Brought Up That Way
Summary: Song-fic, inspired by Taylor Swift's 'Brought Up That Way'. Burt Hummel loved his son more than anything and was always there for him, through bullying and heartbreak as well as tragedy.
Being a father was not easy. No matter how many parenting and advice books were available, a textbook could not prepare a person for everything. All the parenting information in the world still wouldn't be enough. Being a dad was a highly responsible role and the job was one of constant change.
For Burt Hummel, nothing could have prepared him for the happy yet terrified feeling he felt when he first learned that his wife was pregnant. Words could not accurately express the emotions that ran through him as he placed his hand on his wife's stomach and felt their child kicking for the first time. It was also impossible to describe just how much his heart swelled with intense love and fierce protection when he first laid eyes on his newborn son.
In the first moments of a baby's life, the sound of his or her cries is a joyous sound to the parents. Hearing a tiny baby crying his or her lungs out is precisely what any parent, doctor or nurse wishes to hear for it means the baby is alive and most likely healthy.
However, as a baby becomes a toddler and continues to age year by year, hearing and seeing tears is agonizing for the parent.
When a young Kurt had lost his mother, countless tears had fallen. Tears had streamed from Burt's eyes too. The parenting books hadn't prepared him for such a situation. Being a parent along with his wife was challenging enough, but being a single dad was so much more difficult. Yet even as their family life crumbled, Burt and Kurt somehow managed to stay strong and keep going. Burt's love and protectiveness of his only child increased even further upon realising that his boy was all he had in the world.
After Kurt's mother's funeral, Burt kept Kurt off school for a couple of weeks. Of course, Kurt's education was still of great importance so he had to go back. Apart from Kurt's very first day back in kindergarten, Burt had never taken Kurt to school or picked him up. His wife had always been the one to do so.
On Kurt's first day back to school since his mother's death, Burt picked him up outside the school gate and drove back to their house in silence. As they entered their home, Kurt slipped his hand into Burt's. Looking down at him, Burt realised there were tears shining in his son's eyes.
"Kurt, what's wrong, buddy?" Burt asked bending down so he was at eye-level with his son.
"Don't make me go to school again," Kurt sobbed with his lower lip trembling. "Please."
Scooping Kurt up, Burt carried him into the living-room and sat them down on the sofa together with Kurt burying his face in his father's neck. He reached a hand to his son's head, but Kurt slapped his hand away and tearfully told him not to mess up his hair. Burt settled for rubbing Kurt's back instead and gently asked him what was wrong.
"They all say n-nasty things," Kurt pouted. "They made f-fun of my clo-clothes and said I had a funny v-voice. I drew you a picture b-but one of the girls scrib-scribbled o-over it. The boys kept p-pushing me and tri-tripping me up and they all l-laughed at me because I don't have a mummy anymore."
Burt's blood ran cold as he listened to his child recount the cruelty he had faced from his peers. He held Kurt tighter and kissed the top of his head, not knowing what to say.
"I ju-just… j-just…" Kurt stuttered out through his tears. "I wish I could make them stop. I w-wish they'd leave me a-alone."
That evening, Burt decided that first thing in the morning, he would be taking a visit to the Principal's office. The next day, he did just that.
"I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Hummel," Principal Stevens said. "You know how children can be, I'm sure they don't mean any harm. Perhaps young Kurt should make more of an effort to get along with his peers." The man visibly cowered as Burt glared at him. "Of course, I will see to it that the situation is investigated. I'll hold a special assembly to inform the children how upsetting bullying can be. I'm sure things will be sorted in no time."
"They better get sorted, Stevens." Burt told him. "Because I didn't bring my boy up so a bunch of other snotty little kids could shove him around and make his life hell. The kid's just lost his mother, I've lost my wife, and the only thing keeping me going right now is my boy's smile. So if Kurt comes home from school in tears again, I'll be holding you responsible."
The bullying never really stopped. The bullies learned to avoid being seen by the teachers whenever they did something nasty, and the teachers learned to turn a blind eye whenever they did witness something. As for Kurt, he stubbornly held his head high, refusing to let his bullies see him shed a tear.
Years past and Kurt became a teenager. Bullying was still an issue, but joining Glee Club had led Kurt to finding friends. Those friends offered him strength and support and his school life became a more bearable environment. Then the day Burt had always feared arrived. Kurt was setting out on his first date.
Being a protective father, it was Burt's duty to instantly dislike the boy his son was dating. So when he was first introduced to Noah 'Puck' Puckerman, Burt made it quite clear that he did not approve of the mohawked punk. It didn't stop Kurt from dating the guy though.
After Kurt and Puck had been a couple for a month, the two boys would stay out on their dates longer and Kurt was usually home quite late. Although Burt didn't like it, he held his tongue, for the most part at least. He still insisted on an incredibly awkward sex talk as well as inviting his son's boyfriend to a Friday night meal where he made sure to have his shotgun in Puck's view.
Then one night, Kurt headed out on a date with Puck to celebrate their second month anniversary.
As he always did, Burt stayed up waiting for his son to return. He was sat in his armchair by the window, constantly pulling the curtain back to look out and search for a sign of Puck's truck. Some time past midnight, Puck's rusty old truck finally pulled up outside the house. Kurt stepped out and headed straight for the front door while Puck drove away.
Standing up to meet Kurt, the older Hummel instinctively knew that something wasn't right. Normally, Kurt would sit up with Burt for a while and gush about his date with Puck. On this night, Kurt seemed to have little to say and had great difficulty with meeting his father's eye.
"Kurt?" Burt asked gently as he placed a hand on his boy's shoulder.
Collapsing into Burt's arms, Kurt began to cry and whispered the night's events through his tears.
"He didn't like it when I said 'no'." Kurt said brokenly. "He said that if I really loved him and still wanted to be his boyfriend, then I should… do it." He whispered. "He said he couldn't be bothered to stay with me if I wouldn't give him any action. I… I almost…" Kurt trailed off, leaving his admission hanging in the air. "I almost went through with it just so he wouldn't leave me but… I couldn't do that to you."
"I'm so sorry. You did the right thing, Kurt. I'm so proud of you." Burt sighed hugging his boy's slender body close. "A guy like that doesn't deserve someone like you. Just say the word and I'll break his legs."
That night, Burt held Kurt as he cried his tears out then carried him to his bed and tucked the covers around him. Pressing a kiss to Kurt's forehead, Burt gently whispered a few words to him.
The weekend after Kurt had his heart shattered by Puck, his girl friends insisted on taking him out in an effort to cheer him up. Back at home, Burt was in his usual armchair by the window waiting for his son's return. He was watching an old comedy re-run on the T.V while the heavy rain splashed against the window pane.
Later that night, he received a phone call.
"Hummel residence." Burt said down the phone.
"Mr. Hummel, this is Officer Tate." A male voice responded in a sympathetic tone. "There's been an accident."
Burt lost his breath for a few moments as his eyes blurred with tears. The sound from the T.V faded out, as did Officer Tate's voice. As horrible scenarios forced themselves into Burt's mind, stirring painfully similar feelings to how he'd felt when he received news of his wife's death, he only picked up on a few words the Officer said. Accident, drunk driver, Kurt.
Snapping back to his senses, Burt announced he was on his way and dropped the phone before rushing out to his car and driving to the hospital.
Outside Kurt's hospital room, Burt found himself being hugged by a group of hysterically crying teenage girls. As gently as he could, he untangled himself from them quizzing them on what they knew. It seemed that Brittany was the only one able to provide a coherent answer. He squeezed her hand gently and pulled out his handkerchief to wipe away the mascara that had run down Tina's face. Suggesting that they all call their parents and head home, Burt prized the untouched coffee from Rachel's hands and placed it on a chair.
"We're not going anywhere until Kurt's better." Mercedes declared and Burt knew it would be futile to argue with her.
"You're a good friend to him." Burt said wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "You all are." He told them as he tucked a golden strand of hair behind Quinn's ear then lightly cupped Santana's face and brushed a tear away.
As a nurse stepped out of Kurt's room, Burt bombarded the woman with questions and begged to see his son but she kindly told him he'd have to wait. Falling down into a chair, Burt rocked himself back and forth, worrying about the well-being of his son. Rachel sat down beside him, lightly resting a hand on his upper-arm. Mercedes sat on his other side and rested her head against his shoulder while Brittany sat by his feet and fiddled with his laces. With the six girls around him, Burt began to pray for his son.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Burt was permitted to enter Kurt's room. He hurried to his son's bedside, his eyes taking in all the wires and tubes, all medical things that he didn't understand. Looking over his son, Burt carefully took Kurt's hand in his own, feeling the faintest of squeezes from the boy.
"Kurt?" He asked and he sobbed in relief as Kurt opened his beautiful eyes.
The End