Determined

"Your son has a beautiful voice."

Burt Hummel jumped at the voice above his shoulder. Carole was in line to get them another round of drinks, and Kurt was on his third musical number, after the crowd had started begging for an encore. He looked at the beautiful woman standing in front of him, smiling slightly.

"Thanks, I know." He smiled fondly in his son's direction as Kurt belted out yet another girl's song. "He gets that from his mother."

"You and your wife must be very proud," Melinda said, trying to keep the conversation going. She looked pointedly over her shoulder at the woman he had been sitting with. Burt looked over his shoulder too, glancing at Carole before shaking his head.

"Carole isn't my wife," he pointed out, blinking in surprise, "She's my girlfriend. My wife... passed away a long time ago." Melinda put on her sympathetic face, putting a hand to her chest.

"I am so sorry," she gushed, "I just assumed—" Burt waved a hand to stop her, shaking his head.

"That's alright. No harm done."

"I'm Melinda Gordon, by the way," Melinda introduced herself, offering Burt her hand. He shook it hesitantly, glancing back at the stage where Kurt was singing.

"Burt Hummel. Would you, er, like to sit down?" he asked awkwardly, gesturing to one of the four empty seats at his table. Melinda smiled and nodded, taking a seat beside him.

"Thanks. Is your son applying to Rockland U?"

Burt sighed dramatically. "If only. I've been trying to get him to see that there are other options besides Juilliard, but when it comes to Kurt..." He sighed again, shaking his head. "When the kid wants something, he goes for it. And he usually gets his way, too... I just want him to have a fall-back, y'know?"

Melinda nodded quickly. "Absolutely. If you do convince him to apply, I'm sure he'll get in. Rockland is always looking for the talented." She smiled in Kurt's direction, avoiding the eyes of the ghost beside him. "And he is such a good singer. If my son had a gift like that, I'd be pounding down the doors of ever university there was and demand they listen to him." She sighed wistfully. "You know, Rockland is a great school."

"I've heard great things about it," Burt commented, drumming his fingers along the tabletop to the beat of Kurt's song.

"Well, I know for a fact that the teachers are wonderful," Melinda enthused, her voice peppy and upbeat. "A friend of mine works there, in the psych department."

Carole returned to the table just as Melinda was about to inquire (politely, of course) about Kurt's mother. She quietly cursed the bad timing, and externally smiled at the motherly-looking woman who was looking at her questioningly.

"Hi, you must be Carole," Melinda said smiling, "I'm Melinda." She offered Carole her hand, and Carole set down the two refilled glasses she had been holding in order to shake it. "I've been telling Burt here about Rockland U— if Kurt needs a fall-back, Grandview is definitely the place." She smiled again, forcing cheerfulness. "They already love him here, see?" She nodded towards the happy teenagers who were requesting songs for Kurt to sing, rather than getting up and doing so themselves.

"Yes, well," Carole said sitting down next to her boyfriend and coughing slightly. "Grandview seems like a beautiful town, from what we've seen of it. Definitely a place Kurt would be safe in."

"I completely agree."

Melinda talked easily with the couple for a while, waiting for the right time to bring up one of her many questions. How long ago did Kurt's mother die? How did it affect him? How did he cope with the trauma? Had anything strange happened to them since then? There wasn't a lull in the conversation when any of them seemed appropriate.

Eventually, Kurt claimed his voice was hoarse and rejected any further song suggestions. He stepped off the stage and gave the microphone back to the DJ, who once again referred to the sign-up sheet to see whose turn it was to sing.

"She wants to make me disappear." Kurt froze, staring at the laughing woman sitting with his dad and Carole as his mother whispered in his ear. "She wants to take me away from you, to tear us apart. Don't let her, baby."

Kurt determinedly stomped back to the table, glaring Melinda down. "Oh, there you are, Kurt! We thought the crowd had swallowed you up!" Carole laughed, smiling up at her boyfriend's son fondly. He ignored her and turned to Melinda, who smiled hesitantly.

"Hello, Kurt. My name's Mel—"

"I know who you are," Kurt cut her off, "Leave us alone."

Melinda's smile faltered, and she looked towards the ghost. "You've already done enough damage," the ghost hissed angrily, shaking his head.

"I don't understand," she said, looking between Kurt and his mother. "I just wanted to help you—"

"We don't need your kind of help! I asked you to leave us alone. Why didn't you listen?" The ghost vanished, leaving an angry Kurt and a very confused Burt and Carole.

"Just go," Kurt said, his voice deeper than it usually was, holding an air of distain.

"Kurt!" Burt said indignantly, "That is no way to talk to anybody!" He turned to Melinda. "I am so sorry. I don't know what's gotten into him." His gaze returned to Kurt. "What has gotten into you?"

"Melinda was just telling us about Rockland," Carole said quietly, her voice sounding puzzled as she looked behind Kurt and Melinda, who were staring daggers at each other. "Where are your manners, Kurt? She was just being polite."

"I don't want to go to Rockland. I don't want to be here any longer than I have to. And I'm sure as hell not coming back." He looked towards his father, his eyes burning with unshed tears. "Can we leave, please? I'm not feeling well."

Burt frowned but nodded, finishing his drink and standing up. Kurt started walking towards the door without waiting for an answer, his shoulders hunched as if he were in pain. Burt looked curiously after him. "I am so, so sorry about him," he apologised. "He's not usually like that. He must really be feeling sick, poor little guy."

"Oh, that's alright," Melinda said, looking down at her watch. "Is that the time? Gee, I better get going myself." She gathered up her purse, and smiled. The three adults left the bar together, chatting about nothing in particular. When they got outside, Kurt was waiting at the curb, sitting on the edge with his arms around his knees.

"Kurt? What are you doing down there?"

Kurt jumped up, startled. "Waiting for you," he said after a moment, recovering smoothly. It was dark enough out that someone less observant than Melinda might not have noticed the little red rings under his eyes— he'd been crying. "Come on, let's go."

"Good-bye, Melinda. It's been so nice to meet you," Carole said, offering her a small smile.

"If you need a tour of the city, or just someone to talk to while you're here..." Melinda said, digging around in her purse and pulling out a business card for the store. "...I'd be happy to hear from you."

Carole accepted the card and nodded, tucking it into her pocket. "Absolutely."

They parted ways, and Melinda frowned silently as she watched them go. She had no idea what she had gotten herself into, but she was determined to finish what she started, if she could. And that meant comforting the family, telling them (and convincing them) of her gift, and crossing over Mrs. Hummel— and all before they left to go back to Ohio.

Melinda sighed. Her job was never easy.