February 20th 2014: Cross Examination of Cooper Hummel-Warbler
Lunch for everyone that day was hurried - the judge had restricted it in length so that the defence could begin to question Cooper. Sam and Santana dashed off to work, the former asking Burt to bring Cooper to the diner later so that they could talk. Marley and Kitty headed off to their college interviews - Marley at NYADA, Kitty at NYU, but not before they had arranged to meet up with the others later. They had both been visibly affected by hearing things over again, Kitty more so than Marley. Artie had been close enough to pass her tissues, and whisper words of comfort to her. It was thus a smaller group that returned to the gallery to hear the defences challenge to Cooper, fully expecting, as Santana put it, for it all to be Cooper's fault this time.
"Might I first say that in all my time working in the legal profession, this is the first time that I have ever heard of a key witness changing their name during the course of a trial. I would like it placed on record that in my opinion, such personal indulgences should have been left until after the trial. But I digress - Mr Hummel-Warbler, would it be true to say that your brother was not the saint everyone has been portraying him as?"
"Who is - I know that I certainly am not."
"It is just that I find it strange how so far everyone has failed to mention the reason why your brother and Kurt Hummel split up in 2012..."
"Possibly that is because it is irrelevant to the case."
"Your brother cheating on Kurt Hummel is irrelevant. You are probably right, but it does illustrate that he was not the perfect gentleman you all claim."
"No-one said he was - he believed in honesty, truth and sportsmanship, which is more than Hunter ever showed."
"By breaking into Dalton Academy, in a superhero suit, accompanied by Mr Evans?"
"To get back the Nationals trophy stolen from McKinley High by one of Hunter's minions, when talking to Blaine failed. Apparently, Hunter was so desperate to get Blaine back in the Warblers, that he had to resort to theft. That is what he said to my brother, as he sat like some Bond villain, stroking his cat."
"Now, if your brother had returned…"
"Let me guess. There would have been no use of steroids, everything would have been played fair and square. Finn, Kurt and Blaine all still alive and living in a utopia. No. I think Blaine would have ended up on steroids too - and made it even more likely that Sam would have spotted it. Trent would still have stuck to his principles. The whole course of events would still have taken place - the only difference being that Blaine would have been on the opposite side. The only possible difference might be that Sam would have ended up dead instead of Kurt. Artie might have been the one Sam talked to, and he might be dead too. The fact is, your client was the one that got the Warblers hooked on drugs. It was noticed and an intervention was made. The rule book was there for all to see. The Warblers got in trouble because they broke the rules. Nobody made them do that but Hunter, with assistance from his uncle. To try and pass the blame to anyone else is wrong, and to be blunt, quite offensive to any right minded person. He betrayed himself by his own behaviour; the film of his 'roid rage' at the Lima Bean coffee shop being the prime example. The evidence was out there for everyone to see - it just so happens that the person that pushed this evidence into the eyes of the governing body was Blaine with Sam and Finn."
"One more point. You were late in arriving in New York on the night of your brother's pre-wedding party."
"As I said, I admit that freely and accept it."
"Do you think that if you had arrived at your scheduled time, then you might have been able to save the life of Kurt Hummel?"
"Honestly, no, I don't. I'm quite convinced that Hunter was waiting for Blaine; was quite likely delighted when Kurt appeared with him. He got to hurt Blaine more that way. Show him graphically what the consequences of crossing Hunter Clarington were."
"And if you had been on time?"
"Maybe I might have been attacked instead, but who knows? Maybe he would have gone after Kurt anyway; or maybe he knew only too well that if he lost my brother, then Kurt would swiftly fall apart and follow after. It is all hearsay in any case. My brother did start the investigation process, but he cannot be held accountable for the subsequent actions of Hunter Clarington."
As with Puck, Cooper stood firm to the barrage of questions, all trying to find something that could be used to shift the blame from Hunter to someone else. Nothing worked for them. Cooper had been riled that the fact that Blaine had cheated had been brought into the trial evidence, and he was not going to stand there and let his brother's memory be besmirched by one momentary lapse of judgement. In the end, the defence team gave up, and the judge ended the trial for the day. Cooper was waiting in the corridor when they filed out of the public gallery - Burt went and hugged him, then made his day by telling him to call him dad now that they shared a surname. He felt physically and emotionally drained, but he agreed to got to the Spotlight Diner with everyone else. True to their promise, Marley and Kitty joined them, both of them pleased with how their interviews had gone. As they all sat and caught up, the trial was forgotten for a short while. The conversation moved on to happier topics; Artie took his chance to have his long awaited heart to heart with Kitty. They come to an understanding that once they were both in New York, they would try dating again. It was more than Artie could have hoped for, and he crossed his fingers that Kitty's interview would be successful.
That night did bring an unexpected visitor. As Sam was singing You can leave your hat on at the request of a group of women at one table, demonstrating the moves he had learned in his stint as White Chocolate in Kentucky, a slight, dark haired young woman entered, looked around, and then made her way over to stand behind Nick. He turned around, jumped up and embraced her, earning a few shocked, but curious glances. "Guys, this is my big sister, Grace. She's in town for an interview with a hot shot legal team near Wall Street. I didn't mention it before as we've all been kinda busy…" By now, Jeff had his arms wrapped around her, and she was smiling broadly. Across the table, all Cooper could think was that an angel had just walked into the room. This was a young woman that he would like to get to know…
There was one person missing from the crowd at the Spotlight Diner. Sebastian had declined the invitation, preferring to sit at home alone, deep in thought. It would be his turn in the spotlight the next day, and he was scared. Not that he would ever admit that to a living soul. Wes had worked it out, and he had offered to stay with him, but he just craved solitude. He sat curled up in a ball on his bed, his mind running through all that the next day could bring. There were many things that he would disclose the next day that nobody knew, except Hunter. The secrets that had been used against him, to bring him in line with the scheme for the Warblers. He knew that if his past had been different, then he could not have been forced to back Hunter, and plunge the Warblers into disrepute. That had lead to this whole sorry mess - to death, heartache and pain. He was also certain that if the defence lawyer asked him if he was to blame, then he would say yes without hesitation. In his own opinion, it was only the fact that he had got the evidence that Hunter was guilty that stopped him from being in the dock too.
"You do realise that that is a load of nonsense." The sudden voice in the room startled Sebastian. He looked up to see Kurt standing there, his arms folded and his best bitch glare on his face.
"Yeah, really stupid, Seb." He realised that Blaine had also now appeared in the room.
"So, Meerkat, you really feel that you are responsible for our deaths because you made mistakes in the past, and the evil low life that is Hunter Clarington found out about it? I always had you down as smarter than that. Ok, so you are guilty of fear - if you had come clean and admitted everything, then he wouldn't have been able to succeed so easily, but trust me, he had a plan B. For example, get rid of you, Nick, Jeff and Trent, the last of Wes' old guard. Manipulate the younger, more impressionable boys left. Sam would still have noticed - and I'm sure that my husband here would have noticed all four of you missing far sooner than just Trent. What I am trying to say here is that it would still have happened, regardless of what you did. It might have been worse - if the four of you had made the witness statement, not just Trent, you could all have been high up on his revenge list."
Blaine then took over from Kurt. "Seb, if it hadn't been for you coming to see me that day, then it might not just have been me that died that week. He could have gone after Sam and his family. Or Cooper. You saved everyone else. That's why when you come clean tomorrow, no-one is going to make judgements on you based on the events of your past. It's history - over with. What matters is the here and now. You are liked and trusted by everyone these days - yeah, it's a shock to me too. Nick and Jeff love having you as a roommate. Santana is secretly looking forward to teaming up with you as the biggest bitches at NYADA. And as for a certain Dave Karofsky - well, you know how much he likes you…"
"I know and I like him. It's just that until he hears the whole sorry story tomorrow, I don't want to get my hopes up."
"Well," said Kurt, "I never thought I would see the day when Sebastian Smythe was worried about the opinion of one guy. You and Dave work though, and he have something to say to you tomorrow too. Now, time for us to go, and time for you to get to sleep." With that, Kurt and Blaine bid him goodnight, and Sebastian headed off to prepare for bed. He had a long day ahead of him…
