A/N: to those of you who have nothing positive to say, the only thing you are doing is wasting your time. I take productive criticism, but when people are just mean it's horrid. So please just stop.

Thanks to Shelly!

Chapter 9

The water is warm and Kurt lets himself smile as he wiggles his toes where they peeked out from the bubbles at the foot of the bath. Blaine had even lit candles on the edges of the bath and gave him a glass of orange juice, telling him to just relax. Kurt couldn't remember the last time he was just so at peace with everything. Blaine had left him to undress himself, offering help but Kurt had said no; he was feeling better already. Fresh clothes and towels were on the toilet lid for when he had finished and Blaine had told him to take as long as he needed. Kurt grinned as he played with some of the bubbles, he could stay like this forever. The warm water soothed his aching bruises and he felt like a different person, a happier person. Kurt didn't want to think about what could cause this happy person to disappear. After an hour Kurt decided it was time he should probably get out, he didn't want to be rude. Blaine was being so nice to him. Kurt wrapped the towel around him, breathing in the warm spicy smell of Blaine, it was such a comforting smell. Shaking his head, Kurt dried himself quickly. As he pressed against the bruises they stung slightly, but they felt a lot better than they had. He dressed in the sweat pants and top that Blaine had given him to wear. They were too big on him but they felt nice. Kurt was glad that Blaine hadn't told him to go home, the idea of going home to a lonely house made his heart hurt. He would stay with Blaine as long as his teacher would have him.

Kurt padded out of the bathroom slowly, his bare feet tickling against the soft burgundy carpet. Blaine was typing at his computer in the study, Kurt could hear him typing away, when he got to the door he tapped softly, not wanting to disturb him.

"Hey." Blaine grinned looking up from his screen. When he saw Kurt he couldn't help but smile. Kurt looked adorable, the clothes sagged against him slightly, and his toes were curling against the carpet. He looked refreshed, and his cheeks had a faint red to them. He looked healthy and most of all he looked happy. "Nice bath?"

"It was lovely," Kurt smiled. "You have really nice products."

"Thanks, I need it for this mess." Blaine ran a hand through his hair, sighing when he felt another knot. To his surprise Kurt just laughed at him. It sounded so sweet and natural, Blaine instantly loved it.

"I don't think your hair is a mess, it's nice. A little too much gel, but it's nice." Kurt smiled. Blaine just stared at him. It was the first comment from Kurt had made that made Blaine think he saw the teenager behind the hurt, behind the pain. There was a sassy, witty boy there; just waiting to be discovered.

"I'll try not to use as much gel then." Blaine smiled, proud of the beaming smile Kurt returned. "So, shall we talk then?"

"What about?" Kurt asked, fiddling with the bottom of the shirt.

"School, what's happened to you... Anything that you want, and anything you don't want to talk about, you just tell me and I won't make you say, okay?"

Kurt sucked his lip as he thought about what Blaine had said. Maybe he could just tell him everything, maybe he could tell him about the bullies and how he hated school. Maybe he could tell him how most of the teachers made him feel stupid most of the time.

"He won't be able to protect you forever. They'll kill you, Kurt. Do you want to die?" The voice was back. Kurt squeezed his eyes shut, he had hoped his bath had calmed it away. "Do you want to die Kurt? No one would miss you. Your teachers won't help as they beat you to death, you know they've come close in the past. Do you think your dad will care? You'll just be out of his hair that way. Go on Kurt. Tell him!"

"Kurt..." Blaine could tell something was going on in his head again, like Kurt, he had hoped the bath would have cleared his mind. It made him sad and angry that it didn't work.

"I don't want to die." Kurt whispered, his voice breaking as a sob escaped his throat. Blaine rushed over to him just as Kurt crumbled to the floor.

"Hey...What are you...What do you mean?" Blaine said, panic in every word. He had absolutely no idea what Kurt was talking about. Was he sick? Was someone threatening him?

"If I tell you." Kurt sobbed, clinging to Blaine's chest, his hands fisting in the material of his thin shirt, he could feel his nails pressing against his skin as he gripped it. "It said they'll kill me."

Blaine rubbed Kurt's back, trying to calm him down, but it seemed the touch made him panic more. "Why are you being so nice to me? Why aren't you like everyone else?" Kurt's voice was manic, he was so close to the edge and Blaine was terrified that he was going to say something to push Kurt over.

"Because I care." Blaine said softly. "I care, Kurt." Kurt sniffled against him, his body still trembling, but the heart wrenching sobs had slowed down. "I care, Kurt." Blaine repeated, whispering it now.

"Why?" Blaine barely heard the broken whisper that was breathed against his neck.

"I care, because I know what it's like when no one else does." Blaine said softly. He didn't think he would ever have to tell a student this, though he wasn't ashamed to say it, he just didn't think he would ever need to tell them. "When I was sixteen, I was beaten up at school." Kurt frowned against him, his eyes – shining bright with tears, looked up at him, he was hanging on to every word. "I wasn't popular, no one liked me because I was gay." Blaine's breath hitched, he couldn't believe how fresh this pain felt as he spoke about one of his worst memories. "I asked my friend to come with me to a school dance, he was the only other gay person I knew and I thought it would be fun." He said softly, his eyes looking to the corner of the room, unfocused, he didn't want Kurt to see him like this. "The boys at school... they beat us up pretty bad. It was...None of the teachers cared, they were sympathetic you know? But it was like they thought 'well you're gay, you're going to have to live with this.'" As Blaine spoke his fingers were threading so soothingly through Kurt's fair hair. Kurt was watching him so intently, and when Blaine caught his eyes he got lost in them.

"What did your parents say?" Kurt asked once Blaine had fallen quiet.

"They moved me from the school. They were disappointed in the school, and though they never said so, I think they were disappointed in the choices that I made." Blaine kept playing with Kurt's hair, it was so soft and it smelled of him. "They've never told me I made the wrong choice, and they have always supported me, but there was always that look..."

"Like they want to understand, but they just can't?" Kurt finished.

"Just like that." Blaine nodded.

"That's how my dad looks at me. When he's around." Kurt sighed, he moved so he was more in Blaine's lap, his head resting against the crook of his shoulder, breathing him in. "I'm sorry you went through that."

"It's made me a stronger person. Like I know that this is going to make you a stronger person. I know it doesn't feel like it right now, Kurt. But you are going to get through this." Blaine was so confident in his words and Kurt believed him.

Kurt nodded his head slowly, he took a shaky breath and looked up. "I'm ready to talk, Blaine."