Disagreements among the Warblers aren't necessarily uncommon, but actual fights are pretty much unheard of. Or at least they were, before Kurt Hummel. Exhausted and annoyed, starting the week with a Bad Day and ending it with a concert from hell, all Aurora can say is thank god fall break is almost here.
swimwhim HAPPY BIRTHDAY I LOVE YOU AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR PRESENT!
Disclaimer: I still don't own Glee or any character other than Aurora, but the Dalton & Warbler dynamics and worldbuilding are entirely my own
WARNINGS: So Aurora is struggling with her mental health in the opening scene but it's nothing graphic, and we still hate Kurt but that's not overly present this chapter — I can't think of any major warnings for this chapter but if there's anything you think I should mention, let me know!
Somewhere Only We Know
Stand In The Rain
★★★
Aurora wished that she could have been more surprised when she woke up to find Nick still in her bed, curled up around her like she was a teddy bear, but unfortunately it was an all too familiar position. It wasn't that she didn't like to cuddle with Nick — in fact, there were very few things that she loved more — but she knew that it meant she'd had yet another nightmare that she could barely remember.
She still hoped, every morning, that that would be the day she made it through the night alone, but it had been almost a year and she still hadn't spent a full night alone, or made it through a night without at least one nightmare ruining her sleep.
PTSD: the gift that keeps giving. She let out a small sigh, rolling over so that she could see the room.
She blinked against the early morning darkness, squinting at the clock above the door. Only four o'clock. She sighed again and curled back up against Nick, closing her eyes and starting to count down from 1000.
★
When she woke up again, it was to a foggy, lead-filled head and an empty bed. Everything was too much, too loud and too still and too heavy and too quiet. She didn't want to get up, didn't want to move or face the day, so she grabbed her spare pillow and wrapped herself around it, staring blankly at Blaine's already-made bed.
Did she really have to get up?
Well, maybe. She knew that she should, but she just couldn't be bothered. Instead she reached out for her iPod, curling herself tightly around her pillow as she began a half-hearted round of Solitaire. And then another, and then another after that.
She didn't know how long she had stayed like that, didn't even know when she had woken up the second time, but when her door cracked open it was nearing one o'clock.
"Aurora?" Wes asked, pushing the door open further.
His face fell when he saw her, and he moved quickly to sit down beside her, gently pulling her head into his lap.
"Bad day?" he asked, methodically undoing her braids.
Aurora shrugged wordlessly, curling up closer to the older boy.
Wes sighed softly, all too familiar with Aurora's bad days. They all were, she'd had plenty in the past year, but they never got any easier on any of them.
"Do you want to go to the common room?" he asked after a moment.
Aurora shrugged again before nodding, and Wes extracted himself carefully so that he could help her up. He helped her into her Minnie Mouse robe, and the two made their way down the stairs. Blaine was the only one in the common room when they got there, perched on the couch facing the TV as he worked on what looked like an arrangement for sectionals.
He looked up when they entered, his bright smile immediately turning to concern when he saw his sister. Wes led Aurora over to the couch, where she immediately tucking herself into Blaine's side. Blaine wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer as he grabbed the remote with his free hand.
"I'll be right back," Wes promised, leaving the room as Blaine flipped over to a rerun of Say Yes To The Dress.
Aurora didn't react, brain still clouded with fog, but Blaine nodded as he settled in, gently jostling his little sister.
True to his word, he was back in only a few minutes, holding a mug of chicken noodle soup and a glass of water. He placed both on the table before taking a seat on one of the adjacent couches. Blaine reached out quickly, grabbing the mug of soup and holding it up for Aurora to take a sip.
They stayed like that for the better part of an hour, with Blaine alternating between giving Aurora soup and water. Eventually all of the Warblers found their way into the common room, quietly settling in to watch TLC and work on whatever homework they had left.
The day passed in a blur, with Aurora occasionally drifting into fitful sleep but mostly just lost to the fog in her head. She couldn't have told anyone anything that happened that day, what shows they watched or what was talked about, or even who eventually led her back upstairs and tucked her into bed.
★
When she woke up the next morning she would only remember the fog, not what lay behind it. The haze would be softer, not gone but not quite so suffocating, and she would paste on a smile and approach the day like a proper Dalton boy — or girl, as the case may be.
No one outside of Warbler Hall would know about her bad days, just like it should be. She was an Anderson. Andersons went to Dalton. Daltonites didn't have bad days. So, as far as the world was concerned, Aurora didn't have bad days either.
Much to her relief, her day was completely uneventful; turning in an essay on 1984, getting assigned an essay on Candide, a pop quiz on refraction, reading Panico En La Discoteca, and trying not to laugh every time she heard "Panico En La Discoteca."
Nick was absolutely no help with the last goal, but the class finally came to an end and she found herself headed to the commons for Warbler rehearsal with Nick, eventually splitting up so that Aurora could make a detour to the café.
Only five minutes later she was pushing open the door to the commons, with a large cup of what could hardly be called a latte — really more like a large cup of espresso shots with a bit of milk — and a medium drip for Blaine.
It wasn't unusual for the inner circle to arrive at rehearsal before anyone else — in fact they almost always gathered at 3:45 for their 4:00 rehearsal — but the silence that fell as she entered was. She pushed down the wave of anxiety that she could feel building inside her, telling herself that they had probably been asking Nick if she seemed to actually be okay after her Bad Day.
Typically, the conversation would have picked back up quickly, with some innocuous debate or another, but the room stayed silent as Aurora curled up in her preferred chair by the window.
"Okay," she said finally. "What's going on?"
The boys exchanged uncomfortable glances before Wes made his way over to her, perching on the arm of her chair.
"Blaine's missing rehearsal," he told her softly.
"Is he okay?" she asked, sitting up quickly, heart jumping to her throat.
"He's fine," Wes was quick to assure her, "but, well... Kurt called, and Blaine decided to skip and go to McKinley."
Aurora blinked, staring at Wes with wide eyes, but said nothing.
"We cancelled rehearsal for the day," David chimed in. "Officially we're using the block to put together the new arrangements, since there's not much rehearsing to do right now anyways."
"Unofficially you're making sure that Blaine doesn't get in trouble for skipping?" she asked dryly.
"We'd do the same for anyone here," David reminded her gently.
"No one else would do it," Aurora retorted sharply, "especially not for some spy."
"Rory," Nick tried.
"I'm not being unreasonable," Aurora interrupted. "I'm not. Hummel came here with the very specific purpose of spying on us. Yes, I'm truly sorry that, by the sounds of it, he's been bullied for his sexuality, but you can't tell me that he wasn't a spy. Not to mention that fucking 'I'm sure you think so' shit when I said I was bi! Like sorry but how exactly am I supposed to interpret that?"
Somewhere in her rant, she'd stood up. She didn't remember standing up, coffee cup still in her hand, but she was on her feet facing the rest of the group as they stared back at her.
"You're right," Wes said carefully, as if approaching a startled animal. Aurora blinked. "You are. And I'm sorry that we've been acting like you're being irrational. He did come here to spy on us, and he was incredibly rude to you."
Aurora nodded slowly, hesitantly.
"And you're right, no one else would do it. We are going to talk to him," he promised, "but not in front of the entire club. You know how we handle things—"
"We cover for each other and clean up our own messes," she recited dutifully.
"Exactly. We're covering for Blaine right now, that doesn't mean that he's off the hook. Alright? Can you trust us to handle this one?" he asked, voice gentle as he rested a hand on her elbow.
She nodded again, more confident this time. "I trust you."
David smiled from his seat at the council table. "I hate to be the buzzkill, but we should probably use this time for homework, right?"
Jeff booed loudly, and David laughed.
"If everyone finishes their homework, we can have a movie night," he added, and Jeff quieted down immediately.
No words were necessary as everyone pulled out their various books and started on their homework. The occasional conversations broke out, usually requests for help or explanations, but they worked in relative silence for the two hours that should have been rehearsal, before packing themselves up and returning to Warbler Hall as a group. None of them were entirely finished, Aurora was sure, but it did seem like everyone was on track for having a movie night after dinner.
Well. Everyone except for Blaine, who still hadn't returned by the time they were sitting down for dinner. But hey, it's not like Aurora was mad or anything; not like she had specifically made one of Blaine's favourite meals or anything.
Tired, annoyed, and still recovering from her Bad Day the day before, Aurora was all too relieved when the group finally retreated to the common room for their movie night. She curled up between Nick and Thad as they flipped to Ocean's Eleven, and was sound asleep before Rusty even saw Tess.
★
When she woke up the next morning — gasping for breath and shielding her eyes from the painfully neon '4:34' flashing on Blaine's alarm clock — she looked over to see that he was asleep in the bed across from her, and something in her chest settled at the sight of him back home, back where he was safe.
It took her no time to give up on falling back asleep, heading down to the gym where she could take out her frustrations on a punching bag until the ache in her shoulders was too much to ignore. The steady rhythm was soothing, grounding, but she didn't want to injure herself so close to Aspen. She sank to the floor, trying to rub out the sharp pain in her right leg, and closed her eyes. She was still so mad at Blaine, but she was also tired of being mad at him — and it's not like she could say anything anyways. Wes and David said they would talk to him, and it was Warbler business, so she had to just sit back and let it be handled, but the restless itch under her skin wasn't going anywhere.
Finally she pushed herself to her feet, staggering and leaning against the mirrored wall when her leg threatened to give out under her, and dragged herself back upstairs for a scalding shower. Once she was done and out, skin still pink from the heat, she went back to her dorm to change. Blaine was still asleep so, wanting to avoid any potential confrontation, she dressed in the dark.
When she got downstairs, Wes was already sitting at the kitchen table, looking over pages of what appeared to be arrangement notes for their new sectionals setlist.
She made her way over to him, hugging him tightly and peering over his shoulder.
"I don't suppose you and Blaine could pull something together?" he asked, taking a long sip of coffee. "Rehearsal is cancelled tonight but ideally we'd like to get back to work by tomorrow."
Aurora nodded immediately. "We'll get it done," she promised. "Would you rather have basic outlines for both or one completed one first?"
"Completed one," he answered, pulling away just enough to jot something down before leaning back towards her. "That way we can focus on perfecting it before starting the second."
"We'll get it done," she repeated, squeezing him tightly before moving towards the counter to make herself a cup of coffee.
"We talked to Blaine last night," Wes said as she took her first gulp. "He apologized. Said it wasn't his place to tell us the details but that it was really serious, and that he doesn't think it will happen again but if it does, he'll try to handle it better — and give you a head's up."
She gave him another small nod, drinking more coffee to avoid having to speak.
"I'm still upset with him," she said after a few moments. "But I want to move on." She glanced at the clock, seeing that it was already quarter to six. "I'm going to go for a walk before class. I'll talk to him... I don't know, in class or at lunch or something. When I haven't just spent an hour with a punching bag."
He chuckled and nodded. "Sounds like a good plan. But make sure to eat something before you head out, alright?"
"Does a smoothie count?"
"A smoothie is great," he said. "And don't forget your meds."
Aurora grimaced — she had, in fact, forgotten them. "Yes, sir."
Wes clipped all of his papers back into his binder and closed it carefully. "Love you."
"Love you too," she said, melting into his arms when he came over to give her a tight hug.
He pulled away slowly, and she pushed down the urge to tighten her grip. Once he'd disappeared back up the stairs, she busied herself with preparing a blueberry-banana smoothie and digging her pill organiser out of her backpack. It only held her morning pills — the ones she almost always forgot to take — while her evening ones lived in a separate organiser beside her bed, and she carefully tipped the right day's medication into her hand. Once she'd had a few sips of her smoothie, she swallowed down the pills with the last gulp of her coffee. She finished the smoothie while preparing a travel cup of coffee, and thankfully made it out the door before anyone came downstairs.
The Dalton campus was, in a word, gorgeous. Large, sprawling, and green, it backed onto Alum Creek — the water technically off-limits to students but still beautiful — with a cluster of trees along the northern border of campus. It was too small to be considered any sort of forest, but it felt like a whole other world, golden in the autumn sunrise, with a walking path that Aurora knew like the back of her hand.
She followed the path until she reached her favourite bench, tucked against the trunk of an old oak tree. She sat down, tucking her legs under herself, and pulled out a worn out book of Emily Dickinson poems, opening the book to a random page and starting to read. The familiar words were easy to get lost in, a reliable focus point for her anxious energy, and she was able to narrow her world to nothing more than the crisp pages between her fingers.
★
She jumped when her shrill alarm rang, stopping it quickly and shoving her phone back into her blazer pocket. She put the book away and shouldered her backpack, shivering slightly — November in Ohio, not exactly known for being warm. She tugged her blazer tighter around herself and made her way to the main building, sighing in relief when the warm air hit her face.
The day passed by easily enough. Her trip to the woods had helped her calm down, and by lunchtime she could work on new arrangements with Blaine without wanting to cry. That afternoon, the inner circle of Warblers gathered in their basement rehearsal room to iron out the kinks — and to give Blaine and Aurora a sense of what they might want to change — and Aurora felt like she could breathe for the first time in days.
Despite its rough start, the week was fairly uneventful. Blaine and Aurora had prepared the arrangement for the group number first, knowing that it would need more time for workshopping, and Wednesday's rehearsal was dedicated entirely to putting together all of the moving pieces while the Anderson siblings focused on arranging their other new number. Blaine ducked out immediately after practice that day, off to have dinner with Kurt. Aurora grit her teeth and forced herself to breathe, taking it upon herself to finish the arrangement on her own.
Thursday passed by with similar ease, another rehearsal dedicated to perfecting the base of the song — the solos would be layered in after the break — and a quick review of their songs for the upcoming alumni reception. Much to Aurora's relief, Blaine didn't go back to Lima that night. Instead the group had a fairly simple dinner of grilled cheese and soup — both chicken noodle and tomato so that everyone could take their pick — and spent most of the night packing for their rapidly approaching trip to Aspen.
★
Friday wasn't quite so uneventful, but that could be accredited to the palpable excitement that filled the campus, every student seeming to be counting down the seconds until the final bell would mark the beginning of their fall break. Aurora, for one, could hardly contain her glee, and seemed close to vibrating out of her skin. When the clock struck 3:15, she was immediately rushing out of class and back to Warbler Hall. Their break wouldn't officially start until the next day, as they still had to perform at the alumni reception that evening, but knowing that they still had an entire week of no classes ahead was a dizzying relief to the girl.
The Warblers gathered in the main auditorium at exactly 5:00, uniforms perfectly pressed and spines impossibly straight. As always, they would open the reception with a song which would then be followed by a cocktail hour. They would have their second song right before the dining hall was opened for dinner, and their third and final song would mark the end of the evening. Wes led the group onto the raised platform, David and Thad immediately behind him. Aurora and Blaine were close behind, followed by Nick and Jeff, Trent and Beat, and the rest of the Warblers.
They fell into their usual positions — Blaine and Aurora front and centre — and at Wes' nod, they began the song.
I spent 20 years tryna get out of this place
I was looking for something I couldn't replace
I was running away from the only thing I've ever known
Blaine opened the song, a hush falling over the crowd as he stepped forward for his solo.
Like a blind dog without a bone
I was a gypsy lost in the twilight zone
I hijacked a rainbow and crashed into a pot of gold
I been there, done that
And I ain't lookin' back
On the seeds I've sown
Saving dimes
Spending too much time on the telephone
Who says you can't go home
Nick and Jeff stepped forward to join Blaine with their harmonies, the three boys' voices loud and clear over the ensemble behind them.
Who says you can't go home
There's only one place they call me one of their own
Just a hometown boy born a rolling stone
Who says you can't go home
Who says you can't go back
Been all around the world and as a matter of fact
There's only one place left I wanna go
Who says you can't go home
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright
I went as far as I could, I tried to find a new face
There isn't one of these lines that I would erase
I've had a million miles of memories on that road
With every step I take I know that I'm not alone
You take the home from the boy, but not the boy from his home
These are my streets, the only life I've ever known
Who says you can't go home
Who says you can't go home
There's only one place they call me one of their own
Just a hometown boy born a rolling stone
Who says you can't go home
Who says you can't go back
Been all around the world and as a matter of fact
There's only one place left I wanna go
Who says you can't go home
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright
Who says you can't go home
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright
Who says you can't go home
The crowd had started to clap along — not loudly, not this crowd, but appreciative and enthusiastic all the same — as Nick and Jeff stepped back into their respective positions amongst the group.
I been there, done that
And I ain't looking back
It's been a long long road
Feels like I never left
That's how the story goes
It doesn't matter where you are
It doesn't matter where you go
If it's a million miles away
Or just a mile up the road
Take it in, take it with you when you go
Who says you can't go home
Who says you can't go home
There's only one place they call me one of their own
Just a hometown boy born a rolling stone
Who says you can't go home
Who says you can't go back
Been all around the world and as a matter of fact
There's only one place left I wanna go
Who says you can't go home
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright
Who says you can't go home
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright
Who says you can't go home
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright
Who says you can't go home
The end of the song was met with enthusiastic applause, the Warblers still but smiling until Wes gestured them offstage. They were, as always, allowed to stay and chat up the alumni, so Aurora pasted a smile to her face and forced herself into the crowd.
The conversations were easy, of course. Smile politely, her parents are doing well thank you, school is challenging but enjoyable, and the Warblers are all set to win at Sectionals. It was wonderful to see you again, enjoy the evening, then move on to the next person and repeat. God she wished Cooper were there, but he hadn't been able to get away early. Much to her relief, Wes soon pulled her into a conversation with one of the Madisons — hell if she knew which one, there were way too many to keep track of — and she was able to simply smile shyly while Wes recounted her work in putting together the arrangements that would be performed that night. The conversation lasted a good fifteen minutes, drifting into Wes' plans to attend Harvard, voting predictions on four separate bills that would be taken to Senate soon, highlights from their trip to Venice last summer, and thankfully, by the time it was done, the Warblers were preparing to return to the stage.
The next song would be Aurora's solo, an arrangement that she'd put together of one of her own favourite songs. Blaine squeezed her hand tightly from his place beside her, and she stepped forward.
In my mind I'm going to Carolina.
Can't you see the sunshine,
Can't you just feel the moonshine?
Ain't it just like a friend of mine
To hit me from behind?
Yes, I'm going to Carolina in my mind.
The Warblers began to gently build the melody behind her, harmonies layering in as she took to the second verse.
Karen she's the silver sun,
You best walk her way and watch it shine,
Watch her watch the morning come.
A silver tear appearing now
I'm crying, ain't I?
I'm going to Carolina in my mind.
There ain't no doubt in no one's mind
That loves the finest thing around,
Whisper something soft and kind.
And hey, babe, the sky's on fire,
I'm dying, ain't I?
I'm going to Carolina in my mind.
Aurora could hardly see the crowd with the bright lights in her eyes, but she could still feel the admiration, the recognition for her talent, and she couldn't help but smile.
In my mind I'm going to Carolina.
Can't you see the sunshine,
Can't you just feel the moonshine?
Ain't it just like a friend of mine
To hit me from behind?
Yes, I'm going to Carolina in my mind.
Dark and silent late last night,
I think I might have heard the highway calling.
Geese in flight and dogs that bite.
And signs that might be omens say I'm going, going
I'm gone to Carolina in my mind.
The song wasn't her usual style, she knew that, but she certainly wasn't too proud to admit that the arrangement had turned out better than she'd ever expected. It had required some clever work on her part, key changes and layering to balance out her higher voice, but the end result was an undeniably haunting melody.
Now with a holy host of others standing round me,
Still I'm on the dark side of the moon.
And it seems like it goes on like this forever
You must forgive me
If I'm up and gone to Carolina in my mind.
In my mind I'm going to Carolina.
Can't you see the sunshine,
Can't you just feel the moonshine?
Ain't it just like a friend of mine
To hit me from behind?
Yes, I'm gone to Carolina in my mind.
Gotta make it back home again soon,
Gotta make it back on home again soon,
Gotta make it back to Carolina soon,
Can't hang around, no babe,
Gotta make it back home again,
Gotta make it back to Carolina soon...
Once again, the choir stood smiling as they accepted their applause, waiting for Wes to gesture them offstage and towards the café, where their own catered dinner would be awaiting as the alumni entered the extravagantly decorated dining hall. Aurora didn't bother to grab any food, simply claiming one of the window seats and resting her head against cool glass. She looked up when Blaine approached her, handing her a plate, and moved her feet so that he could join her. They sat in comfortable silence, Blaine's knowing gaze encouraging Aurora to at least attempt to eat.
Once both of their plates had been moved to the bin of dirty dishes, the siblings pressed closer together to look at Aurora's tablet, eager to iron out the changes they wanted to make to their sectionals arrangement. The process lasted almost two hours, and Aurora found herself surprised when Wes called them all to order so that they could return to the foyer for their final song.
To no one's real surprise, the final song would be a duet between Blaine and Aurora. Once they were all on the stage, the crowd quiet and waiting with baited breath, Blaine stepped forward.
I see trees of green
Red roses too
I see them bloom
For me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
He held out his hand, and Aurora stepped forward. She took his hand and he couldn't help but smile fondly as she took over the next verse.
I see skies of blue
And clouds of white
The bright blessed day
The dark sacred night
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Blaine squeezed Aurora's hand, and she squeezed back. His voice joined hers, the two melding together to create a beautiful harmony.
The colors of the rainbow
So pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces
Of people going by
I see friends shaking hands
Saying, "How do you do?"
They're really saying
"I love you"
In that moment, without any thought, Aurora could feel all of her lingering frustration with her brother leave her. It didn't matter if he'd been going to Lima, or if Kurt Hummel was a spy, or anything else. He was Blaine, she was Aurora. Nothing else mattered, not really.
I hear babies cry
I watch them grow
They'll learn much more
Than I'll never know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Yes, I think to myself
What a wonderful world
As the final notes rang out throughout the foyer, thunderous applause broke out. Unlike the past times, the Warblers were allowed to bow before filing off the stage. The inner circle returned to Warbler Hall quickly, all eager to finish packing and get to sleep.
★
Aurora was, as always, the first one up. It was only five in the morning, but for their nine-thirty flight, she certainly wasn't going to try to go back to sleep. She made her way to the showers then returned to her room to change. As she was pulling on her favourite leggings, only ever worn for travelling, she heard the tell-tale sound of Blaine waking up. He shuffled off to have a shower of his own while Aurora went downstairs to prepare a batch of French toast, knowing that everyone would be awake and gathering downstairs shortly.
Breakfast was a quick, quiet event, everyone far too tired to talk and too excited to slow their eating. They'd all finished packing the night before, their suitcases already gathered in the main hall, so once the dishes were done it was only a quick five minutes for everyone to collect their respective pile of last-minute carry-on necessities before regrouping.
In no time at all, the eight of them had piled into the car that Wes had ordered to take them to Columbus Airport, sitting in a comfortable silence that was only broken up by the repeated buzzing of Blaine's phone.
"Who wants you so badly?" Aurora asked. "Still the spy?"
Blaine grimaced ath her sharp tone, but nodded all the same. "I'm not sure you can call him a spy anymore."
"What does that mean?" Wes asked before Aurora could lose her rapidly shrinking grip on her temper.
"It means that Kurt's transferring to Dalton."
★★★
well it's been a year to the day since the last update, oops? I've been trying so hard to work on this but writing during COVID has been extremely hard for me. That being said, today is my darling swimwhim's birthday and I wanted to get this chapter done as a surprise present! I'd love to say that my next update won't take as long and I really hope it doesn't, but honestly at this point I can't promise anything. I really hope that you all enjoyed this update, please let me know what you think!!!
And oh my god thank you all so much for the amount of support you've all given me and Aurora! I truly expected this to be a super niche fic that maybe three people read at most, so the fact that SOWK and Aurora have become among my most popular ocs/fics is truly impossible to believe! Thank you all so so so much and as always, if you want more Aurora content, come visit me on Tumblr @ randomestfandoms-ocs
Songs Used:
Carolina In My Mind, James Taylor
Who Says You Can't Go Home, Bon Jovi
What A Wonderful World, Louis Armstrong