When Blaine woke up it was still dark outside. Every muscle in his body was on fire and his stomach rolled painfully. With a shaky breath, he pried his dry eyes open and tried to figure out where he was.

            They were in Cooper’s room. He had no idea how he got there but Cooper was fast asleep beside him, an arm wrapped around his chest. A faint pang of guilt made his chest ache as he saw dried tear tracks on his brother’s cheeks but the pain of muscle spasms quickly overcame it.

            He tried to even his breathing and slipped out from his brother’s grip. Stumbling a few times Blaine leaned against the doorframe and panted.

            Cooper muttered in his sleep and Blaine froze, staring back at him with wide eyes. As soon as his brother fell back asleep Blaine hurried into his room and fell to his knees, digging under the bed.

            He let out a sob when his hand came in contact with the bag taped to his mattress. Trembling, he pulled it out and his entire body slumped in relief. As his fingers came in contact with the powder a strong hand grabbed his wrist and jerked him back.

            “What the fuck are you doing?”

            “Please Cooper!” His voice was high pitched and strangled. “Just a little.”

            Cooper’s hand tangled in his sweaty t-shirt and dragged him to the bathroom, Blaine’s knees scrambling on the tile. He let out a scream as Cooper dumped the baggie out into the toilet.

            “No!” He shrieked and tried to throw himself at the toilet to get the last bit as Cooper flushed it and kicked him back. Blaine shook and sobbed as he fell against the bathtub and tried to curl up.

            “Do you have any more?” Cooper’s voice was hard.

            Blaine tried to curl up even more and shook violently as he sobbed.

            “Blaine!” A strong hand grabbed the back of his neck and shook it. “Is there any more?”

            “No,” Blaine shook his head weakly.

            “Liar! Where is it?” The hand tightened and Blaine cried out.

            “Okay! It’s in my bedside table,” He watched with wide, wet eyes as Cooper found another bag and flushed it.

            Shaking, Blaine stared ahead and tried to ignore the stomach cramps that made his stomach feel like it was being ripped apart. He let out a weak cry and leaned over, tears streaming down his face.

            “Come on,” Cooper pulled him up and practically dragged him back to the older brother’s room. As soon as Blaine hit the bed he curled into a ball.

            “I don’t want to do this Cooper,” He shook. “Don’t make me do this.”

            “Drink,” Cooper put a bendy straw in a cup of water and pressed it to Blaine’s lips, making sure he sipped.

            “Please Cooper,” Blaine whimpered, kneeling on the bed. “I’ll do it later. I…I’m not ready now. I can do it in a few weeks I swear.”

            “Go back to sleep.”

            “Please,” Blaine sobbed harshly, falling forward. “God, please Cooper.”

            “I’ll be right outside.”

            Blaine let out a sharp scream as Cooper stepped out and held the door shut. He closed his eyes tightly as he heard his younger brother panic and yank frantically on the door.

            “Please! Please, please, please!” Blaine screamed. “Cooper, big brother, please.”

            Cooper braced himself against the wall and held the door shut.

~*~

            Kurt could hardly contain his smile as he flung himself at his father. It had been a long, painful process and Isabelle had to pull a lot of strings but he was so glad to get an entire week off for the Thanksgiving holidays.

            “I missed you dad!” He grinned and gave his father one last squeeze before pulling away.

            “I missed you so much,” Burt smiled softly and patted him on the back. “How about we grab us some chili dogs on the way home? A welcome home treat?”

            “How about we go home and eat the healthy lunch Carole made for us,” Kurt patted his father on the arm.

            Rolling his eyes, Burt led his son out of the airport and got him home. As soon as he stepped into the house he was pulled into a tight hug by Carole. Finn tackled him shortly after and soon the family was sitting around the table eating the paninis Carole had made.

            “You keep checking your phone,” Kurt pointed out after the seventh time she glanced at her phone. “Is everything alright?”

            “Yeah…I’m just checking in on a…patient…” Carole looked a little uncomfortable.

            “But I thought you had the day off,” Finn frowned, confused.

            “I do but I wanted to keep an eye on him personally. He’s…a friend,” Carole turned back to the fruit on her plate.

            “Is he alright?” Kurt asked, noting the concern on her face.

            “No,” She shook her head. “But I think he will be.”

            Kurt stared at her for a long time before turning back to his lunch. Unease gnawed at his stomach for a long moment before he turned to Finn.

            “So, as assistant director of the New Directions, how are they doing?” Kurt took a bite of his panini.

            “They’re doing awesome. We’re in the middle of Grease which is super fun and preparing for competition season which is harder since Blaine…oh…” Finn’s cheeks flushed and he stared down at his plate.

            “Since he quit?” Kurt asked. “It’s fine Finn. How…how is he doing?”

            He winced at how curious he sounded.

            “I don’t know. He doesn’t show up to school much,” Kurt noticed that Carole stiffened. “He started dressing different and got really snappy and rude. I really don’t know what’s wrong with him.”

            “Hmm, well sometimes guilt manifests itself in strange ways,” Kurt spat.

            “You really don’t know what you’re talking about,” Carole spoke up suddenly, startling everyone into silence. “You don’t even know what’s going on with him.”

            “I know enough. I know he cheated on me and that he’s sleeping around,” Kurt quickly said back, ignoring his father’s surprised gasp. Then he noticed Carole’s expression. “Wait…do you know something?”

            “Mom?”

            “Is he the patient you were talking about?” Carole’s guilty expression made Kurt’s jaw drop. “Why? What happened? Is he okay?”

            “Dude, I thought you didn’t care,” Finn mumbled.

            “Carole, please tell me…is he okay?” Kurt insisted.

            “This is so much bigger than you can imagine,” Carole whispered. “He’s not okay but I’m trying to help him.”

            “What happened?” Kurt felt his body go cold.

            “I can’t say…”

            “He’s not a technical patient. You aren’t bound by the law to keep quiet,” Kurt’s eyes were wide. “I just want to know that he’s going to be okay. Can I see him?”

            “Kurt, maybe you should wait a bit,” Burt said gently and was brushed off by his son.

            “Carole. Tell me what’s wrong or I will go and see him by myself.”

            “Listen, I’m going to go check on him after lunch. I think it’ll be good for him to see you but if they ask you to leave you have to leave,” Carole pursed her lips.

            “I understand,” Kurt nodded quickly. “Can we go now?”

            “Alright,” Carole sighed and stood, grabbing her kit of first aid supplies. “Let’s go.”

            As Kurt hurried after his stepmother he could hear Finn ask Burt what was going on but all his focus was on her.

            “The story is not for me to tell Kurt,” Carole started the car and pulled out of the driveway. “Just know that he’s in a really bad place. His brother and I have been helping him but he’s not going to look good.”

            Kurt stayed silent, going over the different scenarios in his head. Had his boyfriend hurt him? Was Blaine abused and needed Carole to take care of him? By the time they arrived at the house, Kurt had worked himself up into a panic.

            Silently, Carole walked up to the front door and knocked.

            “Hi!” Cooper answered the door, looking exhausted. The man, who usually prided himself on his appearance, was wearing sweat pants and a t-shirt. His hair was a mess and his eyes had dark circles under them. “…Kurt?”

            “Hi,” Kurt said softly.

            “He insisted on coming. I didn’t tell him anything but I really think it would be good for Blaine to see him,” She hesitated. “But if you don’t want to, we will respect that.”

            “He needs as much support as he can get,” Cooper sighed and they heard the horrible sound of someone retching from the living room. “Shit, come in.”

            Kurt’s heart pounded as he followed Cooper into the living room.

            Blaine was hanging halfway off the couch, spitting stomach acid into a nearby bowl. With a sigh, Cooper grabbed a nearby wet towel and placed it on the back of his neck.

            “Fuck Coop,” Blaine’s voice was incredibly hoarse.

            “Hi sweetheart,” Carole knelt down by him and he looked up miserably at her. “Have you eaten today?”

            “He hasn’t be able to keep food down for three days,” Blaine’s entire body violently shook and Cooper quickly wrapped him in one of the many blankets scattered around the living room.

            “I’m dying,” Blaine whispered making Kurt gasp softly. His head snapped up and hazy eyes locked on Kurt’s wide ones.

            “Oh Blaine,” Kurt hesitated for a moment before kneeling down in front of him.

            “I’ll go make you some tea,” Carole walked into the kitchen.

            “What are you doing here?” Blaine croaked. “Are…are you even here?”

            “I’m here,” Kurt’s heart broke as Blaine’s eyes flickered around the room.

            He reached a hand out to rub Blaine’s shoulder but the other boy jerked back violently. Blaine scrambled back against the couch staring down at him with something akin to horror etched on his face.

            “Why are you here?” He asked again.

            “Carole told me you weren’t doing well.”

            “I need you to leave. Cooper make him go,” Panic made Blaine scramble halfway up the back of the couch. “Get out. Get out. Get. Out.”

            “I…I want to help,” Kurt tried to not shrink down.

            “You hate me.”

            “I don’t hate you,” Kurt stayed back, not wanted to freak Blaine out any more.

            “You should,” He swayed badly, needing to be caught by Cooper and leaned back. “You should hate me.”

            “Blaine, you’re upset. You need to eat something and go back to sleep,” Cooper said gently, squeezing his shoulder.

            “No he needs to know. If you knew Kurt you would get as far away from me as possible,” Tears filled his eyes. “He needs to know that I’ve slept with so many men. He needs to know that I begged for it. He needs to know that I did horrible, perverted things in order to get another drink or a hit.”

            “A hit?” Kurt’s face went pale.

            “Mmhmm, I’d do anything for a little bit of dope. Anything for feeling numb. Anything to chase away the craving to kill myself,” His body grew stiffer and stiffer as he spoke, eyes flashing.

            “Blaine you need to calm down,” Cooper tried to get his brother’s attention.

            “I wont run,” Kurt said gently. “Is that what this is?”

            “He overdosed a few days ago,” Cooper said gently. “He’s going through withdrawal now. It’s been absolute hell.”

            “I deserve it though,” Blaine nodded sharply, body moving with the nods and nearly falling off the couch. “I deserve it for being so stupid, and pathetic, and whorish, and…”

            “Stop that,” Kurt snapped. “I don’t know what happened Blaine but I want to. You’re important to me.”

            “No I’m not.”

            “You are. You’re the most important thing in my world,” Kurt reached forward and took Blaine’s shaking hand, smiling when he didn’t pull away. “It’s true that you hurt me but I never, ever stopped loving you.”

            “I don’t want you to touch me,” Blaine whispered and Kurt quickly pulled his hands back. “I’m sorry. I don’t want you to touch me.”

            “Okay,” Kurt nodded.

            Blaine suddenly jerked forward, curling up and whimpering. He let himself fall to the side and shook, eyes sliding closed. The room was silent as Cooper gently rubbed his back until they realized Blaine had fallen asleep.

            “Was this because of me?” Kurt whispered, pulling his knees up to his chest.

            “I don’t know,” Cooper shrugged. “I don’t think so. I had no idea he was in trouble until Sebastian and Dave called me. I guess…I didn’t pay attention either.”

            “I just thought he had a new boyfriend,” Tears filled Kurt’s eyes and he wiped at them angrily. “I was so mad at him but I never wanted this to happen. Please know that.”

            “I know,” Cooper kept rubbing his brother’s back.

            “I don’t know if I can take him back after what he did. I don’t know if I can forgive him,” The younger boy sighed.

            “You know he didn’t sleep with Eli right? Blaine has a tendency to…blow things out of proportion. Hell, he thought you were cheating on him with texts,” Cooper shot Kurt a look. “He went to the guy’s house and after a bit the guy started getting physical. He told me that he left right after but he felt so guilty he had to tell you. He might have left out some key details.”

            “I didn’t know,” Kurt shook his head. “I was just so angry.”

            “Understandably angry,” Cooper sighed. “You thought he cheated on you.”

            “I refused to talk to him for weeks because I still love him. I was waiting for it to fade but it never did,” Kurt wiped his eyes. “So when I call and he answered the phone in bed with another man I lost it.”

            Cooper nodded and leaned back against the couch.

            “He could have died. If the guy didn’t call an ambulance he would have died on that overdose,” His voice was small. “I’m not saying you need to take him back and get married but he needs support. He doesn’t have many people here for him.”

            “I want to help.”

            “How long are you here for?” Cooper’s eyes flashed. “A few days? This isn’t a short term project. Don’t say you’re going to be here and leave. He deserves more than that.”

            “He does,” Kurt’s heart broke. “I wasn’t the boyfriend he deserved before. I didn’t talk to him or pay any attention to him. I knew he was lonely and did nothing to help. But…I hope I can be a friend to him for now.”