Dance With Me?

Chapter 20: See You At The Competition

It was Saturday.

Kurt had sat by his father's bedside since Thursday night, having missed school on Friday, the chair pulled up as close as he was allowed to, his hand gently holding his fathers in a gentle but firm grip, his thumb gently brushing across his father's hand as he stared down at him, eyes red and puffy. Carole and Finn sat on the other side, Finn holding his mum's hand in comfort as she looked longingly at her husband and stole heartbroken glances at her stepson.

They had all barley spoken that day, Thursday's events still fresh in their minds; phone calls from the hospital, finding a frantic Kurt pacing the waiting area after not being able to see his father and him then breaking down, the results claiming Burt had overworked himself and collapsed from exhaustion and some minor heart problems that occurred from his poor health and the small family staying by Burt's bedside the whole night, sniffles and the beeping of the heart monitor being the only noise the entire time. Kurt had spoken the least, after Carole and Finn had first came last night, he had broken down into sobs in his brother's arms who had hugged him and was frantically expressing his worries and guilt until the doctor came with Carole and told them the news.

As soon as they had gotten in the room all Kurt did was hold his dad's hand and whisper apologies until he tired himself out, falling asleep with his knees tucked up and his head resting on them, he hadn't moved from that position since.

"Kurt.. sweetie?" Carole said gently, looking up from her husband.

Kurt didn't reply he merely looked to the side to face her, his tired face resting on his knees.

"I know you want to stay with your dad, and you know I won't force you to go but, you have your competition today, don't you?" she asked, although she knew he did.

Kurt looked at her before glancing back down at his dad.

"I can't..." he choked out, his voice rough from crying and not speaking.

"What? But Kurt, you've been practicing for like a month now" Finn said in disbelief.

"What's the point in going..?" Kurt asked, his eyes closing gently as he remembered the last time something like that happened.

"Your dad was going to come watch" Carole said, breaking the silence and causing Kurt's eyes to flicker open and look at her, "We all were, he'd bought tickets" she explained.

"But.. I thought he said he was too busy" Kurt started, "He said that he couldn't get anyone to cover for him and Finn at the shop" he recalled as tears formed in his eyes.

"He wanted to surprise you" she explained with a gentle smile, "He.. he was going to wait on the wings and watch you perform and surprise you with a lilac and white rose bouquet, said you'd know why" she explained, looking over to her husband.

Lilacs and white roses...

"They.. they were mum's favourite..." Kurt smiled sadly, a choked sigh leaving his lips, "He use to buy her them all the time" he added, looking down at his dad as well but his smile flattering soon after.

"Dude.. are you okay?" Finn asked, noticing the change.

"I still can't go..." Kurt replied, he cut them both off before they could ask, "The last time I tried competing when he was in the hospital, I didn't even place.. I'd just let everyone down again..." he admitted, wiping at the stray tears that had fallen from all of the memories, "I can't dance if I know he's not well, I-I just can't..." he stuttered.

"Don't do it for you then" Finn suddenly said causing both to look at him; his mum ready to tell him off and Kurt with confusion, but he continued before they could say anything else, "Do it for Burt, do it for your dad" he elaborated, "Dance because you know if he was there, he'd be cheering the loudest and smiling the hardest out of everyone for you to dance your best and even more so if you won" he continued, "He can't be there and it sucks but, he wouldn't want you to not go, to not compete, to let your friends down..." he finished, his eyes not leaving Kurt's.

Carole smiled at her son and his surprisingly heart-warming speech for his brother. Kurt looked down at his dad and then back at his brother, a confused expression on his face as he thought about it. Just as he was about to reply, his phone buzzed with another text, he'd been ignoring them all day, calls too, but he still checked who they were from so his eyebrows furrowed when the contact read blocked number. However, as soon as he opened the message, he realised who it was from instantly.

To: Kurt
From: Unknown Number
See you at the competition.

"Kurt?" Carole asked, tilting her head at him, the boy looking up at her, "What do you wanna do?" she asked.