Karen Anderson woke suddenly not knowing why she did. Glancing over to her bedside clock, she saw that it was 3:13 in the morning. She rolled over onto her back and heard rather than saw that her husband was still asleep. She laid there for a few more minutes before she slipped out of bed, pulled on her robe, and silently left the room.
As she walked downstairs, she heard the faint sounds of a laugh track and made her way swiftly to the back of the house. As she turned past the last bend of the hallway and came into full view of the living room, she felt her heart breaking all over again.
Blaine sat on the far end of the living room couch, his knees drawn to his chest as he stared silently at the television screen. He wore long, forest green pajama pants and one of George's old UCLA sweatshirts that was clearly two sizes too big for him.
It was commonplace now to see Blaine seated there, eyes fixed to the television, and although a small portion of her felt relieved to know he was there, safe and sound, it didn't negate how innately wrong it was either.
Because Blaine wasn't sleeping and when he did, he never slept well. Not since it happened.
It had been two months now since Blaine was abducted, since their lives had been thrown askew, and Karen didn't know if it would ever be right again.
It was unfair. Why Blaine? Why her family?
It was okay to ask these questions—normal, in fact. At least that's what Dr. Morgan, their family therapist, assured her.
Karen didn't care if it was normal. She wanted normal—what normal used to be. She didn't want to know that some monster had tied Blaine down for weeks and violated him like that. She didn't want to imagine how scared her baby must have been, didn't want him to still be so scared now.
But it didn't matter what she wanted. All that mattered was what Blaine wanted—what Blaine needed.
"What Blaine needs most right now is for you to be patient and understanding," Dr. Morgan advised the Andersons succinctly, but no less compassionate. "I can't stress that enough."
And Karen would do that—would do anything if it meant she could take away all the pain and fear that Blaine carried inside of him to reveal that smiling, singing, vibrant boy that he used to be.
So, Karen crossed the living room's carpeted floor, making sure to make enough noise as to not startle her son. Blaine tensed anyway, eyes darting to her wildly before relaxing slightly when he caught sight of her. Karen smiled at him before sitting right beside him and turning her attention to the television.
"Mary is too old for you."
"I'm older than you."
"Well, then, you're too old for her. Either way, it won't work."
"I make her laugh, Dick. She likes it."
"You shut your foul mouth!"
Karen chuckled, glanced sideways at Blaine and felt her smile dim upon seeing that her son's solemn expression had not changed in the slightest. Not to be discouraged, she refocused on the episode, laughing when Dick Solomon said something unintentionally offensive or when Harry related an 'incoming message from the Big Giant Head.' It was maybe two episodes in when she felt a weight on her shoulder, glanced down to see Blaine's head resting there though he was still awake. She moved her arm to wrap it around his shoulder and Blaine in turn lowered his sock-clad feet to the floor in order to shift closer.
They remained that way for the remainder of the night, were later joined by George, but by then Blaine had fallen asleep.
"Good Morning," George greeted softly as he sat down beside his wife and gave her a quick peck on the check.
Karen smiled her greeting before returning her attention to the television, her thumb brushing idly up and down Blaine's arm.
"What are we watching?"
"Hmm...Tommy decided to retire."
George hummed in acknowledgment, settling himself on the couch. "So...?"
Karen looked thoughtfully down at Blaine and after a minute said, "Two."
George nodded. "That's not bad."
It wasn't. Because a one meant Blaine screaming awake from nightmares, not letting anyone touch him as he shook for hours after and anything was better than that. And yet...
"It's not so good either," she lamented, voice wavering and George put his arm around her, the tips of his fingers brushing the ends of Blaine's curls as he did.
"We'll get there," he said sounding so sure that Karen couldn't do anything but believe him because the alternative wasn't something she would ever accept.
"Yeah," she whispered as George gently pulled her, and in turn Blaine, closer to his chest. "We'll get there."
They had to.
Author's Note (3/13/2011): There seems to be a little confusion regarding Karen and George's conversation when Karen says "Two." Essentially, they've set up a rating system regarding Blaine's well being. It parallels what is usually done when doctors/EMTs ask you what level of pain you are in from 1 to 10 (worse pain you ever felt). Karen and George's system is a 1 to 5 system with 5 being good. I think rather than going into details regarding how Blaine was the night before (not that they're ignoring it, but just trying to make it a little easier for them to work through), they set up this system. Hope that explains it. Another installment in this universe has been added entitled "Just Breathe."