The Life and Times of Kurt Hummel
Season 6, Episode 3: TAKING CHANCES
3/15: Kurt is shocked when he discovers Isabelle is planning to leave Vogue, and he attempts to convince her to change her mind. Meanwhile, Rachel enlists Blaine's help to buy a stressful Kurt a present.
…
"See you later!" Kurt shouted as he rushed by Sam to the door of the apartment.
"You don't start for forty minutes yet, why are you rushing?" Sam asked.
"I'm just really excited, that's all. Work has been even more incredible than normal at the moment!" Kurt explained happily.
"Well, awesome. Have fun!" Sam said. Kurt smiled and waved as he walked out, a huge grin on his face. Working at Vogue had always been a dream come true; he had an amazing boss, amazing colleagues and an amazing office and which he designed clothes all day, every day! Working at Vogue right now was exactly what Kurt needed, with the previous few months there having been very stressful for him.
What could possibly go wrong?
…
-THE LIFE AND TIMES OF KURT HUMMEL-
…
Blaine was cleaning tables at the diner when Rachel walked in and walked straight on the stage, starting to sing.
"Don't know much about your life. You don't know about my past, and But what do you say to taking chances, I just want to start again, What do you say to taking chances, Never knowing if there's solid ground below And I had my heart beating down, What do you say to taking chances, Don't know much about your life
Don't know much about your world, but
Don't want to be alone tonight,
On this planet they call earth.
I don't have a future figured out.
And maybe this is going too fast.
And maybe it's not meant to last,
What do you say to jumping off the edge?
Never knowing if there's solid ground below
Or hand to hold, or hell to pay,
What do you say,
What do you say?
And maybe you could show me how to try,
And maybe you could take me in,
Somewhere underneath your skin?
What do you say to jumping off the edge?
Or hand to hold, or hell to pay,
What do you say,
What do you say?
But I always come back for more, yeah.
There's nothing like love to pull you up,
When you're laying down on the floor there.
So talk to me, talk to me,
Like lovers do.
Yeah walk with me, walk with me,
Like lovers do,
Like lovers do.
What do you say to jumping off the edge?
Never knowing if there's solid ground below
Or hand to hold, or hell to pay,
What do you say,
What do you say?
And I don't know much about your world."
The diner's customers applauded as Rachel approached Blaine.
"Good rehearsal?" Blaine asked and Rachel nodded.
"Yeah, and it got me thinking about how my dream is coming true, and how I would never have made it without you guys. I wanna give something back to Kurt; he's had a stressful time lately. I was hoping you'd help me get him a gift." Rachel said.
"Wait, you want to do something nice…for another person?" Blaine teased as Rachel hit him.
"Yes!"
"Sounds lovely. I'm in."
…
Kurt walked into Vogue and straight into Isabelle's office with a smile.
"Hey! So I just finished these designs last night and I think you're gonna lov-"
Kurt stopped at the sight of Isabelle's office looking emptier than usual, with boxes on the floor. Isabelle looked shocked at the sight of him.
"I didn't think you were coming in today. I'm just spring cleaning." Isabelle said.
"What's going on?"
Isabelle looked down and sighed, taking a seat.
"I'm…I'm leaving Vogue." Isabelle whispered. Kurt was shocked to his core.
"WHAT? But…I don't understand."
"It's not that I don't love it here, and I still have a month before I go, but I want to be organised and…I need my life back. I want to be able to go out with friends and finally find a guy to settle with. I want to live." Isabelle explained.
"You can't go, I need you here. It wouldn't be half as good here without such a great boss." Kurt pleaded.
"Sweetie, you are the best thing that's happened to me and Vogue in decades, and hiring you was the greatest choice I've ever made. You'll be incredible here." Isabelle said, pulling Kurt into a tight hug. Kurt struggled to hold back tears.
…
Rachel and Blaine sat on a bench in Central Park, fed up.
"NOTHING. We've tried eleven shops, and NOTHING. He has bought every single thing in New York!" Rachel moaned.
"Yep. This is why the presents I give him on Christmas and birthdays are more…physical, shall I say." Blaine said suggestively, winking at Rachel. She rolled her eyes in disgust.
"Hey, we're only human. And don't think we don't hear you and Sam-"
"-STOP. Right now. Please can we focus on this present? You see, this is what I get for trying to be nice." Rachel said, crossing her arms and growing redder.
"Okay, calm down before you explode. You're stressed too, remember, what with your debut in two weeks." Blaine said.
"Oh my god, two weeks! You're right! TWO WEEKS, BLAINE!" Rachel exclaimed.
"Okay, okay, maybe we need something more general. Kurt's been texting me for the past hour saying Isabelle's quit Vogue; he's really upset. What can we do about today? We just need to get him through a tough time, and maybe even help you cope at the same time." Blaine suggested. Rachel looked up with a start, smiling.
"Of course."
"What? You've got an idea?" Blaine asked as Rachel nodded.
"We can give him the gift of a brightened day."
…
Kurt walked into the apartment and saw Rachel and Blaine sat on some stools in front of him. Rachel gestured for him to sit down and he obeyed.
"What's this?"
"We wanted to cheer you up. And how better to do that than with a song?" Blaine said. Kurt smiled.
"You two are the sweetest." Kurt smiled. Blaine started playing his guitar and Rachel started to sing.
"You say love is what you put into it You say that it's hard to commit to it If only New York wasn't so far away
You say that I'm losing my will
Don't you know that you're all that I think about?
You make up a half of the whole
You say that it's hard standing still
Don't you know that I spend all my nights
Counting backwards the days 'til I'm home?
I promise the city won't get in our way
When you're scared and alone,
Just know that I'm already home."
Blaine then sang. "I say that we're right in the heart of it If only New York wasn't so far away
A love only we understand
I will bend every light in this city
And make sure they're shining on you
I promise the city won't get in our way
When you're scared and alone,
Just know that I'm already home."
Rachel sang. "When life takes its own course
Sometimes we just don't get to choose."
The two sang together.
"I'd rather be there next to you All I have is this feeling inside of me
Promise you'll wait for me, wait for me
Wait 'til I'm home
The only thing I've ever known."
Blaine sang, smiling at Kurt. "If only New York wasn't so far away
I promise the city won't get in our way."
The two sang together again.
"When you're scared and alone, If only New York wasn't so far away
Just know that I'm already home
I will be there every step of the way
When you're scared and alone,
Just know that I'm already home."
Blaine sang the final line with a smile.
"Just know that I'm already home."
As the song ended, Kurt stood up and hugged Blaine and Rachel with a smile.
"I love you, both of you." Kurt said happily.
"But me more." Rachel and Blaine said at the same time, glaring at each other afterwards. Kurt laughed.
"And you know what; you gave me a very good idea."
…
The next day, Kurt walked back into Vogue and Isabelle was sat on his desk, waiting for him.
"Oi, you!" Isabelle said and Kurt smiled innocently.
"Everything okay?"
"Kurt, stop playing the fool. Care to explain why I received over 200 letters this morning from Vogue customers begging me not to leave?" Isabelle asked.
"Well, I MAY have posted something about it on my very successful fashion blog, and I MAY have written your address at the bottom of my latest post, and I MAY have asked people to beg you to stay and I MAY have gotten a petition together to convince you stay." Kurt said, pulling out said petition from his bag, filled with pages and pages of signatures.
"…All of this to get me to stay? These must contain thousands of names." Isabelle said.
"Yep. I get it; you really want to leave because you're scared of being alone and not being loved. Look at these, look at those letters, you ARE loved. And you can see by the sheer mass of paper in your hands…you're definitely not alone. You are Vogue's heart, and it just wouldn't be the same without you. You're already exactly where you want to be, and you'll find a nice guy one day, but for now you have millions of fans reading your magazine every single minute of every single day. Not many people can say that." Kurt explained. Isabelle grew teary as she saw the huge number of people that cared enough to ask her to stay at Vogue. She hugged Kurt again.
"Thank you." She whispered, not afraid anymore.
…
Kurt skipped back into the apartment and fell into Blaine's arms on the sofa. Rachel and Sam were snuggled up on the floor with a bowl of popcorn as the group watched a film.
"So, Isabelle's staying?" Rachel asked.
"Yep. Life is good again. Thank you, guys." Kurt said, kissing Blaine and high-fiving Sam.
And Kurt completely believed what he had said. Life turned out much differently than he had anticipated.
It was so much better.
…
NEXT TIME...
"You're here, aren't you?"
"I am the greatest, greatest star!"
Rachel's Broadway debut had finally arrived.
"This is your moment. Shine."