"Hello? Hello? Is anybody down there?" Trent had to kneel over and yell through the thin crack at the bottom of the door.

Kurt sat up. Was this a trap? Or a rescue? He eased himself to his feet and hobbled to the door, sprawling out on the steps, exhausted.

"Is someone there?" he croaked.

Trent wiped his forehead. Oh, man! Sebastian really screwed it up.

He'd listened to their encounter through a vent upstairs, but the most he could hear of the conversation was the grunting of his friend as he pounded this guy to a pulp.

If the Headmaster knew...this thing blew the no-bullying policy out of the water. Out of the atmosphere, really.

"Uh...hi. I'm Trent." he called awkwardly.

"Are you here to help me, or are you going to beat me up, too?" Kurt sounded so miserable.

"Unfortunately, neither. Well, I guess fortunate for the last one," Trent rambled. "I'm Sebastian's best friend, and I overheard you two down there...I'm really sorry...I've never heard Sebastian like that."

"He is a sadistic monster," spat Kurt. "I bet he wears Drakkar Noir, too. All the bad guys do."

"Are you hungry?" Trent asked.

"Yes," Kurt admitted. "And a proper bathroom would be just peachy, too. And hairspray. And different clothes. And a coat. And ice, bandages, and gauze pads."

"I can get you some Chex Mix if I smash it and sweep it under the door," offered the Warbler helpfully.

Or you can grow a pear and stand up to Sebastian, Kurt thought frustratingly. "That would be great. Or can you call the police now and get me out of this hellhole?"

Trent sniffled. "I wish I could. I wish I could." Kurt heard him stand up. "On second thought, I don't have any...money...for cereal. I have to go! Please don't tell him I was here!"

Heavy footfalls indicated that Trent had taken off. Kurt sighed shakily and crawled back downstairs. He noticed a dry sponge in a dusty bucket. Shuddering at the bacteria that would surely give him breakouts, he placed it under his head and lied down on the floor.

More than anything, he just wanted to go home.

It was a restless night in the Hummel-Hudson residence. Locking and double-checking the doors and windows. Occasionally reassuring each other that Kurt would be fine. The attempts to cheer up one another failed so badly, they all went to bed in silence.

Finn felt terrible. Kurt was his buddy. They'd been through a lot together, and maybe they were totally different in terms of fashion, relationships, hair – everything, actually – but the two shared a unique bond.

He wondered where Kurt really was. He must have been kidnapped. But by who? And why? Was he even still alive, or was his body floating in Hoover Dam under the sliver moonlight?

It was a long time before sleep claimed anybody in the house that night.

Glee club was painful. Kurt's absence weighed down on the room, drooping their smiles, darkening their eyes. Blaine was back from the hospital – he'd had the surgery last week, but wore the patch until his eye could handle the light again.

"Blaine, would you like to say something?" asked Mr. Schue when Blaine stood up, dark bags under his eyes.

"Yes, thank you. I'd like you to know that I went over to Dalton Academy yesterday afternoon."

"And?" Mercedes prompted.

"And Sebastian got extremely arrogant. He's hiding something," said Blaine venomously.

"Come on, Blaine – Sebastian didn't kidnap Kurt." Mr. Schue rolled his eyes slightly. "He's a high school student."

"And he is completely insane," added Artie. "It's possible."

"I would like to sing this song in dedication to Kurt Hummel today. I want him to hear this. Listen, Kurt, wherever you are."

Blaine nodded to himself, his face contorting.

"Friday night, beneath the stars

Everything behind your yard

You and I could paint a pictures in the sky

And sometimes we don't say a thing

Just listen to the crickets sing

Everything I need is right here by my side,"

Somewhere in Westerville, a boy locked in a basement sang on his own.

And I know everything about you

I don't wanna live without you!

Blaine and Kurt's voices mingled perfectly, their love for each other and desire to be together stronger than any damage Sebastian could do to Kurt's body.

"I'm only up when you're not down

Don't wanna fly if you're still on the ground

It's like no matter what I do

And I'm only me when I'm with you!"

Blaine felt hot tears threatening to spill over. And suddenly every member of the New Directions stood up, walked over to him, and encased him with their hugs. Blaine buried his face in Santana's shoulder and Puck awkwardly slapped him on the back.

Mr. Schue watched them, feeling a bit teary himself.

"It's okay," Rachel whispered comfortingly. "We will find him."

Blaine squeezed his eyes shut to prevent the waterworks.

"Hey, it's okay," Mercedes met Blaine's glassy eyes. "We'll pull though this, and so will Kurt."

A/N: Bit of a shorter chapter, sorry about that!

Anyway, thanks so much for your 11 amazing reviews! Imma be greedy and ask you to review this chapter too? And before you yell at me, no, I don't hate Trent. I think he's hilarious.

Also, I don't own Taylor Swift. Or Glee. Or anything, really.