Standing in front of Blaine and his boyfriend Jeff looked at them both with a steely determination,"right, both of you, I need you to keep an open mind" he said with a certain amount of trepidation considering Blaine was radiating a fury which was palpable.
"Fuck you Jeff" spat Blaine spinning and heading back down the corridor towards his room.
"What the hell man" said Nick running after Blaine, "don't speak to him like that" he said grabbing Blaine by the shoulder and spinning him round to face him.
"Really? Why the hell not Nick" spat Blaine glaring at his friend, "I thought you of all people would know how I feel", "HE", he gestured towards Jeff, "has my boyfriend in his bed, did you know that huh, did you know they were together last night just like Christian said?"
"Listen Blaine" said Jeff reaching his hand towards his friend.
"Get the hell away from me" Blaine shouted throwing his friends hand off as he reached for him.
"Blaine" Jeff said again, "You have to listen to me, you have to understand."
"Like hell" Blaine said as he stormed back to his room.
"Nick, you trust me right?" Jeff pleaded with teary eyes, "you have to get him to talk to me, you both have to listen."
Nick looked back at his boyfriend, every element of his being wanting to trust him despite the nagging doubts in the back of his mind clawing at his thoughts. Nick looked deep into Jeff's eyes and saw nothing but love and honesty.
"BLAINE" shouted Nick turning from Jeff, "Blaine wait."
Nick and Jeff hurried down the corridor after their friend, pushing his door open and following him into his room.
"I want him the hell out Nick" yelled Blaine pointing to Jeff, "just get him the hell away from me".
"Blaine listen" pleaded Jeff, "It's not what you think, there's nothing going on between Kurt and me. If you'll just listen I can explain everything."
"Nick" Blaine growled pacing his room, "you better get him out of here."
"Look Blaine" Nick replied, "I really think you need to calm down and hear him out, when has he ever done anything to hurt you huh. When have any of us done anything to hurt each other? Kurt loves you. He really does. Why would he do anything to jeopardise that? Why would he do anything that stupid here on your doorstep, where you both live, where we're all friends?" Nick implored, "please just listen to Jeff, he's going to explain it all to me too, he deserves the benefit of the doubt at least."
Blaine turned and looked at Nick, "Do you really believe its innocent?" he asked quietly.
"Yes" Nick replied "but until we let Jeff explain we won't understand what's going on. Are you prepared to do that Blaine?" Nick asked, "without going off at him, coz I won't allow that Blaine, you have to keep it in line, you understand that?"
Blaine looked hard at Nick before finally sighing, "alright then let's hear it."
Defeated he fell onto his bed, feet flat on the floor, elbows bent on his thighs as he looked across the room towards Nick who was closing the door; Jeff had perched on Blaine's desk chair, also watching Nick nervously as he crossed the room and sat next to Blaine on the bed.
"Go on baby" smiled Nick encouragingly, "tell us what's going on".
"Okay" Jeff took a deep breath and closed his eyes while he grounded himself.
"You both know that Kurt's in my room", a low growl erupted from Blaine and Nick placed his arm around his shoulders to both comfort and restrain.
"And you know that he's been there since last night", Jeff glanced at Blaine whose eyes were closed, his fingers flexing on his knees.
"What you don't know is why" Jeff added quickly.
"Why?" questioned Blaine, "I think we know why Jeff" Blaine fumed.
"Blaine please" implored Nick, "just let him explain, please."
"Well, it's like this and please don't let him know that I told you, he was adamant that you didn't know Blaine" Jeff said looking directly at him.
"Kurt's been beaten up", Jeff stated the statement hanging in the air for several beats.
"He what" asked Blaine in disbelief his eyes snapping up to meet Jeff's, "He's been beaten, by who?"
"Um, that Dave kid from his old school" muttered Jeff.
"Dave" spat Blaine rising to his feet in an instant, "when the hell did this happen Jeff" he asked turning towards his friend.
"I don't know exactly" Jeff admitted slowly, "sometime Friday; Kurt had headed home and was meeting his friend, you know the diva from McKinley but she cancelled, anyway not important, he went back to his car and this Dave jumped him and gave him a pounding for showing his face in Lima. In any case he drove around for a few hours deciding whether to go home or not but he ended up here. He called really late, he was in the parking area and was too scared to come in here alone, he asked if he could stay with me until his bruises went down."
"Jesus" sighed Blaine falling back onto the bed, "Why the hell didn't he tell me?" he asked no-one in particular as he ran his hands over his face.
"He's embarrassed" said Jeff, "he doesn't want you to think he's weak and he doesn't want you to worry."
"Fuck" moaned Blaine, "he's the strongest person I know, you guys know the shit he went through at that bloody school and now he's getting it for just going home. How could he think I'd find him weak?"
"His confidence is low" added Nick gently as he squeezed Blaine's shoulder.
"Anyway, you need to let him come to you Blaine", Jeff added "I've managed to talk him round into talking to you tomorrow but you have to let him come to you. He's scared."
Blaine looked up at Jeff who was looking back. Standing, Blaine crossed the room and pulled Jeff into a tight hug.
"I'm so sorry Jeff" he cried into his shoulder, "I'm so sorry for thinking you would do that to me, I'm so fucking sorry."
"Hey man, it's alright" said Jeff tears rolling down his face.
"No, it's not" said Blaine pulling back to look Jeff in the eye, "I've known you a long time and I jumped to conclusions and I apologise, I really am sorry."
"Okay, enough of this touchy feely" said Nick joining them from across the room.
"How is Kurt? I mean really, how bad is he hurt Jeff?" asked Nick.
Blaine released Jeff and walked back towards the bed, stopping before it his back turned to his friends.
"Um, well he has a black eye, a split lip but that seems better today, bruises on his wrists and I'm sure more on his back and body" Jeff said with an anxious glace in Blaine's direction.
Blaine was standing poker straight, his fists clenched to the point that his fingers ached, large tears rolled down his cheeks and he had pretty much stopped breathing altogether.
"Blaine" Nick spoke softly as he approached his friend placing a hand gently on his shoulder, "are you okay?"
"No" Blaine managed to bark out, "what else Jeff, what else happened?"
"That's all he told me" Jeff said questioningly, "why what else do you think happened?"
"Hopefully nothing" Blaine sighed releasing the breath he had been holding but he knew that Dave had kissed Kurt before and he was terrified that this time it could have been worse and he dreaded to think of what might have happened.
"Jeff, do you think it would be okay if I stayed in your room with him tonight? Blaine asked quietly.
"I'm not sure that's such a good idea Blaine. I promised him I wouldn't tell you guys but you really didn't give me much choice about that in the end and I just think maybe you should let him come to you, you know, give him some time?" replied Jeff, "besides he intends on talking to you tomorrow anyway, I heard him leave you a voicemail earlier."
"Are you sure?" asked Blaine flinging himself across the bed on his stomach, hanging over the side looking for his phone which was somewhere on the floor where he had unceremoniously thrown it earlier that evening; clothes and comforter thrown in the air in his attempts to locate it.
"Damn it", he moaned as he found his phone and saw that he had a missed call and a new voicemail. "I suppose this is him saying he'll fill me in tomorrow" he said, gesturing the phone towards Jeff.
"More than likely" Jeff smiled.
"Damn" Blaine said again.
"Look Blaine, it's late and I really can't tell you much more that I have already. How about I get Kurt to come and see you in the morning and you guys can talk it out. What do you think?" questioned Jeff encouragingly.
"Sure" sighed Blaine, "And thanks Jeff. Really, thank you. Thank you for taking care of him for me."
"No problem" smiled Jeff, "I care about him too you know" he said with a wink, "and just so you know, he's going to be starving by the morning so you might want to think about taking him out for breakfast. It'd be a good neutral place to talk too."
"Yeah, that's a good idea Jeff, thanks" said Blaine.
"See, Blaine, he's not just a pretty face" smiled Nick placing a hand around Jeff's waist as he turned him towards the door.
"Hey" smiled Jeff swatting Nicks shoulder with his hand.
"Night guys" Blaine said with a small smile as he watched them leave.
"Goodnight Blaine" they replied together as Nick pulled the door closed behind them and turned down the corridor towards Jeff's room.