Author's Note: This hiatus is doing crazy things to my brain. With all the AU fic swirling around and talk of Kurt going back to McKinley, I decided to try my own hand at Blaine at McKinley. I just rewound the time turner a little further… I have no idea where this is going, so give me feedback.

I don't own Glee, etc.

Mirrored Image

Chapter 1

"Absolutely not."

Wes and David glanced at each other, doing that silent council conference that had started to become a warning sign of yet another plot-that-could-only-end-badly.

Blaine crossed his arms. "NO."

"Well, none of us can do it. Plausible deniability and all that," Thad said, as if that explanation made the idea less crazy.

"I am NOT doing it for you."

"Its not for US. Its for all of the Warblers," wheedled David.

"Preparation is key," nodded Wes sagely.

Blaine opened his mouth to protest again just as his phone beeped. Sending another glare at the three senior members, he slipped his phone part way out of his pocket to read the screen. "1126 Main Street?"

Thad grinned, slipping his own phone quietly back in his pocket. "The address to McKinley High School."

"This is insane. I'm NOT going to go spy on another school's glee club!"

I can't believe I'm here to spy on another school's glee club.

Blaine sat sullenly in his car and watched the parade of students go by, some settling into clumps on the grass, some heading out to the sports fields.

"This is insane," he repeated to himself. He hadn't really wanted to use it as an excuse, but public schools automatically set his nerves on edge. His brain couldn't help but flash back to darker memories, before he had enrolled at Dalton, memories of malicious laughter and echoing voices.

Stop it… Blaine opened his door and slid out of his car before he could change his mind. Slinging David's backpack over his shoulder (his own messenger bag had been deemed too "prep school" and therefore inappropriate), he made his way through the parking lot to the front entrance.

As he entered, he immediately collided with about half a dozen people all rushing in different directions. Loud voices and laughter swirled around him in a hectic maelstrom as he pinballed his way down the hall. Blaine hugged the wall in an attempt to get out of the flow of traffic and looked around for someone to ask directions from.

No one even looked his way. Just by standing in one spot, he could see every high school clichéd group in action. Nerdy guys with glasses walked quickly by in pairs, hugging textbooks and avoiding eye contact. Pretty girls with high ponytails in cheerleading uniforms walked three across down the very center of the hallway, crowds parting automatically for them. Two burly looking guys in varsity jackets came around the corner, and Blaine automatically felt the urge to move away.

Before he could even process an escape plan, one of the guys reached out and bodily shoved a passing student into the locker right next to where Blaine stood clutching the strap of his backpack. They laughed and high fived each other as they continued down the hallway, not even sparing a backward glance.

"Are you ok?" Blaine said, offering a hand down to the boy.

"I'm fine," he muttered in an unexpectedly pitched voice. He looked at Blaine's hand warily for a moment, before accepting it and getting to his feet.

Blaine could see why this kid got picked on. Tailored clothes, that voice, the telltale corner of sheet music sticking out of his binder… he wasn't trying to hide anything. Brave, Blaine thought. It also made him incredibly afraid for him.

Without thinking, Blaine stuck his hand out again. "I'm Blaine."

"You're new," the boy replied, not asking a question.

"Not exactly," Blaine hedged. A fake backstory had not been in the plans. Actually holding a conversation hadn't really been either. "I'm uh-thinking of transferring, so I'm just, checking it out," he finished lamely.

An awkward pause went by. Finally the boy extended his hand as well, clasping Blaine's hand a second time. "Kurt Hummel."