Pretty sure that it was literally Satan himself who gave me this idea.

"Hey, Kurt, hold up!"

"I'll be right back," Kurt told Blaine softly, squeezing his husband's hand once before turning to face Kitty, who was lingering near center stage. "What's up?"

"Mason and Roderick wanted another demonstration of breathing technique again," she said, tilting her head to acknowledge the boys flanking her. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt me to make sure I got it all right, too."

"Not a problem," Kurt said, wandering back over to his students as the rest of the auditorium cleared out. "Everyone standing with their feet planted?"

They nodded, and Kurt started the familiar lecture, pleased that they were taking the upcoming competition seriously even if none of them were planning on going pro, as far as he knew.

I should probably ask everyone what they're thinking about for college, shouldn't I? he mused as he instructed. If anyone wants to go to New York, Blaine and I could let them borrow our couch for a day or two.

Kurt was making Mason practice inhaling from his belly when they heard the first disturbance.

"No, Skylar, I can't help you petition the school board to start separate classes for the Warblers. I think that's technically illegal," Blaine said, trying not to pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration. He was grieving over the loss of Dalton too, so he understood the Warblers' dismay, but he was also getting a little tired of their obstinacy. "Just - do some outside research on topics you find interesting that McKinley's not covering. It'll show initiative."

"Good suggestion, Mr. Anderson," Skylar said in a tone that implied the opposite. "I'll keep that in mind."

He broke off to join the other Warblers, who were clustered in the far corner of the choir room. Blaine left them to their own devices and joined Rachel and Mr. Schue - no, Will, I'm supposed to call him Will now. Ugh, that's too weird - who were discussing possible song choices.

"Will, you know I respect and love you so much, but if we do another disco week, I'm going to have to quit," Rachel was saying, much to Blaine's chagrin - disco week was awesome!

Before Will could defend his case, though, a chilling noise echoed down the hall, making everyone freeze.

"Not again," Blaine whispered, feeling terror start to claw at his stomach. He shook his head and fought it down, running to help Mr. Schue - always Mr. Schue in times of crisis - barricade the main door with the piano.

"Jane! Get the lights," Mr. Schue hissed. "Spencer! Skylar! See if you can slide the trophy case in front of the other door."

The students hurriedly did as they were told, clumsy in their panic but not too loud, fortunately. Once the doors were secured, Mr. Schue motioned for everyone to scatter around the perimeter of the choir room.

"Is everyone back?" Rachel asked, soft and hoarse. Murmurs filled the room as multiple headcounts were taken.

"Mason," Madison said, voice breaking. "Where's my brother? Where'd he go?!"

"I don't see Roderick, either," Spencer said. "Or Kitty."

"They were with-" Blaine said, choking as he remembered. "Kurt. Oh my God, they were with Kurt in the auditorium."

The helplessness in Rachel's eyes - the unstoppable Rachel Berry - was what made Blaine finally burst into tears.

"None of you get out of my sightline, got it?" Kurt said, locking eyes with Mason, Roderick, and Kitty in turn to show how serious he was. They all nodded, faces pale and tight. "This way."

Kurt led them to the back corner of the stage right wings, where the Cheerios' spare laundry carts were kept.

"Everyone in," Kurt ordered. "We'll hide in these until the shooter's gone."

Kurt saw Mason and Roderick split off and take their own baskets, but Kitty hung close to him, following him inside the cart he chose.

"Do you mind?" she whispered, not meeting his eyes. "I just...need to see that someone else is alive."

"Hey," Kurt said, reaching out to squeeze her drawn-up knee. "I get it. It's okay."

"God, I can't believe this is happening again," Kitty said, taking breaths so rhythmic Kurt assumed she must be counting beats in her head. "Wasn't the shooting last year enough? What did I do to deserve to go through this twice?"

"Kitty, this is not your fault," Kurt said fiercely. He untied his ascot and offered it to her so she could wipe her now-streaming eyes. "Do you hear me? This is not your fault. You didn't cause some sick bastard to come here."

Kitty just sat there and cried, leaving Kurt feeling more helpless than ever, especially when he realized that he didn't actually know if Blaine was safe or not.

"We've gotta go find them," Madison said, radiating determination. "We've gotta make sure they're alright."

"I'm with you," Spencer said, crawling over to her spot on the floor. "This shooter probably doesn't even know where they're going. If we get in and get out quickly-"

"No one's going anywhere," Mr. Schue interrupted, low and harsh. "We don't know where the shooter is, guys, they could be right outside-"

"Shh!" Jane hissed by the door, suddenly alert. "I hear footsteps."

Everyone froze, straining for the noise. Blaine pulled Rachel closer - she had scooted over to him the second he'd started crying - and waited.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are," an unfamiliar male voice taunted. "You promised you'd give me a shot."

Blaine thought he was going to be sick. He could see the Warblers forming an even tighter puppy pile - he had no better phrase to describe their current formation - on the far side of the room and was hit with a sudden, random wave of gladness that Myron was home sick that day. Blaine himself was having a hard time handling the stress of the situation - a thirteen year old would probably have been unresponsive by then.

Just then, the doorknob rattled, prompting a harsh intake of breath from Jane. She covered her mouth immediately, tears pouring down her face, but evidently the shooter didn't hear her, as he didn't try to force the door open. Twenty long seconds later, Mr. Schue tentatively lifted the blind to look out of the window in the door.

"No one's there," he said. "But stay put. I don't know which way he turned at the end of the hall - he might be heading for the auditorium. We have to trust that Kurt and the others are smart enough to take cover, okay?"

Blaine didn't like it, but he nodded along to Mr. Schue's plan, noting that Madison and Spencer did the same.

"Kurt's survived tougher than this," Rachel whispered, sounding as if she were trying to convince herself as much as Blaine. "He won't let some piddling school shooter take him down."

"Unless he's trying to protect the kids," Blaine replied, sick feeling still firmly in his gut. "If he thinks one of them is danger...God, Rachel. I just got him back."

Blaine broke down in another round of tears, vaguely aware that Rachel had shifted so she could stroke his hair and shush him.

"Mason? Roderick? You guys okay?" Kurt asked as loudly as he dared. Two yeses came back quickly, leaving him satisfied that no one had blacked out from fear in the other carts. "Kitty?"

"Is 'okay' really a word that can be used in this situation?" she snarked, but none of her usual heat was behind it. Still, Kurt was happy she'd felt up to teasing. "God, I wish we were in the choir room. It's torture not knowing if everyone's safe."

"They've got Mr. Schue, Blaine, and Rachel," Kurt said. "They're fine."

"I'm even worried about those idiot Warblers," Kitty continued, ignoring his weak reassurance. "I may be considering bleaching their blazers, but I still don't want them dead."

"Those blazers could probably stop a bullet, if they haven't changed the material since my time there," Kurt said, letting out a weak chuckle. "They're probably safer than anyone else."

"I forgot you went there," Kitty said. "What was it like?"

Kurt didn't want to blather too much, afraid the shooter could sneak in unnoticed, but he could see that Kitty just needed something to fill the silence. "A little less stiff than it is now, believe it or not. I can't believe they got even more uptight, but I guess that's Blaine's influence for you. He charmed everyone into loving him there - some of us more thoroughly than others." He wiggled his left hand, making his wedding ring glint in the dim lighting, and smiled at the memory of that day.

Kitty stared at his fingers for a moment before saying quietly, "I heard about your attack in New York last spring. I know it was because you were trying to help some other guy. If you pull that avenging hero shit here, though, I'll kill you."

"Wh-"

"I saw what Blaine was like the first time you guys broke up. I also saw how happy you both were when you got surprise hitched. If you do something to fuck up that joy, I swear to God I'll kill you myself," she said fiercely. "All of us getting out of here safely includes you, Kurt."

"As long as you know it includes you, too," Kurt replied. They shared a long, intense look, making Kurt feel they'd come to an understanding.

Just then, the overhead speakers crackled to life.

"Attention students. This is Chief Marcie O'Leary of the Lima PD. The shooter has been caught. Repeat, the shooter has been caught. Please report to the main entrance for a headcount ASAP."

Blaine nearly headbutted Rachel after the announcement came over the speakers, he stood up so quickly. With Spencer and Madison's assistance, he rolled the piano away from the door and started sprinting toward the auditorium, the two of them hot on his heels.

"Mason! Mason!" Madison yelled once they'd arrived.

"Madison?" a voice replied from the back left corner. They ran toward the sound, discovering-

"Mason!" Madison screeched, flinging herself at her brother. "Don't you ever leave my side again, you hear me? I was so worried - and I didn't know what I was gonna tell Mom and Dad-"

"Oh, like I was any less worried," Mason said, heated. "For all I knew, the shooter had targeted the choir room and we were the only ones left."

"Where are the others?" Spencer asked.

Mason pointed at the other carts, prompting Spencer to walk over and peer into one.

"Roderick! Man, why are you still in there?"

"My legs fell asleep," Roderick said. "I need a little help."

Blaine left Spencer and Mason to assist him, choosing to check out the third cart instead.

"Kurt! Kitty!" he said, feeling his knees go a little weak as his tension dissipated. "Are you okay?"

"Just relieved," Kurt said, tearstained but otherwise okay. "God, I was so worried about you-"

"I was so worried about you!" Blaine said, offering Kitty a hand out and then Kurt. Once Kurt was on solid ground again, Blaine engulfed him in a hug, feeling Kurt cling on just as tightly.

"I love you," Kurt whispered, pressing closer to Blaine like he wanted to fuse together.

"I love you too," Blaine said, kissing Kurt's collarbone - the nearest place to his lips - over and over again. "Next time you lead some extra practice, I'm staying with you no matter what."

"I was considering buying us handcuffs," Kurt joked, voice thick with tears.

"You mean to tell me you two don't already own handcuffs?" Kitty interjected, voice acerbic but a genuine smile on her face. "I'm shocked."

"We don't need handcuffs when Blaine owns so many ties," Kurt fired back. He stepped away to give her a quick side-hug, the look in his eyes leading Blaine to believe that they'd bonded over something in that laundry cart.

Kitty got a horrified look on her face. "Thanks, Kurt, now I can never look either of you in the eyes again."

"You'll get over it," Kurt said. "C'mon, we need to meet back up with everyone and check in with the police. I'm sure Rachel's panicking since we haven't come back yet."

"As long as we're going together, I'll go anywhere you want," Blaine replied, walking up to Kurt and taking his hand tightly.

"I don't plan on going anywhere without you. I'm never saying goodbye to you, remember?"

"Vividly," Blaine said, tucking himself into Kurt's side and finally letting himself relax.