June passed and became July and with it came the holidays. Vernon still showed no intention of letting Blaine out of his room again.

The boy didn't consider complaining though. He knew that there was no use. He had even overheard Vernon shouting at his son! It seemed like Cooper had intended to see Blaine and as he'd tried he had been caught by his uncle. In all the years he had lived with the family, he had never heard Vernon shout like that at Cooper; he hardly ever did it at all, and this had confirmed that he was in no position to try to escape his punishment.

He had to admit that his life like this wasn't very different from how it always was as he spent most of the time alone in his room, ignored by the rest of the household.

Still, he hadn't spoken to anyone since the end of the school year and as the second week of holidays ended he was sure to be going insane!

He spent hours staring out of the open window, just sitting and watching the sun wander over the sky, longing to run around and feel the warmth on his skin, the wind in his hair. He had also stopped singing and as he attempted it in the third week of July, his throat felt raw and hurt.

His punishment may have been giving him time to think about all the stuff that had led him to where he was now, but his thoughts were running in circles and his mind got more and more restless by the minute, ending in him, pacing around the small room for hours before going back to staring out of the window.

It was already late July when his door opened and Miss Figg came in.

"You are expected to come down for dinner."

With that she immediately left again, leaving a dazzled Blaine behind. He stood frozen for a couple of seconds, eyes wide and heart beating before his mind could wrap itself around this event. When realisation hit, his legs moved on their own accord, rushing down the stairs and running to the dining room.

The boy stopped at the door to compose himself for a moment. He was free and he didn't want to do anything to be grounded again. He was even glad to get the opportunity to spend time with the Andersons.

As Blaine entered the room, it fell silent and all looks were directed at him. He sat down quickly as if that would make him less visible, keeping his eyes down until Cooper resumed some story about how he had beaten everyone playing football that day. That football was a team sport had seemingly slipped his mind. Blaine had to smirk. He might hate living here but this felt... familiar and that was as close as he would get to family.

"What are you grinning at boy?" Vernon barked suddenly and Blaine shrunk. No. No. No. He chided himself. You just got out and here you are on the brink of going back to your prison.

''Nothing'' He managed to stutter. "I was just ... I just... sort of liked Cooper's story.'' Vernon seemed determined to find something bad about that but his son beat him to that unknowingly.

"That's right Blainers. It is a very good story I have to say. I really have to start again. You missed the beginning." Blaine nodded fiercely, gladly taking the life line thrown at him.

The rest of dinner was unspectacular. Blaine didn't talk but he enjoyed the fact that he wasn't isolated anymore and could maybe even get out of the house the next day.

To not tempt his luck he left the room as soon as dinner was finished but like so many weeks before he was swiftly followed by his uncle.

"Boy." One word and Blaine stood still. As he turned, he saw his uncle standing by the dining room door in a defensive pose, arms crossed, one leg forward.

"Yes?" Blaine asked in a timid voice.

"I may have let you crawl out of your shit hole boy but don't think that you are not just one tiny event from going straight back. I hope your time alone has given you enough opportunity to think things over and I really do hope that you have reached the conclusion to behave."

Uncle Vernon didn't move but his voice was so ice cold and forceful that Blaine shivered and cringed nonetheless.

"I-I have, uncle Vernon. It won't happen again."

Vernon nodded and turned and Blaine knew he was free to go to his room.

As he got there he felt weak and defeated and the joy of being free had already collapsed. His only hope was getting out of the house as soon as possible.