Jeff's car was left behind in Columbus and Tyler drove him home. Nick was forced to drive separately despite his screaming need to be with Jeff right now. The blonde was tired and confused and emotionally destroyed. He needed time to rest and figure out his situation at home before Nick had any right to talk to him about their relationship.

Nick returned home very late that night. He was greeted at the door by his mother who was, of course, worried out of her mind.

"Nick! There you are!" she exclaimed. "You had me worried sick! Where in the world have you been? I was starting to think that you had run off, too!"

"We found Jeff," Nick said simply. He felt drained, too.

His mother's face brightened slightly. "That's great! Ellen must be so relieved. Was he okay?"

"As okay as expected," Nick admitted. "He didn't want to come back. Tyler convinced him." He still felt disappointed at the fact that Nick couldn't persuade him on his own. But why should Jeff listen to Nick now? He had destroyed Jeff's trust in him. He didn't deserve Jeff's forgiveness.

"Well, that's good, isn't it?" She seemed confused by his lack of enthusiasm. "What's wrong, Nick?"

Nick shook his head. "Nothing. I'm just…tired, that's all. It's been a long day," he lied. "I just need to sleep." He started for his bedroom and faked a slight smile. "I'll see you in the morning, okay?"

She frowned but didn't protest. "Okay. Goodnight, honey."

Nick ducked away to his room quickly. He went straight to the window and pushed the curtains aside to look at Jeff's house.

There was Tyler's car in the driveway. The lights in the house were lit and Nick assumed Jeff was busy reuniting with is worried mother. He sighed heavily and sat down on the wooden window seat beneath the curtains. He wondered if Jeff wanted to see him as much as he wanted to see Jeff.

The lights at the Griffin house stayed lit into the early hours of the morning. Nick drifted to sleep right there in the window, curled up on the bench.

…

After a long night of tears and talking, Jeff was able to get some much needed sleep. Tyler stayed the night and had slept on the couch, leaving the bed to Jeff.

After waking up late in the afternoon, Jeff's first thought was of Nick. Last time they spoke, Nick had told him all about the evil Sebastian and what he was doing to the Warblers.

He jumped out of bed and quickly dressed himself. He snuck out the back door quietly as Tyler lied snoring on the sofa still. He cut through his backyard to Nick's home and knocked on the front door.

It was answered by Nick's dad. "Oh, Jeff," he said, surprised.

"Hi, Mr. Romano," he greeted with a strained smile. "Is Nick home? I need to see him."

Mr. Romano glanced behind him into the house. "Um… Well, I think he's sleeping still. And his mother is sleeping…so just be quiet, okay?" He gave Jeff a friendly smile and stood aside to let him in.

"Thank you so much," Jeff breathed gratefully. He stepped inside and went straight for Nick's room.

As his father had said, Nick was still asleep. The lights in his room were off but the curtains were drawn, so his room was bright with sunlight. Nick was sleeping awkwardly curled against the window frame. His cheek was pressed to the wall and his arm was hanging behind him off the bench.

Jeff smiled vaguely at the sight and felt his heart swell for the fast-asleep brunette. He had missed Nick terribly. It felt nice to feel this way again.

Gently, he nudged Nick's shoulder to wake him. Nick stirred slightly, wincing at the light as he tried to open his eyes. "That can't possibly be comfortable," Jeff teased softly.

Nick sat up and seemed to come alive at the sound of Jeff's voice. "Jeff?" He rubbed his eyes and wiped dried saliva from his chin hastily and looked up at Jeff with confusion. "What are you doing here? I thought…" he trailed away.

"I wanted to see you," Jeff said honestly. "Yesterday was an emotional rollercoaster and we hardly had time to speak. I've missed you." So, so much.

Nick's green eyes sparkled. "Really?" He seemed to be relieved. "I was worried that…maybe you were still angry with me. Because of what I did."

"Let's put that behind us," Jeff decided. "I understand why you did it. It's okay. I don't blame you anymore."

Tears suddenly filled Nick's eyes and he jumped up to throw his arms around Jeff in a hug. "I'm so sorry, Jeff," he sniffled. "I've missed you so much."

Jeff hugged Nick back tightly and buried his face in his neck. "Let's never breakup again," he murmured. "I love you, Nick."

The brunette was trembling as he cried softly. "I love you too, Jeff," he whispered with a quivering voice. "I'll never mess up like that again."

Being close to Nick again felt so right. It had been so difficult going through life without him.

…

The next day, Jeff returned to Dalton Academy with Nick at his side once again.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Nick was saying as Jeff led the way through the corridors.

"Positive," he answered unwaveringly.

"You don't have to," Nick protested. "I can just quit. It's not a big deal."

"You really think that weasel will just let you up and quit like that?" Jeff challenged.

Nick fell silent at that. He turned his gaze to the marble floors as they approached the choir room.

Inside, they were greeted enthusiastically.

"Nick! Jeff!" Trent exclaimed. He charged at them and hugged them both joyfully. "We thought you had left forever!"

"Did you two get back together?" asked another Warbler.

"Are you coming back to the Warblers?" asked another.

Thad approached them with a strangely sad smile. "So you two talked?" He said it to Nick.

Nick smiled back at him somewhat regretfully. "Yes, we did. We decided to get back together."

"That's great," Thad said. It sounded forced. "I'm so happy for you guys. I knew it was meant to be."

Nick opened his mouth to speak again, but was interrupted by a voice at the door.

"What's going on in here?"

Sebastian.

"I thought I told everyone to rehearse during downtime?" The Warblers in the room scurried away to remote parts of the room to practice. The room fell deathly silent and tension hung heavy in the air. Sebastian noticed Nick and Jeff right away. "What is this?" he demanded.

"Hi, Sebastian," Nick mumbled.

"What's blondie doing back here?" he demanded smoothly. "Here to pick up a few boy toys? Sorry, blondie, but you'll have to come back after practice. We're busy."

"I want to rejoin," Jeff said firmly.

The Warblers—who had been pretending to practice the set list and dance routine—all turned at this. Jeff had their full attention now, although no one dared speak a word while Sebastian was present.

"Rejoin?" Sebastian echoed thoughtfully. "That's pretty bold of you, considering the fool you made of yourself before you stormed out of here." Sebastian nonchalantly strolled across the room, brushing Nick's shoulder on the way. The brunette recoiled slightly at the touch. "As you already know, Jeff, the Warblers are very popular. The waitlist for auditions is six pages long." He stopped at the edge of the council table and turned to face Jeff. "Why do you think you're so special that you get to just skip right on over all of those poor boys longing to join? If you wish to rejoin… go put your name at the end of that signup sheet."

"That's not fair!" Nick protested before Jeff could speak. "Jeff has been part of the Warblers for years!"

"Nick," Sebastian said his name with a sharp edge of warning. "Let's not forget the way things work around here."

Nick faltered. Jeff knew that was a subtle hint to the blackmail that Sebastian was holding over his head regarding his journal.

"We could make an exception for Jeff," protested one of the Warblers. "We all know him."

"Yeah! He already knows the routine. It's better than bringing someone else who has to learn everything still."

"With Sectionals right around the corner, I think we need someone familiar!"

There was a chorus of agreement throughout the room. Jeff felt a rush of warmth in his chest. How could he have ever thought that his Warblers hated him?

Sebastian considered this with an angry frown. He was outnumbered. It would be foolish now for him to argue and risk having his position questioned.

"Let's put it to a vote," Sebastian decided. He jerked his head at Thad and Nick to join him at the council table. Nick squeezed Jeff's hand before hurrying to his seat.

The other Warblers took a seat somewhere in the room. Couches and tables filled and Sebastian—who had taken Thad's usual spot in the middle—rapped the gavel to call the meeting to order.

"All in favor—" Sebastian's eyes swept across the room, lingering momentarily on a few certain Warblers with a hint of malice. Jeff recognized that they were all the Warblers Nick had named as being blackmailed. "—of allowing Jeff Griffin to return to the Warblers?"

Hands all over the room went up. Jeff noticed a few hands remained down. Trent sat uneasily, hand down with a frown. Jon was stony-faced. Flint had his hands clasped in his lap.

Nick and Thad, however, both raised their hands defiantly.

Sebastian counted the votes silently, although there was no question that the overwhelming majority had their hands raised.

"Very well," Sebastian said finally. "Jeff Griffin is hereby reinstated as a member of the Warblers." The rapping of the gavel made it final. "Meeting adjourned. We will pick up practice where we left off tomorrow morning before school!"

Everyone jumped to their feet to welcome Jeff back with hugs and enthusiastic handshakes as they filed out of the room.

"Great to have you back man!"

"Now that you're back, we're gonna kill it at sectionals!"

"This place wasn't the same without you!"

Jeff was overwhelmed by the praise and acceptance. He hadn't realized just how much he missed everyone until now.

Soon, everyone had left except for the councilmembers and Jeff. Nick quickly gathered his things without looking at Sebastian and returned to Jeff's side.

"Not so fast," Sebastian barked.

Nick tensed up and Thad frowned.

"I thought the terms of our agreement were very clear?" Sebastian challenged them. "What part of unquestioning loyalty is difficult for you two to understand?"

"Oh, come off it, Sebastian," Jeff snapped. "Either way, the vote was a landslide."

"I'm not talking to you, blondie," Sebastian retorted. He turned back to Nick, eyes flaming. "I can't have my council going against me. If you can't agree with me on that…well, let's just say you might regret it." His expression of anger suddenly dissolved into an unnerving smile. "You are dismissed."

Rage burned in Jeff's throat, but Nick grabbed his arm and led him out of the choir room before he could say—or do—anything.

"That conniving, evil, sick, twisted little—"

"Jeff!" Nick hissed. "Please. I really don't want to egg Sebastian on any more than I already have."

"You didn't even do anything!"

"It doesn't matter. Listen to him. He's not kidding around." He turned his green eyes on Jeff seriously. "Please, Jeff. Just…just go along with him. Do what he says. It's easier than the alternative."

Jeff noticed Thad shudder as he walked along beside them.

Jeff sighed. "Okay," he surrendered reluctantly. If it was up to him, he would smack that smug smile right off of that weasel's ugly face. How dare he treat Nick like this? And the others, too?

The Warblers used to be great. Sure, not everyone got the solo they wanted, but they were able to work as a team. They were friends, comrades. Now, it was a quiet dictatorship.

…

"What if you all came forward and exposed Sebastian?" Jeff suggested. "None of you would have to reveal your secrets."

Jeff just wouldn't let it go. He didn't understand.

"No, Jeff," Nick mumbled, exasperated. "You just have to forget it. Sebastian isn't going to go down without taking everyone else with him. Guaranteed."

"Do you really think everyone would judge you if they knew about…about your journal?" Jeff asked carefully.

Nick frowned. "Whether or not they would judge me is beside the point," he said. "I don't want anyone to know. I didn't even want you to know for a long time! It's my personal life. I feel violated knowing that Sebastian has a detailed knowledge of it. I…I don't know what I would do if everyone found out."

He looked at Jeff. The blonde was sitting at the edge of Nick's bed in his room while Nick sat at the computer desk. They were supposed to be doing homework, but it was hard to concentrate after that Warblers meeting.

"It's not such a big deal," Jeff continued to press on. "No one will think differently of you."

"That's not the point!" Nick said it a little more testily than he meant to. "Could you imagine how you would feel if everyone knew, down to the raw details, about how your father had been treating you for these past few weeks?" Jeff flinched at that. Nick instantly felt bad for bringing it up and backtracked quickly. "I'm sorry, Jeff, I shouldn't have said that."

"No, it's okay," he said. "I never thought of it that way. When you put it that way, I think I get it. I wouldn't want anyone to know about that. Even if they wouldn't judge me."

"Then watch out for Sebastian," Nick said seriously. "Don't let him close to you or he'll find out." I never saw it coming.

"Way ahead of you there," Jeff mumbled.

"I feel like he might have a special kind of hate for you," Nick said. "He seems so…angry when you're around. So if he finds out, I don't think he'll give you any warning before spilling it all over the school."

"Maybe he knows I'm bisexual," Jeff said.

Nick frowned, confused. "But Sebastian is gay," he pointed out. "Why would he hate you for being bi?"

"He's biphobic," Jeff said. "That Jonah guy told me last time we talked. He said Sebastian had a long-term boyfriend who cheated on him with a girl, and ever since, he's hated bisexual guys."

It stung a little when Jeff mentioned Jonah. Had the two spoken recently? Did they talk on a normal basis? Did Jeff see him while they were broken up?

Nick shook these thoughts away. After what happened between him and Thad, he didn't think he had much of a right to be jealous.

"I didn't know that about Sebastian," Nick said finally. "I wouldn't be surprised if he knew, then. Someone could have told him a long time ago."

Jeff nodded. "Then rejoining the Warblers should be…interesting."

"Just be careful," Nick warned uneasily. "I don't want you to get hurt. Don't give Sebastian any fuel."

"I'll be careful," Jeff assured him.

…

That night, Jeff talked to Jonah with a guilty conscious.

"I think Sebastian knows I'm bisexual," he said into the phone.

"Why do you think that?" Jonah asked, sounding concerned.

"Oh, I've had a few little hints," Jeff said simply. "You didn't say anything to him, did you?"

"Of course not," Jonah answered. "I had a good time with you last time. Why would I sabotage it by turning my best friend against you?"

Jeff frowned to himself. He still hadn't figured out how to tell Jonah that he was no longer single. "Would he tell you if he knew?"

"Well, he's never been afraid to criticize my choice in men before," Jonah said with a laugh. "I haven't talked to him in a few weeks—I've been swamped with school. But I'm sure he'll lay it on me next time I see him."

"Let me know how that goes," Jeff laughed. "Is there anything I can do to make him hate me less? Being in show choir with him is awkward, to say the very least."

"Probably not," Jonah admitted. "Maybe if you claimed to be gay and not bisexual? The damage might already be done, but it wouldn't hurt to try."

"I don't think that will work," Jeff mumbled.

He didn't want to be Sebastian's friend. He thought the new Warblers councilmember was conniving and evil and he hated him for what he was doing to Nick and the others. But if Jonah liked him, maybe there was some good in him, somewhere.

"Do you want me to talk to him?" Jonah asked.

"No, that's okay," Jeff protested quickly. If Sebastian found out that he and Jonah were still talking, he would surely tell Nick. "Don't worry about it. I'll figure it out."

"If you say so." Jonah didn't argue. "So, Jeff, when's our next date gonna be?" he asked suddenly. "I was thinking we could go to Scandals again. Music, drinking, and dancing… it'll be fun."

"Yeah, that sounds like fun," Jeff agreed uneasily. "Let me figure out my schedule for show choir and I'll let you know. We have Sectionals coming up, so we're really busy preparing."

"Ok, great. Keep in touch!" Jonah said cheerfully. "I'm going to get started on my homework, but I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay. I'll talk to you tomorrow," Jeff said guiltily. "Goodnight."

The phone clicked off. Jeff was left sitting silently in his dark bedroom, overwhelmed with remorse. He loved Nick. That wasn't a question. But he couldn't figure out how to break things off with Jonah.

If he was going to do it, he needed to do it soon. There was no doubt that Sebastian would go running to Nick, gleefully, with the news that Jeff wasn't being completely faithful.

He didn't want to be with Jonah. Beside Nick, Jonah was no one to Jeff. He had just never been any good with break-ups. Aside from his short break with Nick, he had never 'dumped' anyone before.

If he was going to do it, though, he would have to do it quickly before Sebastian got a hold of it. The last thing Jeff wanted to do was jeapordize his relationship with Nick again.

…

So I decided to update this one, too! Not too eventful, but YAY NIFF IS TOGETHER AGAIN!

Let me know if you're reading by leaving a review!