AN: Hey guys. So this is part two, and it is somewhat different from part 1. This one is a little more emotion-heavy and angsty, but there is a happy ending, so... There is nothing graphic either, so it should be fairly safe to read. Thank you for the response to part 1, and feel free to comment after this one, if you so chose. Otherwise enjoy :)

Kurt

1.

"Hello?" Kurt pushed the phone between his shoulder and his ear.

"Is this Mr. Hummel?" Kurt hummed his confirmation, not too focused on the phone call as he picked up a bag of mixed dried fruit. His mind was on his home, with his boyfriend and the two girls that were steadily becoming his as well. He and Blaine had been dating for six months, and things were going smoothly despite a few hick-ups relating to Blaine's new-found interest in men. – Not everyone had been equally impressed. Things had settled though, and he and Blaine had steadily fallen in love. It had not taken many months for Kurt to start staying over virtually every night, though it had only been a couple of weeks since they had made their cohabitation official. Kurt couldn't wait to finish this shopping trip and go home and be with his family. This phone call was just another hindrance to that objective.

"Mr. Hummel, this is Tracy Owenson from the St. Margaret Hospital. I am calling because you are listed as Blaine Anderson's emergency contact?" Kurt froze in place, bag still in hand, his heart speeding up. "Mr. Anderson was brought in to our care recently, and we need you to make your way here as soon as possible. As his acting next of kin, we need you to sign paperwork that will allow us to carry out our medical responsibilities."

"Why is Blaine in your care?" Kurt breathed out. 'Please be a broken wrist, please be a broken wrist,' his heart beat fast in his chest.

"I am afraid Mr. Anderson has been involved in an accident, Mr. Hummel. I cannot give out any further information until you get here, I am sorry." Blinking tears from his eyes, and trying not to panic, Kurt reassured the nurse that he was on his way.

The cap ride from the store to the hospital was one of the most excruciating half hours of Kurt's life. The look on Mr. Schuster's face as he collected Kurt from French class a little over ten years prior kept running through his mind. 'It's you father, Kurt, he's in the hospital.' The voice of his former Glee coach mixed with the voice of the nurse from the phone. 'Mr. Anderson was involved in an accident.'

"I need to see Blaine. Mr. Blaine Anderson. Please, I need to know what happened to him." Kurt rushed out as he skirted to a halt by the reception desk on the emergency level of St. Margaret's.

"One moment please," the nurse manning the desk said as she turned towards her computer. "Mr. Hummel," she turned to him to confirm. "Sir, Mr. Anderson was involved in an accident a few hours ago. He is currently in surgery. We need you to sign documents that will allow us to carry out life-saving procedures, should they become necessary." The nurse was already pulling out forms and spreading them out in front of Kurt, who had started to shake.

"Will they be necessary?" he got out, his voice about as shaky as the rest of him.

"A doctor will be out presently to talk you through the procedures. For now, please sign the forms."

(*)

This could not be happening. Not again.

"His brain activity is low but stable. His vital organs are fully functioning. All we can do is give him time." Kurt stared straight into the air as the doctor spoke in a calm, practised voice. Rachel was crying next to him. So was Elliot on his other side. Kurt only felt numb. Numb and cold. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be.

(*)

He went to see him before he went home. Tina was looking after the girls, and her subdued text from ten minutes before said that they were both sleeping. The doctors had cleaned him up. He looked like he was just sleeping. His eyes were closed, his chest falling steadily under the blanket they had tugged around him. His arms were laid out on top of them, one wrist bandaged. He was fine, more or less. – A little banged up, but fine. No major damage done. No broken bones, no internal bleeding. Just a stupid fall. Just a hurried step and a tumble down the stairs outside his school. He was fine, though. Except from the fact that he wouldn't wake up. Couldn't, according to the doctors. Something about swelling of the brain and some type of coma. Maybe he would wake up tomorrow. Maybe he wouldn't wake up at all. Kurt only stayed a few moments, standing in the doorway, looking at the man it had been all too easy to fall in love with. Then he turned on his heels, letting the door snap shut behind him.

(*)

How do you tell a five-year old that she can't talk to her father because he is sleeping and no one can wake him up? Which words do you use to make that make sense in a five year-old brain?

How do you explain to a one-and-a-half-year-old that looking for the man she loves the most in the world is pointless? That waiting for him is not going to work?

Kurt sat still on the couch, starring into nothingness as Tina spoke in a forced calm voice to a sobbing, confused Maria. When she crawled onto the sofa he automatically opened his arms, letting her curl against his chest. When Emily tugged on his pants, he picked her of the floor and settled her against his chest.

There was nothing to say to them.

(*)

"Kurt?" Rachel pushed the door to the bedroom open, letting light fall onto the bed Kurt was curled up on. "Tina says you've been in here all afternoon." Kurt didn't move. It had been 24 hours since his phone had rung, and he felt like it might as well have been a year. His best friend came into the room and sat down on the edge of the bed, placing a hand on his ankle.

"You need to eat something, Kurt," she said. Kurt just shook his head against the pillows. He didn't want to move. He didn't want to think. He knew that if he did, then things would become real, and he would break, and he couldn't. He just couldn't do that.

"Kurt, I know this really sucks okay, but you have to stay strong. There are two girls out there who need you. Blaine needs you to take care of them."

"You didn't even want me to date him. In the beginning. You didn't like him, and you didn't want me to be their substitute dad."

"That was a long time ago," Rachel voice was calm as she continued to rub Kurt's ankle soothingly. He just wanted her to leave. "Please come and eat with us? Maria helped making dinner. She really wants to show you." A faint baby giggle drifted into the room and Kurt shuddered.

"I can't," he whispered, feeling his entire body tensing in an attempt at not falling apart.

"Kurt, please."

"I can't, Rachel! I just can't!" he shouted, forcefully retracting his foot from her grasp. He pretended not to see the pity in her eyes as she stayed for a few moments more. She mercifully closed the door behind her when she finally did leave.

(*)

"Mr. Wizard?" Maria stood in the doorway, nervously peaking in at him.

"Yeah, sweetheart?" Kurt got out, forcing himself to sit up and look at her. It had been a while since she had stopped calling him Mr. Wizard.

"Why won't you eat? Daddy says we always have to eat our dinner, or our tummies will hurt. Wont your tummy hurt?"

"You're right. I should eat." With a strength he hadn't known he had, he got to his feet, grabbing the little hand as he made his way into the kitchen.

"Rachel says you helped cook. That's very nice of you."

(*)

Emily was crying. Kurt could hear Tina's frantic pleas for her to settle mingled with the screams. He carefully closed Maria's door behind him. It was way past both kids bedtime, but both were resisting sleep. It had taken three books and a million songs for Maria to finally give in, clinging to Kurt as her breath steadied out.

"Da!" Emily screeched loudly. "Kur! Da!"

Kurt made a pit-stop in his and Blaine's room, picking out his favourite baby wrap. Blaine had patiently taught him how to tie Emily to his front one night soon after they had started dating. Having the small child just sitting there, looking up at you with the widest smile, so close and so warm, had rattled Kurt's heart. He wrapped the warm yellow fabric around his midsection and over his shoulders as he made it into the living room. Emily spotted him immediately, her large hazel eyes slurred with tears, her face deep red and swollen from hysteria. "Kur!" she threw herself in his direction, and he caught her safely. Tina send him a grateful look as the toddler settled against his chest, her head tucked against his breast bone.

"Thank you for today Tina," Kurt whispered as he rocked back and forth on the spot. "It means the world to me."

"Of course." Blaine's best friend looked exhausted. She and Blaine had met at college, and when the children's mother left she had been his strongest pillar to lean on. When Blaine had started dating Kurt she had been nothing but supportive, babysitting the girls at least once a week so that they could have some private time. She had gotten married a few weeks ago, and at the wedding Blaine had whispered 'One day I am going to marry you, Kurt Hummel.' Into Kurt's ear.

"Go home. Be with your husband. Take some time to deal," Kurt whispered as Emily started whimpering again. Tina send him a tired look, stroking Emily's back.

"Will you be okay?" she asked softly, tears shaping in her eyes.

"No," Kurt answered thickly, "But nothing's going to change that. Go home, please. We might need you for a long time." Tina nodded, leaning in to kiss his cheek before sneaking out the door.

Emily was falling asleep, finally. The apartment was entirely quiet as Kurt continued walking back and forth, humming softly even though his voice was threatening to break and his legs were shaking under him. Tears started leaking out of his eyes, streaming down his cheeks and into Emily's soft, black curls. He could feel her soft breath against his ribs and whisping over his breastbones. His arms started to shake, too. He continued to walk. Back and forth, back and forth, as the world stood almost still around him.

2.

"It's been a week." Kurt let his head rest in his palm as he looked at Blaine. They had moved him to another room the day after the accident. He still looked asleep, and that was basically what he was, according to his doctor. There were three other people in the room, also comatose. It was one of the most eerily quiet rooms Kurt had ever been in. "Don't you think it's time to wake up now? I mean I get that you were really busy, and probably needed the rest, but this is getting sort of ridiculous." Kurt watched as Blaine's chest rose and fell steadily. He didn't react.

The door opened and the wife of one of the other patients shuffled in. she was old, nearly 75 according to her. Her husband had been out for nearly a year now. Still she came by every day, to sit next to him for one hour – three on the weekend – and read the business section of the newspaper out loud to him. Sometime she would be knitting. Other days her arthritis would be too bad. She absolutely adored the girls. Kurt had only brought them a couple of times. Emily didn't understand why her dad just lay there. She would try to open his eyelids in the same way she had the first time Kurt stayed over. Maria understood better, now, and just sat in Kurt's lap, telling her dad about her day in school. The old lady sometime brought little packets of sweets for Kurt to take home with him.

"Whenever you're ready, honey," Kurt reached over to brush a stray curl of Blaine's forehead, "We'll be waiting for you."

(*)

"I want Daddy!" Maria screetched, stamping her little feet into the ground.

"Sweetie, you need to put your shoes on, we'll be late for school." Kurt tried in his most soothing voice.

"Daddy takes me to school! I want Daddy!" Maria didn't let herself be talked down.

"Da!" Emily chorused from her seat on Kurt's back.

"Daddy can't take you to school today, sweetie, you know that," Kurt reminded himself to just breathe deeply. He knew Maria had to react to what was happening, he just didn't know how to deal with it.

"Then I won't go!" the child insisted, cringing out of the coat it had taken ten minutes to get her into.

"Maria, please, for me. Please just put your clothes on so we can get out the door."

"No! I don't want to go without Daddy! You don't know how to do the voice of the red man while we wait to cross. I don't want you to take me." Kurt felt tears rise in his eyes. The last three mornings had been pure hell. The dresses he picked out for Maria were apparently all wrong. He didn't know how to do the right smiley faces on the pancakes. He did two ponytails when Maria wanted one. He didn't tie her shoes in the right way, like Daddy did. And it didn't stop there. He put the wrong flavour fruit bar in her lunch box. He cut the sandwiches in squares when they were supposed to be triangles. He did the wrong voices when they read bedtime stories. His pasta was mushy. There were peppers in the lasagne even though he knew she didn't like them. Everything was just wrong, and he was at his wits end.

"Okay," he snapped, standing straight and holding up his hands in surrender. "You win. We won't go to school today," Maria's eyes got huge as she looked up at him. "We're late anyway, so what's the point? What do you want to do instead? We could go visit Daddy at the hospital, and then go to the Treasure Shop. Maybe pick out something for your treasure chest? Does that sound better?" Maria looked like she was about to burst into tears. Kurt knelt down to pull her into a hug. "I know this is really hard, okay. I know you really miss Daddy, and that's okay. That will always be okay." He whispered into her hair. She nodded against his chest, sniffling back her tears.

"I don't like the hospital." She confided as he pulled back, looking in to the floor. "It's quiet. I don't like it when it's quiet." Kurt breathed air deep in to his longs to stop himself from crying again. He remembered the feeling from when he was a child himself. There wasn't much he remembered about his mother or her sudden and fatal illness. But he remembered the quietness from that very last visit.

"That's okay, honey. We don't have to go to the hospital, if you don't want. We'll just go to the Treasure Shop, okay?" She looked up at him with wide eyes and nodded.

(*)

Mercedes smiled at them as they entered the shop. She and Kurt had met when Kurt first opened the shop next to hers, and she had pulled him under her own wing. They had fallen into the habit of eating lunch together, taking turns closing their shops for that half hour. Mercedes was large as life in her bright clothes and open face.

"Go have a look around," Kurt smiled at Maria. Emily was asleep, so he left her pushchair by the entrance and made his way to his friend.

"Hey, boo. How're you holding up?" she pulled him to her chest as soon as he was within reach.

"Horribly." He answered honestly, turning to watch Maria wander around the shop. This was one of her favourite places. Thursdays Kurt usually kept his shop open longer, and Blaine and the girls would come by with takeout and sit in the backroom and chat while Kurt finished up whatever designs needed finishing. Often they would go visit Mercedes as well, letting Maria explore.

"Oh, Boo," Mercedes rubbed his shoulder. Kurt shrugged his shoulders and send her a 'what can you do?' look. Mercedes nodded her understanding. "There's coffee out back. Why don't you go put your feet up for a moment while the girls and I shop?"

3.

"I brought you flowers, today," Kurt announced, placing the bouquet of yellow roses on the otherwise useless nightstand next to Blaine's bed. Blaine had given him yellow flowers on their first days and then again on the night he asked Kurt to move in with them. "I don't know if you deserved them though. Two whole weeks? Really, Blaine?" Kurt sat in the chair permanently placed next to the bed. "The doctors say your brain activity is spiking. Apparently you're minimally responsive. That's why your hands twitch sometimes. They won't tell me if that means you can actually hear me or not."

Kurt was starting to feel a little like the old wife knitting by her husband's bedside. He had fallen into a routine of visiting his boyfriend for an hour every day after he had taken the girls to school. After Maria's admission, the girls no longer came with him. Instead Kurt would tell Blaine about them.

"Your parents have send another get well soon card." Kurt placed the plain card next to the flowers. Blaine's parents had not been happy to learn that their son had apparently turned gay overnight. After the fall they had come over from Ohio along with Kurt's father, but had only stayed a few days. They had made it quite clear that they were not all together happy that Kurt would be the children's caretaker, but when it became clear that they were themselves the alternative they had booked it back home.

"And my dad sends loads of hugs. He says he might come out again soon, to take the girls to the zoo. Before the weather gets too warm." Burt and Carrol Hummel could not have been more thrilled when their son announced his relationship. – They had had their reservation about the single dad part at first, but all it took was one meeting, and they had both been sold. Kurt wasn't sure he would have made it through the first week after the accident without his dad there.

"Anyway. The girls send their love. This morning Maria…"

(*)

"Mr. Hummel?" a young woman in a blue flowered dress came up to Kurt in the school hallway, holding out her hand for him to shake. "I'm Miss Marrild, Mr. Anderson's substitute." Kurt nodded politely, holding up Maria's jacket for her to cringe into. "What happened is just awful. Everyone in the teaching staff are shattered," she send Kurt a thin smile. "His children really miss him, too, they obviously loved him very much. They made this for him,"

She passed him a large handmade card. 'Get Well Soon, Mr. Anderson' was written on the front with large letters. Around it a litter of little child's drawings were scattered at random. Most of them were of little stick men with bowties surrounded by flowers and suns and tiny stick figures obviously meant to be the children themselves.

"Thank you," Kurt got out around a sudden lump in his throat. He had gotten to see Blaine in his right element a few times when he had the chance to pick his family up from school. His boyfriend was made to be surrounded by children. He lit up in a way Kurt had only seen a very few people do. The children clearly adored him as well. "I'll make sure he gets this." Miss Marrild smiled kindly.

"If there's ever anything any of us can do, don't hesitate to ask," she said, watching Maria who had shuffled behind Kurt's legs. "Anything at all."

4.

"Look, Kurt, a baby monkey? Oh that's cute!" Maria clapped her hands and pointing through the bars of the monkey cage.

"Oh yeah, there it is," Kurt smiled, resting his hand on her head, ducking down to look at the baby clinging to the mother as she ate grapes. It was a warm Saturday and the New York zoo was fairly crowded. Nonetheless, Burt Hummel had insisted on coming.

"Oh, look at her go," his dad laughed as Emily wobbled ahead of him on the unsteady surface.

"Dad, be careful," Kurt called after them. Even though Emily had been walking for a few months she was still not always stable on her feet. It used to amuse Kurt when she would stumble and lose her balance, sitting down hard on her diapered behind, a look of pure befuddlement on her face. Now all he saw were tripping wires and sharp edges.

"Oh, relax, Kurt. She's fine!" Burt called back a large grin on his face.

"Oh, Kurt! The baby almost felled!" Maria exclaimed, horrified, and Kurt turned to see the little baby monkey unsteadily crawl towards the edge of the platform they were on. The mom calmly reached out to pull it back to safty, and Kurt couldn't help smiling.

"It's okay, honey, its mommy and Daddy won't let anything happen to it," he said, "Now what do you say we take Grumpy Hummel and Emily to get some ice cream?"

(*)

"You're holding up well," Burt sat down next to his son, watching the two children play on the playground. Maria had found her big-sister side and was explaining the world to Emily as they build sand castles together in the sand pit. Emily looked adorable in her little summer dress and sunhat, her little fat legs splayed to both sides as she smashed anything her sister build up with her little hands. Maria looked affronted over at Kurt under the brim of her own bright yellow sunhat.

"It's okay, darling. Just build something new." He called over, before turning to his dad. "You really think so? Because I feel like we are balancing on a knife's edge and by the end of most days we have suffered several near falls." Burt huffed and slapped a hand on his sons back.

"Considering the circumstances, yeah, you're doing just fine." He said, "When your mom passed I was a mess. I know how hard this is, and these aren't even your own kids. You could have bailed but you didn't,"

"I would never do that, dad! I know they're not my kids, but it still feels like they are! I could never, ever abandon them" Kurt send his dad a hard look. Burt held up his hands in defence.

"I know that Kiddo. Watching you today makes it pretty clear. You have turned in to a real worrywart dad. And those girls love you, they really do. They are so fortunate to have you." Kurt slumped turning back to the girls in time to see Emily laughingly slam her fists into the construction Maria had carefully build up.

"Kurt!" Maria whined looking over at Kurt with betrayal in her eyes, "She keeps smashing it!" Kurt smiled, getting to her feet.

"It's okay, baby-girl, she's just being a little sister. I'll help you build it again, and we can make something else for Emily to smash, okay?"

(*)

"The girls are asleep. I'm here. Go. Be with your friends. Relax." Burt had nearly pushed his son out the door, which was how Kurt found himself in some club, the heavy beat thumping through his body.

"Hey, sexy!" Elliot slid into the seat next to Kurt's at the bar, waving for the bartender. "How's it going?" Elliot was one of those Ex's who had somehow turned into a friend after a year's worth of no contact. They had met in college, and, both being from the middle of no-where, had swiftly grabbed the opportunity and started a stormy romance. It hadn't turned out too pretty. Kurt had quickly realised he wanted stable romance. Elliot wanted excitement and fun. The break-up had been mutual and swift. When they met a year later, and actually sat down and had a conversation they realised how much better off they were as friends.

"Oh, you know. My boyfriend and love of my life is asleep running on week 4." Kurt said, taking a large sip of his cocktail.

"Still no changes?"

"Nope," Kurt popped the p and raised his eyebrows.

"Sucks,"

"Yeah,"

"Come dance with me," Elliot had already grabbed his hand and dragged him of the barstool. Santana, Danny and Britany cheered when they joined them, pulling Kurt into the middle of their circle. Running on drink number 4 it was almost too easy to let the music wash over him, rinsing the rest of the world away.

(*)

The tears were already there as he shouldered the door closed and sank down it to sit on the hall way floor. Familiar footsteps from his childhood rang through the quietness, and his dad stood in the doorway to the living room. Kurt sniffled and looked up at him, helplessly.

"I don't want to move on dad! I don't want to forget him!" he hick-upped. Burt only nodded, moving through the small space and pulling his son into his arms, holding him close.

5.

"Hey, baby," Kurt wiped the treacherous tears of his cheeks as he sank into the chair. He was so used to the hospital during the day that the quietness of the night startled him. The room Blaine was in was the same as ever though. – Except from the absence of the old man. He had slipped away sometime in the night a few days ago. Kurt had made sure to send some flowers and a card for the funeral.

"I know it's later than usual, but I just really wanted to see you." Kurt let the silence wash over him, straightening the blanket that covered Blaine. He looked the same as always, only paler and with longer hair. It had started losing its shine, though.

"Emily said a new word today. She said Abul. Em'y Abul." Kurt smiled through his tears as he tried to imitate Emily's thick little voice as she held up the apple boat Kurt had passed her before dinner. She was changing so much every day. Learning things constantly. And Blaine was missing it. Angrily, Kurt swiped at the stupid tears. It was so rare he allowed them to fall at all, because he knew they would help no-one. But tonight he felt weak and drained and helpless. Nothing had really happened. He just felt like he could use a hug, but the one he needed a hug from couldn't give it to him.

"Maria made you another card. I know you probably miss her, but I think it's just too hard for her to see you like this." Kurt carefully pulled out the little hand-crafted card and placed it next to all the other ones filling the bedside table.

"Your brother is coming to stay. I have no idea how that's going to go." Kurt sniffed. "I just." He closed his eyes, steeling himself for a second. "I'm just so scared he's going to think I'm not doing a good enough job with the girls, you know?"

(*)

"Uncle Cooper," Maria cheered as her uncle entered the kitchen. Coopers plane had landed late the night before, and she hadn't been awake when he came in. Emily twisted in her high chair, babeling and waving her oatmeal covered hands at him.

"Hi, Princess Maria," Cooper swung his niece around before settling her on his hip. "How is my dearest niece?" he walked over to ruffle Emily's hair.

"I'm okay," Maria said, letting herself be placed back on her chair.

"You're letting her eat with her hands like that?" Cooper asked, sitting on the chair next to Kurt, "it's pretty gross, shouldn't she be able to eat with a spoon by now?"

"She likes eating like this," Kurt tried to keep the hurt out of his voice. Cooper ignored him, spreading butter over his toast.

"So who's ready to go to the hospital today?" he asked brightly. Maria stiffened on her chair.

"I don't wanna go, Kurt!" she said hastily.

"You don't have to," Kurt send her a reassuring smile even as Cooper directed his eyes to him, disbelief dripping from them.

"You're not taking her to see her own dad?" he asked, his voice hard.

"Not if it makes her sad. I'm not going to force her." Kurt tried to keep his voice level. He knew how perceptive Maria could be to tones' of voices.

"Seriously, Kurt she has to go see her dad. What if…"

"She doesn't have to go if she doesn't want to!" Kurt cut over, making sure to put enough steel in his voice to warn Cooper from pressing the matter further. "We can go to the park while uncle Cooper goes to see his brother."

(*)

"Kurt," the tiny voice pulled Kurt from his sleep surprisingly quick. He blinked his eyes open to see Maria standing in the doorway to the bedroom, looking small in her slightly too long nightgown.

"Hey, there," he rasped, his voice rough with sleep.

"Can I sleep in the big bed with you?" she asked, her voice even tinier than usual.

"'Course," Kurt pulled aside the blankets for her to crawl under. She did so quickly, shuffling close to him. "Is everything okay, sweetie? Did you have a bad dream?"

"Does Daddy hate me?" Maria sniffled, looking at Kurt through the darkness with round eyes.

"What? No, he doesn't baby-girl. He will never hate you!" Kurt pressed a kiss against her forehead as tears spilled down her little cheeks.

"But Uncle Cooper says I have to go see him. Is Daddy sad that I don't like the hospital? I don't want to make Daddy sad!" Kurt closed his eyes briefly, feeling his heart clench hard in his chest.

"Your Daddy loves you more than anything in the world, Rie Rie. And he knows how much you love him. If you don't like the hospital, then you don't need to go. I promise you, your Daddy understands." He carefully wiped the tears from Maria's cheeks. Maria nodded, worming closer to place her head on Kurt's chest.

(*)

"Kurt," Cooper was standing by the dishwasher the next night when Kurt came back from having tucked in Maria. There was a serious look on his face, and Kurt steeled himself for whatever he was about to say. Blaine and his brother didn't have the closest relationship in the world, but Kurt still wanted Cooper to like him and the way he was with the girls. "I've been thinking about what you did yesterday. With Maria and not making her go to the hospital." Kurt bit his lip, waiting for Cooper to continue. He knew he had done the right thing, but that didn't mean he wasn't vulnerable to other people's opinion on the matter.

"You were right. She shouldn't be forced. That place is seriously depressing, and it's so hard to understand that Blaine isn't just sleeping when you look at him. I'm sorry I questioned you." He held out a steaming mug for Kurt to take. "My brother would be very proud of the way you're handling all of this. You're really great with his girls, and it would mean the world to him to see how well they are doing, everything considered." Kurt blinked back tears.

"And I know my parents are being a-holes about this whole thing, but Blaine is so lucky to have you. I get why he's as in love with you as he is. His daughters could not be in better hands." Kurt sniffled in to his cup.

"He's going to wake up." He said, raising his eyes to meet those of his boyfriend's brother. "Isn't he?" He knew how much Cooper loved Blaine. He needed someone to share this fear with, someone who understood, and Cooper would be that person.

"Of course he is," Cooper's voice was strong and certain. He made his way over to pull Kurt in to a one-armed hug. "How could he not when he have such a family to wake up to?"

6.

"It'll be good for you!" Rachel had insisted over the phone. Kurt, losing the will to fight no-matter how little he felt like going to some dinner party, had relented in the end. Maria had hugged him extra tight before he left, making him promise to kiss her goodnight even if she was already asleep. He had almost changed his mind about going, but Sam, another of Blaine's close friends, had more or less pushed him out the door.

"Dude, we'll be fine. Just go enjoy yourself," he'd said. Sam, Tina and Blaine had allegedly been quite the trinity in college. Sam had studied literature rather than education, and now worked as writer for some magazine or other.

"Kurt, come in!" Rachel beamed at him, pulling him in to the flat. Lively chatter drifted into the hallway from the living room. His high school bestie had kept their flat after he moved out, her salary from Broadway more than enough to cover the rent. "Almost everyone is here already," She was sort of bouncing next to him as he pulled of his coat and hung it up the way he used to. For a while, Kurt had been convinced to believe in a future in theatre as well, and he had even spend a semester at NYADA with Rachel. He had, however, been driven crazy by the competitive environment – he had had to fight all his life, and he hadn't had the drive to keep doing that. So he had dropped out, much to Rachel's disdain, and studied business and design instead. Rachel had never quite forgiven him, though.

The living room had changed in the month since he moved out. Floor-length, white curtains now hang down next to the large windows, held back by large pink bows. The couch was new, since Kurt had dragged the old one with him. Rachel had managed to find a bright yellow one that almost lit up all on its own. The arrangement of the furniture was different, as well. The dining table had been pushed to one side of the room, and was set with large silver candelabras, pink and white centrepieces and a crisp white tablecloth with silver thread woven in to the fabric.

There were a fair few people there, though no more than could fit around the table. The ladies were dressed in flashy cocktail dresses, the men matching them in colourful suits. Kurt looked down at his tight black jeans, deep-purple shirt and black west, wondering if he, of all people, was actually underdressed.

"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. Go mingle," Rachel who had followed him into the room, whispered in his ears, pushing him further into the room. Kurt knew no-one in the room, which seemed to be opposite everyone else. He found himself standing, awkwardly, in the middle of the room.

"You're quiet," a voice made him turn on the spot coming face-to-face with a tall light haired male. "Not that you'd be likely to get a word in with this bunch. – Theatre people can be quite a challenge."

"It's not my first time at the rodeo," Kurt attempted a smile, " – I used to live here with Rachel."

"Ah, you're Kurt. I'm Justin," the man introduced himself, offering his hand.

"Nice to meet you," Kurt bit his lip as he shook the other man's hand.

"Likewise. So may I ask why you moved out? This is quite a lovely place." Justin waved about the room with a half smirk/half genuine smile.

"It is, but I moved in with my boyfriend," Kurt supplied.

"Oh," Justin looked surprised at that, "well that's… serious. But he isn't with you here tonight?" there was something strange about the tone of Justin's voice, but Kurt chose to ignore it for now.

"No, he couldn't make it," he replied smoothly, trying not to think too hard about Blaine in his hospital bed.

"Right, well, nice to meet you. I am just going to say hello to my cast mates," Justin smiled a not altogether honest smile, and made his way towards a tall girl in a bright purple dress that fit her exactly right. She smiled almost sympathetically, bringing her arm around Justin's shoulder. Kurt was no expert at lip reading, but it was quite easy for him to decipher Justin's words as he frowned at his friend: "He has a boyfriend."

(*)

"Oh, Kurt, great. Can you put those glasses onto that tray, please?" Rachel asked as he entered the kitchen. Playing along he walked to the kitchen counter to do as she asked.

"So Justin's nice," he commented, keeping his voice casual. His friend turned to him with Christmas lights in her eyes.

"Isn't he? And he's George's understudy! Rumour has it he is going to be taking over the lead when George leaves in a few months!"

"Hm, and is that why you're trying to set me up with him?" Kurt made sure to push steel into his voice as he narrowed his eyes at her. Rachel turned suddenly fidgety, straightening out her floral dress.

"I'm not setting you up," she said. Kurt only raised an eyebrow at her. "I just thought it might be good for you to be made aware of your options, I mean, it's been six weeks. Isn't it time you start thinking about your future? A future Broadway lead, Kurt! Just think about it."

"I have a boyfriend, Rachel!" Kurt glared at her, his hands folding in to fists against his side. "he is in the hospital, in a coma!"

"I know that, but…"

"No, Rachel, save it! I am not some pawn in the Rachel Berry social game! I don't care if you want to say you were his friend before he became famous, I have a boyfriend! So just stop trying to rule my life, okay!" Rachel opened her mouth, but Kurt continued over what she was about to say. "And just for the record, Blaine is going to wake up! I have a future planned out, and it involves the man I love and his two girls, who I am guardian for, by the way! So just stop. Just stop what you're doing. Just drop it." He twirled around and stalked out of the kitchen before she could defend herself, not trusting himself enough to listen to what she may have to say. His body was shaking, and there was really only one place he wanted to be. So he continued stalking through the apartment, down the stairs and into the warm spring air.

(*)

"I'm mad at you!" he sank into the chair next to the bed, sweat running down his face. The hospital was dark and quiet, and Blaine was as still as ever. It was driving him crazy. "I am so mad at you Blaine Anderson! And I'm mad at Rachel and Sam and everyone who thinks I should just forget and move on because I can't and I won't and just wake up damn it!" Kurt stopped with a gasp, turning away from the bed and the sight of Blaine's closed eyes and slow breaths. "Fuck!" he exclaimed getting to his feet, pacing back and forth next to the bed, hands flexing at his sides.

"I shouted at Maria the other day. Actual honest to God shouted at her because she wanted you to do her hair. I shouted at a five year old because she wanted her father and I am sick and tired of not being able to give him to her." He took a shuttering breath, and then took another. "Everyone keeps telling me how great I'm doing, how fortunate the kids are to have me, how proud you'd be if you saw." He sank down into the chair again, his voice dropping to a low whisper. "And it drives me crazy because I know they're wrong. I know how close we are to falling apart.

"I see the way Emily will find a toy that reminds her of you and just stop and go quiet. I see the way Maria looks at me with these eyes that are just so filled with a pain she knows I can't take away so she won't even ask me to. I can see when she stops herself from throwing a tantrum because she sees that I won't be able to handle it.

"We're not doing well, Blaine. We're barely doing at all. And I don't know how much longer I can handle it. So I need you to wake up. We need you. Those girls need their dad, Blaine. So fucking wake up, damn you." The tears were choking him, and everything was aching. Kurt bit his teeth tight together to stop himself from breaking down. "I am so pissed at you, and I need you to see that, Blaine." He sat rigidly on the chair, his breath going steady in and out. In and out.

"Aaaargh!" he screamed suddenly, ferally, sweeping the things on the bedside cabinet of, sending flowers and greeting cards smashing into the wall. He breathed hard, hands on his knees, pulling the anger back inside. He couldn't lose it. Not here. Not like this. A nurse stepped into the room, clearly alarmed. When she spotted Kurt by the bed, she placed her hands on her hips, sending him a disapproving look.

"I'm sorry. I'll leave," Kurt pulled on his jacket as he spoke, "I'm leaving." He looked down at Blaine briefly before swooping out of the room.

He made it back to the flat somehow. Sam was on the couch playing some game or other. Kurt just marched past him into the guest room. He grabbed a pillow from the bed, looked at it with hard eyes, then pressed his head into it and screamed. He screamed so long and so hard, his lungs were burning. But he just kept screaming. Raising his head from the pillow only to gasp in new air to scream with. At some point the screaming turned into ugly of sobs. The kinds that pulls at your entire body, and are filled with snot and slime.

"It's okay dude. Just let it out," strong arms suddenly folded around him, holding him together even as he felt everything crack and splinter within him. "Just let it out."

7.

"You look beautiful princess," Kurt twisted the little glittery hairband around the tiny braid in his hands. The curls in Maria's fine hair made it difficult to braid, but she had insisted. All the other girls got to have braids in their hair for the recital. She wanted them, too. Maria smiled happily into the mirror, inspecting her look. She had chosen the navy blue dress with the wide skirt, puff-sleeves and red-flowered lining herself. The Magic Bead necklace she had made shortly after their first meeting in Mercedes' shop, hang proudly around her neck. They had made the trip to the shoe shop the day before to pick out the polka dot ballerinas with the half-inch of heel that made her feel like a princess. She suddenly looked so big, and Kurt had to draw in a deep breath. Blaine should have been here for this.

Maria turned away from the mirror to fold her arms around him.

"I love you, Kurt," she said into his abdomen. Kurt smiled, stroking her hair carefully.

"I love you, too, Sweetie. Now go show Uncle Nick and Uncle Jeff how gorgeous you look." Maria nodded eagerly, running out of the bedroom with a clack, clack of heels. Kurt checked the mirror himself, sweeping a strand of hair back into place. He had dressed up as well, to show Maria his support. Setting his shoulders with a huff, he followed Maria out of the room.

"Let's take a picture for Daddy," Kurt smiled as he entered the living room. Maria was spinning on the spot to the praise of her dad's good friends from high school. Kurt hadn't met the couple before they showed up to attend Maria's recital, but he had spoken briefly to them over skype. The two of them fit well together. They balanced each other out.

"Oh, let me take it, so you and Emily can be in it as well," Jeff volunteered, passing the dressed up toddler to Kurt. Maria hurried over to stand next to Kurt, smiling toothily at Jeff as she showed of her dress to the camera. Kurt couldn't help but smile as well when Nick hopped behind his boyfriend to pull faces at Emily. It was a good picture. Kurt was going to have it printed and hang it up somewhere.

"Okay, time to go!" he declared, clapping his hands, "Let's get the star to the show!"

(*)

The assembly hall was filled to the brim with people. All the students and a fair share of siblings – older or younger – were sitting in an excited half-circle around the improvised stage. Behind them, parents, grand-parents, uncles and aunts were sitting on hard plastic chairs, all stretching to see better or with their phones out to take pictures and videos of their own little shiny stars. Kurt, Nick and Jeff had found seats towards the back of the hall to make it easier to sneak out if Emily became too fuzzy. Kurt knew he was no better than anyone else, constantly trying to spot Maria in the crowd. He also knew he was preening every time some mother or other stopped by to remark on how cute Emily looked. Over the past weeks he had come to know quite a few of the parents by name, and most of them send him sympathetic smiles as they ushered their own offspring to their seats.

The recital was chaotic, loud and amazing. Every class in the school had created a little number to show to their parents, and they were all cute and fun in their own way. Nothing ran perfectly, and that just made it that more entertaining. Maria shone like a star for her one solo line in the play her class did, and managed to steel the entire scene as she mouthed along to every other line. Kurt felt an immense sense of pride swell up inside him as he watched her. For all that she still missed her dad, she was doing so well.

Towards the end of the night, the young teacher who had been running the thing as smoothly as she could stepped up to the mic again, smiling out over the crowd. "Ladies, gentlemen and children. We have just one class left to perform now. But before I invite them onto the stage I have a few words I would like to say on behalf of the staff here.

"Some of you may have noticed that it's the wrong teacher hosting tonight. For the past four years, my close colleague and dear friend, Mr. Anderson has been doing the school plays and recitals for you guys. But as some of you know, Mr. Anderson had an accident and is in the hospital, so he can't be here with us tonight. Instead I am trying to fill out his shoes, and I know he will tell me that I did an amazing job because that is the sort of man he is, just as I know he will think every single child in here is fantastic, because there has never been a child Mr. Anderson didn't see the star quality in. We all miss Mr. Anderson so much, and the faculty and the children and I have been thinking hard about what we could do to show him that.

"This last class is Mr. Anderson's Ladybugs, and they have put a wonderful little homage to their teacher. We all hope to have him back with us after the summer break. So please welcome the St. Joseph Ladybugs!"

Kurt felt a lump rise in his throat as the teacher stepped aside, discreetly wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. The number that Blaine's kids performed was sweet and heartfelt, and somehow managed to be filled with hope rather than sadness. Kurt hugged Emily close to him from his seat. Blaine had touched so many little lives, and Kurt wasn't even sure if he knew that.

At the end of the night all the children were gathered together on the stage, singing a sweet little song complete with little hand gestures that only half the children remembered to do. As the young teacher took to the mike again, though, Kurt saw a frown cross Maria's face. The teacher was still saying her thank yous' and goodbyes' as Maria looked steadily more confused at the children shuffling their feet and waving at their parents. With a determined look on her face Maria decided to take action, marching across the stage to the teacher.

"We're not done," the mic picked up faintly, "We haven't song the song yet. We always sing the song because it's Daddy's favourite." The teacher looked both confused and emotional as she looked down at Maria's little determined face.

"Right, she said into the microphone. "I have just been informed that we have forgotten to sing the St. Joseph and the animals' song. This is Mr. Anderson's favourite, so maybe if we sing it loud enough he'll be able to hear it at the hospital and make him very happy. How does that sound, Maria?" the teacher looked down at the little girl who only nodded in satisfaction marching back over to her spot. "Okay, I know everyone in the staff knows this one, and probably a lot of you parents as well, so everyone sing along as loud as you can." The teacher nodded to the woman at the piano, and everyone started singing, loudly and obnoxiously, and Kurt just knew that Blaine would have loved every moment of it.

(*)

"Hey, there's the little star!" Kurt smiled so wide it almost hurt, pulling Maria in for a hug, "You did so good out there!"

"I wanna go see Daddy." She said looking up at him with wide eyes. "Can we go see Daddy?"

"Of course we can, Sweetie," Kurt said uncertainly, looking at Nick and Jeff standing off to one side. "Let's go see Daddy," He took Maria's hand in his and walked with her out of the school hall, waving goodbye to parents he hardly knew as he went.

(*)

"Hi, Daddy," Maria climbed onto the high chair next to the bed. "It was the recital today. They almost forgot to sing the animal song but I told them we had to sing it. We sang it very loud, did you hear?" Kurt stayed at the foot of the bed, watching her, not knowing if he should leave her to talk to her father alone. "Kurt did bradies in my hair. I told you he could. And I said my line all fine and remembered all the words." She bit her lip, looking at the sleeping face of her father. "I really hope you wake up soon, Daddy. I feel sad sometimes when you just sleep and sleep. And Kurt feel sad, too. I wrote you loads of cards. Have you seen them? She looked to where the cards had been re-arranged on the bedside table. "Oh, his hand moved Kurt!" she suddenly exclaimed looking at him with wide eyes.

"I know, Sweetie. It does that sometimes. It means that he's dreaming."

"Oh. Do you think he's dreaming about me and Emily?" Kurt tried for a smile, nodding his head and sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Yeah. I'm sure he dreams of the both of you all the time." The hand resting on the covers twitched again, and Kurt couldn't resist reaching over and folding his own hand over it. "Do you want to tell Daddy where Uncle Nick and Uncle Jeff are taking you tomorrow?" Maria's face lit up and she started a long spiel about the natural history museum and all the things her uncles had promised her she would be seeing. Kurt smiled as he listened, gently stroking his thumb over the back of Blaine's hand.

"Okay, it's time to leave now, Sweetie," Kurt interrupted quite some time later. Maria had been talking about all sorts of things; stuff she'd been doing, things she had found hard. By now she had talked herself tired, though, as she looked over at Kurt with large eyes and nodded.

"I really miss you Daddy," she whispered, shuffling down from the chair, "I hope you come home soon."

(*)

"Kurt?" Maria asked as Kurt was brushing her hair later that night.

"Yeah, Sweetheart?" by some miracle Nick and Jeff had gotten Emily to sleep, and the apartment was quiet around them.

"Daddy's my Daddy, right?"

"Yes," Kurt confirmed, furrowing his forehead as he tried to predict where this conversation might be going.

"But you are doing all the Daddy things now. Does that mean you are like a Daddy, too?"

"Oh," Kurt focused on not pulling too hard on the filtered locks between his fingers. "I, ehm. Do you think I'm a Daddy to you and Emily? Because that's okay. It doesn't mean your Daddy will ever stop being your Daddy, it just means that maybe you get to have two daddies taking care of you." He tried to ignore the way his heart was beating in his chest. Maria nodded as if that made sense.

"But do I call both you and Daddy Daddy? Then how will you know who I'm talking to?" she frowned in contemplation, cocking her head to one side.

"You can call me whatever you want sweetheart. But sometimes when children have two daddies, one of them they call Daddy and the other they call Dada or papa." Kurt tried to remain indifferent as he guided the brush through the curls. He could almost see the words whirling around her head.

"I like Papa." She decided, "Papa Kurt." She turned around to wrap her arms around him.

"Okay," Kurt breathed out. "Now do you want to sleep in your bed or in the big bed?"

That night for the first time in a long time, Kurt felt a tiny bit like things might actually turn out okay.

8.

The shop was so quiet. There hadn't even been a potential customer in the past hour, and Kurt had spent his time by scrolling through the videos and pictures from the recital the night before. Nick and Jeff had offered to take both girls with them to the Natural museum and Kurt had taken the opportunity to take the Saturday shift at the shop instead of Sara. – His assistant deserved quite the bonus for all the extra work she had been taking on over the past two months.

The phone rang in his hands, and he recognised the number from the hospital. With shaking hands he accepted the call. There could only be two reasons why they would call him, and one of them would break the fragile peace of the little family.

"Hello, this is Kurt Hummel." He flexed the fingers on one hand to stop them from shaking to badly.

"Hello, Mr. Hummel this is Dr Carson. I am Mr. Anderson's weekend attendant." A friendly, upbeat voice sounded.

"Just tell me what happened," Kurt said over the doctor probably wanting to do just that.

"Ah, a straight to the point sort of man," Kurt grit his teeth, "Well, Mr. Hummel I have the pleasure of informing you that Mr. Anderson regained conscience at 9.45 this morning." Kurt collapsed to the floor, helpless to stop it from happening.

"Could you repeat that?" his voice came out thin and shaky.

"Your boyfriend regained conscience, Kurt," the doctors' voice was soft, warm and contained just a hint of a laugh, "He's awake." Kurt shivered, pulling his knees to his chest, flailing a hand in front of his mouth. "Now I am sure you have been informed of the possibility of brain damage. We have been running tests on Mr. Anderson for the past few hours, and so far all the results are clear. And I am sure you are as anxious to see him as he is to see you, so make your way here as soon as you can Mr. Hummel. All of this will become much more real when you see his eyes looking back at you." Kurt sucked in a large, loud breath, and the doctor laughed faintly. "He'll be waiting for you when you get here,"

"Right, I need to go. I'll leave here right now. Tell him. I'll be right there." Kurt's entire body vibrated as he got to his feet, practically sprinting for the subway.

Blaine was sitting up in the hospital bed. The nurse had kindly moved the cards from his bedside table to his lap, and he was flipping through them with heavy arms. His entire body was so heavy and weak. The doctors said it was because it had been out of use for almost eight weeks, but he still refused to believe that. He would never do that to his family.

Of course there were all those weird dreams that didn't all feel like dreams but more like listening to people talk from under a duvet. – Kurt shouting at him, Maria talking about her day, Tina crying and telling him she was having a baby. He remembered all of those things along with his burning desire to just hold them or see them or something. But it couldn't have been eight weeks. It just couldn't.

He was flipping open yet another of Maria's cards, already smiling at the clumsy letters and childish drawings, when a sound made him look up. Kurt was standing in the doorway, one hand covering his mouth, the other clutching the doorframe tightly. He looked pale and shaky. Blaine did not like that look on his boyfriend's face. He held out a hand for Kurt, hoping he understood that Blaine wanted him to come nearer. Kurt sniffled, but did move across the room.

"Hey, babe," Blaine sighed as Kurt sat down on the edge of the bed. Kurt let out shuttering breath looking him slowly in the eyes. He reached up to take Blaine's faces into his hand, moving almost in slow motion.

"You're awake," he breathed out, tears welling up in his ocean eyes. Blaine nodded, trying for a smile even as tears started rolling down Kurt's cheeks.

"Oh, my God," Kurt hick-upped, and suddenly Blaine found himself with an armful of sobbing boyfriend.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm okay," he attempted to lift his arms up to fold around Kurt, but before he could, the other man had straightened up and punched him in the shoulder.

"8 weeks, Blaine," he huffed out as Blaine rubbed the sore spot. Blaine's eyes got wide as he took in Kurt's accusation.

"It's really been that long?" he got out, feeling tears flood to his eyes for the first time since waking up. Kurt nodded, taking Blaine's face back into his hands, staring into his eyes.

"Didn't the doctors tell you?" he asked.

"Yeah, but I didn't believe them. It's really been eight weeks?" He looked down at the cards in his lap. There were so many of them. Suddenly it all made sense. "The girls?" he looked up at Kurt in a panic. If he had been out of it that long then what had happened to them? Were they in Ohio with his parents? Did they think their Daddy had left just like their mother had?

"They're fine," Kurt's hand folded around his, and a calming smile took over his face. "Nick and Jeff have taken them to the Natural history museum. I'll call them in a minute, I just needed to make sure you were really awake before I got their hopes up." He softly brushed the tears of Blaine's cheek. "They'll be so happy to see you." Blaine just shook his head, trying to find words for the emotions that were coursing through him. "There are so many people who are going to be so happy." The tears were back in Kurt's eyes, but he bit them back. "I love you so much, Blaine," he whispered.

"I love you, too," Blaine grabbed on to Kurt's hands tightly, staring into Kurt's eyes through the haze of water. Still holding his gaze, Kurt pulled his hand up to press a warm kiss against the back of it.

"I'm so happy you're back with us," Even though it came out as a sniffle, there was a beautiful smile on his face. Blaine could only nod against his hand. "I'm going to get your girls here, okay?" he wiped tears away before leaning in to press a lingering kiss against Blaine's forehead.

(*)

There's was a soft knock on the door, and a smile spread across Blaine's face before it had even opened. He and Kurt had spent the past half hour talking softly and staring at each other. There was so much to catch up on, but mostly they had spoken about their plans for the summer holiday and Blaine's recovery process.

"Daddy!" Maria flew through the room with a war cry, landing in Blaine's arms with a small leap aided by Kurt's arms.

"Hey, baby-girl," Blaine muttered, folding his arms around her and burying his face in her hair. She clung to him tightly, hiding her face in his chest, as he rubbed her little back.

"Dada, dada," Emily's little voice pulled his attention back to the room. Nick and Jeff, his old schoolmates, had followed Maria back into the room, now standing at the foot of the bed with broad grins. Emily were in Kurt's lap, pointing at him and looking up at Kurt with big eyes.

"Yes, Em, that's Daddy. He's awake." Kurt said softly, sharing a look with Blaine. "Do you want to go over to Daddy?" he pressed a kiss into her hair in an entirely familiar motion that Blaine had almost forgotten about. Emily nodded as best she could, reaching for her father. Kurt gently placed her in Blaine's arm and she tucked her head against his neck.

"Hey, baby-girl 2. You've gotten so big, huh." Blaine whispered, leaning his head against her. "Mm, my two babies, Daddy loves you so much!" Blaine squeezed his children tight, making both of the squirm.

"Daddy," Maria sat back up, looking at him with big, wet eyes. "Why did you sleep so long?"

"Oh," Blaine sighed as Emily started playing with his hair. "I didn't mean to, honey. The doctors just couldn't wake me up. I'm really sorry darling," Maria nodded her understanding. Snuggling into him again,

"That's what papa Kurt said," She muttered, "I'm really happy you're not sleeping anymore." Blaine raised an eyebrow at a blushing Kurt, then smiled in reassurance.

"I'm really happy, too, baby-girl," he whispered, reaching out for Kurt's hand. "I'm really, really happy."

The apartment was flooded with life and light. Kurt couldn't help smile to himself as he stood by the kitchen counter, filling glasses. His Blaine had been back in his home for a full week, and he was holding up really well. – Which was why they had decided a party was in order. Kurt rolled his shoulders as he placed the now empty bottle on the counter and looked out over the room filled with people he loved.

"Come up to Grumpy," Burt Hummel reached down to pull a demanding Emily into his arms. His father had been the second person Kurt had called when Blaine woke up. The old man had laughed, calling loudly for Carol to start packing their bags. They had been on the first flight out, and had been an invaluable help over the weeks of rehabilitation Blaine had had to endure. "Mind your back, dear," Carol placed a warning hand on Burt's arm as he hoisted the squealing toddler high into the air. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, who had flown in for this occasion, shared a tight smile. Kurt knew they had been more than relieved to learn that their son had woken up. They, too, had been quick to make their way to the city, even staying for a few days to spend time, not only with their grandchildren, but with Kurt as well.

"The dinosaur loves little girls!" Sam did one of his weird voices as he hoisted a laughing Maria of the floor, blowing a raspberry into her stomach. Maria had been a little ray of sunshine ever since her father came home. She had spent most of the party running among all the guest, showing of her recital shoes and twirling in her light-blue summer dress. Blaine had decided to tell everyone beside his parents and brother of his return to the land of the living by posting a picture of him with his girls and him in the hospital bed, smiling as if Santa had just brought presents. Sam had been one of the first to post a comment, simply saying 'dude, you better be ready to watch the new Marvel movie with me!'. Nick and Jeff shook their heads at Sam's antics, their hands surreptitiously twining. They had extended their stay as well, but where off to LA the next day. Kurt had a feeling he would really be missing their company.

"So pointing is essential." Rachel pointed at Cooper as she said this. After their not-even-a-real- fight things had not been quite the same between the two friends. When Rachel saw the picture Blaine posted on Facebook, she had called Kurt in tears, apologising profusely. He had accepted, but still, things were tense between them. Cooper had called Kurt not three seconds after the picture went live, demanding answers to why he hadn't been called immediately. He and Blaine had then had a long and emotional conversation while Kurt and the girls went to find something to eat.

Elliot looked up from where he was in a deep conversation with a gathering of warblers who had insisted on coming to check up on Blaine. – They had called it a reunion, and had even put together a little musical number for Blaine to laugh at. Elliot had been impressed, and Kurt was almost certain he was now sharing notes with them. The two of the shared a look and a wink, making Kurt shake his head, grabbing a second bottle.

Dani, Santana and Brittany were sat on the couch talking with some of Blaine's co-workers. The school had closed for the summer by the time Blaine was able to leave his bed, but he had had a Skype call with his work kids, who had been almost uncontrollable, all trying to tell him everything they had been doing since they saw him last at the same time. Blaine had only smiled and listened as best he could, promising them he would be back after the break.

Blaine and Tina were standing by the doorway leading to the hallway. Blaine had one hand splayed over Tina's belly, and the both of them were glowing as they talked in hushed tones. Tina had arrived at the hospital like a storm, her eyes wide and filled with tears as she threw herself at Blaine. The following half hour had been filled with accusations, exclamations of joy and tear filled hugs. The emotional whiplash had silenced both Kurt and Tina's husband, who had mostly just looked from them to each other and back.

"So, how is it to have him back in the house," Wes had sidled up next to Kurt, grabbing the berries and started plopping them into glasses. Tina's husband and Kurt had clicked from the first time they had met. – It had taken Kurt embarrassingly long to learn that Blaine and Wes had a longer history than Tina and Blaine did.

"Oh, you know, crazy. Infuriating. Wonderful," Kurt send Wes a grin as he finished filling the glasses. Wes laughed heartily.

"I can imagine. He looks good though," he waved to where Blaine and Tina were still standing. Kurt nodded, also dividing berries into the glasses.

"I think he is." He said. "– Your little baby-secret won't be so secret if they keep that up, though" Wes heaved a theatrical sigh, shaking his head.

"I know," he said dramatically, winking at Kurt. As if sensing someone were looking, the two at the door looked over at them, both smiling widely. Blaine blew a kiss at Kurt which was dramatically caught and pressed against his heart. Blaine laughed, accepting a blow-kiss of his own. As they held eye contact, though, his smile melted into something softer and much deeper. 'Love you' he mouther across the apartment, as a squealing Maria bowled into his legs.

"Papa," Emily was pulling at his pants leg and Kurt smiled down at the little girl with her toothy grin.

"Hey there, Little One," he smiled as he bent to pick her up. He kissed her forehead as he looked across a room filled with friends and family to lock eyes with the love of his life. – Well one of three, anyway. "Do you want Papa to find you a snack?"