Author's Note: Wow, I didn't think I'd get this chapter done tonight, but I did, just barely. Enjoy!
-SQ
Disclaimer: Still nope.
Chapter 51: Verdict
Another weekend, another trial date. Standing on the stand in between Pam and Linda, Blaine experienced a serious sense of déjà vu. The two women did most of the talking, for which Blaine was grateful. Then Cooper took the stand, detailing his and Blaine's childhood growing up in the Anderson household.
"Living in that house caused both of us substantial emotional and psychological harm. We have both struggled with forming and maintaining healthy meaningful relationships because of what we suffered at the hands of our parents. Our relationship with each other also suffered; the differential treatment we received because our sexuality and self-expression pitted us against each other in a battle, not for even for parental affection, which Blaine at least had long given up on, but for simple lack of aggression. For maintenance of the status quo. A toxic status quo, but we knew no different. Adolescence for us was a constant state of fear. The physical violence Leo exhibited against Blaine was harmful, illegal, and deserves to be punished, but the psychological violence nearly cost him his life. My father says that Blaine has always suffered from psychological disturbance. I remember a happy, loving child whose anger and self-harm issues were a direct result not of his homosexuality, which is not an illness, but of the mistreatment and abuse he suffered at the hands of our father, and our mother's passivity in the face of it. I love my brother, but this is something I haven't been able to show him as an adult. I don't know if I ever learned how, but I am trying to do so now."
*****BB*****
At the recess, Cooper took Blaine to the coffee stand and insisted on paying for his drip.
"Dad looked beyond pissed when you took the stand against him," said Blaine, staring into his cup.
Cooper shrugged, but the gesture came off as more uncomfortable than uncaring. "I was trying not to look, to be honest."
"Probably the smarter decision," said Blaine. "Mom—"
"Don't," said Cooper quickly. "Just…don't."
The brothers sipped their coffees in silence for several moments.
"Cooper," Blaine started, then stopped. He took a deep breath. Let it out. Unclenched his fists. Examined the marks his nails had made in his palms. "Cooper…" he tried again. "I think I need help."
"I'm here for you. I know I haven't been in the past, but I am now."
"No, I mean yes, I know, and I appreciate it and want to believe and trust you, though it'll take time, but that's not what I mean. I mean professional help."
"What kind of professional help?" said Cooper slowly. "Like Pam and Linda, or…?"
"Anger management," said Blaine. "So I can stop being scared of myself. And…counseling or something. I promised Wes and David and Kurt and Finn that I would stop, but…" he rolled up his left sleeve to reveal a row of fresh, scabbed over hairline cuts.
Wordlessly, Cooper enveloped his younger brother in a tentative hug, which became stronger when the recipient did not pull away.
"We'll get you help," he said. "I promise."
"I don't want to go back to an institution," said Blaine.
"I won't let you," said Cooper. "You sure as hell don't belong there. You're not crazy."
"Thank you for not being angry," said Blaine, his voice muffled against Cooper's chest.
"Oh, I'm furious," said Cooper. "But not with you. I know it's hard. I wish it was something that was fixed with a snap of our fingers, an offer of help, a promise to do better. But it's not. It's a process. But you'll get there. We'll get there."
"This sucks," said Blaine after another lengthy silence.
"This sucks balls," Cooper agreed.
They made eye contact and started snickering, which turned into giggling, and the Anderson brothers were in caught up full blown laughter when a very confused Kurt came to tell them that it was time to go back into the courtroom.
*****BB*****
"There are two major issues in question here today," said the judge. "One civil and one criminal. In the matter of Blaine Anderson's application for emancipation, this court does not find the minor in question to have proved sufficient means of self-sufficiency, and so this request is denied. The minor Blaine Anderson will not be emancipated."
This was a heavy blow. Burt stood up, about to protest the decision, but Carole and Kurt both put hands on his arm, though Kurt's eyes were like daggers boring into the judge. Blaine felt his stomach sink. Not emancipated. His parents still had the power. His father still had the power. Would he be forced to move back home? No! He wouldn't do it. He would run away first. But where to? Kurt's house? No, he would put Kurt and his family in danger, and he couldn't do that. But he would put them in danger anyway, Leo knew who they were, and if Blaine disappeared they would be his first targets. Could Blaine return to his parents' house for their sake? He would have to, though the very thought made his feel sick to his stomach and long for his razor blade.
"The second issue in question is that of the criminal case of child abuse and domestic violence against Leo and Elizabeth Anderson. The jury will now take time to reach a verdict on this matter."
The jury stood and left the room, leaving Blaine staring at their empty seats. His fate rested in the hands of twelve strangers, a terrifying thought.
"They have to find them guilty," said Finn heatedly. "They'd have to be out of their minds not to!"
"Shh," Finn, said Carole gently, but Blaine appreciated his boyfriend's step-brother's vehement expression of confidence. He needed it.
After an indeterminable amount of time, the jury reappeared. A representative spoke to the judge, who nodded, then turned to the courtroom. Kurt realized that he was holding his breath. They have to find them guilty, he thought, echoing Finn's sentiment, they just have to.
"The jury has reached a unanimous verdict," said the judge in an infuriatingly calm voice which gave nothing away. "Leo and Elizabeth Anderson have been declared guilty of child abuse and domestic violence against their two sons, Cooper and Blaine Anderson, the second of whom, being still a minor, will be taken from their custody and appointed a temporary guardian until the time of his eighteenth birthday. According to documents signed by the aforementioned Leo Anderson himself, on the occasion of his and his wife's death or incapacitation, legal guardianship of his son Blaine is to pass to his elder son, Cooper Anderson. Cooper Anderson, do you accept this guardianship and all the rights and responsibilities that come with it until the time that Blaine Anderson reaches his eighteenth birthday and comes of age?"
"I do," Cooper affirmed. "And I am prepared to sign whatever you need me to just as soon as the paper is in front of me to make it official."
But Blaine heard this only dimly thought the ringing in his ears, still trying to process what had just happened. Then his boyfriend's arms wrapped around him, blessedly warm and sturdy, and Kurt's breath tickled his cheek as he whispered in his ear. "Good riddance to bad rubbish. Blaine, you're free."
No, thought Blaine, the image of his marred forearms rising in his mind's eye, I'm not, but this is definitely a very large step in the right direction. And he allowed himself a grin.
AN: I have come to the conclusion that I am not very good at writing courtroom scenes, nor am I particularly fond of it. Ah well, live and learn. And review? Lol.
For those of you in the US (like me), Happy Thanksgiving!
-SQ
