Author Note: Okay this chapter is the beginning of the moody phase so please bear with it, I find the happier stuff much easier to write. Also, many thanks to everyone who has reviewed lately, I had some lovely comments after the last few chapters, so thanks a million. x

Dinner had been a quiet affair, Burt and Carole had talked to each other about their days, whilst Jeff and Finn had discussed the game they had watched earlier; all the while Jeff trying to politely refuse third helpings from Carole without looking too panicked, whilst Finn readily accepted and heaped his plate high. Kurt had been quiet, only entering into conversation when prompted, Burt had noticed his reserve but wasn't too concerned seeing as Jeff and Finn were discussing football, so he had let it lie leaving Kurt to his thoughts. Jeff however continued to slip concerned glances his way often earning himself a small smile and a few words but usually he just saw Kurt pushing his food around his plate without actually eating anything. On more than one occasion Jeff had kicked Finn under the table and shifted his eyes in Kurt's direction and to his credit Finn had looked troubled but had been unable to tempt Kurt out of his melancholy.

Earlier...

Kurt had shut himself in his room as soon as they had returned from the garage, distracting Jeff with excuses about taking a shower and offloading him onto Finn. He had sat on his bed turning his phone over and over in his hands whilst bile threatened to rise up this throat.

He had read the message so many times it was burned into his very soul.

Staring across the room at his reflection in the mirror he wound the coil inside him ever tighter as he came to the only possible conclusion, it was someone at Dalton. It had to be. Someone at Dalton had broken into his room and stolen his treasured locket. Dalton where he was supposed to be safe, where he was supposed to be protected, the very thought that someone he saw everyday was behind this made him want to crawl inside himself and never come out. The fact that someone could be perfectly normal to his face and knowingly rip his world apart nearly stole his breath away, the numb ache he had felt in his stomach since he had first read the message flared as it gripped his heart and squeezed tightly.

The familiarity of the text, the way it was written resonated with past memories, pulling him down into a state of bewildered confusion as he tried to connect the two.

"Have you noticed that Kurt's quiet?"

"Uh, yeah I guess" Finn answered not taking his eyes off the screen.

"I mean he just seems off" Jeff pressed concerned.

"How do you mean?" Finn asked absently.

"He's just not himself"

Finn flicked his hand in Jeff's direction "he gets like that sometimes dude, don't worry about it."

Jeff frowned and turned back toward the TV but he didn't pay it any attention.

After several minutes of silence Finn looked across to Jeff who was still frowning, "you okay man?"

"Uh, yeah, I'm going to go see if he's okay" Jeff mumbled before jumping over the back of the couch and heading for Kurt's room.

"Kurt?"

"Kurt can I come in?"

Pulling himself from his thoughts he realised that he had been away for too long and still wasn't any closer to the shower he had faked.

"Uummm, give me a minute, I'm not dressed" he yelled back, scrabbling off the bed desperately pulling his shirt over his head.

"Seriously man, how long does it take you to shower" Jeff laughed through the door, "there's hardly anything of you to wash."

"I'll be out in a minute okay" Kurt yelled nervously.

"Okay man, you sure you're okay?"

"Absolutely"

Jeff eyed the door with suspicion before turning and walking slowly back to Finn who registered his return with a small wave.

"Hey dude, you find him?"

Jeff dropped down onto the couch still wearing the frown he wore earlier and didn't turn to answer him.

"Dude?"

"DUDE?"

"Uh sorry" Jeff mumbled, "whose winning?"

Finn studied him curiously before picking up the control and turning off the TV.

"Okay man, what's wrong"

"Nothing"

In a moment of clarity Finn persisted "look we both know that's not true, so tell me, you and Kurt have a fight?"

"No nothing like that" Jeff answered with a shake of his head.

"Then what man?"

"He's just, oh god, I don't even know how to explain it without sounding weird... he's just been a bit distant you know, ever since this afternoon at the garage he's been distracted."

"He fight with Blaine?"

"I don't think so?"

"Maybe you better check dude, if he has we seriously need to send out for ice-cream!"

Jeff smiled a little and pulled out his phone before calling up Nick's details and waiting for him to answer. Finn continued to watch him as he waited for the call to connect, when all was said and done he cared deeply for his brother and if Blaine had messed up he felt honour bound to have a few words.

"Hey baby"

"Nick look I have a quick question"

"Uh okay"

"Has Blaine upset Kurt?"

"Not that I know of why?"

"He's just acting a little odd is all, sad almost and I thought maybe it was Blaine"

There was a sound of muffled voices before Nick returned.

"Um, nope David doesn't think there's a problem this end..."

"Okay, thanks..."

"Hey, hey Jeff" Nick shouted as Jeff began to drop the phone from his ear, "don't I get to speak to you?"

Jeff smiled into the receiver apologetically, "Nick I'm really sorry but now really isn't a good time, can I call you later?"

Nick frowned "Sure I guess..."

"Thanks baby" Jeff purred "I love you, speak to you later" before hanging up the call leaving Nick staring perplexed at his handset.

"What's the verdict"

"Not a Blaine issue" Jeff confirmed causing Finn to frown in thought.

"When did he start acting weird?"

"During our break at the garage, he dropped his phone and then he got upset but he wouldn't tell me what was wrong so I left it but he's been closed off ever since."

"Why'd he drop his phone" Finn frowned.

"Dunno, his hands were greasy"

"Dude, greasy or not he worships that phone, like literally; it's like his whole world, no offense."

"None taken" Jeff smiled.

"We need to look at that phone" Finn said with finality.

Jeff looked at him in disbelief, "you just said it was his whole world Finn, how do you suppose we separate him from it and anyway that is a huge invasion of privacy, you can't just look at his phone like that."

"I guess" Finn agreed sullenly although in his head he was planning a none too subtle James Bond style raid on Kurt's room just as soon as he opened the door.

"Boys dinners ready" Carole shouted from the kitchen, "Finn go call your brother."

"Don't worry man, I'm sure he'll be himself in no time" Finn said laying a reassuring hand on Jeff's shoulder as he passed by on the way to Kurt's room.

"I hope so..."

Jeff and Finn were clearing the dinner plates whilst Kurt set to work on the dishes after insisting that Carole and Burt settle in the living room, "Hey Kurt what are you and Jeff up to tonight?"pulling him from his reverie a plate slipped through Kurt's fingers sending a wave of water over the side of the bowl and down his shirt front, "Uuhh, actually I have to pop out for a while..."

"Okay cool where are we going?" Jeff asked eagerly.

Turning back to his dishes Kurt couldn't meet his eye "actually Jeff I was just going to pop and see Mercedes for a while... do you mind staying here I'm sure Finn can entertain you..."

"Oh, yeah sure, if that's what you want" Jeff sounded hurt.

"I shouldn't be long..."

"Kurt its fine, really, go see your friend"

Kurt smiled sadly "thanks Jeff" before emptying the bowl and heading from the kitchen with his eyes downcast.

"Okay your right" Finn said looking at Jeff who was staring at the door that Kurt had disappeared through "something's definitely up, he usually bounces off the walls when he goes over to see Mercedes, now he just looks sad."

"So what should we do?"

Finn looked towards the door, "if he won't tell us what's up then there's not much we can do."

Kurt sat in his room staring off into the distance, his stomach in knots the wetness of his shirt front dampening his skin. He didn't care. He had never felt so alone. He was no stranger to feeling lonely but now... this was a whole new level of solitude. Seemingly if by some stroke of providence you managed to crawl out of your loneliness and start to claw some sort of life back for yourself, make friends, enjoy life, then the crash to the bottom of the pit was all the harder when it happened. Where was the fairness in that?

He could scarcely believe that he was right back to where he began all those months ago, the same situation, practically a mirror image of past events. Not being safe at school, the anonymous messages. A large tear tracked its way silently down his face and dropped onto his shirt front bringing his focus down to his spoiled attire, slowly he pulled his shirt off and took another from his closet. Standing in front of his mirror he adjusted himself until he could pass an inspection by his father before catching his reflection and rubbing the tear away with his sleeve, lifting his chin and raising his nose in the air, letting a shield of superiority fall about him like a protective cloak. Releasing a heavy breath he wasn't aware he had been holding he rounded his shoulders back and nodded at his reflection. He could do this, he could and would confront whoever it was that was making his life miserable and he would do it with utter terror coursing through his veins.

Time had blurred into itself, Kurt's mind fully immersed in the forthcoming situation which was playing out in his mind, interrupted only by a persistent buzzing from his pocket.

Hey baby, how's the weekend going? I haven't heard from you all day I miss you, I love you Bx

Kurt looked down and read and re-read the message, his hand gripping the phone so tightly his knuckles began to turn white, staunch determination suddenly blazing behind the eyes of the boy reflected back at him.

It wasn't the same as before. Nothing was the same as before.

"FINN."