My thanks to IlovesMesomeGlee, for edits and support. Check out her up-and-coming story "A Long Time Coming." This story is a refreshing view on Dave's world and is a good read.

Julius was worried. He was sitting on his dog bed, not too far from where Matt was sleeping.

Dave secretly gave Matt his own key to Dave's house and Paul and Dave were still at football practice. Matt loved these moments when he could just have peace and quiet with a beautiful, protective dog nearby. Matt was asleep.

But that didn't stop Julius from being concerned. As Matt was sleeping, Julius saw things he didn't like, but didn't understand. He tilted his head towards Matt first to the left for a while, and then to the right. As intelligent as he was, he knew something was off with Matt's sleeping form, but didn't know what it was.

And he didn't like it.

Matt was twitching in his sleep. He was lying on his side, facing Julius. Matt's face would occasionally scrunch a little, and then relax. But this pattern would repeat, much to Julius' chagrin. Then, finally, Matt's face showed raw fear.

"Don't hurt me….." Matt muttered, still deep in sleep. Julius was now on all paws, standing on full alert. He intently watched his second master, struggling to sleep through a nightmare. But, being a dog, he didn't really know what to do.

"Please don't hurt me!" Matt practically yelled.

Julius finally figured out what he had to do.

Suddenly, roaring barking filled the room. Julius couldn't stand or understand what was happening to his second master, but knew he was in trouble. Finally, Julius left his dog bed, lumbered over to Matt, and nuzzled him. He barked again.

Unexpectedly, Matt's eyes widened and he cried out. Julius stared at Matt with obvious concern.

Matt, panting, blinked a few times, trying to get his bearings. He was in Dave's bed with a worried Julius right in front of him. Matt was shaking a little, and a little out of breath. So, Julius did what he learned to do – he nuzzled up to Matt, waiting for some affection.

Finally, Matt smiled a little, extending his head towards Julius.

"It was just a dream, Julius." Matt said, comfortingly. Matt stroked Julius' head, which really pleased and calmed the dog. Julius turned to the side, letting his hindquarters lean on the side of the bed as Matt continued to pet him.

"Just a dream." Matt told Julius. "Don't worry, Julius. What happened in my dream won't really happen….."

Julius just sat there, loving the affection. Matt frowned.

.

The next day, Matt was headed towards glee rehearsal. The school day was over and most of the students were rushing to get the hell out of school. Sometimes, he would pass football players going to the practice field. He often saw Dave, but Azimio was right in step with him. It was very difficult to make eye contact the way they truly wanted, thanks to Azimio's presence. But on that day, they did make eye contact. And the results were disastrous.

Matt looked particularly cute that day, wearing a light blue dress shirt and tight black pants. Dave couldn't take his eyes off him. Dave, to his credit, was wearing a tight green Polo shirt. Matt just stared as he walked by, mesmerized by David's strong arms and shoulders.

"Hey homo!" Azimio yelled. "Back off my boy, will ya?!"

And before Matt could protest, he felt strong hands shoving into his chest. Matt flew backwards and careened onto a row of lockers. Azimio had a good grip and used nearly all of his strength to fling to small boy into the lockers. He had never used such strength to do this, but he wanted to teach Matt a lesson. And, Azimio was extremely successful. The echo of the lockers matched the howling, cruel laughter from Azimio.

"Damn that was a good one!" Azimio complimented himself, pulling Dave along with him. Dave never even looked back at Matt. Dave and Azimio were just about to exit the building when they heard Matt slump to the floor.

Dave felt sick. Sickened with guilt, shame, anger. He was disgusted with Azimio, who was still guffawing over the powerful locker check.

Oh my God! What if he's hurt?!

"Az, I forgot my calculus book. I gotta head back." Dave quickly said. And before he could hear a reply from Azimio, he raced right back into the building.

As Dave entered the doors, his sickened feeling almost turned to nausea. Slumped on the floor and struggling to get up was his beautiful, now fragile boyfriend. The protective side of David Karofsky took over, blinded by determination and love. Dave raced to Matt helping him up. Matt struggled to stand upright, and as soon as he was standing, Matt began to get dizzy and slouch a little.

Dave gently guided him back to the row of lockers to help steady his boyfriend. But when Dave looked into Matt's dazed, unfocused eyes, love took over. Throwing caution to the wind with engulfing passion, Dave gently and firmly kissed him. It was just a kiss of reassurance, of stability, of so much protection, of…..love. But it was enough. As Dave pulled away, Matt was getting his bearings, staring up into the most beautiful, worried hazel eyes he had ever seen.

Dave and Matt simply looked at each other. Dave's steady, strong hands were on Matt's biceps, holding him up even though Matt no longer really needed them. So many emotions passed between the boys then – anger, guilt, shame, gratitude. They were consumed in their own passionate cocoon.

"Are you alright, Matt?" Dave quietly asked, fighting back a tear and rage. He raised one hand, softly caressing Matt's delicate cheek.

"Y-yeah." Matt shakily replied.

"C'mon, Matt."

The two boys whirled around. Sebastian Smythe was walking towards them.

"Dave, I'll make sure he gets to glee rehearsal." Sebastian calmly said. "Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me. It's your secret to reveal, not mine. I'll make sure Matt gets to glee OK."

And for the first time in David Karofsky's life, he wasn't scared somebody else knew his biggest secret.

.

Football practice was over. Dave's throwing arm was sore as usual. He wished he could go over to Matt's house and just be with him. He felt so pathetic for feeling that way, but that house felt like a real home to him. Two loving parents and an awesome boyfriend were there and he couldn't believe his luck. Unfortunately, he was headed back to his empty house, soon to be occupied with his father. Dave sighed.

Dave entered his house and began warming up some frozen food. He really didn't care which frozen dinner. He was hungry. Soon, after changing his clothes, eating his dinner, and beginning his homework, Dave heard the sound of his Dad's truck.

Paul entered the house on a tear.

"Boy, what the hell was that today?!" Paul roared entering the kitchen where Dave sat.

"What?" Dave asked alarmed.

"Why can't you read a cover two like you've been doing all year?"

Dave struggled at practice that day. After seeing what happened to Matt and then Sebastian finding out about their relationship, which didn't seem to alarm him much for some reason, Dave was distracted at practice. He knew his Dad was angry at his lackluster practice and Dave was too.

"I'm trying, Dad." Dave pleaded. "I just couldn't…focus as well, or something."

Paul sneered. "Well you better get your head screwed on straight, Dave. We're 6-0 and I don't want a loss this season. Remember? The state champion-"

"I know, Dad!" Dave loudly interrupted. "I've…just got a lot on my mind, that's all. My head is always clear come game time."

Paul hesitated, studying Dave. Dave hated it when he could practically see the wheels in his Dad's head turning. He always knew his Dad was about to say something particularly cruel and Dave would have to either snap or shut down. It always depended on what his Dad picked.

Why didn't I go to Matt's house?

Paul abruptly walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out the remaining leftovers, turning towards the microwave. As he turned the microwave on, he observed Dave out of the corner of his eye.

"School trouble? More bullying?" Paul quietly asked.

"No! Of course not!" Dave snapped.

"Fight with Azimio?"

"No!" Dave was getting more and more annoyed.

"Fight with Strando?"

"No!"

"Get a girl pregnant?!" Paul sneered evilly.

"NO!" Dave roared, now enraged, standing up.

"Boyfriend trouble?"

Dave stopped, panting. He was staring at his Dad, his mind at a total blank for a response. His thoughts went very briefly to his wonderful boyfriend and the years of hiding. There's a moment in every closeted man's life when you simply run out of energy to hide. Dave wasn't even conscious he lost this energy. Dave was simply silent.

"Oh…my…God." Paul breathed.

"Dad-"

"Your mother was right…." Paul whispered.

Dave's eyes bulged in total surprise.

"W-what do you mean?" Dave asked, suddenly scared.

Paul simply looked away, ignoring the microwave's bell that his dinner was done. He stared at nothing, standing stoically. Slowly, he turned towards the kitchen table, methodically pulled out a chair, and plopped down at the table.

Stunned, Dave sat back down too, staring at his Dad with a scared expression on his face.

Dave's mind was a whirlwind. He wanted to explain what Matt meant to him, why he couldn't tell his parents about his sexuality, what was meant by 'your mother was right', and he wanted to really know why his Mom left home. But Dave never got the chance.

Suddenly, Paul was standing and barreling towards Dave. He grabbed Dave by the lapels of his shirt, holding him tight! Shocked, Dave simply stared at his Dad.

"Dad!" Dave screamed, holding on to his Dad's wrist. But Paul's grip was firm.

Paul's fury flooded Dave's brain and consumed him.

"No son of mine will be a faggot. Your Mom figured out you was gay when you were just eleven years old. I convinced her I'd turn you straight or by God I'd have her tied up in a looooong custody battle. So…..she left. I will win." Paul evilly whispered, up in Dave's face.

Dave just stared in horror at his Dad, sadness creeping into his features.

"Dad, please!"

But Paul was undeterred.

"Why don't you go fuck that Fabray girl? I heard she puts out. Hell, go fuck a teacher for all I care." Paul spewed. "But you will not be a faggot!"

And with that, Paul let Dave go and stormed out of the room. Dave barely hesitated. He shot up out of the kitchen, quickly gathered Julius, and ran out of the house. He knew where he was welcome…..now.

.

Matt was pinned. On one side of him was an enormous Rottweiler, whining a little from time to time. On the other side of him was his massive jock boyfriend, crying in his arms. Matt held Dave as he cried and cried. Dave hadn't even been able to tell the whole tale before he broke down. Matt, of course, could figure it out.

Matt stroked Dave's back, trying his best to calm Dave down. But it was very, very slow moving. Julius nudged Matt from behind, just to let him know he was there. Matt reached behind, stroking Julius' neck a couple of times, before returning to Dave's back, stroking his neck a few times. He was on double nursing duty, sandwiched between two huge, hurting men.

Two boys and a dog were huddled together in a queen-sized bed. Matt, practically being crushed between his boyfriend and the dog, just seemed to be the glue that held everything together. And he didn't want it any other way.

Gradually, Dave began to calm down, his tears turning from angry, anguished sobs, to quiet breaths of impassioned sadness. Soon, Dave was asleep. Julius, the ever present guard, was watching the two boys.

Very carefully, Matt slid under Dave's huge arm and climbed over Julius to stand at the foot of the bed. Matt looked down at Dave's sleeping form. There was no peaceful expression on Dave's face that evening. And that fact sickened Matt. He looked at Julius, who had a calm, watchful look on his face. Julius would look at Matt, then back to Dave, and then back to Matt, a little whine coming from his throat.

Matt sighed.

Turning, Matt quietly left the room, softly closing his bedroom door. He walked down the hallway, turning into the living room where his parents looked up, concern on their faces.

"Looks like he came out to his Dad and it went very badly. He's asleep now."

Eileen covered her mouth in saddened surprise and Matt Sr. simply looked away, a glum expression on his face.

"Poor guy." Eileen muttered.

"Can Dave spend the night?" Matt hopefully asked.

"Of course he can." Matt Sr. quickly responded. Eileen shot her husband a look of pleased surprise. "Dave's…always welcome here."

Matt eyed his Dad's hesitation, but didn't really care at that moment. His parents liked Dave, but were concerned in general. Gay relationships in Lima, Ohio are not well received, but Matt knew he could rely on his parents support. And he was right. In the end, it didn't really matter that Dave was a jock and Matt wasn't.

"Honey," Eileen eloquently began, "make sure Dave knows he's always welcome here if things get too…..bad. At home."

"Thanks Mom and Dad. Dave needs me…he needs us." Matt said.

Matt thanked his parents again, and went back to his bedroom to two of the more important men in his life.

.

Coach Michael Ayres was leaving the practice field. Coach Ayres was the offensive coordinator for the McKinley football team and often worked closely with Dave. Michael liked Dave, thinking he had a bright future ahead of him. Michael was a former quarterback himself, slightly stocky with a salt and pepper mustache.

As Michael was leaving the locker room, he noticed Dave's copy of the playbook near Dave's locker. The playbook was a football player's Bible and couldn't just be left anywhere. So, Michael scooped it up, and left the facility. He had some time that night and knew Dave had a bad practice that day. So, he headed towards the Karofsky household, casually driving his Ford Ranger along the familiar country roads.

As Michael pulled up, he noticed there was only one truck in the driveway. Curious, Michael got out, with the playbook in hand, and walked up towards the front porch.

Michael knocked.

No answer.

Michael knocked a little louder.

Still, no answer.

"Coach? Dave?" Michael yelled.

Hesitantly, Michael tried to peer through one of the windows until he heard a noise on the other side of the door. Instantly stopping, Michael stood erect, waiting for whoever was at the door to answer.

Finally, the door pulled back in a flurry and Paul Karofsky stood staring at his assistant coach.

"What?" Paul asked, annoyed.

"Coach, Dave left this playbook in the locker room. I figured he might need it."

Paul chuckled.

"Yeah, I don't think he needs that right now." Paul sneered.

Michael looked confused.

"Ummm, he wouldn't?" Michael asked, hesitantly.

"Ummm, no." Paul answered sarcastically. "Try finding him at that Saranity kid's house." And then, Paul leaned in a little cruelly, "he'll be there."

And with that, Paul slammed the door in Michael's face. Surprised and offended, Michael just turned around and headed towards his car. As he was pulling out of the driveway, he resolved to either find Dave tomorrow at school, or look up this mysterious name – Saranity.

.