1. 2001

Two officers are standing in front of him and Burt knows it’s bad when they both take off their caps. 

“Burt Hummel?” one of them asks. 

Burt nods. The next thing he knows, he’s being told that his wonderful wife, the love of his life, has died. 

No. This is not happening. This cannot be happening. Elizabeth cannot be dead. The universe is playing a game and this must be a bad joke. Elizabeth would never leave him like that. They have a meeting with Kurt’s teacher tomorrow, which Elizabeth hates. They have reservations at this nice Greek restaurant for the weekend. Elizabeth wouldn’t pass an opportunity to eat Greek food. They have so many plans, so much to do, a lot to see…

No.

When Burt starts to laugh, the officers exchange a look. 

“Sir, do you want to talk to-”

But Burt’s laughter cuts them off. This joke is too bad for words. He laughs, because as long as he laughs, he won’t cry. He does not cry. He will not cry. He cannot cry.

Burt does not want to cry, because that would mean admitting that this isn’t a joke and that his wife is no longer with him.

So he laughs.

“Oh God, no, sorry!” he says through his laughter, “This is just too ridiculous. Of course, Lizzie decides to leave the world before a stupid teachers’ conference.”

The officers look sympathetic and they stay silent while Burt keeps laughing, until reality catches up and the laughter slowly dies out.

“… daddy?”

Burt’s eyes widen and the two officers look alarmed when they look behind Burt to see a little 8 year old boy standing there.

“What is going on?” Kurt says and he sounds sleepy. It’s way past his bed time. He wanted to stay awake to wait for his mother to come home.

This is not a joke.

2. 2013

Family means everything to Burt Hummel. After the loss of his first wife, it felt like he’d never be happy again. There would always be a part missing. Kurt, Burt… but no Elizabeth. 

And then he met Carole, and Burt started to believe in love again. He believed that there was going to be a second chance. Carole would never replace Elizabeth, since she’s simply irreplaceable, but she mended the wounds that Elizabeth’s death had left. 

When Finn and Carole moved in, the house was more lively. Add Rachel and Sam and the many, many other visitors and the house was never completely silent. Finn and Carole brought new life and hope and Kurt and Burt couldn’t be happier. They were happy together, but now there was even more happiness.

Finn and Kurt obviously move on. Little boys grow old, but even with Kurt in New York and Finn at the dorms, nothing could ever break this new form of reality and content.

And then Carole gets the call.

When Burt starts to laugh, there’s a strange feeling of déjà vu. The irony wasn’t funny when Elizabeth died and it isn’t funny now, but Burt laughs and laughs and laughs while Carole is crying in his arms. She understands why he laughs, because once again, the universe is creating an elaborate joke.

Laughing once again means ignoring reality.

Finn cannot be dead. He’s only nineteen! He just started college! He has so much to live for!

But reality catches up and the laughter slowly dissolves into sobs and Burt and Carole hold each other as they cry. Little boys do not always grow old.

3. 2027

“Yeah, okay. Kurt has amnesia. Yesterday, I found him lying on the kitchen floor, so I took him to the hospital. He thinks he’s nineteen years old and that it’s 2012. Apart from that, he is completely fine.”

Blaine’s words wash over Burt. Kurt and amnesia?

If this situation were logical, then Burt would ask questions. What does this mean? Is this pernament? What has caused this? Is he safe? Does Burt need to fly to New York? How is Blaine handling this?

But instead of thinking about asking those questions, Burt gets reminded of the time that Kurt and Elizabeth were watching this terrible romcom about amnesia. Burt doesn’t know why he’s thinking about that now or why he even remembers that in the first place, but the words of a 5 years old Kurt are ringing through his head.

“Mama, if I ever lose my memories, please make sure that I still wear nice clothes!”

Burt wants to ask if Kurt is wearing nice clothes, but instead, he barks out a laugh.

He laughs.

And laughs.

And laughs.

Because he would cry if he doesn’t.

After all, that’s why he always laughs when his world gets turned upside down.  It’s an absolutely terrible thing to realise that your life has been completely upended and that nothing might be the same. 

Burt would know. It’s happened to him before. Twice.

The universe keeps hating on Burt Hummel, but there’s one light at the end of the tunnel: no one is dead. Kurt is still alive and when Burt explains why he started laughing, he can hear his son chuckle. Kurt is still here, but not in the way he’s supposed to be.

Burt takes it for what it is.