A few hours later, Nurse Marie came in with his evening pills, after which he went to dinner, read more of his book, and he went to sleep.

The night was ordinary, but for the boy in the hospital, it was not. He was able to concentrate, he didn't have a migraine, and he could see early spring outside.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The boy looked over to his door and saw Nurse Marie standing there.

"Lights out," she said, not commenting to Kurt about his position on his bed, with a book, appearing relaxed, because she knew that the that three doctors would ask him questions about it the following day.

Kurt looked up at the nurse, somewhat shocked, but he didn't twitch. "Sure, Nurse Jackie. Actually, can you come back after you finish your rounds? I'd like to finish this chapter."

The nurse looked out in the hallway and back into the room. "Okay, but if anyone asks, you were in the bathroom, so I skipped your room and came back later."

"You're such a rebel." The boy teased with a teasing smile.

"As far as I'm concerned, you're looking great today, so by skipping you, I'm ensuring your happiness, well being, and weaning you off an exact treatment schedule."

The nurse hurried out and returned after her round to flick out the boy's light. That night, the boy continued to read in the dark.

The following morning, Kurt's mood was back down. He groaned in frustration his mood dropped so quickly.

Not even Nurse Marie's motherly smile and cheerful words could cheer him up as she handed him his pills cheered him up. He swallowed the pills with anger and then trudged to breakfast, to his studies, and finally, to Dr. Jackie's office. He knew that he was being dramatic and didn't care a bit.

Kurt knocked on the door and then looked in to see his doctor sitting at her desk and his father sitting awkwardly on the black, leather couch across from her.

The man had shared his chestnut colored hair, but was balding, in his forties, and sturdily built.

He sat on the edge of the seat and looked like he was in the middle of a conversation with Dr. Jackie.

"Welcome, Kurt!" Dr. Jackie offered Kurt an encouraging expression, which was comforting, but not as much as a smile would have been..

The man looked up at the teenage boy. "Hi, kid." He said quietly and gruffly.

"Hi." The teenage boy stood in the doorframe and looked around the room tentatively.

"Please join us," The doctor offered, "and take a seat."

The boy walked into the room and took a seat on a leather swivel chair across from the doctor.

"How are you today, Kurt?" Dr. Jackie asked.

"Okay."

"Can you tell me why?"

"I read a hundred pages of a good book last night and I actually slept soundly for five hours."

"The sleeping pills are helping, then?"

Kurt shrugged. "I'm sleeping better than I was last month, if that's the question."

"It is."

"Burt was just telling me that business at the shop is up 10% from last month."

Burt acknowledged the doctor with an embarrassed grumble and lopsided expression that might have been a proud smile.

"Good for the shop." Kurt replied.

Kurt's father and his therapist shot him a look saying his sarcasm was not welcome in their mediation session.

"Kurt, please tell your father what you did this week."

"I studied, I read, I went to my therapy sessions and group therapy sessions," Kurt paused and consider adding more, "A singing group from The Dalton Academy came to perform, too."

"Did you like that? You like musical stuff."

Kurt looked up, surprised. His eyes clicked with his father's briefly.

"I did. Thanks for asking. It was nice talk to people other than the ones here."

"I thought you don't like talking with people your own age."

Kurt shrugged. "Not usually, but the Dalton Boys were respectful, easy to talk to, and they didn't make threats on my life, so…" the teenage boy chuckled dryly.

Burt nodded.

Kurt signed quietly to himself. His fathered remembered something about him and was respectful about it— the least he could do was try to do the same.

"How are Finn and Carol?"

The elder Hummel raised his eyebrows and though he tried to hide it, he wore a smile.

"They're good. Finn got quarter back this season and Carol is great to have around the house." Burt looked down awkwardly. "I don't have you around to match stuff anymore and she's good at it- and decorating, too.

Kurt looked down. Was the being a talented interior decorating enough reason to stay?

Then again, Burt seemed to be trying— and this was the longest conversation that they had in over a year and a half.

Dr. Jackie turned to Kurt, then turned to Burt, before speaking: "I'm going to ask you both a few questions. I want you to answer them as honestly as you can. I know that it is hard for both of you, but I want you to try."

Burt fidgeted in his seat and Kurt wanted to cover his eats and hum and block out the session, but both managed to stay collected and in their seats.

"Burt, can you tell me how you felt when you heard that Kurt had attempted suicide?"

"I knew that he was depressed- I'd seen the same stuff with his mom and I knew that he was bullied at school for liking guys, musicals, and fashion, but I didn't know that it was that bad. I felt like a failure as a father for failing to protect my son, but then again, I hadn't been much of a father, either… Poor Finn- he needed therapy to get over finding Kurt."

Kurt bit his lip. Of course things come back to Finn. And any therapy Finn needs- I still needed more. I'm in a psychiatric hospital, for fuck's sake.

"Kurt," Dr. Jackie looked at the boy, "Can try to put your father inside your mind when you tried to commit suicide?"

"Jocks beat me up daily; I only had a couple of friends; I couldn't control anything; and I was depressed on top of it. I had my grades and music going for me, but I was still depressed. (1) Do you know what it's like to want to die and not know why? I know that some people don't intend to die, but they just cut too deep- and though it was an accident, but I intend to find a way to die more definitely. I wish I knew why I get so fucking depressed."

"I wish you would've told me." Burt's face softened and Kurt thought that he looked old and exhausted.

There was a long moment of silence.

"I TRIED!" Kurt screamed. "I TRIED! I said, 'Dad, I don't feel well!' 'Dad, I don't want to go to school today!' I came home with bruises! I know that you found one of my razors and asked what it was. I told you that it was a shaving razor, but it had blood on it, even though I had no knick on my face. You should have picked up on the signs, you should have known— you're my Dad first and Finn's dad and Carol's wide second— and you didn't see the signs!"

Burt sighed deeply. "It's hard being your father, Kurt! Did you ever think about that? I love you, kid. I loved you when you asked for sensible heels and when you wore them when we had tea parties. I've only able see you as my son who was always happy- it's hard for me to accept that you've ever been anything but that. I couldn't bear to see what happened to your mom happen to you.

As for Carol and Finn, I love you bud, but, I love, too. You're the best thing that's ever happened to be, they are important to me, too.

Finn's never had a father figure and it's cool to have a live- in sports bud. And it's nice to have a woman to come home too, it feels good to have sex, and it feels great to be in love… I haven't had a serious relationship since your mom and I like having someone to share my life with… It's hard not having your mom here, but she wouldn't want me to be unhappy…" The man trailed off as his voice cracked on the last word.

"You both obviously have qualms about the other, but the qualms obviously have origins and reasons for being the way that they are. I would like to have you both think about those for next week. Right now, I would like you both to shake hands. Can you do that for me?"

Kurt stood up first. Even if they fought, a handshake was a signal of neutrality. Burt followed his son's example and stuck out his hand first. Kurt accepted the hand and shook his father's hand.

Shaking off a brief urge to hug the older man, Kurt looked at the older man in the eyes and said, "Goodbye."

"See you later," The man nodded and then stepped out of the room.

Kurt ducked his head back in Dr. Jackie's office. "See you later, doc." He said.

"Talk to you later, Kurt."

Kurt walked slowly back to his room, taking in his surrounding and his surrounding's details. His mind was whirling with thoughts and he didn't know where to start. He didn't want a therapist to talk to about his thoughts- he wanted a friend. He wanted to rant about parents, about high school, about whatever, and not be judged by a biased person. He didn't want to be psychoanalyzed, he wanted to hang out, eat sweets, and watch a movie, dance, sing, and simply have fun… Was that too much to ask for?

Maybe it was.