Your Heart Outside Your Body

The Capitol

The sound of the wheels on the train track was louder than Finn had thought it would be.  He stood inside the car, not moving from his spot as the train lurched into motion.

"Finn.  Go in," Kurt ordered.  "We're already on the train.  Not moving isn't going to change that."

Awareness jolted back to him.  "Right.  Sorry."  Not moving hadn't been any sort of protest.  Just a reaction.  He moved into the car, Kurt on his heels. 

The parlor car was nice.  A lot nicer than their apartment and worlds nicer than the room Finn had shared with his mother before she'd married Burt Hummel.  The carpet was thick under their feet and the furniture was plush with deep red fabric and dark, polished wood.  Kurt reached out a hand and touched a chair reverently, shivering as his fingers trailed over the soft velvet.  Outside a huge plate glass window, District 8 rushed by them.

"Finn.  Kurt.  Which one is which?"

Julius Ramsey's voice was dark and deep, and it commanded an answer almost immediately.  Something in Finn responded to that whether he wanted to or not.  "I'm Finn."

Julius nodded and made a note on his pad.  "And you two are… brothers?"

"Stepbrothers," Finn answered.  "His dad married my mom nine months ago."

"I see.  And your other natural parents?"

"My dad died in an accident at the cotton mill when I was a baby," Finn said.

"My mother starved to death when I was eight."  Kurt's voice was cold.

Julius looked up.  "No she didn't," he said.  "She died of pneumonia."

"You weren't there.  I was.  She died of starvation."

"She died of pnuemonia."  It was a command.  "Remember that I am in a position to make what's left of your life very uncomfortable for you."  Kurt looked mutinous, but he didn't argue.  Finn was glad of that.  "Are you two close?"

"Huh?"

"I dislike having to repeat myself," Julius said.  "Are you two close?"

"Oh!  Um, yeah.  I guess."  Finn looked at Kurt and shrugged.  "We've known each other for a few years and all, and we were friends in glee and everything."  He figured it was best to leave out some of the other stuff.

"That's something, at any rate.  Not much, but something."  The parlor door opened, and Julius looked over his shoulder.  "This is your mentor, Sue Sylvester."

"Has anyone ever told you that the reflection off your head could blind people as far away as District 12?" Sue asked Julius.  "Seriously.  It's positively mesmerizing.  I'm convinced you use furniture polish on it."

Julius frowned.  "Right.  I'm going to go check on the girls.  Good luck."  He left the compartment.

"Well now, isn't this nice?" Sue said, arms crossed, surveying Finn and Kurt.  "All nice and cozy and personal, just the three of us.  Why don't you have a seat?"

Finn sat down tentatively in one of the chairs.  When it didn't explode or something, he sat back.  It was comfortable, and he hadn't realized until he sat how hard his legs were shaking.  After a deliberate pause, Kurt did the same.

Sue circled them, studying them like a vulture eyeing up a dying animal.   "All right.  Let's talk.  Do you two have anything that might be useful at all?"

"Um…"

"Okay, I'll take that as a no from you, Lurch.  What about you, Ladyface?"

"I have no idea.  I've never killed a person before in my life," Kurt answered.