This is a tiny chapter and I apologise for the long wait but I hope the next update will be quicker! Thanks to all those still reading along :)
Rachel watched as her best friend trudged across the faculty car park toward the school building, his shoulders slumped almost in defeat and wearing the same pants he had worn two days previously. Rachel knew Kurt had become a lot more lenient with his fashion since leaving New York and coming back from Ohio but even for this Kurt, the same pants in the same week just didn't happen. Something had happened recently to make Kurt look like half of him was missing and Rachel cared for him as a friend and knew Kurt would come to her if he needed help but as his superior she needed to step in because his attitude was beginning to affect his work.
None of Kurt's student were complaining about their teacher's new lax approach to their lessons but they had noticed the strain. Two days ago Santana Lopez had visited Rachel's office saying that Mr Hummel had missed the first ten minutes of their lesson that morning and she wasn't sure whether to do the coursework he had set a few week prior as it had been due in that day but he hadn't asked for it. Rachel had tried to watch Kurt around the school since Miss Lopez' visit and she wasn't happy with what she saw.
Rachel began to make her way over to Kurt intent on intercepting her best friend and saw Tina Cohen-Chang jog up to Kurt. Her hand on Kurt's arm startled him and although the two stopped walking to talk quietly they stayed close to one another as if suspicious about anyone else overhearing their conversation. Kurt said something to the young girl who shook her head in response and then with a dejected look on his face Kurt watched as Tina walked away.
His head was bowed and from the drop of his shoulder Rachel knew something was seriously wrong. Rachel was at his side before Kurt had the chance to move on and a close up look at his features confirmed Rachel's suspicion.
"Kurt?"
Tired, red-rimmed eyes met Rachel's and there was a loss clear in their blue depths that Rachel had only seen a couple of times in Kurt's eyes. The emotion in his face almost had Rachel crying for him without even knowing the reason. She instinctively put her arm around Kurt's waist.
"What's wrong?"
All Kurt did was shake his head as if he wasn't able to trust his own voice.
"Kurt, you need to tell me." Realising she wasn't going to get anywhere by ordering Kurt to do something, she changed her tactic and relented. "Please Kurt tell me what I can do to help."
"I'm just tired, not sleeping very well." They both knew it was only a partial truth and they also knew that Kurt was possibly one of the worst liars.
Looking up into Kurt's face, Rachel never let her eyes leave Kurt's.
"I'll do anything to help you Kurt but you need to trust me first."
An uncharacteristic snort escaped Kurt before he angrily muttered
"No, too many people know already."
Rachel blew out a puff of breath, her suspicion confirmed. She hadn't wanted to believe Jesse when he had implied that Kurt's distracted mood seemed to coincide with the suspension of a certain student. Blaine Anderson's suspension had only been for five days but after two weeks Rachel had started to wonder if the boy was ever coming back to school. Taking a huge leap of trust in Jesse, Rachel said very quietly.
"It's Blaine, isn't it?"
Kurt didn't dare bring his gaze up from the floor to meet Rachel's but the clench of his jaw was all the confirmation Rachel needed. Thinking quickly and wanting to get the information she needed from Kurt she continued her quiet tones.
"I don't need any details, I just need a few simple answers."
Kurt's entire body tensed, still refusing to look Rachel in the eye, and he had the sinking feeling he was about to be asked to return home until further notice by his best friend. There was no need for both of them to get in trouble over Kurt's decision but once more Rachel surprised him by grabbing his wrist and pulling him away from the school building.
"Is he missing?"
Kurt simply nodded and Rachel let out another deep breath. "God… How long?"
"Twelve days." Was all Kurt could trust him to say.
"Shit." Rachel rubbed her hand over her face and up into her hair. She pulled at a strand of hair and thought quietly for a few moments. "Go home, Kurt. Get some sleep. Being here, like this, isn't doing anyone any good."
"I can't… I can't give up." Kurt wrapped his arms around his body, fisting his jacket in his hands just to try and maintain some semblance of control.
"I'm not asking you to, honey. It's Wednesday, go home. Take the rest of the week off. You look like something I'd cross the street to avoid." Throwing further caution to the wind, Rachel added. "I'll help you look tonight, okay?"
Kurt lifted his gaze, tears drowning his eyes not willing to hide them anymore.
"His brother thinks he's hiding at Tina's. Doesn't… He hasn't even filed a missing persons report and I… I can't." Kurt's frustration was clear and Rachel's heart broke for how helpless he looked.
"Go home. Sleep."
Rachel pushed him in the direction of his car, prodding the middle of his back gently.
"Go and please text me when you're home safely."
And with that Rachel turned 'round and walked back into the school leaving Kurt along with his confused thoughts and empty smile at the idea of being giving permission to be alone for a bit longer with them.
Kurt stumbled into his bedroom not even taking off his boots before his head hit his pillows. He didn't check his phone, or his dogs and he just fell into a deep sleep.
It was daytime, early in the morning and Kurt could hear the faint sounds of music coming from somewhere in his house, the strains of harmonious voices echoing in his head and Kurt groaned wanting nothing more than to just go back to sleep but the music continued and he was completely pulled from slumber. A wide smile creased his face and he rubbed the sleep from his eyes as the familiar tones of Idina Menzel hit his ears.
Stretching his arms and climbing to his feet Kurt scratched his bare stomach, his mind blissfully silent. His mouth felt dry and he followed his need to the kitchen only to stop dead at the sight that greeted his barely open eyes.
Blaine was spinning dancing around his kitchen, flour and eggs and different batches of cookies in various stages of being baked scattered the room. The kitchen was warm and smelt delicious and his heart climbed up his stomach and rose in his throat, his breath hitched at the vision of Blaine bopping around to the music playing, his hair slightly curling. His back was to Kurt and the majority of the kitchen was blocked from his view because of his complete tunnel vision for the boy in front of him.
A smile curved on his lips and Kurt restrained himself from speaking as Blaine whirled around as a different version of Defying Gravity hit the speakers and Kurt stopped breathing. Blaine was heavily pregnant, his stomach protruding out of his grey t-shirt. He was glowing. He must have spied Kurt hiding 'round the corner of the doorway as a grin broke out on his face and he laughed.
"Morning lazy. I didn't mean to wake you."
"You didn't sweetheart." Kurt took a step into the kitchen only to be stopped by a high pitched squeal followed by the patter of bare feet on his tiled floor.
"Daaaaaaaaaaaad! Up!"
A small body slammed into his legs and Kurt almost toppled over from the impact.
"Hey princess, slow down. You know you shouldn't run." Kurt bent down to lift the little one up into his arms but before he could reach out to pull Blaine into the hug the timer for the oven began to ring but the noise continued even after Blaine had taken the cookies from inside and hit the timer.
Kurt groaned and rolled over, registering that it had only been a dream and the 'over timer' was actually his cell vibrating on his bedside table. Fumbling across for his phone Kurt groggily answered the call.
He was greeted by silence on the other for so long that Kurt wasn't sure if the phone call was part of his dream as well but then very faintly he heard a whisper of sound. Every one of his sense went on alert, his nerves pinged with awareness and he didn't speak for fear of scaring who he thought was possibly Blaine away. He waited, heart in his throat and tears flowing down his face.
"I'm… Kurt? Are you there? God. I'm so sorry, I never wanted you to get into any trouble. Oh god…"
His voice broke on a sob and he stopped talking. Kurt cleared his throat, his own tears making his voice deeper with need.
"Please, sweetheart. Come home."
But he was gone.
All Kurt heard was silence.
