Part Seven-Revised

While on the phone with his dad, Kurt hurried to make it to the choir room before Glee started. He hoped his voice didn't sound as shaky as he felt after talking to Det. Pulaski.

"Take your coumadin, Dad. Did you remember your nitroglycerin pills? Mm-hmm, I didn't think so. I put two tablets in your lunch box just in case." Kurt stopped short in front of his locker.

FAG.

He rolled his eyes at the spray painted anti-gay slur. He'd heard it enough by now that it didn't shock him as it had once. But the other was new. A crude cartoon making vulgar sexual comments about his dad's business. Kurt was furious. He quickly ended his phone call. Then he ripped the offending paper off of his locker, crumpled it up and shoved it into his pocket. He could throw it away when he got to Glee.

Principal Figgins slapped a copy of the McKinley Star down on his desk. "Sue, Will, we have a serious problem here. Samuel Evans has the right to walk the halls of McKinley High and not be subjected to random lingual assaults. His parents are threatening to sue!"

"Kurt has rights, too." Will picked up the Star from Figgins' desk and stared at the photo of Kurt and Sam kissing. "And this? This is an invasion of his right to privacy. What are you doing to about that?"

"Sue has assured me she has addressed that situation."

Sue turned to Will with a too friendly grin. "Absofreakinglutely. I pulled Jacob aside for a friendly chat and I'm confident there won't be a repeat of this debacle. You can thank me later, Will. Turns out the little fella can be quite accommodating with the right incentive. And incentive is Sue Sylvester's middle name."

"I thought it was Imogene."

"How do you possibly sleep at night knowing the oil in your hair could fuel a third world village for a year?"

"Nonetheless-", Figgins interrupted before Will could respond to Sue, "-I have decided to expel Kurt Hummel."

Sue Sylvester and Will Schue were on their feet, moving as one to object to Principal Figgins' decision.

"Over your dead body!"

"I am not expelling Kurt from Glee!"

"Look-" Will pleaded, "Maybe Kurt read more into Sam's friendship than was really there. He's a lonely teenager trying to make an emotional connection with someone. He made a mistake. We're teachers. It's our responsibility to give these kids a place where it's safe to make mistakes-to make bad choices-and teach them to make better ones."

"My decision is final."

"No decision is ever final except mine, Sue Sylvester's.", Sue said as she flipped open her cell phone, typed quickly then showed the results to Figgins whose eyes widened. He swallowed hard.

"Not expel, William, segregate."

Mr. Schue stood and started pacing. "How are we supposed to perform if two of our members can't be on stage at the same time?"

"Might I suggest some creative choreography? Take the Cheerios. Just last year they performed on stilts. Stilts, William!"

Will gripped the back of his chair, silently reminding himself to stay calm. "I'm not putting my kids on stilts."

"Stilts, human hamster balls, those cute little Shetland ponies. My point is you could learn a thing or two from Sue's mad choreography skills."

"Yes, Will, learn a thing or two besides which of your hair styling products has the greatest probability of spontaneously combusting."

"Sue, if Kurt wasn't in Cheerios, you wouldn't even be here."

"I resent that. I've grown rather fond of the little woodland warbler. And the 20% discount his dad's giving me on a full set of snow tires."

Figgins pounded his fist against the desk once. "So, it's settled. William, you will keep Kurt Hummel away from Sam Evans -", Figgins eyed Sue Sylvester nervously, "-or he will be expelled."

As Sue left Principal Figgins' office, she passed Jacob ben Israel in the hallway, curled in a fetal position around his camera and sobbing. She ground her heel in the already broken lens.

Finn Hudson retreated to the drums and took a seat , seeking an escape from Rachel's latest tirade. He picked up the sticks and worked off his irritation by tapping out a few experimental rhythms on the snare drum. Once Rachel found out he had asked Kurt not to sing with Sam, she wouldn't let it go. Nobody would.

"Finn Seamus Hudson!"

"Seamus?" Artie repeated under his breath, feeling a pang of sympathy for Finn having to live with that as a middle name.

Rachel Berry planted herself squarely in front of Finn. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that her boobs were eye level. Girl boobs. Nice ones. Finn smiled remembering how they had felt against his palms.

"Don't walk away from me when I'm talking to you!"

Finn scowled. "You're not talking, you're yelling." He struck the cymbal once before throwing the drumsticks down in disgust. "You've all been yelling at me. I'm sick of it!" Finn stood up and brushed past Rachel.

Rachel, remembering one of Kurt's comments about her diva temper, took a breath and softened her tone. She rested a hand on Finn's arm. "We're just trying to understand. None of us had a problem with Kurt and Sam singing together. Why would you? "

"You weren't gettin' up in my business when Santana and I sang together." Mercedes added.

"That was-kinda hot.", Finn mumbled.

"You didn't tell Puck not to sing with Mr. Shue.", Artie pointed out.

"Mm-hmm.", Mercedes shot Finn a look. "Two guys? Singing 'Over the Rainbow'?"

Finn wondered if he looked as uncomfortable as he felt. "That was different."

"At least Azimio and Karofsky don't pretend be his friend."

Finn's head snapped up, stung by the comparison. "Hey, not fair! I never-"

Mercedes' eyes flashed with anger. "What? Never humiliated him? Never made him feel ashamed to be who he is? You called my boy out of his name in front of the whole school."

"Not cool." Mike Chang added softly. Normally, he preferred to stay in the background and listen to the sometimes passionate discussions that flowed around him in Glee. But he had seen Kurt's face that day in the cafeteria and he wasn't happy about it.

"I just-I didn't want to wait until-"

"Until you could talk to him in private?"

Finn flashed back to that moment in the cafeteria. During lunch. It had been crowded. And he hadn't exactly kept his voice down, even when Kurt had ducked his head and turned away, obviously upset. No. Finn had followed him and pressed the issue.

"You need to stop bein' a play brother and be a for real brother. Step up or step off, white boy. Besides-", Mercedes crossed her arms, radiating attitude, "-my bff is fine. How do you know Sam wasn't hitting on him?"

Brittany nodded. "Kurt kissing Sam is really sexy." she added dreamily.

Tina looked at Mike with a puzzled frown, "Sam's straight isn't he?" Mike shrugged and shook his head, not knowing-or caring to know-the sexual preferences of every Gleek.

Finn couldn't take it any more. He exploded. "God, do you even hear yourselves? Kurt kissing Sam is hot. Kurt and Sam are sexy." Finn took Rachel's hands in his and looked at her, pleading for her to understand where he was coming from. That he was trying to look out for Kurt. "Can you really see Kurt and Sam together?"

Rachel started to reply, thought better of it, then finally looked down and shook her head. "No.", she admitted softly.

"Letting him believe he has a chance at a relationship when he doesn't? Setting him up to get hurt?" Finn looked over at Mike. "That's what isn't cool."

Finn let go of Rachel and walked over to Mercedes. "Kurt is awesome. But get real. You know what this school is like." Finn felt guilty. She did know. Mercedes wanted someone special in her life as much as Kurt did. And she had had just as much luck.

"Nobody at McKinley is going to fall in love with Kurt Hummel!"

"I would appreciate you not discussing my life as if it's an episode of 'Blossom.'" Kurt snapped in reply as he strode across the room and took a seat in the back row.

Santana and Mr. Schue arrived moments later.

"Guys, take your seats. Let's get started." He glanced around the room quickly. "Anyone know where Quinn and Sam are?"

He was met with head shakes and blank looks.

"Okay, so, for our new number, the choreography is a bit more challenging and the vocals can be trickier than what we've done in the past. For the next few weeks, one group will work on music here in the choir room and the other group will work on moves in the auditorium. You know the drill. Guys, girls-split up. And Kurt?"

Kurt rolled his eyes and sighed. "I know, I'm with the boys."

"Actually, I'd like you to rehearse with the girls this time."

Kurt's face lit up at Mr. Schuester's unexpected consideration. Finally, one bright spot in his day. He wiggled fingers with Mercedes, their quirky version of a happy dance. Santana laughed at his expression. "He's not doing it for you."

"Excuse me?"

"He's keeping you and Sam separated. " Kurt's face fell. "Figgins said he had to or you would be expelled."

Artie watched Kurt's reaction, concerned. "If Kurt and Sam can't be on the stage together, how are we going to perform at Regionals?"

"Forget Regionals, what about Nationals in New York?"

"What about New York, Mr. Schue?" Rachel asked, worriedly.

"We're all going to New York."

"Say what you really mean, Mr. Schue." Santana crossed her arms and looked around the room. "It's like with Artie and the bus last year." She glared at Kurt. "We all go or none of us go."

"Santana, that's enough."

"What? I'm not missing a trip to NYC because twinkletoes can't keep his tongue to himself."

Kurt raised his hand as he stood up. "Mr. Schue, if I may?"

Will nodded and gave the floor over to Kurt. Kurt took a deep breath and released it slowly as he looked into each face one by one. Artie, who had been downloading blueprints of Broadway theaters for a month, determined to sneak into the backstages of "Lion King", "Wicked" and a revival of "Oh! Calcutta!". Mercedes, who practically had the Fashion Walk of Fame and the Garment District memorized. Rachel, who had already threatened to make Kurt her accomplice in scouting out any and every open audition they could squeeze in.

And, finally, Finn. Kurt blinked back tears. Finn Hudson, who simply wanted to bury his father's ashes at Ground Zero. He was hurt and angry, yes, but he would never deny Finn an opportunity to come to terms with his dad's death and finally have closure.

"Nationals may be the only chance some of us have to get out of this cow town-even if it's only for a few days." Kurt gave a wan smile. "New York. I would never ask any of you to give that up because of me. Because of my-my moment of indulgent indiscretion." He stood a little taller and lifted his chin a little higher, firm in his decision. "I'll do whatever is in the best interest of the team." Kurt caught Finn's eyes. "Even if means staying behind. In Lima."

An uncomfortable silence fell over the room, finally broken by Mr. Schue.

"Kurt-guys-we have months before we have to worry about Nationals. This will all blow over by then." He squeezed Kurt's shoulder. "And we'll all be taking a bite out of The Big Apple."

Kurt smiled tightly. "Of course." He glanced longingly at Sam's still empty chair, wondering if their plan wasn't the best idea after all. "May I be excused now? I'm not feeling well."

Will frowned, concerned. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

Mr. Schuester nodded. Kurt adjusted the strap on his messenger bag before walking out.

A/N: From what I could find, Finn's dad died in Desert Storm. However, I couldn't find a record of a national memorial for Desert Storm-only plaques. So for this story, I'm assuming Finn chooses the 9/11 Memorial as a way to honor his dad's memory.