The beat of the drums pounded through Kurts chest. The music was loud and the crowd was getting rowdy. He stood off to the side, leaning against a wall, thankful that he wasnt involved in the chaos.

"You look bored," Sam shouted in his ear. "Do you want to get out of here?"

"No, Im not bored," Kurt said, leaning close to Sams ear. "I was just thinking about Blaine... I want to stay. Elliot promised to take us backstage after the show."

"Shake loose for a night. Dont worry about Blaine. Take your mind off everything," Sam said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah," Kurt nodded. He couldnt really do that. Blaine had been acting so strange and Kurt was completely worried about him, but he didnt know how to handle the situation. As far as he could tell, Blaine was trying to hide his feelings.

"Come on," Sam grabbed his hand and dragged him into the middle of the crowd. He started nodding his head to the music, attempting to encourage Kurt to do the same.

Seven more songs went by and Kurt still felt like he wasnt having any fun. In fact, he felt guilty for going out and trying to have a good time when the rest of his family was miserable. The only reason he went was because Elliot had been begging him to attend a show.

"Thank you, New York! Have a good night!" Elliot called, before running off the stage. The band continued to play, as the crowd started breaking up. Kurt watched Elliot stop at the edge of the stage. Their eyes met and Elliot jerked his head to signal him to come.

"Lets go," Kurt nudged Sam with his elbow and pushed his way through the crowd to get to the door beside the stage.

"Hey, Kurt!" Elliot called, standing off to the side. He handed the man next to him a blue guitar and approached Kurt and Sam. "Im so glad you made it out."

"Me too. That was a great show. Youre really good," Kurt forcefully smiled.

"Thanks," Elliot replied. "Whos your friend?"

"This is Sam Evans," Kurt introduced his friend. "Sam this is Elliot - ."

"Gilbert," Sam finished, shaking his hand. "I love your music. I cant believe Im actually meeting you." He turned to face Kurt and questioned, "I thought maybe you just had backstage passes. You didnt tell me you knew Elliot Gilbert. How do you know him?"

Elliot blushed, "We met a couple weeks ago in a coffee shop."

"I didnt know Elliot was a big deal," Kurt shrugged. "He just said he played music around town. Weve sent text messages a little but we still dont really know each other."

"Thats unfortunate," Elliot smiled. Motioning them with his hand, he said, "If you guys want to follow me, Ill show you around a little."

"Thatd be great!" Sam exclaimed, shoving Kurt forward to follow Elliot.

Giving them a tour of the small backstage area, Elliot showed them the instruments kept back there. Sam practically drooled over the red acoustic guitar Elliot had. He then led them down another hall and said, "The dressing room they gave me is over here."

When they entered the room, Kurt froze at the sight before him. Two young girls were sprawled out in their own space. The oldest girl, who appeared to be about thirteen, was lying on the couch with a homework assignment before her. The younger girl was lying on the floor with a coloring book open. What surprised Kurt was that he knew the younger girl.

"Macy?" he gasped.

"Hi, Mr. Hummel," Macy waved with a blue crayon in her hand.

"You know Macy?" Elliot raised an eyebrow.

"She goes to school with my daughter Belle. They have ballet together," Kurt knelt down beside the brunette and stared at her with a curious expression. Macy had never been pleasant to him or Belle but she seemed to be fine at the moment.

"Macy and Sarah are my nieces," Elliot explained. "My sister works late and my brother-in-law is out of town on business, so I had to bring them here during my show,"

Kurt knelt down beside Macy and stared at her, Macy, you havent heard from Belle, have you?" He knew there wasnt much chance but he had to ask.

"No," Macy replied. "Ms. Rhonda said a couple weeks ago that Belle was sick and thats it. We thought maybe she was too scared to come back."

"Why would she be scared?" Elliot crossed his arms over his chest.

"Macy and her friends tease Belle all the time," Kurt said. He stood up again and quietly told Elliot, "Shes currently missing. I didnt think Macy would know anything but any information helps."

"Woah. Really?" Elliots eyes went wide. "What do you mean shes missing?"

"I mean..." Kurt hesitated, making sure Macy was paying more attention to her coloring book. "Belle was kidnapped, we think. She disappeared a few weeks ago."

"Oh no!" Macy dropped her crayon. She had been listening. "Thats really scary."

Panicking, Kurt knelt down beside her once more and said, "Please dont mention it to the other girls. I dont want to scare them. Ill have Ms. Rhonda explain it better. She should know how to handle it."

"Did you hear Mr. Hummel, Mace?" Elliot said firmly, "Let your teacher tell the others."

Holding up a hand, Macy said, "I wont say anything, I promise."

"Thanks," Kurt whispered, feeling tears well in his eyes. Talking to one of Belles classmates about it made the situation feel that much more real.

"Maybe we should get going," Sam placed a hand on Kurts shoulder and squeezed it gently in comfort. "This is a little much."

"Are you sure?" Elliot sounded disappointed. "If you want to take your mind off of it, we can go grab a beer or something."

Shaking his head, Kurt sniffed, "I should be home with Blaine. I never should have come here at all... Im sorry, Elliot."

"Me too," Elliot frowned. "If you change your mind, give me a call."

Sam led Kurt back down the hallway and toward the exit. "Im sorry, man. I really thought I could cheer you up for once," he apologized.

Feeling the wind hit his face as Sam opened the doors, Kurt rubbed his eyes, "Its fine. Lets just... not mention this to Blaine, okay? He doesnt need anything else to worry about."

"Kurt? Honey? What are you doing?" Blaines soft voice came from behind him.

"Nothing," Kurt shrugged, closing his eyes. He had hoped to get through his chores before Blaine got home.

"Are you going through Belles baby clothes?" Blaine asked, sitting on the floor next to him. He reached in a box and pulled out a tiny purple shirt.

"I cant believe we kept them all these years," Kurt said, picking up a pink, lacy dress. "We werent sure if we even wanted to have another kid but insisted on keeping them in case we did. At least we can put some of it to use now."

"You do realize that we have months to go through this, right?" Blaine set the shirt back in the box.

"Its therapeutic," Kurt admitted. "It takes me back to an easier time when we... had her," he finished lamely. Clearing his throat, he added, "Also the sooner we get this done, the more time we gave for other baby preparation."

"I feel like Im cheating on Belle," Blaine said sadly. "We lose her at the same time we start all over. How is that fair? Its almost like were replacing her."

"We planned this pregnancy long before Belle disappeared," Kurt reminded him. "It had nothing to do with her disappearance."

"Yeah..." Blaine sighed. "I was just hoping she could experience the pregnancy with us. Finding out if its a boy or girl, painting the nursery, buying supplies we need."

"We never even got the chance to tell her we were having the baby," Kurt added. Telling Belle about the baby had been something Kurt wanted to do for so long. It wasnt fair that she didnt know. "I know the police are doing everything they can but I hate the thought of her coming back after the babys born. At least, if we find her soon, she could experience some of those things."

"Kurt?" Blaine said quietly.

"What?" Kurt glanced up at the tone in his voice.

"Do you think Belle will feel like we replaced her?" Blaine asked, his hazel eyes full of sadness. "Like we chose to have another kid because she wasnt around anymore."

Shrugging, Kurt admitted, "I hadnt thought of that." He took Blaines hand and said, "I guess all we can do is tell her the truth and hope she understands."

"If we ever get to tell her the truth," Blaine said bitterly.

Squeezing his hand, Kurt reassured him, "We will." He picked up the dress he had before and placed it in a box. "Until then, Im distracting myself. We wont know what were having for a few months, so Im organizing clothes by gender. Some of Belles things are neutral that could be saved for a boy."

"And if its a girl, all the organizing will be for nothing," Blaine stated. We can use all of it."

"But it keeps my mind busy," Kurt said. "I am getting rid of some outfits."

"I thought I wanted a boy, but with Belle missing, I kind of hope its a girl now. I cant tell if its just because of Belle or if I changed my mind," Blaine admitted. He picked up a green skirt and said, "Am I wrong to feel like we are replacing her?"

Turning to face him, Kurt replied, "Nothing in this world could ever replace Belle." He kissed Blaine and added, "Let me do this. I think youre overwhelmed."

"Yeah... Okay," Blaine nodded. He got to his feet and added, "just dont let it drive you crazy."

Kurt had no intention of telling Blaine that it was too late for that.

"Thanks for coming with me. I knew I had to do this but I couldnt make it Blaines problem," Kurt told Rachel, as they entered the ballet studio. "Hes already closing himself off from being overwhelmed."

"Of course," Rachel said weakly. "I know Ive been distant with you, and Im still a little sore about you lying to me, but now is not the time to turn on each other. Youre my best friend. Im here for you."

"I wasnt sure if I should ask you after everything but I figured Sam told you what happened the other day at Elliots show," Kurt replied.

"Telling him to keep something a secret is basically telling me a secret. Were like you and Blaine. We tell each other everything. Only difference is that were not married," Rachel shook her head.

"Youll get there," Kurt replied, nudging her with his elbow.

"How many more years do I have to wait? I really thought hed ask me on Valentines Day," she let out a long sigh. "Then again, Ill be fat before long. Why would he want to ask me then?"

"Rachel, Sams not like that. Its not every day you find a guy thats willing to share you with two gay men. Everything will fall into place. Dont worry," he gave her a weak smile.

"I wish I could say the same for Belle," she frowned, staring at her hands.

"Me too," Kurt whispered.

"Hi, Mr. Hummel, Ms. Berry, I will be with you momentarily," Rhonda called from across the studio. She set down a stack of papers and called to her class, "Alright, girls! Thats it for today. Collect your items and I will see you on Thursday."

Kurt and Rachel stood to the side and watched Belles class file past them. None of them had a clue how lucky they were to be living their normal routine. Even Macy walked by without a glance in their direction. She knew what happened but she couldnt understand the seriousness of the situation.

When the room had emptied, Rhonda wandered over to them and smiled, "Hi. So sorry about the wait. Hows Belle feeling? We miss having her in class. Shes a natural talent."

Kurt stared at the dance floor, thinking of the countless times he had watched his daughter glide across the floor. He loved sneaking in before class let out to watch her. She would get embarrassed and say, "Dad, theres no point watching. Im not as good as the other girls."

Rachel nudged him with her elbow and hissed, "Tell her."

Taking a deep breath, Kurt started, "We had told you that Belle was sick but thats not really the case. Belle... "he paused, taking another deep breath. "Belle was kidnapped a few weeks ago and we still cant find her."

Rhonda gasped, "kidnapped? Youre not serous."

"I wish I wasnt," Kurt said quietly. "I wasnt sure I was even going to mention it until Macy found out a couple days ago."

"At this point, the more people that know, the better," Rachel said, grabbing Kurts hand. "An Amber Alert was issued in Ohio where she went missing but word wont spread in New York that way. The police have been informed though, since we live here."

"Do you want me to tell the girls?"" Rhonda asked nervously. The expression on her face was horror struck.

"And the parents, if you would," Rachel spoke for Kurt, who couldnt find his words once more. His mind still on an invisible ballerina on the dance floor.

Nodding, Rhonda said, "Ill see what I can do. I agree, the more people that know, the better. I just wish I had known sooner."

Shrugging, Kurt pulled himself from his thoughts and said, "It was a delicate situation. I wasnt ready to tell anyone. I hadnt even told Rachel right away."

Giving him a sad smile, Rhonda told him, "I cant imagine how difficult this must be for you and Blaine. I will let the girls know and if I hear any news, Ill let you know."

"Thank you," Kurt shook her hand, before heading out of the office and parting ways with Rachel, who had her own errands to run.

Glancing at his phone, Kurt saw that Blaine had left him a new voicemail. He listened immediately, noticing the way Blaines voice shook. "Hi, babe. I know you said you had a couple things to do today, but I... I need you to come home. Please. Whatever youre doing, it can wait."

Panic filled Kurts mind and he dialed Blaines number. To his annoyance, Blaine didnt answer." "Damn it, Blaine. Dont leave me a message like that and ignore your phone. Pick up," Kurt left a voicemail in return.

Pausing on his way to the subway, Kurt decided to hail a cab. It would be faster and he needed to know why Blaine called. He redialed Blaines number and still got no answer.

The moment the cab pulled up to the curb, Kurt threw some cash at the driver and said, "Keep the change." He bolted for the apartment door, heart beating against his rib cage.

"Blaine?!" he called, scanning the apartment. There was no sign of him in the living room or kitchen. "Blaine?!" Kurt moved toward the bedroom and froze in the doorway. "Babe?" he said quietly.

Sitting on the floor beside the bed, Blaine removed his hands from his pale face and stared blankly at him. "There was a note," he said weakly.

"What?" Kurt knelt down beside him and grabbed his trembling hands. "What are you talking about?"

Eyes darting to the piece of paper on the floor, Blaine said, "it was placed under our door when I got home. It came in a blank envelope."

"What is it?" Kurt felt his heart stop. "Is there information inside it?"

"Read it," Blaine whispered, placing his hands over his face again.

His own hand trembling, Kurt reached for the note and closed his eyes. Whatever was in this note seemed surprising to Blaine and Kurt feared what the contents held. Taking a deep breath, he read:

$500,000 for the girl.

The note fell from Kurts hand and he stared at Blaine with wide eyes. "We dont have that kind of money," he said hoarsely

"Shes alive," Blaine said blankly, his arms falling to his side.

"We could never afford that," Kurt shook his head. "I dont know what were going to do."

"Kurt, shes alive," Blaine sat up straight and stared at him. His face was still really pale. "Isnt that the most important thing weve wanted to know for so long?"

"Yeah but -

"Kurt, I have been imagining her lying in a ditch somewhere for weeks. I have spent the last few weeks feeling like I lost my child," Blaines voice cracked. Tears began rolling down his cheeks and he said, "I know she might be hurt or scared, but I am so overwhelmed knowing that shes at least alive."

"We dont really know that," Kurt said, staring at the sheet of paper that held his daughters future. "What if they get the money and split? They might only be telling us they have her."

Getting to his feet, Blaine gave him a shove backward in frustration. It caught Kurt off guard, "Why are you so negative about this all the time? I finally get good news and youre already ruining it for me."

"Its not good news, Blaine!" Kurt said loudly, crumpling up the piece of paper and throwing it on the ground. "They want a lot more money than we could ever afford. For what? Maybe giving us our daughter back. This doesnt prove anything. We dont even know who were dealing with."

"Who cares how much it is? Ill spend every cent I have to get Belle back," Blaine responded. "Id spend every cent just trying if it gave me answers."

"This is more than you have," Kurt told him, pointing at the page. "How do you expect to get that kind of money, huh? No one is going to hand it to you," Kurt placed his hands on his hips. "You have to be logical about this."

"So well start saving everything we can," Blaine began pacing the room. "We can ask for help."

"What if that took twenty years?" Kurt asked. "Are you going to let her sit in misery for twenty years because we couldnt save her sooner?"

"Or what? Let her go? Id wait twenty years if it meant I could see her again." Stopping in his tracks, Blaine turned to him and said, "Why is this not a bigger deal to you? I thought youd be motivated to do something about this."

"This is a big deal," Kurt said firmly. He stepped closer to his husband. "I want this as much as you, but I dont think you realize how impossible this is. We can not afford five hundred thousand dollars. We cant raise that kind of money. Were dealing with someone that knows how to bargain. They arent going to give up easily."

Lip quivering, Tears rolled down Blaines cheeks. "I just want her back, Kurt. Im willing to put up a fight for her."

Pulling Blaine into a hug, Kurt said, "Me too." Knew he there was no point arguing. Itd only make Blaine feel worse. He kissed Blaine, as he wrapped his arms around his shoulders. "Well work something out."

"Promise?" Blaine whispered.

Nodding, Kurt replied, "The first thing we need to do is take this down to the police station. Theyll know what to do. Well talk to them."

"And well let them know that Im willing to do anything to get my daughter back," Blaine finished.