"Kurt, this is really serious," Rachel said, setting down a bowl of popcorn in front of him on the coffee table. He had just told her the latest information on their Belle situation. "What the hell are you going to do?"

"I wish I knew," Kurt sighed, grabbing the bowl of popcorn, as he started picking pieces out of it. "Thats a whole ton of money we dont have."

"You know, that reminds me..." she trailed off, heading into the bedroom. Returning a minute later, she handed him a check with a stern look on her face. "I wont let you turn me down."

Scanning it, he shook his head, "Are you sure about this?"

"Every month since Belle was born, I put away a hundred dollars toward college tuition. You can never be too sure about getting scholarships or grants. I thought it was the least I could do to contribute to the amount of money you and Blaine spend on groceries and clothing," Rachel sat down next to him. "Nine thousand four hundred of that comes from Belles savings. I never told you and Blaine because I knew youd tell me it was too much."

"And the other one thousand six hundred?" Kurt raised an eyebrow.

"Thats what Sam and I had in our savings," Rachel replied, shrugging.

"She cant go to college if we dont save her life," Rachel said quietly. "I cant believe I didnt think of this sooner. I went to check out savings and was devastated when it came up with only that much, and then I remembered my other account."

Tears formed in his eyes and he hugged her tightly, "Rachel, you are honestly the most wonderful person Ive ever met. Thank you so much."

Wiping a tear from his cheek, Rachel said, "Shes my daughter too. I would do anything to have her back in my arms. Well get through this."

"I hope so," Kurt said lamely, not feeling that confident about it. They still had a long way to go in a short time.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, as Rachel flipped through movies to watch. Before she decided, Rachel sat up quickly with her mouth open wide. "Kurt... I think I have an idea."

"What?" he tossed a few pieces of popcorn in his mouth.

"What if I got my last director to set up an interview with Kelly and Michael? The more people that know, the better," Rachel said. "This isnt like Ohio. Most people know because of the Amber Alert and the news but no one is that willing to reach out. What if we made a statement that we need help. Im well known in the Broadway community. Im sure someone would step forward."

The popcorn bowl dropped to the ground, spilling popcorn all over the floor. "Rachel, would you really do that for me?"

Grabbing his hand, Rachel said, "honey, I would do anything for you and Blaine. We all just want Belle back. Ill make this work, I promise."

"I really dont know what I would do without you," Kurt kissed her cheek and pulled her into another hug. "I love you so, so much, Rachel Berry."

Laughing through her tears, Rachel said, "Dont hold your breath. I havent arranged the interview yet, but Ill do what I can."

"Thats all I ask," Kurt smiled, hugging her again, feeling more hopeful than he had since they had received the note.

"On one condition," Rachel said sternly.

"Whats that?" Kurt asked.

"You have to clean up the popcorn you just dumped all over my apartment floor," she replied.

Blaines steady breathing filled the silence in the dark bedroom that night. The sound was soothing, almost comforting, knowing that his Blaine was there, content, with him.

Blaine was stressed. It was obvious. He came home from work the last two days and hardly said a word. He had opened a bottle of beer the moment he started making dinner. It bothered Kurt to no end but he couldnt stop it. Blaine knew Kurt had been sensitive about excessive amounts of alcohol since Finns car had been hit by a drunk driver and killed him. If Kurt tried to approach him, an argument would break out and they didnt need the extra stress.

Wrapping his arm around Blaines chest, he gently ran his hand along Blaines jawline. Blaines face twitched slightly and he let out a long sigh. He turned his head and Kurt pulled his hand away, resting it on his chest. He could feel Blaines gentle heart beat and felt tears form in his eyes.

He started thinking about their time together. The last few years had been so precious to him. Raising Belle, moving to a bigger home, supporting Blaine in his career choice, and choosing to have another baby. He was so blessed to have a husband like Blaine. Even in their times of trouble, Blaine was the one thing that kept Kurt sane. It was moments, like this, where being with Blaine meant everything to him, even if Blaine was unconscious.

He wasnt for long. Rolling over on to his side, Blaines eyes fluttered open and he squinted at Kurt through the darkness. "Are you okay?" he whispered. "Are you crying?"

Sniffing, Kurt quietly said, I didnt mean to wake you... "Im fine... I just really love you, Blaine."

"I love you too," Blaine bummed, leaning in to kiss him. He cupped Kurts face with his hand and wiped a tear off his cheek. "But why are you crying? Whats wrong?"

"Nothings wrong," Kurt replied. "I was just watching you sleep and thinking about how happy you make me."

"Kurt," Blaine said sweetly. If it hadnt been dark, Kurt would have been able to tell that he was blushing. "If anything, Im lucky to have you. Although Im not sure how I feel about you watching me sleep. Was I drooling?"

Kurt choked out a small chuckle, "No, you looked beautiful." He kissed Blaine more slowly. "I just feel so hopeless all the time and being close to you makes me feel better."

"I know the feeling," Blaine replied, before he deepened the kiss. "Youre the light in my darkness."

Kurt pulled back and ran his hand along Blaines neck. "I know we have to get up for work in the morning but will you make love to me?"

In response, Blaine climbed on top of Kurt and began kissing him more forcefully. He started working his way down Kurts neck and Kurt let out a groan of pleasure. Blaine was gentle and took his time. It felt so right, so natural. There was nothing like being intimate with his love. For the first time in weeks, Kurt felt truly satisfied.

Students filed by Kurt down the sidewalk, rushing to get to class on time. Kurt stopped in front of the school and stared at the building in sadness. The days of dropping off or picking up Belle seemed so long ago...

Shaking his head, he continued down the sidewalk toward work. Out of habit, he walked by the school on his way to work every day. It never got easier.

"Hey, Kurt, wait!" he heard Sam call from behind him. He was dressed in his usual attire, dress pants and a dress shirt, with a bag in his hand. "What are you doing here?"

Kurt shrugged, "Oh, just on my way to work." He studied his friends face. "Sam, are you all right? You look really pale."

"Hmm? Oh, yeah," Sam ran a hand through his hair. He bit his lip nervously and said, "no, Kurt, actually can we talk sometime? Rachel wants to meet with her director after work tomorrow with you and Blaine. Can you and I go somewhere and talk after?"

"Uh... Sure," Kurt said slowly, finding this behavior rather odd for Sam.

The school bell rang and Sam said, "Okay. Cool." He turned to go but stopped long enough to say, "And dont mention it to Rachel or Blaine, okay? Ill see you tomorrow."

"See you," Kurt waved, boy sure what just happened. He made his way to work with his mind on Sam. What would he want to talk to Kurt about?

"Kurt, can I see you in my office, please?" Isabelles voice came from down the hall when he arrived. She motioned him inside before disappearing into her office.

"Whats going on?" Kurt asked timidly. This was turning into a strange morning. Why did everyone want to talk to him?

Biting her lip, Isabelle leaned against her desk and said, "Have a seat. I have some news for you." At his horrified expression, she smiled, "its okay. I think youll like this."

"Okay..." he said uneasily.

"I got the job at Forbes!" Isabelle said excitedly. "I cant believe it! They called me this morning and I accepted. This is a dream come true."

"I - uh- wow," Kurt tried to sound excited. Deep down, he was hurt. Isabelle had been so good to him for so long. On top of losing everything he had, now he was losing Isabelle.

"I know youre nervous about who the new editor will be but I think youll like him," Isabelle smiled. "I went to Mary-Kate Johnson this morning to put in my two week notice and I recommended the best."

"Dont worry about me. Im sure hell be fine, if you trust him. This is a huge step for you Im happy for you," Kurt stood up and gave her a hug. "Well definitely have to keep in touch."

"We will," she said. "And Kurt?"

"Yes?"

"In case you were wondering, the new editors name is Kurt Hummel," Isabelle folded her hands with a pleased expression on her face.

"Oh, thats nice," he mumbled, not really interested in who was replacing her, because no one could ever really replace her.

"Kurt."

"Yes?"

"Thats you," Isabelle beamed, pointing at him.

Thinking about what she said, he realized that she had said his name. "Oh!" he exclaimed, covering his mouth with his hand. "You cant be serious?!"

"Im very serious! I think youd be perfect for the job! I told Mary-Kate that theres no one better for the job and she told me that she agreed. Youre hired. You start in two weeks. Welcome to your new office, editor of Vogue dot com," Isabelle said.

Kurt could hardly contain his excitement. He hugged Isabelle tightly, lifting her off the ground and twirling her in a circle. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Kissing her cheek, Kurt said, "I cant wait to tell Blaine tonight!"

It was hard to focus the whole day at work. Kurt felt hopeful for a change, despite Sams strange behavior. With a better job, he was sure to have an increase in salary, which meant they could put more money aside for Belle. Not to mention, he had been with Vogue for ten years. He had been on the same job for ten years. Getting this promotion proved that his hard work paid off.

Kurt beat Blaine home from work and waited impatiently for him to get home. He paced the apartment, cleaning to keep his mind off Blaines absence. It was a decent hour before the front door opened and Kurt rushed over to greet him.

"What are you smiling about?" Blaine asked, kissing Kurt to greet him.

"I got good news at work today," Kurt couldnt stop smiling. "I told you that Isabelle might be leaving Vogue for Forbes magazine, right?"

"Yeah..." Blaine nodded, hanging up his coat by the door and kicking off his shoes. He set his keys on the shelf above the coat rack. Running his hand across the coat rack, it froze on the small purple coat at the end of the rack and his expression went blank.

"Blaine?" Kurt said quietly.

"Sorry," Blaine quickly stepped away from the coats. "Did she get the job? Is she leaving, I thought you liked Isabelle."

"I love that woman," Kurt said enthusiastically. "She did get the job, but she told Mary-Kate that she wants me to take her place. Im the new editor at Vogue!"

Jaw dropping, Blaine exclaimed, "Are you serious?! Kurt, thats wonderful!" He gave him a long kiss before he embraced Kurt tightly. "Im so proud of you. No one deserves this more than you."

"Thanks," Kurt smiled, taking Blaines hand and leading him over to the couch. "I feel like we needed this piece of good news. Things have been rough for so long."

"Im really happy for you," Blaine said, curling up on the couch next to him. "You really needed something to boost your spirits. This will be good for you."

"I hope so. Itll take some time to adjust but itll be worth it," Kurt nodded. "I think well be able to save a little more money every month for Belle."

"That would be wonderful," Blaine kissed his cheek. "Maybe our luck is about to change."

"I hope so," Kurt said in response.

Kurt, Blaine, Sam, and Rachel entered the theater Rachel had finished her Broadway run from months ago. Rachel held Sam and Kurts hands, as they made their way to the stage. Her grip was tight. This obviously wasnt easy for her, because she missed it so much.

"Rachel, darling, its so good to see you!" Peter Phillips walked across the stage and beamed. "He gave her a hug and said, "Youre glowing."

"Oh, thanks," Rachel said, letting go of Kurts hand to rub her small bump. "Still have a ways to go though." Gesturing to the people beside her, she introduced them. "Peter, you remember my boyfriend Sam Evans... This is the rest of my family, Kurt and Blaine. Theyre the parents."

"Ah, the ones that took you from me before I was ready to let you go," Peter joked, shaking their hands. "Well, we miss you here," Peter said. "I still wish we didnt have to give you up. Clarissa is pleasant but shes not you. Your talent is so special."

"Thank you," Rachel blushed, taking a seat in the front row. "Since youre still so fond of me, would you be willing to do me a favor?"

Peter sat on the edge of the stage and motioned for the others to sit beside Rachel. "For you, darling, I would be happy to do anything."

"Do you think we could schedule an interview with Kelly and Michael sometime in the near future?" Rachel took Sams hand in hers again.

"Why?" Peter raised an eyebrow. "Rachel, youre not my star anymore. I have no control over this."

Scrunching up her face, Rachel put on the water works. She was so good at pretending to cry, and the situation was so serious, that Kurt couldnt tell if she was faking it or not. "Peter, you have no idea what were going through," she cried. "Our daughter was kidnapped a couple months ago and although authorities are doing everything they can, its just not enough. W-we have to pay a ransom f-fee and we just c-cant earn enough money on our own. If we could just reach out to p-people, maybe we could get our daughter back."

Peters face was horrified, "Wait. What is happening? You cant be serious?"

"Rachel began to sob louder, "I wish we w-werent," she buried her face in Sams shoulder. It was still hard to tell if she was really crying or not.

"And you want me to help you," Peter crossed his arms over his chest and let out a long sigh. "Rachel, sweetheart, I dont know if I can do that. Youre not my client anymore."

Climbing out of her chair, Rachel rushed to the edge of the stage and grabbed his hand. "Peter, please! This is my daughters life were talking about. We need to ask for help. Please just give me a chance."

With a long look at her tear-stained face, Peter sighed. "Okay, okay. I will see if I can get something scheduled for you."

"Thank you so much," Rachel said, wiping her eyes. "You have no idea what this means to me. What it means to all of us."

"Of course," Peter slid off the stage and gave her a hug. "You were good for this theater for a long time, Rachel. The least I can do is help you and your daughter. I do remember her. She came by with Sam on some Friday nights to pick you up and go out to dinner."

"Yeah," Rachel said quietly, folding her hands over her bump. "She really liked you."

"She was a sweet girl. What was her name?" Peter asked.

"Belle," Blaine said, stepping forward. "We really do appreciate this."

"Ill make a couple calls tomorrow and let you know when I hear something," Peter said. "Im glad you stopped in, Rachel. It was good to see you again."

They said goodbye to Peter and made their way outside once more. "We should grab something to eat. Its been a while since the four of us have done something," Rachel said.

"Ive actually got a couple errands to run but maybe we can do something this weekend? Well grab dinner Sunday night, maybe?" Kurt suggested, catching the look on Sams face.

Rachel looked disappointed, "No problem. Maybe Sam and I will go on a date. Well see you guys Sunday." She wrapped her arms around Sams waist.

"Actually, I have a couple things I need to do too. I have to stop by the school and grab my homework I need to grade this weekend," Sam lied.

"Okay," Rachel frowned, kissing his cheek. "Ill see you at home, babe... Bye guys!" Rachel went to the curb and hailed a cab.

"Can I accompany you on your errands?" Blaine asked, giving Kurt a warm smile.

"You should go home and relax. Im sure youve had a long enough day at work," Kurt told him. "If you want to make dinner, Ill be home in an hour or so."

"Okay," Blaine kissed him, before he headed down the sidewalk as well.

Sam shifted uncomfortably, waiting for Blaine to disappear. "Can we head to my classroom? Its the only private place I can think of to do this."

"Okay..." Kurt said. He followed Sam to the subway and they made their way to the school. The whole time, Kurt wondered what in the world they were doing. None of this made sense. Sam led Kurt to his classroom and shut the door behind Kurt.

"Sam, youre freaking me out," Kurt admitted, following Sam to his desk in the front of the room. "What is going on with you?"

"This," Sam reached into his top drawer and pulled out a small box. "I was going to propose to Rachel but I feel really guilty about it, because I could sell this ring and get us a good chunk of cash."

"Sam," Kurt said, eyeing the beautiful ring in the box. "You cant sell Rachels engagement ring. Shes been waiting for you to propose. Trust me. She thinks you havent because shes pregnant."

"Ive just been waiting for the right time. It has nothing to do with her pregnancy," Sam said. "I love Rachel. She!s only going to be pregnant for so long, and someday, I want to have kids with her. Shes been through a lot of heartache in her life and I wanted to make sure she was ready. I wanted to do it a while ago but then Belle disappeared and it seemed all wrong."

"Sam," Kurt said. "Rachel needs happiness in her life. Believe me, I just got promoted and it feels so good to have something to look forward to. Give Rachel some happiness in these dark times."

"I cant give her the ring though... She needs Belle more than she needs a ring. I know she would agree with me. Please sell the ring," Sam forced it into his hand.

"I cant," Kurt shook his head, handing it back to him. "Give it to Rachel."

Sams voice cracked, as tears formed in his eyes, "Please. Please, Kurt. Belles practically my daughter too. I want her back so badly. Please let me contribute this."

Taking the box, Kurt placed it in his pocket and said, "Okay, Ill take it." How could he say no? Kurt had never seen Sam so broken before.

"But please dont tell Rachel or Blaine. Ill just tell her I couldnt afford a ring given the circumstances. She cant feel worse knowing I sold it," Sam said quietly. "And I need to protect Blaine too. Hes my best friend. I know hes already distraught."

"Ill just tell Blaine you had your own savings you forgot about," Kurt placed a hand on his shoulder. "I really appreciate this, Sam."

Giving him a hug, Sam replied, "No, thank you, Kurt. This takes a big weight off my shoulders. I knew I had to do this."

"Of course, youre family. I know how much Belle means to you," Kurt gave him a reassuring smile. Dont worry, your secret is safe with me."