Chapter Text
Finn Hudson hated when his route sent him along Interstate 75; it always brought back such painful memories. Burt standing at the door to the house looking like he was a second away from killing him, his mother standing with him with tears streaming down her face. He had turned to her for help or understanding or something, but she'd just said, "I'm sorry Finn. I can't help you this time." He often wondered what exactly Kurt had told them after it was all over. Oh, he had a general idea and he knew that what he had done was wrong, but… but Kurt wasn't completely innocent either. He wondered sometimes if they knew that.
Finn talked to his mom about once a month because he knew she worried about him being on the road all the time, but the closeness they had shared his whole life had disappeared the day she chose Kurt and Burt over him. They never discussed what had happened; in fact they barely talked about anything beyond how's work and are you getting enough to eat.
His whole future had been turned upside down that day. After busting his right shoulder in senior year, it became painfully obvious that Finn was never going to play college ball. And he wasn't sure he would have been able to pass the classes anyway. He knew he wasn't the brightest kid, but that was okay because he had discovered that he loved working on cars with Burt and Burt had said he could go get his mechanics certificate at the community college, maybe take a few business courses, and then Finn could work with him at the garage. It wasn't a life Kurt would have ever wanted, but it was one that Finn would have loved.
After Burt kicked him out, though, Finn had to change his plans. He stayed with Puck for a while, but he had to find a way to survive on his own. That was how he had ended up driving trucks. He'd tried to find a job at one of the other shops around town, but without his certificate—not to mention the awful rumors that were going around about him—they didn't want him. But the trucking school in Findlay would train him and pay him while they trained him and all he had to do was agree to work for their company for a couple years after.
Now, five years later, Finn thought he was content with his life. He had an okay apartment in Columbus. It was small, but it was just him and he wasn't really there much, so that was okay. He had a job that he could tolerate and he was good at. How hard was it to haul loads across country, even for a dumb guy like him? The only friend from high school he kept in touch with was Puck. In fact, he was really the only friend Finn had at all. He hadn't just lost his family that day. Everyone from glee club had chosen sides, and only Puck had chosen him. Since then, being on the road all the time made it easy to avoid making friends who would probably just hurt him later.
Yeah, Finn was usually content with his life except when he had to take 75 and drive through Lima and all of those old feelings and thoughts rushed back and he knew that it was a lie. He wasn't content. He wasn't happy. He was miserable and angry and hurt that no one believed him. Five years of misery because of one stupid night.
Puck had really proven himself to be a good friend. He'd not only taken Finn in, he'd stood up to the rest of the glee club for him. He had even given up his girlfriend over the whole thing. When Finn tried to thank him and apologize, Puck had shrugged it off and said he was going to break up with her after the summer anyway. She was leaving for college in Atlanta and Puck was going to play ball for Wright State. It was a crappy football team and Puck never made anything but second string, but they paid for him to go to school and even gave him tutors to help him pass classes. Now, Puck lived not far from Finn in Columbus and worked at an advertising agency. Finn thought it was pretty cool what he did, but Puck always shrugged it off and said it was just a job.
Finn turned some music on as he started to pass some of the familiar landmarks north of Lima. Maybe the music would take his mind off of these depressing thoughts. He was on his way back from Chicago with an empty trailer and a full wallet. He'd just spent three weeks straight on the road and he couldn't wait to get to his cramped little apartment and sleep for three days. He never got enough sleep when he was hauling a load. There were deadlines to make and bonuses to earn. He'd been saving for years and he almost had enough money put away now to go back to school and get his mechanics certificate. He'd have to budget carefully and probably haul loads over the summer break, but he could finally sign up for the courses he'd missed five years ago.
All thoughts of Finn's life flew out the window as he watched some maniac in an Audi a couple cars ahead swerving in and out of traffic, trying to pass at dangerous speeds. It was like some car chase in a movie when the guy decided that he wasn't going to wait for the car ahead of him to get out of the way and tried to pass on the shoulder. He almost made it, too. Just as he was swerving back onto the highway, the gravel gave and his car swung out crazily and hit the little blue Honda Fit he was trying to pass. The Fit lost control and careened off the side of the highway and into the ditch, but the maniac just kept driving.
Finn got the guys plate and called it in over the radio for other trucks to keep an eye out even as he pulled his rig over to the side of the road. Once he was stopped, he grabbed his cell and dialed 911. He gave them the Audi's plate number and told them about the Fit. He stayed on the phone with the 911 operator while he climbed down the six foot embankment to the car. He needed to let her know if they were going to need an ambulance.
The first thing Finn noticed was that the little car looked like it had crumpled and there was glass everywhere. The driver looked like he was moving and he told the dispatch that. He also saw that he was bleeding and he told them that as well. He was prepared for just about anything when he reached the little car, or he thought he was.
He wasn't prepared to find Kurt Hummel looking dazed with blood flowing from his temple and down his cheek. He told the dispatch to send the ambulance and hung up.
"Kurt?" Finn asked with worry. It was funny, after everything, he still really cared about him. "Are you okay?"
"Finn? I think I hit my head," Kurt said. He sounded drunk; his words were lightly slurred and he was confused. "I must have. I was coming to see you, but here you are. Are we at your apartment?" He tried to open his door and climb out of the car.
Finn got the door open, but he stopped Kurt from getting out. "You need to stay put. There's an ambulance coming. You shouldn't be moving around. Okay?"
Kurt nodded dumbly. "I told them. I told them it was my fault. I told them and then… I was coming to see you. What are you doing here?"
"I saw the accident and pulled over to help," Finn said. He was pretty sure Kurt wasn't going to understand anything he was telling him.
"I hit my head," Kurt told him again. "I think I'm hallucinating. I was coming to see you. I wanted to tell you how sorry I am." And then Kurt began to cry. "I'm so sorry Finn! I'm sorry!"
"Shh," Finn hushed and pulled Kurt very carefully into his arms. "It's going to be okay. I can hear the sirens. The police and ambulance are almost here." But he suddenly realized that Kurt wasn't crying anymore. In fact he wasn't doing anything. He was out cold and his breathing was labored and Finn was growing alarmed. He prayed that the ambulance would get there and that they could help him. As angry as he might be, he knew he didn't want Kurt to die. He still loved him.
FKFKFKFKFK
Finn rode in the ambulance to the hospital with Kurt. He had called his boss and told him what was going on while the EMTs got Kurt out of the car and on the stretcher. Mitch said he'd have someone run up and get the rig. He should just concentrate on Kurt. Finn had thanked him and shut off his phone. He'd gone to grab his duffle bag from the cab of the truck and then climbed into the back of the ambulance just as they were about to pull away.
Once at the hospital, there was nothing to do but wait as they rushed Kurt off behind some double doors. Finn tried to follow, but the nurse stopped him.
"But he's… my brother," Finn said. He felt like a hypocrite using that word, but if it got him in to be with Kurt then he'd throw it around all day.
"I understand sir," the nurse said kindly. "But they're taking him to x-ray. You can't go with him. You have to wait out here." She gave him another sympathetic smile and then disappeared behind the doors and Finn just stood there feeling totally lost and more alone than he had in years.
He had to call his mom and tell her what happened, but he was dreading that call. With a deep sigh he went to the reception desk and told the woman there that he was going out to make a call, but asked if she would come get him if there was any news. She smiled kindly at him and promised she would, so Finn stepped outside and went to the benches to the left of the entrance and sat down. He pulled his pack of cigarettes from his shirt pocket and lit one. He let the chemicals in the smoke sooth his nerves for a moment before he got out his phone and made the call.
"Finn? Sweetie? What's wrong?" Carole asked. "You never call except on the first Sunday of the month."
Finn took another drag from his cigarette and then exhaled slowly. "I was on my way home from a run to Chicago. I saw a pretty bad accident on 75. Mom, it was Kurt. We're at the hospital."
"Oh god, Finn," Carole whispered. "I've… I've got to call Burt. We'll… we'll be there as soon as we can, okay? You'll stay with him, won't you?"
"Yeah," Finn said quietly. "I'll stay. They won't let me back with him right now, but I'll be here."
Carole hung up the phone and Finn sighed as he took another drag from the cigarette. He'd been trying to quit for a while now, but still fell back on old habits when he was under stress. He smoked three cigarettes in a row while he waited for something to happen.
"Mr. Hudson?" It was the nurse from before and Finn quickly tossed the cigarette into the ash tray there before walking over to meet her. "The doctor would like to speak with you."
"Yeah, okay," Finn said. He followed her into the ER and back through the double doors he'd been locked out of before. They walked through a maze of curtained cubicles until they reached a nurses' station where the doctor was standing in green scrubs and writing on a chart of some kind. He looked up when they approached and gave them a smile.
"Are you Finn?" the doctor asked.
"Uh, yeah," Finn said. "How's Kurt? Is he okay?"
"He's going to be just fine, Finn," he said. "I'm Doctor Mendel. I'm in charge of your brother's care. Kurt is suffering from a concussion and until we could get him awake and aware, we couldn't be sure if he had suffered brain damage. He is awake now, and we've done a full neurological exam. He's going to be just fine. And he's asking for you. Or rambling about you would be more accurate."
"So he's okay," Finn said, trying to reassure himself.
"Well, his right ankle is broken and will need to be put in a cast," Dr. Mendel said. "And he has a few cuts and bruises as well as a few cuts that needed stitches, all of which will need time to heal, plus he'll have one hell of a headache for a few days, but yes, he's going to be fine. Would you like to see him?"
"Please," Finn said and was quick to follow when the doctor led him to one of the curtained cubicles. Once inside he found Kurt looking pale and fragile, but he was alive and awake.
"Finn."
"Hey," Finn said and walked over to the gurney. "How do you feel?"
"Awful," Kurt said. "Are you really here? I'm not just dreaming that you showed up to rescue me?"
"No," Finn said with an awkward laugh. "I'm really here."
"I'm sorry," Kurt said even as his eyes began to droop. "I'm so sorry."
"So you've said," Finn muttered quietly. Kurt was already asleep and he didn't want to wake him up. He probably needed the sleep.
"He's on some pretty strong pain medication right now," Dr. Mendel said, surprising Finn. He had forgotten the other man was there. "We're going to admit him and keep him overnight for observation, but I don't think there will be any reason he won't be able to go home tomorrow."
"Yeah," Finn said. "That's… that's good."
Just then his mom and Burt walked through the curtains and soon there was a flurry of activity. Finn backed away from the cubicle and tried to find his way back to the ER entrance. He had to stop and ask for directions once, but he finally made it back to the bench where he had been before. He didn't need to be there any more. Kurt was going to be okay and his mom and Burt were there. He wasn't needed any more. He could probably call Puck for a ride. He'd make the two hour drive to get him. Or he could catch a cab to the greyhound station, but he wasn't really sure how long the wait would be for a bus to Columbus.
He lit another cigarette and sighed.
"That's a filthy habit."
Finn turned around to see Burt standing there. "Been trying to quit, but times like this…" He shrugged.
"I wanted to thank you… Kurt said you saved him," Burt said quietly. The tension between the two men was thick and Finn just wanted to walk away from it.
"No, I just called the ambulance," Finn said. "If I hadn't I'm sure one of the other people who witnessed the accident would have."
"Finn… I'm sorry," Burt said. "Kurt told us—"
"I don't want to talk about that," Finn interrupted. "Hell, I don't want to be here at all."
"We should have—"
"For fuck's sake!" Finn shouted. "Don't you get it? I don't want to talk about this! You should have? Should have what? Listened to me? Given me the fucking benefit of the doubt? Remembered that I was your goddamn son too? What? But I wasn't your son, was I? Not when it fucking mattered. Well guess what? It's too late to go back and fix it!"
"I know that," Burt said. "I know that!"
"Then just leave it the fuck alone," Finn said quietly and tossed his cigarette butt away. He grabbed up his duffle bag and began walking. He had no idea where he was going, but he knew he needed to get the fuck away from there.
"Finn!"
Finn didn't bother to turn around. "Tell mom I'll call her in two weeks, like usual." He kept walking and heaved a sigh of relief when he didn't hear footsteps following him.