Kurt stared out the window aimlessly and watched the waves crash off the rocks. He was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn’t hear his dad walk in.

“Hey buddy, you ready to go?” Burt asked.

“Yeah, just give me a second.” Kurt sniffled as he sat down on the bed. “I just can’t believe she’s gone.” he confessed.

“I know, bud, it’s gonna be hard but we’ll make it through. We always do.” Burt sat down on the bed and wrapped his arm around his son.

Kurt curled up in his father’s embrace and just cried. He cried for the loss of his mother and for the way he had treated her. He wished that he could take it all back. Every mean thing that he had ever said to her, every time he mouthed off and especially all of the times he could have spent with her and Jocie but ran off and did everything but. If only he could turn back time and everything would be alright. If only his mother was still alive. If only he hadn’t pushed Blaine away, the only guy that truly loved and cared for him. If only he had been a better brother to Jocie. If only he hadn’t rebelled against his parents. If only. Kurt took several deep breaths to try and calm himself down. Once he regained his composure, he wiped his eyes and looked up at his dad. “Where’s JoJo?” he asked.

“Carole took her shopping. I swear that girl doesn’t stop growing!” Burt chuckled.

Kurt smiled as he thought about his little sister, his best friend. He then thought about how she would now have to grow up without her mother. He and Jocie loved Carole. She was great and made their dad happy but she wasn’t their mother . Nothing would ever be the same from this point forward.

“You know, sometimes it helps to talk about it. You’ve been quiet these past few days.” Burt stated.

Kurt felt a sudden rush of memories come flying at him: the fire and rebuilding of the church, the mural, and the song he’d finally finished. He thought about Santana, Jeff and Dave. He thought about Blaine. He was eighteen years old and in one summer he had been betrayed, arrested and had fallen in love. And looking back now, he could see that he wasn’t that person anymore.

“How about this,” his dad got up off the bed, went to the closet and pulled out a suitcase and put it on the bed. “Why don’t you talk while you pack?”

“I don’t even know where to begin.”

“I’ve heard that the beginning is a good place to start. I’m pretty sure Jocie mentioned something about turtles?”

Kurt looked at the ground. “Actually, the summer really began with the fire, It was before Jocie and I got here though.”

“Fire? What fire?”

Kurt reached for a shoe box filled with pictures and gently removed a tattered newspaper article and handed it to his father. “This fire,” he said. “The one at the church.”

Illegal Fireworks Suspected in Church Blaze

Kurt watched his dad read the article and waited for him to finish. When he finished reading he looked up, meeting Kurt’s eyes. Kurt took a deep breath, sighed and began to tell a story that felt completely surreal, even with the benefit of hindsight.