Crossroads

Everyone has left Lima, living their dreams in road trips and college, except for you. You're stuck in this cow town and there's no one you could talk but your dad. You think at what could be while you have your hands covered in grease, but you turn to look and find her sitting there all sad and lonely...and broken. You wipe the grease off your hands thinking that maybe, just maybe you could find someway to make everything alright again.

A/N: Slightly AU...mostly in Kurt's POV. BabyGate happened during the later parts of the Glee Kids' Senior Year.

Disclaimer: Glee is too expensive for me to own.

Clean up on Aisle 12

Kurt Hummel looked up from the box he was holding, then scanned the floor around him. No spills, no nothing. Just him and his cart of groceries. He glanced quickly to the signage above him, indeed he was in Aisle 12, yet...

Clean up on Aisle 12

Ah, yes. Kurt gave a stern glare toward a young man holding a mop in one hand, and a fisted hand in the other. He would be no more than his age. Then again, It is already summer, and surely this was the kid's mandatory summer job.

Jobs. He should get a job. Kurt mentally slapped himself. No, he would leave Lima to go to college, become a High-profile fashion designer, earn tons of money and help his dad finance the family business, then come back to Lima and tell those jocks off that threw him in dumpsters and threw slushies in his face as they struggle on those blue-collared jobs that they have to settle with, asserting himself once again that yes, he is far superior than those meandering Neanderthals...as planned and neatly written in his Things-to-Do List, on his LV styled diary of course.

The feeling of having graduated from McKinley was still so fresh in his mind, although winning State was bittersweet. They would definitely have gone and won more but that new principal that replaced Figgins in midterm just didn't care about the Arts or Glee for that matter. It got the whole club wondering if this was Sue Sylvester in disguise and finally after scheming and executing, she'd have succeeded in destroying Glee. The closing down of the club had pretty much tore up all the kids. When that monster of a principal announced that she was closing down Glee due to budget cuts right in the middle of them rehearsing a group number for Nationals, that little happy place they built in and around their little group collapsed like a toddler's Lego tower. The newer recruits weren't so much as affected as the core group of 12. There were 21 members in Glee now, yet their status in social hierarchy remained. Glee kids were still in the sub-basement. The room had erupted into a series of disappointing groans and fits of anger. Kurt remembered being frozen, numb. He felt like he couldn't move. Glee is done. Just when everything started to pick up, it was gone just like that. He didn't even notice Mercedes practically hanging and holding on to him, her sobs drowning out every sound in his periphery. It took him a while to notice that Even Mr. Schue was finding it difficult to suppress a sob or two. It was then he put on that blank face he had perfected so long ago, and led themselves to a chair nearby. He was on auto-pilot so to speak. As he was rubbing Mercedes' back, whispering reassuring words that even he wouldn't believe, he scanned the room, his eyes falling on each original-12 kid that he had grown to call his friends. Artie and Tina somehow got on the floor, his frown ever so evident despite him trying to hide it in Tina's hair as she sobbed into his shoulder. Santana and Brittany had managed to join the two on the floor, the former looking positively shell-shocked with the latter still managing a smile to go along with her positive outlook on all things miserable. Matt and Mike were going around the room consoling the other members of Glee, though you could tell they had heavy weight on their shoulders. At the far end of the room, Quinn sat on the piano bench, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. After being removed from Cheerios, Glee was all she had left and as much as she denies it, she loved being in Glee. Now you'd think that either Finn or Noah would be at her side, consoling her and telling her that everything will be alright, but no. Quinn was left alone to her misery. At a corner of the room, Finn had somewhat contained a hysterical Rachel, enveloping her in an embrace as she hyperventilated. Noah sat alone by the instruments, occasionally hitting the drum to vent off. If you looked hard enough, you'd see him angrily wipe off a tear or two. It doesn't have to be that bad you say. Surely Mr. Schue would fight for the club, but reality and finality had dawned upon you when you realized Friday's last period (Glee period) had become an extra gym period. They'd still have each other to hang around during free time you say. Well, it wasn't like that. After Glee had been disbanded, all the bonds they formed with each other had apparently disappeared as well. Tina, Artie, Mercedes, and himself still spent time with one another, hanging out during weekends with the additional of Brittany. Apparently Santana had left Brittany for some other Hockey jock and Brittany had no one else to turn to. Rachel and Finn became inseparable, with Finn tagging along to every club Rachel had formed. Mike and Matt went back behind the shadows, focusing their time to football, baseball, basketball, and every other sport they found just to keep themselves busy. And Noah...no, Puck. Puck had gone out of his reformed ways, returning to such ranks of meandering Neanderthals as he reveled in Slushie Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays...okay the whole week, gaining respect from the jocks after his stint on homo-explosion as he might call it, snickering every time as he threw Kurt into the dumpster every Tuesdays and Thursdays. Ah, yes. It was back to the good ole days.

A cough brought Kurt back from his reverie to the surprisingly blinding lights of the run-down store. Oh to be grocery shopping in Lima, OH at midnight at some 24-hour market. Why was he here again? Oh yeah, his dad failed to remind him that they were practically out of supplies and stocks at 11pm just as he was getting into bed. Kurt moved to complain only to be again, reminded that Aunt Mildred was coming over tomorrow morning. And you know how old people are, when they say 6 am, she'll be there at 6 am.

And so here he was, pushing a cart that tended to slip to the side if you didn't have a firm hold on the handle. The young man still hadn't moved from his place.

Clean up on Aisle 12

There's that damned phrase again. Kurt didn't have to ask the man, but he was fully aware of what was there to be cleaned up. Or more appropriately, who. Kurt simply shook his head, carefully placing the box of cereal into his cart, pushing it along the aisle, slowing down as he reached the man...boy, really.

"You better improve your stocks and services around here. I heard that they're planning to make a super mart out of that building around the block. If you're not careful, they might just close you down."

Kurt turned back to him as he passed, surprised that the kid had guts to talk back to him.

"You don't know what you're talking about, fag. Just leave before the boss comes and sees you prancing about in his store."

Oh he had to go there did he? But Kurt was far too used to this no matter how it stung every time.

"Look Mr...." Kurt glanced at the kid's ID tag, no name. "At least I'm not the one stuck cleaning after old ladies and their dogs. I on the other hand...well, I have the chance to leave this cow town and be somebody. Unlike you, who will forever be an unknown as your nameless tag that you so proudly wear. Honestly, does your boss even know your name?" No reply. "I thought so. Run along now, we don't want the boss to find out you've been slacking here now don't you." And with that Kurt turned on his heel, not minding what the kid had to say or do.

Stepping out into the uncharacteristically chilly night of a summer with his bag of groceries was a welcoming feeling as streaks of tears came running down his cheeks. Who was he kidding? He was never going to be somebody. Sure he had plans, he had dreams...but the reality that his father would need all the help he can get with the family business with it slowing down and with money so hard to come by these days. His college funds have now been used up for keeping the garage afloat. Kurt had even resorted to returning his most prized possessions in for some bit of cash. Placing the bags in the car, not his Baby, his father had it sold too, he took the chance to run his hands down a simple white shirt and a pair of worn-out jeans. Oh he would miss those designer shirts and knee-length sweaters he used to have. Kurt has learned to deal with wearing the Average Joe's clothing, but he did give himself a little lee-way. He does have a bedazzled shirt hidden in his closet.

Another wave of tears came down upon him as he remembered that letter that acknowledged him being a qualified student for Fashion Design at the Pratt Institute in New York. It's been sitting on his bedroom dresser ever since he got it months ago. It was the day after graduation, his little group with Mercedes, Tina, and Brittany were at Artie's after a night of celebration. He had returned home, by way of Mrs. Abrams, nursing a hangover. His dad found him on the doorstep mulling over if he was to berate his son on getting drunk or on why he hadn't called the night before. Burt had thanked Mrs. Abrams then proceeded to usher his son into the kitchen for a little pick me up. Kurt sat on a barstool silently pledging to himself never to drink again. Or at least when Brittany's around, the girl must have an iron stomach. She barely looked tipsy. That was when his dad handed him a glass and an envelope.

"I know you're not feeling well, but I do think you'd like to open this now."

Kurt had slowly raised his eyes to the envelope, his chin still stuck on the countertop. He rubbed his bleary eyes and read the letter. He let out a squeak, jumped off his chair, feeling incredibly happy. His dad had wrapped him up in his arms, he was truly happy for him. Burt gave his son's hair a brief ruffle before Kurt's stomach revolted. He shook his head sadly, as he watched Kurt disappear into the bathroom. Bad news had to wait.

Kurt always had the feeling that his dad was leaving out a huge detail when he felt sober enough, lying in bed, and the letter still in his hands. It took a couple more days to break it to him. Burt tried his best to give the news as lightly as he can. But it didn't take much for Kurt to understand the meaning of it all. He can't go to college. Not yet, as his dad would put it. He says that he can go to college soon, when things were a little better. His father was quite surprised with the simple nod Kurt gave him, though he was surprised with his reaction himself. A couple years back, he might have cried, locked himself in his room, or simply made noise, but he's grown. Being different and going through hell just because of it makes one man up, so to speak. Driving through town, his mind wandered on how much his friends have fared.

Mercedes immediately called him up that she would be heading to UCLA to pursue her singing career after she'd received accolades upon accolades for finally singing "And I Am Telling You" at State, much to the ire of Rachel, who in turn went straight to NYU. She'd most definitely end up on Broadway. As much as Kurt tries to quell the thoughts of her waving her acceptance form in his face, Rachel still is a great singer, and she has come a long way in her social attitude. They've actually become friends, she'd join Mercedes and him in their weekend shopping sprees...before the group dissolved that is. Finn has gotten a football scholarship in Cleveland. It's still in Ohio, but at least it's out of Lima. Santana went to Texas to live with some aunts, and help with their salon business. And Brittany, bless her, has found herself a calling in Special Ed. She may seem dumb and all but her commitment towards the betterment of education for children with special needs just tugs at the heartstrings. Matt and Mike joined up for a road trip right after high school. They'd gotten in Butler University for dance and on the day before they left Lima, they had visited the garage for some final check-ups of Matt's Civic. They'd been pleasantly surprised when Kurt stepped up and popped the hood. His father was busy with another car and he knew a thing or two about cars. Both had this identical grin as he told them that it was on the house. What surprised Kurt was how they sandwiched him into a hug thanking him for the car, the friendship, and the Glee. As they took off, Kurt felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked back to see his father with a sad smile telling him to get back to work. Puck even managed to expand his pool cleaning business to Florida, how he got there, Kurt wouldn't know. But he had suspicions about the cougars and all that dip he used to talk about. Everyone had left Lima except him. Heck, even Artie and Tina escaped this lowly town, touring state after state with Artie's band, his father driving them around. Artie on the guitar, his friend Bryan on the drums, Ted on bass, and Jewfro Jacob who was surprisingly good on keys, and Tina would sing lead. Mr. Schue and Ms. Pillsbury had eloped to Hawaii, with Mr. Schue getting a teaching job at some local high school there. Everyone was out there living their dreams while he will be stuck in Lima and become that proverbial Lima Loser.

There it was. That term that Kurt had worked so hard not to become. All these memories were tempting him to pack up his things and leave, but he can't do that to his dad. He loved him too much. He was a wreck when mom left, what would he do if he finds I'm gone?

Kurt hadn't noticed he had stopped at a curb. Well, I guess it's better than driving into a tree. It had started raining too, quite hard it was blurring his sight on the road that he might as well just sit it out. Dad won't mind if I'm a bit late. He took this time to mentally count his friends, his hands joining in.

Mercedes...Artie...Tina...Finn...

His eyes wandered to the streets, taking in the lighted houses lining up the street.

Rachel...Brittany...Santana...

His eyes fall on some hunched figure at the bus stop.

Mike...Matt...

A woman...no girl. A pregnant girl.

Puck...That's 10. Who did I miss?

Wait. Blonde, pregnant girl with luggage sitting next to her. Sudden realization dawned upon him right there. Sure he'd gotten crap from her over the past couple years, but the past year had been just unbearable to her. Without even thinking, Kurt got out the car and walked tentatively to the sad form on the bench. She must have heard him, she raised her eyes to his, his name on her lips drowned out by the pouring rain. Kurt blinked, the water stinging his eyes.

"Quinn..."

A/N: I know the story might come off as a bit disjointed...so apologies for any confusions. This is my first attempt at a fic, and any reviews or constructive criticisms are appreciated. Kurt's a favorite character of mine, and so is Quinn...and there's just too few stories about either, I decided that why not just make one with them both in it...this is mostly a Hurt/Comfort/Friendship piece but I may go crazy and just put them together, but that's just me...multi-chap definitely.