A/N Again, thank you for the reviews, the favorites, and the follows!

Do you think you know what is going on at Dalton? Things are about to get darker for our beloved countertenor! Will he survive his Warbler audition?

Reviews are always welcome!

…

Breathe Deep

"Please!" The dark haired boy gasped. "Just tell me what you want me to do! I'll do whatever you want! Just make it stop!" His body thrashed and trembled as the chemicals raced through him, keeping him on the razor's edge between pleasure and pain.

"I know you will obey me," the distorted voice of the Overseer said. "You always obey, my perfect boy. But I love watching you like this, seeing you fight your true nature. You crave this, don't you? Why try to deny it when the truth is written all over your perfect face?"

"What do you want?" He sobbed, refusing to admit that what the Overseer said was true.

"I want you to mentor Kurt Hummel, soothe his fears, be his friend. I want you to help him become used to casual contact, innocent touches."

"Why? What are you going to do to him?"

"He's special. Nearly already perfect in every way. The Masters have plans for him, which is why he was given a scholarship. He just needs some help to reach his full potential. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good, my perfect boy. Sleep now. You will remember what to do when the time is right."

…

Kurt's second morning at Dalton started out less dramatically than the first. He slept until his alarm clock went off, and only had a very minor headache as he showered and got dressed.

Blaine had been true to his word the night before, helping him finish his homework after dinner. There hadn't been too much, an essay for History about Frankish kings, two pages of problems for Calculus, a short essay for French, and a page of questions for Science. His headache had gotten worse again while he'd been doing the History work, but all in all things had gone smoothly. He'd finished everything by nine thirty, and been asleep by ten.

Blaine was awake by the time he finished in the bathroom. "Morning. Feeling better?"

Kurt smiled shyly. "Yeah. Head still hurts a little, but it's bearable."

"Do you want another migraine pill?"

"No, I think I'll be okay."

"Good. Let me get ready and we can walk down to breakfast together."

Fifteen minutes later they entered the dining hall and got their trays. Kurt chose an egg white omelet with low fat cheese and bell pepper, along with yogurt with blueberries and granola, and orange juice. Blaine had a Denver omelet, whole wheat toast, and apple juice.

As they headed towards the Warbler's table, Kurt felt self conscious. "Maybe I should sit somewhere else. I'm not actually a Warbler."

"Nonsense," Blaine declared, shifting his tray and taking Kurt by the elbow. "I guarantee that by dinner tonight, you will be a Warbler, so you might as well join us now."

"How can you be so sure I won't blow my audition?"

As they reached the table and set down their trays, Blaine's hand switched from Kurt's elbow to twine their fingers together. Kurt refused to admit to himself that a thrill of excitement went up his spine at the contact. "You'll be amazing, Kurt. I've heard you sing before. You couldn't blow it if you tried."

Kurt almost choked on the sip of orange juice he had just taken. He had deliberately blown Defying Gravity last year, to save his dad the heartache of having people yelling at him that his son was a fag. It still bothered him when ever he thought about it. It was why he planned on singing it for his audition today.

He was distracted from his thoughts by the arrival of Wes and David. The Asian boy smiled at him kindly. "Feeling better this morning?"

"Yes, thank you."

"Good. When you finish eating, I'll show you to your English class. Your schedule today is the same as yesterday, except for last period, when you will have US Government instead. You only have Phys Ed on Tuesdays and Fridays."

Kurt just nodded, relieved that he wouldn't have to deal with that particular torment on a daily basis.

David frowned when he noticed Kurt's tray. "Is that all you are eating?"

"Yeah, why?"

"You really should eat more. I heard Mr. Higgins and the dietitian talking, and they think you should gain a little weight."

Kurt just shrugged. "I've always been a light eater." The three other boys exchanged a concerned look, though Kurt didn't notice.

English class was fun. They had a substitute, as Mr. Jensen had opted to stay home with his wife and new baby girl. The substitute gave them an assignment to write a short two page story about themselves. She said it could be autobiographical, or something completely made up. Kurt opted to write it as if he was from the future and had come back in time to do the assignment, telling about his life in New York, and about becoming the first LGBTQ president. The substitute had been impressed with his creativity and had read his story out loud. He'd been embarrassed at first, but the other boys all seemed to like the story as well.

History class was bad. His headache was back again. Still not as bad as the morning before, just a dull throb that he couldn't seem to shake. But once again he had managed to remember every single important date. The pain faded in French class, and by Calculus had faded entirely.

He sat at the Warbler table again for lunch. He'd selected a grilled chicken sandwich with tomato, avocado, red onion and honey Dijon mustard on multigrain bread with a side of cottage cheese.

Blaine sat beside him, eating a turkey club stacker with fries and extra pickles on the side. "Have you decided what to sing for your audition this afternoon?"

"Yes, I'm going to sing Defying Gravity."

"Hmm, it's a good song, and I know you can sing it, but don't you think it's a little on the safe side?"

Kurt frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not trying to worry you, or upset you, but that's pretty much what they would expect you to sing. Perhaps you should try something unexpected."

"Like what?"

Blaine swallowed the bite of sandwich he was eating before answering. "Maybe something that shows the full range of your voice. Just think about it, okay?"

Kurt nodded and continued eating, when a thought struck him. "So, if quiet time is from four to six thirty, how do the Warbler's get away with having auditions and practices at four thirty?"

Blaine smiled. "You'll find out this afternoon. I'll walk you to The Chamber. That's where we rehearse."

Kurt's last three classes of the day passed slowly, and he kept thinking about what Blaine had said at lunch. Was Defying Gravity the safe choice? Was there something else he could sing that would show his full potential, while remaining true to his style? A couple of songs came to mind, and he knew he could do either of them on the fly.

After class he returned to his dorm to prepare. He grabbed his iPod, which had all the instrumental versions of his songs on it. He scrolled down to Defying Gravity, considering, and then scrolling to his second option. It was definitely riskier, and definitely showed his vocal range to perfection. But was it too risky?

He still hadn't decided which song to do when Blaine came to get him. "Relax," The dark haired boy said. "You'll be perfect, no matter which song you choose to do."

"Even if it's not Top 40?"

Blaine laughed at that, and took his hand as they walked down the stairs. "Even if it's not Top 40. We can't all be Katy Perry."

"Thank Gaga for that."

"Hey!" They both laughed.

Kurt looked around when Blaine lead him through a thick, heavy looking doorway, and down a flight of stairs. "Welcome to The Chamber. These rooms are sound proof, so we don't disturb the rest of the school during quiet time. Have a seat and relax. We'll call you back when we are ready for you. Just take it easy, and remember, breathe deep." He indicated the over stuffed leather couches that looked comfortable enough to sleep on.

Kurt took a seat as Blaine moved on to the main chambers, closing the doors behind him. The pale boy scrolled through his iPod, still debating between songs when he noticed the scent of sage filling the room, and glanced over at the fire place. It was pleasant, and soothing. Kurt could feel the tension slipping from him, and he began to relax.

Why had he been so nervous? He knew he was an amazing singer. He knew what song he was going to sing. Kurt felt himself relaxing even more, feeling almost trance like when Blaine called his name.

"We're ready." The darker boy smiled. Kurt could only smile back as he stood. "Do you know which song you are going to perform now?"

Kurt nodded, and handed him the iPod, song ready. Blaine looked at it, and smiled. "Perfect. Come inside."

Kurt felt a little strange as he entered The Chamber. Uninhibited by nerves or self consciousness. When the music started, he couldn't help moving with the beat. It was almost as if something possessed him, freeing him of worry or shyness. He hadn't intended to dance for the audition, but he found he couldn't help himself as he began to sing.

Comin' home used to feel so good
I'm a stranger now in my neighborhood
I've seen the world at a faster pace
And I'm comin' now from a diff'rent place

Though I may look the same way to you
Underneath there is somebody new

I am not the boy next door
I don't belong like I did before
Nothin' ever seems like it used to be
You can have your dreams, but you can't have me

Kurt moved around the room, no hint of embarrassment as he smiled and flirted as he danced. Somewhere deep in the back of his mind he knew this wasn't him, this wasn't how he behaved. It was almost like he was someone else completely.

Oh, I can't come back there anymore
'Cause I am not the boy next door

You've been savin' those souvenirs,
Faded photographs from our foolish years
We made plans, but they're wearin' thin
And they don't work out 'cause I don't fit in

And those mem'ries will just weigh me down
'Cause I got no place to keep 'em uptown

I am not the boy next door
I don't belong like I did before
Nothin' ever seems like it used to be
You can have your dreams, but you can't have me

Oh, I can't go back there anymore
'Cause I am not the boy next door

I'm not sorry for just bein' me
But if you'd look past the past you could see
That I am not

Nothin' ever seems like it used to be
You can have your dreams, oh, but you can't have me

As the end of the song drew closer, Kurt began to feel light headed and dizzy, and his dancing actually faltered for a moment, but he kept going, a frown on his face now as he began to feel ill.

I can't go back there anymore
'Cause I am not
I am not
I am not the boy next door

The music faded out, and as it did, Kurt felt as if strings had been cut, and he collapsed to his knees, the world fading out just as the music had.

…

Dehydration. That was what the nurse had said when he woke up in her office a short while later. He'd been so embarrassed. He'd never passed out before. Blaine had been by his side when he woke up, and had smiled and hugged him.

"Your audition was amazing, Kurt. The Warblers loved it."

"Even the part where I lost consciousness at the end?" Kurt snarked.

Blaine laughed a little. "Well, okay, not that part. But they did like your singing and your dancing. The vote was unanimous. Welcome to the Warblers!"

…

There were cheers and applause when Kurt entered the dining hall for dinner that night. Boys he hadn't met kept coming up and congratulating him, patting him on the back. At first he'd been embarrassed, but Blaine smiled and told him to get used to it.

"You're a rock star now, Kurt."

He still couldn't believe it. He'd gone from bottom of the food chain at McKinley, to the top dogs at Dalton. He was one of the popular kids, and he hadn't even had to try very hard.

They finally made it to the food line, and Kurt considered the options. He started to reach for the salmon with rice pilaf and asparagus, but Blaine stopped him.

"Come on Kurt, live a little. Have the pizza. It's remarkably good. The crust is made in New York."

Kurt frowned on the high school staple. "All they have is meat eaters. I prefer veggie pizza."

"It has tomato sauce. Tomatoes are a vegetable."

Kurt rolled his eyes. "No, thank you. And if you want to be technical, tomatoes are a fruit." He took the salmon dish, along with a small side salad with light Italian dressing. He also took two water bottles.

"Fine, be that way, but you will have dessert. Your choice, chocolate mousse cake or lemon chiffon."

Kurt laughed. "Okay, okay, lemon chiffon. But just a small piece!"

As they sat down at the Warbler's table, they were greeted with friendly smiles, and more congratulations.

"Your audition was fabulous, Kurt!" Jeff exclaimed, leaning against his boyfriend, Nick, who also smiled at him.

"I don't think anyone else in the group could have pulled that off." The darker haired Warbler agreed.

"Thank you." Kurt frowned slightly at the memory. He remembered the almost trance like feeling he'd had as he auditioned. He knew dehydration could cause confusion. Was that why he'd felt so strange at the time? And was that why he'd had such bad headaches the last couple of days? He reached out and grabbed one of the water bottles, and drank it down.

…

He was finishing up his calculus homework later that evening, feeling the headache building again as he messed up a couple of the problems, when his phone rang, the sound of And I am Telling You sounding in the room. He smiled as he answered.

"Hey, Mercedes!"

"Hey, Boo! How are things at the new school?"

"Mostly good."

"Mostly?"

"Yeah, I woke up yesterday with a killer migraine, probably brought on by all the stress. And today I passed out after my audition to join the Warblers."

"You passed out?" The Diva sounded on the verge of freaking out.

"I'm okay, I was apparently just dehydrated. But the Warblers loved my audition, and I got in!"

"I'm so happy for you, White Boy!"

"Thanks, 'Cedes! How are things going at McKinley?"

"Same old drama, just a different day. Glee club isn't the same without you to gossip with and make fun of Rachel's outfits."

"I miss you too."

"So, you find a cute boy to crush on?"

Before Kurt could answer, Blaine came into the dorm, having been in the library researching a paper for geography class. He smiled when he saw Kurt on the phone.

"Uh, Mercedes, my roommate just walked in. His name is Blaine, and he's in the Warblers, too."

"Uh huh. Is he a hottie?"

Kurt tried to hide his blush and sound casual. "Very."

His best friend laughed. "Okay, sweetie, I'll talk to you later. Have fun ogling the hot roommate."

They said their good nights, and hung up.

"You didn't have to hang up on account of me." Blaine said, going to the closet to get his pajamas.

"It's okay. My friend Mercedes just wanted to see how I was doing after my first couple of days here."

"That's nice of her. Are you almost finished with your homework?"

"Yeah, I just have a short summary to write for my Government essay."

"Good. I'm finished too. Want to watch a video? There's a bunch in the cabinet over there. You can pick if you want."

"Sure, sounds fun. I'll just be about five minutes on this, and then I'll see what you've got."

"Great. I'm just going to shower and change."

Kurt finished his assignment just as he heard the shower turn off. He put away his books and papers, and went over to the cabinet to check out the videos. He was pleasantly surprised to find they had similar tastes in movies. Blaine had almost every Disney movie ever made, plus several musicals and some film noir videos. He smiled when he saw one of his favorites, and pulled it out.

"What did you pick?" Blaine asked, toweling his hair dry as he came out of the bathroom wearing pajama bottoms and a tank top.

Kurt held up the case. "Rent. The movie version, though I see you also have the stage version. It's one of my favorites."

"Mine too! I'll set it up and get us some snacks while you shower and get ready for bed."

Kurt nodded and handed over the case, their fingers brushing lightly. He showered quickly, doing a shortened moisturizing routine, and got into his pajamas.

When he returned to the main room, Blaine was sitting on his bed with his laptop sitting on his legs. Kurt hesitated a moment before slipping on to the bed beside him. Blaine just looked up and smiled at him. "Ready? I have popcorn and diet coke, if you want it."

"Sounds good."

They had to sit close to each other to be able to see the screen, and at first Kurt was a bit stiff.

"Come on, Kurt, relax. I don't bite." the smaller boy put his arm around Kurt's shoulders. "You'll end up with a sore neck, and probably another headache, if you sit like that. Here, snuggle up. I don't mind if you don't."

Kurt settled into the other boy's side, getting as comfortable as possible. "There, that's much better," Blaine said, and started the movie.

It was surprisingly nice to cuddle with Blaine. The boy was so warm, and Kurt couldn't help breathing in his scent, which was woodsy and masculine. As they watched the movie, the smaller boy began rubbing soothing circles on Kurt's back, tracing his fingers lightly over the exposed skin on his arms. Kurt found himself drifting off, breathing in the boy beside him.