A/N: Spoilers for season 4 … I don't own Glee (or else Season 4 episode 4, might have started like … this!)

Blaine banged his head against the steering wheel, frustrated that he again found himself frustrated… a circle he was growing to hate. Their last Skype had been like the one before it, began with great hopes that got dashed: Kurt was distracted, and seemed barely interested in what was going on with him, then chattered excitedly (also cutely, he had to admit) about his internship and all that was happening there, and then he got interrupted by Rachel and never quite got his focus back to Blaine. That was three days ago; they'd texted a bit. Not that Blaine was keeping score, he told himself, but his texts definitely outnumbered Kurt's, and even those somehow had the whiff of distraction clinging to them.

Doesn't make it right, he berated himself again. Nothing did. Yesterday, he'd responded to Eli's flirty messages and agreed to go to his house. For what? As if they'd laid out ground rules or anything … but it was clear what Eli was interested in: he'd praised his eyes, his physique, and his voice (Eli had checked his performances with the Warblers and New Directions both, on Youtube) and acted smitten. Not just that; he'd seemed really interested in all the minutia of his life at McKinley, and was himself suffering through senior year, like him, anxious to get out of Ohio, and away from the homophobes and general crap of life here. Blaine thought Eli was a cute guy, but was also sweet and very attentive.

Why he was even here, parked outside the Lima Bean, he couldn't say; he felt homeless, with no Kurt to go to and be with on a Friday afternoon, other friends either moved away (how had he let this happen? He'd hung out mostly with people who'd moved on) or busy. Home? Not a place he wanted to be, more than he needed to. He couldn't recollect what had happened at school, going through it in robot mode, and no one seemed to notice. After practice, he'd gotten in his car, and somehow ended up here. And what comfort could Kurt offer now, after what he'd done?

He was interrupted from his reverie by a sharp knock on the driver's side window. Blaine startled, and looked out in a daze, to see Sebastian Smythe's face peering in at him.

"Hey, killer, open up," Sebastian had commanded, loudly.

He didn't know why he did (but why did he do anything, lately?) but he lowered the window.

Sebastian narrowed his eyes, studying Blaine's stricken face, then frowning, as he crossed his arms in front of him. "Sorry to scare you, but you didn't respond when I tapped."

"What, what are you doing here?" Blaine tried for an air of normalcy.

"Really, Anderson? That's a question I should ask you. I came here for coffee, before heading out tonight. You're the one sitting by yourself banging your head against the steering wheel." Something stopped him from continuing to tease Blaine; he noted that the boy didn't look right. Not at all. He was paler than usual, his gelled hair in mild disarray, and his expression looked haunted.

" I … I was just going to go …"

Sebastian peered into the car. Seeing no evidence of a Lima Bean purchase he figured Blaine hadn't made it in yet. Judging by the look on his face, he didn't look like he was going to willingly tell him what was wrong.

"No."

Blaine looked at him, puzzled now, but not knowing what to say either.

"Get out of the car, come with me." Sebastian's tone was no-nonsense, and Blaine seemed to respond by instinct. The taller boy quirked his brow as he waited, and was soon joined by an uncertain looking Blaine. No argument, no explanation for why he looked so lost. "Let's get some coffee." The shorter boy nodded, and was gently propelled towards the door of the Lima Bean by a gentle push to his lower back.

Once at the counter, Sebastian ordered. "One grande French Roast, and a medium drip."

"You know my coffee order?" he whispered.

Sebastian smirked at him, but not unkindly. "We have had the pleasure of having coffee here before. Not like it's hard to remember." Turning to the barista, he added, "and two of those cinnamon almond scones."

Blaine whispered, "thank you."

Reflexive manners? Sebastian wondered. It hadn't even been clear who he was thanking. Sebastian paid, nodded to the counter staff, and led Blaine to a back table.

"All right, tell me."

"Tell you what?"

Rolling his eyes, Sebastian pressed him further. "Let's see. Nonsensical behavior (that'd be the head bashing in the parking lot, in clear view of everyone), dazed, sad expression, and no one here meeting you. So, where is he? Is this what this is about?" He was actually worried about Blaine now, and was fully intending to get him to talk.

Blaine looked forlornly out the window, then down at his feet. Finally, he responded. "He's in New York."

"Okay, that would explain why he stood you up for a coffee date." He stopped there, his attempt at levity falling flat. "Okay, that doesn't explain at all, you'll have to do better, Anderson."

"Kurt. He's been there for about a month."

Sebastian frowned again. The behavior he'd witnessed probably had more to it. "Look, Blaine, I want to help you. So cut the crap and tell me what else is going on. I swear I won't judge, but you look like you need to talk to someone." Why, he wondered, did Blaine suddenly tear up and look even more unhinged when he'd said that?

"I've done," he took in a sharp breath, and seemed to be trying to will away tears, "I've done a stupid, stupid thing – I've ruined everything! Kurt will never forgive me," he blurted out, then buried his face in his arms on the table. Sebastian watched in horror as his shoulders shook with silent sobs seconds later.

Alarmed, Sebastian got up, then put a hesitant hand to Blaine's back. Seeing no response, he sat in the chair beside him, pulled up closer, and spoke quietly now. "Shush, no, it can't be that bad. Talk to me, I guarantee you won't shock me with anything you might say. It's okay, I'm right here." He found himself patting the sad boy's back awkwardly, shushing and comforting him, his tone and even some of his words what he'd use to comfort a scared toddler.

Then Blaine surprised him, holding back nothing. He confessed his visit to Eli, his fears about losing Kurt before that had even happened (going into details of why he felt so abandoned), his certainty that he didn't deserve Kurt anyway, or probably even Eli; that Sebastian had been right, he was alone, no one to talk to now when he needed it desperately; he'd been like this all day, inches from falling apart at any moment, and on one had even noticed.

Sebastian had let him talk. Once he got going, he hadn't needed encouragement, but also didn't seem to feel any better. He'd had experiences like this at Dalton, of course. Distressed boys, away from home, sometimes with parents who barely cared anyway, overwhelmed for all the usual reasons (plus the stress of high expectations, a lack of females to confide in, or date) weren't that uncommon. Even Sebastian had gotten his share of distraught roommates and acquaintances who needed a sympathetic ear. He decided to put an end to it when Blaine started to get repetitive.

"Here. Blow your nose. Like at least five times, okay?" he said, passing tissues to the boy. "Your problem isn't as complicated as you think it is."

Blaine looked at him, mystified.

"You're in withdrawal. You miss Kurt, and now it's more than just emotional, it's physical too; your body is reminding you it has needs and desires, and it knows it's not getting what it wants, so it's turning your brain to mush. Not in a good way. Kurt may or may not be as inattentive as you say, but even if he weren't, that wouldn't solve your problem, bucko. You need to go to him. I don't know why you're here when you should just make it easy on yourself and go there."

"Didn't you hear what I said? What I did? He'll be so upset with me –"

"Yeah. About that. Doesn't need to know." He shook his head once, decisively, for emphasis.

"But I cheated on him!" Blaine's voice rose, dangerously close to sounding like he was going to lose it, all over again.

"You're an idiot!" Sebastian thundered at him, then looked around – no one had paid attention – lowered his head, and pinched the top his nose with two long fingers for a few moments. "Do not tell him."

"But –"

"Will it help?"

"No," the sad answer came.

"Look, go ahead and tell him some time, but not today, or even right away. The important thing is, you left. You didn't really choose Eli, when it came down to it. You chose Kurt. You need him, and you need him in person."

"I'm supposed to go there in two weeks …"

"Not good enough. Go tonight. So what if it's just the weekend. Look, if you can't afford it, just pay me back later," he'd whipped out his tablet, and was already searching for flights.

Blaine's head started to clear. "No, I can pay. Sebastian, I can't believe it … thank you, so much. I really did need to talk to someone. You really think it'll be okay?"

He looked over his tablet, now considering which flight to book. "Yes," he lied. He had no idea, but he was certain that staying here wasn't going to fix anything. "Blaine, listen very carefully: you're going to go to him tonight; tell your parents whatever you need to. And you are going to keep this whatever it was to yourself. Remember, you chose Kurt. I am telling you, do not go unloading your misplaced guilt to him about this. Got it?"

"Yeah. Sebastian, thank you." His voice was closer to normal now, his breathing normal.

"For what?"

"For being there for me, even though you didn't plan to be. For yelling at me to listen to you. For sending me to him."

"It's all right. Just do as I said, Go get him, killer." He smiled with his usual smile, and mock punched his shoulder. "And for God's sake, get some."

Blaine snorted, surprised, then giggled a little. "You sound just like Santana."

"What can I say? Girl's got sense." Showing him the resulting confirmation number he added, "write this down. Pay me later. I want to talk to you after you get back." Motioning for his cel phone, he grabbed it when Blaine handed it to him, and entered his data.

Later that night at Scandals (Blaine didn't know it was his habit to go to the Lima Bean before, but Scandals had such crap coffee) Sebastian decided to call it an early night. The usual distractions and pleasures of the place didn't penetrate tonight, as he pondered the frankly weird episode he'd had with Blaine. He would indeed be interested in the outcome of this weekend, and wasn't sure anymore what outcome he really wanted most.

A/N: So, there you have it – one version (mine of course) of a missing chapter – why did Blaine show up two weeks early, soon after his meetup with Eli.

Let me know if you'd like this to continue, or what your thoughts are; I'd love to hear from you.