Cooper stood awkwardly glancing at his watch. He'd been waiting for eight minutes and the boys still hadn't come down. Was he being stood up? He almost laughed at the thought.

Cooper Anderson didn't get stood up.

But still, they were taking an awfully long time. Maybe he should go up and see. But before he could move he heard the door open and footsteps pad down the stairs. Blaine followed closely by Kurt appeared out of the doorway and neither of them looked happy.

Oh come on! Kurt couldn't still be mad at him! Blaine he understood but Kurt…

"Hey guys," Cooper said with a smile and a small hand wave. "What's cooking?"

"Pancakes." Blaine said stoically.

Cooper's face changed completely as excitement at the thought of food rushed through him. Now that he thought about it, he was starved. "Really?" he said practically bouncing. "Pancakes?"

"Yup," Kurt said nodding. "But considering how pissed Blaine is, I don't know if you're going to get any."

All happiness drained out of Cooper immediately and sadness flashed behind his eyes as he met Blaine's heavy gaze. "You're mad at me?" he asked softly.
Blaine rolled his eyes in typical Anderson fashion. "How could I not be?"

"With understanding and compassion."

Blaine scoffed and plopped himself down on one of Kurt's couches. "If you know anything about our family," Blaine said giving Cooper a look. "You'd know those things aren't in our vocabulary."

"Don't say that," Cooper said sitting on the arm on the side of the couch. "Just because you came from mother doesn't mean you're anything like her."
Blaine gave a sarcastic laugh. "Now that's a lie if I ever heard one."

Cooper rolled his eyes and pointed to Kurt. "Kurt," the older Anderson said to the pale boy who watched the brother's interaction with interest. He jumped a little at being dragged into the conversation. "Do you think this boy that you so love is anything like the blood sucking heathen that is out mother."

Kurt raised his hands next to his head. "Don't even try to drag me into this," he said narrowing his eyes at Cooper. "Besides, Blaine already knows what I think."

"See!" Cooper said turning back to Blaine. "Kurt doesn't think you're like mother either. She's her own special breed of not human."

"I didn't say that," Kurt protested.

Cooper turned to look at him, mocking disbelief on his features. "Yes because you totally walked up to Blaine and said 'you know what? You remind me of your crazy sociopathic mother.'"

"I—" Kurt started but he cut himself off not really sure what to say. "Okay fine."

Cooper just nodded and turned back to Blaine. "Okay B, we need to talk."

Blaine rolled his eyes. "Because I brought you down here to glare daggers at you in heated brooding silence."

Cooper shrugged inching to sit on the sofa cushion. "That's kind of what's happening here." Blaine rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. Cooper sighed to himself. Fine. If Blaine wants to act like a child then that's exactly how Cooper will treat him.

"Kurt," he said sweetly turning to the glasz-eyed boy. "Would you give Blaine and me a moment?"

Kurt's gaze flickered to Blaine and back to Cooper. "I'm not one hundred percent sure I can do that," he said honestly.

"You can't." Blaine answered.

"Okay," Cooper said turning to his younger brother. "Then I'll just act like you're not here. No offense of course," he said flashing Kurt a cheeky grin. "But this soul bearing stuff?…Yeah not easy for a guy like me."

Kurt nodded making a do whatever you have to do motion. "I'll just pretend to be a part of the scenery," Kurt replied. He lazed onto his bed. "This is me being scenery." He waved his hand. "Commence the soul bearing!"

Cooper smiled and turned back to Blaine who was completely not amused. "Bittybot," he said sitting down next to the pouting boy. "Tell me why you're angry."

"Don't," Blaine snarled snapping his head to look at Cooper. "Call me that."

"Okay," Cooper said with a placating voice, "I'm sorry I just…I miss you."

"I wonder who's fault that is," Blaine sneered. "Just in case you can't tell, it's not mine."

Cooper ran his hand through his hair slowly, kneading his lower lip in thought. "I didn't have a choice," he said looking up at Blaine, his blue eyes shining brightly. "You realize this right? I couldn't stay."

"But you could have taken me with you!" Blaine yelled jumping to his feet as he yelled at his brother. "You didn't have to leave me alone!" Tears started to well in his eyes but Blaine didn't care. "Don't you get it Coop?" he asked his voice breaking a little bit. "You were the only thing I had! You were the only one who loved me! Mother's a sociopath, dad's never around, and Rachel liked you over me anyway. But I was your favourite, 'The two brothers, in it until the end.' Isn't that what you told me Coop? 'It was you and me against the world?'"

Cooper broke Blaine's eye contact, guilt wrapping around his throat and constricting his air ways.

Blaine laughed a bitter laugh throwing his hands to his sides. "At first I didn't believe her when she told me you know, when you first left? I thought, 'that's impossible. Cooper would never leave me, after all I would never leave him!' So I dismissed it as another one of her mind games. And I waited on the doorstep every day. I woke up early, and I stayed up late because I didn't want to miss you when you finally returned. Day after day I waited. And day after day my hope waned. And then one day, when I sat by myself on the cold stone steps, the rain pouring down on my head, I finally realized that you were really gone." Blaine met Cooper's eyes again, his tear filled globes shimmering with fat drops ready to fall. "I realized that you had left me alone in this prison without so much as a good-bye."
Cooper moved to speak but no sounds came out.

"That might be the worst thing that's ever happened to me," Blaine said nodding to no one in particular. "Because it was in that moment that I felt something inside of me break, my childhood maybe, my innocence. Whatever it was…I was done. That was it. I gave up." Blaine turned a heated glare to his brother. "I was officially unlovable, and in that moment I realized 'Hey, maybe I deserved the life I got. I wasn't worth anything anyway.'"

Cooper looked at Blaine, his face forlorn and old; like he had suddenly aged a thousand years from the weight of the guilt.

"Blaine," he said dragging our each letter and syllable. Letting it take shape in his mouth, flowing through him, and picking up every drop of emotion he felt. The boy in question met Cooper's gaze as a single tear fell from his warm hazel eye. "Brother," Cooper continued his voice hitching a little. "I promise you, that wasn't my intention."

"But it was the result." Blaine finished closing his eyes for a brief second.

"What was I supposed to do?" Cooper asked Blaine, cocking his head at the hurting boy.

"Not go." Blaine replied.

"And you don't think that's a selfish request?" Cooper asked pushing himself to the edge of his seat. "To make me stay."

"So I have to, but you don't? Yes bro," Blaine said emphasizing the last word sarcastically. "That's definitely fair."

"You were too young!" Cooper countered pushing himself to stand facing his brother. "I was seventeen, what is a seventeen year old with no money, no job, and no high school diploma supposed to do with himself and his little brother?"

"You did just fine on your own," Blaine accused.

"Yeah," Cooper stated. "Because I was on my own! I had no one else to look out for other than myself."

"So I would have slowed you down?"

"I would have slowed myself down making sure you were alright," Cooper corrected. "Life on the road is no place for a kid."

"Is that what you tell yourself to make you feel better at night?" Blaine taunted taking a step back from Cooper.

The elder Anderson shook his head in disbelief at his younger relative. "You really think this was easy for me don't you?"

Blaine shrugged dramatically, "You haven't made it sound very hard."

Cooper rolled his eyes at the curly haired boy. "Let me break this down for you. I had to choose between freedom to do what I wanted to do with my life, or never seeing my family ever again. That's a very tough choice, brother. It's the same kind of reason you didn't tell mother you were gay. You didn't know what would happen, but if worse came to pass you knew that you'd be kicked out of the house with nowhere to go and no money to your name. In the end you didn't even tell her, she just already knew—"

"I don't see your point," Blaine cut Cooper off.

"My point is that nobody should have to make that choice," Cooper continued. "But I did, and I chose what was best for me because I would die if I had to live under mother's thumb for the rest of my life."

"So you condemned me to it instead."

"I—"

"You know what I just realized?" Blaine asked looking at Cooper accusingly. "You are the sole reason for every single one of my problems." Cooper stepped back offended. "How?"

"Everything was for you," Blaine replied steadily, anger slowly burning its way to the surface again. "For the first time since you left I was finally happy, I finally had somebody who truly loved me and then I had to throw it all away because of you." Blaine pointed at him angrily his face twisting into an angry scowl. "Because mother loved you so freaking much, and she needed you back so damn fucking badly that she was ready to throw away everything I needed to get to you. And you knew all this! You knew what she was doing and you just let her go right ahead because you're Cooper fucking Anderson and you do whatever the hell you fucking want!" Blaine took a menacing step forwards but Cooper held his ground, watching the shorter boy as he spouted rage.

"How could you do that?" he asked pushing Cooper's shoulder. "How could you sit there and watch my life," he pushed him again harder. "Fall to crap."
Cooper grabbed Blaine's hands and stopped his vehement pushing before it escalated. "I didn't have a choice," Cooper said keeping his voice level as Blaine fought his tight hold. "I was finally in a good place, my business was booming, my heart was healing, I didn't need her dragging me back down."

"How could you not care!?" Blaine yelled tears stinging in his eyes again.

"Of course I cared!" Cooper replied just as vehemently, still not releasing Blaine. "I cared and I hurt every second for you, but there are some battles that you just can't win—"

"You sound like mother," Blaine spat finally ripping his hands out of Cooper's grip. "It's all a game, a great big game of Stratego to you people! But guess what? I'm not a chess piece! You can't just move me around as you feel fit. I'm a real human being. I'm your brother who you left behind years ago, and I am fucking done with all of this!"

Silence echoed throughout the basement as Blaine's words pushed at the walls.

"What do you mean you're done?" Cooper asked slowly, blue eyes taking in Blaine's irate figure.

"I'm filing for emancipation," Blaine heaved. "I'm done being controlled like a puppet! I'm my own person, I'll lead my own life, and I'll do it on my own."

"Mother will never let you."

Blaine scoffed. "She can try and stop me."

"What about the money—"

"Screw the money!" Blaine yelled cutting Cooper off. "I don't need. I'll get by."

"On what!?" Cooper asked judgement ringing through on each syllable.

"I've saved all my Christmas money since the year you left, and in Italy I had a job which I saved the money from. Plus my weekly allowance and the odd job around the Dalton campus, I have quite a bit saved up."

"Trust me, however much it is it's not enough."

"I'm not a baby," Blaine scolded. "And I'm not some poor little rich boy either. I'll be fine."

Cooper took a step towards him, "What about school?" he asked putting his hands on Blaine's shoulders. "That shit's expensive!"

"Look," Blaine said brushing Cooper's hands off of him and stepping back. "Why do you even care? This has nothing to do with you anymore."

"You're still my brother," Cooper said looking at Blaine sadly. "And I don't want you to throw away your whole future because of a few mistakes."

"Isn't this exactly what you did?" Blaine asked turning away from his older brother. "And it looks like you did fine for yourself."

"I'm just begging for you to reconsider," Cooper said touching Blaine's back. "Wait until you're eighteen, then take the money and run."

"I don't want any of my success to be tainted by this fucking family!" Blaine screamed whirling around sending Cooper's hand flying. "I won't take the easy way out," he said shaking his head. "I won't take your blood money."

"Blaine," Cooper crooned.

"No." Blaine said defiantly.

"No, no, and one more time no. This conversation has sailed way of track so I think it's time for you to leave."

"Blaine," Kurt said quietly from his bed where he watched the two interact tersely.

"What?" The shorter boy asked crossing his arms. "I'm done. All that's needed to be said has been said."

Cooper shot Kurt a pleading look and Kurt replied with a knowing one. "Blaine," Kurt said again pushing himself off of the bed. "You want this done today, right?"
The shorter boy just breathed heavily staring poisoned daggers at his older brother. "What's done is done, Kurt," he said darkly not turning to look at his boyfriend. "And some things can't change; I was an idiot to think otherwise." He turned away from Cooper deflated, his shoulders slightly hunched as they drooped towards the floor. Blaine was tired. The most tired he'd been for a while, the fatigue that comes only when one is almost at the end of the tunnel but they can't find the energy to speed up or keep going. Blaine could see the end to all of this, but he's losing his energy to fight. He just wants it all to stop. "Please," he said softly loosely throwing his hands towards the door. "Go."

Cooper sighed heavily running an aggravated hand through his hair. "Blaine," he pleaded one last time.

"Go!" The younger Anderson managed to find the energy to yell, and it was piercing. The rawness of the shout reverberated through the room practically pushing Cooper out of door. He glanced back at Blaine one more time before wiping his eyes quickly and going up the stairs.

Kurt and Blaine stood in the silence; Blaine with his back to the pale boy, Kurt staring at Blaine debating whether the silence was too fragile to break or not.

"Don't," Blaine started softly his breath hitching slightly. "Don't say anything."

The sound of Blaine's wrecked voice spurred Kurt into action. He strode forward and enveloped the grieving boy into his arms, back first. He wrapped his arms around Blaine and held onto his hands as the boy cried silently, hands pressed to his lips. Kurt closed his eyes and molded himself to the curve of Blaine's back holding on tightly. Blaine softened lightly into his hold but his grip on their hands didn't lessen.

He and Cooper were unfixable. The gap was too big, his anger too strong. Time and stupid choices had rid him of the only brother he had ever known. So he wept for the relationship that had begun to die years before, and had finally reached its demise.
The two brothers that were in it until the end had finally reached the end.

.o...0...o.

FLASHBACK

A dark shadow covered Rachel's sun causing her to open her eyes with distaste.

"Get up," Santana ordered without so much as a hello.

"What happened?" Rachel asked cocking her head sassily. "Got tired with my brother?" Santana raised a brow at Rachel and put her hand on her hip.

"As if," she scolded. "But he sure did try his darndest," she winked and Rachel pulled a face. The Latina smiled viciously at her before jabbing her finger to the right.

"Now get," she said wearing her serious face. "The boys need food."

Rachel rolled her eyes but didn't make to move. "Why don't you help them?" she asked closing her eyes and resting back into her lounge chair. "Since you're already so comfy."

Santana rolled her eyes and glanced at Kurt who just shrugged. She turned back to Rachel and growled under her breath. "Rachel," she said dangerously. "You have ten seconds before I cut off those balls you decided to grow."

Rachel huffed and opened her eyes again glaring at Santana. "I didn't grow any balls," she said sounding offended. "I'm just a little bit peeved that you just went and did stuff with my twin brother. I mean is nothing sacred to you?"

Santana cocked her head. "Sacred and I don't get on very well. It's too close to holy, and I hate that bitch."

Rachel rolled her eyes and stood up annoyance and irritation obvious on her features. "Whatever," she said throwing her hands in the air. "What. Frigging. Ever." And with that she stormed off into the kitchen probably to order some pizza.

Santana smiled her devilish smile and sunk into the now vacated seat.

"That wasn't very nice," Kurt said looking at the gorgeous girl.

Santana shrugged not looking apologetic in the least. "I needed her gone; I need to talk to you."

Kurt raised a brow at her. "What about?"

"Blaine Anderson."

"Oh my god," Kurt said rolling his eyes and turning away from her. "Did you really bully Rachel out of here just so you could tell me about your sexcapades?"

Santana scoffed, "As if. This is ten times more gripping and far more entertaining."

Kurt sighed but waved his had in a carry on motion. "Go on then."

Santana smiled and leaned in close, her plump lips grazing Kurt's ear. "This is a secret," she said sending small shivers down Kurt's spine. "But just from Rachel and the rest of the people in her family." Kurt raised a brow intrigued already.

"Okay," he said when she paused for a moment.

"Promise me you won't tell Rachel."

Kurt rolled his eyes at her. "What is this, fourth grade?"

"Promise me." Santana repeated with authority.

Kurt rolled his eyes again. "Obviously."

He felt her smile as she said 'good,' before she stopped and an amused smirk took its place. "Blaine Anderson," she started. "Is gay." Kurt gasped turning to look at her.

"No!" he said clapping his hands to his mouth.

"Yes!" Santana said nodding. "But that's not even the best part. No, the best part is that Blaine Anderson is gay for you."

Kurt looked at her, his mouth in making a perfect 'o.' "You're lying." He said looking at her suspiciously.

She looked at him offended. "Now why would I lie?" she asked raising her slender black eyebrow.

"Because you're setting me up for some big prank or something."

"Oh come on," she said leaning back in her chair and shooting him a reproachful look. "I'm a bitch but I'm not mean. I wouldn't do that to you."

Kurt shook his head, the information refusing to be accepted. "But why would he like me?" he asked honest confusion in his voice.

"In case you hadn't noticed, you hot Hummel," she said with a smirk. "I mean if I were gay I'd totally want in those pants."

Kurt didn't take the bait. "How do you even know?" he asked his glaze flickering between her and the pool. He wasn't looking for Blaine, what are you talking about?

"I overheard him," she said her smirk growing even bigger. "He likes the way you put on your sunscreen. It's so…sensual."

"He did not say that!"

"No," agreed. "But he did say it shouldn't be legal."

Kurt thought it but he couldn't stop the blush rising to his face. Santana saw it and smiled. "Good," she said with an affirmative nod as if that said it all. "I'm going to send him over here, and you too are going to talk, maybe get a little hot and heavy, and I'm going to keep distracting Rachel because she can't find out."

Kurt gave her a knowing look. "Santana you know I don't want anything to do with closeted guys."

"He's not in the closet," she corrected. "All his friends know. He's just aware of what a big mouth Rachel has and since the family is rich and conservative he doesn't want to lose his fancy lifestyle because of a girl who can't shut up."

"Wow," Kurt said sarcastically. "I'm so glad he has his priorities straight."

"Oh hush," Santana scolded affectionately. "Don't fault the man for liking being rich. Kurt," she said emphasizing his name and drawing his gaze back to her. "He's rich, hot, and interested in you. Don't say no to this."

"I—"

"I'm sending him over," she said pushing herself out of the chair before Kurt could say anything. "So be kind and hear him out. He seems pretty cool, and you know me, I wouldn't send you out with just anybody."

"But—"

"Ssh," Santana said cutting him off. "Don't worry, Auntie 'Tana will take care of all."

.o...0...o.

CURRENT DAY

Cooper walked up the stairs, shock still making its way through his system. Blaine hadn't forgiven him, he hadn't wanted him back. He didn't think it would hurt as much as it did, but it did and it hurt. Where was a shock blanket when a guy needed one, he could barely process his thoughts right now. He sighed and ran a hopeless hand through his thick black hair. This wasn't the end; he wasn't a proper Anderson if he even entertained the idea of giving up. Blaine hadn't forgiven him yet. But if it was the last thing he did, Cooper would, at the very least, have Blaine be able to talk to him again. Forgiveness sounded like a high target and he wasn't even sure if he deserved it.

He made the left and walked into the kitchen where the eclectic group of teenagers sat eating and talking, unaware of what had happened downstairs.
Good, he thought to himself. For as helpful as they are, it's none of their business anyway. Stacey looked up when he walked into the room and she smiled. A smile slid onto his face automatically as he walked over to her, sliding in to the empty seat beside her.
"I never knew you to be a late riser," she said with her southern drawl, lacing the words with sugary sweetness.
Cooper just shrugged and took a piece of bacon from her plate, biting into it.

"It's been an intense twenty-four hours."

.o...0...o.

Kurt and Blaine hadn't moved, but Blaine's tears had decreased substantially. Kurt held Blaine for another minute or so, doing whatever he could to help his broken boy stay together, before Blaine sighed and let go of Kurt's hands drying the wetness on his face.

He stepped forward out of Kurt's embrace and turned around meeting Kurt's concerned gaze. Blaine just gave him a small smile and shrug which caused Kurt to roll his eyes and catapult himself at Blaine, winding his long arms around Blaine's neck.

He snuggled into the crook of Blaine's neck and sighed. "I'm so sorry," he said, uttering the first words since the argument.

Blaine just sighed heavily and hugged Kurt back, reveling in the comfort of being held. "I am too," he replied. "But it's not surprising; I just….I'm not ready yet."
Kurt nodded and kissed Blaine's neck softly. "That's okay sweetie. Believe me I know. Scars take time to heal, and his return just ripped the scabs off again. You're still bleeding, forgiveness isn't on the plate yet."

"But I want it to be," Blaine crooned the heartbreak ringing loudly in his voice. Kurt held him even tighter refusing to let go.

"One day, love," Kurt said taking a deep breath. "One day."