"How is he?" Carol asked, placing a comforting hand on Burt's shoulder. Sighing, Burt leaned into the touch.

"I don't know." He whispered, the truth hitting hard and he swallowed down a sob. "The doctors have taken him for a head scan. He...he woke up and he sounded...different."

"What do you mean different?" Carol asked, guiding Burt to the chairs in the waiting room, sitting him down. She moved her hand from his shoulder to his hands and held them tight.

"Young...he called me daddy. He...the last time he did that was at his Mom's funeral." He breathed, a sad shaky breath leaving his lips. "He crawled into my lap, held onto me so tight and whispered 'it's okay daddy.'" As he spoke fresh tears started to spill from his eyes, before he knew what was happening he was being pulled into a tight embrace by the woman he loved.

"He's awake now, that's a good sign." Carol whispered rubbing his back softly. "The scans are just a precaution."

"You didn't see him. When he woke up he was...he was different."

"What do you mean?" Carol frowned. She hadn't seen Kurt, she'd arrived just as they were taking him up for his CT scan. All she had seen was a scared boy clinging to his father's hand.

"He...he's Kurt but...I can't describe it." He sighed, frustration building inside of him.

"Honey..."

"Mr Hummel?" Burt turned around and saw Kurt's doctor standing in front of him. "The initial scans from your son's CT have come back clear, they are only the initial ones, they're being analysed now and the full results should be back in a few hours. But from what I could see there was no bleeding which is a good sign."

"He'll be okay?" Burt breathed out. Frustration being replaced with relief.

"I've asked for a psychologist to come and see him." The doctor said, side stepping the question.

"A...why? My son's not crazy! The boys that did this to him they're..."

"Sweetie. Calm down. Let him talk." Carol whispered gently, trying to calm Burt down.

"I noticed a few things on the way up to his scan. He was restless, scared..."

"That's normal, he's been through..."

"I know. But the way he acted was what concerns me. I believe that your son has regressed mentally. Now I know that it sounds scary, but it's something that will cure itself if Kurt allows it. I've asked the psychologist to come up just to check my theory is correct."

"What makes you so sure that it is?" Carol asked as Burt stood staring blankly at the doctor.

"I asked him what the last thing he remembered was, and he said having a tea party with his daddy."

Burt blinked at that. "He...he'll snap out of it?"

"In time. But you have to realise it's up to Kurt when he wants to. His mind has suppressed everything that's happened. It's his brain's way of trying to heal him. We'll offer therapy to help ease the memories forward, but that's all we can offer."

"What about his physical injuries?" Carol asked, giving time for Burt to adjust to what he'd been told.
"He has a couple of bruised ribs, and his arm is sprained. We've put it in a sling. The injuries are mostly artificial, and he'll be sore for a few weeks but with the right painkillers he'll be okay."

"Can we see him?" Burt pleaded. "I need to see him."

"Of course." The doctor replied softly, leading them from the waiting area to Kurt's room.

"Daddy!" Kurt smiled when he saw Burt walk into the room. "I thought you'd gone. And I didn't want to be in the hospital on my own."

Burt frowned, Kurt sounded so young, so innocent. His eyes were shining with a youthful innocence he lost when he entered high school. "I didn't go. I'm here." Burt said walking over and sitting down. "How are you feeling?"

"Hurts daddy." Kurt mumbled looking down. "Why am I in hospital?"

"You fell down the stairs." Burt answered without thinking. He couldn't tell him he got beaten up, he just couldn't.

"Oh. I don't remember that." Kurt frowned. "Am I going to be okay?" He whispers. "Am...am I going to go like mommy?"

Burt felt like crying. He moves so he's sitting on the edge of the bed and wraps an arm lightly around his son, he didn't want to hurt him but he needed to feel him close. "You're going to be fine. Just a bit sore. We're going to be home in no time."