"Where the hell is my son?" Kurt hears Maria before he sees her, but she very quickly rounds the corner, striding along as the doctor struggles to keep pace at her side.

"This way Ma'am, he's still sleeping I'm afraid...let me see if he's up for visitors."

"You don't ask, sunshine," she replies, and Kurt can feel the anger rolling off her in waves. "You tell. Tell my son I am here and coming to see him as soon as I've spoken to Mr. Hummel here."

Kurt gulps as her dark eyes fix on him. Hands on hips and breathing heavily, Maria Anderson is seething. "What the hell happened?" she asks, coldly.

"He...uh...we...were...um..."

"Well that's helpful. Thank you so much." She retorts. "Burt tells me you weren't at the party. Care to explain?"

"He...no. We weren't. He said...he was staying with me for the night."

"As in sleeping over?"

"Yes."

"So you're twenty seven years old and encouraging your teenage boyfriend to break the rules? Nice. I actually thought you were good for him you know. Clearly I was wrong."

"Hey, no!" Kurt cries, standing and it's only then Maria notices how terrible he looks. "Blaine told me that you were okay with it."

"You think I knew? Why would I know? I told him he wasn't allowed to sleepover at yours until after graduation, and I meant it."

"But I..."

"Oh stammer all you want Kurt, but my boy nearly died tonight because he got caught up with you and your insane ex-boyfriend. You dragged him into all this Kurt. I hope you feel guilty as hell."

"I do. I'm sorry, I never meant for..."

"Save it. I'm going to see my son." Maria snaps, stalking across the hall and pushing open the door to Blaine's room.

Kurt sits and cries, wondering if he will ever be out of tears. At some point, someone sits in the seat next to him, and he feels the strong, familiar arms of his dad around him which only makes him sob harder.

"I'm sorry dad, you must be so disappointed in me." Kurt sniffs.

"No." Burt says matter of factly. "Not your finest moment, I'll admit. But I'm far from disappointed. You and Blaine, you've fought to be together. You acted in a moment of panic, he also acted equally as dumb- trying to defend your honor no doubt. You'll pull through this together and be even stronger because of it."

"No. I can't. We can't. Not anymore."

"Kurt..."

"Maria is right. I dragged him into this very real, very adult world before he was ready. What other seventeen year olds do you know who have to deal with a psychotic stalker?"

"But Finn and Rachel..." Burt tries but fails to interject.

"But Finn and Rachel go on dates, Dad. They hold hands and share sweet loving kisses and then Finn sees her to the door and thanks her for a nice evening. Blaine and I...we've done stuff I had never even heard of at his age..."

"I don't think I need to know that. But so what anyway? Lots of kids his age are having sex."

"It's not just the sex though dad. It's the sneaking around, I can't 'court' him- you were right. I've taken all his firsts. And however good it feels at the time, however wonderful and fantastic it may be to think that we're in an adult relationship, he's just a boy. A little boy who deserves stolen kisses with another little boy under the bleachers, who should be trying to put his arm around a guy in a movie theater. A boy who should be able to date Brad, Andrew, Jarred and Mike all at the same time if he wants, because it's just kids dating. Not making plans to set up house in New York with a guy who's ex tried to kill him." Kurt leans back and runs his hands over his drawn face, exhausted.

"New York? You're moving back?"

"Not anymore."

"But that would be the best thing you could do, kid. Start fresh somewhere else. You could be yourselves and none of this would matter."

"No. I'm not going. It's over."

"Don't do this to him Kurt...please."

"Then what the fuck am I supposed to do, huh? Someone please tell me because I don't have a fucking clue anymore!"

The door opens and Maria steps into the corridor, eyes red rimmed and sniffing into a tissue.

"He wants to see you." She says quietly without looking directly at Kurt. Glancing at his dad, Kurt worries his bottom lip nervously.

"Go on. I need to fill Maria in on what happened anyway." Burt says, and with a guiding hand to Kurt's back, ushers him toward the room.

The soft click of the door causes Blaine to turn his head slowly, and Kurt's gut twists as he watches Blaine's swollen, bruised, disfigured face light up when he sees him.

"Hey," he croaks out, reaching out with his one good hand towards Kurt, who hasn't moved since stepping inside.

"Hey. How do you feel?"

"Like I've been run over by a freight train. Other than that, great. How do you feel?"

Kurt huffs a bitter laugh, typical Blaine, always putting others before himself. "I've felt better I guess."

"You gonna come over here?" Blaine asks, still holding his arm outstretched. Kurt walks towards the bed and perches uncomfortably on the edge. Blaine feels a small stab of hurt when Kurt doesn't lean to kiss him, doesn't even look at him, keeping his eyes focused on the floor instead. "So you were right." he rasps- throat still painfully sore from Richard pinning him down. "Condoms are a pain." He laughs, dry lips cracking as they turn up in a small smile.

"Don't, Blaine. Please don't." Kurt says, tilting his head up to the ceiling in an attempt to hold back the tears.

"Hey, it's okay Kurt." Blaine takes his hand softly, and Kurt lets him, holding back the overwhelming urge to wrap him tightly in his arms and never let go. "I'll get better. And I don't think he'll come back now...he'll be too worried about whether the police might catch up with him."

"They will. I can give them his address, his parents address, I can..."

"No, Kurt. You can't." Blaine interrupts.

"What?"

"You can't tell the police anything. You can't take that risk. I'm gonna say I was on my own."

"You are not!" Kurt says, a hint of anger in his voice as he stands, "I don't give a damn about the consequences, I was the only witness. The only one who can identify him and tell the police the history and why he attacked you."

"Yeah, and in turn he will tell them about us, and they'll throw the book at you. It's a third degree felony until I'm eighteen Kurt, I looked it up. You'll go to jail."

"I don't care."

"I care!" Blaine exclaims, then starts coughing, dry heaving coughs that leave him clutching at his side as best he can and gasping for air. Kurt grabs the glass of water on the small table and brings it to his lips as he holds his head tenderly. "Thanks." Blaine mutters, dismayed at the way Kurt steps back from him once more.

"This is the end, isn't it?" Blaine asks after a long, awkward silence.

"It has to be." Kurt says, eyes still fixed on the floor.

"No it doesn't Kurt. I love you, you love me. It's six months until graduation. We'll lie low and then head off to New York the day after I get my diploma."

"See you're just a kid Blaine!" Kurt snaps, finally turning to look at him, but anywhere except his face. "Listen to yourself. We'll just lie low. How? HOW? Don't you get it? There are condoms and fucking lube in your car, with a drugstore receipt and a cashier who can say he saw us together. It's not like he won't remember- we were probably his only fucking customers all evening. As soon as that comes to light that's it."

"Which is why we say nothing. When the cops come I'll tell them I don't want to press charges."

"Oh, and you think your mom will just roll over and take that? Huh?" Kurt is yelling now, tearing at his hair in desperation. "I love you Blaine. I do. But we can't do this anymore. You're too young, it's too much risk, and above everything- even if I end up in jail- I will never in a million years forgive myself for running out on you."

"You...what? You didn't run out on me Kurt." Blaine says kindly- so kindly that Kurt's tears start to fall again in awe of the compassion this amazing young man has. "I told you to go. I wasn't going to let them get to you, I would have died before that happened. And I made you go so all this-" he waves his hand aimlessly between them- "could be avoided."

"But I ran away Blaine. I ran away like the fucking cowardly bastard that I am. I don't deserve you, or your forgiveness."

"You're not a coward. You're the bravest person I know. You've taught me what it's like to be a man, Kurt. To strive, to hope, to dream, to hold tight to what you believe in. And above everything, you've taught me what it's like to love." he reaches out and touches the Kurt's fingertips with his own. "Please don't break up with me Kurt, Please." his voice cracks and that's it. He's unable to hold back anymore and cries freely, looking more like a little boy lost than ever before. Without hesitation, Kurt is there, gathering him gently in his arms, whispering soothing words in his ear as he plays with the soft curls at the back of his neck.

"Shh, shh, Blaine. It'll all be okay, I promise you."

"No it won't." Blaine sniffs into his shoulder as he grips his hoodie tightly. "Not if I don't have you. I need you Kurt. Please, please."

"It's better this way, trust me."

"It's not though. You know it's not. We tried staying away from each other before and we couldn't do it. It'll be even harder now."

Kurt shakes his head softly. "I'm sorry." He kisses Blaine's forehead and lowers him back onto the bed before walking quickly from the room.

"You have no idea how pissed I am at you." Maria all but snarls at Kurt as he leans heavily against the wall. A worried looking Carole and Burt have been joined by Finn and Rachel, the latter of which is crying softly.

"Save it." Kurt replies wearily. "No one can hate me more than I hate myself right now."

"I wouldn't bet on it. Seriously, you must be a complete grade A jerk, running out on your boyfriend while he gets beaten half to death."

"I didn't...well...I did. But Blaine told me to. He wanted me to go to Finn, so I'd have a witness to say I was nowhere near. But I couldn't. I drove to my dad."

"You still drove away you idiot!" Maria yells in his face. "You didn't call the cops, or an ambulance. Oh no! That would have been entirely too logical. You drove ten minutes down the road to your dad. Meanwhile my son gets seven shades of shit kicked out of him and is left for dead. Thank God your father had the sense of mind to haul your cowardly ass back to find him!"

"I KNOW, OKAY?!" Kurt yells, startling his family and a passing orderly. "I'm weak, I'm pathetic, I'm a coward. Well I'm doing the one thing I can do to make things even a tiny bit better. I'm going to the police. I'm going to tell them I was there, give my name as a witness and explain the background and why Richard was out to get Blaine. Then, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go home and cry my way through a bottle of whiskey because I've ruined the best thing that has ever happened to me."

"You'll go to jail." Maria states, her tone one of cold indifference.

Kurt nods. "I know."

"So now my son's boyfriend is his teacher, ten years older than him with a psycho ex and he's also behind bars. Fantastic."

"I'm not his boyfriend anymore." Kurt says as he begins to walk away.

"What?" Maria calls.

"You heard. I ended it. Blaine is free to find someone his own age, without all this baggage, someone who he can love and who makes him happy."

"Kurt!" Maria calls, breaking into a run to catch him, but Kurt is long gone. Pushing past people and flinging open doors, he ignores the continued cries from Maria, Burt and Carole for him to stop, and finally gets outside. Taking deep breaths of the cold night air, he tries to steady himself before realizing he has no money, no car and no way of getting home. He starts to walk.

"KURT!" Maria yells behind him, but he carries on.

"DON'T YOU DARE WALK AWAY FROM MY SON YOU IGNORANT BASTARD!" she screams, and everyone stops- including Kurt- as they turn to look at this short Italian woman, still dressed in her best party clothes, curls flying every which way and chest heaving, trying to regain composure as she walks towards him.

"Don't. You. Dare." she spits as she reaches him. "You will ruin him. He will never pass high school for a start, he won't be able to. You will have broken him completely. And New York? Forget it. Kurt, he loves you with every fiber of his being. He loves you so much he was willing to risk everything in telling me because he was so proud of you. He broke my rules, lied to both of us so he could be in your arms at midnight. And I look at you two together and I see how much you love him in return. I was married Kurt, I gave the man two beautiful sons. But he never, ever looked at me the way you look at him. All he has to do is pass you the salt, and he's King of your universe. You might think you're doing the best by finishing this, but you're not. For either one of you."

Unable to stand anymore, Kurt sits on a nearby bench, the tears still falling, and falling harder still as Maria sits and takes his hands in hers.

"Kurt, I know I said I'm pissed at you, but I do understand. I do. I know why you left, I know what Blaine can be like when he's forceful. I also know that you need to forgive yourself for this, because otherwise it will eat you alive. And the stuff I said, about you being a coward, I didn't mean it. In case you didn't realize, I have a temper. You are a wonderful man, Kurt. You are perfect for Blaine and he is perfect for you. Now answer me honestly, do you want to end it?"

"No." he says, with a small moan as he looks up at the hospital and thinks of that poor boy lying broken, physically and emotionally.

"Then get your ass back in that hospital and fix this mess."

"What do I do though? I have to tell the police. That sick bastard needs to pay."

"I agree. I know what Blaine thinks, but you have to tell them. I'm worried he will surface again."

"But if I..."

"Then we will deal with it Kurt. As a family. Maybe, if the authorities realize that you both have parents who are supportive, they'll turn a blind eye. He's only six weeks from turning eighteen."

"I'm scared." Kurt whispers, rubbing his eyes like a child and trying to smile.

"I know you are sweetie. I know." She wraps her arms around him and brings him gently to his feet, guiding him over to Burt and Carole who both embrace him warmly.

Kurt enters the room quietly to find Rachel brushing hair from a sleeping Blaine's forehead. "He cried himself to sleep." she explains, smoothing her skirt as she stands.

"You coming to Burt's?" Finn asks quietly.

"No...I'm gonna stay here."

"Okay. Want me to go to your apartment and grab you some clothes?"

"That'd be great, thanks." Kurt answers, kissing Rachel's cheek as they leave.

"Blaine?" Kurt whispers as he shuffles onto the bed and takes his hand.

"Mmmm? Kurt?" he tries to sit, concern etched on his features but it soon turns to a painful grimace.

"Stay still sweetheart. Don't try to move."

"What did you want Kurt? I've been through enough...please don't say anymore." Blaine says, voice cracking and eyes shining with unshed tears.

"I'm not. Well, I am but please just hear me out. I'm sorry, Blaine. You keep telling me how brave I am but I...but I was trying to take the cowards way out. I love you. I have never been so deeply in love with you as I am right now. I need you as you need me, we need to be together."

"What are you saying?" Blaine asks, trying to make sense of it all through the fuzz in his head.

"I'm not breaking up with you. Whatever unfolds from all this, I want us to face it together, as a couple, with our families by our sides."

"You serious?"

"Never been more serious in my life. I'm sorry I even thought about it. Do you still want me?"

"Of course I do. Jeez, they didn't hit me that hard."

"Don't joke about that."

"Sorry." Blaine replies, but there's a small smile playing on his face. "Will you stay with me tonight?"

"Of course I will. And your mom knows about it this time." he adds with a pointed look.

"Aw shit. Yeah, she said something about that."

"Yeah. She's okay though. I think nearly dying gets you out of a grounding."

"Now who's joking?" Blaine asks- smiling outright this time despite the pain it causes.

"I'm going to the cops tomorrow."

"Still joking?"

"Uh-uh."

"But Kurt you..."

"Hush. Sleep now, we'll talk again in the morning. Right now, all that matters is that I've got you. I'm here and I am never, ever going anywhere."

"Promise?"

"Promise."