Title: In Sickness and in Health

Author: Midlifecrisses
Rating: G (one curse word)
Genre: Angst !

Characters: Kurt Hummel / Dave Karofsky
Spoilers (if any): None
Warnings (if any): One of our boys gets hurt – badly

Word Count: 900

Summary: When Kurt married Dave five years ago he didn't quite know what he was getting into or what the future would bring, but Kurt's never been one to bow out of a challenge.
Disclaimer: I don't own Glee, but they should have made Kurtofsky canon.
Author's Note (if any): Written for Kurtofsky Week Day 5: Hospital. Sorry it's late (and so very pain filled)

In Sickness and in Health

As Kurt took Dave's hand in his, he spared no illusions that the feeling of Dave's thick fingers and the slow but steady pulse under his thumb was for his comfort only.

Kurt has been by David's bedside at the hospital for three days now. Three days where Kurt has been bombarded with more medical information than he ever thought he could comprehend. Three days were hope and despair have fought a constant battle for dominance in his heart. But above it all was the diagnosis, blinking like neon at the front of his mind: Internal Decapitation.

Those two words still make the bile rise up in Kurt's throat and the memory of Dave slamming head first into the side of the rink is almost enough to make him sprint for the bathroom – again.

Along with the harsh reality of what lies ahead of them Kurt holds tightly onto the tiny glimmers of hope, the positive words that he has been given over the last seventy-hours: Dave had become lucid as they were prepping him for surgery, so they knew his speech faculties were still intact, he could breathe on his own and he was young and healthy. A Doctor had gone as far as to call him 'lucky' and Kurt is still trying not to hate her for it.

But as Kurt turns to look at his husband, he is greeted by a slack mouth and a shaved head. He winces as he takes in the screws of the Halo stabilizing his lovers skull and neck. They have assured him that the ventilator is only temporary, as is the coma they had placed Dave in to prevent any sudden movements which could make the situation worse.

In a few days, after the swelling goes down they are going in to attach metal rods and plates which will eventually fuse with his vertebrae bridging the gap where his neck snapped. Kurt didn't think he could cry anymore, but apparently he was wrong.

o~O~o

On day four the team lawyer comes by and assures Kurt that their liability coverage will take care of all the medical bills and any modifications they will need to make to the condo. Kurt sighs; it's the first time he is glad that David had persuaded him to get the single story condo close to his practice arena instead of the two-story Brownstone in the city Kurt had his heart set on. A part of him wonders if Dave knew it could end up this way.

Kurt opens the soft paper folder that has become a bible, as such, for him over the last few days. He skims across pages he has read and wept over countless times by now. Dave will most likely be a quadriplegic. His muscles will atrophy. His bulging biceps and hard won six-pack will weaken and shrink from disuse. Dave is going to need help doing everything from getting dressed to feeding himself; he will be totally dependent of Kurt.

Kurt will never again be held up against a wall by Dave and ravished to within an inch of life. He will never receive another Sunday morning back massage or the tender lovemaking that usually follows it.

Kurt feels his heart break. It feels like every day since the accident piece by piece has broken off as more and more reality sets in. But Kurt is not same naïve teenager he used to be. He thinks of all the other heartbreaks he has had and triumphed over. The NYADA rejection in High School was nothing compared to Blaine cheating on him again after they had gotten engaged. Having to bow out of his first leading off Broadway role because of a stupid injury was peanuts to grieving his father's death two years ago.

Kurt is so tempted to say 'Fuck It' and have the biggest pity party ever, but then he looks at Dave again and his stomach does that little flip it always does when he remembers how Dave is his and that they love each other. Kurt is not going to let something like a broken body get in the way of sharing and enjoying the rest of his life with this man.

Dave will still be able to kiss him. To tell Kurt he loves him. To critique his designs and complain about 'Meatless Mondays'. Dave will still be able make corny jokes and moon eyes. Dave will still be able to comfort Kurt with his words and hold him in his heart. After the Halo comes off Kurt will still have him to snuggle with and spend lazy Sundays watching movie after movie.

Kurt can't help the giggle that escapes him when he realizes that everything that is really important in their relationship, everything he can't live without, he will still be able to have. Kurt knows that once he still has Dave's love he can handle any and every thing thrown their way.

At Kurt's snicker Paul Karofsky looks over from the window he had been staring out of. Kurt had needed strong arms and a comforting presence, and though Paul would never replace his Dad, after being with Dave for 7 years, Paul felt like family and friend rolled into one. "You okay, Son?" Paul asked with concern.

"Yeah Paul…" Kurt smiles and brings Dave's hand to his lips, "We're gonna be okay."