A/N: Beep Beep!

Kurt woke up to find the room dark, and Jessie was leaning over him.

"Hey." She said softly, gently shaking him awake.

"...hi?" Kurt yawned.

"You missed dinner, so I thought I'd come check on you. Are you hungry?"

Kurt didn't hear her question. Missed dinner? Then where was Blaine?

"Blaine?" he asked, sitting up.

"He's gone... His parents picked him up a couple of hours ago now..."

Jessie sat down as she noticed the expression on Kurt's face.

"I'm sorry, I thought you knew... Kurt? What's wrong?"

Kurt had crumpled back onto his side on the mattress, curling away from Jessie.

"He promised."

"Promised?"

"He didn't say good bye."

^.^

Kurt waited expectantly for Blaine's visit the next day, crying himself to sleep when Blaine didn't arrive, plagued with doubts – what were they now? Boyfriends? Still just friends?

He held onto the vain hope that maybe, just maybe Blaine would come tomorrow...

But he didn't.

^.^

Jessie came to visit him the next morning, worried that he would relapse.

"Kurt, what's wrong?"

"Blaine's not here. He promised he'd come back. But he didn't." Kurt whispered, curled into a ball on his bed.

Jessie faltered. She was more than a little concerned that Blaine hadn't returned.

"He's probably got a good reason for it, Kurt. I wouldn't worry." Jessie offered, but Kurt shook his head despondently.

It was on the fifth day that Jessie started to get really worried about him.

"Come on Kurt, you need to eat."

" 'm not hungry."

"Don't you want to get better so you can get out of here? Go home?"

"Not particularly." Kurt sniffed, and Jessie sighed, leaving him alone.

She'd try again at lunch.

^.^

Kurt moped for most of the day – barely even leaving his bed. Jessie came around to talk to him again at lunch time, warning him that if he didn't eat anything that they'd have to strap him down again, and hand feed him. He was supposed to be focusing on his recovery, not moping over some boy he barely knew.

Kurt managed to choke down half of his meal after that. Her words had stung, because he did want to get 'better' - mostly so he could go home - but he missed Blaine all the same.

By night time, he was another wreck – he hadn't been sleeping well and sleep deprivation had taken its toll.

He fell asleep early that night, tears streaking his face.

^.^

Blaine lay on his back, arms strapped to the sides of the bed, his eyes squeezed shut as he felt them move him through the halls, undoing the straps on his arms only to lift him onto another bed and strap him down again.

"You weren't supposed to have to come back." A familiar voice whispered, as blankets were pulled up over his still body, and Blaine screwed his eyes shut even tighter. Jessie sighed.

"Kurt will be glad to see you." She tried, and Blaine turned his head away, a tear making its way down his cheek. "He missed you…"

Blaine was crying properly now, and Jessie took pity on him, smoothing down his sheet, and making sure he was comfortable.

"Do you want me to stay until you go to sleep?" she asked gently, knowing how difficult the first night always was – especially on those who'd been here before.

Blaine said nothing – he just pushed his face into the pillow and continued to cry. Jessie let out a little sigh and sat with him – knowing full well he appreciated the company.

^.^

Kurt grumbled awake, blinking sleepily. It had been a full week, and Blaine had practically disappeared off the face of the planet. It was time to get over it, and start getting better.

He sat up and sighed, figuring he should get up for breakfast. That was what people-getting-better were supposed to do – right? With slow, lethargic movements, he changed into clothes that weren't his pyjama's, before pulling back his curtain.

He froze, noticing that the bed across from his – Blaine's old section – was curtained off. He sighed heavily – that meant a new roommate. Rubbing his face, he sighed again and headed outside his ward, waving half-heartedly at some of the other people. He didn't know them very well, but they did talk sometimes - mostly on their way to or from group.

The cafeteria was much the same as always – dull, quiet and sullen. Lining up, he got given his specific dietary requirement meal and sat at one of the tables with the others in his ward.

Everything this morning was bland – even the food.

"Kurt…" Jessie appeared next to him, and he looked at her sideways.

"Morning." Kurt said softly, picking at his food.

"Guess how long you've been here?"

Kurt closed one eye, glancing at the ceiling as if it would give him the answer. "Um…a little over two weeks?"

Jessie grinned. "Yep. You know what that means?"

"What?"

"In four days, your dad can start visiting."

Kurt swallowed hard. "Oh."

Jessie faltered. "You don't want your dad to visit?"

"It's not that." He whispered softly, scooting closer to her. "It's just…he's the one who found me. He's the one who noticed. He's the one who cared enough…or not enough…to put me here."

Jessie was silent, unsure of how to reply, but Kurt quickly gave her a reason not to, changing the subject.

"There's a new person in my ward."

A smile appeared on her lips. "Yeah."

"Can I go introduce myself?"

She smirked. "He's strapped down at the moment, but of course you can."

"What's his name?"

Jessie paused, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Maybe you should ask him."

^.^

Confused by Jessie's vague directions, Kurt wandered back through the ward to Blaine's old section. The curtain was half drawn – meaning no nurse was inside, and he braced himself. Whoever was in there might not be friendly – might not want company.

But then there was the slight chance that they did.

Kurt shuffled forward, grabbing the curtain and pulling it back a little. "Excuse me…"

He pulled the curtain back, and his eyes flicked to the figure on the bed.

His heart almost stopped.

"Blaine!"

Kurt forgot to remember why Blaine would be there. He forgot to look at his wrists – forgot to check if he was okay. He just launched himself at the boy he'd fallen in love with in a week, practically smothering him in a hug.

"Ow! Fuck, ow. Oh my god." Blaine cried, his body jerking as Kurt landed on pretty much every bruise on his body.

Kurt immediately jumped off him, happy tears pooling in his eyes. "I'm sorry! But…you're back."

Blaine didn't – couldn't – look at him, his gaze flicking once to the straps over his body, and then to the floor.

It was then, that Kurt realised.

Blaine's arms and legs were black and blue – his eye socket was starting to go yellow and purple. From what Kurt could see of his chest, it resembled the same colour. Kurt's eyes trailed to his arms – thick white bandages gleamed back at him, covering the bright red scratches that Kurt knew would be there.

"Blaine…"

"Please get out." He whispered, tears pooling in his eyes.

"No." Kurt said firmly.

Kurt wanted to cry. He forgot about being mad at Blaine – too confused and concerned to be mad. He could be mad later. What happened in the week that brought Blaine back to this spot? And where had those bruises come from?

"Please Kurt…just…I can't right now."

"I want you to." Kurt took his hand. "Can you talk to me?"

"Not now."

Kurt bit his lip, his gaze moving to the bandages again.

"Stop looking at me like that." Blaine bit, a sob escaping his lips. "Please, just…go…"

"Like what?"

"Like it's my fault. Because I know it is, and I don't need you to fucking remind me."

Kurt recoiled, his eyes wide.

"Just get out. Please."

"Blaine…"

"Kurt, please."

With a small sigh, Kurt squeezed his hand once, before nodding and leaving – drawing the curtain behind him.

Jessie stood in the doorway of the ward, silently watching. She had a feeling it would play out like that – that Blaine would retreat into his shell again.

She just hoped Kurt would be able to pull him out quickly.