A/N Wow, such a good response to the first chapter! This part starts after the Regionals loss in season one. Thank you for all the Faves and Follows! If you really like it, please, leave a review for me!

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Birthday Gifts

Lima, Ohio, May 26th, 2010

"So, are you excited?" Mercedes asked as she pulled books out of her locker. Kurt just looked at her blankly. "Oh come on, white boy! Your birthday, tomorrow? Sweet sixteen!"

"Oh, yeah, I guess. Sorry, I've been kind of distracted all day." He placed his French book in his locker and pulled out his Math book.

She looked at him curiously. "Something bothering you?"

He closed his locker and turned to lean against it. "I don't know. I've just felt...off all day. I've been tired, and I just can't seem to focus on anything."

"I hope you aren't getting sick. That would sure ruin your birthday. Why don't you skip your last few classes and go home and get some sleep?"

He frowned. "I've never gotten sick in my life. Not even a sniffle! But maybe I will go home. I don't think I can sit through another class."

"Okay, babe. Call me later if you feel better."

Kurt made his way out to his car, and just sat there behind the wheel for a moment. He hadn't lied, he had never been sick once. He didn't really feel sick now, either, just tired. Maybe the stress of being bullied constantly was catching up with him. Karofsky and Azimio had stepped up their game after New Direction's loss at Regionals last month. Between the slushie facials, the dumpster tosses, and the locker shoves, not to mention the constant verbal assaults, Kurt dreaded coming to school at all.

But nothing too bad had happened today. Azimio was out with strep, and Karofsky was in detention for stealing Coach Sylvester's megaphone. Other than a few homophobic slurs from a couple of the other jocks, today had been relatively calm. It should have raised his spirits, not made him so exhausted he hoped he made it home before he fell asleep.

He managed to make it home, but had trouble getting his key into the front door lock. He was still fumbling with it when the door opened, revealing Burt Hummel. "Dad? What are you doing here? Why aren't you at the garage?"

"I forgot my lunch, came home to get it. What are you doing home?"

"I'm not feeling good. I was going to go back to bed."

His words seemed to worry the older man. "What do you mean you don't feel well?" He asked, placing his hand on Kurt's forehead.

"Just really tired, can't seem to concentrate on anything. I'm just going to go down to my room." He began moving towards the stairs. Burt watched him for a moment, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Hey, Kurt, hang on a minute. I have something for you. I was gonna give it to you tomorrow for your birthday, but maybe it will make you feel better." He went to the counter in the kitchen and opened a drawer. He pulled out a small, carved wooden box. "This belonged to your mom. She wanted you to have it when you were old enough."

Curiosity won out over exhaustion, and Kurt reached out for the box. Inside was an unusual pendant. It was egg shaped, about an inch and a half in diameter, and appeared to be made from some kind of black crystal, and as Kurt looked more closely, he thought he could see a miniature solar system moving inside of it. Oddly enough, he did seem to feel a little better as he stared at it.

"Thanks dad. It's beautiful. What is it made from? I've never seen anything like it."

Burt cleared his throat. "It's the only one like it on the planet. Go on and lay down, and we'll talk about it later."

Kurt nodded, and went down to his bedroom. He managed to change into pajama bottoms and a tshirt before exhaustion overwhelmed him again. He lay down on the bed, holding the pendant up to the light, watching the tiny little stars inside swirl. He thought he saw some familiar constellations, but he was too tired to think which ones they were.

An image of his mother flashed in his mind. Sometimes he forgot what she looked like, other times her face was crystal clear in his mind. Today it was crystal clear, and he smiled as he drifted off to sleep.

…

He was walking along the shore of a lake, it's water was a pure, bright amethyst color, unlike anything he had ever seen before. The sand between his toes was a pale pink color, and sparkled in the light of the twin suns overhead. The sky was a darker shade of blue than he was used to, and the vegetation that lined the edge of the beach was a more verdant green. The air smelled like green apples and strawberries. He had never had such a vivid dream before.

He explored this strange world, discovering some unusual creatures, including a large, pale purple caterpillar like creature that munched on a leaf. The thing had to be the size of his palm, at least. And a dark purple butterfly with wings that looked like delicate lace. There was a bright blue bird that made the most sorrowful sound he had ever heard. A white creature that looked like a cat with no tail and no ears was nursing a litter of...kittens?

He found some beautiful flowers that looked like a cross between a rose and a carnation. This seemed to be the source of the apple like smell in the air. The blossoms were nearly as big as his head, and ranged in color from a pale blue green to a bright emerald and sapphire.

"Careful, the thorns are toxic," came a voice from behind him. He spun around, and stared in shock.

"Mom?" He asked, sounding unsure of himself.

She smiled sweetly at him. "I've missed you so much, Kur'Tas."

The name sounded strange coming from her, but it brought on a memory of her calling him that often when he was young. "I miss you, too, mom. Things have been really hard since you died. The kids at school are cruel, and I feel so...alienated from everyone."

She pulled him into a hug. "I'm sorry, baby. I know things are hard for you, but it will get better soon. You'll see. And now that you have the pendant, you can talk to me when ever you want."

He looked at her, confused. "Pendant? But how will that let me talk to you? I mean, this is just a dream. You're dead. I know that."

She shook her head. "No, sweetheart, I'm not dead. I had to return to my world. I didn't want to leave you and your father, but I couldn't stay on Earth any longer. I was dying, yes. I had an illness that there was no cure for on your world. When the High Council finally located me, it was almost too late. I hated leaving you behind, but it was the best option for you. Your father and I had raised you as a human, it would have been such a drastic change for you on Mirindian. You would have had to learn an entirely new way of life, new culture, and adjust to the differences in our two worlds."

"What are you saying, mom? You're some kind of extraterrestrial?"

"Yes, Kurt. I was not born on Earth. On my world, I am known as El Zabeth, The Peace Bringer. My voice is a gift that soothes and heals. I act as an ambassador for planets whose inhabitants have evolved enough that they have moved past war and hate. I was on my way to the Kelpernus system when the craft I was traveling in experienced shield failure and damage to the primary engine. I was placed in an escape pod, but the ship exploded before the others could evacuate. The shock wave knocked my escape pod into Earth's atmosphere, and I crashed into a corn field in Indiana. Burt found me, and took care of me, keeping me safe from the military, who tracked my pod's decent."

Kurt wasn't certain what to think about this turn of events. He glanced around him at this strange world. "Is this Mirindian?"

She smiled. "Yes. It's beautiful, isn't it? My home is just there, on the far shore." She looked back to him. "There is something else I need to tell you, Kurt. You're part Mirindian, your DNA is different than an Earth person. This means that there is a chance that your body may develop in the manner of my people. You are almost sixteen Earth years old but on Mirindian you would only be about twelve years old. At that age, our people go through something called the A'rith, which is the first stage of maturity. Since you are only part Mirindian, I do not know how much you will be affected by this. If it does affect you, you will notice a period of fatigue, as your body begins to mature. Most of the changes will be on the inside at first, much like Earth people. During this time, your mental abilities will begin to appear. You'll need to learn to control them. I can help you with that."

Kurt was freaking out now. "So, basically, you are telling me I'm some half alien freak? Wonderful. As if being gay wasn't enough."

"You are not a freak. I know that Earth hasn't evolved to the point were everyone is understanding of you yet, but I promise you, one day you will be happy, and accepted by those people who matter most to you. Your name, Kur'Tas, means 'changer of worlds.' One day you will change Earth for the better."

Kurt shrugged. This was just a dream, after all. None of it was real. His mother hugged him again.

"We don't have much time left, and there is so much I need to explain to you. After the A'rith, and the changes it might bring, comes the Ba'rith, when our kind reach sexual maturity. This will happen in about two to four of your Earth years. Again, because of your mixed DNA, I do not know how much this will affect you. My people can only conceive once in our life. This may not be true for you."

"Oh Gaga, please tell me I'm not going to get pregnant? I don't think I can handle that."

His mother laughed. "No, sweetie, in that our two people are the same, only females get pregnant. Now I must go, I have obligations to take care of. But first, the pendant, it is so much more than just a decoration. Think of it as a micro computer with an unlimited hard drive. It also functions as a translator. Ask it to translate Nos'Machan."

Kurt felt himself slipping away from this alien world. "Wait, mom! No! Please! I miss you so much!"

She smiled. "I love you, my son!"

…

Kurt moaned and rolled over, pulling his blanket over his head. He wondered if he had a fever. That could be the only explanation for the bizarre dream. With a soft sigh, he opened his eyes, and looked down at the bed below him. Four feet below him.

"What the hell!" He cried out, and promptly fell back down on the bed. A moment later he heard footsteps pounding down the stairs, and his dad calling out his name.

"Dad! I had the weirdest dream, about mom!" Kurt was babbling, he knew, but he couldn't stop. "She was telling me that she wasn't really dead, that she was from another planet, and that I'm half alien! And when I woke up, I was floating! Floating, Dad!, In mid air!"

Burt swallowed and looked guilty. "Kurt, there is something I need to tell you."