Disclaimer: I don't own Glee. I wish I did, but I don't.

I'm just going to say to those of you who are younger than 17: being a junior in high-school is so hard. There's so much work and exams that are so crucial for senior year. Now, I'm not going to complain further because I have to (shocker) get back to studying for AP exams. I really hope you enjoy this chapter and don't forget to review! My exams are over in two weeks so, I'll be updating more frequently then. Enjoy! :D

It was the usual Monday for Rachel. In fact, it had been a rather boring and uneventful two weeks since Jesse's younger sister Anne had joined the glee club.

But there was something plaguing Rachel, something that made her stomach knot up and not in the good way when you had a crush. No, this was the I-think-my-boyfriend-may-want-to-dump-me kind of knotting in the gut.

So as she sat down idly in her usual spot in the choir room, she couldn't help but fidget. She's texted and texted Jesse to no avail. The only message she'd received was indirectly; Anne had told her that Jesse had said 'hi'.

What the hell was going on?

"Mr. Schue, I have something to say," Finn said, raising his hand. Mr. Schuester nodded and motioned for him to come up. When Finn did, he took a deep breath. "Something happened to me-I can't really get into it but it's shaken me to the core."

"Oh my god, he's coming out," Puck whispered to Quinn. The blonde's lips twitched.

"Yes," Finn announced. Mr. Schue covered his mouth. "There is a man who has recently come into my life."

Kurt arched his brow.

"And that man is Jesus Christ."

Rachel momentarily lapsed out of her own personal rambling to stare at Finn, jaw dropping.

Behind her, Puck shifted. "That's way worse."

"And I know there are others in here who dig him, too."

Quinn smiled as she covered her mouth, her other hand grabbing Puck's.

"I thought maybe this week we could pay tribute to him in music. You know, pay tribute to Jesus."

Kurt shook his head. "Sorry, if I wanted to sing about Jesus I'd go to church. The reason I don't is because is because most churches don't think very much of gay people. Or women. Or science."

Mercedes shrugged. "I don't see anything wrong with getting a little church up in here."

"I agree," Quinn said at last. "I had a very hard year and I turned to God a lot for help. I for one wouldn't mind saying thanks."

"Thanks for what?" Santana snapped. "That it didn't come out a lizard baby?"

Puck moved at that remark but Quinn held him back.

"Whenever I pray I fall asleep." Brittany commented.

Mr. Schue cleared his throat. "Well, guys. Maybe our song selections don't have to be about Jesus but they can be about spirituality."

Puck made a face.

"You got a problem with Jesus?" Finn asked angrily.

"Oh, no, I don't have a problem with the guy," Puck said. "I'm a total Jew for Jesus. He's my number one peep. What I don't like seeing is people using J-Money to cramp everybody's style. Because it seems to me that true spirituality-or whatever it is you want to call it- is about enjoying the life you've been given. I mean, I see the face of God every time I make out with Quinn."

Quinn shook her head, face-palming herself.

"Okay, that doesn't make much sense," Rachel said. "In fact, it's stupid."

"Are you calling Mr. Billy Joel stupid?" Puck countered. Rachel rolled her eyes as Puck shot up from his chair. "At this time I'd like to continue my streak of songs by only Jewish artists."

"Have you talked to Jesse recently?" Rachel asked Anne, her legs moving faster to catch up to the younger girl.

Anne blinked, shaking her head. "I talked to him a couple days ago. Why? Is something wrong?"

Rachel frowned. He'd talked to his sister but he hadn't bothered to send her a text or email or a simple voice-mail.

"Do you know if he's mad at me for some reason?" Rachel asked again.

Anne shook her head again, the bell ringing. "I have to get to chemistry but, I'll let Jesse know you want to talk to him."

Rachel nodded as the halls began to clear. She had a free period and she wanted to hear Jesse's voice. She wanted to tell him that she missed him so much and wondered why he hadn't bothered to call. Tentatively, she pulled out her phone. Her hands were clammy.

Dialing the number hastily, she slowly placed the phone to her ear, waiting with every ring of the other end. She heard heels clanking quickly behind her and saw Ms. Pillsbury hurrying to Mr. Schue's office. Something was wrong. Something didn't feel right.

Her movements were slow as she walked in the direction of her director and Ms. Pillsbury. They were going to the French class and she racked her brain on who she knew that was in there.

Her heart stopped. Kurt.

"Kurt, can we speak with you for a moment?" Mr. Schue whispered. It was low but Rachel right behind him, close enough to hear. She saw Kurt's face shift into a deep frown, his hands growing stiff. He stood up and walked closer to Mr. Schue.

"The hospital called... It's- It's your dad."

"What- What happened?" Kurt stuttered in a panic. Rachel could see him shaking slightly.

"He- He had a heart attack."

Kurt gulped, his eyes filling with tears. That's when Rachel broke, stepping forward. He was her friend- best friend- even. She should be there to support him.

"Kurt, I'll take you," she said.

Kurt nodded quickly as Mr. Schuester led them out.

The bell rang as the rest of the glee club filed into the choir room. Kurt had been sitting there alone all morning, his mind thinking about his dad's condition and wondering if the words he'd said were enough to make him wake up from the coma.

But it hadn't worked so far. He stood up to receive the usual hugs that other people give to the person of misfortune. It was a ritual thing- almost robotic as he took the hugs, his smile meaning absolutely nothing.

Santana walked up but didn't hug him. "I'm sorry about your dad's heart attack, Kurt."

"Thank you, Santana." Kurt croaked. Brittany muttered something about a book report and handed him a packet written in crayon. He looked at it gently before sighing.

Finn stalked in quickly, his voice firm. "What the hell is going on? I just heard about your dad from my mom- why do I feel like I'm the last one to know?"

"Well, I'm sorry Finn but it didn't occur to me to call you because he's not you dad. He's mine," Kurt said bitterly. He was tired of talking about it when he felt so guilty. The last conversation he'd had with his dad had been about Kurt not wanting to spend time with him. Now, he was afraid he never would again.

"Yeah? Well, he's the closest I'm ever going to get!" Finn raised his voice a bit. "I know it may not look like it but-" he swallowed, voice calmer."I thought we were sort of a family."

Kurt said nothing, sitting down.

"Look, I'm sorry. I guess I just didn't like hearing about it just because some guys were talking about it in gym class."

Kurt blinked, his robotic movements taking his own stuff out of the chair next to him so Finn could sit.

"Hey, guys." Mr. Schuester announced. "Our thoughts and prayers are all with Kurt and his dad."

"Mr. Schue?" Mercedes said. "I've been struggling to find the words to say to Kurt. I realized that I don't want to say it, I want to sing it."

The director motioned for her to come down. Mercedes handed the pianist her sheet music. "It's a song about being in a very dark place and turning to God. It's a spiritual song, is that okay Mr. Schue?"

He nodded.

"Can you believe that Kurt doesn't believe in God?" Tina stated, fixing her colorful extensions.

The toilet flushed and Quinn stepped out of the stall, turning the faucet on whilst shaking her head. "How can someone not believe in God?"

"I think we should all just calm down about this," Rachel stated, adjusting her skirt. "Let him believe what he wants-who are we to stop him?"

"But if he doesn't believe then he won't earn salvation." Quinn said. "In my church, it's all about repentance. Kurt can achieve this, but if he thinks like that..."

"Maybe Rachel has a point," Anne said softly. All three girls turned to look at her by the door. She had been waiting on Rachel because she was her ride home. "I mean, churches preach about acceptance but the second someone thinks differently or strays a bit from the rules, the person is deemed a sinner. I say, let him be who he wants to be." she held onto the straps of her bag. "Why go through life abiding by the rules and living by what somebody else says? When would you ever get full reign of your own life?"

Quinn pursed her lips. "I think this is the first time I've ever heard you speak that much at a given time."

Anne's face went red. "I- I-"

"No need," Quinn answered. She looked at Rachel. "I get it now. But Kurt's beliefs doesn't mean we can't still be there for him, right?"

All the girls agreed.

"If you don't all mind, I would appreciate it if you all just left," Kurt said, biting back angry tears. He'd told them not to. He'd sided with Sue Sylvester so they wouldn't go and sing religious songs for him and his dad. Now they had the nerve to sing in his father's hospital room.

"We were just trying to help," Quinn said softly.

"I understand but I think it'd be better if I were alone with my dad." he watched the lady take out her needles. Maybe acupuncture would work.

"We just wanted to do something," Rachel told Kurt before walking out slowly. Mutters of friends and of doctors filling the halls.

Things were bad and looking worse by the minute. Rachel couldn't help and she couldn't deflect the fact that maybe this was it. The epitome of her relationship with Jesse was over and it was practically over.

Now she just had to wait for the call. Her small hands clutched her cellphone close as Mr. Schuester walked into the choir room.

"I know things have been looking morose lately. But I want to celebrate some good news for our little family." he looked to Finn. "Let's congratulate Finn on being the quarterback again and leading our football team to victory for their second game."

The club clapped emptily, Finn's face looking guilty.

"Yeah, too bad that Sam kid had to have his arm basically ripped off." Puck commented. "Sucks that it had to happen but it's good to have you back in the saddle, brother."

"Mr. Schue, if I may?" Kurt asked from the very back. He stepped down and turned to face the group. "I just wanted to thank everybody for their efforts but as of right now, my father's condition remains the same." he let out a big breath. "I need to express myself. With your permission Mr. Schue, I've prepared a number for the occasion."

Mr. Schuester nodded. "Of course, Kurt."

"On the day of my mom's funeral when they were lowering her body to the ground, I was crying. That was it, it was the last time I was ever going to see her. I remember I looked up at my dad- I just wanted him to say something, just something to make me feel like my whole word wasn't over," he stated.

The group was silent.

"And he just took my hand and squeezed it. Just knowing that those hands were there to take care of me... That was enough. This is for my dad."

Oh yeah, I'll tell you something

I think you'll understand

When I'll say that something

I wanna hold your hand...

Kurt had taken his dad for granted. He hadn't thought that Burt really understood Kurt's ways. But Burt had just been trying to spend some time with his son. Yet Kurt was stubborn and stupid to reject is advances when he should have agreed. After all, nobody really knew when or how they would die. He should've been making efforts to spend time with his dad. It was all he had.

I wanna hold your hand

I wanna hold your hand

His mother was gone. His father was all Kurt had. He remembered how broken and lost he'd felt when his mom had died and how terrible it was to lose someone. His father had been the only person to console his tears-if Kurt lost him he didn't know what he would do. How he would go on without his father's support.

Oh please, say to me

Rachel looked down. She was being selfish- so selfish to be thinking of just Jesse when one of her best friends was in pain and was lost. She needed to be there for Kurt one-hundred percent. It was obvious that Jesse didn't want to contact her, otherwise he would have called or... Something.

You'll let me be your man

And please, say to me

You'll let me hold your hand

Now let me hold your hand

I wanna hold your hand

But Rachel's heart was being persistent. It just wouldn't agree with her mind. It ached to just be with Jesse. To have him hold her and comfort her... She missed her safe place to land. The one person who was the ying to her yang. Her other half. And yes, they were still so young but it was the most real thing she'd ever felt. Her feelings for Finn in the past couldn't even come close to how she felt about Jesse.

And she was so sure he'd felt the same way. But now she didn't know what to feel.

And when I touch you I feel happy

Inside

It's such a feeling that my love

I can't hide

I can't hide

I can't hide

Kurt needed to let people in. He had to break that barrier he'd put up so nobody else would ever let him down. Coming out to his dad had been tough and for awhile he'd lost his dad's comfort. Then something changed. His dad accepted who Kurt was wholeheartedly without any remarks. For the longest time Burt was all he had-but as he saw the group, his heart seemed to contract from feelings.

Yeah, you've got that something

I think you'll understand

When I'll say that something

I wanna hold your hand

These people, in front of him cared. He'd been rejecting their efforts the whole week when he should have been thankful for them. They were just trying to help and make him feel better. Well, he didn't want to do that anymore.

I wanna hold your hand

I wanna hold your hand

Rachel knew that Kurt felt their sympathy. They wanted everything to turn out fine for Kurt and his father. After everything the boy had been through in his life, from losing his mother and being ridiculed for being gay, to having his father on the brink of death was crazy. But enough, he was going to have to accept their help. After all, he won't be able to do this alone.

I wanna hold your hand.

Jesse will appear in the next chapter and you will find out why exactly he hasn't contacted Rachel in weeks. Bear with me, please! (Unless you're a guy and you want to bare with me. Haha, stale grammar jokes!)

-Fanatic4Fiction