SIX

I was crouched down clinging to Annie, holding her tight against my chest as she sobbed. I looked at Blaine but my vision was blurred by my own tears.

“You have me now, let them go,” Blaine said. Finch just laughed.

“Did you honestly think I was going to let them leave?” I closed my eyes and hugged Annie tighter. Blaine pulled against the bonds that held his limbs in place.

“Bastard,” he spat out. Finch moved towards Blaine and punched him.

Now positioned behind Finch’s back, I twisted Annie around to face me.

“Run, sweetheart. Get out of this building, head to the road. Find people and try to get to your Uncle Wes ok,” I said urgently. It was hardly safe but it was safer than her staying here. I hugged her close to me for a second and kissed her hair. She was shaking, tears coursing down her face but she’d always been good at picking up on moods. She knew not to argue. I stood up straight and nudged her to the door.

I charged at Finch, barrelling into him and bringing us both to the ground. It wasn’t a fight I could hope to win but I had to cause a distraction, give Annie time to run. Finch easily managed to get on top of me and he smacked my head down on the concrete floor underneath me. I slumped, conscious but dazed.

For a moment I thought of Annie’s future. She’d go to Lima, Dad and Carol would look after her. Tears trickled down my face. Finch grabbed me and pulled me up and shoved me back down on to my knees in front of Blaine’s chair.

I felt a gun pressed to my temple. I raised my eyes to meet Blaine’s. They were wide a fearful.

“Please don’t. Kill me, he never did anything to you,” Blaine begged Finch and it suddenly struck me, Blaine was no longer the calm collected agent, he was a civilian now. We weren’t getting out of this. The last of my hope died.

I didn’t tell him I loved him, I didn’t need to, he knew. Even if our last words to each other had been angry we knew our love for each other was as strong as it ever was.

“Where’s the girl?” Finch asked suddenly, clearly having just noticed that she was missing.

“She’s gone. Ages ago.” I replied. I watched the flash of relief over Blaine’s face. Finch was clearly having an internal debate. He probably wanted to chase her but knew he couldn’t leave us here.

Blaine was mouthing something at me. I frowned trying to work out what he was saying. My eyes widened when I finally did, ‘attack’. I didn’t wait I dropped to my side and kicked my legs out to knock Finch down to the ground, he fell and I launched myself on, wrenching the gun out of his hand while he recovered from the shock of my sudden attack. I brought the butt of the gun down onto his head hard, knocking him out. I scrambled up quickly rushing over to Blaine. I wrestled with the rope that tied his wrists together; I could see where he’d already pulled on the bonds and rubbed his skin raw. Finally I got him free.

Before I could register anything his arms were around me and his head was buried in my neck. He lifted his head after a second and looked me in the eye.

“I love you,” he said quietly, sincerely.

“I love you too,” I replied and pressed my lips to his. My husband, my Blaine, was in my arms once more. “We need to find Annie,” I said once I broke away from the kiss.

From behind us there was a clunk and a whoosh. I turned to see a fire spread at an alarming rate through the boxes that were marked flammable. I looked back to Finch, who was conscious but still lying on the ground, he grinned at me and I figured he’d thrown a lighter.

“Good luck finding your way out before this whole place burns down,” he said.

“We need to go now, Kurt,” Blaine said pulling me towards the door. I began to cough as smoke started to fill my lungs.

Once we were out in the corridor Blaine pulled me to a stop and quickly pulled the scarf from my neck and tied it around my head so it covered my mouth a nose.

“Do you know the way?” I asked as we began to move again.

“No, I didn’t make it past the front door conscious,” he replied. I swore because I couldn’t remember the way. We kept moving.

It wasn’t long before we heard a voice calling out that made my heart go cold with fear and warm with relief at the same time.

“Daddy,” she called. Blaine and I shared a look before we ran in the direction of the voice. When we found Annie Blaine scooped her into his arms and held her tight. I pulled the scarf from my face and tied it around hers, giving her what protection from the smoke I could. I pressed a kiss to her cheek.

“I’m scared,” she said, holding onto Blaine tightly.

“We’re getting out of here, Angel,” Blaine replied. The three of us, reunited, began to make out way through the winding corridors, smoke and fire chasing us. I caught sight of the front door down a corridor that we were passing. I shouted to Blaine just as the ceiling above us gave out and rafters fell down. I threw myself backwards.

When everything settled I looked up at the barrier that separated me from the rest of my family and them from the front door.

“Kurt? Kurt?” I could hear Blaine calling for my desperately.

“I’m ok, you two?” I said pulling myself to my feet.

“We’re fine but there’s no way to shift this.”

“I can see the door Blaine.”

“Then go, get out, I’ll find us another way out.”

“No, I’m not leaving you in here.”

“You don’t have a choice, go,”

“I love you both,” I shouted back through the barrier, tears coursing down my cheeks. I could feel smoke filling my lungs and causing me struggle to pull in breaths.

“Love you too,” Blaine replied. I turned and ran to the door.

I pulled on the handle but nothing happened. I cried out in frustration, banging on the door but it didn’t help. With no choice I headed back to the fallen ceiling.

“I can’t get out,” I shouted but there was no answer, I realised Blaine hadn’t wasted time; he was already trying to find his own way out.

As I walked I looked into every room, hoping to find a window I could break to climb out of. By the time I did, I was coughing constantly, barely pulling in enough air to keep moving and stumbling slightly. I didn’t even bother to find something to smash the window; I punched it, barely feeling the glass dig into my hand. I clambered out, glass ripping my clothes and tearing my skin. I hit the ground hard, wincing at the impact but trying desperately to pull in fresh air.

Once I was breathing somewhat normally, I was still wheezing but I could deal with that, I pulled myself to my feet once more. Disorientated I began to walk to the corner of the building. Once I got there I realised I had walked to the back. I wondered where Blaine and Annie were. I figured they were still inside so I began to run the front, hoping to find some way of getting help.

I was thrown off my feet across the open ground by an explosion ripping through the house.

It barely had time to register before I hit the ground and everything went black.