“Kurt, look!”

Kurt turned from where he was trying to get the window treatment to lay just right, to see his goofball of a husband wrapping a diapered teddy bear in a tasteful sage and aubergine receiving blanket.

“I got the diaper right this time, but I don’t think I’m doing this swaddling thing right, yet.” Kurt watched in amusement as Blaine studied the instructions intently, tongue sticking out of the side of his mouth, then picked up the teddy bear to try again. And promptly dropped said teddy bear to the floor as he unwound the blanket.

“Oops.” Blaine looked up guiltily at Kurt, clearly hoping he hadn’t seen that part.

Kurt snickered. “You might want to refrain from dropping our newborn daughter on the floor, sweetie,” he giggled. “It won’t matter if you can swaddle her perfectly if you drop her on her head. Even a head full of curls like yours won’t be enough to protect her. Besides, aren’t you supposed to be folding that big laundry basket full of baby clothes and putting them away? I know Rachel’s only thirty-four weeks along, but I’d like to have the nursery ready to go as soon as possible.”

“Oh, fine. Spoilsport. But we’re going to play once we get this stuff done.”

Kurt shook his head and turned back to the window to fiddle with the swag some more as the phone rang.

“I’ll get it!” Blaine called out excitedly.

Kurt rolled his eyes. He loved Blaine with his whole heart, but there were times that he felt like he was married to a five year old. And that was just creepy, come to think of it. Kurt was pulled from his disturbing thoughts by a very excited Blaine.

“Oh my God, Kurt, Rachel’s in labor! They’re just pulling into the emergency room parking lot, we have to go,” Blaine blurted as he pulled Kurt away from the window.

“But she’s only thirty-four weeks. And the nursery isn’t ready yet,” Kurt said weakly, looking back at the partially decorated room one more time before following Blaine to the garage.

*******

“We’re having a baby,” Blaine announced proudly to the nurse sitting at the emergency room desk.

Kurt dropped his face into his hands and shook his head. He looked back up at the skeptical nurse, who was currently eying the two of them in amusement.

“Is that so? How far along are you?” she asked with a small smirk.

Kurt tried not to laugh as the nurse - who apparently had a good sense of humor and was displaying no remorse at using Blaine to brighten up her undoubtedly stressful day - played along.

“We’re thirty-four weeks. It’s earlier than we expected, and the nursery’s not ready, but we’re here and we can’t wait to have our baby!” Blaine was completely oblivious to what was really going on here.

“Wow! Thirty-four weeks. But neither of you look more than twenty weeks, at most,” the nurse deadpanned, as Kurt burst out laughing and Blaine looked down at his own belly in confusion.

Kurt decided now was a good time to step in. “Lisa,” he said after a quick look at her name badge, “what my husband forgot to mention is that our surrogate called and told us she’s in labor. Rachel Puckerman. She should have given permission for us to be kept informed, and if it’s possible, we’d like to go back to see her.”

Lisa smiled at the two of them. “Well, congratulations, guys.” She looked at Blaine. “I’m sorry for messing with you sir, but it’s the end of my shift and I just couldn’t resist…you were too adorable.”

Blaine blushed lightly and mumbled something about people always messing with him.

Lisa looked back at the computer in front of her and adopted a more professional demeanor. “I see the consent form right here; I’m guessing you guys are Kurt and Blaine Hummel-Anderson?” She went back to the screen when they both nodded. “It looks like she was taken back about fifteen minutes ago. The doctor is probably examining her right now. I can’t let you go back right now, but as soon as the exam is over, I’ll let you know what’s going on, and if I can, I’ll take you back to see her.”

“Thank you, Lisa,” Kurt said as he pulled Blaine over to sit in the uncomfortable waiting room chairs. Thankfully, the waiting room wasn’t very full. There was a teenage boy sitting with his mother, holding onto his finger which looked decidedly swollen and discolored; there was a middle aged woman with a bloody, makeshift bandage made out of a dishtowel wrapped around her hand (Kurt guessed kitchen accident involving a knife, ouch); and another man was stretched out across about five chairs, holding his stomach and moaning.

Kurt and Blaine had been waiting for about twenty minutes when they heard the commotion, and a very familiar voice coming down the hall.

“But I’ve already done this twice! I know what Braxton-Hicks contractions feel like, and I know what real labor feels like. Are you sure you did the test right? Is there another doctor?”

“Rachel, calm down. You’re not in labor. That’s a good thing. She needs a few more weeks in there anyway. Besides, you know the nursery’s not ready yet, and Kurt’s going to freak out if she comes before they’re ready…oh, hey Kurt, Blaine,” Noah finished sheepishly. They had just rounded the corner, a frazzled tech pushing an indignant Rachel in a wheelchair and Noah walking beside her.

Noah quickly walked over to where the two were standing to fill them in as the tech pushed Rachel more slowly behind. “So, yeah, not labor. Sorry about the false alarm. She was so sure this was it.”

“I still don’t trust that doctor. I mean, he’s just an ER doctor; what does he know about the subtleties of childbirth? I think I should have been looked at by an Ob/Gyn,” Rachel huffed in classic Rachel Berry fashion, bringing to mind for all of them how scary Rachel used to be in high school.

“Rachel, who do you think delivers all those babies that come too quickly to make it up to the delivery room?” Kurt asked her with eyebrows raised.

She didn’t have a response for that so chose to ignore the question. She scowled and folded her arms under her breasts, but seeing as her very pregnant belly was in the way, the defiant pose lost some of its impact.

Blaine sighed and looked at his watch. “Well, it’s noon. We haven’t eaten yet. Do you two want to go grab some lunch with us since we’re all here anyway?”

“Sounds good to me,” Noah answered. “I’ll go pull the car around.”

Kurt convinced the tech that they had everything under control (and no, they would not let Rachel fall or throw herself in front of traffic, or anything else that might result in a lawsuit against the hospital) while Blaine crouched down next to the wheelchair to talk to Rachel, who was still sulking.

“Rach, honey, this is not the first time, nor will it be the last time that a pregnant woman has a false alarm. It happens. And Kurt and I would both rather you freak out and come to the hospital for a false alarm instead of ignoring real labor and possibly end up having the baby in an unsafe situation.”

Rachel sighed. “I know. But I know how excited you both are, and I want everything to be perfect for you and for her. I guess I’m almost more nervous about this baby than I was about either of my own children.”

Blaine kissed her on the cheek and smiled as he gently rubbed her swollen belly, delighting again in the foot (or elbow?) that he felt poking at him. Rachel smiled at the joyful laugh he let out as his daughter kicked at the light pressure against her.

“We’re both so excited for her to get here. We’ve waited so long for this, and there were times that both of us wondered if we would ever get to be parents,” Blaine said softly. “We’re here for you Rachel…whether you’re having false labor, or Jon or Belle are driving you crazy, or you and Noah are driving each other crazy. We’re family. More now than ever before, and don’t ever forget it.”

Kurt spoke up from behind the wheelchair, where he had been quietly listening in. “That’s right, Rachel. We may all get on each other’s nerves from time to time, and make each other a little batty, but we’re here for you, just like you’ve been here for us. Don’t worry about this, we’re just glad everything’s okay and that she gets a few more weeks to get bigger and stronger before we get to meet her.”

They saw Noah and Rachel’s car pull up in the circle drive at that point. Kurt started pushing the wheelchair through the doors as Blaine put his arm around Kurt’s waist and squeezed Rachel’s shoulder with his free hand.

Behind them at the desk, Lisa and the other nurses – who had all been filled in on the drama - all watched and sighed at the overflow of adorable. They saw a lot in their jobs, not all good, but it was families like this that warmed their hearts and reminded them why they did what they did. More than one of them surreptitiously wiped away a tear as they all scattered to go back to their work.