A/N I know it's been a while. I know, I'm sorry. I am NOT abandoning this story. This year in the life of the Hummel Andersons has just been really difficult for me to write due to the direction it went in, but I must follow my muse, and this is where it's led me. Of course, it has also led me astray into other writing projects, which I am excited to share with you all in the near future! Along with more chapters of this story, there will be new chapters of Klaine, A Faerie Tale (No, Really!), The Unintended Dalton Mixer, The Seduction and Corrupting of Kurt Hummel, and The AmazinGlee Race 2, A Whole New World coming over the next several weeks, although I'm not exactly sure yet of the exact timing on each of them. Plus, I'll have a new one shot in my Take It Back series, and two all new chapter fics that are almost complete, and a Christmas Story!
I warned you in the last chapter this was coming.
Reviews always welcome!
…
Goodbye and Welcome Home
Blaine sat stiffly in his seat, staring at the unrecognizable man laying motionless in the bed. It just felt so surreal, like he was watching this play out on some stupid daytime soap opera. His mom and Burt and Carole had opted to wait in the waiting room so that Blaine could have some time with his father, but he had no idea what he was supposed to do or say.
His father had barely been a part of his life since he was a teen. He wanted to understand why, but now he may never find out. He felt robbed. Cheated. He was so angry he just wanted to yell and demand to know why. He wished there was a punching bag in the room. He needed to release the pent up tension.
He didn't know how long he'd been sitting there when the door opened, and Kurt entered. Blaine was up and in his arms immediately. He wasn't aware that he was crying until he heard Kurt murmur something softly, soothingly, while stroking his back.
"I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing, Kurt. I feel so angry, I don't know what to say or think. Why did he do it? Why didn't he just tell us the truth instead of pushing us all away?"
Kurt just held him for a long time as he continued to sob and vent, until all the anger drained out of him. Kurt pulled back just slightly, to study his husband's face. "Have you eaten anything since lunchtime?"
Blaine just shook his head no, too weak to speak at the moment. Kurt just nodded and guided him to a comfortable looking chair in the corner. "Carole and Pam went to get some food. They should be back any minute now. Why don't you just close your eyes and rest until they get here."
Blaine sighed and nodded, closing his eyes and settling back into the chair. He was asleep within minutes.
…
Kurt let out a breath, looking down at the other man. This past year and a half had been hard for both of them, but Blaine seemed to have taken the brunt of it.
Kurt wondered if his running for Congress had been the best idea. It had put way more pressure on Blaine than it had Kurt. Blaine was the one left at home to take care of everything. When they had talked about Kurt running, they never could have foreseen everything that had happened.
Blaine's accident, quadruplets, the attempted shooting, Bee's illness. None of that had even been considered when they made their decision.
It had been their decision, hadn't it? Kurt hadn't pushed Blaine into it, had he?
No, Blaine had been the one who had started searching for houses before Kurt had even mentioned the idea. But Kurt still felt like he'd put his husband in circumstances that no spouse should be put in.
Now Blaine had even more worries thrown on him. No wonder he was so exhausted.
A soft knock on the door drew Kurt's attention, but Blaine didn't even stir as Kurt turned to see Pam poking her head around the doorway. She smiled when she saw Blaine's sleeping form.
"Food is here," she said quietly, holding up a white paper bag. "Burt and Carole took theirs to the waiting room."
"Thanks, Pam. Do you want to come in for a bit? I don't think we'll disturb either of them," he indicated the two men.
They sat in the two less comfortable chairs, with a small nightstand between them for their food.
"Has he talked at all?" Pam asked.
Kurt shook his head, chewing a piece of chicken and a blueberry from his salad before answering. "I think he's still a little conflicted with his emotions. It's been a rough couple of years for him, and now all of a sudden there's even more being thrown at him."
Pam nodded. "It's ironic that he is so much like his dad when it comes to not wanting to burden others with what is going on in their lives."
Kurt took another bite of his salad, not looking at the woman as he thought about how to phrase the question on his mind. He swallowed and took a sip of his diet Coke.
"Have I been one of his burdens?"
Pam looked at him, an unreadable expression on her face. "You have never been a burden. You've been the strength that has gotten him through so much."
"But I've been away in DC, leaving him to deal with so much these last few months."
Pam reached over and took his hand. "Blaine wouldn't change a thing. He's so proud of you. As soon as he found out Burt was retiring, he called me and told me that you would run for his seat in a heartbeat. He even told me he expects you to be president one day, and he was so excited at the thought."
Kurt smiled a little at that, but it was fleeting. "That was before his accident, and the babies, and everything else. I feel like I should be doing more…"
"You are doing more, Kurt," his mother in law said. "You're making the world a better place for my grandchildren, and proving to the world that love conquers hate, and keeping my son in line, and raising six amazing kids!" Kurt smiled again at that. Who ever would have thought Kurt Hummel would have six kids? "And it's not like you left Blaine home alone to take care of the kids. You know the saying it takes a village to raise a child? We'll, you've given Blaine a village to help him. You, your friends and Wes and Nick and Jeff, You are all there for him when he needs you. So don't ever think you're a burden to him."
Kurt sighed, and nodded. "Thanks, Pam. I really needed to hear that."
Pam left a little while later to call Lisa, and Kurt sat in silence, staring off into space as he considered what his mother in law had said.
"I'm sorry," Blaine said, startling Kurt from his contemplations.
"Oh, sweetie, don't apologize. You were tired. I let you sleep."
Blaine sat up a little straighter and shook his head. "No, not for that. I'm not exactly sure how to put this, but I feel guilty about something."
Kurt stood and moved closer, sitting beside him on the oversized chair. "What's wrong?"
Blaine couldn't look at him. "Um, Johnny has a crush on me."
Kurt smiled. "You finally noticed?"
Blaine glanced at him, confused. "You knew?"
"Everyone knows. You're just oblivious as usual. What finally clued you in?"
"He kissed me."
Kurt's eyes went wide. "What did you do?"
"I walked away. I was in shock. It was right after the doctor called about dad. I didn't know what to do."
Kurt winced and made a mental note to call Annie first thing in the morning.
"How are you handling all of this?" Kurt indicated the man on the bed, deciding they could worry about the other problem later.
Blaine sighed. "I don't know what I am supposed to do or say. I wanted to hear him out, to give him a chance to make me understand why he did what he did, but now I'll never know, and I don't know if I'm angry, or just disappointed. Cooper says he wanted to apologize, especially to me, that he wanted my forgiveness. But how do I forgive something I still don't understand?"
Kurt pulled him in for a hug. "You don't forgive for his sake. You forgive for yourself, for your own peace of mind. Maybe you will never understand why he pushed you away and kept you at arm's length. Maybe you just need to let it go, and forgive him. Say goodbye, and move on."
...
Blaine frowned, and leaned his head on Kurt's shoulder. His husband was right, of course. Intellectually, Blaine knew that. But the part of him that was still just a kid who wanted his father's approval wasn't certain he could do that.
They sat there in silence for several minutes, until Pam knocked once more, poking her head in. "Cooper is on his way. Lisa said his flight should get in around five thirty. She's been put on bedrest, though, so won't be able to fly out. She's going to stay home with Katie."
Blaine glanced at the clock over the bed. It was already after one in the morning. Kurt nodded and sat up a bit straighter beside him.
"Do you want me to pick him up? You two should stay here, just in case anything happens," his husband offered.
"Are you sure?" Pam asked. "You don't have to if you are tired…"
Kurt cut her off. "I slept on the plane. I figured I wouldn't be getting much sleep once I got here. I'm more rested than either of you. I'll take dad with me, just in case."
Pam nodded. "Okay, thank you, Kurt." She glanced at her son. "Have you eaten yet?"
Blaine shook his head. "Just woke up. I'll eat in a few minutes."
She gave him a look that clearly stated that he better, or else, and slipped back out the door.
Kurt stood slowly, and stretched. "I'm going to go lay down in the waiting room for a little while before I go pick up your brother. There's a BLT and a side of fries on the table there for you. Think about what I said."
He kissed Blaine quickly before leaving him alone once more with the figure laying on the bed. For several moments, he just sat there, staring at the face of the older man, noting the similarities to his own, and the differences. They had the same nose and chin, but Blaine's mouth was fuller, like his mother's, and he had her eyes. The curly hair on the older man was the same as Blaine's, but it was now touched with more grey than it had been at Thanksgiving.
Blaine thought about that confrontation they'd had in November. According to what Cooper had learned from the doctor and nurses when they'd visited after Easter, the tumor could make him react irrationally. It had been irrational, making such a fuss over names. Blaine thought about other conversations he'd had with his dad before cutting off contact almost thirteen years ago now. There had been a lot of irrational things said. Could he blame the tumor for all of it?
Sighing and shaking his head, Blaine moved to stand beside the bed. "I want to hate you. I want to stay angry with you for all those times you held me at arm's length, for all the times you failed to acknowledge any of my accomplishments, for never being there when I needed a dad. And most of all, I want to hate you for lying to me all these years.
"Kurt says I'm supposed to forgive you so I'll feel better, but I don't know if it will help. I wanted you to tell me why, to make me understand, to make it all better, like dads are supposed to do. But once again, you aren't here when I need you, so how am I supposed to forgive you?"
He took another deep breath, then slowly reached out to take the older man's hand. "I want to hate you, but I can't. Because I remember some good times as well. Like when I was four and you took us skiing in Vale. And when I was seven and won the spelling bee. And when I was eight and you took me to my first Buckeyes game. I know you tried to set a good example for me when I was little.
"Maybe it was the tumor that stole that from us. Maybe the stupid tumor convinced you it would be easier for us if you pushed us away. So I'm going to hate the tumor for taking you from me, but I don't hate you, dad, so there is nothing to forgive. You don't have to worry about that anymore."
…
When Kurt returned with Cooper shortly before six thirty, he found Blaine asleep once again, this time on the couch in the waiting room, while Pam sat with Richard for a while. He woke up when Kurt sat beside him.
"How are you feeling?"
Blaine shrugged. "I'm good. You were right."
Kurt smiled, understanding immediately what he meant. "I'm glad. For both of you."
Blaine hugged him, and they sat in silence for a little while.
"Blaine?" Pam said, emerging from the room a short time later. "You might want to come inside and say goodbye. You're father's heart is failing."
Richard William Anderson II passed away peacefully at 7:08am, surrounded by his ex wife and two grown sons.
…
They returned to Lima Sunday afternoon to find Wes, Annie, Santana, Brittany, Quinn and Matt all there, waiting for them. They all hugged Blaine, expressing their sympathy at his loss.
"Thank you all," Blaine said, swallowing the lump in his throat. "It's been a rough few days, and there is still the funeral to deal with, but I made my peace with him.'
"You should get some rest," Quinn said. "We'll keep Kurt company for a while."
Blaine nodded gratefully, and after a few more hugs and a kiss from his husband, Blaine left the room.
Once he was out of earshot, Annie cleared her throat. "I didn't want to say anything in front of Blaine, he already has so much on his shoulders right now, but Johnny is gone."
Kurt frowned. "What do you mean, gone?"
Wes sat down beside his wife. "He came home upset on Friday, saying he'd done something stupid and ruined everything. He said he needed to leave. He called Jackson and told him he was ready to sign the contract for Somewhere, Ohio, and made arrangements to fly to LA Saturday night."
Jackson was Johnny's agent. Kurt frowned. "Blaine said Johnny kissed him Friday after school. Blaine was in shock, having just gotten the news about his dad, and didn't handle it well. He didn't say anything, just walked away."
"Oh my gosh!" Annie said. "I knew he had a crush on Blaine, but I never thought he...I tried to convince him not to go, but he pointed out that he was eighteen now, and an adult."
Kurt let out a sigh. "Can you call him, explain what happened? Let him know we aren't mad, we just want to talk to him? Before he signs the contracts?"
Annie nodded and stood. "I'll try and convince him to come back." She went into the kitchen to make the call, and the others sat in awkward silence for a moment.
"So," Kurt said, looking at Santana, "I hear you guys are going to be fostering Kendra. How is that going?"
Santana sat back on the couch and put her arm around Brittany. "Actually, she was placed with a different foster family because of some technicality. But Britt and I have been going to counseling sessions with her, and we've decided to try and adopt her."
Kurt was shocked by the news. "That's great! Good luck, and I hope it all works out for you."
She smiled. "Thanks. Quinn is helping us with the legal stuff."
"If all goes according to plan," Quinn added, "the adoption should go through before the end of May."
"Well, let me know if there is anything I can help with." A chime from his cellphone drew his attention, and he pulled it from his pocket. "They want us to go to Columbus tomorrow for Bee's lab results."
"Well, we should get going, then," Matt said. "Let us know as soon as you know how it goes."
"Thanks, guys. I'll call you as soon as the appointment is over."
…
Blaine didn't go to work on Monday, so it was before lunch when they arrived in Columbus. Bee was very happy to see them, as was Chester, who launched himself at Blaine the moment they entered the room. Blaine just barely managed to remain on his feet as he caught the cat. Chester began purring and rubbing his head on Blaine's chin, bringing a real smile to his face for the first time in days.
"How are you feeling, sweetie?" Kurt asked the boy.
Bee smiled. "Good! The nurses were really excited today, but wouldn't tell me why."
"Oh?" Kurt mused, wondering what that might mean. Before he could speculate, there was a knock on the door, and Dr. Andrews was entering.
"Good morning, Mr. Hummel, Mr. Anderson. I have Bee's lab results, and it's good news. The cancer is nearly gone. I want to do one more treatment this afternoon, and then run the tests again later this week. If it looks good, we'll schedule the bone marrow transplant for next week."
"That's great news!" Blaine said, hugging Bee, still holding chester.
"Well, I have more good news," the doctor said, beaming at them. "Bee has been responding well to the treatment for the antibody imbalance, and he hasn't had any more seizures. So, after the treatment this afternoon, I'll be discharging him."
"Oh my god!" Kurt exclaimed. "That's wonderful news!"
"Yes," the older man said happily. "He'll need to come back on Thursday for the labs, and I'll have the results by Friday afternoon. Once we know for sure if we can proceed, I'll schedule the transplant. He'll have to stay in the hospital for five days, as the procedure takes place over several days, but then he should be home for good."
Kurt and Blaine shook the doctor's hand, and hugged their son. Kurt sent out a group text to their friends and family, stating that they had news about Bee, and asking everyone to gather at their house later that evening.
…
"Did they tell you what the news was?" Nick asked Wes as the older man let him and Jeff in.
"No. They asked Annie and me to take Lizzie and the little ones out for dinner. We just got here a little while ago. They're upstairs, said not to let anyone up until everyone is here, not even Lizzie."
Jeff frowned. "I hope it's not bad news. Blaine already has so much going on right now, I don't think he'd be able to handle anything more."
Once everyone had arrived, and Rachel and Mike were linked in through Skype, Kurt and Blaine addressed their friends. They wore solemn expressions as they came down the stairs.
"Thank you all for being here tonight, on such short notice," Kurt said, holding Blaine's hand. "As you all know, Blaine's father passed away over the weekend, and it's been a rough few days for him. We appreciate all the support you've given us.
"Today, we spoke with Bee's doctor, and there are still some cancer cells present, although they were greatly reduced in numbers. Bee underwent another round of chemo this afternoon, and the doctor is very optimistic that full remission is possible." He paused, and then grinned. "Which is why he sent Bee home today!"
At that news, Bee came down the stairs, smiling at everyone, who cheered and hugged each other. Lizzie ran forward to hug her little brother, laughing giddily.
"He'll have to spend a week in the hospital again when they do the transplant, which the doctor hopes to do next week," Blaine informed them, smiling as well. "But once that's over and done, Bee should be home for good!"
That night, after the others had left, and Bee and the other kids were all sleeping, Kurt and Blaine lay in bed, holding each other tight, as Blaine thought about everything that had happened in the last few months, and especially the last few days.
"I'm the luckiest man on the planet," he thought, and kissed his husband's forehead, before turning off the light.
