A Good Man
Summary: A year after Finn learns about his uncle and grandfather, he and Kurt meet Edward Brimmer; a broken old man in denial, clinging to the memory of his son. Somehow, through meeting Edward Brimmer, Finn inadvertently makes Carole proud. Sequel to 'Pride'.
A/N: This takes place nearly a year after Pride did, about just after Born This Way aired. Also I know my nurse may not be overly professional sounding, but I needed her to be the way she is for this story. Besides, I think she actually really cares about Edward.
Warning: Lots of homophobia from Finn's grandfather and there's some cursing at an old man.
The white washed walls of the retirement home made Kurt wrinkle his nose. Finn just raised an eyebrow at Kurt's distaste. Sure it was kind of plain, but at least it wasn't cowboy wallpaper. As a matter of fact he felt way more awkward about the fact he was waiting to see the grandfather he'd thought was dead for sixteen years of his life and was a known homophobe.
Maybe he shouldn't have brought Kurt along after all.
"Umm Kurt," Finn mumbled in a soft voice as they waited for one of the nurses to check on his grandfather and see if he was well enough for visitors, "Maybe you should like wait here or something?"
Kurt raised an eyebrow, before speaking, "If you were going to make me wait here then why on earth did you ask me to come with you?"
Finn shrugged his shoulders at the other boy, "I knew better than to ask my mom. He's like dead to her." He paused for a moment, a small frown on his face, "Are you sure you want to come in there?"
"How bad can it be?" Kurt said dismissively, "I've been called every homophobic slur under the sun, Finn. I'm sure I can handle it." There was a short pause as Kurt seemed to mull something over, "Are you sure you want to go in there?"
"Dude it's been bothering me for like a year," Finn shrugged his shoulders again, "I thought he was dead for like sixteen years and like... I need to make sure I'm- I'm nothing like him, you know?"
Kurt put a hand on his brother's arm tentatively and told him in a soft voice, "I'm sure you're nothing like him. I mean, you've had your moments when you've been... less than accepting, but that's changed now."
"Yeah," Finn mumbled, less than convinced. His eyes moved towards the hall where a pretty looking nurse with light brown hair (who's name was Carrie according to the tag on her top) was heading towards them. She looked displeased, a forced looking smile finding her thin lips as she spoke tightly.
"You're family of Edward Brimmer?" She asked in a strained voice, looking at the two boys.
"Yeah," Finn told her inelegantly, "I'm his grandson and this is my brother Kurt." He waved a hand towards Kurt, "Can we see him?"
The nurse raised an eyebrow, looking Kurt up and down, "Are you sure you want to bring him in there? Your grandfather has a- well if you don't mind me saying- he can be an ass."
Kurt rolled his eyes at the nurse and told her in his bitchiest voice, "I can handle myself."
Finn fought back a small smile as Carrie let out a soft growl, before motioning for them to follow her. "I warn you," she told the two of them, "While he's physically well enough to see you; he does spend a lot of him time confused. He always calls me Carole for some reason when he yells at me."
"That's my mom," Finn supplied as he and Kurt followed her down the maze of hallways.
"I know," she muttered as she pointed them towards the door, "I'll give you two some time alone with your dear old granddad." She rolled her eyes once, before disappearing down the hall.
Finn looked at Kurt, who asked him in a wry voice, "You ready for this?"
Finn shrugged his shoulders in response and stepped into the room first to find a grey haired balding man sitting in a wheelchair as he scowled out the window, "Grandpa?" He asked in a quiet voice and the man looked up at him, turning the scowl his way.
"Well, well isn't it Finnegan," the man spat with distaste, "I thought I told you I never wanted to see your faggy face again?"
Finn's body froze and he growled, "Don't say that word." He looked at his grandfather's wrinkled face, "and you've got the wrong Finn. I'm your grandson; you're straight grandson."
The old man let out a loud guffaw, "Boy you just told me about your disgusting lifestyle choices yesterday, don't try to lie your way out of it now, especially since you brought your little boyfriend with you. You can't tell me that one's not a fag."
Finn stopped his brother before Kurt could open his mouth, "Kurt's not my boyfriend. He's my brother and I told you; don't use that word. It's off- offe-" he couldn't quite remember the word he was looking for and eventually just settled with, "it's bad."
Some kind of recognition flashed in the bitter man's eyes, "My grandsons, you said?"
"Well I am yeah," Finn muttered, wishing he could answer that in the negative, "Carole's son. Your Finn; he died a long time ago, or did you forget?"
The man's face hardened, "You can't be Carole's sons. She's too young to have kids, let alone kids your age. That and she's here all the time, taking care of me like a good daughter should. You're not dead, Finnegan, considering you're standing right there."
Kurt pulled on Finn's arm, whispering, "He's in serious denial Finn."
Edward Brimmer's lip curled upward contemptuously, "Don't even think about getting all disgustingly faggy in front of me."
"I said don't use that word!" Finn raised his voice slightly and felt slight satisfaction as the old man flinched backward in his wheelchair. He immediately felt bad for scaring an old man who was also his grandfather, but he was starting to grate on his nerves, "I'm starting to wish I'd never come here."
"I wish I'd never had you," his grandfather shrugged, before adding, "fag."
"You're just an ignorant old man," Kurt opened his mouth, not letting Finn stop him this time, "You're an ignorant old man who can't face up to his own failings. You practically killed your own son so you sit there and pretend that it never happened and continue to spew your hate. You're pathetic."
"Don't talk to me like that faggot," Edward Brimmer growled in an apparent moment of lucidity, "I don't care if you're not his boyfriend but it's obvious what you are. You're a faggot. You don't deserve to live."
Kurt grabbed Finn as he lunged forward, yelling at his step-brother, "He's an old man Finn. You can't hit him!"
Reluctantly Finn allowed him to pull him back with an angry sounding growl, "He may be an old man, but he's- he- he can't say shit like that to you. It's not right."
"No," Kurt agreed in a quiet voice, "It's not, but hitting him isn't going to change that."
Finn turned away from his brother and set his furious eyes on his grandfather, "I'm not your son and I'm not gay, but even if I was, that wouldn't matter. You don't get it do you? It doesn't matter who someone loves; it matters who they are. Do you know who you are? You're an ignorant piece of shit, that's what you are." He pushed Kurt in front of him, "Kurt here is like a billion times the man you are."
The old man just scowled, not looking at the boy who'd been shoved between him and his grandson.
"You called your own son and fag and because of that he killed himself! He killed himself and his mother had to find him. You killed your own kid," Finn shook his head, "and you can't even admit it."
The old man stared at him, his crinkled eyes suddenly watery, "Finn's dead?"
"Yeah," Finn snapped bitterly, "You couldn't love him and I guess that broke him. That's what Mom says anyways." He looked away for a moment, "She doesn't talk about it a lot. She couldn't for a long time, but I did something stupid and she told me about it."
"I killed him," it was a statement more than a question and Finn suddenly felt his heart sink. He was starting to feel bad for his grandfather, despite that everything within him wanted to hate the old man.
"Yeah, pretty much," he said in a soft voice.
Edward Brimmer seemed to shrink in the chair before his eyes. The old man's eyes reddened slightly before tears started slipping down. "My son's gone," he whispered in a tiny voice.
"Has been for a long time," Finn reminded him quietly, not taking a step forward to comfort his grandfather. "Grandpa?" He asked instead, "Do you remember now?"
"Please pretend," the man whispered pathetically, "I want my boy back."
Finn tilted his head in confusion, his eyes still hooded slightly with anger, "I thought gays didn't deserve to live?"
"My son did," was the soft reply, "He-he was still my son." He stretched out his arms hopefully and reluctantly Finn leant down and wrapped his arms around the frail old man. The weak arms tightened around him and he could feel the awkward wetness on his neck as his grandfather cried against him, "my Finn."
"Oh dear," Carrie's voice came from the doorway, "He remembers; shit."
Kurt turned to the nurse with shock in his eyes, "Wait what? He's actually acting like a human being and you're concerned?"
"You don't get it," the nurse snapped, "I prefer Edward as an asshole. When he gets like this he won't eat, can't sleep. Last time he almost died because he was lucid for so long." She shook her head, "It'd be healthier for him if your brother there just pretended to be his son. Sure he'd get yelled at, but Edward would be healthy at the very least."
Kurt frowned, "You care about him, don't you?"
"I'm a nurse, it's my job to care for him," Carrie let out with a wrinkle of her nose. "Besides, I know how broken that man is. He acts like an ignorant asshole, but he's really just a broken old man who can't let go of his dead son."
As Kurt spoke to the nurse, Finn awkwardly drew out of his grandfather's embrace when the aging man suddenly pushed him away. The old man tilted his head and actually smiled, "Carole, what did you bring your dear old Dad today?"
Carrie rolled her eyes, but smiled softly, answering, "It's not supper time yet Daddy, but don't worry I'll bring you something soon."
"Your brother is here," Edward suddenly let out a scowl, "Would you escort him and his disgusting pet out of my sight?"
"Of course Daddy," she told him in a soft voice, motioning sternly for the boys to leave the room. Once she got them out of the room, she whispered at them furiously, "You're damn lucky his lucidity didn't last long this time. That could have been horrendous." Her lips were set in a tight line, "I know you probably don't believe he deserves to be happy, but the only thing that gives him any peace is when I pretend to be his Carole. Yes I listen to him spew his hate, but I also have to hold that poor man when he cries himself to sleep." She shook her head, "He's not a good man by any means, I know that, but he's my patient and it's my job to look out for his welfare, both physically and mentally."
"I just-" Finn fought for the right words to express his need to meet his grandfather, "I needed to know. I needed to know that I wasn't like him."
Carrie looked at him oddly, "Well considering your obviously good relationship with your brother I really doubt that." She led them back out into the lobby and said quietly, "You should both leave now."
Both boys nodded as they walked out of the retirement home and towards Kurt's Navigator. As they climbed into their respective seats, Kurt driving since he'd very rarely let another other than himself or his father drive his 'baby' Finn looked over at his brother and commented softly, "That was not how I expected things to go."
"Well what did you expect to happen?" Kurt asked as he turned the eye in the ignition, "We were visiting a known homophobe after all."
"I don't know," Finn shrugged his shoulders, reaching across himself to buckle his seatbelt, "Not that."
"Well in any case, you did it." Kurt told him with a small smile. "You met him and now you know."
"Now I know what?" Finn asked, a sideway frown fixed upon his face.
"That you're nothing like him," Kurt assured him softly. "It didn't take someone to die for you to realize that there's nothing wrong with being gay. Besides, I was somewhat pushy with you last year, so it wasn't all your fault what happened, even if you still feel shitty about it."
Finn managed a weak smile, "Thanks Kurt."
"Anytime."
Carole frowned into the phone as she heard a young woman's voice upon picking it up, "Hello? This is Nurse Carrie Fisher from the Brookview Retirement Home. Would I be able to speak to Finn Hudson please?"
Carole gritted her teeth, she recognized the name of that home as the one her mother had sent her father too when he'd confessed he'd been diagnosed with advanced Alzheimer's disease. "My son isn't home right now. He's at school. What is this about?"
"You must be Carole," the nurse, Carrie, said softly, "Edward talks about you all the time," there was a pause, "Well kind of anyways. Most times he thinks I'm you."
"Good for him," she commented stiffly.
"It is," the nurse replied in a quiet voice. "Can I leave a message for Finn please?"
"Certainly," she spoke into the phone, waiting with impatience for the young woman to continue.
"Could you please tell him that his visit actually helped Edward and I would appreciate if he would think about returning; although it might be better if he left his brother at home next time."
Carole's mouth dropped open slightly, "Excuse me?"
There was a long moment of silence and she heard the nurse swallow through the static of the telephone, "I'm taking it you didn't know your sons came to visit Mr. Brimmer a few weeks ago?"
"No I certainly did not," Carole's voice was tight.
"I see," she said uncertainly. "Well, they both came in a few weeks ago. Your father had a minor breakdown near the end, but I think seeing Finn helped him, because he hasn't had a major breakdown in some time, aside from yesterday, and before he used to have them about once a week."
Carole allowed herself a minute amount of concern for her father; after all he was her father, no matter what he'd done, "Breakdowns?"
"He has times where he holes up in his room and refuses to eat or see anyone other than myself," the nurse explained in a gentle voice, "These are usually the times when he's most lucid; when he remembers that his son died," There was another soft sigh, "and when he remembers that I'm not really you."
"Your point?" She asked, trying her hardest not to feel bad for her old man.
"I thought if Finn came and pretended to be his uncle every once and a while, that it might help Edward. Even if he didn't pretend, I think his very presence would help your father," the nurse let out a quiet sigh, "Will you give Finn my message?"
"Let me get this straight," Carole said instead of answering Carrie's question, "You want my son to go into a room with his homophobic grandfather to get yelled slurs at because it makes him feel better?"
"In a sense yes," the nurse spoke awkwardly. "It's my job to care for your father's welfare-"
"And it's my job to look out for my son," Carole cut her off swiftly, "I will not have that man subjecting him to the same slurs that made my brother take his own life. I need to go now."
"Please let Finn decide for himself," Carrie begged softly, "I know you're a nurse too. Sometimes, when Edward's lucid he talks about you. I think that's why he thinks I'm you. You know how important it is to look after your patient's interests."
"I have to go," Carole repeated, her teeth clenched slightly, "Goodbye." She placed the phone down on its holder and turned to find her son staring at her with a frown on his face, "How long have you been standing there?"
"Not long," he said in a quiet voice and shrugged his shoulders, "What was that about? It was about me, right?" He tilted his head, "and Grandpa?"
"Why aren't you at glee rehearsal?" She asked weakly, turning to face her son and stepped away from the phone.
"Mr. Shue had to cancel," he frowned again at his mother, his eyebrows furrowing, "What was that phone call about? Mom?"
"Why didn't you tell me you went to visit your grandfather?" Carole asked as she sank into a chair at the kitchen table.
He looked a little morose at the tone of her voice and he shrugged a little, "I don't know. I didn't want to upset you."
"That nurse wants you to continue to visit him," Carole told him reluctantly, wrinkling her nose in disgust at the idea. "She said something about it being good for him if you pretend to be his son; so he doesn't have to remember what he did."
"Well," Finn didn't exactly want to defend his grandfather, but there was an inkling of sympathy for the frail old man, "When he remembers he- he's so guilty he can't really function." He shrugged his shoulders, "I know that it doesn't make it okay. I just- I don't know. He was just kind of pathetic looking after he got all sad and stuff."
Carole's face softened at her son's words and she drew him to her in a brief hug, "You're a good man Finn. I am so proud of you."
Carefully Finn blinked back tears, "Thanks Mom."
"So," she whispered as she let him go, "What are you going to do?"
Finn shrugged, "I guess I'll visit him sometimes. I mean- he's a lonely old man, even if it's for a good reason. He needs somebody, right? Everybody needs somebody."
"You're stronger than I am, Sweetie," she told him with a weak smile.
"Mom," his voice was hoarse as he spoke, a little overcome by his mother's words, "you really think so?"
"I know so," she told him proudly. "Now, what would you like for supper?"
"Daddy," Carrie poked her head into Edward Brimmer's room, "Look whose back to visit you."
Finn stepped nervously into the room as his grandfather looked up at him and forced himself to call the man what he'd never called anyone before, "Hey Dad."
"Get out my face faggot," the man flung the words at him bitterly.
Finn forced a wry smile as he sat down in one of the chairs, "I love you too Dad."
"Get lost!"
Finn ran a hand through his hair and answered tiredly, "I did on the way here, but some nice lady gave me directions."
"Too bad," he heard the man grumble irritably, before asking in a growl, "Where's your disgusting little boyfriend?"
Finn held his temper, forcing himself to stay calm, "I didn't bring Kurt. It's just me today." He leaned back in the chair and let out his frustration in a long sigh. "So, Dad," he forced himself to sound cheerful, "What have I missed since I saw you last?"
He tuned out the long list of slurs that came at him and daydreamed of Rachel- er Quinn- instead.
A/N: Please drop a review. They're appreciated.