I tried to resist, but my muse demanded that I start writing this.

This is my first try at the "Five Times, And Then One Time"-genre, and unfortunately I don't have five ideas yet. Maybe I'll never complete this, maybe I'll just publish the ones I do manage to write for your enjoyment. Oh well, each part will be independent and fully possible to read on its own, so no damage done if I can't complete the 5+1-style. I do have 3+1 so far, but I have vague ideas for things I'm not sure if are worthy of entire chapters yet.

Please let me know what you think about this, and if it's hopeless and useless I'll stop wasting time on writing it, when I have two other WIP's to take care of. I kind of fell in love of the scene in this chapter, so I wanted to share it with you, and I do hope you'll enjoy it!

"Yes, let's hope he feels better tomorrow, so he can come back, but I'll keep him home if he has a fever," Blaine hears his mom say on the phone. She hasn't come to wake him up yet, but he still woke all by himself, and when he could hear the birds tweeting in the tree outside his room, he knew it was morning. So he decided to get out of his bed. If it wasn't morning, he'd have to find something to do while he waited, because Mama and Daddy don't like it when he wanders alone in the big house at night. He has a colouring book and some crayons in a drawer in his bedside table for confusing maybe-mornings like these.

But today isn't confusing, except Mama just said someone is sick. Blaine knows Cooper is already off to school, because the door to his room was wide open when he passed it on his way downstairs. Cooper has posters taped to the door, and had told Blaine about them not long ago. One is of a woman in black clothes that look uncomfortable, covering her entire body tighter than the tights he had to wear last winter under his pants, which turned out to be from when he was four, when he in fact was five by then. Now he's five-and-a-half-and-then-some. The woman on Coop's poster is floating on her back in the air, shooting some bad-guys with her guns. Coop had called her Trinity, which had confused Blaine, because they kept talking about God, Jesus and Trinity in kindergarten, but he'd never gotten an impression that they had weapons. Coop said she was from a movie he could see when he was older, and maybe that's when they'll explain if she's related to Virgin Mary, or if she's Jesus' pretend-aunt just like Blaine's pretend-aunts in kindergarten?

The other poster is of a woman Blaine knows very well, because he got Lego Star Wars from his grandmother, and he didn't know what Star Wars was then, but Coop explained everything for him, so now he knows what Star Wars is. And that woman is Queen Amidala. Blaine doesn't understand why Cooper would want her on his door, though. He thinks Yoda is much cooler. Or maybe Jar Jar Binks, he's a lot of fun.

So if Coop isn't sick, maybe it's his dad? He's away, travelling for his work again, and sometimes Blaine wishes he had the same dad as Tom has. Mr. Olsson is always home after kindergarten, and he put up a huge swing in the backyard for Tom, and Blaine is allowed to play with Tom as long as he tells Mama where he goes, and won't cross the road. It's not that Blaine doesn't love his dad, because he does, but it would be easier to love him more if he saw him more, Blaine's sure of that. Sometimes he scrunches his eyes, trying to remember how his dad looks. Fortunately, there's a wedding picture in the hallway he can use as a reminder. Except his dad is now fatter and balder, and the last time Blaine saw him, his dress was light grey, and not black – and his beard has changed. It now covers his entire chin, and not just along his cheeks. Silly.

Blaine peaks around the corner to the kitchen, where his mom is making tea, and obviously done on the phone.

"Is Daddy sick?" Blaine whispers carefully.

His mom twirls around, and is by his side in a few steps, crouching down so she can smile at his face, and not just the top of his head.

"Of course not, Baby B, why would you think that?"

Blaine wraps his arms around her neck, and rests his head on her shoulder. He loves the mornings when they have time, and Mama isn't nagging about getting ready so she can take him to kindergarten and then drive off to work. This seems like a morning where they have some time.

"You told the phone someone was sick," Blaine explains, and fingers the pretty necklace his mom is wearing. He knows it's a gift from his dad, he'd given it to her the last time he came home. Mama had cried and called him a cheater, and Blaine had watched hidden on top of the stairs. His dad had given her a box in silver wrapping with a big bow, and Blaine had to hold on to his feet to make sure he didn't reveal he was listening, because he really wanted to run down and see if his dad had bought him something too. He wasn't sure if Mama was sad or really happy, but then they kissed, so she was probably happy. Blaine had been confused, though, because when their mom got the call from Cooper's school that he had cheated on a test, he had been grounded for two weeks. Maybe grown-ups can't be grounded, but have to buy shiny jewelry when they cheat?

"I was talking with Miss Edwards. Do you remember who she is?"

Blaine nods, because of course he remembers. She's the newest pretend-aunt in kindergarten.

"I told her you wouldn't be coming in today," Mama tells him, and runs a soft hand up and down his back.

But… If he wasn't going…

"Am I sick?" he asks, lower lip trembling, and his eyes are getting wet and difficult to see through. He doesn't feel sick, but maybe it's something really serious that comes as a surprise? He'd been watching Pippi Longstocking with his brother the other day, and he couldn't understand where her parents were. He knew her dad was captain on a big ship, but not one of Coop's space ships; it was a boat in Africa. Cooper said Pippi's mom suddenly got sick and died, but it was okay, because she didn't feel a thing and wasn't in any pain. And Blaine isn't feeling any pain at all! A few tears are trickling down his cheek, and he isn't scared of dying, if it isn't painful. But it's Cooper's birthday next week, and he'd been really looking forward to give him his gift, he's made it himself, and it took forever to get it ready! He's made Princess Amidala out of clay in crafts, and even wrapped her up in pretty paper himself. Miss Edwards only had to help him twice, when the glue tape got stuck. One of Amidala's boobs fell off while she was baked in the oven, but Cooper probably won't mind. It's just a boob. At least she still has both hands, and can use her lightsabre. But now he won't get to see his brother's reaction, because he's dying? He cries some more, just in case.

"Oh Blaine, what kind of stories have your brother been feeding you now?" his mom says softly, and holds him close. "You're not sick, everything is okay. I just told Miss Edwards, so you could be home with me. I'm not working today, and hoped we could spend the day together, doing something fun. And I was going to let you sleep in, little munchkin," his mom laughs, and Blaine can't help but laugh with her.

"You lied to Miss Edwards? But she's so kind!" Blaine objects.

"Young Mister Anderson, lying is never good, whether the person is good or bad."

"So why did you lie to her?" Blaine wonders, scrunching his forehead in a deep frown. His mom is a good person.

"Well, I wasn't exactly lying. I think we're both feeling a little homesick, and we need to cure that."

"What's homesick?"

His mom stretches her legs, and lifts him up, even if he's a big boy now. She sets him down on one of the tall stools by the kitchen island.

"That's when you're feeling sick just thinking about going to work, and need to spend a day at home to avoid getting sicker. Or in your case, if you went to kindergarten today, you'd be thinking about the cookies I'm going to make and rather be here, longing until you felt sick."

"Oh." That made sense. If his mom were making cookies, he would probably think about that all day. It would be just like the time his dad had told him they'd go to the circus the next day, and it felt as if he had to be in kindergarten for at least 30 hours before he was picked up. 30 is a lot, lot.

"So, what do you want for breakfast? You can have anything you want?" his mom smiles, and Blaine gawks at her. Anything?

They eat pancakes covered in banana slices and chocolate sauce.

Afterwards, Blaine feels as if his legs are living a life on their own, and he can't sit still. His mom sighs something about sugar rush, and suggests they go outside. She finds her garden equipment, and kneels by the flowerbeds, while Blaine runs around the house at least four times. When he asks to go to the Olsson's to use their swing, his mom says it isn't polite to visit people who aren't home, so instead he finds one of Cooper's many basketballs and messes around with it. One day he'll be old enough to play with his brother.

All of a sudden, Blaine feels tired, so he lies down on the hammock. His mom is humming something, and he thinks, hopes, maybe she will teach him more on the piano later.

When Blaine opens his eyes again, his mom is kneeling by the hammock.

"Was it a good nap?" she smiles at him. He nods tiredly. He didn't even know he had been napping.

"Are you ready to make cookies now?" she continues, and that makes him feel very awake.

"Yes!" he shouts, and jumps out of the soft pillows, and runs inside as quickly as possible, and one day he'll be able to run just as fast as Cooper's long legs can.

In the kitchen, he gets to help his mom make the cookies. She measures the ingredients, which is the most boring task anyway, while he's in control of the buttons on the mixmaster. Mama warns him against getting his fingers into the whisks, and of course he won't. When they're both satisfied with the dough, she gives him a spoon and a baking tray, and then gets a set of spoon and baking tray for herself, so they can make their own cookies. He makes some mess on his paper, but Mama reassures him they will cook just as well.

"How do you feel about a picnic in the backyard, with lemonade and fresh cookies?"

"I feel…" Blaine muses, making his thinking face where he taps an index finger against his temple and rests his chin on his thumb. "…super-happy," Blaine grins.

"Why don't you get the blanket from the couch, and find a nice place in the sun for us?"

Blaine can totally do that! He grabs the blanket with both hands, but it's so thick and big, and it's difficult to see where he's walking behind the big bundle in his arms. So instead, he grabs it by a corner and drags it after him with both hands through the hall, out the door, down the four steps, across the graveled driveway, and back to the lawn.

"Hi Kissy!" he greets his red cat, who jumps down from the fence and prances in his direction. The cat always looks as if it has a sour expression, so Blaine had decided to call her Kissy when he got her for his fourth birthday. Maybe she would be happier, if she got a lot of kisses and hugs. She still doesn't look happier, but at least she's really cuddly, and will often come to Blaine whenever she seems him. She isn't allowed to sleep in his bed, but Daddy says he'd caught her red-handed. Which was stupid, because the entire cat is red.

"You like the sun. Where do you think we should sit?" he asks the cat, who's doing those dance moves around his feet again, her tail tall and wrapping around his thigh. When she seems to be satisfied with her weird dancing, she stretches all of her legs, one by one, before finding the spot on the grass where the sun is shining the brightest. There she lays down on her side, her tail gently swooshing over the grass. Blaine grins, and dumps the blanket not far from her. It's big, and he has to walk to all four corners to stretch it out and make it as even and neat as possible. It's actually quite hard work, especially in the heat, and he hopes Mama will be done with the lemonade soon

He sits down dead center on the blanket, pleased with his effort, and is trailing a finger along the whimsical pattern, when movement in the grass catches his attention. Something tiny is jumping, but it's difficult to see when the grass is so tall and dad was angry because Cooper hasn't mowed "the damnlawn" yet. So Blaine crawls carefully on knees and elbows to the tiny thing. He coos loudly when he sees the little black bird jumping on its tiny legs. It's still so fluffy, and looks shaky on its legs, so Blaine decides it has to be a baby bird. He doesn't touch the bird, even though he really wants to, but he doesn't want to scare it. So he rolls over on his back to think, keeping an eye on the bird. It flexes its wings, but to no use. Maybe it needs flying lessons from Dumbo?

There's more shadow where Blaine is lying, with the big tree above him and all. He remembers his grandpa telling him about the different trees and flowers in the garden, at least those he'd called natural and not "mumbo-jumbo botanical fanciness." Grandpa is funny! And he'd told him about the animals that live in the trees, like bugs and squirrels and birds. Maybe the little bird lives in the tree, but fell out? Blaine's Mama is always warning him about leaning out too far on the balcony outside his parents' room, in case he'll fall down.

"Did you lean out too far?" he asks the bird, who stops skipping around. "Are you lost and can't fly on your own?" The bird just looks at him, silent and still.

Blaine decides that must be it, but how does a bird who cannot fly get back home? There's no ladder around. Maybe Blaine can help him? From where he's lying, it doesn't look too far up to the branches. Yeah, Blaine is gonna help the baby bird.

He gently scoops the bird up in his hands, and even if the baby bird is tiny, it fills both his hands, and his fingers are trembling, afraid of hurting the bird. The bird is silent, just watching him while blinking rapidly. Carefully, carefully, he raises his arms in the air to place the bird down on the lower branch, but he can't reach! Even when he stands on his toes, it's still too far. He wonders if jumping might help, but what if he drops the bird, just like the time he was jumping on the couch with a juice box in his grasp? Mama had made Cooper wash the entire living room-floor, because he'd done a splendid job at babysitting, Blaine had overheard. He hopes he'll never have to babysit Cooper, because he doesn't know how to wash the floors yet. But maybe he won't be good at it anyway. Cooper listens to him most times, but sometimes he orders Blaine around too. But he's begun teaching Blaine to dance, and that's cool, at least as long as Cooper remembers his legs haven't finished growing yet.

He still doesn't know how to help the bird, though, so he decides to do what he always does when in doubt – find Mama. He carefully squats down to lower the little bird to the corner of the blanket, and the little bird chirps a little. It seems sad.

Blaine looks around, and spots Kissy crouched down on the grass, tail swaying softly from side to side.

"Oh Kissy, good, you look after Little Mr. Birdy while I'm gone, okay? Make sure he doesn't go anywhere, so Mama can help him back home," Blaine instructs the cat, before hurrying back inside.

There his mom is pouring lemonade into a big bottle, and she's prepared the picnic basket with the deliciously smelling cookies, plastic glasses and napkins.

"Everything set out?" Mama asks, and Blaine nods vigorously.

"But I need your help with something," he adds. "Little Birdy told me he doesn't know how to get home."

Mama looks at him funnily, but hoists the basket onto the crook of her elbow, and takes his hand in her other.

"Okay," she says, "tell me more about this."

By the time they've reached the picnic blanket, he's told her everything about the lost, but hopefully not homeless, bird, how it needs a rescue mission, how Blaine tried everything he could, and how Kissy is now looking after Little Mr. Birdy. His mom hasn't said much, just letting him talk, but humming in response when Blaine looks pointedly at her to make sure she's listening.

Blaine drops to his knees to crawl over to where he left the bird, wary of not scaring it off. But the bird isn't there!

"Where did he go?" he asks Kissy, who's now resting lazily on her side in the sun, paws crossed in front of her. She flaps her tail, as in a twitch, but doesn't otherwise respond to Blaine. "Mama, I left him exactly here, so I could find him again," Blaine explains, and points with his index finger at the spot he knows the bird was. He slowly crawls around to see if the bird has jumped off, trying to find it in the tall grass.

Mama has gone over to Kissy, and looks at something between her paws.

"Baby B, I don't think the bird is here anymore," she says softly. Startled by her defeat, Blaine jumps up and runs to her.

"But we have to keep looking, so we can help him home!" he objects.

Mama quickly hides something in her hand, but she isn't quick enough. She has a few black feathers sticking out between her fingers.

"Why would the bird leave his feathers?" Blaine asks, bottom lip trembling.

"Oh Blainey," his mom coos, and she sounds so sad, so Blaine falls into her embrace. "Remember I told you animals aren't like humans, when you wanted to give Kissy a slice of your birthday cake?" Blaine nods against her shoulder. "Sometimes animals eat other animals."

"But Kissy has kiblets in the kitchen," Blaine objects, because his Kissy can't be like those animals. His cat is nice!

"But Kissy is still a cat, and her instincts tell her to eat animals."

"What are instincts?"

"It's something in her brain, honey. And no matter how much kiblets we have, her cat-instincts…"

"Her cat-brain?" Blaine interrupts to make sure he understands.

"Yes, baby, her cat-brain is still a cat-brain, and sometimes she'll eat other animals."

Blaine listens to his Mama's words, and when they finally register and make sense, he starts crying. Mama holds him tightly, and he sobs into her sweater.

"I could have saved him if my legs were longer," he hiccups against his Mama's warmth, and she pets his hair with slow, gentle strokes down and down, twirling his curls around her fingers.

"Do you want us to have a memorial service for the bird?"

"Like we did for grandma?"

Mama nods, and Blaine perks up at the idea. She takes a napkin from the picnic basket, and makes him blow his nose, and then wipes his tears with another.

"We need flowers," Blaine insists, and his mom lets him pick a few from her flowerbeds. He puts them down by the corner of the blanket, where he left the bird. Mama pours a glass of lemonade and offers it to him, along with a fresh cookie.

"Now what?" Blaine asks.

"Now we share all the happy memories we have from the one who's dead."

"Oh. Okay." Blaine thinks for a little while. "He had really nice, shiny black feathers. And it seemed as if he was trying to talk with his eyes. He looked at me a lot. His heart could beat really fast. Umm… I didn't know him so well yet," he sighs, and takes a bite of his cookie. He chews slowly, and takes a sip of the lemonade to get rid of the crumbs in his mouth. "I wish I'd met him later, when I'll be taller," he says sadly, and Mama wraps an arm around his shoulders. "Do you think there will be other lost blackbirds I can save later, when my legs are done growing?"

"I'm sure there will be, Baby," Mama hums, and kisses his hair.