Prompt: A new hair color

Characters: Blaine, Sam, Unique, Marley & Brad

Warnings: Violence, Drugging a minor

Words: 1402

After they sing Marley's song, Brad enlists the four of them to help him move an old upright piano into his cargo van. (Sue had inexplicably needed it as a prop in a photo shoot designed to break her into the world of personal trainers.)

He thanks the kids for their help, then:

"Do you kids need rides home? I could use a hand getting this into the house anyway, and I could drop you off afterward."

The rain had been unrelenting all week. Blaine, their usual chauffer, has his car in the shop. They'd planned to walk to make sure Unique got home okay, but a ride would be even safer. And dryer. Moving the piano inside will only take a few minutes.

And so they agree.

Rain is coming down in sheets by the time the piano is inside. Marley shivers and eagerly accepts a cup of tea while they wait for the storm to let up. Sam and Blaine have toweled off and taken their cups of hot chocolate downstairs to check out Brad's gaming system. When Unique has to use the bathroom, Brad tells her to follow the boys.

And he follows her.

"Bathroom's right through there," Brad directs.

"Thanks," Unique returns shyly. Then, through the door "Why is there no lock? Boys, this room is occupied until further notice!"

"Yeah, I'm sorry. Haven't gotten around to that yet - usually it's just me down here. I'll stand watch for you."

But when she comes out a moment later, there's a knife at her back.

"Dude, you suck at this! You just TK'd me!" Sam yells as thunder cracks outside.

"I just did what?"

"Blaine, you threw a grenade at me, you psycho! When's the last time you played Call of Duty? You do realize I'm your teammate, and that it's generally frowned upon to explode me?"

"Um, this is like the second time I've played this, okay? Calm down." Seeing Unique enter the den with wide and confused eyes, Blaine offers her the controller. "Hey Unique, you want a turn?"

Brad steps up behind her, moving the knife to her throat. "Nobody move."

"Shit. What the hell, Brad?"

Blaine puts his hands up non-threateningly. "Sam, shut up."

From a drawer, Brad produces several pairs of plastic zip ties and instructs Blaine to put them on Sam's wrists and ankles, before directing Unique to do the same to Blaine.

Tears leak from Unique's eyes as she whispers, "What do you want?" The plastic ties bite into her wrists and ankles as Brad secures her.

He smiles darkly.

"She's upstairs."

Marley sips her tea, slowly beginning to warm up. The physical toll of helping to move the piano is catching up with her - her arms and legs weigh an incredible amount. She looks at the piano, and imagines being able to ask Brad to give her lessons. Maybe someday, she thinks as she pillows her head on her arm and closes her eyes.

All the blood leaves Sam's face as he struggles against the restraints. "Damn it! Marley! Marley! Run!"

Brad regards Sam for a moment before reaching into the zip tie drawer for a pistol. Unique sobs as the gun comes down hard on the side of Sam's head. He slumps to the floor, blood darkening his hair.

Blaine closes his eyes.

Brad leaves, a lock clicking at the top of the stairs. Blaine and Unique stay frozen for a moment before scooting to Sam's side. Unique checks his breathing while Blaine looks at the wound in Sam's hairline as well as the security bars on the windows.

Sam moans just as water starts seeping into the room.

"Sam? Honey, are you okay?" Unique asks, touching his face hesitantly.

"Mmm… My head…" Blaine and Unique exchange glances at the sound of Evan's Australian accent. "Where's Sam? Is he okay?"

"He's fine. How are you?" Blaine presses.

"Been better." Evan brings both bound hands up, intent on probing his head, frowning as he notices the water dripping from his fingers as well as the zip ties.

"Blaine, check my pockets."

"Your…pockets?"

"Yes, come on, mate."

Uncomfortably, Blaine goes through Evan's pockets, coming up eventually with a small pocketknife.

"Ah, you beauty! Thank you!"

Blaine carefully cuts off Unique and Evan's restraints, and lets Unique free him from his.

Unique sloshes through several inches of water, then climbs the stairs, a spare hair pin in her hand.

Blaine settles Sam on the pool table, who is white and still after all the movement, then takes off after her. He reaches her just as the lock clicks open and grabs her arm. "No, Unique! Please, stay with Sam and call 911. I'll find Marley, I promise."

"She's my best friend," her voice breaks.

"And Sam's mine. Take care of him for me, so I can find Marley for you."

Cautiously, Blaine eases the door at the top of the stairs open. The kitchen is empty, so he closes the door quietly, muffling the sound of water running downstairs. He swallows before creeping along the walls, avoiding the doorway to the living room until he has to peer around it.

Empty too. He breathes, legs shaky.

There are only so many places they could be, and so the hallway makes him nervous. He sees two doors, one closed with light showing through the crack at the bottom. As Blaine approaches it, he hears the shower running and prays they're not together.

The other door is ajar slightly, the only light coming from a lamp atop the piano in what looks like Brad's bedroom. He sees the glint from Marley's necklace in the dim glow as she slumps in a chair.

Heart in his throat, Blaine approaches her.

"Marley?" he whispers.

"Mmm…"

"Marley, we have to go. Come on!"

Her head lolls to the side. "He's writing a song about me," Marley slurs, barely discernible. "I feel funny."

"You know what? You'll feel better once you get out of here, okay?"

"Mm-kay."

"Do me a favor, Marley?" Blaine takes her face between his hands, staring at her glassy, heavy-lidded eyes. He points to the house visible through the raging storm, lights on and family sitting down to dinner in the picture window. "Go over to that house and knock on the door. Tell them you need help, okay?"

Marley nods slowly.

"Do you understand what I'm telling you? Go to the house with the people in it, and don't come out until I come for you. Do it now." He opens the front door, and sends her out into the howling wind, watching her disappear into the rain. He shuts it, praying for Marley's safety and sense of direction.

Exhaling, Blaine turns toward the kitchen, intent to check on Sam and Unique.

"How'd you get out? Marley?!"

Backlit by the bathroom light, Blaine can clearly see the pistol in Brad's hand. Blaine takes off for the basement, and the gun goes off too near his head. Ears ringing, he runs downstairs slamming the door behind him.

The water has risen substantially in his absence, almost to his waist.

And the pool table is empty.

A wave of dizziness hits Blaine. A hand to his ear comes away sticky with blood, and he wades numbly to the last place he'd left his friends.

"Sam! Unique! Evan! Oh my God! I can't hear you guys! Where are you?" All he can do is scan the dark water and wait, anxiety climbing the ladder of his ribcage.

He crawls onto the table, guilt an anchor around his neck. A sob is caught at the base of his throat when a hand drops into his line of vision.

It looks like the hand of an angel.

It's Sam's.

Inexplicably, he and Unique are lying prone on separate rafters - Unique apparently talking into her cell phone, and Sam still sheet-white, the side of his head oozing blood. Gripping Sam's hand tightly, Blaine launches himself toward an empty section of wooden beam.

They wait here, Unique sending Blaine text messages that the police are on-scene, that Marley is safe, that Brad is in custody.

Eventually officers come to the basement, and help them down from the beams.

The three of them sit on the pool table for a moment.

They breathe.

They hold onto each other.