~ CHAPTER 10 ~
Human?


Blaine sat by his piano. Staring at the keys. His heart wasn't in the song. Not yet.

He kept seeing the look on Kurt's face at the end of the funeral ceremony. He didn't know why it would matter to him so much. It was an established fact that what he felt for Kurt was not like any other feelings he'd ever had. And he'd even accepted that it must be love, if only to give a name to his feelings.

But he couldn't name his feelings now. Dread? Terror? Longing? He really didn't know. But what he knew was that he never wanted Kurt to look at him that way again. As if Blaine was a stranger. An enemy. A liar. He never wanted to be looked at like that—especially not from Kurt.

Of their own accord, his fingers moved to the keys, ghosting over them, and then he hit the first note. It rang loudly in his room, and he was sure, could be heard all over the Dalton House clearly.

He wasn't really scared of being discovered. The Warblers were all in the basement, practicing their combat. He'd told them to do so half an hour ago. Trent was with Cooper in the Library, helping the little brother in homework. Hunter was on the roof.

So far there hadn't been any attack from Andy or Smyth's army of Vampires—as Blaine kept expecting it would. But they couldn't be anymore careful.

Besides, his brothers knew of his talents in instruments quiet well. But for this particular melody, he was scared that his brothers may notice how haunting and filled with longing it was.

But his fingers caught the rhythm, of the song he could play without error now, and he just let himself go. Lose himself in the pain and longing.


*"...I could write books in my sleep, without thinking too deep
I could speak for a hundred days,
I could explain a concept that you didn't get
And I would do it in one thousand ways

I could write you a poem Shakespeare or Cole would have called their own..."*


His voice rose and the emotions came easily now. It was almost as if he could feel Kurt next to him, sleeping as they had just a few hours ago. He could almost smell Kurt's skin, feel his warmth. And he could almost taste him on his lips.


*"...But everything changes now that you're mine
And all of my words are left behind
Cause no matter how hard I try my tongue is still tied by you

I just wanna tell you I love you, but it's the hardest thing to say
I turn my head upside down, tryina find some kinda way
Just to tell you I need you, in a way that will be heard,
I try to be a poet, but since I met you, I've never been good with words..."*
-----


Nick was exchanging blows with Jeff when he heard the faint notes of Blaine playing on his piano. He wasn't the only one who stopped at once. All around him, his Warbler brothers stopped as well, and sat down in a circle on the gym mattresses.

They loved hearing Blaine sing. None of them would ever admit it on his face, but it was the truth. They loved how he could turn everything into a melody and explain his emotions better than just talking. But, most of all, they loved it because his music gave them the insight on what their leader was actually going through.

They knew he would never discuss his personal problems with them; he was too noble to do that. They knew he would simply smile and tell them he's fine, no matter how much he was hurting on the inside. But whenever something happened, he would sing. He would compose and sing his heart out. And the Warblers would know exactly what he was going through, even if they didn't discus it with him. They would know exactly what he needed, and leave him or talk to him or cheer him as the occasion demanded.

"He sounds so sad," said Wes finally. "He must be missing Andy."

"I agree," said David. "Though why would he sing of love and having Andy in his life when he's not really......?"

"He's not singing for Andy," said Nick with certainty. "Although, his sadness definitely is for Andy."

"OK, you lost me," said Jeff, rolling his eyes in his boyfriend's direction.

It had been quiet a shock for the Warblers when this morning—whilst searching for Blaine all over the house—they had stumbled into Nick and Jeff's room to find them half-naked and engaged in a heated make-out session. Nick had all but died of humiliation and terror. But then his brothers had cheered so loud that it was inappropriate, given the fact that the TV was still on in the living room downstairs and a horrible thing was happening.

They hadn't told Blaine yet. But it was out there now. Nick and Jeff were a couple, and the Warblers supported them shamelessly.

"It's just that—haven't you guys noticed?" Nick tried to explain. "He's been different since...well since our alliance with Hummels and Puckpeople."

Blaine's voice drifted down toward them, as he sang even more loudly due to the force of his sentiments.


*"...Just to be specific and be explicit, never thought I'd concentrate
Do you have any idea what it's like to feel something you just can't articulate?
But baby now that I've heard, the trick to the verse, could have done for you

But everything changes now that you're mine
All of my words are left behind
Cause no matter how hard I try, my tongue is still tied by you

I just wanna tell you I love you, but it's the hardest thing to say
I turn my head upside down, trying find some kinda way
Just to tell you I need you, in a way that will be heard,
I try to be a poet, but since I met you, I've never been good with words..."*


"Now you mentioned it...he's been off kilter since that night Kurt ran away and we literally shit our pants," exclaimed David. "I was there with him, I would know. He looked like he'd seen a ghost, really. Remember how he ran after Kurt? Wes you were on the roof...you must've seen."

Wes nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah. Kurt nearly castrated him."

There was a loud chorus of "WHATs" and "The HELLs?"

"Oh, right you guys don't know!" Wes said with a glint in his eyes. And explained that night's events to his brothers. "I never thought about it but...ever since that night Blaine had been worried for Kurt. He even told us to oversee the field wrestlings and report to him how better Kurt was getting."

"So? Are you guys thinking what I think you are thinking?" concluded Thad.

"It's...possible," Jeff murmured. "Kurt really is kinda beautiful when you think about—OUCH! SHIT!"

Nick had swatted him with the hilt of a sword he was still holding.

"Of course, not as hot as you!" Jeff corrected himself suddenly, still rubbing his shoulder, grimacing in pain.


*"...There's only so many different ways
There's only so many only old clich�s
That I can do, so what can I do,
Tell me what can I do..."*


"Blaine in love, with Kurt?" David mocked. "Are you serious? Blaine isn't gay!"

"Then why hadn't he ever dated anyone?" Thad snapped.

"Because everyone thinks we are freaks—duh!"

"No because he never had time between keeping everyone safe in the town," said Jeff, a proud note to his voice. "But Kurt is gay. I'm sure of it."

"How?"

"Well, we saw him at the fields," Wes admitted. "At first I thought he was just a naturally shy person but, yes, he was always uncomfortable being close to boys. Let me rephrase, half-naked, sweaty boys. If that doesn't say 'GAY' I don't know what does."

"And he was also with Blaine today at the ceremony," Jeff realized. "They seemed pretty OK with each other. I mean, Blaine was smiling. Yep, definitely was."


*"...I just wanna tell you I love you, but it's the hardest thing to say
I turn my head upside down, trying find some kinda way
Just to tell you I need you, in a way that will be heard,
I try to be a poet, but since I met you

I just wanna tell you I love you, but it's the hardest thing to say
I turn my head upside down, trying find some kinda way
Just to tell you I need you, in a way that will be heard,
I try to be a poet, but since I met you
I try to be a poet, but since I met you

I promise you I'm a poet, but since I met you
I've never been good with words..."*


"And he was—I bet you anything—with Kurt this morning," Nick declared. "Blaine is in love, people!"

"Our Blainers?" said Cooper as he entered the basement with Trent. "Is he in love? Really? Is that why he's singing so beautifully?"

"Who's the lucky girl?" asked Trent with a smirk.

"It's Kurt!" chorused the boys sitting on the floor.

Trent's eyes went wide for just a moment. Then Cooper let out a shout of laughter and in the next second, the Warblers were cheering their heads off. They weren't surprised when Hunter texted from the roof to know what was going on. Justin let the roof-people know of their discovery as well—and in a nutshell, the Warbler's were happy for Blaine.
-----


*"...I promise you I'm a poet, but since I met you
I've never been good with words..."*

With the last note, Blaine opened his eyes to find tears sliding down his face. He didn't know why his heart felt like it was a balloon, swelling and feeling so filled. But he knew that if he didn't tell Kurt what he felt exactly his heart will explode. But he had to let someone else know first. He had to talk about these feelings first. But to whom...?

Then he heard cheering and hooting from basement. He frowned, wondering what had gotten the Warblers so excited?

He jumped up and went to clean his tear-streaked face in the mirror. Then he jogged down the stairs to the basement. Only to find the Warblers grinning largely at him.

"What is goin' on boys?" he asked them, smiling a bit at their happiness. "What's the good news?"

"You, sir, are the good news," said Cooper, arching his eyebrows up, trying to be judgmental and failing.

"Me...? What...why, what have I done?"

"It's not what you have done, Blainey-waney," Jeff said with an arched eye-brow, appearing truly judgmental. "It's what you haven't done yet."

"Like what? Stop going round in riddles, will ya?" Blaine said with an exasperated sigh.

"When were you going to tell us about you and Kurt?" Nick said without wasting a breath.

Blaine's eyes went wide and he sucked in a gasp. "I—I don't know what you..."

"Oh, purlease! We know you are in love with him, admit it! You sang the song for him, didn't you?" Wes accused. "I saw your walk home that night. I saw how cozy you guys got when he fainted in your arms."

"OH. MY. GOD." Blaine felt his knees wobble and sat down on the floor without his usual grace. "How did you...I didn't even..."

"You were kinda obvious today," Justin said. "I mean, smiling like that on a funeral...? What else could it be than the fact you are in love with one Kurt Hummel, who was, if you recall, your companion throughout the ceremony."

"And you stare at him when you think no one is looking," Cooper piped up. "I noticed it today but...I'm guessing you do it all the time you are together or in each other's company."

"And you went to his house today," finished Thad. "I mean, we were in the trees waiting for you. I remember your general direction of return was from Hummel's house."

Blaine thanked his lucky stars that Thad hadn't been on the telescopes to see Kurt's parting kiss. But he also felt lucky to have such awesome brothers.

"And here I was, thinking you will never accept me if I..." Blaine stammered.

"Oh, if they can put up with our eye-fucking, surely they can stand your slack-jawed, love-struck gaze too," Jeff pronounced, curling his arm around Nick's waist and pulling the blushing boy closer.

"What—you two?" Blaine said with a smile that lit up his face. "When?"

"Last night...seems it was a good night just as it was a bad night in many ways," remarked Cooper with serious but affectionate tone. "We lost much but we gained also."

Blaine, still smiling a 100 watt smile, hugged Cooper close to him. And thought, yes, when bad things happen, some good always came out of it. For example his feelings for Kurt. Nick finding love in his best friend. And his brothers were being happy even if they were worried for future and what Andy was going to do next.

Then Blaine's cell phone blared up the ring tone, shrill and insistent.

"Oh, what now! Who's ruining our moment?" Jeff exclaimed dramatically, eliciting more laughter from his brothers.

Blaine went still for just a second. The screen said KURT HUMMEL. Burt had given him Kurt's number when he brought Kurt a cell phone, just in case. But Kurt had never called. Why was he calling now? Was there an emergency?

Thinking that, Blaine motioned his Warblers to be quiet and picked up the call. "Hello, Kurt?"
-----


Burt looks at me in near-dread. I, on the other hand try to make sense of what he was saying. Kurt Hummel? But—but it's my name! Was my cousin named after me? And if that's the case, where is he? Why haven't I seen him yet?

"Uncle...I don't understand," I tell him, my voice breaking and sounding squeaky. Great. "I have a namesake? Is that what you are trying to say? My cousin is named like me?"

"No, Kurt. You don't have a namesake. It's your name." Burt is crying now. "You are Kurt Hummel. The only one. You are my son, Kurt. Mine and Elizabeth's only son."

I feel like I am drowning. There's a part of me that's hoping that Burt's gonna crack a smile and say, "Fooled ya!" but he doesn't. And then there's a part of me that can see how hard it is for him. He's holding back wails and his eyes are crying. He can't be joking.

"I'm Paul's son," I say, as if repeating it for a 100th time. "He was my Dad. He brought me up and took care of me. He loved me. He was my father. And you—I didn't even know that you...that you existed until...No, he was my father. You can't be. You are lying!"

And I am crying too by this point. Because really, what else can I do. To find out that my life was full of secrets and hidden things is one thing. But to know that it's all been a lie...No, this can't be happening.

I don't even realize when Burt moves close to me and holds me in his arms as we both shake in sobs. He is whispering something in my ear but I can't hear it over the sound of hurt and betrayal and lies.

Paul Hummel was my father. I know it! It was the truth.

But the mind is a funny thing. And memories, even more so. It takes up a memory and keeps it buried, hidden for the longest time, only to expose it when you don't need it exposed. I remember the day, when Mom left us. It was painful. So I'd learned to keep the memories repressed. But in this moment, as I cry in Burt's shoulder, the memory comes back stronger than ever.

*** I was just coming back from school. It had been a worst day for me because my assignment of World History had got an A+. Some students of class hadn't been happy that a gay kid like me had gotten more grades on test than the dung-brains like themselves.

But it was nothing new. Kicks, punches, locker slams, the same old stuff. Nothing I couldn't handle, really.

We were holed up in a single storey house in Jacksonville (now that I think about it, not much further from here) and the people hadn't been welcoming of me.

But that wasn't why the memory was so strong and hurtful. No, it was because Dad was hurt. I came home and found everything trashed. The windows broken and blood spatters all over the place. My first thoughts were that we'd been robbed. And Dad had valiantly fought off the thugs, and bloodied them before handing them over to the cops.

But then I found him lying in a bloody pool in the kitchen. He had been, apparently, trying to open a secret drawer underneath the sink. I hadn't known that there even was a drawer there. It was half-way open and filled with weapons. Guns, swords and daggers—even some stuff I couldn't put names to, or I hadn't ever seen before.

Whoever it was, had gotten to Dad before he could've found something to defend himself with. And hurt Dad pretty bad. For one wild moment I thought he was dead.

"Dad?" I tried to shake him.

He woke up with a jolt, and jumped on his feet, his eyes roaming restlessly all over the place. Then he found me. "Kurt, ohmygod, when did you come back?! Did someone...was someone here?"

"No, the front door is kicked off," I explained, trying to make sense of the fact why Dad was still looking all over and not at me, not at my face where Jimmy Stocket had left a gaping bruise. He always noticed the smallest of bruises I got at school.

"And you saw no one?"

"No. There's blood and..." and I realized why the house felt so empty. "Where's Mom?"

"Who?" my Dad said distractedly. Then he seemed to have realized. "Oh, she...I told her to run. They were kinda brutal so," he was rummaging in another drawer now, still distracted. "I told her to run. Kurt, pack your bags, will you? We have stayed here longer than I wanted to...besides, its too close to..."

"But Dad I just got settled in school!" I whined. I hated moving away so suddenly, no matter how adventurous it got later on. "I just started getting good grades, I can't...why can't we just stay?"

"Kurt, you are not settled," he looked at me in anger. Sometimes he did get truly angry at me but he never hurt me or shouted. I loved this about Dad. "How do you explain that bruise, huh? That's not called being settled."

So, he had noticed it then. But chose to ignore it. He never ignored.

"Okay," I said in defeat. "Where are we going to this time?"

"Away from here," he muttered. "It was a folly to come so close to that place again."

"What place? And what about Mom? Does she know we are leaving? Does she know how to find us?" I started worrying for her. Not that we had been close, not since I came out at thirteen, but she was still my Mom.

"Heaven forbid that she knows!" exclaimed Dad. "Just pack some stuff and we are leaving. Hop to it, son."

And we left. I was forced to leave behind many things I loved, but we filled out our old camper van with enough things and then we had gone away. We stayed on the road for many months then. Dad never really decided where to settle. It was many months later that I realized he didn't want to settle anywhere, that he wasn't searching for Mom either. He was just running from something I didn't know.

Many nights I woke up in our tent or the camper to find myself alone. Dad nowhere in sight. He used to stumble back when I was making breakfast for us, looking beat and surly. In those months he'd come to snap at me, even shout at me. I accepted that he must be really worried that made him lash out at me like that.

"We can go to Cali," he'd said ten months after the run began. "San Francisco, huh? It's a nice place for you!"

I smiled that he was trying hard for me. "Really, Dad? We can? I'd love to!"

And we have traveled all over California for the rest of our lives together. We visited San Francisco often, but stayed on the road, in our camper. I joined a high school near LA district, and my record was patchy. But for the first time I was getting the education I needed. And I finished my sophomore years there.

But Dad had gotten distant. He loved me, that much I knew. But he was always on edge. On watch for things I never could explain. And he used to go away at times. For many nights, scolding me to keep myself locked up in the camper, or a house he would rent in wilderness.

I once caught him yelling at someone on the telephone.

"YOU FUCKING SHIT! STOP FOLLOWING US OR I'LL MAKE YOU PAY!" he sounded maniac. "I HAVE HELP THAT I CAN GET, DON'T YOU DARE....WHATYA MEAN HE'S NOT YOUR SON!"

I figured out later that it was Mom. Although, why they'd be fighting over me was beyond me. I was used to all the shit anyways. ****

"Kurt...Kurt..." I understand now that Burt is saying my name, whispering it to me. We are both quiet now, almost. "Kurt, I love you. I love you...son. I wanted to tell you the moment I saw you...you can't believe the shock I felt! I'd seen your pictures that Paul sent to us but—in person, you were so much like her...Kurt. I wanted to hold you, call you my Son...but I was scared...Kurt are you hearing me?"

"W-why?" I gasp. "Why were you scared?"

Burt let's go of me now. We look at each other through tear-stained eyes.

"Would you have forgiven me if I'd told you that the man, who brought you up, who always kept you on the move, was not your father?"

"But...why didn't he tell me...? Why did he keep moving me...?" Now that the shock and grief is leaving me, the more worrying facts are presenting themselves to me, and with it, more questions. I needed all of them answered. "Why was he...my mother...or Lily who was my mother, kind of...why was he keeping her away?"

"I promised I'll tell you everything, Kurt," says Burt, looking at me with such tender eyes that I want to melt. "And I intend to do exactly that. Shall I continue with the story...?"

"Yes, but hurry up," I hedge, trying to somehow cover the fact that he was probably hoping that I'd call him "Dad" now. "It's getting darker. And cold."

And it is. The clear, dustless clouds are back. Only, what with my experience here, I know that it won't rain anytime soon. The three days of blessing are now over.

"Well... At first, I had problems accepting you. I wasn't sure that you were normal or not. But, as I said, I fell in love with you the moment I looked in your eyes. You are so much like Elizabeth that sometimes it's like she's here, in your form."

Burt's eyes are far away again. "The first few months were happy. We tried, all of us, to track down some Vampire to ask what could it mean, what happened to Eliza. It was the most dangerous thing we ever did. I think, it was also a start of the rebellion against our newly appointed rulers. Jack Anderson helped us. He never truly said in many words why he could do it better than anyone else, but we just knew. We knew he was somewhat expert when it came to dealing with Vampires. So we allied with him. Michael, Riley, Jacob and I; we went hunting every night. And after two month's searching and planning we caught another rogue.

"Her name was Holly Holiday. She was a librarian in the Hilltown Public Library, newly turned. So she definitely didn't know what happened to her, who turned her and how to fight. Easier for us to capture her. We threatened her, and somehow made her a bargain. We told her that we'd bring her animals to drink from; Shelby went as far as to even offer dead bodies from hospital. In return, Holly will take a message to Edward."

"What message?" I ask, fully immersed in the story again.

"About Eliza. About what happened to her and how she gave birth to a son." Burt suddenly gave a bark of laughter. "Now I wonder if we should ever have done that. It would have been so easier if Edward didn't ever know that you existed. That Elizabeth's incident ever happened."

I frown. Something about the way he says this makes me nervous. But he is speaking again.

"We expected Edward to visit us, explain to us that it happened all the time. That it was usual, these setbacks or problems while turning a pregnant woman." Burt's voice got dark at once. "We were wrong."

I scoot closer to my uncle—uh, Dad?—to better hear his low voice.

"He panicked, Edward did. He murdered Holly thinking she was trying to make him give money by concocting a ridiculous tale. Although, he sent out his spies. They tracked where Eliza had been after her visit to Sue, and found the ashes of the Vampire Jack killed.

"That's when Edward panicked. He realized that there was, indeed, such a child."

Its my turn to frown again. I am mentally connecting the dots—but it's still not clear, the real problem here.

"What—I don't get it—why are you..." I stutter as I ask Burt about something that my mind was now urging me to ask. "What do you mean by 'such a child'?"

Was I abnormal? Ok, I get it. My mother, birth mother, was turned while she was pregnant with me. This can be a bit different than your usual pregnancies. But that didn't mean I—that I was...

"I'm absolutely normal!" I snap. Burt doesn't even have chance to open his mouth yet. "I am a normal person. The only thing DIFFERENT about me is that I'm gay. That's all. I'm—I'm ME. I'm HUMAN!"

"Kurt, son, please," Burt says with some force. "I need you to hear me out first. There's a lot you have to know. Please. And I know you are human, son. You are everything that defines human." There's tenderness in his eyes as he says this. "Please."

"OK. Tell me more."

"We were sure there had been a misunderstanding. And none of us believed that there was anything wrong with you at all." Burt is now speaking hurriedly, as if trying to finish the story before I can interrupt. "It was the sudden backlash from Edward that terrified us at first. He gave speeches on TV, made new, horrifying statements. To sum up, in a few days, the whole town believed that we, the Hummels, in hopes of trying to eradicate the Vampires, have been doing nasty experiments. Unholy things with babies and pregnant women."

"OH GOD!" I shake my head viciously, trying to deny what he was hinting at.

"Kurt, please. It was not that, obviously! We wouldn't do that! But—when they are scared—people would do anything. Believe anything. And that's what Edward wanted. He was scared of you for some reason we still don't know. And he wanted you out of the way. So he did what he could—and he succeeded."

"What happened then?" I hug myself, protecting from the misty cold and the weight of the words Burt—Dad—was saying.

"We had a hoard, mob of people on our door. They wanted to kill you. A baby. It took me and Riley a lot of time, but we convinced them that you were what they saw, a baby. Nothing more. And so they left. But—"

Ah. Now it makes sense. "But they wanted me gone," I conclude.

"It was a hard decision, Kurt. I was ready to flee Hilltown with you. In fact, I thought that we could go to Mexico, or Canada—anywhere they wouldn't bother us, son. But that very night...Edward's real motives came out."

"W-wait...he had motives...? I thought you said he was sacred."

"Oh, he was. Trust me. Never seen him lose his shit like that before. The way he's been going on about you since you came back should be enough proof, Kurt."

Burt looks up at the navy blue sky. What little light the setting sun had, is gone. The street light and the warm glow from the den windows is the only light to see by.

"Come in," says Burt. "We'll continue this inside."

Carole is in the den, watching the news as we enter. It's the same feed of Jack Anderson and Edward from this morning, but now there are two politician type people sitting on screen, discussing the future of the town.

"Have you boys talked all you wanted?" inquires Carole.

"No, there's still some things he needs to know," says Burt. Then his face lights up with such a glow that he looks years younger suddenly. "But he knows the most important thing."

"You—Really?" Carole suddenly beams as she realizes what Burt meant. Then she hugs me suddenly. "I'm so happy, Kurt. You are with your father, at last."

I hug her back lightly. I'm still not sure how to feel. Burt has been in my life just over a month. And now there's a chance that I'm abnormal in some way. Considering all these things, no one should blame me for hesitating in throwing my arms around Burt and sing happy songs just yet. I needed time.

"I'm OK," I tell her, for she is looking at me with hopeful eyes like Burt's. "I just—I need time. And I need to know."

"Of course!" Burt says affably. "Carole, honey, why don't you get started on dinner? I'll finish my story for Kurt and then maybe we can share the happy news with Finn?"

Carole smiles. And with an affectionate touch on my cheek, she leaves us.

Burt and I sit on the sofa.

"So, what were Edward's real motives?"

"Betterment of his coven," says Burt readily. "The reason he wanted to be the ruler of this area was because he needed a stronghold for himself—and his so-called family. His coven. They didn't just 'come' here. They were exiled—from what we have gathered through all the Vampires we've slain so far. He did something—and he was forced to leave with disgrace.

"So he came here. Hilltown is secluded enough for him to work on building his army. And with the fact that he's basically the King here, you can easily guess what kind of things he is capable of."

"But—but that was seventeen years ago! He must be extremely powerful by now." The simple contemplation of it is horrifying.

"Exactly. Ever since you came here, apart from Kevin and Jack, there have been no comings or goings in this town well over past eight months. So you can see that he is, indeed, very powerful here. And maybe outside too—if you'll let me tell you more of the story."

I nod in agreement.

"As I told before, none of us believed that there was anything wrong with you, Kurt. But before we could decide to take the townspeople's threats seriously, Edward came to visit us that night.

"It was unexpected, as well as suspicious. He never went anywhere without his son and advisors, or a retinue of his personalized guards. But he came alone."

Burt shifts on the sofa and sighs. "He said that it was because it was confidential. That he never wanted anyone outside of us to know why he came to us. It was about Eliza. He told us that, half-Vampires were not unheard of. That sometimes a Vampire may impregnate a human woman and the child would be a hybrid. But—to turn someone, and even then the transformation was only halfway done...He said he'd never seen anything like that before.

"I explained about Elizabeth's Blood Cancer, and about her volatile personality. He said that with pregnancy hormones, and cancerous blood, it may have been possible that the Vampire blood didn't fully transform her. But he was scared that the blood may have affected the child more. And since we gave blood to Eliza to drink for a few days—there was a chance that the child must be a hybrid too."

"But I'm not a hybrid," I insist pleadingly. "I'm human!"

"Yes, Kurt. You are. But Edward wasn't convinced. Against my better judgment and the screaming warnings in my head, I let him examine you. Yes, I let a monster examine my baby. But he was astonished that you seemed so normal. You had body heat, a beating heart, normal, fragile skin of a human. He said that it was miraculous to say the least.

"But that's when he changed his mind. He was sure that—if not in childhood, after puberty you would definitely change in various ways. And I told him that he should leave at once. But my fears were right.

"The next thing I knew, Edward is giving me money, a pass out of the town whenever I want, and even a position on the Council. In exchange for you."

"WHAT? Why would he want me when he was so scared before?"

"Betterment. He saw potential in you. He saw a unique person. And he knew that if he could have you—someone as unique and marvelous, he'd have a weapon in his hands against those who exiled him. He could use your existence—no matter how harmlessly human you were—to threaten his ex-bosses, whoever they might be. He could literally control the whole Vampire kind with a weapon, unknown or unheard-of weapon, on his hands."

"But you didn't give me away," I say with a thankful sigh. "And now that I'm here—they are trying to bargain you guys into giving me up to him again. That's what Santana was saying, right? That's what she warned us about?"

Burt nods seriously. "And that's why I finally had to decide, to do what I could to protect you, son. I knew at once that, being the only person who knew Edward's plan, I couldn't leave. But at the same time, you couldn't stay here.

"The weeks that followed were startling. When the townspeople, those who were still against us, knew that you were still around, they started harassing us. Attacks. Stones through our windows. Death threats. We had to go through all of it.

"And then one day, you and your granddad were visiting Jacob Puckerman at the Tavern and the people surrounded it. Puckermen tried to save you both as well as they could, but your Granddad got severely injured. It was that injury that killed him months later."

"Do—do you have his pictures? Grandpa's?" I ask, trying not to cry at the fact that everyone I loved, or was related to was dead. Well, not everyone. Burt is still here.

"I do. I'll show you, I promise." Burt gave me a tiniest smile. Maybe because I'd called his Dad my Grandpa? "Well, it decided it for me. Paul offered to be the one to take you away. He was extremely adventurous, as you may well know. And Lily was fed up of the town's politics and all the stress, or so she claimed. They gave me their word to protect you and bring you up as their own son. And so, in the dead of the night, when you were eight months old, Paul and Lily left Hilltown for good."

I sit silently, trying to take it all in. I connect the dots. What I'd heard, overheard or observed, to this one, simple account of Burt...my Dad. Astounding it is, but at the same time, it made more sense than any of the lies I've heard so far.

"Blaine..." I say at once, remembering something. "Blaine said that you and Paul fought about something. And that's why he left. What was that about?"

Burt's eyes narrowed in thought. "Well, Blaine was a few months older than you when you left. If he was telling you about that one fight I had with Paul he must've meant the one when Paul came to visit at your fifteenth birthday, after Lily left."

My eyes pop open. "Wait—Dad...Paul...visited you? Like, after my fifteenth birthday?" And just like that, I remember my 15th birthday. "But that's when I was left in the camper in Modesto! I was waiting for him to show up and he came back late and..." And he was pissed off at something I didn't do. He'd brought me L'Oreal moisturizing kit as a present. He'd basically thrown it at me without his ever-present smile. Then he'd sat outside the camper all night, his gun tucked in his belt and two bottles of tequila in his hands...

"Yes, he told me later on the phone," Burt admits with a sad smile. "He told me that he was an asshole, and that he'd treated you like shit on your birthday. But I told him it was my fault...I shouldn't've fought with him."

"But," I say hastily, trying to get on track. "But that's where he used to go! That's where he used to disappear to? He came here...to visit you guys!"

Burt gave me a twinkling smile. "He did. And no matter how much Edward prides himself on his rules of not leaving the town, Paul always came and went like darkness. Not Edward, the Trinity, nor the Warblers knew that he visited me. Blaine must have seen him somehow, but I don't find it astonishing. He's a Warbler leader. He is Jack's son. Of course, he'd have seen somehow. Riley found out because I let it slip after a lot of beer. But, Paul was careful. For your sake."

"So...why did you fight?" I ask at last. Now that I knew the story of my disappearing from the hometown...I had other curiosor questions. And, no, I must not think about being a hybrid. Not yet. I need my sanity for a while.

"Well," Burt shrugs uncomfortably. "It was because of you, actually. He—he said that you were old enough to know the truth and that I should tell you. Said he was getting tired of lying to you. He loved you, Kurt, as much as his own son. And lying to you was getting harder. As I see now, you are observant. You must've started noticing why he was tensed all the time."

"I did," I admit. "I used to drive him crazy with my questions." I smile sadly at the memory. So what if he wasn't my biological father. He was as good as, and I loved him.

"So...that's all there is to know," Burt says with a shrug and a smile.

We sit for a while. I think it over. And Burt keeps his eyes on me. I know that there's a smile on his face. The tender most loving smile he wore when he was talking about Elizabeth—Mom—earlier. But I don't meet his eyes. Not yet.

"But I don't get it," I say finally. "Now that's its all clear and proven that I'm normal," I gesture at myself pointedly. "I mean, I hit puberty and all a while back. But, clearly, there's no change. I'm just me. OK—maybe I'm a bit buff now but that's because of field work! It's definitely not because of my bloodline."

Now Burt gives me sad smile. "Paul kept in touch with me, Kurt. You may not have known that I existed; but I knew about you, about your life, problems, interests and even sexuality; all of it, as it happened. Paul kept me well informed. And—when you showed first signs of change, he called me."

"Excuse me..." I snap, trying to control the disbelief, and sarcasm, in my voice. "What 'signs of change' are you talking about?"

"Do you remember your 11th year? When you guys went to New York for the first time?"

I smile automatically. "Yep. It was the best trip ever. We went ice skating and to the Liberty Island. And the Time's Square! It was awesome."

Burt chuckles at my enthusiasm. "Do you remember what happened there on the third day? The accident?"

I squint my eyes, trying to recall. "I ran into a big guy on the skating rink. His skating blades got tangles in my legs and I nearly shredded my shins. Dad had to take me to the hospital."

"The doctors they...they cut your pants to reach your wounds. You were bleeding heavily and when they finally cleaned you up to stitch you...they found that there were no wounds at all."

I frown at my—Dad. "What do you mean 'no wounds'?"

"They didn't know how, but you kinda healed yourself. Do you have any scars?"

To prove, I hurriedly yank up my pants, baring my shins. And apart from the scatters of brown hair, there's nothing. No scars. And from what I remember, I HAD bled very much. And the wounds had been bad.

"How did I? Maybe the other guy got injured then...it may be his blood on me..."

"Your body healed itself, Kurt!" Burt persists. "That was the first unusual thing that Paul reported. The doctors started taking tests and when your blood report came out a bit weird than the normal, they panicked. They thought that they had stumbled upon some unknown disease, suggested operations and stuff. Paul ran away with you from the hospital the first chance he got, because he knew that it was no new disease. It was just your blood. Different."

I shake my head in irritation. "But I just told you! I AM human!"

"And then do you remember that one time in Miami you had to keep in an air-conditioned room, with icepacks and wet cloths all over your body?" Burt continues as if I hadn't said anything at all. "You were thirteen?"

I gulp and then nod. Of course I remember that dreadful week. "We were at the beach. And after an hour in the sun, I got badly sunburned. But that's because I have—"

"Sensitive skin?" Burt counters. "Yes, your skin is sensitive. To sunlight. That was another thing that made you different. Vampires burn in sunlight too Kurt. And, though you didn't burn in real, your skin was affected just the same."

"That's insane!" I mutter. "People get sun-burnt all the time! That's why they make all those lotions and creams and stuff."

"But you were burnt so much that your skin started peeling. You bled through your skin. You were literally covered in ice and wet cloth for a whole week before you were even able to wear something."

He had me again. And, yes, it's true. Every word. And from that day on, I had avoided sunlight like it was a plague. I had spent a better half of my life scrubbing sunscreens and moisturizers on my body precisely to never experience that again.

"And that guy?" Burt tries to recall the name. "In your sophomore year. He tried to beat you and you escaped. You ran?"

I can only nod. I didn't know how he knows all this—or how D-Paul knew all this! I had ran home. And I had never told anyone about it.

"How...? How do you know about it?"

Burt rolls his eyes at me fondly. "How do you explain that Paul gets an angry call from the principal, saying that his son had beaten eight kids and then ran away...and in the next second you enter the house? Not five minutes after the whole thing!"

"I was s-scared! It was adrenaline. I just...ran..." I can't meet his eyes. Now that he puts it that way...But, no! It can't be.

"Kurt your school was in LA. Paul and you were living in a house near Anaheim. That's an hour long drive, at most. You covered that distance in five...maybe ten minutes! By running."

I am shaking my head furiously now. "I have run several times after that. It doesn't prove anything! I'm just a good runner, that's all!"

"And that time you pulled off the camper from Paul's leg. You did it all by yourself. Alone. Without much effort, if what Paul told me was true."

"But...b-but...Dad was under it! His leg was stuck and he was staring to bleed!" I try to explain myself.

Dad had been fixing the puncture, lying underneath the camper. The camper had suddenly slipped off the bricks it was propelled on, and on to Dad's leg. He started screaming...I had to do something!

Burt moves close and places his hand on my shoulder comfortingly. I don't shake it away. I am too stunned to do it.

"Son, you have to admit that no matter how slightly, you are Amazing. You have done some amazing things. Not just with your father...Paul was your father in every way that mattered. But also in your time here, you have been amazing. Fighting Karofsky...who is a Vampire; a full-fledge Vampire, Kurt. And you held yourself well in the all the wrestling. You are stronger than you seem, Kurt. You should grasp this."

I wipe away the tears that have spilled from my eyes by now. I have a runny nose, but I just sniff.

"S-so that's that?" I say between gasps. "You are telling me that...I'm family but I'm also a freak? A...a m-monster?"

Burt's eyes widen. "What! No, Kurt! No way, that's not what I mean." He grasps my shoulder firmly, comfortingly. "It means that you are strong. And brilliant. And a cause of hope for us. If you can achieve more, Edward will be scared. Rightly, so. And he will back off when he realizes that no matter how different or strong you get—at the end of the day, you are only a Human. A boy, who is kind, fearless and brave. And such a boy can never be his weapon."

"So...that's why I should train myself with Blaine?" I say with a smile. "To be strong and intimidating?"

"Not just that," says Burt, smiling because I am. "Also to send a message to those freaky vamps. That you are more than capable of fighting back. That they should never underestimate you, or even try to own you in any way."

And for the life of me I don't know, but I feel at home. After all this, all these things, these truths...this den feels like home. BURT feels like home.

"I have one more question, though," I ask. "It's the last one, I promise."

Burt pretends to be fed up. "Oh, fine. What is it?"

I chuckle at his attempts to make me laugh. It's incredible really. Dad (Paul) could make me laugh too. Especially after the tears.

"What about my Mom? I mean, Lily?" I can see that his eyes become guarded at the mention of it. "Do you have any contact with her? At all? Do you know why she left us? Why she ran...?"

Burt sighs, rubbing his eyes with his knuckles. "Yes, I know why she ran. In fact, I know where she is, too."

My face lights up. Regardless if she wasn't my Mom in truth, she was nice. Yes, after my coming out, she got a bit strange towards me. But she never hated me. Or gave me any reason to hate her back.

"Where?"

"She's here. In Hilltown."

And I stand up at once. "But...where?! I need to go see her. Right now!"

Burt garbs my arm as I almost run out the door. "Kurt, control yourself! At least think of what you are suggesting!"

"What do you mean...She's my Mom!! Well...kinda. I need to go to her."

"So that's how you honor Paul's wishes?" Burt says with an arched eyebrow.

And it finally hits me. Dad's will. He specifically told me to "Do not go looking for your mother" and "Go to Hilltown, to Burt." And since, Burt is my Dad in blood...Wait...BLOOD?

"Kurt, are you OK? You lost a bit of color there..." Burt is saying to me, standing in front of me.

"Blood..." I whisper distractedly. "Last night...when I got Sworn. My blood was...it was dark. Like, dark-Dark. And you guys thought that I was...you were scared and...OHMYGOD!"

I flop back on the couch, my legs jelly. So now there were no more doubts. I WAS different. And not just because I am gay. I'm more than that.

I'm a HYBRID.

"Kurt, it's OK. Yes, your blood is bit different but...as I said, it doesn't matter. You are humble, kind, loving. Human. In all the ways that matters, son."

I just nod. Yeah. I had to hold on to this one fact. I'm human. In all the ways that mattered.

"Sorry. About almost running out on you," I tell Burt with a reassuring smile. "Dad asked me to not go looking for her, so I won't. But, for some warning, can you tell me where she is? So that if I accidentally go near that place...I could turn away."

Burt assesses my face, seeing that I mean it. "She's with her brother. At the Smyth Mansion. With Edward Smyth."

"What???"

Burt looks as if he just wanted it to be over with. "She's Lily Smyth. Paul found out later...when she came with a mass of Vampires to attack him and you. You were at the school...that day she went away. She was Smyth's spy all this time and we didn't know."

"You are saying that the woman who pretended to be my Mom and Dad's wife...was a Vampire?" I nearly yell in anger.

"Kurt, calm down. It was the worst thing, son. It broke Paul. But, yes. She was with us just because Edward wanted her to be. So naturally, all the things that make you different, she knows about them. And now, Edward does too. Which is why he's bent on having you in his army."

And that's when I have enough. Enough of the stress and tension, of lies. I spin on my heels and run upstairs, and lock myself in my room.

When Burt doesn't come after me after sometime, I relax. But then I start thinking about everything...and I lose it again. It takes me a few minutes to calm down but, I am sobbing as I blindly dig out my cell phone from my pocket. I have never dialed this particular number before...I had no need to.

But I needed someone to hold me now. To help me breath and relax. And the one who could do that was HIM.
-----


"Hello, Kurt?" said Blaine, apprehensive all the while.

From the other end comes the tiniest sound of a sniffle, and Blaine's heart clenched, then thudded heavily. What was going on? Why was he sad?

"B-Blaine?" Kurt's voice comes from the other side. He seemed to be talking through tears and sobs. "I—I know that you are mad maybe...I was so angry at the funeral and I—I NEED you, Blaine."

Blaine's heart stuttered. He had to lean against a pillar in the basement before he fell on his knees. Kurt had such a power over him. An amazing, breathtaking power. And Blaine was now, utterly, Kurt's slave. He wanted to be his slave, his puppet, his...Everything.

"What happened, Kurt?" he asked, trying to make sense of his thoughts.

"Burt told me. He told me."

"Told you what? Kurt, are you OK? Are you hurt?" Blaine suddenly asked in panic. "Did someone..."

"No, no, Blaine. I'm fine. Physically, at least. I just...Burt told me about EVERTHING. About my Mom. Elizabeth."

And Blaine's head cleared at once. Aahh, so that's what it was. And he could only imagine how hard it must for Kurt right now.

"I hope you are not mad at him," Blaine said. "Burt loves you. What he did was to protect you."

"I know. I don't hate him—I just...I just found out that my real Mom is dead and the fake one is a Vampire. I just found out that I'm...not normal. I don't...I don't know what to do, Blaine..."

Blaine whished that his heart would stop stuttering every time Kurt said his name. But the way Kurt said it was so tender and full of emotions that Blaine couldn't help it.

"What do you need? What can I do?" Blaine asked, speaking low, turning away from the stares of his brothers.

And then Kurt said what Blaine never thought he would.

"You. I need you."

Blaine repressed the urge to hoot and yell and jump like a madman. He bit his lips, controlling the alleviating smile that blossomed there.

"OK."

And then the line went dead.

Blaine turned to his brother, but he didn't need to say anything. One look at his blushing face, his bright eyes, and they knew.

"Go, Romeo," Trent said fondly. "We'll hold the fort while you are gone."

"Yeah, we'll call if anything goes down," Jeff assured.

And before he knew it, Blaine was out of the Dalton House, down the hill and on the road to Hummel's home.

As he had before, Blaine climbed up the tree near Kurt's window. And he got a fair bit of surprise when he found the window already open, and Kurt sitting there, waiting for him.

The moment he was inside the room, with the window shut behind him, Blaine got an armful of Kurt himself. He staggered under the force of Kurt's embrace with a "Whoa" but chuckled as he tightened his arms around the pale boy.

Kurt finally broke apart, with his eyes wet, still keeping his arms around Blaine's shoulders.

"Thank you," he said with a small smile, and an even smaller shrug. "I just...I needed to tell someone. I needed to tell you."

Blaine smiled, his heart leaping with joy. "Kurt, I'm sorry. For not telling you what I knew. I hope that you can—"

"It's done," Kurt said suddenly. "You are forgiven. You were, I think, trying to protect me too?"

Blaine couldn't stop himself from blushing now, or the smile that stretched his cheeks to the point of hurting. "Yeah, I was. I—I was worried that I'd done something wrong. You know, today when you weren't looking at me..."

Kurt unlooped his arms, and then grabbed Blaine by the hand, leading him to the bed. This time, though, they just sat on it, backs pressed against the headboard, arms tangled, leaning into each other.

"I had a lot on my mind then," Kurt explained. "There were things I figured out...and so many questions. But now, I know. I won't ever ignore you like that again."

"Good. So—ahem—you are cool with being—ah—abnormal?"

That made Kurt laugh. Blaine loved the sound of Kurt's laugh, and he couldn't keep his eyes off of Kurt's face. He couldn't keep out the love shining through his eyes for this sad, wonderful boy next to him.

"Yeah, so far I haven't lost my shit. Haven't mauled anyone. So, I guess, I'm cool." Kurt scooted ever so close to Blaine, being sneaky but Blaine noticed with another leap of his heart. "And I was thinking we should get started on the training too. As soon as possible. I don't wanna be defenseless if Edward or his minions DO decide to come after me."

"Actually," Blaine said, being funny, "They are after you all the time. You just don't see them."

Kurt turned his head in Blaine's direction, his beautiful, tear-wet eyes wide in shock. "They do?"

Blaine chuckled at the priceless look on Kurt's face. "Yep. All the time. Ever since you came back, there have been spies after you. Observing, watching your every move. It's why Puck told everyone of our lot to keep an eye on you too—to be safe."

Kurt's mouth was still a parted little O. Blaine had a sudden urge to dive in and kiss him. But he stayed where he was.

"Huh?" said Kurt finally, sounding sarcastic. "Some super-Vampire-human I am! I can't even tell that I have been tailed."

"They are very trained, those spies. No wonder you didn't know. I didn't even know. Well, not since that night when you ran from the Tavern."

Blaine watched in awe as Kurt blushed ever so slightly at that.

"Yes, that was the first day we met. Of course, you didn't know I had spies after me," Kurt said. "You didn't even know me then."

"Well, actually, I did. I knew you were in town. I knew about that since before you came. The moment Burt got the phone call about you, everyone knew. At least, everyone who is on Burt's team."

"Yeah, I like that team. It's a good team."

Blaine had to laugh now. He loved this playful, sarcastic Kurt. It was so easy being with him, so easy laughing.

"Blaine can I ask you a favor?" Kurt said uncertainly.

"Anything, Kurt," Blaine said truthfully. "I'd do anything you say."

Kurt looked at him in the eyes; there was a flash, a glint in Blaine's eyes. Blaine felt his breaths hitch to a stop.

"I want you to kiss me," Kurt said. There was no shame or caution in his voice now. There was only a simple appeal. Like saying "I need water to drink."

And Blaine found himself leaning into Kurt. Then his senses got invaded by Kurt's wet, warm mouth, his smell, his warmth, his hand in his hair.

This kiss wasn't like the one this morning. It was slow, sweet, relaxing. It was as if Kurt and Blaine had all the time in the world, and they were content.

But then Blaine couldn't hold back. He needed more. He grabbed a fistful of hair from the back of Kurt's head and pulled him closer, opening his mouth wider, making Kurt groan in surprise. Then it was a battle of clashing teeth, tangled tongues and colliding lips.

This time Kurt took the charge, flipping Blaine over so that Kurt was on top of him. When they broke apart, Kurt kept kissing Blaine's jaw, his neck and then out of nowhere, Kurt bit Blaine's collarbone.

Blaine jumped with a "Jesus!"

Kurt froze, and backed way, looking at Blaine in horror.

"Did I—did I do something wrong?" he said, and god his voice was so scratchy and hoarse.

"N-no," Blaine managed. "It was...it was incredible, actually."

Kurt flushed beautifully and said, "I—I think we should stop."

Blaine felt his heart sink. He nodded anyways. It wasn't as if Kurt felt anything for him. They were just friends. FRIENDS. Who kissed each other when they were tensed or going through some hard times.

Yeah, Blaine thought, let's go with that.

Kurt slid off of him, and Blaine sat up, trying to cross his legs and hide the obvious situation in his pants. Kurt sat with half his back to Blaine. Which told Blaine that Kurt had some sort of trouble too.

Friends who kissed, Blaine thought with a gasp. And who were sexually attracted to each other as well. Yeah, completely normal. No biggie.

"That is...interesting," Blaine said out loud.

Kurt looked back at him. His face was flushed to such a beautiful degree that Blaine almost kissed him again.

"What is?"

To explain, Blaine reached out and stroked Kurt's lips with his thumb. He watched in wonder as Kurt's lips parted under his touch, how Kurt's eyes got a shade dark.

"This," said Blaine.

"I—I can explain that," Kurt said suddenly, catching Blaine off guard.

"You can?" Blaine asked dubiously. "You can explain that why we feel like kissing—almost eating each other's faces off—and are obviously turned-on by each other?"

Kurt looked away, blushing dark red. "Yeah. I can explain why I feel like this. I'm not sure about you."

This time Blaine actually saw Kurt. Saw the way the pale boy hugged himself, the way his eyes were suddenly unsure and sad. The way his body was so tensed, as if waiting to be yelled at or slapped.

"So explain," Blaine said softly.

With a small voice, so low that Blaine actually thought he was imagining it, Kurt said, "I'm gay."

But after a moment or two, when Kurt didn't elaborate it anymore, Blaine realized that Kurt had basically laid bare a truth about him that nobody else knew—or at least, not many people.

"I get it," said Kurt suddenly. "You are scared of me. You are disgusted. I understand. I'll understand if you want to run away screaming now."

Just like that, Blaine saw walls building up around Kurt. But he didn't let them. Surging forward, Blaine gathered Kurt in his arms. For a few seconds Kurt froze, but then melted in Blaine's embrace, a shuddering sigh leaving him. Blaine felt a warm tear splash against his neck.

"I don't want to run away screaming, Kurt," said Blaine, knowing well that once he said what he felt, there'd be no turning back. "And I'm not scared. You make me feel anything but scared. I don't care if you are gay or if you are not normal. I just want to be with you...can you understand that?"

"I-I wanna be with you too," Kurt admitted in a little voice. "I feel like I can be myself around you and—and it's insane! But at the same time, wonderful."

I love you, Kurt. Blaine wanted to say. But instead he held the boy closer. "I'll never leave you alone either, Kurt. I promise."

"So you don't think it's interesting anymore?" Kurt asked with an amused edge to his voice.

Blaine laughed. "No, I still think its interesting. And I can't say if I'm gay or not—but the way I feel for you is...different."

"Good different or bad different?" Kurt mumbled, sounding a tad sleepy.

"Definitely good different. It's a very good different, actually." Blaine pressed his cheek against Kurt's hair, sighing in content.

"I'm glad," Kurt said, meaning it.

And both the boys stayed like this for a long time. Then Blaine felt Kurt relax further in his arms. Looking down, Blaine smiled at the sleeping boy. With extra gentleness, Blaine settled Kurt on the bed, fluffing his pillow. Then tucked the beautiful boy in the blankets.

And before leaving him, Blaine pressed a soft kiss to Kurt's cheek. As he turned away to leave, Blaine froze. Then looked back.

Wasn't there a bruise on Kurt's cheek this morning? Blaine questioned himself. But then again, Kurt was different. Blaine shrugged to himself and let himself out, carefully shutting the window.