Chapter Fifteen
Rehearsals for Wednesday night's show were going smoothly, probably the smoothest all tour. Blaine was watching Quinn working through a quick change routine with Tina and Kurt. He was proud of how far his best friend had come since her injury nearly a year ago. He just hoped she was up for what he was going to propose to her.
"Quinn? Can we talk for a few minutes?" he called out. The blonde woman glanced over at him, confusion on her face as to why he was interrupting their practice.
"What's up?" she said, crossing over to stand beside him.
"You've been doing so good this past week," he said, smiling reassuringly at her. "I've missed performing with you these past months."
She smiled. "I forgot how much fun performing is. I feel like a kid again."
He nodded. "How is the hip? Is it giving you any problems?"
She shook her head. "I've been doing my stretches and exercises, like the physical therapist said, and taking it easy between shows. I haven't needed a pain pill in almost a month, although I still occasionally take a muscle relaxer before bed."
Blaine nodded again. "That's great. I want to ask you about attempting the levitating butterfly trick again. I'm sure I've fixed the issue that caused your accident, and Kurt has even tested the rigging out. But if you aren't comfortable with it…"
"When do you want to try it?" Quinn asked, giving no indication of nervousness or fear.
"I thought we'd test it during rehearsals this week in Phoenix, and if we get it worked out, I thought we'd do it live next Wednesday in LA."
Quinn considered for a moment. "I admit I'm a bit worried, but if Kurt has checked out the rigging and says it's safe, then I'm willing to give it a try."
Blaine smiled and hugged her. "That's my brave girl."
…
That night during the show, Blaine was ecstatic to perform one of his favorite routines, probably because it showed the nerd in him. He came out onto the stage with a cloak concealing his costume as he held it wrapped around his person.
"Okay, so, by a show of hands, who here is a fan of Harry Potter?"
Hundreds of hands went up, and people giggled.
"Excellent, you're all nerds, like me!" he responded with a wide grin, still holding the cloak wrapped around himself. "Now, aside from actually being able to cast spells and brandish a wand, the thing I want to do the most is fly on a broomstick and maybe play Quidditch too. What about you guys?"
The audience clapped enthusiastically to let him know they would like that as well.
"Tonight, I thought I might try to make that dream come true for a couple of people." He dropped the cloak to reveal he was wearing a Gryffindor uniform.
Almost everyone in the audience cheered and signaled that they'd volunteer.
"First," Blaine went on. "I'd like to show you my brand new Firebolt 3000!" From the trapdoor in the stage a model broom, outfitted with a couple of places for people to sit comfortably, rose into view.
There were several awws and oohs from the crowd.
Blaine walked over to the broom and picked up two red balls sitting on it before he turned back to the audience. "Now, since we're dealing with Quidditch, I thought the best way to pick my two volunteers would be with a little chasing practice. I'm going to toss one ball into each side of the audience. Whomever catches it, throw it behind you as far as you can. The second person throw it behind you as well. The person who catches the second audience throw, keep the ball and come join me up on stage. So we're going to find our volunteers by a total of three passes. Everyone ready?"
They applauded and cheered, some yelling 'yes!'
"Alright! Right side of the audience, here comes your first pass!" Blaine turned and tossed the first red ball over his shoulder. "Whoever catches that throw it behind you as hard as you can, come on!"
Blaine watched the red ball get caught by the first person, who threw it behind them as hard as they could. It was caught again by a second person.
"One more time!" the magician said and the second person tossed the ball once more. "Alright," Blaine shouted to the third person. "Big round of applause as our first volunteer makes their way up on stage!"
The audience applauded as Blaine moved to the other side of the audience. "Okay, left side, your turn!" He threw the second ball over his shoulder and watched it tossed another two times. "Big round of applause for our second volunteer!"
By the time the second volunteer had been randomly chosen, the first had reached the stage. It was a teenage girl. A moment later she was joined by an older gentleman who looked like Santa Clause on vacation.
Blaine grinned as the audience continued to applaud. "And who might you both be?"
"Jessica," The girl said.
"Gregory," the man replied.
"Big hand for Jessica and Gregory, come on!" The audience applauded again. "Now, before we move forward, I must ask, do either of you have a fear of heights?"
They both shook their heads no.
"Perfect! If you'll just follow me right over here to my broom. Take a seat, buckle yourselves in. Safety first!"
They laughed and climbed on, Jessica in front, and Gregory behind her. Elliott and Quinn helped them fasten the seatbelts.
"As my assistants help them settle in for the ride, I'd like to tell everyone that I got this idea from an illusion David Copperfield performs. He would take volunteers from the audience and send them on an airline flight on his flying sofa, complete with peanuts."
The audience giggled again, as several ushers walked down the aisle tossing out packages of peanuts at random.
"So, I borrowed the idea and put my own Blaine Blackwell spin on it. After all, the best way to explain the unexplainable is that it's magic!" He snapped his fingers and the theme music to Harry Potter started playing. "Jessica, Gregory, are you ready?"
"Yes," they both said.
"Audience, are you ready?!"
"Yes!" The response was so loud it echoed throughout the convention center.
"Let's do it!" The volume of the music picked up as Blaine pulled a wand out of his robes. He pointed it at the broom and the latches that tied it steady to the floor fell away. "Wingardium Leviosa!" He waved the wand and slowly, the broom began to rise into the air.
There were cries of amazement from the audience, and Jessica began to laugh nervously as they rose higher and higher.
Suddenly, a light flitted out from backstage as well as a shout. "Look! It's the Snitch!"
Blaine pointed his wand at the broom again and guided it to go after the Snitch, which flitted out over the audience. "Okay seekers!" he called up to the volunteers. "You know what to do! Catch that Snitch!" And the magician continued to use the wand to maneuver the flying broom to follow the little ball of light.
Gregory looked a bit lost as he gripped the handle of the broom between himself and Jessica, but the teenage girl was focused on the darting light, which seemed to stay just out of reach, while the audience continued to watch in stunned amazement from below them.
The theme music cranked up louder still in the excitement of chasing the Snitch. Blaine sent a wink backstage at Kurt, who was just off stage with a control in his hands.
The teen girl reached forward as the broom shot back towards the stage, and just before it reached the front row, caught it in her hand.
Offstage, a voice echoed, "Jessica has caught the Snitch! Gryffindor wins!"
The audience roared its approval as the broom came to a stop and settled just above the stage floor.
Blaine gently lowered the broom back down and reattached the latches to it. "Well, that was a thrilling game."
Quinn and Elliott helped the two volunteers off the broom and handed each of them a gift bag, as the audience continued to cheer.
"Thank you, Jessica and Gregory! Jessica, you can keep that Snitch, it's yours, as you caught it." Kurt came out from backstage to hand her the control. "One more big round of applause for our volunteers!"
She blushed and shook Kurt's hand, whispering, "Oh my gosh! You're my favorite assistant! I love you so much!"
Kurt couldn't help but to smile at her and he kissed her cheek. "I'm honored, really. That means a lot."
She blushed even more, and kissed him back on the cheek, and then ran off the stage.
Blaine was still applauding both volunteers and grinning at the audience. "Well, the best thing to do after winning a Quidditch match, is to eat!" He ripped open a pack of peanuts he had on himself. "Bon appetite!"
…
Blaine rushed back to his changing room to get ready for the next illusion as the stage was reset, but paused when he found Wes sitting at his vanity table. "What's up?" Blaine asked. "I thought you'd be double checking everything in preparation for the move to Phoenix tomorrow."
Wes just shrugged. "Can you grab Kurt real quick? I need to talk to you both about something. Elliott too."
Blaine nodded and stuck his head back out the door, spotting Rachel getting ready for her part. "Hey, Rach? Can you get Kurt and Elliott real quick and have them join me in my dressing room? Wes wants to talk to them."
She nodded and headed to the other dressing rooms to search for the two men. Blaine stepped back into the dressing room and turned back to his manager.
"What's going on?" Blaine asked as he began changing.
Again Wes shrugged. "Mostly I just wanted to check in and make sure things were going smoothly tonight."
Blaine nodded. "So far, so good. I've had Sam double checking everything, and keeping an eye on Adam, and anyone else who may be acting suspiciously."
Kurt and Elliott joined them just then.
Wes stood. "Do either of you know anyone named Chandler Kiehl?" he asked.
"That name kind of rings a bell," Kurt said with a frown.
Elliott was frowning. "Wasn't that the guy we met at that club last year in Chicago during our last tour?"
"Oh yeah! That skinny blonde kid with the glasses! I knew we shouldn't have gone to a sixteen and older club."
Wes looked between the two of them. "The hacker Beiste hired to track your KelliottStalker traced it back to a seventeen year old boy by that name. This kid gives off massive red flags. His parents died two years ago, he's legally emancipated, and has an eight figure bank account."
Elliott wrinkled his nose. "You don't think he'd try to buy a relationship with us, do you?"
Wes shook his head. "I don't know, but like I said, he throws up a lot of red flags. Apparently you two aren't the only objects of his attention. This guy has several different twitter handles, and has posted stalkerish pictures of Justin Beiber, Justin Timberlake, and Darren Criss, among others."
"Ewwww," Kurt said. "Justin Beiber!" He plopped into Blaine's lap. "Save me, Blaine! From the horrific deploring images!"
Blaine hugged him, even as a little bell sounded in the room, letting them know it was almost time for their next cues.
Wes walked towards the door. "I won't keep you, I know you have very little time, but just so you know, I'm having the lawyers draw up a restraining order against the kid, ordering him not to be within a mile of any hotel or bus you two are on."
"See if you can't give the other celebrities a heads up, if they don't already know," Elliott suggested. "I think it's in our best interest to warn them too. Kurt and I actually met this kid. It was not the nicest experience."
Wes nodded, even as Kurt muttered softly under his breath as they all left the dressing room. "Do we really have to warn Beiber? Can't we just let the crazy stalker kid focus on him?"
"Yes we do, honey," Blaine said, stroking Kurt's hair. "Because unlike him, we are civilized and good samaritans."
They hurried to finish preparing for the next illusion, unaware of Tina watching them as Blaine ran his hand through Kurt's hair.
…
ButtonsandBows: Awesome show tonight, BBlackwell! Things seemed to go smoothly!
IheartBlaine: I'm now a married woman! And tomorrow night hubby and I will be at the BBlackwell show in Phoenix! Thank you for bringing me my true love! And I hope you and your love are as happy as we are!
yadivagirl: That picture GlaszandPorcelain just posted of Raja getting his treat after his illusion was so cute! He really is just a big kitten, isn't he?
SmellsLikeAdamLambert: Glad to see Quinn back in the show more! She's the epitome of grace and poise!
BastiansFaction: The show has turned to rubbish without Sebastian! I hope 666DisillusionBlackwellsDevil destroys the show completely!
branches-are-looking-at-me: Just went to my very first magic show, BBlackwell, with my cousins. That was amazing! I wish I could go again tomorrow night!
I_hate_Mosquitos: Just made my cousin, branches-are-looking-at-me believe in magic! Thank you, BBlackwell!
FlashDanceGirl: Oooh! I think I know who Blaine's crush is! But I'm not telling!
LucyQFabray: SmellsLikeAdamLambert, thank you! But Starchild and GlaszandPorcelain are both more graceful than me!
BlaineBlackwellsFamousBrother: Hey, my little brother is going to be in LA next week! Check out his cute little magic act! Oh, and look for my new FreeCreditScoreDotCom commercial coming out this Friday!
666DisillusionBlackwellsDevil: I'm coming for you, Kurt Hummel! Better watch your back!
BlaineKurtElliott: Reported BastiansFaction and 666DisillusionBlackwellsDevil!