Not wanting to get his hopes up, Kurt jangled his keys around in his bag until his hand closed on them. He approached his door with the keys held up, but before he could even press them into the lock, the door flew open and Blaine stuck his head out. Kurt felt a rush of emotion at the sight of him, with his dark, scruffy curls, which Kurt had the oddest desire to run his fingers through, hanging over his forehead. Kurt didnt get a word out before Blaine said abruptly, "Are you okay?"

Kurt didnt know why Blaine had asked that question, but the reasoning didnt matter to him. Blaine was here today, and he wasnt buttoning up his shirt. "Im okay." Kurt replied quickly, shuffling past Blaine and flinging his bag onto his desk. Right now, he couldnt focus on typing out a few pages for his next article. All he wanted was answers from Blaine. "Where were you yesterday?"

There was a moment of pause, and it was those few seconds that made the air swell with tension. It seemed to push them farther apart. Blaine shrugged, "I had business to take care of outside of town."

Kurt closed his eyes, "Business? Do you have another job?"

"Id rather not talk about it."

And that was all that Kurt needed to know. Turning away from Blaine, he emptied his bag out with large, sweeping motions, scattering pencils and paper across his desk. Blaines voice stabbed through his silence, "Whats the matter?" Kurt simply rolled his shoulders, but then he inhaled sharply as he was forcefully spun around, Blaines hands squeezing his thin arms. Kurts eyes flashed up to the wild look on Blaines face, one that hed never seen before. "Tell me what it is thats upsetting you."

Kurt lowered his gaze to Blaines pounding chest, unable to look into his frantic eyes. As his eyes traveled down the front of him, he screeched to a halt on a bloody mark on his neck. The red liquid had seeped into his gray shirt, a splotchy stain in the otherwise pristine fabric. "How did you get hurt, Blaine?"

Kurts fingers fluttered over the scabbing wound, the vibrations of Blaines deep rumble making him withdraw. He lowered his hand to the breast pocket on his shirt, his fingers curling into the fabric as Blaine slid his arms around him and brought him to his chest. Kurt lowered his lashes, his mouth opening. "Just kiss me already." He didnt have to ask twice before Blaine smothered his mouth with his own. Kurts eyes popped open for just a brief second at the zing of pleasure that came from Blaines mouth, but then he squeezed them shut, his free hand raising to Blaines curls and threading through them.

Blaine lapped his tongue over Kurts top lip, asking for entrance. Kurt parted his lips, whimpering at the intrusion of Blaines tongue. Having never been kissed, Kurt was unused to the sounds of their lips sucking and popping, or the breathy moans that Blaine urged out of him. He had never been so aware of fabric crinkling, as his fingers dug into Blaines chest. When the two of them pulled apart because of the need for air, Kurt blinked his eyes open, his cheeks turning red at the sight of Blaines swollen lips, his face burning with color. Kurt felt the heat in his own face, the scratch marks where Blaines stubble had scraped him.

"I tried so hard to stay away from you." Blaines voice was strained. "Youre so damned beautiful. I promise you, Kurt, that I will do everything to keep you safe."

Kurts lashes fluttered as Blaines foggy breath curled around them. Held against Blaines chest, Kurt smelled the heady, outdoorsy cologne he wore. Raising his arms, Kurt wrapped them around Blaines neck so he wasnt suspended anymore. "You dont know me."

"I can try to." Blaine whispered against the lobe of his ear, his soft words tickling it. "Lets start with dinner... this Friday. Tell me where you live. Ill pick you up at six."

Kurts head was spinning as Blaine righted him, but kept him close to his chest. This was all happening very quickly, too quickly for Kurt to keep up with. Flickering his eyes over Blaines carved face, Kurt spent a second too long staring at his eyes, which seemed hollow and empty, slightly sunken into the dark bruises that surrounded them. He tried to bring himself back to reality by humming, "T-There are no others?"

"Not right now." Blaine admitted, the casual tone of his voice making Kurt wince. He should have been expecting an answer like that, knowing that many other men around his age werent looking for anything serious. As if he had caught on to Kurts reluctance, Blaine pushed his thick eyebrows together, his eyes becoming cold. He unexpectedly let go of Kurt, "Kurt, its just dinner."

Kurt frowned deeply, leaning against the wall once more as he tried to comprehend what Blaine wanted from him. This wasnt the way he had fantasized that he would feel after his first kiss. The faceless man he had daydreamed of was supposed to swoop him into his arms and laugh with him, pecking more kisses all over his smiling face. Instead, as Kurt looked at Blaine, he felt empty inside. He wasnt aware that he had reacted to Blaine until he felt his chin nod up and down. "Dinner, then. On Friday?"

Blaine arched his brows, returning to his desk and starting to sit down. "Unless Saturday works better for you. I can be flexible if I want something enough." Kurt felt his fingers curl into his palms, his hands becoming tight fists. Something didnt feel right. Blaine had just switched his personality five times within the last fifteen minutes, as if he assumed one, and then reminded himself that he couldnt act that way. For a brief moment, Kurt wished that he had turned him down, but then he figured that it might be best to go on one date with him. If it didnt work out between them, then he could just keep deflecting Blaine by saying that he was busy, if he asked him out again. It would be easier this way.

Nodding, Kurt retreated from Blaine, and reached behind him, finding his chair by shuffling his hands around. "Friday. Friday is fine. Ill give you my number, okay? Why dont you call me later tonight, and Ill give you my address?"

Kurt tugged at the bottom of his powdery purple scarf, its circular shape hanging down to the bottom of his creamy white sweater. He adjusted the silver butterfly clips that he had pinned onto the side of the scarf, and then stood back, appraising the outfit that he had bought for his first date. His sweater only had one sleeve, but the wide fabric of the scarf hid the shoulder that it didnt cover. His sweater stretched down to his knees, which were covered in a pair of pale purple pants, such a light color that they almost appeared white. On his feet was a pair of silver, pointed boots.

Deciding that he looked as good as he could, Kurt toyed with one strand of his hair that had fallen over his forehead, and then turned away from the mirror when, from across the room, his small, yellow bird chattered at him. "Are you hungry, Pavarotti?" He opened the door to Pavarottis golden cage, and he picked up the bag of birdseed. Pouring it into his bowl, he smiled as his tiny bird climbed up the wooden bridge that Kurt had made from the layer of bedding at the bottom to the edge of the bowl. "Eat up. When I get home tonight, Ill give you some treats." He stroked the top of his birds head, remembering when his dad had given him his bird as a gift for his eighteenth birthday, before he left for college.

Pavarotti nibbled a piece of seed, releasing a soft, purring sound as Kurt scratched his fuzzy belly. He shut the cage door, and then he twisted around, his eyes falling onto the clock. Blaine should have been there ten minutes ago. Although he wasnt sure how this night would go, he knew that he couldnt let Blaine tromp in and sweep him out the door if he was more than twenty minutes late. Sighing, Kurt started to lower onto his white couch, when he heard a sharp knock on his door. Widening his eyes, Kurt moved away from the couch and called, "Im coming!"

He scampered over to the door and flung it open, finding Blaine standing on the other side. He was tucking his red tie under his gray jacket, his curls spiraling off of the top of his head. His cheeks were dark with color, as if hed run all the way here, instead of driving. Slowly, Blaine lowered his hands as he raised his eyes to Kurts face. A smile cracked onto Blaines lips. "You look stunning." He muttered, and when Kurt made a concerned face at him, he shook his head. "Im sorry that Im late. I had to take care of... something."

Kurt pulled away from Blaine, "You wont let this happen again, will you?"

Taking a deep breath, Blaine held his hand out for Kurt, "Ill try not to. I dont make promises if Im not sure that Ill be able to keep them." Kurt slid his hands under his arms, his blank eyes staring at Blaines extended hand, so Blaine stepped closer to him. "Please?"

Kurt hesitantly placed his hand on top of Blaines, "Okay, Blaine." Feeling Blaine entangle their fingers, he let him lead him out of his apartment, and locked the door behind himself. He followed Blaine down the hallway, standing closer to him when another man rushed by them. When their shoulders bumped, Blaine removed his hand from Kurts and slid an arm around his waist. The two of them remained in silence as Blaine opened the glass door in the lobby, and nudged him through it.

In the early weeks of fall, the air became chilly and brisk just before the sun set. As it drooped in the sky, a cold rush of wind wrapped around Kurts bare arm, and made him shiver. Beside of him, Blaine came to a halt on the parking lots pavement. He shouldered out of his jacket and draped it over Kurts shoulders, making him blush as he quietly thanked him. Blaine returned his arm to Kurts waist, and he took him over to a silver sports car that didnt have a scuff on it. He opened the passenger door and helped Kurt inside, and then walked around to the other side, ducking into his seat.

As soon as he started the car, Blaine leaned down and adjusted the heat. Kurt shuddered as his sweater soaked in the warm air blowing out of the vent, and then his eyes lowered to the mileage bar. "You havent driven this car much." He pointed out, looking at Blaine from the corner of his eye. "Do you live close to Dalton?"

"I guess you could say that." Blaine tapped his fingers over the steering wheel, waiting for another man to pull out behind them. "I dont drive much. Before I moved to New York, I didnt even own a car. Everything that I needed was right at my fingertips."

"Where did you live before you came here?"

Blaine shrugged, "I travel a lot. I dont stay in one place for long." Flicking his eyes from the road, he raised his brows, "And youre not from New York."

"A good observation." Kurt commented, a smile quirking at the corners of his lips. "Its the accent, isnt it? I was raised in Ohio... in a small town called Lima. I lived with my dad for a long time. It was just the two of us. And then he met a nice woman at a ball game that I took him to for his forty seventh birthday. Her name is Carole, and shes my stepmom now. Her son, Finn, was actually in my high school class, but I never met him until our parents started dating. Right after they got married, I... moved. I dont know either of them very well."

Kurt didnt know why he let himself yammer on, when Blaine had just been asking where he had lived before. But something about telling him what his past was like felt comforting to Kurt, who snuggled down into the seat and turned his eyes to the road ahead. Instead of commenting on all that Kurt had just admitted to him, Blaine prodded another answer out of him, "So... why New York? Not just anyone moves to New York, let alone from somewhere so far, and so completely different from a place like this."

Kurt shrugged, "Ive just... always wanted to live here. Even when I was little, I would map out all of the places that I wanted to see. Being gay in Ohio is much harder than it is here. Besides... I love fashion and writing, so why not come to the place where I can combine those and hopefully be very successful one day?"

"And whats your definition of success?"

Laughing at his own thoughts, Kurt said, "Well, a bigger apartment wouldnt hurt anything. But... I guess I just want to be happy. I used to sing... I was even in a club at my high school. But, I havent done that in years, and I dropped out of the club." Kurt dropped his head, his blue eyes counting the number of seams he saw in his jeans, and he shook his head sadly. "Lets not talk about that, though. What about you, Blaine? Why New York? And why crime writing? Doesnt it wear on you, having to write all of those tragic stories every day?"

A hint of a smile touched Blaines lips, "Its not tragic if someone helps the victim." Once again peeling his eyes from the road, Blaine looked over at Kurt, "I like to stay updated on the news. And New York has a lot of that. I like to be the first to know when things go wrong."

"Youre a very talented writer. You must have a lot of experience."

Blaine chuckled, "If you want to know how long Ive been writing, its been about twelve years since Ive picked it up. If youre implying that you want to know how old I am, Im thirty four." Kurt wasnt aware that he had made a face, but then Blaine laughed again. "Whats the astonished look for? You cant be more than a few years younger than me."

"Im twenty two." Kurt squeaked, watching Blaines face fall as he processed this. "I graduated from college a few months ago."

Blaine was astounded by what Kurt had told him, "Youre so young to have made the front page of a newspaper." He slowed down the car as he turned into a nearly empty parking lot. "Needless to say, Im impressed."

"Thank you." Kurt breathed, glad that his age hadnt put Blaine off for more than a few seconds. Blaine stepped out of the car and walked around to Kurts door again, opening it for him and grabbing his hand. "What a gentleman."

Blaine guided Kurt into the restaurant, one that neither of them had been to before. The restaurant had off-white walls and beige trim, elegant paintings hanging on the walls. The tables were round, and covered with white cloth. Candles sat in the middle of each one, and wine glasses surrounded those. Blaine stepped up to the man standing behind the podium, his hand rubbing a circle into Kurts lower back. "I made a reservation under the name Anderson."

"Of course." The man agreed, after he checked the list that was resting on top of the podium. "Right this way, Mr. Anderson." He took them into the dining area, where they passed by several tables, until they reached the back of the restaurant. The man gestured to a circular table at the farthest corner, concealed from the other tables. "A private table, at your request."

Kurts cheeks became hot, and he snapped his eyes over to Blaine, who shuffled behind him and stripped his jacket off of his shoulders. He folded it over the back of his chair, and then pulled Kurts chair out. "Is this table to your liking?" Blaine asked when Kurt hesitated. "Please, let me know what will please you."

Kurt awkwardly plopped into the chair that Blaine was still holding onto. Once Kurt was settled, Blaine raised his hand, and for a brief moment, he laid his scalding touch onto Kurts shoulder. "T-This is plenty... pleasing. I... Thank you. Really, I would have been fine with something less..."

Unable to find the words, Kurt let Blaine finish, "Less expensive? Somewhere that didnt require a reservation?" Kurt nodded, unwilling to voice his worries because he knew how rude it was to bring up someones wealth. Blaine chuckled deeply, "Its alright, Kurt. At thirty four years old, a man ought to be able to splurge every now and then. Its good for his self-esteem to wine and dine his date."

Kurt shook his head, "I just... Blaine, I dont have the money to pay my part of the check. Id like to contribute something."

"Dont worry about it." Blaine brushed that aside, "Its been a long time since Ive been on a date with someone as interesting as you are." Kurt turned pink at the compliment, glimpsing up at a waiter dressed in a white shirt and a black vest. He held out two bottles of wine. After he asked if they wanted to taste the drinks, Blaine squinted at them and said, "Ill have the white wine. Kurt, what will you be having?"

"The same." Kurt murmured lamely, relying on Blaines choice because he didnt drink often enough to be able to distinguish between the good and the bad. After the waiter poured three fingers into their glasses, Kurt thanked him and picked up one of the menus that he had deposited in front of them. "It all looks so good. Maybe I should try something new, instead of my usual plate of farfalle."

Blaine arched his brow, "Knowledgeable about Italian food? Youre gorgeous, smart, and very good at conversing. Any other surprises I should know about?"

Kurt giggled, "Italian is one of my favorite kinds of food. But I always get the same kinds of pastas. What are you getting? I need to change something up."

"Try the manicotti. No matter where I go, its always tasty." Blaine set his menu aside, and he picked up his glass of wine. Rubbing his fingers on the stem, he sipped the drink. After he put it down, he went back to watching Kurt, who was debating what sauce he should get with the manicotti. "Tell me more about this family of yours."

Raising his head, Kurt grinned from ear to ear, "My dad is an amazing man. Hes always been so helpful and supportive. He and I are very close. He runs his own garage, where he fixes cars." The smile on his face withered away, his cheeks draining of color, "When I was fourteen, he had a heart attack. He spent a week in a coma. But... he got better very quickly. After that, he met Carole. Shes a nurse. Shes very nice... Shes like a friend to me. Ive cooked a lot of meals with her. Finn never took the time to get to know me. He was dating on and off, and when he wasnt with either of the girls he was seeing, he was at football practice."

"And your mom?" Blaine took another drink.

"She passed away when I was eight years old. It was cancer. I loved her very much. She was my best friend when I was little." When his eyes welled up, Kurt blinked away the tears. "But, my dad and I are in a good place again, and I know thats what she would have wanted for us." Kurt leaned forward, "And your family?"

Blaine waited to speak until the waiter had brought over a plate of breadsticks and a bowl of salad. After thanking him, he cleared his throat, "My family isnt something that I speak of lightly."

"I-Im sorry. I didnt know-"

Blaine slid a breadstick off of the plate and broke it in half, handing part of it over to Kurt. "Theres no need for you to apologize. How could you have known? But I want to talk about something else." Before Blaine could finish his thought, the waiter returned with glasses of ice water. He asked for their orders, clicking his pen and pressing it to a notepad. Blaine glanced over at Kurt, and then twisted back to the waiter. "Both of us will try the manicotti."

The waiter took off again, weaving in and out of tables, and Blaine slid back into his chair. He seemed to be examining Kurt, letting his eyes shamelessly rake over his face as Kurt gnawed on his lip. "Why do you look nervous? You must be the subject of many wandering eyes. Ive never seen anyone quite as exquisite as you." Kurt raised his shoulders, a movement that made Blaine huff incredulously. "If not strangers on the street, what about your past boyfriends?"

"I dont have any of those." As if disappointed by what Kurt had whispered, Blaine let his face become very serious. Blaine opened his mouth to say something, and then shut it again. "Ive never been on a date before."

"This is your... first?" Blaine shook his head, unable to come to terms with this new information.

"I grew up in Ohio-"

"But then you came to New York for college." Blaine interrupted, his face critical, "Kurt, youre twenty two. Why have you never dated before? Men must have given you attention. I dont see how they couldnt-"

"I dont want to talk about it, Blaine." Kurt swallowed the emotions that were bubbling up under the surfaces. "Are you upset with me because I have no experience?"

"I never said that-"

"Your face is angry." When Kurt blurted that, Blaines jaw twitched. He rubbed a hand over his face, smoothing away the wrinkles where his face had scrunched up. Kurt sank lower into his seat. "Why dont I ask why a thirty four year old hasnt settled down yet?"

Blaine turned his face away from Kurt, "Im not good at commitment." He grumbled, his voice scratchy. "I travel too much, and Im never... there."

Kurt felt like he had just been dunked into a tank of freezing water. "Why did you take me out, then?" Blaine sat very still for several seconds, his emotionless eyes staring at the table, so Kurt pried. "What about the other people you dated? What happened to them? How many dates did you take them on before you cut them out of your life?"

"Kurt, Im not going to cut you out of my life-"

"Because we work together? Because you have to see me?" The more frantic that he became, the higher his voice raised, until every word sounded like a faint squeak. "Why did you take me on a date, Blaine?"

Suddenly, Blaine slammed a fist onto the table, making Kurt jump backwards. Luckily, no one was around them to hear the jarring sound. "The other people that I took on dates... I brought them home and had sex with them, Kurt. Why do you think I took them out? Were both adults. I dont think that this should be hard for you-" Blaine bit back his tongue when his phone buzzed below the table. Making a frustrated sound, Blaine dug in his pocket and read the message.

Kurt pursed his lips, knowing from all of the advice that Unique had given him that a man was never supposed to check his phone at the table. Blaine abruptly slid away from the table, swearing under his breath. "I have to..." He looked hopelessly at Kurt, who knitted his brows together. "An emergency came up. Ive got to go."

Kurts eyes widened as Blaine bolted to his feet. He started to protest, when Blaine walked around to his side of the table and bent, searching his lips with a firm kiss. There was no emotion behind the hard touch of Blaines mouth. When he pulled away, he looked so unaffected that Kurt was almost offended. "Take my car home. Oh, and..." Blaine fished around in his pocket for his wallet. "Use my card. Ill see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Blaine-" Kurt tried, but Blaine was already hurrying away, leaving Kurt with a half empty wine glass and Blaines jacket. Slumping his shoulders, he held a hand up to his throbbing mouth, trying not to let his eyes fill with tears. Things had been going so well, and then, like a light switch, the connection between them had shut off.

Kurt felt stupid, sitting there by himself, so he started to stand when their waiter came rushing back, a tray of food on his arm. His eyes flickered between Kurt and the empty chair, and he made a pitying sound. "Im sorry," was all Kurt could get out, his face burning with humiliation from being left behind. "If I could, Id like to pay now."

"Dont worry about it." The waiter said, setting the tray down. "Let me box the food up."

As the waiter went to grab the boxes, Kurt turned to Blaines abandoned jacket. He walked over to it and picked it up, draping it over his arm. He stuck his hand into the pocket that clanged, and he grabbed the keys. When the waiter came back and forked the food into separate boxes, Kurt left as quietly as he could, trying not to draw attention to the fact that hed arrived on the arm of a man, but was leaving alone. He couldnt even think about facing Blaine tomorrow. If he let himself dwell on the last ten minutes, and then ponder how he would handle this tomorrow, he would burst into tears.

"It was horrible." Kurt whined to his best friend, who was perched on top of his desk, his hand on his shuddering shoulder. "And the hardest thing is that the date started out so well. We were talking so easily with each other. He was polite for the entire night. He cared about what I wanted. And then... And then I asked him why he wasnt married, and he became so... so mad at me. It was like I wasnt talking to the same man. He started looking at his phone, and then he jumped up and said he had to leave. He gave me his car keys... and then he abandoned me. I felt mortified and... and upset. And I wanted to throw my drink at him! He was so rude!"

"Oh, honey..." Unique cooed, leaning over and bundling him in his arms. "Whether or not Blaine works out, I want you to know that not all dates are like that. Youll have some good ones, and youll have some bad ones. Dont give up on dating because Blaine was a dud."

Kurts eyes filled with tears, so Unique dabbed them with a tissue, "Ive always wanted to have a man walk me up to my door and kiss me goodnight. The only kiss I got before he left was so rushed and... and aggressive. Unique, I dont understand. Did I say something wrong? Was it something I did? Maybe it was because I wouldnt sleep with him. Unique, you know how I feel about having sex."

"I know, Kurt." Unique squeezed his arm. "What you need is a man who feels the way you do about sex. He should be willing to respect the fact that you dont throw yourself around... not to quote your dad or anything." Unique gave him a sheepish smile, bringing up when Kurt had laughingly told him about how his dad had stumbled over his words and shrugged a lot during his first sex talk with his only son. "You know what I think, though? I think that youre a threat to Blaine."

"A-A threat? What are you saying?"

Unique shrugged, "Im saying that, from what you told me, Blaine really cares about you. And even he might not know what to think about these feelings. Even though he left, he still made sure you had a way of getting home. And, Kurt... maybe Im just pulling at straws, but I think that you feel the same way for him. Youre wearing his jacket."

Kurt frowned at Unique, unable to deny that his best friend was right-at least about him falling very quickly for Blaine, who he had collapsed into bed and smushed his face into the pillows, sobbing with abandon because of. After several hours of not being able to sleep, Kurt had crawled from his bed and grabbed Blaines jacket, curling into the heavy material that swallowed his petite body. Breathing the soothing scent of Blaine, Kurt had drifted off to sleep. Bringing himself back to the present, Kurt whimpered, "Unique, Im a mess."

"I cant argue with that, hon. You havent been this distraught since they canceled the fashion show that we had bought tickets for." Unique rubbed Kurts quivering back, "Lets not talk about Blaine anymore. The more you think about him, the more wound up you get." Kurt had no other topics on his mind, so Unique slowly murmured, "Hey, did you hear what happened at the bank last night?"

Kurt shook his head, and Unique continued, "It was set on fire. Someone was trying to rob it. The police showed up and arrested the criminal, but the firefighters couldnt get the fire to go down. There was still a little boy trapped inside. The police say they have no lead on who it was, but some man broke in through the back of the building and carried the little boy out. He was dressed in black, and had a mask on. He left before anyone could ask him questions. Its amazing, huh?"

"Amazing." Kurt agreed softly, feeling warmth spread through him as he was reminded that some people were still good. "You know, I think I heard of something similar happening the other day. An inmate had escaped from a prison, and a masked man stopped him from getting too far."

"If only other men would take their relationships on the way that man does crime, huh? By their bootstraps." Unique teased, making Kurt laugh. "Youll be okay, honey."

"Ill do my best." Kurt promised, glimpsing over at the time and realizing that his shift had started ten minutes ago. "I guess that Blaine isnt coming in today. Oh, well. Itll give me some peace. I hope that hes getting around okay, though. I still have his car."

"Hes probably good and well." Unique slid off of his desk. "He loaned it to you, after all. He knows what hes doing. Ive got to get downstairs before Schuester starts barking. Ill be up in a few hours for lunch."

"Thank you, Unique." Kurt called after his best friend. Wriggling deeper into his chair, he opened his laptop and clicked on the document that hed been developing for a few days. He typed for a good portion of the hour, when he heard a brief knock at the door. Scooting away from his desk, Kurt said, "Come in."

The slender form of his boss entered the room, taking up less than half of the doorway. "Good morning, Kurt." He said, checking Blaines empty desk. "Didnt show up again? Its not looking good for him." He turned back to Kurt, who closed his laptop and lent his attention to his boss. "You did a very good job on your article. I look forward to whatever youre writing next." Kurt smiled at his boss, who said after a moment, "I have a new task for you, however, if youre willing to take it on. The fashion company across the city took an interest in your work. Theyd like to interview you and get your opinion on certain styles."

"Id be delighted to do that, Mr. Schuester." Kurt would be glad for the break from his workplace, if nothing else. "When would this be?"

"They would be appreciative if you would go in as soon as possible. Do you think that you could drive over there now? Ill give you an extended lunch break when you get back." Schuester offered, grinning from ear to ear when Kurt automatically stood, pulling out his phone so he could send Unique a quick text that explained that he would be a little late.

"Of course, Mr. Schuester." Kurt complied, watching his boss leave the room after he placed a sheet of paper that contained the directions to get to the building on Kurts desk. Zipping up Blaines jacket, Kurt hooked his arm through his bag and locked the door on his way out. He read over the directions as he paced down the hallway, oblivious to his surroundings, when his head snapped up at the sound of something crashing, the reverberations of it muffled by the thick carpet on the floor. Whirling around, Kurt stared in the direction that the alarming noise had come from, his eyes becoming huge as one of his coworkers, Rebecca, threw open her office door and came charging toward him.

She didnt say a word to him, too busy puffing for air, as she turned around a sharp corner and narrowly missed whacking her shoulder on the wall. Wondering what had startled her so terribly, Kurt took a few steps in the direction she had run from, down the hallway that was next to the one his office was in. Before he got a good look at what had happened, he jerked his head up to the ceiling, where the alarms started flashing and ringing. All at once, ten other doors came flying open, and from down another hall, he heard a shrill scream that came from behind an indiscernible door.

Trapped amidst the chaos of his coworkers pouring out of their offices, Kurt whipped around to face the way that all of them were hustling off in. As the flood of people slimmed down to a narrow trickle that was flowing past him, Kurt noticed a dark shadow off to the side, and he turned toward the large, glass windows that took up a large portion of the walls. Although he had started after his frenzied coworkers, he suddenly felt his feet become lead beneath him, stuck to the floor as if someone had smeared them in sticky tack.

Three men, covered from head to toe in gray suits, shattered the glass with their fists. Kurt felt a few of the tinier shards thwack his legs and feet, but didnt back away as the men swung their legs into the hallway. They instantly split away from each other, two of them hastening down opposite hallways, while the third one spent a second staring at Kurt, before he lunged at him and caught him in his arms. The thud of his body against Kurts made him cry out, his arms snagged in a muscular fist and brought over his head. His other hand smashed over Kurts lips, silencing him so that the scream that was about to rupture from him wouldnt come out. "You wont tell anyone that you saw us." He stated, his voice rough on Kurts ears.

Kurt struggled to free himself, but was rendered helpless as the man easily raised him from the floor and carried him down a hallway. A thousand thoughts flashed through Kurts mind as the man took him to wherever he wanted to go. All he could do was hope that someone would see them, and that he would be helped before this man could take him out of his own territory. Making stifled sounds, Kurt desperately curled his fingers, trying to scratch the mans hands. Kurt remembered when his dad had warned him about the crime rate in New York, a few words that Kurt hadnt taken to heart, because he had never thought that anything bad could happen to him. Hed lived a relatively easy and safe life in the middle of Ohio, where nothing bad ever happened. He hadnt been able to imagine himself dealing with a break-in at his home, or being snatched from the streets and dragged into a musty alleyway.

The faceless man suddenly stopped in front of a random door. He jerked it open and stepped inside, combing his eyes over the interior of it before he threw Kurt to the floor. Gasping at the sharp pain that flared in his elbow, Kurt stared up at the man, who drew a gun from the inside of his jacket, and spoke into an earpiece. "I have a hostage. Lock up the doors. Search the rooms for any documents."

Kurts eyes flew open. "No! No! You cant do this-!" He flinched when the man drew a booted foot back, and then slammed it into his thighs. Yelping, Kurt reached down for his legs. His round eyes never strayed from the mans face, even though he wanted to check the damage done to his legs, which burned so badly that all he could do was clutch at them, unable to come up with another way to soothe the ache.

Suddenly, a garbled bunch of words came through the mans earpiece. Kurt writhed away when the man squatted down and grabbed his hair, yanking it so Kurts head lifted. He pointed the gun at Kurts forehead. "I have the hostage at gunpoint. Tell us where the documents are-"

All at once, the man released Kurts hair, tumbling to the side as a long pair of arms hooked around his waist and whipped him around. He seemed so startled by the attack that he didnt hold up his hands to keep himself from slamming his face into the wall when the other man pushed him into it. Kurt gaped at the man who was dressed in black, a tight suit that clung to the chiseled muscles in his arms and legs. A long cape hung over his back, shifting around as the man raised his hand and grabbed the other mans head. He put his mouth very close to his ear as he growled, "Drop the gun, or Ill snap your neck."

Kurts teary eyes raised to the mans head, which was covered in thick, untamed curls. "No! Dont do that!" Almost instantly, Kurt regretted speaking up, and he clamped a hand over his mouth when the man shot a look over his shoulder, revealing his masked face to Kurt. Kurt flickered his eyes over the mans eyes, which were an unrecognizable color, but appeared to be somewhere between light brown and dark green. His thin lips were frowning at Kurt, who took a few shaky breaths and pleaded, "Let... Let the police handle him. But dont hurt him anymore. Please... Please, stop."

As soon as he asked, the masked man loosened his grip on the man. He lowered his hand to his neck, which he grabbed with a firm grip, and he held him away as if he were a bag of dirty garbage. He snagged the mans earpiece and muttered into it, "The hostage is safe." He tossed the panting man aside, letting him land on his bloody face. He glared down at his wriggling form, "Dont get up, or Ill do worse to your face." He turned away from the man, and slowly approached Kurt, as if he would get up and bolt. Kurt wouldnt have gotten very far, with his leg injured, so he stayed where he was, cautiously sliding away from the man when he knelt beside of him. "Its okay. I wont hurt you."

He held out his arms, which were clothed in black nylon that moved with the texture of his skin, curving over the thick layers of muscle. Kurt unsteadily gazed into the mans eyes, which were close enough now that Kurt could see that they were hazel, nearly the color of rich gold. Unaware that hed been trembling until the man touched him, Kurt seized up and tried to roll away from him. "Hey," the man said, placing a hand on Kurts sweating forehead. "Shh... youre okay. Im going to get you to safety."

Kurt realized that this man wasnt going to give up, so he merely accepted his fate, raising his arms and looping them around his neck as soon as he moved closer to him. The man slid his arms under Kurts lower back and thighs, scooping him up as if he weighed no more than a piece of paper. Cradled against the mans pounding chest, Kurt shut his eyes, hearing raucous from outside of this safe bubble he was in with this man as the police raced in, kicking doors open and clanking their guns against their bulletproof suits.

The man walked across the room, and in a quick movement that Kurt didnt see, he unlatched the window and pushed it up. Instead of climbing up the wall and thrusting himself through the opening, the man stood there for a couple of seconds. Kurt turned his head over the mans shoulder, and tightened his arms around the mans neck when he noticed the hurt man pushing himself up to his knees. "H-Hes getting up-" Kurt cried, burying his face into the mans chest, only to pull it away again when he felt a gust of wind press against him. Looking behind him, he inhaled sharply at the sight of the window becoming farther away. He turned his head down, his eyes widening to the size of saucers as he saw that the man was floating, his legs out of Kurts line of sight. "What is this? Put me down! This cant be happening!"

Ignoring him, the man clutched him closer to his chest, his body rising higher from the ground. He soared above the buildings, until the people below them looked like small dots, all of them gathered around Kurts workplace. He held onto the man, squeezing his eyes shut as the man flew higher. When they were nearly as high as the clouds, the man slowed down, and then came to a stop. Kurt peered through one of his eyes, finding himself floating in this mans arms, completely at his whim. He turned his head, staring up at the strong, stubbly jaw. The man abruptly lowered his face, bringing it so close to Kurts that their eyelashes tangled when they blinked. "What did he do to you?"

Kurt opened his mouth, but could make no words. Suddenly, a rush of air wrapped around his body, so Kurt flung himself closer to the man, hiding his head under his chin. "I-I dont understand-"

"You dont have to. Just know that I will always protect you, no matter how far I am from you." Kurt was reminded of what Blaine had told him before they had their first kiss. Almost struck by a humorous thought of what face Blaine might make if Kurt tried to tell him of this crazy story, Kurt frowned, instead, remembering the last time that he had spoken to Blaine. The man holding him brushed his face against Kurts hair, "Whats wrong? Youre safe in my arms."

Kurt shook his head, bringing the conversation back to the situation they were in, "W-Who are you? Why can you fly?"

"Youre too curious." The man grumbled, making Kurts cheeks turn pink. He started to apologize for being so intrusive, when the man flew them lower. "Are you alright? You were holding your leg."

"H-He kicked me. The man did. But I-" Kurt watched, amazed as the man brushed his hand over the part that Kurt had been grabbing at. He laid his hand over the bruise that the shoe had marked him with, and Kurt whimpered as the dull throb faded away, replaced by the feeling that he was fine now. Glimpsing up at his solemn face, Kurt, shaking his head, whispered, "Tell me your name."

"You dont need to know my name." The man said shortly, hoisting Kurt higher up on his chest. Turning his golden gaze down to Kurts entranced eyes, the man flitted his eyes from side to side. Kurt batted his lashes, his vision growing fuzzy, as he held his hands up to the mans face. He touched his hollow cheeks, and then his head fell back, everything going dark.