A/N This was my contribution to the Kurt and Blaine Reversebang 2013. Warning for guns, school shooting and general angst. Also character death (not Kurt or Blaine). This fic was betaed by the lovely Chanel (butterblainesbutt on tumblr) Enjoy!

Part 1 – The library

"Hey, I know we said we'd meet for lunch, but I have to go to the library to find some stuff before my final. Wanna join me?" Kurt asked, biting his lip as he waited for Blaine to answer.

"Sure!" he said, smiling as he shut his locker and turned towards Kurt. "I wouldn't mind being alone with you for a while, if you know what I mean," he continued with a wink.

"Shut up" Kurt laughed, hitting Blaine jokingly on the arm. His cheeks burned red at his boyfriend's words, but looking around, no one seemed to have heard them. Kurt looked longingly down at Blaine's lips, wishing that his school was accepting enough that he could give his boyfriend a kiss goodbye like all the straight couples did.

Blaine smiled sadly, as if reading his mind. He reached out and took Kurt's hand, squeezing it lightly before letting it go again. "I'll see you after biology," he said, and turned to walk towards his classroom, leaving Kurt to do the same.

English was as boring and repetitive as always. Ms. Glade's voice droning on about some book they were supposed to have read while blatantly ignoring the fact that half the class was asleep, while the rest barely managed to stay awake while drifting in and out of a zombie-like state of mind.

The sharp ring of the bell signaling that class had ended drove its way into Kurt's head like a drill. He blinked a few times to get out of his haze. He got out of his seat and pushed his way out of the room and through the crowd on their way to the cafeteria. He slipped between people, trying to get to his locker.

Depositing his books and picking up some new ones, he slammed his locker shut and started navigating his way towards the library. Entering the small room, he saw that the librarian was gone, leaving behind only a small sign saying 'gone for lunch, back at 12:00'.

There was no one else in the room, leaving Kurt alone, surrounded by beaten up copies of old books that no one ever read and ten year old computers that barely worked. Messy tables were covered in old food wrappings and occasionally a book or two someone had taken out but not bothered putting it back in its appropriate place. Sighing at the state of his school, and how he sometimes longed for the clean and quiet hallways of Dalton academy, he sat down at one of the less messy tables, getting his books out as he waited for Blaine to arrive. Which he did a few minutes later, backpack slung over one shoulder and books piled in his hands.

"I'm sorry if you had to wait, Kurt, but Mr. Hark held us back for ten minutes talking about how important it is that we know about every little part of the human body, or else we will fail all our exams and never succeed in life and so on. It was very annoying." Blaine concluded, his cheeks flushed red.

Kurt laughed, rolling his eyes affectionately at his boyfriend's rant. He really did hate Mr. Hark. Loved the subject, but hated the teacher. "We're all alone in here," Kurt said conversationally, and Blaine raised his eyebrows. "All alone, you say?" he asked, smirking. Kurt rolled his eyes again. "I didn't mean it like that," he said, and Blaine laughed. "Fine, let's just study then, like we're supposed to be doing." Kurt nodded his agreement, and returned his attention to the books in front of him as Blaine sat down on the other side of the table, dropping his own books next to Kurt's.

They sat in silence for a while, both focusing on their own subject while munching quietly on the food they had brought with them. Just as Kurt looked up to check the big clock on the wall, the first warning belled chimed through the school. "Shit," he muttered under his breath, as Blaine looked up and closed his books.

"I guess we better go to class," Kurt sighed. "Yeah, we wouldn't want to be late," Blaine nodded. They started gathering their books together, depositing them into their bag. Just as they were finished, both turning towards the door, they heard it; an ear-splitting bang ripped through the room, and they were left standing there, struck dumb by the sound.

"What – what was that?" Blaine asked meekly as another crack sounded through the school, making them both jump. "I – I don't know," Kurt said, swallowing. "But it – it sounded like a g – gunshot." Blaine turned to him, eyes wide. "I – this can't be happening. Not here. These things don't really happen, do they?" Blaine asked, looking at Kurt as if he would know the answer.

He didn't. He had no idea what was happening, or why, but he didn't particularly want to leave the library to find out. "I think we should stay here," Kurt said quietly, taking a few steps back from the door just a few feet from them. Blaine followed, looking around the room for something, anything.

"I think we should hide," he said, biting his lip. Kurt's nod turned quickly into a violent flinch as what they assumed must be a gun went off once again. It really didn't seem safe to just stay where they were. They looked around the small room filled with books to find a suitable place that was big enough for both of them.

They didn't want to spend too much time thinking about it, in case something happened, so in the end they ended up sitting close together in the corner between two bookshelves. In front of them were two couches that may have been red once, but had now faded to a dull brown looking color. They had their backs pressed against the shelves, books stabbing them in the back.

Their location was somewhat hidden by the shelves, but in the room filled with desks and low standing shelves facing the door, they found this to be the safest place. The only entrance to the library was behind them, and there were no windows in the room.

They could still hear commotion outside the library door – which they had locked, in fear of anyone entering. People seemed to be running around the hallways, trying to escape the shooter. A scream could be heard somewhere in the building, but was cut off halfway by another gunshot. Silence followed in its wake, and Kurt didn't even dare look at Blaine. Someone had most likely just died, or at least been seriously hurt.

Oh god what if the shooter had gotten to their friends? What if any of them had been hurt? What if any of them had died? Kurt gasped loudly, trying to hold back the sobs clawing their way up his throat. How were they going to survive this?

Blaine just responded by wrapping his arms tightly around him, drawing him close to his side. He didn't even try to tell him everything was going to be okay, because how could he? How could either of them even try to imagine being safe? Kurt felt as if he hadn't been safe in a million years. It was as if he had been stuck in a state of terror and tears for his entire life.

Kurt didn't know how long they had been sitting there. His legs ached, and his head felt light. They hadn't heard anything in a while; no gunshots, no screaming, nothing. Kurt couldn't decide if he liked the silence or not. It made everything seem so… empty, as if he and Blaine were the only living creatures left in the building. And for all Kurt knew, they could be.

He burrowed his face closer into Blaine's chest, not wanting to think about it. The last few hours, ever since they had heard the first gunshot being fired, had been like a nightmare. They were trapped in a library, behind locked doors, while a crazed lunatic ran around their school shooting people; Killing people, most likely.

"I love you," Kurt murmured against the material of Blaine's shirt. Blaine stroked Kurt's back, trying to comfort him. "I love you too. We're gonna get out of here, Kurt, I promise." That was when Kurt broke down, tears streaming freely down his cheeks. "Kurt, calm down," Blaine said, though he was crying himself. "We have to be quiet."

Kurt nodded, stifling a sob as he looked up at Blaine, taking in his red cheeks and teary eyes. "I love you," Kurt said again, throwing his arms around Blaine's neck and hugging him tightly. "I can't lose you," Kurt said. Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt's back, pulling them closer together. "You're not going to," Blaine promised.

It could have been hours or minutes that they spent in each other's arms, softly murmuring comforting words back and forth. The school seemed eerily quiet around them, though they knew it couldn't be over. Surely someone would have found them and told them if it was.

The handle on the door behind them rattled slightly, as if someone had attempted to open the door. Kurt and Blaine, from where they sat on the floor, froze. The sound stopped after a few seconds, and they looked at each other, identical looks of confusion on their faces.

A much louder sound replaced the rattling, as if someone had thrown something at the door. Or as if they had thrown themselves. The door creaked, but didn't open. At least not on the first try. Another bang. The door didn't give. Another, and another, and another. They came like thunder, bolting through the otherwise quiet room, until at last, the door gave, slamming open and hitting the wall.

Kurt flinched violently into Blaine's side, whimpering softly. Kurt wanted to say something. He wanted to scream and shout or whisper at Blaine that they needed to get out of there, but he couldn't. He sat stock still, unable to move, as they listened to the footsteps moving slowly through the room.

They listened to the groan of leather boots hitting the linoleum, the slow controlled breathing of the person currently on their way towards them, the faster, more frantic breathing of Kurt and Blaine, each trying to be as quiet as possible. Kurt hoped the killer wouldn't find them, that he would just move on, leave the library and – Kurt allowed himself to be selfish, this once – find someone else to ruin the life of. Just not them. Not this time.

The footsteps stopped, and Kurt, for just one brief second, allowed himself to hope. Maybe they'd get out of there alive. Maybe this wasn't how his story ended; on the floor of the library with the boy he loved, not even out of high school.

But then the footsteps picked up again, and Kurt buried his face in his knees, and Blaine wrapped himself around him, one hand holding his and the other wrapped behind his head, fingers clutching his hair as he pushed his face into it.

Blaine's breaths were loud in his ear as the shooter approached them. Kurt dared a peek over his and Blaine's hands where they were tangled together over Kurt's knees.

There he was, barely three feet away, with his back to them. From what Kurt could see, he had blonde spiky hair, what looked like a black cloth of some sort tied around the back of his head, hiding most of his face, all black clothing, and black, tired looking leather boots partly hidden from view. He held a long gun in his right hand, swinging it back and forth as he whistled softly.

Kurt's breath hitched as the shooter turned around and lifted the gun with both hands, pointing it at them. A click broke the silence as the shooter cocked the rifle. "I love you," Kurt said, lifting his head to look at Blaine, tears in his eyes. "I love you too," Blaine answered, swallowing as he waited for the pain that was bound to come soon. The first shot was fired and Kurt screamed as agony pulsed through his left shoulder. The shooter fired his second shot, and Blaine collapsed almost immediately.

As Kurt felt himself slipping into the darkness, he could have sworn he heard people running in the distance, but it was hard to tell. Everything seemed overwhelming; the light was too strong, the sounds too loud, and if Kurt had been able to, he would have sighed in relief as he slipped from consciousness.