"Rachel, where is Riley?"

Blaine had been pacing backstage after Riley hadn't shown up for their last minute run through.

"She said that she had a project for history due Monday and tonight was the only night her partner could work on it."

"So am I still supposed to go on?"

"Ya.  She said to break a leg, that she would see you soon, and...." Rachel looked toward the ceiling trying to remember what the last thing was.  "Oh ya, what's the one thing you'll never forget?"

Blaine released some of the tension in his shoulders at that last one.

"Thanks, I guess."  He turned and walked to the corner where Kurt was waiting for him.  He pulled out his phone and sent a message to Riley: You too.

"So, where is she?"

"Apparently she had to work on a project tonight with a partner for history.  It was the only time they could work together."

"So you're going on by yourself?"

"Looks like it."  Kurt pulled Blaine into a close hug wrapping his arms around his waist.

"You're going to do amazing."

"Thanks."  Blaine reached up and kissed Kurt lightly on the lips.

Mr. Shue came around the corner to gather everyone before the show started.

"All right guys.  I know that we have only had a week to prepare this number together but I really think this is going to be a good show.  All of your parents are out there and they are excited.  Mike, you're up first."

All of the members went around and gave encouraging hugs while Mr. Shue went out and welcome the parents and announce Mike for the show.

He did a dance number, of course, with very little vocals followed by Tina until eventually Blaine was the last one to go.

Kurt came off stage after singing for Burt with a huge smile on his face.

"Kurt, you were amazing!"

"Thanks."  Kurt leaned down to kiss Blaine quickly before he gave Blaine an encouraging rub on the back.

"Do this for Riley.  You'll be amazing."

Blaine quickly kissed Kurt on the cheek before stepping on to the stage and standing by himself behind the microphone stand. 

"So, Riley couldn't make it tonight because she had a school project, but she and I picked this song out together for our parents.  I don't know if the other members have told you all about what happened to us but it basically comes down this this: our parents never loved us and the moment we were gone they seemed to forget that they had children at all.  To know that you mean so little to someone who has been such a big part of your life, whether they were a positive or negative influence, is hard and I think Riley has struggled with that the most.  I wish she could be here to sing this with me because she has been the light at the end of my tunnel my entire life.  But the show must go on, right?  It's called Long Gone and Moved On by The Script."

The band started playing their music and Blaine began to sing.

                When's the day you start again?

And when the hell does you'll get over it begin?

I'm looking hard in the mirror

But I don't fit my skin

It's too much to take

It's too hard to break me

From this hell I'm in.

Riley looked at the text and closed her phone.  She walked silently to the sandbox that resided in so many of her memories with Blaine when they were little kids; all the times that Blaine would play house with her or make up a fake world where there were no mommies or daddies.  She sat down on the edge of the box submerging her hands into the sand before pulling them out letting the sand run off back into the box.  She repeated his process many times while before she picked up the pen and paper and began to write.

 Oh from this moment on

I'm changing the way I feel yeah

From this moment on

It's time to get a real

Blaine let the music control him before he started the chorus.  He let his anger take over and he stared at the back wall of the auditorium too afraid to make eye contact with anyone in the audience.  Blaine had been so busy taking care of Riley and trying to make everything into a new normal for both of them that he hadn't realized how much anger he had been holding towards his parents.  If beating up their own children wasn't enough they were now out somewhere living their life as if they didn't have a suffering son and daughter trying to move on with their lives.

Cause I still don't know how to act

Don't know what to say

Still wear the scars like it was yesterday

But you're long gone and moved on

Cause you're long gone

But I still don't know where to start, still finding my way

Still talk about you like it was yesterday

But you're long gone and moved on

But you're long gone, you moved on

The tears rolled openly down Riley's cheeks as she signed the note and laid it next to her.  She had been thinking about it for a while now but her conversation with Blaine earlier this week was what helped her make her final decision.

So how'd you pick the pieces up, yeah

I'm barely used to saying me instead of us

The elephant in the room keeps scaring off the guests

It gets under my skin to see you with him

And it's not me that you're with

Blaine hesitated slightly as he began to sing the second verse because this was supposed to be Riley's part.  He remembered the night before when she had started crying during this verse while they rehearsed it.  The lyrics really meant something to her and he wanted to do it justice for her tonight.

Oh from this moment on

I'm changing the way I feel yeah

From this moment on

It's time to get a real

Cause I still don't know how to act

Don't know what to say

Still wear the scars like it was yesterday

But you're long gone and moved on

Cause you're long gone

But I still don't know where to start, still finding my way

Still talk about you like it was yesterday

But you're long gone and moved on

But you're long gone, you moved on

Riley picked up the bottle of pills that she had brought along and the water.  Closing her eyes she leaned her head back looking up at the stars and said a silent prayer asking God to be with Blaine.  Asking him to make this easier on him than it was on her.  Then Riley uncapped the pills and popped all of them in her mouth before taking a swig of the water and lying down in the sand.  It couldn't be long now.

No I can't keep thinking that you're coming back

No

Cause I got no business knowing where you're at

No

And its gonna be hard yeah

Cause I have to wanna heal yeah

And its gonna be hard yeah

The way I feel that I have to get real

Blaine brought himself back to the auditorium as he began to wrap the song up.  He wished Riley had been here to perform with him because being up there on the stage had actually helped him come to terms with how he felt toward his parents.  He now looked down at the Hudson-Hummel family and the Berry family and they all had this look of sadness and understanding as they watched Blaine settle into the final spot on the stage.

I still don't know how to act

Don't know what to say

Still wear the scars like it was yesterday

But you're long gone and moved on

But you're long gone

But I still don't know where to start, still finding my way

Still talk about you like it was yesterday

But you're long gone and moved on

But you're long gone, you moved on

Riley took her last couple of deep slow breaths and closed her eyes I love you, Blaine.

Silence.

The audience erupted into applause as Blaine took a short modest bow.  The other members made their way to the stage to do their group number for the parents before the night would be over.

Burt offered to take his family (which he now included Blaine) and the Berry family out to ice cream after the performance before they all went home.

After Blaine got home he tried to call Riley to see how the project was going but when he called he got sent straight to voicemail.

Thinking nothing of it he quickly texted Rachel asking her to have Riley call him when she got home.

Kurt and Blaine were watching a Moulin Rouge in Kurt's bedroom.  Blaine was leaning back in the corner of the couch with Kurt leaning back on his chest.  Blaine had Kurt wrapped tightly in his arms while he rested his chin on the top of Kurt's head.

"Blaine?"

"Ya?"

"You're not alone.  You know that, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, that song that you sang tonight.  It made it sound like you thought that now that your parents are gone you are alone.  But you're not.  You have me and Riley, not to mention all of the members of glee club."

Blaine chuckled a little to himself.

"Kurt, if you think I don't know how much love I have in my life then you obviously weren't listening to me a week ago.  I used to feel that way, that's why I can relate to the song so well.  But even over the past couple of weeks you all have shown me how much you care.  How much I actually matter in this world."

"Good."  Kurt turned around to face Blaine; their faces were only inches apart.  "Cause I have made it my mission in life to make sure you never feel that way again."

"Mission accomplished."

Kurt closed the gap between them and started pulled Blaine closer.  It wasn't a desperate kiss, Kurt wanted to make sure Blaine new how much he meant so he kissed him softly making each movement very smooth and prominent. 

They parted and just looked into each other's eyes for a few moments taking in the love that they had for one another.  The music from their movie started and they both settled back to cuddling to enjoy the love medley that had begun.

Blaine heard his phone begin to vibrate before the ringtone started.  He pulled it off the table and looked at the caller I.D.  it was a number he didn't recognize.

"Hello?"

"Hello.  Is this Mr. Anderson?"

"Yes."

"Mr. Anderson, my name is Officer Jones with the Lima Police Department.  I'm going to need you to come down to the station."

"Is there some sort of problem officer?"  Blaine tried to hold his voice steady but it had cracked at the end.  Kurt looked him with confusion before he placed his hand on his back and started to rub small circles. 

"We need you to identify a body."

Kurt had never seen Blaine move quicker than he was right now.  After he had hung up the phone Blaine ran to the closet to grab his coat and then went down the hall to Burt and Carole's room.  He knocked and barely even waited for an answer before opening the door.

"I just got a call from the police and they need me to go down to the station."

"Why?"

Blaine couldn't answer that.  He just shook his head before sitting down on the edge of the bed.  Burt set his book down and got up to go sit next to Blaine.  Burt wasn't Blaine's father but he was the closest thing he had.  Burt pulled Blaine into a hug and Blaine couldn't hold himself together anymore.  He began sobbing right into Burt's shoulder and wrapped his arms around him.  Kurt came in then and gave a dad a shrug because he was just as curious as to what was going on.

Eventually Blaine stopped shaking and Burt was able to pull away from him.

"I'll grab my keys and go with you."

By the time they arrived at the station Blaine had sunken into his dark place and wouldn't respond when either Kurt of Burt tried talking.  Together they managed to get him out of the car and Burt put an arm around Blaine's shoulder while Kurt took his hand.  Neither one knew what to expect when entering through the glass doors but they both knew that whatever was about to happen was going to break Blaine even more.

Burt approached the front desk while Kurt stayed back with Blaine.

"Hi.  Someone called for Blaine Anderson to come down earlier."

The secretary's shoulder shrunk and she looked at Burt as if it were his dying day.

"Are you Blaine?"

"No, he's right here.  I'm his... guardian."  Kurt walked toward the desk with Blaine.

"Well we can only take Blaine into the morgue to identify the body.  He was the only name listed as family."

"Morgue?" Kurt stepped forward now to take lead in the conversation.  "Identify the body? Who exactly do you think died?"

Blaine dropped his eyes to the floor because he knew whose name the woman was going to say.  He should have realized this earlier, but he had been too caught up to see the signs.

"Riley Anderson."

Kurt began to shake his head and Burt went completely silent.  Nobody said anything for the next few seconds.  The two of them stood jaw dropped and Blaine began to feel dizzy.

"Where is the body?"  Blaine's voice was nowhere near steady.  He barely spoke above a whisper.

"You'll need to follow me."  A police officer came around the corner to meet them now.  His tag said Jones on it and Blaine knew it was the officer that had called him earlier.

Blaine turned to follow him but Kurt grabbed his hand to keep him there.

"Blaine.  They have to have the wrong person.  We just saw Riley earlier today."

Blaine didn't respond.  He pulled his hand away from Kurt and walked toward the officer.  Silently Jones turned and led Blaine to a room in the back.

Blaine walked up to the only table in the room with a body on it.   There was a sheet covering it, but Blaine could feel that it was her.

"Are you ready, Mr. Anderson?"

Blaine simply nodded before the officer pulled back the sheet to reveal her face.  If it weren't for the pale skin and even paler lips Blaine would have thought she was just sleeping.  She looked so peaceful, just like when she was laying on the stage just one week ago.

The tears filled Blaine's eyes and he collapsed his chin to his chest.  This couldn't be happening.  Blaine had taken care of everything; it was all just beginning to feel like it could be normal again one day.  Blaine told himself that if he was able to get Riley out of that house he could avoid this situation altogether.  But he was wrong.

"It was an overdose on her pain medication."  Officer Jones put a hand on Blaine shoulder.  "She left a note if you would like to read it."

Blaine didn't even try to wipe back the tears as he nodded silently to the officer.

Moments later the officer returned with a single piece of paper, handed it to Blaine, and left the room.

Blaine,

Over the last week I have come to realize many things.  The first is that you were right; there is a God.  God created every single person on this earth and he watches over to make sure they know what they are doing.  Which brings me to my second realization:  God created all of us to have a purpose in life, a very specific and very important purpose.  If we are lucky enough, God helps us realize what that purpose is early on in life, but many times we wander this earth lost and confused until one day it finally hits us.  Your purpose is to spread love.  You love so carefully, Blaine, but when you do love it is with everything that you are.  You put your heart on the line and give it your all.  I am the luckiest girl in the world to have you as an older brother.  Since the day I was born you have given me your love and that is what got me through all those terrible times with Mom and Dad.  My purpose in life is to show you what your love can do.  That was my third realization.  God made me to help you realize all the purpose that you possess.  My fourth, and final realization is this: I have done my job.  When you told me that you only love Kurt with half of your heart I realized that I was only holding you back.  You need to know love, Blaine, and you need to know what it is like to love with your whole heart.  Once you have done that, your job will be done too.  We both know it.

I love you, Blaine.  You are my brother, my protector, and my world.  Nothing else has ever mattered to me.

I need to you to remember me and everything we talked about. 

Stick to The Script, Blaine.

You promised.

Love,

Riley