A/N Thank you to all the reviews, follows and favourites. They mean a lot.

I don't own Glee or the characters.

Chapter Ten

Over the last week Sam had been pushing Blaine to eat something at every meal and Blaine was looking a little less gaunt and a lot more energetic and happy in himself. He had cut his hair a little since he came out of the hospital, but had still kept it longer, no longer gelling it at all and Sam thought this made him look a lot younger and really cute. Sam was really proud of Blaine, he had really made the effort to let others support him and he had been leaning on Sam instead of trying to go through everything alone. He was still not talking about his troubles however, especially those concerning Kurt. Sam had no idea what was going on in his head right now about that boy, but he knew that Kurt had not been calling or keeping in touch with Blaine in any way. He didn't know if that was what Blaine wanted, but he couldn't believe it was. As far as Sam knew Blaine was still in love with Kurt. That was one of the reasons he had told Tina to keep quiet about the boy being with Adam. He didn't want Blaine to hurt more than he already did. His heart had already been broken enough times by Kurt and he couldn't see that happen to Blaine any more. It made his heart ache to see Blaine looking so sorrowful. His soulful eyes filled with hurt and loneliness. His Blaine didn't deserve to be treated in this way. His kind, caring, sensitive Blaine.

He looked across their shared room at Blaine sleeping. He always looked so small and fragile when he was lying in bed. Sam's heart started to pound inside his chest as he stared at the dark haired boy. He had been through so much in such a short time. He deserved to have a little break and Sam wanted to be the one to give him that break. Sam put his homework down on his desk, the words were floating around on the page now anyway, and quietly crept over to Blaine. Perching on the end of the bed, he watched Blaine's chest rise and fall slowly and the edges of his mouth turned upwards until a loving smile crept over his face.

"I'm really proud of you Blaine." Sam whispered, so as not to disturb his best friend form his nap. He reached over tentatively, cupping Blaine's face with his hand, stroking his thumb across Blaine's prominent cheek bone. The boy sighed in his sleep and leaned into Sam's hand, a small curve on his lips. He looked utterly content. Sam, deciding that it was getting quite late, got up and went to the bathroom to get ready for bed. Stripping his clothes off till all he had left on was his boxers, he walked over and climbed gently into Blaine's bed. The smaller boy, sensing the warmth of another body next to him, turned and angled his whole body into Sam, his head buried itself into Sam's chest. Sam felt his heart stutter as Blaine's head leant directly onto his heart. He was so confused about his feelings towards the boy right now. All he knew was that he wanted to be close to him, always and forever. He wrapped his arms possessively around the boy, tightly squeezing him towards his body, fitting together like two puzzle pieces that were meant to fit side by side. He drifted off to sleep, happy that the person he cared the most for was in his arms, his troubles slipping away as his Blaine slept in his arms.

Nick was standing outside his therapists room. He came to see Linda once a week, or more if he was feeling particularly down. Today he didn't really feel like being there but it was one of his scheduled sessions and so he had to go. Jeff had driven him in and was waiting outside in the car. That was how much Nick hadn't wanted to go to his session today. He had been diagnosed as having depression and he had been told that this meant that mood swings were pretty normal. Most of the time he felt fine, but he knew that that was probably because of the drugs he was taking to counteract the depression. He hated taking the drugs because sometimes it made him feel as though he weren't himself at all. Although Nick's life had picked up in the last few weeks he was still prone to feeling glum about small niggling issues that would not have worried too much before all the troubles with the Warblers this year. He knew that he needed counselling to help him get through these issues but sometimes he really just didn't feel like talking. This was one such time. He sighed. The quicker you get this done Nick, the quicker you can get out of here. Come on,you can do this. Believe in yourself.

Nick knocked on Linda's door before entering. When he heard the 'come in' from the other side he slowly opened the door and entered, sitting opposite her on her dark maroon sofa.

"Good afternoon Nick. How are you feeling today?" Linda brightly asked him as she took her reading glasses off to see him clearly.

"Good, I guess." Nick nervously replied, wringing his hands. That was always a sign that he was stressed over something but Linda never pushed him too hard to explain everything. She was good like that. She understood that he had to go at his own pace.

"You guess?" Linda asked cautiously, opening the floor for Nick to talk if he wished. She sat patiently waiting to see if he answered her open question. Nick just shrugged. Depression was something that he was finding hard to overcome and today had not been the best day for him. He had had a big test in maths, he still didn't feel quite like one of the team in New Directions and he had had a spat with his parents. Not to mention that he was still very worried about Blaine. His friend had started looking better but he was still looking very thin and frail, a pallid colour washed across his skin.

"I'm being stupid. Really. They are just little things that I shouldn't let get me down. I just get so anxious about things that they become bigger problems to me than they really are. Like my maths test today that I think I might have failed or not feeling like one of the New Directions yet. Plus I'm still really worried about Blaine. I want to help him but I don't know how. I feel like I'm failing him as a friend."

"Blaine is your friend that came back to Dalton recently, yes? Why don't you tell me more about your friend. What has happened recently to make you so worried about him? Why do you feel that you are failing him?"

"He's had a really rough year, he's had a bad break up with his ex, who seems to be messing him around. You know like are they together, aren't they type of thing. Then there was the school shooting incident he went through, and the tornado. He spent days under the ground, remember me telling you at the time? So he got pneumonia from that, and with everything else happening in his life, his ex, his parents splitting up and so on, he just stopped eating. He was just in the hospital because he collapsed from malnourishment. Plus he's in complete denial about being love with his best friend who he shares a room with at Dalton." everything just started spilling out of him once he started. Nick couldn't help it, it was the only way he knew to make himself feel lighter and less responsible for what happened.

"I see, my that is a lot for one year. I see why you feel so badly for him. Maybe helping your friend will help you to feel better in yourself for what you feel you have done wrong. He seems like he might need the help and support."

"You think helping Blaine will help me?"

"Yes I do. But more importantly, he's your friend. Friends help friends. Yes?" Linda smiled warmly and affectionately at the young man in front of her. Nick had come a long way, but he still had a way to go. She was very happy that he wanted to get better and was willing to put the work in to make it happen. Not a lot of people realised how much hard work it took to get better from something like depression. Nick had support though so she knew he would get better. It was just a matter of time.

"Yeah, I do want to help him, but as I said, I don't know how. He won't talk to me about anything."

"Then just let him know that you are there for him if he needs you. Let him come to you."

"You think that will work?" he enquired of his therapist.

"Yes, I do. If he is a true friend he will be thankful for what you have offered him and will open up to you when he is ready."

"Ok. Thanks Linda." Nick grinned at her, he was feeling a lot better after having talked to her. He couldn't control everything. He just needed to let Blaine know that Nick was there for him if he needed the support.

"You're a good person Nick. You need to try and be less hard on yourself. You can't force people to do anything. They will do what they want, they are responsible for their own actions. Even if you had tried to influence those boys, they may not have listened. So don't feel as if it is all your fault. Because it's not." Nick nodded. Linda always made him feel a little better about himself. Gave him confidence in himself once more. He owed her almost everything.

Tina had not seen Blaine for a few days. He was taking some time off glee to get better, saying the he would come back next week. Mr Shue had let Thad and David give a few lessons this week to get all of New Directions into the swing of how things worked and make sure they were all on the same page and also so Blaine wouldn't miss out on much. Mr Shue had decided to have a weekend of fun together in the form of a large sleepover at Dalton for all the kids to really get to know one another as a team and Tina wanted to catch up with Blaine before then. She hoped he would come as well. She missed him.

She knocked lightly on Blaine and Sam's shared room door and let herself in when she saw that the door was open. Inside she saw Blaine, laying in bed, a thick book in his hands. He always read thick books. He was such a book worm.

"Hey Tina. How are you Sweetie?" Blaine immediately had a smile come over his face at seeing his best girl friend enter his room. He had begun to miss her a little.

"Good. I'm more worried about you. How are you feeling? You're looking a lot better than the last time I saw you." She took Blaine's hand in her own and tried to keep an upbeat look on her face. She didn't want to let slip about Kurt. Sam had been very specific that they should not tell Blaine about it. He was still in love with Kurt after all. She was really bad at a poker face though. She always gave things away without meaning to.

"I'm good. What's up Tina? You look upset about something." Blaine squeezed her hand as she perched on his bed and looked at her in a concerned way.

"Nothing!" Tina smiled her broad fake smile.

"Come on Tina. I know you too well. You are a terrible liar. I know something's up so just tell me."

"It's nothing, really Blaine. Honest. Are you coming to the sleepover at the weekend?" Tina tried to deflect his attention away from her nervousness at speaking about Kurt.

"Tina!"

Tina groaned. She couldn't keep anything from Blaine. He was like a human lie detector. He always seemed to know if someone was lying to him. Apart from Kurt, that is... "Rachel told me something. About Kurt."

"What about Kurt?" Blaine asked sounding bored of talking about Kurt as a topic of conversation. Maybe Sam had already told him? She paused, then decided that honesty really was the best policy.

"He's been sleeping with Adam since January."

"Oh." Blaine paused. He didn't know what to say. A million thoughts were racing through his mind. That he knew deep in his heart that this was true. He realised that he had always known, he had just tried to deny it to himself. Kurt had used him. Made him feel as though he were meaningless. That everything they had ever had together was meaningless. Kurt had claimed he had feelings for Blaine but had used him in the worst way.

When Sam got back from trying to find the books he needed to do his homework from the library after glee practice he found Blaine, lying in bed, pretending to sleep. He could see that Blaine wasn't really sleeping, as he was shuffling around on his bed too much.

"Blaine? What's up?" he scooted over to his friends bed and sat down next to the boys horizontal body.

"Nothing." Blaine mumbled into his pillow. Great, he's sulking about something.

"Seriously, you're gonna try that on me?" Sam told him pointedly. He knew when something was wrong with the boy. I mean they were as close as brothers after all.

"Tina told me everything. Did you know?" Blaine asked him wearily.

"Know what?" Sam frowned, confusion covering the mask of panic on his face. Wait till I get my hands on her, she'll be...

"About Kurt." Blaine interrupted Sam's inner monologue. He knew it was about Kurt but he pretended to play dumb so that Blaine would hopefully not get to angry with him for not telling him himself.

"Oh, that. I totally forgot about that." Sam replied scratching the back of his head in mock innocence, his eyes looking skyward rather than at Blaine's accusatory eyes.

"Oh really. You forgot." Sam could tell that Blaine did not believe a word he just said. Which were lies anyway, after all.

"I'm sorry Blaine, please don't hate me. I didn't want to worry or hurt you. You're already sick B."

"I understand. I do. But you can't protect me from everything Sam. When you know something this important you need to tell me. You know, deep down I knew he was lying to me, I knew it. I just didn't want to admit it. How could he use me like that Sam? How could he make me feel like we had a chance when there was none?"

"I'm sorry. I know you still love him." Sam couldn't look at Blaine when he said that. It hurt too much. His heart felt as if it was being stabbed hundreds of times by red hot needles.

"I don't. I don't love him. Not any more. I'm just angry at the moment. More with myself then anyone else. I'm such an idiot. I spent so long moping around after him when I knew that there was no chance of getting back together with him. All because I was desperate to feel loved by someone. Anyone, and Kurt was the only person who had ever told me that they loved me. How stupid am I?" Blaine got more and more upset and frustrated with himself as he explained to Sam what was going on in his head, by the end, tears were falling freely down his pale face.

He doesn't love Kurt any more. He doesn't love him. Sam's heart started pounding in his chest. He felt as though he had butterflies flying all around his stomach. The beautiful boy sitting right beside him was free. Free from Kurt. Free to love another person, and Sam was starting to wish that that person was himself. He grabbed Blaine's hand quickly and looked him straight in the eyes. Willing him to say that he loved Sam now he was no longer in love with Kurt.

"You're not stupid to want to feel that you are loved by someone Blaine. That's not stupid at all." His breathing had started getting faster. How can I feel this for my best friend? It doesn't make any sense.

"Why doesn't anyone love me Sam?" Blaine asked, such sadness in his eyes.

"Your mum does. Your brother does. Your friends do. Tina, Nick and Jeff, all of them in glee. I do."

"Thanks Sam, but I don't mean in that way."

"I know, but you're gonna have to cope with this for now. One day you will find someone who loves you more than anyone in the entire world. They will think you are the most amazing person and love you just the way you are. But till then you're gonna have to stick with just us dude." Do I want to be that person? God, I want Blaine to want me to be that person so much. But I just don't know how he feels about me.

Blaine, his heart aching as he looked into Sam's sky blue eyes. Why can't it be you Sam. I want it to be you.

Sam wrapped his arms around Blaine to hug him tightly, leaning his head against Blaine's. "Love ya bro." Sam's heart sped up a little as he said those words. A slight thrill going to his chest. What exactly do I feel for Blaine? Am I really in love with him? God, I'm so confused right now. Do I love him as a friend or more? I just don't know any more...

"I love you too Sam." Blaine, meaning those words deeply, could not help but shed more tears at the pain of a love that, in his mind, was never going to be reciprocated.

Richard had decided to give something back to the community. He wanted to make up for what he had done this year and make his parents proud of him again. He had big shoes to fill with all his brothers before him becoming such prestigious people. So he decided to get in touch with the closest psychiatric centre for addicts and asked if he could volunteer his services to help them recover. The staff at the ward had been more than happy for him to help out. They always needed volunteers and the young were usually in short supply. So once a week, when he had time, he was going to go over to the centre and help out with some of the patients. They had told him that he would only be seeing the calmer, more able ones, but he felt a huge weight lift at the thought of helping these people. He was giving back and it felt good. He would help out with their activities and their meal times and he hoped this would make his parents think well of him once more. He had not told any of the others about what he was going to do yet, but he would in time. The actions were their own reward after all.

He got out of his car and jogged over to the entrance to start his first voluntary shift. He hoped it would all go smoothly.

Blaine had decided that now he was feeling a little better and more energetic, that he would see if he could join the fencing team. He had started to go back to a few of his classes again and he was feeling a lot better about himself. He had been quite proficient at fencing when he was at Dalton last time, winning a few medals in the competitions. He knew that the tournaments didn't start till towards the end of the year, so he felt he might still stand a chance of competing this year if the coach let him onto the team. He hadn't played for over a year and a half but he hoped it would be a little like riding a bicycle. Rounding the corner the the coaches office, he knocked and entered before asking for permission to join the team, at which the coach seemed delighted at him returning. He told him that, to be fair on the other team members, he would have to try out in a bout before he could place him on the team once again. Blaine felt confident that he would be able to do it and stated that he would be back at practice time in the evening to try out.

He left the office really excited. He had loved fencing and he was going to get another chance to be on the Dalton team.

At dinner that day Blaine told Sam that he had a fencing try out that evening, to which Sam perked up. He knew Blaine had been a fencer when he was at Dalton the first time, and, although modest about it, Nick had said that Blaine was actually a really good fencer. That he could have won the national title if he had kept it up and stayed at Dalton. Sam was in awe at the slight boy. He knew that Blaine could be athletic if he wanted to, and that he was light on his feet. All the dance numbers had shown Sam that Blaine was graceful, and his cheerios routines, before he had finally managed to get out of being a cheerio after the tornado. Sam hadn't realised that he could wield a sword and fight with it though. That, to Sam, was awesome.

"I think that's a great idea. Do you want me to come along and support you?" Sam enthusiastically replied as he bent down towards Blaine more, increasing the intensity of their conversation.

"Shouldn't you try and do a bit of your homework Sam?"

"Aw, come on Blaine. You know I can't figure out the book I'm reading for English Lit unless you're there to read it to me. The words are too hard and it scrambles my brain. Please Blaine? Please?" Sam pleaded, his hands together in a prayer like manner, batting his eyelashes and pouting his lips out.

Blaine laughed and pushed Sam's head aside playfully. "Ok, ok. You can come, but we are doing your homework after. You are graduating this year with me, even if it kills me."

"Is that because you want me to come to New York with you and share an apartment and then we can be awesome together?"

"Yes Sam. How did you work out by dastardly master plan?" Blaine beamed at the blonde boy as he sarcastically replied to him. Although secretly he kinda hoped that that was a possibility.

"You know, I applied to the Pratt institute. After you telling me I was really talented and helping me with my essay and stuff, my art teacher told me I should go for it and all the Dalton art teachers have told me the same. They have even sent off extra recommendations for me." Sam hesitantly told the boy, pride lacing his voice a little.

"Wow, that's amazing Sam! I hope you get in." If he gets in we really can live together. Me and Sam. My Sam. My awe-inspiring, talented Sam.

"Yeah, so do I. Then we really can be roomies right?"

"Yeah. That's if I get into NYADA that is." Blaine was worried that he wouldn't get in. He really wanted to get into the place after reading all the school had to offer to someone like himself.

"Haven't you applied for NYU and Columbia too?"

Blaine nodded. It had been in his 'I'm going to win Kurt back and we'll be together forever' phase. Now, he wanted to get into NYADA because he wanted to learn and NYADA was one of the best for what he wanted. No one and nothing was going to stand in his way of his future. He deserved to be at that university just as much as Kurt.

"So when is practise?" Sam changed the subject. Blaine had obviously set his hopes on NYADA and Sam was not going to quash them. Blaine was way more talented then either Rachel or Kurt anyway. He was a shoe in for NYADA.

"I need to go straight after dinner cause I need to sort out my fencing gear. I don't have any at the moment so I need to buy some more and the coach mentioned he might have some stock in my sizing and weight."

"Cool. Lets get going then. I wanna see how silly you look in that fencing gear." Sam teased him. Really he thought that Blaine would look incredibly sexy in the outfit. But then, Blaine looked sexy in anything he wore. Even his sweat pants.

"Shut up!" Sam guffawed as Blaine playfully swiped him on the arm. The two boys got up and giggled as they play fought all the way to the practice room.

Nick had watched the two boys all through dinner. They seemed even closer than before and definitely more playful with each other. They were touching each other pretty much through the whole of their meal with one another, their head leaning towards each other as they spoke intimately with one another. Even their bodies were facing each other the entire time.

"Jeff, we really need to have a talk with Blaine at some point about Sam." Jeff, sitting next to his boyfriend nodded in fervent agreement.

"Yeah, did you see them. They were all over each other."

"Have I missed something? Is something going on with those two?" Artie interjected from across the table. They had seemed pretty much the same to Artie. Perhaps a little more playful than usual but they had always been tactile with each other.

Sebastian snorted. "I think even cavemen could spot the chemistry going on between those two. I suggest that we have a little chat with one or the other of them because they are completely oblivious to the fact that they are in love with each other. Well, Blaine might not be, but Sam definitely is."

"Thank you Captain Obvious." Nick replied sarcastically. His gaydar had picked up the really obvious signals between the two boys. Sebastian was right.

"Are you going to apologise to Blaine, Seb? Cause Sam told me you were flirting with Blaine when he told you to stop." Jeff asked Sebastian innocently, twirling his spoon on his lips as he had finished his chocolate mousse.

"Yes, alright already. I was going to but I haven't seen Blaine without his blonde leech by his side since Blaine came out of hospital."

"Do you want us to distract Sam for you?" Jeff asked, pushing for Sebastian to do the deed. Jeff knew that deep under all the joking and teasing, that Sebastian could be a nice guy. It just didn't happen very often. He was hoping that Blaine's influence might change him a little, as he genuinely seemed to like Blaine, even if he did flirt outrageously with the poor guy.

"That might be a good idea. Thanks." Sebastian replied with genuine feeling.

Sam and Blaine were sauntering back to their room after Blaine's fencing practice. He had gotten in with ease and Sam was very impressed with how good Blaine really was. He was amazing. He had beaten all the boys he had sparred with that night, including Nick, who was also very good. He now understood when Nick had told him that Blaine could make national champion. He was that good. Blaine was smiling broadly as he excitedly waved his arms about and talked about the sparring session and how much fun it was to be fencing again. Sam could only look back at the boy and think about how truly amazing Blaine was. He was such a strong person, full of grace and beauty. The way his eyes lit up when he was excited about something, the liquid golden orbs melting Sam's heart as they pierced his very soul. The way his smile showed off his high cheekbones and the slight kink in his nose wrinkling. His wild curls flying into his eyes as he exclaimed dramatically. Sam though back to the sparring and thought of the way he moved, the fluid movement and lithe agility. Sam had been practically mesmerised. Blaine was like a large cat, a cheetah perhaps. Small and slight, quick, yet deadly. Sam was in awe and it was confusing the hell out of him. When did he start thinking of his best friend in a way that was as if he found him physically attractive? Sam knew that Blaine was a hot guy. I mean, come on. The way girls had watched him walk down the McKinley corridors confidently, and more secretly, some guys as well. He knew his best mate was good looking. But only recently had he started to understand why people found him so attractive. So mesmerising. Blaine had a sort of magnetic quality to him that just seemed to draw people in, and, Sam realised, that was what was happening to him right at this very moment. He blushed at the fact that he was thinking of Blaine in this way at all. He had never thought of a guy in this way before. Ever. Yet here he was, thinking of Blaine and how perfectly exquisite he was.

Jeff and Nick pounced on Sam as the two boys made their way through the common room towards their dorm room. Pulling the blonde boy away from Blaine, pretending that they needed to show something important to Sam, Blaine stood alone in the middle of the common room not really knowing what to do now that Sam was no longer by his side. It was as if a part of him was missing. It was not a pleasant feeling for Blaine at all. He already missed Sam.

"Blaine, can I have a word?" Blaine groaned inwardly at the sound of the voice behind him. It was Sebastian. The tall boy had given Blaine some space since coming back from the hospital, but it seemed his peaceful existence was to come to an end.

"What do you want?" Blaine asked the boy with a sigh.

"I want to apologise for acting inappropriately towards you. Especially as you asked me not to and I still carried on regardless. I should have taken your feelings into account, for that I'm truly sorry. I will never do it again. I really wish that someday you can forgive me and look past all of the stupid things I've done. I don't deserve it, I know that, but I wish it all the same. Just as I wish for your friendship."

"Are you being serious, because I can never tell with you?" Blaine crossed his arms, scepticism apparent in his voice.

"Yes I am this time Blaine. Seeing you collapse really hit home for me that you might have died and you are one of the only people in this school right now willing to give me a chance. Plus, I do genuinely like you as a person. Even though I pretend I don't like anyone."

"Go figure. You actually like someone for who they are inside." Blaine sarcastically placed his right hand over his heart and made a shocked expression on his face.

Sebastian smiled a genuine smile at the shorter boy, he loved that Blaine bantered with him. That was one of the many reasons he liked Blaine. "By the way, I like your hair this way. It really suits you."

"Thanks. Well, I accept your apology for now, but you really need to mean it this time. I don't like being sexually harassed by people. I really want to forgive you, but you need to put these words into action before I can."

"I understand. Thank you for giving me another chance. You've already given me too many. You really are a good person Blaine. Sam is really lucky to have your love and affection." Blaine blushed at that. Sebastian had hit too close for comfort. He was uncomfortable talking so openly about his feelings for Sam. It was something that he was going to have to gradually get over with time and he thought that bringing it up would only make it harder to deal with the fact that Sam could never reciprocate sexual feelings for him.

"Blaine I know you love him. It's written all over your face. Why won't you admit it?" Sebastian shook his head at Blaine's unwillingness to be open and honest about his feelings.

"Please Sebastian. Don't. Nothing is ever going to happen between Sam and I. Nothing. So just drop it." Blaine responded in a hushed tone.

"I see the way he looks at you too though Blaine. It's not nothing. I'm not the only one who's noticed either. Maybe you should talk to Nick and Jeff about this if you won't talk to me."

"Why? What's the point, it won't change anything. He doesn't like me that way. End of discussion."

Sebastian exhaled his breath in frustration. Blaine was so stubborn sometimes. Why couldn't he listen to Sebastian when he told him that Sam had feelings for him. Something was already happening and Blaine was so blindly in love that he couldn't even see it. The way Sam's gaze softened whenever he glanced at Blaine. How protective of the boy he was. Sebastian had seen Sam checking Blaine out when he thought Blaine wasn't looking as well. If he wasn't interested in the slightest, he would not have been staring at Blaine's butt so intently the other day in rehearsal. Of that Sebastian was pretty sure about. But how he was going to get that across to Blaine he did not know. The main problem of course was that Blaine didn't trust Sebastian enough, he was going to need reinforcements...