A/N: This was inspired by a scene in a fic (www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/s/6070120/1/Break_your_heart_to_save_your_life) by timeworn grace (www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/u/2391809/), who very graciously gave me permission to spin off of her idea. So my thanks to timeworn grace, and I hope you all go check out that story!
Glee is still not mine, sadly.
He takes a moment to watch everyone before stepping into the room. Santana and Brit are sitting at the top of the risers, pinkies linked, talking about their newest Cheerios routine. Tina is perching on Artie's lap, laughing as they talk with Mercedes and Quinn about something that had happened at lunch. Rachel is sitting at the edge of the piano bench, talking animatedly with Finn about the duet they are working on. Mike sits astride the bench behind the pint-sized diva, content to listen in with his arms wrapped around the brunette's waist, holding his girlfriend flush against his chest. Matt and Puck are on the other side of the room, passing a football back and forth.
He takes a deep breath, hating what he is about to do to these people that have become his family. But then his hand flits to the stitches above his swollen and bruised right eye, to the edge of his split lip, and he steels himself for what he knows he must do.
He steps into the room and looks at Mr. Schuester, who nods back at him encouragingly and clears his throat, sympathy clear in his eyes. "Guys," the teacher says. "Kurt needs to tell you all something."
They all stop and turn to him expectedly, some of them wincing when they see the state of his face. They all know what happened, but that doesn't make it any easier to see.
"I'm not going to nationals with you," he says quietly.
"WHAT!" shrieks Mercedes. "Kurt, nationals are in a week and a half, what's going on?"
Everyone stares at him in shock, waiting for his answer. "I'm transferring to Carmel, guys."
The silence holds for a moment before the room erupts into chaos. "You're doing what now?" yells Santana. "How are we going to find another guy in time for nationals?"
"Kurt, seriously, what's going on?" repeats Mercedes.
"Dude, those jackasses already got expelled, is this really necessary?" questions Finn.
"Isn't there something else that you can do? Mr. Schue, you must have some ideas!" exclaims Quinn.
He notices that Rachel is silent as the rest of the group carries on about alternative options and how screwed they are for nationals. She simply stares at him, taking in his haggard posture, the haunted look in his eyes and the way he jumps slightly when someone in the hall slams a locker shut. And then she smiles at him sadly, and does something that none of them expected.
"Everyone," she says, disentangling herself from Mike's embrace so that she can stand up to face them all. "Let him go."
They fall into stunned silence, and his eyes widen at her authoritative tone, shocked that she should be the one standing up for him. Of everyone in the room, he expected her to be the one most upset at him leaving them in the lurch just before nationals.
"It's safer for him there," she continues. Right?" she says to him, coming to stand next to him.
He nods mutely, tears welling up in his eyes as it finally hits him, hard, that he will be leaving these people behind. She smiles at him again and takes his hand in hers, squeezing lightly in reassurance. "Then you do what you need to do. We'll all support you." Her eyes flash defiantly, daring anyone to disagree with her.
He pulls her into a grateful hug when they all start to nod and call out that they'll still be his friends and there for him when he needs them. "Nationals will be there next year, Kurt," she murmurs to him. "Don't worry about that, just take care of yourself, okay?"
The tears finally spill over at her concerned words. "Thank you, diva," he says.