AN: So I orginally planned on posting something else but then I wrote this last night and just wanted to share it. This is a little piece between Kurt and Carole set soon after she and Burt got married. It's inspired by lyrics from "Sleeping With The Light On" by Busted.

Coming home from school, Kurt found the house quiet. Finn was probably out with friends and his dad was probably still at the garage but Carole should have been home tonight. Walking into the kitchen, he found a note on the table:

Ran to the store. Will be back soon. Kurt, don't worry about starting dinner.

Love Carole

Kurt smiled. Even Carole knew he was the only other one in the family likely to think about starting dinner if she wasn't here.

Deciding to take advantage of the quiet, Kurt headed for the living room and the piano that he hadn't touched since the day they had moved in. Even then he had only played it to assure himself that everything was in working order after the move. The piano had once belonged to his mother and therefore was a cherished item. Before the wedding he had practiced almost everyday. These days, he barely saw his family let alone had time to practice the piano. He usually used his study hall period at Dalton to slip away and practice during the school day.

Walking into the living room he approached the piano, stopping halfway across the room. A picture frame sat on the top of the piano, one that he hadn't placed there. The only picture that had ever sat on top of the piano was the one of him and his mother at the piano. It had been placed there not long after her funeral but he hadn't put it up when they had moved right before the wedding because he hadn't wanted to hurt Carole's feelings and so he had tucked the frame in the front of a dresser drawer. Now somebody had placed another picture on top of the piano.

Kurt stalked toward the instrument, determined to get rid of whatever photo was there. The one of him and his mother was the only one that had any right to be there. How dare someone put another photo on top of her piano.

Reaching the piano, he snatched it up, stopping when he saw the familiar smiling faces looking back at him. Though he hadn't put the photo in it's usual spot after the move someone else had.

"I put it there," came Carole's voice from behind him. Kurt turned and looked at her as she continued. "I was putting clothes away and found it in the dresser drawer. I remember seeing it on the piano before the move and thought it should be in its proper place."

"Thank-you," Kurt whispered, his sight blurring with unshed tears.

"I know how important Kathleen was to both you and your father, Kurt. Don't ever think you need to hide memories of her to spare my feelings."

Walking over to her, Kurt put his arms around her, the picture still clutched in his hand and an even deeper love and respect for his step-mother.