AN: I didn't manage to finish 14 since my roommate insisted we 'winter clean' the apartment together, but I figured you'd rather have 13 tonight and then maybe wait a day longer for 14 if I don't manage to have it up tomorrow night.

Chapter 13

"Excuse me Mr. Hummel, but His Majesty is here to see you. He wants to know if he can see you."

Kurt's eyes widen in shock because Blaine's the last person he expected to show up. Santana's wished him a speedy recovery through Rachel and Kurt knows she'd visit as soon as he gives the okay, but Blaine. No way.

He turns to Rachel and stares at her because he doesn't know what to do. Blaine's ripped his heart out and stomped all over it and now he's here for what? Has he been pressured to come and check up on him or does this mean that he's actually putting Kurt first?

He wants to say 'I don't know if I'm ready to see him, and please stay with me if he does come in,' but all he can do is blink yes or no or if he's feeling especially daring, shake or nod his head.

"I can tell him you just fell asleep," Rachel offers and Kurt blinks twice. "Or tell him to go to hell." Two blinks again. "But I think you should listen to what he has to say and then you can still tell him to go to hell if he's acting like an asshole, right," Rachel grins like it's no biggie to call the King of the country an asshole, and Kurt blinks once.

"Okay, then," the nervous nurse says and Rachel follows her outside and then he's here, right in Kurt's drab ICU hospital room, looking regal and put together, not like the day they found out about Cooper's betrayal.

As soon as the door closes behind him, the King's mask falls however and he rushes over to Kurt's bed and refrains from taking his hand only at the last second when he sees the extent of Kurt's injuries. And then he starts to cry, ugly sobs wrecking his body and Kurt watches helpless because even if he could he isn't sure if he would console the King who's falling apart right in front of him.

"Oh my God, Kurt, I'm so sorry," the King says between sobs and falls to his knees next to Kurt's bed, his face pressing against Kurt's upper thigh, one of the few places not covered in plaster cast. "Please forgive me. Please say you forgive me."

He keeps repeating the phrase over and over again, either forgetting that Kurt can't talk or trapped in his own world and so Kurt grits his teeth and lifts his right arm a few inches of the bed and drops his cast covered arm on the King's head. At least that gets Blaine's attention, though Kurt's bones scream at him angrily that they would prefer it if he let them heal first.

"Oh I'm sorry, Kurt. Are you okay?"

Kurt blinks rapidly because there's no code for 'I don't know' and 'what do you think'.

Blaine seems to understand him though. "Sorry, stupid question. Will you let me stay for a bit?"

Kurt blinks once because he'd really like to know why Blaine's here.

The King takes a seat on the chair Rachel vacated and runs his eyes over Kurt's body. He hasn't seen himself in the mirror yet but he knows his face is littered with cuts and bruises just like the rest of his body which is fortunately covered by a thin sheet. Kurt blushes when Blaine's eyes find the tube leading out from underneath his gown to a bag hanging on the side of the bed, but there's nothing he can do about that. He hasn't been able to leave his bed since he was admitted, being subjected to sponge baths - and he really doesn't get why some people fantasize about getting sponge baths from a nurse, because it's awkward and uncomfortable and the nurses are all middle aged women who remind him of Carole, and oh my God, his dad wants to take him home so Carole can care for him and that's not gonna happen if he can't wash himself or go to the toilet, he'll rebreak a bone if it means he can stay in the hospital instead of being washed and cleaned by his step-mother, because no, just no - and being touch in places very few people have ever touched him. All in all, it's his worst dreams come true. And he can't even talk, has to wait until the King says something so Kurt can react to it.

"I'm sorry I released the statement without talking to you first. That wasn't nice or fair." Kurt blinks once. "Charlotte was giving me an ultimatum and I panicked. I guess I'm lucky my employees don't do what I say, because I came very close to announcing my engagement to her that day."

Kurt suddenly feels sick to his stomach and he wants to scream 'why are you telling me this? Is this why you are here, to tell me in person that you are going to marry her?' But again he can't, because three guys decided that Kurt was better off dead and had they had him a bit longer, they probably would have succeeded. Kurt knows he owes his life to a young college student who walked past the alley and called the cops because she knew that if she went in there, she might not come out alive either. Caught up in his own thoughts, he nearly misses what Blaine's saying.

"… doesn't matter anymore because she told me the deal was off if I ever saw you again and people are probably tweeting about it right now. But I couldn't stay away any longer, Kurt, damn the consequences. I'm gonna try to make things right, talk to parliament about changing the laws so I can reign and be with you I you still want to. I spent all day yesterday going in circles about how I could have the cake and eat it too, but I realized I don't want the cake if I can't share it with you and I'm sorry for making you feel like you don't matter to me. I didn't really live my life before I met you and even when things got hard I was happier than ever before. So please say you still want me" Blaine stares at him imploringly and Kurt makes himself not blink at all, because this is all too much and as much as he wants to blink once and then pretend like the last five days were nothing but a bad dream, he can't. Because what if Blaine changes his mind again if parliament won't let him change whatever law the King needs to change so they can be together? What if the King breaks up with him again at the first sign of opposition from Church and the government? Because Kurt's not naive, neither the Church nor the conservative party will just accept a gay King and his boyfriend because America is not a liberal country no matter what the government and until recently the Crown wanted you to believe. And right now, he doesn't trust Blaine enough to believe that he won't just dump Kurt again if things get hard or the Church makes it a condition of Blaine's reign.

"I see," Blaine says dejectedly before he straightens his spine and puts his game face back on. "Well, it was good to see you are doing a bit better, Kurt," he says in his official voice. "Is it okay if I check in on you again?" The King's mask is back in place, only his eyes tell Kurt what he's really trying to say ' 'please, can I see you again. Please, let me prove I mean it.'

Lucky for the King, Kurt's not ready to give up on him just yet either, and so he blinks once and watches the tiny smile on the King's face before it's replaced with a mask of indifference again.

As soon as Blaine steps out of the ICU, Sam, Puck and his two new personal guards Jake and Ryder form a protective circle around him and Blaine tries not to show any real emotions when all around him, hospital staff and visitors alike take pictures of the King after his visit to his (ex?)lover's hospital bed. Unsurprisingly, once they leave the hospital and head for the waiting car, he's met with even more cameras from the major TV stations and even a few from foreign Kingdoms.

"Your Majesty, how is Kurt Hummel doing? Can we take this a confirmation that you have reconciled."

He knows he shouldn't give a statement, can hear Sue's angry voice as he opens his mouth but he wants to say something and here's his chance.

"Kurt Hummel was the victim of a heinous attack and we should be focusing on making the streets safer for the people in this city instead of gossiping about the nature of my relationship with Mr. Hummel. It wasn't just a heinous attack, it was also a cowardly attack, because his attackers outnumbered him three to one, and accosted him in a part of the city that's badly lit and where the police force has been affected by budget cuts the most. I will meet with Police commissioner Arguilos and Mayor Abrams this week to discuss how we can improve safety in all parts of the city because I don't just want the people who are lucky enough to live in the vicinity of the Palace to be safe, but everyone in this city and in this Kingdom. This is 2017 and I'm sick and tired of having to read about hate crimes against minorities. I want to be King for everyone in this Kingdom but let me tell you, on days like last Sunday, some of my subjects make it very hard. I would asks you all to be a little nicer to each other, because what does it change if we attack each other. It won't change someone's skin color, faith, gender or sexuality because you beat them, so why not try to open your heart and your mind a little and maybe put yourself in someone else's shoes for once. And now your naive, too hopeful King has to go and meet the Prime Minister, because I have made him wait too long already."

Blaine lets out a deep breath as soon as he is in the safety of his car before he turns to Rory who's been waiting in the car for him. Ryder and Jake are riding in the car in front of them and Puck's with the security detail behind them, with Sam in the passenger seat of Blaine's car. "Is the Prime Minister on his way?"

"Yes Your Majesty" Rory squeaks, still nervous in Blaine's presence. "He should be at the Palace in an hour."

Blaine's summoned the Prime Minister to discuss changing the royal parentage law because even if Kurt doesn't take him back, it would open up all sorts of possibilities for him outside of having to marry a woman. If the Prime Minister can't be convinced, he'll have to contact the leader of the liberal party next since it was her bill that Cooper supported right before he abdicated.

Prime Minister Grey, a round man with a perpetually red face and little hair left on his head, arrives shortly after Blaine's made it back to the Palace himself because even the royal motorcade can get stuck in New York traffic.

"I'm sorry for not meeting you sooner, Prime Minister," Blaine apologizes after asking Thomas Grey to take a seat. "I had a personal issue to deal with."

"Yes, I saw on the way here," Prime Minister Grey wrinkles his nose. "How is Mr. Hummel?"

"Recovering," Blaine says simply because he knows the Prime Minister is just trying to be polite and doesn't really want to know. "But actually, before we discuss this week's agenda I have a favor to ask."

The Prime Minister gives him a look that seems to say go on and Blaine continues.

"As you are well aware there are certain restrictions within royal law that will make a future relationship between myself and Mr. Hummel very complicated, maybe even nigh on impossible and therefore I would very much appreciate you support in changing Royal Law 32 which pertains to royal parentage as you may know…" Blaine trails off when he sees the incredulous expression on the Prime MInister's face.

"You gotta be kidding me - does no one in your family talk?" the Prime Minister asks exasperatedly, forgetting himself for a moment. "Your brother tricked me into supporting a change of that law right before he abdicated by making me think he is infertile and wouldn't be able to carry on the line without medical help. Your Majesty," he tacks on when he remembers who he is talking to but it's Blaine's turn to look at the Prime Minister incredulously.

"He did what?"

"He changed the laws so that His Majesty could marry a man and have His children recognized as legitimate heirs, all with the backing of the Church who probably didn't understand what they were really supporting either and now there's nothing I or the Church can do. We can't force His Majesty to abdicate because by law His Majesty can now have legal heirs and that's the most important requirement for a King. I can tell His Majesty one thing though, His children may be issued titles if they are biologically His but His spouse never will, because the Church will never bless His civil marriage."

Blaine's barely listening at this point, grinning like a loon and silently cursing Cooper for forgetting to tell him the most important thing, because he's read Cooper's letter countless of times and there was nothing about changing royal law in it.

"Kurt doesn't care about titles," he shrugs "and I'm sure we could come to an agreement regarding children as long as I can have children who will be legitimate heirs."

He wants to jump up and down and rush back to Kurt's hospital room immediately to tell him the good news but unfortunately there's still a lot of things he needs to discuss with the Prime Minister and so instead of celebrating, he spends the next five hours discussing bills, the upcoming election, a proposal about raising the national minimum wage which Blaine supports but the conservative party doesn't and it probably won't go through even with Blaine's support unless he convince a few conservatives to vote with him on this.

And then he's finally free but when he has Sam call the hospital he's told that visiting hours are over and there won't be made an exception especially not for the King because of the commotion his earlier visit caused.

"You can come back tomorrow at ten," Sam informs him after hanging up the phone and so Blaine decides he should use this time to call Cooper and yell at his brother for causing him the worst heartache in his life and nearly making him agree to marry Charlotte because he thought he had no other choice.

"Woah, Squi, I mean Blaine, slow down. Why are you yelling at me? Seriously, this is turning out to be one hell of a stressful honeymoon. And there I thought my life would be easier once I got rid off the throne."

"You. Did. Not. Tell. Me. You. Changed. That. Fucking. Royal. Parentage. Law. Cooper. What. The. Fuck. I broke up with Kurt because I thought I had to marry a woman thanks to you. I nearly announced my engagement to Charlotte that day. And you know what's the worst part. The Paparazzi went so crazy, Kurt thought he'd be safer taking the subway home and then he got jumped and they nearly killed him."

"Woah, back up there. What happened to Kurt? And sure I told you, I put it all in the letter and I gave a press conference."

"You did not talk about the royal law at the press conference and you did not tell me you changed it too in your letter. Trust me I would have seen it if you had."
"Huh," Cooper says, sounding actually surprised. "I was certain I had. I'm really sorry, Squirt. But what about Kurt?"

"He's in the hospital with a bunch of broken bones and like internal bleeding and he can't talk because there's a tube down his throat that helps him breathe, his nose is broken and he's covered in bruises and it's all my fault, because I said publicly that we broke up and basically sent the paparazzi after him. I should have known that he wouldn't take a cab home, too afraid that he would lead the reporters there."

"You couldn't have known he would be attacked, no one could. You can't blame yourself for that," Cooper tells him but there won't be a day when he doesn't blame himself for Kurt's injuries. Because what if the tube in his throat causes an infection and ruins Kurt's singing voice? What if he can never move normally again or do a dance routine because of his shattered ankle? What if he develops PTSD and needs years of therapy to cope with the aftermath of the attack. Blaine would't love him any less for any of that but Kurt may never forgive him if he has to live with the aftermath of the attack for the rest of his life.

"I'm really sorry, Squirt," his brother repeats. "Everything I did was for you and then I still went and messed it up. But we're flying back tonight and I'll tell Kurt that it's all my fault and that if he has to hate someone it better be me."

"Don't Cooper. It won't change anything because no matter why I did it, I still chose the Crown over him and that's what he's always been afraid of, since the moment Dad died and it became an actual possibility that I might be King some day."

"Well though luck, because Sarah's already packed our bags and we're flying back tonight. Because contrary to what you may believe, I care about your boyfriend too. Because I've never see you as happy as when you were with him. And maybe, just maybe, I'd like you to meet my wife as well even if you don't seem to be all that interested in her. Or her kids that I plan to adopt."

Blaine suddenly feels like the worst brother in the world because he hasn't asked about his new sister-in-law, not once, not when Cooper called to yell at him or in the cause of this conversation.

"I'm sorry Coop. Obviously, I'd love to meet the woman that made you want to settle down and abdicate the throne for her."

"I didn't just do it for her, Blaine. I never planned to be King for the rest of my life, I just thought I would have more time."

"So I should be grateful that you did it before I married some girl to make Dad happy or was going from affair to affair, never having a real relationship to keep him from exiling me?" Blaine asks incredulously.

"You are twisting my words, Squirt."

Don't call me that. You said it yourself. It doesn't sound right to call the King Squirt. You made me King, so stop calling me that. Because it's not the same for me. You've known your whole life that you were gonna be King some day and you've been groomed for it since you were young. I was only ever just the spare in case something happened to you before you had your own family, never meant to be King myself and you know it. No one cared when I didn't get straight As in school, when I didn't finish my degree or when I was a shitty soldiers only good at flying, because I was nothing in the eye of my father and my King. All my life there was precious Cooper and useless Blaine."

"But he is gone, Blaine. You don't need to try to impress him anymore. So what if you weren't intended to be King? You're gonna make a much better King than I could ever have been, how many more times do I have to tell you that before you believe it? I wouldn't have abdicated for you if I didn't think you are the most qualified for the job. And get it into your thick skull that your sexuality has nothing to do with it. Being gay won't make you a worse King than if you pretend to like women. You are going to do whats right for the Kingdom because you are compassionate and kind not because you prefer to jerk off to Playgirl instead of Playboy."

"Coop," Blaine chides weakly, but the fight has left him and all he wants right now is snuggle with Kurt and tell him all about his stupid older brother. "Let me know when you're back in the city, okay. I really would love to meet your wife and my niece and nephew."

All he wants to do after his call to Cooper is go to bed so it will be morning sooner and he can see Kurt again, but there's one more call he has to make.

"Deal's off, Blaine or do you really think I don't know about your little trip to Brooklyn Hospital," Charlotte says without preamble sounding resigned like she knew this would happen.

"I'm sorry, Charlotte. I really believe that you would be the best candidate for my wife if I loved women like that, but I don't and my stupid brother made it so that I don't have to. But I do feel bad for how I've been treating you the past five years, so I'm sending you Crown Prince Carlos of Spain's phone number. I have it on good authority that he's looking for a wife from outside of Europe and you can trust me when I say he's super hot. If I wasn't in love with Kurt and he was on my team I'd go after him myself. If you want I can arrange a meeting between the two of you if you are interested."

And then to his surprise, Charlotte actually laughs. "Oh my God, I can't believe you're dumping me again and trying to set me up with another guy all in one sentence. And a guy you think I should date because you find him hot. I never stood a chance with you, did I?"
Blaine doesn't say anything because he would have married her if Santana hadn't outed him and his father hadn't died, just to keep the peace in the family and so he could stay in the city where you could always find another closet case willing to engage in a brief and discreet affair.

"I'm sorry that I hurt you," he says instead because it's better if she never finds out how far he was willing to take this while he was cheating on her with any guy willing to be discreet. "And I hope you'll find someone who will make you happy."

"It's gonna take some time, but eventually I want you to be happy too. But for now let me be angry a little longer and don't expect congratulations from me when you get back together with him."

Somehow, everyone else in his life seems more sure that Kurt will take him back than he is himself, but hopefully they are right.

Doctor Renfrew is back with his interns and today their plan's to extubate him and Kurt goes pale when they explain the process because how is he supposed to cough when his ribs hurt when he does nothing but lie still in bed.

"We are going to administer an intercostal nerve block before we extubate and once the tube is out we will put in an epidural catheter through which a local anesthetic and an opioid will be administered to hopefully achieve the desired analgesic effect while you are in our care," the main doctor says and Kurt frowns because he may as well have been speaking Chinese.

"We are going to numb the space between your ribs so it won't hurt too bad when we pull the tube out and after we're going to put a catheter into your back through which your pain medicine will be administered because it's one of the most effective methods of reducing pulmonary complications," one of the interns explain and then they go to work on him and no matter what they've injected him with it hurts like hell when the tube's pulled from his throat and they make him cough again and again to clear any phlegm from his lungs.

And when the doctors are finally satisfied, they carefully put a nasal cannula into his healing broken nose and Kurt sucks in the air gratefully because without it, every breath feels like a breath taken with a bolder on his chest. He's moved onto his side then with the help of two more interns because his injured arms have to be moved and they are trying not to put pressure on his ribs as they do so and then his hospital gown is parted and Kurt whimpers as a needle is pushed into his spine because it hurts like hell when it's supposed to make him feel better.

"You will be able to adjust the dose as needed," a young doctor explains and hands Kurt a pump before he's carefully moved back onto his back, a tube now connected to the catheter in his back but surprisingly it bothers him less than he thought it would and he's already breathing a little easier and the pain's more manageable.

And then the group leaves him again with instructions to the nurse that Kurt can be moved to a regular room if he keeps improving over the next twenty-four hours. The nervous nurse from the day before comes back too and announces that His Majesty would like to see Kurt, and Kurt nods softly, not trusting his voice just yet as he sucks on ice chips to soothe the soreness.

His eyes widen in surprise though when the King who steps into his room, isn't King Blaine.

"Your-" he tries to force out.

"Don't try to talk," Cooper tells him immediately and hands him a cup of water with a straw in it and Kurt sucks down the cool liquid gratefully.

"Your Majesty," it comes out easier the second time. "Thought you were on your honeymoon."

"It's just Cooper now until my brother decides what title he'll give me. And I couldn't keep drinking straight from coconuts and ogling my hot wife on the beach when you are in the hospital. Contrary to what my brother may think, I'm not heartless."

"But you…" Kurt rasps but doesn't finish because he doesn't know what he's trying to say. 'Ruined my life. Ruined Blaine's life.'

"I messed up, I'm sorry Kurt. I forgot to tell Blaine. I was so excited about marrying Sarah I forgot to tell him the most important thing. But you'll forgive me right?"

Kurt has no clue what the former King is saying, but Cooper looks so dejectedly that he nods and Cooper gives him a blinding smile in return.

"Then it's settled. As soon as you are better, I want you and Blaine to meet my family. But I wanna wait until you look less banged up, because I'm afraid you may scare the kids."

"We broke up," Kurt croaks, brows furrowed in confusion because surely if Cooper found out about his injuries during his honeymoon, he must know about the break up too.

"Yeah, but that's all in the past now," Cooper waves him off dismissively. "Now you should think about when you are going to get married and where you'll live until then because my mom's a bitch and I'm pretty sure she'll tell Blaine you can't live at the Palace before you get hitched. And Lucy loved being a flower girl so much, she told me her mom and I need get married again so she can be the flower girl and I'm sure she'd love to do it for yours too."

Kurt wonders briefly if maybe he accidentally gave himself another dose of the morphine they have him on and he's hallucinating, because Cooper's talking about his wedding like it's a done deal and not a big maybe depending on the outcome of Blaine's talk with the government.

"Cooper, I have't told him yet."

Blaine's standing in the doorway, a kitten plush in his arms since flowers aren't allowed in Kurt's room and takes in the scene. His brother is sitting on a chair next to Kurt, who looks at Cooper in bewilderment. Kurt's bed has been slightly elevated so it looks like he's sitting up a bit, and the horrible tube in his throat is gone to Blaine's relief. There's a little more color in Kurt's cheeks, but his face is still marred by cuts and cruises and his nose looks horribly swollen still. But he's awake and seems to be talking and that's the most important thing.

"Oh," Cooper says and then he's out of the chair and wraps Blaine up in a tight hug. "I really am sorry, Squirt."

He is released just as quickly and then Cooper bows his head to Blaine, which feels weird because his brother was a crowned King. "Your Majesty, I'll leave you to it."

Blaine stops him before he can walk out of the room, remembering his new role. "I want you and your family at the Palace for dinner tonight. There are quite a few things you and I need to discuss, but I want to meet your wife first. So be there at seven, I'll let Palace security know you are coming. In the mean time, your belongings have been moved to Richmond House and you and your family are welcome to stay there while you are in the city. Everything else, we'll discuss later tonight."

"Yes, sir," Cooper salutes him with a grin and then he's alone with Kurt, who looks like he's trying not to laugh before he catches Blaine's gaze and schools his expression.

"Your brother thinks we're getting married," Kurt rasps and Blaine's beside him in a flash. It's wonderful to hear Kurt's voice again, but he can hear the strain in it, so he shushes him and holds a cup of water out to his face and when Kurt nods, places the straw between his chapped and cut lips and watches as Kurt gulps down the liquid.

"I spoke to the Prime Minister yesterday," Blaine explains while Kurt drinks. "And it looks like Cooper changed the royal law that regulates the succession to the throne before he abdicated but forgot to tell me about it. So basically I was an asshole for nothing, ruined our relationship and made you end up in the hospital, all for nothing. Because if I understand it right, we could have gotten married that day and I would still be able to be King and have heirs with you."

"S' not your fault, the hospital," Kurt says around the straw and Blaine removes it. "You didn't put me into the hospital, those men did. They were out for blood, and if it hadn't been me, they would have attacked someone else, so I'm not blaming you for this."

But for everything else, Blaine's subconscious supplies. And even if Kurt says it's not his fault, Blaine's still blaming himself for it, because it's his fault Kurt was there in the first place.

"I could have called Sam because he offered his help, but I wanted to prove to everyone that I didn't need help, that I wasn't affected by what the press said. Also, I knew it can be dangerous at night where I live, but I put the pepper spray Dani bought me into my closet because I thought I would never need it."

Kurt closes his eyes after his little speech, sweat beading at his temple, and Blaine wipes it away carefully with the sleeve of his shirt.

"Don't talk so much. The doctors will have my head on a platter if my visits make you worse. How about I let you go back to sleep and come back later tonight, if that's okay? Is your family still in the city?"

Kurt blinks once, waits a few seconds and blinks once again. Blaine doesn't ask him for forgiveness and another chance again, because it's more important that Kurt gets better now and he'll probably have to do more than just promise Kurt he'll put him first from now on; he'll have to show him. And if that means visiting twice a day for the time being which is the ultimate confirmation that the King's very much in love with Kurt still, so be it.

Cooper's step children are lovely, Blaine decides as he watches them look around the Palace in awe as Cooper gives his new family a tour with Blaine beside him.

"If you are not King anymore, does that mean that you are a prince again?" Lucy asks. "I like Prince better anyway," she says and Blaine chuckles because it's nice to be with people who don't understand yet how they are supposed to treat the King.

"You will have to ask the King. He'll get to decide that," Cooper tells her and Lucy spins around and looks at Blaine with her hands on her hips.

"Can he?"

"I'm sorry, honey, but Cooper's going to be a Duke because Duke is the highest rank below the monarch. As a former King, he can't be just a prince and he can't be the Crown Prince again."

"Why not?" Lucy asks

"Because only the heir to the throne can be the Crown Prince or Princess, so right now a very old lady is the Crown Princess until King Blaine has his own children and then his oldest son or oldest daughter will be the Crown Prince or Crown Princess," Cooper explains to her, and Blaine makes a mental note to check that someone's informed great aunt Sophia of her new title even if it's just a perfunctory title, since the Crown would pass her over if anything happened to Blaine or the Church found a way to force him to abdicate after all.

"Can I be a princess too? It's okay if Billy's no prince, but I'd love to be a princess."

Blaine smiles at her sadly. Because Cooper married a divorcee he can't confer the title of Duchess on her and neither can he give her children royal titles. Even if they have more children they won't get titles, since the changed law only confers titles on children born through reproductive medicine when the parents can't conceive naturally. It's a nice loophole for Blaine, because obviously he and his future husband won't be able to conceive naturally and so at least any children that are biologically Blaine's would get styled prince or princess.

"You are my princess though and trust me, that's much better than some stuffy title," Cooper scoops her up and throws her into the air, making her squeal.

After dinner, a car takes Sarah and the kids to Richmond House and Cooper and Blaine move into the library, Blaine's favorite place at the Palace.

"So what are your plans?" he asks his brother. "Are you really going to move to Hollywood?" He tries not to sound too judgmental, but, seriously, it sounds so frivolous to give up the throne to pursue an acting career, especially when for all he knows, Cooper could be a horrible actor. "What does Sarah do?"

"She's a paralegal and yes, we're moving to California once the school year is over. I'm sure I will get plenty of offers, since I'm already famous, and Sarah can find a new job there too. We'll stay at Richmond House for now if the offer still stands and I have already found an acting coach to prepare me for my first auditions."

"Alright, then." What else is there to say? Cooper seems to have made up his mind, and while Blaine could forbid it since he's in charge now, he doesn't see the point in telling his brother he can't follow his dream.

The press will be hard on him whatever he does next, since he forced the Church's hand and made his gay brother King, so it might as well be Hollywood.

"You know the media won't be kind when they find out your plans so emphasize that you abdicated for love. Emphasize that you couldn't imagine your life without her and that as King you couldn't have married and had a family with her that carried on the line. People will be more sympathetic to this than you abdicating because you'd rather be anything but King."

Cooper nods in agreement.

"Emma's organized a press conference for tomorrow morning and I'd like you there with me. I'll announce your new title - and I'm sorry but you know that your title can't include your last name. If you want your stage name to be Cooper Anderson, be my guest, but I can't style you Duke Cooper Anderson, okay?"

Cooper doesn't look happy but he nods.

"You will also explain all the laws you changed before you abdicated for me and what this will mean for he Kingdom. I want the Kingdom to know that you thought things through before you abdicated and only did so, when you were sure you'd secured the future succession to the throne. I will then ask the press to stay away from your wife's children and threaten anyone with a lawsuit who prints their picture without permission because legally they aren't part of the royal family and are thus entitled to privacy."

"Are going to say something about Kurt?" Cooper asks and Blaine shrugs.

"It doesn't feel right to talk about him before I know he'll take me back so I'll have to keep it vague."

Kurt watches the royal press conference from his new hospital bed in a normal room with Dani by his side, though since it's a single, he's sure the Palace had a hand in it, because his health insurance would not get him a single room. A nurse had come in earlier to let him know that the King would come by later in the evening since he had to give a press conference first and Kurt had asked her to turn on the TV shortly before Dani came to visit him. Cooper and Blaine are both dressed in expertly tailored suits, only the royal pin worn by the reigning monarch is now on Blaine's lapel instead of Cooper's.

"Thank you all for coming, today. Before we begin I would like to announce the conferment of the following titles. His Royal Highness Prince Cooper of Virginia, formerly King of America, will hence force be known as His Royal Highness, Duke Cooper of Virginia. Her Royal Highness Princess Sophia of Virginia will hence force be known as Her Royal Highness, Crown Princess and heir presumptive of Virginia. Royal law forbids me from conferring the title of Duchess of Virginia to the Duke's wife Sarah Anderson, but I would like to welcome her and her children Lucy and William to the family nonetheless."

Kurt watches as Queen Pamela, who returned from Europe just this morning according to the news, fidgets in her seat, seemingly not all that happy with her new daughter-in-law and her step grandchildren.

Dani seems to catch it too, because she grins and says, "look on the bright side, you and Sarah can bond over how much your mother-in-law doesn't like you," and Kurt rolls his eyes because he hasn't decided yet if he'll take Blaine back and everyone's already planing their wedding.

"Before I address the Kingdom, the Duke would like to say a few words." The King on TV steps aside for his brother and takes a seat next to his mother.

"I'd like to clear a few things up, because I know my abdication came as a shock to the Kingdom. This was not a spur of the moment decision. The moment I fell in love with my wife I started looking into ways I could marry her and still ensure that my family's line would continue to reign over America. I did not abdicate until I was sure that my brother could carry on the line with a partner of his choice. To guarantee that, I changed royal law that previously said that both parents of a royal heir had to be of royal blood either by birth or marriage. I added a provision that allows married royal couples access to reproductive medicine if they cannot conceive naturally without the resulting children being deprived of royal titles. The provision also states that royal couples have to follow the rules established in common law and thanks to common law SSC 1096 which legalizes adoption and reproductive medicine for civilly married same sex couples, a civilly married royal same sex couple will now have access to the same procedures. In short, once King Blaine marries, all children born through surrogacy that are biologically his, will be eligible for royal titles and King Blaine's first born will be the heir apparent to the Crown of America. I believe King Blaine will be a great King and I hope you all give him a chance to prove himself regardless of his sexuality. That's all."

Emma quickly silences the reporters in the room when they start yelling questions and Kurt does the same with Dani when she looks at him in astonishment and like she has millions of questions, because he wants to hear what Blaine has to say.

"This has come as a shock to me too, because I never expected to be King, but it means at lot to me that the Duke believes I'm the best choice for the Kingdom. I know that not everyone is in love with the idea of having an openly homosexual man as their reigning monarch, but I'd like you to give me a chance to prove that I'm more than that, and that I can be a King for everyone in America whether they agree with me on my 'life choices' or not. I also know that it's unusual for a monarch to reign without a consort by his or her side, but then again, it is unusual as well in this day and age for a King or Queen to be this young. I've only just turned twenty five, and I hope you'll forgive me if I won't rush into a marriage right now. I want to focus on the Kingdom right now and learn how to be the best King I can be, and one day, hopefully, the man that I love, will be my husband. However, as long as I reign, there won't be a King consort, and as future head of the Church, I understand why the Church won't bless my marriage. With me as King, it won't be easy for the Crown or the Church, but I'm willing to work with the bishops to hopefully find some common ground once I've proven to them that I am the right choice for the Kingdom and if this hadn't been God's plan, he would have blessed my parents with another child as soon as I came out to myself as a young teen, who I could abdicate for in a few years."

"Oh, snap, that was a good one. Throwing the whole, 'we're all part of God's plan' talk the Church always does back into their faces," Dani snarks and Kurt shushes her again, because Blaine's not done.

"I am not asking for the Church's blessing, but I hope it will open it's heart to my future partner and will welcome our children with open arms. I know that is a lot to ask since I am very familiar with the Church's teachings on homosexuality, but I know the Church also teaches love and acceptance and I am appealing to the bishops to put love first and to help me make sure that in our Kingdom love always trumps hate."

"Are you crying?" Kurt asks when Dani wipes a tear from her face and she looks at him incredulously.

"How are you not? And didn't you hear him, he called you the man that he loves on live TV and he said that he wants to marry you one day."

Kurt shakes his head stubbornly. "He was talking in hypotheticals. Anyone could be the future man he loves."

"Uh, uh," Dani gives him a look that screams 'you crazy'. "Because you would have been okay with him saying your name without asking you first. I could see that go over well."

"You got a point," Kurt agrees reluctantly, because yes, he wouldn't not have been okay with Blaine talking about him, when Kurt's still on the fence about getting back together with him, because it had been incredibly hard to date a Crown Prince, but the King. He's not sure he's up for that. All those rules a wife of a King would have to obey, would they apply to him to? Or would they only apply to him if he and Blaine were actually married? Questions he should ask the King point blank instead of letting his imagination run wild.

He gets his chance later that day, when Blaine visits him again as promised, a large bouquet of white and blue roses in his hand, which Kurt much prefers over red roses. He's touched that Blaine remembers a throw away comment that he made when Blaine joked about getting him two dozen red roses for his opening night months ago.

"I saw you on the news," he says, talking a little easier today even though he still needs the extra oxygen to breathe easier in addition to the epidural analgesia. "You sounded very kingly."

"Thanks, I guess," Blaine puts the flowers in a vase he brought into the room with him and puts it on Kurt's bedside table. "You look better today."

Kurt's pretty sure he doesn't because his hair's all greasy and he probably smells and since his face still feels like it got mistaken for a punching bag, it's probably still all bruised. But he should probably accept what Blaine's saying and take it as a sign that the King does still love him when Kurt's current state doesn't make him recoil.

"Were you talking about me when you said you hoped to marry the man you love one day?" he then asks point blank, because why waste time?

"Of course, I did, Kurt. There's no one else."

He knows that but the meds are messing with his emotions and though he logically knew that Blaine was probably talking about him, he needed to hear it from the King himself.

Blaine carefully touches his thumb to the ring finger on Kurt's right hand, one of three fingers that isn't broken, and rubs in a soothing motion and Kurt sighs because it's nice to be touched by someone that isn't a doctor or a nurse, because not even his own father has dared to touch him so far, his friends and family too afraid that he'll break if they touch him.

"And just knowing that you consider marrying me one day too, that would be enough."

Kurt takes a deep breath, or as deep a breath he can without screaming in pain.

"What would be expected of me if we get back together? How do you date a King?"

"I'm not sure," Blaine tells him honestly, but there's a small smile on his face like Kurt just considering the possibility is making him happy. "There's not really any precedent, since Cooper only dated in secret. We probably should be married by the time I'm thirty so we can start a family, though," the King continues. "And until then you'd take language lessons, come to Church with me on Sundays because I have to go and people would talk if you don't accompany me, and just make everyone in the Kingdom fall in love with you so that when we get married, everyone will be happy for us."

"Just make everyone fall in love with me," Kurt repeats incredulously. "You do remember that I'm recovering from a homophobic attack right now. I'll never get everyone to like me. If we stay together, maybe I'll even be the most hated person in the Kingdom because I'm keeping you from being married to a Queen and an actor definitely isn't good enough for a King. Or would I have to give it up?"

"You'll probably have to take some time off when we have kids, because even though you won't be my wife, I'll expect that a lot of people will treat you like you are in a very old fashioned way. Like they'll expect you to keep your mouth shut and look pretty and raise our children while I rule the Kingdom with the Prime Minister. But no, I don't see why you couldn't keep doing it. We'd have to figure out something for your safety, because I can't use royal guards for your protection if we aren't married, but I'm sure we could figure something out. I could hire you a driver who'll make sure you get home safe and undetected by the paparazzi until we get married and you move into the Palace with me."

Kurt considers it for a moment and though he doesn't want to be seen as a diva who needs bodyguards and a private driver, it would make him feel safer, especially if he keeps living with Dani for the foreseeable future.

"Have they caught them, the men who…?" Blaine shakes his head angrily.

"No, none of the cameras in the area were working and the witness also could only give a generic description. You sure they didn't have tattoos on their faces or like weird piercings?"

Kurt shakes his head. He gave his statement to the Police yesterday after Blaine left but all he could tell them was that it was three white men, maybe late twenties, early thirties, jeans, bomber jacket and baseball caps and what felt like work boots when they kicked him. They sounded like they were locals, and didn't use any names while they attacked Kurt.

"Police is canvassing the area though to see if they weren't seen by anyone else before or after and they are instructed to let the Palace know as soon as they've found anything."

Kurt's quiet for a moment before he says in a soft voice.

"I think I'm glad I'll be going to Ohio for a bit, because I'm not ready to go back to Bushwick. Because what if they live in my neighborhood and they try to finish the job if they see me again? Honestly, if I could, I'd just stay in the hospital until I'm fully healed because I don't want Carole to be my nurse but I also know that I can't stay in New York right now because I can't do anything for myself."

"If you'd like, I could hire someone so Carole doesn't have to be your actual nurse. But no hot guy though."

"Well then obviously, my answer is no," Kurt surprises himself by joking, though he'd like to say 'no, I can pay myself', but he can't, because he's still paying rent and he really doesn't make all that much money.

"My Dad won't like it," he says instead but Blaine just shrugs.

"Tough, but this isn't about what he likes, this is making sure you're comfortable and if the through of having Carole as your full time nurse, makes you uncomfortable then I only care what you want. So please let me help. No strings attached, okay? I'll give you all the time and space you need, so at least my statement wasn't a total lie and when you're ready to either get back together or break up, you'll let me know."

"You'll still come visit me until I go to Ohio?" Kurt asks because a visit from Blaine is the highlight of his hospital day at the moment.

"As long as you want me, every single day."

Blaine watches as Kurt heals slowly and by the time he's released from the hospital, nearly all the bruising is gone, and his nose is starting to look like a nose again. Blaine has arranged a medical transport to Ohio for Kurt and he watches as the middle aged nurse he hired, helps Kurt get out of bed for the first time in two weeks.

Kurt's clearly in pain, grimacing as the bed is raised so he's sitting up and Blaine wraps an arm around Kurt's right side when instructed by Irma who calls him Blaine - because any other title takes too much time when he's supposed to be helping her - while Irma carefully stabilizes his left side, where a scar is hidden under the hospital gown.

All tubes have been removed from Kurt's body before Blaine came over this morning to introduce him to Irma, so at least he doesn't have to worry over tripping over something that might hurt Kurt if accidentally pulled out. Together, they carefully turn him until his legs are hanging over the edge of the bed, his left foot in a cast boot that should allow him to walk as long as someone's holding him, since he can't use crutches. Blaine and Irma put him on his feet and Kurt sways for a moment, unused to being upright after two weeks stuck in a hospital bed.

"Okay?" Blaine asks and Kurt nods slowly, after shifting his weight from foot to foot. "Alright, lets get you dressed then."

Irma holds him up while Blaine kneels down in front of him and helps him put on underwear before dressing Kurt in sweatpants because none of his pants would fit over the cast. He tries not to wince, when Kurt's gown comes off and his sees the scar from his partial splenectomy, but he knows Kurt's lucky that a part of his spleen could be preserved.

Very carefully, a t-shirt is put over Kurt's head and his encased arms put through the wholes and Blaine puts a sock and a shoe on Kurt's right foot while Irma puts a thick blanket around his upper body before Kurt's lowered into a wheel chair and Blaine wheels him out of the room, Sam, Puck, Ryder and Jake all by his side immediately and Blaine introduces Kurt to his new guards as they take an elevator up to the roof where a helicopter is waiting to fly Kurt and Irma to Ohio. It's cold for mid march and Blaine takes off his jacket and wraps it around Kurt as well when he sees him shiver out on the roof.

"When you're ready I'll be there," he reminds him and then Kurt surprises him and asks for a kiss before he goes.

Blaine presses a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth, where his lip wasn't cut so bad it needed stitches and then backs away slowly, while Irma lifts Kurt out of the wheel chair and into the helicopter like he weighs nothing.

Surrounded by his guards, Blaine watches as Kurt flies away and he hopes and prays that Kurt didn't just fly away for good.

6 Weeks Later

Kurt's at the Columbus Airport saying goodbye to his Dad. He said goodbye to Carole the previous night because she's on the early shift and didn't want him to get up with her.

"Are you sure about this, Kurt?" his dad asks for what feels like the hundreds time and Kurt rolls his eyes.

"Yes, I'm sure, Dad. I've been given the all clear by my doctor, by Irma and even Carole says I'm healthy enough to go back. It's not a singing role so I don't have to have perfect breath control back and the theater's expecting me. They made a big announcement on their website that I'm coming back, so I really can't back out now."

"I wish we could come," his dad sighs, but Kurt knows he and Carole have already taken too much time off work to care for him while he was in Lima.

He wraps his still a bit stiff arms around his dad's shoulders and makes sure not to hug him too tightly because even eight weeks after the attack, his ribs still hurt when he breathes too deeply or moves too quickly, and the doctor recommended that Kurt continued going to physiotherapy for his arms a few more weeks in New York, but Kurt's just glad that his ankle has healed so well and he's now walking without a limp.

"I'll be careful, I promise."

"And the King?" his dad asks once Kurt lets go of him.

"I'll let you know when I told him," Kurt says because Blaine deserves to be the first one to hear his decision.

He's done a lot of soul searching while he was recovering in his childhood home in Lima to make sure he's making the right decision now. He's learned some Spanish and some French in high school so at least he wouldn't start from nothing if he takes lessons, he's had plenty experience with the paparazzi already and doesn't think they could actually get any worse, he's already had to learn court ceremonial when Blaine was 'just' the Crown Prince, he's had media training and if some day, he'd have his own personal guards, he probably would get used to that too. He's not a fan of the idea of having to consult a stylist before he goes out in public or that he'll never be treated like Blaine's equal because he isn't allowed the title of King consort, but again, he'll probably get used to that. The hardest pill to swallow is that he's supposed to go to church with the King when he's been an atheist since was eight years old and has given the church his father used to go to a wide berth since he had to sit through a sermon on the dangers of homosexuality when he was eleven years old and just figuring himself out. The only compromise he's willing to offer is that he'll come to church with Blaine once they are actually married as long as he doesn't have to become a member of the Church of America again. He also won't stand in the way of their future kids being baptized into the Church because he's pretty sure it's a deal breaker if he vetoes baptism.

He's already on the plane, in business class because people tend to freak out wherever he goes, when he finally takes out his phone to composes a short message to the King.

Yes - Kurt.

Then he switches his phone off with plans not to turn it on again till after the show because he doesn't need any distractions before his first performance after a two months break.

As soon as the plane lands, he and his luggage are picked up by a driver the theater sent for him and when they arrive in midtown, Kurt's jaw drops, because in front of the theater is a massive crowd of fans and reporters, seemingly all waiting for him. The noise is deafening when he stiffly climbs out of the car and slowly walks into the theater, separated from the crowd by barriers and security guards. Before going in, he waves at the crowd shyly, because if he's really going to marry the King of America one day, he needs to start engaging with his fans and aways have a polite smile for them like he's seen Blaine do it even when faced with the nastiest reporters.

Inside the dressing room he still shares with the other guys, there's a banner spelling out 'Welcome back, Kurt' and then he's surrounded by the rest of the cast clapping when he steps into the room.

"Thank you, guys," Kurt says with tears in his eyes, because he's missed his theater family too, and then they step aside and there's Rachel and Jesse, and Dani and Christine and smiling at him awkwardly Santana and her girlfriend Brittany, a pretty blonde dancer his ex-roommate met at cheer camp shortly after she was outed on local TV and they started dating when Brittany followed Santana to New York after her own High School graduation. Kurt gives her a tentative smile as well, because after he nearly died he didn't want to hold on to his grudge any longer. Time was too precious for that. The only one missing is Blaine, but Kurt's not surprised he isn't here since he only texted a few hours ago and Blaine can't just go wherever he wants nowadays, he has to clear it with Palace security first and wait for a security detail to be arranged for him, and that's something else Kurt will have to get used to.

Fortunately, doing the show is like riding a bike and since the theater announced before the show that Kurt won't be able to do any scenes requiring his harness just yet, no one seems disappointed when he doesn't go flying where he usually would before crashing into the a foam pillar.

He beams when after it's over, he receives a standing ovation that he knows has more to do with being back after his attack than his mad acting skill but it warms his insides that so many people seem to care about him. And then there's a loud gasp from someone in the crowd and besides him his cast mates step to the side only to reveal the King, dressed in a beautiful Tom Ford suit, while a dozen of guards enter the theater from the side doors to keep the audience away from the stage. Blaine's flanked by his personal guards, dressed in official royal guard uniforms as well, probably to tell everyone in the theater not to try anything stupid with them around. And in the King's arms is the biggest bouquet of flowers Kurt's ever seen. A mix of roses in all the colors of the rainbow interspersed with lilies, Kurt's mother's favorite flower and violets, which Kurt loves.

"Oh my God, Blaine," Kurt gasps in front of hundreds of cellphone cameras videotaping the moment, his hands clutched together over his heart, forgetting in that moment that he's not supposed to address Blaine by his first name in public, like ever, and then he breaks rule number one too - no PDA in public - when he throws his arms around the King and kisses him full on the lips.

He barely notices Sam, Puck, Ryder and Jake forming a protective circle around them to give them some semblance of privacy, because Blaine's not supposed to act like this in public, it's unbecoming for a King, and Blaine seems to remember that too and pulls back from Kurt way too soon.

"Later, okay," he whispers while the audience cheers, claps and stomps their feet. "For now, just know that I'm yours and I don't care who knows it."

Breaking News: King Blaine reunites with actor Kurt Hummel, who was brutally attacked two months ago by three men currently awaiting trial. The King surprised Mr. Hummel after a performance of 'Peter Pan Goes Wrong' at the Midtown Players Theater in which Mr. Hummel plays the titular character. Today marked Mr. Hummel's return to the stage after recovering from severe injuries that landed him in intensive care at Brooklyn Hospital where King Blaine visited him daily until Mr. Hummel's release six weeks ago. Audience members cheered when the King presented Mr. Hummel with a bouquet of flowers and what followed may have traditionalists clutch at their pearls, but to everyone else it was probably the most romantic scene we've ever gotten from a member of the royal family. Mr. Hummel, clearly overwhelmed, called the King by his given name before the couple exchanged a passionate kiss, before the King's guards intervened and hid the King and Mr. Hummel behind them. While we don't expect wedding bells before King Blaine's coronation in early September, no one here at Good Night New York would be surprised if the Palace announced King Blaine's engagement to Mr. Hummel within the year.