Chapter 3 – Arrival

Kurt awoke when his phone beeped, signaling a text message. He groaned and put his pillow over his head in a feeble attempt to drown out the annoying spam. He didn't get much sleep last night, having stayed up very late to talk to an excited Rachel. Despite them being friends for about a month, the younger girl always seemed so excited to actually have someone to talk to. Kurt couldn't exactly blame her. He'd been in her shoes once, so he understood more than most that simple conversation with a peer really made a difference in someone's life.

And talking all night with Rachel Berry was surprisingly easy. They had a lot of common interests, more than what he thought was possible. In a way they were almost too similar. It was nice, though, to have a friend that loved the exact same movies and show tunes and passions as him. It was yet another difference between his friendship with Rachel and his past one with Grace, and he was grateful.

She was turning out to be a good friend. Kurt felt a little bad about keeping her in the dark regarding his impending parenthood, but he didn't want her treating him differently. And a part of him was very worried that she'd go running into the hills. In a way it felt like he was deceiving her by not revealing something that would be such a huge part of him, but he couldn't help but want to be her friend without worrying about his son for just a bit longer.

With a sigh, he managed to drag himself out of bed and rubbed his tired eyes. Whoever texted him had better be dying or something similar to spam his phone so much. Still disoriented, he blinked at his phone blearily…and kept blinking. It was a few moments before he could breathe again and he jumped into action.

(5:52 A.M.) Kurt, this is Sandra Cook. Grace's water broke ten minutes ago. We're taking her to the hospital.

(5:59 A.M.) Kurt, Sandra again. We're at the hospital. Room 181.

(7:18 A.M.) Sandra. Grace is only four centimeters. It should be a few hours.

(8:42 A.M.) Six centimeters now.

Kurt cursed and rapidly began putting on clothes. "DAD!" he yelled.

It didn't take long before he heard his father's footsteps racing down the stairs. Burt saw Kurt nearly dressed. "What is it? What's wrong?" he asked slightly panicky.

"It's time," Kurt croaked out. He shoved the phone into his father's hand and watched as Burt read. Kurt's eyes were wide and he wanted nothing more than to panic because his son was going to be born today and he had to step up to the plate and hope to be a father like his own and what if—

Burt pulled Kurt into a hug. "Breathe with me," he murmured, feeling Kurt slow his breathing to move in time with Burt's breaths. When he felt Kurt was calm enough, he continued, "Labor takes hours. The norm is anywhere between ten and twelve, but Grace is only sixteen so it can be different. Regardless, the baby isn't coming right now. We have a little time. I'm going to get dressed, and I know you hate it but we're going to have to get some fast food for breakfast. We'll eat on the way to the hospital, and we'll get through this. Okay?"

Kurt let out a sigh and nodded his head, feeling much calmer. He quickly typed out a reply and finished getting dressed. When they were ready, they loaded into Kurt's Navigator and turned on some music. Burt put a hand on Kurt's shoulder, and that was enough to distract Kurt of his racing heart and gnawing fear.

By the time they arrived at the hospital, Kurt was nearly ready to throw up. The greasy food sat in his stomach heavily, and the walk to Grace's room made him feel heavier. Still, he put one foot in front of the other, and with his father at his side Kurt found the feeling became manageable.

With only another moment of hesitation, Kurt plucked his courage, remembered that nobody pushes a Hummel, and he knocked on the door.

"Come in."

It was interesting, to say the least, seeing Grace and her parents again. The last time they saw each other was that awful night, and all further negotiations regarding their entwined futures was handled by their parents. Kurt hadn't laid eyes on Grace since she confessed to drugging him, and it was surprisingly easy to see her face. A lot of that had to do with his father making him see a shrink, and he didn't feel panicked nausea being around Grace again. No, he felt that way because of the situation; because it was too soon for him to be a father, but for the life of him he couldn't find it in himself to give his baby up.

Kurt was surprised to feel angry at her. He'd had nightmares about this moment; about what he'd feel when he had to face her because of the birth of his son. He'd anticipated still feeling hurt, lost, betrayed, and sick. But anger had never been what he imagined. Kurt had every right to be angry. His life was going to be forever changed, and she was basically getting off scot-free. It wasn't fair. Yes, he'd chosen to keep the baby, but in a way even that wasn't a choice. She decided to drug him. She decided to have sex with him. She decided to not use a condom.

But she wasn't really getting off scot-free, was she?

One look at the bags under her eyes, her tangled hair, the acne gracing her once flawless skin and Kurt could tell that she paid for her decision, but differently. It was too late for an abortion when she came clean to her parents about her pregnancy. Her fabled tale of her and Kurt spending a night of passion together proved false when she confessed that she drugged him. She lost her maternal rights in an effort to stay out of jail. Grace's life unraveled just as much as Kurt's, but the difference was that Kurt could live with himself with the decisions he'd made.

And maybe Grace didn't regret what she did now, but in ten or twenty years, when she was older and maybe had more kids or even met someone who could love her back, maybe then she'd look at this point of her life and be properly ashamed.

Because Kurt couldn't believe that the first girl he befriended could turn out to be completely evil and rotten.

That didn't stop him from feeling angry, or even a bit of hatred towards her. But maybe, perhaps, losing her son would be enough punishment for now. Kurt wasn't a devout person by any means, but he liked the idea of karma. He liked the idea that everybody that had ever tormented him would get their comeuppance in due time, and Grace's name was added to a long list.

"Kurt," Grace whispered, her eyes filling up with tears. Some escaped her eyes and rolled down her face, but Kurt stared at her impassively. His resolve hardened, and the nerves he felt for most of the morning seemed to dissipate. "Please, please you can't do this."

"I didn't do anything," Kurt said quietly. He wanted to put on his bitchiest glare and sneer at her, but that was childish, and he had to be the mature one.

Grace let out a small sob. "It's not fair!" she cried. "I helped create him. I deserve to—"

Kurt cut her off. "You deserve to go to jail for what you did to me," he said tightly. "And the last thing you deserve to be part of the baby's life. You're capable of rape. Who knows what else you're capable of?"

Whatever pity Kurt had felt at Grace losing her maternal rights died a swift death. While he did believe it was wrong to keep a parent away from their child, he also believed that keeping her away from his baby was the right decision. She raped him; why should she get a say in what happens in the baby's life? If the tables had been turned, if she were a boy and he a girl, there would be absolutely no question that Grace would never be involved in the baby's life.

The room grew awkward, and uncomfortable. Burt had his arms crossed over his chest, and he obviously was trying to withhold his own scathing remarks. He supported his son, and the only reason he controlled his temper in regards to Grace was because of her age. Her parents obviously wanted to protect their daughter, but at the same time they couldn't protect her from everything. She'd made a bad decision, and she had to face the consequences. Grace wasn't in the right mind to raise a child.

"I can fight," Grace whispered.

Kurt cocked an eyebrow. "You can try," he corrected. "While any physical evidence of what you did to me is gone, I do have an audio recording of you confessing." And he did. It was a spur of the moment thing, to set up a tape recorder when the Cooks had come over. He didn't know if he could use it in court, but the threat along would ensure that the Cooks, particularly Grace, would stay away.

Grace gaped. She stared at him before sniffling. "The Kurt I knew was kind and compassionate."

Kurt shrugged. "The Grace I knew would never have raped me. I guess we didn't know each other very well." He let her digest that for a moment before he spoke again. "I'll wait outside. Once the baby is born, we can sign the papers and not cross paths again."

Grace's mother, Sandra, gave him a brittle smile. She seemed to have aged since they last saw each other, and he could understand her and even feel bad for her. But he wouldn't change his mind.

He left the room with little fuss, his father behind him. He could hear Grace beg her parents for help, but her cries were cut off with her father's stern remarks and her mother's soft yet firm replies. They wouldn't change their minds, either. It must be hard for them to come to terms with the fact that the sweet daughter they raised had the capacity to do something so horrible.

"Do you think she'll really fight?" Kurt asked his father after the silence got to him. They had walked down the hall to sit in the waiting room. It was full with family members, some excited fathers and some nervous ones. There was the occasional distressed and distraught man, but Kurt wasn't paying a lot of attention to them. He had enough on his plate right now.

Burt let out a heavy sigh. "The girl is kind of a wild card," he admitted with a grimace, "and can really benefit from seeing a therapist. Will she fight? I don't know. It's obvious she wants to, but anyone who thinks it's okay to slip someone a drug to 'help' them love her isn't fit to raise a child. I know this, you know this, and her parents know this. They will prevent her from trying, and if she's insistent, well, we'll have to cross that bridge when we get to it."

Kurt nodded his head. There was a long moment of silence before he blandly remarked, "My life never used to be this complicated."

Burt let out a snort before he shook his head, and Kurt smiled. The next couple of hours were spent waiting. The pair both took turns alternating between playing on their phones and pacing.

Kurt's cell phone went off. He grabbed it quickly and, seeing Rachel calling, answered it with a quiet, "Hello."

"Hello, Kurt!" Rachel greeted as enthusiastic as ever. "I was wondering if we were still on for a movie night at my house."

Kurt winced; he completely forgot he'd made plans with her. "I…sorry, Rachel, something came up. I can't tonight."

"But," Rachel protested, "tonight we were going to watch RENT!"

"I know, and I'm really sorry. I really can't. This is important."

"Are you okay? Is your dad okay? You're not hurt, are you?"

"What?! No, Rachel, honestly I'm fine," Kurt insisted, feeling rather incredulous.

"Then what's wrong?"

Kurt frowned at how pushy he was, but before he could reply, he saw Sandra come into the waiting room. "I'll explain everything later, Rachel, but I have to go now," he said. He hung up before she could ask more questions and put his phone on vibrate before shoving it in his pocket. Burt was already on his feet and talking with Sandra.

His father turned to him. "Show time," he said softly. "Did you want to be in the room?"

Kurt nearly recoiled. Did he want to see his son being born? No way. Just thinking about lady parts being stretched and bloody to squeeze a tiny human out was making him green. One glance at Sandra's nonchalant expression and Kurt knew that she wanted to be there for her daughter, but was willing to allow him to do that because he'd been wronged.

"No, no, that's okay," Kurt hurried to state. "I'll just wait on the outside."

Sandra gave him a small smile, obviously relieved. She nodded her head and left.

Burt gave his son a firm pat on the back and the Hummels returned to waiting. Kurt's phone buzzed a few times, no doubt Rachel trying to call him back, but he ignored it. He took several deep breaths to further calm himself. His son would be born soon. He'd given a lot of thought to the name over the past few months, and it wasn't until just over six weeks ago that he discovered the perfect one. Kurt hadn't shared it with his father yet, and he knew the older man was incredibly curious, but he wanted it to be a surprise.

It wasn't until another couple of hours that they were greeted by Grace's father, Brian. "The baby's been moved to the observation room," he said softly. "But he's healthy. Seventeen inches and seven pounds twelve ounces."

Burt nodded cordially at him before turning to Kurt. "Want to go meet him?" he inquired.

Kurt nodded shakily before he stood up and followed Brian. He could see a lot of babies through the glass window, most of them swaddled in pink blankets. It wasn't until the nurse, spotting Brian, picked up a baby and brought him to the window that Kurt laid eyes on his son.

The baby was gorgeous in a way that most babies weren't. Maybe that was his own bias speaking, but Kurt had always held the opinion that most babies were born ugly as hell. Their skin was still wrinkly and they looked more like an alien than a human. But here, gazing at his son with hungry eyes, he couldn't help but think that his little baby boy was perfect. He had a button nose, full pouty mouth, and almond shaped eyes. Kurt twitched when he saw some of Grace in his son's chin, ears, and cheekbones.

"Do you have a name?" Brian asked quietly.

Kurt looked at him and nodded. "Ethan," he replied. "Ethan Burt Hummel."

His father let out a sound akin to a whimper, but it was ignored.

Brian nodded. "It's a good name," he said. His smile was a little fixed. "I don't know why Grace did what she did," he said suddenly. His eyes became wet. "She…we didn't raise her that way. And Sandra and I have had a hard time coming to terms with the little girl we raised and this ugly thing she did."

"She's young," Burt replied. "Young, and although not by any means stupid, doesn't fully understand the repercussions of her actions."

Brian's lips thinned. He wanted to defend his daughter, but what she did was inexcusable and not defendable. "I know it means very little, but we are…greatly despaired…at all that happened," he said carefully.

Kurt was thankful he didn't say sorry. He'd had enough of feeling sorry for himself these past few months, and he didn't want anyone else's sorrow. He wanted to move on with his life regardless of how apprehensive he was. Kurt observed Brian, saw the quiet longing in his gaze as he stared at his grandson, and came to a decision.

"If…" He paused to clear his throat. "If you and Mrs. Cook want, I can send you pictures of Ethan," he offered quietly. He could feel his father's gaze burn into the side of his head, but he ignored it and continued. "I don't want Grace to have any part in his life. I don't trust her, and I think she's too unstable to be around a child. But I also believe that you and Mrs. Cook didn't ask for this either, and I don't mind sending pictures as he grows up."

Brian stared at him, his eyes still wet and the muscles in his throat twitched. He licked his lips. "I know I would," he confessed softly. "I'll have to talk to my wife."

Kurt nodded. "You have my phone number." He let the silence fill the air for a moment as all three of them watched as Ethan was once again placed in the bassinet. "Did Grace sign the papers yet?"

"She did." They turned to Sandra who gave them a worn out expression. She continued, "Grace needs a few moments to herself."

Kurt nodded understandingly. "When will Ethan be ready for me to take home?"

Sandra visibly startled at the name before regaining some composure. "It'll be a few days. He's a healthy baby, so keeping him a few days is just routine."

Burt clasped his son on the shoulder and led him away from the Cooks. He enveloped Kurt in a big, warm hug. They didn't need to say any words and just enjoyed the comfort of the embrace.

Brian had used the time to talk to Sandra, and judging by her blotchy yet happy expression, they were going to take Kurt up on his offer. Soon after, Kurt was presented with the birth certificate to sign. He didn't get the chance to hold Ethan before they had to leave, but Kurt would be returning the next day, and Ethan would be going home with him in the next three.

The Hummels left the hospital with little fuss. They didn't see Grace again, which Kurt was thankful for, and the drive was uneventful. When they arrived home, Burt was quick to dress and leave for work, and Kurt finally checked his phone. He missed six calls, nine text messages, and three voicemails from Rachel.

He took a deep breath before going through them all. They pretty much said the same thing, wondering if he was okay, why he canceled, and if she had done anything wrong. Kurt gripped his phone tightly, and wondered if he'd lose his currently only friend over everything.

The phone rang only twice before Rachel picked up. "Hello? Kurt? Is everything okay? I didn't do anything to offend you, right?"

Kurt winced at her worried tone. "No, Rachel, you didn't do anything. What happened today was just something important I had to do, and I didn't know how to tell you."

Rachel paused for a moment. "…you're not into drugs, are you? Because recreational drug usage can damage your vocal chords, and it is not the answer to whatever problems you may have! I highly recommend exercise, or eve—"

"Rachel, I'm not a druggie," Kurt deadpanned. "I…actually, do you mind coming over? So we can talk face to face?"

There was a moment of silence before Rachel blurted out, "If you're going to break off our friendship, I'd much rather it being done over the phone so that I—"

Kurt rubbed his face tiredly. "Rachel, I don't want to end our friendship. I…I really like being friends with you," he admitted. "But I haven't been totally honest with you, and you might not want to be friends with me after I tell you what's been going on in my life. So, please, can we talk about this face to face?"

It didn't take long for Rachel to get there. He winced when he saw her clothes, but managed to keep his comments about her old cat lady style to himself. She stared at him nervously and with a small amount of suspicion. "Are you in trouble, Kurt?" she asked seriously.

Kurt shook his head. Once she was seated, he stood up and began pacing. "So before I met you," he started, "I had a friend. Her name was Grace. We were pretty close, and she was there at a point in my life when I really needed a friend."

Rachel nodded her head hesitantly. "What happened?"

Kurt grimaced and swallowed thickly. "Well, uh, long story short, we are no longer friends." Such an understatement, he though bitterly before continuing. "But we did have a night together…and, well, my son was born not too long ago."

If he wasn't so worried about losing her as a friend, he would have laughed at her expression. Her eyes and mouth were comically wide, but that didn't ease Kurt's tension.

"You…you have a son?" she whispered.

He nodded his head solemnly. "Yeah."

She blinked rapidly in an attempt to process everything. "But you're gay!" she exclaimed. She paused for a moment. "Were…were you confused? Like, did you want to make sure? Because my dad LeRoy went through the same thing, and that's perfectly okay."

Kurt smiled slowly at her, and if there was a hint of bitterness in his smile, well, he had a perfectly good reason for it. "No, no. I knew I was gay. I've known who I was and what I liked since I was five," he stated. "That night…it wasn't supposed to happen. I don't like women that way, and I never will."

Rachel smoothed her hideous skirt and cocked her head to the side. "I don't understand," she confessed with a slight frown. "If you're gay, how did you have sex with a woman to produce a child?"

Kurt's fist tightened of its own accord. How could he answer this without divulging every single horrid detail? How could he gloss over it so that she wouldn't see him as a victim? But looking at her obviously not running from him for being a teenage father and trying to understand how he got into this situation, Kurt took a small leap of faith and decided to tell her.

"That night," he said, licking his dry lips with a dryer tongue, "Grace slipped something into my drink. I remember flashes, but the only thing that is clear is waking up next to her and running away once I realized what had happened."

Kurt looked down and took a deep breath. There. He said it without including that four-letter R word or victimizing himself.

Before he knew it, Rachel's arms encircled around him. He blinked in surprise and gaped when she finally pulled away with tears in her eyes. "Kurt, that…that's awful," she choked out. "How could anyone do that? How could someone who is supposed to be your friend do that to you?"

"I've asked myself that many times," he admitted. "But I don't know. I can't match the girl who used to be my best friend with the girl that decided she didn't need my consent to have sex with me. And now I have a son to take care of and be responsible for because she didn't even have the decency to put on a damn condom."

Rachel wiped her eyes. "I'm here for you," she said determinedly. "Anybody who would abandon a friend in need isn't a friend at all. And I want you to know that I will be here. Because you're quickly becoming my best friend, and I won't leave you alone."

Kurt stared at her for a moment before smiling. "Thank you," he said sincerely.

They spent the rest of the night talking. He showed her the picture he took of Ethan with his phone, and before she went home, they were closer than ever. This was what real friends were supposed to be like.

He slept peacefully that night, dreaming of his son which was for once not terror-inducing.