"Oh, sweetie." the woman approached Blaine and enveloped him in a hug. I couldn't tell you why, because it seemed like a totally normal, sweet gesture, but something about this action made my stomach knot up, just like something wasn't right about it. "Now, that was quite a production you put on just now."

"What are you doing in New York? I thought you were in Paris." Blaine ignored the woman's comment (his mom? Was this woman Katherine Anderson?)

"Well, I was. But then I had another work call and I had to fly out to New York. I've been here for a week or so, sweetie. I thought you got my postcard?" Blaine looked extremely uncomfortable with the presence of his mom. I mean, I knew his relationship with her wasn't the best in the world. Most of the time she was away, traveling for "work". Blaine told me that she was home around ten percent of the time, and the rest... well only she could tell you where she was headed, and sometimes even she didn't know. She was a free spirit in every sense of the word.

"No, I haven't..." Blaine murmured, eyebrows furrowed. "Mom..."

"Oh, well you should check the P.O. box more often. It probably ended up in there. Normally your father is pretty good about..."

"Mom, dad was arrested." Blaine interrupted, his voice cracking with emotion.

"Wh-what?"

"He was arrested. He beat me up, broke my ribs. Then my boyfriend and I got into some trouble at the zoo and we came home one day and dad was drunk, and he hurt me, and Kurt's parents called the cops. Dad's gone." Blaine said in one breath, looking over to me. I tried to talk to him with my eyes, the way we always could. I tried to tell him that it was all going to turn out fine. We would be okay, but to be honest, I didn't have a clue what was going on. I just hoped that he was comforted by what I was trying to get across. Blaine deserves to be happy more than anyone.

"And you didn't tell me?" I wasn't sure if Katherine was angry or just surprised. Probably a bit of both, maybe a bit more towards the angry side. Blaine was definitely angry. He replied, his voice clipped and fuming.

"When is the last time you checked your phone? Your email? I have told you. Nobody has been able to get in touch with you."

"Wh-when did this...?" Katherine stuttered, definitely in a state of shock at this point.

"A couple of weeks ago. I've been living with Kurt's family." Blaine said softly. I took this moment to step towards him again, and I weaved my arm around his waist, pulling him close to me. I felt him relax under my fingertips, and the mood was definitely a bit lighter. We smiled at each other briefly before returning our attention to Blaine's very surprised and confused mother.

"What about Cooper?" she asked.

"He and I aren't... we're not really on... speaking terms at the moment..." Blaine looked flustered, which was odd for him. I stopped to think... Cooper was Blaine's older brother, I knew that much. But Blaine had always refused to talk about him. Now I knew why, I guess, if they weren't on speaking terms... I was curious about it, but not curious enough to interrupt Blaine and his mom's interaction.

"Hey, now, Blaine..." she scolded. "Don't tell me that-"

"Forget it mom, it's not an option." Blaine waved his hand dismissively. Katherine's expression tightened for a moment, but then softened soon after.

"Do you need me to come home? Do you need money? How can I... help?"

I was so happy that Katherine wanted to help, really. Blaine deserved that out of his mother, at the very least. But of course a question probed at my mind... why now? When Blaine was tattered and broken and vulnerable, that's when he needed her, and she wasn't there. And now that Ava and I have Blaine back on his feet, and finally showing some reminisce of happiness, she decides to be a mother to her son...

"I... at this point, I'm not entirely sure... I'll... get back to you on that?" Blaine looked uncomfortable again, which put me on edge. I let go of his waist and brought my hand up to squeeze his shoulder.

"You never answered my question..." Katherine mused. "What are you doing in New York?"

"Ava, Kurt. and I are visiting here. For the week..." Blaine trailed, shifting his weight slightly away from me.

"With no adult supervision?" her eyes widened, anger clearly starting to bubble up in her eyes.

"Ava is twenty-six..." Blaine protested, but Katherine was undeterred.

"That's hardly a responsible age! Who gave you permission to be here? Surely your friend's parents aren't okay with this... Any of this."

"Excuse me, if you don't mind me interrupting..." Ava stepped forward, thank God. Someone needed to stand up to Katherine about this, and surely I didn't have the courage to do it. "I'm fully responsible. I've done a lot of growing since the last time you've seen me. Kurt's dad gave us permission to be here, and he is probably the most respectable man I've ever met. And his wife Carole has been excellent, too. Like a mom to Blaine recently. Blaine was basically kicked out of his house and left homeless. And while you were nowhere to be seen, Kurt's parents gave him everything. And they are giving him this."

"I just don't think this city is really fit for kids..." Katherine said, critically, an eyebrow raised.

"Mrs. Anderson, if I may? We're not kids... Around this time next year, I'll be here searching for an apartment for Ava and I, and the year after that, Blaine will join me. We're born for New York. We're old enough. I mean, Ava is twenty-six, and I'm eighteen. We're both legal adults, and Blaine will be in just a few months."

Katherine was about to open her mouth to speak when her phone started going off in her pocket; a gentle, classic ring. She sighed, pulling out her cell. With one look at the caller ID, her expression turned determined and she looked back at Blaine.

"Listen, sweetheart. I just need you to be safe. I'll have my lawyer get in touch with you. I'll try and get you some money and some better... um... temporary custody while I'm away. I have to take this call. I need to be in San Diego by morning..."

And just like that, she was gone, pacing down the streets of New York, her phone pressed into her ear and her voice increasing in volume the more distance appeared between us.

"Yeah, um... That's my mom." Blaine looked at me sadly.

"Oh, Blainers..." Ava sighed, pulling him in for a hug, leaving me about a foot away, watching them closely.

"Listen to me." she said sternly, holding Blaine's face firm in her hands. "Your mom is a piece of shit, okay?"

Blaine laughed, which made both Ava and I smile, relieved.

"If you need another place to be... If Kurt is ever annoying the hell out of you with his America's Next Top Model marathons, or if the Hummel's are away or busy... and when Kurt graduates next year... My house is always your home, Blainers. It always has been, it always will be."

"Thank you, Av." Blaine gave her a teary-eyed smile.

"Anytime, Blainers." she pulled away with a smile. "I'm gonna hand you off to your boyfriend. He looks like he has a few words for you."

I laughed as Blaine turned over to where I was standing. His eyes... oh, God, his eyes... they were wet with newly sprung tears and I just... I was crying to at this point.

"Oh, God, Blaine, I love you." was all I could manage. I closed the distance between the two of us, blending our lips together like they were pretty much accustomed to doing at this point.

Nothing bad is ever going to happen to Blaine again. Not if I can help it.

"Alright, alright. Let's get back to the hotel, you guys. Get some shut eye before we go see Wicked tomorrow!" Ava chirped, and Blaine and I parted, exchanging a glance that promised that we'd pick up where we left off later.