Author's Notes: STNC 19

They spent most of the next three days by Burt's side. At first Blaine had tried staying in the waiting room, but was told in no uncertain terms to cut it out. Burt had shown little improvement, but the fact that he wasn't deteriorating was a good sign. Kurt and Carol kept up a dialog with Burt the whole time with minor contributions from Finn and Blaine; Finn confessed to Blaine that he felt weird talking to Burt when he didn't talk back. At the end of each day Blaine had to practically drag Kurt out of the hospital so he could get some sleep before repeating it all again the next day. Kurt grumbled that the hospital smell would be permanently embedded in his skin and buried his head in the crook of Blaine's neck more often than normal to compensate.

After a few more agonizing days Burt's doctor told them they were going to bring Burt out of his coma, but that he would have to wake up of his own accord. The longer he took to come round, the less chance there was of a full recovery. They sat in silence for a couple minutes; Kurt was staring at the bed, a hand covering his mouth.
"What if he doesn't wake up?" Kurt's words were muffled and almost inaudible. The silence stretched out over them all, Kurt's words not needing an answer. The doctor tucked Burt's notes back into the rack at the end of the bed and left the room quietly.
"I don't think I'd survive." Carol placed a hand on Kurt's knee, tears sliding down her face. Blaine took Kurt's pale hands in his and knelt on the floor in front of him.

"Yes you will, because you're strong, just like your Dad. You’ll be here for each other, all of you; and with the strength Burt gave you, you'll get through anything left to come Kurt. But if there's one thing I know, it's that he is fighting. Fighting to wake up, fighting to get better, fighting for you. Don't give up on him just yet. Until then, you've got me." Blaine pressed a kiss to Kurt's knuckles and found himself enveloped in a family hug, getting slightly crushed by Finn.
"Thank you." Kurt whispered in Blaine's ear before pulling away, wiping the tears from his face.

***

Once the process of weaning Burt off the drugs inducing his coma had begun , Kurt refused to leave his side. Blaine and Finn acted as chauffeurs, ferrying Carol and Kurt's clothes to the hospital and back. Blaine spent every night at the hospital with Kurt. There was a minor hiccup when they were told that they couldn't stop with Burt over night, but Carol pulled some strings and it ended up being overlooked. Blaine breathed a sigh of relief knowing that he wouldn't have to intercept one of Kurt's killer looks or snarky comments.

With each day that passed, Kurt grew more anxious, often for-going showers so he wouldn't miss his Dad moving or waking up. The sympathetic glances from the nurses did nothing to alleviate the knot forming in his stomach. Nearly four days in, Burt started to show signs of brain activity. The doctors ran multiple tests but told Kurt, Carol, Finn and Blaine not to get their hopes up. Kurt and Carol spent every hour possible by Burt's side, being brought food by Finn or Blaine. Kurt couldn't help feeling like that frightened teenage boy again, just willing his father to wake up. He remembered feeling so alone, like his whole world was empty without his Dad's presence. He had tried so hard to stay strong for everyone; to show that he could cope, would not break. He didn't think he'd manage to put that facade in place now, besides Blaine would see right through it.

It was strange how he could see the support system around him, yet he still felt isolated in his pain.

Everything seemed to happen at once, all in a blur. Burt stopped responding...he was barely surviving...talk of switching off life support...people constantly coming and going...questions...consent forms...night merging into day...empty words...then nothing.

Silence.