Austin pressed a soft kiss to his boyfriend’s temple as he noticed the curly haired brunette start to stir. When he got home from the hospital last night, he found Blaine exhausted from crying most of the night. He also found Hunter curled up beside his father providing the most comfort a seven year old knew how. Carrying the little boy back to his bedroom, Austin was thankful for all he did until he could come home and take over.
“Hey beautiful” Austin smiled softly as he ran his hands through Blaine’s curls knowing the small action always calmed the young man “Feeling any better this morning?”
“Last night... Kurt was at the restaurant” Blaine began as his eyes welled up with unshed tears.
“Shhh it’s ok. Sam called me last night and told me what happened, he was worried about you. I’m worried about you”
Austin played with the small curls at the back of Blaine’s neck as the shorter man snuggled closer into his chest. Letting out a soft sigh, the young surgeon didn’t know what to say or do to better the situation.
“I want to help; I want to understand how you’re feeling. Talk to me...”
“I don’t know how I’m feeling” he sighed and sat up against the headboard. Shifting so he was also sitting up, Austin rubbed Blaine’s knee gently “I’m furious at what he did all those years ago but...”
“You kinda understand why he did it?”
“Which frustrates me even more” Blaine sighed and looked away from his boyfriend “Although, I can’t help but feel guilty that him leaving was my fault”
“It was in no way your fault” Austin insisted with a heavy sigh.
“But having a baby was my dream, not Kurt’s. His was Broadway”
“But he agreed to have the baby with you”
“He wasn’t thinking...”
“And that wasn’t your fault”
Blaine nodded weakly knowing Austin was right. After hearing Kurt’s explanation, he would always for some reason feel a little guilty. Like he and Hunter were holding Kurt back from achieving his dream. On the other hand, Kurt caused a lot of pain when he left to chase that Broadway stage.
“He apologised to Hunter...”
“That’s one thing I guess” Austin shrugged “Not that he really understands, he’s still too little”
“I don’t even really understand it all, how am I supposed to explain it to a seven year old?”
“Explain what to me?” Hunter asked from the door way. Poking his head into the room, he wanted to check on his Dad after waking up in his own bedroom. Padding his way over to the bed, he climbed up and curled into Blaine’s lap. His presence was already making Blaine feel 100 times better.
“Another day” Blaine smiled weakly and tried to flatten his son’s unruly curls. He couldn’t dwell on Kurt when he could be back in New York by now. If he thought about it too much more, he would probably burst into tears again and Hunter had seen him cry enough for a long time.
Blaine would deal with his issues, just not right now. Not when he could be spending time with his family, the family that wasn’t going anywhere any time soon.

XXXXX

“Hunter, are you almost ready?” Austin called out down the hall as he pulled his coat on. Blaine and Austin were taking the seven year old to his favourite place in Washington DC. A treat, they all needed a day out as a family.
“Where are we going?” the young boy asked as he trudged out of his room two different shoes on.
“It’s a surprise but do you really want to wear those shoes?”
Hunter looked down then back up with a slight shrug “I couldn’t find the other one...”
“Well why don’t we go look for it while your father runs around like a headless chicken, what are you looking for?” Austin chuckled as he watched Blaine all but tear the apartment apart looking for something.
“My cell, I don’t know where it is”
“Did you try calling it?”
Glaring at his boyfriend playfully, Blaine found the landline and dialled his cell number. Following Hunter to his bedroom with a laugh, Austin loved Blaine’s random blonde moments.
Blaine walked through the apartment trying to hear his ringtone but beside Hunter and Austin talking in the other room, it was silent. Just as he was about to hang up, he heard the line click and woman answer his phone.
“Hello... Blaine Anderson’s phone”
“Who is this?” Blaine wondered curiously
“It’s Nikita. You left your cell at the restaurant last night next to your wallet. You kinda left in a hurry” she chuckled
“I didn’t even think of it when I left last night. Too much on my mind” he sighed softly “I’ll drop by and grab it. Could you just leave it in my office?”
“Sure”
“Thanks, see you soon”
“See who soon?” Austin asked as he walked back into the living room just as Blaine hung up the phone
“Can we make a detour before heading to Air and Space?”
“We’re going to Air and Space?” Hunter gasped. The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum was the young boy’s favourite place in their little city. Blaine had been taking him there since he was 3 and Hunter still found something new to see with every visit. Loving to watch his son’s eyes light up every time they walked into the building, Blaine would repeat their visits until the spark left those deep chocolate eyes.
“Ruin the surprise, B” Austin laughed
“Shit, sorry”
“Dad said a bad word!” his son cried with a laugh
“Yes I said a bad word. I’m sorry” he chuckled “And even though I may say bad words...”
“I can never repeat them”
“Good boy” Blaine laughed and ruffled his son’s curls “Ready to go?”
Hunter nodded excitedly and raced for the door. Blaine and Austin followed closely, linking their hands over the console once they were in the car. Rubbing his thumb across his boyfriend’s palm, Austin didn’t realise how calm Blaine felt right in that moment. Knowing Austin was there supporting him and loving him was all he needed.
Pulling into the small parking lot beside his restaurant, Austin shut off the engine.
“Can I come in?” Hunter asked with a slightly strained expression
“I’m only going to be a second, bud”
“But... I gotta pee”
And with that all three men got out of the car and made their way into the building. Reasoning with Blaine that five minutes won’t take away from their day, Austin followed his boyfriend inside. Hunter raced off to the bathroom as soon as they walked in and didn’t notice and now familiar figure sitting at the bar. Neither Blaine nor Austin noticed him either as they made their way toward Sam who was wiping down the counter.
“Nikita is the queen of hiding things in my office, do you where...” Blaine began but couldn’t continue when the figure sitting at the bar “What are you doing here?”
“I need to apologise”
“You shouldn’t be here”
“I’m not giving up this time” Kurt insisted and stood from his seat “I’m seven years overdue for this”
“Exactly, you’re seven years too late” Blaine sighed and felt Austin’s hand rest on the small of his back. The small touch was enough support.
“Please give me a chance”
“Give me a good reason why, Kurt”
Before Kurt could answer Hunter bolted back from the bathroom and fit right between Blaine and Austin with ease. Kurt didn’t need to answer now that his reason was standing right there in front of them. He had hurt his family worse than he could have ever imagined and now that little boy looked at him with hate rather than love.
“I thought I told you to go away” Hunter snapped. He never wanted to see his father as upset as he was the night before and while Kurt was still there, the chance of it happening again was high.
“How about you and I go for a walk Hunter?” Austin suggested quickly. Blaine needed time to talk to Kurt whether he wanted to accept his apology or not and an angry Hunter wouldn’t help “They re-opened the comic book shop on the corner and I think your Dad needs some time” he smiled slightly before turning to Blaine “You’re ok?”
“Yeah and thank you” Blaine smiled as he squeezed his boyfriend’s hand gently. Watching them leave, a part of him wished he was going with them. He turned back to Kurt and gestured for him to sit back at the bar. Joining him, he took a deep breath.
“So, who’s that with Hunter?”
“Your judgemental tone isn’t going to get you anywhere Kurt”
“I wasn’t being judgemental, I was just curious” Kurt defended even though he had been judging the man since he first saw him touch Blaine.
“His name is Austin, he’s a doctor and we’ve been together three years”
“Three years, must be serious. Living together?”
“For six months. Since when did this so called ‘apology’ turn into 20 questions about my boyfriend?” Blaine bit starting to get frustrated with Kurt. Austin had nothing to do with this.
“I’m sorry” Kurt sighed “For the 20 questions, for leaving, for everything. I don’t know how to even begin apologising for what I did to you. I was being selfish and I’ve regretted it for so long. Seeing Hunter so bright and happy makes it all hurt a little more”
“Just tell me one thing” Blaine began softly “Did you even think of Hunter when you walked out? How what you were doing was going to affect him?”
“Of course I thought about him. He was always on my mind but I knew he was safe with you. I knew you would take care of him”
“You thought very highly of me because even before you left I was freaking out every waking moment. I was always scared something would happen to him, that he’d get sick or hurt and I couldn’t do anything to help him”
“I was scared too...” Kurt sighed softly and clutched his hands tight in his lap “I just wasn’t strong enough to push through the fear like you did. I bailed because I thought Broadway was the easy way out”
“Was it?” Blaine asked curiously.
“I’ve been lucky but I don’t have anything to compare it to. I can barely hold onto a relationship these days let alone consider another child” he shrugged “My career has been going well but my personal life, not so much”
There was a silence between the pair for a moment. Blaine didn’t know what to say, was he meant to feel sorry for Kurt? Was he meant to give him a hug and accept that what he did seven years ago was all ok now?
“I should uhm go find the boys” Blaine finally spoke up after a long couple of minutes “We’re taking Hunter to the Air and Space Museum, it’s his favourite”
“I love that one too. My Dad used to take me there when I was a kid” Kurt smiled and he stood up at the same time as Blaine. Pulling a small envelope from his inner coat pocket, Kurt held it out to his ex-fianc�.
“What’s this?”
“I know nothing will ever make up for my absence over the last seven years but I hope this will at least make the future a little easier for Hunter” Kurt smiled weakly “My cell number is in there as well. Even if it’s half an hour talking about Hunter, I’d like to see you again. I’m not finished apologising”
Blaine nodded as he took the envelope and slipped into his own coat pocket. Pretty sure as to what it was, he didn’t want to look at it to confirm his suspicions. The young brunette watched his ex walk out the door, his back being the most familiar feature to Blaine. This time wasn’t quite as painful as the last. It would always hurt to see Kurt walk away but at least this time there’s a chance to see each other again... on better terms.
Blaine was unsure of what he was feeling but Kurt felt that there was still hope. Hope that maybe Blaine can forgive him, or at least work towards forgiveness.