Cooper stood slowly, face expressionless as he stared at his mother. No one made a sound -- except for Kurt, who was trying to keep Blaine calm -- and conscious.

"You shouldn't have followed us here, Cooper." said Jenna harshly.

"If I hadn't, what would have happened, Jenna?" he snapped. He couldn't call her 'Mom'...she didn't deserve it -- not after this (not that she had ever deserved it in the first place). "Would you have killed him? Looks like you were planning to leave him here and head back to California by yourself. Am I right?"

"No! I wanted a chance to prove I was a good mother!" she screamed, reaching into her jacket pocket and pulling out a small knife.

Shit.

Cooper moved over so he was standing in front of Kurt and Blaine.

Keep her focussed on you...keep her away from Kurt and Blaine..."When were you ever a good mother to us?" he snarled, taking a step forward. "You physically abused me for almost a year when Blaine and I were kids! You made him watch!" he screamed.

Jenna snorted.

"I did what I had to." she said coolly. "and I'm taking your brother to Sacramento!"

A stick cracked under Cooper's shoe, causing Jenna to flinch.

"I'm not going to let you." he said.

Jenna pursed her lips, and lifted the knife.

"Then you're going to die, Cooper." she said calmly.

---

Blaine couldn't breathe. So much pain...everywhere...

He didn't understand...He and James had just wanted to enjoy the evening as friends. No one at the dance had said anything. No one had thrown any slurs, or shoved them around...it had been so nice...

But then Tony, Adam and Scott had ambushed them in the parking lot as they waited for James' father to pick them up.

James had been pinned to the ground when he tried to fight, and had been beaten pretty badly. Scott had broken his arm while Tony had kicked him repeatedly.

Child's play compared to what they'd done to Blaine...

He could hear the paramedics talking to him as an oxygen mask was slipped over his face.

That didn't stop him from gasping Cooper's name, over and over again until he passed out in the ambulance.

"Blaine? Honey stay with me...stay with me." Kurt was holding him close, stroking his hair.

Where was Cooper?

"C...Coop..." he whispered.

"He's here, Blaine. He's here." Kurt told him, adjusting his hold on his boyfriend's body. "He's just a little busy right now. When he's done we're gonna leave, okay? We're gonna go back to Lima."

Blaine gave him a soft smile.

"Li..." his eyes fluttered shut for a moment, his breathing shallow. "Lima..."

Kurt shook his head, growing frantic.

"Blaine, don't close your eyes!" he cried. Blaine nodded, but his eyes closed once more and did not reopen."Blaine!"

---

Cooper's heart nearly stopped when he heard Kurt scream Blaine's name. Jenna had gone rigid, eyes flashing.

He knew that look. He'd seen it the night she'd smashed her travel mug into the side of his head...while she beat him in front of his then three year old brother.

When she lunged, it wasn't at him, it was at Kurt.

"No!" he cried, throwing himself at her, latching his hands onto the arm of the hand that gripped the knife. "Kurt call nine-one-one!"

When he lost his grip, Jenna kicked him in the stomach, sending him to the ground, completely winded.

Pain ripping through his back...

He turned his head to see Kurt yelling into his cell phone for help...saw him lying protectively over Blaine's body.

Jenna screaming obscenities at him...telling him that Blaine would pay...fueling his decision to call their aunt to get them out...

The brunette man staggered to his feet, ignoring the pain in his ribs. Nothing he hadn't felt before; he could handle it.

Waiting until Jenna slipped out of the house...literally crawling back upstairs to check on Blaine...

He saw the knife on the ground; she'd dropped it when she kicked him. His fingers trembled as they curled around the handle.

Cooper couldn't kill her...he would never live with himself...but he had to stop her...somehow.

When he saw Jenna's fingers close around Kurt's throat, he made his move. He stabbed her in the arm.

Her scream made the hair on the back of his neck stand up.Cooper dropped the weapon and hauled her off of the teen before pinning her to the ground.

His unasked question was answered almost immediately by Kurt.

"They're sending the police." he gasped, massaging his throat as he pulled Blaine back into his arms. "and an ambulance too."

"Good." was all the other man said.