A/N: Sorry for the wait on this one. It was a combination of being essential and working 55+ hours a week, protesting, parenthood, etc. Also, it took me a long time to find the perfect songs. This is how I envisioned this chapter going into the story, before the recent protests (keep fighting yall) so some of the songs have even more meaning now. Remember to register to vote and vote in November if you're American and of age, or Amber is gonna come get you. Also, don't forget to support your local black owned businesses. Also, unbetaed. Any and all mistakes are my own. I own nothing.
Chapter 3: Something's Coming
It was one of those deceivingly beautiful days in the Midwest spring. A day where it felt like summer was right around the corner, even though they had a foot on snow in the five-day forecast. Kurt only has morning classes, so he was out of school by 11:40. He has a short shift at the coffee shop and then plan's later to go out to Scandal's with his boyfriend, Anthony. He and Anthony have been dating since around Christmas. He and Robert had broken up shortly after the election. He seemed like a social climber and he wasn't going to let anyone take advantage of his father or his accomplishments. Kurt Hummel was not going to be used by anyone for any reason. His relationship is far from the love of his life, but he's fun and distracting. It's no secret that Kurt wasn't doing well. Ever since Finn's death he's been in pretty much a constant depressive state. He's drinking more than he should, especially since he's only 20, but he's coping. He is getting good grades, he is helping his dad, and working part time at the coffee shop and doing some sewing on the side, as Burt doesn't want him working full time, so he is able to concentrate on his studies.
The smoky bar was filled that night, RuPaul, Cher, Madonna, Britney Spears, and other classics reverberating off the walls. He was making small talk with one of the local queens, Kiki Tucker. They had developed a friendship during the past few months and Kurt always came on her night to support her. She was up for midnight, but for now, they had an hour to dance. Kurt laughed as Lizzo filled the air: "Why men great til they gotta be great?" Every man, woman, and queen in the bar was jumping with their hand in the air, Kurt included. It was nights like this that he felt lighter. Nights like this helped him forget even if for a few hours.
Kiki went to get ready, so he was currently dancing with his back against the wall, the bass vibrating into his body. "Pussy, puss, puss, give them cunt, cunt, cunt bitch." Todrick Hall's voice surrounded them as Kurt took another sip of his drink. His body moving against the wall to the beat, his head resting on the wall behind him. "I'm so fab, I'm gone with the wind bitch. Y'all six, seven, eight, nines, I'm a ten bitch." Kurt smirked as Anthony placed kisses up his neck. He grabbed Anthony's hand and looked at him in his eyes. With the same smirk he chugged the rest of his drink and took his hand, leading him through the crowd to the closet bathroom.
The press would have a field day if they knew that Kurt Hummel, the son of Ohio's newest congressman was about to have sex in a shady bar bathroom. It's a good thing he didn't have to worry about that here. There were only three people in the bar that night who knew who he was, only two of them he was aware of. From the bar Santana watched him for a moment before returning her attention to the hot blonde with the purple streaks in her hair. She had been noticing him falling deeper and deeper in the past months. They ran with similar circles, sometimes the same, Kurt too lost in his own head to notice.
I'm leaving for LA tomorrow, B. They're doing a remake of Funny Girl and I got the lead. Madame Thibodeau isn't happy that I'm already leaving, but this is the role of a lifetime. - Rachel
Blaine wasn't sure how he felt when he got the text from Rachel. Was it anger? Resentment? Jealousy? Whatever it was he needed to swallow it. This was his choice. He was happy. God was he happy. He's just tired. He hadn't anticipated how hard it would be to raise an infant as a single parent. Not just a single parent, but one so young. He wasn't even out of high school yet. His mom made him go back to school a week after Sierra was born. She wasn't going to risk him being held back from missing too much school. Thankfully his grandmother was able to help with her on days where his mom worked. He was so grateful for his parents; he doesn't know what he would do without them.
He also had to work. There was never a free moment for him. Thankfully he was able to only have to work on Friday and Saturday nights. He took gigs as a lounge singer at local restaurants. He was able to make his own hours and make some decent money for the time.
He watched Sierra as she slept peacefully in her crib. He pushed aside his books and laid down to nap. He was just so tired. He'd text Rachel back another day. Maybe.
"Matt and I are planning a fundraising dinner in June." Burt said during a family dinner in late April. Matt id Burt's Communication's Director. He was also his campaign manager but has since gotten a promotion post-election.
"That's cool." Kurt replied poking at his salad.
"I know you hate these things Kurt. They are pretty boring. That's why I had an idea to add some entertainment." Kurt looked up to from his plate to his hand, head still resting on his fist. "The music died here Kurt, it's time to bring it back. Also, get your elbow off the table."
Kurt removed his elbow and placed his fork on the plate. "Okay, what did you have in mind?"
"Actually, I put Carole in charge of finding the entertainment."
Kurt looked over to Carole tentatively. The look that met his gaze made him smile, however. She smiled a genuine smile for the first time in months. "I'm going to ask some of Finn's friends to perform." Kurt knew better to object or stick his opinions in there. She needs this. He knew that Finn's friends were talented, he just hoped they would bring it. This isn't a show choir competition. It's a political fundraiser.
"That sounds amazing Carole. Let me know if you need any help."
Blaine was ecstatic when he got the email from Carole. This was a great opportunity and the money is better than he would get for another gig. Carole wanted him to pull together some of Finn's friends for a fundraiser for Burt. They were going to perform a mini set during the dinner hour. She ended the email with: "Be sure to make a statement." That was definitely something he and his friends needed to figure out. But first, he needed to see who would be able to do it.
Blaine grabbed the giggling five-month-old and headed downstairs to talk to his mom.
"Hey mama!" He spoke into the kitchen.
"Yes, baby?" She replied wiping her hands on her apron. "What's up?"
"Carole hired me to perform at a fundraiser for Burt in June." He was so excited, a gig that had meaning.
"That's awesome! Find out the details, Daddy and I will buy tickets. Now give me my baby and go get washed up for dinner."
The fundraiser was the first thing that Kurt had looked forward to in a long time. He was finally able to dedicate his time to something that he didn't have an excuse to ditch out on when he wasn't in the mood for it, which is often. He was happy that Carole was so invested in the entertainment. She went to all of the rehearsals, settled the playlists, worked with Matt on all the legalities of the night. It made Kurt genuinely happy to see her happy. She was getting some pieces of her life back. He wished that he could fill that giant Finn-sized whole in her heart, but there's nothing that ever will. Instead of mourning him, she fights for him. It gives her meaning. It gives them all meaning.
Kurt sat back ready to watch his stepmother's hard work come to fruition. The room was quiet and dark as the gentle strokes of the keys penetrated the silence. The spotlight shines with the first line: "What would I do without your smart mouth, drawin' me in and you kickin' me out."
It's Tony. He sounds better than he did the first time he saw him all those moons ago. He made a mental note to make sure to find him after the show. He watched the entire song entranced by the smooth, soulful voice.
At the end of the song a beautiful girl joined Blaine on stage and stood in front of the piano. He recognized Santana immediately. She was definitely someone not easily forgotten. The boy started playing the piano and Santana took a deep breath before putting the microphone to her lips.
"I find myself dreaming, in silver and gold, like a scene from a movie that every broken heart knows."
Kurt forced back the sob that was in the back of his throat. It was heartbreaking to hear Finn's friends sing this song for him. He almost felt Finny and his doofy smile looking back at him. He reached to his side and took Carole's hand in his and squeezed tightly.
Santana followed up with a beautiful acoustic rendition of Pink's "What About Us" accompanied by Blaine on the piano and Sam on the guitar. Kurt watched as the applause died down and Blaine seamlessly transitioned back into the piano to a melody that was familiar to him. Santana kept count with her fingers, donned with bright red, stiletto manicured nails onto the microphone as she started belting out an acoustic version of Audra Day's "Rise Up". Blaine seemed to be counting the beat with his shoulders as his fingers flawlessly ran over the keys.
At the end of the song Blaine looked out at the audience with a bright smile across his face. Kurt was overwhelmed with emotion. The two performed with such passion it was infectious.
Santana's voice once again filled the room with gentle keystrokes in the background. She sang an incredibly moving rendition of "We Won't Move" by Arlissa.
"Won't be quiet anymore
Not unless they hear us loud and clear
Damage can't be undone
Let's not pretend it disappears
We need a change, oh yeah
The song Amazing Grace"
The emotion of the song evident on Santana's face. The raspy inflection in her voice just added to the strength of the song. Kurt couldn't stop his body from moving to the beat even if he wanted to.
After the song came to conclusion, Blaine rose from his seat at the piano, took his microphone and joined Santana in front of it. The speakers filled with the upbeat melody of My Chemical Romance's "Sing". With a smile on his face he watched Blaine bop around the stage, in his rolled up skinny jeans. It seemed like Blaine moved in slow motion. He watched as he felt the music. It was like he was born for this moment.
At the end of the song Blaine and Santana exited stage left to a deafening applause. The applause quieted and the announcer introduced Kendrick James to the stage. Kurt recognized Kendrick from photos of Finn's football team.
Kendrick took the stage immediately demanding the attention of the room.
"Uh, I've been broke all my life
But I kept hope all them nice
You see business in my city
Yeah they closed all them twice
I was just riding down seeing all them pot holes
I can't drive
I know y'all can fix it faster
But I know y'all won't try
Nobody care about us
And that's why I won't vote
Voted for Obama back in 2012
I remember that's when I had hope
He was saying, "Yes, we can!"
And everybody got less food stamps
And when I turn 21 I was still broke
God, I'll never vote again
I don't think I ever had a president made my life better
Did it all on my own, ain't no politician ever do a nice gesture
I don't even know the mayor name
I ain't ever seen one time ever
Tell me how she gonna help the city
What I suppose to do, write letters?
What I suppose to do, blame Trump?
He ain't never really give a uh
Ain't nobody raise minimum wage
None of these jobs pay enough
I think they just wanna keep us broke
Cause they ain't put none a place for us
This how all my people feel
But we gotta learn, we can complain enough
Let me change it up
Everything I just said, everybody I know think the same way
See, they don't wanna see us vote
And we never do so we see the same thing
But all our votes really do count
And they never really let it show
Now I'm finna break it down
Cause if I don't you would probably never know
Fist thing first, you know back in middle school
When they taught us, it was three branches of government?
We forgot it when we got older
It's the Judicial, the Legislative, and the Executive
But all we know is the Executive
That's the mayor, or governor, and the president
Now none of them three people make no laws, they just be checking 'em
The laws come to they desk and all they do is say, "No" or "Yes" to it
So when the news station tell us that Barrack Obama couldn't put us on
We was all salty at Obama when it was the Congress members all along
We gotta focus on the Legislative
Branch; yeah they the ones that make the Laws
Yeah they the ones that write how
Much food stamps money you get on the card
But when people that wanted to help us wanted the job
I know they probably lost
Cause we ain't even know they name,
We ain't know they face, we ain't know it all
So the Congress or the State House
That's the Legislative branch, they make Laws
So what we want from the President is what they do, okay y'all?
See they election every two years but we don't ever even go to those
The Congress they could raise minimum
Wage but we ain't even really know it thou
So you know how back in '08, when we all voted for Obama
We was all supposed to go back in 2010 and voted for the Congress
Cause they the ones that make child support laws
They the ones choose if your kids
At school get to eat steak or corn dog
The state house makes the courthouse
So if the country fail you can't say it's them its your fault
Cause ya ain't know to know to vote
For Congress members that was for y'all
And they don't gotta leave at the four year and we just let 'em sit
They don't want to tell you this
They want you to focus on the President
Now the third branch is the Judicial; that's judges
They the reason why John Crawford and Trayvon had justice
So when Meek Mill got locked up just
For popping wheelies we blam the judges
And not the city, when they let her get voted in
Cause they don't know who to vote against
Imagine life on the other side; roles better, schools better
Everybody get they license back, grocery store food better
Custody of your kids back, homeless people get new shelters
If we gonna fix the US, we gotta start with them two letters
Me and you
Somebody told us that the government want to keep us broke
But the only reason why those people
In the government is 'cause we ain't vote
And I ain't talking about the President
I'm talking about the ones we ain't know
See they was gonna try keep it low
But it's gonna hurt 'em when they see them polls"
Even if you weren't empathetic, you'd have been able to feel the energy in the room. Adults remembering their educations, letting the words from YelloPain's "My Vote Doesn't Count" impact them to their core. Kendrick then spoke the last paragraph from the video.
"Every time you stay one someone is making a decision about you
Making about decision about the air you breath, the water you drink,
The food your kids eat,
And how much money you bring home very twice weeks
So every time you seat out an election,
Every time you don't show up because you think it doesn't matter,
Someone else is happy that you didn't show up.
So they can make that decision for you. Vote!"
The applause immediately filled the air and Blaine and Santana made their way back to the stage. Blaine sat back at the piano and when he began playing the applause naturally came to a conclusion. Kendrick and Santana stood in front of the piano for a performance of "Stand Up for Something".
[Santana]
It all means nothing
If you don't stand up for something
You can't just talk the talk
You got to walk that walk, yes you do
It all means nothing
If you don't stand up for something
And I stand up for you
And I stand up for you, yes I will, yes I will
[Kendrick]
Rise up, love, lift your hands
I stand with you 'cause I understand
Ain't here to judge, just to take a stand
The greater plan's the Creator's plan
Let's all rise like the day began
Reach out and touch with the Savior's hand
On rock, we stand like this native land
Let the ways of love be the ways of man
[Santana]
And it all means nothing
If you don't stand for something
You can't just talk the talk
You got to walk that walk, yes you do
It all means nothing
If you don't stand up for something
And I stand up for you (stand up, stand for you)
I stand up for you (stand up)
And I stand up for you (stand up, stand for you)
Stand up for you, yes I will, yes I will (stand up)
"Thank you so much everyone. This will be our last song of the night. Thank you, Congressman Hummel for inviting us to perform tonight." Blaine said as the lights on the stage went up slightly. Santana silently clapped to the beat next to Kendra. Kurt sat mesmerized as Blaine's voice filled the room at the same moment his fingers touched the keys.
[Blaine]
"One day when the glory comes
It will be ours, it will be ours
Oh one day when the war is won
We will be sure, we will be sure
Oh glory (Glory, glory)
Oh (Glory, glory)"
[Kendrick]
"Hands to the Heavens, no man, no weapon
Formed against, yes glory is destined
Every day women and men become legends
Sins that go against our skin become blessings
The movement is a rhythm to us
Freedom is like religion to us
Justice is juxtapositionin' us
Justice for all just ain't specific enough
One son died, his spirit is revisitin' us
Truant livin' livin' in us, resistance is us
That's why Rosa sat on the bus
That's why we walk through Ferguson with our hands up
When it go down we woman and man up
They say, "Stay down", and we stand up
Shots, we on the ground, the camera panned up
King pointed to the mountain top and we ran up"
Kurt watched Blaine as he moved his upper body to the beat of the music, the spirit filling his soul. Santana silently clapped to the beat next to Kendrick, beautifully singing the refrain. Kendrick and Blaine were both so incredibly passionate, he doesn't think that he's seen something with more soul performed in front of him in his life. Kendrick's presence demanded the room, but Blaine's demanded Kurt.
[Blaine]
"One day when the glory comes
It will be ours, it will be ours
Oh one day when the war is won
We will be sure, we will be sure
Oh glory (Glory, glory)
Oh (Glory, glory)
Now the war is not over, victory isn't won
And we'll fight on to the finish, then when it's all done
We'll cry glory, oh glory (Glory, glory)
Oh (Glory, glory)
We'll cry glory, oh glory (Glory, glory)
Oh (Glory, glory)"
[Kendrick]
"Selma's now for every man, woman and child
Even Jesus got his crown in front of a crowd
They marched with the torch, we gon' run with it now
Never look back, we done gone hundreds of miles
From dark roads he rose, to become a hero
Facin' the league of justice, his power was the people
Enemy is lethal, a king became regal
Saw the face of Jim Crow under a bald eagle
The biggest weapon is to stay peaceful
We sing, our music is the cuts that we bleed through
Somewhere in the dream we had an epiphany
Now we right the wrongs in history
No one can win the war individually
It takes the wisdom of the elders and young people's energy
Welcome to the story we call victory
The comin' of the Lord, my eyes have seen the glory"
[Blaine]
"One day when the glory comes
It will be ours, it will be ours
Oh one day when the war is won
We will be sure, we will be sure
Oh glory (Glory, glory)
Oh (Glory, glory)
Oh glory (Glory, glory)
Hey (Glory, glory)
The piano went silent as Blaine joined Kendrick and Santana center stage.
[Blaine]
When the war is won, when it's all said and done
We'll cry glory (Glory, glory)
Oh (Glory, glory)"
The ended the song with their left fists high in the air and them looking towards the floor. The entire room rose to their feet giving the trio a standing ovation. It was then that Kurt noticed that their statements were more than their performance. They were each wearing statement shirts. Kendrick's read "Black Lives Matter." Tony's -Blaine- was a bit smaller, so harder to read, but he paid the most attention to the tenor, so he was able to read it. It said "Queer Liberation Not Rainbow Capitalism. Santana, obviously channeling her inner Beyoncé circa Beychella, wore a long-sleeved sweater dress that read "My Dress Is Not Consent" with knee high boots. The impact of the stage before him shook him to his core. He was pleasantly surprised that Carole pulled together such an amazing show. Kurt couldn't wait to make his pleasantries.
The applause lasted through several bows and through their exit. Burt walked onto the stage and to the podium as the applause naturally came to a close.
"Wow! What a show. Guys, that blew me away. I want to thank everyone for coming tonight. The talent on this stage tonight is why we're here. We need to keep pushing forward and make a better tomorrow today.
"The loss of my son, Finn, is what motivated me to run, but watching this show tonight and seeing all of you here in this room, that's what's going to keep me fighting. I've never been one for a lot of words, but I've always prided myself on being a man of action.
"Two thousand-sixteen proved to me that we can no longer be complacent in politics. Our towns, our counties, our states, our country, our world is not going to change just because we want it to if we stand idly by. It will only change if we force it to.
"Well, I for one am not going to wait for a change. I'm going to make one. We're going to fight because Black Lives Matter, because a dress is not consent and women deserve to make equal pay. Because rainbow capitalism is not queer liberation and Stonewall was a riot. Because no human is illegal and no child belongs in a cage.
"And because we're going to resist the tyranny, I am going to keep fighting for change here in Ohio and next year, I'm running for senate to fight for this country. Thank you."
Kurt was oblivious to the applause that again filled the air. He was so proud of his father. All of the emotions swirling deep inside of him was overwhelming and he needed to step out of the room for a moment. He got up and went to the lobby where several guests were flitting around the bar. There is saw Blaine, animatedly talking with two older men. Finally, it was his chance. He walked up to the curly haired boy who was just waving by to the people he was talking to.
"Hi, you were great up there. I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Kurt."
I got a feeling there's a miracle due, gonna come true, coming to me!
Songs: All of Me: John Legend
Like I'm Gonna Lose You: Meghan Trainor
What About Us: P!nk
Rise Up: Audra Day
Sing: My Chemical Romance
We Won't Move: Arlissa
My Vote Don't Count: Yellopain
Stand Up for Something: Audra Day
Glory: Common & John Legend
Seriously, listen to all of these songs. They are SO good. Until next time, stay safe, stay strong, and dismantle the powers that be.
(Also, I want to make sure I point out that I will purposefully stay away from any connection that the characters have with the actors. I am big on keeping their characters and their actors separately. I was going to introduce Mercedes as an activist in my original idea; however, given that she has recently turned Activist in real life and her vocalization about certain things, I do not want to cross that line and mostly, I want to make sure that I would give the character justice. Amber is amazing and support #unMUTEny and go buy her single.)