Kurt Hummel's life hadn't turned out at all like he expected it to.

One day he was happily sitting in the choir room, singing background to his glee club and best friend, Rachel Berry, the next he was in New York with Rachel attending the college of his dreams.

Then bam! The worst thing that could have happened to his family happened. His step-brother passed away.

At first Kurt tried to go back to New York, continue with school and achieve his dream of becoming a Broadway star, but the image of his step mum and father looking so shocked and overcome with grief eventually pulled him back to Ohio.

He had to leave everything behind in New York, his house, nearly all of his possessions (which he had shipped over later) and most importantly his boyfriend, Adam.

When Adam found out that Kurt was moving back to Ohio, he flipped out. He had started to yell and scream at Kurt, in his own house. Kurt had cried and cried, but Adam didn't stop. He was advancing onto Kurt just as Santana (his other good friend) and Rachel came back home.

Santana literally pulled Adam from the room, screaming at him, and threw him into the corridor, slamming the door in his face.

That had been a scary time, but thankfully Santana and Rachel understood why he had to go back to Ohio.

So he moved back into his father's house with no money and no ambition.
Kurt was nothing but optimistic though.

He had taken several courses and got jobs waiting tables and at retail stores until eventually he had made it, one of his lesser dreams had come true, finally.

So that was where Kurt was, standing on the pavement, his hands on his hips, surveying the little bookshop/café that he now proudly owned.
He inhaled deeply; he could already smell the intoxicating aroma of new books and coffee wafting out of the open windows.

‘Congrats, champ' Kurt felt his father's hand clasp down on his shoulder and squeeze slightly.

Kurt turned and looked at his father. Burt Hummel had tears in his eyes but hastily wiped them away with the back of his free hand.

‘Thanks dad' Kurt said softly. They stood there for another moment, enjoying the warm sun and just staring at the big sign (that Kurt hand painted) that hung over the door: LizzyFinn's Bookshop.  

‘D-do you think they would be proud?' Kurt asked suddenly, his thoughts on his dead mother and brother.

‘I'm positive.'

That was all Burt needed to say. Kurt chuckled and wiped his slightly wet eyes with his sleeve, he couldn't believe that this was actually happening, that this was his life now.

Kurt shook his head and chuckled happily. ‘Well we shouldn't be standing here, new school term is about to start and I'm losing money.'

Burt chuckled with his son as he watched him fumble with the keys and unlock the door.

Burt followed Kurt into the store, flipping the open/close sign as he past.

LizzyFinn's was a small but spacious place. The brick walls were filled to the brim with bookshelves and books ranging from non-fiction to fantastical fiction books along with posters and ornate mirrors.
There was a small balcony/upstairs area where Kurt had decided to put the bakery/kitchen. Burt could smell coffee and freshly baked cookies from down here.

The front desk was right beside the door so Kurt could keep an eye out on people.

Kurt slid behind the counter and rung up the cashier, placing bills into the correct spot, one hundred all added up.

Burt walked aimlessly around the room. He had no idea how Kurt managed this. There were extremely comfortable looking squashy arm chairs with little side tables and tiffany lamps scattered all over the place.

It seemed more like a library/hang out area more than a shop; it was so warm and inviting.

Burt walked up to one of the shelves and gasped, sitting there in plain sight was an original first edition of Sunlight in Rose, Carol's favourite book.
Burt whipped around and saw a smiling Kurt leaning against the counter watching him closely.

‘You set this up, didn't you?' Burt called over.

Kurt nodded vigorously. ‘I know your anniversary is coming up and I'm sure Carol would like something rather than flowers and chocolates this year. So I looked online and found a guy selling that. I bought it at once. It arrived here yesterday. I thought that this would be a good place to give it to you…' Kurt trailed off and watched his father.

Burt picked the book up in shaky hands, running his thumb over the slightly dented cover of the book.

‘Thanks a lot Kurt, this is truly amazing' he called out.' How much do I owe-'

‘-Don't even think about it, dad, it's a gift and besides you don't pay in here, ever. Neither does Carol' Kurt said firmly.

Burt turned around, the book clutched to his chest. He gazed sadly at Kurt. ‘You are your mother's son; she was great at this romantic crap.'

Kurt chuckled but said nothing. Burt walked back up to the counter and placed the book on the polished oak desk.

‘So are you nervous?' Burt asked. Kurt was constantly looking through the windows at pedestrians who were milling around, looking from shop to shop.

‘No…well a little. It is my first day and honestly I think I may need someone to man upstairs while I handle the downstairs area' Kurt sighed and pushed his hair out of his eyes. Burt smiled glumly at that one motion. There was a time years ago when Kurt was obsessive to the point of annoyance with his damn hair, now it was just another nuisance to him.   

They stood there in silence for a moment until someone, a glorious someone walked into the shop, making the little bell above the door tinkle.

She was a middle aged woman with brown hair streaked with grey. She had kind, wrinkled brown eyes and tanned skin. She was wearing a fussy little navy skirt suit with a matching leather handbag.

‘Hello' she said politely as she walked past Burt and Kurt into the shop. ‘Well this is a nice place, is it new?' she asked, turning to look at the two men.

‘Y-yeah' Kurt squeaked ‘I Just opened it up today…welcome.'

The woman smiled kindly at Kurt, obviously sensing his nerves but saying nothing. ‘Well do you sell school things? My little boy is about to start his senior year at high school.'

‘Yeah we do, we have everything you need for school, all the stationary is just beside the bay window' Kurt pointed to a set of shelves and bins that were filled of pens and pencils. The woman smiled at Kurt and made her way over to the stationary.

‘God job, bud' Burt whispered without taking his eyes off the woman's back.

‘Thanks dad, I think I could get used to doing this…it's a little strange to actually own this place though' Kurt whispered back.

Burt smiled and nodded. ‘I know what you mean; when I opened my shop it was very jarring.'

Kurt smiled at his father.

‘So do you have any music for this place, it's rather quiet' Burt said absently.

‘Oh yeah that's right. How could I forget?' Kurt walked over to a small radio behind the counter and turned it on. It was hooked up to small speakers that lined the walls.

Music started to burst from the speakers, obliterating the silence with upbeat disco music. Burt smirked and shook his head, some things never change.

Burt started to open his mouth again when the door tinkled open for the second time.

Two people walked into the room. A middle aged man with dyed black hair (Kurt could still tell when it came from a bottle), glasses and a very neat and tidy suite. He was carrying a briefcase in one hand and a cell phone in the other.

Behind him was a teenaged boy. He was very untidy; he had wild curly black hair, stubble growing out profusely from his chin and the same bright brown/hazel eyes as the woman over by the stationary. He was wearing a stained and ripped white shirt and very baggy black jeans.

Kurt could see him scowling at the man on the phone angrily.

‘Welcome to-' Kurt began but the man waved him off impatiently and walked over to the woman. The teenaged boy walked into the shop, looking everywhere with mild surprise plastered over his slightly cute face.

‘Welcome' Kurt said again.

The boy turned to face him. ‘Boy this place tidy's up well, this used to be a record shop you know, a very messy one at that' he looked around the walls. He had a strange deep yet high voice that carried a little.

‘Well yeah it was, but that place went out of business years ago, this place has been more or less abandoned over the last ten years' Kurt said. ‘It took me ages to clean it out.'

‘True, true' the boy said. As he passed by Kurt, Kurt got a whiff of the most foul odour he had ever smelled off a teenaged boy, he stunk of cigarettes, booze, sweat and something just off.

Kurt wrinkled his nose and judging by the look on Burt's face, he hadn't been imagining anything.

‘So my mum's probably already asked, but do you sell any school things, I need them' he said.

Kurt nodded and pointed over to where the boy's mother was now surveying a pencil with close scrutiny.

The boy looked over and sighed deeply and very unhappily. ‘She can't ever let me choose what I want, now can she' he mumbled under his breath and stormed off towards her.

Kurt and Burt just stood there, their mouths slightly agape at the small family.

Burt cleared his throat awkwardly and turned back to Kurt. ‘I have to go, Kurt, sorry but I'm running late. I don't really want to leave you alone though-'

‘Dad, I'm a big boy now, I can handle myself' Kurt smiled at Burt. ‘Say hi to the guys from me though' Kurt smiled.

‘Will do and thanks for the book, you really saved my ass, I think Carol might have flipped out if I got her more flowers and chocolates.'

They both chortled but as Kurt watched his father leave; he felt all his fears and insecurities flood back into his system.

He turned back to the front and jumped a little, the family was standing there, all staring at him.

‘H-hi' Kurt stammered out.

‘Yes, how much is this?' the woman asked as she whipped a textbook up and shoved it under Kurt's nose. Kurt grabbed it from her and looked at the cover.

‘It's $20, Madam' Kurt said, giving the book of advanced history back to the family. She took it back and peered closely at the cover, screwing up her eyes while doing so. Kurt looked over her shoulder; the teenager was scowling at his shoes, kicking non-existent debris in annoyance.

‘I think we'll take it, may we leave it at the counter. We have to look for other items around the store.

‘Sure' Kurt took the book back and placed it under the desk in a small empty gap he saved especially for things like this.

‘Thank you dear-' the woman began but was cut off from her husband.

‘So do you have a job opening here, I would like to send my boy out into the workforce, he's a greedy little…well anyway do you have a job opening?'

Kurt was a little taken aback, and so was the teen.

‘I don't want to work here' he said loudly. His father ignored him and focused on Kurt.

‘Um…well yeah, I do sort of need someone to look after the bakery up stairs' Kurt pointed up at the small balcony that hung half way into the room.

‘Well I just so happened to bring in some CV's of his-'

‘Um sir, I can't accept them just yet…this is the first day of the shop, I haven't even made a sale yet, I can't afford to take on an employee' Kurt said quickly.

The teen gave him a strange look, but the man just thrust a slip of paper into Kurt's arm and dragged his son back to the school supplies.

Kurt sighed and gazed down at the CV he was given.

He might as well look through it, it couldn't hurt. He unfolded the paper and gazed at the name; Blaine Anderson.