Title: The Last Night To Be Brave
Author: an-alternate-world
Rating: M
Characters/Pairings: Kurt/Blaine relationship, Blaine/Santana friendship, Santana/Dave friendship
Word count: 2,723
Summary: He thinks she needs a friend. She thinks he needs to mind his own business. What she doesn't know then is she's going to need him this year more than she ever could have imagined.
Warnings/Spoilers: Angst. There is talk of suicidal ideation and an attempt in later chapters. It's not particularly graphic, but it is there. If you think this might trigger you, PLEASE don't read it!
Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with Glee, FOX, Ryan Murphy or anything else related to the Glee universe.

Sectionals were approaching and Santana was oscillating between bouts of crying and being her usual, bitchy self when confrontations with Coach Sylvester or Rachel loomed. Blaine was completely aware it was merely a front because she was far quieter at home: completing her homework at the dining table with him after school, helping out with dinner, watching mindless TV with him. But he wasn't going to bother her in public because he'd once stepped up to touch her elbow in the cafeteria and she'd smacked him before they were even through the front door and then ignored him for two days. She'd later told him to never be near him in public unless she approached him. Something about images to uphold. Blaine had shrugged and agreed so that the tension in the apartment could be removed.

He did, however, keep an eye on her as much as he could even as she remained guarded. She rarely spoke during Glee now, avoiding eye contact with everyone and sitting on the opposite side of the room from Brittany. In fact, most of the time Blaine kept a seat spare next to him and Kurt specifically for her to sit in, which she would silently slide into at the beginning of class with a tiny nod of her head as thanks.

He was well aware that she had kept her friendship with Karofsky, even though it made him a bit uneasy.

"How's Karofsky?" he broached one night over stir-fry.

She raised an eyebrow with a mouthful of rice partway to her lips. "His name is Dave."

"How's Dave?" he said, the name sounding a little too comfortable as it rolled off his tongue.

She shrugged. "He's good. He…he helps. He's just…there. Like, we'll go to Breadstix and sometimes not speak much but there's no pressure to say anything. He kind of just gets when to push and when to let me be quiet." She pushed the vegetables on her plate around. "Besides, no one else in Glee talks to me."

"You don't talk to anyone in Glee," he pointed out. "From what Kurt has told me, you used to voice your opinion frequently."

"Yeah, well," she sighed and stabbed at a carrot viciously. "My opinions don't count for much when no one really likes me. I just stay there because the music helps."

Blaine was already acutely aware of how few people Santana had to rely on, of who she could call friends. Her previous relationships with Puck, Finn, Sam and Brittany had alienated her from Rachel, Artie and Quinn. Mike and Tina were the couple she had nothing in common with. She refused to speak to Brittany. Blaine had caught Brittany sobbing on the steps of school one day and had stopped to ask her what was wrong. The blonde had been hysterical as she had explained that Santana had screamed she hated Brittany and never wanted to speak to her again. Blaine had nothing to say, offering her a hug and promising to try and talk to Santana. But Santana hadn't wanted to talk, telling him to piss off and stay out of her life.

There were times Mercedes could be civil, and others where they suddenly wouldn't talk for days and he couldn't work out what he'd missed. He'd ask both girls and neither would give him anything. And then they'd be talking again. It made his head spin because he'd never really tried to be involved in anyone's personal life at Dalton. And it seemed only Blaine, Kurt and Karofsky were the only ones privy to whatever aspect of Santana's life she deigned to share. And that was far too limited for Blaine's liking.

It was a Tuesday night when Blaine realised how much Santana was struggling. She hadn't been home for dinner so he'd assumed she was with Ka-Dave, and come home in a rage, slamming the front door shut and tossing her bag and coat on the floor before storming to her room. The soft click told him she'd locked the door behind her, and he had tried to enforce a 'no locked doors' rule except in the case of the bathroom.

He stared at the calculus homework he had been about to start before deciding it could wait and instead spent five minutes debating what to say to start a conversation. He'd never been good with girls. Not because he was gay. Just because… they worked differently. They thought differently. He didn't fit in with the girls and he didn't fit in with the guys. At least Kurt could be with the girls sometimes. He was the type of gay guy who enjoyed the sleepovers and make-overs and gossip, but Blaine was quieter and more reserved. He just didn't fit with the girls. Sometimes he could manage with the boys when they talked about football but when it was all they discussed…well, it was boring. Blaine constantly felt like he was juggling with the idea of masculinity.

Chewing his lip, he walked to her door and knocked when he could hear the broken sobs from inside. He hadn't really heard her since she'd arrived here a few months ago.

"What do you want, Blaine?" she snapped.

"To talk. Or to listen. Or to hug you. To be a friend," he said gently.

"I don't need you! I don't need anyone!"

He sighed. "That's not true, Santana. I'm here. Please, can I come in?"

"Go away!" she screamed and he rubbed his face before sliding down against the door and resting the back of his head against the smooth wood.

"I'm going to stay here and support you from where I am then," he said. "Although I'll admit the carpet and the door aren't the most comfortable, I'll do it for you anyway. I just want to help. I won't judge you. I just hate hearing you hurting."

He could still hear her soft cries from inside and his heart ached. He knew she was so alone, and so scared, and he knew that she wasn't the bitch she pretended to be. There were a few clattering noises and a muffled curse from inside. He waited patiently until she unlocked the door to let him in.

"I…I'm going to unlock it…" Santana mumbled, and Blaine shifted away so he didn't fall over when she opened the door. He heard the latch click and she peered nervously out, her eyes dropping when she located him on the floor.

"Can I come in, San? Please?"

She opened the door wider and walked away, so Blaine got to his feet and stepped inside. Her room was still pretty bare but it was at least lived in. And she was neat. Not like some crazy, messy person with stuff all over her floor. He watched as she curled up against the bed frame and wall and he sat on the edge of the bed.

"What happened?" he asked gently.

"I was at Breadstix with Dave a-and Brittany and Artie turned up. She just looked so sad and she tried to say sorry. She w-wanted to know what she'd done wrong because I won't t-talk to h-her and I just…" She looked down at her shaking hands. "I couldn't do it. I walked out and D-Dave tried to grab my arm to stop me but I…I yelled some really h-horrible things at him in the carpark and..." She looked up at Blaine, eyes shining with tears even as they trickled over her cheeks. "W-what if he never talks to me again?" Blaine edged towards her and touched her knee gently. "And then I…I don't know why…I called h-home…I just wanted to hear Daddy…and he…he let loose and I just f-feel so shitty and worthless…"

Blaine reached for her shoulders as she began to cry again and he moved closer to pull her against his chest. His fingers slipped through her hair and slowly, slowly, she calmed down. He reached for her hand and linked their fingers together.

"I can't say it'll be okay, because I honestly don't know." He rested his cheek against her hair and squeezed her hand. "But you aren't alone. You're never alone, San. You always have Kurt and me."

"I'm such a s-stupid fuck though. H-how can I expect Brittany to love me when I can't even love myself?" she said miserably, wiping her face on her knees.

"Hey now. None of that." He hugged her tighter and closer. "I adore you, in a completely platonic way. I know Kurt cares so much for you. I think he's just a bit afraid of showing it sometimes because he's not sure how you'll react," he paused and stroked his thumb over hers. "And Karof- Dave loves you. I know he might be hurting right now from whatever you said, but he's your friend and he'll calm down. You'll both be cool in a couple of days."

Santana shook her head and stared up at him tearfully. "You don't get it, Anderson. I'm feeling totally fucking alone. I thought I'd always have Britt or Cheerios. I though Puck would always have my back but I can't…" She frowned, thinking over the words. "I don't want to deal with anyone anymore. I'm sick of dealing with everyone's bullshit. I want it to all go away. It hurts, Blaine. It hurts," she whimpered.

Blaine felt his stomach twist with nerves. "How do you want it to all go away?" he asked cautiously.

Santana looked away. "You know. You aren't that stupid, hobbit."

"Suicide is never the answer, Santana." He felt panic starting to seep into his veins and vowed to watch her closer. She hadn't survived this long to let go so easily. He wasn't going to let her.

She snorted but didn't respond.

He reached for her face to tilt it up, staring into her dark eyes. "It's not. No matter how you feel, it's not. Things will always improve with enough time."

"Maybe I don't care about time anymore," she whispered brokenly.

He was running out of words to say because he was getting so scared by what she was saying. He held her as tight as he could and a soft kiss to her forehead. Her pain was killing her. He thought she had been managing but he was clearly wrong.

"Will you sing with me?" he asked after a long silence.

"What?" She wriggled her head up to look at him.

"Sing. With me. A duet, of sorts." He could hear the song in his head and he wasn't sure it would leave until he'd sung it. "I know a song, but there's not many female lines. But I just…I think it would suit the situation. Maybe. Please?"

She sighed. "Fine. Whatever."

He wasn't really comfortable leaving her alone that night after gaining a better insight into how she was really feeling. Except that after quiet talking of nonsense for half an hour, she had pretty much kicked him out. So now he was laying in his bed, staring at the ceiling. Kurt had texted him goodnight a while ago but he just couldn't sleep, turning over the lyrics in his head and pondering how on earth he could fix a situation that seemed so beyond repair.

It had been two days and he had seen Santana and Karo-Dave in the corridors and he figured things must have been resolved when he saw Dave hug her. He hadn't wanted Santana to flip her shit and refuse to sing the song with him though so he had organised it with the band earlier and shoved the music in her hand as they started playing. He saw her eyes widen and mouth open in protest, but he had silenced her with a glare and started singing.

"You come to me with scars on your wrist,

You tell me this will be the last night feeling like this," he sang, staring her down.

"I just came to say goodbye,

I didn't want you to see me cry, I'm fine," she responded quietly, weakly, fearfully. Her eyes darted to the others in Glee club who were watching closely, eyebrows raised, glances shifting between them rapidly.

"But I know it's a lie," Blaine finished, launching into the chorus.

"This is the last night you'll spend alone,
Look me in the eyes so I know you know,
I'm everywhere you want me to be." He continued gazing directly at Santana, hoping she was getting the meaning behind his words. He'd heard the original so many times and had toned it down to be more acoustic. It worked. It was slower and lighter and more intimate.
"The last night you'll spend alone,
I'll wrap you in my arms and I won't let go,
I'm everything you need me to be."

He saw her eyes fill with tears as she registered their meaning and he held out his hand to her, which she nervously took. He squeezed her hand and pulled her closer.

"Your parents say everything is your fault,
But they don't know you like I know you,
They don't know you at all," Blaine sang. He remembered when she had told him about some of the words her father had shouted at her as she threw her things together. He silently vowed that any children he had with Kurt would be loved regardless of their sexuality.

Santana's gaze flickered from Blaine to Brittany and back. "I'm so sick of when they say,
It's just a phase, you'll be okay, you're fine." She shook her head as the tears slipped from her eyes as Blaine joined in on the following line and took over the chorus again.

He continued holding her hand as he danced around her, spinning her in slow circles as she fought back the tears with a weak smile.

"The night is so long when everything's wrong.
If you give me your hand,
I will help you hold on," he looked down at their enclosed hands and pulled her into a gentle hug.
"Tonight, toniiiight," he whispered into her ear. He was completely oblivious to the rest of Glee club. All he could see was Santana, the girl who was nearly his height, who lived with him, who had cried in his arms two nights ago and he wished he could take away her pain. As he sang the chorus for the final time, he saw her mouthing the words back at him, her cheeks shiny with tears.

"I won't let you say goodbye,
And I'll be your reason why.
The last night away from me,
Away from me…" Blaine murmured the final line, tugging her close again and burying his face into her hair while she sniffled against his shoulder.

"Thank you," she whimpered, clutching at his shirt.

"Never let go," he breathed against her hair and she nodded shakily.

He could hear a smattering of applause and Mr. Schue nervously clearing his throat from his seat, so he let his arms drop from around Santana but refused to let go of her hand.

"Well, that was…um…different," Schue said, his eyes moving between the two curiously.

"It's not all true," Blaine said, clutching Santana close, feeling like he was protecting her. "The lyrics I mean. I just…I felt like Santana needed to know that people are here for her."

He saw Kurt give him a half-smile and he nudged Santana to look, and she returned it with a tiny curl of her lips.

"Okay. Well…that was…yeah. I think we might move on to Sectionals things now," Mr. Schue said as Blaine and Santana made their way back to their seats, and Kurt pressed a hand to Santana's knee in silent encouragement.

Rachel was already bouncing out of her seat, bubbling with ideas which Santana tuned out. She clung to Blaine's hand the rest of Glee and Kurt eventually linked their arms together and she tried to draw strength from the two boys holding onto her.

A/N: The song in this chapter was 'The Last Night' by Skillet. My darling beta said she loved the idea of it as an acoustic (because it's really more of a rock song) and so I tried to blend that idea back in through pure imagination...

Thanks for reading lovelies! Next chapter is when shit goes down, so just remember, if you might be triggered, stop reading now! x