Past

"I love you so much, Natalie," Blaine whispered through his tears as he held his daughter for the last time, "I love you more than life, baby girl."

"Dada," she looked up at him with big blue eyes, "Dada cry!"

Blaine laughed and nodded, "I'm sorry baby," Blaine tried to dry his eyes, but one look at his daughter's face made him burst into tears again.

He could not believe it would be his last time seeing her before she grown up.

After a few weeks of discussing it with lawyers, family, friends, and even each other, both men decided that what would be best for their daughters would be to just each take one.

Blaine called up several child psychiatrists and had them assess the situation to make sure there would be no lasting psychological effects on either girl. The psychiatrist assured him that the girls were both still too young and undeveloped and that eventually their memories would fade as they aged.

Blaine still worried though. He worried about Natalie sleeping without Haley in the room. He worried about Haley not having anyone to eat the green fruit chews that she hated so much. Blaine knew he would try to make Haley's life as easy as possible and that he would work to make her the happiest girl in the world.

However, more, he worried that Natalie would never remember him, never know who he was. He knew it was better she did not, but he still had an urge. He was still her father. The thought that this little girl would never know that someone out there loved her so much that he would give everything for her ripped him apart.

She would never know how much he fought for her. Simply put, Kurt did have the better lawyer, and if Kurt would have wanted to, he most likely could have had primary custody of both girls. If there was one thing that Kurt could not do though, it was hurt Blaine like that.

If Kurt did not know he was moving across the country, he might have even left both girls with Blaine and just visited them on weekends, every weekend.

But Kurt couldn't stay in California. He'd been there a few years and it had already ruined everything he'd even known. He had to leave the state and leave behind his failure as a man.

He had failed his husband.

He had failed his bosses.

He had failed his daughters.

He had failed his family.

Kurt stared from the hallway, watching Blaine touch and savor every moment with his daughter, every last moment. It killed Kurt to take them away from each other, Blaine adored Natalie and Blaine was Natalie's whole world.

Kurt hoped in time she would love him as much as she did Blaine, but he knew it would just take time.

Time he could put in with his new job in New York. It was less pay, but more free time, and that was a compromise he had to make.

It was a compromise he should have made years ago.

The last thing Kurt wanted to do was say goodbye to Blaine. Kurt still loved Blaine with all of his heart, even though it was in pieces. Kurt still wanted to fight, but to him it just seemed like Blaine had given up any and all hope of ever fixing their relationship.

"Blaine," Kurt eventually said, his voice sounding rough and scratchy to even him, "Blaine…I have to go."

Blaine did not say anything but his eyes immediately welled up, "Do…do you want to say goodbye to Haley?"

Kurt swallowed thickly, "I….Blaine." Kurt squeezed his eyes together tightly and tried to fight the tears, "I can't."

Though his eyes were closed, Kurt heard a whimper and when he opened them, Blaine was standing in front of him, his eyes wide and tear filled, with his hand halfway up to Kurt's face, "Kurt…you will regret it."

"I know," Kurt nearly wailed, "but I…I can't do it Blaine. I'm already on three different medications to deal with this, I can't do it."

Blaine nodded and looked down at Natalie who was cradled in his arms, fast asleep. "Promise me," he said in a low voice, "promise me that if you ever mention me, if she ever asks, promise me you'll tell her that I love her more than anything and tell her that I will always be there for her. And Kurt," Blaine paused and looked down at his feet, "the same goes for you. If it…if it becomes too much, please tell me. I'll fly to New York and help you."

Neither man could believe they'd agreed to this resolution. Somewhere in the back of both of their minds they thought the day would never come, that they'd work it out and they could raise Natalie and Haley together as a family.

Blaine gently passed Natalie to Kurt, biting on his knuckle when he pulled back. "Okay…I can't watch you leave, Kurt. I cannot…I cannot watch her leave. I am going to go grab Haley and give her a bath. Can you just…go?" Blaine quickly bent down and kissed the sleeping Natalie again. "Please Kurt, give her an amazing life."

Kurt nodded, suddenly not able to even speak. He wanted Blaine to forget everything. He wanted Blaine to kiss him and hug him until they were both crying and shaking on the floor. He wanted to hold Haley and never let her go. There was so much he wanted, but he could not even find the words to say it.

"I love you," was all that came out, "I love her." His eyes were wide and pleading, trying to convince Blaine to just let him stay.

Blaine looked down and then looked back up at Kurt quickly, "I love you too," he leaned in and pressed a kiss to Kurt's lips, "Go."

With that, Blaine turned and walked into the bathroom to run Haley's bath, signaling that it was time for Kurt to leave.

Present

"I'm going to fall off of this stupid plank," Natalie huffed as she stumbled over the edge of a tree the two girls had to walk across to the isolation cabin.

"Maybe if you didn't have so much stuff," Haley hopped easily along the tree, her hands out to balance herself. "Weren't you a dancer for years? Doesn't that mean you should have good balance?"

"One would think," Natalie almost fell over a root, "Is this even legal? My father could probably sue them if I fell!"

Haley simply rolled her eyes and held out her hand, "Give me one of your tote bags."

Natalie looked at her skeptically, "Why?"

"Because if you fall and die they will probably blame me. I don't want that on my record if I want to get into a good college," Haley explained as she threw a bag full of Natalie's shoes over her shoulders. "Why do you need so many shoes anyway? You need flip flops, sneakers, and maybe nicer dress shoes."

"You need at least two pairs of flip flops, sneakers, and dress shoes in at least brown and black," Natalie clarified, "anything less and you look like a slob."

Haley glanced down at her beat up black converse and shrugged, "I think these work just fine. I usually walk around barefoot anyway."

"Where are your socks?" Natalie stopped dead and looked down at Haley's feet.

"They leave ugly tan lines," Haley explained again.

"That is what sunscreen is for!"

"A little sun never hurt anyone," Haley quoted her father.

"Except people with skin cancer," Natalie groaned and threw her bag off of her shoulder, "here, but sunscreen on."

Haley rolled her eyes but held out her hand. She had bartered her own sunscreen for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich a few days back, so she definitely did need some. "Thanks," she said somewhat shyly – she still could not get a good read on the other girl.

"No problem," Natalie shrugged and they continued on the path toward the isolation cabin. Neither girl was sure how far away is was, but markers every couple hundred yards told them they were on the right track.

They walked in silence for a while, moving at a faster pace now that Natalie was not stopping every few feet to readjust her bags.

"Oh crap!" Natalie squealed as she slipped and fell down a muddy incline. "Ew!"

Haley ran down the hill and crouched down, "Oh god, are you okay?"

Natalie winced, "My hair has mud in it. My father is going to make me shave my head when he comes to get me. I need a spa like now."

Haley laughed but held her hand up for Natalie to grab, "Come on, we'll go get you cleaned up. I think the isolation cabin has its own bathroom."

Natalie looked at Haley's hand, "Why are you being nice?"

"Because my dad can't get here for another week and neither can yours, so we are stuck together at least that long. I do not want to hate you and sit in silence for the next week. My dad always said I could power the entire west coast with my jaws, so I can't imagine not talking for a week." Haley motioned toward a clearing, "The cabin is over there."

"Finally," Natalie huffed and doubled her walking speed toward the clearing, "my father is going to have a fit when he finds out the conditions I've lived in."

Haley snapped, "Natalie, you do realize how pampered and snobby you sound, correct? We all know you live in a penthouse in New York City with your dad who is an amazing designer."

"Just because you are jealous…" Natalie started.

"I'm not," Haley said slowly, "I love my life. I love living on a ranch with my father and not having neighbors for miles. I love being able to keep our doors unlocked so I don't have to worry when I go riding."

"You don't have neighbors? That would be nice," Natalie admits, searching her bag for the key to the cabin. "Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to live outside of the city." Natalie did not want to fight with Haley just as much as Haley did not want to fight with her. They needed to get along for the next week and then they would never have to see each other again.

They entered the cabin and both of them groaned at the condition. Rachel had told them that they had never sent anyone to the isolation cabin, and it showed. Everything was covered in a thick coating of dust, and the furniture was pushed to the furthest corner of the room. "We need to clean before we shower," Haley said slowly, tracing her name in the dust.

"You say you're a's funny," Natalie said with wide eyes, "like my dad does."

Haley shrugged, "I always just made them that way."

They worked together to clean the room completely of dust, using Natalie's Lysol wipes to even clean the floor of the grime. The separated their beds and put their sheets on to make things at least seem a little more like a home. "I can't believe they wouldn't let me bring my trunk," Natalie huffed, "I might need more clothes than this."

"Just because my dad is gay, doesn't mean I am," Haley said almost instinctively.

"What?" Natalie turned and looked at her with wide eyes.

"You don't have to dress up to impress me," Haley said with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Natalie rolled her eyes, "I'm not. Trust me. I just…I am supposed to look nice. My dad taught me to always look my best. Every day is a moment for fashion."

Haley pulled out her simple wardrobe, "Do you want to shower first or can I?"

Natalie thought for a moment and seemed to battle with herself, "You can. I will probably make the shower a mess with all of this mud."

Haley nodded and walked into the small bathroom to shower.

Natalie unpacked most of her things except the small bag that held some of her more personal items. She opened the bag to grab her toiletries when she let out a small squeak. Her body scrub was in the bag, but her shampoo and conditioner were completely gone.

She had left them in the trunk her father was to pick up before he came to get her at the isolation cabin.

"Shower's free," Haley said as she walked out of the bathroom with her towel on her head.

Natalie turned beet red but looked at Haley, "Do you mind if I borrow your shampoo? I seem to have forgotten mine."

"Sure," Haley shrugged, "there's conditioner in there too. If I don't use it, my hair is a complete mess."

"You know, if you used a little gel your hair would be much more manageable," Natalie suggested, "I do have some of that."

Haley wrinkled her nose, "I don't even know how to use that."

Natalie laughed, "When I wash the grime out of my hair, I'll come show you how to do it."

Haley nodded happily before realizing that they were getting along far too much. She sat on her bed and pulled out a notebook and pen, trying to fake nonchalance.

Natalie retired to the bathroom and quickly showered – well, quickly for her. She had wanted to shower longer, but the hot water ran out and she did not want to shower in the cold.

When she stepped out of the shower, she almost screamed again. The hair that had simply been wavy from the lake water was now back in its usual ringlet form. Natalie panicked and picked up the shampoo and conditioner.

It was made for curls.

Maybe Haley did have an idea about what she was doing.

Natalie peaked out from behind the door of the bathroom, "Help," she muttered.

Haley gasped, the long black hair that was once straight and shiny was now to her shoulders and curly.

As curly as Haley's was, which she found difficult to believe.

"Your hair is naturally curly like mine?" Haley eventually said once she found her voice, "why do you straighten it?"

"My dad just always has since I started middle school. I used to cry a lot when he'd brush it because it would get knotty. Then he'd put gel in it but he still got upset whenever I cried because of the knots." Natalie reached for her gel and started putting a tiny bit into her hair, making the curls shiny and bouncy.

"How did you do that?" Haley stared at the girl, "every time I try to put gel in my hair it just makes it really hard and then my dad has to buy special shampoo to get it out."

"Use it sparingly," Natalie said as she looked through Haley's hair, "You have split ends."

"I know," Haley mumbled, "but the nearest hair salon isn't all that close to our house so we have to wait until I come back to go to get a haircut."

"I can do it for you," Natalie suggested, "my hairdresser shows me how to trim my hair all the time."

Haley sucked in a deep breath, "You aren't going to scalp me are you?"

"Of course not. I'd like to come back here next year if they let me," Natalie gave Haley a genuine smile, "can you just grab my scissors? They are in my tote bag."

Haley walked slowly toward the bag. When she opened it, the first thing she saw was a picture, of her father.

Haley looked down at the torn edge of the picture and the logo behind Blaine and sucked in her breath again only to find she could not get any. She started panicking as dots began to collect in her head.

Yes, she looked a little like Natalie: they both had black curly hair, they were both shorter than average, they had the same eyes, and their facial features were the same.

Could Natalie be her older sister?

"That's my father," Natalie said as she came up behind her to see what was taking so long.

"Oh," the word came out low and strangled, "he's…"

"The most handsome man in the world? I know. I…I do not know him actually. He and my other dad divorced when I was young." Natalie sighed, "I wish I knew him. I don't know because my dad never talks about him but I think he would be a pretty cool dad."

Haley did not know how to tell her that he was a pretty amazing father. Haley tried to do some math in her head, like Natalie, she never heard too much about the other man who was her father. She knew he had left one day and that her dad had never spoken to him again.

But that was when she was nearing two, so Natalie surely must remember something about her father.

"Do you remember anything about him?" Haley asked shyly.

"No, I was two when we moved to New York," Natalie's voice was sad and somewhat foreign, "I don't remember anything about him."

She was two when they divorced. Haley swallowed, trying to wet her continually drying mouth, "Natalie…when is your birthday?"

"October 11, why?"

More panicking, "Natalie...I don't know how to tell you this…"

"Just say it…"

Haley walked across the room in two steps and rifled through her own bag. She pulled out the crinkled photograph that never left her sight. "You know that photograph has another half," she said without turning around.

"I know, I've looked for it forever, but I never found it," Natalie sounded confused, "but what does that have to do with anything?"

Haley turned around, clutching the other half of the photograph, she didn't say anything, her eyes were wide with shock.

Natalie looked down at the misshapen photograph in Haley's hands and stared for a few minutes. The gears in her head were connecting everything. "Haley, is that man in that photograph…the photograph I have…is that your dad?"

Haley nodded quietly.

"If you turn that photograph around, is the man in it going to be of my father?"

Haley let out a shaky breath, "I think so."

Haley seemed to turn the photograph around in slow motion. Everything was quiet when Natalie first saw the crinkled face of her father.

He was younger, happier, and smiling in a way Natalie had never seen before.

"Haley…we're sisters?"

Haley nodded slowly, "Natalie…I think we're twins."

"I have to sit down," Natalie muttered as she shuffled backwards until her legs hit the side of the bed. "I can't have a twin! My dad…he would have let me know!"

"But he didn't," Haley was in a weird mode where the connections in her brain were firing faster than she thought possible and she was looking back through her memories, trying to remember glimpses or hints or something that would let her know that he father had wanted to tell her.

Because Haley knew her father, and her father shared everything with her, even the stuff she might not like.

One name stuck in her mind, "What is your dad's name? My…my dad's name?" it sounded weird to her ears, but she let the question stand.

"Kurt," Natalie said, still staring at the ground. "Yours? ….Mine?"

Haley left out a breath, "Blaine. I thought…a man used to call all the time, but I'm almost positive his name was Burt…"

"That is my grandfather," Natalie's eyes were now on fire as she realized that not only did her father lie to her, so did her grandfather.

Haley shuffled over and sat next to Natalie and tentatively put her hand in the paler girl's, "What do we do now? We know. Do we let them know we know?"

Natalie shook her head, "I have a plan."