AN: Just a little pre-series Burt/Kurt drabble. Hope you enjoy. Inspired by lyrics from " How To Save A Life" by The Fray

"How am I supposed to care for an eight year old boy!"

"You'll figure it out honey! Parenthood doesn't come with a manual," Eileen Hummel said softly, a huge contrast to her son's raised voice.

"Well I can't do this without one! He isn't some car engine that if I mess something up, I take it apart and put it back together right! I didn't know how to relate to him before. What to say to him. That was always Kathleen," Burt said, his voice wavering despite it's raising volume. "I won't be able to even feed him. I can't cook anything other than Ramen noodles and mac and cheese."

"Then learn. Cooking can't be any harder than rebuilding an engine," Eileen said calmly.

"I won't risk messing him up emotionally because I don't know what I'm doing," Burt told her, his raised voice now full of determination. "Either you take him or I'll put him up for adoption. I can't do this without Kathleen."

"Do you really think that is what, Katy would want?" Eileen asked softly, using her shortened version of her daughter-in-law's name.

At the mention of what his late wife would want for their son, Burt collapsed to his knees in the living room, crying tears that had often threatened over the years but that he had never let fall. He was a man, he wasn't supposed to cry.

"Promise me that you'll let him be who he is. Don't try to change him, just love him. Our little boy is special, just like his Daddy. And promise that you'll keep telling him about us. Don't let him forget me. I don't want my little boy to forget me."

Assuring her that he would do just that were the last words he had been able to say to her that he was sure she had heard. He wanted to keep that promise but he didn't know how.

Burt felt arms wrap around his shoulders and knew his mother had come to his side. "I won't take him but I can promise that I will stay here and help out for as long as you need me," his mother told him, hugging him tight.

Before Burt had a chance to respond, Kurt's shout for his mom drifted up from the room the little boy had been taking a nap in.

"Go to him." Eileen told him.

"I don't know what to say to him to comfort him."

"Then don't say anything, just hold him. Let Kurt know that he isn't alone."

Burt nodded, and got to his feet. After helping her mother up from the floor, Burt headed in the direction of his son's room.