Title: Help

Pairing: Pre-Kurt/Blaine, Protective!Burt

Rating: R

Warning: Dark themes, angst - will put specific warnings in each chapter

Summary: Burt finds Blaine sitting at a bus stop, hair messed up, clothes ripped, and with a growing bruise on his face. It doesn't really matter whether he and Kurt end up dating, because he's pretty sure he's permanently involved in this kid's life now.

AN: This is a fill of a prompt on the glee angst meme - ?thread=8811286#t8811286

Everything that happened in canon except for Kurt and Blaine getting together happened (i.e. Kurt went to Dalton and then moved back to McKinley).

This is the first fanfic I've ever written, and the first piece of creative writing I've attempted since school almost a decade ago, so please don't expect much.

Burt stretched his legs in front of him as he sank backwards onto the sofa, looking forward to a night alone with nothing but a cold beer and the game to distract him. Carole was on a night-shift at the hospital and Kurt and Finn had left that morning for New York. Burt loved his family with all his heart, but he had to admit, the thought of some peace and quiet was very appealing.

Burt jolted awake as music started blaring from across the room. It took him a few moments to realise he had fallen asleep in front of the television, before he saw the phone on the coffee table, Kurt's if the song - something about teenagers and dreaming - was anything to go by. He laughed softly to himself; Kurt was not going to be happy about spending a whole weekend without his phone. He eased himself up from the couch and looked at the name on the phone. Blaine. He should have known; they were hardly ever off the phone to each other these days, and if he had to hear the phrase 'And Blaine said…'one more time he was just going to scream. He briefly considered rejecting the call, but thought it would be too cruel to let Blaine think Kurt was ignoring his calls for a whole weekend. Pressing accept, he lifted the phone to his ear.

"Hello? Blaine?"

"K…Kurt? Is…Is that you?" The voice was timid and unsure, nothing like the self-assured boy he was used to.

"No Blaine, sorry, it's Burt. Kurt left his phone at home and he's gone away for the weekend."

"Oh" How could that one word, one shaky exhalation sound so dejected? "I'm sorry. I didn't…I won't…sorry, I should go" Burt looked at the 'call ended' sign that flashed onto the screen. 'Well that was odd' he thought to himself.

Burt really didn't know what to make of Blaine Anderson. He was certainly a polite, well-spoken boy, and Kurt had grown in confidence since meeting him, but more than once Kurt had come home sullen and clearly hurt about something or other to do with Blaine. And after that Valentine's day fiasco he'd had to sit with him all evening as he cried about being 'perpetually alone', 'ugly' and 'unlovable'. He knew his son had a penchant for melodrama, but he couldn't help but feel that this Blaine kid was not exactly doing much to put him off, probably enjoying the attention a bit too much. Maybe it would do them both good to spend some time apart.

He was shocked out of his reverie by the phone in his hand once again springing into life. 'Blaine' flashed once more on the screen. Burt gave the phone a somewhat suspicious look before taking the call.

"Blaine?"

No-answer

"Blaine, are you there?" Burt was just about to turn the phone off, assuming Blaine must have rung again by accident, when…

"Mr. Hummel? I.."

"Blaine, did you need something?"

"I'm sorry, Mr…I mean...Sir…" Burt felt an odd sensation settle in the pit of his stomach. Something was wrong. This wasn't like Blaine. Something was very wrong.

"Blaine, are you ok, is something the matter?"

" I think…can you…" He could here the boy's breaths get faster and harsher, sounding more and more panicked. 'Shit' he thought to himself, 'What the hell is going on here?'

" Blaine, you need to calm down. Can you hear me Blaine?"

"Y..y..yes"

"Ok, you need to breath slowly, Blaine, ok? Deep breaths, in and out" He listened for a few seconds as Blaine's breathing slowly came under control, and breathed his own sigh of relief. It was short-lived.

"Mr Hummel, I need help. Please."

AN: So, there it is. Very nervous about it, and would love feedback, especially constructive criticism.

I found the logistics of writing dialogue really tricky – should I put thoughts in italics, should I start a new line every time someone speaks? Would love to know if people thought it worked, or had ideas to make the dialogue sections clearer that would be great.

So, um, thanks…?