Author's Notes: Kurt sat in his cell, feet dangling off the edge of his cot as he leaned his head back against the wall. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been there, but the confinement was definitely taking its toll on him. He could hear screaming coming from down the hall, most likely those who were in the Rec Room. Kurt should’ve been there with them, getting his ‘stimulating exercise,’ but he just didn’t see the point anymore. He still couldn’t remember why he’d been sent there, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt like his head was going to explode.

But it didn’t make any sense. Why couldn’t he remember anything from the past ten years? Kurt probed his brain, trying to access any information from his mind that could help him solve the conundrum that was his life, but the pain was too much. Kurt stopped abruptly, trying to steady his breathing.

Kurt was pretty sure that if he tried hard enough, the pain might actually be too much to handle and some serious consequences could result- but did it really matter? It’s not like he had anything to live for. The others at Oust wouldn’t care, except maybe the Wardens. Kurt was pretty sure they’d be upset because there would be one less prisoner to beat. And the other prisoners wouldn’t have anyone to blame their actions on. Kurt was tired. He was so very tired of his life that made no sense, and in that moment he decided he would either discover or die.

Kurt closed his eyes and spent a minute on controlling his breathing, listening to the inhales and exhales as it became a deep steady rhythm. Once he had that under control, he began to nudge at that ever present block.

The pain began almost instantly, starting as a thrum, a low bass that throbbed through his head and ear drums. As Kurt began to push harder, however, it got stronger. Kurt still remembered his dream, the only dream he’d had while being in Oust, and those honey colored eyes seemed to fuel his fight.

Kurt began ramming into the block full force, wincing at the pain as it seared white hot. Kurt picked up his head and hit it back against the concrete wall behind him, trying to have a focal point for the pain so he could force all of it there, rather than where he was attacking his own mind.

Maybe Kurt wouldn’t find anything. Maybe he wasn’t meant to. It occurred to Kurt that maybe he always knew that. He knew there was going to be no recollection. He knew there wouldn’t be any revelations. And he knew, more than anything, he would live in this hell until the day he died. And that, Kurt decided, was the one thing he could control.

Kurt continued to knock his head against the wall behind him, finding that the repetition was easy. He began to do it without volition; it began a subconscious action as he ebbed further into his own mind. He thought about those honey colored eyes and drowned himself in their warmth. He tried to imagine who belonged to those eyes.

After a while, he decided they were male. He couldn’t remember them, but he made up his own person, giving him a nose and full lips, eyelashes that fanned out long and thick, eyebrows that were admittedly thicker than average, but they seemed to compliment this man. He gave him brown hair, short and straight at first, then shook his head. No, that wasn’t right. Curls- thick dark curls that Kurt itched to run his fingers through. “Blaine.”

Kurt froze. He didn’t know where the name came from, or why he knew it, but it seemed to flow out of him effortlessly. “Blaine,” he said again, repeating the name over and over again, making the sound go in time with his knocking. The name was sweet and tasted nice on his tongue. “Blaine. Blaine. Blaine. Blaine. Blaine. Blaine! BLAINE!” With the last knock of his head, the face seemed to progress smaller in his head, and the pain subsided as an image took form.

The boy, Blaine, was standing on what looked like a balcony, the breeze tugging on his cotton t-shit as it passed him. He wasn’t alone. Another boy was there, blond hair and lips too big for his face. He seemed to be talking to Blaine, and Kurt pushed himself further into the image to listen, leaving his cell behind.

“Blaine, are you okay?” Blaine began to say yes, but the other boy cut him off. “Stop lying to me! I’m your best friend- I know when something wrong and you’ve been beating yourself up ever since Kurt left.”

“He was the love of my life, Sam! Everything here reminds me of him!” Blaine pushed off of the railing, shouting in Sam’s face as he finally let everything out. I love you too, Kurt thought, but he didn’t know why. Why this boy? Why Blaine? Kurt could feel a tug on his heart, tears burning his retinas as the sight of him, and knew that he really did love him, almost unbearably so. “He was my Paladin, my soul mate! Sam, you know better than anyone what that means. Would you be fine if Tom left?” Same looked away, and Blaine blinked back the water threatening to pool out of his eyes. When he spoke again, his voice was much softer. “I don’t give a damn about Chet. I don’t care if they were seeing each other. I don’t care if he- if he-” Blaine seemed to be choking on the next word. “If he loved Chet. I can’t live like this anymore.”

“I don’t, Blaine! I don’t love him! I love you! It’s always been you!” Kurt cried, and he faintly heard his own voice echoing off the walls of his cell, seemingly coming from another world entirely. Back on the balcony, Blaine screwed his eyes shut and winced.

“Kurt?” His voice was soft and raw, but somehow strong and sounded like it was being spoken in Kurt’s ear. Suddenly, he wasn’t in in concrete cell, but in a locker room, alone between two rows of lockers with Blaine, sharing a first kiss. Kurt felt hot tears running down his cheeks. “Kurt?” The next time sent him to his old backyard, sitting in a hammock between two trees on a unusually warm Ohio afternoon, whispers of ‘I love you’ filling the air between them.

“Blaine.” Blaine’s eyes sprung open, wide and wild as he glanced around the balcony, small and void of anything besides himself and Sam.

“Blaine, what’s up?” Sam asked, taking a step closer and touching his shoulder, but Blaine wasn’t paying any attention.

“Kurt!” he called out, and could it be that Blaine could actually hear him?

“Blaine, Blaine, I’m here! I’m here and I love you!” The tears fell openly from Blaine’s eyes then, and he smiled.

“Blaine, what the hell is going on?” Sam asked, looking worried.

“You don’t hear that?”

“I hear you screaming like a crazy person,” Sam muttered.

“It’s Kurt! I-I can hear him! How is this possible?” Sam looked into Blaine’s big eyes.

“I don’t know, maybe it’s part of the bond?” Sam suggested, but he didn’t look too confident in that answer. “Where is he?”

“I don’t know. Kurt-”

“I don’t know,” Kurt began, “I mean I know where, but I don’t know where. Blaine, I-” Kurt broke off, all his memories flooding back in him. Thoughts of Blaine and Tom and Tina and George whipping him in the face. Paladins. Guardians. Superiors. He remembered everything. He remembered why he was there and what Blaine had seen. “Blaine, I love you. I love you more than anything,” Kurt said, hoping that Blaine knew that.

“I know, Kurt, I know. I know you do. It’s you and me forever, right? But I need to know where you are, okay? I need you to come home. I need you.”

“Blaine, I can’t,” Kurt said, and he wondered what Blaine thought had happened. Where he’d been told Kurt went.

“What do you mean? Just tell me where you are. I’ll come get you.”

“You can’t come here, Blaine,” he said softly, and Blaine seemed confused, his relief turning into a quiet anger.

“Then come home, Kurt.”

“It’s not that easy, Blaine, I-”

“You left, Kurt, why is it so hard for you to come back?”

“Blaine, where do you think I am?”

“I don’t know. You ran away.” Sam sighed, and Blaine looked up at him. “He ran away, right?” Blaine asked pointedly, and Sam glanced away. “Sam, what aren’t you telling me?”

“We weren’t supposed to tell you,” he said quietly.

“Tell me what? Where’s Kurt?” Sam looked like he was still hesitant to tell Blaine, though Blaine couldn’t figure out why. “Sam, if you’re really my best friend you won’t hide this from me. It’s Kurt. Please.”

“Blaine, if I tell you-” Sam broke off as he looked at Blaine, sighing in resignation. He still looked reluctant, but also a bit uneasy. Nervous even. “He’s gone, Blaine. He’s in Oust.” Sam looked like he was staring at a bomb about to go off as Blaine stared at him blankly.

“Kurt, is that true?” Kurt watched Blaine for a moment.

“Yes.” Blaine’s eyes slipped closed and he took a deep breath.

“Okay.” He turned away from Sam and back to the railing, gripping it tightly and resting his head on his hands. “Okay, how do we get you out?”

“Blaine,” Kurt began softly, not sure how to tell him. “Blaine, we don’t. The only people who can get in and out of here are the Wardens and Superiors. You have to be able to teleport, plus there are barriers and force fields surrounding the island. It’s impossible-”

“Don’t you dare tell me it’s impossible, Kurt. I am going to get you out of there. I promise.”

“Blaine-”

“No, Kurt. I don’t care what it takes. I am getting you out of there and I’m bringing you home and you are never leaving my side again.” Kurt let out a choked sound, and Blaine seemed to hear it because Kurt saw his shoulders stiffen and his voice seemed strained. “I promise. Everything will be okay, you hear me? I love you. I’m going to come and get you. You’re going to be okay. You’re going to come home and we’re going to live a long happy life together, okay? We’re going to get married when we’re 21 and have kids, and grandkids, and puppies and we’re going to sell our story to Nicholas Sparks and it’s going to be a hit, you know why? Because our love is real. Our love is the greatest love to have ever existed and nothing can take that away from us.”

“Sounds perfect, Blaine,” Kurt choked out, and Blaine lifted his head, staring out at the city below. Kurt didn’t know where Blaine was; he couldn’t recognize the building. Kurt distantly wondered how he was able to see all this, able to see Blaine from some omnipresent point of view.

“I love you, Kurt. Hang in there, okay?”

“I love you too, B.” Blaine wiped at his eyes before standing up straight. “See you soon,” Kurt said, though he knew it was a lie. He knew the truth of his situation. “Tell Sam to keep an eye on you for me until then, okay?” Blaine smiled softly. “Do it, Blaine.” Blaine rolled his eyes but looked over his shoulder at Sam.

“Kurt is very insistent that you watch over me for now.” Sam smiled and took the place next to Blaine against the railing.

“Aye aye, Captain. It shall be done.”

“Thank you,” Kurt said. Blaine continued to watch the world around him as the setting sun bathed the city in orange and pink. Just then, the door to the balcony opened, the glass sliding open and a figure emerged from behind sheer white curtains.

“Tom?”

“Tom.” Sam moved away from the balcony and over to his Guardian.

“Is everything okay?” Tom asked, looking between Sam and Blaine. Sam took Tom’s hand in his and Kurt couldn’t help but smile. It was about time.

“Yeah, everything’s better than okay, actually. Blaine- Blaine’s been talking to Kurt.” Tom blinked.

“What?”

“Yeah, I don’t know how, but their bond is still intact. Kurt’s okay. I mean, he’s in Oust, but he’s okay.” Kurt bit his lip; maybe ‘okay’ wasn’t the best word. He was still bruised and scared and trapped on a deserted island with no way out. But he was able to see Blaine. He remembered Blaine. Maybe he was okay after all.

“That’s impossible,” Tom muttered, and Sam began to tell him everything that’d happened, but Tom wasn’t listening. “That’s not supposed to happen. He’s in Oust for god’s sake. What more do I have to do?”

“What?” Sam asked, staring at his Guardian. Kurt felt a twinge in his stomach and panic surged through his whole body.

“Blaine.”

“Yes, Kurt?”

“Run.”

“What are you-” Blaine heard a loud banging noise, and his heart froze in his chest as he saw Sam drop to his knees. Sam’s breathing sounded labored and he looked up at his Companion.

“Tom?” he wheezed, and Blaine began to see blood pooling on Sam’s shirt. Sam fell on his side, his eyes still staring up at Tom in puzzlement. Blaine felt like he was starting to hyperventilate. Kurt was screaming in Blaine’s head, telling him to run, telling him that if he swung over the railing of the balcony there was a fire escape to the left and the balcony two floors down had their door open, but Blaine seemed to be unresponsive. Kurt could feel himself ripping apart, unable to do anything from the island that was so far away from Blaine.

“T-Tom,” Blaine choked out, and the other boy looked up at him. Kurt watched as Sam blinked one last time, his eyes glassing over and becoming vacant.

Tom smiled malevolently at Blaine. “Not quite,” he said, and suddenly there were three of him. Blaine inhaled sharply. “Cool trick, huh? I stole it from your friend, Mike. Right before I killed him.”

“W-why would you-”

“Because, Blaine, I had to. You wouldn’t quit.”

“What?”

“You weren’t content. You had to go searching for answers. You did this to them. To Mike, Tina, Brittany, Santana, Artie, Chet, Sam, Kurt. And now it’s your turn.” Blaine seemed to be overcome with rage, his eyes turning icy.

“Blaine, please, get out of there,” Kurt tried again, but it was pointless. Blaine was out of reach. Blaine seemed to be steeling himself. His brows knit together and Kurt half expected lasers to fire out of his eyes, but nothing happened. Blaine seemed to be focusing very hard, but Kurt couldn’t tell what he was doing. Blaine slumped suddenly, his eyes growing unbearably vulnerable. He looked so helpless and Kurt cried out to him.

“What’s wrong, Blaine?” Original Tom cooed, before offering a smile more twisted than the Grinch’s. His clones snickered behind him. “Oh, wait, I know. You can’t use your power, can you?” Kurt felt his heart sink in his chest. He just wanted it all to stop. Why couldn’t he be there? “Another trick, though this time it’s mine. You see, not only can I wear your friends as meat suits, I can steal powers. Like yours, for instance. Mimicry, huh? Can’t say it’ll do me much good since I can already take, but I like to keep my options open.” Blaine forced himself to look passive, not wanting to give this man the satisfaction of winning.

“Who are you?” Blaine asked, his voice hard.

“Now, I don’t mean to be rude, but considering I’m just going to kill you anyway, I don’t see the point in introductions.” Tom took a step forward. “Any last words, Blaine?” Blaine screwed his eyes shut.

“Kurt, Kurt are you there?”

“I’m here, Blaine! Please, there’s a way out! Use the fire escape! Get out please!” Kurt sobbed.

“Kurt, I don’t know if you can hear me, but I love you.”

“Blaine!”

“I love you so much. I’m so sorry.”

“BLAINE!” Kurt watched as Tom raised the gun in his hand and began repeatedly firing into Blaine’s chest, bullet after bullet, emptying the clip. Blood splattered out of the holes in Blaine’s flesh, painting the balcony in red. “BLAINE!” Blaine’s body became slack as it hit the ground with a thud. Kurt cried out in agony, remembering every time he’d ever seen Blaine die, and knowing that this time, there was no saving the boy he loved.

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,” Blaine muttered, and Kurt could tell it was taking every last bit of fight Blaine had to get this out. His last words. “While loving someone deeply gives you courage.” Blaine swallowed thickly. “Until we meet again, my love, courage.”

“BLAINE NO PLEASE!” But Blaine was gone. “BLAAAINE!” The image faded away and Kurt was back in his cell, sobs rupturing out of his chest. He was still banging his head against the wall, and he could feel warmth spilling down his neck; apparently he’d been knocking harder than he thought. Blaine. Blaine was… How? How could this have happened? The man he loved more than anything, was-

Kurt had spent his entire life trying to protect Blaine. It’s what he lived for. Blaine, the most important person in the universe. The boy destined to save the world. Dead.

The revelation left Kurt numb. He still felt the thick liquid falling down his back, never halting the knocking, unable to stop because blaineisgoneblaineisgoneblaineisgone. He hears himself muttering again (Blaine. Blaine. Blaine) in time with the knocking. He can feel himself slipping. He wants it. He welcomes the clouding vision and the unconsciousness he can feel creping upon him. Kurt began to hit his head harder, willing the darkness to come sooner.

It dawns on Kurt then that he may just knock himself out. That he may be unconscious but still alive, and he doesn’t want that- doesn’t want to live in a world where the man he loves is gone. He stops the banging, and it hurts more because the constant motion subsided the pain, whereas the void screamed it. Kurt glanced around his cell and was reminded that there was absolutely nothing else there other than his cot. Kurt slid off the edge, dropping to his knees hard because his head felt like it was swimming and he was having trouble seeing because he’d lost so much blood.

Kurt dropped to his hands, unable to sit up, and his arms shook with the burden of holding his weight. Kurt moved his head slowly and looked at the construction that held up his cot, but his vision was foggy and he felt a trail of warmth spill onto his temple. He forced himself to move one of his hands so he could test the bars under his bed, and noted that one of them was somewhat loose. Kurt closed his eyes because the warmth was spilling into his eyes and with Blaine’s last word echoing in his head, he forced the bar from the bed.

He used the very last of his strength to force himself into a sitting position. Kurt closed his eyes, picturing Blaine and himself, the future they’d never have. He saw them walking in New York, hand in hand. He saw himself proposing to Blaine. Burt walking him down the aisle as Blaine stood, crying and smiling, next to Sam and Tom. The two of them standing in a hospital room with their surrogate giving birth to their first child. Then their second. And third. He saw them taking their kids to school. To days in the park. Birthdays. Graduations. Marriages. Anniversaries. Sitting on a porch hand in hand while their grandchildren played in the front yard. Growing old together.

“I’m sorry, Blaine. I’m sorry we can’t have all those things. But you were right. Our love is the greatest love. You kept your promise. I’m getting out of this hell. I’m coming home to you.” Kurt drive the bar into his chest with all the force he could muster, every last bit of courage and strength he had left. The last thing he saw was honey.




“You alright, kid?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Hey, Uncle, Ben?”

“Yeah, kid?”

“What’s that over there?”

“Where?”

“That island.”

“There’s nothing there, Blaine.” Blaine looked out at the horizon, leaning against the railing of the of his uncle’s balcony. Blaine squinted to try and see better, but it was twilight. He thought maybe he was just imagining it, but after staring long and hard and the spot on the horizon, he was positive that there was an island there. Blaine wondered why Uncle Ben couldn’t see it. “You’ve been in Ohio too long.” Blaine sighed. That was true. He was starting to go mad in Lima. Everything reminded him of Kurt. “You gotta come visit me more often.”

“Yeah,” Blaine said absently. He loved Uncle Ben, but the man lived in New York, which is where he and Kurt had always dreamt of being together.

“I’m going to go get another beer,” Uncle Ben said before patting Blaine on the shoulder and walking back into his apartment. Blaine continued to stare at the island.

Suddenly, a pain seared through Blaine’s chest, and it felt like all the oxygen had been drained from the world. Blaine gasped for air, but he felt like he was drowning. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong. Blaine felt a sharp tug on his chest, then- emptiness. Something was missing, but he didn’t know what. The air came back and Blaine greedily inhaled, but something was off. He felt, lighter somehow. He felt like some part of him was gone, like a puzzle with a missing piece. Blaine’s brow knit together, and when he looked up, the island was gone.