Kurt was only still sitting in his seat because his hands were gripping the edge of the pew so hard. Blaine was looking at him intently and he thought maybe Blaine was trying to read him, find out how Kurt had voted. Or maybe he was just looking at Kurt as a lifeline. Either way Kurt wouldnt look away.

Hed voted for Blaine to stay. Of course he had. When it came down to it voting that Sam and Blaine got to choose for themselves wasnt an option, everyone either had to vote "go" or "stay". He knew that if Blaine had a voice in this hed vote for himself to stay, and since he wasnt given that opportunity Kurt did it for him.

Or at least thats what he was telling himself. His vote for Blaine to stay in Folaigh may have been purely selfish because Kurt didnt know how to say goodbye to him.

Mr. Jones took a breath and held the paper that had the tally on it. "The people of Folaigh have spoken and by majority vote it is decided that these outs-" He stopped himself. "That Blaine Anderson and Sam Evans will stay in Folaigh until the next festival anniversary."

The oppressive silence that had fallen over the crowd when Blaine and Sam had been led in latest for a breath longer. And then it was shattered, people stood and cheered while others were obviously upset at the outcome and started to shout. Kurt blinked a few times, the decision settling over him. Blaine would stay. Blaine would stay. He held back something that could have been a sob or a laugh, relief coursing through him.

He looked up at Blaine. Blaine looked stunned, eyebrows raised and mouth falling open, but then a smile spread over his face. That is until he turned to Sam. Kurt looked as well; Sams face was pale and his eyes wide.

"You… you have to let me go home." He said weakly.

Dont worry Sam! We still have time, well get you out. Kurt thought, but had no way to really comfort him right now.

Blaine squeezed his arm and smiled at him and Sam nodded his head slightly.

Sue raise her hands, a broad smile in her own face, Kurt wasnt use to seeing her quite so happy. It was unsettling. She started talking over the crowd and they slowly started to quiet, sitting back down to hear what she had to say. It was only then that Kurt realized he was standing, clutching his hands together as his heart pounded happily in his chest. He sat down with everyone else and glanced at Mercedes, who had a smile on her face, and then to Quinn who smiled back at him, but it looked a little sad.

"Since we have chosen for the safety of our town that these young men are to stay, we need to insure they do just that." Sue said. "They will be kept under lock and guard until the end of the festival at which point-"She paused to make sure everyone really heard what she had to say. "At which point they will be treated as members of Folaigh and not like outsiders."

Kurt didnt like the lock and guard part of this, it would make getting Sam out harder, but he knew theyd find a way.

"This is preposterous!" Russell roared from the stage. "Have you all lost your minds?! This goes against everything we stand for!"

His face was red and Kurt noticed the vein protruding from his neck that Quinn had mentioned. He looked terrifying, but it didnt matter. Folaigh was a democracy and it was out of Russells control now.

Kurt started to stand, he didnt know exactly what was going to happen now. Surely being under guard didnt mean they were going to throw the boys back in that cellar, but all Kurt wanted right now was to have his arms around Blaine. Before he could slide out of the pew though he was stopped by gasps and a shout from behind him. He turned to look just as everyone in the room did and he was frozen in place by what he saw.

Two men walked into the church. Wearing odd clothes that looked similar to what Blaine and Sam wore, and looking around with wide eyes and confusion clearly painted on their faces. Every person in the room held their breath. Kurt had never seen these men before in his life. Two complete strangers had just walked in on their town meeting.

"Oh my god." Someone cried and then chaos broke out. It wasnt like when Sam and Blaine had walked into town at the beginning of the Centennial, and everyone just went back to dancing because they were all in good moods and Sue was sending out peaceful feelings. Now everyone was already on edge, and many were upset by the vote and Folaigh had never had this many outsiders before and who were these men and where did they even come from?

People were panicking, which was insane, the best thing to do now was act as normal as possible and try to get these men to leave before they discovered anything.

"What the hell is this place?" One of the big men said and Kurt glanced from them to the stage. What was the plan here? He hoped that Sue or his dad or Ronald would take the lead and show people what they should do, but they seemed as stunned as everyone else.

"I knew it!" Someone shouted over the crowd and Mr. Figgins got up and stood on a pew. "My son said there were more outsiders and none of you would listen! This whole vote has been pointless!"

No. no, no, calm down everyone. Kurt was grateful when he could finally feel Sues calming presence and it seemed like others were feeling it as well because people started shutting-up, but then the worst thing that could have happen happened.

One of the men, tall and broad shouldered with a mop of red hair pointed to the stage, everyone followed to look at where he was pointing. It was obviously at Blaine and Sam.

"Are those the American kids who stole from us?" The redheaded man said and Kurts stomach dropped. Not only did he just make everyone in town think Sam and Blaine were thieves he just linked himself to them. Everyone really would blame them for more outsiders being here. The crowd started stirring again.

"Everyone please." Burt pleaded, "Lets not be hasty."

"This has gone too far!" Russell shouted over him and his voice was dripping with compulsion, all eyes turned to him. "These outsiders have ruined us! They have infected our borders, lied to us about who they are and brought more outsiders with them!"

"Russell you dim-wit!" Sue barked. "Hold your tongue!"

Burt had started moving towards Sam and Blaine, perhaps to get them out of here incase Russell stirred up an angry mob again. Most of the people here might have voted for Sam and Blaine to stay, but that didnt mean they trusted them. And now with the presence of more outsiders and Russell using his power to sway them people werent thinking clearly. Before Burt could make it very far though, Russell reached into his jacket.

Somehow Kurt knew what was happening before he even saw what Russell was going for, Kurt started pushing his way out of the pew trying to make it to the aisle and then the stage before Russell could do it, but it was useless. A hand grabbing something from a pocket was much faster than a person desperately trying to run to the man he loved.

Everything seemed to slow down, Russell was shouting and then there was a glint of silver, light from the windows catching on the polished, smooth surface of the pistol in Russells hand.

There were no weapons in Folaigh, it wasnt allowed, but still somehow in the time it took for Kurt to push out of the pew and for his heart to catch in his throat Russell Fabray was pointing a pistol at Sam and Blaine.

"No one move!" He yelled and Kurt made himself still, standing in the middle of the aisle and leaning forward, his body like a magnet needing to get to Blaine. He didnt move closer, he didnt want to be the reason Russell fired that pistol.

"How dare you!" Russell continued, his breathing labored and his face crimson, Kurt could almost imagine he saw steam coming from his nose. "You have ruined everything! You have torn apart the protection we have here! You have defiled our Miracle!" He took a step towards Sam and Blaine, gun shaking in his hand but still pointed at them. "You have brought more outsiders within our borders!"

Russell pointed the gun directly at Blaine and Kurt couldnt even breathe. His breath wouldnt go all the way down to fill his lungs, he could only take tiny sips of air as he watched Blaine stand in the pathway of a pistol. Please, please, please. Kurts mind couldnt even form anything more. Just please.

"And you have addled the minds of our young people." Russell continued, he moved his arm an inch so the gun was now pointing at Sam instead. "We were content and safe and you have destroyed us! She wants to leave now!"

Kurt felt like he might be sick. He couldnt pull his eyes away from Russell and the pistol, but he caught movement on the stage. Sue was inching closer to him.

"Russell, there is no need for this." She said and her voice was lighter and more soothing than Kurt had ever heard it. He noticed his dad was moving in as well, as if to grab the gun from Russells hand, and please no, he couldnt bear to have his father in danger too.

"She doesnt even want to be here anymore." Russell shouted, but it caught in his throat like a sob. "Ive lost my daughter because of you!" He roared at Sam and Kurt felt a hand gently touch against his arm and turned to see Quinn standing next to him.

"Daddy." She called, tears in her eyes. "Daddy please dont do this." He hadnt heard Quinn call her father daddy in years and as she said it now she sounded so young.

Russell seemed to not even hear her. Sam and Blaine were frozen in place hands up in surrender and faces white as sheets, but Kurt could hardly even look at them, all his focus on was the small, sliver pistol that could end Sams life. Or Blaines if Russell moved his arm again.

"It shouldnt have been like this." Russell said leveling the gun at Sam, as Sue placed a hand softly on his back, looking like she wanted to make a move for the gun. Russell wasnt yelling anymore, but tears were streaming down his face. "It shouldnt have been like this." He repeated raising his arm and cocking the gun.

Blaines head was spinning. His emotions couldnt keep up with what all that was happening. Going from the joy of learning he could stay with Kurt to the shock of having two men from that poker game, a game that felt like a lifetime ago, walk into this church unannounced, and then the terror of having a madman swinging a gun around back and forth between him and Sam. He couldnt keep up and his lungs felt like they were made of led, he could hardly draw in breath.

And then Russell starting aiming the gun solely at Sams chest and Russell was losing it, sounding like a desperate and lost man, and that is exactly what you dont want when you are looking down the barrel of a gun. Russell was going to do it. Blaine had a moment of realization, Russell Fabray was going to shoot his best friend, the man he considered a bother, the person hed ignored for the past few weeks, the person who was trapped here in Folaigh because of Blaine. Everything inside of Blaine settled. The mad swirling of his head and the thumping of his heart slowed.

He knew what to do.

Russell raised his arm and Blaine took a long side step to the left hitting Sam hard, hard enough that Sam toppled off of the stage at the same time a loud bang rang through the church.

It all happened too quick, for a moment Russell looked like he was going to surrender to Sue but then there was a shot fired and Sam fell off the stage and everyone started screaming. Kurt drew in a deep breath that almost hurt his lungs and then ran forward. He didnt care about anything besides getting to Sam. He and Quinn rushed down the aisle, Kurt saw in his peripheral vision that Ronald and Burt had tackled Russell to the ground, and oh thank god Sue was leaning down to grab the gun that had fallen from Russells hand.

Kurt dropped to his knees and skidded to a stop right next to where Sam was laying. Sam blinked up at him in shock. "Sam!" Kurt breathed eyes roaming his body. "Where are you hurt?"

Sam tried to lift himself up and groaned.

"No no. Dont move." Kurt looked up to see that Quinn and Mercedes were kneeling by Sam as well, Mercedes was crying and telling Sam to be still.

"Were you shot?" Kurt asked trying to make his voice stop shaking, hands hovering over Sams body. "I… I can help."

Sam blinked and shook his head. "I dont think I am." He started sitting up again and this time Mercedes let him.

Kurt let out the breath he was holding; Sam didnt seem to be bleeding, the bullet must have missed him.

"Oh thank god." Mercedes said wrapping her arms around Sam even as Quinn scooted back to not be in the way.

Kurt let out a relieved laugh. Hed been sure Sam had been shot off of the stage. Behind him the room was still in chaos, but it didnt matter, it didnt matter because Sam wasnt shot and everything was going to be alright.

"Kurt." Kurt glanced up, immediately recognizing his fathers voice. Burt was looking down at them, face severe. "Kurt. Its Blaine." He said his voice rough and his face ashen.

Kurts brow furrowed in confusion and something inside him understood before his mind even processed what his father had said. Everything grew muffled and fuzzy. Kurt could no longer hear the crowd behind him, could no longer see Sam safe in Mercedes arms. He could hardly feel his own body as his fathers words knifed through his heart. Its Blaine.

Its Blaine.

Kurt was on his feet in a flash climbing up on the stage without any thought. His hands were already starting to pulse blue before his eyes even landed on Blaine.

He was laying on his back, arms spread like wings and hair looking as black as coal against his snowy skin. His lips were colorless and parted as his breath wheezed in and out of them and his eyes were staring blankly upwards. All of this took less than a second for Kurt to take in and none of it really caught Kurts attention because the thing Kurt couldnt tears his eyes from was the bright red stain blooming like huge, horrible red poppy over Blaines pale purple shirt.

"No." The word punched out of Kurts lungs more breath than voice as he moved as quick as lightning to kneel next to Blaine. "No. No. No. No." Kurt began to chant, fear and shock making him useless.

"Kurt." Burt placed a hand on his back even as Ronald tore off his jacket and he and Sue pressed it firmly against Blaines wound to try and slow the bleeding. "Kurt." Burt repeated. "He needs you. You can save him."

Kurt blinked tears out of his eyes and looked down at the blue light already glowing from his hands. God Kurt, move! Do something! Dont let him slip away just because you werent thinking!

Kurts hands fumbled with Ronalds and Sues and they moved back because Kurt had to have access to the gunshot to help Blaine. He moved the jacket back shivering when he realized it was already soaked in Blaines blood. He didnt let himself think about that.

"Get his shirt off!" Kurt ordered as he let his hands hover over the wound, he could already feel his magic flowing from his hands to sink into Blaine, but it wasnt enough. Burt quickly ripped Blaines button-up shirt away from his chest so that Kurt could touch him skin to skin. One hand continued to hover over the gunshot while Kurt laid his other hand gently on Blaine smooth, too pale chest. Blue light streamed from him and into Blaine.

Kurts heart shuddered as he touched the man he loved. Blaine was so cold. Cold and pale, and it was wrong. Blaine was meant to be warm, always so warm, and tan and alive, and right now he looked and felt like a marble carving of himself.

"Hey Blaine." Kurt said, the words pushing out of a throat tight with tears. He looked up from the gunshot to Blaines face, Blaines eyes were glued to him. "Its going to be alright. Can you feel that? My magic? Its going to heal you. Youre going to be fine."

Blaine just blinked at him, lips opening a little wider, but no words coming out, his breathing sounding wet.

"Its okay man." Sam said kneeling on Blaines other side. "Youre in the best hands with Kurt. I mean your boyfriend has magic." He was clutching Blaines hand to his chest and while Sams words sounded confident, his face looked pained.

Kurts heart was pounding in his ears even as he continued to pump his magic into Blaine. The bleeding began to slow, that was good, but the wound wasnt closing. It wasnt healing, and the bullet had to still be in Blaine even though Kurt was trying to use his magic to pull it out.

It wasnt working.

"Whats happening?" Sam said looking up at Kurt with fear in his eyes as Blaines breathing became even more ragged. "Why isnt he getting better?"

Kurt didnt answer him. "Blaine?" Kurt said and Blaines eyes shifted from Sam back to him. "Ba- baby?" Kurts voice cracked, he didnt know what he was asking from Blaine, there was nothing Blaine could do, but Kurt was terrified. Hed never been called upon to heal an injury of this magnitude, and even though he was pouring all of himself into it, he couldnt seem to heal the one person in the world he wanted to heal the most.

"I- I dont know what to do Blaine." Kurt said as Blaine blurred in and out of vision because of the tears in Kurts eyes.

Blaine blinked and a slow smile formed on his white lips. "I… I love you." Blaines words were barely audible and Kurt had to choke back a sob that threatened to overtake him. He said the three words hed said countless times to Kurt in the past few days, but it had never sounded like a goodbye before.

"No." Kurt shook his head. "You arent going to do that." Resolve formed in Kurts heart like steel, he redirected his magic, making sure Blaine wasnt bleeding anymore even if he couldnt heal the wound. He gave him as much strength as possible so much in fact that Kurt started to feel drained, like a rag being wrung out. Kurt looked at Sam and then out into the church. The two men from out-of-town where still there standing in back like their feet couldnt move. He glanced back to Sam talking quickly.

"I cant heal him."

"Dont." Sam shook his head. "Dont say that."

"I cant." Kurt licked his dry lips. "Ive stopped the bleeding and Ive given him as much strength as I can, that will buy you time."

"Time!" Sam sounded frantic, "What good is time!?"

"You have to get him out of Folaigh." Kurt said not looking at anyone but Sam. Damn the vote, Sam and Blaine were going to have to leave Folaigh. "I hopefully bought him enough time for you to get him to a hospital. Your world has advanced medical skills right?"

Sam nodded slowly and then seemed to catch up to what Kurt was saying. "Yes."

"I cant save him." Kurt had to pause as his voice started to fail him "But if… if I give him time maybe someone else can." Kurt looked back at the strangers. "You two!" He shouted. "I dont know you or your history with this man, but do you want to see him die?"

"God no." One of the men responded. "Hes just a kid."

"What can we do to help?" The other asked.

"I need one of you to run back to your town and ready a doctor, and the other of you has to help Sam carry him out of here."

The two men looked at each other and seemed to have a silent conversation before the taller of the two, a lanky man who looked fast, turned to leave the church. He was stopped though by the doors that had been closed and the townspeople that stood in front of them.

No, no they couldnt do this. They had too see it was wrong to keep them here while Blaine was… while Blaine was dying.

"Holy hell!" Sue shouted. "Get out of the way. Do you want this boys blood on your hands?"

They immediately moved out of the way, mostly looking relieved, and the stranger took off, hopefully he really would get a doctor ready to meet Blaine. The big red headed man left behind made his way up front.

"Blaine." Kurt said giving him his attention again, but Blaine just smiled weakly as his eyes fluttered closed. "I love you Blaine. I love you." Kurt said desperately even as Sam and the stranger started to lift Blaine off of the stage. Blaine looked small and helpless in their arms. But this was good; theyd bring him to help.

Kurt followed closely behind, wishing he was the one with Blaine in his arms as Blaine was carried through the town and then to the field that surrounded it. Kurt was wiping tears away from his face and didnt even notice the crowd of people that were also following them along.

They got to the border, the tree line that separated Folaigh from the real world. Kurt couldnt follow Blaine any further.

"Take care of him." Kurt choked out to Sam, but he knew that of course Sam was going to do everything he could to help Blaine. Just let it be enough.

He watched as Sam and the red-headed stranger carried Blaine up the hill and into the woods, his heart pounding and his hands shaking. He watched until he couldnt see them anymore, until the love of his life was out of sight… broken and hurt and with no way for Kurt to do anything more to help him.

Kurts legs felt like soggy bread and he would have collapsed on the spot if his fathers strong arms hadnt wrapped him in a hug and kept him upright. He took in a deep, shuddering breath and then started to sob, his face buried in his fathers chest and feeling like all the sorrow of the world was washing over him.

He didnt see the people of Folaigh all standing by the border too, faces distressed and eyes wet. He didnt see Sue clench her fist in disgust at what theyd become. He didnt see Quinn crying silently or Mercedes crying big open sobs. He didnt see Mr. Figgins hanging his head in shame or any of the people hed known as friends and neighbors as they stood a silent witness to the worse thing theyd even been part of. All Kurt knew in that moment was his fathers arms, and the scent of his fathers shirt and a fear that seemed to splinter his heart.

Everyday Kurt would wake up and walk to the field outside of town and wait. He didnt really expect Blaine to come waltzing back into town after being shot. He was probably still recovering- unless he…

No. Kurt wouldnt think of any alternatives.

But Kurt did hope that maybe Sam would come, or somehow send a message. Something that told Kurt Blaine was alright. That theyd made it to town and gotten medical help and Blaine had pulled through.

Mercedes or Quinn or the McCarthy twins or his dad would join him sometimes. Bring him food, make sure he was eating. In the evenings Kurt would drag his feet back home feeling exhausted even though hed done nothing all day long. Hed pass his dad who would ask him how he was, or a couple of times passed his dad and members of the council sitting around and talking. They always grew quiet when Kurt came in. He didnt care what they were talking about. All he wanted was to know Blaine was alright.

He would lie in bed and bring the pillow Blaine slept with up to his face imagining he could smell him. In the morning hed get up and get dressed and start all over again, his dad making him grab something for breakfast before he headed out. He knew his dad wasnt going to try to stop him, there was no reason to, Burt knew Kurt only had a few days to do this.

In fact the end of the week came all too fast. Kurt had no idea what was going on with the Centennial festival, he hadnt been anywhere outside of his home and the meadow since Blaine was carried away; pale, cold and painted with his own blood. He also really didnt care. Maybe they were all celebrating like normal, not even thinking about Sam and Blaine. Maybe the celebrating was subdued this year. It didnt matter, not to Kurt. All he wanted was Blaine, and since he couldnt have that all he wanted was word that Blaine was alive and well.

It was the last day of the festival. If Kurt didnt hear something now he was never going to hear anything at all. The sun started to set, filling the sky with beautiful oranges and reds and purples, Kurt didnt notice, he just sat hunched on the ground hugging his own knees and staring at the woods.

As the sun set the fog in the trees grew thicker and thicker, until it was so thick Kurt could make out the forest anymore. He closed his eyes and shivered. This was it. When he opened his eyes again the sky was dark and stars were coming out. The forest was gone, there was nothing outside of the meadow but mist.

Folaigh had disappeared.