Author's Note: Argh! Life! What more can I say. It's not going to change the fact that it took me this long to update. Read on!
-SQ
Disclaimer: About to go watch Glee, but still don't own it
Chapter Twenty-Five: No More Cards
"Knock knock." Doctor Roth stuck her head around the door. "How are we feeling today?"
"Better," said Kurt, looking up from the game of cards he, Finn, Blaine, and Burt were playing. "I'm still pretty weak and achy, but it doesn't hurt to breathe anymore and my head doesn't spin if I turn it too fast."
"Well that's good," said Doctor Roth. "And I have some more good news for you."
"Oh?" said Kurt.
"Yes," said Doctor Roth. "We are just about ready to discharge you."
Kurt's eyes lit up. "Really? Today?"
"Tomorrow morning," said Doctor Roth.
"That's great!" said Finn, grinning.
"That does not mean, of course, that he's ready to run around performing musical numbers just yet," said Dr. Roth with a small smile. "I still prescribe a good three or four days of bed rest; and no going back to school—or out anywhere else—until you've been home for at least a week. And fever-free for twenty-four hours."
"Don't worry," said Burt. "My wife and I will make sure he follows your instructions to the letter."
Kurt made a face at his father. "I don't need a babysitter."
"Just making sure, Kid."
"There's some paperwork you're going to need to sign before we can release him," Dr. Roth said to Burt.
Burt nodded. "Can do. Do you want me to do it now?"
"If it's convenient."
"Sure. You boys don't get into any trouble, now."
"Who?" said Kurt, putting on his most angelic expression. "Me?"
Burt snorted. "Think you can handle these two, Blaine?"
Kurt and Finn made sounds of protest.
"It will be trying, but think I can manage, Mr. Hummel," said Blaine seriously.
Burt guffawed.
"This shouldn't take too long," said Dr. Roth. "Would you boys like anything while we're out?"
"Coffee!" the three of them shouted simultaneously.
Dr. Roth laughed. "The vote seems to be unanimous. Coffee it is. Any particular orders?"
"A nonfat mocha for him," said Blaine, pointing at Kurt.
"And a medium drip for him," said Kurt smiling.
"I'll have latte," said Finn.
"One nonfat mocha, one medium drip, and one latte, coming right up," said Dr. Roth. "Well, as soon as Burt finishes the paperwork."
The two adults left and the teenagers turned back to their card game.
"What're we going to do with Burt's hand?" asked Blaine. "Switching to three players is going to mess up the game."
"We could just start over," suggested Finn.
"You only want to start over because you're losing," accused Kurt.
"And you only don't because you're winning!"
Blaine rolled his eyes. "Typical bickering siblings."
The other two stuck their tongues out at him.
"I'm bored of cards anyway," Finn announced. "Let's watch TV."
"How in the world are we going to decide on something to watch?" said Kurt.
"We could see what's on the movie channel," suggested Blaine.
"I'm not watching a chick flick," said Finn.
"And no horror films," said Kurt, shuddering.
Blaine turned on the TV and selected the channel. "How about The Two Towers?"
"YES!" said Finn and Kurt excitedly.
Blaine laughed. "Lord of the Rings it is then. It's only just started too."
The three of them settled back into the pillows as Frodo and Sam made their way closer and closer to Mordor.
*****WBATF*****
"But you're not supposed to want the ring!"
"Shhh, Blaine, we're trying to watch the movie."
"But Faramir's not supposed to want the ring!"
"It doesn't matter."
"It does matter! That's the whole point! Faramir doesn't want the ring like Boromir did, he understands, he—"
"Shhhh!"
"Sorry that took so long boys, paper work is a pain in the—"
"Shhhhhhh!"
Burt looked from the teenagers on the bed to the movie on the screen. "Okay then, well, I've been told. Do you still want your coffees?"
"Yes, please," said Kurt, holding out his hand without taking his eyes off the screen. Finn just held out his hand.
Burt gave then their coffees. "Be careful, don't spill."
"We won't," said Kurt and Finn in unison.
"I love these books," said Dr. Roth, coming into the room.
"I haven't read the books," said Finn.
"I tried," said Kurt, "but they were boring."
Blaine gasped. "Boring?"
"Yeah. It was like,come on, we get that the guy's having a birthday, do something already."
"Noooooo!" said Blaine. "He's not a guy, he'd Bilbo Baggins! And it's his elventy-first birthday.
"Yeah, well, I get that from the movie," said Kurt.
"The movies are great," said Dr. Roth. "But the books are even better. How far did you get, Kurt?"
Kurt shrugged. "I dunno. Sometime after Bilbo's super long birthday party."
"Keep going until they get out of the Shire," advised Dr. Roth. "It's worth it."
"I'll consider it," said Kurt.
"Shhh!" said Finn. "This is my favorite part!"
*****WBATF*****
As the credits were rolling, Dr. Roth stuck her head once more into the room. "Ah, perfect timing." She came more fully into the room. "Kurt, Finn, Blaine. Burt. I'd like to introduce you to my son, Toby."
A teenage boy appeared from behind her. He had short, reddish brown hair, hazel eyes, and freckles. He was slender but muscular and around Kurt's height, maybe an inch shorter, though he was almost definitely still growing.
"Hi. I'm Toby."
"Oh, hey!" said Finn. "Dr. Roth told me about you. I'm Finn."
"Hi, Toby, I'm Kurt."
"Blaine," said Blaine, nodding. "Hello."
Toby came past his mother into the room. "I was sitting around being bored at home today 'cause my bro bailed on me, and then my mom called me and asked if I wanted to come over here and meet you, so I did." He shrugged, hands in his pockets.
"You think sitting at home with nothing to do is boring? Try being stuck here." Kurt made a face.
"Thanks, but no thanks."
"Do you wanna play cards?" asked Blaine, pulling the pack out of his pocket.
"Nooooo!" groaned Kurt and Finn.
"We've played about fifty games of cards already this week," said Kurt. "I am sick of playing cards!"
"Fine, fine," said Blaine. "I don't see you coming up with any brilliant ideas."
"I have Catch Phrase in my bag," said Toby.
Finn and Kurt looked at each other. "Yes!"
"What's Catch Phrase?"
Kurt, Finn, and Toby's heads snapped toward Blaine.
"Something you are going to be introduced to very shortly…"
AN: This fic is so ready to be done… There may only be one more chapter, we'll see. Probably. Perhaps I'll even get it up in a slightly more timely manner, who knows?
Anyway, I am fully of Blaine & Dr Roth's opinion on LOTR: Read the books, they get interesting once they get out of the Shire, & Faramir isn't supposed to want the ring!
Catch Phrase is also a super fun game :)
Thanks for reading. I shall be eagerly awaiting your reviews ;)
-SQ