Finally! I'd like to give thanks to my new friend who I'll call Cool in Connecticut for her help getting me through the first half of this chapter.
So, in Glee land our boys are finally happily married! Yaaaay! Over here in Mafia land Kurt and Blaine are a mess, especially Kurt. His mind is melted, but you can't blame him. He's been through a terrifying ordeal. Blaine is full of guilt and trying to figure out how to "fix" him. Elian is lurking, Luther is stalking, and here we go…
If you respect me
Don't protect me
You can tell me,
I can handle it
Stop pretending 'cause we're going down
Unkiss Me by Maroon 5
Chapter 23
Three days later Burt sat at the dining room table studying the latest poll numbers. He sighed and ran his hand across his mouth. He had a decision to make. Either get back on the campaign trail, or drop out of the race. He'd been leaning towards dropping out, but just wasn't sure. He hated to let down his supporters.
The doorbell rang.
Burt glanced at the clock.
11:00 am.
Every damn day.
Carol patted his shoulder on her way to answer the door.
"Remember, this isn't about you. This is about Kurt and what he needs, and right now he needs Blaine."
Carol opened the door and looked at Blaine with concerned, worried eyes.
"Hello Blaine."
"Hi."
Blaine slowly walked in and shuffled towards the stairs. He stopped when he saw Burt sitting at the table.
"Hello Mr. Hummel."
Burt just glared at him.
Blaine continued his slow shuffle to the stairs and climbed slowly under Carol's watchful eyes. She sighed and walked back to the kitchen.
"You'd think his mother would make him stay home. He's not getting any better. As a matter of fact I think he's getting worse. He moves slower every day."
For the past three days Blaine had arrived at the Hummel-Hudson home at exactly 11:00 am. Carol would let him in with a worried sigh and watch him slowly make his way towards the stairs and up to Kurt's room. He would take off his shoes and pants and carefully lie down under the covers next to Kurt. Kurt would slowly shift until they were facing each other, close his eyes and listen.
"When you feel better we'll go on vacation. Like a month long vacation. We could start with New York. You still haven't bought your summer wardrobe. We could go to New York and shop. Anything and everything you want, Kurt. I mean it. I'll buy you everything you want. Then maybe we can go to Turks and Caicos. I'll rent a private beach house and we can just relax. Swim, eat, sleep…make love..."
"I love you so much, Kurt. I love you and I'm sorry. I never should have let this happen to you. I made so many mistakes, but I promise. No more mistakes. No more failures. From now on you will be safe. I will keep you safe. No matter what."
Kurt never spoke during Blaine's visits.
He was too tired and he wasn't ready.
Somehow Blaine understood this. He never asked any questions, or mentioned what happened. He only talked about their future. Where they might vacation, what Broadway shows they should go see, and what designers had summer lines they should check out.
Then he would sing.
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.
You make me happy when skies are gray.
Kurt's mind would drift into a restful sleep brought on by Blaine's presence and voice. Once Kurt was asleep Blaine would drag himself from the bed, get dressed and leave.
He never let Kurt see how much physical pain he was in.
After climbing the stairs to Kurt's room, he would lean against the wall to rest, the simple act of climbing stairs wiping him out. Every move hurt, but he swallowed his pain in front of Kurt and always greeted him with a smile and eyes full of love.
Burt hated Blaine's visits.
Burt hated Blaine.
But he didn't protest.
With Carol's gentle lecturing he accepted that this was what Kurt needed right now to heal, especially since he only fell asleep and stayed asleep during and after Blaine's visits. At night Kurt's sleep was constantly interrupted by the same dream over and over again. He was blind, locked in the cell, feeling along the walls and calling for help. Suddenly there were hands on him, pulling at his clothes, ripping them from his body, and he would hear George's voice. "Come on, sweetie. Let's play, play, play." He would jolt awake with a gasp, shaking in fear. He would remain awake the rest of the night staring out his window at the night sky.
So, Burt swallowed his hatred and said nothing about Blaine's daily visits.
Or about the two cars parked near the Hummel-Hudson home, each occupied by two armed men.
On the fifth day Blaine's body finally rebelled. He was on his way down the stairs after Kurt fell asleep when he passed out and would have fallen down the steps if Burt hadn't been paying attention and rushed to catch him. Blaine's driver took him to the hospital. He woke up surrounded by the worried and slightly angry expressions of his mother, Luther, and Dr. Weinstein. Anastasia lay into him.
"What the hell is wrong with you? You were supposed to go home and rest. Instead I find out that you're doing a roundtrip tour from Westerville to Lima every day!"
"I wasn't driving. I got…"
Anastasia cut him off. "I don't wanna hear it! You are going home and you will stay there!"
"Kurt needs me. He doesn't sleep at night because of bad dreams. He only sleeps when I'm there."
Anastasia softened. "I'm sorry to hear that. I really am, but Blaine you must take care of yourself before you can take care of him."
Blaine was about to protest when, "Ow!"
Dr. Weinstein smiled and held up a needle. "Sorry, Blaine, but this seems to be the only way to get you to rest."
Anastasia gently caressed his curls. "You're going to stay here for just one night, darling. You can go home tomorrow, and I'll be going with you."
"You're moving back home?"
"Yes, of course. I obviously need to take care of you. You and Telio finally need me again."
Anastasia waited until he was fully asleep before standing up to leave. She could feel Luther's eyes watching her every move. She didn't look at him.
They drove to the hotel in silence.
Luther followed her into her hotel room and watched as she began throwing her clothes into the suitcases scattered around the room. She'd spent the last five days alternating between pulling herself together long enough to make arrangements for Cooper's funeral, and being paralyzed with sadness, curled up on her bed crying. No matter what the world might think Cooper was still her son, and as his mother she remembered the little boy who made her laugh, not the jealous, paranoid man he'd become. Her grief was deep and threatened to consume her completely. She was barely hanging on, and now she was full of guilt about Blaine.
"Shame on me for not going home the moment Blaine and Telio were discharged. I should have gone home immediately. I just wanted to make sure Cooper's arrangements…." Anastasia covered her face with her hands and swallowed a sob.
Luther knew he was about to sound incredibly selfish, but he didn't care. Watching her pack was killing him.
"I don't want you to move back to the compound."
Anastasia ignored him and started talking and packing again.
"Mr. Phillips at the funeral home said we can have a graveside service for Cooper on Saturday, but now I think that might be too soon. We should wait until Blaine and Telio can attend."
"Anastasia, did you hear what I said?"
"Of course, they probably won't want to attend, but they should. For appearances. Everyone will be there out of respect for us despite their feelings about Cooper."
"Are you just going to ignore me?"
Anastasia continued packing and did not look up. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm going to do. I need to look after my sons, and grieve the one I lost. I need to visit my husband and tell him his eldest son is dead."
"What about us?"
Anastasia finally looked at him. "There is no us, Luther. There can't be, and thank God we never…"
Luther grabbed her shoulders and pulled her to him. "I want you."
She pulled away from him. "I'm moving back home where I belong."
"You belong with me."
"No! No, I don't! I belong with Mario! I've always belonged with Mario because I belong to Mario."
Luther turned away from her and walked over to the window. He stared out at the street below while she continued to pack her things. Finally he turned around.
"Where do you plan to sleep?"
"What?"
"At the compound. Are you going to sleep in your bedroom or in a different room?"
"I hadn't really thought about it. I…I suppose I'll sleep in my room. I don't know…"
Luther suddenly crossed the room, grabbed her long hair, wrapping it around his hand and pulled her head back. Trickles of fear, need, and arousal travelled down her spine. Luther's voice was low and quiet.
"Yes, Anastasia. Go back to the compound and sleep in the bed you shared with your husband. Bury your son and take care of the two you still have. Just remember…late at night when your body is longing to be touched, kissed, caressed…bound and fucked…I'll be right down the hall. Waiting."
He released her and walked out.
Without meaning to Anastasia dropped to her knees and pressed her forehead to the floor.
Please Mario, please. I need you.
Elian sat on the back porch of his father's house relaxing in a chaise lounge, enjoying the warmth of the sun on his face.
In all the chaos of the Anderson crew's arrival, and rushing to get Blaine, Kurt and Telio to the hospital, Elian managed to slip out the side door, find a car with the keys in the ignition and take off for his father's house. He arrived at home in immense pain, minutes from passing out. Since he insisted on not going to the hospital, Elias called an old family friend who was a retired mob doctor to remove the bullets from his arm and shoulder. The doctor managed to stich him up and set his arm in a sling while Elian's father and brothers hovered nervously, suspicious and curious about his strange and sudden return.
Elian spent the next few days sleeping and crafting his story. He would claim that he was shot after going out to the garage to look for Telio. He would deny any story told by Timothy. After all, the kid was a coke head. Who would believe him?
Elias walked out to the back porch and stared at his son. Elian had changed since leaving home. He was taller and his hair was shorter and styled all fancy like the people on TV. His clothes were new and looked nothing like the hand-me-down t-shirts and jeans he used to inherit from his brothers. Elias frowned.
He looks gay.
It was time to find out what his son had been up to.
"So, you gonna tell me why you showed up here shot?"
Telio opened his eyes and sat up. "It was during the showdown between Cooper and Blaine. I got shot during the fighting. I knew we weren't far from here, so I came home instead of going to the hospital."
"You abandoned Blaine?"
"No, of course not. He was on his way to the hospital when I left. He'll be fine."
"You going back?"
Elian shrugged his one good shoulder. "I don't know. I need a break."
Elias stared at his son with narrow doubtful eyes. "A break from what?"
"Just…all of it. The Andersons are intense. Taking care of Blaine…making sure he doesn't get assassinated. It's a lot. He's a bit reckless."
Elias turned from him and looked out over his land.
Taking care of Blaine.
Assuming the conversation was over, Elian closed his eyes and settled back in the lounge chair.
Elias suddenly turned and grabbed Elian by his shirt. He threw him down to the porch floor and stared at him with hateful disgust. Elian's brothers appeared behind their father, their eyes matching his.
"Ow! Papa…"
"You tell me the truth, boy! Are you a fucking faggot? Huh? Are you? Huh? Huh?"
Elian's shock turned to terror as he watched his eldest brother wrap a thick leather belt around his hand.
"No, Papa! No! I-I-I swear! I'm not a fag! I'm not! I'm not!"
"Cause you can't be no fag, Elian. I won't have it. I don't care what Anderson does, but you're my son! An Abbiati! And Abbiatis aint fags! We're men. Strong men who kill. Not nellie ass queers. You hear me?"
"I'm not gay, Papa! I swear! I swear!"
"Well, just in case you gettin' any ideas, I'm gonna let your brothers straighten you out."
Elian screamed as his brothers approached him, arms raised, thick leather belts in their hands.
They beat him until he couldn't cry anymore.
They left him lying on the porch for the rest of the day and all night.
Even after it started to rain.
Around 9:30 am Elian managed to crawl to the porch door and enter the house. He staggered to the stairs, falling several times. Once he made it to his room he collapsed on the bed.
He lay there for two days.
No one came to check on him.
On the morning of the third day he finally felt strong enough to take a shower. He ignored the painful smarting as the water hit his black and blue body. He slowly got dressed, packed everything he wanted to take with him and quietly snuck out of the house. He climbed into the car he'd taken from Sam's house and headed to the Anderson compound.
He breathed a momentary sigh of relief when the guards let him through without question, but he readied himself as he climbed out the car and approached the front door. It was very possible he was about to be shot.
He entered the house and walked down the hall towards the sound of a TV. He stopped when he came upon Telio who had taken over the family room as his bedroom since he couldn't make it up and down the stairs due to his injuries.
"Hey! What the hell happened to you?"
Elian sighed. Everything's going to be fine. If Timothy said anything I'd be dead by now.
Elian sat down and carefully told the story he'd worked out in his head.
"When I got inside I dumped Sam in the kitchen. I checked out the second floor and then headed to the garage to find you. On the way there I got jumped and beat up pretty bad. I managed to get away and make it to the garage, but then I got shot. When I came to I wasn't sure what had happened. The last thing I remember is seeing them carry you and Blaine out. I'm not sure how I got there, but I woke up at my father's. A doctor had taken care of me, so I rested a few days and now I'm back."
Telio stared at him. Something about the story bothered him, but he didn't feel like thinking about it. "Well, don't take this the wrong way, but…I'm glad you're alright."
"Thanks, and I won't. Is Blaine okay?"
"Yeah. He's upstairs drugged out. It was the only way to stop him from running back and forth to Lima to see Kurt."
Elian kept his expression blank. Fucking Kurt. "So, Kurt's okay?"
"Yep. I'm sure he'll be moving in the minute Blaine can kidnap him from his dad's house."
Elian stood up. "I'm gonna go get settled."
He headed upstairs and straight to Blaine's room. Blaine was asleep, shirtless with the sheet resting at his waist. Elian stood over him, his heart and body aching and longing more than ever before.
Why can't you understand? I can only be gay if I'm gay with you, otherwise they'll kill me. He doesn't need you like I need you. I want you bad, but I need you more.
Saturday morning Cooper David Anderson was laid to rest in a simple graveside service attended by over two hundred people. It didn't matter that most didn't like him, or even know him. He was an Anderson. No one wanted to be accused of not showing respect.
Blaine sat silently by his mother, her quiet crying and sobs breaking his heart. On her other side sat a very stoic Telio who felt absolutely nothing for the man being lowered into the ground, and was furious about having to use a wheelchair to attend. Luther sat next to Blaine. He was glad to see Cooper gone. The kid had been nothing but a pain in his ass all these years, but this now meant Blaine was officially the only heir to the Anderson family fortune.
A fortune he might inherit sooner than expected.
When Anastasia went to Cleveland to tell Mario about Cooper, Luther quietly spoke to the doctors who confirmed what Blaine had hinted at just a few weeks earlier.
It was time for the family to think about letting Mario go.
Luther didn't tell Anastasia. It wasn't the right time, plus despite his lust for her, Luther still loved Mario. They'd been best friends since they were 15. The thought of him dying was upsetting.
And something to look forward to.
While Cooper was being buried in Westerville, Kurt was in Lima trying to rise.
He was sitting on the edge of his bed trying to work up the courage to put slight pressure on his sprained knee while pushing himself up with only one hand due to his fractured wrist.
He'd been in bed an entire week surrounded by beautiful bouquets of red and yellow roses and other arrangements Blaine had delivered to the house every day. On the first day the roses were delivered by one of Blaine's men along with a note.
My Gorgeous Kurt:
Apparently I've developed an infection from my injuries and am on strict bed rest. I'm being held captive by my mother who can be fierce when she wants to be. I won't be able to visit for a few days, possibly a week. Please try to get some rest. Know that I love you more than life, and will make sure we are together again soon, never to be separated.
All my love, Blaine.
Without Blaine to keep him company and help him sleep during the day, Kurt was irritable and cranky from restless, nightmare interrupted nights, and long boring days filled with too much time to think.
I killed three people.
Three people.
Three.
They were bad people, but still…
Did Blaine really kill 8 people trying to find me?
Maybe more?
My boyfriend is a murderer.
Blaine is a murderer.
So am I.
Neither Carol nor Burt asked about the kidnapping, something Kurt was grateful for, but Carol casually mentioned Kurt visiting a therapist. Kurt looked at her in horror and shook his head. Is she crazy? I can't talk to a therapist. Hi, I'm Kurt. I was kidnapped by my mafia boyfriend's brother. I managed to kill him and two other people. Oh, and my boyfriend killed 8 people while searching for me. You can't call the police because of doctor/client privilege, right?
But things were starting to weigh on Kurt's mind.
Monday morning Luther pulled up in front of Hummel Tire & Lube in Kurt's truck followed by a black Mercedes. Burt walked out of the garage as Luther climbed out holding Kurt's bag.
"Good morning Mr. Hummel."
"Where'd you find Kurt's truck?"
"It was parked in a barn behind the house where Kurt was being held."
Burt walked around the truck and peered inside. It was spotless. It had been thoroughly cleaned and detailed.
"You had it detailed?"
"Yes. It's also been completely tuned up and new tires put on. I thought it was the least we could do."
Burt shook his head. These people must really think I'm stupid.
"Yeah. I'm sure it had nothing to do with getting rid of fingerprints and evidence."
Luther said nothing. He held out Kurt's bag.
"Found this in the back. I wanted to make sure it was returned to Kurt. How's he doing?"
"He'll be fine."
Luther nodded. "Well, I won't keep you. I just wanted to make sure Kurt's truck was returned." Luther turned to leave.
"I'm gonna tell you the same thing I told Mrs. Anderson. I don't want Blaine anywhere near my son. I put up with his visits those first few days because I know Kurt needed him, but now it's been a week since they've seen each other and I think it'd be best if Blaine continued to stay away. Kurt will get over it. "
"Mr. Hummel…surely you know by now that you have zero control over anything, especially when it comes to Blaine."
"Blaine may wield control over all the adults in his life, but he doesn't control me."
"Last time I looked both Kurt and Blaine were adults. Young, yes, but adults none-the-less."
"Frankly, I don't care. My son was kidnapped, terrorized and beaten all because of Blaine. I'm just trying to protect him."
"And you failed. Just like Blaine failed. You see that's life, Mr. Hummel. You can't always protect the ones you love, no matter how hard you try." Believe me. I know.
"So, what are you saying? I should just let Kurt be with Blaine if that's what he wants?"
"It's what Blaine wants, so yes."
"What if this isn't what Kurt wants?"
Luther looked directly into Burt's eyes.
"Frankly…knowing the Andersons the way I do…at this point what Kurt wants is irrelevant."
Burt's eyes widened. Irrelevant? What his son wants is irrelevant?
Luther didn't feel like having the argument he could see brewing in Burt's mind.
"Tell Kurt Blaine is doing better and will see him soon."
He turned and climbed into the waiting car before Burt could respond.
Burt returned to the shop and started aggressively doing oil changes and tire rotations.
What Kurt wants is irrelevant? Who the hell do these people think they are?
Ten minutes later the shop head, Carlos laid a hand on Burt's shoulder.
"Why don't you take a break?"
Burt looked at him and then around the shop. Everyone had stopped working and was staring at him. Apparently he'd been beating the hell out of a tire with a ratchet. He decided to head home.
Burt walked into the house and was surprised, but pleased to see Kurt laying on the couch under his favorite blanket watching a movie.
"Hey, you made it downstairs. You feeling better?"
Kurt paused the movie and sat up a little. "I needed a change of scenery."
Burt nodded enthusiastically. Kurt coming downstairs was great, but Kurt talking was even better. He'd been practically silent since coming home adding to Burt and Carol's worry. What exactly had Kurt endured at the hands of his captors?
Burt held up Kurt's bag. "That Luther guy stopped by today. He returned your truck and this."
Kurt panicked as he looked at his bag. Was the gun still inside? How would he explain it to his dad?
Burt reached into a side pocket and took out Kurt's cell phone. "I'll grab your charger and plug this in. You want me to just leave the bag in your room?"
Kurt nodded. "Yes, please. Thank you."
Burt returned a moment later to plug in Kurt's phone. "I'm gonna go ahead and take a shower and review some campaign stuff. You need anything?"
Kurt shook his head and settled back down on the couch. He stared at the movie without really watching it. Instead he thought about the gun. He thought he would safe by having a gun, but he hadn't stood a chance. They'd taken him with no problem. He'd made it easy for them to get to him because he hadn't listened to Blaine.
"You can't just disobey me. Your disobedience is dangerous, Kurt. Your disobedience could get you killed. I need to protect you."
If I had gone home with Blaine like he begged me none of this would have happened. I wouldn't be a murderer.
A chill washed over him. He pulled the blanket tighter around his body and closed his eyes. He drifted off to sleep and managed to get almost two hours of uninterrupted rest before the dream started.
He was running through a backyard towards Blaine. Blaine was yelling at him. "Come on, hurry up, run, Kurt run!" He was running as fast as he could and had almost reached Blaine when George grabbed the back of his shirt and yanked him back. "Come on sweetie. Let's play, play, play."
Kurt sat up with a gasp. He took several deep breaths and looked nervously around the room. I'm okay. I'm safe. George is dead. I killed him. Cooper can't get to me. I killed him too.
A few minutes later Burt came downstairs.
"Tell ya what? Finn's at Puck's house and Carol is at the hospital tonight working an extra shift, so how about you and me hang out and order a pizza?"
"As long as you agree to eat a salad with yours."
"Just call me Bugs Bunny."
After placing the order Burt settled in his chair and studied Kurt closely. Kurt's face was no longer swollen, but the bruises were still there. Seeing the bruises reignited Burt's anger, but he swallowed it down. It wouldn't do any good to start the conversation angry.
"Kurt, I think it's time for us to talk."
Kurt looked up with a slightly panicked expression.
"We don't have to talk about the details of what happened to you unless you want to, of course, but…we do need to talk about what's next."
Kurt relaxed. Oh. Okay. That's good because I don't think you should know that I killed three people. It's best you don't know your son is a murderer.
Burt stood up suddenly feeling nervous. "So, Carol's sister, Maggie has a friend who owns a house on a lake in Michigan. The friend isn't going to use it this summer, so she offered it to Maggie. Carol and I were thinking that we would all head up there for a few weeks. Rest, relax…just get away from everything." Away from Blaine.
Kurt guiltily looked down at his blanket. He knew what he was about to say was not the response his father wanted.
"That sounds nice, but…I was hoping to spend some time with Blaine."
Burt blew out a breath. "Kurt…listen…I don't…what's wrong with you? You're sitting there bruised and hurt because of that boy, and yet you still want…I just don't understand."
"Nothing's wrong with me. I always planned to spend my summer with Blaine."
"No. I'm sorry, Kurt, but this is crazy. Do you understand what happened to you? Why it happened? This all happened because of Blaine! This is all his fault!"
"This isn't Blaine's fault. It was his brother but now he's…" Kurt stopped.
"He's what?"
"He's dead." I killed him. "He's dead, so everything will be fine."
Burt stared at Kurt who stared at an imaginary spot on the wall. Burt slowly sat down. Did Kurt see someone get killed? Did Blaine kill his own brother? What the hell?
"I…Kurt…" Burt struggled to find his words. "I don't want to see you get hurt any more than you already have. I can't stand seeing you hurt."
"Blaine won't hurt me."
"He already has!"
"This wasn't his fault. Besides dad you know better. Just like you couldn't stop the bullies at McKinley, you can't stop bad things from happening to me."
"But, you're deliberately choosing to put yourself in danger by being with someone who's a criminal!"
"Blaine is not a criminal. Besides, that's my choice to make." Did I really just say Blaine is not a criminal? Of course he's a criminal. So am I.
Burt sighed heavily, closed his eyes and let his head fall back on to his chair.
Kurt felt tired and heavy with guilt. "Look, I don't know what's going to happen between me and Blaine, but it needs to be my decision, not yours. I think I deserve and have the right to figure it out for myself instead of being told what I will or will not do."
"Kurt…how am I supposed to ignore everything that's happened and endorse this relationship?"
"Your endorsement isn't necessary. It's nice to have, but not necessary."
The doorbell rang announcing the pizza delivery.
Burt stood up with a heavy sigh. "Let's eat."
x-x-x
That night Burt lay awake in bed thinking about Kurt. His strong, stubborn, determined son. He was grateful when Carol arrived home earlier than expected.
"Hey, what are you still doing up?"
"Thinking about Kurt."
"Of course."
After Carol showered and settled in bed next to him, Burt told her about their conversation.
"What am I missing here?"
Carol shook her head. "You aren't missing anything, and I agree with you, but Kurt's right. He's a young man, and like it or not he has the right to make his own decisions."
"Up to a point. He still lives under my roof."
"True, but if you try to force anything it will only backfire, and then he won't live here anymore. He'll live with Blaine."
They sat in silence for several minutes until Burt turned to Carol, his voice quiet and sad.
"I just want to protect him. Is that so wrong?"
Carol's heart broke for him. She cupped his cheek. "Of course not, but now you have to protect him differently. We have to let him know that we love him and will always be here for him no matter what happens. That's all we can do."
x-x-x
Across the hall Kurt lay in bed staring at the ceiling.
Waiting.
He couldn't explain how he knew, but he knew.
And he was right.
A little after 11:30 pm his cell phone rang.
"Hello?"
"I'm so glad you have your phone back. How are you? You weren't asleep were you?"
"No, I wasn't asleep. I'm okay. How are you?"
"I'm coming to get you tomorrow."
"What?"
"I'm coming to get you tomorrow. I'll be there at 11:00 am."
Kurt's stomach swirled with excitement, worry and want, while a tiny sliver of fear settled in the back of his mind.
"I-I thought you were sick."
"It was just an infection. An antibiotic would have been sufficient, but Weinstein kept me drugged for the past five days. Asshole. Anyway I'm fine, and I'm coming to get you, and I don't wanna hear any excuses. I don't give a shit about your father, your injuries, or anything else. I'm tired of being separated from you. 11 am tomorrow. I am coming for you and I expect you to be ready to go. Do you understand, Kurt?"
He could practically feel Blaine's hands on his neck, squeezing gently, Blaine's eyes dark and intense, staring into his.
"Yes, Blaine."
x-x-x
The next morning Burt sat stoic and silent as Kurt explained that he was leaving. Burt let Carol do all the arguing.
"Sweetheart, you just got home. You're just starting to feel better. Why not wait a few weeks? At least until you're off your crutches."
"You need a break from taking care of me. You both do. You should go to your sister's friend's place on the lake. I know you could use the rest."
Carol looked at Burt, perplexed by his silence. Yes, they'd agreed last night that Kurt should be allowed to make his own decisions, but this was too soon.
"Honey…I know you don't want to, but I really think you should talk to someone about what you've been through. I did some asking around at the hospital and…"
Kurt shook his head. "That's not necessary. I'm fine."
"But the dreams…"
"Have stopped." Liar.
"Still, you really should talk to someone. I think it would be helpful to talk about what happened and how you feel about it."
"There's nothing to talk about. I was kidnapped and held hostage. I tried to escape and got beaten up. The entire experience was scary and I'm glad it's over. There's nothing more to say."
A weird old man tried to rape me, so I bashed his head in with a lamp. I killed some other guy, and I killed my boyfriend's brother. I'm a murderer. My boyfriend is a murderer, and no one can ever know. Ever, ever, ever.
Carol sat back in resignation. Kurt looked at his father.
"So, can I go?"
A moment passed before Burt spoke.
"You're a grown man, Kurt. Probably more grown now than before for all the wrong reasons. You know the consequences of being with Blaine. If this is what you want I won't stand in your way, but I want you back here in two weeks. Understand? You have an appointment with the doctor, and I'd like to spend some time with you before school starts."
Kurt nodded. Two weeks. Blaine's not gonna like that…
"I also wanna make something else clear. Always remember, Kurt what you want is not irrelevant. Not to me, and I hope not to Blaine. If you ever decide that you want Blaine out of your life I will do everything in my power to keep you safe from him. I don't give a shit who his family is. If you want out, then you're out. Just tell me. Promise?"
"I promise."
"Let me know when you're done packing and I'll bring your things down."
Kurt was about to turn towards the stairs but instead hopped towards his dad who opened his arms and held him tight as his crutches fell to the floor.
"I just want you safe, kiddo. Happy and safe. That's all."
They pulled apart and Kurt slowly made his way up the stairs. Carol shook her head. "I can't believe we're letting him do this."
"Aren't you the one that said if we try to force anything we'd lose him?"
"Yeah, but now I feel like we're losing him anyway."
x-x-x
At exactly 11:00 am Blaine rang the doorbell. Carol opened the door with an uncharacteristic scowl. She didn't even greet him.
Burt stood in the middle of the living room, arms folded across his chest, a stern expression on his face.
"Hello, Mr. Hummel."
Silence.
Undaunted by the icy reception, Blaine recited his prepared speech.
"Mr. Hummel, thank you for allowing Kurt to come stay with me. With everything that's happened I'm sure you have concerns, but I swear I'll take care of him. I'd also like to apologize for everything. I'm so sorry. I love Kurt, and I will never forgive myself for what he's been through, and what you've been through. I'm really sorry."
Burt's expression didn't change. "You should probably get going." Burt picked up Kurt's bags and headed out to the car. Carol stepped forward and hugged Kurt tight.
"Please take care of yourself and call if you need anything."
"I will."
Carol looked sternly at Blaine. "I expect you to take care of him."
"I will. I swear."
Outside Burt was standing by the car. Kurt hopped over and hugged him. "Don't worry. I'll be fine."
Burt nodded. "Two weeks. I expect you back here in two weeks."
Blaine frowned as he opened the car door, careful not to look at anyone.
Two weeks? No way in hell is Kurt coming back here in two weeks.
Kurt carefully eased his way inside the car. Blaine laid his crutches on the floor and closed the door. He would ride up front so Kurt could stretch out his leg in back. He turned to Mr. Hummel and held out his hand.
"Thank you."
Burt but didn't take Blaine's hand. He stared directly into Blaine's eyes.
"You're not welcome. I'm letting him go because it's what he wants, but don't think this means you're forgiven, or have my blessing, or that I even like you. I don't. And let me be clear. Something happens to him…this time I won't hesitate to shoot you myself."
A slightly evil smile danced across Blaine's lips.
He couldn't help it.
It was in his blood.
"Mr. Hummel, didn't my mother warn you about threatening an Anderson?"
Kurt watched the guards back a black Hummer out of the way before the new higher gates of the Anderson compound could be opened. As they approached the house he noticed the additional guards along the driveway, large guns slung over their shoulders in addition to rifles in their hands.
I'm safe here. Probably too safe.
Blaine helped Kurt out of the car and into the house where Anastasia greeted him with a warm hug.
"Oh, Kurt. I'm so happy to see you, and I'm so glad you're here."
Anastasia pulled back, her hands resting on Kurt's shoulders. Her eyes were kind, but incredibly sad.
"I'm so sorry for everything that's happened to you. It's all been so awful, and…I'm just so sorry."
Realization hit Kurt like a truck.
It was the first time he'd thought about it.
I killed her son.
Cooper was her son.
And I killed him.
I killed her child.
And she doesn't know.
Kurt turned pale.
"Kurt…darling are you okay?"
Kurt looked frantically at Blaine who immediately understood what was happening. He quickly slid his arm around Kurt's waist.
"He's just tired from the drive. From everything."
Anastasia nodded. "Of course. We all are. You should sit down."
Blaine guided Kurt to a chair in the family room where Telio remained camped out on the couch. He looked at Kurt with surprising affection.
"Hey, Kurt. How you doing?"
Kurt took a deep breath. For some reason seeing Telio helped calm his internal panic.
"I'm fine. Are you okay?"
"Of course. I plan to start working out again in a couple of days."
Blaine frowned. "You're supposed to take it easy for a few more weeks."
Telio shook his head. "No way. The sooner I get back to training, the better."
Kurt was about to ask about Alicia when his attention was drawn to a slim, muscular young man who suddenly appeared in the doorway. He was attractive, but looked tired and worn out. His eyes were locked on Kurt, his expression unreadable.
"Kurt, this is Elian Abbiati. Elian this is my boyfriend, Kurt Hummel."
"Hello," said Kurt.
"Hi." You don't belong here and you don't belong with Blaine.
Blaine laid his hand possessively on Kurt's shoulder.
"Come on. Let's go to my room and get you settled."
Elian watched Blaine and Kurt leave, his burning jealousy obvious. Telio threw a magazine at him.
"Ow! What the fuck!"
"If you know what's good for you you'll stay away from him. Both of them."
Elian shot daggers at Telio. "You better watch it, cripple. You're not so scary when you're full of holes."
Telio pushed himself up off the couch with surprising ease. Elian took a few steps back.
"Yeah, you better fucking step back before I put your other arm in a sling, or break it off entirely."
At that moment Luther walked in. He looked between the two.
"Problem?"
Elian shook his head. "No," and walked out.
Telio sat down. "I don't trust him."
Luther smiled. "The Andersons and Abbiatis have been friends since the very beginning. They're a useful, talented family. Strange as hell, but still useful. And loyal. They've always been loyal to the Andersons."
"Maybe, but I don't trust him. He wants Blaine so bad you can smell it. Maybe now that Kurt's here he'll back off."
"Kurt's here?"
"Yeah. Just arrived 10 minutes ago."
"I'm shocked Burt Hummel agreed to that."
Telio shrugged. "Maybe he didn't."
Luther looked towards the stairs.
"Is Anastasia upstairs?"
"I think so."
Telio watched Luther head up the staircase.
And another time bomb waiting to explode.
A deceptive quiet descended on the compound.
After weeks of being at high alert the grounds were still, quiet and hot as June meandered towards July.
Kurt slept the sleep of the dead.
Being at the heavily guarded compound, held tight in Blaine's arms, in Blaine's bed gave Kurt his first true feeling of safety and security since being rescued. His mind was finally able to turn off and shut down completely allowing him to sleep, sleep, sleep. Waking only to use the bathroom and for the amazing breakfast, lunch and dinners prepared by the cook and served to him by Anastasia.
While Kurt slept Blaine, Luther and Telio began the process of unravelling Cooper's dealings. The guns Telio found at Sam's house were added to the Anderson stockpile. Blaine arranged for the cocaine to be given to Dirk Mason as final settlement for Cooper's theft and the murder of Dougie, Dirk's cousin. He also solicited a promise from Dirk.
"Don't sell to Timothy. He's a friend and I'd like to see him get clean."
"No problem. I got plenty of other customers."
Blaine tried calling Timothy several times, but never got an answer. He finally learned through the Dalton grapevine that Timothy's parents had shipped him off to a drug treatment center in Connecticut hoping he would be clean by the start of school. Blaine was happy to hear Timothy was getting help while Elian was relieved Timothy was gone. The more time that passed, the easier it would be to deny anything Timothy might say.
For now Chartussi was being kept busy on his own turf. As promised, Logan and Laurent launched a series of attacks in New York forcing Chartussi to return to the city. Blaine knew it was just a temporary break, but one he was grateful for. He needed time to focus on Kurt.
Kurt mostly slept while Blaine worked. When they were together he was quiet and thoughtful, and as usual this made Blaine nervous. He wondered what Kurt endured while locked away by Cooper. Dr. Weinstein reassured him that Kurt showed no signs of sexual abuse, but the cell phone photo from Cooper haunted Blaine's thoughts, and created a deep, dark need for him to sexually reclaim Kurt as his own. But despite his sexual hunger he didn't initiate anything. They were both still recovering from their injuries, and he knew Kurt wasn't ready.
Blaine was willing to wait.
They had time.
Because Kurt wasn't going home.
Every night Blaine held Kurt in his arms and whispered lovingly to him.
"I love you so much, and I'm so glad you're finally here. This is your home now, Kurt. You'll be safe here, and we will never be separated again. Never. Ever. Again."
Peacefully sleeping Kurt never heard these whispered words.
After 5 days at the compound Kurt finally woke up feeling fully rested. He stretched and carefully tested putting pressure on his sprained knee. He was happy to discover it didn't hurt. There was still a twinge and dull ache, but he was able to take a few tentative steps. Feeling buoyed by this he took a long shower, did his full moisturizing routine, and took his time getting dressed. He'd been wearing mostly sweat pants and t-shirts, but now he put on a pair of knee-length shorts paired with a short sleeve shirt and a light gray vest. For the first time since arriving he styled his hair, making use of the extra length to create a curl that hung perfectly across his forehead. Satisfied he slowly limped out of the room and carefully down the stairs.
There was no one in the living room or dining room, but he could hear voices coming from the library. He slowly limped down the hall. The door to the library was cracked.
"Do we know who compromised the route?"
"We believe it was a new guy named Marcus. Men are on their way to question him."
"If he turns out to be the one take care of him immediately and make sure word gets out. We can't let that type of shit go unpunished, and the punishment needs to be known by the others. Make an example of him."
"Yes, Blaine."
Kurt held his breath. What had he just heard? He slowly pushed the door open. Blaine looked up and his smile could have lit up a city. "Kurt! Hi!"
Kurt looked around the room. Luther and Telio were sitting in the corner while Elian leaned against the wall. Two large men were sitting across from Blaine who was sitting at the desk. The men stood up as Blaine bounded from his chair like a puppy.
"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt."
"You're not," said Blaine. "Come in, come in. Gentlemen, this is my boyfriend, Kurt Hummel."
The men nodded and looked curiously at Kurt. Everyone knew his name, but no one had actually met him. Kurt's face grew warm and pink, embarrassed by all the attention.
Blaine took Kurt's hand in his. "Come sit down."
"Oh, no, no. I'll just wait out…"
"Nonsense. I'm glad you're up. And no crutches!" Blaine turned and announced firmly to the room, "We're done." The men quickly left. Telio looked at Luther who shrugged. Yes, they had more to cover, but apparently they were done.
Elian remained standing by the wall, his blood boiling.
This is why he shouldn't be here. He's a distracting nuisance who doesn't understand the importance of business.
Elian looked innocently at Blaine.
"I thought you wanted to discuss Chartussi's crew that's holed up inside that building downtown. You need to decide if you want to kill them or just capture them and beat them 'till they spill their guts. Literally."
Kurt's eyes grew wide. He tried to step back but lost his footing as his knee twinged. Blaine grabbed him before he fell.
"Kurt! Are you okay?"
"Um, yeah. I -I'm…I should go. You're busy."
"No. I'm done for the day. It's okay." Blaine growled at Elian. "We'll talk later."
They walked out to the pool and sat down in side by side chaise lounges. Kurt stared at the water while Blaine stared at Kurt, wondering if he should address what Elian said. It had obviously shaken him.
We haven't really talked since he got here. We need to talk.
Blaine reached for both of Kurt's hands.
"Kurt?"
Kurt pulled his eyes away from the water to look at Blaine. Blaine's heart ached as he stared into the soft sad blue.
"Would you like to go on a date with me tonight?"
Blaine's heart soared at the small smile that danced across Kurt's lips. "A date?"
"Yeah. We've never really gone on a proper date. A dinner and movie type of date."
Kurt's smile faltered a bit. "Is it safe? You know…for us to leave the compound."
Blaine squeezed his hands. "Of course, gorgeous. We'll be fine. I promise."
Kurt's eyes immediately cooled. "Please don't say that."
"Say what?"
"Promise."
"Promise?"
"Yes. Stop making promises to me. You can't keep them."
It was like a simultaneous punch to Blaine's stomach and a stab to his already guilt ridden heart.
"I…I'm sorry, Kurt. For everything. I never meant for any of this to happen."
It had been silently simmering.
Deep, deep, down.
Pushed underneath Kurt's physical pain and lingering fear.
But now it rose to the surface in a roaring rush of explosive emotion.
"Of course you never meant for any of this to happen, but it did happen! It happened to me, so don't make any more promises, Blaine. Just don't."
"I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what? You don't even know what happened!"
"Then tell me!"
Kurt opened his mouth, but everything sunk back down just as quickly as it had risen to the surface.
"Never mind. I'm sorry."
"No, Kurt, please tell me. I want to know. I need to know."
Kurt drew away from him and wrapped his arms around himself. "I'm sorry I yelled. I…I'm tired. I'm gonna go back to bed."
Blaine felt lost and desperate. "Please, Kurt. I…let's talk."
Kurt shook his head and struggled to his feet. "No."
Kurt limped towards the house as fast as he was able. Blaine followed after him. Kurt hurried inside and almost fell as his knee suddenly throbbed painfully. Anastasia stepped into dining room at that very moment and rushed to him.
"Oh, Kurt! Careful!"
Seeing her retriggered the emotion from moments before and threw Kurt back in time. His mind spun with memories of crawling across the floor…scrambling to reach the gun…struggling to stand…raising his arm…Cooper falling to the floor…
"I'm sorry!"
Anastasia shook her head in confusion. "Nothing to be sorry for. Just be careful. I don't want…"
"I had to kill him!"
"What?"
"I…he…he was gonna kill Blaine! He was about to shoot him, and…I had no choice…I didn't! I swear! I-I had to save Blaine!"
Anastasia took a step back. "What are you talking about?"
"I killed him! I-I shot him, but I had to! I had to! I had to!"
Anastasia looked at Blaine whose expression said everything.
Tears rolled down Kurt's face. "Please…I'm so sorry. Please don't hate me…please forgive me."
"You…you killed…you killed my Cooper?"
"I did it to save Blaine!"
Anastasia shook her head as she backed away from him.
"No, no, no…"
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
Blaine stood helpless, lost and torn. His heart broke for his mother, but he wasn't sorry Cooper was dead. He deserved to die and it was fitting that Kurt was the one to kill him. Blaine was torn about who to console first. He was grateful when Luther walked in.
"Anastasia?" Luther rushed to her as she started crying uncontrollably. He scooped her up and carried her upstairs.
Blaine moved towards Kurt. "Kurt? It's okay. You had to do it and he deserved it. You saved me, Kurt. You saved my life, and I will be forever grateful to you for that."
Kurt's anger came roaring back. "I thought you were supposed to save me! You promised to protect me and you didn't!"
"I-I tried. I told you to come stay with me! I told you that you wouldn't be safe in Lima! That you needed to be here with me! You wanted to go home!"
"Oh, so now this is my fault!"
"No, of course not!"
"That's right! This is your fault! You made me a murderer! I'm a murderer, Blaine and it's all your fault!"
"I…Kurt, you're not a murderer. You're not. You did what you had to do. You saved my life. You saved me, Kurt. You saved me."
Kurt's mind snapped again and his anger collapsed. He reached for Blaine who pulled him into a tight embrace. They held each other for several minutes until Kurt murmured, "I need to sit down."
Blaine led him to the living room couch where they settled next to each other, Kurt's head resting on Blaine's shoulder, their fingers tangled together. They sat in silence until Kurt quietly asked, "Did they deserve to die?"
"Who?"
"The people you killed."
Blaine swallowed to keep his voice steady. "What people?"
"He said you killed people."
"Who said I killed people?"
"I don't know his name. He was helping your brother. He said you were killing people to find me."
Blaine's chest tightened.
No more promises. No more lies.
"Yes, they deserved to die."
"Why?"
"Because they were bad people. They were helping Cooper, so yeah. They deserved to die."
There was no judgment in Kurt's voice. Just a quiet, statement of fact. "So, you killed them."
"Yes, I killed them, Kurt. I killed them."
Kurt closed his eyes. His voice was quiet and resigned.
"We're murderers, Blaine."
Blaine turned to face him. "No, Kurt. You are not a murderer. You killed in defense of another person. Imminent threat. That's not murder."
"No, you don't understand. I am a murderer. Just like you."
"No, Kurt you're not. Listen to me. You didn't…"
Kurt cut him off. "I killed them."
"You killed who?"
Kurt shook his head.
"Kurt, who did you kill? Tell me."
Kurt shook his head. "No. I don't wanna talk about it anymore." He closed his eyes and laid his head back on Blaine's shoulder.
Blaine sighed. He wanted to push but didn't. Kurt seemed incredibly sensitive and fragile. The last thing he wanted to do was break him. Instead he fell deeper into the depths of guilt. He's right. This is all your fault. You failed him and he was forced to kill. He wasn't ready to handle that and now he's all messed up.
Kurt tried to muddle through the mess of his mind. He was emotionally exhausted; one minute angry, the next sad. He felt disoriented and completely off balance. He needed a stabilizing release, but he wasn't sure from what. A release from the guilt of killing Cooper, George and Russell? He squeezed his eyes shut. No, no, no. Don't think about it. Think about happy things. Think about Blaine. Dancing with Blaine. Walking across campus with Blaine. Making love…being fucked…coming hard…
Kurt opened his eyes.
He suddenly felt a need so strong and soaring that it felt a hard to breathe.
"Blaine…"
It came out like a plea. For a moment Blaine was caught off guard, surprised by the aching need in Kurt's voice, but just as quickly his eyes darkened as his own need rose. The strange physical connection that had grown and deepened between them came alive. Blaine gently cupped Kurt's cheek before sliding his hand down to his neck. He didn't squeeze. His hand just rested there, feeling Kurt's pulse race.
"What do you need, Kurt?"
"I…I just…please…"
Blaine kissed him with all the pent up want, need, and desire within him. Kurt moaned hungrily, twisting his fingers into Blaine's shirt, trying to pull him closer. Blaine momentarily forgot their injuries and climbed into Kurt's lap, straddling him. He held Kurt's face between his hands and kissed him deep over and over again. His lips traveled to Kurt's neck, softly sucking and kissing. He whispered between kisses. "Let me blow you...wanna see your cock...need to taste it." His hand traveled down and started palming Kurt's cock. Kurt's hips instinctively pushed up into Blaine's hand, ignoring the aches of his body. Kurt managed to pull his mouth away from Blaine's for just a moment.
"We should go upstairs? Someone will see us."
Blaine tangled his fingers into Kurt's hair, appreciating the extra length, and pulled his head back. "This is my fucking house." He crashed their mouths together in an all inhaling kiss before sliding down to the floor between Kurt's legs. Despite the protest of his knee, Kurt managed to lift himself up just enough for Blaine to pull his pants and underwear down, and then he was gasping and digging his nails into the couch as Blaine swallowed him. Kurt's fingers tangled in Blaine's hair and pulled as Blaine mouthed and sucked Kurt's balls into his mouth. A minute later he swallowed Kurt's cock again, his mouth warm, wet, tight, and perfect around him, bobbing up and down, working the cock until he felt the familiar tight twitch. He deep throated, stilled and swallowed as Kurt came, head rolling side to side, moaning Blaine's name over and over.
Blaine climbed back onto Kurt's lap and drowned him in deep, wet kisses. As always, Kurt thrilled at the taste of his cum in Blaine's mouth. They kissed for several long minutes before Blaine helped Kurt get dressed. They sprawled out on the couch, careful of Kurt's wrist and knee which was aching stronger than before. Blaine's ribs were throbbing, aggravated by the movement of delivering a fantastic blowjob, but that didn't stop him from stretching out and lying back on the pillows so Kurt could sit between his legs. Blaine gently wrapped an arm around Kurt, closed his eyes and relaxed into the couch, grateful for its extra-long length and wide cushions. He listened to Kurt's breathing turn slow and steady as he fell asleep. Blaine wondered about Kurt's constant sleeping. Was it the only way for his mind to rest and not think about being a murderer, or did his body just need the rest? Blaine sighed and kissed the top of Kurt's head.
I'm sorry gorgeous. I'm so sorry, but I promise…yes, promise that we'll figure it out. I'll make it all better. I swear.
Over by the front door, hiding behind the wall stood Elian, rock hard and full of dangerous desire.
Kurt is so fucking selfish. Why does Blaine want someone so selfish? I'd get on my knees and worship his cock, not sit there being selfish. Stupid bitch.
There has to be a way to get rid of you…
That evening Blaine decided they should definitely go on their date. He showered and dressed in another bedroom so Kurt could take his time and surprise him. He went downstairs to wait and was met by a ticked off Telio.
"You shouldn't be going out by yourself."
"Kurt's going with me."
"You know what I mean, smartass."
"We'll be fine. Chartussi's men are on break until he returns, and he won't be returning for some time thanks to Logan and Laurent."
"I know you're not that stupid. You really think he's told his men not to kill you if they get a chance? You know better."
"We'll be fine. Vince and Pete are going to follow us in the Hummer. Look I need to do this, Telio. I need to give Kurt some type of normalcy. I just want things to be ordinary for once. A dinner date with my boyfriend. Maybe a movie or a stroll through the park. Actually we can't even do that. He's still limping, and my body still hurts. Everything has been such a mess. I just wanna give him a nice, quiet, calm, boring evening minus guns and kidnappings."
Telio sighed sadly. "I know, Blaine. I know." He decided to let it go. Instead he limped off to threaten Vince and Pete with death if anything happened to Blaine or Kurt.
"Telio's right you know. You really shouldn't go out."
Blaine turned around to see Elian standing in the corner. Where did he come from?
"We'll be fine."
Elian slowly walked towards him. Blaine couldn't help roaming his eyes up and down Elian's body. A tiny spot of desire sprouted and rolled through him. He knew he didn't really want Elian, he was just horny, but the feeling unnerved him.
"Kurt is dangerous."
"What are you talking about?"
"He's a distraction. He doesn't understand how things work, and he's not capable of taking care of himself. He's a distraction and he's going to get you killed."
"That distraction saved my life."
"He got lucky. That's all. Think about all the time you wasted searching for him. How it made you look to the other families. He's a great big distraction that almost cost you your life."
Elian moved closer and lowered his voice. "You need someone who can take care of you. Someone who understands your world and knows who to operate in it. Someone who will obey you. Not argue with you and almost get killed."
Blaine was about to disagree when Kurt loudly cleared his throat. He was standing halfway down the stairs. Blaine drew in a breath at the sight of him. He looked incredibly sexy in loose jeans, a button down white t-shirt and a colorful printed jacket. Kurt's eyes were full force bitch focused on Elian. Blaine hurried up the stairs to take Kurt's arm.
"You look amazing."
"Of course I do."
Kurt continued to stare at Elian who hatefully stared back.
"Are you ready to go?"
Kurt nodded and allowed Blaine to escort him to the car. He waited until they were on the road with Vince and Pete following a safe distance behind.
"So, what was that all about?"
Blaine sighed. Not how he wanted to start their date.
"I'm sorry. Elian…I guess he has a thing for me. I keep him around because he's been really useful. He's an excellent shot and he's very knowledgeable about business. Current and past. He's been helpful to me and to Telio. He actually saved Telio once, not that he'd ever admit it."
"Did you sleep with him?"
Blaine almost swerved off the road. "W-what? No! No! Of course not!"
Kurt didn't say anything else for the rest of the ride. Blaine kept glancing at him, but Kurt had returned to his silent, thoughtful mood.
Blaine had booked a private dining room at the Capital Club figuring it would be safe, and that Kurt would appreciate the rich elegance. Once they were seated he ordered a bottle of wine and encouraged Kurt to have a glass. He really wanted them to relax and have a nice time.
He reached across the table and took Kurt's hands in his.
"I missed you so much."
Kurt took a sip of wine. "I missed you, too." Blaine's eyes roamed Kurt's face, taking in the bruises, and the tiredness in Kurt's eyes. How can he possibly still be tired? He's done nothing but sleep.
The waiter arrived to place a bowl of bread on the table and promised to return to take their order. Blaine read over the menu while Kurt watched him closely.
"So, who exactly did you kill?"
Blaine looked up. Kurt's eyes were an extraordinarily piercing blue. He closed the menu and laid it down on the table.
"They were men who worked for Chartussi."
"Chartussi?"
"Frank Chartussi. He's a mafia boss out of New York. He's the one who arranged the hit on my father."
"Oh."
Silence.
"Cooper helped him."
"What?"
"Cooper helped arrange the hit. He got one of my father's trusted men, a guy named Carlisle to help. Cooper betrayed our father. Our family."
Kurt was shocked. "But why?"
"For the same reason he took you. Control. He wanted to be boss so bad that he was willing to kill off our father and then me in order to take control of the family."
Kurt slowly shook his head.
Blaine suddenly grabbed Kurt's hands and held them tight.
"I know I failed you and that you're disappointed in me, but please know that I love you, Kurt and I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you. Just please…let me make it up to you. I'll do better this time. I prom…I swear."
Tears rolled down Kurt's face. The waiter came back, his smile dropping immediately when he looked at Kurt. He retreated quickly. Blaine's voice matched the desperate pleading of his eyes.
"Please, Kurt. I just…I need you to at least try. Say you'll at least try to forgive me."
Kurt sniffed and wiped his hand across his face. "It's not your fault. Cooper did this, not you."
Then just like that Kurt's mind snapped. He pulled his hands from Blaine.
"But you were supposed to protect me. Andersons protect what they love. That's what you said. Didn't you love me enough to protect me?"
Blaine's heart collapsed inside his chest as tears filled his eyes.
"Yes, Kurt! Yes! I love you. I love you more than anything. Please believe me."
Kurt stared at him, his eyes accusatory and cold while tears rolled down Blaine's face.
The waiter reappeared, looked at Blaine, and practically ran from the room.
They sat in silence. Kurt sipped the wine and stared off into space. Blaine stared at Kurt and felt like he was dying with each moment that passed with no words between them.
"Do you know someone named George?"
Blaine shook his head. "I don't think so."
Kurt refilled his wine glass and drank it down in one swift motion.
"He tried to rape me."
Blaine's mouth fell open.
"Your brother locked me in a room with him. I managed to fight him off and then...kill him, so nothing happened, but…I can't stop thinking about it. I killed someone. I killed him and then I killed his friend, or partner or whatever, and then I killed Cooper."
Blaine hesitantly reached for Kurt's hand again, relieved when Kurt let him take it.
"I'm glad you killed them. All of them."
Blaine couldn't tell what Kurt was thinking, but he was staring at Blaine so intently he decided to keep talking.
"I shot my grandfather."
Kurt quirked an eyebrow.
"I shot him several times. I killed at least four men personally and ordered the deaths of four others. No. Five others. Maybe more. I'm not sure."
Kurt remained silent, still staring at Blaine.
"Here's the thing, Kurt. I don't regret it. Not even a little. Those men were bad. They were working for people out to hurt me, out to hurt you. So, I don't care that I killed them. They deserved to die for being on the wrong side. In my world you're either with the Andersons, or you're not, and if you're not…fuck with us, and we'll kill you."
The waiter hesitantly poked his head in. Blaine beckoned for him to come take their order.
The rest of their evening was calm and ordinary much to Blaine's relief. They discussed where they should vacation which led to an inevitable discussion about Kurt going home.
"Your father expects you home next Friday."
"I know," said Kurt before taking another bite of steak.
Blaine eyes were dark, his voice low and slightly threatening.
"I have no intentions of letting you go home."
Kurt looked directly into Blaine's eyes.
"I know."
They fell into a relaxed routine of sleeping, eating, swimming, watching movies, and reading.
There was very little talking.
Blaine was sure he didn't have Kurt's forgiveness. Not yet. He could tell by the way he sometimes caught Kurt staring at him, his eyes cool, clouded over with accusation and distrust. The look always pushed Blaine deeper into the depths of the guilt pit he was trying to claw his way out of, but he was willing to endure it. He couldn't forgive himself, so why should Kurt?
Kurt continued to struggle with conflicted emotions, desires, and wants. He ranged from angry, to sad, to furious, to depressed in the course of minutes, but he didn't act out. He knew it wasn't healthy, but he didn't feel like acknowledging his feelings. He just wanted to be.
But there was one constant emotion that ran concurrent with all the others.
It was something Kurt wasn't sure he was ready to acknowledge, but it was also the feeling pushing and nagging him the most.
Especially at night when Blaine held him close, pressing against him, his warmth and scent filling Kurt's breathing, reminding him of nights locked in handcuffs in Blaine's room at Dalton.
There had been nothing sexual since the blowjob. Blaine was waiting for Kurt to make the first move again. He could sense Kurt's hunger which in turn fed his hunger, but his desire to be patient coupled with their bodies still healing kept him from doing anything.
x-x-x
Thursday evening Kurt sat in the dining room and called his father.
He was supposed to go home Sunday.
He could feel Blaine watching him from the living room.
"Hey kiddo! How you doing?"
"I'm fine. How are you?"
"I'm good, good. Campaigning's been…"
Suddenly Blaine's hands were on Kurt's shoulders, gently massaging.
"…Schuster is arranging a campaign fund raiser for next…"
Blaine's thumbs softly rubbed either side of Kurt's neck.
"…that Coach Sylvester is a lunatic. You should hear the…"
Blaine's hands moved to either side of Kurt's neck.
"…office called to confirm your appointment on Monday…"
Kurt breathed in sharply as the hands tightened.
"…time will you be home Sunday?"
Kurt tilted his head back to look up at Blaine. Blaine stared down into his eyes and mouthed one word.
"Mine."
"Um, well that's why I was calling..."
Blaine returned to his chair.
Kurt remained on the phone six more minutes before hanging up.
"I assume you're staying?"
Kurt nodded.
x-x-x
Saturday evening Blaine sat on the bed watching Kurt slowly extend his leg. He was sitting in Blaine's desk chair just wearing a t-shirt and boxers.
"How does it feel?"
"Better. Much better."
"What about your wrist?"
"It's okay I guess. They said 6-8 weeks and this is just week 3, so…"
Kurt joined Blaine on the bed. He lay down on his back while Blaine lay on his side, his head propped up on his hand. His smile was dark and sexy as his eyes penetrated Kurt's.
"So, no handcuffs for another 3 weeks."
Kurt's chest tightened as a rush of emotions engulfed him.
Want.
Anger.
Fear.
Need.
Need won.
He reached up and twisted his fingers into Blaine's shirt, pulling him down until their lips met. It was a slow, deep kiss that traveled all the way down to Kurt's toes and back up his spine. The kiss unleashed all the sexual want coursing through Kurt's veins. He pulled Blaine on top of him. Blaine swallowed a grunt of pain as his ribs shouted out in protest, focusing instead on Kurt's tongue in his mouth. Their kisses turned fevered and hot as Kurt moaned.
"Need you…want you…"
Blaine sat up and Kurt slowly lifted his arms. Blaine pulled off Kurt's t-shirt and boxers, his cock hardening as Kurt rested his arms above his head, his eyes a dark, lustful navy. Blaine swallowed hard and dug his nails into his thighs. He wanted to handcuff Kurt, spread him wide, and fuck him for hours, but he was sure that was physically impossible. Instead he pulled off his own t-shirt and boxers, and leaned down, hungrily kissing Kurt breathless. He slowly worked his way down his chest, kissing and licking, his lips ghosting over the bruises around Kurt's waist. When he reached Kurt's cock he didn't swallow it. Instead he licked from the base all the way up to the head over and over before finally sucking just the head into his mouth.
Kurt was trembling, his hurt leg spread as wide as was comfortable, his healthy knee bent, foot flat on the bed. Blaine scooted down further and gently nudged Kurt's legs a little wider as he sought out his hole. Kurt gasped when he felt Blaine's tongue lapping and tasting. Darting in, out, and around over, and over, and over again until Kurt was breathing hard and squirming with a need so strong he thought his body would break apart.
Blaine finally sat up and took a bottle of lube out of his nightstand, squirting a generous amount on his fingers. He moved uncharacteristically slow, inserting only one finger before another. He took longer than usual because for the first time ever he was nervous. He didn't want to hurt Kurt, or himself for that matter. It had only been 3 weeks. Their bodies were far from 100% percent.
Kurt tangled his hands in Blaine's hair and pulled with the need racing through him. He wanted, and needed to feel Blaine inside him. Taking him. Capturing him. It had been so long. Too long.
When Blaine was sure Kurt was overly ready he moved up to look into his eyes. They were no longer navy. They were a clear, bright, blue full of the one thing Blaine loved most in the bedroom.
Submission.
Blaine kissed his lips softly and reached into his nightstand drawer to pull out a Dalton tie. He never looked away from Kurt as he wrapped it around Kurt's neck. He leaned down again for another soft kiss before pulling the ends tight. Kurt's cock throbbed and jumped.
Blaine kissed him again and whispered into his ear.
"Remember that I promised to buy you a cock cage? Well, I have it. Tonight when we're done it goes on."
Kurt's entire body whined in response. Yes, yes, yes.
Blaine pulled the ends of the tie one last time tying it tight. He started to shift into position but stopped. He looked into Kurt's eyes. Kurt had been so emotionally wrecked before along with their still healing bodies. He wanted to make sure.
"Are you sure gorgeous?"
Kurt nodded. "Just go slow."
It was the slowest, yet most intense love making they'd ever experienced. Blaine was shocked to find that moving slowly, deliberately, and with smooth pacing was just as intense and overwhelming as fucking hard and fast. He could feel Kurt fall and slide under, his fingers pressing into Blaine's shoulders and back as if trying to hold on before releasing completely. Moving slow meant moving longer, and so their love making lasted for a long time.
It was quiet, heightened and healing.
Kurt came with quiet gasps and cries while Blaine came almost silently, his entire being lost in the reclaiming of his lover. His Kurt. There was a refocusing and re-strengthening of his passion for the man lying underneath him.
Never again. Separated never again.
They lay quiet and still for a while before Blaine went to the bathroom and returned with a warm washcloth. He cleaned Kurt gently and lovingly. Kurt watched his motions with warm anticipating eyes. Blaine sat down on the edge of the bed.
"How do you feel?"
Kurt took a moment to really think about his answer. His emotions were so all over the place these days.
"Loved."
Blaine smiled and nodded. Perfect. Kurt's answer was perfect.
"I have something that will make you feel loved, gorgeous. Loved all the time." Blaine stood up and went over to his closet. He reached up on the shelf and took down a small red box and a larger wooden box. He sat back down on the bed and placed the boxes between himself and Kurt, but didn't open them. Instead he stared at Kurt, his eyes travelling down to the tie around his neck.
Perhaps a tracking collar instead of a bracelet.
He opened the small red box first and took out a metal cock cage. He then opened the wooden box and took out a silicone cock cage. He held up the metal one.
"This is a cock cage, gorgeous. We're going to start with this one so you can get used to wearing it. When you're ready we'll switch to this one." Blaine picked up the silicone cage. That one looked softer to Kurt. How was the metal one the trainer? Blaine's smile was wicked and knowing.
"The silicone one is called the Punisher."
Arousal shot up Kurt's spine.
"You'll just have to trust me when I tell you the metal one is the easier of the two, but don't worry, gorgeous. You will get to wear this one. Eventually."
It took several minutes for Blaine to put the cage on because Kurt was so incredibly aroused that his cock kept growing hard. Blaine started talking about naked women which did the trick. He held his breath as Blaine gently placed his cock inside the metal pod and locked it.
His eyes then grew wide with surprise as he watched Blaine carefully place his own cock inside the silicone cage. Blaine closed his eyes, grimacing and hissing as the tiny but deceptively deadly spikes nipped at his cock. It took him a few minutes to adjust and breathe normally again.
"Remember what I said, gorgeous? Cock cages for both of us. A matching set, but this one is really…well you'll see."
Kurt quickly realized the struggle of his own cage as his cock pressed against the cool metal in expression of how turned on he was from watching Blaine. The denial of his erection sent him falling into the warm, floaty, headspace he loved.
They climbed into bed and lay as close as possible, holding each other tight. Kurt exhaled and drifted away in his thoughts…
Yes, I'll just stay here. It's warm, and safe, and I don't have to do anything, or deal with anything. Blaine will take care of me. Blaine will take care of everything. I can just be. This is good...this is wonderful...this is perfect…
The figure moved quietly with focused steps, the white coat swishing silently.
The guard looked up, nodded, stood up, and left.
The small vial of clear liquid easily blended into the rest of the IV fluid.
Mario's hand felt so small, his face dry as a single kiss was placed upon his forehead.
"You are loved."
"But it is time."
"Farewell, Mario."
Thanks for all the check-ins and words of encouragement as I struggled with my writing over the past few months. Hopefully things will move faster moving forward.
Review and let me know you're still out there!