Over the next several months Chris and Darren rekindled their friendship. At first it started with texts in the morning, wishing each other good days. Then it turned to seeing each other in person once a week until it became movie nights at Chris's apartment.

That was were Darren was on the night of September 5th, coming home on a chilly, dark San Francisco night.

As he walked into his house, he noticed the smell of food wafting from the kitchen, so naturally he wondered into the room where he found his family sitting at the table, waiting for him.

'Hey everyone' Darren smiled at them.

'Hey sweetie' Cerina said brightly, getting up to hug her son.

'Hey mum, how's things?'

'Alright, but that's not important at the moment' Cerina said brightly, leading Darren towards the table where she pushed him gently into the seat directly opposite her.

'So where have you been Dare?' Chuck asked through a mouthful of potatoes.

'At a friends' Darren said vaguely, waving his hand as he did so.

'We all know what that means' Chuck muttered under his breath and flashing a smile at Darren.

Darren had no idea why his family were acting like this and to be honest he really found it creepy, Chuck was constantly smiling at him in a "I know your secret" way. Cerina was fondly smiling at him which was usual, Cerina Criss loved her sons with all her heart and would do anything for them short of murder. And Charles Criss was usual, but he occasionally shared a smirk with Chuck.

'Ok what's with everyone?' Darren asked as Chuck randomly burst out into laughter.

'N-Nothing Dare' Chuck gasped out through his laughter.

'Then what are you laughing at?'

'Your stupid nose, honestly Dare you should get a nose job' Chuck said seriously. The two brothers stared at each other for a moment before cracking up laughing.

'Darren, honey do you really think that we haven't noticed' Cerina said casually, pouring herself another cup of water from the jug that was in the middle of the table.

'Noticed what?' Darren asked, turning to look at his parents who were smirking at each other.

'Who's the lucky girl, Dare?' Charles asked suddenly.

'You mean Chuck's new girlfriend? What's her name? Casey?' Darren asked, very confused as to what his parents were referring to.

'No we don't mean Casey' Chuck said slyly 'we mean your new gal pal' Chuck said, winking at his little brother.

'I don't have a new "gal pal"…'

'Sure you don't Darren, where else would you have been for the last month? Every night you have been going to a "friends" house' Cerina said, making air quotations around the word friends.

'I have been going to a friend. Chris Colfer, he is my friend, I've told you about him before. Why do you assume that I have a girlfriend any way, why don't you believe me?' Darren asked, astounded that his family were thinking this way, he had told them the truth.

'Darren you're spending every waking moment with this boy, you go to his house every day, you go to his work place, he goes to yours, you can hardly blame us for assuming that he was a cover story for a secret girlfriend' Cerina said happily.

'Well I don't, I've just been spending time with my friend…'

There was an uncomfortable silence followed by Chuck saying 'why can't you remember Casey's name?'


Chris closed the door behind Darren and turned back into his small apartment. He was glad that Darren was his friend but he still felt very lonely in this place, he lived here all by himself and it scared him a little.

Just then the telephone rang shrilly from the open kitchen so Chris ran there to answer it, grateful for any person to comfort him in a small way.

'Hello?' Chris gasped into the phone.

'Hello Christopher, how's things there?' Karyn Colfer asked her son, she was glad that he was in San Francisco and was finally happy.

'Hey mum, things are great here, just been hanging out with Darren, do you remember Darren?' Chris asked.

'Yes honey I remember him, it's not as if you don't talk about him every time I talk to you' Karyn said sternly.

'Oops, sorry mum, I'm just really glad that Darren is my friend' Chris beamed when he said that and he had no idea why.

'Well that's great honey; anyway I have better go soon but do you want to talk to your sister?'

'Yes please, mum' Chris said, glad that Hannah was home. She had been very unwell lately and Chris was on the verge of returning home to see her, but he was shouted down by his parents and Hannah herself, she was feeling better now but it was still very scary when she went in the hospital.

'Hey Chris' Hannah's voice sounded bright and cheerful.

'Hey Han, how are you feeling?' Chris asked soothingly.

'Same as last time I talked to you, stop worrying about me Chris, worry about yourself. Are you alright, are people treating you nice, like an actual human being?'

'Yes Hannah, I haven't had one homophobic slur thrown at me for the whole time I've been here' Chris said calmly.

'Good, good. Well I have to go Chris. I'll see you later alright? Love you' Hannah said sadly

'See you Han, love you too.'

Hannah and Chris hung up at the same time, leaving Chris once again alone in his small apartment.