Chapter One:

A/N: This story is a colloboration between my best friend Heidi and I. The characters are not ours, we are merey playing with them. Warnings: Not Nice Carole, Finn, Rachel, Mercedes, and Quinn

"The Great Plagues of the early twentieth century decimated the human population and may have, ultimately, led to their extinction had it not been for its impact upon our community. As our primary source of food became tainted and we too began to feel the disease's effects, our most learned minds began to work on the cure. It was one of our best and brightest, Dr. Fredrick Duvall, who finally discovered the cure hidden within our own DNA. The question then became: how do we deliver it to the humans without revealing our existence. The answer was simple… we couldn't. Thus after millennium of hiding in the darkness and shadows, using the disguise of myth and legend to cloak our existence, the vampires finally stepped out into the light."

-an excerpt from "Out of the Shadows: The History and Politics of the Great Reveal"

By Lily Cohen-Chang Hughes

The three figures walked solemnly and silently down the marble halls. When one was called in front of The High Council of Vampire Covens…you appeared and were ready to answer any questions for as long as they asked.

At last they reached a set of oak doors which the middle figure, after taking a deep, steadying breath, opened. The trio stepped not into what an outsider would expect a vampire council chamber to look like but instead into a modern office complete with three laptops sitting on the conference room table. The sun was streaming through the large windows. The three that had been summoned took their places across the table from the imposing figures of the Vampire Clan Chiefs, who were seated at the table, their hulking bodyguards lurking behind them.

"Would any of you like to explain to us how this situation was allowed to spiral out of control forcing us to intervene and act?" Andrew Cohen Chang stared at his daughter, Tina, her boyfriend Mike, and their friend, Noah Puckerman.

"Daddy, it was my fault." Tina answered firmly meeting her father's eyes. "I knew Karofsky was bullying Kurt, but I didn't know to what extent, no one really did. I never thought it would ever reach this level. As a future leader of this Council, I should have caught what was happening and brought it to your attention. I am so sorry that I did not take action as one should."

"You've made some mistakes which I hope you will learn from, that much is for certain." Andrew nodded at his daughter, proud that she was facing the Council and explaining her actions. "However, the Karofsky situation is not all your fault. In fact, it is none of your faults. As the Council, we should have realized there was a vampire without guidance and stepped in years ago. What I want to know is why you made the suggestion that Kurt Hummel should be allowed to attend Dalton? We would like to hear your reasons today."

"I have to say that I have my reservations." Nathaniel Anderson remarked, playing devil's advocate. "If we do this, what will the consequences be? For our council? For our community?"

Andrew nodded. "I understand your concern Nathaniel, but I've met Kurt. He and Tina have been friends for years. He was a complete innocent and this has destroyed him. We need to show him our honor and our sense of respect for life. We need to show him that we are not the monsters our ancestors were if there is any hope of helping this poor child come to terms with the incident and move forward with his life."

"While I don't dispute the facts, we have to think of the students at Dalton right now. You want us to let a mere human into one of our most sacred institutions?" Nathaniel asked, with a raised eyebrow at the three teens.

"Yes, Uncle Nathaniel. I do." Tina answered. "He can't return to McKinley because, even though it was Karofsky who attacked him, everyone blames Kurt for what happened. Even Kurt feels like this is his fault. He refuses to leave his home. We have to do something. We have to show him that we're all not like that…that we can be trusted…that he is safe. It is our duty and our obligation to show Kurt that the vampire community does not condone Karofsky's behavior."

"I feel sympathy for the boy," Nathaniel murmured. "I understand his pain like few do, however, that doesn't mean this is the right path for him. Additionally, we need to consider the impact this will have on those already enrolled at Dalton. How will the vampires currently there feel when we allow a human to attend? This doesn't just affect your friend, you know."

"It could be a good thing for the Dalton boys to learn to interact more freely with humans," Mike pointed out. "I know it has been quite an eye opener for myself and Noah to attend a primarily human school sir. They are infinitely more complicated than most of us realize."

Andrew Cohen Chang glanced over at his co-council member. "There are no newborns attending school there and we can make sure he is properly supervised while he's on campus. We can do this the right way for everyone if we allow him to attend the school."

"I know Wesley and Blaine would be more than willing to assist Kurt as he makes the transition to the school." Duncan Hughes remarked.

"And what of his parent's feelings on this matter? Have any of you considered them?" Nathaniel questioned. "I don't know that I would be keen on sending a child into a vampire school after being so recently attacked. We don't even know if they are interested in Kurt attending Dalton."

"Kurt's dad would do anything to try to help his son. He can't go back to McKinley and he's already shutting himself off from everyone." Puck countered confidently. "He's always been there for everyone. He was the first human friend I made, and now he won't even be in the same room as me. Mr. Hummel is at the end of his rope for what to do. We need to at least attempt to do something for them. What happened to Kurt wasn't his fault. It's not fair that he's going through this. You've done things like this before for others. The fact that Kurt is human shouldn't make a difference."

"Puck is right. We've made this mess and we have to fix it. We all allowed it to happen. Kurt needs to be shown that all vampires aren't like Karofsky." Mike felt the need to add his own opinion. "Kurt was always so kind and welcoming to us. He never treated us any differently and he never said a bad word about vampires."

"Please help him." Tina pleaded.

"We will think about this. The three of you are dismissed." Nathaniel, the highest ranking clan chief, intoned. Bowing politely, the young trio backed out of the room.

The three clan chiefs waited until the younger vampires were gone before exchanging significant looks.

"Your thoughts, gentlemen?" Nathaniel Anderson questioned.

"That was quite an impassioned plea from those three." Duncan said, glancing out of the window, not surprised to see storm clouds rolling in on what had promised to be a gorgeous day. He turned to the large vampire standing directly behind Nathaniel Anderson. "It's nice to see your son is finally maturing somewhat. He seems quite concerned for his friend."

"Noah thinks with his heart more than his head," The man acknowledged with a deep rumble. "I've never seen him this angry or upset."

"He has good reason to be. I've known Kurt Hummel since he was five. This has destroyed him," Tina's father murmured.

"Our emotions aside, their suggestion would be the perfect way to fix this problem that Karofsky created as well as broaden Kurt's horizons. I still don't think Karofsky was handled properly. Rogues are dangerous, not just to humans. Karofsky, in particular, is a loose cannon out there, even with the assigned mentor. I still believe that it is too late to correct him." Nathaniel remarked.

"We are all aware of your thoughts on the matter Nathaniel and the reasons behind them; however, we must keep in mind that young Karofsky is a victim in this to some degree as well, although in a completely different manner than Kurt. We at least had to give him a chance to be rehabilitated," Duncan pointed out.

"Gentlemen, please! I believe we have talked that situation to death and it is not our primary concern at the moment. Kurt Hummel is. Dalton could be quite beneficial to him, and he could be beneficial to the boys attending there. If we decide to do this, however, we'll have to authorize scholarships." Andrew Cohen Chang said. "Burt Hummel owns a garage in Lima and isn't going to be able to cover tuition there."

"You've thought this through I see, Andrew. I assume you are in favor of this idea?" Nathaniel inquired.

"Yes, I am. Kurt deserves every ounce of help we can offer; besides it has taken us a long time to gain the level of respect and prosperity we now enjoy. I will be damned if we let a rogue destroy everything we've managed to build for our community," Andrew passionately declared.

Nathaniel nodded, clearly considering Andrew's words. The Anderson Clan chief was easily the most logical of the three and the least likely to be led by his emotions.

Your thoughts, Duncan?" Nathaniel asked.

"Tina was right. I read the files on young Mr. Hummel and his life. Kurt is an innocent who has been damaged by one of us. We have to do everything possible to make sure this is not damaging to him any longer." Duncan sighed heavily, as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders, or rather, all of their shoulders.

"What about the students at Dalton? Are they really going to accept Kurt as one of them?" Nathaniel questioned.

"I'm certain that Blaine and Wesley will. They are honorable young vampires worthy of the titles they will one day receive." Duncan said a touch arrogantly. He was justifiably proud of both his son and nephew. "The Warblers, of course, take their cues from the two of them, and the rest of Dalton follows the Warblers."

"Are you certain of that? It's one thing to be polite in limited interactions, but to be truly welcoming of a human invading their inner sanctum on a daily basis? Especially one who is likely to be less than welcoming of any offer of friendship? Who may in fact be hostile towards them, at least initially?" Andrew asked. As much as he hoped that Dalton would help Kurt, he knew it would only make things worse if the students there were not welcoming to him.

"Duncan and I will make sure both Wesley and Blaine are aware of Kurt's situation, perhaps Tina could even do so as she knows the boy on a personal level." Nathaniel supplied. "They will undoubtedly wish to help him, however they can. I believe that, in addition to being good for the Hummel boy, it would be good for all of the younglings attending Dalton to have a better understanding of humans. I too believe that it could, in fact, benefit all of us in the long run. Perhaps it could even help to eliminate some of the prejudice that exists amongst the more conservative families."

"I concur, although I think perhaps including young Nicholas in your talk with Wesley and Blaine might prove beneficial as well. He has an understanding of the situation few others will," Andrew added. Nathaniel sent him a sour look.

"You realize telling Nick means including Jeffrey as well?" He asked. Andrew smirked.

"Why do you think I said your talk? In the meantime, I will get to work on the paperwork and scholarship." Andrew Cohen Chang remarked. "Who gets the pleasure of dealing with Burt Hummel face to face? The man may be a human, but he can be scary as hell when it comes to his son's well-being."

"I know three people for that job." Nathaniel grinned widely, his own fangs barely peeking out from his lip.

Mike, Tina, and Puck were glad that Burt had allowed them into the house. They were keenly aware that Kurt was upstairs barricaded in his room and wouldn't come down to see them or interrupt the important conversation they were there to have with Burt, although a part of them couldn't help but wish that he would. They, particularly Tina, missed their friend.

"What are you three doing here?" Burt tiredly asked. He knew Kurt's friends meant well, but they really needed to quit trying so hard because Kurt wasn't having any of it and that was disappointing to him. "You know he won't see you."

"We know sir," Tina said. "We didn't actually come to see Kurt though. We came to see you."

"Me?" Burt said frowning. "Why?"

"We are actually here as emissaries of the Vampire Council. They have decided to offer Kurt a rare opportunity in recompense for what he suffered through," Tina said, standing to her full height and allowing her authority as the heir to the Clan Chief of the Cohen-Changs to show through, something she rarely, if ever did.

"Oh?" Burt said raising an eyebrow in a gesture that was painfully reminiscent of his son. Tina merely nodded, handing Burt the packet of information about Dalton.

"Dalton Academy?" Burt asked suspiciously.

"It is an entirely vampire school. I have two cousins who attend there. The High Council decided that they had to do something after everything that has happened." Tina answered. "He would receive a full scholarship and be able to get counseling to help him recover. It's a good school, Mr. Hummel and they have the right motives for being interested in Kurt."

"You really think Kurt is going to want to go to an all vampire school? You guys terrify him and he's known you forever." Burt said bluntly.

"He'll probably hate the idea," Tina admitted. "We're hoping it will work like immersion therapy though. Force him to face his fears so that he can overcome them."

"Humph," Burt snorted looking over the brochure in his hand before looking at the three vampires in front of him. "Says here that Dalton is one of the top educational institutes in the country. If this is such a great school, why don't the three of you go there?"

"They don't take girls." Tina said. "I could have gone to Crawford, Dalton's sister school; however, my father wanted me to go to public school. He felt it would broaden my horizons and help me to be a better leader someday."

"Tina and I are mated and I can't bear to be away from her." Mike honestly answered.

"I got kicked out," Puck shrugged.

"This is an all-boys school?" Burt raised an eyebrow.

"I don't think you have anything to worry about Mr. Hummel at least for a while." Puck stepped up with another smirk. "Kurt is afraid of all vampires and I don't think he's going to let any one of them in his pants."

"That really doesn't make me feel better, Puckerman." Burt snorted. He knew one day his son would find a boyfriend and even though he wasn't ready for that quite yet, with the condition Kurt was currently in, Burt was willing to risk it. Hell if his son did get a boyfriend at least it would mean that he was actually talking to people besides him and that he was venturing beyond the confines of his bedroom.

"It's a good school, academically, and I really think it might be just what Kurt needs. At least if he still wants to be in New York." Tina said thoughtfully. "We all know he's trying to shut out the world, at least according to Finn, and we wanted to do something…anything that we could."

"Finn has a big mouth." Burt glared, wondering just how much of their family business his step-son was sharing with other people.

"We just want Kurt to be safe in the world, Mr. Hummel. He's going to have to learn to deal with vampires out there. We're not going away and we don't want our friend to shut himself away. Dalton will allow him to do that in a very controlled environment." Tina was saddened that she and Kurt had become estranged because of that big stupid bully. "We don't want him to become a recluse like he's already trying to do."

"I'll have to think about it and talk with Kurt, but thanks for bringing all the information." Burt held the papers in his hands. He needed time to think about whether this was a good idea for his son and their family.

As they were leaving, Puck turned giving him an uncharacteristically serious look.

"I know this is a lot for you to take in Mr. H and it may seem like a really stupid idea on the surface, but I know these guys. They'll help him. They might even be the only ones who can," He said before closing the door behind him and joining Mike and Tina in their car.

Burt took the weekend to look over the papers that included information on a full scholarship for Kurt's entire high school career. He was shocked that vampires who had never met them had offered this to his son. He also found a personal letter from the Vampire Council addressed to him in the paperwork and he took the words written to heart. What really sold him were his son's increasingly frequent refusals to leave his room, however. If he didn't do something to help him, Kurt was going to become a recluse and Burt was out of ideas and desperate. He wasn't positive if this was the right thing to do for their family and for his son, but at this point he was willing to try anything. If nothing else, Kurt would be forced to leave his room and he'd get an excellent education. Decision made, Burt steeled himself for what was bound to be a very uncomfortable talk with Kurt.

"No! I will not go!" Kurt stubbornly refused, arms crossed defensively over his chest.

"Yes, you will," Burt responded, equally stubborn.

"Why do I have to go there?" Kurt bitterly complained. "What possible benefit could I gain from this? Unless you're trying to get rid of me and presenting me as the next meal for a school of vampires is the most expedient way you can think of doing it."

"Kurt, now you're just being ridiculous. I have made my decision and its final, young man. You got it?" Burt patiently replied. "You were invited by one of the best schools around here. You're gonna get a great education and they've promised to help you with your problems and frankly Kurt, I don't know how else to help you."

"But I don't want to go." Kurt realized he sounded like a child, but he was not happy with this decision and felt that his father was ignoring his complaints. "My friends and family are here. Not there and everyone knows that Dalton is just a front for the vampire community."

"You mean the family and friends you've completely cut yourself off from? And there is nothing wrong with vampires." Burt took a breath, trying to be patient with his son. He had two employees at the garage that were vampires and they were wonderful employees and friends. "You've got to stop holding a whole race of people responsible for what one person did." Burt practically pleaded with his son, trying to be a loving father, while holding his ground.

"They're not people. They're vampires. They just want you to think they're harmless. It's what I believed until Karofsky came after me." Kurt shuddered at the memory. He hadn't gone back to school and had been contemplating getting his GED to finish out high school. He had even cut off his friends at McKinley because he couldn't be around vampires, even ones he'd known all his life like Mercedes, Tina, Mike, and Puck.

"Most vampires are not like him Kurt. This school is safe. I wouldn't send you there if it wasn't. They don't condone the types of things Karofsky did to you. You will be okay." Burt said as his son glared at him. "God Kurt I wish that I could wave a magic wand and fix this, but I can't do that and it's killing me. I'm supposed to make everything all better for you and this time I don't know how. This is all I got kid. This is my last resort."

"Can't I just take the GED test?" Kurt pleaded. His father had refused him every single time he'd asked before, but he couldn't help himself.

"No, because those colleges you want to attend won't accept a GED. Dalton might even help get you into one of those schools and honestly son, you are never going to get over this if you refuse to leave the house." Burt knew how much college and leaving Lima meant to his son. He felt guilty for using that as an enticement, but it was all he had left.

Kurt would never admit that college was on his mind and if he got out of Lima, he could leave all the memories of Karofsky behind him. "I know, but Dalton, really?"

"It's safe, Kurt. I have had conversation after conversation with the people from Dalton and they assure me that nothing like what happened at McKinley will happen to you there." Burt had asked a lot of questions and the Dalton representative had patiently answered all of them, leaving him confident in what Dalton Academy could provide his son.

"Are there other humans going to school there?" Kurt wondered. It was bad enough he was being forced to go; he didn't want to be alone on top of it.

"Um…no…you're the first human they've let attend." Burt answered.

"Then why me and why now?" Kurt asked. He just had a gut feeling that something else was going on here.

"Because you are talented and intelligent and you deserve to have a good education. The vampire community felt that after the Karofsky mess, they had to do something to help." Burt replied with a reassuring hand on Kurt's shoulder. Every time they discussed the incident, Kurt seemed to turn inward and away from him.

"So, this is a publicity campaign for the vampires, then? You're just letting them use me?" Kurt wasn't impressed. In fact, he was a little irritated that he was being used as some stunt for the vampire community to look better.

"Kurt, come on. I don't see it like that and you shouldn't either." Burt just wished parenting was easier when your kid became a teenager, but it was a hell of a lot harder than he'd ever imagined, especially when that kid was Kurt.

"Fine, since I have no choice, when do I start attending this fine academic institution?" Kurt asked bitterly, resigning himself to the idea.

"Monday, Kurt. I think starting the first day of the week is a good impression," Burt repeated himself. "Monday."

"I said fine, Dad, but I don't think making a good impression is all that important with a bunch of vampires."

"Just be glad this school doesn't have a dress code. You'd never make it." Burt teased, hoping to lighten up the moment.

"Dad!" Kurt shouted.

"Son, just go and see how the first weeks go. If you really still hate it and are uncomfortable, we will figure something else out." Burt offered. He just knew in his heart that Kurt would like Dalton and do well there.