Cooper walked down Venice boardwalk, enjoying the sun and the atmosphere. He nodded at a young man who passed him. He recognised him vaguely from a couple of adverts. Despite what he’d told Blaine’s Glee club friends he did take notice of his competition. Cooper looked him over, he looked like every other Californian kid out here, hungry for their spotlight, wearing jeans, a striped top and listening to music but as he looked at Cooper and their eyes caught for a second before the kid looked away Cooper noticed the strange mix of blue, green, grey and yellow and felt a familiar tug. Those eyes. Those eyes stared out of his cell background in case anyone he met saw it, looked out of Missing posters and shone out of pictures in a house in Ohio. Kurt.

Cooper walked until he was out of hearing range, even with the teen listening to music he knew his voice could carry, and then dialled Burt’s number, doubling back and following the other man from a distance.

“Hello?” Burt’s voice crackled over the line as he finally picked up.

Cooper looked around then down towards the man, making sure he wasn’t alerting him but still talking clearly for the older man. “Burt sit down and listen to me. Are you sitting? I think I’ve found Kurt.”

“What?!” Burt shouted over the phone and Cooper held it away slightly, his eyes scanning the crowd.

He finally caught sight of the teen walking into a drug store and stood against the wall, making sure he could see when he came out. “Yes. I just saw him on Venice boardwalk, he looks different, and he’s blond but his eyes, Burt. His eyes are Kurt’s eyes. Can you get Blaine here?”

Cooper heard Burt sigh and talk to someone, probably Carole or the ever-present Lieutenant who’d become more of a constant in their lives for the last few months, “I can get Blaine and Finn on the next flight out but there’s someone else who’s out there who can recognise him. Do you remember Mercedes?”

Cooper had to think then remembered. “Diva? Big, dark-skinned, sweet kid?”

“That’s her. She’s around there. I’ll give you her number.” Burt’s voice crackled before saying goodbye and hanging up.

Cooper looked around. He had to hurry; he could see the teen walking around towards the till. He dialled the number Burt gave him and waited for her to pick up. After about three rings he heard her voice and knew he’d got the right girl. “Hi, it’s Cooper, Blaine’s brother. Look where are you right now? I think I’ve found Kurt.” Cooper regretted saying it immediately as she screamed, making him tear the phone away from his ear and stare until she calmed down, then suddenly he realised he could hear it.

“I’m on Venice boardwalk. Oh my god where are you?” Her voice crackled and Cooper looked around, scanning the crowd until he saw her. Her black hair and strut unmistakable.

“I’m not far from you, I can see you. I’ll come over hang on.” Cooper hung up and ran over, grabbing her and hugging her tightly, they both laughed, breathless. Cooper realised his mistake as he turned around, the teen was walking up the sidewalk and unlocking a car, ready to get in. Quickly he snapped a photo of the front of the car, the man visible in the front seat.

Mercedes was almost in tears behind him. “We missed him. No Cooper, no. After all this time. Are you sure it was him?”

Cooper turned around triumphantly, brandishing his phone at the diva. “Not quite. Does that look anything like him?”

The dark-skinned girl squealed, jumping up and down. “Hell yes! I’d recognise white boy anywhere. Oh my god Cooper we’ve found him! Wait, how do we know we’re going to see him again?”

Cooper grabbed her hand and walked to his car, making Mercedes follow behind. “Well we either come back here tomorrow when Blaine and Finn get here and hope we see him or we send the photo over to the police and see if they can run the plates and stuff or we send it and wait for him,” Cooper slid into his seat, seeing Mercedes look at him quizzically over the door. “I’ve been in CSI, I know how this goes.”

Mercedes scoffed, sliding into her seat. “That’s a TV show Cooper. Not. Real. But I do agree, let’s come back here when Blaine and Finn get here.”

Burt watched as Carole started looking up flights, the thought of driving Blaine and Finn to Cleveland to have a non-stop flight to Los Angeles already on his mind. He went upstairs and packed a few essentials into a bag for Blaine, including a top of Kurt’s then went into Finn’s room and did the same as he heard Carole call up the stairs about flight times from Cleveland to LA. He looked back into Kurt, and Blaine’s room. In the months that had passed he’d watched the little pieces of Blaine, like that frame, come together in this room. A shattered, ruined thing becoming new and strong. Blaine still had his days where he couldn’t get out of bed and would be saying something and just trail off, his eyes going hazy but he’d learned to live again. Now if it truly was Kurt Cooper had found, would he want to come home? What if it wasn’t him? Were they sending Blaine and Finn to get their hearts ripped out? No matter what happened, if they did nothing they’d lose again. His boy was out there and they’d bring him home.

Burt knocked on the classroom door and opened it. Mr Schue looked up and Burt smiled. At the start of the year Will had promised to look after Blaine the same way he’d looked after Kurt through his school time. The other man walked over and Burt nodded to Blaine who was watching them, hazel eyes large and curious. “Hey Will. I’ve talked to Figgins, can you send Blaine out?”

Will looked back at Blaine and nodded. The teen grabbed his stuff quickly and jumped up, almost knocking his desk over in the process. “Has something happened? Have they found Kurt?”

Burt nodded, whispering so Blaine wouldn’t hear. “We think so, but he’s in LA so Blaine’ll be missing school to go get him, Figgins has organised so Blaine will get all his schoolwork and homework to do when he can.”

Will’s eyes filled with tears. Kurt was an amazing boy, one of the best singers and friends he’d ever met and he’d watched Kurt grow from an awkward, bullied boy into a confident, happy young man; at least until he’d run away.

Blaine walked over and Will wiped his tears quickly. “Is something wrong?” Blaine asked, curious.

Burt shook his head, smiling and clapping a hand on Blaine’s shoulder, steering him out of the room and down the hallway. “Nope buddy, nothing’s wrong. Hopefully everything’s very, very right.”

Blaine looked at him, one eyebrow raised. “You know Kurt gets his weirdness from you, right?” Blaine asked, smiling a little.

Burt laughed. “That he does son, that he does.”

The flight got in late so Cooper and Mercedes almost missed the arrival call as it sounded and had to rush to get to the right area to meet the two men. Blaine came into view first, looking tired and rubbing sleep from his eyes, then Finn who was carrying two holdalls and talking to Blaine. Cooper felt his heart break for his little brother. However strong Blaine had always acted and seemed through this whole ordeal, he never looked as vulnerable as he did right now. Tired and sleepy. Finn waved at them and leaned down to whisper in Blaine’s ear pointing over. Cooper watched Blaine’s eyes widen and a smile slide onto his young face, suddenly all thought was crushed out of him as Blaine broke into a run and slammed into him, wrapping his arms around Cooper and hugging the breath out of his body.

“Well hello to you too Blainey,” Cooper laughed as Blaine let go, looking sheepish and turned to hug Mercedes. Finn caught up and hugged Cooper, passing him one of the holdalls labelled with Blaine’s name. “How’s he been?” He asked the younger man, watching as Finn’s eyes slid over to Blaine, talking to Mercedes as they made their way out of the airport.

Finn smiled, he hadn’t seen Blaine that animated in a long time. It was as if being in LA and knowing he was close to Kurt was bringing Blaine to life again. “He’s getting there. He spent most of the plane ride talking about Kurt and looking at the photo you sent over but recently he’s like, found himself or something. You remember back when he was worried about losing Kurt to New York? He’s kind of worked out he’s able to live without Kurt, he just doesn’t want to.”

Cooper nodded, unlocking the car as Blaine glared at him, wrenching the handle a few times as Cooper and Finn hung back. He understood. His parents hadn’t given Blaine much of a childhood, his insecurities born out of the many times he’d been left behind so it was natural for the teen to put those insecurities onto Kurt but the months living without Kurt was something he’d never wish for his sweet little brother.

“You two talk about me as if I’m a child.” Blaine glared at them both once they reach the car, about to slide in.

“You are,” Cooper immediately said and then regretted it as he heard his brother’s growl. He backtracked quickly and held his hands up in defence; Blaine’s quite scary when incensed. “I know you’re not, come on but you’ve had a hard time. Everyone just wants to take care of you.”

Blaine’s glare lessened slightly but he knew a fight when he saw one. “Go fuck yourself,” Blaine spat, drawing a squawk from Mercedes and Finn to back away slightly. “My boyfriend disappeared on me Cooper. My boyfriend. The one who promised me he’d never say goodbye, who told me he loved me and that I was perfect and wouldn’t lose him. I have the right to be upset but I’m an adult and I want to be treated like one!”

“Then act like one!” Cooper yelled before he can stop himself and his eyes widened before Blaine struck, launching himself at his brother, pushing him to the ground and punching him before Finn hauled him off.

“Dude! Get in the car; no-one thinks you’re a child. Just get in the car before someone calls the police and you have to stay in jail while we find Kurt.” Finn shouted at Blaine as he tried to launch himself at Cooper, or Finn.

Blaine felt the anger seep out of him as he realised where they are. He stomped over to Cooper, glared at him and got into the car, Mercedes next to him saying soothing things into his ear.

Finn helped Cooper up and they slid into their seats, buckling up and leaving the airport parking lot in silence.