Title: Weekend at the Smythes

Rating: M

Characters: Sebastian, Nick, Blaine, Kurt

Pairings: Klaine

Summary: Nick is supposed to be spending the weekend at Sebastian's to keep an eye on him but the task becomes more difficult than he could have guessed. Not sure what to do, he calls on Blaine for advice and together they get Sebastian through the weekend. Warnings inside. Part of Second Chance verse.

Warnings: Mention and description of self-harm, discussion of depression and suicide, swearing, just to be safe – AU where Kurt and Blaine can actually stand Sebastian though in my head, they've sorted out their differences.

Disclaimer: Maybe I own Glee in an alternate dimension, but not this one. Song titles/lyrics in chapters belong to Copeland, from their song "Testing the Strong Ones".

Chapter 1: Friday – Testing the Strong Ones

If Nick was honest with himself, he would admit that the idea of spending a weekend at Sebastian's made him nervous. But he and the other Warblers had agreed it would be better to keep Sebastian company than let him screw up what had been a clean streak since he got out of the treatment facility. They were also all well aware at the repercussions their plotting behind Sebastian's back could have.

But much to his horror, when Nick arrived at Sebastian's house, the front door was open and the other boy was on the floor of his bathroom with a razorblade in hand. Nick had tackled Sebastian, the blade flying across the room and blood had gone everywhere. All over Sebastian, all over Nick, all over the floor. That looked like something from a horror movie and Sebastian just couldn't stop crying.

"Shit, I'm so sorry, Seb, I'm sorry, just hang on okay?" Nick jerked his head around before he swiped a towel off the rack and wrapped it around Sebastian's arm. The wounds weren't deep, just numerous. Holding the towel steady with one hand, Nick pulled out his phone and called Blaine with the other. Blaine would know how to help, he'd know what to do.

Ringing…

Ringing…

Ringing…

"Hey Nick, what's up?"

"I really need some help here."

"Is Sebastian okay?"

"N-No – look, there's a lot of blood and he's crying and I just don't know what to do, okay? Can you please come and help me?"

"Okay, okay, take some deep breaths. Everything's going to be fine. Keep pressure on the wounds and calm him down, try to clear it up with a cloth and some warm water if you feel up to it, I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Thank you, just – thank you."

"No problem. I'll see you soon."

Nick shoved his phone back in his pocket and looked back to Sebastian. His friend was pale and covered in blood and tears. His head kept lolling from one side to the other as he cried, his breath hitching repeatedly. His thin t-shirt was covered in blood, as were his sweatpants and Nick just didn't know what to do.

Try to remember what Blaine said. Take deep breaths. Keep pressure on the wounds. Calm Seb down.

Nick breathed in and out several times, letting the air calm him before he checked the towel around Sebastian's arm, holding it down with both hands before he shifted to be in Sebastian's line of sight.

"Seb, I need you to look at me. Can you do that, Seb?"

Sebastian sniffled before he looked to Nick, blinking tears from his eyes. "Nick…"

"It's okay, I'm right here, Seb. Everything's going to be fine. I've called Blaine, he's gonna come and help me clean you up."

"Why?" Sebastian asked, leaning his head back against the bathroom cupboard he was leaning against.

"Because I don't wanna mess this up, we don't want you to get sick."

"You aren't gonna take me away?"

Take him away? What does he- oh, right.

"No Seb, we're not gonna take you anywhere."

"That's good," Sebastian murmured as his eyes drifted closed.

"No, no, no – Seb, you've gotta stay awake for me! Wake up, Sebastian!"

The boy groaned but his eyes opened again and that was all Nick could ask for. He spent the rest of the time waiting for Blaine singing to Sebastian – 'Little Wonders' by Rob Thomas, 'Asleep' by The Smiths. He was halfway through 'Your Song' from Moulin Rouge when he heard Blaine call out from downstairs.

"We're up here!" Nick called back before he turned to Sebastian again. There were heavy footsteps before Blaine appeared in the doorway. He smiled sympathetically before he moved forward and knelt beside Sebastian and Nick.

"Nick, could you go get me a bowl with some warm water in it? And some disinfectant?" Blaine asked, knowing from the sight of his old classmate that Nick needed to get out of the room.

"Y-Yeah," Nick answered, nodding shakily before he stood and headed downstairs to the kitchen. He went to reach for the cupboard door, seeing the blood on his hands, and turned to the sink instead. He ran the water, pumping some soap out of the dispenser at the edge of the sink and washed his hands. The enormity of what he was doing hit him like a brick wall. He was washing Sebastian Smythe's blood off of his hands. He had found one of his friends cutting himself in the bathroom. He had to go back up there with a bowl of warm water and disinfectant.

Nick slipped down to the floor, curling up and holding his still bloody hands to his face as he cried. How was he ever going to get over this? How did you deal with something like this?

He heard the front door open and close in the background but he didn't register someone calling his name until he saw Kurt kneeling beside him through his teary eyes.

"Nick, honey, what's wrong? Are you okay?" Kurt asked, taking Nick's hands.

"W-Why would he do it? Why would he do this to himself? He knew I was coming! Did he not want to see me? Did he want to bleed out before I got here? Did he-" his words failed as his breath hitched and a new wave of tears hit him. He felt Kurt wrap him up in his arms and whisper in his ear but it was all too much.

"It's not easy finding them that way," Kurt murmured when Nick had calmed down. "I found Blaine like that once and … it still scares me sometimes. I think it always will. I know that isn't reassuring but after I'd found Blaine, he was horrified at himself and he stopped for a long time after that. Maybe it will be the same for Sebastian, once he realises what this does to the people around him."

"He won't," Nick whimpered, shaking his head and sniffling. "He won't, h-he doesn't care about me. He won't see it that I've saved him, just that I've gotten in his way."

"Then we need to make him see it the way we do," Kurt said before he got to his feet. "How about we take the water up to Blaine and then get you cleaned up?"

Nick sniffled as he carefully got to his feet. "How do you know about the water?"

"Blaine said that he was going to send you down to get it – you were in there long enough."

Nick nodded and watched as Kurt found a suitable bowl and filled it with warm water from the tap that Nick had left running before they headed back upstairs. Nick steered clear of the bathroom, not wanting to catch another glimpse of Sebastian's bloody form. Being covered in his friend's blood was hard enough – he didn't have to see it again.

Kurt reappeared after muttering something to Blaine and took Nick down to Sebastian's parents' room where he helped the Warbler out of his bloodied clothes.

"I'll wash these for you tonight, okay? Blaine and I will stay tonight; I don't think you should be alone with Sebastian."

"Thank you," Nick murmured. He didn't feel ready to be alone with anyone – not even himself.

Nick dressed quickly in a fresh t-shirt and jeans before he and Kurt headed downstairs.

"Sebastian will be pretty tired and out of it tonight – did you two have plans or anything?" Kurt asked as he and Nick took up one of the couches.

"No, we were just gonna study and have pizza or something."

"Okay, we can get the pizza. I guess you don't feel much like studying, now?"

Nick shook his head before he looked towards the empty fireplace. "Why do they do it? Relapse I mean."

"Why do any addicts relapse? They miss their vices or they need to take the edge off something that's happening in their life. Blaine was once in treatment with a girl who would relapse on purpose because she believed she needed to keep up an appearance."

"That's horrible…"

"Depression isn't kind, self-harm just makes it worse. Sebastian's caught in a vicious cycle and the sad thing is that he'll either break it, or die trying."

Nick gulped, uncomfortable. He looked up to the mantelpiece and saw a picture of Sebastian in his Dalton uniform with a broad grin on his face.

"They're the best actors in the world," Kurt murmured.

"Maybe that just means we need to be better."

A/N: So this is going to be three chapters long and detail the entire weekend. I'm not sure how soon I'll have the second one because my left hand is cramping up now :/ But keep an eye out :) And again, if you have anything you'd like me to write in this verse, let me know, because I'm running out of ideas (I don't really wanna make Seb relapse again, that's just cruel). I hope you enjoyed this (as much as it can be enjoyed) and that you're having a wonderful day wherever you are in the world –Frank xoxo