A/N: It took me quite some time to get back to this story. I hope it was worth the wait.


Mind Reaching In The Dark

Kurt wakes around 2am.

It takes him a moment to remember where he is, and another to realize that there is something profoundly wrong with the way in which the blanket, having covered him and Blaine when they had drifted off to sleep only a couple of hours ago, is coiled up at his feet. Like it has been kicked off in a panic.

As the sleep clears from behind his eyes there is another thought, Blaine! Where…?

"Blaine. BLAINE!", no answer…, "Dad. DAD! I need you, Dad, please."

In the dark of the room he can hear the muffled sound of steps.

For a moment he dares to hope that it is "Blaine?" simply returning to him from a trip to the bathroom or kitchen, but then he realizes the sounds are coming from upstairs.

Carole's voice grows louder as she comes down the stairs, "Kurt? What is it, Sweety? Your dad will be down in a second." Still a little disoriented herself, after having just been torn from her sleep, Carole looks around the room.

It takes a moment for her eyes to readjust to the dark the living room is still set in, "Where is Blaine?"

She does not need to see Kurt's face to know.

She can hear the pain and horror painted on it, swallowed, obscured by the dark, in the sob that escapes Kurt's mouth before the words, "I don't know. I woke up and he wasn't here anymore. He has never just wandered off before, never. Mom, I'm scared."

Carole pulls him in her arms, and holds him tight as she says, "You check downstairs. And I'll have a quick look upstairs, although I don't know why he would be there. But let me make sure. I send your dad down to help you look. Okay?"

"Y-Yeah," Kurt replies as Carole places a quick kiss to his forehead and releases him from her arms, making her way back upstairs a second later.

xxxx

Within minutes most of the lights in all off the Hudson-Hummel household are flipped on. Hardly any dark corner left at all.

Kurt has already checked the basement and half of downstairs, now running from room to room in a frenzy, calling for "Blaine, BLAINE!", fearing he might be unable to hear or answer, lying somewhere passed out, He looked so exhausted, even in his sleep.

He runs into his dad a moment later in one of the two downstairs bathrooms.

"Dad," Kurt buries his face and tears in his father's chest, "I can't find him."

As Burt's arms close around his son, the boy turns into a sobbing mess within seconds.

One hand gently pressing into Kurt's hair, holding the distraught boy close, Burt tries to sound sure as he says, "We are going to find him."

Carole appears in the doorway behind Kurt in the next minute. When Burt's eyes meet hers he can see how terribly worried she too is by now. Shaking her head in answer to her husband's questioning look she mouths soundlessly, "Not upstairs."

xxxx

Together they quickly check the remaining downstairs rooms, nothing.

"Nothing," Kurt is still in tears as he curls up on himself on the living room couch, crying even harder when his eyes fall again onto the bunched up blanket now next to him, holding no longer any of his own or Blaine's warmth.

Carole joins him and pulls Kurt into her arms.

Burt sits down on his son's other side, and runs a hand in a soothing motion through Kurt's hair, over and over, knowing it is one of the few touches that is only ever calming to Kurt, has been ever since Burt can remember.

Not many people know that the intimacy of the touch is why he does not allow it just anyone. Most people assume it has to do with hair care, style. So Kurt lets them. Saving the truth for the people dearest to him. But now he wishes he was a little less guarded about his feelings, wishes he had already told Blaine, sometime, any time before tonight. He had wanted to, but never found the moment to say it, to explain how it is that really only his dad and Blaine are allowed this close.

xxxx

As a three and four year old Kurt had spent hours sitting on the couch next to his mother, or in her lap.

Running one of her hands over and through Kurt's hair she had read for herself and often to Kurt.

More often than not Burt had witnessed those big, clear blue eyes fluttering shut, when Kurt had fallen asleep while sucking on one of his thumbs, wrapped in the warm feeling of his mother's loving touches.

It is the same couch they are sitting on right now.

Burt had been the one to insist they keep it, longing to hold on to one of his most precious of memories of his wife and son together.

xxxx

Burt is trying to spend comfort alone, but Kurt's thoughts still turn on him. Blaine does not know that about me yet. There is so much we do not know about each other.

The thought clenches like a fist around the heart already beating too fast in his chest, makes him more desperate to find Blaine.

But where to look?

If he isn't inside the house he could be… anywhere.

It has been all so recent, and the weather mostly too cold to spent longer periods outside. So even with all the time Blaine has spent here in the last weeks, they have not shared their special places outside these walls just yet.

The thoughts keep coming, but Kurt cannot make out a single clue as to where his before tonight mostly confident and happy seeming boyfriend could have disappeared to.

It had always seemed enough to be sure of each other's care and affection. Love even, although neither boy has dared to call it that yet in front of the other.

xxxx

Kurt buries his tearstained face in his hands, legs tugged to his chest, all that is keeping him from breaking down completely are Carole's arms around him and his father's soothing touch in his hair.

"Where could he be?" Kurt whispers, voice thick with tears.

There is a dread filled silence then Kurt startles his parents by jumping up, and walking out into the hall.

"Kiddo? Kurt!" Burt's voice is too loud and too shaky to be anything but edging Kurt on more.

Burt and Carole find him sitting on the cold tiles of the hall, pulling on his boots and mumbling "I can't just sit here," as he gets up and reaches for his warmest coat. He lets out a small sob as he notices Blaine's coat is still there. He must be freezing. "I need to find him."

"I'll come with you, Kurt. I won't let you go out alone. Especially in the middle of the night," turning to Carole he adds, "I'll get my phone so you can reach us in case he comes back. Okay, Hon?"

But before Carole can answer Kurt runs back into the living room shouting, "His phone."

Kurt grabs his own phone and dials.

There is no answer, and Kurt does not need it.

At the first ring the sound of an instrumental version of Teenage Dream fills the room.

Kurt has never before hated hearing it.

Carole, having followed her step-son back into the living room, sees Kurt's shattered expression and instantly pulls him into a bone crushing hug.

Her arms are still around him as she leads him back out into the hallway.

Moments later they are joined by Burt, again, holding his keys and phone in his hands.

He places a kiss on Carole's cheek as he reaches for his winter jacket.

xxxx

It is freezing outside.

The skies are clear and that might give Kurt a clue where to look, if only this had not happened today, if only life had granted them just some more months, weeks, at least, to learn enough about each other to know….

But life has never been this kind to either boy, and apparently it sees no reason to start now.

So Burt and Kurt keep walking, stars bright in the night sky, their light as smooth and clear as the beautiful white marble puzzle piece, infused with bright blue and dark green swirls, that Kurt's fingers have closed around, in the left pocket of his jacket, with the first step out into the night's dark.

xxxx

It had been a present from Blaine, a promise given on the day they had finally confessed their feelings to each other and spent their first night holding each other, in the bed of Blaine's dorm room at Dalton.

They are two of a kind, his and the one Blaine caries, wherever he goes, made to fit each other. Custom made, Blaine has confessed to Kurt only days ago to having ordered them to be made even before Christmas, wanting Kurt to have this, even if he should not share Blaine's deep feelings. That he had them in his pocket the day they sang Baby It's Cold Outside.

Handing the piece, now resting between Kurt's fingers, to Kurt, that late night in January, Blaine had held his next to it and whispered to Kurt "Complete, whole. This is how I feel when we are together. Please, Kurt, tell me, do you feel the same?" And he did, and he does.

And then that feeling, so right, that first time they held each other, I belong.

xxxx

Tears start running down Kurt's cheeks again, making it harder to see anything at all. So he tries to pull himself together, wipes the tears away and fights hard to hold back the ones already aching to follow.

Even with his dad there, looking for Blaine all Kurt finds is darkness, and the night feeling colder still.

"BLAIIIINNE! BLAIIIIIIINNNE!"


A/N: I feel sad now. That was not supposed to happen. Writing is there to make me feel better. I write to be happy, or when I feel sad, but writing should never make me feel sad. Sorry, sadness ramble over. I needed it though, hope you understand.