Angie Lane enters Blaine's room quietly, having been forewarned about his appearance from both Kurt and Burt. She manages to keep her face from displaying any upset, and instead gives him a bright smile. "Hey sweetie! How are you?"
"How do you think I am?"
"Um well...yes. Not good. Oh..." She shakes her head, determined not to cry, and sits instead in the chair next to his bed. She takes his hand, but Blaine notices how different it all is to when Burt was in here not five minutes prior, wedged on the bed next to him, and holding him close. "I'm so sorry that this happened."
"I am too, but hey, if you left him, and you mean you've left him for good, then I'll take whatever."
"I'm not going back," Angie confirms. "But even so, you should never have had to go through this."
"It is what it is, I guess."
"But you're all..."
"I'm fine," Blaine says stiffly, not wanting her to know about the excruciating pain in his groin. "My collar bone will heal and the bruises will fade."
He doesn't add what they're both thinking, which is that the external injuries are the least of his worries. It will take far longer for the emotional scars to heal, and they'll never fade away completely for as long as he lives.
"I should have told you I was leaving, maybe, I don't know. It was a decision I reached in the early hours of the morning, and somehow it didn't seem like the right time to tell you. I just got in the car and drove."
"To dad."
"Yes, though I wasn't planning on that. I actually figured I'd come to you."
"I'm glad you didn't."
"Oh."
"Only because I wouldn't have wanted him to find you," Blaine clarifies. "The way they were..." He breaks off, shaking his head. "I'm glad they didn't know where you were."
"Burt says I can stay with him until I'm back on my feet. I wondered how you feel about that?"
"Whatever," he mutters sullenly. He wants to say more, like he's not entirely happy, and it's just another way in which things have gotten weird, but he also trusts Burt implicitly, and if he says it's only as friends then he believes him. "He's offering you a home, just like he did with me. You should take it."
"I need to tell you why I left."
"You don't have to."
"I do, because it involves you."
"Let me guess, Spencer's secretly gay and has been making pornographic images of me?"
"Uh...no." Angie is shocked, but she has to laugh at Blaine's audacity and sass. "That's not...uh...no."
"Kurt?"
"Spencer is not gay," she says with a smile. "Though I wonder about Simon. Anyway. That aside, he did something terrible."
"Cheated on you?"
"He found your account."
Blaine suddenly takes notice, everything in him lurching in the most unpleasant of ways, as he realizes what's coming. "My savings account? But..."
"He emptied it," Angie interrupts quietly. "He searched through all my stuff until he found the login and password, and he cleaned it out."
"Seven thousand dollars," Blaine whispers, as his eyes fill with tears. "He stole my baby's money?"
"I'll repay it, Blaine, I swear. As soon as I'm set with a job and a place of my own, I'll keep saving until I have all of it back again and then some."
"No, no," Blaine says, patting her hand distractedly. "You won't. It's not your fault."
"It is," Angie cries, and then breaks down completely. "It is. All of it. Everything you've gone through is all my fault, and I hate myself for it."
"Just..." What can he say? Blaine sits there, searching for the right words. He genuinely doesn't think that Spencer stealing the money is her fault in any way. She did exactly what Blaine asked her to do in opening the account and paying into it, and he's no fool. He knows Spencer, and he knows he would have been constantly monitoring her every move, especially since she had gotten closer to her son recently. He would have had his suspicions about where she went on New Years, the phone calls she kept taking early in the morning...all of it. Nothing of Angie's would have been private, sacred, or hers, none of it. Maybe Blaine should have thought that through, but he had wanted to show his trust and faith in her, and he knew what it had meant to her to be able to open that account for him, to be trusted with his future in that way.
No, it wasn't her fault that she was married to a mercenary monster, but the rest of it? Actually marrying him in the first place? Making Blaine live with endless torment and bullying in his own home? Watching as he moved in with a neighbor just so he could feel safe and wanted? Turning a blind eye to everything, just so she could convince herself that her life was a happy one? Yes. All her fault, every last bit of it.
Blaine can't harbor regret and bitterness though, because he has the gift of Kurt and another father in his life, and no matter what, he will be eternally grateful for both of those treasures. He is also glad that his mom is coming back to him, even if it can never be as it was before. He can't and won't live his life dragged down by the enormity and severity of her actions. He has chosen to ignore that part of his life completely, to the point that there is a jump in his memories. He's kept a few moments, precious time with his dad as he was dying, the first time meeting Burt, his and Kurt's first kiss, and so on, but he has largely chosen to ignore the fact that he even existed from the ages of fifteen to eighteen, because if he stops and thinks about it, Blaine thinks he may not survive.
"Just leave it," he hears himself saying. "I told you that was all over, and I don't want to dwell on it. The fact that he would clean all that money out? Well that just proves the type of guy he is. You won't pay it back though. This was not your fault and you won't blame yourself for it. The only way you can make all this better, is by becoming the bigger and better person here. Don't let the bastard grind you down, mom, please."
"But..."
"Please."
"How can you be so forgiving?"
"Oh I don't think I'll ever forgive him," Blaine says calmly. "But he hasn't taken Kurt. As long as I have him, then I'll be okay. I can get a job, maybe, and save that way. Whatever, we'll have our happy ever after, with or without that money. That's not important."
"Blaine...you...I don't deserve you, I just don't."
"Like I said, leave it be."
"Will you tell Kurt?"
"I don't know," Blaine sighs. "I guess I'll have to, and dad. They'll wonder why I'm getting a job when I haven't before."
"Even more reason for Kurt to hate me."
"Kurt doesn't hate you," Blaine snaps angrily, annoyed at the accusation. "Far from it. In fact, he's been instrumental in keeping this relationship going, so you should thank him, if anything."
"Okay, sorry."
"Don't piss me off."
"No."
"I don't get angry very often, but right now I'm coming close to it with all that's going on, so please don't say stuff that's going to tip me over the edge."
"I'm sorry," Angie says sincerely. "Look, I don't know what Burt's plans are. I guess we'll stay a few days here at least, but I was thinking..."
She is interrupted by the arrival of the doctor, who gives Blaine a cheery wave and reads over his chart. Whatever it was Angie was going to say is forgotten, as she watches the doctor and then speaks. "How's my boy doing?"
"Oh, Mrs Anderson?"
"Um, well...yes," she says with a small smile, deciding that she will change her name back as soon as she can. "Yes."
"Well, I actually need to talk to Blaine about his injuries, and I also need to examine him."
"But how is he doing?"
"He's doing okay," the doctor says kindly. "But like I said, I need to talk with Blaine."
"Why? Is something wrong?"
"Mrs Anderson, why don't you step outside and wait to talk to your son after I've finished?" the doctor suggests, then looks directly at Blaine. "Is your partner here? You might like him to listen in."
Grateful to have a doctor who really understands, Blaine smiles. "He went to get coffee with dad. He'll...oh," he grins even brighter when Kurt suddenly enters the room. "He's here."
"I'm here," Kurt says, and the way he smiles at Blaine makes his heart lurch with happiness.
"Good, good." The doctor politely escorts Angie to the door, gives a nod to Burt, and then promptly closes it in their faces, before turning to the couple. "Sorry. I remember when I was twenty. Parents still think you're a child, but I'm guessing since you two live together, this is a serious relationship?"
"Yes," they chorus in time with each other, and Kurt settles in the chair next to Blaine and holds his hand.
"Okay. Blaine, tell me how you're feeling."
"Not too bad."
"Blaine," Kurt hisses. "Tell him."
"A bit sore," Blaine offers weakly.
"Where exactly?"
"There," Blaine whispers, looking down at his groin.
"There is extensive bruising," the doctor notes, as he pulls all the blinds in the room. "Can I take a look?"
"If you must."
Kurt knows it's serious when Blaine can't hold back his cry as the doctor gently touches the top of his groin. He grips Kurt's hand tightly and turns white, but still he can't hold back the tears of pain which roll unhappily down his cheeks. Kurt leans over slightly to look when Blaine's eyes are screwed shut, and it's all he can do not to cry as well. All of Blaine's groin, and the tops of his thighs, are red or livid purple with bruising. Not only that, but it is all swollen too, making Blaine's body look horribly disfigured.
"You didn't tell me it was that bad," Kurt says sadly, stroking Blaine's hair back from his forehead. "You must be in agony."
"I don't want to look," Blaine admits. "I just know it feels awful all the time, and when I move I get a stabbing pain."
Eventually, the doctor straightens up and moves the lamp away, then turns to face them. "I'd like to get an ultrasound of the area," he says gently. "I have a feeling we might be dealing with a testicular fracture, and if that's the case, you may need surgery."
Blaine sits motionless, while Kurt clears his throat in surprise. "What? How can you break your balls? Really? That's a thing?"
"Not the actual testicle, but the lining, and yes, it's a thing," the doctor smiles. "It's not ruptured, and I don't think it's too bad, but there is extensive bruising and trauma, and I'm almost positive that a large cause of the pain, aside from that, is due to internal damage to the testicles."
"He broke me," Blaine whispers sadly, and ignoring the doctor in the room, Kurt climbs onto the bed and takes him in his arms.
"No one broke you. You're still my Blaine."
"It will heal," the doctor says benignly. "I know it's incredibly painful, but it will get better. It will be a while before you can resume any kind of sexual activity though."
"I can't even think about that right now," Blaine admits, but Kurt just holds him tighter.
"One other thing," the doctor tells them. "I don't know if this has ever been something you've talked about, but with any kind of injury to the testicular area, there is a very great risk that it could render you infertile. Now I know not all gay men wish to have children biologically, but even so, we will arrange a fertility test for you in around four months time, just to check. That way, you know where you are, at least."
"I can't have kids?"
Blaine sits numb, as everything around him seems to spiral out of control. He had taken it as a given that he and Kurt would have at least one biological child each, even though their plans were by no means set in stone. It was what he had been saving for after all. Babies with Kurt was the thing he was most excited for about their future together, and now...not only were all his savings gone, but all hope and possibility for him to biologically produce a child, too.
"I didn't say that," the doctor tells him calmly. "But as I said, there is a risk."
"How much?"
"I can't give you a percentage, Blaine. I'd say given the extent of your injuries, that the kick and subsequent stamp to that area was an impact roughly on a par with getting a baseball to the groin when you're not wearing a cup."
Blaine gives a tight nod, swallows everything down, and draws back his shoulders. "So, when can I go home?"
Kurt pulls back, giving him a certain look, which Blaine chooses to ignore. "Blaine?"
"Not now, Kurt. Doc?"
"We'll see," the doctor smiles. "Tuesday, maybe. If you do need an op it will only be small."
"Fine."
"In the meantime, I'll send someone to take care of your pain relief. There's no need for you to be suffering unnecessarily."
"It's fine."
"It's not fine," Kurt says, knowing Blaine will be pissed that he's speaking for him, but not caring anyway. "He's in a lot of pain, and he said it's hard to pee."
"It will be for a while," the doctor informs them, as he scribbles something down on Blaine's chart. "Just take all the pain relief we can offer, okay?"
"I don't want to be all dazed and confused," Blaine says. "I want to be at home, on a date with my boyfriend or...or studying. You know, I have tests coming up, and..."
"And all of that can wait," the doctor interrupts. "Just concentrate on getting better and the rest will follow."
Blaine huffs, wriggling out of Kurt's embrace and lying down on the bed. "Fine. I'm tired now."
"Then I shall leave you be," the doctor says, knowing full well Blaine is trying to deal with the news. "I'll be back later."
The door closes, and Kurt leans down, kissing Blaine's cheek. "You wanna talk?"
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Fine."
He slides off the bed and walks over to the door, gripping the handle. "I'll take dad and Angie home and get them settled. I'll be back later."
Blaine hears the soft click of the door closing behind him, but he doesn't turn his head. He doesn't say what he wants to say, because he's not even sure how he would go about saying it anyway. He only knows that right now he feels as if everything is shattered. As if he's suddenly been moved to some kind of parallel universe, where everything is the same but different, and he doesn't like it one bit.
He doesn't cry, just stares at the opposite wall, and tries to comprehend it all. At some point he does drift off, only waking again when his door opens and Burt and Kurt enter the room.
"If he's told you..." he starts, but Burt shakes his head and comes to sit in the chair next to him, while Kurt sits on the end of the bed.
"No one said anything. Not him, not the doc, not the nurse."
"What nurse?"
"The one who hooked you up to that," Burt says with a nod. Blaine looks up and sees his left arm is now connected to a third bottle of medication.
"Is that why my head feels all funny?"
Burt gives a nod. "Possibly. Or maybe you're upset about something and would feel better if you talked it through."
"Nothing to talk through," Blaine says with a shrug.
Kurt sighs, rolling his eyes. "Blaine, please."
"Fine. I might need surgery and I probably can't have kids."
"What? Why?"
"Because Simon thinks it's funny, or smart, to always try and hurt me there. He's done it before, and this time he kicked me then stamped on me, that's why."
"Blaine, son, I'm..." Burt starts, but Blaine is quick to cut him off.
"It is what it is. Not much I can do about it. They'll test me in four months."
"You know," Burt tries. "There's more than one way to have a baby. I mean, Kurt...or you could adopt. It's not..."
"It's not what? Everything? Only it is, to me. Kurt and I...we hadn't really talked too much about it, we just knew we wanted it to happen." Blaine looks at Burt as he talks, grateful that Kurt is on the other side, because he thinks it will be easier this way. "I've been saving money. Kurt didn't know, but my mom opened an account for me. I'm one of those stupid romantic saps, and I have these visions of us, in the future together, and one of them was Kurt coming to me and saying he wanted a baby. And you know, if we wanted IVF, even if we wanted to adopt, it'd cost money, you know? Gay couples, well it's not an easy process, but in my head, in this stupid, pathetic vision I had, I could say to Kurt, 'here, I've been saving for this. I have the money ready, let's do it', because I know he's not the most patient of people, and he wouldn't want to be waiting two years while we saved every dime we could. I had seven thousand dollars," he says quietly, as his eyes fill with tears. He doesn't look at Kurt though, just at Burt, who covers his hand with his own. "Seven thousand and...well, Spencer took it. He found out about the account, I don't know if he realized it was mine, or if he didn't want mom to have her own money, but...he took it. All of it. So now I have nothing, you see? No money to offer Kurt to make our dream come true, no stupid picture in my head of his face lighting up with joy when I tell him it can happen right away, and not even any way of...helping in the process, as it were. They've taken it all from me, everything."
A silence fills the room. Blaine looks down at the blanket covering him, while Burt doesn't even try and blink back his tears. His heart is breaking for both of his sons right now, and Kurt, poor Kurt just stays motionless, with an endless cascade of tears.
"You have me," he whispers. "He can't take me away from you."
"Same," Burt chokes out. "We'll always be here."
"Kurt?"
"Yes?" He looks up, grateful to see Blaine reaching his left arm out to him, and he walks around the bed until he can lie next to him once more, ducking under the line going into the back of his hand.
"I'm sorry for earlier. I do want to talk about it, I know we have to, I just...I'm trying to work it all out in my head, to understand that what I had hoped for isn't going to happen, and I'm not finding that very easy. I do love you though, and I hope that even if I can't have kids, you'll still..."
"Don't even finish that sentence!" Kurt cries, then covers Blaine's mouth with his own, not caring that Burt is right there. "I love you too, you fool, and I'm not in this just to get a baby, am I? I mean yes, I want a family with you in some way, but I'm not broody or longing for it to happen. I just...I just want you in my life. Forever. I am in awe that you would save money for something as special as that, that you could be so organized and think so far ahead, that you love me enough to want to surprise me in ten years time. We'll do this. We'll save money together, and then one day, when we're ready, we'll have a child, in whatever way we choose. It doesn't matter if biologically it's yours, mine or someone else's, what matters is that it will be our baby to love and cherish, and that we'll raise a family together, okay? You and me, together."
Blaine nods, not trusting his voice, so he leans in and kisses just behind Kurt's ear instead, letting his breath tickle there. "Can I tell you I hate you?"
Kurt nods, laughing through his tears. "You absolutely can. I hate you too. With a passion."
"You two will be okay," Burt declares, standing and kissing both of them on the forehead.
"Wait a minute," Kurt says. "Where are you going?"
"Your boy's waiting to kiss you," Burt says, with a nod in Blaine's direction, who looks suitably embarrassed. "I ain't sticking around for that. I'm gonna go see where Angie's got to with those coffees."
"Are you...?" Kurt starts, when the door closes, but Blaine's hand moves to the back of his neck, as he slides down the pillows, pulling Kurt with him.
"Shh."
"But..."
"Let me."
He brings his lips to Kurt's, softly at first, and then with slightly more pressure when he feels Kurt's hand coming up to caress his jaw. "I love you, Kurt," he breathes, before going back in for more.
It's awkward, with Blaine's injured arm across his chest, and his bruising meaning he can't turn fully onto his side, and neither can Kurt roll on top of him like he usually would, but they're kissing. They're kissing with a deep rooted passion and love for one another, and Kurt practically melts in Blaine's embrace when he feels his tongue against his own, whimpering shamelessly into his mouth and moving his hand into Blaine's hair.
"Oh my god," he gasps, pulling back to catch his breath. He laughs in disbelief. "We can't. We have to stop, cause I know what making out does to you, and...well..."
"Feels good though, doesn't it?"
Kurt looks at Blaine, his good eye is shining and sparkling, and he's smiling, properly smiling, for the first time since coming to the hospital.
"Fuck yes. Kiss me again," Kurt demands, and Blaine laughs darkly.
"You said..."
"Meh, I'm an idiot," Kurt grins. "Just kiss me already."
Blaine obliges, this time even bolder than before, kissing with an intense desire which leaves Kurt's head spinning when they eventually part. "Okay, someone's getting too eager," Kurt smiles, and Blaine's head falls back on the pillow with a thump. "Seriously," Kurt laughs, when he closes his eyes and pouts. "Imagine the pain if you start to get turned on."
"I'm already turned on," Blaine protests.
"Then we're definitely stopping."
"Ugh. Fine."
Kurt does make it better though, with a trail of kisses down the unmarked side of his face and neck, before placing one to the hollow of his throat. "By the way, we owe Brian dinner. At least."
"For bringing us here? Sure."
"Not just that. He came back last night with clothes for me, and when I took dad and Angie back earlier, I had warned them about the state of the apartment; only when I unlocked the door, it's perfect. Nothing is out of place, and the living room walls have all been painted too."
"What?" Blaine asks, his eyes wide. "But it was...trashed. It was awful. And the blood..."
"Exactly. Brian wasn't home, probably with Loic, but it's my guess he must have stayed up most of the night to do it. The paint was totally dry."
"We have good people in our lives," Blaine muses. "We're lucky."
"Yeah, we really are. Oh, and before I forget, Santana is in Jersey for her Aunt's birthday, but she said to tell you that momma loves her baby, and she will be here tomorrow to sing you a lullaby."
"Oh god."
"I wish I was joking."
"She's unreal," Blaine laughs, then leans back in to kiss at Kurt's lips. "Kiss me again, my beautiful boyfriend."
"Blaine!"
"I'm sure the doctor prescribed kisses from Kurt as the best medicine of all."
"He did not!"
"I'm really pretty."
"Shut up."
"And totally adorable," Blaine grins, knowing Kurt will break at any second.
"You're an idiot."
"I'm your puppy."
"I hate you."
"You love me."
"Ah, fuck it," Kurt laughs, and he hovers over Blaine as best he can, his lips lingering tantalisingly close, just before he closes the gap. "I do."