I'll Be There

Title: I'll Be There (3/6)
Author: telepathichawk
Rating: K+, PG
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Burt, Kurt. Puck/Kurt in later chapters. Burt/Carole, Finn/Rachel
Genre: General/Family
Warnings: None.
Spoilers: Anything up to the end of season one is fair game, though I'm not sure there's anything really.
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee. I make no profit from this.
Author Notes: This small series was inspired by six songs. They are as follows: "I'll Be There" as performed by The Jackson Five, "Lullaby" as performed by Billy Joel, "Breeze Off the River" from the musical The Full Monty, "When You Come Back Down" as performed by Nicklecreek, "Child of Mine" as performed by Carol King, and "All You Need is Love" as performed by The Beatles.

Little bit different from the others. More Burt introspection. More interaction in the next chapter.

Please comment if you have a moment! Thanks so much! Happy reading!
Summary: A fluffy interconnected series of one shots mostly about the relationship between Burt and Kurt Hummel.
Word Count: ~3,000


Burt wasn't sure what woke him from the light, drug aided sleep that he had drifted in and out of for three days but somehow he knew instinctually that he should stay quiet as his eyes fluttered open. The lights were off. That was new. Must be the middle of the night. Every other time he'd woken up in the past couple of days it had been in the daytime or early evening and his eyes had been burned a little bit by the bright, florescent lights. He could hear the heart monitor next to him and was reassured by the steady, strong beat. He was still here. He nearly smiled slightly, then sighed when he turned his head slowly and saw that Kurt was still in the chair next to his bed, holding onto his hand like a lifeline, illuminated softly by the light from the hallway. He took a moment to observe his baby boy. Kurt was dressed conservatively for him in a pair of dark wash jeans and…was that a hoodie? Where the hell had his son gotten a hoodie? It had to be Friday night. Because Kurt had been sleeping in what he planned to wear to school the next day (All outfits that were made of materials that wouldn't wrinkle. Burt, didn't understand how, but, okay, whatever Kurt said.), taking his showers in the little bathroom off of his room and going straight to school and the son he knew would never, ever be caught dead in true public in a hoodie. Burt let his eyes drift to Kurt's face and sighed again. The dark bruise colored circles were still obvious under Kurt's eyes because his face was still ridiculously pale and he looked as if he hadn't done his hair at all.

Burt felt his chest begin to ache. If it were physical in any way he would have pressed the little button under his finger that called for a nurse and woken Kurt up, but there was nothing physical about it. Tears filled his eyes and began to slick his throat. He had nearly left his son an orphan. He admitted that he wasn't the smartest man in the world and he screwed up. A lot. But, this…this was the biggest screw up he had ever had the unfortunate pleasure to call his. He was a stubborn, pig-headed man. He fully admitted that. And a couple of years ago when Kurt had started in on all of the healthy eating, exercising more, the medical history of his family practically screamed heart attack stuff he had shut Kurt out and shut down a little. He'd kept eating whatever he wanted and hadn't started jogging like he promised Kurt he would. He'd ignored the doctor when he brought up cholesterol and blood pressure and even ignored the looks Carlos and Jean gave him when Jean brought Carlos a salad and Burt was digging into his burger and fries. And because he'd decided that he didn't need Kurt babying him he'd had a heart attack, had been in a coma for a week and a half, and nearly left the light of his life, his baby boy, an orphan.

While he was in the coma, drifting in a fog that seemed like it would never lift, he'd only heard some of what was said to him. Sometimes he'd heard Carole, begging him not to let this happen to her again, telling him that she loved him and she wanted him, needed him to wake up. She'd told him that Kurt loved him so much and needed him more than any of the rest of them, that if he was only going to fight for one person it had better be his kid. He'd heard Finn and Mercedes, Finn's girlfriend Rachel and the sweet girl who had just had the baby, Quinn, praying over him. And he'd heard them talking over him, talking about how worried they were about Kurt, how much he needed him. From what they said, none of them had been able to reach Kurt and they were all scared that if Burt were gone Kurt would freeze them all out permanently and they would never be able to reach him again. And he'd heard Kurt. He'd heard Kurt most of all, singing to him, talking to him, pleading with him to come back. Kurt had been drifting from him, too, whether he knew it or not, letting his anger at the situation close him off. But, his friends had brought him back from the freeze out, sweet Mercedes had brought him back to Burt. And when Kurt had said that he believed in them and only them…it had given him the strength to come back.

Just seeing Kurt so raw, as he collapsed to his knees, pressing Burt's hand to his forehead as he sobbed after Burt simply called out his name, had broken Burt's heart. Even though there had been doctors hovering and nurses running around the only thing he'd been able to see was Kurt.

"I was so afraid…" He'd sobbed, "The doctor said that he wasn't sure you would still be you even if you woke up! He said he wasn't sure that you would wake up! He said that the oxygen to your brain…and…I was so scared, Daddy. I missed you so much!"

"I'm right here, Kurtie…" Kurt had used Daddy, all nicknames were fair game, "I'm not going anywhere."

"I love you so much, Dad."

"I love you, too, Kurt."

He'd spent the last three days drifting in and out of sleep and getting yelled at by his son, his girlfriend, his girlfriend's son, his son's best friends, and his girlfriend's son's girlfriend for how much he had scared them. Kurt's glee teacher and a pretty, doe-eyed red head who identified herself as the school counselor told him the truth behind Kurt's shut down and revealed everything that he had been fearing. The counselor, Emma, scolded him and told him he had to take better care of himself, if just for Kurt's sake, because she was afraid that if something happened to him Kurt wouldn't survive it. He'd never felt more chastised, like he was a thirteen again and his mother had just caught him with his hand up Mary Rose's skirt. By the end of it, even if he hadn't already resolved it in his own mind, he was ready to promise them to eat nothing but greens and run three miles a day. Now, looking at his boy, he was only more resolved. He had to take better care of himself. For himself, of course, and Carole and Finn. But, mostly, for Kurt. Because, if he wasn't there to take care of his boy, who would be? He wanted to wake Kurt up and get him to go home and sleep in a real bed, but something told him to wait a minute.

He knew why, and closed his eyes lightly, when a soft voice called from the doorway, "Kurt? Come on, dude, you gotta go home and get some real sleep."

Burt had to fight the urge to smile at the indelicate snort that came from his son as he woke up from his doze, "Hmm? What?"

"Real sleep in a real bed, Hummel. You need it. Come on, dude."

Burt risked opening his eyes in the slightest and had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling. There was some shaved head, letterman jacket wearing teenaged boy in his room. He moved almost silently as he crouched in front of Kurt, who was still coming awake.

"I'm fine here," He pulled his hand away from Burt's and used both to wipe his eyes. He looked so young that Burt felt tears come into his eyes again.

"Dude, your dad's awake. He's going to be okay. You need to sleep. And since you haven't been listening to Mrs. H or Aretha or Finn or Mr. Schue or any-damn-one, they called me in. Come on. Let me drive you home."

"I appreciate it, Noah, but…"

So, this was Noah Puckerman. Burt had never met him, which was surprising, because he and Finn were pretty good friends by all accounts. They'd been on the rocks briefly because of pretty Quinn's pregnancy, but they'd been connecting recently. Kurt had spoken about Noah Puckerman often after the first time he mentioned him when he was eight. From about ages thirteen to fifteen all he heard were a bunch of big words he assumed were insults because of the anger in Kurt's voice and on his face when he said them. It was usually something about dumpsters and slushies and his clothes. But, lately something had changed. Burt thought it might be because they were in glee together. He'd seen Puckerman perform. The kid was good and, despite the fact that he looked like a punk, by all accounts he was turning out to be a good kid. From what Kurt had said, he'd done right by Quinn. And he seemed to be mending fences with Finn. And he was trying to mend fences with Kurt. Kurt always got this look on his face when he said that it was Noah who was keeping him out of the dumpsters. Burt thought that it was probably the fact that his dry cleaning bill was halved that made him so soft when it came to Puckerman.

"Hummel."

Burt could tell that Kurt was as surprised by the gentle, stern tone of voice as he was. And a slight breeze probably could have toppled Kurt over when the Puckerman kid cupped his face in a large hand.

"Seriously. You look worse than your dad. Get your ass up and let me drive you home. You can sleep for a few hours and be back tomorrow morning before he even knows you were gone."

"I…" Kurt looked like he was going to protest only for a moment more before he seemed to deflate a little and curl in on himself, "Okay…"

"Good. Let's get going. Where the hell did you get my sweatshirt anyway?"

"This is yours?" Kurt asked, pulling the sweatshirt away from his body with two fingers and looking at it with disgust, "I thought it was something Finn left behind at my house one Friday night. Ugh. Good thing I washed it before I wore it."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Stop yapping, Hummel. Keep the damn thing for all I care. Looks better on you anyway."

"Why, Noah, if you're…" Kurt stood and immediately set a hand to his forehead as the blood drained from his face and left him startlingly pale. He began to fall backwards and Burt had to stop himself from sitting up and grabbing for him. Puckerman beat him to it anyway. He grabbed Kurt's elbows and held him to his, Burt grimaced inwardly, admittedly strong chest and hugged him close.

"Fuck! You okay?" He asked, then pulled back to cup Kurt's still pale face in both his hands. Kurt held onto his wrists, "When was the last time you actually ate?"

"Breakfast…" Kurt said. Burt couldn't see the look on Puckerman's face, but he could imagine it when Kurt flushed and looked away, "Yesterday. Breakfast yesterday."

"Come on. Food. Real food, not rabbit food, then sleep."

"Okay. But, you'll bring me back tomorrow morning before he wakes up, right?"

"God damn, Hummel!" Puckerman let go of his face and ruffled Kurt's already mussed hair, "I swear, okay? Just get your shit together and let's go!"

"Puckerman, be quiet!" Kurt hissed as he leaned down and picked up his bag, then came back up and slapped the bigger boy across the back of his head.

Oh. Oh shit. Burt couldn't help the choked noise that came from the back of his throat. The last name. The use of the last name. In a lot of ways Kurt was just like his mother and if his tone of voice and the way he was able to casually touch Puckerman were an indication at all…he was in deep like, maybe even love, with the other boy. Burt wondered if he even knew. He closed his eyes just in time for Kurt to spin around, smooth his sheets and lean over to kiss his forehead. He suddenly felt so tired. He wondered, idly, if it was because of what he had just discovered about his son or if it was the fact that he'd just had a heart attack a few days ago and was still in the hospital all drugged up and crazy. Maybe it was both.

"I love you, Dad," Kurt whispered, "I'll be back in a couple of hours."

Burt sighed, but Kurt just kissed his forehead again and straightened. He was too tired to open his eyes again, but he heard Kurt and Puckerman all too clearly as they walked out of the hospital room.

"Puckerman, you do realize that your arm is around my waist?"

"Yeah, Hummel. Problem?"

"I…No. No problem at all. Thank you for coming to get me."

"No problem, Princess."

"Call me princess again and I'll castrate you."

Burt grinned and allowed himself to relax. Maybe he didn't have to worry so much. Kurt was strong and confident. He could take care of himself. And when he couldn't Burt was going to see to it that he was there to do it, for a very long time. In a big way it was a comfort to know that even if there came a time when he couldn't take care of Kurt when he needed it there would always be Kurt's friends. Mercedes and Quinn were great with the girly stuff that Kurt sometimes needed and Burt just didn't get. Carole and Finn were there to be family even when Kurt thought he didn't need it. Rachel was…well she was Rachel and she and Kurt brought out the best and worst in each other, alternately each other's biggest fans and worst enemies. It was good for Kurt to have someone like that in his life. And of course all of the others in the glee club and their coach and even the twitchy counselor would all always look out for Kurt. And, god help them all, baring all of them, Puckerman would be there. He remembered the flash of emotion across Kurt's face when the kid had cupped his cheek and saw the panic in Puckerman's eyes when Kurt had nearly collapsed and wondered just when Puckerman would be moved to the front of the list. He wondered when he might be able to get Kurt to admit just how he felt about the boy and just how long it would take the other boy to do the same.

And what would happen if he never did? His doubts and insecurities reared their ugly heads again. Could Burt possibly be enough to put Kurt back together again after heartbreak? Would he even know what to do if Kurt came to him with a broken heart?

"Don't be an idiot, Hummel," he could almost hear Connie whisper in his ear, "Of course you'll know what to do if it happens. You'll do exactly what you've always done. You'll love him and tell him the truth. He has a bright future far away from Lima, Ohio, filled with excitement and laughter, a little bit of heartbreak and love. You'll be his dad, Hummel. It's what you're best at."

"We've got the best kid in the world, Connie," He whispered, rolling onto his side and making himself more comfortable.

"Bet your ass we do. And if you ever do something as stupid as almost leave him again…so help me, Burtram Hummel."

"Yeah, I know, Connie. I know."

The next morning Burt woke late to the smell of fresh coffee and turned to the chair Kurt had occupied for days to find it occupied by not one, but two bodies. Kurt was curled up in Puckerman's lap like a cat, his head resting on the bigger boy's sturdy shoulder, the fingers of one of their hands linked, sleeping. Burt wondered how long Puckerman had actually talked him into sleeping at home and just how long they'd been back at the hospital. Puckerman, to his credit, was just watching Kurt sleep, an expression caught between wonder and terror on his face. Burt knew that look. It was the same look he'd had the first time Connie agreed to a date with him. When he noticed that Burt was awake, his eyes went to him. For a moment, they held defiance laced with fear, then a little bit of embarrassment at being caught and finally they settled on something between begging and telling.

"I won't be in this bed forever, Puckerman," Burt tried for his growl and hoped he wasn't completely ineffective when it came out as little more than a whisper, "And I own a shotgun. If you ever hurt my boy…" He let the threat trail.

"I know, Mr. H," Puckerman lifted his chin. Burt liked his attitude.

Burt was surprised when Noah gently untangled his fingers from Kurt's then, placed Kurt's hand in Burt's. Their fingers, father's and son's, curled around each other automatically as they had so many times before.

"Love you, Dad," Kurt sighed in his sleep. Puckerman closed his eyes and looked, for all intents, like he was going to settle in for a nap. Burt sighed deeply, content for the moment, and closed his eyes again. A nap sounded pretty good.

Everybody knows the secret
Well, I don't, and I never did
I don't know any secret
All I know is I love you, kid
All I know is I love you, kid
All I know…