A/N: Hello all! Another new chapter! Thank you to all of you who are reading and reviewing! Please continue to do so because your opinions mean the world to me! I thought I'd intro the chapter with a little timeline and explaining:

Thursday 12 (Anniversary of accident) Tuesday 17 (Kurt's birthday) Monday 23 (Anniversary of death)

Also Mr. Anderson's job is based off of my Uncles. His company is based in America but produces its products out of China. As President of Production his office is based out of Columbus but he travels to China often to oversee operations.

I don't own Glee.

Thanks again for reading! I hope you enjoy!

Ch. 14

"Blaine Everett Anderson!" Rachel said sternly as he entered the house. What did she do? Sit at the top of the stairs and just wait for him to come home.

"Oh my God, what is it this time Rachel?" He drawled, kicking his shoes off lazily and hanging his coat in the closet.

"Who did I see you walking down the hall with today?" she inquired sharply, following him up the stairs.

"I don't know, Rachel," he said, bored with their conversation already.

"Oh I think you do, Blaine."

Blaine yanked the door to his room open and Rachel tottered in after him.

"What do you want from me Rach? Should I list all of the people I was in the hall with today?" He asked sarcastically, flopping down onto his bed.

"You, Mercedes, Kurt, Sam, you and Finn, Kurt…" he counted off on his fingers slowly.

"Quinn Fabray!" She screamed at him impatiently, standing over him. "You were walking down the hall arm and arm with Quinn Fabray. What the hell were you thinking?"

"That she's one of Kurt's friends and she wanted to talk to me so she walked with me. It's so not a big deal."

"Not a big deal! Not a big deal? Are you serious, Blaine? Do you know what people will start to think about you?"

"Do I care?" he asked mockingly.

"You should! They're going to think you slept with her and if you've slept with her then you might as well have slept with Brittany and Santana and you're gay so they'll probably think you've slept with Kurt and then everyone will just think you're no good just like they are."

Blaine shot up in bed. "They are not no good!" he yelled at her. "How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"I don't know who the hell is painting the picture of sunshine and roses for you, baby brother, but here are the facts. Quinn cheated on Finn and got pregnant last year with Puck, who's been in juvie, Santana's family is from Lima Heights, Brittany is as dumb as a rock, and Kurt ran someone out of the school and got suspended!" She yelled in frustration.

Blaine couldn't take it anymore. He leapt off of his bed and stood tall in front of his sister. "Why can you only ever see what you want to? How can you be this selfish? Quinn made a mistake and she spends every day of her life regretting what happened and missing her daughter. Puck makes dinner for his mother every night at eleven so she doesn't have to make herself something after getting off of a ten hour shift that barely pays for the bills. Santana has no control over her family's living conditions and Brittany is a wonderfully sweet girl. And Kurt," tears began to well in Blaine's eyes at the thought of just how much Kurt had gone through in two short years. "Kurt does everything! He's in advanced classes, he does an independent study, he works, he cooks, he cleans, and he takes care of his little sister and his father. He protects his friends and himself and he expects absolutely nothing in return. Kurt Hummel is one of the single most amazing people I have ever met in my entire life. So you can say whatever you want about whoever you want, but you leave Kurt alone."

Rachel crossed her arms over herself at the attack. "You can defend them any way you want Blaine, but the truth's the truth. I know what was happening when you were at Dalton, and I called Dad to tell him what you've been up to while he was away."

"What?" Blaine practically screamed. "What the hell did you tell him?"

"I told him that you were falling into the wrong crowd at school. I told him that you spend all your time with a boy who got suspended in his freshmen year and his friend who spent time in a Juvenile Detention Center the same year. I told him that you went over there when you knew there was going to be a fight. I told him that you were walking around with a girl that was pregnant last year. What did you expect me to do, Blaine? I'm worried about you. I told him everything."

He couldn't stop his tears now. "You had no right to do that," he growled. "You're my sister, Rachel. What I expect of you is to be on my side. You're supposed to be on my side, but you aren't. You only care about what you can see on the surface, not what makes me happy. You have no idea what the hell you are talking about, and I don't know if you haven't noticed but my relationship with Dad is not the best. So this isn't helping anything. Why don't you just mind your own business and stay the fuck out of mine!"

Blaine stomped around his room, opening and slamming drawers as Rachel stood with her mouth gaping. He shoved the clothes he had gathered into his messenger bag sitting by the door while slinging it over his shoulder and striding out of his room. He swiped at his tears angrily on the way down the stairs. His mother was on her way to Columbus to pick up his father from the airport the next day so he left the house without notice, knowing that he would dread returning to it tomorrow evening with his father home.

He pulled out his phone as he made his way to the car. Kurt answered on the first ring.

"Hello?" His sweet voice filled Blaine's ear, calming him instantly.

"The offer to stay with you, does that still stand?" Blaine asked, without any introduction.

"Of, of course," Kurt got out, not able to keep the shock out of his voice. "Em, come stir this," Blaine heard Kurt say.

"Are you okay? What happened? I thought your dad was on business in China?" Kurt ran through his questions rapidly.

"He's coming back tomorrow," Blaine said stonily. "And Rachel decided that it would be a good idea to tell him that I'm falling in with the 'wrong crowd' at school." Kurt could practically the air quotations around wrong crowd. "I just, I cannot be in the same house with her all night. And I'd really like to see you because who knows what's going to happen after my Dad gets home."

"Yeah, that's fine Blaine, come on over. We're having mac and cheese for dinner. If you don't like that I can make you something else." Kurt said, trying to keep the conversation light while he knew Blaine was driving.

"No, I um, I love mac and cheese. I can't believe you eat it though. You're always eating that rabbit food."

Kurt sighed into the phone. "Well it's not going to be the easiest week around here and Em loves it. With the leftovers I usually bread them and fry them to make mac and cheese bars for her so I thought I'd do that for her Wednesday night for Thursday. Plus, I make it with wheat pasta."

Despite his distraught condition, Blaine smiled. "You are the best big brother ever, you know that right?"

Kurt shrugged. "I do what I can. Hey I have to go add the cheese to the sauce before it starts to burn. You'll be here in a couple minutes?"

"Yeah, I'm about half way there."

"Okay, I'll see you soon. Please be careful" he stressed, knowing that under normal driving circumstances there was no way Blaine should be half way to his house already.

"Hey Em," Kurt said coming back into the kitchen where Emma was still stirring his cream sauce. "Blaine's coming over to spend the night, Rachel went all crazy on him and he just needs a place to crash."

"Rachel's a bitch." Emma muttered, stepping away from the stove to let Kurt take over, reminding him so much of himself during the conversation he had had with Blaine the week before.

"Emma Loraine Hummel! Did you just say what I think you said?"

Emma shrugged. "She is!" She insisted. "You should see her in glee club. 'Rachel Anderson this, Rachel Anderson that. My brother, Blaine Anderson this, that, and the other thing.' It's so annoying! And she's on his case like all the time. 'When are you going to be home, Blaine? Where are you going after school, Blaine?'" She mocked in an imitation of Rachel.

Kurt tried to hide his snigger from her. "Still," Kurt chastised. "That's Blaine's sister, and even if he's angry at her right now, we shouldn't make fun of her." He said, trying to be the bigger person in front of his sister when all he wanted to do was push Rachel down a flight of stairs for hurting Blaine.

"Kurt you beat people up for looking at you the wrong way, and you expect me not to say anything when someone is being a bitch to the same person you felt the need to protect?"

"Shut up, Emma. You are not going to turn out like me, okay? You are going to be a nice, polite, respectful young lady with her whole future in front of her. Do you understand me?" He yelled in frustration.

"Yeah," she mumbled.

"Do you understand me?" He asked more forcefully.

"Yes. I understand."

"Is your homework done?" He asked.

"Yes." She said shortly.

"Is there anything you need help with?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Emma, please. Please don't be like this. You know that I don't want you to turn out the way I did. You deserve to grow up and get out of this town doing what you love to do. That's not going to happen if you turn out like me, and being mean to people and justifying it by my actions is the first step." He stepped towards her cautiously and his tone turned soft. "You are so much better than what's been handed to you Em." He said, smoothing her hair away from her face and tucking it behind her ear.

"So are you," she whispered quietly.

"Thanks, Em," he said smiling, before dropping a kiss on the top of her head. "But it is what it is and if one of us is getting out of this joint it's gonna be you. You've got so much talent."

Emma opened her mouth to retort when Blaine came through the door.

"Nice of you to join us, Anderson," Kurt joked, smiling brightly at the sight of his friend.

Blaine couldn't help but smile back. "Yeah," he scratched at the back of his neck nervously. "After you said 'be careful' I noticed that I was going a little bit too much over the speed limit."

"I figured," Kurt said with a chuckle. "Drop your stuff and come here. Hold this pot while I scrape the cheese sauce out of it onto the pasta." Kurt ordered.

Blaine obeyed immediately. He loved that he wasn't treated as a fragile piece of glass by Kurt, even when he was hurting. His friend always knew how to make him feel welcomed and comfortable.

Emma rolled her eyes at the boys, who were smiling at the light touch of their sides that the closeness provided them.

"I'll be in the living room reading if you need me."

"Okay!" They both yelled turning their heads in sync to watch her leave the room with smiles on their faces.

"Oh my God. You guys need to stop doing that. You look like you're my gay dads who are way too excited that I'm going to read a book."

Kurt and Blaine stopped what they were doing and looked each other up and down before turning back to Emma, and burst out laughing. It was all they could to do keep a hold of the cookware they were holding. She rolled her eyes again and walked into the living room.

"You're still doing it!" She called.

Making dinner went the way it would any other night in the Hummel household. After the macaroni and cheese was placed in the oven to bake the boys sat down at the kitchen table with their homework. Burt called while they were working and Kurt talked to him for a few moments before passing the phone off to Emma. Blaine didn't think Kurt's schedule would have changed unless he came bursting in through the door crying. They talked about casual things as they worked on their homework. Kurt could sense that Blaine didn't want to get into anything too heavy before dinner. Besides, he had obviously just gone through the drama with his sister. Kurt wasn't going to make him relive it if he didn't have to. He'd come here to get away from it, after all.

"Emma, dinner!" Kurt called into the living room as Blaine pulled the pan out of the oven, still refusing to let Kurt lift anything. Kurt sneakily tipped the sauté pan of wilted spinach into a serving bowl before Blaine could see and set it on the table. Blaine glared at him and smacked his arm lightly when he turned to the stove and noticed the empty pan.

"Still doing it," Emma sang under her breath as she pulled out her chair to sit.

At dinner the trio talked about school, glee club, whether or not spinach was gross or not, and the book the Emma was reading.

"I have Mockingjay, if you want to borrow it when you've finished the second one." Blaine commented as he helped Emma clear the plates away from the table and stack them by the sink.

"That would be awesome! I'm on the wait list for it at the library but Mrs. Dobson said the girl on the list in front of me always brings books back late."

"Sure thing," he said flashing his custom wide toothed Blaine grin.

"How about we let Emma do the dishes since we made dinner, and set the table, and helped clean the table off?" Kurt asked, tilting his head toward his sister.

"Kurt, you don't need to make it seem like you're asking me just because company's over. You cook the grub, I do the dishes. It's only fair."

"Thank sis," Kurt said. "We'll be upstairs if you need us."

"Can I use the computer when I'm done, or do you need it?" Emma asked to Kurt's retreating back.

He stopped in the doorway and turned. "You can use it, but please not past nine-thirty," he said looking at the watch to see that it was seven, "because it…"

"Rot's my brain and keeps me up." Emma recited the words by heart.

Kurt smiled and nodded in agreement. "You got it! Bed by ten please," he said before disappearing.

Blaine had already carted his bag up to Kurt's room and was sitting cross legged in the middle of the bed when Kurt entered. Kurt turned the television on to the pregame show for Monday Night Football.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked, sitting down on the bed next to his friend.

Blaine shrugged. "I mean, I know she doesn't like you guys but I never thought she'd tell my dad. She doesn't even know you."

"Not many people do," Kurt mused.

"I just wish that everyone could know you the way I know you," Blaine said quietly, letting his head rest on Kurt's shoulder.

Kurt's arm found its way behind Blaine's back and he pulled him into his good side. "If they knew me the way you know me, I'd get beaten up."

"Nah," Blaine scoffed. "I'd protect you."

"Oh would you now?" Kurt flirted.

"You bet. I wouldn't let anything bad happen to you." His tone turned serious. "It kills me to see you in pain, Kurt."

Kurt shrugged, making Blaine's head move with his shoulders.

"It's not me that I'm worried about. It's Emma. I always have a hard time starting on my birthday. Her worst time is the days leading up to the accident because she hates remembering those last days with our mom."

"Were they fighting?" Blaine asked curiously.

"No," Kurt said wistfully, remembering a scene Blaine couldn't see. "The opposite really. Emma had a big recital coming up. She was singing and playing in it. She and mom were spending almost all of their time together to prepare for it. The concert was the night before the accident."

"I'm so sorry, Kurt."

"It's just, it's easy for her to remember because she can remember the songs she sang and played that night. She remembers mom's fingers on the keys next to hers and her hand on her back adjusting her posture. I mean, I remember all those things too, just not from the night before the accident."

Blaine didn't know what to say so instead he just let one of his arms drape over Kurt as he curled into him more.

"I don't know why you put up with my problems when you've got so much of your own to deal with."

"I told you I didn't mind taking care of you, Blaine. Besides, your problems are real. They matter to you, so they matter to me. What do you think you're Dad will do when he gets home?"

Blaine shrugged. "Yell at me like no tomorrow. Then he'll ground me and tell me that I can't see you, but he works in Columbus and doesn't get home until after me anyway. He'll be back to China in a few months. Mom won't care if I see you because she knows it makes me happy. She said she noticed it. When we were making breakfast on Sunday morning, she said this is the happiest she's seen me since I transferred from Dalton."

"I'm glad I can make you happy," Kurt said, his hand from the arm around Blaine's back rubbing up and down his friends bicep.

Kurt's cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out to look at the number before answering it. He spoke for a few minutes before holding the speaker to his chest, and tilting his head toward Blaine, whose head hadn't moved from his shoulder.

"Do you want to get out of here and we can both stopped being depressed? One of Dad's friend's cars broke down and he wants me to tow it and fix it tonight if I can. You in?"

Blaine nodded his head against Kurt's shoulder before removing it, his soft hair brushing against Kurt's neck.

Kurt finished up his conversation, jotted down an address and hung up the phone.

"You do towing and repairs at night?" Blaine asked as he climbed off of the bed.

"I never turn down a job," Kurt explained pulling a sweatshirt over his head. "Not when I have cell phones, internet, piano lessons, and glee club performance outfits to pay for. Besides, I like it. There is nothing more calming then working on a car in the middle of the night. Don't worry, you'll see what I mean. All your problems disappear working on a car when you know no one else is around."

He threw an extra sweatshirt to Blaine. "Here, it's going to be chilly."

"By the way," he added as they were about to leave the room. "If you would have said no, I wouldn't have gone."

!

Kurt was right, Blaine decided as he crawled into bed shortly before one in the morning while Kurt checked to make sure Emma was asleep. Working with Kurt on the car in the dead of night with only the crickets chirping around you had an incredibly calming effect on him. Soon after, Kurt slid into the queen sized bed next to him. Kurt automatically pulled Blaine's back flush against his chest like he would do with Quinn. The shorter boy smiled at the gesture and gripped Kurt's forearm with his hand. Kurt's forehead came to rest against the back of Blaine's neck as they drifted off to sleep.

In the middle of the night Blaine felt the bed sag with extra weight, but Kurt's arms were still around him.

"I miss Mom," came Emma's tiny whisper from behind Kurt.

"I know," Kurt whispered back.

Blaine felt Kurt's arms leave him and the bed jostled around for a moment while the siblings rearranged themselves. He felt a new body curl up against his back and an arm drape over him.

"Sorry, Blaine" she said softly.

"It's okay, Em" he said latching onto her arm the same way he had with Kurt earlier.

He felt Kurt pull his sister to him in a hug as she shifted away from him slightly.

"What were you rehearsing that day?" Kurt asked.

"Le Mis' On My Own" Emma responded.

"She was so proud of you that night, Em," Kurt said, his voice turning thick with emotion. "You should have heard her, Blaine. She blew the whole audience away. She accompanied herself singing On My Own from Le Mis'. She closed the recital."

"I'm sure it was beautiful," Blaine agreed.

Emma let out a watery laugh. "You two are so my gay dad's." She joked once more.

All three chuckled before latching on to each other and drifting into a peaceful sleep.