dad and David, how telling his story to a stranger and one of his best friends, had affected Blaine.

Also he didn't know how Blaine would react to seeing him and Nick together.

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Notes: As always, please let me know what you think! I'm always eager to know :)