Finding Myself When I Didn't Know I Was Lost

Part 1

Kurt had been devastated. He didn't want to leave Dalton, yes it was something of a cage, but it was safe. He had finally started making friends, and Blaine... he and Blaine were kissing and holding hands and destined to be the Warbler Power couple. Nick and Trent found him curled up in a chair in the corner of the commons trying not to cry, this was his last week, the money was just not there anymore, and his selfishness was making his family suffer. Karosfky was under Santana's thumb. He did miss his old Glee Club. Of course, he missed his family like crazy.

"Kurt! What's wrong?" Kurt had jumped dropping the note pad and pen he'd been holding and looked up startled at the two boys. "We called your name three times and..."

"Kurt, what's this? Reasons to go? You're leaving Dalton, but you just got here! We're just becoming friends." Trent argued, sitting in front of the other boy.

Swallowing, Kurt sat up and sighed, "Mostly its money. My family isn't like all of you. My stepmom is a nurse, and my dad is a mechanic. We have plenty, but Dalton is expensive. Karofsky is still attending McKinley, but a friend of mine seems to have dirt on him. Meaning the worst of my bullies is leashed for now, and I do miss my other friends." Kurt was trying to reason.

"Did he just say the worst of his bullies? Like that makes it better?" Nick was frowning arms crossed in a protective gesture.

Nodding Trent took a breath. "Yeah, go get Jeffy; we're gonna need back up." Nick eyed the two but agreed his boyfriend could help any problem. Once Nick was gone, Trent looked up at Kurt. "Not like us all. My old man works in the car factory upstate, and my mom waits tables, Kurt. I'm here on scholarship, arts and academics with extenuating circumstances. Do you understand?"

Kurt's eyes widened as things came together, "Were you bullied too? But you're straight." He frowned before covering his mouth. "I'm sorry. I don't mean... don't answer that." The blue-eyed boy groaned.

Laughing, Trent snorted, "More of an I like what I like and didn't care what other people thought. It's not the genitalia I fall for Kurt. It's a smile or laughs, the way they get my jokes. It's a person." Trent shrugged. "I fell for the wrong guy and ended up with a broken wrist and three broken ribs. Luckily I was in a choir already, and I had a 4.0, so when I applied for a transfer, I asked about and was offered financial assistance."

"I never even thought about that! Trent, I'm so stupid! But what if it's too late?" Kurt winces and sighs. "We're already into the semester, and I came in behind as it was." Standing, Trent pulls Kurt up and toward the door. "Where are we going?"

"To see Miss Ceecee, yes, as is Bloom." He smirks when Kurt flashes a bright smile at the 'Beaches' reference glad he has a friend who not only got it but made it just to get him to smile. "She's in charge of the Financial Affairs Office. You aren't going anywhere, Kurt Hummel, you are a Warbler, and more importantly, you're a fucking COUNTERTENNOR. If we could get you back into a cheer uniform, you'd only have to pay for your own coffee!" Tren joked as he knocked on the door.

"Enter." Came a robust and sophisticated voice. One that was at complete opposites with the woman on the other side of the door. She was dainty, with shoulder-length blue-black hair, horn-rimmed glasses that only accented the inky lined wide black eyes of the smart-looking Korean woman. "Trent, to what do I owe this pleasure, and who is this far more handsome young man with you?"

Flushing Kurt gave a small bow, and he'd officially watched too many Kdramas lately, "Kurt Hummel, Ma'am, I was informed you were the person to see when it appeared I could no longer afford Dalton?" He bit his lip, trying to calm his nerves.

Perfectly arched brows shot up, and her mouth thinned. "Trent had to tell you this thing? No one else has approached you?" It was clear almost instantly that someone else was meant to have.

"Yes, just now, Trent informed me. My family can't continue to send me to Dalton, so I'll have to transfer back to McKinnley despite..." He swallowed, shaking his head. "I was wondering if there was anything that could be done to help my situation??"

"Trent, why don't you wait outside while Mr. Hummel and I talk?" Trent nodded and squeezed Kurt's shoulder.

Two hours later, a very dazed Kurt left the office and blinked at his three friends who had been loitering in the hall. One look at Jeff, and he burst into tears only to find himself swallowed into a warm, loving hug. "I get to stay!" He kept repeating it over and over relief flooding him. He hadn't realized until the choice was genuinely his own how much he didn't want to leave. "My Dad and Carol are coming tomorrow to sign new paperwork to ensure I can stay the whole year, and since I'm joining cheer, I'll be able to stay off and on through the Summer for cheer camp and practices as well as Warbler camps and rehearsals or functions."

Kurt had cleaned up his face as best he could, and the foursome made for the dining hall talking animatedly about what Kurt would do in cheer. Once seated at the Warbler's table, Kurt continued the line of conversation from before. "I sang a Celine Dion medley in French while cheering for 14 minutes. Trust me; an all-boys cheer team has nothing on a Sue Sylvester Cheerio extravaganza." He twirled his fork in the air before stabbing some salad. "Ugh, I'm going to miss salad dressing." He sighed.

Nick frowned, looking disgusted. "Why would you miss salad dressing?"

"Because I have to get back down to my Cheer weight, and I'm not going to do that with mayo and sour cream." Kurt shrugged. "Beauty is pain, Nicholas, but not near as much pain as getting lifted in the air and dropped because your Base can't keep your fat hiney up!" They laughed, and Kurt was startled to realize more people around them were listening. "Oops, was I too loud? We didn't mean to interrupt your conversations."

"So you're really going to join the cheerleaders, Kurt?" Josh Stoll from the basketball team asked where he'd been sitting behind the Warbler's table.

"Yes, I didn't even know there was a cheer team. Of course, I've never attended any games. I only really went to games because my Girls were cheering, I was cheering, or my brothers were playing. Here I guess it was never really a thing." He shrugged. "After I quit playing football, I swore never to get that close to a football again."

David choked on his fries. "You played football?"

Nodding Kurt sipped his apple juice. "Kicker in my sophomore year. I played one game and decided it was easier to come out to my dad, but it was the only game our team won that year." He gave a proud smile as others at their table laughed.

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A/N:

Here's another little something I wrote while in the hospital. Possibly total crap since I was on a LOAD of IV pain meds at the time, but I thought I'd share. :) Let me know what you think! Please vote and comment! Let me know what you think!!! I love hearing your thoughts and if you'd like to see more! If I continue this it will be KurtBastian endgame...