A/N: Once again, thank you for your reviews, they give me more motivation to write these two!

"You sure you're ready?" Sebastian asked cautiously, watching as Dave came down the stairs, schoolbag on his back, wearing a pair of jeans and a loose-fitting tee. Dave nodded nervously; he grabbed a bottle of water and sat down at the table with Sebastian.

"If I don't go now, I won't ever go back, I think," Dave said, honestly, taking a sip of the water and sliding it in his bag. "I'll be okay," he smiled, though, not sure if he believed the sentiment himself.

"Okay, I'll drive you; I have a free period this morning. If you need anything, just… Just phone?"

"I will, thanks for this Sebastian," he smiled softly. "Really,"

"It's okay, come on," he walked out of the house and to his car, still worrying about Dave, he didn't think Dave was ready to go back to school, but he couldn't keep him home if he didn't want to be there. Sebastian knew, though, that he would be there for him if something happened. He'd be there if he didn't want to go back.

They drove to the school in silence, only the sound of Dave tapping his foot apprehensively sat between the two of them. Sebastian parked in a space in the parking lot and looked at Dave. "You're sure you want to be here? If not, I can just turn the car around…"

"Seb, I'll be fine," he smiles nervously and rubs Sebastian's knee before taking a deep breath and walks out slowly. Sebastian watched as he disappeared into the school before driving off to Dalton.

Dave held his bag against himself tightly, biting his lip as he walked away from the Principal's office, keeping his head down, and turning more heads than he would have liked. He knocked on the door, nervously, looking around slowly. He walked to his old locker, not able to control the slight tremor in his hand as he unlocked it, putting his books in. He looked around shyly, watching as the football team walked towards him. He closed his eyes; waiting for what he thought was coming, the hate, and the loathsome words that he had heard from the football team at his old school, from the people that he thought were his friends. They walked over to him slowly, all circling around him. He took a shaky breath and looked up, fear in his eyes, he couldn't bear what was about to happen.

"Welcome back," they patted his shoulder, some soft, gentile pats and others harder, some that weren't as welcoming. As they walked away, Dave was confused, he wasn't expecting that. In fact, he was expecting torment that he had inflicted on others, a slushy to the face, being thrown against a locker or something worse. He let out a sigh of relief when they walked away and walked towards his first class.

All eyes turned on him as he walked into Spanish, Mr. Schuester watched him with that concerned look he was always wearing, the caring look that not a lot of other teachers had – one that showed he really cared for his students.

Dave sat down at the back of the class, an empty desk and pulled out his books. Mr. Schuester tried his best to subdue the looks that Dave was getting and started off on teaching.

His lessons went by slowly, he tried to focus on the work, but the stares and the whispers were distracting, the words, the rumours. After his second lesson, he wanted to go home. He wanted to phone Sebastian and ask him to come and get him. He hid himself in the library for his free period and played with his phone, his finger hovering over the call button when he heard a familiar voice from over his shoulder.

"I heard the rumours that you had returned, and here as I live and breathe, sits Dave Karofsky," Kurt chuckled quietly and sat across from him, crossing his legs and folding his hands in his lap. "How's it been?"

"Hard," Dave said honestly, slipping his phone away into his pocket. "But, that was expected, I guess," he sighs, straightening out his t-shirt.

"Well, we're in the same lessons for the rest of the day, I'll keep you company," he watched him, rubbing his hand softly. "That's what friends do, after all," Kurt smiled softly.

"Friends," he smiled softly. "I… Thank you," he tilted his head, watching Kurt's hand and pulling it away slightly. "Where's… Blaine?" He asked, unsure that he had gotten the name right.

"He's in class. So, you're staying with Sebastian? You know, he's bad news?"

"I don't believe that," Dave sighed, playing with his fingers. "He's changed a lot, even if it has been a short amount of time, he really has changed."

"People like Sebastian, they're manipulative, they always want something out of someone, they're good at exploiting people. What he may have said to you is just a ruse for him to get you to do something that he wants before he tosses you aside." Kurt said his voice soft.

"No, Kurt, you're not… You don't know him. You may have known the old him; he told me what he did to Blaine. He regrets ever doing that."

"You know, he and Blaine had coffee the other day and he said some things to Blaine… I wish I didn't have to tell you this."

"Tell me, what?" He frowned, looking concerned.

"Sebastian was laughing about you; he said he couldn't wait to play with your head… He wants to make you fall for him and when he's finished playing with your mind, he'd more than happily tell you to go away, make you move out of his. He's done it before."

Dave shook his head, looking down, confused. "You're making this up, Kurt. I don't understand why you don't like him. Of all the people, I can't see why you can't be accepting of him. Why you can't see that he's changed, Kurt!" He stood up, grabbing his bag and shaking his head.

"Dave, please, I'm not making it up. Why else would he come and see you in the hospital? Why else would he want you to stay with him?"

"Because he's been where I have, Kurt! He understands what I've been through, and what I'm going through now. Right now, he's the only person I can call a friend." He shook his head, walking out of the library and out of the school.

After 45 minutes of walking and getting lost, Dave gave in and phoned Sebastian, hoping that he wasn't in the middle of a lesson or something important.

The phone was answered straight away, concern immediately filling Sebastian's voice.

"Hey, is everything okay?"

"Hey, no, I'm lost." He said, a little embarrassed, a half-hearted chuckle coming out of his throat.

"Where… How on earth did you get lost? What happened?"

"I just… I was trying to get home, and I must have taken a wrong turn because…"

"You know that walk is over an hour long. I'll come get you, just tell me where you are?" Dave looked around and found a street sign and read it out. Sebastian chuckled, stating he was only around the corner and that he would be there soon. Dave sighed and sat on a wall, kicking his legs.

Five minutes went by before Sebastian pulled up, looking at him with concern. He got out of the car and opened the door for Dave.

"What happened? Is… Did someone at school..?"

"No, its fine, I… It was too much, too soon," he whispers, watching Sebastian slowly. Sebastian nodded, hugging Dave lightly.

"Well, we'll go get coffee and then we will go home and watch one of those predictable horror films you like so much," he smiled, rubbing his shoulder.

"Okay, you have school, though." He raised an eyebrow.

"Family emergency," he breathed and got back in his car, waiting for Dave to get in before he drove them to the Lima Bean.

Sebastian ordered their coffees and found a quiet table in the back, looking at Dave shyly. "Something else happened, didn't it?" He asked, taking a sip of his coffee, not wanting to push Dave for information, but needing to know what the matter was.

"Kurt said some things," he sighs, playing with the coffee cup.

"What things?" He frowned, anger filling his eyes, he tried not to convey the anger in his voice or his actions because he didn't want to let David know just how bitter he felt about the other boy.

"He said that you were using me, said that you told Blaine that when you went for coffee the other day," he sighs.

"Firstly, I never had coffee with Blaine, I had coffee and saw Blaine and we spoke for about a minute as we walked out of the shop and to our cars. And secondly, I would never ever use you," he watched him softly, smiling shyly.

"I told Kurt that, I know you wouldn't," he nodded, taking a sip of his coffee and staring at Sebastian.

Sebastian stared back over his cup, a glint of warmth in his eyes. He held Dave's gaze for a few seconds before looking down at the table, his cheek flushing slightly.

"Let's go and watch this film then," he smiled, standing up, trying to shake off the warm feeling that was coursing through his veins.