A/N: Hello! So, just so we're clear, I own neither Glee nor Jane Eyre (although, technically, if it's public domain, is a disclaimer really necessary?), and am gaining absolutely nothing through this publication. This is the only time I will be bothered with pointing that out. Thank you for reading!

" He passed, and I went on; a few steps, and I turned: a sliding sound and exclamation of 'What the deuce is to do now?' and a clattering tumble, arrested my attention. Man and horse were down; they had slipped on the sheet of ice which glazed the causeway. The dog came bounding back, and seeing his master in a predicament, and hearing the horse groan, barked till the evening hills echoed the sound, which was deep in proportion to his magnitude. He stuffed round the prostrate group, and then he ran up to me; it was all he could do, -there was no other help at hand to summon. I obeyed him, and walked down to the traveler, by this time struggling himself free of his steed. His efforts were so vigorous, I thought he could not be much hurt; but I asked him the question—

'Are you injured sir?'

I think he was swearing, but am not certain; however, he was pronouncing some formula which prevented him from replying to me directly.

'Can I do anything?' I asked again.

'You must just stand on one side,' he answered as he rose, first to his knees, and then to his feet. I did; whereupon began a heaving, stamping, clattering process, accompanied by a barking and baying which removed me effectually some yards' distance; but I would not be…"

"ANDERSON."

Blaine glanced up from the book in his hand to see a tall, sandy-haired boy walking towards him between the shelves.

"Hey, Flint. What's up?"

"Wes's got everyone out looking for you! He wants to do an impromptu performance later, and you didn't text him back."

"Tell him I'm sorry; my phone's dead. Which number?"

"Teenage Dream," the other boy answered, thumbs moving across his phone as he spoke, "Three o'clock, senior commons."

"I'll be there."

Flint nodded and headed back out the way he came, throwing back a, "See you then," as he slipped his phone back into his blazer pocket.

The dark-haired boy sighed and turned back his book. Basking in Warbler glory definitely sounded like a good way to spend the afternoon. Dalton had been good to him, amazing even. At his old school, he'd been treated like garbage; he couldn't have stood in the middle of the library reading "Jane Eyre" without worrying about taunts or insults being hurdled his way. Dalton might be a little high-strung at times, but at least it was safe. Better yet, he was at the top of the heap here. He spent his evenings singing lead for one of the most prestigious clubs in school, and everyone loved him for it.

Not that any of them knew him at all.

He hated thinking it, as it made him seem ungrateful, but it was true. Dalton was amazing, and the people here were incredible; he had plenty of friends, but there was no one he was really close to. It was truthfully hard to be really close to anyone here. The Warblers were like a family, but an extremely formal one. Uniformity meant that everyone was treated the same, which was great, but it also made it hard to feel like anything but a part of a single mechanism, just automatically going through the motions.

No, this was ridiculous. He fit in here; he was safe; he was happy. He should just be content.

Blaine shrugged off his thoughts and went back to reading.

" 'I cannot think of leaving you, sir, at so late an hour, in this solitary lane, till I see you are fit to mount your horse.'

He looked at me when I said this; he had hardly turned his eyes in my direction before.

'I should think you ought to be at home yourself,' said he, 'if you have a home in this neighbourhood: where do you come from?'

'From just below; and I am not at all afraid of being out late when it is moonlight…'"

When his last class ended, Blaine hurried to pack up his things and get downstairs to the commons.

David had tracked him down earlier to let him know that the counsel had received the information for Sectionals this year, so they'd probably want to go over that after the performance, and then he was home free for the rest of the weekend.

A lot other boys were starting to head down in the same direction, hoping to catch the show. Blaine pulled out his watch as he hurried down the stairs. The North hallway was never too busy this time of day; if he went through there, he should be able to make it just in time.

"Excuse me?"

A/N: The passages in italics are all from "Jane Eyre," when Jane first meets Rochester. For those of you who are not literature nerds like myself, by this point in her story, Jane is feeling a bit listless, grateful but bored with her company at Thornfield. Enter tall, dark, and somewhat rude. I may or may not continue to sprinkle random Victorian passages in here as they feel pertinent. Let me know what you think. Please leave a review and let me know whether I'm wasting my time or not!

-Grace