It started like any normal day. Why wouldn't it? Kurt got up early, showered, dressed, cooked breakfast for all three of them, and then left for Adam's Apples practice before classes. He talked to Adam, and let him hold his hand, and ignored the tiny part of him that felt guilty because he knew he was still in love with Blaine.
He went to his classes and tried not to think about Blaine, and he sat with Rachel and Adam at lunch. That's when the text came. His phone dinged, and he picked it up to check it, stopping in the middle of his story that really seemed so pointless now that he could see the text.
Just heard gunshots. Hiding in the choir room. I love you. - Blaine
"No," he whispered. "No no nonono, this isn't happening." He stood up, pacing around their table.
Rachel and Adam looked alarmed. "Kurt, what's wrong?" asked Rachel. "Yeah, are you alright?" Adam asked.
"Do I look alright?" Kurt snapped. His hands were shaking. He sat down again, hard. "Sorry. Just. Blaine just texted me."
Adam's face darkened, and Rachel looked horrified. "Did he do something? What happened? If he hurts you again, I swear I-"
"Rachel!" Kurt said sharply. "No, Blaine didn't do anything. Just, just look." He handed over his phone, letting her read the message there.
He saw the exact moment the message sank in. "Oh my God," she said, breathing heavily. "Oh my God. Brittany's there! And Tina! And Artie, and Sam, and, and everyone, and oh my God."
"Rachel!" He put his hands on her shoulders, trying to ground himself as much as her. "Okay. Okay. Give me my phone, I have to text him back." Rachel gave it to him.
"Um, you really don't need to, at least not until you tell me what's going on," Adam said, looking lost, his face still dark from the mention of Blaine.
Kurt had forgotten he was there. "No, Adam, this really can't wait."
Adam scoffed. "If he's texting you, I should know."
"You do know," Kurt replied, which wasn't a very good comeback, but he had other things on his mind.
Oh my God. Are you okay what about the others? Text me back. -Kurt
Adam reached for Kurt's phone, but Kurt pulled it away. "Excuse me, but I'm your boyfriend now, not him, so I think I deserve to know what's happening."
"If you think that, then you're not my boyfriend," Kurt said, waiting with shaking hands for Blaine to reply.
"What, you're breaking up with me? Because of a text?" Adam asked.
"No," Kurt hissed. "I'm breaking up with you because you think you're entitled to know everything about my private life, which you're not, we've only been dating for a month and a half, and I'm still in love with Blaine." A message popped up on his phone, and Kurt's face crumpled in relief. "Now leave, so I can tell Blaine that I still love him, just in case this is the last time I ever get to do that!"
Adam left the table stunned, saying, "We're talking about this tomorrow," as he does.
I'm ok. I'm here with everyone except Brittany and Tina and I don't know where they are. -Blaine
Kurt breathes out. "Rachel," Rachel snaps her head up, having been waiting nervously as Kurt read the message. "Call Santana. Tina and Brittany are missing."
"What," Rachel breathed, but got her phone out and dialed Santana.
They heard the phone connect, and then Santana's voice. "What do you want, man-hands?"
"Santana," Kurt said. "It's Kurt. Blaine texted me. There's someone with a gun at McKinley. He says they're hiding in the choir room, but Tina and Brittany are missing. We're coming home now."
Silence. Then, "Brittany's missing." Flatly said. Not a question. "She's, shit, and I can't call her, what if the gunman hears, I can't, I-" The call went dead.
Kurt and Rachel stared at each other. "We have to get home, she's seriously freaking out."
Kurt nods. "Yeah, let's hurry, but first let me text Blaine back."
Okay. Sorry. We had to call santana. I'm glad you are ok. Stay safe -Kurt
He hesitated for a moment, then sent a second, separate text.
I love you. -Kurt
He put his phone away, and looked at Rachel. "Okay, let's go."
Blaine texted him again just as they were getting on the subway. There were a few videos sent with captions.
Artie filmed everyones goodbyes. Sent them to me. Thought you might want to see -Blaine
I didn't do it. I said i was never saying goodbye. Im keeping my promise. Im still so sorry. -Blaine
Kurt, with shaking fingers, tapped out his response.
Im never saying goodbye either. Im on the subway now. With rachel. We'll watch it on the way home. -Kurt
I forgive you -Kurt
I'm sorry i pushed you away. I hope you forgive me too. -Kurt
Of course i do. I love you. -Blaine
I love you too. -Kurt
Kurt's heart was beating so fast he was lightheaded. He didn't know what this meant for them, or what would happen once Blaine got out, because he couldn't not get out, but it was both exciting and scary at the same time. "Rachel," he said.
"What?" she asked, turning from where she had been staring out the window into the darkness.
"Blaine sent me something. Videos Artie took, I think. He said Artie wanted them to film their goodbyes."
"Oh," Rachel said quietly.
Kurt handed her an earbud and put the other in his ear. "It's only a minute or two. We can finish it before we get home."
The first video came on. They saw Blaine, hunched in on himself, and Kurt felt his chest tighten up. They heard him saying, "Artie, what are you doing?"
"If we don't get out of here, people need to see this." Blaine put his head in his arms, and Kurt felt like crying. "Does anybody have anything they want to say?"
"Yeah," they heard someone whisper. The camera turned to face someone that Kurt recognized as Ryder.
"Who's that?" Rachel whispered.
"Ryder," Kurt said back. "Jake's friend."
Ryder took a deep breath before talking. "I love you, Dad. Thanks for, like, everything, and I know I don't always let you know, but you've taught me a lot."
The camera switched to Marley, who sniffed and said, "There's a fake bottom to my desk drawer. Under it, there's a journal with a bunch of songs that I wrote. I've never told anyone, but I'm really proud of them."
Then Jake, who just said, "Mom, Puck, I love you guys."
Then they heard Coach Beiste saying, "Turn it off. Please, turn it off." Sam reached out and knocked the camera down, turning it off.
Kurt looked at Rachel, who, like him, was trying to hold back tears, and he slid an arm around her as he clicked on the second video. The camera was on Sam. "Mom, Dad, I love you guys, and there is a cat in my backpack in my locker. Please feed her for me." Kurt choked on a half-laugh, half-sob. It was such a Sam thing to say.
Unique was next. "To anyone that ever watches this. Never stop being yourself." Kurt smiled a little at that. Unique was amazing.
Then Kitty. "Hey, Mom and Dad, I just wanted you to know that I love you. And this has been the best year of my life. Even if, maybe it didn't seem like it."
Artie was last. "I just wanted to say that I've had the best experience of my entire life in this room, and that I love these people more than anything." Kurt's eyes were still pricking with tears, but he refused to let any fall. He knew if he fell apart now, he wouldn't be able to come back from it.
They ran into their apartment after getting off the subway, only to find Santana sobbing on the couch, her phone next to her. As soon as she saw them, she started rambling frantically. "She won't answer my texts and I can't call her. She- she-" Santana broke herself off with another sob.
Kurt rushed over to her, took her hands and sat her up as he asked, "Brittany?"
Santana nodded, sniffing. "What if, what if she's- or-?"
Kurt didn't let her finish her sentence. "Maybe she forgot her phone, or turned it off, or something. She'll be fine, Santana. They'll all be fine. They have to be," he added, more to himself than her.
Kurt's phone, and he almost dropped it trying to get it out. "It's Tina," he said, and pressed the answer button with trembling hands. "Tina?" he said.
He heard her let out a sob on the other end. "Kurt! Have you heard-?"
"Yeah, I have, Tina," he said. "Blaine texted me. I'm at home now with Rachel and Santana."
"I'm so worried, Kurt," Tina sobbed. "I'm outside, I was late to Glee, but everyone else is inside. I don't know what's happening; I'm so scared."
"I know, I am too," Kurt tried to comfort her. "Blaine said they were all in the Choir room." He hesitated, not sure whether to tell her the next part. "Except for- except for Brittany. They don't know where she is." He heard Tina's sob at the same time he felt Santana bury her head in his shoulder. A second later, his phone dings. It's Blaine. "Hey Tina, I have to go, Blaine just texted me." He hung up before she could respond, but he knew she'd understand.
Mr shue just left to find Brittany in the bathroom. We dont know where tina is. I hope he finds her but im terrified for both of them. -Blaine
Kurt stared at his phone. "Mr. Shue just left to try to find Brittany. They know she's in the bathroom. That is such an idiotic move. Why would he do that?"
Santana lifted her head up. "He'll text if Brittany comes back, right?"
"Of course he will." If he still can, they're all thinking.
Tina called me. Shes outside and really worried about all of you. Your all still ok right -Kurt
Yeah we're fine. Brittany and mr shue just came back with two others that were hiding in the bathroom. Theyre all ok -Blaine
Oh thank god -Kurt
"Brittany and Mr. Shue just came back. They're both okay," he tells the room.
Santana almost breaks down again in relief. "Can I text Blaine from your phone?" she asks.
"Sure," he said, handing it to her, a little confused.
Tell Brittany I love her. Please. (From Santana) -Kurt
Done. She said to say she loves you too. -Blaine
Santana breathes out, hands Kurt back his phone, and disappears into the bathroom. Kurt hears the water running and assumes she went to wash her face off.
Just as Santana came out of the bathroom, Kurt's phone dinged again.
Just got the all clear. We all made it outside. We're all okay. -Blaine
Kurt exhaled hard, slightly laughing as he did. "It's okay," he said, trying to finally calm his beating heart. "It's okay. They just got the all clear and made it outside." He shot back a text as fast as he could before he, Rachel, and Santana collapsed on the couch in a pile. And he finally allows himself to cry.
Oh god im so happy. Skype me tonight? Tomorrows fine too if you cant. Usual time -Kurt
Tonight -Blaine
"Are you okay?" Kurt asked as soon as their call connected. "And don't just say yes because you're alive, I want the truth.
Blaine took a deep breath. "I'm not okay," he admitted. "I'm still terrified. I'm scared to go back to school, that it will happen again. I know things will get better, but I'm not even sure I can sleep tonight."
Kurt didn't know what to say. He wasn't there. He had no idea what being in that situation would feel like. But he wanted to comfort Blaine. Somehow. "Do you have any songs that remind you of good things, or happy times?"
Blaine chuckled. "Of course I do, so do you, doesn't everyone?"
Kurt laughed too. "Maybe not quite everyone," he said fondly. "You could make a playlist of all those songs and just play it until you go to sleep. I used to play a list of songs that reminded me of my mom back when the bullying got really bad. And I know it's not the same thing, but I think it'll work."
Blaine smiled after a second. "Thanks, Kurt. That's a really good idea. I'll- I'll do that. Thank you."
"You're welcome," Kurt smiled back. "Hey, listen, Blaine. I think we need to talk. Not right now, I don't want to dump anything else on you right now. But I'm coming home in a few weeks for my dad's birthday, and I'd really like to talk to you in person."
Blaine nodded slowly. "I agree, we do need to talk. And I'd love to see you in person in a few weeks."
"Great!" Kurt said. "Um, goodnight."
"Goodnight." Blaine hesitated. "I love you."
Kurt nodded. "I love you too."