A/N: New chapter alert. Thank you so much for the reviews. I've gotten some really nice ones. I know who you are, and I really appreciate it. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and the rest of the story. Slight mentions of some heavier topics. I think it's about to get good. But that's just the writer's opinion. I can't be bias about my own work. That, I will leave up to all you lovely people who are reading this, and my other stories. Hope you're having a good day/night depending on where you live. Read and Review. Enjoy. JusticeIsn'tEasy0083. D.


Chapter Nine: The Road Ahead

He didn't know where he was going, he was just driving. The rain had started pouring down, but he didn't care. All he wants, is to get away from his father. He can't believe that Burt has been hiding information from his for thirteen years. How could he do that? Kurt has a right to know where the woman who abandoned him is living. Regardless of how Kurt would feel or act, he still deserves to know. Somewhere along the way, he finds himself stopping at a small park, just outside of Lima. It's a park that he and Mercedes used to frequent when they were little. He got out of the car, not caring that he would be drenched to the bone within a minute. He walked over to the park bench, and sat down, just staring at the play equipment. It only takes him a moment, but he knows that his phone is buzzing. It's probably going to be fucked when he pulls it out of his pocket anyway, and the only thing he has it for, is so that he can call his father. Besides, phones always let people know where you are. Except for Kurt. He wasn't allowed to track Elizabeth's cell phone, unlike his father who has been doing it since he was little… Think logically Kurt. They're all worried about you… he thought to himself, telling himself to get in the car and drive back home, but he doesn't. He stays glued to the chair, ignoring the buzzing in his pocket, and the rain. He doesn't feel the cold. To him, it's just a normal thing. For once, he can't bring himself to admit that he's going to be okay, because he honestly doesn't know how this is going to turn out. He could die of pneumonia and it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Sure, they'd miss him for a couple of months, but then after that they'd all move on wouldn't they?

Burt calls everyone that he knows, and Blaine calls all of the New Directions. Mercedes and Santana tell him they'll go out looking in Lima, and Blaine thanks them, before running out to his own car, with Jeff and Finn, whilst Nick goes with Burt and Carole. Blaine heads towards Westerville, thinking that maybe Kurt would have gone back to Dalton. Finn has his head practically glued out the window, the rain pelting down around them doesn't seem to bother him all that much. Jeff is in contact with Nick, they're talking and wondering things, and he hears Jeff ask Nick where the most likely places are that Kurt would go. Nick tells them to head to Westerville, he and Burt are heading out of town, and the New Directions are going to drive around Lima. It was stupid, a stupid mistake on Burt's behalf that caused this to occur. It would have been fine, Kurt needn't have been the wiser, didn't need to know that Nick and Burt have information on his mother that they've been keeping from him. Everything would have been fine. He has to be somewhere Blaine… he keeps telling himself as they enter Westerville almost half an hour later. Nick receives three texts from some of the ND girls, stating that they're still looking. No one has eyes on Kurt, and that has him worried. There are only four places in Lima that Kurt would absolutely go to: the park, McKinley Auditorium, their old tree house, and Braverman Field. Burt is heading towards Braverman field, his face doesn't show any sign of distress, and Nick thinks he's trying to hold it together in front of them. His face, on the other hand, has signs of panic, and worry embedded on it. Even Carole grabs his shoulder and squeezes lightly in reassurance. It's almost impossible to see through the rain, but they're not giving up. Especially because Burt and Nick promised Kurt they would never give up.


It's Mercedes who finds Kurt. For some reason, she just had a feeling that she should head towards the park they always used to hang out at when they were little. She found her boo sitting on one of the benches, saturated. Her umbrella was fighting against the wind and rain, but she managed to get over to Kurt quickly enough, making sure she was standing so he was protected from the rain. He looked up at her, and without reluctance (which surprised her), he stood and followed her back to her car, under the umbrella. She had grabbed a bunch of towels before she ran out of her house, and handed them to Kurt, wrapping them around him frantically. Kurt didn't say much as Mercedes drove them back through the Lima streets to her house. She had been filled in by Nick on what was happening, but hadn't had the chance to text him and let them know that she has Kurt. When she pulled up in the driveway, she thought for a moment that Kurt would try and run again, but he just followed her inside. Mr and Mrs Jones helped Mercedes with Kurt, grabbing towels, and some spare clothes, and food. Mr Jones lit the fire, and smiled proudly at his daughter for being such a wonderful friend. Kurt, once he was showered, and in dry clothes, came back out to the den, and wrapped himself in the blanket Mercedes had retrieved for him, smiling at her, and letting the warmth from the fire embrace him. When Kurt is asleep, Mercedes pulls out her cell and calls Nick. He answered on the first ring, and she told him that she found Kurt that he won't be back tonight, they're having a sleepover, and then she hung up. What is going through your mind white boy? She wondered, grabbing her blanket and curling up on the mattress on the floor.

Kurt woke in the morning to Mercedes standing over him, holding a plate and glass of OJ. Reluctantly, he sat up, taking them from her, smiling as a thanks. He's not in the mood to talk right now, and if he starts, he knows he won't stop. Mercedes kisses his cheek, and then goes to have a shower. It's not that he's uncomfortable being in the Jones' house, he's been here plenty of times. It just that… he's wearing clothes that don't belong to him, and are a couple of sizes too big, and after everything he's put them all through, they're still helping him. He should call Blaine, but his phone is probably fucked to the shithouse, having been drenched with his clothes from last night. He's lost in thought, so lost, that he doesn't hear Mrs. Jones enter the room, until she's sitting in front of him. He jumps a little, startled, before looking up at her. The doorbell breaks them out of their staring match, and Kurt is able to stand, and take his glass and plate to the kitchen, where Mr Jones is sitting at the bench reading the paper. Neither of them say a word, just sharing a nod to acknowledge the other, and then Kurt leaves the room. He's about to go find Mercedes, when he's stopped in the hall by the appearance of Blaine, Nick and his father, who pulls him into a hug almost immediately. For the first time in a long time, Kurt doesn't hug him back, he just stands, stilted, arms dangling by his side. Nick is the next one to hug him, and Kurt relaxes a little, but it's Blaine who gets a proper hug, a hug so tight that he doesn't think Kurt will ever let him go. When he does, they remain holding hands. There is tension in the room, Mercedes even senses it when she returns to the group.

'We've been so worried Kurt. You shouldn't have taken off like that,' Burt said

'He didn't say much last night either,' Mercedes said when Kurt didn't reply to his father

'He hasn't spoken since last night? Kurt, tell us what's going through your mind. We can't help you unless you do,' Nick said, placing both hands on his best-friend's shoulders

'It's cold,' was all the countertenor said, following Blaine out to the car, not watching as Burt thanked the Jones' and Mercedes for their help.


A few days later, on Monday, Kurt, Blaine, Nick and Jeff are standing in the middle of their sports field, which is filled with stalls and jumping castles, and a stage in the centre. The New Directions and the Warblers are running around, shouting, going to the stalls, on the bouncing castle… everything that Wes and David had organised is being used, and the satisfied looks on their faces say everything they're thinking. Kurt didn't want to come to the 'Warbler Fair' and frankly he has better things to do. Things that involve him and Blaine, and small spaces… if you get what he means. Now, they're surrounded by everyone, and all he wants to do is run away from them all. They have two weeks left of school. Two weeks of Senior Year and then he can go and find his mother. He hasn't spoken to his dad since the incident three days ago, and he won't go and see the therapist, even though Nick has been threatening to tie him down and take him. Somehow, he always turns it into an innuendo, which leaves Kurt smirking and Nick red-faced. If Jeff is there, they both end up red-faced. Wes and the other Warblers announce that they need everyone to gather around the stage, because the faculty would like to announce some accolades, awards and who their class valedictorian is going to be. Against his better judgement, Kurt let Blaine lead him over to the gathering crowd in the middle of the field, and sat down on one of the chairs. Santana and Brittany were behind him, Finn on his right and Blaine on his left, the rest of ND scattered around in amongst the Warblers. They listened to the teachers talk, and give out some awards to the senior students, and welcome some of the freshmen, and officially inducted the new Head Warbler, to which Wes burst into tears and started clinging onto David. Kurt laughed with the others. Then when it came time to announce the senior class Valedictorian, everyone was silent.

When they announced that Kurt was valedictorian, he was shocked. He had come to Dalton as a mid-term transfer, and with everything that had gone on during his time here, he still managed to be at the top of his class. Finn pulled him into a hug, congratulating him, as the teachers dismissed them and everyone came over to congratulate Kurt and talk to them about Warblers and post-school life. Finn was sticking close to him, making up an excuse to go and see Puckerman when Rachel came over to him. Obviously, they haven't sorted out whatever is going on with them, because they're still avoiding one another. Kurt found himself actually starting to have some fun, when the ND girls 'kidnapped' him, and forced him to play some of the fair games, and rides with them. Blaine was snapping pictures of them, and trying to get ones of Kurt smiling, seeing as he hadn't done it much lately. Nick had found Kurt on Sunday morning in their bathroom, staring at the shards of glass that had been knocked out of the mirror, and Kurt's bleeding hand. Blaine knows everything now. He knows that Kurt takes anti-depressants, but even they don't seem to be helping right now. When he manages to escape the clutches of Santana and Quinn, he heads back to Worthington House alone, hoping to get in some last minute preparation before their "Sleepover". Kurt had never really known what it meant to have a sleepover until he attended one for the New Directions when he was sixteen. Mercedes was even nice enough to let him invite Nick, but he knew them all enough to be comfortable there without his best-friend, and besides, Nick had dates with Jeff all that night, so he couldn't ask him to give up time with his boyfriend. Kurt managed to get back to Worthington House and into his dorm before six pm, when the teachers would be doing room calls. He fell back on to his bed, and closed his eyes….


FLASHBACK

First New Direction's Sleepover

He was surprised when his father basically pushed him and Finn out the door on the night of the first New Direction's Sleepover. It's only because he doesn't know that Finn and Rachel are dating, and what usually happens at these sleepovers… well Kurt doesn't know firsthand, Finn usually regales him with stories. But tonight, he's decided to attend. He has to talk to Mercedes about Blaine anyway. He thinks the boy might like him, but he can't tell and his best girlfriend has always been good that deducing whether or not a guy likes them. Quinn's parents are away for the weekend, which is the only reason they're having the party at her house this time, and not at Rachel's where it usually is. If her father's ever knew what really went on at those things, they would ban them all from their house. Kurt just chuckles at the expression on Finn's face when he pictures that, and drives through the neighbourhood, until they get to a brick house, with cars strewn all around. Finn gets out first, grabbing their bags, and walking up to the door, but instead of knocking or ringing the bell like a normal person, shouts out something no one should ever say when surrounded by houses, most likely containing school children who shouldn't be hearing those things. Puck is the one who opens the door, fist bumping Finn, and Kurt, before inviting them in, and showing Finn where to dump their stuff. Downstairs, in the den/basement, Santana, Brittany, Artie, Quinn, Rachel, Mercedes, Mike, Puckerman, Sam, and Tina are gathered around on the floor, playing what looks to be monopoly. Kurt just stands back a little, watching the group. He's been so focused on being at Dalton, he's forgotten what their parties are usually like. He's here to have fun tonight. Nick made him promise that he would.

When they have finished their board game, Puck announces that he has scored some drinks for the evening, and runs upstairs to get them, whilst Quinn and the girls fuss over Kurt, and ask him about Dalton and if there are any single straight guys. He smirks, and tells them that there are plenty of guys, but he doesn't know how "straight" they are. Mercedes frowns at him playfully, before hugging him and watching as the girls and Puck set up their "Drinks" table. Kurt and Mercedes find a quiet corner, and sit down. He's been wanting to talk to Mercedes for a couple of weeks. He can't talk to Nick about this, because his best-friend is playing both sides. He's probably talking to Blaine about Kurt's feelings… if they are talking that is. Mercedes notices that he's away in his own world, and makes him focus back on their conversation by snapping her fingers. This makes Kurt chuckle, because she's so diva demanding, and unlike everyone else that it's good to be able to talk to her. They spend half-an hour chatting, and Mercedes convinces Kurt that he needs to talk to Blaine, find out if his feelings are returned, and stop using her and Nick as his go-between. For some reason, this makes him even more angry and confused. Not at Nick and Mercedes, just at himself for not being able to figure it out. Rachel hands him a cup with something in it, and he takes a sip, practically gagging on the drink, returning it to the table, and grabbing a bottle of water. Quinn smiled at him, knowing that he's not a big drinker. How wrong she is… Kurt thought, he could drink with the best of them… in fact he could out-drink them all if he wanted to. But tonight, he promised himself he wouldn't. He has to go back to Dalton in the morning, and if he's intoxicated, he'll never get passed security. So he watches his friends as they slowly become more and more inebriated throughout the night. It's funny. He and Quinn are the only sober ones, and they use the opportunity to take pictures and videos… just for laughs. Never for others to see… unless it's Wes…

'Thank you for coming tonight Kurt. It's been a while since you've been to one of our sleepovers,'

'Yes, I forgot how much fun they are,' he replied, watching Rachel try to fight Santana for the chance to sing Karaoke

'Indeed, we are an odd bunch of misfits,' Quinn replied, looking around the room

'Yes, indeed we are,' Kurt replied, smiling that she had included him in that statement


When Blaine, Nick and Jeff get back to the dorm room, they are talking amongst themselves, and shushing one another, whilst Jeff holds his iPad in between the three of them, turning it around every now and then. Kurt doesn't pay attention, he's staring at the ceiling whilst lying on his bed. He doesn't really care what they're looking at, until Blaine tells him that Jeff is making an itinerary for their trip. The trip they're all taking to find Kurt's mother. This is when the countertenor shoots up, and looks over at the three standing in the middle of the dorm. Jeff smiles and hands his iPad to Kurt, who looks over the itinerary he's made up. It looks pretty solid, down to travel times, who is driving, where they're staying and what they can see whilst they're there. Kurt doesn't say it often, but he thanks them all, hugging Nick and Jeff, who then slink off to Jeff and Blane's dorm, leaving Kurt with his boyfriend… but not before Nick sends him three texts, all filled with innuendos in their language they called "Nurtick". Blaine smiles and begins to explain to Kurt, that he threatened the boys, that if they didn't support the idea, he would hand them over to Wes. It's not exactly the truth, he told Nick that if he didn't come with them, he would tell Kurt that it was him and not Burt who found the information. Nick would've come along anyway. Kurt heads into the bathroom to finish up before their movie night, and comes out wearing his pyjama bottoms, but no shirt, and suddenly, Blaine feels very much overdressed. Kurt rectifies the situation, by pushing Blaine up against the wall, and slowly undressing him, before pulling a spare pair of his pyjama pants (they have clothes in each others dorm rooms… because why not?), out of the draw, and smirks whilst Blaine pulls them on.

Jeff emails Blaine the details, and an email that states that they will spend June locating Kurt's mother, and if they don't find her, that will be the end of it. Kurt knows that if they don't find her, he'll continue to search on his own, but for the sake of argument, agrees. They will drive from here to where she is living, and hopefully, he will get some of the answers he has been searching for, for the last thirteen years. It's the fifteenth of May. On the twenty-third, they graduate from highschool, and then on June ninth, they'll set off on their road trip. Kurt has already started putting all of his things together to be put into storage until they get to Harvard in September. The New Directions graduate on the twenty-fourth, so he has to go to McKinley for that, and I think Mr Schuester wants him to perform with the New Directions. This is exciting for Kurt, because the look on Wes' face when he finds out will be absolutely priceless. Which is what he tells Blaine, who promises to have a video camera at the ready on that day. They curl up on the couch and put a movie on. It's not really important, doesn't matter which one they chucked on, because they usually only get halfway through it before it turns into sex on the couch, or the bed, or wherever they end up. But for now, Kurt just curls up to his boyfriend, letting the warmth from his body make him drift off to sleep. Which wouldn't be a bad thing, but he's been having terrible dreams lately, and he doesn't want to alarm Blaine… not that he has a choice on where and with whom he falls asleep with. The other week Wes crashed on their couch and unfortunately saw what happens sometimes at night. Blaine hasn't experienced it all that much, because they rarely sleep overnight in each others rooms. They haven't lately anyway. There is a banging from outside the door, which wakes him up, and he's thankful and annoyed all at the same time.

'I have something I want to talk to you about before graduation,' Blaine said, caressing Kurt's hair

'What is it?' the other boy asked

'Not tonight Kurt… it's special. It has to be the day before graduation. I have it planned that way,' Blaine replied

'I hate surprises Blaine….' Kurt replied

'You will love this one… I promise' he replied, pressing a soft kiss to Kurt's head


FLASHBACK

It's the third time in a week that he's been woken up by one of what they're calling "Kurt's episodes". They're nightmares, or dreams. Things that either are true, and twisted a little, or not true and completely thrown into his imagination. The doctor Nick spoke to said it's a side effect of Bipolar, but he doesn't want to believe that his best-friend has the same condition as his mother. That would be too hard to admit to himself, even though the signs are there. He's forcing the boy to see a psychiatrist. His mother had suggested it to him, after he mentioned how worried about Kurt he is. Of course, the hard part is actually getting the countertenor to attend the appointments. Every time one comes up, Nick has to practically drag Kurt to the car, and then drive him there and home again, just so he will go. He's be prescribed anti-depressants, which make him moody, but he takes the required prescription of them and he's been good, until now. Wes had gone on and on about the council taking precaution to ensure the Warblers are drug and alcohol free before Regional's, and it's got Kurt paranoid to the point where he's stopped taking the medication to help him. It's Wes' fault and Nick is ready to have words with the head Warbler, but he knows that Kurt will kill him if he tells Wes about them. Blaine, on the other hand, just wants Kurt to like him the same way that he does. He's been dancing around the topic for months. Kurt has been here almost a year now, and they're going to be seniors. Those two should be dating already. They've been dancing around one another long enough. Regardless, he wakes up at three am, to his best-friend throwing things around his side of the room, looking for something. Nick sits up, watching Kurt frantically search for something. He waits for a moment, before flicking on the bedside light. He sees Kurt stop what he's doing, and turn to face him, tears streaming down his face. He's about ready to cave when Kurt says something he never thought he'd ever hear him say: he tells Nick that he needs help.


Navy blue and red. Those are the colours that fill the common room. Warblers dressed in their regalia, preparing for their graduation. Wes, crying on Thad's shoulder, whilst David stands nearby, talking to Ian, Sebastian and Riker. All of the seniors are reminiscing, talking about their futures, what they're going to do tonight to celebrate the ending of highschool. Kurt is standing in what used to be his and Nick's dorm room, his father pleading with him to not go looking for his mother one last time. Then, he pulls Kurt into a hug, and makes the promise that no matter what, he will always love Kurt, and that he knows his son needs to do this, he needs to close that door, in order to get some kind of closure in his life. He needs to move on. Blaine meets him by the door, looking handsome in his regalia. He shakes Burt's hand, and all is back to the way that it was before. Finn is standing some distance away, with Carole by his side. He's tall, so he can see over most of the shorter Warblers, like Blaine and Riker, but Kurt is almost the same height as his step-brother, which he points out often. At ten am, the guests are called to enter the auditorium at Dalton, leaving the graduates to the mercy of their teachers, who prepare them for what they're meant to be doing. Kurt had opted out of giving a valedictorian speech, instead offering the student address to Nick, who happily accepted it. Kurt is thankful that he is top of the class, but he doesn't want to talk for fear of saying something he might regret, and those speeches are so frustrating because you say one thing, and either someone hates it, or everyone loves it, and you hate it because you should have said this instead of that… blegh. I'll just let Nick make a fool of himself…Kurt thinks as he's pulled into a conversation with Riker and a non-Warbler Billy who was in his English class.

Whilst they're sitting in their designated seats, Kurt wonders what the McKinley graduation will be like tomorrow. He hasn't told Wes that he's performing a number with the New Directions, he's going to surprise the now former-Head Warbler tomorrow when Schuester introduces them. Last night, on their "last-high school-date" as Blaine had called it, there had been a proposal. Not a marriage proposal, they're far too young for that. A proposal of promise. Blaine had been preparing the whole thing for about a month. He was going to do it on their one year anniversary last month, but time got away from them, and he didn't, but yesterday was just as good a day as any. Blaine gave him a silver band, in scripted with a date, on which he would ask to Kurt to marry him. Essentially, it's a promise ring. He'd sent a mass text to all of ND and the girls have been dying to talk to him, so he's going to get crushed by them tomorrow. Finally, they get to the H's. There are only a few of them… William Harold, Tyler Holland and then finally, Kurt Hummel. He hears cheers the loudest from his family, and when he takes a moment to look out into the crowd, he can see the New Directions and the Schuester's, and Sue, sitting towards the back. Kurt receives his diploma and valedictorian award at the same time, and returns to his place in the audience. Because he isn't speaking, he gave up his stage seat to Nick, who is obviously having a blast, because he's taking photos and making stupid faces at whom he can only assume is Wes. He kind of zones out when Nick does his speech. He hears the words of course, but he's floating in and out of being here and somewhere else. The knowledge that in a matter of two weeks, he's going to be on the road to answers he's been waiting thirteen years for, is kind of overwhelming. He's not sitting near Blaine, so he clenches his fists, and tries to focus on Nick talking.


After the New Direction's graduation is complete, Schuester gets up on stage to announce that the Dalton Academy Warblers and New Directions have a special performance planned. Kurt had spoken to Rachel. The Warblers would sing Acapella, whilst the New Directions sang. Considering they have never really done a set without actual music, Kurt have been teaching them a few things, and their five rehearsals (yes, five days they learnt this in), have hopefully paid off. The crowd cheers when the Warblers start on the stage, their personal instruments filling the auditorium, making the music that the New Directions would usually need their band for. Kurt winked at his boyfriend as they walked out together, and then surprised them when he went over to join the New Directions, and if Wes hadn't been singing, he probably would have gaped at the situation in front of him. But regardless, it's just a little bit of fun. Besides, when are they ever going to be able to stand on the same stage, all together and perform again? When the song finishes, to a thunderous applause, and long after everyone has gone home and the celebrations are over, the New Directions and Warblers remain on the stage, talking, laughing and wishing for their futures, and making promises to meet up every now and then, or even just keep in touch via Facebook. Kurt looks around the room, and makes the mental note to himself that he knows that probably won't happen, but he hopes that is does. It's after one am when they disperse, slowly walking the corridors of McKinley, whilst Wes is berating him for "joining the other side". Kurt stops for a moment, before they exit, and turns around, looking back over the halls he spent a brief period of his life in, before turning and leaving. Onto the future… the road ahead, whatever it may be…..


TO BE CONTINUED


A/N Next Chapter: Blaine, Kurt, Nick and Jeff start their journey to find Kurt's mother. Finn faces a dilemma when Rachel tells him that she doesn't want to break up anymore. The four face a tough decision when they have to decide whether or not the house they're living in for college is going to be right for all of them. Kurt stumbles upon another secret about his mother that he didn't know – and Nick tells Kurt that he also knew about Elizabeth – that he was the one who got the information. Flashbacks include: Burt thinks he sees Elizabeth watching Kurt at the park one afternoon in Westerville when he's seven, a game of Warbler hide 'n' seek goes terribly wrong when someone is injured critically and Finn and Kurt learn they're going to be brothers. Read and Review. Enjoy. JusticeIsn'tEasy0083. D.