They took turns sitting by Kurt's side, speaking to him in hushed tones hoping that he would wake. The one, or ones not there ate, slept and showered. The fell into a routine, Kurt wasn't left alone even for a minute.

Almost a whole week passed in the same fashion.

He knew Kurt never believed in god, yet Finn still spent a few minutes every day in the hospital chapel, not praying, but simply hoping.

He also went to school on Wednesday. He couldn't face his friends, couldn't tell them what had happened. But Principal Figgins had to be told, so he and his mom had gone there during second period, and told him, Mr. Schuester and coach Sylvester about the situation.

It was terrifying to see coach Sylvester worried.

Finn was the one sitting by Kurt's side when it happened. It was around 2 AM on Saturday morning, Carole had gone home to sleep for a while and Burt had been forced to the cafeteria by a worried nurse.

Finn himself was seated in the chair closest to Kurt's head, just looking at him. And then it happened.

Kurt stirred. His head moved to the side, and his eyelids fluttered.

"Kurt?" Finn found his voice pleading. After so long, the doctors had started to look grim. He had overheard two nurses saying that Kurt probably wouldn't wake up again.

Now he was opening his eyes.

It wasn't the heartwarming scenario Finn had dreamed up, where Kurt was happy to be okay and Finn hugging him. Rather, once Kurt realised where he was, something seemed to snap.

"N-No! You had no right-!" Kurt had lurched off into some kind of fit, tearing off the oxygen mask and the IV hose, along with the other things attached to his skin. The monitor beeped as the reading device was yanked off his finger, and then a group of nurses was there, forcing the oxygen mask on again as Finn was pushed to the side, speechless.

And worried. It seemed Kurt couldn't breath on his own, he was gasping for breath and struggling against the hands holding him.

Finally, Kurt's form grew still again; but only after a nurse sedated him. One of them patted Finn's arm.

"I suggest you stay by his side. At least he's out of the coma."

Finn just nodded stiffly. When the room was empty again he slouched down on the chair.

He had thought that when Kurt woke, he'd be happy. Obviously, he wasn't.

He had a feeling it would be a long time before things were okay again.

When Burt and Carole came back later, Finn told them what had happened. They were just as thrilled as he was when they found out that Kurt was out of the coma, and equally worried about his reaction to waking up.

And they all hoped that the second time he woke would be better.

Finn wasn't in the room when the sedatives wore off early morning; he was up in the cafeteria trying to drown himself in coffee. Burt was the one in the room.

And from what Finn heard when he came back, Kurt was ignoring him. Not just Burt; but pretty much everything. Nurses, doctors... everything. When he entered the room, he expected Kurt to at least look at him.

But Kurt didn't. He had his arms folded in his lap, half-sitting, half-lying on the slightly raised bed. He was staring out the window, a tense expression on his face.

"Kurt?" It was barely a whisper, but Kurt should have heard him. Finn sat down beside Burt; and no change. Kurt didn't acknowledge them at all.

Two days passed like this. Kurt continued to ignore them no matter what they said.

The first time he talked again was on the third Day Of Silence, as Finn called them. He was on his way back from the cafeteria when he saw a guy enter the room, and Finn paused outside to listen.

"Kurt, right? I envisioned you blonde, like those Hummel figurines. Do you remember my voice? We talked a couple of months ago when you called Trevor Project. You were nervous about coming out to your dad."

Things were quiet for a while. And then, "Mark?"

His voice was rough, but it was Kurt's voice.

He could almost hear the grin in the guy's voice. "Yeah. You seemed pretty happy about life, at the time. Something obviously changed that. The doctor told me you've been abused. Is that it?"

A pause again. "Mostly."

"And now you're wondering why your survived? Why you couldn't be allowed to die like you want to?"

He could hear a scarping of a chair, probably Burt getting up to threaten the guy. Frankly, Finn wanted to throw the door open and yell at him. Who was this guy to come talk to Kurt like that?

"Yes." It was a small whisper, yet unmistakable.

"I know. I felt the same way when I woke up. You should be happy though. You have a family that obviously care; I hear that they've been here since you got admitted. What happened to drag you down like this?"

"My boyfriend, Sam. He... started getting violent, and the things he said to me..." he broke off, and Finn could hear Kurt emit a small whimper.

"Why did you let him hurt you?" It was simple and frank, and Finn doubted Kurt would give Mark an answer.

But he did. "I deserved it. Then it got worse, and I was afraid to do anything. He just punished me harder if I tried. A-And he made me realise that I was just a burden, especially to- to my dad."

"Kurt! Whatever that asshole told you, you're my son! My only son. You're the only thing that matter to me." Burt sounded panicked.

"You don't have to say that, dad. It was easy to see, especially after Sam told me. You didn't want to spend time with me, dinner and activities were never mine to decide, and you never asked how my day was. It's fine, I know my place." and Kurt sounded sad. So incredibly sad, and accepting.

It was horrible to hear him speak like that. Burt obviously thought so too. "Now listen to me. I love you. I never meant to have you feel like you didn't fit in with us!"

A minute passed. "You forgot my birthday, dad."

"I know, and I am so, so sorry. I though you said you wasn't upset about that."

"Of course I was upset! I needed you then more than ever!" Kurt actually seemed... angry. He sounded dangerously close to tears, and Finn felt awful about it. He was glad he couldn't see his face right now. They had all pushed him aside, without ever wanting it.

"Kurt, I don't know what to say to make it up to you. I knew it, we should have stayed at home with you." Burt sounded truly apologetic.

"I couldn't let you see me like that!"

Burt was Kurt's dad. It was kind of vain of him not to want him to take care of him when he was sick. Finn felt more than a little confused.

"I'm sure your dad has seen you sick before, Kurt."

"I wasn't sick!" A choked sob penetrated his voice. "I was hurt! If you had just taken closer look at me, you would've noticed that! I almost wished you had just pulled at my covers and seen the bruises, the blood." He broke of into another sob, and Finn actually thought he would have preferred the cold silence from earlier over this.

There was a shocked pause, and Finn peeked in through the door's window. He wished he hadn't. Kurt looked heartbroken and so small as he brought his arms close, almost folding in on himself. The guy on his bed placed a hand on his leg.

"Sam's fault?"

Kurt's reaction was unmistakable. He looked so pained that Finn couldn't breathe. Burt made a strange, choked sound beside him.

"He- He raped me." It was low, but they could all hear it. And it was like being hit in the stomach with a sledgehammer.

"Oh god, Kurt. T-that can't... When?" Burt looked...What was the word Kurt liked? Livid. Finn couldn't believe his ears. Couldn't believe that Kurt had been assaulted.

"T-the night to my birthday. I-I felt so violated, and oh god, the pain... I-I needed you, dad. And you weren't there."

Burt didn't reply. Finn doubted he even could, if he felt anything like he himself was feeling. To be exposed to that on your birthday... By someone you cared for... it wasn't all that strange that Kurt had given up on life.

No. Instead of talking, Burt got up and wrapped his arms around his son. And then the door was opening and Finn was forced to take a step back to let the guy, Mark, out.

"I think we should leave them alone. He needs his dad more than us at the moment."

Finn couldn't help but to agree, so he stayed in a chair outside the room.

It didn't take long for Burt to come out, looking worn and sad. Apparently Kurt had fallen asleep, the emotional strain probably too hard on him, Burt thought. And he was going to talk to the police, so Finn was left alone to hope that this was Kurt's turning point, his first step to getting better.

God knew they all needed him to smile again.