"Kurt! Oh my god I have just heard what happened! Everything is going to be okay. Are you okay?" Carole cried over the phone to her stepson Kurt

"Yeah I suppose I am okay. I just can't lose him. I don't want to go through it again..."

"Honey we love you and he is going to be okay. Really. Your father is a strong man. He will hold on"

"Yeah I know. But I am still so worried about him"

"Honey of course you are. He is your father and you love him. But he loves you to the moon and back and he will hold on because he loves you so much. So where are you now?"

"Oh I'm staying with my uncle Frank, dad's brother. He lives in Lima"

"That's good that he's there for you. I am so sorry I can't be there Kurt. You know I would but there is no way for me to get there. All transport has been canceled from here because of the snow. Luckily the football field is indoor. But you know I will be there as soon as I can be. I am there for you Kurt, I love you so much and if you need anything just call me, please. I've also contacted Blaine's mum and told her what happened and she said if you need anything just to contact her or go over to his house"

"I will and thanks Carole I appreciate it" and he hung up the phone.

Kurt sighed and unpacked the last of his things in his suitcase into the spare room drawers. Why did this have to happen? Just as things were starting to get better... Less bullying because the football team won their national game, his dad's health looking like it was getting better... How was he to know what was going on inside? He decided to forget for a while and retrieved his Glee Club sheet music and turned to his favourite song the glee club had done, defying gravity. Even though he didn't get the solo, he still loved to sing it. He began to sing, and just as he was about to finish the last note he heard his uncle stomp up the stairs. He stopped singing and when his uncle burst in he apologised repeatedly.

"I'm sorry uncle frank... I wasn't thinking... Sorry if I woke you" Kurt stammered

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" His Uncle yelled "ARE YOU A MAN? MEN DON'T SING LIKE THAT?!"

"Sir, I think you are overreacting. I was just rehearsing for glee club..." (This wasn't exactly true, but he felt he needed an excuse)

"Glee club! That's a club for cissies! Well I guess it fits you well then doesn't it Hummel?"

"That is rude and unacceptable and I won't tolerate it" said Kurt, annoyed

"I'll tell you what is unacceptable?! Your father might have pussyfooted around and accepted your sexuality and been all accepting but that ends now! Your choice is wrong, and you are sick!"

Kurt smelt the alcohol on his breath as soon as he entered the room, and decided that it was best not to argue. He knew that his Uncle wasn't in a position to listen and understand, so he stayed silent.

"I'll show you what God does to those who condemn him! Who choose not to live in his name!" And suddenly his uncle kicked him hard in the shins, causing Kurt to topple over onto the hard wooden floor. His uncle continued to kick him and one hard kick in the ribs and a crack followed told Kurt that his rib was broken. Although he could feel the pain, it was nothing compared to what was going on inside his head. But suddenly with one harder stomp to his head blackness began to emerge over his eyes. He was going to die. He knew it. He had to hold on, like his father, but he couldn't. The world disappeared from his universe and he knew no more.

He woke up on the floor of the spare bedroom, his whole body aggravated in pain. It took him a moment to remember why he was lying there. And then he remembered a couple of nights ago. His uncle's abuse. The broken rib. The concussion. Bruises all over his body. He glanced over at the clock and saw blurry letters and numbers and was just able to make out Monday the 12th, July. "Two days?!" Kurt thought, "I've been lying here for two days?!"

He tried to move, but he couldn't. The pain was too bad and his head felt like a brick. He shifted his eyes then to the door and saw that there was a newly fitted lock, and realised he really was stuck. He couldn't get out even if he was physically able to move.

Days passed, and his uncle didn't show up much. However on the times he did Kurt shut his eyes and pretended to be unconscious. But as soon as he heard the door close he would open his eyes again and promise to hold on. He was starving, but knew he wouldn't have an appetite even if he more had food available to him (he had been living of the bag of trail mix and bottle of water in his handbag as he was beginning to be able to move his right arm). He only knew he was hungry by the continuous noises coming from his injured stomach...

Meanwhile, Blaine was standing in his room back at the Anderson house, going through his sheet music and finding the duet that he and Kurt sung at Regionals. He sighed and sat down on his bed. He hadn't heard from Kurt for 5 whole days, and he was growing worried. Kurt and him usually talked every night for hours on end and now he didn't even get a phone call. He knew something was wrong, but when he told his mother his feelings she said that Kurt was going through a hard time and maybe wanted to be alone. When he told her this Blaine partly agreed with her, as he himself knew that Kurt has a tendency to push people away in difficult times, but this felt different.

It wasn't until Kurt didn't show up to glee club on Monday afternoon that Blaine's worries were REALLY elevated. Kurt always came to rehearsals, even if he felt almost suicidal. So Blaine decided to call the hospital when Mr Shue told them to "take five" and ask if Kurt had been into visit. He knew that Kurt would always go and see his dad. But to his much surprise the hospital said they hadn't seen Kurt in since Thursday. Blaine felt sick. He knew something was wrong. Mr Shue suddenly walked in and saw Blaine, his head in his hands and breathing short, frequent breaths.

"Blaine? Buddy are you okay?" Will asked.

"I'm fine. It's Kurt who's not okay"

"I know it's hard on both of you with his dad being sick, but he'll be okay"

"No it's not that. I just rang the hospital and they said Kurt hadn't been in since Thursday... And I haven't heard from him all week."

"Wait, what? Kurt hasn't been in to visit at all? That's not like him.."

"I know. I'm worried."

"Blaine, it will be okay. We will get to the bottom of this" and then Will pulled out his cellphone and called Carole. Blaine suddenly heard a loud, woman's yell coming from the phone and Will hung it up, after reassuring the voice that he will sort this out.

"Blaine?" Asked Mr Shue. "That was Carole. She hasn't heard from Kurt either. I think something is defiantly wrong here..."

"Mr Shue, we've gotta help him. He's my... My... Everything..."

"Blaine it is ok. Carole has just given us permission to go and check on him at his Uncle's house."

"Wait! Mr Shue... What if his uncle HAS hurt him? He won't let us in"

"Blaine. We can't assume that until we have evidence. We can't just walk in, accusing his uncle of abuse. But I know what to do. Do you have anything of Kurt's on you?"

"Yes, Mr Shue. I have his jacket here" Blaine said, pulling Kurt's jacket out of his bag.

"Okay, well you need to tell his Uncle that you need to give Kurt's jacket to him. If he doesn't let you in, and is acting suspicious or defensive about it, then we know something is up"

"Okay. Can we go now?"

Will and Blaine arrived at Kurt's uncle's house 10 minutes later, and Blaine knocked on the front door. "Who the hell are you?! I don't want no cookies or whatever you selling. Get out of my property or I'll sue!" A voice yelled from the house.

"Okay Blaine? I think we just need to go in. You go upstairs and check on Kurt, while I hold off his Uncle"

Suddenly, the door opened and Kurt's Uncle Frank appeared.

"Who the hell are you?! Go away!"

"We are here to check on Kurt, sir. I am Will Scheuster, Kurt's Spanish teacher. He hasn't been in class and I wanted to make sure everything is okay"

"It's fine! Now leave! Before I call the cops on you!"

"Sir I am afraid I can't do that until I see Kurt. I have a right as his teacher to ensure his wellbeing and I am not leaving until that is done. I am allowed to come here and see him and the police will not arrest me. It is more illegal for me to not check on him"

At that moment, Frank tackled Will to the ground and Blaine took this opportunity to run down the hall to find Kurt. "Kurt?! Kurt?! Where are you?" He cried.

Kurt heard the cries and responded with an only just audible whisper "Blaine? Is that you? I'm in here."

Blaine heard the whisper, and looked up to see the lock on the door of the room the whisper came from. He tried to open it but couldn't as it was locked. Suddenly, he saw the key for the door on the kitchen table and retrieved it and opened the door to find Kurt on the floor, wounded and malnourished. "OH MY GOD KURT!" He exclaimed at the sight of Kurt. He then picked Kurt up, with one hand on his upper back and the other under his knees. He rested Kurt's head on his shoulder, as he suspected head injury from the big bruise on Kurt's forehead. He then went down the hall as fast as he could to find Mr Shue. "Blaine? Kurt!" Mr Shue yelled from the living room

Blaine went into the living room and found Mr Shue, panting and with a deep cut on the back of his head.

"We need to get him and you to the hospital! Blaine cried

"Blaine. I am okay. Here give me Kurt and go to the car. I will stay with him in the back and you can drive us to the hospital. I would drive but I am afraid my vision is a bit distorted from his Uncle hitting my head" replied Mr Shue

Will put Kurt laying down in the back seat and placed Kurt's head on his lap. They soon pulled up at the hospital and Mr Shue carried Kurt in, Blaine at his side. The nurse gasped at the sight of Kurt and at the click of a button, three doctors appeared and took Kurt off on a wheeling hospital bed, Blaine and Will running beside it. When in the room, they inspected all inches of Kurt's body for injury and produced a diagnosis. "Well, he is injured pretty badly. He has mild damage to his head, luckily brain function will be normal as it wasn't severe enough to damage his brain, and a broken rib. His leg is also broken and he has bruises, which you can already see. And of course, severe dehydration and malnourishment. But, he will be okay. Luckily his head isn't too bad, so we can fix everything" the nurse told both Blaine and Will and they both sighed in relief.

A few hours later, Kurt had a cast on his leg, his rib had been x-rayed and he was laying in a hospital bed, talking to Blaine. Will had left a couple of hours ago, when the nurses took him out to fix his head. Now it was just Kurt and Blaine in the room and they were talking to each other.

"I was just so worried about you, Kurt! No one believed me! I knew something was wrong. I knew you weren't ok."

"I am ok now Blaine, relax"

"Kurt... I just... I love you so much. You are my world and if anything happened to you... I can't even finish that sentence. Because I wouldn't be around to finish it..."

Blaine suddenly started crying and Kurt hugged him. His rib ached in protest but he didn't care. They hugged for several minutes and suddenly broke free, when Kurt's father ran in, still wearing a hospital gown. "Son? Kurt! I love you! Oh my god thank god you are okay!" Burt cried

"Dad!" Kurt responded "you're okay!"

"Kurt they just told me what happened to you. I am so sorry he did that to you. And I think it is time I tell you something, Kurt. You know, there is a reason that I was so hesitant you you being, well gay. And that was because of my brother. He came from a very low socioeconomic household before we adopted him, and he was always very discriminating against gay people. Once, when I was only 5 and he was 12, my best friend told me that his sister liked girls, the way that you like boys. And my brother was there to overhear. Well, what happened next was he beat up my best friend, yelling that gay is wrong and they deserve to die. Now being only 5 years old, that really stuck with me. I want everything for you Kurt. And I don't want you to get hurt. But seeing the way you have put up with everyone all your life, I know you're going to be okay. And Blaine? I see you like my son. You are my son. And I couldn't ask for a better one for my own..."

The next day, Burt was discharged from the hospital and Carole and Finn arrived back in Lima, wearing bright red and white hats and scarves, as the McKinley Titans won their game. Kurt's uncle was found, but he was unable to be charged, as he had killed himself before they found him. Alcohol poisoning.

"Now Kurt?" Asked the nurse "your head injury is much better, almost non-existent now. I can't do anything for your rib, nor your leg besides making sure you take care of them. Therefore I would like you to use a wheelchair for the next 6 weeks. Your rib is too damaged to use crutches for your leg. Now as long as you make sure you eat well and drink a lot of water, I am sure you will regain the same weight and strength you had before. Unfortunately as you probably know already bruises take time, but I think a lotion would help them and reduce the pain a bit. Other than that you are free to leave"

"Thank you nurse Mary" replied Kurt kindly

"Now Burt" warned the stern nurse "You need to continue with a fresh and healthy diet. Your heart is not made of steel and you need to treat it with care got that?"

"Yes ma'am. I'm sure Kurt will remind me enough" he said, giving Kurt a wink

And then, the whole Hummel-Hudson family and Blaine (who had stayed the night with Kurt) left the hospital.

That evening Blaine took Kurt out, as both boys missed each other terribly while they were apart..

"Blaine? Where are we going" asked Kurt, as Blaine pushed his wheelchair down a long wooden aisle over the river.

"You'll see soon Kurt. Honestly next to Sam you have the worst patience! And I'm pretty sure he's ADHD!" Joked Blaine

The two walked/wheeled for about 10 more minutes where suddenly, they reached the place Blaine wanted to take Kurt. It was simply a tall hill over the river, with one gigantic single tree with dark green leaves. It was beautiful. And up the hill, under the tree rested a picnic which Blaine had set out earlier.

"Blaine! This is beautiful! But, there is only one tiny little problem. I am in a wheelchair remember? i don't think I'll be able to get up there."

"Kurt, I will always be here for you. When you are confronted with a challenge, like this hill for example, I will get you over it." And with that Blaine picked Kurt into his arms and placed him under the tree. Blaine then sat down next to him.

"Then, when you overcome that challenge, you will reach the beautiful roots of life (Blaine placed Kurt's hand in the tree with his on top of it) looking over a fantastic view"

But Kurt wasn't looking at the beautiful view of the river. He was looking at Blaine. Because he knew that the beauty of the world wasn't found in the roots that Blaine told him about. It was found in the dark haired boy beside him who allowed them to grow.

After a delicious picnic including all of Kurt's favourite food, Blaine and Kurt laid beside each other on a red and while picnic blanket, holding hands and looking up at the stars, and of course each other. Then suddenly Kurt asked Blaine to stand up, and Blaine asked why, looking at Kurt curiously, at the same time helping him up. Then, Kurt looked into Blaine's eyes (both standing under the tree) and quickly kissed him.

"Why did you ask to stand up for that?" Blaine asked

"Because that's the first time I have stood since Thursday night. And I wanted to stand on this wonderful hill and see all of the world up here rather than down there. And I also wanted to show you that no matter how far I look, no matter how much I see, my picture is completed with you. It always will be, and I'm grateful."

When both Kurt and Blaine reached the age of 30, gay marriage was legalised in Ohio and the two got married. A lot of things in their lives changed, but every Tuesday (since the first time Blaine took him there) they went back to the tree and had a picnic on the hill. At 40, Blaine had a car accident which confined him to a wheelchair. But Kurt would carry him up the hill every week. Even one time where Blaine was staying in hospital on a Tuesday Kurt broke him out for a few hours to go to the tree, much to the nurses discretion when they returned... The only time where they stopped going to the tree was when Kurt was 70, and Blaine passed away. Kurt went to the hill, by himself and he stood under the tree, still wearing the black suit he wore to Blaine's funeral earlier that day. He looked around. The view hadn't changed since all those years ago, but it wasn't beautiful anymore.

Kurt climbed the tree, and sat up there for several hours until he fell asleep.

Only did they find his body, when the tree had become wrinkly and brown, there Kurt was, hugging a branch with a smile on his lips.