Kurt held Blaine's hand in a firm grip, as they made their way down the hospital hallway with Blaine's parents, toward Dr. Washington's office.  They had an appointment to see him and the specialist, Dr. Shelley, with the results of Blaine's amniocentesis and the special 3D ultrasound Blaine had this morning.  Blaine seemed unconcerned, eager even.  He whispered to Kurt, “We'll find out if it's a boy or a girl today!”

Kurt nodded, his heart heavy.  He knew that Blaine had his heart set on the idea of them having made a miracle baby together, and this meeting would be the nail in the coffin of Blaine's bizarre fantasy.  This specialist would dash all of Blaine's hopes. As much as he wanted Blaine to face reality, he knew that learning this wasn't really their baby was going to devastate his boyfriend.  

Kurt resolved firmly not to give the slightest hint of “I told you so” in words, tone or even facial expression, when Dr. Shelley broke the news. Blaine would need his support now at the literal moment of truth, and he would provide only sympathy and understanding.

His face ashen and looking ten years older than he had before all this started, Hans tapped on the doorway and Dr. Shelley's voice called out for them to come in.  They filed into  the office, shook hands with the doctors, and sat down, Blaine seated between his mother and Kurt and clutching their hands in his on each side.   Hans nervously stood behind Blaine's chair, and they all waited expectantly for Dr. Shelley to start the meeting.

Dr. Shelley was an elderly doctor, short and stocky with horn-rimmed glasses and steel-gray hair pulled back into a too-short ponytail at the nape of her neck.  She smiled kindly at Blaine.

“Hello, Blaine.  How are you feeling today, son?”

Blaine smiled.  “Tired.  I didn't sleep much last night, since today was the big day.”  Kurt stroked Blaine's hand in his, suppressing a sigh and readying his most supportive expression, because it would be any minute now.

Dr. Shelley nodded.  “Well, I won't keep you in suspense.” She turned her monitor around and revealed two windows.  On the left window was the recorded video of the 3D ultrasound from that morning, and Kurt swallowed hard at the sight of it.  The fetus appeared uncomfortably baby-like in the 3D ultrasound, and could be plainly seen swallowing, pulling at its ear, and moving its arms and legs around inside its sac, almost as if dancing.  Blaine loved to dance.  Kurt felt a wave of weakness and trembling come over him.  He looked quickly away from that window to the other side of the screen, where Dr. Shelley had called up an image of chromosomes lined up in rows.

“I've examined the amniocentesis report, and even took the liberty of sending the sample to two different labs,” Dr. Shelley said, pushing her glasses up on her nose.  “The reports were identical in content, and unequivocal.”  

She gazed down briefly at two reports on her desk, shaking her head a moment, with a slight smile.  She turned her eyes up over her glasses and looked into Blaine's eyes.  

“Blaine … I owe you an apology.  I think Dr. Washington does as well.”  Dr. Washington, standing in the corner, seemed utterly shell-shocked, but managed a weak nod.  “The amniocentesis, together with this high-level ultrasound, leads me to three conclusions.  One.  This is a healthy, completely normal fetus at fifteen weeks gestation."

Kurt felt as if he was in one of those dreams where you're running as fast as you can, but somehow, can't move; where you are screaming, but no sound can come out. Blaine nodded again and tightened his grip on Kurts hand.

“Two.  This fetus is absolutely not a fetus in fetu, because it is not your identical twin.  We know this for a fact from the chromosomal analysis. Do you want to know the chromosomal sex?"

Blaine looked at Kurt, who stared back in speechless shock, his jaw slack. After a split second, Blaine turned back toward Dr. Shelley, and assented,  “Yes … I was looking forward to that, actually.”

"The fetus has two X chromosomes. Generally that expresses as female."

"A little girl," Anna breathed.  Blaine looked hopefully at Kurt, smiling and pleased.  His face fell as Kurt remained speechless, frozen in place.

“Three.  The fetus is also not your sibling or non-identical twin. In fact, half of her genetic material does not come from you.  Because the labs didn't know the amniotic fluid and blood sample both came from you, the labs both identified you as the baby's father, with 99% level of confidence.”

Hans found his voice behind them.  “But … where'd the other half of the baby's genes come from?  Who's … who's the mother?”

“Well, in a manner of speaking, Blaine is, since he's carrying the fetus.  The question is a valid one, however, as to who is the source of the remainder of the DNA found on this study.”

Kurt felt the eyes of both Blaine and Anna come to rest on him, and he jerked his hand free from Blaine's as if it was burned.  There was a moment of painful silence in the room, before Blaine said in a cold, calm voice, the excitement and joy gone from his eyes, “That's not important right now, doctor.  The important thing is … right now, she's healthy.  But … do you think I have a reasonable chance of carrying her to term?  And, if I do - will she have a chance at being healthy?”

Dr. Shelley indicated the detailed ultrasound.  “Right now, this fetus is completely normal in every respect.  But unfortunately, I can't make any kind of promises about your chances of carrying to term, or about whether she will continue to develop normally, because this is a literally unique situation.  I just don't know.  If you choose to continue your pregnancy, you will be a trailblazer, to say the least.”

“A freak, you mean,” Hans said dully.  Blaine's face tightened and Anna looked disapprovingly at her husband.  

“Would you be willing to take me on as a patient for my pregnancy, if I go through with it?" Blaine asked finally.

“I'd be honored to.  Take a few days to think about what you want to do … either way, I think you can be discharged now … there's really nothing else we can do for you at this point except surgical removal of the fetus if that is your choice.  If you do decide to proceed, though, Id want to see you rather often.  Twice a week.  I think it's likely I'll admit you to my hospital in Columbus at twenty-four weeks to monitor you daily.”  She hesitated.  “I would ask permission to write this up for publication as a formal study … with Dr. Washington here, of course.  Your name won't be used in the study, but non-identifying pictures would be.”

“That's no problem,” Blaine said, still so calm, while Kurt was feeling like his world was shattered and like nothing was making any sense.

“Wait a minute.  You're saying that this baby has another parent, right?” Hans said, still stuck back at that point in the conversation.  “If that's true .. then that must mean you, Kurt.  And you should step up and take responsibility, too. My insurance has a huge deductible, and I have no idea if Dr. Shelly is in the network. If shes not, how is all this going to be covered?  Being in the hospital for, what, three months - - surgeries - - that's going to cost  - -”

Anna cried out in dismay. “How can you talk about money at a time like this!  You're going to be a grandfather, didn't you hear?  I'm sure Kurt will help support his child, but for now, we need to - -”

“Hold up,” Kurt interrupted, breathlessly.  “Am … am I being punked?  Is this some really elaborate setup for a practical joke?  Is Ashton Kutcher here?”  

None of this could be real.  The amnio was supposed to prove it wasnt real. How could this be happening?  How?  Even Hans and Dr. Washington were convinced of this insanity now.  

“Nobody is ‘punking' you,” Dr. Shelley said with dignity.  Blaine wouldn't even look at him anymore, but Kurt was too far into his panic attack to really concern himself with Blaine's hurt feelings.  If Blaine had any sense he'd know this was … this was a nightmare come to life.  

“Why are you doing this?” he said in a shrill voice, pleading with Dr. Shelley.  “There must be some other explanation for why that baby has other DNA!  Are you 100% sure it's not a … a fraternal twin that maybe got sucked in there at some point?” he asked, desperate.  “That has to be it! It has to!  If that's true, Blaine, then you … you don't have to keep hosting it -- “

“I believe Dr. Shelley.”  Blaine looked up.   “She already said thats not true, shes not my sister, shes my daughter. And you know what, Kurt?  I believe you're the other father."  Blaine was tense, his fingers digging into the arm of his chair.

"I dont understand any of this, but I know two men cant have a baby together! This cant have anything to do with me!" Kurt insisted, trying not to cry in front of Hans and the doctors. He wanted to leave and run away, or somehow wake up from this surreal nightmare.

Blaine bit his lip, and nodded. "Okay. If you're so sure youre not the father, you can prove it with a paternity test. What do you say?  Will you settle this and then help me decide what we're going to do, as parents, together?  Or am I totally on my own in this?”

Blaines face was inexpressibly sad and scared.  Kurt felt his heart nearly explode with terror and confusion battling with love and concern for Blaine ... and in the farthest corner of his heart ... for the little creature he was starting to believe,  in spite of himself and against every iota of sanity and logic he possessed, was … their baby.