HUGH

Hugh Anderson was a self-made man. He'd taken his education and put it to good use with a lot of hard work and made a prosperous company. It had been the pride of his life, knowing he could support his family and give back to his community in the ways he knew were right.

Pamela Creighton-Anderson was proud of what her husband had accomplished and stood by him in everything. She had helped their family give back by creating a charity foundation for the Children's Hospital, which she had built from the ground up. She and Hugh were glad to be of service to a worthy cause and had brought Blaine up to understand that while he held a prestigious place in society, he only got there by the grace of the people he could help in return.

Blaine had always been proud of his family and took his role seriously – both as a member of the Anderson family and as an individual. He was a hard worker and a good leader, his manners impeccable and his heart in the right place. So, when he lost the charity money that was so dear to his mother's heart, it gutted him.

Hugh had worked hard to keep his company profitable, things had gone badly awry six months ago. His partner, a friend from college, had made some bad decisions that impacted the company. Instead of letting their clients down, Hugh had used the company money to set things right. It wasn't an ideal situation, but it was what he felt was right. This decision came with a lot of stress.

After Blaine went missing, Hugh gave a lot of thought about the things that had gone on in the days before. He realized he'd been grumpy if not actually short-tempered and very critical of his tender-hearted son. He regretted that so much now. He had sent out flyers, driven up and down the streets of Columbus and Westerville, called the police in every nearby town. Now it was just days from Thanksgiving and he missed his son terribly. He was determined to find him and was out driving to another town early Monday morning.

It was a longshot to drive to Lima, but so were all the other towns he'd been through in the past weeks. He had faith that he would find his son and explain to him what was going on in their lives. He was just about out of hope, but could not stop trying. Every time he came home to see the pain in his wife's eyes it just about killed him.

~

The snow was still on the ground but the weather had warmed up since the snowfall. Hugh came into Lima and headed downtown, getting out a few flyers to pass around just in case. He went into a coffee shop and asked a few people if they had seen the boy in the picture.

“Yeah, that's Blaine,” one girl told him.

“You...you know my son? Where did you see him? Do you know where he is now?” Hugh asked, trembling with this new knowledge. It was the first positive thing he'd heard since the day Blaine disappeared.

“Yeah, I kinda know him...” said her companion. “Though I haven't seen him for a few weeks. He's the kid that busks in the park with that guitar player. I haven't seen either of them since before the snow, though.”

“Which park? Can you give me directions?” Hugh begged. He needed to find his son.

“Just across the street there, but I saw him with his dogs down by the river lots of times,” the girl said. She was looking Hugh up and down, trying to figure why Blaine would be hiding from this nice man.

“The river?” he asked.

“Yeah, over on the other side of the park. He was squatting under the bridge in a big cardboard box. I saw him lots of times, gave him tips whenever he sang a song for me,” the girl said. “I haven't seen him since the dog catcher got his dogs, though. He stopped busking then. I kinda miss him,” the girl said.

“Thank you,” Hugh told the girl and left to walk over to the park.

He walked along the path, imagining all too well the pain his son must have been in to live here. He knew Blaine was an honorable person and the loss of the charity money must have been devastating to the boy with the big heart. He wanted to find Blaine, to tell him nothing mattered but having him home and safe with his family once again.

Hugh saw the river and walked down that path, coming upon a soggy cardboard box filled with old mashed leaves and a smelly blanket. He sat down on a rock beside the box and put his face in his hands and cried.

The wind was cold down by the water, so he made his way back up to the park and to his car. He sat for a moment, trying to pull himself together. He had an idea. That girl had said the dog catcher had taken his dogs. It would be just like Blaine to rescue a couple of homeless dogs in the middle of his own crisis. Maybe he could go to where they took the dogs and find out something, maybe there would be paperwork or some kind of trail?

After a quick check with Google on his phone, Hugh pulled up outside the Dog Pound. He went inside and found a nice woman at the desk. After explaining what he wanted, she told him the dogs were on their last day before being put down. Then she took him aside and told him about how his son had come every day to visit the dogs, how he'd helped the employees clean the dog pens, cheered them up.

Hugh asked if the dogs were still here. He paid their fines and was rewarded with being jumped all over by two very dirty but enthusiastic pups, both pawing at him with filthy feet.

“I'm off shift now, Mr. Anderson, so I would be happy to help you out to your car with those dogs,” Caroline said, happy to be part of helping Blaine in some way. He'd made a big impression on all of the staff.

“Blaine comes in with Kurt in the afternoons, so he should be here in about an hour.”

But Blaine never came. Hugh waited until the Dog Pound closed, then went back into town and got a hotel room. He bought some food and fed the dogs and set his alarm for early morning so he could be a the Dog Pound and meet up with Blaine.

“Hurry, Kurt!” Blaine called, rushing in to the front desk. There was nobody there and Blaine went into the back area to say good morning to Sandy and Ranger. He got to their pen and...it was empty. Well they must be in another cage, maybe moved so new arrivals could come in. Kurt caught up with him and looked at the empty pen.

“Hey, where's Ranger and Sandy?” Kurt asked, looking at Blaine. Cameron, one of the employees, came in and Kurt asked where the dogs were.

“Gone when I got here. The vet was by yesterday, here on an injured dog case. Maybe he just got the week's work done a day ahead – those dogs were on their last day, weren't they?”

Blaine stopped, turning to Kurt with a shocked look on his face.

“Does that happen? That they kill them early? Are they...de...dea...' he couldn't even finish the word.

Kurt hadn't known of that happening before, but it was not out of the realm of possibility. He reached for Blaine, helping him up to offer what comfort he could. Blaine sank into his arms for a brief moment, then turned and ran from the building.

“Blaine!” Caroline shouted, not wanting the boy to miss his dad. She had been excited when the man came to pay the fines and rescue the two dogs. She knew Blaine would be over-the-moon with happiness and didn't want to miss the look on his face. It wasn't often that a story had a fairytale ending like this in her world.

“Where did he go?” asked Kurt, hurrying from the back room behind his friend.

“He left before I could tell him....his dad came here yesterday and paid the fines. He waited all afternoon to see Blaine. Where were you two?”

“We were trying to raise the money to get the dogs out. It took time and so we had to wait until this morning. You mean the dogs are still alive? Wait....Blaine's dad was here?” Kurt asked, his eyes sparkling.

“Yes. Mr. Anderson said he would be back this morning to find Blaine,” Caroline said as Kurt grinned at her and hurried out the door to catch up with Blaine.

Blaine came outside and sank down onto the icy bench in front of the Dog Pound. He had nothing left. He'd screwed up the one thing his dad trusted him with, then he took in two strays that would probably be fine if he hadn't made friends with them. He put his head down in his hands and wondered why he couldn't cry. There were just no tears left.

Then he heard dogs barking....it was Sandy and Ranger, he was sure. Weeks of being with the two dogs made their barks as familiar to him as his parents' voices. He popped up his head, trying to find which direction he'd heard the barking.

There, just a dozen yards in front of him, were two beautiful dogs....neatly groomed and sporting new collars with tags attached. And holding the leashes was his father.

Blaine got up and ran to his dad, throwing his arms around the man and hugging him close. He breathed in the scent of English leather after shave and Copenhagen snuff – the odors he associated with his father and home. It smelled better than anything to him.

“Dad....Dad! How did you know? How did you find me?” he sobbed, so happy for that instant in time – to have his dogs back and his father hugging him.

Hugh was hugging Blaine, his arms so tight around his son as he thought he would never again let go of the boy.

“Blaine, Blaine...I am so happy to have you once again in my arms. I love you so much, son,” Hugh said, tears running down his face. They stood there for ages until Blaine heard someone clearing their throat.

“Oh, Kurt...this is my father, Hugh Anderson. Dad, this is my friend, Kurt Hummel,” Blaine introduced him.

“Good to meet you, sir,” Kurt said, shaking the man's hand as his father had taught him. He gave the man a smile, glad Blaine had his father back but sad he was now going to leave.

“Is Blaine staying with you, son?” Hugh asked. He could tell Blaine was clean and appeared to be fed, which wasn't what he expected from the descriptions the girls had given him in the coffee shop.

“Yes, sir. Blaine has been staying with my father and me. He just got a job and we were coming to get the dogs...” Kurt said, distracted by the two dogs. They didn't look the same at all. Hugh had a few hours before the Pound opened up so he'd taken them to the dog groomers and had them bathed and combed. They almost didn't look like the same dogs.

“Can we....Kurt, can we come to your house? I think my dad and I have some things to discuss if that is okay?” Blaine asked. He knew his father would need some explanations and he didn't want to do it here on the street.

“Of course. Let me go tell Caroline I'll be in later and I'll meet you at home,” he said, gathering Blaine up in his arms and hugging him close to his chest. “Everything is going to be okay, Blaine. I know it is,” he whispered into Blaine's ear. Blaine nodded and gave him a fleeting kiss on the cheek without thinking.

“I'll see you there in a little while, Kurt. Thank you.”

The four men were sitting in the living room, Kurt and Blaine on the sofa and their fathers in the over-stuffed easy chairs. Kurt had made everyone a slice of pie with ice cream and coffee. The dogs were in his backyard, playing in the snow.

“Dad....” Blaine started, knowing he had to tell his father how he'd lost the money for the charity and how he planned to earn it back.

“I...I didn't do as you told me that day. I was on the bus, and it was crowded, but when a woman got on with bags and things, I gave her my seat. I thought I had the brief case between my ankles as the bus got more and more crowded. Then, when I got off at the bank, I found out the case I'd been guarding with my feet was....the wrong one. I'd taken my eyes off of it, just as you warned me,” Blaine said, moving back to sit closer to Kurt, drawing strength from being close to his friend. He knew he had to get the whole story out before he lost his courage.

“I came here to try and earn the money back somehow. I couldn't find a job at first – I was busking in the park to get money to feed myself. I had just gotten a job and was starting on Wednesday at Mr. Hummel's auto shop.”

Hugh smiled at his son, so proud that the boy was willing to do anything to earn back the money he'd lost.

Hugh got up and sat on the ottoman in front of his son. He took Blaine's hands in his own.

“Blaine, I want you to stop worrying. I know what happened. You made a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes and not for one moment did your mother or I believe you did anything wrong. I got a call at my office an hour after you left. It was from the bank. Someone on the bus saw what happened but they didn't get off the bus in enough time to catch you. They turned the briefcase into the bank right away – with every dollar of the charity money still in the case,” Hugh told his son.

“Blaine's eyes grew wide. He didn't need to earn that money back? He was so happy that the foundation didn't have to wait to get the funds, he knew there was a great need for the money for programs to help needy children pay for their hospital bills, money needed for equipment and research. He wiped his eyes and squeezed his hands with relief.

Hugh went back to the chair, his heart full. He was so proud of his son.

“Dad...I don't know what to say. Of course I'm glad the money was returned – but the fact is that I was careless and for that I am sorry. I'm sorry I worried you and Mom,” he said softly. He'd spoken to his mother on the phone on the way to the Hummel's house.

Blaine reached for Kurt's hand, but Kurt put his arms around Blaine and pulled him close. Blaine snuggled into Kurt's warmth and smiled.

“Hugh,” Burt said, smiling at the man. He found he liked Blaine's father more than he'd expected to. It was a sad story that Blaine had to tell him, but it had turned out better than anyone had expected.

“Hugh, would you and your wife join us for Thanksgiving?” Burt asked. He knew the boys had grown closer over the last weeks and he could tell they wanted to remain friends, but with living so far away....

“That would be lovely. I think we would love to come and celebrate Thanksgiving with your family,” Hugh smiled.

“Then it's settled,” Burt grinned, winking at Kurt when his son smiled at him. “I think I can have lunch ready in a few minutes if you would care to stay?” Burt asked and it was arranged.

After lunch Blaine and Kurt went out in the yard to play with the dogs.

“Blaine, I'm glad you are gonna be okay,” Kurt offered. He was looking at Blaine shyly, his voice soft. Blaine was the first boy he'd really wanted to be more than just casual friends with and he thought Blaine was thinking the same thing.

“I'm just kinda sorry I live so far away. And I don't even live at home during the week – I board at school.”

Kurt's eyes flashed over at Blaine.

“You...what school do you go to?” he asked. Kurt was switching schools at the semester. Due to bullying, his father had arranged for him to board at a prep school in Westerville. It was a bit closer to Columbus, but not that much closer. There weren't that many boarding schools in Ohio...were there?

“Dalton Academy. I have gone there since I started high school. I'm a junior...” Blaine said, a vague smile on his face at the thought of his friends at Dalton.

Kurt's smile could be seen from space.

“Oh, Blaine! I start Dalton Academy in January....maybe we could be friends there?”

Blaine leaned closer to Kurt, finally finding the courage to do what he'd wanted to do all week. He looked into Kurt's beautiful blue eyes, then closed his own and let his lips touch Kurt's. It was like fireworks. Then Kurt kissed him back and they finally drew back, smiles on their faces and

“Kurt, I think we're already friends.”