Nick sucked on his lower lip and eyes were back to the line of the horizon in the distance as he gave a shake of his head. "Nope," he had to confirm, but it was quietly and guiltily. But why did he feel guilty? It wasn't his fault he had been brought here at sixteen before anything between him and Jeff really progressed. The guilt that he had been riddled with over walking away from Blaine that night he had the slushie thrown at him had been enough to bring him here and keep him here. That wasn't his fault. Once you got here, everyone had to learn to wear the very reason that brought you here because that was why you were here to begin with. But he knew without having to verbalise it that the reason hew as feeling guilty now was because being different meant Jeff was probably going to hurt over it, and that would be the last thing in the world he would want. It was completely out of his control, however, and as a result, that hurt him too. Since getting here on the island, he hadn't really explored his sexuality all that much. He knew he was bisexual, just knew deep down in his heart, but he hadn't acted on it. Other than Jeff back home before he was sucked here, he hadn't slept with any other guys. He had visited Aquatique a few times, and danced with some guys, but mostly he had just gone to visit Kurt who managed it. Since he started dating Quinn, as to Nick's romantic loyalty, she was the only one he had eyes for since. "We're different, but the same. It's a weird concept. Maybe a more accurate way to explain it is we are innately the same, as personality, but different as to life experiences and how they impacted on us. Life shapes you, but inside, you're still you. That's what people are like here. For me, I've been here for ten years, so I had to grow up here and I grew up doing things way different to how I would have done back there. Kurt's no doubt the most different of all of us, but without Blaine, he's not the same person. Blaine built such a distinct part of him, that without it, he is different. He's lost a light no one has ever been able to coax back into him. No one but Blaine can."

He could see that Jeff was visibly upset and a lump formed in his throat to witness it. What he would give to not hurt Jeff, but he had no other choice here. He couldn't just snap his fingers and be the Nick Jeff wanted and needed because he didn't know who that other person was or what made him who he was. He put his arm around Jeff's shoulders and gave him a soft, gentle hug so he could at least show him that their friendship could still be there if they wanted it. It might take a bit of work, but he was sure it could be. "I just think for now, for me, it's better to not know. I'm pretty much already riddled with guilt that I can't somehow change it for you and I don't know how I would cope hearing the full story. I've heard enough to understand where you stand here, and I really am sorry that you need to go through this. But we're a strong group here and we help each other get through it. Plus, back there, a lot of pain and loss is left that here we get a new chance to live without. I know it's going to take a lot and it will be time, but we can still be friends, right? I... I never honestly thought I'd see you again. Ten years is a really, really long time to wait for someone and them to just... never arrive."