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Who: Sebastian Smyth, Kurt Hummel and later, Jeremy Smyth
What: Choices and their consequences
Where: Halos Nightclub, Manhattan
When: A couple of days after THIS and THIS
WARNING: Explicit drug use and suicidal themes

Sebastian had managed to well-establish his new nightclub in Manhattan and the New York chapter of Halos was a roaring success, just like its Paris sister club. It had been a lot of hard work, but it was paying off for Sebastian and it had kept him out of trouble for the most part when he had been tempted to make mincemeat out of a certain rockstar for pressing charges against his twin for doing nothing but trying to protect his brother. That had somewhat come out in the wash, though, when Blaine unexpectedly dropped the charges without word, and the next thing Sebastian was hearing through the Facebook grapevine was that he and Kurt had gotten hitched in some private ceremony and the whole thing was extremely hush-hush. As tempting as it was for Sebastian to expose it for revenge in Jeremy's honour, there was still a tiny part of him that cared for Kurt and felt somewhat responsible for the bad turn his life had taken. If Sebastian hadn't supplied him with drugs that first time at Scandals after the relationship with Blaine exploded into smithereens, Kurt might never have become an addict.

But Sebastian hadn't been involved with anything to do with that since the stuff with Jeremy got resolved, and it was why he was shocked as hell to suddenly find Kurt appearing in the doorway of his office at the club and looking what Sebastian could only describe as wild. His appearance still managed to be immaculate, but he was slightly unshaven, hair was ruffled like hands had been scraped through it incessantly, and his eyes were red-rimmed and blood-shot. Sebastian hadn't seen Kurt since the night Kurt booty-called him when he was trashed and Blaine wouldn't put out. He had kept his distance, but now, once again, Kurt had found him. "Kurt..." he began, swivelling around in his chair to get up, but Kurt was already pouncing on him. He was in front of Sebastian's desk and reaching over to roughly grab the front of Sebastian's shirt with a growled bark of, "Fucking give me something! Give it to me, or I'll fucking scream this place down that you're attacking me!"

Uh-oh. This couldn't end well. Sebastian was no therapist, but it went without saying that he probably had easy access to drugs, and Kurt knew it too. The last Sebastian heard, though, was that Kurt was well on the wagon and doing well. Apparently he had taken another swan-dive off it, though. The thing was, the last thing Sebastian needed was a bad rep that he was raping one of the world's top fashion designers in his office because he was a businessman just as much as Kurt. As far as he was concerned, he just had no fucking choice and Kurt's nails were sinking into the flesh of his neck from the force of the grip he had. Sebastian reached with one hand and unlocked and tapped in the security code on the digital lock and it snapped open. He pulled out a couple of bags with white powder and another with some pills and dropped them on the desk in front of Kurt. "You don't want to do this, Hummel. Stop and think what you'e going to lose."

Who: Mike Chang and Matt Rutherford
What: Boy, how the hell did we get here?
Where: Kurt and Blaine's place
When: Around the same time as THIS

Sam had left and gone back to Boston. It was a mutual choice, and they were still going to remain friends, but it became inevitable that the romantic relationship wasn't going to work. Or sexual relationship, to be more accurate. Sam was still dealing with a hell of a lot of issues, whilst Mike was getting frustrated not having that physical outlet. He went back to work on the porn circuit, but he felt guilty doing it, like he was cheating on Sam or something. It all came to a head, and they agreed to just cut their losses. Sam returned to his job in Boston, and Mike returned to now knowing what the fuck he was supposed to do now. It just wasn't a good situation and he did about the only think he thought he could... headed out to bars on the regular to get trashed.

There was always the option for him to return to Australia with his wife and his friends. It had been a great life there, and he had been content. Still lonely on the romance front, but content. He just knew there was no way he could up and leave New York now with every here how it was for his friends. He didn't want to lose this bunch again. He needed them, and if he was here, he could be on hand to help. But with now way to help much at the moment with the stuff going on, he found himself isolated again and here he was, sitting in Kurt's huge apartment with a raging hangover after throwing his guts up for what felt like three hours straight.

"Mr Chang? I have a man at the security gates who says you're his 'brother'..." Kurt's butler type person stated, though it was with a quirk of his eyebrow and a tone that clearly indicated he didn't believe a word of it.

Mike was sprawled on the sofa feeling like death and not wanted to move. "I don't... uh, what's his name?" he quickly backtracked. Mike didn't have brothers, but now he was just plain curious and hoping he didn't have to go all ninja on some Kurt stalker's ass right now.

"A Mr Matthew Rutherford," the posh guy returned, looking poised to go back and tell Mr Rutherford to take a running hike.

Mike did a double-take at 'Jeeves', blinking. "Uh... yeah. He's my brother. Let him in. Kurt knows him, it's cool." Matty? Matty was here? No way! No way in hell. He hadn't spoken to Matt in way too many years and they ended up losing contact. How could he just be here out of the blue?

Who: Kurt Hummel and Leslie Carter
What: All these sides of me
Where: Neuroscience Unit, Mount Sinai
When: Around the time of THIS

The padded bench along the wall just along the from the water cool was probably intended to be comfort, made for lengthy periods of sitting, but to Kurt, it felt like he was sitting on a rock hard cold slab. He had his arms crossed tightly over his chest and his legs were bouncing with a disjointed and restless pace. His hands were covered in bleeding nail marks but not he had moved on and bitten all his nails off right down that even some of those were bleeding too. He was sweating, and his eyes were red-rimmed and a little bloodshot as he tried so, so damn hard to fight off the cravings.

It wasn't that the desperation and shock was making him irrational. He was very much with it, very much aware of every little thing going on around him. Cravings didn't change him, the drugs did. He knew this. He was slipping, but the bigger part of him, the part Blaine had worked so hard to make better with him, it was fighting the battle and it was what was keeping him sitting there on that bench with Leslie watching the parade of medical staff and Blaine's entourage in Blaine's room. Something was stopping him running out to get his hands on drugs, even if he was in pain and struggling with this whole thing.

He glanced at Leslie briefly before he was looking back to Blaine asleep in the hospital bed after they had sedated him to calm him down. "This is the part where you can judge me now," he told her hoarsely, his fingers twisting into the sleeves of his shirt when he just couldn't sit still.

Who? Elliot and Puck
What? Getting up to speed
When? Right after this
Where? Mt. Sinai Medical Center

Puck had left Dani safely in Tab's care with the assurance that he'd be back as soon as he could. Honestly, as much as he wanted to be there for Dani and their little girl, he knew that Dani probably needed a little space from him anyway. So it was only a matter of a few moments from getting Elliott's text before Puck was in a cab headed to Mt. Sinai.

He paid the cab driver and made his way quickly to the neuro unit, in a mild panic about what shape Kurt might be in when he got there. There was really no telling. But at least he was there, and not out on a street corner, or calling Amelia to get him drugs. He broke into a full run at one point until a nurse bitched him out for running in a hospital, and he forced himself to keep at a very brisk walk.

As he rounded the corner to head into the neuroscience unit, he spotted Elliott and crossed over to him quietly. "Dude... What's going on?" He had a brief explanation, but he wanted to know all the facts before he went over to Kurt and got into sponsor mode.

#1
Dude, are you Kurt's sponsor?

#2
Got some urgent shit happening here, dude... can you get back to me ASAP?

#3
No, seriously.

#4
Oh, it's Elliott here. From Kurt's phone. Dude... ASAP. I'm serious.

#5
Who are you, anyway? He's just got you at the top of his phone list under "SPONSOR. TEXT BEFORE USING."

Who: Just Kurt
What: "I found a boy who had a dream. Making everyone smile, he was sunshine."
Where: Neurosciene Unit, Mount Sinai
When: Saturday night

Kurt didn't even realise he was crying until he tasted the bitter saltiness on his lips when he wet them. He stood, frozen, out in the hospital all and felt like he was losing the ability to breathe. He was pressed up against the chilled concrete wall beside the water cooler and he was shaking from head-to-toe. He was so sure he had managed to get a hold on everything around him, that he was coping, and finally started to see the light. And now, it was all being torn out from under him too quickly and he had nothing to hold onto.

Blaine's screams at him to get out, get away, to leave him alone resonated in his brain over and over again, feeling like multiple blows to his gut and Kurt grabbed a hold of the top of the water cooler, leaning forward when his breathing started to come out in ragged breaths. It seemed like some sort of bad dream at first. Kurt had been standing off to the side of the end of the bed whilst Blaine's neurologist stood over him and tried to analyse what was going on in his head. Blaine had been in and out of consciousness over past day or so, but when he was awake, he was babbling stuff that made no sense and although he recognised his band members and other people from his entourage, he didn't acknowledge Kurt's presence at all. In fact, on a couple of occasions, it felt to Kurt like his husband was looking right through him. It was terrifying.

( But now, the doctor had managed to isolate the fact Blaine had some sort of traumatic amnesia from the level of fitting he had been having...Collapse )


NARRATIVE, SCENE COMPLETE

He doesn't remember.

Blaine's waking up. He's out of it and not really aware of anything, but it's progress nonetheless. I just want to take him home.

I'm well aware that not everyone sings while running on the treadmill at the gym but the looks I got from the other people around me. I wasn't even that loud for once.

Hey, Q...

Do you think I could talk to you about something when you got some spare time?

- Finn x

Finn Hudson is now single.

Who: Just Finn (mostly)
What: It all slips away again
Where: Neuro Unit, Mount Sinai Hospital
When: Monday night

For a hospital room where two dudes were hooked up to all the medical shit that made weird beeps and buzzes to rival R2-D2, the place felt strangely quiet to Finn. He sat there parked in his wheelchair beside Blaine's bed after having nudged the couple of chairs for visitors out of the way to give him more room. He felt a little bit like a stalker as he sat there watch Kurt sleeping carefully curled up awkward right on the edge of the narrow hospital bed next to an unconscious Blaine, lost in his own thoughts. He had come to talk to Kurt, but when he got here and found him asleep, he just didn't have the heart to wake him.

Finn gave a small sigh and scrunched his lips up to the side. Maybe he could still talk to Kurt? It wasn't like he had been hoping Kurt would have all the answer for him. All he wanted was someone to talk to, and Kurt had always been a good listener. Even lately when they were both kept up late in the night with pain or minds that just wouldn't switch off, Kurt would just sit there and listen to him... and really, just knowing Finn had his brother back was all he really needed. "So, um... dude..." Finn began awkwardly with a small glance at the other guy in the room. His side of the room was dimmed even lower than Blaine's and he was sleeping, the curtain pulled just a little around the bed. Amelia's brother, and probably even part of the reason why Finn was here to begin with.

( But he averted his gaze back to Kurt and Blaine, wetting his lips quickly...Collapse )

Shit, it's really SRS BSNS this time.

Finally allowed to visit the boss...

How many times can they actually keep re-running Friends? And how many times can I actually be surprised that they put Rachel and Joey together?

Who: Nick Matheson and Jeff Hinton
What: The start of a long road
Where: Medical Unit, Mount Sinai Hospital
When: Morning after THIS
Rating: Probably innocent enough

The last twelve hours were a blur to Nick, what with getting the not guilty verdict he never expected and watching Dani pass out covered in blood in the courtroom. His parents, who had been there for the whole previous two weeks waiting for the verdict, had insisted beyond arguing point that he be taken to hospital for examination. It didn't take a genius to see he was physically ailing, and probably had been for weeks. Some days, he couldn't even remember if he had eaten or taken his injections, and there was only so much of people watching him like a hawk and riding him he could take before he snapped sometimes. He never meant it, his mood had just been so unstable throughout the whole thing, he didn't know whether he was coming or going.

Now, he had just been told by his parents that Dani was doing a lot better. They were keeping her in overnight for observation and they would talk to him more about what happened when he was feeling a little better. That did placate him and he could finally rest a little easier. But it wasn't long after that, almost as soon as his parents left that he found Kurt standing in the doorway of his room, and Nick nearly peed himself in shock. The last time he had seen Kurt was that night he was absolutely trashed on drugs and tried to force sex on Blaine before getting pissed off at him for not reciprocating. It had terrified Nick, giving him flash backs about his own ordeal, and he had left immediately. But this was a different Kurt. This was a weakened and recovering Kurt who looked pale and stressed about Blaine, and almost near tears as he had approached Nick's bed next to where Jeff was now sitting. He just softly took Nick's hand into his with the smallest of squeezes and said, 'I'm so relieve for you, darling. Now it's... time to heal. A lot of time... but that's okay, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise'. And then he left.

It had been a simple gesture of support for Nick, some sort of congratulations about the trial outcome without saying congratulations, because it wasn't like Nick won the lottery or anything. Dani had just restored him to his rightful position. But it were Kurt's last words that hit Nick really hard and he was tearing up before he could stop them, looking at Jeff. "I-I'm sorry... I'm okay," he said quietly with a tiny wave of his fingers. "He's just... h-he's right, you know?"

Who: Dani Lorenzi and Noah Puckerman
What: It's all coming back to me now
Where: Maternity Unit, Mount Sinai Hospital
When: Early ours of the morning following THIS
Rating: Probably swearing

Other than the actual reading of the verdict, Dani had very little recollection of what had happened surrounding the entire thing. She only remembered the verdict... and a hell of a lot of pain. She never expected to wake up, hours later, in the hospital. But not just in the hospital, in the Maternity Unit. She was in a lavender gown in a lavender room with pretty floral drapes and pictures of the stages of pregnancy laminated and taped to the wall. She had been hazy, and it took a few more times coming-to as she drifted in and out of consciousness before she had the clarity to listen to the medical professionals about what had happened. She had IVs feeding into her and a fetal monitor wrapped uncomfortably around her waist, feeding signals from her stomach into the little machine and pitting out streams of papers covered in wavy lines that obviously meant something to someone.

She wasn't allowed to move much, and had to stay in bed. It was only after her parents left and she had the full prognosis of what happened from the doctor that reality started to set in for her. It was only then she was able to ask for Puck, even if it was after midnight. He wasn't her relative or next of kin, so he probably had no idea what was going on. It had been hours on end she she was rushed to hospital in an ambulance from the court house, and a long time before anything on her condition was known. Dani hadn't given anyone permission to supply information to anyone but her immediate family once she was conscious, but she told her mom that she wanted Nick to be reassured she was okay if he was up to it, and finally asked to have Puck sent in. He was probably beyond terrified and confused, and would be even moreso when he was brought to the Maternity Unit.

When he appeared in the door of her room, the utter confusion and... many other things Dani could pinpoint were written all over his face. She just watched him exhaustedly through heavy-lidded and then reached her hand out for him. "You should take a seat," she mumbled, still feeling like she had been hit by a bus, then a train, and then sat on by a dinosaur. She was sick and in pain, but they told her she would feel better over the next couple of days... if she followed doctor's orders. "You're going to need it."

Who: Nick Matheson, Jeff Hinton, Dani Lorenzi and Noah Puckerman (posting order)
What: The verdict
Where: New York County Criminal Court, Manhattan
When: Wednesday afternoon, a couple of weeks after THIS
Rating: Leaving it open

It was the moment of truth.

There was no going back no. None whatsoever. After four days of deliberation, news just went up that the jury had a verdict and everyone had to return to the courtroom for it to be delivered. It had to be the worst four days of Nick's life, and he hadn't coped well with it. He was sick, exhausted, and could barely think straight. Right now, he didn't care what the verdict was, just so long as he could lie down somewhere after it and drown the world out. He just knew if that place was prison, he might not want to wake up.

Everyone was piling back into the courtroom, but Nick's awareness to the activity was little to none. His ears were ringing as he sat down at the defence bench beside Dani and his dark eyes blankly watched the jury resume their position across the room. At least outwardly he looked smart and as together he could be. His spent the night with his mom and dad at a hotel and they both took care of him that morning so he didn't need to think for himself. He was aware that somewhere behind him, Jeff was sitting and waiting on the verdict just like everyone else in that room, but for both of them, there was so much more weighing on what today's outcome could be. It could literally be make or break on any friendship, relationship, connection... anything they managed to salvage, even if Nick had no understanding of what it was yet. He hadn't let himself even seek it.

He was shaking all over and he felt Dani's hand close tightly around his where he was gripping the arm rest of his chair with such force his nails had sunk into the wood. His eyes flicked fearfully to her face, and she looked as bad as he felt. In fact, she looked terrible, and it only make Nick feel even sicker. He had to forcefully tell himself internally not to pass out. He had to hear this answer. Either way, he had to b set free from the painful clutches of the unknown.

Still no verdict. The prosecution is getting ridiculous at this point... At least I think so... I'm still clueless about how the law works.

Oh god. Not again.

That awkward moment when my boss and my... crush, I guess?... are sharing a hospital room.

Wow. I have a room mate. Intense...

That awkward moment when you have to bite your tongue to keep from telling the state's attorney that he's an asshole.

Praying for closing statements Friday. Could have a verdict Monday. Nick just needs to make it through cross-examination today...

Please, please let him be okay.

I know you've got your hands full, but we're at the hospital. It's Blaine. He's going to be in the Neurology ward. Just waiting on a bed.

I need your help.

Watching Grease with Kurt and Blaine. I'm the only one singing along #reallynot10yearsago

Contemplating a trip Down Under. Trying to talk myself out of it. Not sure I'd come back if I went.

Ferdinand Woods wants to be your friend on Facebook.

Hey,

I wanted to apologize about the whole smoking thing again. I didn't mean to pollute the air in a non-smoking area. Either way... Friends?

~ Ferdie

Much like Bud Frump at the end of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, I have returned!

Annnnnnddddd I managed to make a complete fucking dick of myself. Fantastic. At least it wasn't when I was on the stand?

Hey babe... Hope you're doing okay... <3 Just wanted to check in.

Hoping more restful days are coming soon.

Need a night out.

Who: Mercedes Jones and Ferdinand Woods
What: Diva fag had meets... a straight fashionista?!
Where: New York County Criminal Court, Manhattan
When: Friday afternoon
Rating: Leave it open for now

It was getting beyond intense. It felt like everyone was on their last shred of strength to get through this court case, and with Blaine unable to come, Mercedes had promised she would sit in the gallery every day for support... and also to be there for Jeff. She had no real direct link to Nick, but the poor guy needed all the love and support he could get.

They were calling witnesses again, and Dani had a long string of them up her sleeve, all in Nick's favour. Nick's own testimony and questioning had been horrific, but it was also evident that he had been so abused by his husband that his recollection on a lot of the details was patchy because of either head injuries or psychological damage. Dani must have known this, because she had people called as witnesses that Nick had either spoken to, who had witnessed the violence, or even been a victim at the evil bastard's hand themselves in the past. As far as Mercedes as concerned, it was an extremely strong case. But she just wanted to wrap her arms around Nick and cuddle him so tight to protect him from all of this. She could only imagine how Jeff was feeling with it all.

But now it was another recess and she hurried down the long steps outside. She needed fresh air again. The court room was so stuffy, and by the time she got down to the bottom and turned the corner, she was exhausted. She was in her third trimester now and the pregnancy was taking its toll. She leant against a small stone wall and sucked in a deep breath, only to get a lungful of cigarette smoke, and she nearly gagged. Shooting an absolute diva bitch glare in the direction of where the offending smoke was coming from, she found a well-dressed guy standing there looking stressed and puffing on a cigarette. She went right over to him without hesitation and plucked it out of his mouth, throwing it on the ground and stubbing it out with her high-heeled boot. "Do you mind, Mr Big Stuff? Would you pull outta gun and shoot me here on the street?" she demanded.

I miss jamming. Feels like ages.

I need to talk to you.

I hate New York.

Who? Dani Lorenzi and Noah Puckerman
What? Say what you mean and mean what you say.
When? Friday night, in the midst of Nick's trial
Where? Dani's apartment
Rating: May be high for language

Benny had been with Puck all day, and while the father loved having his son around, there were days when it exhausted him. This was one of those days. Benny was used to his mom having to work long trials sometimes. He understood that. But this time was different, in that nearly everybody in his home was busy with it. His mom, his Uncle Nick, Auntie Tab, Jeff... He hadn't really been naughty, just very rambunctious. Puck had ended up taking him to Central Park to get some of his energy out, where the little boy had run around playing football with Puck for hours. When it the sun was starting to go down, Benny had finally started to slow down, and Puck had breathlessly explained to his son that, while he'd been a football player in his younger days, he was pretty sure Benny had kicked his butt today. "I'm getting too old," he'd said, only half joking.

Puck had one of Blaine's drivers bring him back to Dani's, and before they'd gotten home, Benny had passed out, slumped against Puck's arm. Apparently, Puck wasn't the only one exhausted, and when they got home, father lovingly carried still-sleeping son into the apartment building, taking the elevator up, and letting himself in with the key Dani'd given him. He couldn't believe how soundly the little guy was sleeping, but he was relieved. Carefully, he tucked his son into bed, kissing the top of his head and ruffling his hair gently before he turned to go back into the living room.

Dani was sitting on the couch with a glass of juice and some notes from the trial spread out in front of her on the coffee table, glasses on, and her hair in a messy ponytail when he returned. It was her "I'm deep in the middle of some SRS BSNS" look, but Puck needed to talk to her anyway. "Hey," he greeted quietly. "I... Uh... I know you're busy, but do you think I could talk to you for a minute?"