Kurt's hands reached out and Blaine clutched at them desperately. They were freezing, and Blaine tried to rub some warmth into them. The moment Kurt had stopped responding, Blaine had hung up and dialled 911, giving them Kurt's address but saying he didn't know what had happened.

Kurt's eyes were open, but they looked glassy as they stared into Blaine's.

"Kurt, oh my – what happened?" Blaine cupped Kurt's jaw in his hand and took in his swollen eye, bloody nose, bruised cheek, split lip. He felt tears pricking at his eyes. "What happened, Kurt?" he asked again, hearing his closeness to crying in his voice. "Kurt, please say something. Please, please say something." He looked Kurt in the eyes again, holding his head with both hands now.

He almost cried with relief when Kurt's eyes swam back into focus and he was met with a small smile and a whispered, "Blaine." He forced a deep breath and pressed his forehead into Kurt's, pulling away and apologising when Kurt cried out from the movement.

Where the hell was the ambulance? He considered calling again. Was that how it worked?

"Blaine." Kurt caught one of Blaine's hands and held it between both of his tightly. He reminded Blaine of a child who's learnt a new word and won't stop saying it.

"Yeah, I'm here, Kurt." Blaine shuffled so he was knelt down right next to Kurt, one hand in Kurt's and the other tracing carefully over Kurt's jaw. "Do you remember what happened?"

After a pause, Kurt responded. "Karofsky."

Blaine shut his eyes tightly, swallowing. He knew it. When he saw Karofsky again, oh boy...

"There's an ambulance coming, Kurt," he said, resting his hand carefully against Kurt's neck.

"You called an ambulance?" Thankfully, Kurt seemed to be coherent enough again. "You didn't have to..."

"Don't be silly; of course I did," Blaine replied firmly.

Kurt opened his mouth as if to say something else, but promptly shut it again.

Blaine had no clue what to say, but thought he should keep Kurt talking. It was a miracle he seemed okay after passing out once.

"Did Karofsky say anything?" he asked gently.

Kurt paused, thinking. "No. I don't think so." He looked worried. "I don't even remember." He slurred the last word, and frowned.

Blaine rubbed Kurt's neck in a way that he hoped was affectionate without being painful. "It's probably just temporary amnesia," he suggested, racking his brains to try to recall where he'd learnt that. "You should be alright." He thought for a moment. "Let's see what else you remember. Tell me about you."

Kurt's frown grew deeper, but he nodded minutely and began. "My name is Kurt Hummel. My dad's name is Burt and my mum's name was Elizabeth." He paused, and coughed, grimacing at the pain. "Um, my stepmum is called Carole, and her son is Finn from New Direction, the glee club at McKinley High." He laughed softly. "I actually had a bit of a crush on him last year."

Really? thought Blaine. You kept that one quiet, Kurt. "And how did we meet?" he prompted.

Kurt smiled. "We were doing mash-ups in glee club," he said, "and the boys all pushed me out and told me to go do something useful, like spy on the Warblers. So I went to Dalton Academy and pretended to be a new student, and stopped you on the staircase." He beamed happily, and Blaine smiled back.

"I think you're gonna be fine," Blaine said.

The ambulance arrived a minute later, the paramedics rattling off an excuse to Blaine about a more pressing emergency, before checking out Kurt.

"We reckon he'd got concussion and probably some bruising on his ribs, but other than that, he'll heal up fine," one of the paramedics said, straightening up and moving back to where Blaine was loitering anxiously. She checked her watch. "We're going to take him back to the hospital overnight and most likely release him tomorrow morning."

"Most likely?" Blaine repeated hollowly, fiddling absently with his tie.

She didn't seem to hear. "Are you... family?" she asked doubtfully, looking from Blaine to Kurt.

Blaine shook his head. "No, no, I'm his – " he paused for a split second " – friend."

"Well, then, do you have a contact number for a family member? His mum or someone?"

"His dad'll be home soon." Should Blaine have called him? Told him what had happened? He hadn't thought of it. "Or his stepmum or his stepbrother or... someone."

"Right, well, could you tell them what's happened?"

"Yes. Sure." Blaine paused. "Wait – can't I go with him?"

The paramedics had begun painstakingly lifting Kurt onto their trolley. Kurt was trying to be of help, but just ended up making a lot of pained noises.

The other paramedic glanced up at him. "Sorry, son," he shrugged. "Family only."

"But he can't go on his own!" Blaine protested.

"Wait, what?" Kurt seemed to have caught on to the conversation. "Can't Blaine come? Please? He was the one who called you guys in the first place and he came straight here once he knew I was hurt – "

" – And I swear I wouldn't be any trouble, I'd sit in a waiting room as long as I needed to – or I could fetch Kurt things that he needed – "

" – I don't want to be in some room all by myself, and Blaine hasn't really got any way of getting home anyway..."

The paramedics exchanged looks. There was a moment of silence. Blaine held his breath.

"Okay, fine," the first paramedic said. "We give you a ride to the hospital and then you're on your own; it'll be the doctor's call whether or not you see him."

Kurt broke out in a grin, and Blaine nodded, smiling. "Thank you. Thanks."

The male paramedic climbed into the front of the ambulance, and the woman guided Blaine to one seat before settling herself in the one opposite. Blaine settled in, next to Kurt on the trolley. Kurt was breathing on a mouthpiece to numb the pain, and seemed a little zoned out. When he opened his eyes, though, he saw Blaine and leant forward, reaching for Blaine's hand. Blaine took Kurt's outstretched hand in his own and held it tightly, rubbing his thumb over Kurt's knuckles.

"How long have you two been going out?" the paramedic asked, breaking the silence.

Kurt didn't seem to hear the question, but Blaine raised his eyebrows in surprise and stared down awkwardly at Kurt's hand, feeling himself go red. "We're... we're not going out," he responded quietly.

"Oh, sorry, I thought..."

"Yeah, no, that's fine. People do." Blaine glanced up at Kurt, who was sitting still, eyes closed, but applying enough pressure to Blaine's hand for him to know that he was still awake.

The paramedic seemed to recognise something in Blaine's face. "Well, you two'd be cute together," she said, smiling slightly.

Blaine returned the smile and sat back in his seat, holding Kurt's hand close to his heart.