Summary: Both Sebastian and Blaine receive a visit from the one person (ok, Sebastian two people) they needed. They just didn't expect it to be THAT person.

Sebastian plopped down on the couch in Dr. Shepard's office with his cup of coffee and muffin. After the final from hell he just took, he needed them. Doc's secretary was great about having something to eat whenever he arrived. Guess having a drug addicted mother locked up in a sanatorium in Paris made the other women in his life want to take care of him.

That was unfair…true, but unfair.

But there was always one person who would tell him the truth. "You look like hell" Doctor Shepard said as he came into the room and sat across from his patient.

"Give me a break, Doc. I just took the last final I'll ever have to take at Dalton."

"And how does that make you feel?"

"Seriously? You're not even going to let me finish my coffee before you go into full-on shrink mode?"

Derek agreed Sebastian looked like he had been through the wringer but his sense of sarcastic humor seemed to be in check. Good, considering the two pieces of information Blaine asked him to share. "Well, if your finals are done, you are that much closer to graduation. When we met in NYC, the g-word scared you since you had no idea what you wanted to do afterwards."

"That's before I announced I'm taking a gap year. And since I'll be modeling for my sis, I'll be earning my own money so whatever I do decide to do I can pay for myself."

"That's important to you?"

"It is. It shows I'm my own man."

"Like Blaine?"

It was clear from his facial expression, Sebastian wasn't happy with the last question. "What does Blaine have to do with this?"

"When I first met Blaine, and he said I could share this by the way, he said he called his move to Dalton Saving Myself. Yes, you and the Warblers and Sam as well as Blaine's family all played a part but Blaine did the work…broke free of an emotionally crippling relationship, crawled out from under his depression and reclaimed what made him this so-called Alpha Gay. Only then was he able to begin to build the foundation of a music career."

"Ok, yeah but what does that have to do with me?"

"When you finally admitted you needed a gap year and then decided to go to Paris and face your birth father, you turned a corner. However, it was when you let go of all of the crap, for lack of a better term, with Kurt did you revert back into who you call Old Sebastian…snarky, confident, wanting to take care of things himself. Hell, you're going to spend three months…"

"100 days"

"100 days in Paris away from Blaine and aren't having panic attacks about it. Anymore nausea anytime you hear a Beatles' song?"

"It wasn't the Beatles it was the one song the one time so, no." It was a lie. He couldn't even bring himself to say Love, Love, Love. At least it looked like Doc believed him.

Which he totally didn't but unfortunately there wasn't time to delve into that particular black hole. "Getting back to Kurt, Blaine called and told me to tell you the sentencing was finalized today. He received everything except Blaine's last minute request was reduced to one year instead of two with good behavior."

Sebastian laughed knowing Kurt had to be throwing a fit about driving 3 hours (round-trip) for a 5 minute check-in every weekday. When were people going to learn not to talk shit to Sugar? "You going to ask me how I feel about it?"

"Sure. Sebastian, how do you feel about Kurt being held accountable for what he did?"

The banter was somewhat informal but Sebastian paused to take serious stalk of the question. He had lived under the shadow for so long but he really had let it go the night at NYADA. "I honestly don't give a fuck."

"Fantastic, then grab your stuff. I'm taking you back to Dalton."

Huh? "Um, Doc, I drove here."

"Your car was already picked up. Something has happened with the Warblers and after I tell you, you'll be in no condition to drive."

It took over an hour to complete the normally 30 minute drive. Doctor Shepard had been right about Sebastian's reaction so he took the long way to Dalton to let him blow off steam…the fact he managed to snatch his phone and refused to let him call Blaine until he did probably helped.

When Sebastian finally did talk to Blaine, he assured him all sorts of lawyers including Blaine's uncle and Sebastian's father (surprising since the last he knew his dad was in Paris) were involved. That didn't include Beat's mom, the Head Master, Blaine's parents and Cooper as well as a name which was unexpected, but reassuring, Carmen Tibideaux. However, until this was settled, Blaine was staying at home so it couldn't be claimed he assisted the Warblers in whatever Sebastian and the guys put together.

Upon arrival he went to his room and found a note from Thad telling him to change and go straight to the Warblers Commons, which he did.

"Bas!"

WTF! "Izzy?" The commons was empty except for Rachel Berry holding his niece. The baby reached for him but instead Rachel put her down on all fours and she began to crawl in his direction. "Izzy-wizzy! Look at you!" He sat on the ground so he could scoop her up the second she reached him. As he covered her with kisses, he realized how much he missed the little girl in the month since he was in NYC. Even then, it was Met Gala weekend and he barely saw her.

It took another couple minutes of shock before he comprehended it really was Rachel sitting across from them. "Beth has been working with her every day."

"Beth?"

"Beff"

Huh…Oh! "Beth as in Sis's new BFF and your bio mom's daughter?" Rachel answered with a smile he was more likely to see on Santana…weird. "What are you doing here with Izzy and where is my sister or Rosa?"

"Your sister has meetings she couldn't get out of but when the news came of what happened she sent Rosa and Izzy but they're staying at the Andersons. Sierra will meet everyone in LA on Friday. Shelby and Beth went to Lima. Shelby was working with the New Directions anyway, now she's helping Mr. Martinez and Ms. Holliday calming down Sam, Sugar, Artie, Brittany and the others. Chandler is in Indiana with JB. Unfortunately, he found out before Sam could call. You know he, Chandler not Sam, of course, and JB are (air quotes) Not officially boyfriends until JB gets to NYC but are totally boyfriends. Well…"

Yes, he, Blaine and Sam had developed a friendship with the leader of Throat Explosion since Jean-Baptiste came to the Dirty Dozen Audition, but this was (again) weird. He had a feeling he would be using that word a lot. Oh god, Rachel was still talking. He had forgotten how she could do that. "Stop! How do you know so much about JB and Chandler?"

"Chandler and I are moving in together."

Did…not…see…that…coming. "What?"

"I don't know if it was Rosa or Cooper or Blaine's uncle or someone else in the family obsessed with security, but someone decided Chandler had to move out of the NYU dorms after Kurt basically stalked him the week he was in NYC. Brody's brother found him three apartments to look at and he asked Santana to go with him to check them out. She was busy and asked me. I said sure…I mean finding out how Santana and Chandler had become good friends alone was…"

"Rachel"

"Right, anyway, it turned out we had a lot in common besides being used by one Mr. Kurt Hummel. By the time we got to the third apartment it was like magic happened. Beautiful 2-bedrooms, each with its own bathroom and walk-in closet, high end kitchen, not that it mattered, washer and dryer in unit, doorman, blocks from both NYU and NYADA…"

"Raaachel"

"Ok, ok. Chandler thought since we're both Blaine's family but only because he loves people who love us, at least that's how Chandler describes it and you have to agree it makes sense,and I need a place to live since I was kicked out of Anderson Towers and had been living back in the NYADA dorms for the moment…" She took a breath when she saw he was going to cut her off again. "No one said no so when we get back, we're moving in together."

Sebastian hated admitting to himself how much he missed this, missed her. "First of all, don't call it Anderson Towers in front of Blaine. He hates it. And secondly, Rachel, how much longer until we're somewhere near the point?"

Rachel stood and picked up Izzy who had crawled off and put her back in Sebastian's arms before returning to the floor. "Remember when I showed up at your door and you thought I was going to cry so you put Isabella in my arms so I couldn't?"

"Yesssss?" Why would she bring up when Hummel sent her to see what was going on with him and Blaine after the stupid supposed Sebreak? This wasn't going to be good.

"I suggested to Sierra, Rosa and Shelby the same thing might work with you and yelling when Sierra sent Rosa and Isabella ahead. Sebastian, the person responsible for Blaine being out of Nationals is Will Schuester. He wasn't in Italy to accidently release the wrong track but he's been trying for months to go after Blaine so when it happened, he was on top of things."

Will Fucking Schuester. How could he be such a fucking idiot? Of course, it was. "How do you…never mind it doesn't matter. Thanks for telling me but you can't be involved. Blaine doesn't want any Old New Directions taking sides between the Warblers and the New…" He stopped because Rachel's eyes told him everything he needed to know. "You wouldn't be taking sides because no matter what we do they're not going to let the Warblers win. Are they?"

She reached across and took his hand. "Not from what I've heard from my source who knows people in the Show Choir Association."

"Who?"

"Jesse…Jesse St. James"

That was name he didn't want to hear. Any other name he could have doubted. "What are you really doing here, Rachel? If we can't win…"

"You know how Carmen Tibideaux feels about Blaine."

"Um, yeah. What does…?"

"It would be inappropriate for her to get involved personally…" Rachel's Santana smirk was back. This could be interesting. "But somehow her best student choreographer and the leader of NYADA's Glee Club left school a week early...excused, of course."

Best stu…Wait! "Brody and Adam are here?"

"Yes, they're off meeting the guys and looking over tape of the routine you had planned. After Brody told me what Madame Tibideaux did, I went to her office. I told her what Jesse told me and she said she knew…that was why she was sending me to LA to monitor the interests of participants who were coming to NYADA next year."

"You're on your way to LA to watch Sam and Brittany? Weren't you doing that anyway?"

"There's someone on all 10 teams, well, not the Warblers now. I'm lucky they changed it to 10 from 20 like it was in my Junior year."

"Ah, the infamous Finchel onstage make out session."

"Oh my god, I had never seen Santana so mad…"

Hearing the name of Blaine's Best Girl had Sebastian pull out his phone. Surprisingly, not one of the 50 or so calls he had received was from her. "Does Santana know about Schuester?"

"No. Besides you, and of course Madame Tibideaux, I only told one other person."

"Who?"

"Wes"

He could have chosen a thousand names and Wes would not have been one. "Why Wes?"

"Because I really, really, really didn't want to be the one to tell Blaine."

Made sense. "Ok, so if Carmen sent you to LA, why are you in Ohio?"

"LA is my official assignment."

"And your unofficial assignment?"

"She was interested to see what the girl who once sent a rival to a crack house and the boy who threatened to put doctored nude photos of the competition's lead on the internet could come up with when working together."

"You told her!"

"Nope, the woman in just that scary."

Before he could get her to elaborate because WTF! Izzy squealed "Beff!"

"Issy-bellie!"

Sebastian turned to see an adorable blonde little girl dressed in a pink Dior dress with matching tights (identical to the outfit Izzy was wearing). Moments later her mother, who she had obviously ran away from, appeared. "Beth, I told you to wait."

"I know Mommy but I found Issy-bellie and Rachel and…" She stared at Sebastian "I don't know you."

"I don't know you" Sebastian responded, a little annoyed Izzy wiggled out of his arms and crawled over to the new arrival. This kid and her mom seemed a little more entrenched in his sister's life than he was aware. Sierra had some serious explaining to do.

Rachel, who had stood and joined Shelby, giggled at the interaction. As much as she had tried to move past it, she still missed Sebastian. Chandler was great and she had Brody and Adam at NYADA. She even had Jesse, although they were taking it slow.

None of them were Sebastian. "Beth, this is Sebastian. You know Sierra's brother and Isabella's uncle. Sebastian, you've met Shelby and this is Beth. They're here to take Isabella back to Rosa. I know you miss her but we've got work to do."

After a final few minutes of kisses and tickles, Sebastian reluctantly gave over the baby. Once Shelby and the kids were gone, Rachel pulled note pads and pens out of a bag then went behind one of the couches and came back with a picnic basket. "Like I said, I only told Madame Tibideaux and Wes what Jesse said but I'm pretty sure Rosa figured it out when I talked about you and yelling. She sent this and said, and I quote, make it hurt."

As she began to unpack what was most likely delicious vegan food, Sebastian sat on a couch with those words, make it hurt, on a loop in his head. It would be so easy but the Warblers made a vow…

"Made a vow about what?" Rachel asked.

Son-of-a-bitch! Blaine was going to kill him "Nothing"

"Oh, no" He knew that face. She was never going to let this go. "Tell me"

"Fine, just know, once you hear this, you can never unhear it."

"That doesn't make sense."

"It will"

While Sebastian and Rachel got to work, Blaine was in the studio at his house trying to work on the song he was writing for Sugar's birthday. Dr. Sterling had just left after examining his hands. Evidently, he wasn't quite ready to start punching things yet, which was his first choice.

*Knock Knock*

"Mom, I've told you to tell Rosa I'm not hungry."

"Good thing I'm not your mom."

Blaine jumped out of his chair and ran to embrace Wes. He had no idea how much he needed his mentor until now. "Don't you have finals?"

"Columbia finished last week but I was headed to New Haven so I could fly to LA with Quinn."

"What stopped you? Or is it obvious?"

"Rachel Berry called me. You're going to need to sit down for this." Blaine didn't hesitate because hearing the name Rachel Berry was enough of a shock. "She found out that Will Schuester is behind making sure the Warblers can use nothing you had a hand in creating. The shit with the single, that's an unfortunate cluster fuck, but the asshole is using every connection he made earlier this year to make sure the Warblers are screwed."

"How…how does Rachel know this?"

"She was having breakfast with Jesse St. James when she heard the news. He called some people he knew and even though Hamilton is still off-Broadway for another month…"

"Everyone knows it's going to be one of the most successful Broadway shows ever and since Jesse's in the principal cast, they probably tripped over themselves to help him." Blaine dropped his head into his hands and to his surprise began to sob. Wes, on the other front, expected this. The broken boy he first met had developed one hell of an external façade, but inside he was always going to be the broken boy. "Why? I mean I know why he's after me. He blames me for not getting the job at NYADA, being fired from McKinley and Emma leaving him…but why the Warblers?"

"You idiot…Blaine Warbler. You never drank the New Directions' Kool-aid. He knows going after you would piss everyone off but screwing up the Warblers chances of winning would hurt YOU, especially with how you feel you owe them."

"I do owe them, Wes. The Warblers should be going for their third title and we both know it."

"That's a little arrogant, isn't it?"

"You know what I mean."

Wes turned and locked the studio door. Then he flipped on the recording switch so they wouldn't be interrupted before sitting across from Blaine. "Ok, you and I are going to have a talk that should have happened a long time ago."

"About?"

"Kurt"

Huh? "What does Kurt have to do with any of this? I literally got him out of my life today…"

"Not Went to NYC and went bat-shit crazy Kurt…Blackbird Kurt."

"Which led to Candles…"

"Which the council agree to. Which I agreed to because I was so happy to see you happy. But I knew it could never win. I should have stopped it."

"So, you're trying to tell me I'm not responsible for the Warblers loss, you are?"

"No, I'm saying Kurt is. What you are responsible for is leaving Dalton and following Kurt to McKinley. You can tell yourself all you want that you really did it for Sugar or you stayed because you accidently told Finn about Fight Club but it was all about Kurt." Wes held up his hand to stop Blaine from interrupting. "Have you talked to Nichole?"

Blaine sighed and slumped into his seat. He had but it was something he had been trying to put off making a decision on. When Nichole first met the girls in the New Directions they told her all the ridiculous stories they had from their years in Glee. She had then used those stories in her creative writing classes at Harvard. Once they were verified to be true, her professor showed them to an editor friend of his. The editor offered Nichole a book deal, however, like every other piece of YA literature these days, she wanted a trilogy.

In the end they decided on one book New Directions, one book Warblers and one book that tied the other two together…Klaine.

"No, I have not talked to Nichole and what does this have to do with Schuester?"

"Nothing. It has to do with you accepting that Klaine was real but it didn't cost the Warblers last year's Nationals. Neither did that vow you all took."

"Wes…"

"Shut up and listen to me. The only thing the guys had a problem with was you cutting them, except Beat, out of their lives after the Slushie. You fixed that but now you're sitting here like a bitch just letting Schuester do this to you…to them."

"Even if the last two Nationals weren't my fault, this one would be."

"And…they…don't…give…a…shit. Plus, according to St. James, they're not going to let the Warblers win no matter what they do." Wes' phone dinged and he smiled as he scrolled through the long text message. "Go turn on your computer. Doug has a teleconference set up between us, Rachel and Sebastian, the guys and Brody and Adam."

Blaine didn't move, just stared in disbelief. "Rachel and Sebastian? The guys and Brody and Adam?"

"I'll let them explain. Apparently, they figured a way to get your ass on that stage."

Meanwhile at Dalton...

"We have to have early access to the stage and they're going to be watching us closely."

"We still need to include something country or Blaine loses his bet with Sam."

"Anyone know where we could get the drum section of a marching band?"

"We use our original opening song, just change the arrangement. We all chose it."

"Yeah, but this time it definitely should be a Sebastian solo."

Notes:

Santana and Chandler became friendly after she felt guilty in using him to get to Kurt only to discover he was a nice guy.

The first time the ND went to Nationals there was 2 rounds and they didn't make the finals, finishing 12th. Things seemed to change the next year.