A set of loud, hurried footsteps heading closer urged him to look up for a second.

"Kurt!" Blaine's voice echoed around the stark corridor.

"Oh, thank god!" Kurt cried, jumping up and throwing his arms around Blaine's neck without a moment's hesitation. He buried his face deep into Blaine's dark curls and let out a strangled gasp, finally allowing the tears to fall.

"Hey ... hey ... it's OK. I've got you." Blaine soothed, stroking gently down Kurt's back with one hand and clutching at the soft hair on the back of his head with the other. Kurt clung tightly as he shuddered and sobbed for a while, finally pulling back when his snotty nose threatened to leak all over Blaine's hair and neck.

"Ugh ... I'm a mess." Kurt snivelled, holding his hands against his face while Blaine searched his bag for a tissue. He found a fresh packet and handed it over, all the while trying to catch Kurt's eye. Kurt finally looked up once he'd dealt with the puffy eyes and leaky nose. "Any better?"

"You always look fine to me, crying or not." Blaine said, his brow furrowed and his own eyes wracked with worry.

"Yeah, right." Kurt scoffed, rolling his eyes before adding with a pained laugh, "Sorry Blaine, I can only authorise one pay-increase this month."

"Pretty sure you know I'm not making it up, Kurt." Blaine replied, a picture of seriousness. "Now, are you OK?"

"I'm fine." Kurt sighed, sinking back into his chair. "I'm just not too sure what's going on in there, and it's scaring the shit out of me." he pointed to the room in front of them.

"Yeah, when I got to reception, they just sent me straight to the O.R. - pretty scary. How's she doing?"

Kurt winced and screwed his eyes shut. "She was a mess, Blaine. So exhausted ... her little body just couldn't take it anymore."

"What?! She's not - ?"

"Oh god, no ... no, of course not!" Kurt exclaimed, reaching out and rubbing Blaine's knee. "Sorry, poor choice of words. Gee's OK, but she was just too weak and the labour was progressing way too slowly, so they rushed her in for a c-section. She just ... god, she looked so frail and lifeless as they wheeled her out of her room."

"Well, at least you were there for her." Blaine nodded, the mixture of concern and relief on his face making Kurt's heart ache in his chest.

"There's no-one else, Blaine. She's all alone." Kurt whispered, tears brimming in his eyes once again.

"She has us." Blaine stated firmly, taking another tissue from the packet and holding it out for Kurt, who took it gratefully with a weak smile. The two men sat in silence for a while, Blaine leaning forward with his hands clasped in front of him, and Kurt stretched out, his head resting against the wall behind him.

"Sorry for launching myself at you before." Kurt said sheepishly.

"Huh?" Blaine straightened up and looked at his neighbour quizzically. "Oh ... don't even mention it. I would've done the same if you hadn't gotten there first anyway."

Kurt's eyebrows raised and he fought back a grin. "You would?"

Blaine nodded, turning his head to stare at the wall ahead of them and not saying anything more on the matter. Kurt took the hint and bit the inside of his cheek.

"Listen, Kurt ... about earlier. With Michael." Blaine began.

"Oh, lord - do we have to?"

"I just ... I need you to know that I had no idea that he was going to show up unannounced like that. And ... well, I made him promise not to do it again." He said, hanging his head sullenly.

"You're allowed a visitor at your place of work, Blaine. Especially during lunch. I just ... it was a bit of a shock, that's all." Kurt said, glancing over and watching Blaine pick at his cuticles, something he'd always done when he was nervous. "Old habits die hard, huh?" He chided, slapping Blaine's hand gently with his own and clutching at it when Blaine flinched. Their eyes met for a moment before Kurt smiled and let his hand drop.

"I should've told you about him sooner. Given you a little warning at least." Blaine groaned.

Kurt laughed gently. "How long have you guys been together?"

"Not that long. A few months." Blaine shrugged absent-mindedly.

"I'm guessing it was his idea to come to New York ...?"

"Yeah." Blaine nodded. "And I needed a change of scenery. We've roomed with Michael's friend for about six weeks now."

"Cool." Kurt's response was polite, but he was avoiding eye-contact.

"Do you ... have anyone, Kurt?" Blaine asked, already knowing the answer he wanted to hear.

"Not right now." Kurt sighed, nonchalantly smoothing down the fabric on sleeve of his coat. "Too busy, I guess."

"D'you want my guy? He's free to a good home ..." Blaine teased, instilling a hearty laugh from Kurt that echoed off the walls.

"I think I'll pass, thank you. He's ... uh ... I mean ..." He said, trailing off.

"What? An asshole?" Blaine grinned.

"No!" Kurt laughed again. "Well ... you said it, not me. But no, what I was going to say was - well, he doesn't really seem like the type of guy you'd go for. If you don't mind me saying so."

"That's because he's not. Which is probably why I thought I'd give him a try." Blaine answered honestly, his cheeks reddening at his admission. "Sorry - I haven't become a whore, I swear."

"I'd never think that, Blaine." Kurt smiled with a shake of his head. "But it's not my business anyway - none of it is."

Blaine looked down at the floor, feeling dejected by Kurt's words but choosing not to push him further.

"... But I'm sorry for being so harsh with you after lunch. That was really unprofessional of me."

"No ... you weren't. And I deserved it." Blaine insisted.

Kurt chuckled again. "I think we're going to have to agree to disagree on this one, Blaine."

"Well, alright." Blaine smiled. "But only because -"

He was cut off by the sound of the O.R. doors sliding open, with a nurse and the midwife from earlier gowned-up and pushing an incubator out into the corridor. Kurt and Blaine both jumped up, a mixture of excitement and horror on their faces, and Kurt looked expectantly at the midwife.

“Everything’s fine.” She said, instantly understanding what that look meant. “The baby had the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck and was deprived of oxygen for a little while, so this is just a precaution for the next few hours to make sure he gets the very best start in his little life.”

The two men looked at one another with inane grins, then back at her.

“Uh … ‘he’?” Kurt finally managed to croak out.

“That’s right.” The midwife nodded. “Go take a look.” She urged, gesturing towards the incubator and putting a hand on Kurt’s shoulder to lead him to it.

Kurt walked forward gingerly and leaned down to look at the tiny, wriggling bundle inside the clear box. His breath fogged against the glass as he gazed adoringly at the little boy, turning his head to glance back at Blaine and beckoning him forward. Blaine stepped up behind him, placing a hand in the small of Kurt’s back to steady himself as he peered around his body, seemingly afraid to get too close in case the box shattered into a million pieces.

“My god.” Blaine sighed. “He’s perfect.”

“Is Gina OK?” Kurt suddenly exclaimed, turning sharply and almost knocking Blaine over. He grabbed hold of Blaine’s arm to steady them both, and smiled bashfully at him, then back at the midwife.

“She’s doing just fine. She’ll be quite heavily medicated for a little while, but she should recover very quickly.”

“Wonder how she took the news about this little guy having the wrong equipment …” Blaine mused quietly to himself.

“There was a choice word or two.” The midwife laughed. “But I think she’s made her peace with it.”

“Aww – how could anyone not love this little cutie?” Kurt cooed, unable to take his eyes off the baby again.

“We should really get him to the N.I.C.U. now.” The midwife urged. Kurt threw her another horrified look. “But don’t worry, it’s just hospital protocol to take all incubators there. He’ll hopefully be out of it and back with mom in a couple of hours.” She nodded.

Kurt couldn’t hide his relief, and the two men stood and watched silently as the incubator was wheeled away. They barely had time to gather their thoughts before the OR doors opened again and Gina was being wheeled back out. She looked groggy, and still had the oxygen mask attached to her face, but Kurt couldn’t resist darting over excitedly and clutching onto the side of the gurney as it was wheeled back into the maternity ward. Blaine picked up Kurt’s bag and followed closely behind.

“Hey you.” Kurt whispered gently to Gina when she was safely positioned on the ward. Luckily she was the only occupant in the four beds dotted around the room, and Kurt hoped it would stay that way, for her sake. Gina’s eyelids fluttered as she registered the smiling face of her boss and best friend above her, and she murmured foggily into the mask on her face.

“It’s OK, sweetie – don’t talk right now.” Kurt said, stroking a limp lock of hair away from her damp cheek. “Oh Gee, you’ve done so well … you’re a mommy!” He beamed with misty eyes.

Blaine wandered around to the other side of the bed and caught Kurt’s eye, tilting his head and smiling back at him before taking Gina’s hand and giving it a light squeeze. Gina turned her head slowly, and her eyes widened a little when she recognised the man in front of her. She murmured something along the lines of ‘Hi Blainey’ before her eyes fluttered shut again.

Blaine lifted her hand and gave it a soft kiss. “We’re so proud of you, Gina.” He smiled, stroking his thumb over her knuckles.

“She should probably get some rest now.” A nurse’s voice urged from behind them, and the two men nodded their understanding. Blaine gave Gina’s hand one last squeeze as Kurt leaned in and kissed her forehead, and they made their way quietly out of the ward, wincing at one another as they passed a cubicle which had the curtains pulled across, a squealing newborn piercing the air with its cries.

“Wow! That one has some lungs.” Blaine mused when they were safely out of earshot and into the much quieter corridor.

“Tell me about it.” Kurt laughed, leaning against the wall and hanging his head with a heavy sigh.

“You look tired, Kurt.” Blaine said, taking a seat opposite him and gesturing for Kurt to join him.

Kurt shook his head. “Think I just need food. Have barely eaten all day.”

“You didn’t have any lunch?” Blaine asked, looking concerned.

“No appetite at the time.” Kurt said with a weak smile, and Blaine’s mind flashed back to the events in the office earlier that day. They seemed like a very distant memory now.

“Well, can I buy you something from the cafeteria to make up for it? Hospital food has come a long way, apparently.”

“Hmm … not sure I believe that.” Kurt grimaced. “And besides, don’t you have someone to get home to?”

“Oh, he can wait.” Blaine grumbled with a flick of his hand. “I want to see Gina and the baby at least once more before I leave anyway.”

“Something tells me they won’t be going anywhere for a while.”

“Kurt … I’m buying you dinner, OK?” Blaine insisted, a little more forcefully this time.

“Alright, fine.” Kurt laughed. “But if I get food poisoning, I’m suing the hospital and you!”

Blaine nodded, stood up from his seat with a tired groan and put his hand into the small of Kurt’s back, ushering him down the corridor in the direction of the signs for the cafeteria.

***