Author's Note: Guys, guys, guys, this is the final chapter! I didn't know that going into it, but it turned out that way and I'm glad. I am so ready to be done with this story. I have enjoyed it, but I have other projects that need my attention and I really want to start focusing on my original work. There will be a short epilogue to this story, which is mostly written but will probably not be posted until after the new year, since I'll be working on a cruise ship for the next two weeks. Enjoy!

-SQ

Disclaimer: Second to last time I have to say that I don't own Glee!

Chapter Fifty-Two: The Important Things

Blaine and company went out to a celebratory dinner after the trial, but a very apologetic Finn had to bow out.

"I'm so sorry," he said for the half dozenth time. "It's just that I promised Quinn, and we're already on such thin ice as it is… I promise I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Go!" said Kurt and Blaine, giving him a push toward his car. "But don't expect us to save you any dessert!" they shouted after him.

Finn raced back to the house, praying that he didn't encounter any cops along the way, and threw the picnic basket haphazardly into the backseat of his car. He pulled into Quinn's driveway a good five minutes before his appointed time, which was practically unheard of for him. He sprinted up the drive and rang the doorbell and then attempted to catch his breath in the time it took her to answer the door.

When she did, he expected the sight of her to make all the stress of making this evening happen feel worthwhile, but instead he felt…nothing. The most beautiful, popular girl in the McKinley High junior class stood in front of him, giving him her best "Don't you want to fuck me?" smile, and Finn suddenly realized that he would rather be anywhere in the world than here.

"Well?" said Quinn, raising a perfectly plucked eyebrow toward her perfect ponytail. "Are you going to tell me where we're going? You've been very secretive about this whole thing. It's very attractive."

"Actually, Quinn," said Finn, "I'm here to break up with you."

"Excuse me?"

Finn was just as surprised as Quinn at what had just come out of his mouth, but as soon as he said it, he knew it was the right thing to do. "I'm sorry, Quinn, but I just can't date you anymore."

"This isn't funny, Finn."

"I know it's not," said Finn. "I wasn't trying to be. But I don't want to lie to you, and I don't want to lie to myself anymore either. A lot of crazy shit has gone down recently and I can't keep dating someone I'm not in love with anymore."

"But you and me—we're the perfect couple!" Quinn protested, her voice rising in pitch. "We belong together! I need you! I need you to stay on top at school!"

"If that's the reason you're dating me, then I guess you're not really in love with me anymore either," said Finn a bit sadly.

"You need me too, Finn Hudson," said Quinn. "Do you think you'd be where you are if I wasn't your girlfriend?"

"Maybe I don't care about that," said Finn. "I've never cared about it as much as you do."

"That's because you've never had to," said Quinn. "You always just coasted by on the top, buoyed by someone else's popularity. You think a couple slushies to the face when you were dating Berry was bad? Just you wait, Finn Hudson, you are going to regret this!"

When Finn didn't say anything (really, what more could he say?), Quinn uttered a sound that was somewhere in between a squeal and a grunt and slammed the door, leaving Finn standing there trying to wrap his mind around, not the fact that he no longer had a girlfriend, but rather than it didn't really matter to him. Then he turned around, walked back to his car, and drove to join his family where he belonged.

*****BB*****

"This has been really fun, thank you so much for inviting me out, and for paying!" said Cooper earnestly to Burt and Carole. "But I'm exhausted, I really ought to turn in while I can still keep my eyes open to drive."

"That's probably a good idea for all of us," said Carole, as Blaine sent his brother a grateful look. "And I'm sure the wait staff are tired of us by now."

"With the tips we've been giving them?" asked Burt.

"Oh hush," said his wife.

Cooper had rented a hotel room nearby, insisting that he had imposed on Burt and Carole's hospitality long enough.

"Hey Blaine, would you like to come back with me tonight and keep me company?"

Blaine hesitated, honestly unsure whether he wanted to be with his boyfriend or his brother right now.

"Go with him," said Kurt. "Unless you don't want to. But I think it's a good idea."

Blaine nodded and followed Cooper out to his car.

"You alright, little bro?" Cooper asked as Blaine buckled himself into the passenger seat.

"Yeah," said Blaine. "I'm really happy. It's just a lot to process, you know?"

"Yeah," Cooper agreed. "I know. You want to talk about it?"

Blaine shook his head. "Not right now. Can we just…drive around for a while? Unless you're too tired."

"I just said that to get us out of there," said Cooper. "Wow, that sounds awful."

Blaine nodded. "It does, but I know what you mean. I know they meant well with the party and all, but it's so much more complicated than that."

The two brothers drove for a while in silence with no particular destination in mind until Cooper glanced over and saw that Blaine had fallen asleep with his cheek pressed against the window. Cooper smiled, yawned himself, and directed the car back toward his hotel, where he shook Blaine semi-awake and led the sleepy teen inside.

"Goodnight, Blaine," he said, tucking him in as though he were a much younger child. "Sweet dreams."

*****BB*****

"So, how did your date with Quinn go last night?" Kurt asked Finn over breakfast. It was nearly noon and Blaine and Cooper had yet to make an appearance.

"It, um, didn't," said Blaine. "I kind of broke up with her."

"You what!?"

"I broke up with her."

"After all that effort?"

"I guess that was kind of the problem," said Finn. "It was too much effort, dating Quinn. I didn't even know why I was anymore really. That song I sang in glee club made it sound as though she was the most important person in my life. But there are so many things that are more important right now. You. Blaine. College applications."

Kurt shook his head. "Wow, Finn, you're actually making sense."

"Hey! Actually…I'm not sure if you just insulted me of complimented me."

Kurt laughed. "You're important to me too, Finn. But I'm not breaking up with Blaine."

"You'd better not!"

"Just remember who's dating him, straight boy."

"Who's dating who, now?" said Blaine, sticking his head into the kitchen.

"I'm dating you, last time I checked," said Kurt.

"Yeah, but that's old news," said Blaine. "I thought you had some juicy gossip!"

"Well, Finn broke up with Quinn."

"Is that the blonde one or the short, loud one?"

Kurt giggled at Blaine's description of Rachel. "The blonde one, not the one you snogged."

"Is she still single? For Finn, not for me!" he said hastily.

Finn went red. "I think it's a little early for me to be asking someone else out. I only broke up with Quinn yesterday."

"But you do want to," Blaine prodded.

"Well…"

"I knew you weren't really over her!" said Kurt triumphantly.

"Don't you go getting any ideas," Finn warned his stepbrother. "I'll talk to her. When I'm ready. I need some time to myself right now."

"And some guy time?" Kurt asked, turning on the X-box and offering the other two boys the remaining controllers.

"Definitely some guy time," Finn agreed with a grin. "Get ready to be creamed, Anderson."

"In your dreams, Hudson."

AN: I would love to hear your thoughts on this final chapter of Boy Bonds. Happy holidays, merry Christmas, and Happy New Year, everyone!

-SQ