While spending five days in New York City had been magical and wonderful for a number of reasons, Blaine couldn't deny that his time in LA was something special all its own. He could really see why Cooper was so much happier out here than he had ever seen in Westerville, or even in the glimpses of Cooper he'd seen at the big apple. This place was perfect for his older brother, and it was nice to see that first hand.

They got a tour of the studio where Cooper primarily worked out of, meeting the people that he worked with, costars and crew. It was kind of amazing to see how prime time TV shows came together, even getting a sneak peek of one of the episodes. It was cooler seeing it through Cooper's eyes than anything, how he would carry on. It got a little old after a couple hours of rambling but even annoying, Blaine couldn't be mad.

The weather was something all its own to celebrate too. Blaine's natural predisposition to soaking up the sun making his skin even tanner than normal, hair left more unruly than tamed. His friends would probably rib him for looking so California, but after a week it was easy to feel comfortable in a place like this. He was still looking forward to the East Coast, but that didn't mean he couldn't let himself enjoy the West Coast any less.

As a present to their mother they got her a weekend long spa trip to one of LA's most sought after places, leaving a few days for the brothers to just hang out, go on tourist things that Blaine insisted on, and eating lots of local food that Cooper insisted on. They seemed to get along a lot better now that they were much older and had their own lives. They still bickered, but not nearly as venomously.

During that time Cooper surprised Blaine with a visit to a real music studio, showing him around, letting him meet a few people. He got to sit in a recording booth and play around for an hour, making a couple silly cover demo's that were more for fun than an actual demo. Afterwards they celebrated with pizza and ice cream and swimming at the hotel pool.

"So you really like it here?" Cooper asked.

"It's great, Coop." Blaine nodded.

"But you're still dead set on NYC, right?" Cooper asked.

"As far as I know." Blaine said, leaning against the wall of the pool. "Why do you ask?"

"I don't know," Cooper said, sitting down on the edge. "I guess I just thought, maybe, if you and mom liked it well enough out here. I mean, after high school, there really isn't anything keeping you in Ohio, right? That's why you're so excited for New York."

"Um, yeah, I guess," Blaine said, looking at his brother.

"Los Angeles has some pretty good schools, a lot of music opportunity. So does San Francisco, which isn't that far if you think about it. Mom's cosmetic business would probably do pretty well here, if she kept at it." Cooper said.

"You want us to move out here after I graduate?" Blaine asked.

"I just think it wouldn't be a bad thought." Cooper said, shrugging. "I'm doing really well, I can help look after mom. You like it out here too. I was sure you'd fit right in, and look at you. You look really good here, Blaine."

"Cooper," Blaine said. "I like LA, but I don't love it like you love it. It's pretty and great, but so is New York. And I think maybe the distance will help. We both need our own things, otherwise we almost kill each other."

"Yeah," Cooper said, nodding as he glanced away.

"If you want to talk to mom about moving out here, that's fine. But I've got a lot of good opportunity in NYC. I don't think I'm gonna turn that down. Not before I even give it a real chance." Blaine said.

"I figured you'd say as much," Cooper said, smiling as he looked back at Blaine. "Just promise me you'll think about it? And know that you've got a standing open invitation to come by any time. Just call first or something."

"Okay," Blaine said, chuckling. "I will."

"You think mom would like it?" Cooper asked.

"I think you're going to stop liking it after one too many mom walking in unexpected moments." Blaine said, snickering.

"Fair point," Cooper grimaced, obviously not having thought of that. Then his expression shifted as he grinned, looking at Blaine. "Plus I suppose LA doesn't have Kurt."

"No," Blaine agreed. "It doesn't."

"So are you two...?" Cooper trailed, tilting his head.

"Friends." Blaine said. "Best friends."

"Really? Just friends?" Cooper asked.

"Not just friends, but friends for now." Blaine said. "He's not into long distance, and I'm not into pushing too many things. We'll both be in New York City next year. We'll even both be in Dalton next fall. For now, I'd rather just be there for my best friend."

"He officially got in?" Cooper asked.

"Him and a few others, yeah." Blaine nodded, having shared the whole story.

"Hang a tie on the doorknob." Cooper teased, earning a splash.

"Real mature, Coop." Blaine said.

"It's honest advice." Cooper snickered.

Blaine shook his head, but smiled. He didn't know if going to the same school would automatically change things. They'd made an agreement back at Nationals that waiting wasn't a big deal and if it didn't happen until after high school that was completely fine. But he would also be lying if he said he wasn't a little hopeful about the idea of walking down the hallways of Dalton and calling Kurt his boyfriend. Hopeful, but patient.

"How's Kurt spending his summer?" Cooper asked.

"Quiet, I think. He thinks it's his last summer in Lima." Blaine said.

"Hopefully it ends on a positive note." Cooper said.

"Yeah." Blaine agreed.

"You know, mom's not here to enforce her no phone thing. If you want to check your messages and stuff. I won't say anything." Cooper offered.

Blaine shrugged, thinking about it. Maybe he would when they got back up to the hotel room.

…...

Burt wasted no time in getting the wall painted over, and even though Kurt was a little grateful for why he was doing it, he would miss the sight of the clean brick wall. He felt a little guilty at first, putting his dad through that, but he knew that was ridiculous. Because Burt said as much when he made the absent-minded mistake of admitting such.

"You didn't ask those boys to spray a message on my wall. You didn't ask them to hate you. They made their choices and they'll take responsibility for it, someday, one way or another." he said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "This doesn't mean they won. Cause we're still standing, aint we?"

"Yeah," Kurt said softly, managing a small smile.

"That's my boy," Burt said.

They pushed on, Kurt ignoring the wall in favor of getting under cars. Sometimes being a grease monkey had its benefits. Like keeping him busy enough to work most of the day away without much thought except the tasks at hand. It also meant he had a legitimate reason not to look at his phone, or rather the questioning texts. Because in true small town fashion, the gossip of Hummel's being tagged – and what it had been tagged with – had spread basically all over town. The police cars apparently made a nice touch.

By the time Kurt and Burt made it home they were both pretty grimy, Kurt's usual styled hair laying a little flat, but he didn't mind. If his dad taught him anything, a hard days work meant something more than appearances. That's why he always reached for his best. And even if he didn't look his best, he felt good about how productive they've been. Now he could look forward to his shower and dinner – Carole had texted that she picked up Breadstix on the way home.

He was coming out of his shower, towel drying off, when his phone buzzed and he figured it was about time to stop ignoring his friend's questions. He looked through the first few, looking about the same. He replied that he was fine, the wall was painted, and the police had a formal report. Not that it would do much without suspects. He was almost finished texting when his eye caught an unsaved number that he didn't recognize.

Unknown: Guess you didn't take the message seriously.

He looked at the number again, no one coming to mind. His number wasn't something that he gave out lightly. It wasn't even listed in the phone book, and it was blocked from google searches. He wasn't dumb when it came to his contacts. All of his social media was either private or very carefully watched. He knew what kind of a target being gay made him in this town and he wasn't about to make it any easier for them to torment him.

Part of him wanted to just block the number and forget it. But another part of him wondered how they got his number. He wasn't going to ask them outright though. That felt like it would be opening the flood gates for them to keep texting. Maybe if he didn't say anything they would lose interest. Or he could search for the number. Surely Neanderthals weren't smart enough to google block their numbers too.

He put the phone down for now, finishing up in the bathroom and getting dressed before going back to his room. His dad was in the living room, watching a sport's game. Finn was on the couch, alternating between watching the game and texting, probably Rachel. Carole was in her chair, working on a word puzzle, her usual easy wind down method after a long day at work. He stopped at the top of the stairs to just look for a moment.

He remembered when seeing Burt and Finn doing things together made him jealous. He remembered when he wasn't sure how to accept Carole. The days when it was just him and Burt making their own way through things, full of questions, full of half-answers. Now they were a family again. They had weird traditions and memories. Bonds that not even bullies could belittle. Sometimes he needed to remember things like that. Smiling to himself he went to his room. His phone buzzed again.

Mercedes: You don't think it's because you went out with me and Tina do you?

He sighed, not sure how honest he should be about that. It took him a minute to reply, sitting on the edge of his bed.

Kurt: I think they'll take any reason they can get. It's all petty anyway.

Mercedes: Do you need us to come over?

Kurt: Let me ask my dad.

Kurt jogged downstairs, Burt coming from the kitchen with one of his beers. They stopped at the space, Burt cracking the top of the can, looking at Kurt.

"They want a night over?" he asked.

"How-"

"I think after three years I know your friends well enough. After something like today, coming together is something you all do. It's a good thing." Burt said, patting his son's shoulder. "Tell them yes."

"Thanks, dad." Kurt smiled.

Burt nodded, going back to his recliner. After three years he didn't mind the sound of multiple teenagers in his house. He'd come to enjoy it almost. Those kids were like extended children of his own. He looked after them like they were anyway. He liked that Kurt wasn't alone anymore. That even after the hellish year he'd had he still had people. He glanced over, seeing his son disappear upstairs before glancing at his wife who met his gaze, smiling softly in agreement before going back to her word puzzle.

…...

Tina, Mercedes, and Rachel were at his house in under half an hour. The most amusing part to him is how prepared they came with overnight bags and grocery bags of snacks – from Tina and Mercedes, and reusable containers of baked snacks – from Rachel. As sweet as it was, he wasn't so much upset about the message, or why they put it there. He was more frustrated by how repetitive the pettiness seemed to be. Like they couldn't just take a break during the summers anymore.

It was nice to have all the girls over though, he would admit. Even though he and Rachel had made amends and cleared the air after Nationals it wasn't quite the same. There was a weight to the knowledge they were going in different directions once the summer was over. He stilled planned on going to New York, and he still planned on her being there with him, taking it on together. But they weren't the same duo divas anymore.

This was good though. This showed that even though things were changing, they were still friends. A solid gesture in the face of the never ending parade of stupid. He listened dutifully as she caught him up on the latest family talk, and things she'd come across pouring over website and chat sites about NYADA. She was making lists of pointers from former students who had blogged about their experiences at the school.

Eventually Mercedes banned the talk of school and they moved to watching movies until they were all tired enough to fall asleep. Kurt ended up wedged between Mercedes and Rachel, used mostly as a human pillow. He didn't honestly complain because it was warm and comfortable, and it meant someone other than him had the short straw of turning off the movie when it was time to sleep. He was starting to drift when his phone buzzed. He blindly pawed at his phone, blinking a few times to let his eyes adjust.

Unknown: You're dragging them down with you.

"Who is it?" Rachel sleepy mumbled against his shoulder.

"No one, just a junk provider text." Kurt lied, silencing his phone and putting it on his night stand.

Whatever cryptic meaning that message was supposed to have could wait until morning after he'd slept. And he wasn't about to make the girls worry about him anymore by admitting a number he didn't know was texting him weird messages just hours after his dad's place gets tagged and days after the flyer shows up on his car. This wasn't their thing to worry about.

At first he wasn't sure what woke him up. It sounded like a thunk kind of noise. It was too soft to be a bang and too loud to be completely ignored. His brain didn't immediately recognize the sound which meant that it wasn't a noise the house normally made. There was a pause that made him think maybe he'd dreamt the noise when it sounded again. This time he was awake enough to gather a location. It had come from his window. Then it sounded again, not on his window but not far from it. Then another.

"What?" Tina asked, the others starting to wake up.

There was a slamming of the front door and the sound of screeching tires from outside and Kurt bolted up in bed. He could hear his dad yelling something but he couldn't make out the words. Climbing out of bed he went to his window and pulled back the curtains, seeing the evidence for himself.