INTERLUDE Q: Finn & Blaine

Finn drove into the school parking lot and killed the engine. He sorted out his bag on the passenger seat – the first time in a long while since he had driven to school alone. Usually, Kurt would come along with him, but Kurt had complained of a headache early in the morning and Carole had him tucked up in bed with breakfast – breakfast in bed! One day, Finn was going to have to try that tactic.

Maybe it also had to do with the fact that Blaine Anderson was in McKinley today. Or not.

Finn's eyes widened as he spotted the familiar gelled head across the parking lot. He clambered out of the van with his bag, locked it, and began to run. "Hey, Blaine, wait up!"

Blaine, who was pacing up and down beside his car, froze. Then he turned, and his shoulders relaxed visibly. "Hey, Finn."

Finn caught up and smiled brightly. "What're you doing here today?" He stared at an envelope that Blaine was holding. "Are you – are you coming back?"

Blaine took a deep breath. "I don't know." His gaze flickered to the side of Finn. "Kurt's sick, right?"

"He texted you?"

"Yeah. But didn't really explain." Blaine lowered his head. "He just doesn't want to see me, right?"

Finn clapped Blaine on the back. "I think he's a little confused and tired by all the drama lately."

Blaine laughed humourlessly. "Thanks to me."

"Hey," said Finn, his hand shifting to Blaine's shoulder. Blaine winced slightly and Finn snatched back his hand. "Whoa. It still hurts?"

Blaine shifted slightly. "It's been okay so far. This one was 'cos I worked it up last night when I crashed straight into my cupboard."

"Santana said you were like minced meat."

Blaine snorted. "If there's anybody who would make a huge thing out of a bruise..."

"Your ribs were broken."

"Yeah, that," mumbled Blaine. He cracked a sad smile. "Wish lots of things would heal as fast."

Finn looked at him intently, then said, "Don't beat yourself up for this. Kurt's doing the same thing and it's just going to be horribly miserable for the both of you if you keep thinking you screwed everything up."

"I'd love to," said Blaine, as he held up the envelope. "Come back, I mean. But..."

His voice trailed off as he spotted a bunch of football jocks saunter from the field towards the main building. Azimio was leading the pack and the moment he saw Blaine and Finn, a crooked smirk appeared on his face. Blaine instinctively took a step back and tore his eyes away. Finn watched with narrowed eyes as Azimio made a crude gesture with his fingers, then held it near his throat. Strando pretended to double up in pain and the rest of them sniggered.

"Asses," muttered Finn. "They've been jerks to us the whole week and for some reason, the hockey team decided it was fun to join in too."

"Are you guys okay?" asked Blaine, his voice a little breathy.

Finn shrugged. "Almost everyone got rounds of slushies. Artie got his specs knocked off, Natalie retaliated and nearly got expelled. But then Artie and this new guy Shawn stood up for her and so she's still around."

"Wow."

"See, we stick up for each other," said Finn, watching as the jocks disappeared from sight. "And you're going to let us."

Blaine looked awkwardly at him. "Aren't... aren't you pissed off at me? I was a huge jackass to Kurt."

"Well yeah for a while back, Rachel nearly talked me into getting the rest of the glee club to form a coffee slushying army at the Lima Bean," said Finn, in all seriousness. "She said one wasn't going to knock any sense into you."

"There were two," clarified Blaine, with a weak smile. "Santana did the honours for the second one."

"Then Rachel suggested maybe we should kidnap your girlfriend. I mean, the one who was your girlfriend."

Blaine's eyes widened. "I... guess I should be thankful Cheryl hasn't been after me with a cleaver."

Finn broke into a grin. "I think you're glad Kurt isn't literally after you with anything deadly."

Blaine already had a thousand likely scenarios pictured all the way back when this whole crazy chain of events had happened, so all he could do was nod weakly. The day that he had brought Cheryl to meet Kurt at the Lima Bean, he had nightmares that very night about Kurt – it wasn't any lethal object, but something much worse in his opinion – Kurt had called him all kinds of names, like 'liar', 'cheat', 'ruthless heartbreaker', 'fraud'... and every word had been uttered crisply, curtly and coldly, stabbing him one by one.

"Actually, it was Kurt who talked Rachel out of it."

"Oh."

"But I mean, now that I know the whole story..." Finn scratched his head. "I kinda think Kurt's a bit of a jackass too."

"No," protested Blaine. "It's not..."

"Blaine? Seriously?" Finn started to look amused. "Now's not the time to shield Kurt."

"But he did the PFLAG stuff and all..."

"If it wasn't for Santana, he wouldn't have known what situation you were in," said Finn. "And I think he'd still be hiding in this room looking like he's lost his favourite peacoat."

Blaine made a private note to really thank Santana Lopez, for all the cutting words, coffee slushies and icepacks that she had offered. His mother had been surprisingly comforting to him at home following Santana and Kurt's intervention and had promised that she would try to understand him better. It had taken a while for her to even mention the word 'gay', but when she did, it felt like something had been lifted off his shoulders. He could see that it was the same for her. After that conversation, he was cheered up considerably and had promised that he would work hard no matter which field he ended up in. He could tell from the glimmer in his mother's eyes that she was satisfied.

His father, on the other hand, had not spoken to him since.

Oh well, thought Blaine, step by step.

"...course I know Kurt's been through hell at McKinley," Finn had been talking, "I mean, not that I was very helpful back then..." He went a bit red. "But he of all people should know how terrifying the bullying here is and instead of dealing with that, he got caught up about losing the one he loves and being cheated on."

"It's a natural reaction..." Blaine murmured.

"Well yeah, I guess if it was Rachel or me, the word 'cheating' is kinda sensitive," said Finn, and he rubbed his nose. "But it's you and Kurt! I mean, the two of you are so... so solid!"

"That's a fair term to describe high school romances..." Blaine gave Finn a pointed look. Then a group of girls walked past them and were talking at the top of their voices about the school prom.

"Prom?" Blaine raised his eyebrows.

"Yep. End of next week. Rachel kinda entered us both in for king and queen," said Finn, scratching the back of his neck. Then he looked at Blaine. "So try to work things out between you and Kurt? I think it'll be really nice for the two of you to go... together. Like last year. Except without the drama... I'm going to make sure nobody does something stupid like vote Kurt for queen again."

Blaine pressed his lips together. "I don't know, Finn."

Finn stuffed his hands into his jean pockets. "But, at the same time, Rachel and I think you should wait for Kurt to talk to you."

"I..."

"I think he wants to take the initiative to show his sincerity, but he just needs time."

"I know he's hurt that I didn't speak up earlier," said Blaine. "This happened at my old school. But I wasn't brave enough to talk back then and both my friend and I just got jacked." He closed his eyes briefly. "Thought I could be smartass here, but clearly those jocks don't get words in. Sorry, no offence to you."

"None taken." Finn smiled. Then he checked his watch. "Walk you to Figgins?"

Blaine stared at the envelope again. "Are you making the decision for me?"

Finn laughed and patted the envelope against Blaine's chest.

"Nah, I think you've already made it."