Chapter 1
Being a teenage is tough. Being a gay teenager is worse. Add a fatal disease to the mix and you have yourself one hell of a drama. And Kurt Hummel loved Drama, as long as it wasn't his.
McKinley High School. A place of hell if you were different. If you don't fit in the jocks made your life a living hell. It was just an ordinary day in the life of Kurt Hummel. He woke up, made breakfast, had his medication, listened to his father's rant about him being safe and he was currently seated eating his salad for lunch. And this is where everything changed, now it might not seem like much but it builds and if it wasn't for these small factors happening here Kurt Hummel would have died friendless and loved only by his parents.
Kurt was minding his own busy, eating his salad by himself reading the latest copy of Vogue. Suddenly a jukebox was placed next to him and the start of Empire State of Minding started playing. In front of him the New Directions started performing. It was like life was out to get him. Kurt wished he could be up there performing with them but of course he couldn't. Kurt couldn't help himself, he started singing along quietly to the music, he would not admit it but he quite liked this song even though it wasn't his typical Lady Gaga, Madonna or Broadway classic. Before he knew it the New Directions had finished and everyone around him was going on their own way leaving the New Directions standing there. Glancing up at them he noticed Rachel's eyes on his. Kurt was doomed; Rachel had set her target and Rachel always got what she wanted. Kurt took this as his queue to leave but Rachel followed. Rachel didn't even know his name but she was determined to get his attention. Upon arriving at Kurt's locker there was no way to avoid her so he let her speak and Gaga could she speak.
"Will you just stop and listen to me for one second?"
"You have ten seconds to get what you want out before I head off to study hall so make it quick," Kurt sighed.
"I noticed you enjoyed our performance and I was wondering if you would like to join glee club? It's fun and this year we have a chance to go to New York for nationals!" Rachel squealed excitingly.
"As much as I would love to go to New York, Rachel, I can't join glee and I never will so please just leave me alone."
"It's ok if you can't sing, we really just need the numbers so you can just sway in the background. I am our lead soloist and I need this extra person so I can achieve my goals. You were the only person who seemed a little bit interested so I will make you change your mind to join glee."
"You don't understand, I will never join glee and you need to understand that. Go find yourself someone else to sway in the background."
As Kurt started to leave two jocks appeared with slushies.
"Joining the glee club are you fag?" Karosfky sneered.
"Sinking even lower but then again you really do like being on your knees," and with that two slushies found themselves on Kurt and Rachel.
Getting slushied wasn't anything new to either Kurt or Rachel but Rachel insisted that she helped Kurt remove the red slushie from his hair. This resulted in him being in the choir room with the rest of the glee club. The second they entered Finn was there making sure both Rachel and Kurt were ok. While Finn didn't know what was wrong with Kurt he did know he was sick and that Burt would kill him if anything happened to Kurt at school.
"Finn, I am alright just leave me alone," Kurt said while pushing away Finn's hands.
This was the time when Mr Schuester entered the room.
"Hi guys! I think the performance went well. I am sure someone will come into audition," he smiled to the group.
"My Schue I found someone who can join. Kurt enjoyed the performance and I am sure I can convince him to join."
"Rachel I am not joining no matter how much convincing you do," Kurt glared at her.
"Just stay for today and see if you enjoy it then make your decision," Mr Schue placed a hand on his shoulder and guided him to a chair. Kurt didn't have a choice.
The hour spent in glee club wasn't too bad. Nothing major happened. Kurt sat there and sang along to a few of the songs he knew but never did he leave his chair. Finn sat next to him in a more protective manner and made sure he was ok with being there which just resulted in Kurt's best bitch face directed in his direction. At the end of rehearsal Rachel stood in front of Kurt with a huge grin on her face, a smile saying she had convinced Kurt to join. Much to her shock Kurt just shook his head and left.
"Finn what is his problem?" Rachel demanded to know.
Finn swallowed, he had no idea how to explain to Rachel that Kurt does what he wants.
"Just leave him Rachel, I will talk to him tonight if you want but I don't think he will change his mind. He is stubborn Rachel and if he doesn't want to join he won't join."
"Why are you seeing him tonight? What are you keeping from me?" Rachel raised herself onto her tiptoes.
"If you must know our parents are dating," and with that Finn left the room.
If Kurt's day couldn't get worse every Friday was his check-up at the hospital. He got Friday afternoons off school for these check-ups and if he was in need of an operation he took the whole Friday off. Most of the teachers at school had been informed of his condition but not one student other than Kurt knew and this was how Kurt wanted it. He didn't want the pity stares he would get if they knew, if they knew he was going to die before he was twenty. Nothing new came up in the check-up, only a warning about being careful and to keep a healthy diet.
Friday dinners were a tradition his mother started long ago and they still happen to this day. Friday night became a little dim once his mother past and the more recent ones even more so. Soon Burt will have to say goodbye to his only son, the one thing left of his wife and it was going to be too much to take. Kurt had been persistent in his plans on getting Burt to fall in love again and he thinks he succeed this time. Kurt was currently cooking in the kitchen while Burt was watching some football game on the tv. The doorbell rang and Burt got up to answer it. Carole instantly joined Kurt in the kitchen helping him with the cooking while Burt and Finn sat down in the lounge room to watch the football.
Burt had discussed with Kurt about letting Carole know about Kurt's condition but Finn had not been included with this information. It wasn't something Kurt was comfortable with and both Burt and Carole had respected this. So it was usual for Carole to ask Kurt how the check-up went and to ask how he felt about it. She wasn't his mother but she filled the role of a concerned Aunty very well. It wasn't a surprise when Burt got down onto his knee at the end of dessert and asked Carole to marry him, well maybe for Finn but he really can be obvious to most things. Burt had bought a gorgeous ring and Kurt suddenly went into wedding planning mode. He knew his dad had done this earlier than he would have liked because he wanted Kurt to be there and not confined to a bed or worse dead and he was grateful to his father.
Burt and Carole were concerned about Finn's opinion but all he could say was "Does this mean Kurt will be my brother?" which was confirmed which was followed by "Awesome dude." Kurt thought his opinion didn't really matter, he just wanted his father to be happy and that is what Carole makes his father. He hadn't seen his father this happy since his mother was still alive and the next few years were going to be hard on him.
Carole and Finn left for the night leaving Kurt and Burt sitting in the lounge room. Kurt was tired like he usually was on Fridays, he usually spent Saturdays resting, you never saw him awake before 11am. There was an awkward silence in the room which was making Kurt fidget.
"Dad what is it?"
"Kurt why didn't you tell me you sat in on glee today? I thought we discussed the fact you can't do vigorous exercise. What if something happened?" Burt was in protective father mode and Kurt knew it would take a lot to calm him down. Damn Finn for talking to his father.
"Calm down Dad I only sat there and sung a little bit. I was basically forced by Finn's crazy girlfriend Rachel to be there but I am not joining glee I know I can't," even if I want to he thought.
Burt sighed, life just wasn't fair with everything that has been thrown at him. He just wants Kurt to be happy but there was nothing they could do. The operations were costly and there wasn't enough money left over to let Kurt do all the things he wants.
"I don't know what I am going to do Kurt when you're not here and I just want to keep you as long as I can okay?" Burt's eyes were a little teary but nothing on the tears falling down Kurt's face.
"Just live Dad that's all I want," cuddling up to his dad.