Chapter Text
Cooper remembers when his little brother was born. He remembers his mother being rushed into hospital and the long wait in the boring waiting room. Sure, he had his phone to play games on, but it was nothing like waiting for his baby brother or sister to come along. He had been excited for weeks at the prospect of a new member of the Anderson family. A new playmate and it meant that Cooper wouldn’t be the youngest in the family any more.
Cooper remembers his Father taking him into his Mother’s hospital room and presenting the little baby that was in her arms. He was tiny, crying while cuddled up against his Mother’s chest. The baby was a burrito in Cooper’s eyes, wrapped in a white cloth with his head sticking out the top.
Cooper remembers when his mother said that the babies name was Blaine. It meant yellow and slender, which Cooper thought suited his little brother. He replayed the name over and over in his head so he could remember it. He never wanted to forget Blaine’s name.
Cooper remembers the day Blaine disappeared. His little brother was apparently picked up outside of his daycare. He remembers because it was the day his whole world fell apart. The day he lost his little brother to the big bad world. The day that stopped him from being able to wear yellow.
Cooper remembers printing out flyer after flyer with Blaine’s name, face and the reward on it. He was willing to pay his pocket money for the rest of his life if it meant that Blaine was returned to them. He would wander around the streets after school handing out flyers and sticking them to telephone poles.
Cooper remembers when the police called off the search and the investigation went cold. He had screamed at the police officer who had come to tell him that they weren’t looking any more. That Blaine was likely dead and that he should move on. He couldn’t move on. He’d never move on.
Cooper remembers Blaine’s birthday every year. He buys flowers and leaves them at the nursery where Blaine was taken, along with the other people who missed the little boy. He always cries late into the night, sneaking into Blaine’s room and sleeping on the floor next to his cot.
Cooper remembers when the 10 year mark went by. When even his parents had given up home of Blaine coming home. Cooper continued to hand out flyers, boosting the reward money encase someone found Blaine. He even paid for a computer generated image of what his younger brother would look like aged 16.
Cooper remembers walking to the Hummel Auto and Lube shop, the last place he was going to go before heading home for the night. It was very far out for him, a 2 hour drive from Westerville. But he needed to expand his area of searching.
Cooper remembers Mr Hummel, remembers his look of surprise as the man looks up.
"I know this kid. My son’s dating him" He told the older Anderson who actually started crying. It wasn’t fair. That Blaine had been only 2 hours away and yet no-one had known. No-one had made the connection.
Cooper remembers being driven to the Hummel house and a young slender boy opening the door. Later, he is told that this is Kurt, Mr Hummel’s son. Kurt has big eyes, he knew exactly why Cooper was there and he looked pitying. Cooper was used to the pity.
Cooper remembers Kurt stepping aside to show what he assumed was his brother. He could see the resemblance to the 6 year old Blaine that he remembered. The same big hazel eyes, the same black curly hair, though it was gelled down for some reason.
"Coop?" Blaine asked uncertainly, the name bouncing to the front of his mind from a forgotten memory. One he had thought was a dream, only now he knew that it was his old life, before Mr Carlington. The young boy ran and hugged Cooper hard, getting the same back from the elder.
Cooper remembered the day they lost Blaine, but he also remembers the day they found him.