Author Note: Hi, so I've managed to get an extra chapter written this week so I'm a little ahead of myself so I decided to post again today. Also, I hope this clears up the end of the last chapter. Hopefully it all makes sense with this chapter. Thanks for reading x As usual I don't own anything.

Whisps of breath hung in the air as Kurt walked briskly across the darkened campus, his eyes darting back and forth across the black landscape shying away from the shadows which threatened to overwhelm him, his soft footfalls sounding entirely too loud and conspicuous in the surrounding silence. Hunching his shoulders and pulling his jacket tighter around himself he shoved his hands deeper into his pockets and tried to shut everything out concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other despite his every fibre insisting that he run in the opposite direction.

Deeper into the foreboding dark he walked, trees and buildings casting sinister and menacing silhouettes which fuelled by his imagination nearly stole the breath from his lungs. How could a place be so different at night? Sure he had bad memories of this place but how could somewhere so full of life during the day seem even more desolate at night? Voices of those who were there during the day silenced by the darkness, all trace of life extinguished by the stillness, a shudder wracked through him as he pressed on.

Reaching his destination Kurt leant heavily against the cold wall of one of the buildings and closed his eyes, his ears straining for the slightest sound. Only silence reached him, other than the internal sound of his heart trying to escape his chest there was nothing. The night was cold and eerily still and long moments past before Kurt heard it, the sound of heavy footsteps approaching. Snapping his eyes open he took several moments to adjust himself to the darkness, aware that his breathing was now hopelessly loud to his own ears he attempted to calm himself.

"I didn't think you'd come" a voice mocked from the darkness.

Looking around with wide, scared eyes, Kurt tried to get a fix on the voice, the owner of which had haunted him for far too long.

"W... Why don't you just come out? We both know I know who you are Dave"

Attempting to take a step back and hitting the wall he was up against Kurt witnessed the hulking figure of Karofsky emerge from the darkness, a nasty smirk plastered across his face, his small eyes focused entirely upon him.

"You know I really am surprised" he leered walking back and forth in front of him, "I didn't think you would come, no back bone Hummel"

"Fuck you"

"You would do well to learn some manners" Karofsky growled but he made no attempt to move closer, "always so feisty, always so precious and always so beautifully alone."

Painfully aware of the isolation Kurt drew a shaky breath, his fingers clawing at the wall behind him attempting to gain any kind of purchase to anchor himself to reality.

"Do you have it?" he managed to speak with a quivering voice.

"What this piece of crap?" Karofsky bought his hand from his pocket and held it in front of his face, even in the dimness Kurt could make out the shine of his most treasured possession, the chain wrapped around Karofsky's chubby hand, the locket swinging perilously below instinctively he raised his hand and took a step forward before it was snatched away by the laughing figure.

"Please" Kurt begged, "please just let me have it back."

"You know what I don't think so"

"Then why did you make me come out here" Kurt spat, anger replacing the fear he had previously been feeling.

"I miss you"

"You have got to be kidding me?"

Karofsky was instantly in his face, his hand gripping the back of Kurt's head painfully hard whilst his hot breath blew straight onto his features, "your my little punch bag Kurt, I missed you, you run away to your new school, lording it up thinking you can get away from me but you can't and you never will."

Kurt whimpered as he was released and without warning a hard punch connected to his stomach causing him to fall to his knees.

"There you go, that wasn't so hard now was it" Karofsky sneered in a silky voice, "a few more of those and you might remember who you really are" hunching down next to Kurt's head he grabbed his hair again before turning his face up to face him and punching him hard in the cheek. Taking a step back and looking down at his handywork a cruel smile pulled at the corners of Karofsky's mouth.

Spitting blood onto the concrete Kurt braced his hands on the cold hard ground before sucking in a painful breath and resolutely pushing himself up to standing, wiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand he smiled directly at the looming figure in front of him.

"What's so fucking funny Hummel?"

"You actually" Kurt smiled, "you're kind of pathetic you know that right?"

"What the fuck"

"YOU'RE PATHETIC. Who the fucking hell do you think you are? You terrorise me for years and then think you can just dial me up and beat me to a pulp? You are seriously fucked up."

"Brave words coming from you Princess" Karofsky sneered angrily taking a step closer to him.

"I wouldn't if I were you" Kurt said plainly, "there's only one person who calls me Princess."

"Yeah, well PRINCESS who might that be?"

"ME"

Spinning around Karofsky barely had time to register the owner of the voice before a large fist connected with the side of his head.

"You. Fucking. Coward" each word highlighted with a strong blow to his head before he slumped to the ground on his hands and knees, attempting to right his thoughts he turned his head and caught sight of Kurt still standing in front of him, his hands hanging defencelessly at his sides, his smile directed at the person standing above him.

With a roar he threw himself in his direction, red mist descending and adrenalin pumping through him. He could see his target defenceless mere inches away from him his hands outstretched in front of him and he knew they would close around his neck in seconds. Pure hatred lancing through him as he lurched toward Kurt.

Kurt was hurting, his face stung and his stomach was sore, he was barely managing to keep his breathing level between the pain and how terrified he currently was, but there was also relief, he wasn't alone, he wasn't alone and he never had to be again. Distracted by relief he didn't see Karofsky pitch toward him until it was too late, all he could do was watch with wide eyes as the hulking figure loomed closer.

"Ooooppph"

Karofsky hit the ground heavily, his fists flailing trying to connect to the figure currently lying on top of him having tackled him to the ground.

"Get the fuck off of me" he shouted, his fist connecting with the figures face earning him a gasp of pain as the body rolled off him. Struggling to his feet he turned to face Kurt and glanced down at the blonde figure next to him who was being helped to his feet.

"Friend of yours I suppose" he sneered.

"I never said I would come alone" Kurt said with resolution raising his chin, his eyes burning in defiance.

"I'm impressed Hummel" Karofsky growled but he made no further attempt to advance upon him.

"I'm not the same person now David and you only have yourself to blame for that" Kurt said emotionlessly, "you think you broke me, wore me down but you only made me stronger, now just fuck off and leave me alone."

Karofsky glared at him before the hair on the back of his neck prickled, glancing over his shoulder he saw that two figures had become three and all were eyeing him with the utmost contempt, the tallest being physically restrained by the other two.

"Later PRINCESS" he sneered before turning into the darkness, a growl emitting from the figure behind him as he left.

"Dude you okay" Finn asked worriedly as he threw himself toward his brother as the other two finally released him, "yeah Finn I'm fine" a small smile passing over his lips before he looked up and saw the bruise flowering across Jeff's cheek.

"Jeff what the hell" rushing forward he cupped Jeff's cheek carefully turning his face into the little light available to better see the damage.

"Kurt calm down it's just a bruise" Jeff dismissed trying to remove Kurt's hand from his tender face which was actually hurting far more than he intended to let on.

"You are an idiot Jeff, an idiot with a hero complex, what the hell am I supposed to tell Nick tomorrow when you turn up looking like you've been in a bar fight?"

"Um yeah, you could have a point there" Jeff mumbled, "He might think I look tough" he said hopefully.

"Or he and Blaine might just lock us up and never let us out again" Kurt shot back.

"Honestly Jeff you come home with me and you go back looking like that, Nick'll never let you come home with me again."

"Are you kidding me?" Jeff shot back, "this has been the best weekend ever Kurt and if he doesn't want me to come back alone, then I guess we'll just have to bring them with us next time."

"Great" grumbled Puck bringing everyone's attention to him, "more preppy kids to beat us at Mario."

Finn looked toward his friend and shrugged. "Thanks man, you know for stepping in and punching the prick, it should have been me."

"No worries dude, like the Princess said; no-one gets to call him Princess but me."

Kurt smiled at the sentiment whilst still looking worriedly at Jeff's eye, "Thanks Noah."

"No worries Princess"

Kurt's attention was bought back to Finn when a hand was placed softly on his shoulder, "Kurt" he said gently.

"What no dude" Kurt asked sceptically with a raised eye brow.

"No, not this time" Finn said with a soft smile as he reached for Kurt's hand and gently turned it over. Passing his hand across Kurt's outstretched palm he looked from Kurt's eyes down to their hands, Kurt followed his gaze and his breathing hitched as he looked down and saw his locket sitting safely in his palm.

Watery eyes shooting up to Finn's he threw his arms around his brother and sobbed heavy breathless sobs into his shoulder while Finn rubbed his back tenderly, "its okay dude let it out, c'mon"

Kurt could feel the chain cutting into his fingers with the pressure he was clutching it with but the sensation was glorious, "h...how Finn?"

"He dropped it when blondie tackled him to the ground over there" his hand gesturing to the concrete a few feet away although Kurt wasn't looking as his face was still buried in his brothers shoulder, "nice tackle by the way" he nodded towards Jeff who looked supremely pleased with himself.

"Aw shucks thanks man" he dismissed with an over exaggerated wave of his hand and bashful glance.

"It's a little scratched up but I think we can polish it up" Finn continued talking to the top of Kurt's head, the sobs subsiding into heavy breaths and sniffs.

"Hey dude you better not be dripping on my top" Finn said in mock panic as he pulled Kurt back to look at his face, his voice dropping to a gentle whisper, "you okay?"

"I'm okay" Kurt replied softly with a small smile.

The guys had decided before they even reached student parking that Kurt couldn't possibly drive home much to his persistent and hopeless protests to the contrary, he had honestly wondered whether he even needed to be part of the discussion seeing as no-one had actually listened to anything he had said, so this is how Kurt found himself sitting in the darkness in the back of Puck's truck as they returned through Lima towards home.

Finn had taken his car, much to Kurt's chagrin and Finn's obvious delight. Kurt seldom allowed Finn to drive his baby and when he did so it was under his strict supervision so allowing him to drive it alone, at night, especially after the maniacal look in his eyes when he had handed him the keys almost set his heart racing as much as it had been at the thought of meeting his tormentor.

Looking through to the front seats he noticed Jeff was trying to inconspicuously rest his cheek against the cold glass of the window whilst Puck was singing quietly along to the radio, their faces glowing momentarily in the light of intermittent passing cars. Smiling softly he reached out his hand and squeezed Jeff's shoulder causing him to straighten his head and look back over his shoulder with a slight wince that didn't go unmissed by Kurt.

"How are you doing" Kurt asked.

"I'm fine Kurt, honestly you don't have to worry about me, I'm tough" he smiled reassuringly earning him a smile in return.

Kurt regarded his friend before moving his hand to Puck's shoulder to gain his attention, "thank you, both of you. You don't know how much it means to me that you were there, that you had my back..." and he had to stop before tears threatened to overwhelm his speech.

"Hey now Princess enough of that" Puck smiled removing his hand from the steering wheel to pat the back of Kurt's hand which was still resting on his shoulder, "at least I got a few swings in, Finn's pissed that he didn't get a turn" he smirked.

"Seriously" Kurt asked in disbelief.

"Yup, said it should of been him pounding on him instead of me but you know someone had to handle the technical side"

"Technical side?"

"Well yeah" Puck glanced at Jeff before continuing, "Finn taped the whole thing, how else were we supposed to prove the dick head was there?"

"Taped it..." Kurt repeated stupidly.

"Kurt this is a good thing" Jeff smiled at his friend, "we can show your dad and then Karofsky will get what's coming to him, fair and square, no denying it"

"I guess..."

"What's not to like about this Princess" Puck queried "I thought you'd be happy."

"Oh I am believe me" Kurt smiled recognition of their actions slowly seeping into his brain, "it's just you guys are so devious, it makes me so proud" and he wiped away a faux tear.

"and Kurt's back" Jeff grinned as he held his hand up for Puck to high five.

Okay, what do you think? This was my moody chapter, the next couple are a bit lighter before they return to Dalton and sectionals etc x