Author's Note:

Recently someone made some comments about me on tumblr, implying that I was wrong to believe that Blaine might have owed the Warblers a bit of an apology in Way Out should the missing scene "I Want You Back" have aired in the show. In response, I've written the following:

Prompt: Most memorable moment with your best friend.

Characters: Nick and Blaine (Verse: Ready to Fly Series/Way Out)

Words: 807

Date: August 7, 2012

As Nick watched Sebastian aim the slushie at Kurt, for not the first time regret filled him. But it was absolutely nothing compared to the jolt of shame and guilt that threatened to stop his heart when Blaine pushed Kurt out of the way and the slushie slammed into Blaine. As Nick stood in shock watching his best friend scream and writhe on the concrete floor of the parking garage, he couldn't help but flash back to an afternoon nine months before, safely tucked away inside the walls of Dalton Academy. He knew very well that today wasn't the first time that Blaine had been knocked to the floor with one blow.

Nick had shut the door behind them, the Warblers leaving them alone. Today hadn't been the first time that suspicion rang through him after Blaine returned from a weekend visit home. Today it was a "knee injury," that kept his friend from participating in the choreography. Last time it had been a fall rollerblading. And every time, Blaine's usual suave confident demeanor was replaced with forced smiles that never reached his hazel eyes.

Their friendship was different than his one with Jeff. He and Jeff had been paired as roommates freshman year and a match made in heaven wouldn't have even begun to describe the pair. Nick and Jeff became instant best friends, complimenting one another like peanut butter and jelly, though they'd argue for hours about which was which. He met Blaine a few weeks later at the first Warbler rehearsal following auditions. Nick had noticed him immediately, the quiet boy in the corner, who when engaged lit up like a firecracker full of passion for the arts, so similar to Nick's. Their friendship developed slowly, each day building on the previous one, until one day Nick realized that he could call Blaine "best friend" as easily as he did Jeff.

And it was then that he noticed the pattern that led them to today.

When you see a man who's raging
And he's jealous and he fears
That you've walked through walls he's hid behind for years

"Blaine," he asked, soft and caring, from the couch where he'd listened to Blaine sing and watched his tears fall. Nick knew he was right. Dalton wasn't only a safe haven from the ugliness Blaine had escaped at his school, but it was an escape from home as well. "Is someone hurting you?"

Blaine nearly hugged the piano, wishing the music would save him now, in this moment, as it had for the past sixteen years. Nick saw the battle on his face as he struggled. He'd kept the secrets for so long, but he needed someone to know. Nick's breath caught when Blaine fearfully nodded. Hazel eyes widened.

"Please, Nick, you can't tell anyone," Blaine pleaded.

"It's your Dad." Nick said not needing to ask. The pieces all fit.

"Nothing I do is ever good enough," Blaine confessed. "Sometimes he gets angry…" Blaine meant to go on, but he couldn't. He'd revealed enough secrets for one day.

Nick didn't need him to. He heard and understood and would support Blaine in any way he could possibly need him. Nick took Blaine carefully in his arms, not knowing exactly where the pain was or how bad it would be. He felt the stiffness relax slightly and he promised that whatever Blaine needed to keep himself safe, he would always be there.

Nick left the Warblers behind in Blaine's living room fighting over which movie they were going to watch and followed his best friend into the kitchen to help with snacks. It had been two days since he'd come over and apologized, and as he promised, he brought the boys over to do the same. Blaine easily forgave them but Nick could tell something was still wrong.

"What aren't you saying?" Nick asked, arms crossed, as he watched Blaine with his eye patch, a visual reminder of his betrayal.

Blaine shrugged. "I just feel like maybe I owe you and the guys a bit of an apology as well. I was so angry at Sebastian that day, blatantly seducing me in front of Kurt, but maybe I shouldn't have included the rest of you in it."

"We were classless Blaine," Nick admitted.

"Not any moreso than the Gap Attack," Blaine reminded him regretfully. "You guys backed me then knowing how Kurt and I really felt for one another."

"Listen to me Blaine Anderson. You owe no one an apology. When I saw you on the ground all I could think of was…" Nick trailed off.

Blaine lowered his head. "Yeah. Me too."

"So no apologies. This wasn't your fault any more than that was. I failed you this time, but I won't again. From now on, I'm always there for you, no matter what."