Kurt changed into some pajamas so that once the visit to the picture was complete he could fall into bed immediately upon arrival at his room. He sat down to do some light reading whilst waiting for Sebastian to return from his rounds.
"Alright, all clear." Sebastian said a few minutes later, surprising Kurt, who jumped. "Boo!" Sebastian said, noticing Kurt's movement. "Shall we head out?" he asked.
"Yeah, let me put some shoes on though." Kurt said, setting his book down and pulling some slippers out of his closet. They made their way down the halls and into the freshman hallway. Turning, they arrived at the study nook, where the picture hung the same as it had before.
"I think that Adin kid might have done something to it." Sebastian said, suspiciously.
"Why are you always calling him 'Adin Kid'? He is the same age as you, almost."
"Technically I am 18, thank you very much." Sebastian huffed, lifting the picture off of the nail it hung on. "I don't see anything on the wall, maybe there is something in the frame?"
Kurt took the picture from Sebastian and knelt down next to the small coffee table, setting the picture upside down on it. "I don't see anything, maybe it's inside?" Kurt suggested.
"Yeah, maybe." Sebastian agreed. Kurt worked on removing the cardboard backing and setting it beside the frame.
"What is this?" Kurt asked, pulling out a small piece of paper. Kurt turned it over, revealing a drawing. "I think this is you, Sebastian!" Kurt exclaimed.
"I don't remember this." Sebastian said. "Matthias must have done it, he didn't draw very much but it kind of looks like his style, and that is him in the picture next to me. That must be what that Adin kid was talking about."
Kurt rolled his eyes. "Well, what should we do with it now? It could be what is controlling the picture."
"I guess we could burn it? That seems like the best bet, I can't imagine anything else we could do."
Kurt nodded. "We might as well try that." Kurt put the drawing in his pocket, and replaced the cardboard backing. "Go on, put this back up and we can take this to my room, hopefully we can dispose of this without setting of the alarm."
Sebastian put the picture back up and followed Kurt down the hall. "Are we going to burn it tonight?"
"I don't see why not, I want to get rid of that thing before it hurts someone, if it ever moves beyond giving you the heebie jeebies." Kurt said, unlocking the door to his dorm. "I have to find a lighter first, I think I have one for some candles I got earlier this term." Kurt dug through his desk drawer, pulling out a red campfire lighter. "Okay, I'll put it in this candle dish and we can hold it out the window so it doesn't cause a problem."
"Kurt, you are going to look ridiculous." Sebastian said crossing his arms.
"I don't care, I'm not letting my room smell like smoke." Kurt held his arm out the window, preparing to light the folded paper in the dish.
"Kurt, just put it on the window sill, it will be fine." Sebastian said. "If it makes the walls sooty I will clean them myself."
"Uh huh, sure." Kurt said, but he put the dish on the sill, and watched as the paper turned black and began burning up. "'Bastian, do you think that ther-" Kurt started to say, but was interrupted by Sebastian, who looked terrified. "What is it?" Kurt said, concerned.
"I don't think something is right." Sebastian said, looking at Kurt. "I feel warm." Sebastian's eyes grew bigger as he looked around for whatever might be causing it. The drawing burning on the sill light up brighter, entirely engulfed in flame, and Sebastian disappeared.
Kurt frantically called his name. "Sebastian! Don't just disappear! Come back, please?" Kurt looked at the drawing, which was now ash in the dish. He set it on the desk to cool, and continued to call for Sebastian.
The next morning there was still no sight of Sebastian. Kurt got dressed and checked the placement of the bookmark in Sebastian's book, but it was in the same place as before. Kurt looked over his desk and nightstand, but there were no notes there either. He gathered his school supplies and headed out the door. He wanted to look for Sebastian, but it seemed rude to skip class when his father was paying so much for him to attend Dalton.
Walking down the hall he met up with Jeff and Nick, who were discussing the last Warbler practice before the weekend. "You ready for a break, Kurt?" Jeff asked. "Only a week left of practices until we can go to compete."
"I am ready for Wes to stop breathing down my neck during rehearsal that is for sure."
Jeff laughed at that. "Don't worry Kurtie, you will be free soon. Until the next set list is created if we win that is."
They headed to breakfast and class, the day dragged on. Kurt found it hard to focus, with Sebastian gone. He thought maybe he was playing some prank on him, but somehow he didn't think Sebastian would do that. When he returned to his room after practice, his feet were killing him, but at least he was finally free for 2 days. Wes had made him promise to practice singing, but he didn't have to do the steps, and Kurt was thankful for that. Kurt pulled together the things that he would need over the weekend, and changed into his street clothes, before biding Jeff and Nick farewell and leaving for home.
His Dad and Carole were glad to see him. Finn would have been too, but he was spending the weekend camping with Puck.
Burt looked Kurt over. "Something wrong kid? You seem blue."
"Boy trouble?" Carole asked with a smile.
"Um, not exactly." Kurt answered, unsure how to explain his sadness, without mentioning that his roommate was a ghost. "Just stressed out with our singing competition coming up. Wes has been making us rehearse a lot."
"Oh, when is it? I want to see you perform!" Carole exclaimed.
"Next Monday at 4PM, in the Columbus Community Theatre." Kurt said, Wes having drilled the location into their heads over the past few practices.
"We will be there!" Carole said. "I can wear that new dress you got me." She smiled.
"Do you want something to eat?" Burt asked. "Carole made some salad."
"You sound so thrilled." Kurt said sarcastically.
"It's not bad don't get me wrong. Just different."
"There's strawberries in it and it scares him." Carole stage whispered.
"I just don't know why you would put fruit in salad. That is all I am saying." Burt mumbled.
"Oh, just try some of it, then you can make up your mind." Carole said, ushering them into the kitchen, to where the table was set for three.
After a dinner full of questions about school and his friends, he retired to his room to sleep.
The rest of the weekend was spent watching sports with Burt and taking Carole shopping. He had hoped that it had been enough to take his mind off of what happened to Sebastian, but it wasn't. Even Carole noticed and took him out for ice cream.
When he finally returned to Dalton he was extremely worried. He didn't think that he would have become so attached to the 'skeleton in his closet' but now without Sebastian his room to tease him he felt lonely.
He woke up Monday morning tired, and drug himself down to the cafeteria to eat with Niff. He moped through his classes, unsure if there is anything he could do to bring Sebastian back.