One Mississippi
By: RavenHeart101
Summary: The guns go off and everything's put into perspective. Or wherein Blaine isn't with the Glee Club when the shots go off. Tag to "Shooting Star". Trigger warning.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
A: N – I'm sorry I'm sorry. No pairing.
Blaine laughs and tucks his backpack closer against his arm, leaning against the lockers as Brittany fixes her pony tail in the mirror. "And Lord Tubbington's doing much better now, thank you for asking." She smiles at him through the mirror and Blaine smiles back, hitching his back up farther onto this shoulder.
"You're very welcome."
Brittany suddenly sighs and falls back against the metal of her locker, hugging her books to her chest. "But I don't know if he likes Sam any more than he used to."
"Maybe he's just not used to Sam." Blaine shrugs uselessly and with a scrunch of his nose.
Brittany sighs once more. "Maybe." She reaches out and shuts her locker.
And a loud bang sounds through the hallway.
Everyone is deathly still for a long moment, paused in their own business, as though more than one of them are trying to figure out what exactly is happening. And then a teacher is sprinting down the hallway, another firecracker like sound going off – like a head into the pavement, no Blaine don't think that – and screams starts to fill the small area. People rush towards the closest place they can find, more than one heading towards the exit. More than one grabbing onto each other and sprinting into open classrooms where teachers usher them in frantically.
He gets separated from Brittany.
He's not even sure how. Just one moment he's with her and the next he's in Miss Pillsbury's office hiding in the crevice of her desk, the guidance counselor pulling down the blinds and then running to hide next to him. It's a tight fit but they manage to make it work.
Blaine pushes his face into his knees and shuts his eyes. It's deathly silent. For a long time. And then there's another shot and more screams. His body jumps violently.
One Mississippi.
Two Mississippi.
Three Mississippi.
Four Mississippi.
Five Mississippi.
Six Mississippi.
Seven Mississippi.
Eight Mississippi.
Nine Mississippi.
Ten Mississippi.
Eleven Mississippi.
Twelve Mississippi.
Thirtee-
Pop!
He whimpers and curls in tighter and Miss Pillsbury grabs onto his hand and holds tightly. Just tightly. Neither of them moves and the school is silent. "Blaine." She whispers his name and he lifts up his head, looking at her with wide eyes. He's breathing deeply, trying to keep himself from having a panic attack.
He can't think straight. Can't focus on anything. Can't breathe right. It doesn't look like Miss Pillsbury can either.
"I need you to tweet, or text. Let people know what's going on. Just don't say where you are." He wonders if the teachers had ever rehearsed for anything like this. It'd be wrong to ask so he just nods and moves to do so.
His fingers pause briefly over his screen. What is he supposed to do? Who is he supposed to text?
Kurt? No he's in class right now and he won't see it and it wouldn't do to worry him.
Wes? What would Wes be able to do?
David? Trent? Thad? Nick? Jeff? Sebastian? Santana? Puck? Finn?
Cooper?
Cooper.
He presses on his brother's name and types out a quick message. He's not even really sure what it says until after it sends. I'm scared.
Miss Pillsbury squeezes his fingers and he squeezes back and tips his head backwards until it bangs softly against the wood of her inner desk. He doesn't shut his eyes, instead he keeps them wide open and he counts the seconds.
His phone vibrates with a reply one minute later, even though it felt as though it had been a day. It'll be okay. It might not be, but Blaine doesn't want to say that so, instead, he settles for a simple:
I love you, Coop.
I love you too, kiddo. What's going on?
Because of course Cooper doesn't know. How would he know? He's in California. Blaine feels the sudden urge to start sobbing, instead he covers his mouth with his hand and muffles it as best he can, curling in tighter onto himself. This means he can't answer. Because there is no way in living hell he is letting go of Miss Pillsbury. Not now.
His phone starts to vibrate wildly and he pulls it away from his face to see who is calling. Sam's face pops up on the screen. His breath is coming quick and staccato. He shows Miss Pillsbury the picture and she nods, gripping his hand tighter in her own.
The two of them breathe.
He presses the answer button and the first thing he hears out of Sam is a relieved breath. "Blaine?"
"Sam?" They're whispering but they both are relieved enough to let out a small laugh.
"Is Brittany with you?" It's the first thing Sam asks after confirming that he is, in fact, talking to Blaine.
"No." He whispers after a moment because where is Brittany. Panic seizes at his heart.
"Tina's not here either." Blaine lets out a noise and covers his mouth with his hand.
He doesn't say anything, neither does Sam. They're both silent. For a long time. And then he hears something from Sam's end and Sam's breathing quickens and Blaine's heart stops. What if the shooter is there? What if they're checking the choir room? He should be there with them. He should be sitting behind a piano and he shouldn't be here with Miss Pillsbury trying not to panic too much and why wasn't he there? Why had he stopped with Brittany to grab something from her locker before lunch? "Sam-"
But he can hear Sam in the background, yelling and screaming and begging Mister Schue to let him go get Brittany.
"Blaine?" It's Artie's voice and Blaine's relieved to hear him.
He lets out a small sob. "Artie." He confirms and Miss Pillsbury squeezes his hand in response to the familiar name. "Artie what's going on?" Because Sam's still yelling about getting to Brittany and then the choir room is silent again except for the occasional sniffle and sob and Blaine doesn't feel okay. Nothing about this feels okay.
He squeezes Miss Pillsbury's hand tighter.
She doesn't mind.
"Blaine I need to get to Brittany." Sam moans softly into the receiver.
"I'm so scared." Blaine says in response and it's quiet and he doesn't expect an answer.
"Me too." But he gets one anyway. "Please tell me you're not-"
"I'm with Miss Pillsbury." He cuts Sam off because he knows what Sam's asking.
"Cool. Okay. Cool."
One Mississippi.
Two Mississippi.
Three Mississippi.
Four Mississippi.
Five Mississippi.
Six Mississippi.
Seven Mississ-
The door handle rattles violently and Miss Pillsbury lets out a small squeak before silencing herself. Blaine's breath hitches.
"Blaine? Blaine?" Sam starts getting frantic and maybe Blaine should be answering him but the footsteps haven't moved from the door and he has this insane notion that if he keeps himself quiet whoever is outside will walk away and they'll all be okay. "Blaine?" Sam stresses again but Blaine doesn't answer, instead pursing his lips together and trying not to cry.
He hears something clatter to the ground and feet scuffle across the tile and then there's a noise, almost like someone's pushing themselves up. "I gotta go. I gotta go, they're out there all alone." It's Sam's voice and suddenly there are others, telling him to get down to calm down to breathe to let it all go and Blaine's crying because this is his best friend that's fighting to come find him and Brittany and he can't breathe.
Whoever is outside the door rattles the handle one more time before running off, their feet sounding suspiciously like heels as they run off down the hall. In the back of his mind Blaine notes how odd that is – that usually in the school shoots televised the perpetrator is male and not female.
"I don't care, I don't care!" Sam's voice breaks through the speaker once more and Blaine can hear Artie's breathing. He has probably picked up the phone again. "Stop! Let me go! I'm going!"
And then there's a muffling of Sam's voice and crying and silence.
Blaine can still hear Artie's breathing and he's pretty sure Artie can still hear his. "Blaine?"
"I'm here." He stutters out and Artie makes a noise and Blaine wishes he was with him because Artie always offered him silent comfort.
One Mississippi.
Two Mississippi.
Three Mississippi.
Four Mississippi.
Five Mississippi.
Six Mississippi.
Seven Mississippi.
Eight Mississippi.
Nine Mississippi.
Ten Mississippi.
Eleven Mississippi.
Twelve Mississippi.
Thirteen Mississippi.
Fourteen Mississippi.
Fifteen Mississippi.
"I love you, man." Sam's voice is back and it's choking down the receiver.
"I love you too." He says in an equally broken voice because he does. "You know you're my best friend, yeah?"
"Yeah. You're mine too."
Miss Pillsbury leans in closer to him and their knees are touching so much that it will hurt both of them to stand but they don't care.
They're silent again but it's companionable and he doesn't care. He can still hear him breathing and that's all that really matters, isn't it?
There's a quick knock on the door and Miss Pillsbury jumps, Blaine doing the same. Another jiggle of the door handle and then more feet scrambling away.
"What are you doing?" He hears Joe's voice ask.
"In case we don't make it out of here. Is there anything you want to say?" Artie asks and Blaine croaks out another sob because he should do that. He should call Kurt or his mother and father or Cooper or the Warblers and let them all know how much he loves them.
He doesn't dare hang up though. He doesn't dare hang up.
"I love you, dad." It's Ryder's voice. "Thanks for like, everything. And I know I don't always let you know but you've taught me a lot."
"There's a fake bottom to my desk drawer." Marley. God she must be so scared right now. "If you look under it there's a journal with a bunch of songs that I wrote. I never told anyone, but I'm really proud of them."
"Mom, Puck." Jake. "I love you guys."
"Mom, Dad." This one comes in clearer and louder because it's Sam. Of course it's Sam. "I love you guys. And there is a cat in my backpack in my locker. Please feed her for me."
If it was another time, another place, Blaine would have commented.
"To anyone that ever watches this," Unique. "Never stop being yourself."
"Hi mom and dad." Kitty. "I just wanted to let you know that I love you and that this has been the best year of my life. Even though maybe it didn't seem like it."
"I just wanna say that I've had the best experience of my life in this room and that," Artie. "I love these people more than anything."
Blaine lost it the moment they started talking. He's a mess. He's holding himself together well, though. Barely crying but freaking out on the inside.
"I don't regret coming here." He says to Sam and Miss Pillsbury instead, because he can't say it to the camera but at least someone will know. "I wouldn't trade coming here and meeting all of you for anything. I love you guys."
"We love you too." Sam answers for the rest of them and Blaine leans his head back against the desk again and breathes.
Miss Pillsbury squeezes his hand.
He squeezes hers.
They breathe.
And then they hear it.
"All clear!"
And he's not entirely sure what that means aside from cop shows but Miss Pillsbury is suddenly pulling him into a tight hug and his phone is clattered somewhere on the floor and Sam's is probably too. He hugs Miss Pillsbury tight and cries. Just cries.
Because that was the scariest thing he had ever gone through. Ever.
At least he doesn't remember Sadie Hawkins. This… this he will remember for the rest of his life.
He doesn't dare pull away from Miss Pillsbury. Not for a long time. And when they do pull away from each other they're holding hands. He stands up onto unsteady feet, picking up his phone and holding it tightly. Sam's name is flashing on the screen, the call time listed in front of it. 32:18. Had it really been only half an hour?
The first thing they do is leave the room, and there, in the hallway, are fellow Cheerios and Blaine gets pulled into one too many hugs but, then again, so does Miss Pillsbury.
"Blaine!" He hears from somewhere to his left and when he turns around there they are.
He tears himself from a sophomore from student council and flings himself at Sam. He has to stand a bit on his tip toes but he doesn't care.
He starts crying for real then. Starts outright sobbing. Sam holds him tightly and he can feel the wetness against his shoulder. He's sure Sam's is soaked too.
"I love you, man." Sam chokes into the fabric of his polyester shirt.
"I love you too." Blaine sobs back and when Artie rolls up Blaine leans down to pull him into a hug too and hugs Marley and Jake and they're all hugging each other. Mister Schue wraps an arm around the group and Blaine vaguely notes that Coach Bieste is there too and Miss Pillsbury is behind him, hugging him tightly. Brittany is holding onto him around his waist and he's holding Unique's hand and Sam's arm is stern and tight around his shoulders and Blaine feels relief. Complete and utter relief.
The second thing he does is call his parents.
They're all still standing in the hallway and people are still hugging and crying and the police are searching lockers and checking everyone over. "Hey mommy." He says when his mother picks up her cell phone. His voice is still rough but he's got the crying under control.
"Blaine? Sweetie what's going on? Are you okay? Is everyone okay?" His mother's voice is frantic and she's seen the news. Who hasn't by now?
"I'm fine." He answers but his eyes are stinging again.
"Oh thank God." His mother breathes out. "Henry! Henry he's fine!" She assured his father and she's crying so obviously Blaine's crying too.
"You're okay?" It's his father's voice and he's on speaker phone now.
"Yeah, dad." He wipes at his cheeks.
"I love you, Blaine." His father sounds like he's crying too and his mother is still crying, her voice muffled and Blaine can just picture them, hugging and crying and refusing to let go.
"I love you too, dad. I love you and mom so much."
"We are so proud of you, Blaine Devon." His mother says through her tears. "And we love you so very much."
The third thing he does is call Cooper. Because his brother is probably freaking out and his father's on his way to pick him up like all the other frantic parents.
Sam's hugging his closely, Tina is hugging her mother, Jake is hugging both his mother and Puck, Marley won't leave her mother's embrace, and the others are separated into families.
Cooper answers on the first ring. "Blaine?!" He sounds more worried than Blaine gave him credit for.
"Hey Coop." He laughs a bit but it's a choked laugh.
"Mom called me, Blaine." His brother says as explanation. "What the fuck is going on? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." He clears his throat. "There were gun shots and…" Blaine cuts himself off. "I was so scared Coop." Because it's Cooper and it's okay if he tells Cooper that he was scared.
"But you're okay. You're fine. Everyone's fine." Cooper's trying to convince himself but that's fine with Blaine because he needs to hear it too.
"I love you, Cooper. You're the best big brother I could ever have."
Cooper sounds like he's choking from the other end and Blaine knows that Cooper's crying and he hates when Cooper cries but Cooper hates when he cries so it's a fair trade. "I love you too, squirt. You're the best little brother I could have ever asked for."
When he's home that night he can't sleep. He stares at the television for the longest time, watching the newsreels over and over again.
He had called Kurt after Cooper. Called the Warblers not long after. Had even seen Sebastian and given him a tight hug and cried into his blazer.
He hugs his knees to his chest and tries to fight down the residual fear.
No gun found.
No shooter caught.
They had no clue who did it.
"Blaine?" His mother's voice and then her hands slide over his shoulders and hug him close around the neck. "You should sleep, baby boy."
"I can't." He whispers hoarsely.
She ushers him up and stares at him for a moment. She looks like him, short and dark haired. "Let's go relax with daddy some, okay?" He nods and he wraps his arm around her waist and leans his head on her shoulder as she leads him out of the living room and shuts off the television. She brushes back his wayward curls as they enter her room, his father lying in bed with a book open on his lap. He's not reading, though. He's watching the same newsreels Blaine had been watching, his lips in a thin line and a glass of water or whisky or something on the bedside table. He doesn't hesitate when he sees the state Blaine's in, eyes red from crying, teeth gnawing at his bottom lip, wrapped so tightly around his mother it's like he's trying to mold himself into her.
"Come here." He pulls back the covers and that's all the invitation Blaine needs and he's curled up on his father's chest in a matter of seconds. His mother curls around him from behind and he's crying again but he doesn't care.
He was so scared.
And it was hard to believe that it all wasn't just a dream.
"You're okay now." His father tells him and yet he pulls him closer, as though he needs the reassurance himself. "You're okay."
He sends out a mass text to the Glee Club that night telling them that he loves them. Sends a more special one to Kurt, a more special one to Cooper who stays up with him and his parents through the phone the whole night, booking a ticket home and everything.
I love you too. It doesn't matter who it's from. All that matters is what it says.
A: N - That's it. That's the story. -hides-