Thanks so much for all you reviews and suggestions! You guys are so amazing! This story wouldn't be here if it weren't for you guys so give yourselves a pat on the back, or a cookie. Yeah, give yourselves a cookie! Much more delicious! Oh OK, I'll eat a cookie too! Nom nom nom nom! Thanks to Phamy who said that Kurt needed to fall apart again because the road to recovery isn't easy or smooth so this is for you!

Chapter 32: Smacked down

Graduation was creeping closer and closer. That mean that exams were soon upon them and everyone could be found studying in the library, in groups, individually and in pairs. Kurt and Blaine studied together, pushing each other to get good marks so that they could get into the colleges that they had applied for.

Nick, Jeff, Wes and David often studied with them to, all of them having big plans after school too. Kurt could be found studying hard at home too, locked up in his room. Finn didn't seem to have the same passion as Kurt and was often out at Rachel's place. Kurt hoped that Rachel was at least getting Finn to study because he knew that Rachel had big plans (she broadcast is enough). He didn't want to see Finn fail or become a Lima loser. He wanted Finn to do what he loved.

Kurt's therapy was coming to an end to, for which Kurt was grateful for. His voice was practically back to where it had once been and he had been practicing singing with the Warbler's when they took a break from studying.
Kurt was also helping Santana, Brittany and Puck with their work.

Puck had come to a sudden decision that he wanted to do something with his life. Get out of this loser town and do something.
So they had agreed to meet at the Lima bean with Blaine and study there too.
Everything was going well and to plan.

Kurt should have known that his happy thinking would bite him in the ass. New York had made his put his guard down. He was so focused on the final stretch that he forgot to take in the things around him, literally.
The upcoming exams were starting to stress Kurt out so he wasn't always paying attention to his surroundings.

Kurt was hurrying to his class one afternoon and wasn't watching where he was going. A Dalton student had just opened his locked and smacked Kurt straight in the face, sending him flying backwards and sprawling to the ground.
Kurt couldn't see. His body reacted instinctively, curling up and images kept flashing through his head.

He opened his eyes but all he could see was red. He whimpered and coughed. All his McKinley nightmares flashing in front of him. Karofsky throwing a slushy in his face every morning, getting slammed into locker's.
Kurt couldn't stop the panic that was building him in.

"Are you OK?" someone asked but Kurt couldn't breathe. Too many memories were pulling him down. It was too similar. His brain was screaming for him to get out of there but he couldn't.
"What's going on?" said another voice. Kurt tried to breathe but he couldn't, he was too scared. It was happening again, it couldn't happen again.

"Mr Hummel? Can you hear me?" said a voice. Kurt dimly recognized it as Gary Dalton but he was too far in his terror to know that he was safe.
"Kurt," his voice was urgent know. "Go get the nurse. NOW!"
Kurt tried to breathe and it rattled in his chest but it wasn't enough.

Footsteps echoed dimly around him but he couldn't pull himself out of the terror, words echoing around his head.
You're a fag, Hey Lady boy! You're not welcomed here, get lost you waste of space!
"He's having a panic attack and he's not responding. We need to call an ambulance," said a female voice.

It was too much, why wouldn't it stop. He couldn't breathe, his throat felt sore. He couldn't escape. He tried to breathe again but it just felt wrong. He could feel his body shaking but he had no control over that. He didn't have any control over his thoughts either.
Time meant nothing to Kurt and he was suddenly aware someone was talking to him, right in his ear.
"Kurt, My names Harry, I'm with the paramedics, can you hear me?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Kurt gasped and shook.
"That's good. We are just going to put an oxygen mask on to help you breathe," Harry said, tone soothing. Kurt felt something being placed on his face and it was bringing back more memories, waking up in hospital. Kurt shook more and Kurt mind flashing back to the hospital.

"OK, we're going to lift you on to the stretcher now OK," Harry said and Kurt felt hands on body and he was being lifted and then placed on something soft. It was too much, hazy memories coming in stronger, thinks he had been desperate to block out coming back. Kurt blacked out, unable to take it anymore.

Blaine was waiting in class, waiting for Kurt to turn up. The class heard a commotion out in the hallway and the teacher paused to look out. She gasped and the class frowned.
"Everyone stay in your seats," she instructed and she left the room, closing the door behind her. Cameron sneakily got out of his chair and went to the door and peered out through the little window.

"Woah," Cameron breathed. "Paramedics are here."
Blaine's blood ran cold and fear struck his heart. Kurt wasn't in the class and now paramedics were here? Cameron suddenly bolted back to his seat. The door opened again and the teacher came back in.
"Blaine, you need to go to the Principles office," she said gently. Blaine felt sick. He grabbed his things and bolted out.

He looked down the hall but nobody was there. He hurried to the office and went straight in.
"Blaine, sit down," Gary said and Blaine sat down heavily.
"What's going on?" Blaine asked, voice breaking.
"It seems Kurt accidently ran into an open locker and had a sever panic attack," Gary said and Blaine shook his head.

"I need to see him," Blaine said.
"Kurt's family have been contacted and Carol will come and pick you up to see Kurt," Gary said. "You parents have been notified and have agreed to this."
Blaine nodded, his mind firmly on Kurt.
"You can stay here until she arrives," Gary said and Blaine nodded.

What seemed like forever, Carol finally arrived.
"Hi, Blaine sweetie," Carol said softly. "Are you ready to go?"
Blaine jumped up and nodded. Carol kept a hand on his shoulder as they walked out, heading to her car. They climbed in and they headed to Lima.
"Have you heard anything?" Blaine asked, tears in his eyes.

"Not yet sweetie, but don't you worry. Kurt is going to be just fine," Carol soothed. They were quite on the way there and Blaine kept jiggling his leg. Finally the hospital came into view and Blaine sat up straight.
Carol parked and they both jumped out, hurrying into the hospital. Carol asked where Kurt Hummel was being held and they were given directions.

They hurried through the hospital, without running and quickly found the room. Burt was already there, sitting in a plastic chair next to the bed. He smiled softly as they came in. Kurt eyes were closed and an oxygen mask still on his face. His chest was rising and falling evenly and his heart beat was strong.

"How is he?" Carol asked, standing behind Burt, putting her hands on his shoulders.
"He's calmed down, they put some drugs in him to calm down," Burt said. "Luckily he didn't break his nose, just bruised badly."
"His nose?" Carol asked.
"When he ran into the locker," Burt said and Carol nodded.

"You OK Blaine?" Burt asked and Blaine jumped.
"I don't know," Blaine swallowed.
"He's OK," Carol said.
Blaine couldn't keep his tears in and they flowed down his cheeks. He sniffed and wiped his eyes.
He felt Burt's hands on his shoulders, squeezing them tightly.

Kurt shifted and Blaine's head shot up. He watched as Kurt's eyes fluttered open and take everything in. They became frantic and Blaine took his hand. Kurt's eyes snapped to him and he started to relax.
"Hey buddy," Burt said, coming into Kurt's eyes line. Kurt squeezed Blaine hand, eyes worried.
"Hey sweetie," Carol said and Kurt's eyes flickered to her and blinked slowly.

Kurt's other hand went to his mask and tugged it down sluggishly.
"Why are you crying?" Kurt asked weakly, eyes on Blaine. Blaine let out a choked laugh/sob and sat down on the edge of the bed.
"You had me worried," Blaine choked out.
"Sorry," Kurt said and Blaine shook his head.
"You don't have to apologize," Blaine said.

"What happened kid?" Burt asked.
"I wasn't watching where I was going and someone opened their locker and I ran into it," Kurt said, still managing a small blush on his pale cheeks. "I don't know what happened but I felt like I was back in McKinley."
Blaine squeezed Kurt's hand tightly.

"I just panicked. It was too familiar," Kurt stressed.
"Being stressed about exams hasn't helped," Carol said. "The doctor's said this could happen if you got really stressed."

Burt nodded in agreement.
"She said the stress could trigger a panic attack with all that you have been through," Burt said.
Kurt blinked slowly, squeezing Blaine hand again. Blaine soothed his thumb over his skin.
"Horrible," Kurt murmured.
Kurt stared at Blaine and Blaine wiped his eyes, catching the tears.

"We'll give you two a minute," Carol said, taking Burt's hand and dragging him out.
"Don't cry," Kurt said quietly.
"I love you so much," Blaine said, coming closer and planting a quick kiss on his lips.
"I love you too," Kurt said.
"I don't like seeing you in hospital," Blaine said.

"I don't like being here," Kurt chuckled quietly.
"How are you feeling? Can I do anything for you?" Blaine asked.
"Just you," Kurt said and Blaine smiled.
"I'll stay as long as you need me," Blaine promised.

"Can you put the mask back on?" Kurt asked. Blaine nodded and slipped the mask back on, running a finger over his cheek. Kurt shifted over and Blaine understood. He sat up against the pillows with Kurt, Kurt laying his head on Blaine's shoulder.
Burt and Carol came back in and smiled at the two boys. They sat back down on the chairs and kept Kurt company.

They stayed until the doctor came in.
She checked his charts and deemed him well enough to be released.
"You need to take it easy, no stress and plenty of rest," the doctor said. "A panic attack could be easily triggered for a while now so no added stress."

They nodded and Kurt was released. Blaine called his parents and they allowed him to stay the night at the Hummel's. Burt had offered Blaine to stay while Kurt was changing in the bathroom.
They headed home, Kurt not letting go of Blaine's hand. Finn wasn't there when they got home, with Rachel instead and Blaine helped Kurt up the stairs to his room.

The two crawled on to the bed and just laid there, hands entwined.
"Thanks for being here," Kurt said quietly.
"I wouldn't be anywhere else," Blaine said.
"What about your study?" Kurt asked, worried.

"Don't worry about that Kurt. We can catch up," Blaine soothed. "What's more important is that you get better."
"I can't believe I had a panic attack," Kurt moaned.
"It's nothing to be embarrassed about," Blaine said. "After everything you went through I'm surprised you've been this strong. You have so much courage."

"You give me strength," Kurt whispered and Blaine smiled.
"We complete each other," Blaine grinned and they both giggled at the cheesiness.
Kurt sighed happily and snuggled into Blaine.
"I can't wait to move to New York with you Blaine," Kurt sighed,
"Me either Kurt," Blaine whispered in his ear.

Wow! This was a big chapter! Hope you all enjoyed. Like is said at the start this was to show that recovery is hard and we all have set backs!
Please review!