TW: Some swearing and homophobic language.

Things with Karofsky had gotten a little better after "the kiss", or "the indecent" as Blaine called it. He still pushed Kurt around a little and slushied him, but no more than he did the other Glee clubbers, and really he only did it when he was with another football player.

Kurt was starting to think this was a good he he'd be able to get and was getting use to it until one day a week or so later. Kurt caught site of Dave coming down the hallway and even though Dave was alone and therefore less likely to bother Kurt, he didn't want to take the chance.

He was talking to Santana, but quickly stuffed the rest of his things into his locker and started to walk away. Santana gave him a strange look and then noticed Karofsky. Kurt stopped and turned when he heard Santana call something out to Dave.

"Hey Karofsky." She said leaning against the locker bank and folding her arms in front of her. A smile curled on her lips in a way that any one who knew her knew meant trouble.

Karofsky stopped and looked at her.

"Why don't you quick bothering my boy Hummel and just go find a butt buddy of your own?"

Dave starred at her in shock for a moment before leaning in intimidatingly. "Excuse me?

Santana wasn't intimidated, she stood up and stepped into Dave's space. "I'm just wondering how much fun you could possibly be having while still hiding in the back of the closet?"

Dave's face turned pale and then a bright red. Kurt wondered for a second if he would actually hit a girl. But instead Dave's eyes flitted quickly to Kurt before he pushed past both of them and stormed down the hall.

"Santana." Kurt hissed at her, afraid of what she'd just done.

"Oh don't worry about it Porcelain." She said with a wave of her hand. "Maybe it will get him to leave you alone if people tease him about being gay for you."

Kurt swallowed, feeling a little sick. "I don't think you should tease people about that."

"Oh come on. You know I'm as lesbo as they get and I don't care about what anyone thinks. But a homaphobe like Karofsky? He'll never want rumors like that going around." She smiled and patted Kurt's head like he was a small child or a dog and sashayed down the hall pleased with herself.

Kurt knew that Santana was just trying to help. It was hard on her and Brittany being out and proud at McKinley too. Though, probably not as hard as it was for Kurt since they were both hot, popular cheerleaders as well. But did Santana know how on the mark her jab was about Dave?

Kurt didn't have to wait long to find out how much Santana had raddled Dave. Kurt had a free period latter and was alone at his locker getting something out so he could spend some time working on his dad and Carole's wedding, they had finally gotten engaged, when Karofsky caught him off guard.

"Hey Fag!" He yelled as he strode up to him. Kurt felt fear pin-prick his heart but immediately tried to shut it down. Breathing evenly and focusing the fear inward, things he'd learned helped him hide what he was feeling from Blaine, or at least mask it. The last thing he needed was Blaine driving over here and picking a fight with Dave.

"What do you want Dave?" Kurt asked, impressed with how calm and authoritative he sounded.

Dave didn't answer instead he pushed Kurt up against the locker and held him there by pressing his body roughly against Kurt'. Kurt's heart rate spiked, but he tried to keep his cool.

"Did you tell her?!" Dave bellowed.

"What?" Kurt couldn't really process what was happening.

"Lopez. Did you fucking tell her!?"

"No. No. I didn't. She was just messing with you!" Kurt said trying to swallow down his panic as Dave kept him trapped against the locker. Kurt's head hurt from where it hit the metal and his heart felt like it was in his throat.

Dave eased up a little bit and then let go of Kurt where his hand hand been bunched in the front of Kurt's shirt. His eyes looked like a crazed animal, but slowly he took a step back. He grabbed for the cake topper that was in Kurt's hand and Kurt got a glimpse of Dave' timer. He'd never really looked at it before, the number 6931 blinked out at him.

Dave smirked at Kurt and then leaned forward, his face calmer and his voice low and steady. "If you tell anyone about what happened in the locker room. I will kill you." He said it with so much seriousness that Kurt feel a dark cold finger trail down his spine. Than Dave pocketed the cake topper and walked away.

Kurt slumped back against the locker and slide down to the floor. He'd been doing a good job at keeping his emotions in check, but not anymore. Tears pricked at his eyes and he tucked his knees up against himself and buried his face in his hands.

Kurt completely believed that Dave really would kill him.

His phone binged with an incoming message and Kurt took a deep breath trying to decided what he was going to tell Blaine.

Blaine was in Warbler practice, they had Sectionals coming up and he needed to make sure he was perfect. The group had entrusted him with the lead role and he didn't want to let them down. They were his friends, his brothers and more even than winning he wanted to make them proud.

He was practicing a turn with Jeff and Nick when his heart beat out a rhythm for a minute. He stilled, waiting for something else to happen. But there was nothing. He went back to work and hardly even noticed the next spike in his heart-rate.

Then he was hit with fear so strong it felt like someone had thrown him bodily into an ice cold bucket of water. Blaine gasped and froze where he was. And then it was gone, the insane panic tapered off to just a low buzz of anxiety.

"You okay?" Jeff asked "Lose your footing?"

"Yeah... I guess." Blaine glanced around the room and the locked eyes with David, one of the Warbler Council Leaders. "Could I have a quick break?" He asked and David who was busy working on some harmonies with a few freshmen just nodded and waved him off.

"Thanks." Blaine said a grabbed his phone from his bag nearby and ducked out of the room. He sent a quick text to Kurt.

"Everything okay? I just felt something weird."

Kurt didn't text back and Blaine started feeling nervous. Kurt had found some exercises to do to help keep his emotions in check, aka hide them from your Soulmate. Blaine had tried a few but wasn't very good at it, Kurt seemed to be getting them down well though, and that worried him.

Blaine looked at the time and realized Kurt had a free period right now so he gave him a call. Kurt answered on the second ring. He cleared his voice before speaking. "Hey Blaine." He said in a falsely chipper voice.

Something was definitely wrong.

"What is happening?" Blaine asked.

"Nothing. I'm fine." Kurt said.

Blaine closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Kurt had the best intentions in the world, but he could be so damn stubborn.

"Kurt. Don't. Please don't do that. Don't shut me out. What's happening?"

He heard Kurt sigh. "I... It's Dave. But I'm okay now. I'll tell you everything. I promise. I'll tell you this evening okay?"

"Promise?" Blaine asked. "That you are okay and that you'll explain latter?"

"Yes." Kurt said. "I'm not trying to shut you out. I'm just trying... to look out for you."

Blaine laughed a little weakly. "That's all I'm trying to do for you."

"I know."

They were both quite for a minute.

"I'll see you after school?" Blaine asked.

"Absolutely."

They hung up and Blaine felt a little better. He was going to have to talk to Kurt about covering his emotions like this though. Blaine knew most people wouldn't even feel each other at all at this point in their relationship, but they were different. Blaine believed they had this connection for a reason. He just had to convince Kurt.