5: ABANDONMENT

Will does the only thing he can think of to do.

He calls Terri.

"Hello?" she answers, and the way her voice shakes makes him think she hasn't had anyone call her – specifically want to talk to her – for months. He almost feels sorry for her, until he remembers what she did and it fades.

"Hey Terri," he says, and she can't conceal a gasp at the sound of his voice. "This doesn't mean I forgive you," he says.

"I didn't think it did," she says, but he can hear the tone of disappointment in her voice. "So why are you calling me, Will?"

He pauses awkwardly. "I'm not really sure," he admits. "Something bad happened, I know that. Someone got hurt. And I keep trying to figure it out, but everyone says I should just let it go, and... the boy I think I hurt, he won't tell me what's going on, and now I'm suspended from work and... I don't know what to do."

On the other end of the line, Terri sighs. "This is why I never let you get drunk. You do these stupid things, and then you can't remember them, and it all goes really bad."

"Did I ever hurt you, Terri?" he asks, sounding plaintive.

"Yeah," she responds a mite too quickly, and he kind of doubts her.

"Why should I believe you?"

"Um, because you know the way you get when drunk?" she shrieks, sounding genuinely offended. "I mean, you were there when you found out about..." and it doesn't sound like she can bring herself to say it. "Anyway, you were scary there Will, and you were sober – do you not think booze could make you worse?"

He swallows. "Starting to remember why we're not together anymore," he says bitterly, even though he knows she has a point.

"Oh well," she says, voice sounding a little broken. "Will, what do you want from me?"

"I don't know."

She sighs. "Okay, honestly – do you want to know what's going on with whoever this boy is, do you think it will help? Or do you want to just ignore it and get on with your life, and let him get on with his, like everyone's suggesting?"

"I... I don't want to deal with it," he says quietly.

She pauses. "You're panicking, because your problems have hurt someone new. It doesn't matter. Just go, Will; bury your head in the sand like you always have, and I betcha the whole thing will be forgotten soon."

Finn finds Kurt at his locker after the showdown. Various members of the Glee club keep looking at Kurt weirdly – from anger to suspicion to sympathy, it depends.

"Hey Kurt," Finn says, and Kurt smiles back.

"Hey," he says. "So, I assume you are one of the few members of our club delegated to talk to me after how I got our teacher suspended?" he says, that smile faltering rather obviously.

"I don't know what 'delegate' means, but okay, sure," Finn says. "Listen dude, I know everyone's pissed about the thing with Mr. Schue, but... I talked to him a few days ago, like, and he thought something had happened. Like, more than you just finding him drunk. And he can't remember anything, so, I have to ask you... is there something else going on? Something you didn't tell Figgins about?"

Kurt swallows thickly, trying to keep looking Finn in the eyes without giving it all away. "Yeah," he says, and Finn doesn't look like he believes it. Kurt falters slightly. "Okay, he said some... pretty bad things. It doesn't matter. I'll be fine," he lies, and Finn blinks at him.

"You sure?"

"Finn, please, let it go," he says flatly, looking down. Finn can't help but nod.

"Okay," he says, and it's true. He'll let the whole thing go.

Hey, it's Mr. Schue, how bad can things be?

Kurt looks visibly relieved, and Finn wanders off, unable to shake the feeling he's just made the biggest mistake of his life.

Will is allowed to return to school after a few days. His fellow teachers and some of the students still eye him warily, but he thinks he's being regarded rather well, considering. His Glee club all seems overjoyed when they see him back; with the exception of Kurt, obviously, who he hasn't even seen yet (and he doesn't really want to), and who he thinks is avoiding him; and Finn, who always just looks uncomfortable and avoids his eyes. They haven't had rehearsal yet, and maybe that will change things – Will's not sure.

A couple of days before the first scheduled Glee rehearsal since his return, Kurt finds him in the auditorium. "Hi, Mr. Schue," he says quietly, pulling his expensive sweater towards him.

Will can't help but be surprised. "Kurt, hi," he says, and awkwardness hangs in the air between them. "What are you doing here."

Kurt takes in a deep breath. "I wanted to let you know... I'm leaving Glee," he says. Will is struck speechless for a few seconds.

"Oh," he says.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Schue, I just can't," Kurt says, tears in his eyes, and Will can feel how they're avoiding the truth.

"Understandable," he says, even if he doesn't quite understand it, and doesn't really want to. "If you don't want to be a part of Glee anymore, I have no right to force you..." Kurt flinches at those words, and Will tries not to notice. "It's a pity though."

"I'm sorry, I just... You know, I have no time," Kurt lies, and Will nods.

"Okay. But you're an incredible singer; we're going to miss you," he says. He knows he should try one last time to get the truth, but he can't either. How is it fair that his whole life should be defined by one mistake he can't even remember?

Hell, maybe Kurt was telling the truth; he doesn't know.

Kurt sighs. "Thanks," he says. "Find another member before Regionals. Don't let everyone kill me for doing this."

Will nods. "I'll see you, Kurt."

Kurt smiles sadly. "Yeah," he says, then walks out.

Life goes on. Soon, the whole thing is forgotten.