A/N Okay, so I know I can't excuse how late this is, but I found this chapter really hard to write, and I really hope I did it justice..
I think I have replied to all of my reviews, and if I haven't I am really sorry for missing one!
I really hope there are no glaring errors here, as I edited it in a hurry, but please point any out to me if you find one!
As usual, I do not own Glee. If I did Klaine would have kisses every episode, and Finchel wouldn't have gotten back together after season one. Rachel would live happy ever after with Jesse, and Blaine would be a senior. But enough of what I would change, on to the chapter!
Kurt and Blaine sat on the floor in the Hummel's living room, excitedly awaiting the introduction to what they referred to as "Our Show". Burt sat on the couch, smiling down at the two boys. He was waiting for Elizabeth to get back from the store, as she was buying snacks for them to eat as they watched. She had left half an hour ago, and the show was due to start any minute now. She had probably gotten caught up talking to someone, she was very friendly, and often ended up talking to several different people whenever she went out, but was usually too polite to tell them if she was in a hurry. Burt hoped she would make it back in time for the show.
Suddenly Kurt squealed as a promo came on, showing his and Blaine's face, along with those of the two girls.
"Daddy! Daddy!" He shouted, "That's me!" Blaine joined him in babbling excitedly about what was about to air, but they suddenly got incredibly quiet as they hear a few bars of music, and saw Eric walking out onto the screen.
They sat there in almost complete silence for the next ninety minutes, letting out an occasional gasp, and even a squeal from Kurt at one point, as they saw themselves on the screen.
When the show was over, Burt stood up, checking his watch. Why was Elizabeth out this late? She can't have gotten delayed that long... He walked to the window and looked out at the driveway. It was empty. The sky was dark, and it was starting to rain.
"Daddy, how come mommy isn't home yet?" Burt turned around to see Kurt standing behind him, looking confused and holding a teddy bear. Before he could give an answer, however, the phone rang. Burt ran to it, expecting a call from Elizabeth, explaining that she had a puncture, or had gotten stuck in traffic. However, when he answered the call, it was not his wife on the other end.
The voice was warm, and he supposed it would normally be friendly and cheerful, but on this occasion that was not the case. He heard the words and it took a while for them to sink in.
"Mr Hummel? I am from St Mary's Hospital, in Lima. I am afraid to say your wife has been brought in. It seems to be a hit and run case, you should try to come in as soon as you can."
He stood, the phone hanging limply by his side, after murmuring an affirmation and hanging up. He stood there for what seemed like no time at all, but in reality it must have been several minutes, because there was Kurt, holding Blaine's hand and looking fearfully up at him.
"Daddy, what's wrong? Who was that? Is it mommy? Did she get lost? You'll find her won't you? Won't you Daddy?"
The months went by, and it didn't get any better, but they fell into a routine. Kurt would go to school and Burt would go to the shop, and when School finished, Kurt and Blaine were both collected by a babysitter, where they would eat dinner, do their homework, and play until six, when Burt closed up.
Before they knew it, a year had passed, and it was time to go back to the studio.
Rachel was bubbly as ever, wearing a purple, striped pinafore, with a pink polo neck top underneath. She skipped in, followed by her dads, and immediately sat down beside Kurt. He blinked in surprise, but turned and gave her a small, unsure smile.
When Quinn came in, she chose the seat next to Rachel. She didn't say much, but Rachel soon began talking to her loud enough for both of them.
This time, the girls were interviewed first. Rachel ran in to Eric's interview room and as soon as the cameras were on her, she shone. It was no wonder she was picked for the show. She talked with almost no prompting, and by the time the interview was over, Eric was laughing along with her, though he wondered how much of what she had said would make the audience stay with the story.
Quinn was different, she spoke carefully, and Judy noted that almost every other word out of her mouth was either "I" or "me". However, her stories were interesting enough, and she was fairly likeable, if you didn't read too much into what she was saying. They would have to cut some parts of her interview, but it was fairly obvious that Quinn's would be a very interesting story to tell.
Finally, it was the boy's turn to be interviewed. To Blaine's dismay, he was sent to Judy's room. However he was happy that Kurt wouldn't have to deal with her cold nature when he was going to have to talk about such a difficult subject.
Judy Indicated for him to sit and occupy himself, as he had last time. Blaine immediately went to the bookshelf, and carefully selected a book. He read until he noticed Judy sitting In the opposite chair. She cleared her throat, and Blaine carefully dog-eared his book, placing it on the armrest of the chair.
He wore a bowtie with red and yellow polka dots, and a deep blue sweater vest. Cooper had attempted to neaten his unruly curls by combing them, but it had resulted in them becoming a frizzy mess that resembled an afro. He patted it with a hand, nervously, as the camera man signalled that they were starting to film the interview.
Kurt sat quietly in his interview chair, subconsciously picking at a loose strand on his cardigan, swinging his legs, nervously awaiting his interview and the inevitable questions that he wouldn't be able to answer without crying.
Eric sat down opposite him and smiled reassuringly. He already knew what had happened during the year, he couldn't just go do an interview with no research whatsoever. In fact, he planned at some point to do interviews on camera with the family and friends of what he now fondly referred to as "his kids". He knew that Kurt's mother had passed, and he planned on being sensitive about the subject, but he couldn't not address it in the interview, now could he?
"So Blaine, you enjoy reading, I take it?" Judy asked him, after getting greetings and other such formalities out of the way. She eyed the book as she said it, and Blaine shifted uncomfortably in his seat, but when he answered his voice showed little signs of nerves.
"Yes, I do... I started reading the first book last year, and... I... Borrowed it, to finish it. I wanted to get the next one in the shop, but mom and dad wouldn't let me. They said that "Those fantasy books will get you nowhere. If you want to read, we will get you some good, non-fiction books. " The next day they came home with a stack of them. I read them, but every one was as boring as the last..."
Blaine suddenly seemed to remember the cameras as he stopped speaking. His eyes went wide, and what looked like fear crossed his eyes. He started to babble about how he didn't mind, really, and that it was for the best that he wasn't allowed to read them. His parents were right, a young boy needed structure and good strong morals, not some airy-fairy stories that gave you nothing but hopeless dreams.
It sounded as though he were reeling off a speech that had been told to him over and over. And that he had eventually grown to believe it himself.
Judy looked startled, but soon covered it up. What kind of parent didn't allow their child to read fiction? It was one thing to want them to have a good education, and common sense, but it was quite another to deliberately deprive them of fantasy, imagination, and, she suspected, creativity.
She quickly pulled herself back together, all of these thoughts taking place in a matter of seconds, and quickly moved the conversation away from his family. They talked about school, and about the Hummels briefly, though she knew Eric wanted to save the majority of that conversation for Kurt. They continued talking for another half hour, and at the end of the interview, Judy leaned over, took the book in her hand, and whispered a promise to give it to Burt Hummel for Blaine before they left.
"So Kurt." Eric started in a soft, comforting voice. "I understand you have had a pretty tough year?" He made it a question, and Kurt flinched slightly at the fact that he was getting straight to the tough questions. He hesitated for a moment, trying to force his facial expression into something that didn't show how distressed he was. He failed to.
Eric still seemed to be awaiting an answer, however, so he began to speak. His voice was shaky, but somehow he managed to keep speaking.
"Almost a year ago, m-my mom got in a car accident. Dad got a phone call, and we had to go into the Hospital. I didn't get to see her though. They said something about her being critical, but I didn't really understand them. I stayed in the waiting room all night, and dad stayed with me. They wouldn't even let him in. The next day, she had to have surgery. I- I got to go and see her afterwards, but only for a little while... She.. She said..."
However, at this, tears began to fall down his cheels and he wiped them away roughly with his sleeve. He took a deep breath, and after several minutes he seemed to be able to continue.
"She was lying on the bed, but she didn't look like herself. She was covered in bandages, all over her head, and it was weird in there... Like when you go on an airplane and your nose gets all itchy. It smelled like medicine and kind of not real, you know?" At this point the tears were falling freely down his face, but he was no longer making any effort to stop them.
He finally got to what he had been about to say when his tears had first interrupted him.
"She told me she loved me, and to always remember that whatever happened to me, whatever anyone said, that I was loved, that I was strong, and that as long as I held my head up high, no-one could ever hurt me. Then she said goodbye."
After that, there was nothing Eric could do or say to get Kurt to speak any more, so he didn't try to. He simply let the cameras get a shot of the boy's tear stained face, and told him softly that he could leave.
Blaine and Kurt both walked out of their interview rooms at the same time. Blaine was marvelling at the fact that Judy had seemed almost... Kind. That was a concept that took a great deal of thought. He smiled to himself at the thought that he may be able to read his book, if only when he visited Kurt.
However, one look at Kurt, and the smile immediately vanished from his face. He ran over and pulled his best friend into a hug. He knew how hard it must have been for Kurt to talk about what had happened that year, and could tell from his face that he just needed to be held, like he had held him at the funeral, while Burt was away dealing with other family members and neighbours. They had sat on the sofa swing in the back yard, surrounded by the rose bushes that Elizabeth had loved so much, and Blaine held Kurt, and let him cry into his shoulder, knowing that he simply needed comforting. It was the same now.
They walked out into the waiting room, where Rachel and Quinn were playing, although they seemed to have had an argument, as Quinn had the Polly Pockets protected behind her as she played with them one by one, and Rachel Had the Barbies Lined up along a toy ballet bar, her leg resting defensively in front of them. Every few moments, they would shoot the other a look that clearly said "You want them, you can come and get them, but don't hold me responsible for your injuries".
Kurt, however, noticed none of this, as he had run straight to his father as soon as he saw him. Burt, too, knew what was wrong, for he took his son by both hands, knelt down in front of him, and placed a kiss to his forehead. Kurt smiled softly, and sniffed, and Burt took a handkerchief from his pocket, wiping his eyes and nose, before wrapping him in a tight embrace. He led Kurt out the door, but not before Judy had stopped him and handed him a package and whispering something in his ear.
The three walked out the door together, hand in hand, as Kurt had taken Blaine's again as soon as he could.
Sure, it was awful now, but Kurt knew, even though it would never get better, and he would never stop hurting at the loss, his mother's last words to him were true. He was loved, and that was all that mattered. He even managed a small smile, a real one this time, and the sight made Burt smile, as it was the first time in months that he had seen that smile, and it made everything worthwhile.
So I hope you liked it!
I've been thinking of posting this on scarvesandcoffe(dot)net what do you think? My pen name there is "Blazersandbowties" if you want to find me.
A huge thank you to LunaLovegoodIsFreakinAwesome for the moral support on this chapter! Couldn't have done it without you!
-Sorcha xoxo