Rating: PG

Characters: Nick, Sebastian

Summary: Nick and Sebastian are subjected to a visit from Celeste at the end of their second summer in Chicago and Nick finds himself playing mediator. Part of my Second Chance verse. Warnings inside.

Warnings: Talk of depression and past self-harm

Disclaimer: I don't own Nick or Sebastian, plain and simple.

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SOMEONE LIKE SEBASTIAN:

Nick could see that Sebastian was on edge, could sense it from across the room. Sebastian's cousin Celeste had come to stay with them for a few days before she headed to Harvard to start law school. And Celeste liked to hover.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Do you need me to go out and get something?"

"Are you feeling okay?"

"How's the therapy going?"

They had been making lunch and Sebastian had given up, locking himself in the bathroom. Nick had settled Celeste down, given her potatoes to peel, before heading into their bedroom to knock on the bathroom door. The lock had clicked open and Nick slipped inside. Sebastian was sitting on the edge of the bath, his knuckles white as he gripped the edge of the tub.

"What do you need me to do?" Nick asked as he folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against the door.

"Get rid of her," Sebastian growled. "I need to get away from that damn girl!"

"Okay, just calm down," Nick said as he moved to sit with Sebastian. "How about you go for a walk – down to the store to grab something or whatever. While you're gone, I can talk to her – tell her not to treat you like a ticking time bomb."

"I am a ticking time bomb," Sebastian grumbled.

Nick tipped Sebastian's head up and kissed him gently. "You're wonderful."

Sebastian smiled before he and Nick stood. "I'll grab my keys and wallet then."

The pair headed back out into the main apartment where Sebastian grabbed his things and pulled on his shoes.

"Where are you guys going?" Celeste asked as she set down the vegetable peeler. Nick found himself surprised that she hadn't hidden it from Sebastian or something stupid like that.

"Seb's just gonna run down to the store, grab some more uh … cheese," Nick laughed slightly but he knew it sounded nervous.

"I'll be back in ten," Sebastian said, kissing Nick quickly before he headed out into the summer heat.

Nick took a deep breath before he turned back to Celeste only to have her charge at him. She actually reminded him of an angry bull and Nick found himself backing up against the couch.

"Are you seriously just going to let him out into the city by himself? He could get hurt! Or he could do something stupid! He could-"

"You've never been around anyone like Sebastian before, have you?" Nick asked as he sat down on the couch.

"Of course I have, I've known Sebastian since I was a baby. He is my cousin."

"No, I mean someone who self-harms." That made Celeste shut up as she slowly shook her head. "I don't know if it's the same for all people who do but Sebastian needs space sometimes. He needs space and for the people who love him to trust that he won't relapse."

"Well how long's it been since he relapsed?" Celeste asked as she curled up on the couch.

Nick hummed, tapping his fingers against his thigh as he thought before he said matter-of-factly, "Three days."

Celeste's eyes widened so much Nick was sure they would pop out of her head. "And you just leave him alone?!"

"Calm down, Celeste," Nick laughed softly. "Sebastian isn't insane. He cut himself when he feels trapped – to make him better, I have to let him go for a while."

"But aren't you scared? Don't you worry that he'll hurt himself again?"

"I'm terrified," Nick said with a nonchalant shrug. "But I trust Sebastian. Sure he still cuts himself, but he's getting better at talking to me when he needs to, when he needs help. Or he calls our friend Blaine. Cutting isn't his only coping mechanism anymore."

Celeste sighed and shook her head. "You two are incredible, especially you…" Celeste smiled slightly. "I actually came to tell you something, Nick."

"What is it?" he asked, hoping it wasn't something bad.

"I just wanted to say thank you, for everything you've done to help him. I hated having to go back to France after I found out about him but I didn't have a choice. But you… You gave him your liver and you've looked after him all on your own up here – you saved him."

Nick shook his head. "I didn't do anything. It was all him."

"What do you mean?" Nick was beginning to realise that Celeste didn't think a lot of things through.

"If he hadn't decided to trust me and let me in, I never would have fallen in love with him. I fell in love with Sebastian because he was trying so hard to get better, despite all the times he fell down or screwed up or whatever. And I will stay as long as I have to – as long as he needs me."

"You're incredibly brave, Nick," Celeste murmured.

Arms wound around Nick's shoulders and a kiss was pressed to his cheek. "Yes he is," Sebastian laughed softly from where he stood behind Nick. "And he's all mine."

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A/N: Just a cute little ending :) jaspergirl1863 suggested seeing some Nick/Celeste interaction and it somehow turned into this hahaha I've started planning the Blaine fic (I swear I'm not forgetting about it) but I also have happy Come What May reaction fic (not totally about Klaine) that I really wanna write too so keep an eye out :) Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it –Frankie xoxox