When Kurt awoke the next morning, his head hurt, and his throat was dry. He willed himself not to throw up when Carole came to get him up for the Sunday Service, which was being led by Captain Figgins himself.

Kurt didn't believe in God. He hadn't for a very long time. Of course his family knew this, but as he'd been told countless times, it was for appearance's sake only that he come with them.

So he managed to get up, and while he was getting dressed, there was a knock on his cabin door.

"Come in?"

The door opened, and Sebastian walked in.

"Out!" he barked at the maid who'd been in the process of remaking Kurt's bed. She jumped and quickly left. Kurt felt dread pool in his stomach. "Mr. Hummel, don't you look lovely today?" he said sarcastically.

"Get out." Kurt fought the urge to wince; his dry throat stung a little, and he cursed himself for not getting any water to drink when he'd awakened earlier. Sebastian took no notice.

"Mr. Hummel," he said curtly, "Have you thought about our chat last night?"

Kurt scowled.

"I have." he said flatly.

Sebastian crossed his arms and walked over to him, no warmth or kind feeling emanating from his body.

The young man hid his fright, did not back away. He would not let Sebastian within ten feet of Blaine alone. Ever.

"No." he said firmly, crossing his arms and keeping his tone even. "Tell my father whatever you want, but I will never willingly let scum like yourself anywhere near Blaine. While you're here, do tell me -- where on Earth did you find that suit? I wasn't aware pre-nineteenth century fashion was still acceptable in society -- especially a suit that unseemly."

Sebastian stared at Kurt in disbelief and anger. Kurt turned, and reached for his suit jacket, quickly pulling it on before tying his tie and making sure his hair was carefully styled before heading for the door.

"Are you coming?" he asked before pushing the door open. "Don't want to be late, do we?"

He turned and went to go visit Rachel, hoping he could distract himself from thinking of what the consequences of his actions the previous night could be.

Luckily, his step-brother's fiancee was in a state, having been unable to decide on a dress to wear, which Kurt was only too happy to help out with.

He could think on Sebastian later.

----

Blaine's head was pounding when he woke up the next morning.

Cooper was right, I should have just not had any beer last night. he thought grimly.

"Coop?" he groaned, sitting up slowly. "I need some air, I'll be up on the decks."

Cooper merely moaned in reply from where he lay on the top bunk. He didn't know that, besides heaving over the side of the ship (which Blaine hoped wouldn't become an actuality considering how nauseated he felt), that his little brother had another motive:

Kurt.

Blaine knew he had feelings for the other teen. He also knew he'd spend the rest of the voyage going insane unless he told him right away.

He was heading for the Grand Staircase. Instinct told him it was the best place to look.

Luckily his stomach held out reasonably well, and so that was where he went. There weren't that many people about, so he wasn't questioned when he slipped down the steps and headed for the Dining Saloon.

Two stewards stood at the doors, and he could hear muffled singing.

Oh. Church. Of course there would be a service today.

But maybe...just maybe, he could get Kurt to step out for a moment or two.

He swallowed the lump in his throat and tried to ignore the still very present alcohol induced headache as he headed for the doors.

Unfortunately, both stewards stepped directly in his path.

"Sir, you can't be up here, this is First Class --" said one.

Blaine frowned.

"I know, I -- I was here just last night -- there's someone I need to talk to, please."

The stewards didn't budge. Blaine didn't want to cause a scene, but this was rediculous -- he only wanted five minutes -- just five minutes with Kurt.

The door opened, and the man he recognized as Sebastian's manservant, Puck, stepped out.

"He -- He can tell you that I was here. He knows --" he said desperately.

Puck looked at him, face expressionless.

"We both know your brother should've been arrested for his crimes," he said calmly. "However Mr. Hummel is glad that he acted with the best intention of saving his son, as is Mr. Smythe." Blaine stared at him, dumbfounded. "My employer asked me to give you a message."

Blaine shook his head.

"I don't want a message, I just want to talk to Kurt. Please."

Puck looked at the two stewards coolly.

"Would you two please escort Mr. Anderson back to his cabin in third class?" he said.

Blaine couldn't stop them from dragging him back down to the Third Class area, and he hated it.

---

"In trouble already, I see." Blaine looked up from where he was hunched over the rail, staring down at the ocean. Cooper had joined him. "Dave told me he saw the Stewards from First Class leave you here." Blaine said nothing. "Blaine, talk to me. What is it?"

Then suddenly, Blaine turned and flung his arms around his brother, unable to keep control of his emotions.

"Blaine, I -- Come on, kid -- talk to me." Cooper's arms came around him, holding him tightly. "We can get through it -- whatever it is, okay?"

Blaine nodded and looked up at him apprehensively.

"It's Kurt." he said. "I went to try to talk to him -- I didn't know where else to look, Coop -- I thought if I -- but the Stewards -- and then Sebastian's manservant -- They wouldn't let me --"

Cooper's eyes darkened.

"Did he hurt you?" he asked.

Blaine's jaw dropped.

"No, I -- he said Sebastian gave him a message to give to me, but I didn't want to hear it. Then he had the stewards bring me back here."

Cooper was silent for a moment. He had relaxed somewhat once assured that Blaine hadn't been harmed, but God it was so obvious why he'd gone to track Kurt down --

"You like him." he said finally. "You like Kurt."

It wasn't a question, and he could tell Blaine understood that.

"I'm in love with him, Coop." he confessed, voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what to do, and I can't go back -- I'll get into so much trouble if they see me --"

Cooper let go of him, expression thoughtful.

"Then don't let them see you." he said quietly. "The service is over by now, Blaine. If they're out on the decks you might be able to catch him and take him aside for a moment, but --" he looked seriously into his brother's eyes, hoping he understood the seriousness of what could happen if things went wrong. "If you're caught you don't wait for the Master At Arms to show up, you understand? You run back down to our cabin, and you stay there."

Blaine nodded and hugged Cooper once more.

"I love you, Coop." he mumbled.

Cooper sighed and pressed a soft kiss to the top of Blaine's head.

"I love you too, B."

---

"Completely unacceptable! What on Earth were you thinking?!" demanded Burt, rounding on his son as he paced the Sitting Room. He rarely raised his voice at Kurt unless he'd done something really stupid and according to whatever Sebastian had told him, it was one of those times. "Going off on your own --"

"I wasn't alone," Kurt said steadily as he could manage. "Blaine and Cooper were with me the whole time -- they wouldn't have let --"

Burt shook his head, fury evident in his expression.

"You don't know that. You don't know them."
"I know them a lot better than you think I do." Kurt mumbled, staring down at the carpet.

He heard Finn inhale sharply at his words.

"I'm sorry, Kurt, but you can't just go off on your own like that, with people who are practically strangers." said Burt. "You're not to see the Andersons anymore. You'll stay on A and B Deck for the remainder of the voyage -- is that understood?"

Kurt knew it was best to keep a full blown argument from happening. He would end up in more trouble, and worse -- he was terrified that it could lead to another heart attack. He couldn't lose his father.

"Yes sir," he muttered. "Finn and Rachel were going to take a walk on B-Deck. May I go with them?"
Burt considered him for a moment.

"Alright then." he said finally, and with that, Kurt turned and left the cabin to wait for his step-brother and his fiancee to join him.

---

"You sure about this, Cooper?" asked Dave. "If he gets caught, things could get really bad."

Cooper shrugged.

"Things got bad the second we saw that bastard shove Kurt Hummel down those steps, Dave. Besides, if I confined him to the cabin, he'd still have found a way to get there on his own."

"Could you two stop talking about me like I'm not here, and give me a hand?" Blaine asked, irritably, glaring at them as he gestured to the rail above their heads. "I can't use the gate or they'll see."

Dave snorted.

"So you want us to toss you up and over it, and you don't think they'll see that?" he asked.

Cooper rolled his eyes and wrapped his arm around his little brother's shoulders.

"The second you get up there, you find a way to disguise yourself, understand?" he instructed. "if you find Kurt, and he's willing to listen to you, then talk -- but you get back down to our cabin as fast as you can, okay?"

Blaine nodded. Cooper clapped him on the shoulder before both he and Dave lifted him up high enough that he could grab onto the railing and pull himself up far enough to get a good foothold. Once he'd done that, he swung his legs over and dropped onto the boat deck.

Now all he had to do was find Kurt.