Chapter Two

It felt like the longest day of Kurt's life as he sat waiting to learn more about his father's condition. He'd been there for two interminable hours. Carole had arrived a long half hour into that, and Jimmy had left an hour ago. He'd offered Kurt a brief hug and headed back to the shop, promising to call him if he needed anything. Kurt took a slow breath and leaned his head against the wall as he recalled sitting in this very same waiting room a long time ago.

The two Hummel men had sat silently in the emergency room. Kurt sat pressed deeply into his father's lap, unsure what was really going on. All he remembered was his mommy crying out, and then Daddy screaming for help at the garage. From there, everything had been a blur.

Burt, for his part, was clutching his son close, terrified to hear about his wife's prognosis or worse to find out she'd miscarried right at the end of her first trimester. "Daddy," a small voice caught his attention. He looked down at the child he was clutching like a life line.

"Yeah, buddy?"

"You're squishing me," the child squirmed.

Burt immediately lessened his hold, allowing the boy to breathe a little easier. "Sorry, son."

"Daddy?"

Burt wasn't sure he was suddenly up for Kurt's thousand-questions-a-day moment right now. He was scared. He hated hospitals. Nothing good ever felt like it happened in them. "Yeah, buddy?"

"Is Mommy having the baby?"

His pale blue-green eyes burned with tears at that question. "No, kiddo... no she isn't," he replied, unsure how to explain that she may never have it now.

"Daddy...I'm scared..." He clutched onto his father.

Burt began to hum the song he'd sung to Kurt since he was an infant, allowing his deep occasionally off pitch voice to carry 'I Wanna Hold your Hand' in hopes of calming the boy.

"Mr. Hummel?" a voice startled him out of his concentration on his son. A doctor stood a few feet away. Burt stood up, holding his son to his chest still.

"How's... How's my wife?"

The doctor took a slow breath. "She suffered a miscarriage. We're finishing up the surgery now. I wanted to make sure you knew what was happening."

"Do you know why?"

"Sometimes it's nature's way of getting rid of too many imperfections in a fetus. We don't have a specific cause yet. But the more important thing at this point is she's going to struggle for awhile. She may be upset, angry and cry. Hold her, support her, but don't forget yourself."

Burt looked at him, "What do you mean? She's the one who's sick—"

The doctor nodded. "Yes, but you just lost a daughter, Burt."

His eyes grew wide. "It...it was a girl."

"Yes. Take care of your family. If you'd like us to call anyone, just let us know."

Burt shook his head. "Our parents are on their way."

The doctor shook Burt's hand. "I'll come get you when we've got her settled, and we're going to keep her here a night or two just to make sure she doesn't develop an infection."

"Thank you." Burt sank to the chair, still holding Kurt who looked confused. He looked down at his inquisitive son. Son. As Burt sat there, he realized that despite Kurt's femininity he was still his son. This child had been a girl. Burt had desperately wanted a daughter, and he had just lost her.

"Daddy, you're crying." His daddy never cried, not even at tear-jerkers Mommy and he watched.

Burt quickly wiped his cheeks, feeling sick. "Kurt, we need to talk."

"Okay, 'bout what?"

"Mommy."

Kurt seemed to understand this was serious. "Is she gonna be okay?"

Burt closed his eyes. "Mommy's body is going to be okay, but she suffered something called a miscarriage... It means she lost your sister." Burt paused, trying to gauge his son's response. "Do you understand?"

Kurt looked at him, as if trying to understand, but he couldn't so he shook his head no. "No sister?"

Burt felt his eyes sting at the simplicity of Kurt's words. "That's right, buddy, Mommy isn't pregnant anymore. She lost your sister... Your sister passed away." God how did you explain death to a child just barely done with toddlerhood?

"Oh," he murmured in disbelief, his eyes filling with tears. "I wanted to be a big brother."

Burt bit his lip. "I know, buddy, but it's okay to cry if you want to."

"Do...do you wanna cry, Daddy?"

Burt nodded and tears started to slide down his cheeks. His son threw his arms around Burt's neck and cried, letting Burt do the same against his shoulder. The two men lost themselves in grief for a few moments.

Shaking his head slowly, Kurt wiped the tears from his eyes at the memory of his mother. He glanced over at Will and Emma who remained with him next hour. At first he'd paced with a nervous twitch of fear. Every time he sat in a waiting room, it seemed to end in tragedy.

Suddenly Kurt realized he had to call one more person. He grabbed his phone, getting a glare from one of the nurses, and quickly dialed one last number. Hopefully she recognized him. It had been a long two years since he'd seen her, but Burt did his best to make sure Kurt remained in touch with Angie's side of the family.

"Hello?" a voice on the other end of the phone said.

Kurt felt his world stop. She sounded like his mother. He took a shaky breath trying to think of what to say. She repeated her word again, before he was able to force himself to speak into the phone. "It's Kurt."

"Sweetie, what's wrong you? You sound as if you've been crying, dear."

"Grandma..." He took a shaky breath.

Carole was watching him and gently reached out to rub his back. He was about to withdraw, but for a moment he almost felt comforted. He took another slow breath and spoke. "Grandma...Dad's had a heart attack."

"Oh goodness, dear are you all right? Is he...is he?"

"I don't know." Kurt ran a hand through his hair before realizing he'd just messed it up...then realized it didn't really matter. "They haven't told us anything. I'm scared."

"Take a breath, sweetheart. I'll be there as soon as I can be."

"You don't have to," he began. She really didn't. Burt wasn't her son. She'd never loved the mechanic. But she'd always loved her grandson, and Kurt had to admit even a small piece of his mother would bring him some comfort right now.

"Darling, I may not have loved my daughter's choice of a husband, but I wouldn't ever wish harm on him. You certainly needn't go through this alone. I'll be there in a few days."

"Yes ma'am," he wanted to stop crying, but found himself unable to stop the tears

"Oh darling, I love you too and I miss you dearly. I only wish your grandfather were well enough for travel. Don't you worry. Grandma is coming."

Kurt hung up the phone and buried his face in his hands, almost thankful this time as Carole continued to rub his shoulders. He was about to pull away and try to compose himself when the doctor stepped out. "Mr. Hummel?" he asked quietly.

"Mr. Hummel's my dad. How is he?" Kurt questioned as he stood. Every muscle in his body shook. "Is he dead?"

"He's alive. But I wish I had better news."

"What do you mean?"

"He's in a coma."

"I thought he had a heart attack?" Will replied as he squeezed Kurt's shoulders.

The doctor gave a brief nod. "Brought on by an arrhythmia that caused a lack of blood and oxygen to his brain. That's what caused him to lose consciousness and that's what's keeping him that way."

Kurt shook his head, feeling his world crumble. "I don't know what you just said. When's he going to wake up?"

"We don't know," the doctor replied.

"I want to see my father," Kurt demanded.

The doctor nod and led them to the room. Kurt froze for a moment, looking at the figure in the hospital bed. Kurt pushed inside, aware the doctor, Schuester, Ms. Pillsbury and Carole followed him. It felt surreal.

"I'd like to be alone with my dad," he whispered. He was hoping to rid himself of Ms. Pillsbury and Schuster, he didn't particularly want Carole there either, but he wouldn't be opposed to some company.

"Kurt, I really don't think it's a good idea to leave you alone right now," Emma offered.

"Please leave," he choked as he reached down to grip his father's hand. Carole stepped up to him and squeezed his shoulder.

"I'm going downstairs to get some coffee, you want any?"

Giving a quick nod, he waited until they were gone and then spoke, "Dad, can you hear me? Dad if you can hear me squeeze my hand. I'm holding yours right now. All you have to do is squeeze." He waited for a response.

Tears began to track down his face. Kurt didn't even consider what damage it would do to his face in the morning. Instead he felt the ache in his heart. "Please, Dad." He forced his voice to remain stable. He didn't have anyone left. Burt's parents had passed away years ago. He was all alone. "Dad," he cried as he sat down in a nearby chair and gripped his hand. Guilt raced through him at the idea that he'd turned down a stupid dinner to be elsewhere.

"I...I'm a terrible son," he whispered. "I shouldn't have said that this morning. The Sound of Music will have its time next year...every year...I." He closed his eyes more tears escaping to follow the trails down his cheeks.

"Please don't die. I don't have anyone else," he whispered as he leaned his head against his father's hand.

Kurt wasn't sure how long he cried or how long it had been before he slipped into a troubled sleep. He was halfway through some terrible nightmare that ended in him burying his father when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He jumped at the feeling and whirled around. He grimaced as he banged his hand against the bed rail. "Carole," he managed before he stood, allowing her to pull him into her arms.

"I'm here, sweetie," she replied "I brought you some coffee. How are you?"

"Me, I'm fine," he lied. How was he supposed to answer? He felt as though everything he had left in the world was dead. Sure he had friends, and he had Carole who was almost family. But his father was the most important person in his world.

"Kurt, sweetie, he's your dad. You're not fine, and you don't have to be."

Kurt looked at her. He wanted to be upset at her for being so nice but he couldn't because she loved him too, and he knew that. He wasn't the only person struggling. "You didn't drive yourself did you?"

She smiled. "You sound just..." she stopped, "sound like your dad. No, I had a friend of mine drop me off. You?"

"Jimmy dropped me off...S'pose the rest of Glee knows."

She sighed. "I...I haven't told Finn yet. I wanted to see you first. Make sure that's what you wanted. Sweetie, your dad is your family, and it's okay if you weren't immediately ready to share him. I figured I'd give you some time before you had to share him with Finn or anyone else."

Kurt gave a very small nod. "Thanks. This is where my sister and mom died."

Carole looked up at him in surprise. "Sister?"

"I've forgotten over time. Mom miscarried when I was four. We sat out in that waiting room and cried."

She didn't want to say she was sorry. Of course she was, but Carole had always felt like 'sorry' was just an excuse for nothing else to say. Instead, she reached out and gripped Kurt's hand. "Your father is very proud of you."

"Shouldn't be. I've chickened out of last Friday night's dinner...a tradition we've had since I was little. I suddenly can't give him the time of day."

"Can I ask why?"

"Guilt," Kurt replied quietly. "It's my fault he kicked Finn out, and ultimately you—my—"

"Hold it right there, mister." Carole stated. "Your father and I talked, and now that you've told us everything and Finn has told us everything...we decided perhaps we'd gone too fast. He and I agreed together that we'd do this slowly. You shouldn't feel guilty over Finn's bad choices, and I'd hope you would've moved on by now from your poor choices."

"Sorry."

Carole sighed. "Kurt, are you okay with me eventually marrying your father?"

Kurt closed his eyes. "Not yet...I'll get there," no doubt Carole could see the honesty in his eyes. "Please don't be upset," his pleaded.

Carole tilted her head studying the teen. "Kurt, sweetie, I'm not going to be upset. You've had your father all to yourself for eight years. It's an adjustment period, and that's okay. Finn didn't know his dad, so he doesn't have to adjust quite the same. You remember your mother, but he has no memories of his father."

Looking at the floor Kurt nodded slowly. "I miss Dad," he gripped his father's hand again.