Hi guys! Hope you're having a nice Thursday.

Before you read this chapter, if you feel like you might need warnings, make sure to check the end notes.

Thank you for all the comments on the last one, and thank you to Christine, as usual, for her help.

Blaine watched the cab until it got lost around the corner, and finally let out a big, heavy sigh. He turned to his brother, ready to take him back inside, when he noticed Cooper was staring up at him, a quizzical expression on his face.

"What are you sighing about?" He asked. "He just left, you can't possibly miss him already."

"No, it's not that, it's just..." Blaine shook his head. "You'll think it's stupid."

"Little brother, I think a lot of things are stupid, and yet I put up with them," Cooper said, rather dramatically, as Blaine turned the wheelchair around to go back to the hospital.

"I just get a bit nervous around Kurt's dad," Blaine confessed as they made their way towards the elevator. "I want him to like me. He woke up from a coma and suddenly his son's life was completely different, starting with the fact that he broke up with a quite successful lawyer and started dating a florist instead."

Cooper snorted. "Please, Nick was an asshole. I'm sure Burt is happy he's long gone." As the elevator doors opened, he pressed a hand to the wall to avoid Blaine wheeling him inside. "Wait... it's such a lovely day. Can't we...?"

Blaine nodded, without the need for another word. They could both use a little time in the sunshine, so he wheeled Cooper towards the courtyard instead. "How do you even know Nick was an asshole? You haven't met him. Neither have I."

Cooper was suddenly very interested in checking out his own fingernails, as if he had just been given the most mind-blowing manicure ever.

"Cooper!" Blaine exclaimed, a little exasperated. "You met him? When?"

They found a quiet corner in the courtyard, right beside a tree where they could enjoy some shade if it got too warm. Blaine took a seat on a bench. Cooper immediately turned his face into the light, and as he did, with his eyes closed, Blaine noticed just how pale he was. He had to get him out here more often. Being locked up in his room all day was only increasing the speed with which Cooper seemed to deteriorate. He could see – right beneath the surface, where Cooper kept everything cool, where sarcasm and jokes were tools with which he protected himself and his brother from the reality – that Cooper seemed to have diminished. There was so much less of him, and not only because of all the weight he had lost, but most of the spark was gone, too. He couldn't keep a facade for so long without chipping away at him. Blaine wished he didn't do that – he wanted his brother to be honest, even if honesty could hurt.

"Before they broke up," Cooper replied at last, without opening his eyes. "I was with Kurt when he came in. Sure, he was attractive, but I don't know if he had anything else going for him, really. He wasn't very nice to Kurt, from what I could tell."

Blaine decided not to linger on the one word. Attractive. Of course someone as beautiful as Kurt would be with someone attractive. He looked down at himself, at his teal polo and black bowtie, and tried to see what Kurt saw. "What makes you say that?" He asked instead.

"He seemed upset that he had been hanging out with me," Cooper explained, peeking an eye open as if to check Blaine's reaction. "He wasn't very attentive, either. Like, your boyfriend's father is in the hospital. Why aren't you with him all the time, catering to his every need to make this easier on him?" He shrugged. "I don't think he loved him the way he deserves to be loved."

Blaine smiled a little at that. One simple sentence was enough to show him just how much Cooper cared about Kurt. Cooper had been quite self-centered during most of his life – it was nice to see this new side of him, which was only reserved for Blaine. But Blaine was ready for them to expand a bit on their little circle. It was time for more people to join them... to hopefully one day join their little family.

Don't get ahead of yourself, you went on one date.

"Is that why you set us up?" Blaine asked, and now Cooper did open his eyes to glance at him. "Because you think I can love him the way he deserves?"

"And he can love you back the way you deserve," Cooper nodded, his voice soft. He let out a little sigh and looked up at the sky, light blue meeting light blue, as if the sky was mirrored in his eyes. As if the sky had dropped a piece of itself to give him sight. Cooper seemed larger than life then, out of this world, even as he sat in his wheelchair looking like half of what he had once been. "When I saw you two together... it made so much sense, you know?"

Blaine ran a hand through his hair. "It's crazy. I haven't known him that long, but it feels like I have. I think back to seeing him sitting alone in the hallway, looking like he was about to fall apart..." He shook his head, baffled. "You know how many people I see every day in this hospital? You know how many of them are in heartbreaking situations? Most of them. Every single day, I see a man losing his wife, a woman losing her sister, a mother losing her child. I see heartbreak every day, and I feel so powerless every time. But I saw him... and I don't know... I had to do something. I was pulled to him, and I was talking to him and offering him a cup of coffee before I could even think of what I was doing."

"You're a good man, Blaine," Cooper muttered, respect and love mixing together, as he reached to grab his little brother's hand. "Mom and Dad would be pretty proud of you. And so would Grandma."

They rarely spoke of their family, so Blaine was a little surprised. "Thanks, Coop. But... to be honest, there was only one person I've always cared whether he was proud of me or not, and that's you."

Cooper's face was suddenly a screen for a thousand different emotions. His eyes got a little misty. "I've always been proud of you, squirt."

Unable to stop himself, Blaine lifted their joined hands and pressed a kiss to the back of his brother's. The nickname that had once annoyed him felt like a warm embrace, a piece of their childhood.

Cooper cleared his throat but didn't remove his hand. "Well, aren't you going to tell me about your date? It required a lot of planning and sneaking around, so I need as many details as you can give me."

Blaine laughed, as little memories of the previous night flashed before his eyes. It had been so perfect, every single second of it, that he still couldn't believe it had actually happened.

"Well, for starterts..." he said, and nudged his brother's shoulder playfully. "Next time you're going to set me up with the guy who has the potential to be the love of my life, give me some warning, because I almost didn't show up."

Cooper beamed at him. "Love of your life, huh?"

Tease me, laugh at me, do whatever you want. Just don't lose that smile.

That smile is my whole world.

"Want to hear about it or not?" Blaine said, pretending to be annoyed.

Cooper looked at him like he hung up the stars and the moon. Blaine wish he had. He wanted to be deserving of it, wanted to be able to do the impossible for him. But he couldn't – all he could do was tell him about his date with Kurt, so they sat in the mid-June sun under the shelter of a sycamore tree, and Blaine filled the silence and the uncertainty with the sound of his voice.

They stayed outside until lunchtime. Cooper wasn't hungry, but he had started looking more and more tired, so Blaine insisted they went back inside. Cooper took a look around, as if wishing he didn't have to miss any time outside, but didn't protest. He let his brother wheel him back inside.

They settled on Cooper's bed, side by side against the pillows. The food arrived but Cooper didn't feel like eating. Blaine couldn't blame him – he had never seen less delicious-looking food in his life. He promised him he would go out later and get him something if he got hungry.

"Can't we just sit outside some more?" Cooper asked, letting his head fall on Blaine's shoulder.

"You need to rest a bit," Blaine said. "But we'll go out again tomorrow, I promise."

Cooper hummed noncomittally.

He fell asleep leaning against Blaine. Blaine stood very still as not to disturb him, and let him rest.

When Cooper woke up a couple of hours later, there was a tiny smile on his face.

"Good dream?" Blaine asked, grinning down at him.

"We were at the beach," Cooper said, voice still thick from sleep. "You, and me, and Kurt. You two were having a picnic on the sand, and I was swimming and surfing."

"I didn't know you could surf," Blaine commented.

"I don't," Cooper murmured. "Maybe I can learn some day."

"That sounds great. It all sounds great." Blaine threw his arm around Cooper's shoulder. "Maybe we can do that once you're discharged. Take a little break, go to the beach..."

"We haven't been on vacation together since we were little," Cooper said, his eyes closed as if he was reminiscing. "Remember that last summer, before mom and dad died? We went to that lakehouse. Dad taught me how to fish."

Blaine frowned, trying to bring the memory back but failing. "I don't remember. What was I doing?"

Cooper's eyelids twitched. His face became a little distraught. "I can't remember."

Blaine hadn't meant the question to be upsetting. He rubbed his brother's arm comfortingly. "It's okay. It was a long time ago." He waited until Cooper seemed calm again. "We should go camping. Rent a tent and just spend a few days somewhere in the middle of nowhere. We can swim during the day and look at the stars at night."

Cooper's face relaxed, his eyes still closed. "I don't think Kurt is the camping type."

"I'm sure he won't mind sitting that one out," Blaine said softly. "We can all go elsewhere together. Any ideas?"

"I've never been to Europe. Remember I wanted to go backpacking after high school? But Grandma couldn't afford it, and she needed help at the flowershop," Cooper said. "I wanted to sit in an old town in France or Italy and drink wine and... I don't know, live."

"That does sound like something Kurt would get behind," Blaine muttered quietly. He could picture the three of them, Kurt dressed impeccably, sitting at some bar in Paris or Rome or Amsterdam, maybe, just taking in the night and drinking wine, talking and laughing – so far away from this hospital they didn't even remember it existed. "You know what I always wanted? A cross-country road trip, like in those awesome novels. We could rent a car and stop at little bed and breakfasts and see everything."

"I want to see everything," Cooper agreed.

He finally opened his eyes – they had muted from blue to grey, something that had never happened before. It made Blaine's heart stutter for a moment, though he wasn't sure why.

"We should start a list," he said, to cover up the way he felt, mostly because he couldn't quite explain what it was. "The problem will be choosing what to do first."

Cooper looked up at him, and he smiled, in a quiet way, unusually soft, almost watery. There was a bit of sadness in his eyes, and Blaine wanted to wipe it away. He only ever wanted him to feel hope. He only ever wanted him to be happy.

Cooper swallowed and blinked up at him. "Do you... do you think you can go get me some green tea?"

"Sure!" Blaine said, always glad to be useful. "Are you hungry? Do you want me to bring something to eat?"

"No, no, I'm fine. Maybe later."

Blaine stood up and walked to his bag. He began searching for his wallet, as he thought that maybe he would get a salad or a sandwich or something. He had to be at the flowershop before closing time, so he probably wouldn't have enough time to grab a bite later.

He had just reached the door when Cooper murmured: "Hey, Squirt."

Blaine turned to look at him. "Yeah?"

Cooper watched him, his strangely grey eyes eager on his face. "I... I should have said this more often, but..." he took a deep breath. "Thanks for being here with me."

"Coop, you know there's no need..."

"I love you," Cooper interrupted.

Blaine felt a tug somewhere in his chest. He turned back to the bed, leaned in and dropped a kiss to his forehead. "Love you, too." He straightened up and frowned. "Are you okay?"

There was something in Cooper's face he couldn't quite read – whether it was discomfort or urgency, or just more sadness. He couldn't identify it, but he didn't quite like it.

"Just... go get that tea, okay?" Cooper asked him, and then added, again: "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Blaine said, and turned back to the door. "I'll be right back!"

There was a line at the cafeteria. Blaine stood, fidgeting a little, though he didn't know exactly why he was feeling uneasy. He grabbed his phone and tried to distract himself as he waited, thought about texting Kurt, and that's when he realized they had never exchanged phone numbers.

Cooper was going to tease him mercilessly about that.

Blaine tried not to worry – he would get it when Kurt came to visit them, or he would stop by Kurt's apartment on the way to work. He wasn't concerned about looking desperate, he thought he and Kurt were way past those little doubts and insecurities, with everything they had shared. He was sure Kurt wouldn't mind. Maybe he could even drop by with some daisies...

When it was finally his turn, he stepped up to the counter and smiled at the person behind it. He ordered Cooper's tea and coffee and a sandwich for himself. He saw they had made muffins that day, so he got one for Cooper, as well, in case he had changed his mind about being hungry.

He made his way back upstairs, stopping to help an old lady in the elevator who seemed a little lost at where she was supossed to go. Blaine exited on Cooper's floor and waved at her with an encouraging smile.

"Hey, I'm back. I brought you a muffin," he said as he pushed open the door. "I doubt they'll taste as good as Kurt's, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to try them."

Cooper's face was away from him, as if he were watching the bunches of flowers carefully arranged on the window sill. He didn't reply.

"Coop, are you asleep? I got your tea," he muttered gently. He put everything down on the nightstand and set a hand on his arm, as not to startle him.

Blaine's breath hitched. The uneasiness inside of him grew and grew, turning into a black hole inside his stomach, threatening to swallow him whole. He forgot about gentleness. He forgot about being careful. He shook his brother, trying to get him to wake up, his fingers grabbing desperately at his shirt.

"Coop? Coop, come on," he murmured, feeling as if he was choking.

Deep down inside, he knew. He just knew. He had probably even suspected it before leaving the room – god, he should have stayed. Why had he left him alone? Why hadn't he seen right through him? Why had he left him?

"You can't do this," Blaine sobbed, still shaking him slightly. "You can't do this, Cooper."

He thought of all the plans they had made not even half an hour ago. He thought of all the things Cooper had never done and looked forward to. He thought of all the big moments in his own life he wanted Cooper there for – he had to walk him down the aisle, had to be his kids' favorite uncle. It was never supposed to be like this – he was supposed to beat this. The treatment was supposed to work.

He stopped shaking him. He climbed onto the bed next to him, like he did when he was a child, when he had a nightmare after their parents' death. He would climb into Cooper's bed and curl up next to him, until Cooper woke up and kicked him out, all teenage angst and big brother annoyance.

They had come so far. It couldn't end like this.

"Coop, wake up," he pleaded.

He buried his face on his chest, hanging on to him as if it was the only thing keeping him together. Cooper's arms didn't come up to wrap him up into a comforting embrace. There was no heartbeat thumping against his ear.

Blaine broke down, sobbing so hard he felt like he was being ripped in half. His entire life was crumbling down around him, the color draining, the sound turning into silence. There was nothing else, but the pain that seared all over his body, blinding him, until his sobs morphed into screams of complete and absolute despair.

But as much as Blaine cried and yelled, screamed and begged, there was nothing else for him to do. Cooper was gone.

WARNING: CHARACTER DEATH.

I AM SO SORRY.

I can't tell you how much I cried writing this. I didn't want it to happen, it was truly awful and at one point I considered rewriting the whole thing. But this whole story started with the idea of Cooper dying, and with the next few chapters, it'll be obvious why.

Honestly, I'm so sorry. I hate myself a little bit.

I'm gonna go cry in the shower or something. Feel free to tell me how much you hate me in the comments.

I'll be seeing you again on Saturday (unless you decide to never read anything I write ever again).

Love,

L.-