Come What May

"Thad, I can't put him through that again," Blaine said, squeezing Kurt's hand. Kurt had his head bowed, sniffling. The defense attorney had thrown those images up in front of everyone, showing the small crowd things that Kurt hadn't even wanted Blaine to see.

Kurt had fainted, overcome by the situation, full of humiliation, anger, terror and the memories of what Roland did to inflict those wounds. He woke to Blaine urging him awake, just as scared as he was. He'd clung to his husband for dear life, tears in his eyes.

The judge had adjourned court until tomorrow morning, warning Roland's attorney beforehand.

Now they were sitting in their apartment, talking over how tomorrow would go.

"I know, Blaine, but in order to prove our case and put any thought of this being a consensual affair out of the judge's mind Kurt has to go on the stand," he explained.

"I can't do that to him!"

"Blaine," Kurt said softly. "I'll do it."

"Kurt-"

"I want everyone to know what he is. I want him to go away for what he did to us," he said. "Thank you, Thad, for helping us."

Thad gently patted her shoulder. "It's no problem, Kurt." He stood, taking his briefcase. "I'll see you both in the morning. We'll go over some of the questions, is that alright?"

"Yes, thank you," Blaine said. Kurt leaned back on the couch when he left, resting his head. Blaine looked at him, touching his hand.

"It'll be over soon," he promised.

"Not soon enough," he said quietly. Blaine leaned his head against Kurt's shoulder, just looking at him. "I just want everything to go back to normal."

"Kurt, what are you doing?" Rachel asked. Kurt glared at her, buttoning his jacket.

"Going to see my husband perform," he said simply.

"I don't think that's a good idea," she said.

"I'm a grown man, Rachel, I don't need a babysitter and I don't need your permission to leave. It's opening night. If I don't show up, Blaine's performance suffers. I've never missed a show of his, and he's never missed one of mine. You don't mess with tradition in this business, Rachel. You know that." He snapped, dabbing cologne on his neck and draping a scarf around his throat.

"But, after court today-"

"I got it out of my system, if you don't recall me crying in my room for two hours." She pursed her lips, wringing her hands.

"Blaine asked me to-"

"I know." He put his hands on her shoulders. "I appreciate that, Rachel, I really do. Thank you for tearing yourself away from your show to help me. But I have to be there for Blaine. I have to be able to put my feelings aside for him. That's what you do for someone you love."

"How's he doing?" Liz asked, powdering her face.

"He has good days and bad days, but he's getting better," Blaine sighed.

"Is he here tonight?" She asked, looking at him through the mirror.

Blaine fastened his cufflinks, looking sad and wilted. "No. He had a rough day in court today. And the last place he would want to be is here."

She frowned, sighing. "I'm sorry, Blaine."

"Not as sorry as Roland's gonna be."

Kurt sat down, feeling uneasy in this large crowd. But this was his reserved seat, front row center. No, it wasn't the best seat in the house, but it was right there where Blaine could see him.

He wouldn't see him for a good while, not until Mama told Roxie about Billy, but he'd be sure to be there, smiling brightly when Blaine came on stage.

He looked directly at me when he did, and I watched his eyes light up. He didn't break character other than that, which made Kurt even more proud.

He rushed backstage when the show ended, Blaine sauntering down the hall, high fiving and giving thanks to the cast around him.

He stopped everything when he saw his husband. He rushed him, hugging him as tightly as he could. "You didn't have to come," he whispered.

Kurt hugged him back, smiling softly. "Yes I did." Blaine looked at his husband, gently thumbing his cheek.

"Can I kiss you?" He asked. Kurt nodded. Blaine gave him the first, deep, long kiss he'd had in awhile. Kurt trembled a little, but he loved being this close to Blaine for a change.

"You should do that more often," he whispered. Blaine smiled at him.

"Alright, I'm gonna go change and then we can go home, okay?" He said gently.

"Can I come with you?" He squeaked. "I don't want to be alone out here." Blaine took his hand, eyes tender.

"Of course you can." He led him inside, holding his hand. Kurt looked at the room. A few cards of congratulations decorated the vanity, a few bouquets of girls that were obviously clueless to his existence, and…and a picture from their wedding.

He walked closer to it while Blaine changed. They were running down the aisle, birdseed and bubbles raining around them. They were smiling, holding onto each other, so happy. The scene played in Kurt's memory like a movie, like it was yesterday.

They ducked away from the onslaught, laughing while everyone cheered. Blaine spun him into his arms, kissing him deeply, getting more cheers. They looked at each other, so in love.

"I love you!" Kurt had said. Blaine grinned.

"I love you too." They pressed their foreheads together. "Nothing but happiness from this moment on. Got it?" he smiled.

"I promise."

Kurt shook his head, tears welling in his eyes. He'd broken that promise.

"Kurt?" Blaine said, coming up behind him. Kurt turned, hugging him tightly, teary-eyed. "Shh…what's wrong?"

"We were so happy…"

"Hey, hey," he said softly. "Look at me," he lifted his chin. "We will be happy again. I'm happy now, being here with you."

"I am too, but," He swallowed hard. "But ever since I-"

"You didn't do anything," he assured, kissing his cheek. "This happened to you; there's a difference." He held him, rocking him back and forth. "How about we pick up some Chinese and cuddle up on the couch. There's a 'Grey's Anatomy' marathon on Oxygen," he offered. Kurt sniffed, smiling at him.

"That sounds great."

"Kurt," Thad began, voice gentle and quiet. "Can you tell me what this injury is from?"

Kurt looked at the picture of his neck, striped with deep brown bruises from Roland's fingers. "Mr. Broussard choked me while he was assaulting me. It wasn't the first time," he muttered. "He, um, he slammed me against the wall. Told me that if I wouldn't be quiet he was going to strangle me. I stopped."

"What about this one?" He asked. Kurt glanced at it and winced. It was a violent purple bruise, on his upper thigh, splotched with broken blood vessels.

Flashes of being thrown in a bathroom stall, ramming against the metal bar before being thrown into tile. He closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Um, M-Mr. Broussard, um…" He trailed off, swallowing hard. He looked at Blaine, who nodded a little, his eyes alone telling him he was okay. Thad smiled gently.

"It's alright, Kurt, take your time," he said softly.

"Get over there!" Roland's voice in his ear. "You get the fuck over here and don't you say one fucking word, do you understand?"

Kurt shivered in his seat, the weight of the silence growing heavier.

"Take it, take it, you should be fucking used to it by now! TAKE IT! There, that's a good boy. Good boy… See? It doesn't hurt so much, does it? yeah, you like it…"

Kurt didn't realize he was crying until Blaine stood, his chair scraping across the floor.

"He threw me in the bathroom!" He choked. Thad held out his hand to stop Blaine from rushing forward. "I fell into the bar in the stall and he shoved me against the tile. He made me take off my clothes and-"

"Okay, okay," Thad soothed. "It's alright, it's alright." Kurt took a few deep breaths. "Can you keep going?" He nodded. "Alright, one more."

The picture shown was his fingers, swollen and bruised. Kurt closed his eyes.

On the floor, face beaten from the back of his hand, lip bleeding, crying. Roland grabbed his hair, forcing his head back. "You say his name one more fucking time and I swear you'll regret it."

He glared at him, scowling. "Blaine."

Kurt opened his eyes. "The last time Mr. Broussard made me…He told me if I said Blaine's name again that I'd regret it. I said it. He kicked my face, I…I couldn't stop him. He…he made me stand up. He walked me over to a cabinet ho-holding my neck. He slammed my fingers in the door," he gulped. He looked at the picture, at his beaten fingers, his wedding ring straining against the swell. He remembered the splint he'd had to wear on that finger for a few weeks. He'd just gotten it off yesterday. He looked at his ring.

"Thank you, Kurt," Thad said. He backed up toward his table. "No more questions, your honor."

"Well, I think I've made my decision," the judge said. Roland's council stood.

"But, your honor!" He interjected.

"I've heard quiet enough out of you, Mr. Reynolds. You've made your point several times and frankly I think it's bullshit. And you can put that in the records, ma'am." He looked down at Kurt. "Young man, I believe every word you're saying and it's taking everything I have not to come down from this bench and beatin' his ass myself. There's no evidence to support your client's claim, Mr. Reynolds and I find him guilty of blackmail, at least four counts of rape…" He skimmed through the files of photos in front of him, counting them. "Eleven counts of assault and battery and one count of assault with a deadly weapon."

"Your honor, that's outrageous-!"

"I said ENOUGH, Mr. Reynolds. Mr. Broussard will be sentenced at nine a.m. a week from today." The gavel sounded. Kurt staggered off the stand and fell into Blaine's arms, sobbing as they led Roland away.

"You son of a bitch! You know you wanted it!"

Kurt huddled deeper into Blaine, hiding his face.

"It's over, Kurt, it's over."

"Mr. and Mr. Anderson?" The judge said. They turned. "I suggest you two talk to a therapist. Just to get past all of this without too many scars." They nodded.

"Thank you," Blaine said.

"Here," Thad said, holding out a card. Kurt took it. "She's excellent."

"Thank you," he said. "For everything."

He nodded, patting his shoulder and nodding to Blaine before leaving. Kurt turned back to Blaine's chest, letting him smooth his hair and shush him.

"Shh, it's over, baby. It's over."

-More Klaine TLC next chap!-