All the Other Ghosts (Boyxboy Superhero AU Fanfic (Klaine))

Chapter 23

Voices roll around the room, disconnected from all meaning, almost like music. Kurt just lets them happen, for a while, doesn't even try to make sense of them. It's only when he recognises his dad's voice that he tries to focus, and becomes aware that oh, god, he feels like hell.

"Hey, buddy, don't move. You're okay, just relax."

He makes his eyes crack open, and the light is too glaring, and he focuses with some difficulty up at his dad. He tries to make a word and can't, gives up, turns his head a little to see who's at the other side of the bed; Rachel, near to tears, whispering, "Kurt." at him like she hasn't seen him in weeks.

How long has he been asleep?

He looks at his dad again, tries to work out what the hell happened. Memory - returns, too much memory in his stomach too quickly, and he closes his eyes at the thought of David Karofsky, turns his head to the side and lets his breath out hard like he can expel even the memory of it. He feels achy and throbbing and exhausted but the pain isn't as bad as he remembers it, like his ribs were snapped fibreglass, like his arm was a thousand degrees too hot. "You feeling okay?" his dad says. "You want me to call for the nurse?"

Rachel whispers, "Oh my god, Kurt, it must have been so terrifying."

Kurt looks across at her again, feeling a slow sort of dread, what does she know? What must have been so terrifying? His dad says, "You even remember what happened?" and Kurt's stupid for a moment but then understands the get out clause he's been offered, shakes his head, swallows too dry. "No," he rasps. "I - no."

His dad helps him up a little to get a drink, while Rachel begins digging through an oversized bag on her lap. "I brought your pyjamas and your toothbrush and your shampoo, I couldn't find your moisturiser I just bought one on the way in, there's your robe I didn't know if you'd be cold -"

"Thank you, Rachel."

"- and your -" She wipes under her eyes, "- book on the bedside table, and a newspaper because I know you like to keep up to date and I got some of those cookies you like out of the -"

At that point she gives up and just puts her hands over her eyes and cries, and Kurt finds that his arm is absolutely no good for reaching for her, encased in pot as it is, and has to reach across with his exhausted left arm to pet ineffectively at her. His ribs shift and snarl pain at him. "Rachel - Rachel -"

"Finn called me," she sobs. "Finn called me last everybody already knew your dad's been here all day and Finn just - just only just called me no-one called me you get hit by a car and no-one calls me -?"

". . . where's Blaine . . . ?"

"He's asleep, Finn said he was up with you all night, he went home to sleep. Finn didn't call me -"

Kurt looks at his dad, because if Finn is 'organising' matters then they're in trouble, says, "Did anyone call my office?"

Rachel starts sobbing even harder. "Hell," his dad mutters, rubbing his face; he needs a shave, and he looks so tired, and guilt and worry twist low down. "I don't know. I think Blaine has your phone, if they called he probably picked up."

Kurt says, "Rachel, please stop, I have a headache." but he does feel guilty, taking her hand as she squeezes back and sucks her ungainly breaths in. Always on the outside, Rachel, since they all know and she can't, always the last one to know, which is Rachel's least favourite thing in the world. "I'm okay," he says. "I'm sorry Finn didn't call, you know what he's like, he doesn't . . . Finn and priorities," he says, and shrugs and regrets it, his dad rubbing his shoulder while he tries not to audibly whine his way through the resettling of his ribs.

She wipes her eyes, sniffs hard, squeezes his hand. "I am going to write a piece on the shocking standards of morality that lead to people knocking someone down and driving off, who would just leave you like that -?"

"It's New York," Kurt says, and doesn't shrug again, but still. If someone was late and had had a bad day, he's not sure half the city wouldn't just drive off, sometimes. Then he realises that this is all pointless speculation because no-one actually did hit him with their car, and he could almost smile at himself, tries to keep his mouth flat. Rachel sniffs again, takes a tissue from the box by the bed, blows her nose.

"This is all because people think superheroes will pick up after them whatever they do, if people would just take some responsibility -"

Kurt groans, and rolls his head back to his dad. "Where's Blaine?"

"He went home to sleep, kid." His dad touches Kurt's head, eyes a little anxious. "You just asked that."

"Oh. I do remember doing that, I just - Dad I do not have brain damage, don't look like that, I do not have brain damage, I've never been any good before the first cup of coffee."

"I might call a doctor in all the same."

"Dad, I was distracted, people were crying, I remember already! Oh god." he mutters, as his dad heads out of the room and Rachel grips at his hand.

"Finn will work tirelessly until they bring in whoever ran you down."

"I bet he will," Kurt mutters at the ceiling.

". . . are you sure your head's alright? If you don't even remember it happening . . ."

"I'm fine," he says, and his throat hardens more than he expected, he does remember too much and it's hard to even say this. "I just really do want Blaine."