***September 2011 (Present Day)***
"Kurt!" called Emma as she walked through the garage, attempting to avoid getting anything messy or dirty on her favorite yellow blouse. Actually, attempting to avoid messy things all together...
"Kurt! Sweetie? Time to go!"
Kurt popped his face up from the car he was working on, face smudged with splotches of black and gray oil that starkly contrasted with his pale skin. "Five more minutes, mom! Burt said that if I could get this carborator working—"
"Fine, fine! But hurry because your sister wanted to go to the mall later today with you."
He rolled his eyes. "Rachel never takes my obviously superior fashion advice anyways!"
"Just hurry up, ok?" she asked with a smile on her face.
Kurt smiled back at her for reassurance that he would hurry, and went right back to working on the car.
***May 1993***
"Did you remember the PopTarts?"
Elizabeth laughed at her husband's childlike question as she turned the windshield wipers on. It was starting to drizzle. "Yes, Burt, I have them right here with me." She had her phone cradled between her neck and her cheek, with both hands on the wheel. "Oh," she suddenly groaned and placed a hand on her swollen belly.
"What?" questioned Burt worriedly. "Is the baby coming!?"
She laughed and placed he second hand back on the wheel. "I'm fine, sweetie. It was just a kick. This baby's going to be a fighter! I can feel it."
"Well," he began. "He does have you as a mother… Speaking of the baby… We still haven't given him a name yet…"
"Burt, sweetie, relax. He's not due for another month anyways."
"I know, I know. But you can never be too careful, ya know. Babies come early." By now, the rain came down harder and Burt could hear it through the phone.
She sighed, choosing to humor her goofy husband. "Ok, just to bring you some peace of mind, we can brainstorm."
"Well… I really like the name Brutus!"
He could practically hear her eyebrow raise. "Brutus? Honey, where did you pull that out of?"
"You know how you like the History Channel? Well, you left it on the other day and I saw something about Brutus being the best friend of Julius Caesar! He'd have an interesting story behind his name!"
She giggled. Burt never really was one to pay too much attention to details.
"Hon, you do realize that it was Brutus who killed Caesar, right?"
"Oh... Well... Then I guess the name wouldn't have that great of a meaning would it?" he laughed. "It did sound kind of barbarian anyways."
"Hmmm... Remember the night we met?" questioned Elizabeth.
Burt laughed. "You mean at that musical Emma dragged me to? What was the name of it again? Hearing Music?"
She sighed and shook her head. "The Sound of Music, Burt... And my point was that we could name him after one of the characters from there. His name would have an interesting story—like you said—but it would be something that's important... Like this family."
A soft smile crawled it's way onto Burt's face. "I love you..."
"I love you, too..."
He laughed. "I know... What did you wanna name him... Since, ya know, you were the one who brought up the musical."
She sighed dreamily. "My favorite character was Kurt. He was so sweet and innocent and just plain adorable! I really like that name. And it rhymes with his dads!"
He gave a quick laugh. "Are you sure? I mean, you don't thing it's a bit too... Unique?"
She laughed as her car rolled to a gentle stop at a red light. "Maybe... I do really like it, though. we'll talk about it some more when I get home. I'm over here by Trenton at the light. There's hardly any traffic though."
"Maybe he'll be named after the famous Kurt Cobain!" He laughed. "I'll see you when you get home... Bye. Love you."
"Love you too."
She pressed the end button, snapped her phone closed, and put it back in her purse.
Finally, when the light turned green, she looked left, then right, then left again, and gently pushed the accelerator forward.
The truck came out of nowhere and the last thing Elizabeth saw were the headlights of an F-150.
***
Burt rushed through the hospital doors and ran up to a receptionist.
"Elizabeth Hummel! Where is she? What-what room? Where? Please!" he begged.
The receptionist knew the desperation in his voice all too well. She sadly shook her head. "I don't have the charts. You'll have to check with the doctor."
At that moment, the doctor came in. "I'm looking for a Mr. Burt Hummel?"
Burt ran towards him, pushing his way through the crowd of people crowded in the lobby. "That's me!"
The doctor hated this part of his job. He took one look at Burt's eyes and knew someones heart was about to be broken. The hope in his eyes was so naive...
The doctor just shook his head and watched as the light in Burt's eyes died out.
Everything slowed down and sounds became muffled and insignificant as Burt just took a seat and buried his face in his hands. He just couldn't believe someone so special and beautiful, kind, compassionate, and carrying another life could be gone so quickly. Elizabeth was the best thing that had ever happened to him.
And just like that, she was gone...
Through the noise, Burt heard the doctors voice. "Mr. Hummel?"
He picked his head up from his hands and looked up at him with watery eyes.
"You're son... He's alive..."
***
Burt was standing outside the nursery, hands pressed up against the glass as he watched his newborn son sleep when Emma came in.
He turned to face her and just slowly shook his head.
"Oh my god, Burt... I-I'm so sorry." She pulled him into a hug and he buried his face into her shoulder as he cried.
"She's gone!" he sobbed. "I can't believe she's gone..."
She let him cry for a little while longer before he pulled away and looked at his son again.
"I just don't understand how my heart can be shattered into a million pieces and I kind of feel like I'm going to die but... When I look at him..." He smiled and his eyes watered a little bit as he shook his head. "It feels like I have a place in this world... That even though she's gone, it still matters because he's here. He is a part of her. And a part of me... I can't explain it ya know... He needs me... All seven pounds, three ounces, and twenty inches of him... Am I a bad Person because even though she just..." he let the words hang in the air for a bit. "I can't help smiling at him..."
Emma smiled as tears rolled down her face. "No, you're not..." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you ok?"
He nodded... Paused... Then he shook his head. "I don't know..."
"Does he... Does he have a name?"
He nodded as he wiped his eyes with his hands. "Kurt..."
***Present Day***
Rachel walked out of the dressing room wearing the skirt and top that Kurt had picked out for her and twirled in a little circle with her hands on her hips to show it off. "What do you think?" she asked, throwing her hands out.
"I think you don't look touched on the head! It's amazing! I mean of course it is, I picked it out." Rachel rolled her eyes playfully. "You see what can happen if you just take my advice every once in a while? Miracles."
She stuck her tongue out at him crossing her arms in a very childish way. He stuck his tongue right back out at his sister.
They heard a deep giggle come from behind them and turned to see an unusually tall boy watching their whole interaction as he hung clothes on a rack. He was wearing a uniform and obviously worked here. He was also very obviously looking at Rachel.
Kurt smirked at her and her face turned a deep scarlet as she cowered away back into the dressing room to try the black skirt with the red top this time.
"She doesn't have a boyfriend you know!" yelled Kurt with a smirk in his face.
"Kurt!" she yelled from the dressing room.
"And her name is Rachel! Rachel Pillsbury! She goes to McKinley High! Her number is-"
"KURT!" She shrieked as she pulled back the curtains, revealing her extremely red face.
"Really?" asked the tall worker. "Me and my friend just transferred there! He works here, too." he came towards Rachel and Kurt. "I'm Finn." He smiled charmingly. "Finn Hudson. Uh your-"
"Brother," Rachel helped.
"Already told me your name."
Kurt shot him a quick smile. "You're welcome!"
"I uh, I have to get back to work now but I'll uh, I'll see you around..." he smiled to her and walked to the bak of the store to finish inventory. He just grinned and pretended not to hear the two squeal as he walked away.
***
Rachel was in the dressing room trying on her fourth outfit while Kurt was browsing through the sweater section looking for a nice back-to-school sweater that matched his skin-tone.
He was browsing through a set of purple ones on a shelf when he decided to go look in another section. He turned around only to crash into a worker carrying a huge stack of them and they both tumbled to the floor, strewing the sweaters on the floor in the process.
"Oh my god!" cried Kurt. "I am so sorry! It was my fault, I didn't see you, I'm so sorry! I'm a freaking klutz, I really am." he babbled and as he scrambled on his knees trying to help pick them up he heard a short, awkward laugh.
"It's ok, it was my bad," said the boy who had the stack. He was olive skinned, hazel eyed, had curly hair tamed by an over usage of hair gel, and wore a bowtie that matched the color of his blue uniform.
"No, no," he shook his head. "No it wasn't," apologized Kurt. "I should have been looking where I was going. Oh!" he exclaimed as he found a grey sweater-shirt. He held up the sweater and admired it. "This is absolutely gorgeous!" he exclaimed. He shook his head quickly and looked back at the worker. "Oh, uh yeah, sorry," Kurt smiled sheepishly. "I got distracted."
The worker laughed a little as he brushed off excess dust from his work khakis and pulled himself off the floor. He stuck out a hand for Kurt to grasp and introduced himself. "I'm Blaine Anderson."
Kurt turned the slightest shade of pink when he took Blaine's hand and got up. "Kurt Pillsbury..."
"By the way," began Blaine. "That sweater is from Marc Jacobs newest fall line."
Kurt raised his eyebrows. "Really? Huh, I thought it looked familiar."
"I'm uh, I'm actually new here. To this town. I used to live in Westerville, but we just moved here to Lima a few days ago." explained Blaine.
"Well, welcome to Lima!" said Kurt with a smile on his face. "What brings you to this hellhole?" he asked.
The smile faded from Blaine's face. "Nothing in particular..." he lied. "I just... Needed a change in scenery, I guess." he plastered a fake smile on his face. The only ones who knew the truth were Carole and Finn... And he'd like to keep it that way.
"Oh..." Kurt wasn't a complete idiot, no, but he knew when someone didn't want to talk about something. He decided to change the subject. "Um, if you don't mind me asking—"
"I don't have a girlfriend." he blurted out clumsily. /Smooth, Blaine/ he told himself. /real smooth/.
"I uh wasn't going to ask that, actually..."
"Oh..."
"Yeah..."
Blaine mentally facepalmed and scolded himself for being such an idiot, forcing them into an awkward silence. /Way to mess up a good first impression, Blaine.../
They stood there for a few silent seconds until Blaine decided to break it.
"So um, what were you going to ask?"
"Huh? Oh! I was just wondering what school you were going to."
Blaine smiled. Finally, a question he could answer unawkwardly. "McKinley High."
"Really!?" Kurt beamed. "Me and my sister go there!"
"You have a sister?"
Kurt nodded. "Yeah, she's—"
"Right here!" exclaimed Rachel, popping out behind Kurt, wearing the clothes she came in with.
"Rachel!"
"Who's you're new friend, Kurt?"
"I'm Blaine Anderson." he introduced. "You must be Kurt's sister."
"We're adopted, you know!" she explained. "I mean, obviously. We don't look that much alike."
"And if we were related," began Kurt. "Rachel wouldn't have inherited such terrible fashion sense."
"Hey!"
"It's true!"
She rolled her eyes and waved her hand dismissively. "Well, since Kurt so kindly decided to cockblock me earlier, when I saw you two here, I thought I'd return the favor."
"RACHEL!" shrieked Kurt, light skin turning dark red. "I did not cockblock you!" he defended as he threw his arms up. "I can't "cockblock" you," he used finger quotes for emphasis. "And you're not... Cockblocking me..."
"Fine," she retorted. "You cockblocked that Finn dude, and whether or not I am currently cockblocking you depends on this guys' sexuality and whether or not he's interested in you which judging by the way he was looking at you, he totally is." it was Blaine's turn to blush. "It's fun to cockblock you... I should cockblock you more often..."
"Will you stop!"
"Stop talking about cockblocking you or stop cockblocking you?"
"Both!"
"So you admit I'm cockblocking you?"
"JESUS CHRIST RACHEL WHY ARE WE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT COCKBLOCKING!?" Kurt cried louder than intended. Many people in the store stopped and gave him a sideways glance. "Dear god I said that out loud didn't I..?"
The three stood in an awkward silence for a few seconds before Blaine finally comprehended what Rachel said. "Did you say Finn? As in Finn Hudson?"
"Um yeah..." said Rachel cautiously.
"That's my boyfriend!" exclaimed Blaine.
Kurt and Rachel stood there with their mouths gaping open. Kurt was kind of disappointed to see that Blaine was taken (but at least he was on his team, right?). Rachel though... Her shock turned to anger. Who did Finn think he was? Flirting with her when he was taken! Bisexual or not, he had some explaining to do! She was about to turn on her heels and give Finn a piece of her mind when Blaine said "Oh my god your guys' faces are priceless, I'm totally screwing with you. Rachel, Finn /is/ single /and/ straight..."
"That... That was..." began Rachel. But no words came out of her mouth.
"And um, if any of you were wondering..." he gave Kurt a shy smile. "I don't have a boyfriend... And I am in fact gay"
"I guess that means we have something in common..." Kurt smiled shyly back at him.
They smiled at each other for a few seconds before Rachel interrupted them. "Yeah, well like I said, I'm here to cockblock you guys so, Kurt, time to go, mom wants us home by seven thirty."
She grabbed him by the hand and led them towards the door as Kurt and Blaine waved goodbye to each other. "See you on Monday..." said Kurt.
"Monday," repeated Blaine with a smile.
*** *** ***
A/N: so, what do you think? If you're confused, that's ok because all will be revealed! Eventually ;)