“Why didn't you tell me he was coming?” Michael roared, resting his hands on the kitchen table, his tie loose around his neck and the first few buttons of his shirt undone.

“Because we knew this is how you would've reacted,” Cooper replied angrily as he mirrored his father's stance from the opposite side of the table.

“I had a right to know!”

“Blaine has a right to get better!”

“It is my house!”

“It's also Blaines!”

Their voices were rising and they were both getting more and more aggravated as their argument continued. Julie stood against the wall, biting her lip and wringing her hands together as she watched her husband argue with her son. Not that that was anything new.

“I don't want him coming here again!” Michael yelled and fixed Cooper with a dangerous stare.

“You can't restrain who Blaine has over – he's eighteen years old!” Cooper matched Michael's tone of voice.

“It doesn't matter,” Michael snapped, moving so that his hands rested on his hips. “He shouldn't be having that – that boy over here!”

Cooper steeled himself, his face growing redder. “Kurt is Blaine's –“

“Both of you – STOP!” Julie bellowed from the corner of the room.

Both men turned to look at her; she stepped further into the middle of the room. She looked small and her eyes were shining with unshed tears.

“Just… stop,” her voice was gentler that time and she pulled out a chair at the table, sat down and folded her hands in front of her. She waited patiently and quietly for Cooper and Michael to do the same.

“Julie –“ Michael started but Julie spoke before he could continue.

“Just let me speak,” she said. Her voice was even and had a tone of authority in it. Cooper bit his lip. She took a deep breath. “None of us know if Blaine will ever recall his memory – not even the doctors are sure.” Julie lifted her gaze from her hands and met Michael's eye. “But what we have to do is support him. He's our son, Michael. It doesn't matter if he's gay or straight. He's human and we love him.”

“Julie, you –“

“Let me finish,” she told him sternly. “Blaine needs Kurt right now.”

“Did you not see how worked up Blaine got about it in the hospital?”

“He was just out of a coma, Dad,” Cooper glared.

Whenever she saw Michael about to respond, Julie cut in again. “Cooper's right, honey. Blaine is an incredible person…” Julie blinked and suddenly tears were pooling in her eyes. “Why can't you see how amazing he is?”

Michael remained silent.

“He's a straight A student, he's class president, he's top in all his classes, he succeeds in every musical thing he does,” Julie pressed on. “He mightn't be the same boy as he was three years ago but everything you love and cherished about him previously hasn't changed. Just because he realised who he was and was brave enough – especially after all he went through – to get himself a boyfriend, you suddenly don't like him?”

There was silence in the kitchen and Cooper placed his hand over Julie's as a tear slipped down her cheek. Michael sighed and dragged a hand down his face as he stared down at the table.

“Of course I like him, Julie… I love him,” Michael's response was quiet and sincere. “I love him just as much as I did before he came out. I just… it's against everything I've ever been taught and it's hard for me to accept it.”

“And I understand that,” Julie nodded and reached across the table. “But we didn't even talk about it after he told us. You told him he wasn't before you gave me a kiss and left for work. Even whenever you came home and we were in bed that night, you told me there was nothing to discuss when I tried to bring it up again. You never even tried.”

Michael didn't deny it.

“Kurt's a good person,” Cooper spoke up tentatively. “He's caring and he loves Blaine. He's right for him at the minute.”

“Cooper's right, Mikey,” Julie said quietly.

Michael sighed deeply. “I know he is.”

“So will you at least try?” Julie asked, biting her lip. “It would mean so much to Blaine and at the end of the day, we have to support him and his decisions.”

Michael nodded and lifted his eyes. “Of course I'll try.”

“Starting with letting him go back to McKinley?” Cooper risked asking.

Michael huffed out a breath. “I'll talk to him but what do we do about his classes? If he's in his mind whenever he was fifteen surely he won't understand anything he's being taught.”

“He does though,” Cooper said straight away. “He was looking through his classwork books and he remembers it all. It's all still in there…”

Cooper's voice drifted away as Blaine tuned his brother out. He rested his head back against the wall behind him and wrapped his arms tighter around his knees as he let out a breath. He sat at the top of the dark staircase, his heart breaking at all the things his dad was saying about him but he was also ecstatic that he had a possibility of going back to McKinley.

He mostly felt overwhelmed at everything he'd heard. All the things he thought Michael thought about him turned out to be true but he'd just witnessed him saying that he'd try to change his ways. Cooper sticking up for him was nothing new but finding out that after he came out to his parent, his father completely refused to talk about it?

Blaine was even more confused than he already was and he wiped the tears from his cheeks as he quietly made his way back into his bedroom. He closed the door behind him as silently as possible and went straight to the bottom drawer in his bedside table. He was firstly glad he hadn't got rid of the stash over three years and secondly elated that he still remembered where it was kept.

He pulled out the old gum box and opened the lid of it. He lifted out one of blades inside and turned it over in his hand, memories of nights when he cried brokenly as he attacked himself running round in his mind. He licked his lips and took a deep breath. He picked up his top and stared at the faded scars over his abdomen. They were barely there anymore. He guessed he must have purchased something over the years to get rid of them as best he could.

He blinked the tears out of his eyes and swallowed hard before putting the blade back inside the box. He stuffed it back in the bottom of his drawer.

“Save it,” he whispered to himself. “He's not worth the pain.”

***

Dear Mr Hummel,

It has been noticed that you have been absent from classes for two weeks today. We run rigorous classes and we do not appreciate our students being unpunctual.

If you are not back in classes in two weeks' time, we will be forced to make you start the year again at the beginning of next semester.

Sincerely,

New York Academy of Dramatic Arts admin department

Kurt's phone rang as he reached the end of the email. Blaines name and contact picture lifted some of the anxiety he was feeling and he swiped his screen to answer the call.

“Hey you.”

“Kurt?” Blaine's voice sounded small.

“Blaine?” Kurt frowned and closed his laptop; he leant against the wall. “Are you okay?”

“I-I'm fine,” Blaine swallowed as his voice cracked.

“What's wrong?” Kurt pressed, pulling a pillow onto his lap and fiddling with a toggle at the corner.

“I just –“ Blaine swallowed again. “I wanted to hear your voice.”

Kurt's heart soared.

“That's silly, isn't it?” Blaine panicked and Kurt could hear the shifting of sheets from his end of the line. “I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't have said that. Can you just forget I said anything?”

Kurt bit his lip around the smile that spread across his face as he looked down at the pillow. “It's honestly fine, Blaine. Tell me what's wrong.”

Blaine let out a shaky breath and Kurt waited for a moment as he gathered his thoughts. That's what dating Blaine had taught him; he doesn't just say things, he thinks about what to say first.

“I just felt really confused and overwhelmed,” Blaines started; his voice was thick and Kurt could tell he was crying. “There was – there was a voice in my head telling me to call you. I didn't want to bother you because it's kind of late so I text Sam but he didn't pick up on anything and he fell asleep and I just… I needed to call you and I-I don't know why and that's what makes everything so much more confusing.”

“Calm down, Blaine,” Kurt said softly, his heart pounding; he'd received a phone call from Blaine a lot like this one once before in his life and he didn't feel like repeating that experience. “Everything's okay, alright? I'm here for you and don't worry about calling me, I stay up late all the time. Now tell me what's wrong.”

“I overheard my parents and Cooper talking tonight,” Blaine gasped and Kurt was sure he was crying. “Cooper and Dad were arguing about… stuff and I just – I got really upset because all those things my dad said about me, I only thought they were true but he just – he confirmed them and it hurt a lot.”

Kurt bit his lip. “What else was said?”

“W-well they argued for ages and then my mom stepped in and started talking to my dad rationally and he sort of came round and then he said he loved me and that confused me so much because he'd just been saying how my life was wrong a-and…” Blaine broke off as a sob escaped his body and Kurt could feel his heart breaking. “I'm so confused, Kurt.”

Kurt took a deep breath to steady himself. “Okay Blaine, listen to me. No matter what your dad says, you are so loved. Your mom spoke up for you so surely that tells you how much she cares for you? And Cooper too. He was arguing on your behalf. I understand that your dad suddenly going back on his words would be confusing but he also said he loved you, right? That's not just something he'd come off with, Blaine.”

Kurt bit his lip again as Blaine stayed silent. There was only sniffle and rustling sheets from Blaine's end of the line and Kurt waited patiently for Blaine to reply.

“I guess you're right,” Blaine sighed. “I just didn't know what to think.”

“I know, honey,” Kurt said sympathetically. “I understand that but have you – have you… harmed yourself because of it.”

Blaine sighed and let out a humourless laugh. Kurt could picture him lying on his bed and looking up at the ceiling with tears in his eyes. “I should've guessed you'd know. I keep forgetting you've seen me naked.”

“You haven't done anything though, have you?” Kurt panicked.

“No, Kurt,” Blaine replied quietly. “I thought about it… but no.”

Kurt breathed a sigh of relief. “I'm glad and I'm proud of you. That was so strong, Blaine.”

Blaine swallowed and ignored Kurts comment, knowing better than to argue. “I guess I started using something to get rid of the scars after I met you.”

Kurt nodded, even though Blaine couldn't see him, and clutched his phone to his ear. “It was after we started having sex. I told you about a type of cream because my dad was talking about how he used it on some scar he got after he had an operation when he was thirty-something.”

“Oh,” was all Blaine said.

They were silent for a long time and it was a while before Kurt heard Blaine start to yawn.

“You should sleep,” Kurt told him. “It's been an emotional night.”

“I know,” Blaine replied straight away. “I think I will.”

“Okay, honey. Don't hesitate to call or text me if you need anything, okay?” Kurt told him sternly. “I'm here for you.”

“I know. Thank you, Kurt.”

***

Sam sat on the floor with his maths book on his knee and notes spread out around him. Blaine lay on his bed, nibbling cookies and staring up at his ceiling. The scratching on Sam's pencil against the paper and his eraser two seconds later was oddly soothing to Blaines confused mind.

“Do you think likes me?” Blaine spoke up as he took a bite of his cookie.

“Really, man?” came Sam's sarcastic tone from the floor. “Did you lose your sight along with your memory?”

Blaine let out a laugh and finished the cookie. He wiped the crumbs on his t-shirt before rubbing his eyes.

“I feel bad about it,” he admitted.

“How come?” Sam's voice sounded confused and slightly distracted as he let out another frustrated grunt followed by more sounds of him erasing.

“I dunno,” Blaine shrugged. “I mean, he's attractive and he's so nice to me but I'm just – I'm not ready to start dating him again or anything. I don't want to tell him that though in case he gets annoyed at me – do you need any help by the way?” Blaine asked, rolling himself onto his side and peering down at Sam who had just thrown his pencil on the floor and shoved his notebook off his knee.

Sam sighed deeply and buried his face in his hands. “You wouldn't get it. I know I'm in the bottom class for everything but this is still harder than work for fifteen-year-olds.”

Blaine smiled and moved to sit beside Sam. He lifted the abandoned notebook and lifted it up to look at what Sam was doing. He grabbed the pencil and finished Sam's question effortlessly before handing it back to him.

Sam looked up and frowned. “How did you do that?”

“Turns out I haven't lost any knowledge,” Blaine shrugged and gave Sam a kind smile. “Let me help you with it.”

Sam sighed begrudgingly before agreeing. That's how they spent the rest of the afternoon; Blaine tutoring Sam and Sam learning from it. By the time Sam was leaving, he was considerably happier and his heart felt a little bit lighter.

“Thanks so much,” Sam said and a grin spread across his face. He clapped Blaines shoulder as he took a step out of the door. Blaine leant against the door frame and shrugged, curls falling into his eyes.

“It's fine,” he smiled. “You've been so nice to me so it's only right I return the favour.”

Sam ducked his head and shifted from one foot to the other. “It's nothing, bro. I'm happy to help.”

“Likewise,” Blaine said almost instantly.

Sam nodded and laughed as Blaine swept hair out of his eyes. “You should get that cut.”

“If only mom would take me,” Blaine huffed. “I'm still not allowed to drive.”

“Do you still want to drive?” Sam pondered.

Blaine sighed and shrugged. “Yeah, at least I think I do. I'll just be more careful now.”

Sam nodded. “I should probably go, Carole just text to say dinner's almost ready.”

“Okay, man,” Blaine laughed and nudged Sam's shoulder. “I'll see you after school tomorrow?”

“You bet,” Sam grinned and started to walk away. “I'll bring Tina too?”

“Obviously,” Blaine replied.

“Later, bro!” Sam called before climbing into Burt's truck and driving off down the road.

Blaine waved until he turned the corner before closing the door and turning back into his house. He started to climb the stairs whenever Michael's voice resonated through the hall.

“Blaine, can your mother and I talk to you for a minute?”

Blaine looked up to see his father standing in the doorway to the living room. Blaine nodded mutely and swallowed, trying to ignore the surge of emotion he felt when he met Michael's gaze. He ducked his head as he walked into the room and took a seat beside Julie on the couch. Cooper stood in the middle of the room with his arms folded across his chest.

“What do you want?” Blaine asked as Michael walked back into the room and took a seat in the armchair to Blaine's left. Julie moved her hand on top of Blaines.

“Your mother and I have been –“

Cooper cut him off by clearing his throat. Michael turned to glare at him before looking back at Blaine.

“Alright, your mother, Cooper –“ Cooper smirked satisfyingly, “and I have been talking and we think it would be good for you to go back to McKinley.”

Blaine gaped and stared.

“As you know, the doctor thinks it would be good for you to start back as soon as possible and that would be Monday – if you're feeling up to it,” Julie continued after Michael stopped. “We think it would help if we –“

Julie was cut off whenever Blaine attacked her with a hug. She let out a surprised “Oh!” before laughing as Blaine hugged her tighter.

“Thank you,” he said in her ear. He let go and looked up at Michael. “Thank you so much – you've no idea how much this means to me.” Blaine stood up and directed his gaze at Cooper who still stood in the corner but now had a large grin on his face. Blaine moved swiftly towards him and Cooper engulfed his little brother in a hug.

Blaine buried his face in Cooper's chest, letting his tears fall at the elation he felt inside. Cooper brought his hand up to hold Blaines head in its position and rested his cheek on top of the crazy curls as he blinked tears out of his eyes.

“I'm so proud of you, Blainers,” Cooper whispered as Michael and Julie left the room. Blaine answered him with a sob. “It'll be okay. Everything's going to be fine.”

“I-I know they wouldn't have both agreed to this if it wasn't for you,” Blaine said, his voice shaky, as he pulled away from Cooper. He wiped his eyes on the sleeve of his hoodie. “Thank you.”

“Anything for you, squirt,” Cooper said and pulled him in again for another hug.

***

From Blaine 8:02AM:
I've got good news!

From Sam 8:03AM:
It's eight in the morning, Blaine. Why are you awake?

From Blaine 8:03AM:
Because I have good news :D

From Blaine 8:04AM:
Besides, shouldn't you be in class?

From Sam 8:05AM:
Free period. What's your news then?

From Blaine 8:07AM:
Brace yourself

From Sam 8:07AM:
I'm braced.

From Blaine 8:07AM:
…

From Blaine 8:08AM:
GUESS WHO'S COMING BACK TO McKINLEY???!!!?!?!

From Sam 8:09AM:
FOR REAL?? Bro that's so great omg, I'm so happy!!!

“What are you smiling at?” Tina asked, frowning at Sam as he typed out a reply.

From Blaine 8:11AM:
So am I. I can't wait :D

 “I – uh, good news,” Sam looked up at the door of the classroom as a teacher walked in. “Hang on,” he muttered before hastily typing out a reply and sending it before he got caught.

From Sam 8:13AM:
I'm so pleased omg.. but gotta go, a teacher came in to cover the study class. I'll text you in a bit, man!

From Blaine 8:13AM:
Kaaayyyy, ttyl

“So what's this news?” Tina asked with an eyebrow raised, fixing Sam with a curious stare.

Sam turned to look at her as a grin slowly spread across his face. The corner of Tina's mouth lifted in half a smile but she frowned, her confusion evident to Sam as he grabbed her hand tightly.

“Blaines coming back to McKinley!”

Tina gasped, her eyes widening before a beam split her face. “Oh my god! That's so great!”

The teacher shushed them harshly and they glanced up to the front of the classroom quickly before lowering their voices to a whisper

“When is he starting?” Tina asked, a giddy grin still on her lips.

Sam shook his head and shrugged. “He didn't say but he's so excited about it. You're coming back to his after school, right?”

Tina nodded emphatically. “Obviously. His mom always has food. Does Kurt know yet?”

Sam shrugged again and opened his mouth to reply whenever a sharp reprimand came from the front of the classroom. He closed his mouth again, shared one last smile with Tina and then turned round in his seat to face the front, getting out his Maths books and trying to do work.

***

Blaine pulled on his shoes before standing up to walk over to the mirror on the other side of his room. He took a deep breath and smoothed out non-existent creases in his crisp white shirt. He licked his lips and stared at himself in the mirror; his curls, which had been cut two days previously, had a small amount of gel in them to tame them down and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed nervously. He wiped his sweaty palm against his dark denim jeans before taking another deep breath in through his nose.

“You're gonna be fine, Squirt,” Cooper's voice came from the doorway. Blaine jumped and turned quickly to see his brother leaning against his doorframe, car keys held in his hand.

Blaine blinked and walked back over to his bed to retrieve his bag with all his supplies in it.

“I'm pretty nervous…”

“Don't be,” Cooper assured, his blue eyes piercing Blaine's hazel ones as Blaine walked over to the door, “It will all be completely fine and if it's not, you know what the deal is. Just give me or Mom or Dad a text and we'll come pick you up as soon as we can.”

Blaine nodded and started picking at his nails. “I know.”

“You need me to pick you up or are you getting a lift?” Cooper asked as they started to make their way down the stairs.

“Kurt's actually picking me up to take me out for coffee,” Blaine cleared his throat apprehensively and kept his gaze on the ground as they walked down the driveway to Cooper's car. “He said it's kind of a Monday tradition we had when he still lived in Ohio.”

Cooper smiled but stayed silent as they got into the car and started the engine. They both stayed quiet for the rest of the hour long drive to McKinley. The whole way there, Blaine sat with his head leant against the window, his fingers playing with the strap on his bag. Cooper didn't think it would be appropriate to break into his brother's thoughts and simply concentrated on the road, letting Blaine be by himself.

Whenever they finally arrived at McKinley and Cooper had shut the engine off, Blaine breathed in a shaky breath.

“Where are you meeting Sam?” Cooper asked, keeping conversation normal for a minute to keep Blaine calm.

“At the gates,” Blaine replied shakily.

“You want me to wait with you?”

Blaine shook his head and finally looked up at Cooper. “I-it's fine, he just text me saying he's there now anyway.”

Cooper nodded and placed his hand on Blaines shoulder, squeezing it slightly as Blaine stared down at his hands.

“It'll be fine, bro. You've got a lot of people looking out for you in there and just remember that you get coffee with Kurt as a reward at the end of it all,” Cooper said gently and the corner of Blaines mouth twitched upwards whenever Cooper spoke. “Everything will be okay.”

“I-I know,” Blaine swallowed and looked out the windscreen and, with a deep breath, he turned back to Cooper. “Thanks Coop. I should probably go now so I guess I'll see you later?”

“Yeah you will,” Cooper reassured before pulling Blaine into a brief but tight hug. “Now go enjoy school.”

Blaine huffed out a laugh, shot one last grateful smile at Cooper before opening the door and stepping out onto the pavement; he stared straight ahead as he grasped the strap of his bag tightly, squared his shoulders and walked towards the daunting building.