Okay, so I know that I should be working on my Danny Phantom story Strength, but my serious case of writer's block pertaining to that story is making it rather difficult. This one-shot here is, hopefully, going to help cure said writer's block and I can continue on writing that story. But for now, here is a small one-shot on Glee.

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the plot. I'm doing this for pure enjoyment and am getting no profit. If you recognize it, chances are I don't own it.

The first time Burt met Sam Evans was interesting to say the least. He had just come home from the shop one Saturday evening hoping to relax back in his recliner and catch the end-tail of the latest Buckeyes game when he walked in to see one of the most peculiar sights to this day. There, in the middle of the living room floor was Kurt, Sam, and Quinn all sprawled out across a matt in what looked to be an intense game of twister.

Kurt was in what seemed to be a very uncomfortable back-bend with his right foot on green, his left foot on red, his right hand on blue, and his left and on yellow. Sam was sporting a very prominent black eye as he was practically straddling Kurt's thigh while stretching haphazardly over Quinn who was crouched beneath Kurt to reach for the wayward spinning board. The three of them were laughing hysterically as she prepared to spin again, something Burt hasn't heard come out of his son's mouth so freely lately.

The moment was ruined when Burt cleared his throat causing the three teens' heads to snap towards the sound. In the seconds it took for Burt to make his presence known, three things happened: the laughter died instantaneously, Quinn dropped the spinning board, and Kurt yelped as Sam lost his footing and came crashing down on the two Cheerios. Trying his best not to laugh, Burt watched as the three laid in a tangled mess of dazed limbs as pained groans came from all three. It took fifteen seconds—Burt was counting—for Kurt to come to and push his way out of the mess and hop to his feet, face blazed red and hair tousled as if he'd just woken up and hadn't had his first cup of coffee yet.

"Hi dad!" He tittered out nervously as he tried to smooth his clothing down and assess his father's mood. Burt gazed over at the two still-floorbound blonds with a moment of amusement before snapping his gaze over to his son with a raised eyebrow, waiting for an explanation.

"We were working on a project for Glee earlier and when we got done, Sam wanted to watch that football game you were eager to see so I convinced him to wait until you got home cause I was recording it for you." Burt nodded, silently grateful his son had thought ahead to record the game. He hadn't even given DVRing the match a thought! That had been the whole selling point of them switching cable providers in the first place.

"Then Kurt and I were talking about our flexibility due to cheerleading and Sam didn't believe us." Quinn piped in as Kurt helped her off the floor. Sam gently picked himself up with Kurt's aid and was standing silently behind the two, nervous to finally meet the infamous—at least in Glee club—Hummel Senior. Finn and Puck had given him horror stories of the over-protective tendencies of one Burt Hummel and he definitely did not want to be on the receiving end of his wrath.

"So Q here found my old game of Twister and somehow managed to coral the two of us into the game." Kurt said flippantly, finally gaining his confident air back. Burt nodded but didn't say anything to his son, too busy staring (sizing-up) the blonde boy they had called Sam. He seemed to be the same age as the two with a strong sent of muscles and the kind of eyes that bared their owner's soul and a mouth that looked as if he'd stolen in from a guppy. He was wearing a pair of slightly baggy jeans and a white tee that had seen better days and Burt noticed a letterman jacket that must have come from his old school.

This must have been the transfer boy that Kurt had been preparing to sing a duet with. That'd explain the black-eye, too. He'd heard from Finn about the boy standing up for Kurt against one of his most frequent bullies. Well, that definitely earned a few brownie points for him.

"You Sam?" He asked gruffly, eyeing the boy as a whole. He had to give it to Kurt, the boy obviously took after his mother's taste in men. Tall, muscular, slightly dim jock with a protective streak a country mile long, and overall a sweet, lovable dork. He'd seen it in Finn (who, sadly, seems to be missing a backbone) and he can tell this Sam was very much similar.

It seems that the old adage of kids going for significant others similar to their parents was true. Believable or not, Burt Hummel used to looked quite like this Sam Evans with the blonde hair and boy next door looks. He didn't know if he should be happy that his son had good taste when they all seem to be unfortunately straight.

The boy's eyes went wide as he looked Burt in the eyes and the older Hummel could see a slight tremor in his frame. Good, he seemed to already know who he was and was appropriately scared. He didn't want to worry about any thick-headed jocks thinking they could pull a fast one on either Hummel. Sam cleared his throat and nodded before sticking his hand out in Burt's direction.

"Yes, sir. Sam Evans, Mr. Hummel, sir." Burt shook the boy's hand, impressed with the strong grip.

"What team you play on?" He asked, flashing his eyes towards the letterman jacket. Sam's eyes widened along with the two Cheerios when Sam took an instinctive step back.

"Dad!" Kurt squawked in horror. "You can't just ask people that!" Burt's eyebrows scrunched in confusion as he turned to his son.

"What? I'm just asking about what sports team he plays on, saw the letterman." The three teens' shoulders seem to sag in relief at his clarification, making Burt wonder what they had thought he wanted to know.

"F-f-football, sir. Quarterback. And Soccer a-and Baseball. Midfielders and Pitcher respectively, sir." Burt nodded, impressed with the boy's sport repertoire. With a grunt in acknowledgement he scanned the boy's face.

"And you're grades?" Ignoring the protests from Kurt and Quinn's giggles, Burt stood staring at the blonde jock. He had to be worthy to spend time with his baby boy. Sam colored and stared at his shoes.

"Um, they're not where I would like them to be, unfortunately. Moving to a new school and my dyslexia make it a bit difficult for me to stay on top of my grades like I would want to." Burt frowned, but it was Kurt that spoke next.

"Why didn't you tell me, Sam? I used to be a part of a tutoring program, I would have gladly helped you if you just asked." Burt's eyebrows met his nonexistent hairline at the bashfully grateful smile Sam directed at Kurt. Hmm.

"I think I might take you up on tutoring, if you're still willing to." Sam mumbled softly, his bangs falling in his eyes as he ducked his head in what seemed to be embarrassment, whether it was from divulging the information that he was struggling or because of the dazzling, genuine smile Kurt offered when he nodded, Burt didn't know.

"Wait, why aren't you in the tutoring program anymore? We are always trying to find more people to help students out." Kurt grimaced at Quinn's seemingly innocent question.

"Let's just say people weren't really comfortable with what team I bat for." Burt's eyes narrowed at Kurt's flippant attitude towards the homophobia he suffered through every day. He knew Kurt went through hell of a lot more than he told his father about, but no amount of interrogation could pry any more information about the bullying from his son's mouth. He wished his son trusted him more and told him more about the bullying. He didn't understand why he was so reluctant to tell Burt about it. And the way he spoke so nonchalantly about the homophobia broke Burt's heart. No one should get used to the abuse that comes to them just because of who they are!

"Wait," Sam stated, eyes narrowing. "People refuse to let you tutor them—to help them—because you play for team gay?" Burt blinked his eyes at Sam's tone. He sounded angry, protective. It sounded like this kid was going to stand up and actually protect Kurt. That was something he'd never been able to get Finn to do.

Burt let out a soft chuckle, causing the other teens to cease their talking and turn towards him in confusion.

"You seem alright, kid." Burt just smirked in amusement at the three teens' shocked expression before setting down in his recliner.

"Now, you said something about watching the game?" Watching the kids scramble to get everything cleaned up before they settled down to watch a football game was immensely enjoyable for Burt.

But soon surprise filled the older Hummel when he saw Kurt settle down next to Sam on the couch and watch the game as he did Quinn's hair into some braid named after a country.

The next time Burt saw Sam was an eye-opener. He didn't know what was wrong or what had gotten Kurt shaken so badly, but all he did know was that Sam was there for him when Burt wasn't. Burt was just lounging in the living room with Carole after a lunch date when the blonde boy burst through the door, ushering his son into the house. Kurt looked positively freaked out; his already large bambie-eyes were impossible wide, his whole body was trembling in fear, and his breathes were coming out in short burst. Leaping up, Burt made to sweep up his son into his arms when his fiancé stopped him.

"Wait." She murmured as she held his arm, eyes focused on the two boys.

Completely ignoring the two adults, Sam ushered Kurt down to the basement, keeping a hand on the small of his back. Once the door was closed, Burt rounded on Carole, ready to demand an answer as to why she kept him from comforting his baby boy when he obviously needed him but froze at the sight of Carole's defeated expression.

"Why?" He asked gently instead, refraining from yelling at her just because he was angry. She sighed and motioned for the couch before sitting down herself. Burt followed her actions, his eyes never wavering.

"Because, Burt, something is seriously wrong." Burt scowled before jumping up.

"I know that! So why did you stop me from him?" He growled out angrily. She gave him a rather unimpressed looked that Burt so knew she adapted from Kurt before answering.

"Because he wouldn't have told you, Burt, and he needs to be able to tell someone before he tries to bottle it up!" She hissed at him, eyes narrowed.

"You didn't even give me a chance to ask!" He bristled. Was she trying to question his parenting? Did she not think he could take care of his own son? Carole rolled her eyes.

"Don't you dare start getting all defensive, Burt. He wouldn't tell and you should know that." Burt deflated because, yeah he already knew in the back of his mind that his son would never tell him what was wrong. He slumped back onto the couch and lowered his head into his hands.

"Am I really that bad of parent?" He whispered more to himself than to Carole, fearing she would confirm one of his worst fears.

"Why would you even ask that, Sweetie?" She asked, stunned at his outburst. Burt shrugged weakly.

"He doesn't even trust me enough to tell me what's going on his life. I know I wasn't that great of a parent the years following Elizabeth's death, but I thought I had gotten better lately, that we were getting closer. I guess he hasn't really gained back all his trust in me." To his surprise, Carole snorted—scoffed, thank you very much Kurt— before smacking him upside the head.

"Don't you dare say you aren't a good parent ever again Burt Eugene Hummel." She growled at him angrily. He looked up at her with wide eyes. "That boy absolutely adores you! It has nothing to do with your imagined incapability's as a parent!"

"What else could be the reason he won't tell me if someone's hurting him, Carole?" He hissed out. She rolled her eyes.

"Have you ever thought that he might have been trying to protect you?" He blinked in surprise.

"What?" Was his intelligent reply. With another eye roll, Carole continued.

"Kurt told me about how upset you were after receiving a hate call." She started. "And how you went to bat for him when he wanted to sing Defying Gravity but wasn't allowed at first." Burt scowled at the reminder. He fought like hell for that solo. He still didn't understand how Kurt couldn't hit that one high note with a range like his.

"Okay?" He prompted impatiently.

"He also told me he blew the solo." She murmured sagely. Burt jolted at that tidbit.

"What!" Carole just sighed.

"He told me how he receives those types of hate calls all the time and how he usually intercepts them before you ever reach the phone." Burt sat frozen as he processed what she said. "He tries to protect you from the hate he receives because he's used to it." She whispered. "So when he saw how upset you got after just one call, he knew that he couldn't go up there and sing a song traditionally sung by a girl." Burt shook his head in horror.

"He knew that if he did that at a competition that you'd receive quite a bit of backlash, so he protected you, no matter how much the song meant to him." Burt bit his lip in pain. How could he have been so blind? His own baby was getting these calls all the fucking time and he's only been able to catch one of them! How long has he been so oblivious to all the hate his boy was going through?

"He couldn't handle you getting hurt after losing his mother." Carole stated. "So whatever has happened to break him so badly, well we'll probably never know, dear. Not because he doesn't trust or love you, but because he loves you so much that he wouldn't know what to do with himself if something bad happened to you." Burt just sat there in silence.

"I really am a bad parent." He whispered weakly, face buried into his hands once again.

"No, you really aren't, Mr. Hummel. " Both adults jumped at the new voice echoing from the eerily silent living room. They turned to see Sam quietly leaning against the basement door. Both stood and took in Sam's slumped position and tired face. "He really loves you and knows you'd do anything to make sure he was safe and happy, he's just too scared to lose you. And just as you'll do anything for him, he'd do anything for you." Everything was silent as Sam's died off, no one sure what to do or say.

"Is he okay?" Burt was the one to break the silence. Sam sighed and ran a hand through his blonde locks, his other tightened into a fist.

"Physically, no harm came from this. I can't say the same for his emotional health." He pushed off the door and walked over to the couch and sat down. Burt frowned.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He ground out, irritation level rising. Sam just stared at him for a moment before looking at his hands.

"What happened, whatever it is, scared him to the core. I have no clue what it is yet, but he was really terrified." He chuckled humorously, wringing his hands together roughly. "He wouldn't tell me what happened, saying something like it wasn't his secret to tell, but he was so shaken up." Sam closed his eyes.

"I found him in the locker room shaking like a leaf, Coach Beiste found us before the rest of the team showed up and gave me permission to skip practice and bring him here. He started crying once we were in his room but he wouldn't tell me anything. He finally just cried himself to sleep. I'm sorry." Sam looked like he wanted to punch something.

"Why're you apologizing, son?" Burt ground out. Sam shrugged.

"I hadn't protected him in the first place. I should have been with him but instead I was in the gym." He looked so angry at himself that he hadn't been able to protect Kurt. That warmed Burt's heart.

"Look kid, do I wish there was someone that could be there for Kurt 24/7 to keep him safe? Yeah. But I know that's unrealistic for me to want. I already know you stood up for him against the Dave kid when you barely even knew Kurt and you were there for him when he needed you today and that means something to me kid. That matters." Sam smiled slightly at that.

"Thank you, Mr. Hummel, that means a lot coming from you." Burt smiled weakly. The weight on his shoulders settled as he worried over his baby boy, but as he looked around the living room, he knew he wasn't the only one to bare the weight of the worry. As he stared at his soon-to-be wife and his son's new friend, Burt realized something disconcerting, yet heartwarming.

It wasn't just him and Kurt against the world anymore. There were other people now in their lives that cared for them and were more than willing to share the weight of the two Hummels'.

"Call me Burt, kid. You've earned my respect." Sam smiled wanly and nodded.

"Okay…. Burt.

Burt never found out what happened to Kurt that one fateful Wednesday afternoon and if Carole knew, she never spoke a word about it to him. But after that day, Sam Evans became a semi-permanent resident in the Hudmel household. It was more usual than not to see Sam and Kurt hanging out around the house. Whether it be playing video games in Kurt's room, watching some nerdy movie in the living room or helping Kurt cook dinner or clean the house, Sam was almost always right there by his side.

After Sam, the next most likely teens to see in his house was, surprisingly, Santana Lopez and Britney Pierce, who girls whom Burt has not really seen much of since the early years of middle school when the three had some sort of falling-out and stopped being friends.

He hadn't realized how much he had actually missed their presence until they showed back up as if they had never left. He had to say he much preferred them over the loud-mouthed Jewish girl or Kurt's sassy black friend that had smashed his car's window and acted like she owned his son.

The two girls made themselves at home again in the Hummel house and began calling him Papa Burt again—a nickname the two had come up for when they were way back in preschool with his late wife called Mama Lizzy—and he couldn't be more happy that the three had regained their friendship.

With Finn and Carole living in the same house as them again—the two boys seemed to have resolved most of their issues now—it was often to see the Puckerman kid loafing around with Sam, Kurt, and the girls as well. Puckerman and Kurt's friendship had started off so gradual, Burt had not noticed at first. A bit of video games played amongst Kurt, Sam, Puckerman, and Finn and a few friendly barbs at one another slowly turned into Kurt tutoring the Jewish boy then turned to Puckerman helping Kurt in the kitchen evolved into the boy coming by even when Finn and Sam weren't around just to hang out with Kurt.

Soon enough Burt and Kurt's home became Carole and Finn's home and then a second home for Sam, Santana, Britney, and Noah (not Puckerman anymore once Burt began to accept him into his son's life more) as well as Tina and Mike— when those two began showing up, Burt hadn't the slightest clue—and everyone began to call Burt and Carole Papa Burt and Ma-too (something Burt later learned was a nickname Noah began calling Carole when he was little) and everyone could be themselves.

Then the wedding came and everyone was singing and smiling and dancing to the music as Burt and Carole Hummel became one and the two broken household began to mend and heal. And when the first slow song began to play, Carole and Burt danced happily along with Santana and Britney, Tina and Mike, Finn and Rachel, Noah and Quinn, he couldn't help the smile that broke out on his face as Sam nervously asked Kurt to dance and—with an honest to god genuine smile—he accepted.

And as the young kids all danced around the newly-wed couple, Burt knew that he and Kurt would never have to be alone again. They were surrounded by people who loved them and were loved back, the Hummel's lives could finally start again and their hearts could finally heal.

When the song ended and Sam pulled Kurt in for a slow, loving kiss, Burt knew a lot of their happiness was due to this one kid, and he couldn't help but hope that Sam would stick around for a long, long time.

Well, that's it for this little ficlet. Hope y'all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Reviews are always welcomed!

~WildFireBurnsTheForest