"You aren't having any?" Blaine asked laughing. He knew Kurt hated any food that stuck to his teeth.

"I'll have that as soon as you try my world famous veggie dip." Kurt set a tub of the same on the table he'd dragged to his own side of the very narrow hospital bed.

"I'll try that dip when it actually becomes world famous. And when you stop insisting that it's not the same without horseradish."

"It's NOT! You need to work on your prejudice ways. You are unfairly maligning horseradish."

"When the committee for horseradish equality calls me out I'll be sure and let them know you were part of their crusade. Seriously Kurt it's a rainy day of movies in bed, you've turned this into a 12 course meal."

"You're wasting away from hospital food."

"I weigh 4 pounds more than I did at the start of the summer, but I appreciate your concern."

"Pick a movie, fatty." Kurt said rolling his eyes.

"You don't even have to ask."

"I'm not singing the Ariel parts this time." Kurt put The Little Mermaid in the DVD player and crawled onto the bed next to Blaine.

Blaine kissed the spot where Kurt's long neck gave way to shoulder, "I bet you will if I promise to be your Eric."

"Watch the movie and eat your disgusting snacks. Maybe I'd do Ariel for someone willing to try my delicious dip."

"If I eat the dip will you sing?" Blaine batted h is lashes.

"If you eat the dip I will sing, AND I will let you pick the next movie too." Kurt perked up. He had been experimenting in the kitchen even more since returning from New York and got a special kick out of getting Blaine to try his masterpieces.

"Okay, hit me." Blaine closed his eyes and waited for Kurt to place food in his mouth.

Kurt took just a little of the dip on a baby carrot and fed it gently to Blaine.

"Mmm. Hey! That's good. I can't even taste the horseradish!" As much as Kurt loved cooking for Blaine, Blaine enjoyed being able to honestly get excited about the new flavors.

"I cut the horseradish down hoping you'd agree to taste it."

"More please?"

"Really?" Kurt was practically bouncing Blaine off the bed he was so happy.

"Really, but can I have a sip of your soda, it's not a great mix for the strawberry frappe."

Kurt handed over his Sprite and set the dip between them on the bed. He balanced the plate of (expertly cut, not that Blaine would notice) veggies on his thighs.

They watched the movie and munched away in silence for a while.

At one point Blaine wordlessly picked up a red fish and placed it in Kurt's hand.

Kurt popped it his mouth without complaint, fair is fair, but then made a whining noise.

"Stuck?" Blaine laughed.

"It's gross. I'm using your toothbrush." Kurt hopped off the bed to brush his teeth.

"Ewwww." Carla stood in the doorway, the door was open (a compromise for the boys having private time in Blaine's room for the afternoon) so she didn't knock.

"Hi Toots." Kurt said as he passed.

She twisted her barefoot up on one toe and lifted her brows at Blaine. "Are you guys watching The Little Mermaid?"

"We are. Do you want to watch with us?"

"Can I?"

"May I, and yes, you may. Kurt won't mind. But just this movie, then you have to go."

"Because it's private time." She said. She was used to Kurt and Blaine spending time with her and then asking her to let them have time alone.

"Yes, it is. Do you want a red fish?"

She wrinkled her nose, "Too sticky."

Blaine couldn't help but laugh. When Kurt returned to the room and found Carla draped across the foot of the bed he went to his backpack and dug something out. Holding it behind his back he addressed Carla.

"Tell me three true things."

She sat up and thought, her eyes sparkling. She was getting good at this game and Kurt always brought her the best prizes. "I have two brothers."

Kurt sat on the bed, reclaiming his place next to Blaine. "That's one."

"I'm an excellent reader."

"You're getting closer." He said excitedly, his hands still behind him.

"I'm 14 years old!" she yelled this part then hid her face behind her hands.

Kurt looked at Blaine in amazement. This game had been started in group therapy as a way to get Carla to live in the real world. Blaine had told Kurt about it with permission from Dr. Groundwater because Carla seemed especially comfortable with him. She normally tried to get away with truths that were external but in order to win prizes, points or praise she must come up with truths about herself and they had to be positive or neutral and unique each time she was asked. She had never admitted to her age before. It was an enormous step in the right direction and Kurt was having a hard time not celebrating. It was important to not scare her away from the information by making a big deal of it.

"Hurray! You get your prize. Now or later?"

"Is it something I can eat?"

"No but I have snacks you can share."

"Not those red fish, they're sticky!" her eyes widened in mock horror.

"Yuck! No we'll leave those all for Blaine who doesn't care if he rots his teeth. I'm hiding the good stuff just for us. So, now or later?"

"Now please."

He brought his hand dramatically forward and opened his palm in her direction. Blaine shook his head smiling, when he saw what Kurt held.

A tiny perfect hummingbird charm nestled itself in his hand on a silver chain. It was finely detailed , delicate and colorful.

There were tears in Carla's eyes. "It's too beautiful to be for me."

"Fourteen year old girls should have beautiful jewelry and what do you love most of all?"

"You and Blaine."

"Awww, honey, we love you too, but that's not what I meant."

"Birds are my favorite thing, you're my favorite people. How did you know I love hummingbirds most of all?" she still hadn't touched it.

"When we were drawing in the great room last week you drew them by the dozens."

"Kurt?"

He smiled at her.

"Can I hug you?"

"Of course you can, and we're friends, so you don't have to ask to hug me, you have permission to hug me any time."

She started toward him but stopped herself and looked at Blaine, "Okay?"

He could only nod.

She hugged Kurt tight but quickly and then sat with her back to them. "Will you put it on me?"

"I would be honored." Kurt placed it around her neck and did the latch at the back.

"Blaine?" she didn't look back.

"Uh-huh?"

"I love you too but that hug was only for Kurt today okay?"

"Okay, I don't mind." She lay down again at the foot of the bed.

Kurt laid his head on Blaine's shoulder, both of them drying their eyes surreptitiously. It didn't take long before she was asleep. It happened quite often when they spent time together. She liked to sleep somewhere they were. When Dr. Groundwater heard this he told them that she felt safe with them because she knew they loved each other and also she was comforted by the tone of their conversations. They rarely raised their voices with each other and always spoke with love and respect. It set her at ease.

Blaine threaded their fingers together. "Where did you find it?"

"I have my ways. She really loved it didn't she?"

"She loves you. You're going to be an amazing dad someday."

Kurt faced him, "You, you think about us having kids?"

"I didn't used to, I was just enjoying us, but since Carla, I don't know." He kissed Kurt's cheek, "I like how you are with her, I can imagine you with our kids, fun but stern. The one who lays down the rules and then breaks them just to see the little ones smile."

"What about you? Do you ever think about it?"

"Honestly? No. I see us in some little apartment in New York, working in the theater, having fabulous parties for all of our Broadway friends. I never even considered a family."

"Hmmm." Was Blaine's only response.

They shut the DVD player off when Little Mermaid ended and let Carla sleep while they flipped through channels on TV.

"Would you sing them to sleep?" Kurt said, speaking for probably the first time in a half hour.

"Who?" Blaine asked confused.

"Our kids."

"Softening on the idea?"

"I didn't hate the idea to start with I just hadn't ever considered it."

Blaine pulled Kurt in for a kiss. "WE would sing to them. And read them stories, and have dance parties in our pajamas."

Kurt kissed him again, "And teach them to make banana pancakes and bring them to each other in bed for our birthdays?"

"And go to their school plays and be the loudest dads in the audience even if they play a tree in the background with no lines at all."

Their eyes met, "I want to do those things with you Blaine. I didn't know I did until just now but promise me we're going to do those things because I want them so much."

Blaine laid back and took Kurt into his arms, "I promise you. We will have the cutest kids in all of New York City."

And soon Kurt was sleeping soundly on his chest, leaving Blaine to watch two of his favorite people snuggled into his bed and the rain pelting against his window pane, more content than he'd felt in a long time.