I sat over Blaine's body, holding my fist to my lips. He'd been asleep for days, and it was starting to worry me. While my time with Julian in the forest had been a wonderful escape, coming back from romance was especially sobering. Julian had been locked in his office for as long as Blaine had been asleep. For all I knew, Rena was locked in a tower.

I was lonely.

And then he stirred. It caused me to jump, and then his eyes opened and he looked at me and the first thing he said was, "my mouth tastes like shit." I laughed. I laughed and I threw myself on him, probably crushing him in the hug process. I peppered kissed all over his face, not noticing that I was starting to cry until he showed me.

He was smiling. "Morning to you too, Gemma."

I laughed, thick with tears. I didn't know I'd be this happy. I was just glad that my best friend was back. "It's like seven o'clock, Blaine."

He grumbled, waving me off as I tried to help him off of the bed we'd moved him to. He was unsteady, wincing a bit when he took a step. I stood, getting off of that rigid chair I insisted on sitting in, and watched him.

"I have to pee, and I'm hungry," he told me. I laughed again, just happy to see him well. It was so strange, being so joyful for something so simple: he'd woken up. Knowing that he hadn't eaten in three days, though, led me to believe it would be a good idea to bring him some food.

I ran down to the kitchen, hoping to find a TV dinner in the fridge. Nora would have none of that, of course, and began on a three course spread. She sat down and made Blaine eat, and even after he claimed to be full, she shoveled more food into him. I sat there and watched, eating slowly and quietly, simply basking in his presence. I know he probably thought it was weird that I kept looking at him, but three days ago I had seen him as a near-corpse.

Now he was as bright as ever.

I had convinced Nora to allow me to do the dishes when Julian surfaced. He surprised me, suddenly coming up and wrapping his arms around me. I was tense for a moment, before I allowed myself to relax and turn off the tap. Without words, without even looking at him, I could feel his exhaustion. He allowed quite a bit of his weight to lay on me, his limbs heavy. Stubble scratched against my cheek, and his hands were hard as he dove under my shirt to press his palm against my stomach.

"You decided to surface, now?" I said, my elbows propped on the edge of the sink.

"Mmmm, I heard Blaine woke up," sleepy, scratchy, his voice pressed against my ear. I slowly shrugged him off, glaring at the last dish in the sink, and dried my hands. He stared at me, but I wasn't sure what to say.

"I wasn't in my office the whole time. I know that's what you're thinking?"

"It's what I'm thinking?"

He didn't say anything. "We've been looking for them... but somebody is helping them. It's true, and it's our greatest disadvantage."

I made a face. If I ran into the wood, I'm sure Harry and Dmitri would appear simultaneously. I wasn't that brave, however. I couldn't find the right words, so I just walked up to him and buried my face in his chest. Inhaling his thick scent, I sighed. My hands gripped the sides of his shirt, and though I could tell he hadn't showered in a while, I didn't care.

He must of thought I was worried or scared-do not mistake that I was-but my immediate thought was thank God he's here.The self loathing came quickly afterwards, and I detached myself from him, turning away. How could I be so selfish? I was doing it again, just like I had with Harry. Back in those days, all I thought I needed was Harry and Blaine. And I did, but I didn't think I could do it again.

"Are you okay?" Julian asked. He took a step towards me. I stood still.

"Yeah, I just..." I couldn't tell him what I was thinking, so I spoke the first words that came to my head. "I'm going to go check on Blaine and see if he remembers what happened."

"Wait." I was walking away, but turned to look at him. Silence hung in the air for a moment, before he walked over and kissed me. I was non responsive at first, but then I fell into him. He pulled back, putting his mouth on my neck. I felt the slightest scrape of teeth, and the thrill that came afterwards. Slowly he came away from me, looking with eyes that spoke of things you definitely did not do in the Pack House kitchen. He ducked down for another kiss, but I turned my head. "I have to talk to Blaine, really."

Reluctantly, he released me. I felt his eyes as I walked to the stairs, and when I was halfway up, I heard him say, "I'm not going to be in the office all night, so wait up for me."

"I'll find you after I'm done with Blaine."


"Do you remember anything?"

"Yes."

He'd moved away from the sickness of the basement and into a guest room upstairs. It was probably one preserved for special visitors, as the luxuries in that room were extravagant compared to Julian's calm, dark room. I honestly couldn't remember him ever wanting the lights on unless he was reading. Even then he used a book lamp. The bed Blaine sat on was big, the blankets atop him thick and soft. When he gestured for me to sit beside him, I did as he asked.

Blaine said he went for a walk in the woods. Got a little lost. Followed his own trail back and caught trace of Harry's. He said he followed it, hoping to convince the guy to go back home, so Blaine could return to New York City and his dream school. They talked, first civil, but then all the hostility from their near fight at the arcade arose, and it got violent. He said what happened afterwards wasn't completely clear. Blaine was surrounded, though. So suddenly. He didn't even sense them. Dmitri's pack lunged for him, but just when they were at his neck, about to bite, Dmitri surfaced. He told Harry to do it.

We both sat there, wondering why. It didn't take too long for me to realize what was going on. "It's an initiation," I muttered. "He has to prove himself."

"Yeah," Blaine said quietly. "I figured as much."

There was more silence, words spinning and crashing through our heads. This was what had happened to Harry.

This was what I did to Harry.

"He's crazy, Blaine." I put my head in my hands. "What the fuck are we going to do?"

Blaine shakes his head, "I don't know, Gem. I really wish I did."

I look at him again, chewing my nail. "Maybe we should call his dad."

"His father was the one who told him to go get you. You know how he is." Another sigh.

"But he said I could stay. Or something. I was given permission to stay."

Blaine stared at me for a little while. Long enough for me to want to question his actions, but I didn't. Eventually he lifted up his blanket and gestured me towards him. I paused for a moment, trying to figure out if Julian would be upset. Then I stopped caring. I crawled in beside Blaine and curled up beside him. He'd taken a shower, so he smelled clean, like soap and everything absolutely Blaine.

Part of me just wanted to stay here. Stay close to my best friend, because he was whole and good and I'd put him in the middle of a war. I'm sorry Blaine.

"When was the last time you slept?" He asked after a bout of silence.

"Last night."

"For how long?" His skepticism was moving in, but I ignored it.

"Long enough."

He chuckled, but in a sad, dejected way. "Go to sleep, Gem."

"Okay."


Author's Note: Um... hi? Anybody still there? Tonight I realized that I need to finish a novel, and Woke is already 4/5 of the way there so... let's get this done. I dunno how long it'll take, but it's going to happen. Sorry for the wait! I actually think this story is awful now, and really needs an overhaul, but firstly-let's get it done. Then we'll see what happens next.