AN: So this is a little more exploration of the "Grilled Chesus" episode. Inspired by lyrics from "Hand On Your Heart" by Steps

The gasp from the living room made me jump, almost causing me to drop the glass I was drinking water from. I knew Kurt was sleeping on th couch but the sudden noise in the otherwise quiet house surprised me. Looking into the livingroom I could see Kurt's outline sitting up on the couch.

"Everything okay, dude?" I asked. Placing the half-empty glass down on the counter I walked toward the living room.

Kurt jumped at my question, which told me that he didn't realize I was out here.

"Yeah, fine," he replied, not sounding fine at all as he laid back down on the couch.

I realize I could easily use this as an out and retreat to my room. I wasn't as totally clueless as people thought I was, it was just that I didn't know how to express my emotions well without being seen as a complete sissy. But given the number of times I had unintentionally and intentionally hurt Kurt's feelings before, and the fact that it was just the two of us, I figured I'd risk it. Besides, Kurt was a cool guy and what with the way things seemed to be going with our parents chances were we would one day be brothers - if Burt didn't die that was.

"You don't sound fine," I ventured, turning on a lamp as I walked by it. Although my mom hated when I did it, I sat down on the coffee table facing the couch. Kurt's eyes were red and puffy, and his face was paler than usual. He looked terrible and I had a feeling he hadn't gotten much sleep tonight. "And you look like hell."

"Is that supposed to be a pep talk?"

"Not really. Want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?" he asked sitting up. "Talk about how every time I close my eyes I see my father die."

"Kurt, you can't think like that. Your Dad is strong. He'll pull through this."

"And if he doesn't? What then? I don't have anyone left if he dies, except family members I barely know who live hundreds of miles away."

"You wouldn't be alone, Kurt. You've got Mercedes and Rachel and their families. And you've got my mom and me. I told you before, what we've got sort of feels like family to me."

"Except we're not. Not really."

"I'm learning that family is a lot more than blood or legal ties. You're like a brother to me now, Kurt - we even fight like brothers - so you wouldn't be alone if anything happens to your dad, who is going to be fine by the way. You'll still have me," I told him, reaching out to give him an awkward hug.

Kurt held onto me with a strength I didn't realize he had and I realized that right then I was the one thing solid in his life. Suddenly I didn't care who saw us, I just wanted to be there for him.