Hello! So we are back in Blaine's POV for chapter 3! I hope that you like this one, I rather like this and we get to meet Carlie for the first time!
Do let me know what you think, yes it being on the same day is deliberate but I hope you like it!
January 13th 2012.
The world seemed to be far too fuzzy to be real. Colours blurred together above him and he had to close his eyes once more to get used to whatever was out there. As he adjusted to wherever he was, Blaine decided to examine his surroundings, using his other senses to get an idea as to where he could possibly be. As he breathed in and out, he could taste immediately taste the choking sterile air that told him he was definitely not at Dalton. He felt a different fabric on his skin which told him that he also was not in uniform. He couldn't feel the soft cotton of his school shirt, tightened by his familiar red and blue tie around his neck. Most importantly for him, Blaine couldn't feel the heavy woolen comforting feeling on his neck, shoulders and wrists which told him that he was wearing his blazer. Aside from his extremely extensive collection of bowties, Blaine's school blazer was his most prized piece of clothing. The blazer was something that was special to him, it held so many memories that were precious to him and they would always be there, right up until when they graduate. But he wasn't there at the moment. All around him, he could hear so many different things. He was definitely in a hospital, the beeping that seemed so close to his very much told him as much. He could hear voices as well, ones that he recognised and a couple that he didn't.
Knowing that his other senses were now properly responding, Blaine decided to test whether his eyesight was more adjusted by opening one eye. Slowly he proceeded to, aware that hospitals had many colours that were often very bright. He had to turn his head slightly as all he could see at first was a blinding white light. But this provoked more reaction than he had first anticipated as, when he turned slightly, the people around him seemed to take note of this sudden change in his position.
"He's awake!" The high pitch of adulation in the voice seemed to give Blaine the impression that he was being surrounded. Feeling that he could move a little, Blaine moved his left arm up to shield the light from his eyes.
Now that he was accustomed to the lights a little more, Blaine could see the navy and red colours of Dalton blazers and as he tilted his head up slightly, he smiled at the lanky blonde haired boy right in front of him. "Hi Jeff." His voice was barely above a whisper.
Just the two words seemed to produce a rather loud cheer from the boys which immediately sent Blaine covering his ears; he wasn't used to so much noise now he had just come round. The boys also seemed to register this and immediately quieted; resorting to huge grins and pats on each other's backs. "Blaine?" The voice was smaller than Blaine had heard it before.
He turned his head slowly to see his light-brown haired boyfriend who was clasping his right hand in his own. Sebastian's eyes didn't have their usual twinkle, they were full of worry and he was staring at Blaine with such love that he managed to smile that little bit more. Blaine may have blacked out but he knew that his prankster side was always in action, whether he was out or in of it.
He needed to pull someone's leg for a change, instead of them getting him the whole time and so his small smile turned down into a frown. "Um, who are you?" He wanted to laugh or get a photo of the horrified look on his boyfriend's face. Unable to control himself, he let out a small laugh and smiled once more. "Only kidding, hello beautiful."
Prizing his hand out of Sebastian's grip, he cupped his hands around his boyfriend's face and leant in for a short and sweet kiss, one that rang of many promises later. But as it lingered, there were several loud coughs from behind them. "Oh and how nice to see you too Trent, Nick and Hunter. Thank you so much for looking after me when I had a nosebleed in class and then looking after me when I fainted until a responsible adult came long." Nick's eyes twinkled as his voice betrayed the teasing that was clear as Blaine turned to them.
As Blaine registered what Nick had just said, his eyes widened. Is that what had happened? Trent elbowed Nick in the ribs. "Dude, we were supposed to try and let Blaine remember what happened himself without us telling him." Nick bit his lip, ashamed. "What do you remember Blaine?"
Blaine furrowed his brow, his memory was hazy and he felt a big pang of shame. "Not much really after I started having that nosebleed." He too bit his lip slightly. "I remember Niff helping me out of the classroom and then I don't really remember anything after that." He ducked his head, embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I'm such a burden in this state, you guys shouldn't have to –"
He was immediately cut off by a chorus of disagreement from his friends. "You will never be a burden on us Blaine." It was the first time that Hunter had spoken since Blaine had woken up. He had stayed a little to one side, being less acquainted with his head boy than the other Warblers but still a good friend. "We are your friends and will always be here for you, no matter what."
The other boys nodded in agreement. "We know that you and your over-protective nature would do the same for us if we were to fall ill." Nick smirked and Blaine chuckled slightly, it was true. "And we've got the rest of the day of with lessons; we've just been given a whole load of work for you and all the assignments you've missed. Lucky for some."
Blaine snorted. "There are only five of you and as you all have either a 3.9 or 4.0 GPA, I doubt that missing one day of lessons is going to kill you guys so badly." Blaine rolled his eyes as he spoke. "Do you know how long I've actually got to be in here? Some of us actually have to work hard to maintain their top GPA."
There were several shrugs, they hadn't been told anything as per usual. Just at that moment, a doctor wearing a flapping white lab coat came bustling in; his half-moon glasses perched on the end of his nose, smiling as he saw Blaine. "Ah, good to see you awake Mr. Anderson. My name is Dr. Green; I'm in charge of your care."
Blaine struggled to a sitting position so that he could see the doctor properly. Jeff and Sebastian on either side of him, immediately run to assist their friend as soon as they realised what he was doing. "Hi, nice to meet you." He was surprised by how hoarse and scratchy his voice sounded.
Noticing the slight alarm on the boys' faces, Dr. Green smiled slightly and shook his head. "Don't worry Blaine, your voice is fine. You haven't spoken for over 24 hours and so it is perfectly natural for your voice to be like that, it'll go back to normal in no time at all. And," he added as Jeff was about to ask another question, "your singing voice will be unaffected. I hear you sing rather well and it won't be affected."
Just to test it and without a need for prompting, Hunter sang out a perfect middle C and Blaine complied, scaling up and down two octaves without a hitch. The boys smiled at each other, they had confidence that they weren't going to be losing their lead singer any time sooner.
"So, what's the damage Doctor?" Blaine asked, wanting to get this over and done with as soon as possible.
Dr. Green looked around at the assembled boys. It was hospital policy that at all costs, there needed to be a family member around to be with a patient when they were being given important news, no one else. Usually even friends would have to leave the room. But Blaine's family weren't here, his younger sister hadn't been allowed to be released from lessons until they were all over, no matter how much the boys had protested and tried to change that. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson were away on a business trip and, having heard about them from the boys, neither they nor his older brother Cooper were likely to come quickly. However most of these boys were just kids, half of them couldn't be legal adults still; there was a hospital policy about these kinds of things.
Dr. Green made up his mind quickly and spoke. "Gentlemen, I need to speak with Mr. Anderson alone. As none of you are related to him," he saw Sebastian open to speak and added quickly, "not even significant others count. I'm sorry sir, I have no problem with homosexual couples but the hospital policy states that the representative of the family must be over 21 years of age. If I could, I would but I'm afraid I can't. You will be the first to be let back in, okay?"
It seemed to be that only on Sebastian's lead did all the boys leave, giving Blaine small smiles, encouraging nods and, in Sebastian's case, a quick kiss on the cheek. Hunter was the last to leave, nodding to Blaine. "It'll be okay."
Blaine nodded his thanks before the boy left. Hunter had only joined Dalton at the beginning of the year but he made friends easily and there was a great understanding between the two boys that none of the other boys understood which meant that they trusted each other.
Hunter rarely his emotions get the better of him but at this point, where he was potentially on the verge of losing Blaine, he came pretty close. They didn't know each other as well as some of the others but Hunter saw Blaine as a younger brother of sorts. The space outside the room where Blaine and Dr. Green were was almost empty and silent. Hunter observed his friends as they settled into the space. Sebastian looked as if he was trying to listen in on the conversation in the room, lying down on the floor with his ear pressed against the space that was between the bottom of the door and the floor. And by the pained expression on the boy's face, Hunter guessed that his efforts were currently fruitless. Nick and Jeff were sat together on two of the chairs that were in the small waiting room, holding each other and Jeff trying to be the stronger one as Nick buried his head into Jeff's shoulder. Trent was just pacing four or five paces up and down each time, his thumbs tucked into his waistband and his eyes kept on the floor, his brow creased in a frown and in concentration. No doubt he was trying to think about anything except what was going on inside the room. Hunter stood in the middle of this. Everything about him, his stance, his expression was neutral and he checked his watch to pass the time. 4.20pm, that meant that Blaine's younger sister –
"BLAINE! Where is he?" Ah, that would be her, Hunter thought as he heard the voice of a young girl of about 16, calling down the corridor.
The other boys seemed to have registered this noise and they all stopped what they were doing and turned towards the noise. Even Sebastian stood from where he was and looked down the corridor. Then a figure of a girl who looked rather short for a girl of 16 with auburn curls as unruly as Blaine's and the same hazel eyes. Hunter surmised that this had to be the younger sister, Carlie, the hazel eyes did completely give it away. Her red satchel bounced on her legs as she sprinted down towards them. Sensing that the girl was going to crash into something and not stop, Hunter stepped in her path.
She didn't stop in time and Hunter reeled back a few steps as the girl's weight slammed into him. They hadn't met before but Hunter suddenly felt the urge to put his arms around her and give her a hug which he proceeded to do. The shaking underneath him told Hunter that she was crying. "Hey," he tried to sound as soothing as he could in this situation, "he's awake and talking with the doctor at the moment."
Realising that she didn't recognise the voice that went with the Dalton blazer, the girl pulled away suddenly and Hunter got a good look at her for the first time. As he had predicted, she was just shorter than Blaine, so the average Anderson height for a 16 year old and her auburn hair and hazel eyes were exactly as Hunter had seen them hurtling towards him. Sebastian, realising that they were yet to be introduced and that it was getting awkward, stepped in. "Carlie, this is Hunter Clarington, our new co-captain. Hunter, this is Carlie Anderson."
Carlie blushed and stuck out a small, petite hand which had the clear indent markings of guitar playing which he presumed she had probably learned from her big brother. "Nice to meet you." Still with the tears in her eyes, Carlie tried to wipe them away furiously. "Sorry about just now, i…" she trailed off hopelessly, unable to form a full sentence of explanation.
Hunter nodded genially, nodding his head slightly in understanding. "Don't worry about it Carlie, we are all nervous about Blaine. I may have known him the shortest amount of time out of anyone here but I do care, I promise you that." Suddenly he pulled her into a gentle hug. "We are all here for you both, whatever happens and no matter what."
They held the hug a little longer and then pulled away, Carlie rubbing her eyes again furiously. "Thanks Hunter." As she then looked around the waiting room, empty bar the Dalton boys, she smiled as she saw that Sebastian had gone back to what he had been doing before she had arrived, trying to listen in at the door. "You won't get any information out of what the Doc is talking to Blaine about that way Seb. He'll tell you another way."
Sebastian frowned at the sophomore. Blaine had often regaled tales where Carlie would give them important information in riddles. But now wasn't the time for him to keep up with her already 4.0GPA. "Please explain further Carlie, perhaps not in riddles this time." His voice has a strong tone of annoyance and impatience.
Carlie shrugged. "Singing." Still the faces of the boys around her were blank so she sat in the nearest chair, crossing her legs and leaning back into the seat to try and relax before continuing to speak. "Blaine doesn't like to deliver news in the plain speak, he doesn't like ordinary ways of doing things and he isn't an ordinary boy." Nick and Jeff cracked weak smiles but Hunter and Sebastian remained impassive. "Blaine will most likely ring one of us and will sing a song down the phone which will give us an idea as what the Doc has told him."
The boys were still not exactly sure as to how this would work and were not totally sure about what the implications would be but they followed the sophomore's lead and soon enough they were all just about sitting. Nothing was passed between them as they sat there in silence. Nick and Jeff sat together staring straight ahead, unmoving, their hands clasped in each other's. They were too scared to do anything else. Trent and Hunter were both leaning forward with their chins in their hands, their elbows resting on their knees. Sebastian had been the last to sit down. He had taken the seat right next to Carlie and his right and her left hand were clasped in each other, as a sister and a significant other waiting for the most important news. Carlie's head was leaning on Sebastian's shoulder and the boy let a small, rare smile slip onto his face. All eyes were fixed on the wall behind which Blaine and Dr. Green, waiting for the door to open.
What seemed to last hours but could only have been a couple of minutes later, Carlie's phone rang, breaking the unbearable silence. Fetching it from inside her blazer pocket, Carlie paled as she registered the number. "It's Blaine." She whispered and immediately all the eyes were focused on her, this was it.
Slowly she picked up the phone, pressing the answer button and ready to reprimand her brother for not telling her sooner, but all that came out was a choking noise. The boys paled as they noticed her deathly white pallor. "Put it on loudspeaker please Carlie," Nick whispered, "we want to know what Blaine is saying."
Very rarely had any of the boys heard Blaine sound so defeated and exhausted. Slowly Carlie retracted the phone from her ear, grabbed the nearest cup and then put her iPhone on speaker as she put it in. "Tell them Blaine." Her voice was just above a whisper as much as her brother.
All five boys leaned forward in anticipation. None of boys who had ideas forming in their heads about what it might be, liked what they were thinking. Then they heard two words. "Nick's birthday." And as they were working out what that meant, a voice began to sing very softly, so softly that they had to lean in to hear. "Alone at the end of the day, upon this wedding night I pray, take these children O Lord to Thine embrace and show them grace."
No Warbler was really considered a proper Warbler unless they knew Les Mis extremely well. Which was why, as they linked Nick's birthday, which fell into the Cancer star sign section of the year, with the fact that Blaine was singing Valjean's dying soliloquy from the show, they didn't need to ask Blaine to speak clearer.
As Blaine trailed off, there were no words from the boys, only horrified silence. "Apparently if only I'd gone earlier to them, it might have been less. It's no one's fault except mine."
If only…what an awful duo of words that seemed to hit the words like a ton of bricks. They held so many broken promises and dreams and now, if only they had recognised the symptoms earlier, Blaine might have lived those few years longer. But he wasn't and no matter how much the boy would protest later, they knew that they would always feel guilty. Always.
And yes, I did just have to slip in the Harry Potter reference there at the end! Obviously, disclaimer on the Les Mis lyrics but I didn't want to put it up at the top. All rights to owners etc.
What did you think? Would love to hear your input!