Blaine woke up the next day in Jermaine’s hospital room. Grace was still fast asleep on the couch. Blaine was dreading going to school today, having to explain his injuries - it was going to be a long day. He saw that Jermaine was awake, so he got up carefully trying not to wake Grace up just yet, and walked over to Jermaine’s bed; he had tear tracks down his face, he must have been awake for a while.

“Morning. You feeling okay today?”

Jermaine blinked twice.

“Good. Are you comfortable?”

Jermaine blinked twice again.

“I’ll be back later, okay? I’m sorry.”

Jermaine blinked once.

“You don’t want me to come back?”

Jermaine blinked twice.

“But, JJ, it’s my fault.. If-if we hadn’t transferred…” said Blaine tears forming in his eyes.

Jermaine blinked once.

“But- but-”

Jermaine blinked once again.

“Is this goodbye for good then?”

And again Jermaine blinked once.

“Can I see you again? As friends?”

Jermaine blinked twice, his eyes smiling.

Blaine gently squeezed Jermaine’s hand.

“I’ll see you around, JJ. I love you.”

Jermaine blinked four times as if to say ‘I love you too’, a tear rolled down his cheek.

Blaine gently shook Grace awake to let her know he was leaving.

“What, what?” said Grace sleepily. “Blaine, are you going?”

“Yeah, see you around, Grace. Stay safe, I hope you’ll be okay. I have to go now, I’ll come visit when you’re settled in the rehab center. Here’s my number - give me a call.”

Grace stood up and threw her arms around Blaine.

“Thank you, Blaine.”

“Well, I haven’t really done anything.”

“Oh yes, you have, you made my brother very happy, even when you were just friends… He never stopped talking about you. You helped him be himself, you just- thank you, Blaine, you’ve done so much. And last night you were a big help.”

“You’re welcome, I guess,” said Blaine shrugging his shoulders. “Now I have to go… I need to get my stuff for school and I have an apology to make,” said Blaine, as he left turning and giving Jermaine one last smile before leaving the room and heading home.

~~~

When Blaine arrived at school he was met with a sea of stares, glancing between his blackened cheek, and his slight limp. He just had to make it through the school day - it was Friday so then he’d have the weekend to recuperate, time for his injuries to fade.

He made it through most of his classes without much questioning about his injuries. He knew that as soon as he walked into glee, he’d get bombarded by questions. He needed to come up with a plan so that he could explain, and then it hit him, he found the prefect song.

~~~

“Oh my god, Blaine,” gasped Quinn as he entered the choir room. “What happened?”

“Erm, well, first I have a song. Is that okay, Mr. Schue?”

“Oh, yeah, Blaine, you have the floor,” said Mr. Schuester.

“Thanks.”

Blaine walked over, picked up a guitar, and started to play.

You, with your words like knives
And swords and weapons that you use against me
You have knocked me off my feet again
Got me feeling like I'm nothing
You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard
Calling me out when I'm wounded
You picking on the weaker man

You can take me down with just one single blow
But you don't know, what you don't know...

Someday I'll be living in a big ol' city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Why you gotta be so mean?

You, with your switching sides
And your wildfire lies and your humiliation
You have pointed out my flaws again
As if I don't already see them
I walk with my head down
Trying to block you out 'cause I'll never impress you
I just wanna feel okay again

This was an anthem for the glee club, for every kid like Jermaine was- those who were scared to come out because of how the world treated them, the kids who got bullied for no reason. Just everyone who feels alone sometimes because the world shuts them out. Blaine was so caught up in his singing that he didn’t notice the tall chestnut haired cheerleader standing at the door, smiling at him.

I bet you got pushed around
Somebody made you cold
But the cycle ends right now
'Cause you can't lead me down that road
And you don't know, what you don't know...

Someday I'll be living in a big ol' city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Why you gotta be so mean?

And I can see you years from now in a bar
Talking over a football game
With that same big loud opinion
But nobody's listening
Washed up and ranting about the same old bitter things
Drunk and grumbling on about how I can't sing
But all you are is mean

Kurt stood in the door frame, watching Blaine sing. He sounded happy when he sung. Kurt liked hearing Blaine sing - he had an amazing voice. It sounded like everything good and right in the world, Kurt could listen to him sing all day.

All you are is mean
And a liar, and pathetic, and alone in life
And mean, and mean, and mean, and mean

But someday I'll be living in a big ol' city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean, yeah
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Why you gotta be so?..

Someday I'll be living in a big ol' city (Why you gotta be so?..)
And all you're ever gonna be is mean (Why you gotta be so?..)
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me (Why you gotta be so?..)
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Why you gotta be so mean?

The glee club applauded, Kurt kept watching Blaine. He started to talk.

“Okay, you, guys, are like my family and I love you all so much,” Blaine started, Kurt could hear a slight tremor in his voice. “Because of that I feel like I can tell you how I got these,” Blaine took a deep breath; Kurt knew this was taking a lot of strength for Blaine, for him to admit this.

“Jermaine,” he took another breath “Jermaine hit me… He thought I was cheating on him, he’s- he’s been hitting me for a while, I didn’t know what to do, I felt like I couldn’t tell anyone, if I did, he’d hit me more, I was scared. He’d kept saying, he was sorry and I believed him. I shouldn’t but I did because I loved him. After rehearsal on Wednesday he got really angry, we had a huge fight… I got some advice from a really good friend. They told me I needed to get out. They helped, they listened, they understood. I really need to thank them properly,” said Blaine, tears starting to fall.

Kurt was so proud of Blaine for that. That took a lot of courage.

“Also, I was wondering if you guys would perform at a benefit with me for The Sick Children’s Trust. On Wednesday, when he was driving home, Jermaine was in a car accident. He is now suffering from locked-in syndrome… I want to help the place where he’ll stay with his sister,” tears started to roll down his cheeks. “I’m sorry, I just I need to go now,” he said.

He fled the room and ran straight into Kurt's arms.

“Shush, Blaine,” he cooed softly. “That was very brave of you.”

Blaine sniffed in to his shirt.

“I’m sorry for yelling yesterday, Kurt, I know you were trying to help,” said Blaine quietly.

“It’s okay, Blaine, I understand. I was the same when my dad was in hospital.”

“Your- your-”

“Yes,” Kurt nodded and he held Blaine closer. “He had a heart-attack and was comatose for a fortnight.”

“Oh, Kurt, I’m sorry.”

Kurt pressed a kiss to Blaine's curls.

“Don’t be.”

Blaine tilted his head upward, staring into Kurt's bright blue eyes, standing on his tiptoes and pressed his lips to Kurt's, sucking his lower lip into his mouth. Ignoring the stares from the people within the choir room.

“Will you go out with me?” Blaine asked the tall brown haired cheerleader.