Blaine fidgeted in his uncomfortable hospital bed. The silence in the room was awkward, as it had been ever since he'd woken up from a coma. Julie couldn't look at him for too long without tears welling up in her eyes and Cooper didn't smile at him normally; it was only tight-lipped and it looked incredibly forced. Michael was the only one that was relatively normal around Blaine, more so than usual.

Every time Blaine spoke to Julie, she gave him shallow answers and he couldn't help but think he'd done something wrong. The silence that always settled in his room suggested he had. He didn't understand how; he hadn't been able to actually do anything wrong. He'd been sitting in the same bed for a week and a half.

Blaine frowned as he looked around his room. Cooper was sitting in the seat at the door, as usual, playing a game on his phone, Michael sat on Blaine's left with his face hidden behind that morning's newspaper and Julie sat on the chair on the right side of Blaine's bed with her eyes closed although Blaine knew she wasn't sleeping; she was too tense. His eyes swept around the room again and then looked down at his hands clasped together on his lap as his brow knotted for the billionth time ever since that guy (Kurt, if he remembered correctly) had barged into his room. All Blaine's immediate family were with him… yet why did it feel as if something, or someone, was missing?

This thought had been troubling Blaine for a while. He couldn't understand who else would visit him; all his friends from Dalton would be in school and wouldn't be allowed to leave the grounds for visiting hours at the hospital. Blaine remembered a tall boy his age with blonde hair and green eyes and somehow he knew his name was Sam. Blaine knew this Sam guy but he had no idea how. He could be the person who was missing… but then there was Kurt as well. Michael had told Blaine to forget about that incident but as hard as he tried, it was nearly impossible. The boy seemed heartbroken when Blaine told him he didn't know who he was and Blaine, being the gentleman he was, wanted to get in contact with him and apologise. He just had no idea how to raise these thoughts to his parents.

“Blaine?” his father's voice pulled him from his thoughts. He looked up at Michael. “You okay?”

“Um…” Blaine bit his lip, debating whether or not to ask now.

“What is it, honey?” Julie's voice was soft and tentative from Blaine's other side and he felt her take his hand in hers.

“Who's Sam?” Blaine asked bluntly, looking directly into Julie's eyes. She looked slightly taken aback for a moment and Blaine didn't miss the way her eyes flickered towards Michael.

She cleared her throat. “Sam?”

Blaine nodded. “I don't remember anything, Mum but I can picture him and I know him somehow.”

“Sam's your friend, sweetheart,” Julie told him.

Blaine had been expecting this answer but it still hit him like a tonne of bricks. He thought he only had friends were from Dalton but since he had Sam and that guy Kurt, who seemed like a close friend, there must have been somewhere else he had friends that he couldn't remember… right?

“Could I see him?” Blaine asked tentatively.

Julie looked away from Blaine's eyes, instead focusing on her shoes. Blaine heard Michael inhale sharply beside him and Cooper had looked up from his phone.

“I don't know if that's a good idea, Blaine,” Michael said firmly. Blaine's head snapped round to look at him.

“Why not?” his question came out a lot more viciously than he'd intended it to.

“I just don't think it's suitable for you to see him,” Michael spoke as if Blaine was twelve years old.

“Dad, he's the only thing I can remember from the past two and a half years,” Blaine retorted in a softer tone than before.

Michael didn't reply so Blaine turned desperately to Julie.

“Mum?” he asked, his eyes boring into hers.

Julie's eyes had started to shine with tears as she stared at Blaine. She looked conflicted before she looked behind Blaine to Michael.

“Michael…” she said softly, a small plead in her tone of voice and Blaine got the idea that they'd argued about this over the past few days.

Michael sighed deeply as he looked into Julie's eyes. He looked like he was having a silent debate with himself as he thought about how to answer Julie. He worried the corner of the paper between his finger and thumb before he looked toward Cooper who was watching the conversation intensely.

Cooper shrugged when he met his father's eye. “You know how I feel on the matter.”

Michael looked back at Julie and sighed again before rubbing his eyes. He looked up at Blaine.

“… Alright,” he said tightly and whenever Blaine smiled broadly, he added, “I just don't want him to tell you anything that might upset you. You're still not that strong, Blaine and if he says something that scares you –“

“Dad,” Blaine cut him off, “I understand all that but he's also the only hope I have of getting back my memory at the minute.”

“That's not necessarily a good thing, Blaine,” Michael said quietly.

“Why?” Blaine frowned. “What could have possibly happened in the space of two and a half years that would make my life so terrible?”

A silence met Blaine's question and Michael looked down at the floor as Julie increased the pressure on Blaine's hand.

“A lot of things occurred, Blainers…” Julie started?

“Like what?” Blaine snapped. “Like I made new friends? Like I went somewhere different? Like I didn't stay refined in Dalton's grounds? What was so bad?”

Julie broke Blaine's gaze and bit her lip. The room was silent again as Blaine glared at his mother and father.

“Nothing bad happened,” Cooper spoke up but when Blaine looked at his brother, his gaze was fixed on the floor. “Just things that Dad wasn't proud of and didn't support.”

Blaine frowned and opened his mouth to speak but just then Kathy, the nurse, came in to check on him. Michael stood and abruptly left the room before the door had even time to close. Blaine glared after him and didn't even bother listening the happy banter Kathy was attempting, oblivious to what had just happened in the room. Cooper looked up to find Blaine's eyes directly on him and looked away quickly, fiddling awkwardly with a loose thread on his sleeve before rising and following Michael.

Blaine let out a frustrated grunt but he quickly got distracted with the needle Kathy was about to stick into his arm.

***

“I don't understand this Maths,” Tina complained as she stared at the book in front of her as if the answers were going to jump out of it.

Sam looked up at her from across the table and sighed as he turned the book towards him. He looked at it but shrugged; the numbers didn't make any sense to him and Tina was in the class above him anyway.

“Like I could help,” he grunted and pushed the book back towards her. He sat back in the kitchen chair and yawned widely, rubbed his eyes and then stretched.

“You need to get some sleep, Sam,” Tina commented, looking at him with a worried expression.

“Dude, you can't talk,” Sam countered. “I'm willing to bet you get three hours a night tops.” His head dropped into his arms on the table.

There was quiet for a minute before Tina sighed and set her pencil down.

“You're right.” Sam peeked up at her with one eye, the other side of his face still buried in his arms. “But how are we supposed to sleep when our best friend is in hospital and he doesn't even…” she glanced quickly at the open door, “he doesn't even remember us.”

Sam lifted his head but kept his eyes downcast, afraid that if he looked at Tina his eyes would start welling up with tears. They hadn't talked about Blaine since the night he'd woken up; Sam had phoned her as soon as Kurt got home and explained everything. She'd cried and they'd tried their best to comfort each other but to no avail. After that, they had somehow silently decided it was best they didn't talk about it.

“God, I feel so sorry for Kurt,” Sam muttered and looked up at Tina who nodded in agreement.

“I know,” she sighed sadly and picked at her nail polish. “If it's this hard for us, think how bad it must be for him.”

Sam didn't say anything. He reached across the table and took Tina's hand. She met his gaze and attempted a smile but it was watery and pathetic as she tried to stop the tears from streaming down her face. Sam rubbed his thumb over her knuckle and grabbed her other hand in his. Her squeezed her hands and looked straight into her eyes as she sniffed.

“We'll get through this,” he assured. Tina couldn't say anything but she nodded as her tears started. “Tina…” Sam said softly.

“I'm sorry,” Tina sniffed, wiping her cheeks. “I shouldn't be – it's stupid… Kurt's the one who should be…” a sob cut her off.

Sam got up, walked over to her side of the table and hugged her tightly as she buried her head in his shoulder.

“You guys okay?”

Sam looked up and saw Burt standing in the doorway. Tina retracted herself from Sam's arms and wiped the tears from her face quickly before looking up at Burt.

“We're fine, thanks Mr Hummel,” Tina replied, forcing a smile.

“You sure?” Burt asked. He looked to Sam with a concerned look on his face.

Sam nodded. “Yeah, we'll be okay.”

Burt looked sceptical but didn't say anything. He walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge, starting to make himself a sandwich.

“You kids want anything?” Burt asked, glancing over his shoulder; Sam's arm was wrapped tightly around Tina.

Sam was about to reply whenever his phone buzzed from where it was sitting on the table. He lifted it up and frowned when he saw Blaine's mother calling him.

“Hello?” he asked nervously. Tina, who had seen the caller ID looked confused.

“Hi Sam, this is Blaine's mum,” Julie said; her voice lacked its usual chirpiness.

“Hey Mrs Anderson,” Sam replied. “Can I help you with something?”

Sam heard her sigh and his eyes widened as she answered his question. He felt a strange giddiness come over him as he started to smile but then he looked back at Tina's red, puffy eyes full of unshed tears and his smile fell immediately. He directed his eyes at a dent in the table as Julie continued speaking. Burt had taken his seat at the head of the table and was now also watching Sam.

Sam hung up after saying goodbye and set his phone down on the table. He stared at it in disbelief and sat back in his chair, only vaguely hearing the questions Tina and Burt were asking him. His head was full of what Julie had just said to him and the mixture of emotions he was feeling.

“Sam!” Tina snapped her fingers in front of his face and forced him out of his reverie. He looked up at her intrigued expression.

“What?”

“What did she say?” Burt asked eagerly.

“Blaine…” Sam took a deep breath and looked back down at the table. “He remembers me.”

Burt's jaw had gone slack and Tina gasped sharply. Sam risked a look up but instead of seeing Burt or Tina, he caught Kurt standing in the door to the kitchen. Pity filled Sam's chest as he looked at Kurt whose hand was covering his open mouth.

“Shit, Kurt – I…”

Burt and Tina also looked round to see him standing there.

“What exactly did Julie say?” Kurt asked quietly, his hand falling from his mouth and pointing at Sam's phone sitting on the table.

“She – uh – she said that Blaine asked her earlier today who Sam was and she told them I was his friend. She said he wanted me to go visit him…” Sam trailed off.

“Just you?” Kurt's voice was small.

Sam cleared his throat. “Apparently he only remembers me but even that is sketchy.”

Everyone was silent as they took in the information. Kurt's face was void of emotion and Tina's hand had somehow found its way back into Sam's. Burt had risen from his chair and looked as if he was going to move toward Kurt but had stopped halfway.

“Look, Kurt,” Sam broke the quiet. “I'm really sorry. I won't go if you –“

“No,” Kurt cut him off and when Sam looked up at him, Kurt's eyes were full of tears. “You should go.” His voice broke.

“You sure?” Sam asked hesitantly.

Kurt nodded once. “Yeah... Blaine wants you to go so you should go. A-and who knows? Maybe you can regenerate some sort of memory within him.”

Sam doubted it very much, as did Burt and Tina it seemed if the way they tensed at Kurt's suggestion was anything to go by… but when Sam saw Kurt struggling to hold his façade together, he guessed Kurt didn't believe his own words either.

“Look Kurt, if it's too hard for you, I promise I won't go. I don't want to see you upset,” Sam told him sincerely.

“It's okay Sam – really,” he took a shaky breath and his bottom lip trembled as he continued, “If seeing you makes Blaine happy…” he swallowed loudly, “then I'm happy too.”

Sam felt as if he was being stabbed in the heart. He rose suddenly from his chair and walked towards Kurt in a few quick strides. Kurt was crying steadily when Sam reached him and pulled him tightly into his chest. Kurt wrapped his arms around Sam's torso and cried into his shoulder.

Sam felt like a sponge of late. He seemed to be the person soaking up everyone's tears. Glee club hadn't been mandatory that week since Mr Shue thought people wouldn't feel like showing up with Blaine not there but everyone came anyway. They sang songs Blaine had either loved or songs that got out how that individual was feeling.

***

“Mr Schue?” Sam raised his hand and everyone turned to look at him. He felt like hitting the ones who gave him pitying looks or forced smiles, which was basically everyone apart from Tina and Brittany.

“Yes Sam?”

“Is it alright if I sing something?”

Mr Schue smiled at him and gestured to the floor beside the piano. “Of course.”

Sam got up and grabbed his guitar off the stand beside the drums. He threw the strap over his shoulder and dragged a stool into the middle of the room, sitting down on it and rearranging his guitar so it sat in a comfortable position. He looked up at his peers; Ryder, Jake and Artie looked nervous, Kitty looked bored, Joe and Sugar seemed uncomfortable, Marley's and Wade's hands were holding onto one another's; Tina and Brittany were already crying.

Sam cleared his throat. “Y'all know who this is for,” he said before starting to play.

When you're down and troubled, and you need a helping hand

And nothing, nothing is going right, close your eyes and think of me

And soon I will be there, to brighten up even your darkest night

Sam paused and took a deep breath before going onto the chorus. His eyes swept across everyone's faces; Sugar and Marley were now crying too.

You just call out my name, and you know wherever I am

I'll come running to see you again, winter, spring, summer or fall, all you have to do is call

And I'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah

You've got a friend

Sam took another shaky breath before going into the chorus and second verse. More people were crying now and Mr Schue was looking extremely worried. Sam could feel a lump rising in his throat but he swallowed it quickly; he wasn't going to cry now. He continued into the final chorus.

You've got a friend, you just call out my name

And you know wherever I am, I'll come running to see you again

Winter, spring, summer or fall, all you've got to do is call

Lord, I'll be there, yes I will

You've got a friend.

Ain't it good to know you've got a friend

Ain't it good to know you've got a friend

You've got a friend.

Sam didn't even realise he'd closed his eyes until he opened them at the end of the performance and saw the entire glee club comforting each other. He took another shaky breath, stood up and set his guitar down. No sooner had he straightened up than Marley had launched herself at him, crying into his shirt. Wade soon followed Marley and threw his arms around her and Sam, crying into Sam's other shoulder. Sam stood there awkwardly as everyone else slowly gathered around him in a big group hug. He felt his shirt getting damp from everyone's tears and when they all finally pulled away, he grabbed his guitar and left the room as fast as he could; he couldn't handle people crying into his shirt or shoulder or whatever unless he initiated the comforting.

He felt like a drowned rat and he hadn't even cried but he didn't intend to; he ran to the gym as quickly as he could. He changed into shorts, trainers and a tank top then turned his iPod up as loud as it would go before starting his weight lifting. He stayed in the showers longer than normal once he'd finished his work out. He was trying to get the feeling of other people's tears off of him, to shift the feeling he was the only stable person at school, to stop the dull ache in his chest when he thought of his best friend forgetting him forever… to let his own tears fall freely. At least then he could just pretend it was only the shower's water.

***

Sam didn't exactly know what to do as he walked down the corridor to Blaine's room. In fact, he'd been on edge ever since Burt had dropped him off in front of the doors and told him where Blaine's room was situated. He didn't know what Blaine would look like even though Kurt had assured him he wasn't too bashed up; just a few bruised ribs and a dislocated shoulder. He kept moving the box of chocolates from one hand to the other and chewing on the inside of his cheek. His hands were clammy and he kept running his hands through his messy hair.

Sam smiled nervously when he spotted Julie sitting on the cushioned chair outside Blaine's room. She smiled back at him and stood up to give him a quick hug.

“Hey Mrs Anderson,” he greeted when she pulled back.

“Hello Sam,” she said. “How are you?”

Sam let out a shaky breath and his eyes flickered over to Blaine's room which had the blinds closed over the window in the door.

“I'm alright,” he choked out.

Julie sensed his discomfort and placed a hand on his elbow.

“He's okay, you know. A little confused on what the date is and stuff but he's still Blaine,” she assured him. “Just remember he doesn't know you, he only remembers you.”

Sam smiled despite her warning. “I know, thank you.”

“No worries, honey,” she chewed on her lip for a moment. “Depending on how long you're in there, I mightn't be here when you come out. In case I'm gone and I don't get to say it, could you… c-could you send my best to Kurt? I haven't spoken to him ever since he last came to see Blaine and I feel terrible. He looked so heartbroken…”

“I'll be sure to pass on the message, Mrs A,” Sam said with a small smile.

“Thank you,” she said gratefully. “I guess I'll take you in now.”

She turned around and opened the door, walking in and gesturing for Sam to follow. He took a steadying breath and stepped in after her. his eyes immediately fell on Blaine, propped up on pillows reading a book; his curls were free, there was a little bruising on the right side of his face and his cheek bones were more prominent than usual but other than that, he looked just the same as he always did.

“Blaine, sweetheart,” Julie said softly, walking towards Blaine's bed. Blaine looked up and saw Sam straight away. His jaw went slack and he dropped his book onto his lap; Sam smiled nervously at him. “This is Sam.”

“Hey,” Sam said with an awkward wave. Blaine closed his mouth and gave his head a small shake as he cleared his throat.

“Hi,” Blaine replied.

“I'm going home to make your father his dinner. Cooper and I will be back in a few hours, okay?” Julies said to Blaine although he just nodded, not even looking in her direction. Julie left the room quietly, leaving Sam and Blaine in an awkward silence, looking directly at each other.

Sam took a step forward and set the box of chocolates down on the table beside Blaine's bed.

“Do you mind if I sit?” Sam asked, gesturing to the chair beside the bed.

“Not at all,” Blaine shook his head slightly. “Go ahead.”

Sam sat down and there was another silence for a while before Blaine spoke again.

“So you're Sam.”

“Yeah,” Sam nodded and smiled at him. “That's me. We were, like, bros.”

Blaine frowned. “Bros?”

“Oh you're still all dapper, I forgot,” Sam said. “We were best friends.”

“Oh…” Blaine's voice was small. “I'm really sorry I can't remember anything, it's just it's a big –“

“Dude, it's cool,” Sam said, raising a hand to cut Blaine off. “I get it.”

“So could you – could you tell me what my life is like?” Blaine asked tentatively.

Sam met his eye and couldn't help the pity he felt towards Blaine as he saw the confused and scared look in them.

“Well – uh – I didn't know you that well until the start of this year…” Sam went on to explain when they'd first met and how they became friends. He told stories about memories they'd shared which made Blaine laugh and some of the stories shocked him that he'd been brash enough to so some of the stuff Sam told him. He asked questions that Sam answered easily until forty-five minutes later, they were both laughing at the day they'd dressed up as superheroes and stolen their Nationals trophy back from the Warblers when Blaine asked something Sam didn't know how to answer.

“Who was that guy who came the night I woke up?” Blaine asked and his voice lacked the merriness it had merely seconds before.

Sam swallowed. “Who's that?”

“He came in and he was holding my hand and he started crying when I told him I didn't know who he was. His name was Kurt or something,” Blaine had looked away from Sam and was staring off into thin air. Sam didn't say anything and then Blaine added, “Do you know him?”

“I – uh – yeah… I do.”

Blaine turned to look at Sam so quickly, his neck cricked. “You do?” His eyes were wide and excited.

“I actually live with him,” Sam said, not knowing if he should go on or not.

Blaine frowned. “Why?”

“When I moved back from Kentucky last year, I had nowhere to stay so I live with Kurt and his brother Finn now,” he explained.

Blaine looked like he was deliberating asking a question for a minute before he spoke.

“C-can I ask you something?”

“Anything,” Sam forced a smile.

“Did we – Kurt and I – were we… in a relationship?” Blaine asked, his voice a lot quieter now.

“Not now, you broke up in September or October,” a light went out in Blaine's eyes as he broke Sam's gaze. “But you still loved him and he loved you. You both just thought it was easier to be friends instead of anything more than that in case you ruined it a second time.”

“Why did we break up?” Blaine asked curiously.

“He lives in New York,” Sam said and when Blaine's brow knotted in confusion, he added, “He came back when you had that crash.”

“H-he did?”

“You guys are soulmates, dude,” Sam responded. “Of course he did.”

Blaine didn't say anything to that and went back to studying the wall opposite his bed. Sam checked his phone and saw he had a text from Carole telling him she was finishing her shift and she'd take him home in five minutes. Carole was a nurse in the children's ward on the second floor.

“I've got to go now,” Sam said as he got out of the chair.

“Will you be back?” Blaine asked and Sam thought he detected desperation in Blaine's voice.

“Only if you want me to be,” he replied.

“If you don't mind?”

“Not at all,” Sam smiled and placed his hand on Blaine's shoulder briefly. “See you soon, dude.”

“Bye,” Blaine said as Sam left the room.

Sam made his way to the elevator to take him down to the second floor to meet Carole. As an elderly woman shuffled in behind him and the doors closed, he couldn't help but smile for what felt like that first time since Blaine had had the car crash. His best friend remembered him and now knew who Kurt was too. Blaine was the same old Blaine, just a little more guarded like he was when Sam had first met him: that was to be expected. But with time, and hopefully Kurt, things would be just fine.

“Is this you, dear?” the woman asked beside Sam.

Sam snapped out of his thoughts and saw the second floor through the open doors.

“Yes, it is. Thank you ma'am,” Sam replied and he went to step out the doors. He glanced back to the lady and saw she had fat tears sitting in her eyes and a sad smile on her face.

“Anytime, dear. God knows the world needs some goodness in it,” she said quietly as the doors closed in front of her.