A/N:

Hi :)

I have been doing this on Getting Away for a good while so I decided to start it here too, answering reviewers at the beginning of the next chapter. I hope you like the idea:

Eraman: I know it has been a long time. I hope it does not have you enjoy the update any less.

Sarahamanda Klaine: It always makes me smile to hear you enjoy reading what I came up with. Thank you!

Sissi Parker: I dearly hope you like the more I came up with so far.

Faithful Cherry Blossom: I had been working for some days on a new chapter when I received your review yesterday. It was a big surprise, considering I have not updated in months, and it was so encouraging to hear your words. And I love so much that my portrayal of Kurt and Blaine's relationship can make you happy. Because that is how it felt reading your words, and that was amazing! Thank You! :) M

Tears Stained

Chapter Fourteen: As the day goes by

Kurt's phone goes off while he lies on the hospital bed with Blaine, both asleep.

Burt is the one to pick it up to prevent the music, filling the room already, from disturbing the boys' sleep.

No one has called though, it is a text, well, it is three. Two sent just now, and having the phone go off at the same time, one a little older, and Burt wonders how they missed it while sitting in the diner this morning, but gosh is he glad they had. "What is that guy doing texting my son?" Burt grumbles lowly, whole face already set into a frown.

Usually Burt would respect his son's privacy, no questions, well, not many questions asked. Today is an exception though, Burt is sure Kurt will want to know about the texts he has been sent if they are urgent. And there is only one way to find out for Burt.

He opens up the first, clearly stated to have been sent by Wes, and Burt hopes full of good news. Burt has heard Blaine, drugged up keeping asking Kurt, again and again, for Wes today, and 'They need some good news': Kurt, hey:)My plane has landed a while ago and I am on my way to my parents' right now. Just stopping for a coffee in a cosy cafe. Can you remind me of the exact way to your house once I enter Lima from the Westerville direction. It has been a while, after all. And I don't want to take a wrong turn by accident. Thank you! I love you guys. I think I'll be there around seven tonight. Love, Wes

Burt smiles at the fondness he can clearly find in the lines Wes has sent. 'That's good. Good,' he thinks, sighing in relief.

Santana has texted too just now: Kurt, need u school for Glee. Sending Finn to pick u up in a while.

That is not a text making Burt particularly happy, he just does not like the idea of Kurt being out of his sight too long today, but he can live with 'Santana being Santana.' He is used to the girl's ways these days. She has been spending a lot of time around their home after all, ever since her coming out, feeling safe around Blaine and Kurt in ways she still struggles to with others, Burt suspects.

The third text though, the third one is a whole different story. It is from a guy called Smythe, and three days ago Burt would have had no idea who that even is, today, today it is all different. Burt's hands are getting shaky when he moves to open the text. He has never in his life talked to or even seen that boy, he does not need to to know this cannot be good:

Hey gay-face, cried enough to come and face me already? We're not done yet, we're nowhere near done.

Burt sits there, staring at the text for five more minutes, "That guy is threatening my son. That guy actually has the never to threaten my son, after all he already did."

"Dad?" Kurt sits up, still groggy with sleep, his father's deep voice having intruded his sleep.

"Kurt, hey."

"What are you doing with my phone?"

"It ... went off a moment ago, I didn't want to wake you if it wasn't important. Don't be mad, please, but I read the texts you got."

Kurt is still groggily rubbing the sleep out of his eyes when he gets up and walks over on his socked feet, "It's okay, Dad. I know you are just trying to help."

As they stand hugging Burt's thumb is still hovering over the delete button to that last read text. 'He does not need that extra pain.'

"Kiddo," Burt starts as they stand with each other, not hugging anymore, the grief filled sigh Burt says it with has Kurt on edge in seconds.

"Is it Blaine? Is something, oh gosh, did something go wrong? Was his doctor here while I was asleep?"

"Shh, shh, no, no Kurt," Burt says taking one of Kurt's hands and tightly squeezing it. "Blaine is doing great, a nurse was here twenty minutes ago. She said he is doing just fine, and we can go home as soon as he feels less drowsy and tired."

Kurt lets out a deep breath, eyes squeezing shut and tears spilling over, "Oookay. But Dad, what's wrong? Something's wrong."

"Smythe texted you."

Kurt has his phone back in his hands in a flash and is reading. Burt can see his eyes going wide, and new tears spilling already as he hears the small, "Oh."

Kurt sounds exhausted, so empty of fight.

"Kurt, you don't have to be scared ..."

Kurt breaks his father off, "It's not that."

"What is it?" Burt asks softly.

Kurt's still tear-filled eyes find his father's as he looks up from the phone's screen. "I just don't know what he wants from us. I don't know how to make him stop. I just want him to stop!"

Kurt is back in Burt's arms within seconds, and Burt can feel his soon shaking with all of these last days having been far too much to take.

"Forget about hat idiot for now, okay? We'll figure something out. But not today. Today is about Blaine and you, and hey, Wes texted, he landed and he just needs to stop by at his parents', and he said he'll be at our place around seven. He can stay with us if he wants to, you know. I can text him and tell him he can stay with us while he is here. Sounds good, right?"

Kurt nods into his father's chest.

"We'll figure it all out in time," Burt hums as he leads Kurt back to the bed. "You catch some more shut-eye. I'll do the texting. I love you."

"Love you too," Kurt whispers back, tears slowly subsiding now, finally.

Burt steps out into the hall for a moment to text Wes directions and their invitation to stay with them for some days. He is so tempted to text that Smythe guy too, give him a piece of his mind, but as he had said to Kurt, 'Today is not about that jerk.' So Burt turns back to Santana's text instead, answering.

Burt: Hey, this is Burt, Kurt's dad. Do you really need him at Glee today. He is exhausted.

It only takes a minute for Burt to receive an answer.

Santana: I promise it's not going to take long. It's good news too. I'll bring him home after myself.

Burt: Okay. I'll let him know. When will Finn be here?

Santana: In about an hour.

Burt: Please keep it brief. He's not ..., he needs to be with Blaine today.

Santana: Thank you for understanding, Mr. Hummel.

Burt cannot ignore the feeling that this text is about much more than the stuff going on right now.

Burt: No problem. See you later.

Santana: Later.

Just when he is done texting with Santana, a text from Wes comes in: Thank you so much for offering me a bed in your home. I appreciate it so much, and gratefully accept. I really want to be there for Blaine as much as I can while I'm here. Thank you so so much for making it easier for me. Kindest regards, Wesley

Burt has to smile at the warmth he can feel interlaced with Wesley's polite words.

Burt wants to cry when he thinks about Blaine and Kurt having been used to and having been comforted by the Warblers once having been a group guided by someone so gentle and warm, '... and now ...,' now everything is different, so different.

And Sebastian, "That Smythe guy has something else coming if he thinks he can keep talking to my son like that," Burt mumbles to himself as he re-enters the hospital room.

After this the day just flies by.

Kurt is startled at first by Finn coming to pick him up, even more startled when he finds out at school what Santana has been up too, angry when he finds out Santana has been slushied too, thankful she cares so very much about Blaine and him. But he would not be Kurt is he could not pull himself together in a flash, a skill well developed through all the years of bullying.

Kurt will only let go again tonight, of all the tension packed away in himself, and the tears and frustration. This afternoon he leads the Glee club into a brief practice session, onto his highroad. A path he can only hope will lead to something, anything when it comes to Smythe. A path he hopes the friends he still dares to hope he has in the Warblers, still, are willing to take with him.

Kurt feels the urge to break down, the need to let go and just fall to pieces right there on the auditorium's stage. He does not, of course.

Kurt goes on and on and on, like a battery operated bunny, and then he goes home. Well, Santana drives him, as she had promised, and he showers and puts on some fresh clothes before he drives himself back to the hospital, telling Santana he would rather have her keep Carole some company because he hated leaving his step-mom alone all the time today.

When Kurt re-enters his boyfriend's hospital room Blaine is sitting fully dressed on his bed, Burt just packing up the last of their things brought along in case Blaine had to stay over night for some reason, complications do happen – they have not though, not today.

It is strange, painful, to Kurt, seeing Blaine like this. Blaine who is always so full over energy. It is not that Blaine sitting here right now.

Kurt slowly walks over, and wordlessly sits down next to his boyfriend, pressing a kiss to Blaine's temple and giving him a shoulder to lean on, which Blaine accepts with a big sigh and a smile.

Packing, leaving the hospital, and finally making it home again, it is a quiet affair – quiet being something all three men can deeply appreciate today, treasure really.

They are greeted by Carole and Santana, staying for dinner now, when they enter the Hummels' kitchen.

Santana too is really quiet tonight. Having watched Kurt struggle through the whole of his stay at school today to stay focused and properly awake, she feels the need to be here for Kurt and Blaine, and she is; cuddling up with Blaine on the couch so Kurt can get some super comfortable clothes for Blaine to slip into before dinner and taking a moment to do so himself; promising to get them both their school work the next week, while Burt has allowed Kurt to stay at home with Blaine, he himself and Carole needing to be at work, and no one wanting for Blaine to have to be alone.

Blaine had wanted to but in the end cannot bring himself to get any of the macaroni dinner down his throat.

When he tries to apologize to Carole she just waves it off, "Sweety, don't worry. I'll just give some to Santana to take home with her to her family. And I am sure Finn will take care of the rest. And I also made some soup for you, just in case. Maybe you can try some of that."

"Carole, you are amazing," Blaine whispers back, exhaustion still clear in his every feature. And Blaine does eat the soup, and finally with something warm in his belly, he almost falls asleep right there at the table.

Burt is the one insisting on scooping him up and carrying him up the stairs to Kurt's room, Kurt with them every step, but grateful his dad insisted on Kurt not doing it himself, Blaine does not need to be dropped and add a concussion to an injured, painfully throbbing eye.

The full extent of his own exhaustion hits Kurt when he drops to the bed beside Blaine, and not two minutes later both boys lie asleep on the covers, Burt half pulling the door to Kurt's room close behind himself as he leaves them cuddled up under a blanket he just got form the hallway wardrobe and placed carefully over them.

They do not hear the doorbell ringing twenty-two minutes later, nor Burt welcoming a young man, "You must be Wes," into their home.