Forever my quarterback/Finn Hudson

Baby brother

"Hey Jake, you packed yet?" I asked as I pulled my suitcase from my closet, we leave for New York tomorrow and in typical Charlotte fashion I have yet to pack. And I had a feeling neither has Jake.

"No I'm doing it now!" He called from his room, "when you have a second will you help me please?" I laughed at him slight.

"What's up, baby brother?" I walked into his room, almost tripping on cloths on his floor. "Oh...Kay. We've got some work to do," I chuckled slightly, I could tell Jake was confused by something. "Are you alright Jake?" He shook his head, and started ripping through his closet.

"Where the hell did all of my clothes go? I just did my laundry," I chuckled before sitting down on his bed.

"Oh cool so Emily did it? Because I know you didn't. Speaking of Emily have you called her?" I picked up some shirts off his bed and started folding them to put away. I had a feeling that Emily had already packed for him and he just didn't realize.

"No, Charlotte. I have not because I'm an independed man," he said proudly, but I didn't miss the look of pure overwhelming anxiety when he turned around. "I have a daughter who I created..." I put my hand up before he could finish.

"That Emily created, you just had to stick it in. She almost died, two different things man," I waved my hands around his face. His face started turning red and I could tell I needed to shut up and just let him rant.

"I grew up knowing that my father wasn't really my father! I grew up watching my brother and sister try to keep the house from falling apart when mom would get drunk and high! I watched my sister lose herself when our father died! I heard my brother trying to stop my sister from jumping out of the window when mom told her dad was sick again! I was the one who got into moms booze collection when I was three! I can still remember your screams when dad threw up blood the night before he died!" I sat stunned as Jake paced the room, screaming at the top of his lungs. I didn't realize I was crying until I tasted the salty taste of tears.

"Jake," I stood up, putting my hands on his shoulders. His head whipped around, I didn't see my 16 year old brother who was basically a man now. I saw my ten year old brother who would curl up in between Noah and I whenever he would feel scared or felt sick.

"No! Charlotte, you aren't listening to me! No one ever listens to me!" He screamed, "Dad left and the whole family fell apart. I thought I was going to lose you, Char," I looked away so he wouldn't see the tears that were falling down my cheeks. "And then finally you found yourself again, you met Kurt and I finally saw my sister again. And for once in my whole life I thought we were going to be okay. And then-" He was cut off by a sob in the back of his throat, "And then Noah died. You haven't been the same since, you might not notice but everyone else does. You never used to drink and now look at you! And now you're going off to New York in less then two months! And I'll be all alone again, what if i mess up with Kammie? What if I mess up with Emily? Charlotte you can't leave me!" He fell into my shoulder and started sobbing.

"Shsh, I've got you. Jay, you need to calm your breathing. I know it feels like the world might be falling in on you right now but I can promise it's not. Jake look at me," I put my hand under his chin so he would look into my eyes. "I hope you never lose your sense of wonder," I sang softly into his ear, his sobs making his whole body shake. "You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger," I closed my eyes, I could still remember all the times Noah would do this to me.

"May you ne-never t-take one single breath for granted," I chuckled slightly when Jake started singing into my shoulder, he rubbed his cheek against it. I kissed the top of his head, my hand running up and down his back.

"God forbid love ever leave you empty handed," I rubbed the little spot behind his eat, earning me a slight giggle. "Still ticklish as ever I see," I kissed his nose when he looked up at me with puppy dog eyes.

"Char? Are you ready for this?" He asked me, I shook my head softly.

"I don't think I'll ever be ready for this, but it's kinda hard to turn back now. But let's not dwell on that, right now all we need to think about is kicking some ass at Nationals," I whispered softly, I felt he started to get up.

"You know, when we were younger I was always afraid that you would leave me," he said as he played with my shirt. "Whenever you would leave with Landon I always thought that was the last time I was ever going to see you. I remember you coming home with bruises everywhere, blood dripping from your face and hands. I remember one night you came home with bite marks on your arms," he traced the little scar I have on my wrist.

"But the thing is you never did leave, you were always here. You stayed even when Noah and I would beg you to leave, you stayed even when you could barley get up the stairs because Landon did things that no man should ever do to you. Charlotte you stayed even when I thought you were going to die," I looked away as I was brought back to all of those memories. I played with Jake's hair, not saying a word.

"And I plan on staying as long as you let me, but that still means I'm going to New York," I told him. "But you can call me whenever you want, and I'll come here to visit as much as I can! And you can come visit me, we're gonna be okay Jake, I promise,"