Sorry its a bit late. I had papers due then my beta was busy with work. But at long last (or, rather, a week's last) I bring you chapter 4 n.n

Continuing Poll:
1. Should the baby be boy, girl, or intersex?
2. Should Kurt or Blaine be the genetic father? (whether or not they know whose it is - which father should the baby resemble?)
3. BABY NAMES GUYS GIVE ME ALL YOUR IDEAS

Burt didn't mind driving his son and son-in-law around when they were in Lima. Kurt had sold his car when he was 18 and, well, never looked back. He hadn't really needed to. NYC was built in such a way that made cars, well, more of a hassle most of the time. Plus it seemed that where the boys lived didn't have any parking anyway. Which meant he just needed wheels when he was in his smaller and more sidewalk disadvantaged Ohio hometown. What he did mind was the goofy grins and complete silence as they held hands in the backseat. They were acting like teenagers. It was just weird.

"So," he tried. "A whole week back in high school? Sounds fun."

"We're honored guests," Kurt informed him. "I think we're even supposed to teach a class or two this week."

"I think we're also supposed to take a day or two with the New Directions," Blaine mused.

"Or do we get to mentor them more individually? I know Mercedes and Santana are working with the TroubleTones...Wait does that mean Puck is working with the boys? Since we're supposed to work with the New Directions."

"Yup, Puck and Artie."

"Oh that sounds like something I have to see."

"Ok, ok guys," Burt interjected. He pulled into the somewhat redesigned McKinley parking lot. There were a lot more kids in this district than there used to be. And all of them wanted to go to McKinley. He chuckled a little as he drove up to the front door. "I feel almost like I should give you another speech like I did your first day of high school."

"Can we please not repeat that, please."

"Fiiine. But promise me that you'll embarrass your kids just as bad."

"Oh you don't have to worry about that. We'll probably both be there fussing over each of them before they go through those doors." He caught his father's gaze through the rearview mirror. "But before we start talking about a 'them' we should probably focus on the first one, huh?"

"That sounds like a plan. Any time table you're looking at?" The two men squeezed each other's hands.

"As soon as possible."

"...Now Kurt."

"Dad?" A pit rolled up in his stomach for a moment. Burt had been the one to encourage him to talk to Blaine. That wasn't a kind of thing he could take back and start going on about all the reasons he shouldn't. Kurt felt himself tensing up. Blaine must have felt it too because he pulled his husband's hand closer to his body. Then Burt dropped what he had to say.

"You realize I'm really going to have to embarrass you now, right?"

"...what?"

"You can't just tell me that and not expect me to get out of this car and hug you. So come on. Out. We're hugging."

"Dad you don't-"

"Now. You're the one who decided to wait until we were in front of your old high school to tell me that. So you're going to have to deal with the consequences."

Look at them, it was hard to believe that seven years ago Burt had found his son in the auditorium giving a big middle finger (in the form of some song from some musicals about gypsies or something) to their entire relationship. They'd been fractured but love had seen them through.

Now there was, as soon as possible, going to be a third generation (Anderson-)Hummel to bring up and, well, this time Burt wasn't going to make the same mistakes. And he was going to help his sons from doing the same. He knew Kurt was a lot like him with a penchant to bottle things up and hide them. Someday he'd have a teenager who, by definition of their age, probably did that exact same thing. Luckily for Kurt and Blaine they had a seasoned old grandpa to be who'd dealt with all of that before.

When Blaine tried to hover near the hug, the two Hummels pulled him in. He loved it, of course. Where his own father was absent he had a husband and father-in-law who accepted him into their family with wide open arms.

"It could be a while," Kurt whispered.

"That's ok. Everyone has to go through some kind of process for getting a baby one way or another. Kids don't just show up and drop onto your laps. I'm here to help you any way I can. In the mean time you two go enjoy being honored guests or whatever this is. I have to go get all your old baby stuff out and go through it." Burt let his boys go and crawled back into his car. He had to drive away before his emotions caught up with him.

"Right now?" he heard his son call after him.

"You'll understand in twenty years."

His little baby was trying to have a baby. No one would fault him, of course, for crying a little, but he still didn't want anyone to see it. Except maybe Carole. They could curl up together and talk about how old they were now.

As for the Anderson-Hummel duo, Blaine tried to hold his husband's hand but Kurt hooked their arms together instead. It may very well have been that the school and the whole world was more friendly towards their marriage than it was when he walked these halls five years ago but the instinct to keep it subtle hadn't abated. Besides, it was just more professional. Spouses holding hands at something like this could look childish. They had to wow the children with their adult-ness today.

"There you two are!" Mr. Schue greeted them. "Everyone is late today. "

"It's not even 9:30 yet," Blaine said.

"Nine….I thought i had them put 8:30 down."

"No it said nine," Kurt echoed his husband. "By what we got, we're early."

"That...explains a lot. Ok, anyway, classes have been redesigned this week so you guys can all spend time with everyone as needed anyway, and Sam has the New Directions for another thirty minutes anyway-"

"You can do that?"

"As long as the kids are passing their tests, and they are, then yes. They're technically learning everything they need for those graduation exams so I don't see why we can't take a week to focus on the performing side of this performing arts high school. Especially since it's early enough in the year."

"Ah the glories of being able to call all the shots."

"It is nice. Go on, hurry, they're waiting in the choir room. I'm going to try to get in touch with everyone else." The two practically ran unabashedly down the halls. No one could tell them no. This was Mr. Schue's first annual alumni week (with the yearly March career information fair being so successful he'd had to expand things a bit but didn't want to repeat the activities) so everyone was figuring out what to do with it. And Kurt and Blaine had several ideas for what they wanted to try out with these kids. Like unusual duets or small group numbers since the idea still seemed to be that only people in love sang together. At least it was more evolved from 'just men and women.' Kurt couldn't wait to repeat his Victor Victoria act. Blaine had stayed up all night a few weeks back helping him make it even better than it had been before.

Their dreams went out the window fast. The twenty students who had been selected for the New Directions this year were deep in a performance of the latest top pop song of 2017 - girls were dancing with girls, boys with boys, and at the front was someone who was completely unidentifiable owning on the solo.

"I think that's Courtney," Blaine whispered. "Sam told me about them. Apparently Courtney is a chosen name and they ran into some issues registering hi...her? Them. Them. They had some issues but it's all clear now."

"It's so nice to see people being themselves openly and proudly," Kurt sighed back to him. "And to see the school supporting them? It's a dream come true." Sam caught sight of his friends and stopped in the middle of directing the kids to pounce on them. The kids didn't stop. They finished their performance with a passion and flair that could win them another National's trophy. The Anderson-Hummel men were more than happy to give them a loud standing ovation - and not just because there wasn't anywhere for them to sit. "That was amazing you guys!"

He expected smiles, thank yous perhaps. He didn't expect the familiar dark chuckles that he hadn't heard since the football team had replaced his boxers with some women's lacy underwear. Bra included. (Finn had rescued him - in secret, but then again that was a time when Finn had still been getting up the confidence to be the hero that he became.)

"Uhm, everyone have a seat," Sam said. "This is Kurt and Blaine. I know you've heard a lot of stories about these guys, they're legends here at McKinley and now they've taken a whole week out of their performance schedules to come here and pass on their knowledge. They're also my best friends. My junior and senior year I was even allowed to live with the Hummels - that's Kurt's family - because I wanted to stay at McKinley but my family had moved to another state. These guys are absolutely amazing and I expect you to try your hardest to learn absolutely everything you can from them this week. Understand? Now, who has any questions."

It was Courtney that raised their hand. Kurt more than eagerly pointed to allow them their chance to speak.

"What's the best flavor from the slushie machine?" The other kids broke out into giggles.

"The...best flavor?" Kurt echoed unsuspectingly.

"Yeah," a boy laughed. "Since, you know, you've tasted them all." The laughter only grew.

"I actually haven't, I didn't waste my money on those and only had a couple when someone else got them for me. Usually grape. So I guess that's the best flavor?"

"Oh, not cherry?" one of the girls practically squealed. "Since that's the one you were always wearing!"

"CLASS!" Sam barked, jumping forward before Blaine had a chance to. He knew how protective the men were of each other. His friend, however, hadn't quite figured out what was going on. Kurt had.

"What it's true, we've all seen it."

"How many times have I told you-things were different in 2010. The glee club wasn't popular and-"

"Did you ever stop to think that maybe that was because they weren't any good? I mean, Mr. Evans, really! You always tell us about how they'd always perform in the courtyard or the cafeteria and people would set their things on fire or throw food at them. I don't know about you but that's a clear sign that they sucked."

"Wait," Blaine said. "Wait. You can't honestly tell me that you guys are this full of yourselves."

"Blaine-" Kurt whispered, reaching for his husband as the man stepped towards the kids.

"When the New Directions started they had to fight not just against the other students calling them uncool or going after them for doing something they thought was gay because clearly gay was the worst possible thing you could be, right? Obviously. But it didn't stop there. They also had to deal with teachers trying to constantly destroy them, Will - Mr...Principal Schuester was constantly being undermined at every turn. The school administration wanted to completely defund everything. You're honestly telling me that you think we weren't good because they-we had to overcome all that just to win the New Directions first nationals trophy? That was barely five years ago!"

"Oh please," another student drawled. "Every kid loves a good performance. If the performances were good you would have been popular in an instant."

"You. You're absolutely spoiled! I'll tell you what - me, and Kurt, and Rachel - we're all successful performers. That song you were just singing? Was from someone Mercedes helped break into the biz because she has that much power that she can do that. Every single one of us is doing far better than any of you will do with that attitude. You know what? You guys aren't worth our time."

With that, Blaine stormed out. Kurt felt his skin prickling. He had never seen Blaine like that. His own mouth was, for once, sealed shut. It was like seeing the Warblers go corrupt only this wasn't because of bad leadership. Sam had a pure heart. The worst thing he'd probably be capable of would be encouraging them to be too sexy for their age group. With complete innocence, of course. "Uh, uhm, Kurt you're in charge, and you guys - if any of you give him any trouble remember I'm not afraid to kick you out even if it means dropping below the required number! You aren't the only glee club in this school."

"Oh yeah, how can we forget the Terrible Tones and the Duly Warblers," someone scoffed. Sam missed it. He'd already taken off after his best friend. Kurt, however, caught how everyone giggled at the Warbler name. He almost started fighting before he realized if they weren't impressed with how hard the old New Directions had worked then they definitely wouldn't have anything nice to say about an acapella boy's club that hadn't even won a Nationals trophy of any sort in well over a decade before the school was burned down.

Kurt felt his chest puffing up defensively as he stepped forward. He could handle a bunch of teens.

As for Sam, he tracked Blaine down in what used to be the locker rooms. Now they were changing rooms for all the performances that went on. The purpose was similar but the room was structured completely differently. There wasn't any punching bags anymore, unfortunately. "If you need something to punch, then uh...I actually don't know what to tell you."

"As much as I'd love to, I probably shouldn't," Blaine sighed. He let himself slide down into a soft chair. "It's not an appropriate way to take out my anger about this."

"Now is that you talking or Kurt talking…"

"Kurt doesn't mind that I box."

"But he is kinda a pacifist and punching a bag is like one step away from someone's face-"

"He knows better. I just...they're kids Sam. I shouldn't feel like punching things. Over this. How did this happen anyway? They're awful." His friend slowly settled down beside him.

"They're not totally terrible. Uhm, Amelia, the trans girl, she has a hard time with her parents because of their church. She's living with her aunt now, her parents think she's a boy and, well its bad. But they look out for her."

"...that doesn't excuse them from being awful to other people. For all we know, those guys that put Kurt in the hospital a few years ago were amazing brothers, or fathers. That doesn't make them any less attempted murderers. Their supposed to be our legacy Sam. They're supposed to be the best of the best, but more than that, they're supposed to...to do us proud. You know, be the kind of people that the other kids can look up to. They were making fun of us!"

"...It all started last winter. After sectionals, a couple of kids quit, said they didn't like the pressure of performing. I tried talking to them but they said they just wanted to have fun. So we helped them put together a talent show for the kids who aren't in one of the glee clubs. They did great by the way. But...one of them backed out of that too. Then transferred. That's when I realized something was up. These kids...the ones that are here, they're picking and choosing who gets into the junior varsity glee club and who gets to come up into the New Directions. But I don't have proof. And no one's speaking up about it."

"Then how do you know?"

"Well...ok so I don't know for sure, but it's like...like how we knew that the Warblers were cheating, but we didn't have proof yet. The pieces are there. We just need someone to speak up or to catch someone out of line. They walk around this school like they own it. And yeah, they're amazing. Amazing. Blaine, seriously, these kids if they get their acts together, they're going to be stars."

Blaine ran his fingers through his half-gelled hair. This was just like what happened to the Warblers. Corruption. They were morphing into Vocal Adrenaline. And from the sounds of it these kids were proud of that.

"You can't let them keep acting like this."

"I know but...I don't want to just kick them all out. They earned their spots. Well, I think they did. There's a lot of kids that didn't try out this year that I thought would. And I don't know why, at least not for sure."

"UGH I swear if my kids ever act like this! Those kids need a wake up call. Maybe...some kind of history lesson? And not the lesson about how much you guys were always bullied those first two years. Apparently that's hilarious."

The bell rang. Sam didn't even budge though Blaine darted up on instinct. "I need help. I have no idea what to do anymore."

"Well, this is the perfect week for that," Kurt's beautiful sing-song voice cut through the sound of students outside as he slipped into the changing room. "How did I know I'd find you in here?" He held his arm out for Blaine to hug him before offering his other hand to their friend.

"How did it go after we left?"

"I talked to them about producers and getting and keeping jobs and how if they piss off the wrong person then they'll literally never work in their field again. I think they took it pretty seriously. But one of them did ask if I was having a hard time getting jobs. Since being in all kinds of revolutionary productions and being a singer for high society well-to-do charity balls isn't a feasible definition of success. They have their sights set as high as Rachel. But they aren't all going to win Tonys. It'd be nice if the Tony awards could become the McKinley High graduates awards but we all know there's millions of talented kids out there and all of these guys are just as easily replaced with any of them. These kids need to be humbled before they ruin their futures. So! I propose we send out an SOS to everyone and meet up and come up with a plan. The sooner the better since we have less than five days to do this."

"Sounds like plenty of time for a lesson," Blaine told him.

"Lets get to it then!" Sam cheered, running off ahead of them.

"Did you tell him yet?" Kurt whispered.

"Uhm, I hinted at it, I think, but I don't think he picked up on it."

"Ok." He pecked his husband's cheek. "I can't wait to tell everyone. We'll have to be careful though. Rachel has a penchant for gossip that's worse than mine."

"Quite a feat!"

"I know."

"Its like they worship us and the ground we walk on!" Santana declared over lunch in the auditorium. "I'm pretty sure more than a couple of the girls were upset when I said we were married."

"The boys couldn't wait for us to lay down some rock and roll on them," Puck joked.

"It's amazing how excited everyone is," Artie added.

"Which really makes you wonder what the emergency was," Quinn mused. She and Tina had been working with an acting class as opposed to the musical groups. They would all get their turns throughout the day - and the days to come.

"I bet it has something to do with the baby," Rachel said with a giggle. Then she looked to the rest of their friends.

"What baby."

"The...they didn't tell you yet?"

"Did Sam knock someone up?" Tina gasped. "I thought he was always like super safe."

"...Not Sam."

"Rachel we've already well confirmed that Lady Hummel isn't a lady," Santana sighed. "And there's no way his other half is either. His voice is too deep."

"Well they don't have a mother yet but, they're working on it. At least they told me they were. I thought they'd asked you guys. They're looking for a surrogate."

"Wait they're what," Quinn snapped, jumping to her feet. "Oh no no no. They are way too young for that."

"Who are too young for what?" Sam asked as he strolled in.

"Blaine and Kurt are trying to find a surrogate! They're trying to have a baby!"

"Quinn, it's their choice when they're ready to be parents," Rachel argued. "And they think-"

"They thought getting engaged when half of them was still in high school was a good idea and look how well that turned out."

"They got married didn't they?"

"It took them forever and it almost destroyed them in the process. That's fine when its just the two of them but they can't just break up with a baby. Once that baby is on its way to being theirs, they can't just back out, and then decide at the last minute they still want it!"

"Oh come on guys. Someone back me up here!"

"I'm with Quinn on this," Puck said. "And not just because she's my girl. People shouldn't have babies before they're like, thirty if they can help it."

"Ditto," Artie echoed.

"Just because we aren't ready to be parents doesn't mean they aren't," Rachel proclaimed. "They really want this, and it's going to take a couple of years for them to get it anyway so if they want to have babies by the time they're thirty they have to start really early and get their names on the lists with adoption agencies or surrogacy...whatever those are called. It's not like they can just go knock someone up. Unless any of us volunteer then it's easier they don't have to go through the process of getting to know someone. I mean I can't but maybe one of you girls can, or one of the other girls that joined right after we graduated. But even then they still have to find eggs, unless...any of us donate for them."

"Carrying a child, even if its not genetically yours, is a really big deal," Quinn hissed. "Trust me. I would know. And I'm the only person here who does. Even when you detach yourself and know that that baby is going to another family there is something about giving birth that tears you up. And then you can't keep her. And even if it's just your eggs in someone else's body - that's a really big deal too! That's someone else carrying, giving birth to, and raising what could have been your baby. Do they have any idea what this could mean for the moms?"

"So, what, do you want them to never have kids?"

"No! That's not. UGH! They don't know enough. They're not ready to have babies." Rachel caught the girls nodding as well. Except for Brittany. Sweet forever innocent Brittany.

"Babies are really squishy," she said. "And they kind of remind me of Kurt. Not now but in high school. Sometimes when he smiles he looks like a big squishy baby."

"That's no reason for him to be having a baby," Santana whispered to her beloved wife. "We're more ready than they are."

"Are we having a baby? I didn't knock you up did I?"

"No Britt, you didn't knock me up."

"Did-"

"I didn't knock you up either."

"Why does Britt think she's knocked up?" Kurt cut through. "Rachel, what did you tell them."

"Uhm, well, I might have-" she started, but Quinn cut her off, stomping over to the boys and putting herself right up in their space.

"You two are so selfish! You're way too young to have kids! But if you must insist on this then just promise me you won't hurt any mothers in the process." That was all she said to them before leaving out the back. She pushed right past Mercedes without a glance. Their diva friend stepped out onto the stage to survey the damage. It was her first time back to Lima in three years and while she had been expecting to make a big entrance at lunch into the loving arms of all her friends she knew better than to hold to that when it seemed she'd stepped into the middle of a scandal.

"Does this have anything to do with the emergency Kurt texted me about?" she asked. Kurt, to his credit, did turn to hug her.

"No, it has to do with our baby," he told her. "We've decided we want to have one."

"Congratulations!"

"There! Finally some support," Rachel huffed.

"...Some support for what?"

"Everyone thinks it's too soon. I for one think we should instead be focused on supporting our friends as they start a new chapter in their lives."

"Oh! Here I thought you were going to say you were their surrogate."

"Well if I'd already won a Tony then maybe but pregnant women can't really perform big dance numbers so no, no I'm not."

"Wait you'd actually consider it?" Blaine said. For the both of them. Kurt's jaw was too busy dropping to the floor to speak.

"Maybe. Ok? Maybe."

"We're really growing up," Tina sighed. "Ugh I can't believe you two are trying to have a baby and I'm not even engaged or anything." Blaine caught Artie's eye and pointed a little bit. He knew that his best girl friend was trying her hardest not to fall in love with her first boyfriend. He also knew she was failing. Artie mouthed back that he had a girlfriend. Blaine just rolled his eyes. The coffee shop girl was nice but she wasn't going to last. They all knew it.

"None of us aren't engaged," Sam placated her.

"But they've been married for three beautiful years."

"Yeah, just three years," Santana emphasized.

"Can we just focus on why we're here," Sam cut back in. "We can deal with this whole...baby fiasco later."

"Fiasco?" Blaine repeated, the hurt seeping up in his voice.

"The New Directions are the new school bullies."

"What?"

"Oh hell no."

"That's impossible!"

"It's true," Kurt told them. "They find slushies hilarious and they bully other kids so they won't even try out."

"Kick them out!" Rachel declared.

"It's not that easy," Sam rebounded. "We don't have solid proof. And...they aren't bad kids."

"Think Puck and Santana when they first signed up," Kurt offered.

"Hey!" Puck called out.

"Oh come on it's true. You were still bullying with the best of them until your mohawk got shaved."

"You know I bullied out of love."

"Love doesn't make the rotten cafeteria waste smell any more appealing."

"...yeah, I'm actually really sorry about that. Wait do these new kids throw people in dumpsters?"

"Oh god I hope not," Sam gasped. "I haven't checked."

"What are we going to do?" Tina asked.

"What we do best," Blaine told her. "Perform."