Chapter Two

It had been an easy promise to make but a difficult one to keep. Nearly a year later Beth had told him she was still thinking seriously of leaving. Burt had stopped dragging a four-year Kurt to football games and given up on going camping but he still bought his son toys he didn't want to play with, still made him wear clothes he didn't want to wear and always told him to stop talking when he started on a topic Burt considered girly. Beth tried to make him see he was hurting Kurt, he was showing their son he wasn't good enough as he was. Burt denied it; he argued he was merely trying to tone down Kurt's more outlandish behaviour – the same way a parent is supposed to instil good behaviour and manners in their child. Beth had laughed bitterly and told him that was her point!

"You're telling him his behaviour is wrong!"

"I know it's not."

"Kurt doesn't understand that,"

"I'm helping him,"

"Burt … he needs your acceptance . . ." This time their argument had been interrupted by Beth fainting and being diagnosed with cancer.

In the next few months all of Burt's fears about Kurt seemed distant and unimportant. And as the doctors battled to save Beth's life it seemed such a minor issue and when they had done all they could Beth lay in a hospital bed and got ready to say goodbye to her family for the last time. While Kurt waited outside with a nurse Beth pleaded with her husband to keep another promise,

"Let him be himself Burt, I know it'll be a struggle and I know it'll hurt but he's strong enough … he's a Hummel,"

"To survive this … without you he'll need to be tough, tougher than me,"

"You can do it and so can he … and you'll both be so much stronger for it. If he pretends to be someone he's not it'll crush him,"

"I promise … I promise I'll try but how can I do this without you?" tears ran down two sets of cheeks as they felt the permanence of their goodbye,

"You'll do just fine,"

"So much faith in me," Burt whispered grasping Beth's thin hand in both of his and holding it to his lips,

"… Hummel remember?" she smiled tiredly; Burt could see the strain and pain of holding onto life. There was a knock on the door,

"Are you sure he can handle seeing you like this?" Burt asked worriedly,

"He's strong enough," Beth said steadily,

"Come in," Burt called to the closed door trusting her,

"Mummy?"

"Come sit on the bed sweetie," the little six-year moved slowly, carefully. He had been told about death and angels and heaven and he knew this was the last time he would see his mum. But he didn't understand it. Never seeing his mum again was just inconceivable to him.

"Are you ok mummy?"

"I'm tired, Kurt, so very tired,"

"Nurse Hill said you were going away and I wouldn't see you anymore," it wasn't quite a question but it wasn't a statement either,

"That's right,"

"Will I still see you in my dreams?" Beth laughed agitatedly,

"Yes, I hope I'm in your dreams for a long time to come,"

"You will mummy, I believe in us," that was something she always said to him,

"I do too and I believe in you and your dad, Kurt." Kurt looked at his dad as if only just noticing him for the first time,

"You're crying daddy," Kurt sounded very indignant,

"I am,"

"But . . ." Kurt was interrupting by Beth moaning softly in pain,

"Not long now," the nurse said gently from the doorway,

"Kurt I want you to promise to look after your dad ok," Beth spoke urgently,

"Like you do mummy?"

"Exactly,"

"Cook him dinner and tell him to put his seatbelt on and cover him with a blanket when he sleeps on the sofa?"

"I'll be doing the cooking I think," Burt interjected worriedly and Kurt and Beth sent him identical looks of scorn and disbelief,

Burts' heart fluttered wildly and he groaned, Kurts' expression changed to worry,

"Daddy are you ok?"

"Kurt … kiss your mum good bye and wait outside with the nurse," Kurt eyed him for a beat before turning back to his frail mother,

"Nurse Hill said God was going to look after you now," Kurt said,

"Yes," neither Beth nor Burt were decisively religious but they needed faith, now more than ever.

"We talk to God at school so I'm going to tell him to look after you properly,"

"Thank you sweetie,"

"Nurse Hill said you'll feel better when you've gone," that was also something Kurt couldn't understand,

"Yes," Beth said quietly desperately wishing it wasn't so,

"And you can't feel better here?" Kurt asked checking one final time,

"No sweetie," Beth's voice caught and Burt squeezed her hand trying to give her some of his failing strength.

"I don't want you to go … but I don't want you to hurt either … so it's ok for you to go," Kurt leant over his mum to give her a long and careful hug.

"I love you mummy and I'll miss you so much," A quick kiss and another long hug before jumping down and running out the room with the nurse quick to follow him.

Burt exchanged a last soft smile with Beth and held her until long after she had gone.

Fin

AN:

Glee writers seem set to portray Kurt as flamboyantly as possible so hopefully this is IN character (I have lots of gay friends and they don't act like that so I guessed a lot of what I wrote.)

In season two Kurt confesses he is an atheist but I don't think he would have been at six (given the intensely religious nature of American culture).

I couldn't find the name of Mrs Hummel but Wiki Glee said Kurt's middle name was Elizabeth so I thought Beth sounded a reasonable guess.

I would also like to apologise for the weepy end … it didn't finish like that when I planned the story.