Scars and Stones: Chapter 1 (Klaine)

Chapter 8

"Kurt, I want to try again." Since the last attempted phone call, Blaine had avoided the topic of calling Nathan. Kurt hadn't called him out on it, but knew that Blaine would eventually have to decide whether or not he was going to call. Blaine sat down on the sofa next to Kurt, holding the phone in one hand and the letter in the other. He looked to Kurt for acceptance.

"Go for it Blaine. You've got nothing to lose." Blaine dialled the digits, and waited for the ringing to stop at the other end. After the third ring, a gravely voice answered.

"Hello?" Nathan asked. Blaine paused, before replying.

"Hi Nathan. It's Blaine." Blaine could hear the intake of surprise at the other end of the phone.

"Please, call me Nath." There was an awkward silence, before Nathan continued. "So, I'm guessing you read the letter."

"Yeah, I did."

"What did you think?" Blaine paused, unsure as to what to say. How did he feel? He wasn't ready to forgive, that was for sure, but maybe he wanted closure? He looked to Kurt, who took his free hand reassuringly, reminding him he wasn't alone. Blaine pressed a button on the phone, putting on loud speaker so Kurt could also hear what was being said.

"Erm… I don't really know to be honest. I mean, it's been two years Nathan. Why are you suddenly apologising now?" Blaine could feel the anger begin to rise in him. There was a beat of silence, before Nathan replied.

"I was really messed up Blaine. I've been taking anger management classes, and counselling, and I've changed, a lot. I'm a lot more tolerant now, and I realised that I treated you like shit. It wasn't right what happened to you, and I wanted to make amends." Blaine was clutching the phone in anger, becoming more and more tense by the minute. He didn't know what to believe. Could someone really change that much in two years?

"What made you do it in the first place?" He asked darkly, not really wanting to know the answer. Again, Nathan paused before replying.

"I - I don't know." Kurt thought he could hear a rustling down Nathan's end of the phone, like someone else was there, but he quickly dismissed it. Blaine suddenly became overcome with emotion and dropped the phone on the table, burying his head into his knees. Kurt immediately moved to comfort him, while Nathan called out to them on the other end.

"Hello? Hello? Blaine?" His voice sounded anxious, like he was really concerned. Kurt, picking up on this, let go of Blaine and picked up the phone.

"Nathan, this is Kurt. Blaine can't come to the phone right now. Maybe this wasn't such a good-"

"No, please don't hang up! If I can't talk to him, I can talk to you. I need to get him to understand how truly, truly sorry I am." The phone was still on loudspeaker, meaning Blaine could hear every word.

"O-kay. Well, there's some things I want to know. Like, how could you be his friend, and suddenly turn your back on him? Did it not occur to you that he could have died!" Kurt felt his ire begin to rise, but tried to keep himself restrained. He had to keep it together for Blaine.

"Wait a minute, were you listening in on us the whole time?" Nathan, sounding affronted, finally let down some of his barriers. Kurt fought back.

"What does it matter if I did? Blaine wanted me here for support, and now I'm giving it to him."

"This is between me and Blaine, it has nothing to do with you!" Nathan shouted down the phone. Kurt laughed sarcastically.

"Yeah, of course it's nothing to do with me! Like bullying him was nothing to do with you!"

"I told you, I'm sorry about what happened. But that's in the past. Nothing to do with other people."

"It became my business when he showed me what you Neanderthals did to him. And, his reaction to you showing up made it my business. I'm his boyfriend, whether you like that or not. It's my job to protect him." There was stunned silence at the other end of the phone. Kurt thought he could hear someone in the background, but he couldn't be sure.

"He-he showed you?"

"Yes, he did. Sorry if that wasn't part of your plan, but I know everything. You're lucky I didn't go to the police." Nathan didn't reply. Kurt could hear muffling at the other end of the line.

"Nathan?" Kurt tried. He looked over at Blaine, who had uncurled out of his ball and was looking at Kurt intently. His eyes flashed in fear, but also in pride. Kurt knew he'd said the right things. The muffling stopped, and a new voice entered the phone. A voice that filled Blaine with dread.

"Hello Blaine. I know you're there, even if it's your fairy I'm talking to right now. Haven't heard from you in a long time. How's the family?" Dean had been present for the entire conversation! Blaine stared at the phone in shock, paralysed. Nathan had said that they weren't friends. He'd obviously lied, and Blaine had fallen for it. Kurt looked at Blaine in alarm. He looked like he might have a heart attack. Kurt realised who it was without needing Blaine's introduction. He swallowed, trying to answer for Blaine. His mind told him to just hang up, but he just couldn't.

"So, you're Dean. Funny, you don't sound like a Dean. You sound more like an idiot." Kurt couldn't help himself. This boy had tormented Blaine for years. He wasn't going to hang up without some sort of reply. He could hear Dean seething at the other end.

"How dare you, you little queer! You have no idea what I could do."

"My name is Kurt, and don't threaten me. I don't get what you want with Blaine. You already drove him out of his school, what more do you want?" Dean chuckled at the end of the phone.

"Blaine, sounds like you've got a right little diva on your arm. Which is, totally disgusting. Haven't you learned what I taught you? I guess not. Sounds like I need to re-educate you." Kurt's hold on the phone stiffened, but he couldn't let this guy get to Blaine with threats. Blaine was ghostly white, on the verge of passing out.

"If you lay a finger on him-"

"Relax Lady, I cant hurt him through the phone. However, if I were ever to see him… well, that would be a different story." Kurt's heart thudded fast through his chest, unable to think of anything to say.

"Nathan did his job well. Looks like old allies do come in handy. See you around Anderson, and Kurt…I'll look forward to it." He disconnected the call, leaving Kurt shaking. He put the phone down on the coffee table, unable to comprehend what had just happened. He looked at Blaine. Blaine looked back at Kurt, before blacking out. The last thing he heard was Kurt's terrified voice calling out to him.

…

Dean disconnected the call, passing the phone back to Nathan. He smirked, laughing at his own joke.

"Well done Nathan. You have played your part excellently. Your acting skills are incredible." Nathan nodded non-committal, knowing full well he had not been acting. He was really sorry that he was such a coward, and that he was bowing to the will of Dean again. Dean stood up, making his way to leave.

"And now we move onto Phase 2. This is going to be fun. I can feel it" Dean commented, before making his way out the front door. Once he left, Nathan fell face down on the sofa, and screamed and screamed into the cushions until he could scream no longer. He was absolutely terrified, but not as scared as Kurt was when he could not resuscitate Blaine…