Author's Note: Here's chapter two. I had a little trouble starting it off, but I am really happy with the end result. Hope you enjoy! And thank you so much for all the reviews, favorites and follows! Keeps me writing!
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee.
He knocks, waiting for someone to open the door and the next three weeks to come hurtling at him. His thoughts had been unsettled the moment he left his new home on the West Coast. Being in that place, where no one knew him, and there were far too many people to remember him, was freeing. But sometimes, the choice is made for you.
There's a click and the front door comes open. Burt Hummel has aged in the way most men do, first the hair and then a weight in the face that tries it's best to hide beneath any scruff. He looks tired, probably surviving on cups of black coffee and cinnamon toast.
"Finn, you made it."
"Yeah, I made good timing. How are you?"
"Oh, you know, the usual. Now, why don't you come in. Need help with your bags?"
"Don't worry about it, I'm not in any hurry."
His stepfather lets him into the house and the smell of lavender candles and microwave popcorn hits his nose. Another familiar thing he smiles at, but wants to forget.
The wall color is the same and the photos hanging along the staircase haven't changed since high school. Even the floors feel familiar under his feet.
He wants to ask the question that's been settling in his brain since the call, but instead chickens out and opts for a safer, easier one.
"So, is Kurt here yet?"
Finn hadn't seen his step brother in a year. They talked at least once a week, but living on opposite sides of the country meant little face to face conversation, except for the rare holiday's they both came home. Kurt was living his dream, Finn couldn't really blame him for that.
"He called about an hour ago, said his plane should land around five. I said I'd pick him up-"
"I can do it. It'll give us time to talk, plus I'm sure you have enough on your table already."
"Oh, ok, if it's not too much trouble."
"Really, I don't mind. If it's alright, I'm to head up stairs to freshen up. Long flight and all."
Burt nods, seemingly somewhere else.
He heads up stairs, fully intent on going straight to the bathroom, when he passes by his old room. The door is shut, a tiny bit of dust lingering on the handle. With a click the door swings open. He's expecting a guest room, because that's what every parent does when their kid moves out. But it hasn't changed. Not the furniture, or the sheets on the bed. It's eerie, seeing something from what feels like a past life, staring him in the face.
Every trophy or medal he's received is still perched along the shelves above the desk. Pictures still hang on the walls, memories he's stashed away because they were important, but he'd rather brush aside.
Standing there in the doorway of his old room, he knows he won't be staying here tonight.
When he comes back down stairs, he hears Burt arguing with someone on the phone.
"Doesn't cover everything my ass! Look, there's got to be something you can do for me. Some sort of loophole, anything. You know what maybe I'll just find another company! Don't tell me to calm down! I won't calm down until-God dammit they hung up."
Finn felt sixteen again, in the way when you hear a parent arguing on the phone and it scares you enough to send you back up the stairs, waiting until they tell you dinner is ready. He's practically a grown up now, and upstairs was a lot worse, so he walks slowly in the direction of the kitchen.
"Who was that on the phone?"
"Oh hey Finn. It was just the insurance company. Nothing important."
"Are you sure?"
"Oh yeah, of course. Actually you know what? Kurt should be landing within the hour. You might want to leave now, to beat the traffic."
He knows he's being shut out and maybe at one point that would have bothered him, but he's just going to do what he's told. It's easier.
So, he gets in his overpriced rental and starts down the road. Once he's on the highway and leaving this place of memories, he relaxes, turns on the radio and watches for his exit.
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
He sees Kurt standing along the curb, wearing an outfit reminiscent of his days at McKinley. Before he really knew what high fashion was and New York told him the truth.
Stopping directly in front of the curb, he honks the horn. Kurt jumps a little for spotting him. Getting out of the car he heads toward his stepbrother.
"Hey Finn. Kind of surprised to see you here."
"Burt has a lot on his plate, so I offered. And plus, we haven't seen each other in a while. Thought we could catch up."
Lugging Kurt's suitcase into the truck he takes a breath. He loves his step-brother he does, but he knows he'll bring it up. And he's not ready to say it all out loud.
It's silent for the first few minutes of the drive back to the house. Before Kurt speaks, something Finn's always been able to sense before it happens.
"So how are you doing? I know that's a typical question and maybe you don't have an answer, but I have to ask it, because you're my brother and I honestly want to know."
He doesn't know how to answer. So he goes with the obvious answer, the one people who really don't care ignore and those who give a crap, know you're lying.
"I'm fine."
"Are you going to visit? Dad says because of the circumstances they'll forgo the usual rules and let us in when we want. I might go tonight. Would you like to come with me?"
"Maybe tomorrow Kurt. I just can't…not yet."
Kurt stay's quiet after that and they keep driving.
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
He drops Kurt off at the house, telling him he's just going for a drive. It's a lie of course.
Instead he heads to a hotel, because he can't sleep in his old room, in that house with memories he wants to brush aside, one's he's terrified he'll never have again.
The hotel bar is fairly typical of a hotel in Ohio. It's booths are lackluster and the lighting is terrible, but there's a fairly decent jazz band playing. Sitting himself down in front of the bar, he gets the bartenders attention.
He's got his first scotch in front of him, when he hears it. Turning around, he finds his past staring him in the face.
Life can hand you whatever it wants, tonight, in this hotel bar, it handed him a jazz singer in the form of Rachel Berry.
Throwing down the rest of his drink, he leaves before she recognizes him. It's better this way, really, they had their chance. He sent her on her way, hoped against hope she would come back. When she didn't call, or write, or wonder about him, he moved on. Well, as much as you can move on from your past.
Still he can't help but ask, why after giving her the world, she's back here, in Lima.
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Hours later, he's still awake. He wants to shake her away, say it doesn't matter, she's someone he once knew. But he knows she's more than that, regardless of whatever lie he tells himself.
Some late night talk show is playing on the television and he's got a few text messages from Kurt, checking to see if he's coming home and alive. He sends him one telling him he's at a hotel and turns his phone off.
He starts to drift off, as the performer of the night sings some song about lost love, when there's a knock at the door.
Assuming it's Kurt, he lumbers out of bed, pressing up against the door to look through the peep hole.
It's not Kurt.
Reluctantly and because part of him is still that person in high school, he opens the door.
"Hello Finn."
She's always been beautiful, and even if he's still so mad at her and tells himself he wants nothing to do with her, he can't help but think she's beautiful.
"What do you want Rachel?"
"I saw you down at the bar, you left pretty quickly. It's weird, I don't think I've ever seen you leave any of my performances."
"Well, there's a first time for everything."
He knows he's being rude, but he wants her to leave him alone.
"Can I come in? Just to talk?"
"Look, it's been a long day-"
"I know."
"Know about what?"
"Your mother."
"What about her?"
"That she's sick."
She can't know, he hasn't told anyone. Not even the record company knows everything.
"How do you know that?"
"Believe it or not, I'm still friends with Kurt. When he told me your mother has-"
"Please don't say it. If you say it, it's real."
"Brain cancer. And from what Kurt told me, she doesn't have much longer. Look I know you hate me, but just know I'm here for you. Whether you want me to be or not."
He's not sure if it's the words "brain cancer" or how nice she's being, but his knees collapse underneath him and he's sobbing in the hallway of the hotel.
In the arms of his past.
AN/2: I hate doing that to Carol. Next chapter will hopefully be out soon! Stay tuned!