I'm back! Betcha weren't expecting that, were ya?

Okay, so you were.

Anyway, yes. I'm back for good this time. I have written the next few chapters already so I won't be abandoning you again soon.

As for the story, it's really starting to go somewhere. However, as I said before, this isn't the climax. It's a climax, certainly. But I have so many more ideas and I'm not ready for this journey to end. I shall certainly take this through to at least Christmas (and as we've only had the end of May and the beginning of June, we have a long way to go).

I also hope that someone of you have been checking out my other writing; I'm really proud of some of the things I've achieved in 2013, and I love GMS (although it runs very slowly).

Anyway, just to let you know that I love you. And thank you so much, I-might-BE-slightly-INSANE for uploading last week.

Story so far...

Klaine returned from Nationals after winning second place, and went out for the evening. In a moonlit park and to the tune of A Thousand Years, Blaine proposed. Kurt said no. After Blaine ran away, Kurt collapsed and was picked up by Lily, the busker. She took care of him until he went home. Blaine wasn't there waiting for him.

-*T&C*-

When Kurt woke in the morning, he was still in the entrance hall. It didn't take a genius to work out that Blaine hadn't returned. And Kurt had no idea where he would be.

He sat up carefully, his bones clicking, protesting at the fact that he'd slept on the floor. He rubbed his cheeks, grimacing as his clammy palms met the dried tears on his face. He tried to pick sleep sand off his eyelashes to open up his vision. He rolled his shoulders back and felt a dryness in his mouth.

He struggled to his feet, almost falling over as his legs weren't strong enough to support his weight. He clung to the wall as he dragged himself to the kitchen, pulling a cupboard open to grab a glass and twisting the tap, watching the water gush out. He caught some in his glass and then twisted the flow off again. He brought the glass to his lips and filtered the liquid down his throat, eyes closed to the world. It wakened his senses.

Normally he'd go for a coffee at this time in the morning. He couldn't today. It didn't feel right. He didn't want to be that awake. He wanted to finish his drink and strip his rumpled clothes and climb into bed to sleep until Blaine came back. He wanted to close himself off from the world.

But what was the point?

He splashed the second half of his glass of water back down the sink and placed the glass in behind it, mentally adding washing it to his list of things to do. He made his way out of the kitchen again, stretching as he entered his bedroom. He stripped himself of his shirt, trousers and boxers, pulling clean ones on and stuffing his dirty clothes in the wash basket. He changed his socks and then went into the lounge.

He sat down in front of Bocelli's cage, poking a slender finger thought the bars to stroke his feathered friend. Boci flew up to him and rubbed against his finger.

"What am I going to do, eh?"

The bird twittered in response. Kurt sighed.

"You can't talk to me. Of course you can't. You're just a bird." His finger paused. "I need a person."

He stood from the cage and walked into the spare room which was currently set up as a study. He reminded himself that he had to move his desk out for when Mercedes and her friend came. He chewed at his lip. He'd do that later, if Blaine wasn't back. That was if she even wanted to come any more. He started picking at his lip, just staring into space. Maybe he should give her a call?

He realised what he was doing, and the horrors he was inflicting on his lips. He stopped. And sighed. He sat down at his desk.

He opened drawers, just looking for something to do. Anything. He found a notebook and looked at it, then pulled it out and read it. It was his bucket list. He'd transferred the outdated version on his phone a few years ago, so now he could line through events as they happened. There was a depressing number of things crossed out.

One caught his eye. Number one hundred and sixty two. He'd written it after deciding against trying again for a place at NYADA. He considered it. He'd never had much time before. He'd never had the reason to. But now... it seemed like a good use of his time. He returned the notebook to the drawer and opened his laptop lid.

It was evening when Kurt stopped typing. He was shocked; he had managed to forget all about lunch. And about Blaine. He pulled a face, not bothering to keep his emotions under check since he wasn't with anyone. He hit save and closed the laptop lid.

He span around on his chair for a couple of minutes. Thinking. Blaine still wasn't here. He hasn't come back. Was he ever coming back? He stopped instantly, planting his feet on the ground. He couldn't think like that. Blaine was going to return. And when he did they'd talk. And everything would be alright again.

He stood from the chair and walked out of the room, then turned on his heel and walked straight back in again, sitting down on the chair. He reached into the drawer and pulled out a different book, one which said 'Addresses' on the front in gold lettering.

Kurt didn't know where his boyfr- where Blaine had gone. But now that he'd been away for a whole night, Kurt was more than a little worried. He'd had his wallet with him with his cards in. He could have gone anywhere. Yes, it was unlikely, but he could have caught a plane to stay with one of his friends. It was better than thinking he had just slept on the street. Kurt prayed that he'd gone to someone who was closer to home. He flicked to J, keyed Greg's number into the desk phone, and hit dial.

He picked up instantly. "Blaine? Is that you? God, you had me worried sick today. I heard about what happened at Nationals and the boys were saying how wrecked you looked on the journey back down and we obviously couldn't have a rehearsal without you there so we just sent them all home but, god, Blaine, I was so worried-"

"It's, um, not Blaine," Kurt finally supplied. The other end of the phone went dead. "But I suppose that answers my question."

"Kurt?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, sorry. Um, do you have any idea where he is?"

Kurt bit back a sob. "Not a clue. I was, erm, kind of hoping that you did."

As much as Kurt had tried to hide his emotions, Greg had obviously picked up on his hurt. "Oh, no, I'm sorry. I haven't seen... Well, I guess you know that bit now, huh?"

Kurt nodded, and then realised that Greg couldn't see him. "Yeah, I'd... I'd sort of guessed."

"Look, do you want me to come over? I was going to go out with Gina but... we could both come if you want? Keep you company?"

Kurt chocked over his words. "No, I'll be fine, thanks. Besides, I'm sure he'll be back soon."

Greg sighed and there was a pregnant pause. "Listen, Kurt, you know I don't mean to pry but... what happened?"

"He proposed." The words were out of his lips before he even thought about them. The next ones required some forcing out. "And I said no."

Greg inhaled sharply. Then there was a long silence. "Blaine loves you very much."

Kurt smudged away a tear that was slipping down his cheek. "I know. And I'm not just the evil boyfriend who wants to cause him pain. I have my reasons."

On the other end of the phone was quiet. Then swearing. "Kurt, I'm sorry, I'm going to have to go. I'm actually driving at the minute and- What was that? Look where you're going! - and I really shouldn't be on the phone. I am sorry but-"

"No, no no no, it's fine. I'll, um, ring around, see if anyone has seen him."

"Okay. And Kurt?"

"Yeah?"

"I hope you find him."

When Kurt hung up he was feeling even more lost. So, Blaine hadn't been with Greg. That meant he wasn't anywhere close. Kurt had wanted him so many times to go out and find friends that were separate from his own. Blaine had tried to. And although he'd never told Kurt, Kurt just knew that he'd never been successful. He was Blaine's best friend. That thought usually broke his heart, but right now it ripped right through it. He and Greg, Blaine's only two friends in the whole of Columbus, had no idea where he was.

It was ten o'clock when Kurt realised it was Monday and he should have been at work all day.

So, he's still not back. But that's not a bad thing, right? Right?

Ooh, I'm evil :D

I'll talk to you next week!

-* Don't forget to check out luspeak. wordpress. com for updates, deleted chapters and spin-offs! *-

I will love you until my dying day.