April - Part 2

Kurt knew the chances were small that he would get to see his father before the next morning as soon as he heard that he had been moved to the ICU, when he followed Finn and Carole down some deserted corridors.

When they finally found a night nurse, he and Finn must have looked awful enough for her to take pity on them, because she granted each of them five minutes with their father.

Not knowing yet what he wanted to tell his dad once he saw him – people did say that people in comas could still hear you, right? – he decided to let Finn go in first. Finn latched onto Carole's hand and the two of them walked into room 315.

Outside, Kurt tried to compose himself. When his dad had first come back into his life nearly two years ago, Kurt couldn't get rid of him fast enough, though he would never wish death on anyone, but two years later, his dad had become one of the most important people in his life and he wasn't ready to lose him now that he had just gotten him back.

Deep in thoughts, he didn't even realize how much time had past, because suddenly Carole and a pale looking Finn were back next to him and the nurse asked him to follow her.

Kurt stood up slowly before following her over to 315 as well. Kurt had watched enough medical dramas – he and Blaine were particularly fond of House – to not be shocked by the sight that greeted him, and he was relieved when the nurse stepped outside to give him some privacy.

He sat down on the chair next to his dad's hospital bed and gingerly took his limp hand into his own.

"Hey dad, it's Kurt. It'd be great if you could just wake up because we are all worrying about you. Carole is trying to keep everything together but this is really hurting her," he mumbled, just saying whatever came to his mind.

Holding his dad's hand reminded him of their good moments. When his dad had taken his hand so Kurt wouldn't get lost when they saw the ice revue all those years ago, or when he fell after he first learned riding a bike. That was of course before his dad looked disapproving at his pink streamers, but Kurt wanted to focus on the good things.

"I don't have that many great memories with you," he whispered, "but I want us to have more of them in the future. You can't leave me now when we are finally becoming a family."

Tears were spilling over and Kurt let them fall as he clutched his dad's hand tighter. His dad needed to wake up because he was too young to become an orphan. The world had been cruel enough as it was, taking his mother away from him when she was still so young, but if he lost his father too, he wouldn't know what he would do.

Before he knew it his time was up and the nurse led him back to Finn and Carole who were both crying as well. When Carole saw him approach, she dug out some tissues from her purse and handed them around. Kurt accepted one gratefully and wiped his face as best as he could, before the three of them went back to the waiting room in silence.

Ethan was asleep next to Blaine who was stroking his hair and when his boyfriend saw him approach he stood up carefully and opened his arms for Kurt. Kurt let himself be pulled into Blaine's warm and comforting embrace, soaking his collar with fresh tears that wouldn't stop falling.

A while later the family settled on the waiting room chairs, neither willing to leave the hospital at this point and Kurt snuggled up to Blaine as much as was possible on the plastic chairs.

Blaine was the first one to wake up the next morning after barely sleeping all night, and he carefully extricated himself from Kurt and placed a pillow - one of the nurses must have left for them - under Kurt's head. He was wandering around looking for a coffee vending machine when he passed Burt's room.

A nurse stepped outside while he stood in front of the door and told him he could visit if he was family. Blaine quickly nodded hoping she wouldn't ask any further questions, but the nurse just opened the door for him and let him through.

"Five minutes," she reminded him and Blaine nodded.

Burt looked like he was just sleeping and Blaine stepped closer, hoping his presence alone would get a reaction out of Burt. But nothing happened during the five minutes he spent with Kurt's dad and so he returned back to the waiting room where the rest of the family was slowly waking up.

"Did you see my dad?" Kurt asked immediately and Blaine nodded as he sat down next to him. All eyes were suddenly on him, and Blaine shook his head. "No change," he whispered.

They all looked like they hadn't slept at all and he caught Carole looking worriedly at Ethan more than once. She had enough on her plate as it was and shouldn't be worrying about upsetting Ethan as well, Blaine thought.

"Why don't I take Ethan back to Burt's apartment and you let us know if something happens," he suggested and Carole gave him a grateful smile.

"I don't want to leave," Ethan said and Carole pulled him into her arms.

"I know, honey, but there is nothing you can do here because they won't let you visit unless they move him to another floor, okay? I promise to call as soon as there are any changes and Blaine will bring you back to the hospital."

When Ethan finally agreed, Blaine took his hand and led him outside to the car. Ethan was silent during the car ride and by the time they had reached Burt's apartment, which was only about fifteen minutes away from the hospital, Ethan was asleep again.

Not wanting to wake the young boy up, he undid his seatbelt and carried him inside, glad that Ethan wasn't weighing this much. He had tried to pick up Kurt once and they had both collapsed in a fit of laughter.

Once inside he put Ethan down on the couch and went to the kitchen to make some much needed coffee. A glance at the clock told him that New Directions would be performing soon and he sent Santana a text wishing them good luck. 'Hope the old man is okay' she sent back and he knew she was concerned as well. She didn't often show it, but she had a soft spot for Burt as well, since she had been living for the Hudmels for a few weeks.

He was wondering if Carole had called anyone besides them but decided to let his mom know nevertheless. A quick phone call with her assured her that there was no need for her to drive up to Columbus and that Carole would surely appreciate having a friend to lean on right now.

Ethan woke up again an hour later and together they settled on the couch watching mindless cartoons to pass time. Kurt texted him from time to time but his answers were always the same. No changes.

Around noon Finn showed up at the apartment and he explained that they would take turns coming over for a shower and some food. Blaine wasn't the best cook, but he found some pasta and tomato sauce in Burt's kitchen, and started to cook spaghetti while Finn was in the shower. At least pasta was a food pretty much every child liked to eat.

Finn's appetite didn't seem to be affected, but when Kurt came in an hour later, Blaine had to basically force his boyfriend to eat at least a little bit.

Carole visibly relaxed when she saw that Ethan was being taken care of and thanked him for calling his mom, because she really needed someone to lean on herself right now.

With the Hudmels gone again, their afternoon passed in pretty much the same fashion as the morning. Most of the time they were watching TV because Burt didn't have any toys in his apartment. Blaine was having a hard time keeping his eyes open but he didn't want to go to sleep while Ethan was still awake.

It was close to dinner time when there was a knock on the door and when he opened it he was faced with an armful of Rachel and Mercedes.

"What are you doing here?" he gasped once the two girls released him.

"We left straight after our performance," Rachel explained. "We couldn't be there for our boy the last time he was hurting and we want to be here for him if he needs us," Mercedes added before putting her arm on his and led him over to the sofa.

"Why don't you get some sleep while we watch over the little one?" Rachel suggested when she realized how tired Blaine looked and Blaine gave her a grateful smile. Together they pulled out the sofa bed, so Blaine could lie down and the others still had space to sit down.

He was out like a light and when he woke up again it was dark outside. Unsure at first what had woken him, he nearly jumped when the sofabed dipped and Kurt slipped under the blanket next to him.

"What's going on?" he mumbled sleepily. "Sh," Kurt answered, pointing to the floor where Rachel and Mercedes were sleeping on pillows and blankets.

"Carole came back earlier with Finn and took Ethan with them to the bedroom. I wanted to stay at the hospital but the doctor told me to go home because I looked ready to pass out myself," he explained still whispering.

"Are you okay? Do you want to talk?" Blaine asked quietly but Kurt shook his head. "Just hold me."

Kurt hadn't wanted to leave the hospital but he did feel a lot better once he was in his boyfriend's arms. Even with his lack of sleep he was still the first one to wake up the next morning and slowly got up and put the only fresh clothes he still had on. He was in the kitchen making coffee, when strong arms suddenly wrapped him up.

"We're so sorry Kurt," Mercedes whispered and Kurt let himself be hugged by his best girls.

"I'm sorry for leaving you guys hanging like that," Kurt told Rachel once she released him from another tight hug. Rachel waved him off before telling him excitedly – and Kurt appreciated that they weren't talking about his dad for once - that they came in third. Kurt felt a pang of jealousy because ND had apparently been even better without them but he focused his attention back on Rachel who was still talking.

"Most of the other groups based their performances on a sole performer and apparently the judges must have preferred the group numbers. You know Mr. Schuester would have done the exact same thing. I would have loved it but we would have lost," she mused before adding. "I'm sorry you had to miss it though. It wasn't the same without you." And Kurt remembered why they were best friends.

"Were the others mad we just left?" he asked once she had finished and Rachel shook her head. "They all understood once Ms. Corcoran explained."

They spent a few more minutes in the kitchen talking about Nationals and drinking coffee before a glance at his phone told him that visiting hours were starting soon and he was immensely grateful when Rachel and Mercedes offered to stay with Blaine and Ethan a bit longer.

Carole and Finn were still asleep but he was sure they would join him at the hospital as soon as they were awake. He had read up on comas while he was in the hospital last night and so he knew that the longer it took for a patient to wake up the less likely it was that he would wake up. So he was really hoping that his dad would wake up today.

When Burt still hadn't woken up by the time Sunday afternoon came around, Carole didn't have a choice but to pack up their little camp and return to Lima. The girls had already left the day before and as much as Carole wanted to stay, they all still had finals to take.

Kurt had begged her to let him stay, but she reminded him that college acceptance letter or not, he had not graduated high school until he held his diploma in his hand. She knew she might get away with letting the older boys skip school for a few days, but she couldn't take Ethan out of school because he wasn't legally hers and she didn't want to lose him over him not going to school.

To get the boys back to Lima she had to promise them that they would at least drive up every third day and spend the weekend in case Burt still wasn't awake when the week was over.

The kitchen was clean and their flowers still alive when they returned, thanks to Tala who had dropped by and had gotten rid of half finished cookie dough and other remnants of her baking lesson. She was glad to have a friend in Blaine's mom because as much as she loved her boys, sometimes she needed adult friends as well.

As if Tala could read her mind, the doorbell rang shortly after Ethan had gone to bed and Kurt, Finn and Blaine – who refused to go home – went upstairs as well. Her friend stood in front of the door, a bottle of wine in her hand.

"Now I know alcohol isn't a solution but I thought you might need a glass or two," Tala explained as Carole invited her in. Once Tala was seated in the living room, Carole quickly went upstairs to check that Ethan was asleep, because with his history he didn't need to see her drinking. She had seen the look on his face when Burt had ordered a beer after Regionals and she didn't want him to think they were like his parents.

The nightlight they had installed after Ethan had woken up screaming a few times after he had moved into their home illuminated enough of the room to assure her that Ethan was indeed asleep and she quietly closed his door again and went back downstairs where Tala had already poured each of them a glass.

"I'm glad you came over," she told Blaine's mom after accepting her glass. "I try to keep it together for the kids because I don't want them to see how worried I am, but it gets exhausting pretending to be okay," she confided in Tala.

"You met me when I was pretty much at my worst. There is no need for you to pretend around me," Tala assured her and Carole slumped down on the couch.

"It's just, the doctors keep assuring me that it's completely normal for patients to fall into a coma after surgery but I can tell they are worried as well. And I'm also really angry with Burt, but then I feel guilty about it."

"Hey, it's understandable that you are angry with him for causing this," Tala comforted her and Carole took a big gulp of wine.

"He kept hiding things from me, liking collapsing at the office and I'm sure when he was up there he did all the stuff I told him not to do. Did he think I only told him that to make him suffer? I keep thinking what if that had happened in his apartment with no one around to call 911? Would I be planning a funeral right now?"

It was good to let it all out for once. All the anger and worries that plagued her. By the time she had finished her little rant her glass was empty and she gladly accepted a refill. Alcohol might not be the solution to her problems but it sure felt nice to let go a bit without worrying what her kids might think.

Kurt decided to skip Glee his first day back at school since he, Finn and Blaine had run out of Nationals. He knew his teammates would want to celebrate and he didn't want to bring them down or stop them from celebrating. Instead he threw himself into his homework and studying for his final exams that would take place over the next two weeks. It kept his mind of other things.

Blaine had offered to accompany him, but Kurt needed some time alone at least for one afternoon and he was glad when Blaine told him he understood and he wasn't worried about Kurt shutting him out. Finn, Ethan and Carole were still out as well, and Kurt relished the quiet at home where he could let his guards down and drop the fake smile that had been on his lips throughout the day. He didn't want anyone's pity and people were more inclined to leave you alone when you were smiling. He had learnt a thing or two about hiding his real feelings when the bullying had been the worst.

The rest of the week went by in pretty much the same fashion. They went up to Columbus twice, but his dad stayed in his coma and never reacted to the touch of his hand or the things Kurt told him. At home he focused on his studies and helped Carole keeping Ethan busy. He knew his foster-brother was really worried as well, especially because he wasn't allowed to see his uncle Burt, but Kurt didn't know what to do to make it better.

A week after his dad's hospitalization found Kurt at the Lima Cemetery. It had been a few weeks since he had last visited his mom, all the changes in his life keeping him busy, and they had a lot of catching up to do.

"Hey mom," he told her once he sat down next to her headstone. It was already warm enough out to sit on the floor, with the April son warming up the earth.

"I'm sorry I didn't come sooner, but dad is in the hospital." He paused and for once he wasn't sure what to tell her. He wasn't in the mood for just giving her a run down of his life and the longer it took his dad to wake up the harder it got to talk about it. Jacob Ben Israel, McKinley's gossip reporter had dared to asked when they would take his dad of life support and Kurt had to be restrained by Blaine so he wouldn't punch him.

"It's not looking good," he finally said. "But I'm not ready to give up on him. You don't know what he is like now. I know he will fight for us."

What wouldn't he give for having his mom with him right now. She would know how to comfort him and what to say to make him feel better, he was sure of it. He knew he could go to Carole, but Carole was hurting as well, and he didn't want to add to her worries.

He knew though that wishful thinking didn't change anything. Life wasn't a video game where each player had multiple lives and he had to accept that.

He was still seated next to his mother's grave when Blaine found him hours later. Kurt hadn't even realized how cold he was now that the sun was gone, until Blaine pulled him to his feet and wrapped him in his arms to warm him up.

"Come on. Let's get you home," Blaine told him and Kurt let himself be led away from the cemetery.

No, life wasn't like one of Finn's game, but right now Kurt sure as hell wished it were.

Uncle Burt had been sleeping for over a week when his social worker Mr. Ryan came by the house to talk to aunt Carole. He knew it was a bad thing to listen into adult conversations but he didn't like the look on Mr. Ryan's face when he asked to talk to aunt Carole in private.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over him and Ethan nearly cried out when Finn sat down on his one side and Kurt on his other.

"It's okay, little bro," Finn told him. "Kurt and I do this all the time and my mom isn't much better. The trick is not getting caught," Finn kept explaining and Ethan wondered how they were supposed to avoid getting caught if Finn kept talking.

The giant boy stopped then, when aunt Carole came back into the living room, two cups in her hands.

"Not be rude, but why are you visiting right now? Our next scheduled visit isn't for another two weeks?" aunt Carole asked once she was sitting on the couch.

"Well, I just wanted to come by to tell you that we already found another family who would be willing to taken Ethan while your husband recovers or if something happens to him. We want to give you time with your family," Mr. Ryan explained and Ethan had to suppress a sob. He didn't want to be moved to another house now that he was getting comfortable with the Hudmels.

"Ethan is part of our family," aunt Carole cut in and Ethan was happy to see that she looked angry with Mr. Ryan. "And as long as some court doesn't decide he has to go home with his parents or be moved to another family, he is staying with us. The poor boy deserves more than constantly getting moved around.

A tear ran down his face, but those were happy tears. He had never had anyone fight for him before and it felt amazing.

"Be that as it may, but we aren't sure you can give him the proper care and attention right now and a hospital isn't the right place for a young boy."

Next to him Finn and Kurt both jumped up and before Ethan knew what was happening they ran into the living room.

"My mom is perfect for Ethan and she takes care of all of us even when she needs someone to lean on herself," Finn immediately jumped in to defend his mom and Kurt nodded.

"We all make sure Ethan is never left alone and he wants to be with us in the hospital to check on my dad," Kurt continued. Ethan had enough of just listening in while others decided over his life.

"I don't want to leave," he told Mr. Ryan, holding on tight to aunt Carole as he did. "I like it here because everyone is really nice and they always try to cheer me up when I have a bad dream or feel sad. Please don't make me go to some other family," he whispered as tears were flowing freely now.

Mr. Ryan bent down to look him in the eye and Ethan fought the urge to hide behind aunt Carole's legs. He wasn't a baby anymore after all.

"Is that really what you want? You aren't just saying that because you don't want them to be angry with you?" he asked and Ethan shook his head.

"I don't want to leave," he repeated hoping the adults would listen to him.

"Very well then," Mr. Ryan agreed and Ethan smiled up at aunt Carole when she wiped away his tears.

"Oh by the way. His parents' court date has been set for the 25th of May. The judge will want to speak to him in the morning of that day, so please make sure to save the date," Mr. Ryan addressed aunt Carole and Ethan's smile disappeared again.

He still missed his parents and hoped they were better now so he could go home, but he would also miss everyone in this family terribly. But if he couldn't go home because his parents were still mean, he hoped he could stay here. Aunt Carole had promised that he could and he hoped she would keep her promise.

After Mr. Ryan had left they all snuggled up together on the living room couch as best as they could and Ethan again basked in the knowledge that he had people in his life now, who were willing to fight for him.

Two more weeks had passed since the Hummel-Hudson family had received a visit from social services and it was taking its toll on the family. Three times a week the hospital in Columbus saw five sad looking people take the elevator up to the third floor and they always left with the same expression on their faces.

After avoiding his friends after his father's hospitalization, Kurt discovered that letting others help him didn't make him weak, it made him lucky, because he had so many people who cared about him. The McKinley High Glee club had come together and had sung 'Lean on Me' to Kurt and Finn.

Blaine found that it helped him to talk to the school's guidance councilor, though he had thought her pamphlets were a bit weird in the beginning.

No one wanted to say anything but after several phone calls from the hospital that turned out to be false alarms the Hummel-Hudsons were slowly losing hope. Legally Carole had to make all medical decisions now, but she knew she wouldn't have it in her heart to take her husband off life support.

It was a rainy Tuesday morning, three and a half weeks after Burt Hummel had been first admitted to the hospital when Carole Hudson-Hummel's phone vibrated in her lap during her last final exam of the semester. She had already answered more than half of the questions, so when she recognized the phone number she dropped off her quiz sheet and ran out into the hallway.

A doctor informed her that Burt was showing signs of waking up and Carole just prayed to a god she didn't believe in that it wasn't another false alarm as she drove over to Ethan's elementary school to sign him out because she knew they probably wouldn't be back in time for school to end.

Kurt Hummel, Finn Hudson and Blaine Anderson had just finished their last exams of their high school careers and where en route to the choir room for a little celebration with the other graduating seniors when they ran into Carole and Ethan who had been looking everywhere for them.

Together the group that we might as well call a family made their way to Columbus in the hope that this time they would leave with a smile on their faces. One can just hope they won't be disappointed again.

AN: Finn's 18th birthday was a week before Nationals and I tried to give him a little scene but it just didn't fit with the rest of the chapter. Sorry Finn. Also, as I just realized, bad things always happen after people's birthdays … I wonder what Freud would say about that.