Blaine slept for an entire day. When he woke he was completely sure he was dying.

            “Please go away,” He whispered when Cooper walked into his room. “Just. Get. Out.”

            “This is Lydia,” Cooper nodded towards the blonde woman next to him. “And Lydia is a social worker.”

            “Hi Blaine it’s so nice to meet you,” She smiled brightly.

            “I want to be alone.”

            “I’m here to talk to you about your problem,” Lydia said gently an Cooper smiled brightly at him, nodding.

            “I don’t have a problem,” Blaine gritted his teeth.

            “Course not,” Cooper bit back.

            “Seriously, it’s a touch of the flu or something,” He tried to give them a tiny smile but his body shook.

            “Your blood tests came back positive for heroin,” Lydia tapped her finger on the chart.

            ‘Okay,” Blaine laughed hoarsely and held his trembling hands up. “So I went to a party and tried a little. It was my first time and obviously it was a little stronger than I expected.”

            “You wouldn’t be in the middle of withdrawal right now if you hadn’t had it multiple times,” Her brown eyes were soft. “Listen Blaine, I work with a lot of drug addicts…”

            “I am NOT a drug addict,” His voice came out sharp.

            “I know it’s scary. I know it hurts,” Lydia placed a hand on Blaine’s leg and he jerked away quickly. “I was a meth addict for years. Admitting it was the hardest part.”

            “So good for you,” Blaine snapped. “Really, that’s impressive but I don’t have a problem. Can I get out of here? I really want to go home.”

            “You’re not going home,” Cooper shook his head.

            “…what?” The mocking smirk slid off of Blaine’s face.

            “I have never, ever been more angry with you. With anyone! I don’t know who this little manipulative, lying junkie is but right now you are not my brother,” Cooper snarled and Blaine’s face went blank.

            “So because I party a little hard you’re kicking me out of the house? You can’t do that! You’re not my parent!”

            “Who fucking drove you to elementary school? Who picked you up? Who talked to you all night the night you came out because mom and dad were too busy fighting to pay attention? Who sat by your bed for days after you got the shit beaten out of you and who has been here for days after you overdosed on fucking heroin?” Cooper’s eyes were narrowed. “I’ve always been there.”

            “You were never there!” Blaine suddenly screamed. “You think that just because you picked me up a few times you deserve brother of the year? You only ever talked about yourself and used me to boost your ego. You’re a pathetic person who is such a failure that you need to constantly put down your little brother to feel good about yourself.”

            “Enough!” Lydia held up her hands. “I understand you’re upset Blaine…”

            “You don’t understand shit,” He snarled, keeping his eyes on Cooper.

            “We can get you help.”

            “I don’t need help,” Blaine shook his head sharply. “If I don’t have a home then I will just go live with one of my friends.”

            “Which one? The one that gave you syphilis? That also showed up on the tests by the way,” Cooper watched as Blaine curled up slightly. “You call me pathetic but I’m not sleeping with diseased perverts for dope.”

            Blaine slouched further and stared at his hands.

            “You can choose Blaine,” Cooper leaned forward and braced his hands on the foot of the bed. “Either you continue shooting up and fucking people until you get AIDS or someone chokes you to death while you sleep with him or you can go to a treatment center.”

            “Treatment center?” Blaine scowled.

            “There are some great ones near by that will be an amazing help to you. You can even continue your high school education if you wish,” Lydia placed some pamphlets on his bed. “It’ll help you.”

            “I don’t need help,” Blaine’s eyes flashed.

            “Blaine, you’re going to die,” Cooper’s voice cracked and his eyes flashed with tears. “I don’t want to lose you.”

            “You wont,” Blaine said softly, staring at his hands again. “Maybe…maybe I have a small…issue.”

            “Okay,” Cooper prompted.

            “But I really don’t need to go,” He looked up at both of them and his entire body shuddered. “Please…”

            “Do you think he can do it on his own?” Cooper turned to Lydia who sighed.

            “It’s possible…not recommended though,” She frowned.

            “I can do it!” Blaine’s eyes lit up. “I just want to be home. I can do it, I promise. It’s not that had.”

            “I can’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do,” She scribbled a note in his chart. “I have several pamphlets and information for you. Young man, I don’t want to see you back in here.”

            Blaine nodded enthusiastically and was discharged from the hospital a hour later. As they walked out of his room, Blaine shouldered past Carole and kept his head down.

            “It’ll be rough but he can do it if he wants to,” Carole glanced over to Blaine who was swimming in one of Cooper’s oversized hoodies. “Just call if you need me to come by.”

            “Thanks for everything,” He smiled gently at her and steered Blaine to the car, making sure he was buckled in before starting the car.

            “Can we go get something to eat?” Blaine asked, teeth chattering. “Like…a burger or something?”

            “Sure,” Cooper turned the heat on high. He pulled through the first fast food place he could find and got him a burger, fries, and a milkshake before starting to drive home.

            Blaine ate his meal in record time, hardly taking a breath and drained his milkshake. He leaned back against the seat and closed his eyes, going quiet.

            After a few minutes he squirmed a little and went pale. His eyes snapped open and he let out a soft whimper.

            “Pull over the car,” He whispered, making Cooper glance over at him.

            “What?”

            “Pull over, pull over,” Blaine’s body jerked slightly and he leaned forward as Cooper quickly moved to the shoulder of the road. He flung the door open and leaned out as he threw up harshly.

            Cooper took in a shaky breath as Blaine lurched forward again and retched. The young boy’s entire body shook violently as he kept a white-knuckled grip on the side of the door. He gently reached a hand out and placed it on Blaine’s shoulder who jerked away.

            “Don’t touch me,” He hissed.

            “I’m…I’m sorry,” Cooper whispered, pulling his hand back.

            They sat for a few long minutes, Blaine jerking only once more to empty his stomach before he collapsed back into the car. His face shown with sweat and his body shook with fine tremors.

            Cooper didn’t say a word and started the car again, pulling out onto the road. He could hear Blaine sniff and cry softly but refused to look at him until they got to the house.

            “Do you want something to eat?” He glanced over at his brother.

            “No,” Blaine’s eyes were watery and red-rimmed.

            “Well…come in and get some sleep,” Cooper walked closely behind his brother and led him into the living room. He tightened his grip on Blaine’s arm as he started walking up the stairs. “Stay down here.”

            “I’m tired Cooper,” Blaine glared. “I just want to go to bed.”

            “Until I know what’s hidden in your room, you are staying in my sight. I can set you up on the couch,” The younger boy’s eyes flashed.

            “I’m just going to sleep. I don’t need you to watch me.”

            “Last time I just let you sleep you stole from me and went to fuck your dealer,” Cooper crossed his arms in front of him. “So forgive me if I don’t really trust you.”

            “Asshole,” Blaine spat but sat on the couch any way. He scowled at Cooper as he draped a heavy blanket over him.

            Cooper sat in a nearby armchair and turned on the television to an old episode of Say Yes to The Dress.

            “You know that I’m gay…not a girl right?” Blaine piped up from the couch after a moment.

            “I like this show. I like watching the hot chicks squeeze into the see-through cutout dresses,” Cooper shrugged, shooting a grin over his shoulder.

            “Gross.”

            “We can watch an action movie later that has both hot girls and hot guys okay?” He offered and Blaine shrugged.

            “You know these things can last ­up to ten days right?” Blaine whispered. “I’ve…I’ve looked it up…”

            “I know,” Cooper nodded.

            “So, you’re just going to sit there for ten days?”

            “Blaine, you aren’t going to the bathroom alone,” Cooper shot him a look. “I’m not leaving your side.”

            He watched as Blaine’s jaw clenched and he went stiff for a moment before he collapsed backwards. With a heavy sigh, Blaine closed his eyes.

            “You said you’ve looked this stuff up,” Cooper watched as his eyes opened a crack. “What did you mean by that?”

            “Nothing.”

            “I’m so tired of your secrets and lies,” He sighed, feeling exhausted. “Seriously. I am just over it. Tell me what you meant.”

            “I thought about quitting,” Blaine whispered after a long moment. “There are a few times where I’ve tried to stopped but it feels so good.”

            “It’s killing you,” Cooper said softly.

            “I know,” Blaine closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “But compared to the depressing, hopeless life I was living a painless death doesn’t sound too bad. I’d rather die happy than live miserable. Every time I tried quitting I remembered that.”

            “I’d rather you live happily,” Tears pricked at the corners of Blaine’s eyes and he blinked rapidly.

            “I don’t know if that’s a choice anymore.”

             “It’s always a choice B,” Cooper said gently. “You’ll see. Christmas is in a few weeks and we’ll be celebrating just like we used to.”

            “With a box of pizza and a tub of ice cream while mom and dad are off on some amazing trip,” The corners of his lips quirked up.

            “Classic Anderson brother Christmas,” Cooper took a long drink from his water bottle. “They should make a Christmas movie out of us.”

            The rest of the night was spent watching bad television and eating some canned tomato soup and grilled cheese. Blaine fell fast asleep around eight and Cooper took the time to surround him with soft pillows and blankets.

            He sat back down on the armchair and opened up one of the bottles of soda he had brought with him. If Blaine was going to go through this then he wasn’t going through it alone. Cooper would stay awake as long as he could to keep a eye on his brother.

            Sometime in the middle of the night Blaine whimpered and squirmed. He let out a sharp gasp and sat up, staggering to his feel.

            “Take it easy,” Cooper gently took Blaine’s arm.

            Blaine whimpered and shook his head. With a trembling breath he started his way to the bathroom, helped by his brother. Much to Cooper’s dismay, Blaine was hardly able to walk he was shaking so badly.

            He just made it to the toilet before he threw up the small dinner he had eaten. Trembling violently, Blaine braced himself on the toilet as he heaved up stomach acid.

            “Fuck,” He sobbed weakly. “Oh fuck.”

            “You’re alright,” Cooper rubbed his back.

            “I…I can’t breathe,” Blaine choked out, gasping through another wave of dry heaving. “Fuck I’m dying.”

            Cooper quickly turned the shower on and started a hot bath. He pulled Blaine’s shaking body back against his chest and just held him as the water filled up.

            “Let’s get your clothes off,” Cooper helped Blaine strip off his sweat soaked clothes until he was just trembling in his boxers. He helped Blaine sit down in the warm water until his trembling calmed a little.

            “I feel like my bones are all being compressed,” Blaine breathed, staring straight ahead until his face contorted into agony. “Like I’m dying slowly from the inside out.”

            “I know it hurts,” Blaine’s body jerked and he leaned forward moaning. “Maybe sitting in the hot water will help you with the aches.”

            “No, no, no,” Blaine sobbed and he shook his head. “Please Cooper, I just need…a little…I need something.”

            “No,” Cooper shook his head.

            “I have some in my room. Just take a tiny bit and bring it to me. I just need enough to take away the pain,” His eyes were bright and pleading. “Please.”

            “I can’t do that.”

            “Cooper, if you ever loved me you would get me the stuff. Please Cooper I know you care. I know you don’t want to see me hurt,” Tears streamed down his face and Cooper felt his chest clench. “This is a million times worse than the dance. Cooper it hurts so much.”

            “This is ending now Blaine,” Cooper couldn’t meet his eye as Blaine sobbed. “I’m not going to help you with your habit.”

            “Cooper, Cooper,” Blaine’s trembling hand grabbed his. “I know this was so stupid. I’m so, so sorry for what I’ve done but I need you to help me. You’re my big brother. Help me.”

            “Blaine no.”

            “Fuck you!” He suddenly screamed, jerking his hand back so fast water splashed everywhere. “Fuck you! You think you’re being some kind of savior but you’re an asshole. You’re just like the guys who beat me up. You’re just like them.”

            “I’m not,” Cooper felt his throat tighten.

            “You are. They wanted to see me in pain too,” Blaine’s eyes took on a dark glint. “I think they fucking got off on it. You like being in control of me. Like taking the fag down a peg. Teaching me a lesson huh?”

            Cooper sat there silently, refusing to answer.

            “You can’t even let me have one tiny bit of happiness can you?” Blaine snarled. “Can’t let me have anything.”

            Silently, Cooper reached for the tap and added more hot water.