Chapter 2.

James Anderson's coffin was lowered into the ground on a dull, wet September afternoon. Blaine's face betrayed not a flicker of emotion as he stared straight ahead, his usually warm, honey colored eyes were dark and cold. He tried to block out the noise around him- the pastor's monotone voice reciting passages from a bible that Blaine had long since stopped believing in. His left arm was wrapped securely around his mom, with Cooper grasping her from the other side. She sniffed quietly and delicately into a handkerchief, trying to maintain her usual regal composure. Blaine was aware of over a hundred pairs of eyes boring into his back as the rain became heavier over them, and he focused on the thrumming of the drops on the bank of umbrellas.

Cooper had been shocked by the turnout, but Blaine wasn't really surprised. His dad had spent a lot of years building the business up. 'Anderson & Sons, Attorneys at Law.' A joke really, as when James had first started out, Cooper was yet to be even dreamt of. His dad had worked hard, and was well respected by his employees as well as those in the community. They only saw James Anderson, Lawyer, though. They didn't see what Blaine had seen for the last twelve years, since coming out to his parents at fourteen. No one had known how cold, and indifferently he had treated his younger son. No one realized that whenever he did speak to Blaine, it was only to belittle him, to remind him how useless he was, and what a continual source of disappointment he was to his parents. When Blaines report cards had showed straight A's year after year, James had passed no comment. He had only asked the same question when Blaine stood trembling in his office.

'You straightened out yet?'

'No, Sir,' Blaine would murmur.

'Then you're still no son of mine.'

No. No one had known.

No one except The Hummels. He'd told Kurt first, he needed to explain why he never visited home from Dalton unless he absolutely had to. He needed Kurt to know that the jovial, confident Blaine he had fallen in love with in those hallways was not the Blaine who appeared when he was at home. Kurt had listened, cried, and listened some more. Then he had taken Blaine's hands in his, looked at him with shining blue eyes, and told him none of it mattered. It didn't matter because he loved him, and he would always love him. He had sealed the promise with the softest of kisses.

When Blaine had decided to transfer to McKinley with Kurt, he had moved back home with a renewed confidence. It wasn't to last though. James Anderson was furious that Blaine had decided to attend a public school, even more so when he found out why he wished to do so. That's when Kurt had urged him to talk to Burt and Carole. He had always had a good relationship with his boyfriends parents, and had always felt exceedingly welcome in their home, but when Burt declared that Blaine was to move in with them, and there would be no argument about it, Blaine had fallen apart with gratitude and relief.

'Don't worry about it kiddo,' Burt said as he pulled Blaine into a tight hug. 'If that guy can't see what an amazing young man you are then he doesn't deserve to have you as a son anyway. You will always be welcome here Blaine, I mean it. You can live here with Kurt for as long as you two want. Just in separate bedrooms.'

And so it was that Blaine became part of the Hummel-Hudson family. He had maintained sporadic contact with his mom. While he knew she still loved and cared for him, he couldn't quite forgive her inability to intervene in the situation. His relationship with Cooper had grown stronger though, free from their parents overbearing presence. Despite the seven year age gap, and the fact that Cooper had never been around when Blaine was growing up, they were now as close as they could be, with Cooper living so far away.

But it had been Burt and Carole who had been there when Blaine, Kurt and Finn graduated together. Both wiping away tears and declaring how proud they were of their three sons. It was Burt who had driven Blaine to Harvard, and who had reassured him that he could do this. When Blaine graduated as valedictorian of his class, it was Kurt and his Dad who had cheered the loudest and longest.

It wasn't just Kurt's heart Blaine had broken.

As the service came to a close and people started to drift away, a hand on his shoulder snapped Blaine out of his reverie.

Turning, he came face to face with the man he had just been remembering with great fondness.

"Burt."

"Hello son. How you holding up?" Burt Hummel asked.

Blaine studied him. He had aged in the four years since Blaine had seen him last. 'Nodoubtaidedbymyactions' Blaine thought. His eyes were the same though, blue and shining and identical to Kurts. They stared at Blaine, and the young man felt as if Burt were peering into the depths of his soul, reading what was written in his heart.

"I...um..I'm ok I guess. What are you..." He trailed off.

"Heard about it from a customer who came in the shop," Burt answered, as the pair started to wander across the churchyard. "Wanted to be here for you, y'know, just incase you needed anyone. Its a lot to deal with." Burt cleared his throat and shuffled somewhat uncomfortably, hand reaching up to adjust the baseball cap that wasn't there.

"Oh, well...erm...thanks. I...just...yeah. Thanks." Blaine finished, with a blush.

"No worries. I meant it Blaine, when I said you'd always be my son no matter what happened. I

didn't say it lightly y'know."

"I know."

"How have you been?" Burt asked, and then continued hurriedly, "I don't mean over all this," He waved his hand around him, "I mean how have you been for the past four years buddy? Whatcha doing with yourself?"

"Um..I've been ok I guess,"Blaine lied. "Busy y'know. I was running the New York offices before Dad got sick, then I had to take over the whole company so that's been, yeah". Blaine broke off, running a hand through his thick, dark curls.

"How are you all?" Blaine asked, though right now there was really only one person he wanted to hear about.

"We're ok. Same old stuff. I'm at the shop, Carole is still at the hospital. She says hi, by the way. Oh, and Finn, he's at the shop with me. He's surprisingly good at mechanics, once he stops having accidents," Burt chuckled. "He'll take over in a few years, give this old man a break. He finally married Rachel."

Blaine's eyebrows shot up at this piece of news.

"Yeah, I'm still amazed myself. But they seem happy. She's teaching back at McKinley now. They live in Lima." Burt finished and looked at Blaine, unsure whether to continue.

"Well I'd better get going buddy," He declared suddenly, deciding against telling Blaine anything about Kurt. Christ, the poor kid looked bad enough already.

"How is he?" Blaine blurted as he grabbed Burts arm to stop him from turning away.

"Is he doing ok? Does he ever...does he ever mention me? Is there anyone else? Burt please," Blaine begged, tears now flowing freely, "Please just tell me he's ok."

The older man sighed deeply before sitting on the nearest bench, patting the space next to him to indicate that Blaine should take a seat too.

"The short answers are: Not great, no, no, and no, " Burt replied as Blaine's mind scrambled to reconcile those answers with the questions he had just asked.

"There's no one else. I think there have been 'others,' but certainly no one he's ever mentioned repeatedly, and we've never been introduced to anyone. No, he never mentions you...to be honest I don't think he can. As for how he's doing...as well as can be expected I suppose, but I haven't seen him smile properly in four long years." Burt stared ahead of him.

"Because of me." Blaine whispered.

"Yes, to be honest Blaine. Yes." Burt replied, a hard edge creeping into his voice.

"I don't know too much, because he doesn't really talk much about anything anymore. But I know that you damn near killed him when you left. I had to hold my twenty two year old son in my arms like he was a baby again. I have never heard anyone break like that Blaine, never. And I never want to again."

"If it makes you feel any better, I was the same." Blaine said, regretting those words as soon as they were out of his mouth.

Burt turned to look at him.

"You think that makes me feel better? Knowing that for whatever reason you decided to destroy the best thing that had ever happened to you? Now, I don't know why you did what you did Blaine, but I'll tell you how I see it. You walked out on the only real family you've ever known. You allowed money, position and power to blind you. And so, what? You're not happy now? You miss Kurt? Well guess what? I miss you. A lot, Blaine. I shouldn't, but I do. You caused so much pain to so many people when you left. Not just me and Kurt, but Carole, Finn and even Rachel too. And then we hear nothing from you Blaine, nothing! Not a phone call, no letter, nothing. It's like you had disappeared altogether."

"That's what I was hoping for," Blaine murmured, his head held low, unable to look at the man he admired so much.

"Well maybe you were, but I thought you were more of a man than that. You

just took off. Did you not think you owed Kurt an explanation? He still doesn't understand why you hurt him so much, you're not that person Blaine."

"I did explain," the young man started to protest, but Burt cut him off quickly.

"Bullshit Blaine. You told Kurt you had never loved him, and that you wanted to go work for your Dad. It was what you had always wanted apparently. Well I don't believe a word of that. You may be able to fool others son, but you can't feed me that crap and get away with it."

Blaine looked up with red rimmed eyes.

"I...it wasn't what it seemed...I..."

"What Blaine?" Burt put his arm around him, "Please tell me, maybe if I can try and make some sense of this then I can help Kurt."

Blaine looked over to where his mom was standing. Shaking hands and making polite conversation with people who were virtual strangers. She may have been blinded by love and adoration for her husband, but that didn't mean Blaine could punish her by revealing the real reason he had returned to the Andersons.

"I can't. I'm sorry," Blaine whispered. "I just can't."

Burt sighed and stood up.

"Well, I can't pretend I'm not disappointed Blaine. But maybe one day huh?" He offered his hand to Blaine and pulled him up into a tight embrace.

"You know where I am if you want to talk buddy. Anytime."

Burt turned to go, then stopped and looked back at Blaine, who was staring at the ground.

"He was here you know."

Blaine's head snapped up

"What?"

"Kurt. He was here. Wanted to come, said he felt he needed to. But he couldn't do it. As soon as he saw you he just took right off. I wasn't going to tell you but...well...honestly...I think you need to know. You may have given up on yourself Blaine, but it doesn't mean others have."

Unable to speak over the lump that had formed in his throat, Blaine nodded.

Kurt had been here. His Kurt. The love of his life.

As Burt walked away, Cooper approached from the other direction

"Hey man, you ok? That looked pretty intense. You ready to go?"

"Um..actually if you don't mind I'm gonna stay here awhile. Just clear my head a bit y'know. I'll see you back at the house."

"Ok bro, don't be too long," Cooper said as he headed to his car.

Blaine wandered through the graveyard, away from the few remaining guests. He needed to be alone, he needed time to think.

But instead he just sat down and cried.