"He barely slept last night," he explained to Blaine, "he was off with Thad doing who knows what, came in pretty late. He woke me up by tripping over his own feet. Sometimes I wish I had a single or no roommate like you did…but I hear you're liking the new roomie." Nick wiggled his eyebrows.

Blaine sighed. "I do like Kurt. He's mute, but he is very expressive. How's the girlfriend going?"

Nick shrugged. "Dumped her. I knew it wasn't going anywhere. I was only in it for one thing."

Blaine gaped at him and suddenly wished he had gone to sit with the council, but he knew what they would be discussing: every flaw in their performance. Wes was a stickler for constructive criticism and Blaine wouldn't be surprised if he was handed an actual rubric on how well he was doing soon.

"And your dates?" Nick asked, "how are those progressing?"

"Not well. I'm convinced that Wes is picking them to deliberately drive me insane. It's like he doesn't know me or something. Every guy is worse than the last. I don't know what he expects from me exactly."

"Or maybe you already have someone else on your mind," Nick said shifted Jeff into a better position. "Maybe your roommate."

Blaine didn't know what to say. He cared for Kurt. He really liked Kurt. Sometimes he thought that Kurt was perfect for him, but Kurt couldn't sing. That fact had slowly started to become less and less important as time went on, but still, as he learnt more about Kurt, he knew that Kurt didn't need a boyfriend. Not after Karofsky's kiss.

"No. I mean, I like Kurt, but I don't think…I want to just be his friend." Blaine didn't add that he wanted to be his friend for now.

"Alright," Nick said.

They were silent for a while, a silence that was broken only by the random snore that Jeff would sometimes let out.

"If you are looking for someone, I know a guy that bats for your team and might even be your type, he was in my brother's band for a while." Nick nodded to himself. "He works at Olive Garden and sometimes plays random gigs wherever will have him."

Blaine perked up at once. There had been a waiter that caught his eye at Olive Garden. He wondered if it could be the same guy.

"In fact," Nick continued, "I think he might doing something tonight. Let me text him."

There was a feeling in his gut that told Blaine that he didn't need to do this, go out to see some guy he didn't know, even if did turn out to be the waiter from the other night. Kurt had been left at Dalton alone all day and Blaine didn't particularly fancy leaving him alone until he got back. He knew Thad or even Wes and David could entertain him somehow, but Blaine somehow wanted to be the one that Kurt hung out with. He just turned to Nick to tell him as much.

"Yeah, he's playing tonight at a small club in Westerville. It's all ages, so no worries about that. You game? We could all just go and celebrate."

Blaine pursed his lips. "Maybe. A celebration of sorts sounds good. I'll go tell Wes and David and see what they think."

Nick nodded. Blaine got up and high fiving random Warblers, made it to where Wes and David were seated together, sliding into the spot next to Thad, who was turned on his seat. They stopped talking the moment he sat down and although Blaine found it curious, he didn't question it.

"So, listen, guys, Nick has a friend who's playing something tonight at a club. All ages, so we won't have to sneak in. It could be a nice celebratory thing for tying for Sectionals." Just for Wes' benefit, he added, "the guy is gay and according to Nick possibly my type, thought you'd be happy about that."

The three of them exchanged glances. Blaine wanted to ask what was going on, but David spoke up before he could.

"I don't think so, Blaine. We were sort of planning a small get together instead. Plus, I thought you were happy being single."

Blaine began to protest, but paused. When had he become obsessed with getting a boyfriend? When had all his arguments against it changed. Couldn't he wait for Kurt?

"It seems a bit fishy, you know what Nick gets up to sometimes. We could have a Warbler movie night or something instead, maybe invite Kurt along."

"He's probably been bored all day without us around," Thad added, and Blaine thought he saw him smirk a bit.

David coughed and Wes hit on the back while trying to hide his own small smile.

Blaine eyed them. "You're not telling me something," he said and gave them each a look. "What aren't you telling me?"

- - -

From the journal of Blaine Anderson

- - -

Blaine had had perfect timing, Thad realized, because within moments of the question being asked, they arrived at Dalton and Wes and David practically ran off the bus and Thad shrugged at Blaine and then motioned for him to go.

"No, what's going on?"

"Nothing. Just, um," Thad tried to quickly come up with something to tell Blaine, "you were, um, kind of a bit weird about having to leave Kurt alone at Dalton earlier, but now you're jumping at going off to some club with Nick of all people. Blaine, you don't even like Nick."

Blaine blinked at him. "Oh," he said. "I don't want to leave Kurt, I thought he could with us, even." Blaine began to walk off the bus.

Thad followed and sighed, walking with Blaine towards the main building and then across campus to Stevenson.

"I actually need to see, Kurt," he told Blaine, "mind if I come along?"

Blaine shrugged.

When they got to Blaine's dorm it was empty, just as Thad had expected it to be. He smiled to himself a little bit and looked around the room. Kurt's laptop was open on his desk, but the screen was blank. He approached it.

"I guess he found something to do," he said and closed the lid without Blaine noticing, "I guess I'll go and catch him later."

Blaine nodded, absently.

Thad walked quickly back to his room where Wes and David had already settled themselves on David's bed.

"He's not in his room," he told his fellow council members, "Blaine looked a bit distraught at Kurt going missing. Okay, so he was with a girl from New Directions, right? Well, he told me the other day that his almost step-brother was also in a glee club, specifically mentioned he couldn't go home because his dad was most likely going to be there to support him. What if his brother was in New Directions?"

Wes nodded. "Okay, that makes sense. Maybe all this talk about a magical stage doesn't have to be true."

Thad smirked a little. "I think Kurt used that stage to come to this school. In fact, he had to be a singer. The singer Blaine's been dreaming about. Think about it. Blaine passes out in Lima, where the New Directions are from and he hears a voice. A voice he associated with a boy that looked like Kurt before he met Kurt, and Kurt just happens to be friends with a girl from New Directions."

Wes and David shared a look.

"Okay, so, what now, then? Do you know how the stage works?"

Thad nodded his head slowly. "I talked to my mom, told her I believed her about the stage and I asked her how it worked exactly. She couldn't tell me everything, just that it takes something as a sort of payment. What if the stage took Kurt's voice?"

Wes jumped up. "Yes! That day, when we met him, he tried to speak, but he couldn't and it was like he was just realizing, don't you remember, David?"

David nodded thoughtfully.

Thad picked up David's laptop and typed in the password when prompted, before going into youtube.

"What are you doing?" Wes asked.

"If he was a singer, as good a singer as Blaine claimed and he's friends with that girl, then, wouldn't he have been in New Directions?"

David nodded, "he probably was."

"Do you really think they'd put any videos online though?"

Thad nodded. "Former competitions are nearly always online…let's see…" and suddenly he found a youtube page. "See, whoever this Jacob is, he has at least twenty videos of them."

He clicked on a random one. Wes and David came up behind him. He pressed play.

The camera was shaky, but it had caught a group of the kids sitting in what looked like a choir room. They all looked upset about something. The camera shifted when Kurt walked in, looking sad and worn, but still dressed in his usual clothes.

They didn't hear what he said, because whoever was filming had move and was making too much noise, but soon the camera steadied.

"I want to hold your hand, The Beatles. Kurt Hummel," the boy holding the camera said and then muttered, "damn you, Sue Sylvester."

Kurt began to sing, and his voice, high, clear and beautiful stunned Thad. Wes gasped.

"Wow," David whispered.

Kurt's song was mournful. The emotion put into it was palpable. His voice carried wonderfully. Wes sniffed behind him.

David rubbed his shoulder.

"It's so sad," Wes said.

Thad nodded.

As the song went on, they could see tears welling up in Kurt's eyes and then they were spilling. There was a far off look on his face, as if he was remembering something. As the last notes faded, he wiped at his eyes. The video came to an end.

It didn't hit Thad for a moment, not until Wes, spoke that he'd been right.

"So, you were right," Wes said, "do you know what we could do with that voice. He's a countertenor…and, god, to give that up, why?"

Thad shrugged.

"Who knows, man. I mean, it explains a lot about him, you know, but still, there's just…why would he give up his voice?"

Wes frowned. He sat back down on David's bed. "He must have been desperate. There are tons of reasons."

"My mom didn't say as much, but I think the stage took her voice too. But she got it back, so it must not be a permanent thing. The thing is, my mom knew my dad, she gave up something for him knowing that she would get it back, I guess. But, Kurt, if he did this for Blaine, how did he know that he wouldn't end up screwed over?"

David sighed and began to pace the room, "maybe he had no choice."

"Should we tell Blaine?" Wes asked, "I know we said earlier that we shouldn't, but that was before we were sure. Now, though, should we?"

Thad shook his head at once. "No. Definitely not. We don't know what that could do. I like Kurt. I want this to work out for him. We can't mess around, just maybe push them in the right direction. Push, Blaine. Which reminds me, we have to stop him from going out to that club or whatever with Nick."

- - -

From the secret blog of Thad Jameson

- - -

Kurt was tired. He hadn't expected going to Sectionals would lead to him giving Rachel a whole explanation of what had happened to him, which he typed while she told him what was going on at McKinley, and then he'd had to drive her home and get back to Dalton.

He walked up the stairs to his and Blaine's dorm, tired, and hoping that he could just fall into bed and not have to deal with Rachel for a few more days. She had gotten it into her head that she needed to help him get his voice back, and as much as Kurt appreciated that she wanted to help him, he didn't think he could deal with a Rachel Berry plan.

Blaine wasn't in their room when he got in, although his uniform on the ground was an indication that he had been. He sighed. Maybe he was off with the other Warblers celebrating the tie.

He walked over to his bed, took off his shoes and sank into his pillow. He didn't really care, for once, that Blaine wasn't there, instead all he wanted was a nap. He changed into his pajamas and got into bed, sighing happily and closing his eyes.

Kurt woke up a few hours later feeling re-energized. He got out of bed and redressed, thinking about what he wanted to do. Blaine still wasn't back, but Kurt decided not to question it as he put on his shoes. Ever since he'd played the piano in that music store, he'd been going once a day to the choir room to just play, and he needed that now.

He'd watched his friends sing and do everything he couldn't with their voices, and now he needed an outlet of some sort.

When he got the choir room, it was luckily empty. He didn't bother closing the doors in his haste to get to other side of room and sit down at the piano, which he stared at for a moment, before he set his music sheet in front of him and then after playing a few random notes, began the song, his fingers flying over the keys expertly.

He was two songs in, when he heard a cough from behind him.

Thad grinned at him. "Hey," he said, "so I had no idea you could play so well…have you been here all day?"

There was something about the way Thad was looking at him that told Kurt, Thad already knew he hadn't been there all day.

"I was looking for you," Thad continued, "there's something I should tell you. I don't want you to be alarmed. I'm trying to help, so this is hopefully not coming out in a bad way. I know you were at Sectionals today. Wes and David saw you with someone from New Directions, a girl."

Kurt didn't look at Thad. Of course they'd seen him with Rachel.

"Wes was ready to call you out as a spy, but I knew better. I've been watching you, Kurt, and I know I said I'd never met anyone mute before, but I'm a researcher and my mom used the stage."

Kurt's eyes widened. He couldn't believe it. His secret was out. He didn't know how to react, what he was supposed to do. Thad wouldn't buy any excuse.

"So," Thad continued, "you used the stage, then?"

Kurt bit down on his lip and gave a sharp nod. There was nothing to it but to just admit what he'd done.

Thad nodded and walked to sit next to Kurt. "I kind of thought so," he said, "you didn't hide very well at first, how it was sort of just hitting you that you couldn't talk. If you're worried, I won't tell him, Blaine that is, I don't know what that would do to you and…I just don't want to mess with this. I just, I want to help you."

Kurt looked up at Thad, then, surprised.

"I like you, Kurt," Thad said, "and you are perfect for Blaine, even Blaine knows it. He just…he has to get over himself. Anyway, I have to go, but, I'll be by your dorm later." He gave Kurt a half hug and then ran out of the room.

Kurt stared after him, shook his head and sighed. There was some relief, knowing that someone else at Dalton knew what he was going through. More relief, now that he knew Blaine wasn't going to find out, because Thad was right, he didn't know what would happen if Blaine somehow found out before the spell was broken.

He played for a while longer, before returning to the dorm, hoping that this time Blaine would be there and he could hear all about Sectionals from his perspective. Rachel had been too whiny when telling him about her lack of solo and going on and on about Finn as if there was something that Kurt could do about it. What she'd told him last though, was the one thing that he couldn't stop thinking about.

His father was getting married. He'd asked Carole in some room at school some days before, yet no one had bothered to tell him. Rachel had assured him it probably had something to do with the spell, but Kurt couldn't help but feel forgotten. He wanted to go back to Lima desperately.

When he dropped Rachel off at her house, he even drove to his house and sat out in his car, debating on whether he should go in or not. He had realized fast, though, that Finn and Carole had moved in again.

His resentment was uncalled for, he knew, but still Kurt couldn't help but feel left out. His father was getting married, gaining another son, and he wasn't around to make sure things stayed the same. As much as he wanted to go back, he dreaded what he'd find.

Blaine wasn't in their dorm, again, and there were no signs that he'd been there at all during the time Kurt had been in the choir room. Kurt shrugged it off and picked up his laptop.

He had a habit of leaving everything open, so the internet browser with his Google search was up and he closed that at once, looking through the rest of the open windows, stopping at the word document on which he'd told Blaine about Karofsky. He could barely glance at the words. He was just about to delete it, when a word caught his eye" 'yelled'.

Kurt gasped. He hadn't? Had Blaine noticed? He went over the rest of the text, wincing at every word that gave him away. Blaine had to have noticed. It wasn't just a sole mistake. But he hadn't said anything. Kurt closed the lap top and rushed out of the room, headed for Thad's. He didn't bother knocking.

Wes and David were sprawled out on Thad's bed and Thad at by his desk, on the phone.

"…don't understand, Jeff, I need to know where they went!...It's important….Yes, more important than sleep…"

"Kurt!" Wes exclaimed. "How are you, buddy?"

Kurt eyed him. David hit him on the head. Wes raised a finger towards Kurt, as if to excuse himself, and they began hitting each other, which was just as well, because he needed Thad to know what he'd done.

"…yes, thank you. Call me back when you get it, don't you dare fall asleep, Jeff."

"Kurt, what's wrong?" Thad asked and glanced towards Wes and David who choose that moment to fall off the bed in a tangle of limbs.

Kurt opened his lap top and set it down on the desk, in a new word document explaining what'd happened.

'…and I don't know if he knows now, and I haven't even seen him since this morning…and now I'm just worried I messed everything up.'

"Shit…okay, um, I'll have to ask my mom about that, but she doesn't know much either. Blaine is out with Nick checking out one of Nick's friends' bands or something. He might have said something if he knew though."

David crawled back onto Thad's bed, "know what?"

Kurt glanced at Thad, waiting for him to come up with an explanation. Instead, Thad only said, "Blaine might know something about Kurt's voice, that he was lying about his being mute all his life, at least."

Kurt shot a glare at Thad, but the other boy ignored him.

"Of course," Thad continued, "that doesn't mean he knows anything about the stage, but I don't know if he'll be big on the lying."

Wes, groaning - he'd lost their fight - stood up. "So what are we going to do?"

Kurt eyed each of them warily.

"So, I, um, didn't tell you they knew, did I? Woops?" Thad rubbed at the back of his neck and tried to look apologetically up at Kurt who was glaring at him again.

- - -

From the diary of Kurt Hummel

- - -

Blaine sipped at his coke and looked up at the lit up stage. Nick slid into the stool next to him.

"Hey, having fun?"

Blaine shrugged. He didn't know what his problem was. Maybe that he was with Nick, whom he never really hung around, or that he was at a club and the music was loud and it was dark and there were too many people. Nick's friend, Sebastian wasn't going on for another hour and he wasn't even around.

"I could get you something stronger than that." Nick pointed at the coke in Blaine's hand and waggled his eyebrows.

Blaine shook his head. "No thanks."

"Sebastian's in the back, he's going on soon. Do you want to go meet him?"

He'd been rethinking the entire thing since he'd gotten there. He didn't know this guy that Nick claimed to be a good guy. He was older and probably more experienced and even if he was an amazing singer, he didn't seem to care about getting an education.

"I don't know…"

Nick pulled at his arm anyway, until he got up. "Come on, Blaine, why else are we here? Come on!"

Blaine sighed and let himself be pulled through a curtain near the bar into a smaller room where a few guys sat around with instruments. Some of them looked like they were on something, others just tired. They were all in some way slumped in seats.

Blaine recognized Sebastian at once. He had been the waiter from the other night. He wore skin tight leather pants in a red color that Blaine knew Kurt would not have approved of, with a loose shirt that showed off most of his well defined chest. His hair was jet black and sat messily on his head, falling all over the place. His eyes were a clear blue and once more, Blaine noticed the eyeliner.

"Nick!" he said and hugged the Warbler. He extended his hand to Blaine, "Sebastian," he said.

"Blaine."

Sebastian nodded. "Cool name. Any other Warblers around?"

Nick shook his head. "Couldn't get them to come out, so it's just the two of us."

Sebastian nodded again and then turned back to Blaine, "how was the date the other night? You didn't look like you were having fun."

"You guys know each other?" Nick asked.

"No. He was the waiter the other night."

"Oh."

"It definitely didn't go well," Blaine told Sebastian, "the guy was too interested in himself to actually care though, so no loss."

Blaine liked that there didn't seem to be anything between them. He wouldn't lie and say that Sebastian wasn't attractive, because he was, but he didn't feel any connection to him.

"Well," Sebastian said, picking up a guitar, "first dates aren't always the best."

Blaine nodded but didn't answer. Nick had been talking to one of the other guys and Blaine saw him take a cigarette. He eyed the other Warbler, but said nothing, turning back to Sebastian.

"I hope you like the show today. I haven't done one of these in a few months, now, but it'll be good, I imagine."

Blaine said nothing, again.

"We should get back to our table," Blaine said after a while, addressing Nick, although only Sebastian heard.

"Oh," Sebastian said, "sure. Will I see you later?" He searched his pockets but then reached for a worn bag. "Here it is."

Blaine had finally gotten Nick's attention and was making his way to the door.

"Wait," Sebastian called, "can I have your number."

Blaine blushed and nodded, taking the extended phone and putting his phone in.

When Sebastian and his band finally went on, Blaine was surprised at just how good they were. Sebastian didn't have the melodic voice that Blaine had been dreaming of for months, but Blaine knew without a doubt that it would go well with his regardless. He was suddenly glad that the older boy had his number.

Somehow, Nick had convinced him to have something more than just a coke halfway through their set list and Blaine should have realized after the second drink that nothing good would come of drinking so much. He also should have known that he'd be a light weight.

"Hey, man, we should be heading back," Nick said to a giggling Blaine.

"But…but I like it here," he said and shook his head to the music, a pout present on his lips. "Come dance with me."

Nick shook his head. "No, Blaine, we have to go back to Dalton. We're already cutting it close."

Sebastian had already done his last song and the band was packing up. He came up to them and Blaine smiled up at him and rested his head on his arm.

"What's going on?"

"I might have sneaked Blaine a few drinks. I didn't know he was such a light weight and now he doesn't want to leave. Could you help me get him in the car."

"Choo smell good," he groaned rolling his head.

Sebastian chuckled. "Let's get him out of here."

Blaine giggled and tried to walk on his own, but after he ran into a wall, Nick held on to him and Blaine leaned into him.

A few minutes later he was strapped into the passenger seat of Nick's car and after saying goodbye to Sebastian, Blaine giving him a sloppy kiss on the cheek, they headed back to Dalton.

When they got into the parking lot, Nick somehow managed to get Blaine out of the car and to Stevenson. It took him a while to get the door open, but eventually made it inside. Once in the foyer, he helped Blaine to the common room and got him to sit down while he fetched him a glass of water.

Blaine fell sideways into the couch with a laugh and then kicked off his shoes. When Nick returned, he drank the glass of water quickly.

"Alright," Nick said, watching him, "I guess I'll get you back to your room. Kurt can take care of you now, I don't fancy watching you throw up later."

Blaine half crawled, half walked up the stairs with Nick close by so he wouldn't fall. It took a while to get him up there, but eventually they did and then leaning between the wall and Nick, Blaine made it to his room, the door of which he opened just to stumble inside.

Kurt was seated on his bed with Thad and both boys looked up.

"Blaine," Thad said.

Kurt closed his lap top lid and stood up.

"What happened?" Thad asked.

Blaine picked himself up and grinned. "Kurt!" he said loudly and threw himself at the taller boy, who managed to get a good hold on him, but turned scarlet and then pulled back from him in surprise and made a motion to Thad who approached them.

"Is he drunk?"

Nick nodded. "Sorry." He backed himself out of the room, "good luck taking care of him."

- - -

From the journal of Blaine Anderson

- - -

Kurt walked Blaine to sit on his own bed and tried to get the other boy to let go of him, but Blaine clung to him.

Thad laughed from the other side of the room. "I didn't picture him as the clingy drunk, but I guess it works for him."

Kurt just glared.

"Okay, okay, um, I guess I'll get coffee or something for him, that'll help, right?"

Kurt nodded and tried to pry Blaine's hands from around him, but Blaine pulled him closer instead. Thad laughed as he left the room. Blaine nuzzled into Kurt's neck.

"I missed you."

Kurt sighed and pushed Blaine to lie down, hoping to be let go, but Blaine pulled him down with him. This was how Thad found them a while later.

"You guys are adorable," Thad said with a grin, "I'll fetch a camera in a bit. Here, sit him up, so he can drink."

Blaine sat up by himself, his hold slacking on Kurt as the aroma of coffee came to him. Kurt thought he looked just a bit too excited about the coffee and for a moment wondered if giving him coffee was a good idea.

Thad presented him with the mug of hot coffee. Blaine took it at once, clumsily, though he didn't spill it. Kurt got off the bed while he could and stood with Thad at the foot of Blaine's bed.

"So, do you think he knows?" Thad asked.

Kurt shrugged.

"Yeah, can't really tell, but on the upside, he didn't seem mad at you, so maybe he doesn't. know." Thad smiled reassuringly at Kurt and then squeezed Blaine's shoulder. "Good luck with him, I should get to my room. Will you be okay?"

Kurt shrugged again.

"I hope that means yes," Thad muttered and gathered his things.

Kurt smiled at Thad and walked him to the door, waving and mouthing a thank you.

Blaine was about halfway through the cup of coffee, a silly grin hidden behind the cup. He had crossed his legs and held the mug between his hands. His eyes were closed as if that helped to savor the coffee even more and Kurt found himself leaning against the door and just watching him.

"Kurt," Blaine said some minutes later, setting the cup aside and getting back to his feet, only a little wobbly now. He walked to where Kurt was standing. "I…you're so beautiful, Kurt."

Kurt gasped, the sound not coming out right.

"Pretty hair. Your eyes…I can't describe them. So beautiful, my Kurt."

Kurt's eyes were wide. What did this mean? What was Blaine doing, did he really feel this way? Confusion and question after question appeared in his mind. Arms wound around his waist, suddenly. Kurt almost pushed him away, except that having Blaine's arms around him was the best thing in the world.

Blaine's face was against Kurt's neck, his breath tickling at his skin. Kurt shuddered. He knew it was wrong to let Blaine do anything in the state he was in, but having Blaine so close, calling him beautiful and bringing him closer and closer was too much of a distraction to ignore.

"Oh, Kurt," Blaine breathed, his lips met Kurt's neck and Kurt let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

The kisses were faint, barely a brush of lips against skin, but they were more than Kurt had ever felt before, crawling up Kurt's neck.

"You're mine, you know, even without your voice," Blaine said, pulling back just a bit, his eyes meeting Kurt's, before he pushed forward, their mouths meeting.

The kiss was sloppy. It was better than Karofsky, but Brittany's kisses though meaningless could have been better. It was too hard, switching to too soft as if Blaine didn't know what he wanted. Blaine nipped at Kurt's lower lip and then he pulled back suddenly, face white as a sheet before he ran in the direction of the bathroom.