"Well ... we left." Blaine shrugged sheepishly. "The cab ride home was pretty weird though."

"Weird how?"

"Michael was still all over me, and I just remember being in this odd kind-of trance - like in my mind, if I stayed really still, he couldn't hurt me any more. I've been doing that ever since." Blaine said quietly, staring off into the distance for a moment.

"So he does this a lot ..." Gina said through clenched teeth, staring down at the angry red mark on Blaine's wrist.

"No!" Blaine insisted. "I mean ... I guess there's been some emotional stuff building up for a while, but I think I just put that down to my being tired from work. First he was all clingy, and then completely sex-crazed. Oh god, Gina - you don't need to hear this." He shook his head apologetically.

"Hey, don't do that." Gina sighed gently, wandering over to Blaine's chair and perching on the armrest, the two of them gazing down into the tiny fabric rocker on the floor which held Jamie as he was soothed through his nap. Gina draped her arm over Blaine's shoulder and rubbed light circles into his back. "I'm beginning to go insane couped up here all the time with only myself for company."

"Jamie not pulling his weight with the witty banter?" Blaine smiled, wagging his finger down at the rocker. "Bad baby."

As if he sensed he was being talked about, Jamie stirred and opened his eyes, his face suddenly screwing up as he began to squawk.

"Ah, shit - I'm sorry!" Blaine winced as Gina reached down and lifted the baby onto her arms.

"Don't be ... he probably just needs changing." She shrugged, waving off Blaine's apology. She grabbed a changing mat from under the nearby coffee table and began to effortlessly tend to her son.

"Can I - uh ... do anything?" Blaine asked, suddenly feeling like a helpless spare part.

"Nope, just keep talking." Gina insisted. "So you swear Michael hasn't been violent until now?"

Blaine shook his head. "Not really, no. He's just been getting more aggressive in the way he's spoken to me ... and he's been pretty forceful, in the ... well ... and I've been really tired lately ..." He trailed off weakly.

"Honey ..." Gina frowned, reading between the lines. "You know that's rape, right?"

Blaine slumped in his seat, rubbing a hand over his face. "But he's my boyfriend, Gee."

"Doesn't matter." Gina said, shaking her head vehemently and lifting Jamie from the mat, wandering over and placing him in Blaine's arms without a second though while she tidied away her changing kit. "Seriously hon, if you don't want it, and he forces himself on you ..."

"Oh god, I know ... I'm such an idiot." Blaine sighed heavily, staring down at the tiny bundle in his arms as he blinked back up at him. "Why can't I just be living footloose and fancy-free like you - huh, little man?"

"You are not and never will be an idiot, Blaine Devon Anderson." Gina scolded as she came back to sit on the armrest.

Blaine laughed, raising his eyebrows in surprise. "How'd you know my middle name?"

"Uh ... I dunno." Gina shrugged. "From Kurt, I guess."

Blaine rolled his eyes in amusement and sighed again, his face becoming sombre. "And there's another problem."

"Has Michael been accusing you of stuff too?" Gina urged gently.

"Not in so many words." Blaine replied, still staring fixedly at the baby now blissfully asleep once again. "But then, there was a time for a while when I could've been pimping myself out to every guy in town and he wouldn't have even noticed."

"Wow, this one really sounds like a keeper." Gina droned sarcastically.

"I know." Blaine groaned. "I've been pretty blind ... but it took me so long to get over ... um ..."

"You can say his name you know, sweetie - you won't burst into flames."

Blaine swallowed thickly, his voice shaking a little. "I know, but ..."

"Oh, Blainey." Gina soothed, leaning her head against Blaine's shoulder.

"Letting go of Kurt was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, and I was a wreck for such a long time afterwards. But I knew that I'd done the right thing, and had resigned myself to never seeing him again." Blaine stopped for a moment to clear his throat and wipe a lone tear from his cheek. "And then by some strange miracle, I'm suddenly standing in front of him again, and all of the feelings I used to have just came flooding back like they'd never left me."

"Maybe they hadn't ..." Gina offered.

"Oh, but Gina ..." Blaine sat up, shrugging her gently off his shoulder so that he could meet her eyes. "They have to. I couldn't go through all of that again - and I couldn't put Kurt through it either."

"And where is it written that it has to happen again?" Gina smiled with a shrug. "Who's to say you can't live happily ever after?"

Blaine frowned. "Because life's not that easy."

"Not even before you guys broke up last time?" Gina urged with a knowing raise of her eyebrows.

"I ..." Blaine hesitated for a moment, clearly thinking back to those days as a soft smile spread across his lips.

Gina nodded. "Look, sweetheart - all I know is that, in the time I've known Kurt he's somehow found a way to bring you up in conversations more times than I can count, without even realising he was doing it most of the time. And the more I heard your name, the more I realised that you were right there with him, all of the time. He never got over you - and he never will be because you're a part of him that he can't ever be without. You're his heart, Blaine."

"I love him so much, Gina." Blaine whispered in a pained voice.

"Oh ... I know you do, honey. I really do." Gina nodded, squeezing Blaine's shoulder before standing up and gently lifting Jamie out of his arms. "Hmm, I think I'd better put this one somewhere a little more comfortable for a while."

Blaine instinctively followed Gina to the nursery, cooing into the crib as Jamie was laid into it. He glanced up at his friend. "Thanks so much for being there for me, Gina. I don't think I could've gone to anyone else right now."

"It's a pleasure, Blaine - honestly." Gina insisted. "Now please tell me you're off to dump that sorry-assed boyfriend of yours before he does any more damage."

"I am." Blaine nodded sternly. "I have no idea what I'll do after that, but I know I won't be staying there."

"Good." Gina smiled. "Because staying with an abusive partner is never a good idea - take it from someone who knows. Oh, and you can crash right here if you don't mind the occasional screaming tantrum in the middle of the night. And that's just me!"

Blaine chuckled, suddenly serious again. "I couldn't, Gee. I couldn't impose on you guys like that." He said, but with a hint of hope in his eyes.

"You can and you will." Gina replied. "It's no imposition. There's plenty of room, and as I said earlier, if I don't get a little adult company soon I may well lose the will to live."

"Well ... I'd gladly help out with Jamie however I can." Blaine insisted. "And I'll obviously help out with all the bills and food and stuff. And I'll be out of your way as soon as I can find something more permanent."

"Honey ..." Gina stopped him with a raise of her hands before pulling him into a tight hug. "You're welcome here for as long as you like." She said from over his shoulder.

"Oh god, you're a lifesaver." Blaine breathed, taking a moment to squeeze Gina as tightly as he could.

"I know." Gina smiled as she pulled away. "And that's why you love me."

***

As Blaine closed the apartment door quietly behind him, he prayed for the hundredth time that what he was about to do would go as painlessly as possible. He wandered around, not sure whether to call out for Michael or just grab his stuff and run. He went to the bedroom, opening his closet and grabbing a holdall and some work clothes. He let out an exasperated sigh as he glanced down at the bed, knowing that he'd straightened the sheets before he left and now finding them crumpled and messy. He shrugged, well aware that he usually wouldn't be able to resist fixing it again, but deciding that today he just didn't give a damn.

As he moved closer to the bathroom door he heard the familiar sound of the shower being shut off, and his shoulders tensed as he prepared himself for another possible run-in with Michael. He'd gone through his leaving speech a million times in his head, but the thought of actually saying it still made his stomach churn. A loud squeak and a rumble of laughter coming from the bathroom piqued his curiosity, and he instinctively moved back towards the closet, trying to look busy as the bathroom door opened.

A sharp slap of skin against skin and another giggle made Blaine whirl around, and his jaw dropped at the sight of his supposed boyfriend and his roommate both standing naked as jaybirds in the doorway. Patrick at least had the decency to look down at his feet sheepishly, but Michael simply smirked.

"Oops." He chuckled, shielding Patrick a little as he attempted to protect his modesty.

"Oh, come on Michael - what do you think I'm going to do?" Blaine growled through gritted teeth. "Some of us are above random acts of violence."

"Why would it be random?" Michael shrugged dismissively. "You just caught a guy very obviously fucking the love of your life."

"Okay, first of all, you are not the love of my life. And second, neither of you are worth the time or effort it would take to kick your cheating asses."

"Like you could do that." Michael sneered. "And what's with the bag?"

"I'm leaving. And you just saved me the trouble of trying to come up with any explanation other than that you're a scumbag who I've wasted way too much of my time on this year. Not to mention my paychecks."

"And what do you expect me to do?" Michael asked petulantly.

"About what?" Blaine asked, throwing more of his things into his bag and barging past the two men to collect his toiletries.

"Rent? Bills? Studies?"

Blaine huffed out a sarcastic laugh. "Well, I'm guessing that the first two could be paid for in sexual favours if you asked really nicely."

"I ... don't ... uh ..." Patrick stammered as Blaine pushed past him back through the bedroom and into the hallway.

"You don't get to speak!" Blaine yelled, turning to point an accusing finger and then dropping it in indignation. "And I hope you'll forgive me for not giving any fucking notice upon my hasty departure." He spat.

"What makes you think I'm just gonna sit back and let you leave me in the lurch, Blaine?" Michael growled angrily, following Blaine and taking hold of his elbow forcibly as he moved towards the door.

Blaine stopped in his tracks. "Take your hands off me, Michael." He hissed.

"Or what?" Michael said, crowding into him with a sneer.

Before he could stop himself, Blaine rounded on Michael, gripping him by the throat and shoving him against the wall, knocking all of the air out of his ex's lungs. Blaine was rigid with anger, his free hand balled up into a fist and ready to strike, but he dropped it when Michael let out a strangled gasp, his eyes wide with fear. He loosened his grip and leaned in towards Michael's crimson face.

"You're not worth it." Blaine hissed, reaching down for the handle of his bag and throwing one more scornful glance in Patrick's direction before he opened the door to leave. "I'll get the rest of my stuff in a couple of days. And if it's not all here, the cops will be."

Blaine stormed out, slamming the door behind him. He sprinted down the hallway towards the stairwell, only stopping when he was safely down the three flights of steps and out into the building's foyer. He leaned against the wall and caught his breath, blinking back the hot, angry tears he was finally allowing to well in his eyes, because as relieved as he was to be free from such a doomed relationship, it still hurt to know that he'd been so stupid to ever have trusted such a worthless user in the first place.