AN: A little Burt and Carol after Burt takes office. Inspried by lyric from "I Don't Wanna Know" by New Found Glory
"There, that's better."
I look up from the report I'm reading to see what Carol is talking about. She's standing in front of the wall, admiring the framed photographs she had brought to Washington with her. Tossing the report down on the coffee table, I got up and crossed the small livingroom of the one bedroom apartment we are renting. Standing behind her, I take in the photographs.
There is one of the New Directions before they headed off for Nationals last year - Kurt standing with Mercedes in the front while Finn is in the back row with some of the other guys. Below that are two pictures from our wedding - on of the four of us taken at the church and the other of just Finn and Kurt. Finn had his arm draped over Kurt's shoulders, and both boys were smiling. It reminded me of just how little Kurt had smiled during his early teen years. Things were different now and I was thank-ful for that.
The fourth picture brought tears to my eyes - it was a copy of my wedding picture from my first marriage.
"You didn't have to put that one up," I told Carol, looping my arm around her shoulders and drawing her to my side.
"Yes, I did. I know how important she was to you and Kurt. Besides I owe her. If it weren't for her, you wouldn't be the same man I fell in love with and I wouldn't have the wonderful stepson that I have."
"I love you," I tell her, leaning down to kiss my new wife. I'm not sure exactly what I did to get blessed with not one good wife but two, but I'm grateful.
"I love you too," Carol replies, after we kiss. She glances back at the photographs on the wall. I can tell her gaze is focused on the one of our sons. "How do you think they're making out on their own?" she asked, and I can hear the worry of a mother in her voice.
"If they're anything like I was as a kid, probably throwing a party," I reply, though even as I say the words I can't picture Kurt actually doing it. Finn on the hand, might possibly be pressured into it by his friends except I'm not sure how he would convince Kurt to go along with it and as my cell phone isn't ringing, I suspect everything is quiet back at home. "However, Finn and Kurt are both more responsible than I was at their age. I'm sure things are fine."
"I hope so. I know they'll both be off on their own soon anyway but I still worry about them."
"And we always will," I tell her. "But we did a good job raising them. We've just got to trust in that."