Chapter: 10 + Epilogue
Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or SBL.
A/N: Final chapter folks. The ending feels a little lack luster to me but I really wanted to hone in on the feel of SBL. Not death, but you know, shit happens and it isn't always the great explosion of happy you're looking for. It is what it is.

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Puck took them to Sheryl's hotel room. Blaine got dropped off first with a lingering parting kiss and a warning to stay safe. Once they were all settled in Puck held out for a fist bump from both of them before wishing them luck and heading back home. Whenever they were ready to leave the hotel room they would have Carole pick them up. The hotel room was a bit messy. Sheryl's clothes and toiletries were half out of her suitcase and across several surfaces. Kurt ran his fingers across them slowly, lingering over her lotion and just taking the time to memorize it all. There weren't any labels that Kurt recognized from his childhood but strawberries was still a common theme. From the bed Carson watched him quietly, letting Kurt take his time to get to know Sheryl through her stuff.

"Dad didn't want to give you away."

Carson huffed and his nose wrinkled. "Then he wouldn't have."

Kurt didn't look at Carson. He was still looking at Sheryl's things, still touching. "He thought she'd come back. That she'd get better and come home in a week or a month. She just never did."

"Does he not know what a phone is?"

"He called. I use to sneak into the hall at night and listen to him. He'd call and call and call and she wouldn't pick up. Then she changed her number. He cried all night." Kurt picked up a tube of chapstick. The label was peeling and faded and the cap was from a different brand. Kurt had the same one in his satchel. He pushed that away to focus on Carson. It was true that his father had tried to get a hold of Carson and Sheryl. He just couldn't get through. Kurt remembered lying on the floor in the hallway, listening to his father try and fail to get through then crying. Every morning he'd put on a brave face and say Carson would call them some other time. But the time never came and Kurt had to search and search and search for a way to contact Carson on his own. He hadn't even been successful. It was Carson who sent a letter with his contact information.

"He shouldn't have signed away his rights."

Kurt turned to Carson, who was slouched on the bed, staring angrily down at his knock off Chucks. "He shouldn't have. He should have made her go on her own. But he loved her and he wanted her back just as much as I did. He thought if she let her go she'd fall in love with him again."

"That's why I'm not gonna bother."

"With love?" Kurt sat down next to Carson. "Ever?"

Carson rolled his eyes. Of course it would be unthinkable to someone like Kurt. "No, not ever. Just not now. Having a job, having ambition, goals, that's more important to me than finding someone to be with."

"Okay."

He turned to Kurt, a little shocked. "Okay? That's it? You're not going to tell me I'm wrong?"

Kurt shook his head and twiddled his fingers together. "My dream was to find someone who loved me. To have a life where I can sing and dance and come home to a man who loves me so much I'm in every breath he takes. Your dream is to get a job at the New Yorker and have millions of people read what you have to say. I need love. You need to be heard. Dreams are dreams."

With a sigh Carson let himself fall back on the bed. Knowing that Burt regretted his decision wasn't nearly as satisfying as he thought it would be. Knowing Kurt understood his dreams was. He was worried they'd have a fight about their respective futures and freeze each other out. He should've had a little more faith. "How did you know you were gay?"

Kurt snorted and laid down next to his brother. He was on his side, propped up by his elbow, his face in his hand. "You tell me. Was it the heels or my undying love for Prince Phillip?"

"I'm serious. When did you know you were gay? When did you wake up and decide 'yeah, this describes me'?"

Kurt twisted his mouth to the side and thought. "When I was twelve. Dad rented Doom and I ended up paying more attention to Karl Urban than Rosamund Pike. I didn't admit it until the year before last. I was scared."

"Because of dad?"

"Yes...and no. I knew he loved me. Sometimes he would do things that made me scared, like taking away my car because I had tiaras hidden in my room. Or getting frustrated with me because I didn't want to watch sports. But I knew he loved me. I was worried I would disappoint him. That he would do exactly what you said he would. I actually researched the foster homes around here."

"So you weren't scared for yourself?"

"Oh I was. Very, very scared. I didn't want to say it out loud. If I just looked at guys, if I kept it hidden inside myself there would always be doubt. I wouldn't be gay, I'd be a sissy. I was scared of what being gay meant for myself. I can't get married in most places. I can't just have children. I can't hold hands with the person I love without being frightened. I didn't want to be in danger all the time. Eventually though it just hurt so much to lie to myself that I decided to risk it and come out." Kurt lowered himself off his elbow until he could rest his cheek on Carson's shoulder. He could remember lying like this with him when they were kids. They'd take turns listening to each others heart beat and wondering if they were always in sync. "Why?" Carson shrugged.

"I wasn't there for it."

"That's all? You didn't ask for—"

"I'm not gay."

"Okay."

"I'm not gay or straight or bi. Not right now. I just don't think about it. I got to watch mom and dad destroy our lives over love then I watched mom wreck herself all over again with Neil. Grandma is always going on about how much she misses Grandpa, when she can't remember why he left. And when she does she's pissed that he cheated on her for so long under her nose and she gets depressed. She gave up her life for him and he went out and slept with a bunch of women while she waited at home like a good little wife and it isn't fair. Love gets in the way. It makes people lazy and stagnant and I just don't want to deal with it."

Kurt turned his face in and kissed Carson's shoulder then settled back the way he way. "It's not always like that. Blaine makes me happy. He makes me so happy some days I can't help but wonder if he was made for me. It's not all like that, I know. Rachel and Finn are an excellent example, or maybe him and Quinn. Or Quinn and Puck. Love is tricky. Sex too." Carson can't fight the bubble of laughter that comes up despite the somber mood. It's so bizarre to hear sex come out of his brother's mouth. Kurt smacks him in the stomach. "It is. When I was with Blaine, even before, I never wanted to have sex with anyone. The touch of fingertips was sexy as it got. I was scared of anything else. Anal sounded so painful and embarrassing, I couldn't imagine sharing that with anyone. And to me, because there's not a lot of help around here for people like me, I thought that was it for sex. Handjobs, blowjobs, it's so impersonal. When Dad had The Talk with me it was embarrassing but it helped. He told me I mattered and that sex was more than just feeling good. He treated me like a guy."

"So you and Blaine never...?"

"We have. We do, and it's good. It just took us a while to get there. Sex isn't like I thought it would be. It's so much better. There's nothing impersonal about it and Blaine doesn't let me stay embarrassed for long." Carson hummed. He couldn't picture Kurt and Blaine doing the deed, thankfully, but it interested him on a morbid level. He thought Kurt would be well into college before he progressed that far. "So why ask? Are you not interested in sex at all, ever?"

"I'm not a eunuch. I want to have sex someday. I just want to be established. I want something to fall back on if someone rips out my heart."

"Who do you think about when you masturbate?"

Carson sputtered and pulled out from under Kurt quickly. He fell to the bed with a thump and squawked at Carson. "What?!" Kurt blushed and sat up.

"If you don't want to label yourself fine. But you should at least know which way to look when you're ready. You shouldn't spend all your precious middle aged years searching for a beautiful woman if you're not inclined. And you shouldn't waste that time looking for handsome men just because I'm gay and you're my twin. I've found that the pictures you master to is a pretty good indication of which way you lean." Kurt was blushing furiously as he talked. A year ago he would have rather chewed his own arm off than talk about this, but Carson was important and he'd had his own sexual awakening. He wanted to make sure Carson got his someday too.

"I don't...I don't think about anything in particular. I just start and go."

Kurt sat on his knees and gestured with his hands. "No fantasies?"

"No."

"How does that work?"

"Lotion is amazing." Kurt balked at him. "Look, not all of us need to see something. Some of us can just go by sensation."

"That's...boring."

"Look, when I start looking at people—"

"In the sexual way?"

Carson closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose. "In a sexual way, I will call you and we'll talk. Until then I appreciate people who are good looking as men or women. I'm more...attracted I guess, to personality. I can't see myself being with someone gorgeous and dumb."

Kurt bounced on his knees and clapped his hands. "Maybe you're pansexual!"

"Bless you." Carson ignored Kurt's scoff and made himself comfortable in the room's only chair. As glad as he was that they'd had this conversation, he couldn't wait to steer away from it. He didn't know what he was right now other than ambitious. And an asshole apparently. He really shouldn't have blackmailed anyone. Devious and cunning yes, but a little low brow. He could do better. It burned him that he'd made the same mistake as Finn Hudson. More than anything though he was ashamed of how his actions had affected Kurt. It hadn't crossed his mind that outing someone was so bad because he just hadn't cared about the people concerned. "Do you ever write?"

Kurt looked a little taken aback, but folded himself into a more comfortable position and recovered. "A little. I wrote a musical about Pippa Middleton. It wasn't very good. I want to try something darker."

"Sweeney Todd dark?"

"Maybe, but no cannibalism. I was thinking something about superheroes actually."

"Superheroes?"

"Blaine is friends with people in the Super Hero club."

"So why not join?"

"I think he's embarrassed about how much he wants to run around in a cape." Kurt laughed to himself and skimmed his fingers over the rough hotel grade sheets. "There's a lot of untapped angst in comic worlds. I think I could make something up."

"If you do let me know."

"Maybe we could collaborate on something. I write the music and you create an anti-hero people will root for even though the hero is in the right."

"No cliched super villain in it for world domination?"

"That's too easy." Talking was easier after that. With the topic of sex and family behind them they could just talk. Really talk to each other like they'd wanted to to begin with. It wasn't surprising that they had a lot of superficial differences. What was surprising was the things they had in common. Despite their different upbringings they had a similar sense of humor, similar taste in books, and they felt the same way about most "funny" graphic tee shirts. If they had grown up together they probably would have turned out just the same, if not a little less cynical.

"It's almost dinner time. We should go home."

"Your home."

"Our home. It doesn't matter how far away you are, wherever I live it's your home too." Kurt held out his hand for his phone. Carson reluctantly handed it over. "I'm okay Dad. No...no we're fine. It's okay. We're at the hotel. Can...", Kurt looked up at Carson, trying to see what he wanted. "...someone come get us? Okay. We will. I promise...love you too. I will. Bye." Kurt ended the call before his dad could launch into a new round of questions. "He sends love and Sheryl. He wants us to stay inside with the door locked. I guess Puck told him about what happened."

"Do you really think he knows about the shower rod?"

"Well...no. Puck, if that's who it was, probably only said someone was hassling us. Or one of the other glee parents tipped him off about the hostile environment." Kurt would know better than he would. Carson watched Kurt unfurl from the bed and make his way to the window behind the chair. It was dark out, but just barely. The sign for the hotel was bright and lighting up the parking lot in front of them. Since it was a busy season there were a decent amount of cars lined up. On the far side of the lot a car was on. It was a beat up station wagon with a faded and rusted out powder blue paint job. It looked very familiar to Kurt. "Oh my God."

Carson twisted in his chair and tried to look outside. "What?"

Kurt raised a shaking hand to point outside. "That car. It belongs to Rick's friend. They're on the hockey team together." Carson stood and pulled Kurt away from the window. He pushed him down on the bed and yanked the curtains closed.

"It's almost Thanksgiving. He could be here for anybody."

"You don't actually believe that do you?"

He didn't. He really, really didn't. It would be just their luck that Rick formed a little posse and hotel hopped to find them. But as long as they stayed inside with the curtains shut they would be okay. Until Sheryl came. He hoped Rick's friends got bored before she got there. He wasn't really in the state to be in a fight. Besides his burns his hand was still numb in places. He could break his fingers or something and not notice. He had no doubt Kurt could fight off someone if he needed to but he didn't think Kurt would just jump in. It would cause him more problems down the line. Carson looked through the edge of the curtain. Opening it just barely with his finger. Rick was there. He'd gotten out of the station wagon and was leaning against the hood with his friends around him. There were four of them. His friends weren't built like football players but they were fit enough to cause some serious damage.

The hockey players hadn't noticed them yet but they looked like they were settling in for a long night. Carson couldn't think of a reason why. There were other hotels. He could tell that Kurt believed the worst was going to happen. He did too but he refused to let it show. One of them had to at least look optimistic. They waited quietly for Sheryl to show up. Then Kurt gasped. "We have to call her. We can tell her to wait until they leave." Kurt pulled out his phone and dialed Sheryl's number.

"She won't answer. She turns her phone off while she drives."

It was the sensible thing for her to do, especially after her accident but Kurt hated her for it right now. You shouldn't have your phone off, ever. It should always be on, at least on vibrate. Carson was right. The phone went straight to voice mail. With a curse Kurt hung up and tried again. Then he called the house. "Dad! Dad did Sheryl leave?"

"Yeah she should be there almost."

"No, call her. I tried. Call her. Rick and his friends are waiting outside."

"What?!" Burt's voice was muffled for a moment as he pulled away to yell for Carole. "Do they know you're there?"

"No. But they will when Sheryl shows up."

"I'm callin' the cops. Stay inside. Only open the door for Sheryl. You get her in quick and don't leave until the cops get there. I ain't takin' any chances." Burt hung up without saying goodbye, presumably to call the cops quicker. The way Lima was, cops could answer to a call in four, five minutes flat. It was such a boring place they would trip over each other to respond to a decent call. Unfortunately Sheryl showed up before the cops did. She pulled into the parking lot casually in Kurt's Navigator. The worst possible option. Carson watched from the window as Rick and his friends spotted the car. They slapped each other and rolled their shoulders, ready for a fight. Sheryl parked in the middle of the lot. Rick wasn't deterred by seeing her step outside. Instead he called across the lot, taunting her.

"Hey Mrs. Hummel! Is it true you tried to drown Kurt in a bathtub?" Sheryl turned sharply. She had no idea who this kid was but she was pissed. Yeah she'd treated Kurt like shit after her accident, but she never raised a hand to him. Ever. Besides that she had no idea how these kids knew her. If she were in Clover she would have told them off but this was Lima and Kurt got hassled enough so she ignored it. Or tried too. "Did Carson really get struck by lightning or did you electrocute him? You got insurance on your kids whacko?" She turned to Rick, taking in his pasty face and unkempt mullet.

"What's the matter kid? Your mama too poor to pay for a haircut? She had to lay you down under the lawnmower?" Kurt and Carson couldn't hear what she was saying but they could see Rick's face morph from amusement to anger. His friends weren't laughing anymore either. They moved closer to Sheryl and Carson snapped. He bolted outside, leaving the door wide open, and ran until he could grab his mother's arm. He ignored Rick's friends looks and pulled her behind him.

"Told you this wasn't over Sparky. Your little sister waiting inside for us?"

"No but yours is. She was a pleasure to meet."

"Hey!" Rick lunged forward and Carson dodged him. Sheryl stumbled behind him and started digging through her purse for something. Carson hoped it was a bottle of pepper spray or a taser. Rick's friends weren't swinging fists at him, which was a blessing and a curse. Instead they were closing around Carson and Sheryl, keeping them from running away. He ducked Rick's sloppy swing again and saw Kurt running towards them. Before Kurt reached them Rick caught Carson by the arm and yanked, sending pain rocketing up his arm. His vision blurred with tears and he fought the urge to fall to his knees. Pain exploded in his side as a foot connected with his ribs. Over the sound of the blood rushing in his ears he could hear his mother screaming. Then there was a crack that didn't come from him. Then a thud and groan. Carson's glasses had fallen to the ground but he could make out Kurt standing in front of Sheryl. He'd punched Rick in the nose.

With Rick on the ground and defenseless Carson struck. He punched him in the side of the head to keep him down then tried staggered to his feet. He was half crouched still when a shove came from behind and sent him back to the ground. He smashed his glasses and busted his chin on the asphalt. Carson spit out a mouthful of blood and rolled to his side, into someone's hands. It was his mom. She was tugging on him, trying to pull him to his feet. He couldn't see Rick's friends but he could hear them yelling. He looked over his mother's arm and saw them farther down the lot, chasing after Kurt. He heard Kurt scream and drop to the ground then they were on him. Carson pushed Sheryl away, trying to shove her in Kurt's direction.

Sheryl had heard the scream. She wanted to help him but she wanted Carson up first. He was still hurt, still so close to death. "Mom...go. GO." Sheryl hesitated, then laid him down gently and took off running. Kurt was on the ground, thrashing and kicking at the boys around him. There was blood around his mouth. With a screech Sheryl launched herself at the biggest boy's back, pulling him back and throwing him off balance. She pulled away before he hit the ground and lunged at another boy. She could see Kurt rolling onto his knees and pulling himself up from the corner of her eye. As she tried to wrestle the next boy to the ground one of them grabbed her around the neck from behind, hauling her away from the fight.

Kurt was being held around the stomach. The boy holding him picked Kurt up off the ground, just barely, and slammed him into a car. Kurt's head hit with a heavy thunk, dazing him. He knew he couldn't twist his way free so he went limp, making his body as heavy as possible and moving his weight down. The boy holding him huffed and slackened his grip. Seeing his opportunity Kurt kicked out, pushing off of the car in front of him and sending the boy holding him to the ground. They landed in a heap, Kurt's weight knocking the wind out of his attacker. With a groan Kurt rolled off of him and staggered to his feet.

Sirens cut through everyone's heavy breathing. Kurt half ran, half loped towards Sheryl. The boy who'd been holding her had let go at the sound of the sirens. Blue and red lights were filling the parking lot with light, almost blinding them all. Kurt slumped against Sheryl and pulled her into a hug. She was coughing, but otherwise okay. Over her shoulder Kurt could see a cop kneeling by Carson, who was slumped against the Navigator's side. Rick was being put into handcuffs. Police officers rushed past Sheryl and Kurt yelling for Rick's friends to get down and to put their hands behind their backs. No one stopped to talk to them so Kurt and Sheryl ran towards Carson. An ambulance was pulling into the lot, coming in fast and nearly side swiping a car to get into the lot properly. The EMT's jumped out and ran to Carson. One of them was holding a defibrillator. When they dropped down to check Carson's vitals Sheryl started to laugh.

She couldn't believe what was happening. A group of red neck kids had jumped her for mouthing off. She'd gotten into a fight with teenagers. And both of her sons almost got beaten to death over something that happened years ago and meant nothing to them. And people thought Clover was ass backwards. "Ma'am. Ma'am are you alright?" An EMT was looking at her with worry, a flashlight in hand to check her eyes. Her laughter taper off and looked around, holding her arm out to keep the EMT at bay. Kurt was kneeling on the ground, holding Carson's hand and shrugging away all attempts to check if he was alright. He was probably hurting pretty bad though. He'd screamed loud enough. Past the cars people were sticking their heads out of their doors, watching the scene unfold like a movie. Where the hell had they been during the fight?

"I'm fine. Are my kids okay?"

"The boy in the sweatshirt—"

"Carson."

"Carson is in a lot of pain and he might have a cracked jaw. We're not sure so we're going to load him up and take him to the hospital. The other—"

"Kurt."

"Kurt, he won't let us look. Did you see how badly he got hurt?"

"I didn't see but he screamed like they were killing him."

The EMT nodded and motioned for a nearby cop to pull Kurt aside. "He's favoring his stomach. We didn't see any blood but he's wearing a dark coat. Did you see anyone with weapons?"

"No. He uh...Kurt doesn't like hospitals. He'll pitch a fit. You might want to give him something."

"Alright. It sounds like you were strangled. Are you feeling light headed?"

"No. Throat's just a little sore."

"Okay." He grabbed her arm and gently pulled her along. They were walking behind Carson, who was laid out on a stretcher. They passed Rick, bleeding and surly, in the back of a cop car. "We're going to take you too. Suffocation shouldn't be taken lightly."

"Kurt?"

"He's going to ride in the next ambulance. It's right there." True to his word, a second ambulance was parked near the entrance of the hotel. It must have just gotten there. The EMT's rushed past her and relieved a haggard looking officer of Kurt, who was pitching a fit.

"I don't need to go to the hospital! I'm fine! I want—" Kurt didn't get to say what else he wanted. One of the EMT's jabbed him with a needle and he started calming down. Sheryl sent a wary look to the man escorting her to the ambulance.

"It's probably in his file." The EMT helped her up into the ambulance after Carson. Once she was settled he shut the doors and she was just able to make out Kurt being guided to the next ambulance. Someone had to call Burt. Her phone was somewhere in the parking lot though.

"Someone needs to call Burt Hummel."

"The father?"

"Yeah. I don't have my phone."

"Someone will take care of that at the hospital." He was focused on Carson but he sent her a brief and reassuring smile. Then he was back to checking Carson's head and vitals. For a second she imagined it was Kurt lying there, covered in blood and weakly fending off the EMT. She needed a nap.

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Getting a phone call that your children are in the hospital is like getting hit in the chest with a bowling ball. Even if you know it's coming it doesn't hurt any less. Since the moment Kurt hung up he's been wound up, feeling like his heart's going to stop any second. When the call came it was a nurse telling him that Kurt, Carson, and Sheryl had to be taken in for various injuries. When he figured out which group of punk kids was responsible there would be hell to pay. He was so on edge he couldn't even drive himself to the hospital. Carole took the lead, and after a very stern warning for Finn to stay put, she started up the car.

Right now they were jogging through the hospital, trying to find the rooms. The doctors had put them all together. Kurt's fear of hospitals and bright blue eyes worked wonders with the older nurses. He could wrap them around his little finger if he worked his pout and eyelashes enough. Carole saw them first, two cops standing outside of a room looking bored. Burt raced to them. "Are they okay?"

The older cop, someone Burt had seen once or twice at his shop, snapped to attention. "Mr. Hummel." He nodded. "They'll be alright so far as I can tell. They want to keep them all for observation. They thought Kurt was going to be able to go home but it turns out he hit his head pretty hard against the side of a vehicle."

Carole was holding her hand to her mouth and crying. She'd known as soon as she got involved with Burt that there was a chance she'd end up in a hospital because of Kurt's sexuality. But knowing it was a possibility hadn't prepared her for what she would feel. And now it wasn't just Kurt. It was poor Carson who'd just had a brush with death and Sheryl who Burt still loved so much despite everything. "What about the others?"

The cop took a deep breath. "Sheryl was held in a strangle hold. Carson hit the pavement pretty hard. They think he might have cracked his jaw. He was in a lot of pain and pretty out of it. Kurt put up a great fight though. Had to take one of the boys here to get his nose fixed up before we could book him." Burt felt pride welling up inside of him. He'd always been proud of Kurt for taking the high road but he'll be damned if it didn't just fill him with a vicious manly sense of satisfaction to know that his son could hold his own in a fight. Serves that punk right. He hopes they can't set it right and he carries a crooked nose for the rest of his life as a reminder.

"Can we see 'em?"

"That's up to the doctors sir. We were told to wait outside."

Carole had known they wouldn't be allowed in. But she had hoped they would wave procedure for once. With no luck in seeing them to distract her, she just had to know. "How many were there?" Her worries grew as the cop's face grew somber.

"There were five in total Ma'am. We're not sure what happened exactly yet but Mr. Nelson was bleeding and dazed when we arrived. Carson told us Kurt broke his nose. The other four boys were across the lot attacking Kurt and Sheryl when we arrived." Carole let out a shaky breath and started to cry in earnest. Even if everyone was ultimately okay it was still terrifying. Anything could have happened. If the police hadn't gotten there on time, if Rick and his friends had been any more organized, her and Burt could have been standing in the morgue instead of the ER. Burt sensed her distress and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He was choked up too. He'd always known that this was a possibility. He'd been blindsided by it last year with Karofsky's death threat, this was just the long awaited culmination.

"They're going to get arrested right? We can press charges and they aren't getting off scott free just because my kid's gay?"

"No sir. Several people staying at the hotel verified that Mr. Nelson started the altercation and threw the first punch." Burt huffed. Yeah, they could come out an say something after it was all over but when the fight was happening they sat inside to watch like it was a show. Some brave people right there. At least their statements were helpful. Burt had an intense fear that when the time came for violence the cops would just step aside like Principal Figgins and say their hands were tied. It was nice to know someone in this town cared about his family.

"I don't care what Kurt or Carson say, they're minors and I'm pressing charges."

"Legally you can only press charges on behalf of Kurt."

"I'll talk with Sheryl. I don't think she's gonna let this go. She lives out of state though, she's only visiting. That gonna be a problem?"

The cop shook his head. "No. The crime happened here. While it would be easier for them to be here for prosecution, as long as they give statements and agree to photos it won't be an issue." They spoke a little more with the officer, deciding what their best course of action would be. Before long the doctors were coming out of the room and ready to give them a diagnosis.

"Kurt has a mild concussion and some abdominal bruising. He busted his lip but it doesn't need stitches. We're going to keep him over night so we wake him up regularly. Carson's jaw isn't fractured but it'll be very sore for the next few weeks and he should avoid speaking and solid food. He scraped off a fair amount of skin. We'll write up a prescription for some antibiotic ointment. You'll have to keep an eye on his vision though, just like before. We're keeping him too.

"Mrs. Phillips, she has bruises on her throat but they're superficial. The oxygen deprivation was minimal. She'll be just fine. Just keep an eye on her tomorrow. If she does anything out of the ordinary, any personality changes or mood swings, have her come back in."

Carole took a deep breath in relief. She could feel the tension draining from Burt as well. Everyone was alright. For now anyways. "Can we see them?"

"Of course. If Kurt starts speaking incoherently or mentions any vision loss let us know."

In unison they descended upon the hospital room, eager and anxious to see the boys, and Sheryl, with their own eyes. Kurt and Carson were lying in beds with Sheryl between them, slumped in her chair and looking tired. There was a vivid bruise starting around the front of her throat. Carson was out cold, probably on pain meds. Kurt however, looked far too surly for someone on painkillers. His arms were crossed over his chest and there was a pronounced pout on his face. Burt didn't want to know if the doctors had already told him he was staying the night. It wouldn't be pretty if he had to do it. "Hey Kurt. How ya feeling?" Kurt gave him a vicious glare in response but Burt didn't take it to heart. He could see the tears building up. Carole could too.

"Oh honey. I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry." She rushed forward and tried her best to scoop what she could of Kurt up into a hug. He winced and patted her awkwardly on the back.

"It's okay. You don't have anything to be sorry for." Carole let out a loud sob and squeezed Kurt again. Kurt sent Burt a frightened look, prompting him to pull her off. She went limply and wiped her eyes.

"Finn is grounded. No internet, no phone, no video games, no football. I've already talked to Coach Beiste."

Burt rubbed her back and caught Kurt's eye. "I called the Berry's. I don't know what they're doing to her but she's getting hers too." There was a vicious streak a mile wide in Kurt's heart that demanded to know what exactly Rachel was going to get. If her track record was anything to go by "getting hers" would probably amount to a talk about disappointment. "I can see what you're thinkin' and I want you to stop. Leroy was pissed. He was yelling before he even hang up the phone. She won't be getting a smack on the wrist for this." Kurt was still skeptical, but he was a bit more hopeful. Leroy was certainly the more stern father.

"You know, I came out here so Carson could relax after his brush with death." The snark and judgment was plain in Sheryl's voice. Kurt wouldn't be surprised it Carson heard it. Burt wasn't going to take it though. He pulled himself up to full height and pointed right at her.

"No. You came out here so Carson could see Kurt. Because he has a right to. And if you had bothered to keep up with Kurt's life like I tried to do for Carson you would know what it's like here. You should remember what it's like. You spent two years taking care of Kurt and watching people tear him down."

"Carson almost—"

"He almost died. And when I heard I thought I was going to too. But it was a freak accident. That ain't gonna happen again. Don't you start in on me and Kurt because of this. I didn't cause this. It was a stupid mistake by a kid. Lord knows we did some stupid shit as kids. You may not remember it but I do. And you made plenty of stupid mistakes with Kurt when he was a kid." Carole squeezed Burt's arm and cleared her throat.

"A little off topic Burt."

He shrugged and sighed. "This was a long time coming. I've been waitin for for this call since Kurt was a toddler."

"Dad." Kurt was openly upset, the sadness completely wiping out any anger over being held in the hospital. Burt held out his hand to stop Kurt from going on.

"I've been waiting. I thought last year was going to be it. That Karofsky kid scared the hell out of me. I thought with him running around I'd get a call that Kurt was found lyin' in a ditch somewhere. I don't understand why this is what set them off but it did. And it ain't Kurt's fault. It ain't mine. It's those kids. They grow up not knowin' there's more out there besides this town and winnin' at football and havin' a cute girlfriend. They see people like Kurt and they get scared and aggressive. I'm not gonna ask Kurt to change who he is to make things easier. Would I like it if Kurt could pass a little better? Yeah, because it would mean he could walk around town each day without worrying about getting beaten up. But I'm not gonna make him change who he is or apologize for it. I'm sorry Carson got mixed up in all this but you can't tell me they wouldn't have given Kurt a hard time in Clover. Small towns are all the same."

Sheryl rolls her eyes but keeps her mouth shut. It's true. She's just pissed she couldn't do anything to stop it. She's not angry at Burt or Kurt. She's angry at God, or the Universe, or fate; whoever it is that makes her life hell. She can't catch a break, never could, and now it's like Carson and Kurt are inheriting her shit luck. It's not fair.

"Are you going to leave?" Kurt's voice is small and hurt. Sheryl doesn't want to look at him. If she does she'll see that same heartbroken look he wore as a kid. She doesn't want to be that person anymore. It's just so hard.

"No. Carson wants to do Thanksgiving together."

"It'll be cramped but you two can stay with us at the house." Even though it wasn't the hotel's fault he really doesn't want Carson and Sheryl staying there anymore. Carole felt the same. A crowded house was a small price to pay to keep everyone safe. Sheryl wasn't so bad once you got to know her. Abrasive and rude, a little bit yeah, but she had her reasons. Being jilted by love and fate was something she understood far too well. She just wanted to be a good mom and couldn't find the strength or direction.

"The boys have to stay overnight but you're more than welcome to come home with us Sheryl. You spent whole nights in the hospital with him didn't you? I don't think he'll be upset if you take a break. Let Burt stay tonight. We can go do something."

Sheryl wanted to refuse the invitation out of spite. She wanted to match Carole up with April and hate them both but she couldn't. It was probably because Kurt liked her so much. Carson couldn't care less about April. She was just some pharmacist engaged to a man he hated. Carole was a mother figure though, a good, put together mom that took the time to get to know Kurt. Maybe spending a few nights with her wouldn't be so bad. If nothing else it would keep Carson happy, and Kurt too. "Yeah, sure." If this had happened a few years ago Sheryl would have left without another word or look. But she'd spent a few days talking to Kurt, seeing the person he'd become, seeing what he dealt with every day. She patted Kurt's face like you would a dogs and ran her hand up to ruin his hair. When he didn't smack her she took it as a victory. With a sniff she headed to the door, nodding to Burt in passing.

"Mom?"

"Yeah?" Sheryl turned. It wasn't Carson who'd spoken. That didn't bother her as much as she thought.

Epilogue

College was a liberating place. All around Kurt there were kids experimenting with their sexuality, their fashion, and their bodies. It was nice to know he wasn't the only one who'd needed an escape. His roommate was deliciously out there, a transsexual female to male half Hispanic, half Asian that spoke in broken English and lived for competitive gaming. Kurt could practically feel the population of Lima shivering at the thought. It wasn't all rainbows though. He was at Parsons instead of NYADA. Rachel wasn't too pleased, not that he cared much at this point. She hadn't gotten into NYADA either but unlike him she hadn't applied to backup schools. When Carson heard the news he laughed until he choked. It was oddly satisfying.

Parsons wasn't bad though. No one gave him a second glance, no matter what he was wearing, unless it was in appreciation. There were plenty of people who loved the theater. And he'd joined a few clubs, drama among them.

Northwestern had gladly accepted Carson. Instead of commenting on his failed literary magazine, they marveled over his essay. With a lot of coaxing Kurt had convinced Carson to write an essay about his experiences, with the accident and the lightning strike. His acceptance letter contained a short handwritten letter from the dean commenting on the sheer genius of the snark involved and the awe she felt at his story. The no nonsense, not sorry for himself tone had struck a cord in her.

Carson was doing just fine, although his roommate left a little to be desired. He was saddled with a guy that didn't understand that masturbation was a personal practice. When Carson mentioned it Kurt steered them into a conversation about sexuality again. Which Carson stilted by saying "No I haven't figured myself out yet, you'll be the first to know when I do." Kurt was betting on Pansexual still and out of pure spite Carson was throwing Asexuality in his face. It may not have sounded politically correct in polite company, but they didn't mean any harm by it.

They didn't have any grand plans to live together after college but there were some nice villas in New Jersey that rented out for summer leases that they could afford if they went in together. It was a compromise that didn't satisfy either of them and they loved it on principle. Burt, Sheryl, and Carole were supportive, a little disappointed they wouldn't be coming home, but understanding. Sheryl said she was looking forward to Naked Sundays which Carson didn't doubt had started the second he walked out the door. Burt and Carole were a bit more typical, crying and calling way too much. Kurt appreciated it though, especially knowing that they both called Carson as well at least once a week.

Before Kurt knew it, it was a week away from Summer break and everything that had happened in Lima seemed like a cheap movie. It was hard to believe it happened in the span of a few days. It came and went like a hit and run. A long stretch of empty road with songs nobody liked playing on the radio. Then a quick strike and the screech of metal mixed with screams. Their lives had gotten torn open and thrown around for every passerby to see in a matter of moments. And a few days later the mess was swept away and the only people left hurting were the ones going for a ride.

Kurt shook his head. If spending time with Carson was going to make him think like that he would need to haul Blaine up for part of the break. He couldn't come back to school waxing poetic, his designs would go mediocre.