Dalton used to be Blaine's refuge.  After the disastrous dance at his old school and the strained relationship with his parents after the announcement, it became his place of safety and peace.  Now, Blaine didn't know what to think.  And it seemed as if Kurt was everywhere.  Blaine had deliberately scheduled every aspect of his school schedule so that he could spend as much time with Kurt as possible.  But now that plan backfired spectacularly.  They had the same classes, the same free space, same lunch hour. 

And where there was Kurt, there was Shawn.  The two were virtually inseparable.  And they were always touching.  Nothing outwardly obvious.  But to Blaine, every touch was a dagger straight into his heart.  Kurt was always so surreptitious with their touches in public.  Not that Blaine blamed him, of course, given Kurt's history.  But to see him so willing to reach for Shawn so often was almost more than Blaine could stand.  Blaine took to hiding away during his free time.  He kept his head down in the hallways. 

The only blessing was that Kurt had dropped out of the Warblers entirely.  That was probably as good a thing for Kurt as it was for him, Blaine decided.  The Warblers had one and all staunchly taken Blaine's side and only Dalton's no-harassment policy kept them from making Kurt's life miserable.  Instead, they enacted a strict silent treatment policy, locking Kurt completely out of their lives.  If he so much as came close to any of the Warblers, that boy would simply stand and walk somewhere else.  People that Blaine knew Kurt had counted as friends wouldn't even look at him, much less talk.  Kurt never called them on it, never asked Blaine to intercede, even when it was clear that the snubs hurt.  In fact, he seemed to take Blaine completely at his word, going out of his way to keep his distance from his ex-boyfriend. 

Despite his best intentions, Blaine still watched Kurt, when he thought the other boy wasn't looking.  He couldn't seem to help himself.  Blaine had to admit that Kurt didn't seem to be doing very well.  As the days progressed weeks, he looked constantly tired, and the haunted look moving to Dalton had driven from his gaze was back.  He'd even disappeared for several days.  He came back, looking no worse for wear, but still.  Kurt wasn't one to skip class. 

No matter how mad Blaine was, or how many nights he went to his room and cried himself to sleep, he just couldn't let Kurt go on like that.  He couldn't just stop loving him, even if they weren't together anymore.  He'd never quite told Kurt that he was in love, though he'd figured it out himself early in the relationship.  Blaine had known since Blackbird that every beat of his heart was Kurt's.  He'd hoped Kurt knew it as well, even if neither of them had managed the ‘L' word out loud.  The break up had changed all that, and Blaine told himself to stay away.  But it seemed like Kurt was slowly fading before his eyes a little more every day. 

Blaine watched Kurt drift across the courtyard, hair barely styled, his eyes glued to the ground with his muscular, ever-present shadow at his side, and he made an impulse decision.  Blaine pulled out his phone and dialed.  A voice he hadn't heard in months answered in a perky voice.

“You've reached Rachel Berry, future belle of Broadway.  I can't come to my phone this exact second.  Please leave a message and I'll get back with you as soon as my busy schedule allows.”  

“Rachel, this is Blaine.  Call me back when you get a chance will you?  I'm worried about Kurt and was hoping you could tell me what's going on with him.”  Blaine ignored the disapproving gaze from Wes where he sat beside him.  A warbler or two always sat near him, offering a steady presence for him and plenty of hostile gazes for Blaine's ex.  Blaine didn't know what he'd have done the last few months without their staunch support. 

He wished they'd ease up on Kurt a little, though.  It wasn't as if Kurt had gone behind his back or cheated.  No matter how hurt or broken Blaine may feel, Kurt inexplicably appeared to experience similar emotions, and without any of the support Blaine had.  It left Blaine feeling confused and uneasy.  Was there something going on that Kurt wasn't telling him about the hot biker boy?  Shawn never appeared hostile or mean, but who know what went on behind closed doors? 

Later that evening Blaine was working on pre-calc in his room when his phone rang.  Trent looked up from where he was curled up on the bed.  “Not him is it?” 

“No,” Blaine replied absently.  He touched the ‘answer' key.  “Hello, Rachel,” he began, not surprised at all when she instantly started talking over him.

“Blaine! Oh my god, it's so good to hear from you!  How long has it been?  Are the Warbler's on track for sectionals?  Because I have to tell you, New Directions has some amazing ideas going…”

“Rachel, Rachel.  Stop a second,” Blaine rolled his eyes affectionately.  He'd missed her more than he thought.  But since Kurt had been decent enough to leave the Warblers, Blaine thought it was only fair that he leave the McKinley crowd alone. 

“I'd love to catch up but first I just need to know that Kurt's okay.  He's been acting really weird lately.  You'd tell me if something was wrong with him, wouldn't you?”  Blaine swallowed against an anxious lump in his throat when Rachel was uncharacteristically silent on the other end.

“I would,” she answered finally.  “If I had any idea, myself.  None of us have heard from Kurt in months.  Mercedes tried every day for a while.  I think she still goes to the Hummel house once a week but Kurt's never in and Mr. Hummel hasn't said anything.  I thought he was fine.  I mean, I heard that you two broke up, and I saw a pic of the hottie he's with.  We all figured it was the honeymoon phase all over again.  Like when he met you and he kinda disappeared from our lives for a while.”

“We didn't exactly break up,” Blaine told her bitterly.  “He dumped me cold, completely out of the blue, with the new guy right there waiting in the wings to take over.  You're saying you didn't know anything in advance?”

“No,” Rachel replied instantly.  “I found out from Sam who heard it from Santana who saw them walking together and took pics.”

Blaine couldn't help but be gratified that no one else had known.  He couldn't help having felt a little betrayed by the McKinley crowd for not even tipping him off about what was coming, but it seemed liked Kurt had caught everyone by surprise.

“Is Kurt okay?”  Rachel asked hesitantly.  “I mean, I know you'd probably be the last one to care, and rightly so, of course.  I mean, if Finn ever did that to me I'd totally…”

“I get it,” Blaine interrupted.  “And I know.  But I still care about him, you know?  That doesn't just go away.  If he's in trouble, I'll still do what I can to help him.”

Rachel was silent a moment.  “You're a good person, Blaine.  You really are.  Will you call me if you learn anything?”

“Of course,” Blaine promised. 

They exchanged pleasantries for a few moments more before Blaine was able to end the conversation.  The ‘call ended' light flashed across his phone, but Blaine was staring past it, his mind whirling.  Kurt wasn't talking to anyone?  Was Shawn really all he had?  Suddenly Blaine wished he'd been firmer with the Warblers about their behavior.  Kurt was strong, but no one did well with that much censure and no support group.  If he'd had any idea that Kurt was isolating himself like that Blaine would have interceded sooner.  He sighed.  Blaine knew himself. There was no way he could just let this go.  He had to talk to Kurt.