AN: Okay, so another little slightly AU addition to the episode "Furt". Inspired by lyrics from "Beside You" by Marianas Trench

"Kurt's going to be alright."

I had said those words to Rachel less than twenty-four hours ago when she had asked me to stand up to Karofsky about harassing Kurt. Now I kept repeating them to myself as I passed the waiting room of the emergency room, trying to believe them.

In my mind I kept recalling the scene that I had walked in on after football practice this afternoon. Kurt's hands had been bound and secured to one of the shower heads, the cold water running full force. He had been stripped to his underwear, and the bruises were clearly visible along with each rib due to how thin he actually was. As I had rushed forward to turn the water off, I had noticed the blue tinge to his lips. I remembered shouting for someone to get help as I untied his hands, catching him as his legs refused to support him. I sank to the ground, holding Kurt's shivering body close to me. Even after the guys had brought towels to wrap him in, I still held him close until the paramedics had arrived. When Kurt had reached out a hand to me from the stretcher they had secured him to, I had taken it, holding on to it until the ER personnel had finally forced me to let go.

I knew now that Rachel had been right. Things had been much worse than any of us had thought. Kurt had needed me and I hadn't been there.

"Finn."

I jumped at the sound of my name accompanied by the touch of a hand on my shoulder. Coming out of my thoughts, I found my mom standing there, dressed in her hospital scrubs.

"Is he okay?" I asked, surprised at the desperation I could hear in my own voice.

"He will be," she assured me. "They're getting him warmed up, and then they want to do some x-rays as a precaution because of the bruises. Kurt could use a familiar presence back there though and I need to get back to my unit. Burt should be here soon, but could you go sit with him until then."

"Yeah, sure," I reply, letting my mom guide me through the double doors and back into the emergency room.

It isn't long before I'm walking through a gap in some curtains, and see Kurt lying in a hospital bed. Blankets are covering him now, and his hair has dried but there is a scared and tired expression to his features. I can feel his quiet gaze on me as I walk to his side. He reaches a hand out from under the blanket and I take it, glad to feel warmth to it this time.

"I'm right here, dude," I tell him, making a silent vow then and there to stand beside him through whatever he had to face.