Chapter Seven
Finn woke up to Bryce thumping his little palm onto Finn's cheek repeatedly.
"Wake up, Daddy!" the little boy sang, oblivious to all the previous night's drama. Finn groaned and rolled over, sticking his head under the pillow. Bryce climbed on the bed beside Finn and tried to squeeze his head under the pillow with Finn's. Finn laughed as his son's little face appeared in front of his own.
"It's morning, Daddy," Bryce whispered, as if they were in a secret world. Finn kissed Bryce's nose.
"Well, good morning then, squirt," Finn laughed.
He pulled himself out of bed and scooped Bryce into his arms. He swung his son up and sat the small boy on his shoulders. Bryce gripped Finn's hair to hang on tightly as Finn took him down to the kitchen for breakfast, being careful to duck down low each time they went through a doorway.
He quickly got Bryce some cereal and juice before going into the living room. There were the four girls, Santana and Brittany snuggled together on the sofa, Mercedes lying on a bean bag with her head thrown back uncomfortably and Rachel comatose sitting up with her back against a chair, wine glass in hand, snoring loudly. Finn went to his wife, took the glass away, and tried to shake her gently awake. Rachel groaned, lowered herself to the floor, and promptly started to snore once again.
Finn sighed and went upstairs to quickly get dressed. By the time he got back downstairs Bryce had finished his breakfast.
"Right, young Mr Hudson," Finn said, putting on his best 'police officer' voice, "let's get you dressed. It looks like you're coming with me today."
Bryce giggled at his father's antics, "Where we going, Daddy?"
Finn sighed, knowing Burt wouldn't approve, "We're going to see Poppy and Grandma."
"And Uncle Kurt and Uncle Blaine?" asked Bryce in all innocence.
"We'll see," replied Finn, not knowing the answer himself.
Burt looked disapprovingly as his grandson and step-son let themselves into the house. Carole took a deep breath, sensing it was going to be another long day.
"Here's my favourite Grandson," she sang, as she scooped him up into her arms and smothered him with kisses, "Grandma is just making pancakes...you want to come and help?"
Bryce laughed and nodded, and began to tell Carole all about his silly aunts that wouldn't wake up in the morning!
"Where's Uncle Kurt?" Bryce asked, as he tried his best to mix the pancake batter.
Carole put her hand over his on the spoon, and helped him do the mixing, "He's asleep, sweetheart," she said quietly.
"Does he like pancakes? Can I go ask him?" he asked, bouncing excitedly on the counter. Carole sighed, knowing that was probably not the best idea. She called out to Finn and asked him to finish off the pancakes, while she made her way up the stairs.
She knocked on Kurt's door quietly and waited. When she got no response, she opened the door slowly. Kurt was sitting, fully dressed, staring out the window. She walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. He turned to look at her, surprised by her seemingly sudden appearance. His eyes were red and swollen, and he had large dark circles hanging underneath them.
"Did you get any sleep at all?" she asked. Kurt simply shrugged.
"He's out there, Carole..." Kurt said, pointing toward the window, "he's somewhere out there and thinks he's all alone." Kurt felt his eyes start to well with tears when he honestly thought he had none left to shed.
"I know, sweetie," cooed Carole, "we'll find him. All he's got to do is contact someone. You, us, Finn or Puck. Then he'll be back."
Kurt nodded, not really believing her.
"Come down and have some breakfast," she tried, "then we'll work something out."
Kurt nodded again, "I'll be there soon."
Carole turned to leave and saw that the bedclothes had been removed from Kurt's bed.
"Kurt honey?" she said gently, and pointed to the sheets on the floor.
"I had...I had...an accident," he gulped.
Carole smiled, and collected up the sheets in her arms.
"I can do that," Kurt said shyly, "honestly, Carole – you don't have to..."
"You've got enough to deal with right now," Carole sighed, looking at Kurt's bedraggled appearance, "just get something in that belly of yours and then we'll try to find your man, hey?"
Kurt nodded, thankful for the understanding, and followed her down the stairs.
"Hey, Uncle Kurt," yelled Bryce through a mouthful of pancakes.
"Hi there, Bryce," replied Kurt, laughing as the boy tried to stuff even more into his mouth, not caring at all that it was his second breakfast of the day, "what brings you here today?"
"My Daddy!" he answered, as if it was the most logical thing in the world.
Kurt laughed again and sat down beside Finn at the table.
After they had finished breakfast, Kurt took himself into the living room, clutching his phone tightly to his chest.
He tried to call Blaine again, this time not bothering to leave a message. Finn watched his brother flop face down onto the sofa in defeat. Finn had tried calling Puck earlier, and got the same answer as the previous night – Blaine was nowhere to be found.
Bryce bounced on his feet beside Kurt, "Wanna play, Uncle Kurt?" he said, shoving a toy car into Kurt's face.
Kurt tried to smile, but the effort of keeping up a facade in front of the boy was draining.
Burt walked in and looked at Kurt in dismay. He noticed the distinct outline of a diaper on Kurt's rear and sighed, it served as a reminder to Burt of just how dependant on Blaine Kurt had become. Bryce started zooming his cars down Kurt's back, pretending he was a road. Kurt tried to gently tell the boy not to, but to no avail.
"Hey Kurt," Burt said sharply, "how about you and I take a drive? See if we can find what you've lost."
Kurt was up and off the sofa in a heartbeat, two toy cars clattered to the ground.
"I'm sorry, Bryce," whispered Kurt, "maybe we'll play another time."
Bryce looked upset, until Finn started pretending to be a monster and chased him out of the room.
"Come on, kiddo," sighed Burt, "let's see if we can find him."
Kurt held back his tears and followed his father out to the car.
In the park, Blaine woke up to the sound of birds happily chirping their morning song in the tree above him. He stood up and stretched, his entire body cold and tired from the night spent outside. He decided to walk to try and warm himself up again. He did a quick lap of the park before setting himself down on a swing. He gently rocked himself back and forward and wondered just how on earth his life could have fallen apart so quickly.
He contemplated the possibility of trying to get himself to the airport and simply flying out of Kurt's life forever. That's what Burt had asked him to do after all. It was what he'd agreed on to try and placate a red-faced Burt enough so that he wouldn't have a heart attack. But Blaine was well aware that he couldn't. He couldn't leave Kurt, ever. If he had to sit in the freezing cold for a thousand nights, he'd do it. Just for the chance to set eyes on Kurt, even just from a distance.
Blaine sighed as he felt the cool air on his cheeks. He got up and started to walk the streets of Lima aimlessly once more.
Kurt and Burt pulled back into their driveway five hours later. They had gone to every haunt that Kurt could think of looking for Blaine. They'd started off making the trek to Dalton, Kurt checked all the places that they used to use to sneak away and make out together. Then they'd driven back to Lima, checked the Lima Bean, Breadstix and all the alleyways around them. There was no sign of Blaine. They even had a look around McKinley High, although Kurt knew that was the longest shot of all. On their way back to the house, Kurt made Burt stop at the park, but Blaine was nowhere to be found.
Burt came into the kitchen and shook his head at Carole.
"How is he?" she asked, cautiously,
"How would I be if it was you that couldn't be found?" he answered. She kissed him on the cheek just as Kurt entered the room.
"Kurt," she said gently, "sit down and have something to eat. I'll go out with you after lunch, and we'll have another look."
Kurt shook his head, "there's no point," he said and rested his forehead into the table, "he's left me. I'm not hungry, I just want Blaine back."
"Come on, let's have none of that nonsense," Carole said, "you know you need to look after yourself at the moment. So, what will it be? Sandwiches or soup?"
Kurt lifted his head and stared at her, "I said I'm not hungry," Kurt said defiantly. Carole knew that look in his eye, Bryce may not be a blood relation to Kurt, but their 'just try me' faces were remarkably similar.
"Kurt!" his father yelled, "have something to eat!"
"No," Kurt quietly murmured, and Carole could see what was about to happen.
"Just leave it, Burt," she tried to calm things down.
"I will not just leave it!" Burt yelled, glaring at his son, "Grow up, Kurt! I don't care what you and Blaine do on your own, but it's time to just grow up now!"
Kurt stood up and looked like a deer caught in the headlights, "NO!" he screamed, "NO! NO! You can't make me! You can't tell me what to do! I'm Blaine's, not yours!"
Burt lost his cool just as Bryce and Finn came in, "Kurt Hummel!" he shouted, "you have two choices, young man – you either sit down and eat or you can go to your room!"
Finn looked from his mother, to Kurt, to Burt and then to his son.
"Bryce, honey," said Carole seeing her grandson immediately, "why don't you go outside and play for a little while."
"You don't get to send me to my room!" screamed Kurt, "You're a mean, nasty man!"
"Why is Poppy mad at Uncle Kurt?" Bryce asked his Grandmother innocently.
Carole sighed in exasperation, "Please honey, just go outside and play and Grandma will be there soon."
"What's going on?" asked Finn, confused. Carole just shook her head.
"That's it," yelled Burt, "Get to your room – NOW!"
Kurt burst out crying and ran out of the room "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you," he cried all the way upstairs. Burt sat at the table and put his head in his hands.
Bryce, scared for the first time in his life by his Poppy, ran out the back door into the garden. He sat down and leaned against the garden shed. Not knowing what was going on in his little world. He heard a soft thud from behind the shed followed quickly by a soft groan. He stuck one eye around the corner of the shed, certain he was hidden from view.
There was his Uncle Blaine, covered in leaves after jumping over the fence.
"Hello," Bryce whispered. Blaine looked up suddenly. He tried to smile a friendly smile to Bryce.
"Hello Bryce," Blaine mumbled back.
"Uncle Kurt's in trouble," Bryce said conspiratorially, "and Poppy's mad, madder than anything...ever.
Blaine rubbed his hand over his rough chin, "I know Bryce," he murmured.
"Do you want to play?" asked Bryce.
Blaine shook his head despondently, "Not right now, I can't...I'm sorry Bryce."
Bryce hung his head sadly.
"Can you keep a secret?" Blaine asked Bryce. The little boy nodded enthusiastically, him and Mommy played this game a lot!
"You can't tell anyone you saw me, okay," Blaine whispered.
"Are you playing hide and seek with Uncle Kurt?"
Blaine gulped down the lump in his throat, "something like that," he replied.
"You go back inside, Bryce," Blaine said gently, "but remember, don't tell Poppy you saw me."
Bryce walked slowly back to the house, and gave Blaine a little wave before he finally went back inside.
Kurt curled himself into a tight ball, crouched down in the corner of his room. He was angry at his father, desperate for his Daddy, and simply downright miserable. He pulled Blaine's bag open, and hunted around for another pacifier, the one he had been using was almost broken from overuse. Sure enough, Blaine had packed another three 'just in case'. Then Kurt noticed Blaine's wallet in the bag and his heart sunk a little more. He realised that meant that Blaine couldn't even get a motel room or something to eat.
Kurt opened the wallet and smiled, seeing their wedding photo tucked neatly inside. He pulled it out and saw another photo behind it. It was one that a friend in New York had taken only a few months ago. Kurt was wearing a t-shirt that said "I 3 DADDY" and his diaper, he was asleep in Blaine's arms and Blaine was staring at him with all the love in the world showing clearly on his face.
Kurt took the photo out and crawled back to the corner of the room, grabbing his bunny on the way, and sobbed more than ever. He curled back up, facing the corner and hung onto the photo – his fingers turning white with the pressure. He felt the tears drop from his chin onto his bunny and felt more alone than he had ever felt in his life.
Bryce snuck back inside, happy to no longer hear loud, scary voices coming from those he loved. Finn and Burt were deep in conversation about Rachel. Carole sat opposite the pair, nodding along occasionally. She saw Bryce's little face peek around the door and motioned him to her. He clambered onto her lap and snuggled in for a cuddle.
"I have a secret, Grandma," he whispered into her ear. Carole played along, keeping him occupied and out of the conversation about his mother.
"Do you?" she cooed, "Are you going to tell me?"
Bryce giggled and shook his head, "I'm not allowed," he said putting his index finger to his lips. Carole took him into the kitchen to get some juice as Finn once again, tried to justify Rachel's actions. It was an ongoing battle between father and step-son, cropping up every few months, after Rachel would create some type of drama in Finn's life.
Carole put the juice in front of Bryce, "So young man, why won't you tell your old Grandma about this secret?"
"Poppy would be mad," he explained, and reached for a cookie from the plate she had just put down.
Carole sat in the chair beside him, "Would Grandma be mad too?" she asked, wondering what on earth the boy had done.
Bryce put his finger to his chin and thought about it, "I don't know," he concluded and shrugged, "but I'm not allowed to tell anyway!" he sang.
Carole laughed, "Well, I might just have to guess. Then it wouldn't be telling would it?"
Bryce screwed his face up in confusion, not really sure about her reasoning.
"Is it something outside?" she asked.
"Yes," he replied, he looked around to make sure nobody was listening, "it's in the leaves!" he whispered.
"Oh!" said Carole, in mock surprise, "well, let me see...is it a beetle?"
"No, it's bigger," he said, enjoying the game.
"Is it an elephant?" she said, winking at him playfully.
"No! Grandma, that's just a silly guess," he laughed.
"Is it a tiger?"
Bryce started giggling and shook his head. Just then Finn walked into the kitchen.
"Right buddy," he said, picking Bryce up out of the chair, "let's go home and see if your mother's awake yet."
Carole reached out and put her hand on Finn's arm, she nodded her head toward the living room.
"Is everything okay?" she asked quietly.
Finn sighed, "I don't know, Mom. Burt just can't seem to see that Rachel didn't mean any harm. She'd been drinking, and really – Kurt did say that Blaine had hit him. It's not totally unreasonable. He just never wants to see anything positive in her."
Carole hummed, not agreeing, but not arguing either.
"I think it's just that..." she chose her words carefully, "she gets a little intense. And even you have to admit that she does seem to want to interfere with things a lot."
"I know, but she's my wife," said Finn dejectedly, "I can't go against her."
"She is your wife, Finn," Carole said gently, "but that doesn't give her the last say in everyone else's life."
"Yea, well I'm going to take this little guy home now," Finn said, as Bryce squirmed in his arms, "ring me if there's any news?"
Carole nodded and kissed them both on the cheek.
Finn took Bryce and his secret home.
Now we're up to date. There's only probably one or perhaps two chapters left in this particular story - but to see how they got there check out 'And Baby Makes Two'...