Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me! For my birthday, I gave myself a finished chapter! (Well, actually, I finished this on the 15th, but I’m publishing it on the 16th, and who’s counting?)

We’re coming to an end, since chapter 24 is a very long epilogue. I’ll save my thank you’s for that moment, but I do want to give a shoutout to todaydreambelieversfic on Tumblr and their Author Spotlight series. Thanks guys for putting me in the spotlight this week.

Kurt’s head is pounding. He slowly opens his eyes and he blinks at the sudden light. He’s lying on a cold floor.

There’s someone hovering over him.

It is August 1st 2028. A year ago, Kurt woke up on the kitchen floor and his life was changed forever.

Kurt takes the day off.

It’s morning and he sits on his bed. He’s deep in thought.

How do you handle a day like this? Do you celebrate it? Do you go out for dinner and raise a glass while yelling “A year, baby!” as if it’s a big anniversary? He doesn’t feel like celebrating it, but it is also too important to just ignore it.

Sometimes, Kurt dreams that this is all a dream. He dreams that he goes to bed to block out Rachel and Santana’s fighting and that he wakes up the day after in 2012. He wonders if those dreams are dreams or memories. After all, Kurt’s lived through August 1^st 2012 . He’s lived from that day all the way through July 31st 2027, but he just can’t remember it apart from the few glimpses that sometimes show up in his daily life.

Kurt’s started writing down all his small memories, but it’s still only a few pages filled with random trivia. Most things that come back to Kurt are so minor. The big life moments are gone and maybe for good.

Doctor Park and her team are trying to dissect the pieces of the amnesia DNA, as they call it.

Life is confusing and at moments like this, Kurt wishes that his mother’s dresser were still here. They sent it back to Ohio to have it repaired and then they decided that it would be better off at Burt and Carole’s condo.

He shakes his head. No, the dresser wouldn’t do any good. Sure, the emotional support aspect of feeling his mother close helped, but as Mrs. Pillsbury put it, it can become too much.

Besides, his mother’s love will always be there. He does not necessarily need an object to symbolise it. He just knows that he is loved.

“What are you shaking your head for?”

Blaine is leaning against the doorframe. He also took the day off so that he could be with Kurt for now.

“Thinking about how my compulsive behaviour has affected my life. Just the usual stuff,” Kurt deadpans. Blaine looks a bit concerned, so Kurt rolls his eyes playfully.

“Sorry, I worry,” Blaine says, “You looked like you were deep in thought. I almost didn’t want to disturb you.”

Kurt stares at the spot where his mother’s dresser used to be. “It’s been a year.”

Blaine sits next to him and he leans his head on Kurt’s shoulder. “That is true.”

“What do you do on the one year anniversary of the day that you lost 15 years of your memories?” Kurt asks.

Blaine snorts. “Well, who knows. As far as we’re aware, you’re one of the ony people in the world who has this condition.”

Kurt nods. “Doctor Park said that if 0.0001 percent of the world’s population has the amnesia DNA, it will still be ten thousand people. Nothing compared to the full ten billion, but Blaine, ten thousand people. There might be ten thousand people like me out there and who knows how many people have been there before me.”

“The world’s population also keeps growing. Three billion more people in the past sixteen years,” Blaine says.

Kurt thinks about that. Blaine is right. There might be more people with this condition than expected. Doctor Park’s numbers are high, even with such low percentage, but that’s an estimate that’s based on other kind of unknown conditions.

“Yes, so then the amount of people with the amnesia DNA might increase as well. After all, 0.0001 percent of fifteen billion is fifteen thousand people.”

Blaine looks up. “Not that I’m not interested in anything that you have to say, but why are you talking about these big numbers?”

What if those numbers are higher, but not due to a higher number of people, but due to a higher percentage?

“You have your thinking face on,” Blaine says.

“What if I can use my fame to spread awareness?” Kurt looks back to Blaine, “Isn’t that what influencers are all about? After all, doctor Park estimated that percentage based on other conditions. What if I make people aware of this and people will step forward. One person already has.”

Blaine has a huge smile on his face and he then pulls Kurt towards him for a kiss.

“What was that for?” Kurt asks when Blaine pulls away, “Not that I’m complaining.”

“I’m just so proud of you.”

“So you think it is a good idea?”

“Fuck yeah, I think it is a great idea!” Blaine exclaims enthusiastically.

“This does mean that I finally should become active on social media?” Kurt jokes.

“It’s a wonder that you’ve barely touched it in these past twelve months. That’s unheard of in 2028!” Blaine says back, “Heck, it was probably unheard of in 2012 or 2013.”

Kurt rolls his eyes. His avoidance of social media isn’t that special. He’s still used to the 2012 social media and now, it’s become overwhelming and it is weird that people share and monetise every aspect of their lives. But he also hasn’t given it a chance, so maybe now is the time to learn. With great difficulty, he says: “Yeah, maybe Sebastian can help me out.”

Blaine raises his eyebrows in surprise. “Does that mean that Wes is the only Sebastian-hater from now on?”

Kurt laughs. “Probably. I never truly hated him. Does Wes?”

“Oh, yeah, definitely,” Blaine deadpans.

“Hm, well, I can understand why.”

Blaine shrugs. “He’s also never fully forgiven me for forgiving Sebastian, which is valid.”

Kurt shakes his head. He might never fully understand whatever relationship Wes and Sebastian have, but Kurt might never understand a lot of things. This is a minor detail.

“Well, time for you to get us an ‘Our get along’ shirt,” Kurt says.

“You don’t have to fully depend on Sebastian. I can help out too. I’ve used my platform for advocacy before and I will continue to do so,” Blaine says. He tilts his head. “Are you serious about this?”

Kurt honestly has no idea what all of this will entail. He has no idea how to be an ‘influencer’, or whatever catchy term they will come up with in the following years. He has no idea if he’s cut out to be an advocate, but then he thinks about that one person who’s already reached out after seeing Kurt and Blaine on television, and he just feels a surge of pride and happiness.

“Yeah.”

Kurt and Blaine decide to go out for dinner later. It’s not really a celebration, but it’s something, and they don’t feel like cooking. Even though they aren’t doing much, the emotional side takes a toll on them and they’re not in the mood to cook.

Apart from that, they spend the day talking about what will happen now and how Kurt feels. Raising awareness will mean that Kurt has to open up in front of a huge audience: the entire internet.

Over the past year, Kurt’s learned to be more vulnerable and he’s learned to let people in. He’s matured more in these past months than in his entire life.

Which makes sense, in a way. After all, he had to do 15 years’ worth of work in one year and he’s not finished yet. No one expects him to redo 15 years of emotional growth in such a small moment and it will never be the same, but Kurt’s confident with his abilities and he feels great.

So they don’t plan on big things. They’re going to keep August 1st small and simple.

At least, that was the plan.

Kurt and Blaine are in the laundry room when the phone rings.

Jesse.

Kurt asks Lizzie to put Jesse on speakerphone.

“It’s happening!” Jesse sounds panicked. Blaine drops the laundry that he is folding and Kurt and Blaine look at each other in shock. They immediately know what Jesse’s talking about, but he still yells: “Rachel’s gone into labour!”

“It’s happening!” Kurt echoes.

Blaine nods and also says: “It’s happening!”

“It’s happening!” Jesse says again and then he hangs up to call the others. Kurt and Blaine are still looking at each other. They’re in awe. Rachel’s due date was indeed in August, but they still didn’t expect it to be so early. Her due date was later in August.

Of course, Rachel Berry steals Kurt’s thunder on Kurt’s big day.

“Well, at least we no longer have to worry about plans,” Blaine says as he rummages through the wardrobe. They’d planned the outfits for Rachel’s labour weeks in advance. They’re Kurt and Blaine, of course they’d do something like that. And Rachel practically demanded it, but they were happy to comply. The fact that Rachel wanted them to be there during the birth felt like a gift so this is the least that they could do.

They get changed and Blaine tells Mimi to hail a taxi.

“Rachel is in labour,” Kurt mutters to himself when they leave their apartment, “I cannot believe this is happening.”

“Didn’t Quinn give birth to Beth when you guys were in high school?”

“That was different! That was teen pregnancy! Typical day at McKinley!” Kurt says frantically, “This is adulthood.”

“Whatever you say, love,” Blaine sighs, “McKinley sounds like a weird place.”

“It was!” Kurt yells when he pushes on the button to get the elevator.

“Pushing the button multiple times isn’t going to make the elevator get here faster.”

“I know!” Kurt yells. Just then, the elevator doors open. Kurt ushers Blaine inside.

Blaine looks at him weirdly. “Kurt, you’re freaking out.”

“Aren’t you?” Kurt asks indignantly, “This is Rachel. She is giving birth. She’s becoming a mother.”

“I can’t wait to see your face when we get kids,” Blaine snorts before realising what he’s said, but Kurt’s too frantic over the fact that Rachel is in labour, that he doesn’t comment on it. They get into the taxi, who’s gotten there very fast, and they drive off to the hospital. They’re rich, so they give the driver a huge tip before practically running to the hospital entrance.

Roderick and Kitty are in the waiting room. They’re wearing matching bowling shirts, again. Kurt can’t comment on it, because Roderick grabs them by the arm.

“Go!” Roderick practically lunges Kurt and Blaine towards the reception, “They’re inside!”

Kurt furrows his brow. “You guys aren’t coming with us?”

Kitty snorts. “Kurt, only a limited amount of people are allowed to go in and you guys obviously have the priority here.”

Kurt doesn’t have time to dwell on that, because Blaine’s talked to the receptionist and he’s being dragged along.

“Oh thank FUCK you’re here!” Rachel yells when Kurt and Blaine enter the hospital room in scrubs. She’s sweating and midwifes are surrounding her. Jesse is standing in a corner and he looks very, very afraid.

Kurt raises an eyebrow and Jesse motions to him to come closer. “She’s becoming quite violent. She accidentally kicked a midwife in the face. Gosh, we once had to do one of those birth simulator things for a Broadway YouTube channel, so I know what it is like. I can’t blame her, but it’s best to stay out of her reach.”

Kurt did what? He tries to have the memory come back, but it doesn’t happen. When he sees Rachel in pain, he realises that it’s a good thing that he can’t remember it. Just then, Rachel almost kicks another person in the face. Kurt and Jesse exchange a horrified look.

“Jesse, not that we aren’t honoured, but why are we here? Kitty and Roderick didn’t get dibs on being the first to meet your child,” Blaine ponders. He’s also joined them in the corner, since Rachel is kicking and screaming.

Jesse looks a bit alarmed. His eyes widen and he stares at Rachel. “Well, she’s going to ask you to be the baby’s godfathers. But please, when she asks you after the birth, ask surprised! I wasn’t planning on telling you now, but I can imagine that you have questions.”

Kurt and Blaine stare at each other. They’re loss for words. Them? Godfathers?

They also look at Rachel, who sees them staring and she promptly asks: “What the fuck are you three looking at?”

The three of them quickly look away.

Blaine is still a bit loss for words, but he stammers out: “Jesse, I- we-”

“Save your thank you’s for later,” Jesse says and he winces when Rachel lets out a scream. Rachel usually makes a scene, but this time, everyone forgives her for it.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Kurt watches Rachel, one of his oldest friends, yell out in pain and agony while giving birth. She is old in Kurt’s eyes, but so is he. She’s having a freaking baby. Kurt’s long over the initial feelings of confusion and dread, since he’s gotten used to everyone being older, but now that it is actually happening, some of it comes back.

Rachel is having a baby. Rachel. A baby!

This truly is happening.

Barbra Finley Berry-St. James is born on Tuesday, August 1st 2028 around 7:38 PM in the hospital in New York. She’s named after two people who have died: after Rachel and Jesse’s icon Barbra Streisand, died in 2026, and after Finn Hudson, died in 2013.

They’d kept the name a secret up until this moment. Kurt sobs quietly when he hears that the baby is named after his brother. Sometimes, it still doesn’t feel real that Finn is dead. Everyone else got to grow 15, now 16, years older, except for him. He isn’t the father to Rachel’s child, like it was supposed to be in Kurt’s mind.

But Finn’s legacy lives on. Daniel “Danny” Finn Schuester-Pillsbury, Finn Chad Fabray-Puckermann and Barbra Finley Berry-St. James are examples of his legacy. All the kids of the New Directions alums will hear about him, not only the ones who are named after him.

Kurt doesn’t want to think about being a father himself yet, but once he’ll have a child of his own, he’ll teach them all about their uncle.

Rachel is lying in the hospital bed and she’s cradling her newborn child. Jesse sits next to her and he’s in tears. Kurt and Blaine have changed out of the ugly hospital scrubs so that they can show Rachel and her new baby their well-chosen outfits and they sit on the chairs next to the bed.

“Barbra! Barbra Finley,” Rachel says sweetly towards the baby. Kurt’s never seen Rachel this loving and affectionate. The look on her face is made out of pure joy, adoration and happiness. Parenthood changes people. Kurt’s already seen it up close with Brittany and Santana, and now it’s time for Rachel and Jesse.

Rachel looks at Kurt and Blaine with tears in her eyes. “Boys, the reason I asked you to be here…” She asks them to be Barbra’s godfathers and even though Kurt and Blaine already heard the news from Jesse, they accept tearfully and they’re genuinely choked up.

They’re both well-renowned actors, but there was no acting needed. The four of them cry from happiness and after a while, Kurt and Blaine decide to give them some time alone. Kitty and Roderick are still waiting in the waiting room. They have already heard the news that Barbra’s born and they’re calling other New Direction members and friends of the family to tell them the big news.

Kitty hangs up when she sees Kurt and Blaine approaching and she pulls them both in a hug. “She did it!”

“She really did,” Blaine says.

“Luckily, she approved of my outfit,” Kurt says and he leans into Kitty’s hug. What a difference a year can make. A year ago, the thought of them being friends sounded too stupid for words, but now it’s reality.

“God, she better approves ours,” Roderick says, “This is my best bowling shirt!”

“Our best bowling shirt, Rod,” Kitty says while she’s still hugging Kurt and Blaine.

“Why do you guys insist on wearing bowling shirts on special occasions?” Kurt asks indignantly, “Roderick doesn’t even wear bowling shirts full-time anymore. You guys told me that it was his high school phase.”

Kitty pulls away and she sticks up her nose as a joke. “From all people, you should be the one to recognise fashion!”

Blaine laughs. “Kurt’s a trendsetter. Kitty has showed me photos of him in 2015 and he wore clothing that’s in style now.”

“Exactly, Kurt, know your damn fashion!”

“Do you still have those photos of me?” Kurt asks Blaine.

Blaine shrugs. “I don’t know, love. Most photos were sent through apps like SnapChat, so they got deleted. Other photos also ultimately got deleted to create storage. They were just silly snapshots to us. If we’d known that you were going to lose your memories of 15 years, then we would’ve put more effort in keeping them.”

“Shameful,” Kurt thinks, but he suddenly has a clear image of a certain outfit that he’s never owned before. Or at least, he doesn’t remember him owning it. “I did rock a long brown scarf.”

Kitty’s smile falters a bit. “Yeah, you threw it away in 2020, because Elliot’s dog peed on it.”

Kurt wrinkles his nose in disgust. “Past me left an expensive scarf in a place for a dog to pee on?”

“In your defence, alcohol was involved,” Roderick says.

Kurt laughs. “Tell me the full story later. We’re now here for Rachel, who’s stolen the spotlight on my big day.”

Kitty furrows her brow and Roderick also looks confused, until Blaine tells them that it’s exactly one year since Kurt lost his memories.

Kitty’s eyes widen. “Oh my God, Kurt!”

“Are you, uh, are you guys…” Roderick looks for the right word, “Celebrating? Commemorating?”

“Well, we had dinner reservations, but then Rachel had to go into labour. Damnit, Rachel!” Blaine says. Kurt laughs.

Kurt looks over his shoulder, back to the maternity ward. “It seems fitting. I forgive Rachel for stealing my thunder, but only this time.”

“Fitting?” Kitty asks.

Kurt turns back. “Yeah.”

Blaine, Kitty and Roderick all look at Kurt with questioning looks.

Kurt sighs. “It’s not like I’ve died a year ago, but still, it is a big loss. We’ve talked about this before. You three all know how I feel about this. I may never fully make peace with the fact that this has happened, and I will always feel a bit lost, and I will always feel two ages at the same time, but I’ve established a while ago that life doesn’t end. Life, in some way, has started again. It’s not like I planned, but it is what is given to me. And Barbra being born on this day sort of feels like August 1st can be about new life, not about loss.”

The three stare at him, speechless, and Kurt starts to doubt himself. Did that sound stupid? Was that too corny? Was it wrong of him to connect these events together?

But then Kitty lets out a whistle. “Damn Anderson, you’re no longer the only poetic one in our group of friends. Man, this is like a Hallmark movie!”

Roderick gives him a pat on the back and Blaine looks at him with his classic heart eyes.

“I love you,” he says and Kurt smiles.

Kitty pretends to raise a glass. “To new life, to Rachel’s spawn, to Kurt’s many revelations! To Barbra Finley Berry-St. James!”

The others join her. “To Barbra Finley Berry-St. James!”

An older woman shushes them and Kitty yells back: “This is a maternity ward, so expect celebrations, you dumb old h-”

“Alright, Kit-Kat, alright!” Kurt quickly shuts her up.

Jesse arrives not much later, so that Kitty and Roderick can also meet the baby. Some of Jesse’s friends are also on their way, but now it’s time for the New Directions. Kitty, Roderick, Kurt and Blaine follow Jesse back to the hospital room. Kitty coos and Roderick sheds a tear when they see Rachel with the baby.

Everyone moves closer and Jesse asks one of the midwifes to take a photo of the six of them with Barbra. Kitty puts it on the New Directions First Gen group chat (Kitty’s an honorary member, and therefore, Roderick is one as well) and all their phones blow up with messages and emojis and many, many gifs of dancing cats.

And memes. Sam spams everyone with memes.

Mike replies with photos of Mei, Quinn sends a video of Lucy and Finn shouting happily when Puck tells them the news, and Brittany and Santana send a selfie of them with Isabel. The New Directions have all grown up and it finally feels right.

A year ago, Kurt woke up on the cold floor and his life was changed forever. He’s spent an entire year trying to get back what he’d lost, only to find out that it was impossible. He’s lost and he’s grieved and he’s accepted that it will never be the same, but he’s also grown and he’s learned a lot.

And he’s gotten Blaine.

Blaine, who loves him and adores him and who has baggage on his own, but it’s nothing that the two of them can’t deal with. Kurt’s never grown this close with someone this fast, but Blaine’s defied all the odds. They’re a team and they will continue to be.

If you’d asked Kurt a year ago “Where do you think you’ll be in one year?”, he didn’t expect the answer to be in a maternity ward, surrounded with people he didn’t expect to find here. A year ago, the thought of Rachel being a mother was too weird. He didn’t expect it. He didn’t expect Jesse to be the father to her child. He didn’t expect to be close friends with Kitty Wilde of all people. He didn’t expect to know Roderick. He didn’t expect to be in love and to be happy with a man who loves him back.

But now, he watches Kitty make stupid selfies with Barbra while Jesse and Blaine laugh and Roderick and Rachel complain, and it feels right. Kitty sends them to everyone and Mae, Wes, Sebastian and Adam all send their very excited reactions and their congratulations.

Kurt looks down to Barbra, still bundled up in a blanket in Rachel’s tight embrace and he can’t help but to feel utter joy.

“To new life, little Barbra,” he says.