"At the end of the day, a loving family should find everything forgivable."
- Mark V. Olsen and Will Sheffer, Big Love, "Easter"

Thursday morning started, at least for Finn and I, around 3:30. That was when he started poking me, softly calling my name over and over. My poke back was less then gentle. "What?"

"I have something to tell you." He sounded desperate.

That was never a good thing. Whenever Finn waited until the middle of the night to talk, it was because it was something he was too ashamed of to discuss in the light of day. I sat up on my elbows. "What is it?"

"They….the police have a video of what happened at the Wrights. Of everything that happened. He taped a lot of it." I couldn't see Finn's face in the dark, but he was so close I could feel his breath fanning over my cheek.

"We already know that, Cowboy. You told me that they taped it." The fact that Finn can't even remember what he's told me about what happened tells me that he he's still keeping some things back. I've always suspected it, ever since the first night he talked.

"No, it's not any of that. It's worse. I, uh, I know what they're going to show to say I was there vol...volun…because I wanted to be."

The hair on the back of my neck rose. Whatever this was, it was huge. I reached out into the darkness and touched Finn's side. "Tell me."

"It was the very last night, the one where they told me they would let me go, but only if I did something special for him. He looked right at me, and he said 'you know, Jeremy, sometimes I don't think you like it here very much.' I just stood there looking at him, because of course I didn't like it there, but I wasn't dumb enough to say it. Only he kept staring at until I kind of muttered that I liked it alright." He sighed. "That was a big lie, and we all knew it, but I couldn't make myself sound any more enthusiastic. Then he said 'well, what do you think you could do to prove it to me?' and I said that I had already had sex with him and blown him that day, and what else should I do? That made him mad."

"Why?" I didn't mean to say the word out loud, but I couldn't help myself. Joseph had killed Finn's best friend, snatched him, and raped him. How could he be angry with Finn for not wanting to be his sex slave forever? I voiced that thought to Finn, coached in much less offensive terms, or course, only to be answered with a shrug.

"It's not…I don't think he saw it like that. In the beginning he did, that's why he kept me locked up all the time. But after I had been there for a while, I think he kind of forgot how he got me. He really thought that I was there because I wanted to be. That's why he gave me more freedom. He would sometimes even let me go into gas stations or McDonalds all by myself and I never did anything. I think that's why I thought I was ok with everything."

We were veering off track here, and I tried to bring him back around. "Ok, what did he want you to prove?"

"He said I had to." Finn took a deep breath. "He wanted me to do it on video, without him in the frame. He wanted me to say stuff."

Call me naïve, but I've always kind of suspected that there's a limit to how bad things can get. Even though I had thought that Finn was holding something back, I never suspected that it would be like this. "So what you're saying is…."

"He made me say that I loved him, and jerk off on camera. I didn't want to, but it's going to look like I did." He was taking this very calmly. But, then, he had known that this was coming ever since he had called the police and told them were the safe was. It was only shocking to me. "That's going to look really, really bad."

He was right. But we both knew that, so I settled for wrapping an arm around him and squeezing. "Who else knows about this?"

"Samantha. And I'm sure the police know, and all of the lawyers because they get to see everything. You, of course. That's it. I just wanted you to know, because they're going to show it at the trial, so they can say I'm a liar."

"I know that you're telling the truth, and the jury will know that, too. Don't worry, Finn." I tried to project confidence.

He poked again. "Do you think that they're going to charge me with being a prostitute?"

As I've undoubtedly said before, Finn fixates on the weirdest ideas. "Why would they charge you with being a prostitute?"

"Because I did what one does. I gave him sex so he would give me something back." He folded his body around mine.

That didn't exactly sound like a Finn Hudson idea. It did, however, sound like the sort of idea that a crazy person may have put in his head. "Who told you that, Finn?"

"Lily." The name came out with an uncertain lilt to it, just like it always did. "She said that it was prostitution and I could go to jail for it."

In the beginning, I had had a small amount of sympathy for Lily. Yes, she had been the one who baited the trap, but even Finn had said that she had never physically abused him, and that she had only sexually done so when directed to by Joseph. I still wanted to see her charged, but as a passive participant, rather then an active one.

But I was coming to see that she was just as a dangerous to Finn's long term recovery as Joseph had been. Mental torture can scar just as deeply as physical, sometimes more so. "Well, she was wrong. If you were forced to do it, it's sexual assault as opposed to prostitution."

His brow furrowed. "It can still be assault even if I just did it to myself?"

I wasn't too clear on the details, either, but I tried to sound confident. "Yes. It's also child pornography."

"No it's not. It's not because 17 is the age of consent, and I was 17 when it happened. But as long as I can't be charged with being a prostitute, I'm ok." He was settling back into sleep, his body relaxing. "I just wanted you to know, because I didn't want it to be a surprise in court. You can go back to sleep now."

Easy for him to say. It was also easy for him to go back to sleep. The thing that had been keeping him up at night had been taken care of and now he could snuggle in and rest. I was the one left laying there in horror.

Finn's confessions were always harder on me then they were on him. But I want him to feel comfortable telling me anything, and these were all things I needed to know. I closed my eyes and willed myself back into a restless sleep.

Dad woke us up the next morning by flicking the basement lights on and off, something that drove me bonkers. I rolled over and screamed. "Dad! We're awake."

Well, one of us was. Finn had vanished under the comforter, tucking himself up like a turtle vanishing inside its shell. That boy can sleep through anything, I swear. I yanked the blanket off of him. "Rise and shine, Cowboy. Time for your first day of work."

He moaned and folded up even tighter. "I'm calling in sick."

That might work with Carole, but I was a little tougher on him then she was. "Nice try. Come on, Dad is probably making breakfast already."

Food is a powerful motivator, and he drug himself up and into the bathroom, grumbling all the while. I took the opportunity to dress quickly, my back to the bathroom door. Since I was going to be putting coveralls on anyway, there was no point in getting too fancy. On days like today, it was far more important to focus on my skin and hair. Just about everything I touched at the garage is damaging to one or the other, and I had to take steps right now to ensure that I protected myself as best I could. A shower immediately after arriving home would have to suffice for the rest of it.

Finn finished in the bathroom and bounded out, looking absolutely gorgeous. Damn him, I know full well that he did nothing in there except pee and wash his face. He hadn't even run a comb through his hair, and he could have any woman he wanted right now.

I pointed at the bed. "Your clothes are out."

Every time I chose his clothing for him, I expected him to object. I'm fully aware that my clothing choices are not his choices, and that he can choose his own clothing. He can't put together an outfit, but I can. This was one thing that I knew I was good at, and that I wanted to help him do, just to ease his worries a little bit. I couldn't make people not tease him, I couldn't undo the damage that Lily and Joseph had done to his mind, but I could make sure that he faced each day clean and appropriately dressed for the weather. A small thing, but I've come to the conclusion that it's the small things that Finn loves the best.

He seemed to accept my meager offering in the spirit that I gave it, and was always appreciative of his outfits, even if he was sometimes confused by an oddly placed strap or tie. He came over and gave me a rough, slightly sleepy, kiss on the mouth. "Thanks, Kurt, you're awesome."

"Always." I pointed towards the stairs. "I'm going to be a while, so you can go on up and get started eating." Carole was off today, so he should feel comfortable enough up there with Dad.

Even so, I worry about him. I worry what's happening up there right now, and what will happen at the garage, and what's going to happen at the trial. Then I look further into the future, and it tears my heart even more. What had happened yesterday was still clear in my mind. Would Finn ever be able to enjoy a healthy relationship with a partner? Or had something in him been permanently damaged?

Probably. You don't go through what he did and come out completely ok on the other end. But that doesn't mean he's as broken as you think he is.

I know, I know. I worry too much. Only there had been a time, not that long ago, when my failure to worry about Finn soon enough had nearly cost him his life. So what if I was a little overprotective of him now? It was better then being under protective and losing him again.

My thoughts rolled back and forth as I dabbed bits of several protective creams on my face, concentrating on the T-zone. Extra moisturizing for the hands and neck, and I was ready for a quick bite of breakfast.

Dad might not be a gourmet cook, but he's great at basic breakfast foods. There was a stack of toast, eggs cooked two different ways, bacon, sausage, and even some sliced fruit. Wait, sliced fruit?

Finn saw me staring and pointed at the grapefruit. "I cut that up for you. It's full of antitoxins."

As much as I like a huge gesture, it's the little things that make me fall in love with Finn all over again. I wanted to kiss him, but we couldn't do that in front of Dad, so I settled for patting his shoulder instead. "Antioxidants, and thank you, Finn. That was a lovely gesture."

He beamed at me, and for a minute he looked so much like the old Finn that it was easy to imagine that none of this had ever happened. That Dad and Carole had moved in together as planned, and Finn and I had become boyfriends the normal way, instead of the rather circuitous route we had ended up taking. Then I realized that one member of this fantasy family was missing. "Where's Carole?"

"She was called in to work early this morning. I guess the flu is going around and a bunch of nurses are out." Dad was still at the stove. "Finn, do you want another egg? You're going to be on your feet all day."

"No, thank you." He did, however, help himself to another piece of bacon.

It wouldn't seem like such a big deal to an outsider, but, for Finn, this was huge. He had stayed up here with Dad instead of coming back downstairs to me, even though he knew that Carole was gone. Slowly but surely, he was getting better.

On the way to the garage, Dad peppered Finn with questions about what he did and didn't know about cars. Yes, Finn could change a tire. He was pretty sure that he knew how to do an oil change. Beyond that, he could do a pretty good imitation of a revving engine, which made Dad laugh. A nasty surge of jealousy rolled through my stomach. Even though Finn hated his guts, he was still more natural with Dad then I was.

I knew better then to let it show, though. Dad isn't the most observant man, but Finn has become very in tune with me, and he would notice immediately. "Dad, is there anything I can get started on while you give Finn the safety lecture?" See, I could get going right away, while Finn still needed lots of help. I was the better kid.

Do I even need to mention how pathetic that is?

Nope, I got it on my own, thanks. Dad gave me a quick smile. "Hold your horses, Son. Dr. Lopez's car is in for a tune-up, and I want Finn to see how a total inspection is done."

At least I would have a chance to show off my skills. "Ok."

I sat on one of the benches and listened to Dad go over all of the safety procedures with Finn. My boyfriend was doing that nodding thing he always did when he was really listening to something. It's like his brain doesn't engage unless his body is moving as well.

Once the lecture was over, I demonstrated how to get the car up on the lift. "Drive very slowly, Finn, and you'll be able to feel the bump."

He was looking kind of pale. "Umm…I hit the mailman one time, and definitely felt the bump then."

That was a story I was going to have to hear at a later date. Dad nodded calmly, though I kind of got the impression that he was re-thinking letting Finn drive or touch anything. He didn't say any of that, though. "Ok, let's just let Kurt do that part for a while. You know, just until you're more comfortable."

Finn gave a relieved nod. "Yeah, that would be really cool."

One the car was parked (and the keys removed to prevent any sort of Finn related accident) everyone seemed to settle down. Dad went over all of the hands off portions, then demonstrated how to do some of the basic checks. "Now you try."

With surprising delicacy and grace, Finn mimicked him exactly, then gave him an expectant smile. Dad looked over and nodded. "Good job, Finn. We'll make a mechanic out of you yet."

Finn smiled, a real one that showed his teeth. "I can do it."

It was nice to hear him have some confidence in himself for a change. Finn was smart, even if it wasn't in a way that school would necessarily reflect, and he learned very quickly with things like this.

I quickly grew bored and restless. "Dad? Is there something I can do?"

"Mr. Richtor's care is in for a fan belt replacement, how about that? It's the red Accord in the back. Finn, careful about touching that. Those are very delicate in some models, and can be hard to replace."

I already knew that Finn wouldn't break anything. He was clumsy as an ox most of the time, but he can also be amazingly light fingered. I've been working on teaching him the basics of piano, and he had picked it up with a fair amount of ease.

Dad's garage is small, so even though I wasn't working with them, I could hear everything that was happening with Finn and Dad. The first 10 minutes were nothing but Dad explaining things and Finn giving and occasional 'yeah' or 'uh-huh'. After the basics were out of the way, though, it got interesting.

Haven't you ever heard that eavesdroppers never hear anything good about themselves? I don't want to listen to you bitching if you hear the wrong thing.

I seriously doubted that I was going to be the topic of conversation, but I could handle it, even if I was. Finn talked to Dad now, no problem, but he didn't tend to do it very loud. Even so, I could hear exactly what he was saying. "I don't mean to act like an asshole to you."

Electricity crackled around the room. As far as I could remember, Finn and Dad had never acknowledged the strain in their relationship. Finn mentioned it to me, and Dad to Carole. I had even talked about it myself with Dad, which probably meant that Finn and Carole had discussed it in private as well. But to hear it out in the open like this? Amazing.

Dad's voice was soft. "I know that this is really hard on you."

"It is on you too, though. And it's going to get worse really soon. The police have to get ready to have a trial soon. It's in the Constitution or some shit."

Dad doesn't tolerate me swearing, but he never corrects Finn for it. I'm not quite sure if it's because he's uncomfortable correcting Finn in general, or if he just figures that, after everything he's been thought, Finn deserves the right to use poor language on occasion. "He has the right to a speedy trial. There's still a chance that he could waive it, though."

"He won't." Finn sounded tired, like he had already thought this through a million times. "Samantha and I already talked about it. His only shot is to make me look crazy. The longer I'm away from him, the better I get and he can't control me as much as he used to. He wants to have the trial right away, so he can still scare me and make me say what he wants me to. The evidence is already there on both sides, and I don't think they're looking for anything else. It's going to be my word against theirs. Can I have that twisty wrench thing? No, not that one, the other one."

"That one isn't right. You need this one." Dad sounded flustered, like he wasn't sure where to go next. It was a problem that we were all having with Finn. Sometimes he's still the big, goofy, teddy bear that looked at you like you had all the answers in the world for him. Then, just as quickly, he can shoot you this withering stare that makes him look about a hundred years old, with the experience to boot.

"Like this?" Finn's body was blocking me from seeing what he was doing, but Dad nodded. "That's excellent Finn."

"Really?" The tides had turned again, and he was back to his 17 year old self. "Because I've never been good at anything right away before. Except for singing, kind of. I mean, I wasn't great at that, either, but I was ok."

"Absolutely. When Kurt first started, I couldn't trust him to do anything on his own for weeks, and you're getting it right away."

He could have at least mentioned that I was only nine years old at the time, and barely able to see into a car engine without a boost. When he said it like that, he made me look bad in front of my boyfriend.

He doesn't know that Finn is your boyfriend. All he's trying to do is put the poor guy at ease, and it's actually working. When was the last time they were close and Finn didn't look like he wasn't going to jolt out of his skin?

The answer to that might actually be never. Even Before, Finn had always been somewhat at odds with Dad. Sure, they were buddy-buddy when they were talking about sports or watching the game, but beyond that, Finn was shy, almost skittish. He really doesn't take to change or new people all that well, and Finn had never had a father before. He had liked Dad on a personal level, at least before our lives all went to hell, but he was never quite sure how to act around him. Was Dad his parent? Just an authority figure? A friend? Nothing more then my father?

For about the millionth time, I wondered what might have been, if Carole had forced Finn to stay home that night. We would have probably still watched a movie, but it would have been uncomfortable. Or maybe he would have stormed down to the basement and hidden until I came down to bed, at which point he would lay there and pretend to be asleep just so he wouldn't have to deal with me. After all, Dad and I were living proof that two people can live in this house for years and year and only exchange the barest amount of words and emotions. Home, Glee club, maybe a little bit at Dad's shop. That was all he would have to interact with me if he didn't want to.

And he was stubborn. Before all of this had happened, I never would have believed just how hard-headed Finn was capable of being. For over two months, he had completely refused to speak. No amount of coaxing, begging, ignoring, or even threatening, had convinced him to make even a tiny sound. Finn talked when he chose to, to the person he chose to, only when he decided that he was 100% ready. I could easily see him managing to push me off for a year and a half until we split for different colleges. The best part was, he hid his stubbornness well. No one would notice what he was up to unless they were looking for it. Any complaint on my part would have lead to me looking crazy. Well, crazier. It was likely that, without what had happened, there would have been no Finn and Kurt to speak of.

But it would also erase the shadows under Finn's eyes from not sleeping for days in a row. It would mean having to wear earplugs and hide in Dad's office upstairs, just so I could get my homework done and not have to listen to Guitar Hero played at earsplitting volume when Puck came over in a competitive mood. I would be sharing my father much more so then I was now. I might have even looked at this Blaine Anderson character as more then just a friend. Right now, I could be chasing Finn around the basement, threatening to do all of his back to school shopping for him, instead of watching him and Dad dance around each other.

Alright, fine. Two words, carelessly said. Alright, fine, but if you aren't home by one, or if you do let him talk you into doing something foolish, then there will be no end to the trouble you will be in, Finnegan. Carole had been distracted when she spoke, already mentally on her date with Dad. The words were burned into my brain, but it was the first two that mattered. Two words, and they changed everything.

Chills ran down my back, and I wanted nothing more then to rush over and hold Finn, reassuring myself that he was really there. As if he sensed what was going through my head, he looked over at me and grinned. I smiled back and busied myself with my own work. See, this was going well.

"Do I get to come here when Kurt's in school sometimes?" Finn carefully tightened a lug nut. "I don't want to be lonely at home."

"Of course you can. We'll have to check the laws on it, since you're still a minor, but I would love to have some help."

"Cool. What do you call this thing again?"

It was a carburetor. Finn knew full well that it was a carburetor. He knows all of the parts of an engine, because he asked me to help him a few nights ago. But the conversation had become too deep and frightening for him, and he needed a way to step out of it. From the sad smile that tugged on his lips, I knew that Dad knew that it was an excuse as well, but we both let it go. "It's a carburetor, Finn."

The rest of the day passed with surprising smoothness. Finn was distracted by what he was doing, and forgot to be antagonistic towards Dad. He seemed happy with what he was doing, and my stomach unclenched. This was good. We were one tiny step closer to normal.

Normal is overrated.

So was walking on eggshells. Every moment like this, even with the lingering awkwardness, was bonding them together. They were going to need that bond later on. Finn was going to need all of us to help him out. As cliché as it sounded, Finn's family and friends might be the only thing standing between him and a complete breakdown.

It wasn't until we were on the way home that Finn turned his attention back to me. "Did you see what a good job I did? Nothing got lit on fire, and a car didn't fall on me. I was really good at it!"

There was only one thing to say to that. "You were a rock star."

He lit up. "You were, too."

I smiled despite myself. "You couldn't see what I was doing, goofy."

"Of course not." He said it like I was the one being silly. "But everything you do is awesome, so that was, too. I've never known anyone who was good at everything before."

The really cute part was, he wasn't being a deliberate kiss-ass. Finn genuinely thought I was perfect. Well, not exactly perfect, but pretty darn close. "There are many things that I'm not good at. Video games, eating four foot subs, making friends, hitting a baseball."

Fixing Finn, keeping my family safe, making a soufflé that didn't fall, having a normal sex life. I didn't say any of those out loud, but I thought them so hard I might as well have.

One gigantic arm wrapped around my shoulders and gave me a squeeze. "Ok, you're good at almost everything. How does that sound?"

Before I could reply, the hair on the back of my neck rose. Years of being thrown into dumpsters and ambushed in school hallways had left me with a highly tuned sense of danger, and my senses were in overdrive. But that was silly. There was no one in the car but me, Finn, and...uh-oh. I braved looking up, and met Dad's eyes in the rearview mirror. He looked from me to Finn, then back to me. His eyes went narrow, and I knew that he knew. My throat went tight, and I knew that my eyes were huge and terrified. Dad gave me a quick nod, letting know that this would be discussed, but not in front of Finn. Just another secret for our family, I guess.

I have no idea what we talked about on the rest of the ride. I drew on all of my acting skills and kept voice light and happy, babbling at the top of my lungs and trying to keep my panic at bay. I must have pulled it off, because Finn seemed to be at ease.

Once we arrived, Dad gave Finn a quick nudge. "Go get changed, ok? Your mother doesn't like it when us guys come home smelling like gasoline and oil."

He bounded off, happy to be released from having to socialize any longer. I tried to follow. "I'm going to go down and change as well. I have to get started on my moisturizing routine before the grease on my skin clogs my pores." I tried to turn tail and run, but his hand closed around my upper arm.

"Nice try. I want you to go downstairs and get changed. It should take you no more then 10 minutes to change and wash your face. Then you come back up here so you and I can have a private chat. Keep Finn downstairs."

Crap. I tried to look as innocent as possible. "Ok. Will we be discussing my back to school budget?"

"No. I think you and I should be discussing Finn, and exactly what's going on between you." He pointed down to the basement. "10 minutes, Kurt."

"Yeah, I get it." Now the question became, how did I get out of this?