Paris Part One

The next day dawned slightly cloudy for the first time that they had been in Europe, but that did not dampen their spirits. They enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and then checked out of the hotel, taking the tram back to Centraal station. Nick had popped out quickly to post Brittany's clogs back to New York - they were heavy, and conscious of the baggage charges on their flight home, they had decided it would be cheaper to mail them to the loft, addressed to themselves. The station was busy, but they quickly found the correct platform for the Thalys express to Paris, a journey which would take just over 3 hours. The train was modern and comfortable, and lunch would be served to them at their seats - when booking the train, Nick had discovered that 1st class seats were only a few dollars more expensive, and that given they would get a free lunch, it would actually work out cheaper. As with all their journeys so far, the train left on time, and after a brief stop at the airport, was soon building up towards its top speed of 300km per hour. They had all travelled by train at home, and the speeds in Europe were far greater - yet the train journey was also smoother. They stopped briefly in Brussels, technically meaning that they had now arrived in their fifth country. Technically they could not say they had visited it, merely passed through. Then it was on again, into France and their final destination, the Gare du Nord in Paris.

For Sebastian, arriving back in Paris felt like coming home in many ways. He had lived in the city for just over a year, and only 10 months ago he had come to the city, one deserted due to the summer holidays, to pay a visit to an old friend. That same old friend was waiting at the station to meet him and his friends. He had had a long chat with Dave before he had got in contact with François, not wanting to cause any tension between them. After all, he was not just a friend - he and Sebastian knew each other in the biblical fashion. He had been quite prepared for Dave to say no, he wasn't comfortable with the idea of them meeting up. He had been slightly surprised when Dave had said that it wasn't an issue. He had a past too, one of which he wasn't entirely proud - as he put it, whilst Seb had been up to no good in Paris, he had been in the closet and knocking seven bells out of Kurt. He had also had a number of partners before Sebastian, and several were still friends. With this assurance, Sebastian had E-mailed François to say he was coming with his friends, and it would be nice to meet up. He hadn't expected his friend to arrange to take several days off work so that he could join them and show them round the city. Nor had he expected him to offer them the use of his parents apartment. It turned out they were away the same weekend, and that meant he had three bedrooms he could put at their disposal. As Sebastian recalled, the flat was central and very well appointed, and after another consultation with the guys, they had agreed to it. They told him it would be good as it would save them money - secretly, they hoped to be able to get gossip on their friends days as Guillaume Smythe.

The first surprise for them all came on the concourse of the Gare du Nord. Sebastian was looking out for his friend from the moment he alighted from the train, knowing exactly where he had asked him to wait. The others could only follow him through the light but crowded station, echoing to the sound of tannoy announcements in French, which Dave could partially understand - languages had never been his strong point at McKinley, but Sebastian had been coaching him prior to their trip. Then there was a sudden cry of "Guillaume!" and the sound of feet running towards them. Sebastian ran forward to greet Francois, whilst the others stopped, and stared. In all the times that he had talked about his life in Paris, he had never once shown them any photographs of his friends, nor had he described them. Now they could see why. François Girard was the spitting image of Blaine. The dark hair, gelled into place, but showing traces of curls; the honey coloured eyes; the only difference was that he had much paler skin, almost as pale as Kurt's had been. In terms of height and build, it was all Blaine.

"Now that explains a heck of a lot," said Trent. "No wonder he went after Blaine from the moment that he saw him at Dalton that first time. He was seeing François, his friend, and it just clicked…"

"It does kind of tell us why he acted the way he did," agreed Nick. "If he hadn't been caught, he'd have stayed in Paris. He was happy here, even if he was acting like a… It must have been hard to have to come back to the States, to a cold father and his new girlfriend, to be shipped off to board at Dalton. Then in walks a boy that to all intents and purposes resembles his best friend in Paris…"

"Do you think that somewhere back in time, there is a family connection between the Anderson family and the Girards? Because they are too similar for there not to be, in my opinion," mused Jeff out loud.

Then they had to stop as Sebastian brought him across to introduce them all to the young man that he described as his brother. "Non, more like, partner in crime," François said with a smile. He embraced them all with a hug and a kiss on the cheek in turn. First up were Nick and Jeff, who were introduced as my two roommates, and best friends. François needed to see their engagement rings, and lamented that whilst it was currently legal for gay couples to marry in France, there were disquieting rumours that it might not be for long if some politicians had their way. Then it was the turn of Trent and Rory, who were introduced as the moral man of Dalton and his young Irishman - that latter earned Sebastian a glare from Trent. François shook his head. "He was never the greatest with words; Guillaume was always more for action…" He followed this with a wink that made Rory blush, and Nick and Jeff laugh out loud. Then finally Sebastian turned to Dave and put an arm around him.

"And this is my boyfriend Dave. The man that I hope will let me call him husband one day. He is the one for me - now I have him, I don't need anyone else. I'm a reformed character, and it's all thanks to these guys, particularly Dave." For a moment, Nick thought that Dave was going to cry at Sebastian's sudden declaration of love, especially the use of the word husband. There had been a time, not so long ago, that they would all have said that he would never be the type to settle down - now it seemed, everything had changed, and for the better.

"Ah, finally I get to meet the man that has tamed Guillaume Smythe, and returned him to normality in the form of Sebastian. You are, mon ami, the best thing that could have happened to this reprobate. I salute you. I just wish he could have found you in less tragic circumstances than he did…" There was a moment of silence, as they all thought of the boys missing from their world. Sensing the change in the atmosphere, François spoke again. "Right, time to get you to my place, your home for the next few days. Sebastian, you no doubt recall the way to the Metro - take the lead and I will bring up the rear - onward my friend to Victor Hugo!"

After initially wondering why they were making their way to a well known French author, the mystery was cleared up when Jeff spotted the station name on the Metro map. The trains were small, but efficient; they had to make one change on the way, but soon they were leaving the Metro and stepping out onto the streets of the 16th arrondissement, passing through the streets until François opened the door to a block, shouting a greeting to the concierge as he passed, and guiding them up a wide staircase to the top floor. There was an elevator, but they all passed, as it looked far too rickety to be safe for 7 young men and a pile of luggage. The climb was exhausting, but then they were outside the double doors that gave entry to their home for the next few days, which François opened with a flourish, ushering them all inside. It was everything that they had imagined it to be and more. The décor was in the traditional style - all the original features in place from the elegant door handles to the mouldings on the ceiling. The floors were of the most perfect parquet, the furniture a mixture of modern and antique. They were shown to their rooms - except for Sebastian and Dave, the former simply being told that he was in the room he used to stay in back in the day.

If they had thought the hallway was straight out of a style magazine, nothing could have prepared them for the bedrooms. They were simple and yet elegance made real. The en suite bathrooms large, with baths that made Nick and Jeff's hearts light up. The only thing that they did not have was a view to die for - there was no sign of the Eiffel Tower, just another row of apartment buildings across the boulevard. They made themselves at home, took advantage of the facilities and then made their way to the drawing room, where coffee and cake awaited them - delicate patisserie of all kinds. François had arranged for them to have their dinner in a little bistro that he knew a couple of streets away, but first of all he would take them out to see a little bit of Paris. This involved taking a stroll up the busy Avenue Victor Hugo to the Etoile, where they came across the first of the great Parisian landmarks, the Arc de Triomphe. François had been warned by Sebastian about Jeff's drawing and so he had arranged for it, giving the others a lesson in the history of the structure whilst Jeff's pencil moved across the paper. The traffic around the wide open place had the others mesmerized in any case, the sound of horns and the roaring of engines as the motorists jostled for position being both thrilling and terrifying. 'You wouldn't want to try and ride a bicycle here,' thought Nick, as he watched over Jeff's shoulder as he perfected yet another sketch.

They then took a stroll down the first part of the Champs-Élysées, one of the best known streets in the world, lined with the kind of chic stores that they had expected, alongside the premises of the doyens of haute couture. They became aware that they had two additional companions bringing up the rear as Kurt gasped at each name he saw - looking back over their shoulders, they could imagine his reflection in each and every window as he gazed in admiration at each high fashion creation, Blaine by his side, not quite getting it but happy because Kurt was. Then they turned off and cut through the network of side streets, crossing the wider avenues, back in the direction of the bistro. It was still early, and they were amongst the first to be seated that evening. Once inside, Sebastian remembered having been there before in his misspent youth, and the proprietor also recalled him, if her greeting was anything to go by. They ordered, and steered clear of the pitfalls that can befall the unprepared, Sebastian gently telling Dave that he would not enjoy the Steak Tartare, as it was served a tad rare for his liking. He himself did order Escargots, which earned him some looks from his friends - but when Trent was brave enough to try one, he had to admit that they were quite delicious. The meal was accompanied by wine, as was traditional. Once they had finished, François steered them in the direction of the Metro, and they found themselves on their way to the most famous of all the buildings in the city - the Eiffel Tower. They got their first glimpse as the train rattled out of the tunnel and onto a bridge over the river Seine, the sight causing Jeff to gasp in delight. No sooner had they crossed the river than they were alighting from the train at the high level station of Bir Hakeim, following their leader towards the structure. They all stopped again as François gave them a talk about the history, and Jeff drew. Then they joined the back of the short queue to take the elevator up to the top. The view was simply breathtaking, the city beginning to light up as dusk fell. Nick allowed himself to be pulled into Jeff's arms and just be held, much as he had in February, when they had visited the Empire State building for the first time, during the trial. They called Paris the city of romance, and he could see why. He had seen only a tiny part of it, and apart from the terrifying traffic, it was magnificent. Standing here, wrapped tightly in the arms of his fiancé, Nick felt happiness of a sort he had never experienced before Jeff had come into his life. He never wanted that to change.

The next morning, Nick woke early in the old brass bedstead in what must have been the master bedroom in normal circumstances. Beside him, Jeff lay fast asleep, his breathing even. They had come home from the Eiffel Tower and after their usual bath, had retired to bed. They had heard Sebastian talking to François in the drawing room, Dave joining in every so often. Across the hallway, Trent and Rory had also headed to bed early. Nick crept out of the bed quietly, and padded down the hall to the kitchen to start on some breakfast, and discovered that he had been beaten to it. A shirtless François was stood there, making coffee, with a bag of fresh croissants on the countertop. He was smoking, something which startled Nick - ok, so he had known a couple of Warblers in his time that did so, but that was very covertly - he shuddered as he remembered how Wes had reacted the one time he caught Ethan just before a rehearsal. Ethan had stopped that day. Nick was embarrassed to admit that there was something about the François he saw before him - shirtless, hair tousled, smoking a Gauloise, that made him quiver.

"Bonjour, Nick! I hope that you slept well? My apologies for the cigarette - I am trying to give up, but first thing in the morning, I still crave one. It is a fine day. There will be coffee shortly, and the croissants are fresh from the boulangerie. They are still warm. Take one. Is Jeff awake, or is he still tired after yesterday?"

"He's still asleep, but if I know him, not for long. Actually, I'm glad to get you alone for a moment. Sebastian has been playing tricks on the rest of us since we got to Berlin. He is far more experienced than the rest of us, and he forgets that certain things cause us to blush. Like the Erotic Museum; and the nudist beach he made us walk onto, all unsuspecting. Then in Amsterdam…"

"He took you to the Red Light District? I have been there myself with my brother and his friends. It made me feel sad. I take it that you felt uncomfortable - all of you, even Dave?"

"Yeah, even Dave. So, now I want to get our own back. We know all about what he got up to when he lived here - and you for that matter. We know all about the bar with the special dress code. It would be terrible if he took Dave out tonight, and you promised to take care of us, and he found out that you had got us drunk and taken us there, wouldn't it…?"

François laughed. "You are quite evil under that pretty exterior, Nick. But I agree, he would be most distressed if he thought I had done that. Upset enough to rush across town and risk returning there himself to save you from a room full of naked Parisians. I think that something can be arranged - there is a café across the street from the club where we can watch…" He stubbed out his cigarette and threw the stub out of the window, just as the sound of footsteps came from the hallway. The door opened and Trent appeared - he froze momentarily, and then came in.

"Operation Payback is a go, Trent," said Nick. "Let Rory know. Thanks François."

"Pas de problème, Nick. He was always playing jokes on me when he lived here. Time for my payback, I think." He excused himself, and left the room.

Nick smiled at Trent. "He's a good guy, and - I'm only saying this because I think you think the same…"

"Hot?" said Trent, in a whisper.

"Smoking," said Nick. "I won't tell Rory, if you don't tell Jeff… Then again, maybe they would wholeheartedly agree if they saw him like that too…"

Breakfast was a leisurely meal, with the fresh croissants, and pain au chocolat. Rory and Jeff had joined Trent and Nick in the kitchen not long after they had finished talking - Nick had begun to make some scrambled eggs when François returned to the room, still shirtless. Jeff and Rory both went silent, as he grabbed his jacket and headed out to his bedroom again. They were still staring at the table when Dave walked in and said "Ok, so he is hot!" and they all burst out laughing.

Their first destination that day was the Louvre, were a friend of François would help them out and let them skip the line to see the Mona Lisa. It was a lot smaller than they had all imagined - but it was still probably the most famous painting in the world, and now they could say that they had seen it. They strolled amongst the other artworks in their couples, with François accompanying Dave and Sebastian, encouraging the latter to take Dave out for an intimate dinner that evening. He was doing a good job of it, and Dave was playing his part too, almost begging for him to do so. He was fully aware of Nick's plan, and knew what his part was. They met up again under the glass pyramid - Nick and Jeff had arrived first, and the latter was drawing the view he could see above him. They took a late lunch, buying some bread, cooked meats and cheese, then headed into the gardens of the Palais Royal for an impromptu picnic. Once again Jeff began to sketch after he had eaten, the others wandering around the buildings. That was how Nick came across a tiny shop full of music boxes, each one playing a different tune. He managed to attract the attention of Trent and Rory, and between them they chose several as gifts for Rachel, Santana, Elspeth, Grace and Carole. Rory went quiet all of a sudden and pointed to one on the top shelf. A little blond boy with an easel was standing next to a dark haired boy - like the puppets in Prague, this was almost spooky. He handed it to Nick, who turned it on - and heard the strains of True Love playing. He had to buy it, and swore the other two to secrecy - this would be a gift for their wedding day. As they left the shop to keep Jeff away, he noticed that behind it there had been another music box with two boys that resembled Trent and Rory in appearance. As the shopkeeper boxed up the first one, he switched on the second to hear the tune When Irish eyes are smiling… He laughed and asked her to box it up as well. He would present it to the two boys once they were back in the States.

They headed on again, Nick now carrying a bag full of boxes, all of them gift wrapped for free by the lady in the shop - that would help to keep Jeff's eyes off. They were heading to Notre Dame, sat on the island in the middle of the Seine. They wandered quietly round the dark cathedral, cool after the growing heat of the afternoon. They were again aware that three angels were following them around - it wasn't often that they saw Finn, as he was usually busy with his work, but today he was standing in as much awe as the rest of them. François lit a candle and said a quiet prayer - he had been brought up in a strict Roman Catholic household, and his faith still meant something to him. Rory was reluctant to follow, then remembered his nun from the airport all those months ago, and lit one for her sake. She had been right after all. After the cathedral, they headed off to the Galeries Lafayette, to browse in the food hall. They had been followed - as they walked past the extensive scarf department, they all distinctly heard Kurt squealing in delight, then arguing with Finn and Blaine as they dragged him to the food hall. Having purchased a number of items, they headed back on the Metro for a rest before their evening activities.

It hadn't taken much persuasion on the part of François to convince Sebastian that he should take Dave out for a meal for two that evening. Once he had agreed, a quick phone call was made and a table reserved in one of the best restaurants in town. It was in a part of the city that Sebastian knew from his time there, and so he recalled the Metro station that was closest. As for the others, they made it clear that they would eat in the apartment, and then see what the evening held for them - Sebastian did feel a little guilty at leaving them alone, but François promised that he would take care of them - he would cook something traditional for them, and then maybe take them out for a stroll - it would be up to them and how they felt. Although their table was not reserved until 8.30, Dave talked Sebastian into leaving well in advance, saying that as it was a nice evening, he could show him some of his old haunts before they went to the restaurant. "I suppose…there were some streets I liked for their architecture and the array of little shops - I could take you there and we could just pass the time. Come on, before I change my mind." With that they left, but as Dave walked out the door, he turned and winked conspiratorially at Nick. Operation Wind Up Seb was officially under way.

After an excellent meal, the others left the apartment and headed to the Metro, to cross town to the station nearest what they all referred to as Sebastian's bar. They arrived just before 9, and took up their seats inside the café across the street. They ordered coffee, and watched as a small stream of people headed through the narrow door of the bar. There seemed to be an eclectic mix of people heading in, some as young as them, others far older. They could all imagine the first time an 'innocent' Sebastian was brought here by his three new friends. They waited until they got the text message from Dave before they acted - a short, sweet "Just got dessert - time to do it." They all watched as François dialled a number, and sat, hands over their mouths to stop themselves laughing and spoiling things.

"Ello, Sebastian. I just wanted to let you know that the boys and I have gone out, and we might not be back until late. They had a few glasses of wine, and wanted to go out and party. They kept asking about good clubs and bars, and then Trent, he asked about our old haunt." There was a pause as Sebastian obviously asked a question on the other end. "We all used to enjoy it in the day, and they kept asking what it was like, so I said I would take them…" This time they could all hear Sebastian's scream "You said what!?" on the other end. "It was there idea - I asked if they were sure, and they said they were - anyway, we are there now, just about to go in, and I thought I should tell you we won't be back until late, and so you will need to get home by 11 so the concierge can let you in." There was a stream of invective on the other end of the phone. "Actually, you should come and join us - relive the old days. Anyway, we are inside, about to get changed - young Jeff had his shirt off before we got in the door. I have to go, à bientôt Sebastian!" He hung up, but not before there was another stream of foul language on the other end. "He is coming, and is apparently going to make me regret that I was born…"

"He is probably going to kill all of us," said Rory, in such a serious tone that the other three burst out laughing.

Across town, Sebastian was dragging Dave out of the restaurant. Dave had only heard a little of the conversation, but as it had gone on, Sebastian's face had got paler and paler, and his language had got more and more abusive. Now, as they dashed down the street, his boyfriend was still mouthing off to the world in general. "I trusted him, the little… If he hurts any of them, I swear to God that I will cut his balls off. I don't believe for one moment that Trent would seriously want to go to that kind of bar - in fact, none of them would ever want to go there. They are too decent, too fine - they're not like me. If he corrupts them - I will never forgive myself. And Wes will never forgive me. None of them will - even Santana would say that it had gone too far. Dave, I apologise, but I might have to drag you into the depths with me. I really don't want to, I'd far rather you stayed outside, but I might need your strength…"

"Sebastian, I have no idea what you are talking about, or where we are going - all I know is that I was dragged out of a restaurant after François called…."

"He is taking them, correction he has taken them, to my bar. You know, the one I was arrested in. The naked one…" he hissed out. Dave managed to look suitably horrified as Sebastian pulled him into the Metro, and onto a train. "This is all my fault, Dave. My past has come back to haunt me again. I can't bear to think about poor, innocent Niff and Trory in that place. It really is Friday the 13th - it's a nightmare…" To Dave's horror, Sebastian burst into tears, sobs racking his body. Maybe this joke had gone too far, and he should just tell him the truth. Before he could even tell him, he was being taken off the train and dragged up the stairs to the street - he could only follow in his wake as he pushed his way through the crowds.

They saw him coming a mile off, his tall figure hurtling along the street. They only had to take one look to know that they had gone too far. His face was grief stricken, his eyes bright red and puffy. Tear tracks marked his face. Nick looked at Jeff, and the two of them jumped up and ran out the door, the others only a moment behind them. They intercepted him just as he was about to charge through the door. He took one look at them, and collapsed to the ground in a dead faint.

When Sebastian came round, he was in the café, sat between Dave and Trent, with the others looking on. He realised that they had all been crying at once. He couldn't remember what had happened at first, and then he looked at François and it all came back. Before he could speak, Nick did. "We never went in. It was a joke, to pay you back for the Erotic Museum, the nudist beach, the Red Light District. But it wasn't fair of us to do that to you. And we are so sorry. It was all our idea. François just went along with it. We didn't mean to upset you so much…but if it is any consolation, now we all know just how much you care about us - and the feeling is mutual…"

There was a part of Sebastian that wanted to get mad, to scream at them for scaring him, but then he noticed a figure in the corner - Blaine. Looking at him as if to say 'You did kind of deserve that - you knew that they would feel uncomfortable at all the places you took them to, but did it anyway. Their revenge, it went too far, but time to call it quits for all your sakes.' "It's ok Nick. I understand why you did it. And I forgive you, even you François - though if you pull a stunt like that again, I will cut them off. So, what now - the night is still relatively young. Who fancies a drink? I know a bar nearby…" He gave them a wink, and they all burst out laughing.

"Actually, I do know a nice bar near here were we can go for a quick drink," said François, "and there is no dress code." With a quick nod, they all agreed to it, and headed off through the streets, back towards the Metro. The bar was up a side street, just a few feet from the station. They entered, and made their way up to the bar. As they got there, the two barmen, who had been talking to each other, looked in their direction. Sebastian froze, then turned to François, who just smiled.

"Guillaume?" said the taller of the two barmen. "Is that really you?"

"Yeah, I'm back - with my boyfriend and my four best mates. Guys, I'd like you to meet two of the three rascals that changed my life - François' brother Luke, and my good friend Jean-Marc." Both men had come out from behind the bar - closer at hand, it was obvious that the shorter of the two was related to François, both sharing the same hair, though his was cut far shorter. They pulled Sebastian into a tight embrace, then remembering themselves, stepped back and allowed him to introduce all of them individually. Drinks were brought from the bar, and as they were the only people in the bar, apart from one young couple, they joined them at a table. It turned out that after leaving university, both young men had been at a loose end. Then had come the shock of Jean-Marc's diagnosis, which had ended their promiscuous ways once and for all. They had managed to identify the guy that had given him HIV - it turned out that he had been deliberately infecting people. Until that point, no-one had been brave enough to stand up and take him to court for what he had done. With the support of the Girard brothers, Jean-Marc had been. It had destroyed his relationship with his own family in the process, but the Girard's had welcomed him into their home. The outcome of the trial was a victory, and a substantial amount of compensation paid out. It had been enough to buy the small bar in which they were now sitting, and a tiny apartment close by, as well as cover his treatment costs. Luke worked for him some evenings, when he was free from his own job as a web designer.

Sebastian sat happily between the two young men, Dave sitting opposite, and the others ranged around the table. It was the first time that any of them had been close to a person with HIV, but it didn't bother them. Rory quietly thought that his mother would have had a nervous breakdown at the very notion of him sitting next to someone with that disease, as he was now. He was a genuinely nice guy, and he could see why the young 'Guillaume' had wanted to stay in their company. They had been young, and had wanted to explore their sexuality; had wanted as much as they could get. In the end, one of them had been very unlucky. They had ended up catching something that could not be treated with a few drugs and cured. What none of them knew was that the guy that had infected Jean-Marc had been interested in his young friend more - but someone else had got to him first. Otherwise, life for Sebastian could have been very different indeed.

It was after midnight when they returned to the apartment in the 16th. All the bad events of the evening had been wiped away by the time spent with Sebastian's old friends in that tiny bar. The only one of them missing was Anton - he had taken a job after university with an electronics firm based in Berlin. This had brought up the stories of their time there; when Trent brought up what they had seen on the U-bahn, they had laughed, and asked Sebastian if it had been Anton - it was the kind of mad thing he would do. Of all of them, he had changed the least. As they retired to bed, Sebastian took Dave in his arms and kissed him. "Well, now you have met my past; the people that shaped my life and my decisions. Made me a nightmare bitch when I first came home. But now, I only want one thing - you. Don't ever forget that. It's you that I want to spend the rest of my life with. That's not a proposal, by the way - but the time is coming when it might be…" Dave could only smile as the tall boy hugged into him, then pulled him into bed.