"Oh god, how could I forget?!" Kurt laughed, dabbing his mouth with a paper napkin. "You lost the oars."

"Correction!" Blaine protested, holding up his fork. "We lost them ... if I recall correctly we had one each."

"OK, but you lost yours first ... and then I lost mine trying to get yours back."

"It was raining. Who knew they'd be so slippery?" Blaine sulked.

"I never did quite understand why you suggested that we go for a boat ride on such a miserable day." Kurt mused.

"I was being spontaneous ... and I actually never thought you'd agree to it."

"Well, maybe I was being spontaneous too." Kurt grinned. "Seriously though, how long were we floating around aimlessly in that boat?"

"Too long." Blaine chuckled. "It would've been very boring if we hadn't had each other for company."

"Did we play 'I spy'?

Blaine nodded. "Think it might've been ‘strip-I spy’ actually." He said sheepishly.

"Oh my god, I'd blocked that part out." Kurt gasped. "We had the flu for a week after that!"

"Totally worth it though." Blaine grinned, holding Kurt's gaze for longer than he probably should've. The air was filled with a silent, nervous tension until Kurt cleared his throat.

"How did we get onto the subject of row-boats anyway?"

"Manly sports we felt we should introduce Gina's boy to ..." Blaine replied. "But neither of us do any."

"You don't box anymore?"

"Haven't for quite a while, no. Can't you tell?" Blaine asked, straightening up in his chair to show off his physique.

"Yes, Blaine - you're practically obese." Kurt drawled sarcastically.

"Well, I'm not as toned as I used to be. Guess I'm just getting lazy in my old age." Blaine shrugged.

"Hey, if you're old then I'm near-death, so watch it mister." Kurt laughed. "And you don't look out of shape at all. You look good." He added, looking away when he realised how that sounded, and mentally kicking himself for it.

“Thanks. You do, too” He replied with a soft smile. “New York definitely agrees with you.”

Kurt looked back at him with a bemused frown. “Who invented that saying? I mean, what does that even mean?”

“I have absolutely no idea.” Blaine laughed, taking another bite of cake and nodding down at the plate, urging Kurt to share it with him. Kurt took a small forkful and chewed it slowly.

“How long would you say we’ve been here?” Blaine asked, checking his watch.

“Hmmm – at least an hour. Maybe two?” Kurt said. “You need to get going?”

“Nope.” Blaine said defiantly. “Haven’t even checked my phone. Was just wondering if Gina would be awake again yet.”

“Ah,” Kurt smiled. “Well, yeah – she might be. Shall we go and see?”

Blaine nodded, splitting the last morsel of cake in half, eating his piece and pushing the plate towards Kurt, who rolled his eyes.

“Ever the gentleman.” He sighed, shaking his head before popping the cake into his mouth, wiping his mouth and hands with another napkin and rising from his seat. “That was delicious, thank you.”

“No problem.” Blaine said as they walked from the cafeteria, stopping next to the elevators. “Let’s not take the stairs this time though – why they thought to put the maternity ward on the sixth floor, I’ll never know!”

“Yeah, slight design flaw there.” Kurt chuckled, pressing the button to call the elevator. It arrived quickly and to their surprise it was completely empty. They stepped in and glanced nervously at one another. Blaine pressed button ‘6’ and they began to ascend.

“Blaine? Can I ask you a question?” Kurt asked timidly.

“Uh … of course.” Blaine replied, looking a little worried.

“Well … it’s probably not my place to say - and feel free to tell me to mind my own business, but …” Kurt scrunched his eyes shut, as Blaine was now staring intently at him as he spoke. “Well – are you happy … with Michael?”

“I … uh …” Blaine faltered, struggling to find his voice.

“Sorry. Forget I spoke.” Kurt shook his head and looked away, and moments later the elevator doors opened on their floor. Kurt dashed out a little too eagerly, and Blaine had to jog to keep up with him, catching his wrist and pulling him to a halt.

“Kurt, wait … please don’t apologise. It’s just … well, Michael and I have a weird kind of relationship.” Blaine said, falling into step with Kurt at a much slower pace than before. “I can’t really explain why it works, but for the most part, it just does.”

“… And he makes you happy …?”

Blaine thought about this for a second. “I’m maybe not the happiest I’ve ever been …” He said, a tiny glint shining in his eye as he caught Kurt’s again. ”… But nothing’s ever easy, right?”

“I guess not.” Kurt shook his head sadly.

Before they knew it, the two men were rounding into the maternity ward, and Kurt asked about Gina at the front desk. They were urged to go around to her bed with a smile from the pretty nurse on reception.

“She liked you.” Blaine nudged Kurt with a smirk as they walked away from the desk.

“And that would help me how?” He answered somewhat curtly, frustration evident in his face.

Blaine clammed up, unsure of how to respond. They reached Gina’s bed and found her dozing peacefully.

“Should we … do you think we should just go?”

“Don’t you dare.” Gina growled, opening one eye and quirking her lips into a lop-sided smirk.

“Gee!” Kurt beamed, bouncing on the spot before leaning down and giving her a gentle squeeze. She winced a little, obviously feeling particularly tender, and smiled up at Blaine from over Kurt’s shoulder. Blaine gave her a little wave.

“Have you guys been here the whole time?” She asked as Kurt pulled away.

“Pretty much.” Kurt nodded.

“Well, Kurt was.” Blaine added. “I only got here just after you were taken into surgery.”

“Oh, yeah …” Gina rolled her eyes. “That was all kinds of fun.”

Kurt sat in the chair beside her and frowned. “How’re you feeling, sweetie?”

“Ugh – you really don’t wanna know! But having you guys here numbs the pain a little … oh, and that little monster too, I guess.” She said, nodding over towards the portable crib a few feet from the bed with a warm smile that quickly turned into a grin.

Kurt reached out and gave Gina’s hand a squeeze, and Blaine just gazed adoringly over at the crib.

“Blaine? You can get a little closer if you want, you know. He won’t bite.” At this Blaine raised his eyebrows and wandered around the bed eagerly. “… At least, I don’t think he will.”

“Aww, he’d never do that.” Blaine smiled, his face falling completely awestruck as he reached the sleeping infant.

“Someone’s smitten.” Gina nudged Kurt, who looked back at her with glassy eyes.

Blaine finally managed to speak, still peering down into the crib. “What’s his name, Gina?”

“Oh god, names … knew there was something I was meant to do.” She teased, laughing at the stunned look she got from both men. “OK, just kidding … this is James Henry Feldman. Jamie, for short.”

“That’s beautiful, Gee … and Henry – your dad would be so proud.” Kurt smiled, giving her hand another squeeze as she gave a little sniffle.

“Hey there, Jamie.” Blaine cooed softly over the crib. Kurt tried his hardest to focus on Gina, sure that he’d be sobbing into the bed-sheets if he took too much notice of how adorable Blaine was being with the baby.

“D’you want to hold him?” Gina asked Blaine with a yawn.

“Oh, I couldn’t.” He replied with wide eyes. “He looks so peaceful …”

Kurt got up and wandered over to Blaine’s side, sighing when he caught sight of the tiny, sleeping bundle who stirred below him. The baby stretched out his arm, and Kurt instinctively reached up and extended his pinky finger, his breath hitching in his throat when his finger was gripped tightly by the baby’s hand. Blaine let out a little gasp beside him and the two men stood and stared in silent appreciation for a while.

Gina fought back another loud yawn and the baby shifted in his crib, letting go of Kurt’s finger. Kurt looked over at his friend, barely able to keep her eyes open, and hurried back around to her side of the bed.

“You didn’t wake him, Kurt – he’s fine.” Blaine smiled back at him.

“Are you disturbing my son, Kurt Hummel?” Gina murmured, half-asleep.

“No …” Kurt whined sheepishly.

“Sing to him, Blainey.” She said. “He told me he’d like that.”

Kurt laughed gently and Blaine screwed up his face. “He did not … he wouldn’t say that.”

“He would and he did – telepathically. It’s a mother/child thing.” She replied making herself comfortable, her eyes still firmly closed. “And he asked for Elvis.”

“Oh lord … um …” Blaine hesitated, but Kurt nodded pleadingly at him as he stroked Gina’s hand again, and he seemed to change his mind. “OK, so what should I sing? Any requests?”

Kurt shook his head, and Gina simply grunted incoherently. Blaine gave a little shrug and seemed to search the air for the perfect song. He finally made a decision, cleared his throat and began to sing softly in the general direction of the crib.

Are you lonesome tonight,
Do you miss me tonight?
Are you sorry we drifted apart?
Does your memory stray to a brighter sunny day
When I kissed you and called you sweetheart?
Do the chairs in your parlor seem empty and bare?
Do you gaze at your doorstep and picture me there?
Is your heart filled with pain, shall I come back again?
Tell me dear, are you lonesome tonight?

Gina was drifting off to sleep now, a sweet upward curve to her lips at the sound of Blaine’s voice. It had been such a long time since Kurt had heard him sing that he was momentarily dumbstruck, his jaw having dropped open as the sound washed over him. Blaine continued to look down at the baby as he sang, but occasionally his eyes flickered up to meet Kurt’s, his voice becoming stronger in those fleeting moments. He sang the final phrase completely to Kurt.

Is your heart filled with pain, shall I come back again?
Tell me dear, are you lonesome tonight?

The two men held their gaze and smiled at one another for a few moments, both seeming like they wanted to say something, but neither one finding the words. Blaine suddenly became painfully shy at the weight of Kurt’s stare, looking away as Kurt glanced over at Gina.

“We should probably go …” He finally said. “I think she’s out for the count.”

“Of course.” Blaine nodded, eager to know what Kurt had thought of his lullaby for Jamie, but too afraid to ask. They collected up their things, each grazing a soft kiss against Gina’s cheek and mouthing silent goodbyes to the crib as they went. As they wandered out of the ward and into the hospital corridor Kurt slowed his pace and brushed his hand against Blaine’s arm.

“That was beautiful, by the way. I’d forgotten just how much I love to hear you sing.”

Blaine stopped for a moment and frowned quizzically at Kurt, a flush in his cheeks. Kurt shrugged back at him. “What’s the matter?”

Blaine shook his head and pulled Kurt into a hug, this one much more tender than their earlier embrace. “Nothing.” He said as he broke away, Kurt’s hands dragging from his back and coming to rest on his hips. “I’d better go … I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Uh … yeah, of course.” Kurt nodded, somewhat dazed as Blaine turned and began to walk away. “Wait, don’t you need a ride home or something?”

Blaine raised his hand into a wave, but didn’t look back.

“OK then … bye, Blaine.” Kurt sighed softly, emotionally drained and feeling more confused about his relationship with his former sweetheart than ever.

***