AN: I'm sorry if there are a lot of typos but I work crazy hours right now for a new movie and still wanted to post what I had already...

January 2012 - Part 2

It had taken Finn a couple of days to take Kurt up on his offer, but when he did knock on his door, Kurt quickly went downstairs to prepare two cups of warm milk for their talk.

"It just sucks, finding out your dad wasn't who you thought he was," Finn finally said after they'd been sipping their milk in silence for a bit.

"Tell me about it," Kurt retorted because he still remembered the feeling when he found out why his dad never visited.

"But you have to know that your father must have loved you. Otherwise he would have never joined to army to ensure you and your mom were being taken care of," Kurt tried to assure Finn as he welcomed him into their little daddy issues club.

"I guess," Finn muttered. "I just wish my mom didn't lie to me." Kurt didn't know what to say to do that. He had kept his promise and not told Finn when Carole had asked him to keep it a secret because he understood how hard it was to learn the truth about ones parents.

"I'm sure she just wanted to protect you. My mom did the same for me. She kept making up excuses for why my dad was never around for ages until I found out on my own," Kurt confessed.

Finn seemed to ponder that before he frowned and Kurt looked at him questioningly.

"But what do I do now? I thought joining the army would be a good way to honor my dad but I don't really want to do that anymore. What am I supposed to do now?"

Kurt wished he had all the answers but the truth was, as much as he pretended that he did, he didn't.

"We'll find you a new dream. Something you'll want to do for you and nobody else. And it's okay to take your time. No one expects you to figure everything out this minute."

Finn gave him a small smile before awkwardly pulling him into a hug, something Finn didn't do too often.

"But you have to promise not to give up on your dreams either. I've seen how miserable you've been those past few days."

Kurt was surprised that Finn had even noticed but he was glad for Finn's pep talk. Rationally he knew it wasn't the end of the world if he didn't get into the schools of his dreams his first try but it was still hard to come to terms with it.

"I'm glad you are my brother, you know?"

Finn's whole face lit up and Kurt was glad to know his brother felt the same.

"Speaking of families, there's something I wanted to ask you?" Finn said then and Kurt told him to go on.

"It's just that I've known your dad for seven years now and I never really had a dad before, so I wanted to know if it would be okay if I called Burt dad?"

Kurt had honestly been surprised that Finn wasn't calling Burt dad already when they met one and half years ago, but in a way he was glad he hadn't because it would have only made him even more jealous of the relationship his father had had with Finn.

"That's cool Finn. I don't mind," he told Finn honestly because his father was as much Finn's dad as he was his own.

"If you want you can call my mom mom too if you want," Finn offered after telling Kurt how much that meant to him.

Kurt shook his head though. "I'm sorry but I can't. I love your mom, but she isn't my mom. Maybe one day I will but it's too soon for that, even though I know it wouldn't mean that I love my mom any less or am forgetting about her. I'm so glad to have your mom in my life but it's just not the same," he explained.

And it wasn't. Like Finn had said. The only father figure he had ever had, had been Kurt's dad, but Kurt had had his mom for seventeen years and right now he needed a friend in Carole more than a mom. But who knew what would happen down the line. Maybe one day he would feel comfortable to call Carole mom. And maybe he would never be able to do so.

But it didn't really matter what they called each other. They were family now and that was all that mattered.

After being late for two Friday night dinners in a row, Burt knew he had to leave Columbus early this week. Luckily, there wasn't much to do and he made it back to Lima shortly after noon.

On their kitchen table, Kurt's laptop was still open to an email program and Burt was about to close it and carry the computer upstairs to Kurt's room when he saw who the newest emails were from.

Not even bothering to put the laptop into a bag he grabbed it and ran out to his truck with it before driving to McKinley where the boys still had class.

A little asking around told him that glee club rehearsal was going on at the moment and after getting lost a few times he finally reached the choir room.

Through the door, he could see Blaine's brother do some weird faces and he quickly knocked on the door before entering.

"I need to borrow Kurt for a moment," he announced and told Kurt to meet him outside.

A few seconds later, both Kurt and Blaine were standing in front of him, looking at him expectedly. Burt thrust the laptop into Kurt's hand and when his son saw the emails he was afraid he would drop the computer.

"Come on, open them?" he urged Kurt who was startled enough to swipe his finger over the pad to open the first one. Blaine was looking over Kurt's shoulder as well as he could and his facial expressions were Burt's only indications about the news Kurt was receiving because he son was oddly quiet the whole time.

Finally Kurt put the laptop down on the floor before he looked up at Burt. "I got invited to audition for four schools," he whispered and Burt pulled Kurt into a tight embrace.

"That's amazing Kurt," he told his son, because even he knew by now that those schools were a big deal. "Which ones?" he asked as an afterthought.

"Julliard, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Manhattan school of Music in New York and Berklee College of Music in Boston."

Burt was about to suggest the boys go back to class after congratulating Kurt again, when Blaine swooped and kissed his son as if he wasn't even there. And they probably had already forgotten he was there.

Burt left the school and the boys with a huge smile on his face. Kurt was happy so now he only had to take care of Finn who had been sulking and avoiding his mom since Carole had told him the truth about Christopher.

Their dinner that night was nice. Carole seemed a lot happier because he was on time for once, although he could see it in her eyes that Finn's coldness was hurting her.

"I'm so proud of you Kurt," Carole told his son during dinner. "I just hope you'll be okay in New York." Kurt quickly assured his wife that he wouldn't be going alone because his auditions were the same week as Blaine, Rachel and Mercedes'. Finn sat up straighter when they started to discuss Kurt's trip to New York and Burt had an idea how to cheer up Finn.

"Why don't you go with Kurt if you don't have any important test that week," Burt suggested and Finn immediately nodded enthusiastically. Carole didn't look too happy but didn't argue but Burt knew he would be able to convince her that sending Finn with Kurt wasn't a bad idea.

He hated seeing Carole and Finn not getting along because Carole usually got along with everyone. Wanting to do something about this as well, Burt volunteered him and Finn for dishes duty and as soon as they were alone in the kitchen Burt started talking to Finn.

"Finn, I understand you're angry but you're mom only did what she thought was best for you. We discussed telling you when you were younger but we both agreed to wait a little longer. So please just talk to her. I'm sure she'll answer any questions you might have, but don't shut her out."

Finn did look a bit guilty after Burt had finished his little speech and he hoped the issue would be resolved soon.

Thanks dad," Finn suddenly said and Burt nearly dropped a plate. "That's okay that I called you that, right?" Finn stuttered out after seeing Burt's reaction and Burt hurried to assure him that it was indeed all right and that Burt was happy if Finn wanted to call him dad.

In fact, he was ecstatic.

Blaine had expected many things when Cooper had told him they had to talk as soon as possible, but that was not one of them.

Copper was leaving again, because he had gotten a few auditions in New York, the city he claimed was dead. Or maybe it was just the theater there. Who knew?

And Blaine had to admit he was sad to see his brother go, even though he had gotten on his nerves a lot during the past few weeks.

"Cheer up, squirt," Cooper had said and Blaine had cringed again at the nickname. "I won't be a stranger this time. I promise."

And Blaine wanted to believe him.

Cooper must have caught his sour expression but had interpreted it differently because suddenly he was apologizing to Blaine.

"I know I've been kind of hard on you, but only because I want you to succeed. You're so talented and I want you to be able to do what I haven't managed yet."

Blaine hadn't expected that much honesty from Cooper concerning his own situation but like a good brother he tried to convince his brother that it wasn't too late for him yet, and that he was talented as well. Maybe telling him the truth would have been better in the long run, but Blaine didn't have the heart to tell him.

"Just work hard okay. I didn't do much in college and afterward I just blew through my trust fund. But I think you're smarter than I am."

"Thanks Cooper, that means a lot," Blaine had told his brother and meant it, because Cooper was a cautionary tale.

"And you know what?" his brother had continued. "I want you to succeed because can you imagine dad's reaction if both of his sons are in the entertainment industry?"

Even Blaine had to chuckle at that because his dad had always hated anything to do with music or acting. It was the ultimate fuck you to their father.

"So hit me up when you come to New York for your auditions. I'll scope out some good bars so I can show you a good time when you get there." Cooper had promised.

Blaine wasn't so sure he and his brother had the same idea of a good time, but he agreed nevertheless. Burt had given him back his fake ID after the party saying Blaine was old enough to know what he was doing and not to get into trouble again.

"I'm going to miss you," he had told Cooper honestly. And for the first time in years they had hugged before Cooper had left the house to start packing.

The past few days had been hard on Carole because Finn refused to talk to her but she hadn't really expected a different reaction. It still hurt though.

She was more than grateful therefore when Finn came up to her five days after the big reveal and told her he was ready to talk.

"Thanks honey. If you have any questions please ask me."

And Finn had asked her. About his father's decision to join the army, what he was like when he came back and what was going on in his life before his overdose.

She had always wanted to spare him because she knew the truth would hurt him, and she could see that it did, but he was handling it all fairly well.

"It was so hard after your dad died," Carole told him, remembering the time as if it were yesterday. "I mean it was already hard when he came back because he wasn't the same anymore, but I thought he just needed time to get used to being a father, but it got bad enough that I didn't dare leave you with him. I was barely twenty, had no college education and was well on the way to become a single mom."

Finn had moved closer to her at that point and she was grateful for his presence.

"I couldn't even move back home because my mom had moved away and the only people I called somewhat friends at that point were in Texas. I did the best that I could, but I was never sure I would manage raising a child on my own."

She had found herself in Finn's arms after that revelation and as Finn hugged her tightly she could feel his tears on her cheek.

"I think you did an amazing job mom," Finn had sobbed in her arms and Carole couldn't contain her own tears any longer either. All she ever wanted was for Finn to have a good life and having her son tell her she did all right, was the best feeling in the world.

Because that meant that in the end it had all been worth it. Not being able to buy nice things to get Finn the things he wanted. Working long hours in a job she hated, having not much of a social life.

"I love you honey," she had told her son in tears, "and I'm so sorry about your dad."

They had spent much of the afternoon crying as Finn was listening to stories from her life. The true stories.

After the truth had come out, Carole had started to doubt whether she was really fit to become a foster mother, but hearing Finn say that he thought she did a good job, had strengthened his belief that she would be able to take care of a stranger's child.

And this time she wouldn't have to do it alone.

Kurt was in full on party planning mode – Blaine's eighteenth birthday was only a few days away after all and everything had to be perfect. There were more things that stressed him though. They would take a train up to New York a few days afterward for their auditions, then it was Valentine's day and shortly after that Regionals – for which they still didn't have a final set list.

So he hoped Blaine would really appreciate it that he took three hours out of his busy schedule to look up rental places that had disco balls. Like most of New Directions he wasn't a fan of the music, but unfortunately Blaine loved disco and so Kurt had decided to give him a seventies themed party for his birthday.

His dad and Carole were in the kitchen preparing dinner and Finn was upstairs blasting zombies or something when the doorbell rang and Kurt yelled that he'd get it because it was probably another delivery for the party.

It wasn't. When he opened the door a middle-aged woman was standing outside. Next to her, clutching a blue backpack, was a boy of about nine, Kurt guessed.

"Can I help you?" he asked politely assuming the visitors were selling cookies or something like that.

"This is the Hummel-Hudson residence, right?" the woman asked and Kurt nodded.

"Oh good. For a moment I thought I had the wrong address. I'm Marissa Sanders from social services and this is Ethan," she introduced herself and pointed at the boy next to her.

Kurt felt like he was missing something and his confusion must have shown as the woman chuckled nervously.

"Sorry, I'm new to this. Let me try again. This is Ethan and he is your family's first foster child."

Kurt was sure that had he been carrying something in his hands he would have dropped it. He gaped at the woman like a fish out of water because what the hell? Foster child?

"Ahm, can I talk to your parents maybe. I need to talk to them about Ethan's situation," the woman went on either not noticing his baffled reaction or ignoring it.

Well there was only one solution to the problem.

"Dad, Carole! You need to come out here now!"