The next morning, Blaine trudged out of bed downstairs. Cooper was already eating breakfast and reading the newspaper.

"Morning, Bro." Cooper said. No response. Cooper looked up to see his brother dragging out a cereal bowl, slamming the cupboard shut, pulling out a spoon, slamming the drawer shut... "Something wrong, Squirt?"

"Wrong? Wrong? What makes you think anything's wrong?" Blaine asked, his voice a couple octaves higher than normal.

"Well, for one thing, you look like shit. Another thing, your voice sounds higher, you keep slamming things shut, and you and Kurt had a heated argument last night." Cooper reported.

Blaine sighed heavily. "I don't suppose you heard the whole thing."

"Dude...they can hear you in Australia." Cooper commented.

Blaine nodded slowly. "Whatever. It doesn't matter anyway. We broke up."

Cooper stared in confusion. "Uh...have you seen an actual breakup? 'Cause nowhere in that conversation was..."

"It happened after he left. I texted him." Blaine explained as he poured his cereal and milk.

"Wait, you..broke up with him over a text message?" Cooper stared at Blaine in shock. Blaine nodded and sat down. "Blaine, that's one of the worst ways to break up with someone!" Blaine just glared at him in disbelief. "I mean it! Look it up online!"

Blaine dropped his spoon into his bowl and held his head in his palm. "I had a nightmare last night that Sebastian did...something much worse than throwing rock salt in my eyes. And Kurt was standing there across the room the entire time with an empty expression on his face."

"So...basically, you're afraid of Sebastian doing something worse and Kurt doesn't do anything about it?" Cooper guessed.

Blaine nodded. "Pretty much."

"What the hell started that argument, anyway?"

Blaine hesitated. He didn't want Cooper to worry. But then again, he thinks college is a waste of time, anyway. "Mom and Dad don't have enough money to send me out of state to college."

"Because of your surgery?"

"Yeah."

"Hell, I've got money. I can lend it to you..." Cooper said.

"No, Coop, that's really nice of you to offer, but I don't want your money, I want Sebastian's money." Blaine declared. "I want him to pay for my surgery, then I want him fed to a pride of starving lions."

"Or in jail with all those sex depraved rapists." Cooper added.

"Yeah..." Blaine sighed again.

"And, hey...about Kurt...at least you won't have to worry too much." Cooper smiled. He snickered. "After all, he'll probably only challenge you to a sing-off."

Blaine smiled and shook his head. "He would..." He finished eating his breakfast and took his dishes to the sink. "Hey, Coop?"

"Hmmm?"

"If someone threw rock salt in your girlfriend's eyes...what would you do?"

"I'd beat the living crap out of the person." Cooper shrugged. "You?"

"Same..."

"Don't you think you're being a bit dramatic with the breakup? I mean, he made a mistake." Cooper asked shrugging.

"Nope." Blaine dusted off his hands. "He should know there are consequences. I certainly learned that, now it's his turn."

"Ooh. Ice, ice, baby." Cooper commented. "I like the new you. It's more interesting."

"Gee, thanks."

"I have another question: why didn't you press charges?" Cooper asked.

"We did, but there was no proof. Or so I thought." Blaine folded his arms. "I guess that's the price I pay for being too nice."

Cooper nodded in agreement. "And...I guess I'm partially responsible. I spent half our lives criticizing you and it got to the point that you'd seek attention anywhere."

Blaine was about to respond when the doorbell rang. He bit back a groan. "Let me guess..." He walked to the door and opened it.

Kurt stood on the porch with bloodshot eyes. He held up his cell phone showing Blaine the text. "Really, Blaine?" Blaine opened and closed his mouth, trying to find words. Kurt continued. "I knew you were bad at romance, but this...? What the hell possessed you to commit a cowardly act?"

Blaine held his hands up. "I'm sorry. That probably wasn't the best way to deal with it. It was just in the heat of the moment."

"Heat of the moment of what?" Kurt asked.

"I had a nightmare last night." Blaine admitted.

"About what?"

Blaine bit his lip. Should he tell him? He shook his head. "I dreamt that Sebastian came into my bedroom and raped me. Then he shot me. And you were standing on the other side of the room and you did nothing the whole time. Oh- and by the way, speaking of Sebastian, those text messages he sent me? They were the furthest from family friendly. Chandler's texts to you were tame compared to his!"

Kurt just stared at Blaine in disbelief. "I...I don't even recognize you right now. I make one mistake...and just because I didn't do anything about Sebastian slushying you means I won't take action if he does something worse to you? That hurts."

"Gee, I wonder what it feels like to be hurt." Blaine asked sarcastically. Then he instantly felt guilty. "I'm sorry. That was unfair."

Kurt shook his head. "I'm sorry, too." He stepped closer to Blaine, who stepped back and held up his hands to stop him.

"I'm sorry." Blaine repeated. "But I meant what I said when I broke up with you. I'm done. And I truly hope your next boyfriend doesn't get attacked."

Kurt glared at Blaine. "Because I will obviously make the descision to not press charges for him." He said sarcastically. Blaine looked down. "Take care of yourself, Blaine." He turned and left.

Blaine sniffed as a lump rose to his throat and tears threatened to fall from his eyes. He slumped to the floor and buried his face in his knees.

Cooper walked up and sat down next to his brother. "Hey...I know the perfect song for this situation."

Blaine looked up and exhaled sharply. "What?"

"Blow the candles out, looks like a solo tonight..." Cooper sang softly.

Blaine cried harder. "That was the first song Kurt and I sang together as a couple!" Blaine ran up the stairs to his room sobbing loudly.

Cooper stared after his brother in shock then sighed dejectively. "Cooper Anderson: Fucking things up since 1985."

XXX

Kurt drove home with tears in his eyes. He walked into the house and slammed the door shut.

"Dude?" Finn walked to the living room and noticed his brother's expression. "Hey, are you okay? What's wrong?"

Kurt sniffed and cleared his throat. "Blaine broke up with me."

Finn looked sympathetically. "Dude, I'm so sorry. Do you want me to like...talk to him, or...?"

"No." Kurt shook his head, then chuckled humorlessly. "Oh, but wait- that's not normal, is it?"

"Uh..." Finn frowned in confusion.

"'Cause apparently, I'm the only guy in the whole damn planet who does not beat up his boyfriend's attacker or turn him in to the police!" Kurt ranted.

"...Wait, Blaine got attacked? When?" Finn asked.

"Last year? Sebastian threw a rock salt slushy in his eye? Remember?" Kurt rolled his eyes.

"Oh..." Finn nodded. "But that was like a year ago. Why is he freaking out about it now?"

"Because he just found out about it." Kurt sighed and sat down. "His parents can't afford to send him out of state because his surgery put a dent in his college funds...he wants Sebastian to pay for the surgery, and...I felt guilty, so I told him."

Finn nodded and sat next to him. "Well...I mean...when you think about it...if you did beat Sebastian up, you'd go to prison and ruin Burt's chances of re-election, and you would have been disqualified from Regionals. And...recording people without their permission is illegal too, so..."

"I still could have- and should have- pressed charges." Kurt sniffed and wiped away tears.

"Well, then do it now." Finn jumped up and ran to grab the cordless phone from the kitchen. He sat back down, sighed, and held the phone out to Kurt. "And...I know you don't like doing this, but...Burt is a congressman. Hurting-or trying to hurt- congressmen's families is kind of reputation damaging. If you got it, use it."

Kurt threw his head back and groaned quietly. He really hated playing the congressman card. But...he really messed up with Blaine, and he had no idea how to fix it. "I guess this falls under the category of desperate times calls for desperate measures." Kurt dialed 911.

"911. What's your emergency?"

"I'd like to report an attempted assault." Kurt said.

I thought I'd end it there. See ya next chapter!