(13) I Won't Let Go
A/N: The trial has come :L anybody else as nervous as I am?
Also, I'm terrible at making up names, so sorry if they sound really cheesy and crappy.
Ps. Is anyone still reading this? Because I know I went all AWOL for a few months and the last three chapters were complete shit but... Anyone? I understand of you've lost interest in this story :/
XXX
I Will Fight Your Fights
Burt kept pacing back and forth in his best suit in the DAs office, waiting for her to come into her office.
"Dad," said Kurt. "Will you please sit down? You're going to get your heart all worked up."
"My heart is fine," he lied. Physically, his heart was in decent condition. Emotionally, though... Burt sighed and took a seat. "I'm just nervous. I have no idea how this is going to blow over." He looked up and looked down, twiddling his thumbs and wringing his hands.
In the room, also waiting, were Finn, Carole, and Blaine.
Finn shook his head. "I've actually got a real good feeling about this. There's a plethora of evidence against him and even if there's not as much as it seems, I think you're a much more credible source..."
Kurt stared at him unbelievingly. "Did you just say plethora?"
"Really!?" cried Finn. "Out of all that, all you got was that I discovered what plethora means?"
Everyone had shadows of grins on their faces when the prosecutor handling Kurt's case walked into the office. She was a tall, thin, attractive woman—no more than 35—with dark brown hair and rectangular, dark framed glasses that sat on her pale freckled face.
"Hello, Mrs. Garner." said Kurt with an awkward smile.
She smiled back at him. "Nice to see you again, Kurt." Inside, she flinched. It was never nice seeing a victim, or a case, for that matter, like this one. She looked around the room. "I just wanted to warn you that there is a good chance that many of you will be called to the stand as witness characters, considering that all we really have at this point is DNA. Usually, that would he enough, but when you have a forensics team as unreliable the one here in Lima, the defense attorney will usually try to debunk it's credibility."
They all nodded. "We'll do whatever it takes," said Finn, taking in a deep breath.
Blaine felt a hand reach down and intertwine with his own. He didn't need to look to see that it was Kurt's. He had already memorized the way it felt in his hand. Because when you had someone as special an perfect as Kurt, you wanted to memorize every last detail, as if it mattered.
Janet Garner closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and exhaled. Not much happened here in Lima. Crime was low, especially high-profile cases like this one.
And with one last encouraging look towards Kurt, she lead the way out of her office and into the double door that lead to what would surely be one of her toughest cases ever.
XXX
"Rape..." said Janet Garner. The room was completely still in it's silent anticipation. "It is an especially cruel and heinous crime that Kurt Hummel was sadly a victim of."
Kurt blinked back tears as he looked down at his feet at the bottom of the pew behind the prosecution table, where he, his family, and Blaine sat. Blaine leaned in a little and gave him a small smile that said "it'll be alright". Kurt returned the gesture with a smile and a small nod.
"Kurt is a good student. Straight A's until recently, key member of his Glee club. He is fluent in French and has rarely gotten into any sort of trouble with his father or any other adults, and has no rap sheet or record of any kind. Why would an honest and kind student like Kurt lie about being raped? What would he gain from it?
"On the evening of November 22, David Karofsky, sitting right there at the defense table, forced himself and committed sexual assault against Kurt Hummel.
"Kurt Hummel has been through a lot in his life. Too much for a kid his age, if you ask me. He lost his mother at the age of eight, has been teased and called names, thrown in the dumpster, shoved against lockers... And now... This... He deserves to see justice at least once in his short life. Please, help him see that justice."
She turned away and walked back to the prosecution, sending a challenging look towards the defense table. As she took her seat, the defense attorney stood up.
"Andy Monarch for defense of David Karofsky... Mrs. Garner here says that Kurt would gain nothing from crying rape against David Karofsky." He took a look around. "That's not necessarily true.
"David was Kurt's long time bully, and crying rape would easily stop the harassment. I am in no way condoning the bullying that David has admitted to doing, but the fact is that there is no law against bullying here in Ohio, and the fact is he did not rape Kurt Hummel.
"David Karofsky was also a straight A student until recent events. He was an active part of this community and a part of the football team at his school. This is his first run in with the law, if you can even call it that." Blaine's fists clenched. The nerve of him, trying to belittle what Karofsky had done. "He should not be considered any less of a credible source than Kurt Hummel. If anything, Kurt Hummel should be considered the non-credible source here."
Blaine furrowed his eyebrows. Whoa, whoa, what?
"In fact, though our motion to dismiss the case was denied, the defense would like to file a change in pleas. 'Not Guilty by Reason of Mental Defect or Insanity.'"
"Objection!" cried Garner as she stood up, firmly placing her hands on the table. "The defendant David Karofsky has already proved that his mentality is healthy enough for court!"
"Oh, I'm not questioning my client's mental state..." said Monarch simply. "I'm questioning yours."
XXX
"What the hell just happened out there?" asked Kurt with a whimper in his voice. Garner had called for a recess immediately after Monarch had motioned to change his plea. But she wasn't quick enough and the judge granted the defense's motion before granting her recess. The trail would continue the next day.
"The defense filed to change their defense plea. Basically..." she gave everyone else—Blaine, Finn, Carole, Burt—weary glances. "They're claiming that you're not sane enough to file a complaint against Karofsky. That the rape never happened or that-that it was consensual, I-I-I don't know what they're planning..."
Burt shook his head. "That is complete bullshit! We took Kurt to a therapist! There is absolutely nothing wrong with my son!"
She gave him an apologetic look. "I know, he was diagnosed with PTSD, but I'm pretty sure most of the jury members aren't familiar with it and the defense will use that to their upmost advantage. I've dealt with Monarch before. He's ruthless. Manipulative. An asswipe..."
Kurt blinked back the hot tears that were forming at the rim on his eyes, to no avail. Blaine stood next to him and wrapped his arm around him. "What does this mean... For our chances of winning?" asked Kurt, creating a silent and tension filled atmosphere.
Garner bit her lip and shook her head. "I don't know..."
XXX
Kurt walked down the north wing of McKinley, just like he did everyday since the new semester had started, waiting to meet Blaine (and occasionally Finn) so they could walk to Glee together.
But unlike those other days, he suddenly felt a pair of familiar arms push him into the lockers. It had been so long since the last time he'd gotten pushed, and had it been last year, his shoulder would have been used to the pain. But it had healed by now and been unconditioned.
It met the metal with a sickening pop and he cringed up his face in pain, he took in a sharp breath of air, feeling like the pain had knocked the wind out of him. He reached across with his right hand and grabbed onto his shoulder in a vain attempt to stop the throbbing. His shoulder stung and he tried not to cry. He leaned back against the lockers, breathing deeply in and out with his eyes shut, and slid to the floor.
"Kurt!?" asked a worried voice. Kurt swallowed back a lump in his throat.
"Oh my god, Kurt!" said a second voice. Kurt opened his eyes to see Blaine and Finn running towards him. "Are you ok?" asked Finn.
Kurt nodded. "I'm fine it's just my shoulder."
"You sure you're fine?" asked Blaine as he patted his hands all over Kurt, checking for bruises and contusions. Blaine's hand barely even grazed his shoulder and Kurt let out a sharp whine.
"Aw shit..." said Finn. His eyes narrowed. "This was Karofsky wasn't it?" he growled.
Kurt hesitated before answering. "Yes but just let it go, Finn. We've got enough-"
"Like hell I'll let it go!" he stood up and took off in the direction he last saw Karofsky leave.
Blaine quickly helped up Kurt and as soon as he saw his boyfriend was fine, took off after Finn. He was seething, too. "Where are you going!?" cried Kurt.
"After Finn!"
Kurt let out an exasperated whine and, still clutching his shoulder, took off after them both.
Finn, who had a pretty good lead on the other two, caught up with Karofsky easily. Finn grabbed his shoulder, forcing him to turn and face him. Karofsky sneered. "What the hell do yo-" He was cut off by Finn's fist smacking across his jaw. Karofsky clutched his throbbing cheek.
"That's for raping my brother!" screamed Finn.
"What the FUCK!?" cried Karofsky.
Blaine had just arrived on the scene. Finn shot another punch in his gut. "And that's for being a lying!" Punch.
"Finn!" screeched Kurt as he arrived, shoulder still throbbing.
"Pathetic!" Punch. "Sorry excuse!" Punch. "For a human!" Punch. "Being!" Punch.
Karofsky doubled over and clutched his gut. Finn backed off for a fraction of a second, breathing shakily. Karofsky suddenly pushed Finn up against the lockers. "You wanna go at it, Hudson!?" he yelled.
Finn pushed Karofsky back until they both slammed against the lockers on the other side of the hall. "Yeah! I do!" he yelled back. "You and me, settle this shit here and now!"
Karofsky started throwing punches at Finn and Blaine ran towards the two fighting boys. He meant to break them up, but when he was this close to the person who had completely fucked up Kurt's life, his anger nearly took over. He kept his cool for a little while as insults were thrown both ways, still trying to get Finn off of the bastard.
But the moment when one of Karofsky's flying fists landed square on his face with a smack... That was when he lost it. The group of taunting kids yelling "FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" had suddenly quieted down.
It was as if the hit made it all click.
Kurt had been raped.
By him.
Instead of breaking down, Blaine charged towards Karofsky and tackled him to the ground, taking Finn with him. The three wrestled on the ground and Blaine used some fight club skills he hoped he would never have to, throwing repeated punches at his face as Finn hit his gut.
They rolled around like that for a few more seconds. Blaine had gotten hit in his gut four times and twice in hid face. Finn had taken considerably more blows, but Karofsky had probably taken the most hits.
Suddenly, Blaine felt a firm pair of hands grab his shoulders just as his fist was retracted, ready to strike again, and lifted him off of Karofsky, and heard a deep "ENOUGH ALREADY!"
Finn had been lifted up as well and so had Karofsky. Sue, Mr. Shue, and Coach Beiste had all finally interfered.
"Alright!" Yelled Beiste. "Everybody out! Get outta here! Show's over!"
Karofsky yanked his arm out of Beiste's firm grasp. "Aren't you gonna expel Hudson or anything? He hit me first!"
"Well, as I recall," began Sue. "You were the first to hit curly fries over here, so if Hudson's getting expelled, then so are you. Nobody likes a hypocrite, David."
He scoffed. "This is bullshit." he muttered.
"Watch your mouth!" warned Mr. Shue.
"It's not fair!" exclaimed Karofsky. "They should be punished!"
"You know what?" said Sue. "I am getting sick, and tired of your attitude Karofsky." She pointed down the hall. "Now get to class before I turn you in for truancy!"
He scoffed again, but just walked away. He just didn't even care anymore.
When he was out of ear and eyeshot, Mr. Shue gently placed a hand on Kurt's shoulder. "Are you ok?"
Kurt nodded. He suddenly turned to Blaine and Finn. "What the hell were you thinking!?"
"I was just about to ask you the same thing," scolded Mr. Shue. "You guys are lucky you didn't break anything!"
"I don't care whether or not I break anything!" shouted Blaine. "He was... He shoved Kurt and I..." He choked on his last words, tears forming at the rims of his eyes. Kurt reached down and grasped Blaine's hand.
Finn looked down at his shoes. "I'm just so tired of Kurt's life falling to shit all the time..." he turned to his brother. "I-Kurt, I know—I KNOW—that I haven't always been there for you and you've always been there for me and I'm just a complete douchebag and I-" He looked up with tear filled eyes. "I was just trying to make up for it before it's too late."
"Oh, Finn-"
Kurt was cut off before he could even begin to reply. "I hate to ruin a perfectly fluffy family moment, but Porcelain, I want you to know that Beiste and I will be conducting random drug testing on our athletes this Friday."
Kurt furrowed his eyebrows. "Um, coach Sylvester, why- um... How is that relevant to anything?" He questioned.
Beiste smiled. "It's going to be a non-routine one, so it can be done by drawing blood."
The three boys had blank, expectant stares.
"Which contains DNA..." filled in Mr. Shue with a light smile.
The gears in Kurt's head began turning.
"And as soon as that blood goes into storage, it becomes property of the school, meaning that it is eligible to enter as evidence in an ongoing trial." finished Beiste.
Kurt swallowed back a lump in his throat. "Thank you..." he finally managed to choke out. "But... Why?"
"What do you mean why?" asked Mr. Shue.
"Because you helped the Cheerios win Nationals last year." said Sylvester. She gave a small smile towards Kurt. "Kurt..." she began. Everyone froze. This was the first time Sue had ever called him by his actual name. "It's because we care about you."
"Exactly," began Will. "We're a family here in Glee club. You should know that by now. I, and everyone else in there, loves you, and we're willing to do anything to protect you."
Kurt threw his arms around Mr. Shue and everyone else. Finally, he just let all the tears fall. Sweet release, that great feeling you get when you're surrounded by people that you love and love you back. He just stood there, holding his brother, boyfriend, former coach, friend of the Glee club, and his instructor and cried.
Only this time, they were tears of joy.
XXX
A/N: Ok, so this is one of those chapters I'm actually kinda ok with. I mean, I don't think it was complete shit like the last three!
Also, have any of you seen The New Normal? If you haven't, GO! Whether or not you think it's future!Klaine, it's still an amazeballs show! There's a free download available on iTunes! And if you have seen it, what did you think? Did you laugh out loud? D'aww? Cry? Cause I did all three!
Review? Pretty please with CrissColfer on top?