Chapter 6: Family

"Blaine," Burt shook the sleeping boy gently to wake up. Blaine fluttered his eyes open and looked up at Burt immediately standing up.

Blaine couldn't find his mouth to move, he looked at Burt with horror, a sinking feeling in his chest.

"Calm down boy, I just wanted to talk," Burt requested aware of the sudden tension Blaine was having towards him.

"I didn't want this to happen," Blaine implied. Burt nodded.

"Now Blaine, I trust my son in what he tells me, but I want to find out more from you, do you mind telling me?" Burt asked as he gestured for Blaine to take a seat. Blaine obeyed. Kurt believes you…Kurt believes you… Blaine kept saying in his head as he nodded.

"S…sure, I haven't told anyone but Kurt, and I'm afraid you'll think bad things about me," Blaine said shyly, trying to avoid Burt's eyes.

"Blaine, if you tell the truth, I'll believe you, my son does, and I trust my son, I was just concerned, and I didn't think before I acted," Burt said sternly. Blaine nodded.

"I really like Kurt, he is very nice to me," Blaine smiled.

"He's got a good soul that kid," Burt said proudly.

"It started when my mother died," Blaine said quietly.

"What started?" Burt asked.

"My dad started hitting me, and calling me worthless,"

Burt sat there quiet and waited.

"Why would he do a thing like that?" Burt finally said after Blaine started to look uncomfortable.

"She died after I was born, he said I killed her, I killed her didn't I? Kurt says I didn't but Kurt is too nice and I'm not sure, she was sick after she had me and…" Burt put up a hand to stop him talking.

"It wasn't your fault," Burt replied simply. Blaine didn't say anything as he finally looked at Burt. With a sigh he continued.

"My dad started to ignore me eventually as I grew older and could take care of myself, but he noticed I was different to most kids my age, and when I was 11 and in school, I had a crush on somebody, and I made this valentines card, my dad found it, and realised that I was.. that I…, I liked boys, and he called me a fag and started the beating again, he took me out of school claiming we didn't have enough money to afford it, and he…," Blaine shook his head, angry tears appearing in his eyes.

Burt sat there angry, that Blaine had to deal with that, deal with his mother dying, dealing with taking the blame, dealing with the issue that he was gay, dealing with his dad beating…and now his own son was in hospital because of this…, Burt scrunched up his fist wanted to punch the wall. Blaine saw the tension and looked terrified.

"I didn't mean to be gay, I just, I couldn't help it, I didn't have a mother, and I liked musicals and Disney as a kid, and I liked fashion, and…," Burt immediately dropped his fist and shook his head.

"No Blaine, I'm not angry at you, I'm angry at your father, at the teachers of your school who probably knew what was going on," Burt explained.

"They couldn't, my dad hit me where he made me cover up and...I just wanted to die," Blaine winced, looking down ashamed.

"There's nothing wrong with you Blaine, you hear me? My son can connect with you because there are a lot of people out there that don't accept the gay community, and my son taught me that it didn't matter who you loved, or who you were, you can't change, and you have no reason to be sorry for being gay, your father was a douchebag, Blaine, I will see to it, that you get some justice,"

Burt couldn't take it any longer. He wasn't the emotional type, but Blaine looked so fragile, like Kurt when his mother died, he went over and pulled Blaine into a hug. Blaine started crying, he tried to stop himself, as it was Kurt's dad, but he just couldn't.

"You're not alone kid, you're doing well, I'm sorry I didn't trust you at first, can you tell me the rest of the story?" Burt asked softly as he seated Blaine back on the hospital chair outside Kurt's room as Carole and Finn watched curiously from the doorway. Blaine nodded sniffing into a tissue Burt handed him.

"Sorry, haven't talked to anyone properly in 5 years, in depth…," Blaine replied quietly, Burt nodded.

"I understand,"

"After the valentines card, and he got tired of beating me when I gave up trying to fight back, he asked me to get in the car one day, I thought he was coming to his senses because he didn't look angry, he didn't bash me up that day, instead he told me to get in the car, so I did, we drove for 9 hours. I thought maybe he was taking me on some trip, but then he stopped here, well he walked me to the forest and told me to wait, I was scared I was only 12, so I followed him back to the car, being quiet because I didn't want him to get mad, but he got in the car and when I tried to run after him I couldn't, he told me to get out of his life, and that I wasn't his son, and he was gone,"

"Bastard," Burt said. Blaine looked shocked.

"Sorry Blaine, but he is, no father does that to their son, and you don't deserve that, I want you to live with us for a while, would you mind that?" Burt asked gently.

"You… mean,"

"If I could I'd raise you as my son, I would but I want to see how you go with the family, would you consider living with us? While I find out what happened to your father?" Burt asked. Blaine's eyes went wide and the door opened to reveal Finn looking at both of them questionably.

Finn nodded to Burt than looked at Blaine with a reassuring smile as Carole joined them.

"Mhm… what do you say Blaine?" Burt asked not wanting them to pressure the boy if they knew what was going on. Burt knows they would immediately want Blaine to stay, but he didn't realise they had been listening the whole time.

"I'd like that very much sir, but are you sure?" Blaine asked worried. Burt nodded.

"Very, oh and call me Burt, Kurt will be thrilled," Burt smiled. Blaine felt nervous and awkward but he couldn't help getting up to hug the man.

"Thank you," Burt was surprised at first by the sudden hug, but embraced it as Blaine tensed a little.