"You can't be serious." Leah tried to keep her voice down but one look at Matt turning his head in her direction and she knew her efforts were a dismal failure.

Matt had finally fallen asleep somewhere around three in the morning. Or at least she thought he fell asleep. It might actually be closer to the truth that he just passed out from physical and emotional exhaustion. She hadn't been so fortunate. Sitting opposite him on her second hand green chair, just in case he needed her, she tried to figure out what the next step was.

It would be in the best interest of everyone if there was some way for Matt to go back home. He needed to feel their parents hadn't abandoned him and in return they needed to accept this was who Matt was. It was asking them to struggle with years of religious instruction, not to mention cultural expectations. It wasn't easy and it wouldn't be smooth sailing, Leah knew that but in the end it would be best for Matt. And that was what was important. Matt needed his family, his entire family. Not to mention his friends. For all practical purposes, Mike was just as much her little brother as Matt was. There was barely a family function that didn't include Mike since the two met in the second grade. Matt needed his best friend now more than ever. Not to mention the other kids in the glee club. Sure she had met most of them only once but she couldn't see any of them turning their backs on Matt. Not based on the stories Matt had told her.

And of course there was Kurt. Leah was smart enough to realize pointing out to her parents that Matt probably did need Kurt in his life right now, at least as a friend, was a dumb idea. But it was the truth. Mat needed someone who had been through this, and Kurt clearly had if he was out and dating. Mat needed to feel he wasn't isolated and being with other kids like him went along way with that.

Of course all these well-reasoned arguments meant nothing if she couldn't even get her parents to at least listen to them. The other reason she had stayed up all night was she kept waiting for the phone to ring, waiting to hear her mother's relieved voice telling her thank God Matt was ok and they would be down in the morning to work all this out. The call never came. Leah had tried to convince herself it was late. They knew he was with her and safe. The better idea was to wait until the morning when emotions weren't quite so high. At least that would have been the reaction of parents who were willing at least try to meet their child halfway.

She had to call them. It boggled her mind. Matt had left without leaving a note saying where he was going. The same storm that hit Columbus had traveled through Lima. Looking down at her watch, Leah noticed school would be in session. Surely someone from McKinley had called to inform them Matt wasn't in school. At least one of his friends was bound to show up at the house, either to look for him or to bring him work he missed. But apparently none of that seemed to concern her parents.

"There is no need to take that tone with me hija" Her mother rebuked her. "We said all we had to say about this situation last night. I'm sure Matthew told you about what our position was."

"Mama I know you were shocked yesterday. Trust me I understand needing some time to think this over." Leah turned her back as Matt turned on the TV, probably to block the sound of her increasingly pleading tone. Not that she blamed him for that in the least. "But he's still Matt. He needs you."

"What he needs is to think about the choices he's making."

"A choice to be true to who he? How can that be bad?"

"Leah." Her mother sighed, and in her mind's eye Leah could see her pinch her temple with her fingers. "There is nothing to discuss further. Your father and I are doing what we think is best. If you disagree with that, well I'm sorry but you are not his parents. We are."

"Gah!" Leah exploded as she hung up the phone. Pacing the length of her tiny galley kitchen she began to mutter under her breath. "Testarudo mujer! Juro que si ella no era mi madre…"

"If she wasn't your mother what?" Matt asked as he tapped her on the shoulder. He chuckled a little at her startled expression. "I do understand what Mom yells at us and I do get better grades in Mr. Schue's class than you did."

"Show off." Leah hit him in the shoulder. "Did you actually sleep or were just faking me out?"

"She didn't want to talk did she?" Matt ignored her question, looking straight into her eyes. The tears from last night were gone and in their place was simple resignation. She had to smile a little at it. Her little brother was pulling strength to face this and he was going to survive, if just to piss their parents off. She was actually witnessing Matt taking his first real steps towards being an adult. Impulsively she hugged him before wiping suspicious dampness from her own eyes.

"No. I hoped that you being completely AWOL for the night might have scared some sense into her but apparently, it's just further proof of your faulty decision making skills." Leah shook her head. "We need to figure out a plan here Matty."

"Yeah. Like where I'm going to live for starters." Matt said with a sigh as he moved back to the couch. "We both know this isn't a good long term solution."

"Hey! I'm not that bad of a roommate." Leah protested.

"We'll kill each other in a week."

"I'm hardly here. Between class and work." Leah paused as she tilted her head. "Actually I should probably check about getting more hours at work. And I'll go talk to the financial aid office about scholarships and stuff."

"Scholarships?" Matt echoed. "I'm still two years away from college. And who says I'm going where you go?"

"Not for you genius. For me." Leah rolled her eyes. "If Mom and Dad aren't willing to at least talk with you about this and not at you, then they aren't going to be thrilled with me supporting you. I'm not going to give them the chance to threaten my future by pulling the money plug."

"They wouldn't do that."

"Yeah I said the same thing about not listening to you." Leah pointed out. "Look I'd rather be proactive just in case. But that's tomorrow. Right now we're focusing on you. Unfortunately I don't think our extended family would be much help. Dad's side probably won't talk about it and Mom's will probably think she wasn't firm enough with you."

"Yeah." Matt agreed. "Not to mention moving to Texas seems like a really bad idea."

"And I think it would be best for you to stay in Lima if we can figure out how." Leah smiled at him. "You always have a spot on my couch and if that's the only solution then we'll deal with it. But I think you need your friends and your school and your life. And speaking of your friends, they are probably freaked out by now. Have you called anyone? Mike? Kurt?"

"Oh subtle. " Matt nodded his head. "Very subtle."

"I do try."

"No I haven't called anyone." He admitted. "My phone died and apparently I left my charger at home. I was a little distracted when I packed. "

"Great. Now they're going to think you've been shipped off to Australia or some place because Mom and Dad apparently haven't bothered to tell anyone you left home. "Leah groaned. "You have to contact them before they call the police and I'm arrested for kidnapping you or something equally ridiculous."

"I'll post on Facebook in a little bit. I'll tell them I'm figuring some things out. Which is true. "

"Matt…."

"Look there's no need to freak everyone out until I know what's going to happen next. Otherwise there will just be a lot of questions I can't answer and I'll have people flying off the handle and making things worse." Her doubt must have shown on her face because he laughed a little. "Trust me. If Rachel heard even a fifth of this story, she'd be organizing a protest in front of the house before I finished talking. Complete with appropriate songs and guest speakers courtesy of her dads and the ACLU. Its better we have a plan."

"Then we'll make a plan."