They heard it before they saw it. The loud roaring of an engine, the squealing of a car's breaks and then the atrocious noise of the crash. And then, only, they saw it: Her, through the first floor window. They took in the scene of the tragedy:Lisa's car was smashed against the black Volvo, which didn't stand a chance against the big S.U.V. They saw Lisa, half conscious, struggling to get free from the airbags that had came out from every corner of the car, nearly choking in her attempt to do so. And Dianna was out of sight.

The thin Burberry scarf that Kurt was holding with reverence was thrown out the window, as his steps carried him downstairs, following a suddenly very agitated Phil, whose curses were something that Kurt had always dreamed that a English gentleman would refrain from using in front of him, but that clearly didn't apply in this situation.

If you asked any of them to replay, second by second, the events of that day, they would probably be incapable of doing so. Everything was coming in spurts, as if the time was disconnected. The minutes didn't enchain. Time was relative. It was based only upon the leading events of that afternoon. They remembered the noise, then the sight, then the run down the stairs. And finally, standing in the courtyard, paralyzed for half a second, unsure of what to do.

They would surely remember Lisa finally pulling herself out of the car, barely keeping on her feet, face white, and unable to breath properly. They would remember their ephemeral relief before the worry that overtook them when they didn't see Dianna. They would remember Kurt throwing himself in the car and pulling outside an unconscious little girl and putting her gently on the grass. They would remember the few housewives of the neighborhood, screaming and worrying and smothering the woman and her child until Phil screamed and kept them 10 feet away from the injured.

But above all, they would be haunted by Blaine's face, discovering his little girl unconscious on the grass, as he was in the basement bringing up her guitars, and no sound of the accident had been heard. His scream. The way he pushed past the people in his way, slowly revealing the body of his little baby on the ground. Looking dead. The way that he almost fainted in Kurt's arms, too weak in the knees to hold himself together. The way that suddenly his head turned to look at the two crashed car and the way his eyes shut down, like it was the most unbearable scene. The squeeze in everyone's heart at this sight. And especially the fit he threw at a semi conscious Lisa, shaking her by the shoulders and screaming at her, before anyone could restrain him, and in front of every present neighbor.

"I'm going to kill you, BITCH! What did you do to my daughter, you CRAZY SLUT?"

But Lisa was not saying a thing. She wasn't even looking at him, her eyes shut, in an almost peaceful way. She was resting on the grass, as if she was simply part of a picnic party in a beautiful and peaceful meadow. That didn't help Blaine to calm down one bit.

"How could you do that to your own daughter? Are you insane?" Blaine kept shouting, struggling to get free out of Phil's embrace.

"Oh my dear, this is one big dysfunctional family!" The housewives were all gossiping at this point, between them, no longer concerned by the state of the little girl. They were overly exited by the new scandal in town that they would be delighted to convey to all their missing neighbors the following night, exaggerating on the details of the accident and displaying the portrait of a crazy family, a psycho mother, and an aggressive father.

Kurt couldn't stand anymore of them and their cheap and mean comments.

"If you have no assistance to give, please get the hell off of the Anderson's property, and go gossip elsewhere! Gee, I feel like I'm in a freaking chicken farm!"

Maybe it was the comparison with the chickens or Kurt's animosity and threatening looks, but slowly every one of them retreated, leaving only the three men, the woman and the child handling the situation. Well, mostly, handling an infuriated Blaine, who hadn't given up yet on ripping apart a very peaceful Lisa. It was almost as if she was mocking him and that was something that neither Blaine nor Kurt could accept. But, before they could do any regretful act toward her, the little girl started to moan and whine on the floor, slowly waking up from being passed out for about 10 minutes.

"Baby, oh my darling, how are you feeling?"

Blaine was kneeling down to his daughter, holding her gently, while stroking her hair with his right hand. The little girl let out a single sob, and then buried her head into her father's chest. The father who looked up with the same murderous look at Lisa, who apparently had woken up from her peaceful dream, and was now looking down to her daughter but without any sign of ever holding her.

"Baby, Mommy is sorry. I lost the control of the car, I'm sorry love!"

"Hell, you lost the control! To smash my car like that you must have been driving faster then you should! You did it on purpose! You wanted to destroy my car, you bitch!" yelled Blaine, still holding Dianna tightly.

"Blaine, calm down please," begged Kurt, looking at the little girl with concern.

"How dare you ask me to calm down!"

"Listen Blaine, Dianna seems ok sure. But we still need to get her to the hospital to see if there is no internal bleeding. We'll handle that psycho later, I swear."

"You're right, I'm sorry" apologized Blaine looking at Kurt gratefully. "I should get her to the E.R right now."

Blaine had apparently decided that the best course of action for now would be to simply ignore the psycho bitch and make sure that his daughter was alright. He got back on his feet still holding his little girl in his arms and made his way to Kurt's car, leaving behind everybody, and everything, including his forgotten guitar. But Kurt wasn't the man to forget.

"Blaine, just go ahead. I'll pack a suitcase, so we can go from there. Phil will drive you, I'll be 5 minutes behind you, ok?"

"Ok. Thank you," responded Blaine simply, before getting in the back seat with his daughter, and shutting the door behind him, not taking the time to look one last time at his house or his crazy wife. All that mattered for him right now was the safety of his little girl, and now that Kurt had mentioned internal injuries, he was more than anxious of getting to the hospital. He didn't even think about calling 911 at the moment, or involving the cops to this matter. All that was important, was that every single freaking minute here was potentially dangerous for the little girl.

"Phil, here, take the keys. Drive them to the nearest hospital and text me the address when you get there. I'll pack some stuff and call a cab."

"Alright mate. See you."

They shook hands, and then they were gone. Kurt didn't stop enough to think about the fact that it was the first time that he had been so intimate with Phil, or that he was trusting a still practical stranger with the lives of one of the people he cared the most in the world. With the people he loved. He didn't even think about how messed up this situation was, and how in hell he was so calm. How could he still think straight when, usually in times of stress, he would just freak out or go numb. But when it comes to helping the people you love, you might just surprise yourself and discover some inner control that you would have never suspected possessing.

But Kurt didn't stop to consider it. He would have plenty of time to do so later. Now he had a job to do, and a psycho to keep away. That was his priority. So, not caring a bit about Lisa still standing on the grass, a dumb expression on her face, he picked up the guitar and the now damaged Burberry scarf, and made his way to the house.

"What do you think you are doing, fag?"

Well, apparently the Lisa's numbness didn't last long. She was now fully recovered as she started running toward Kurt's, in a possible attempt to stop him from going into the house.

Kurt didn't even hiss at the insult and kept going into the house, until he was obliged to stop by a very infuriated Lisa, on the bottom steps of the staircase.

"I repeat, what gives you the right to march into my home, and into my room, and take whatever you want?"

"Listen Lisa, I'm not going to hold you for the whole fag comment, because I know better than to argue with a mentally disturbed person, but I have a limited restraint, so please, if you don't want to see yourself laying bleeding on the stairs, I suggest you take yourself a cab and get admitted to the E.R, not that the head trauma you're suffering has anything to do with the accident. I only say that because I would rather see you there than here, but honestly after today, I wouldn't mind to see you die from internal bleeding. But as the best leave first, you, my dear, are like the bacteria that is here to stay and keep rooting everyone's life for as much as you can. Now, please, stand aside."

Kurt didn't even raise his voice, or looked at her while delivering his little monologue. But the calm tone of his words seemed to be scary and painful enough that Lisa finally resigned to stand aside, and let the man climb the stairs. She didn't move from her spot, her face numb and her eyes wide for 10 minutes, the time for Kurt to pack some of Blaine's belongings, along with his guitar and some books, in a total robotic motion. He didn't allow himself to think or to feel a crack of fear for the little girl or to get concerned by Blaine's state of mind. He wasn't even angry with Lisa. The speech he gave her wasn't something he had thought about but rather an automatic response to her behavior. Every gesture, every word, wasn't thought about, wasn't cautious anymore, there was no restraint. He was on autopilot, his hands moving by themselves as they were packing gently but still efficiently and quickly every piece of clothing he could reach. He finally decided to pack two suitcases, and one bag, and it took him no time, maybe because he was so well trained with all these years of packing for trips where he had to bring only the essentials and had learned that he could easily reuse various clothes without ever looking like he wore the same outfit twice or without ever being unfashionable. But these were not thoughts or memories he took the time to consider either, and a few minutes later, he was running down the stairs, passing through Lisa, like he didn't even noticed her, and went outside, before he remembered that he had to call a cab.

A chance for Lisa, who had recovered from her second numbness and was heading toward the front door and toward Kurt, who was standing between the two bags, trying to get the number of the cab company.

"It would be quicker if I just gave you the number," Kurt heard her say behind his back. He turned around only to see that the woman had a big smirk on her face, as she was clearly enjoying Kurt's attempts to get a cab. Kurt couldn't believe that the woman wasn't at least a bit worried about her daughter's condition. That she wasn't already on her way to the hospital even with her husband's threats, only caring about her little girl. If it was Kurt's daughter, he would be all over the place. But that woman didn't give a damn and was only making sure to annoy the hell out of him.

"I wouldn't take anything coming from you. I'll manage to get my own cab. Besides I have the feeling that you would probably call some mobs disguised in cabs to come and finish me, so thank you, but I'll pass".

"That would be fun. Besides, you're the reason we are here today. You are the reason my daughter is at the hospital. You're the reason my husband left!"

She wasn't peaceful anymore. She looked more like an enraged dog, ready to bite. A delusional woman, for sure, thought Kurt. Strangely enough, the angrier she got, the calmer he felt. He had all his senses, as he turned to glance at her, with a disgusted look upon his face, and some vile mockery in his eyes.

"Oh, is it? And it's my fault too, that you pretended to have sex with Blaine to disguise the fact that you had a child out of a very drunken night, like the whore that you are?"

"Shut up, faggot! You know nothing about me, about my life…"

"You really know how to talk back, don't you?" Kurt chuckled darkly, which caused Lisa to turn bright red and more furious than before, if it was possible. She was almost comical, standing here, sweating bullets, taking all her restrain to not jump upon him, whereas Kurt didn't seem to bother, ordering calmly a cab over the phone, and shooting from time to time incredulous and amused glances to Lisa.

"Well, the cab will be here in 5 minutes. Can't say that I'm not relieved to get the hell out of here. I feel like I'm stuck in a bad episode of Desperate Housewives. And you, my dear, are more psycho than all of them combined."

"Humph. Don't be mistaken, the psycho bitch will haunt you. I swear that I will get my daughter back, if it is the last I have to do in my life! There is no way she should be surrounded by two sinful men, two faggots. She's better than this. She's better than you!"

Kurt had froze suddenly. The mockery that had been the main expression in his face for the last past 15 minutes, was now gone. All that remain was disgust and rage. And all that directed to a suddenly very cautious Lisa, who was having a hard time not looking away. His voice was no longer velvet, as the words came out, they sounded harsh and low.

"You listen to me, you bitch. There is nothing I can do to stop you from taking a legal course of action to get your daughter back, but if you think about any other illegal way, if you think you can show up in your New York and take her back, well think again! I swear that I will do anything, and I mean anything, to protect them. Because it is true that she's better than us. She's only an innocent, not yet damaged child! She's better than us, and thankfully she's better than you. Anyone would be better than you. You obnoxious, selfish, close-minded and judgmental bitch. Just so you know, I did love Blaine more than you'll possibly love someone, including your daughter. And that's not something I should be proud of. But here it is. Just so you know, Blaine might have lied to you about his feelings, but you my dear have lied to the entire society by pretending to be a normal person. Well my dear, the pretense is over. What you have been avoiding is finally here. Expect to be judged as the psycho bitch you are. Expect people to judge you, and people to actually support us. Well, expect the unexpected, and it ain't gonna be pretty, bitch!"

The timing wouldn't have been more perfect if he had planned it up. The cab arrived right there, allowing Kurt, to give one more bitchy angry look to Lisa, who he had managed to turn speechless once again, and then head toward the car. As he closed the door to the passenger seat, taking place inside the vehicle, the guitar on his lap, the driver already starting the car, he had an idea. It wasn't dignified, it wasn't him, but in this case, it was totally worth it. If it had to be done to someone, well she was the first on the list. No one had driven the crazy hell out of him like that. He needed to show his rage a bit more, if it wasn't for him, then let it be for Blaine. He would have adored it.

He called her name.

She turned around, still furious, tapping the floor with all her force, like a mad child, and he couldn't hold himself anymore.

He opened the window a bit more and as the driver started the engine, he raised a beautiful porcelain middle finger with all his glory, and with the perfect smirk on his face, he called:

"Take this one, whore. I know you'll use it well. Adieu!"

Maybe it was a little bit overdramatic, but hey, the man sure knew how to make a exit!

***********

Kurt arrived at the hospital a few minutes later, and with Phil's directions, he actually managed to join them in one of the south wing multiples corridors of the Boston Grace Hospital E.R. They had apparently been waiting for the past half hour for a doctor to check on the little girl, as it was apparently a very busy day for the medical staff. When he reached the designed spot, he saw Dianna sitting by herself on a chair, waiting calmly that someone would call her, with no Blaine in sight. Phil was there though, pacing the pale green floor, talking on the phone with agitation. He waved at Kurt when he entered but other than that, didn't show any sign of ever ending the conversation.

"Phil, I need the keys, got to put theses bags in the car," whispered Kurt.

Phil didn't answer but threw him the keys and got back to his apparently work related conversation. Kurt didn't ask for more. He was still embarrassed by the fact that Phil had to be there with them, away from a day at work. He knew well how much lawyers had to work, even on Saturdays, and even sometimes on Sundays, especially when he received himself very long and detailed emails at some really inappropriate hours of the night by some more than dedicated lawyers. It was like those people never slept or ate. So he knew how much of a sacrifice Phil was making. Besides, even if he could take this day off, away from work and all its stress, Kurt knew that he would probably want to spend it with his little girl. Little Lea that Kurt and Blaine's drama had pushed away to her grandparents. That had to been very hard for the parents. To separate them from their little girl, when they hadn't even spent a whole week or weekend with her. Thinking about it, Kurt felt very grateful to his friend and her husband. Ashamed also that he was the cause of their problems. Not Blaine. Blaine was constantly scouring himself for imposing on them but Kurt knew, that if it wasn't for him, Blaine wouldn't be here. He was the one who called Quinn and asked her to take him. He was the one to blame. The one who should scourge himself. Not that it would help at the moment.

He had much more important business to attend to, starting by helping Blaine emotionally and making sure that the little girl was ok. As he walked back to the hospital from the parking lot where he had put Blaine's stuff in the car, he thought about the little girl some more. Strangely, even if he didn't knew her, and that their only encounter had been a little bit more than dramatic, and she had been unconscious almost all the way, he had felt an irrepressible need to protect her. It was odd. It had nothing to do with the fact that she was a child after all, an innocent person, nor by the fact that his parental needs had increased a lot lately, but it was because of the little girl herself. She had startled him, in a way that he couldn't understand. When she had woken up after the accident, she might have looked at him for only half a second but it's all it took for Kurt to see something there. Like a deep connection, a need to protect. A need to love.

Ok, maybe he was being delusional. Maybe that day had been messing up his brain. He knew it was absurd and it didn't make sense, but as he came back into the waiting room, and Dianna looked at him with his deep blue eyes, he knew that something was there. She was more than just a random little girl for him, or at least, she won't be anymore. Maybe it was just the fact that he knew that she would now come to live with him, and inevitably they would develop some kind of relationship. Suddenly Kurt wasn't so sure of himself anymore. He was even scared. He knew of course that the mother had just intentionally harmed her child, but had the child forgiven her already? Was Dianna holding Kurt responsible for everything that had happened between her parents? Was he the bad guy in her story? Kurt knew that it was a strong possibility and a normal response for any child. He didn't want that to happen. He knew if she felt that way, it would be almost impossible to make her change her mind. He only hoped that the little girl was seeing things not only in black and white. But what was he really thinking? Of course, she would see things only in black in white. She was four, for god's sake! She would hate the stepfather as any normal kid would.

Stepfather… Well, isn't that a curious thought. A very dangerous thought ,too. He had to stop thinking about that. He was being delusional once again. Stepfather… no, he couldn't think like that. He had no right to. Not to Dianna, nor Blaine and especially not to himself. How could he still think about a future where he could be married with Blaine and share his kid. It was sick and selfish, but he had to admit, deep inside him, that image, made his heart ravish with pride.

Kurt shook his head to stop thinking about it. It was wrong and it didn't matter at the time. Now, all he had to do was take care of them, the best he could. Without any further emotional involvement.

He took a seat next to the little girl. Phil was still talking on the phone, and he had no idea what to say to the girl. Should he even speak? Was he allowed to? Wasn't it to bold? Thankfully, he didn't have to think about this awkward situation a bit more as Dianna, gently squeezed his arm.

"I'm starting to think that he's picturing that mommy is the coffee machine" sighed Dianna, pointing to the end of the end of the hallway.

Blaine was indeed giving a hard time to the said machine, punching it with his fists, groaning, and calling it all sorts of name that did not suit a unanimated object. Few people were staring, eyes wide, but they were careful enough to not get close to the crazy man.

"Better the machine than your mom I guess," sighed Kurt. "In any case, I should probably go prevent him from destroying public property."

Kurt took in the sight of Blaine as he approached. "Blaine, stop"

"That damn machine won't give me my coffee! I swear she's plotting with the rest of the world to make my life a living hell!" yelled Blaine, smashing his fist once again on the machine, which didn't make even move it one-inch.

"Oh, oh calm down now big boy. The damn machine isn't plotting anything. It's not a "she". It's not a human being that you can break to give you what you want. It's a thing that when it breaks, stays broken until someone fixes it… be gentle please and you'll get what you want." Kurt tried to hold his hand, away from the coffee distributor and lead him back to his seat.

"Gentle?" asked with incredulity Blaine.

"Oh for the love of … just go sit down with your daughter, I'll go get your drink! I just saw a coffee place across the street, I'll be back in 5 with your medium drip."

Kurt was finding it more and more difficult to keep his cool. Lisa's words, even if he would never admit it to anyone, let alone to himself, had hurt him. It never gets easy when people judge you for your sexual orientation. Call you sinful person. Say that you don't deserve to be happy or have a family. That was one of the many reasons he hadn't started a family himself sooner. Because he hated how people could make you feel miserable. You or your kid. How they could be bullied for having one or two gay parents. Being teased constantly. He knew about that. He had lived through it during high school and he wished his own kid to never endure the same. He knew that things had changed somewhat, people were more open-minded, but it wasn't enough in his opinion. Lisa had just reminded him of that. He wasn't, of course, the kind to be shattered by someone's words, especially someone like Lisa, but every time he heard those horrible comments, he couldn't help but have doubts about his situation. Would he be able to start a family and support all those comments? He could hold himself just fine, thank you, but would he be able to let his kid go through that as well? Well, he wasn't so sure about that. Especially the do it alone part. If they were 2 maybe it would be easier for the people to understand. For him also to handle it. Things and comments wouldn't matter so much.

It was so easy now to have some hope. It was weird also. Because after a day like that, he should have been feeling so down, exactly the opposite of what he was feeling now. But somehow, being able to handle everything, to take charge, without cracking made him gain more confidence. It was just like when he was at work and something needed to be fixed. He was fixing things. He was helpful and as long as he could do it, there was nothing that could bring him down.

A disturbing thought occurred to him, as he was waiting to get the coffee. He had talked about the machine as something that could break, and can't be fixed until someone fixes it. And it was maybe the reason he wanted to get away from Blaine for only a couple of minutes. Because it had reminded him of something else. Or someone else. Himself, actually. Someone had in fact broken him. Blaine. And he had stayed broken, for a long time before Blaine came back and somehow fixed him. Because it was true, for 5 years, he had been broken. People would deny it by saying that he had achieved a lot in 5 years, but sometimes, a thing can still work even with some function shut down. Indeed he was still doing his job even if his heart was broken. His mind was still functioning and did it really matter that others things weren't? People just forget after some time about those other parts and they'll come to look at the machine as something that had always missed those parts. People did the same with Kurt. They had come to look at him like a normal person, forgetting about those little things that had changed within him, that had been forgotten with time. But he knew, like the machine had known, that something was still broken. And the only way to change it, would be that someone remembered that something needed to be fixed. Blaine's return, was all it took. The hole in his heart got smaller and smaller and he had come to even think with his heart. The one that had been shattered to pieces.

Kurt hated that, deep inside. He hated that he wasn't able to fix things himself. To have to depend on someone else to be complete again. He had listened to Quinn, sure, and how Blaine had marked him forever but it wasn't logic or anything. As a practical man, he needed a practical response. To know that he could always count on himself. The fact that, in the face of death, he would still be missing something, wasn't a comforting though.

Oh yeah, if it wasn't clear yet, Kurt wasn't the most optimistic man.

**********

When the barista landed him the coffees, a non-fat mocha and a medium drip, he couldn't help the memories to float over his head. All the coffee dates he had shared with Blaine in Lima Bean, and all those afterwards, at their favorite New York Starbucks, where they would meet between two classes, and steal a kiss or two. Those were the best times of their relationship. Every important memory could be situated around a coffee date. How many of them did they share? A hundred, two hundred? Three hundred? It wouldn't have surprised him if they were more. But as cocky as it might sound, he could honestly remember every one of them. As he could remember every conversation he had with Blaine. It wasn't that he had a photographic memory but when Blaine had left him, he had to make sure that it wasn't just a dream or a nightmare. He had to keep thinking about those moments to not forget what they shared. Not him, because he would never forget him, but just to make it more real. And maybe someday those memories would be useful. If he ever came back.

And he did. He did come back. And Kurt was grateful that he didn't forget. But had Blaine forgotten?

It wasn't something that Kurt could ask him right now, because even though he was seated where Kurt had told him, Blaine was still agitated. When he came back to the room with his coffee, Phil had also stopped pacing the floor and was sitting on the other side of Dianna, looking slightly stressed himself. They both kept checking the time, as Diana was looking toward them. She sighed and shook her head, like she was annoyed by their over worry. Kurt couldn't suppress a smile.

"Blaine, here. Take that."

"Thank you," said Blaine, looking genuinely graceful.

"Kurt, can I talk to you for a minute please?" asked Phil

"Sure"

Phil got up and led a confused Kurt further away from the man and his daughter. Apparently whatever he wanted to discuss was not something that Blaine would want to hear right now or would agree with.

"What's the matter?"

"Listen…" Phil looked kind of uneasy, as if he didn't know how to talk about such a delicate matter in front of Kurt.

"Don't worry Phil. I'm no Blaine. Say whatever you need to say."

"I've been talking to some people at the office. To my partner actually"

"And?"

"Well, I kind of told him about Blaine's situation. And I know that you didn't want me to see it as a potential case, but after what Lisa just did, it had to be. And I know that I have no right to impose myself as a lawyer but…" tried to explain Phil, slightly embarrassed.

"That's ok, Phil. Really." Reassured him Kurt, looking at him in the eyes.

"You don't mind?"

"Well, the thing is that you're right. This could not stay any longer a private matter. Blaine has to file for a legal case. It's no longer a potential case. That will happen, and Phil, I'll make sure it does. Now, you say you want to be his lawyer. I think it's for the best. Because you were actually there for the accident. You saw it too. You know how far Blaine is involved and how crazy Lisa is. Besides you were interested in that case even before that. Which is more than some lawyers can say."

"Thanks," smiled Phil.

"It's the truth. Now the thing is, that I have no idea if you're a good lawyer but I do know Quinn. Maybe she's no longer the same as she was in high school, but the girl isn't crazy. She knows what she wants and how to get there. In school she plotted a whole scenario to date Finn just before prom because she knew he was her best shot to win Prom Queen and therefore be popular and feared again. Which would have succeeded if people didn't think I made a better suitable candidate for the Prom Queen candidate. So that girl is smart, and if she chose you, means, that you my boy, are a smarty too."

And with a wink, he returned to his seat, leaving behind a very flabbergasted Phil.

*********

They had to wait a long time for a doctor to come and check on them. Kurt was starting to feel very angry at the incompetency of the medical staff who were not able to give them any resourceful information regarding how much longer they would have to wait. It didn't help that Blaine couldn't seem to stay put in a chair and had to be pacing the floor every 5 minutes. Phil couldn't stay put either as he took a phone call every couple minutes. It was too much for Kurt, whose head was spinning.

"It's ok. Don't stress," said a small voice next to time.

He turned away to see that Dianna, while obviously tired, remained very patient, and was even trying to get Kurt to relax a bit. She knew better than to try with her dad. That battle was lost before it even started.

"I want to murder someone. But then again, it would probably not make things go faster!" grumbled Kurt, but his tone was still light.

Dianna smiled at him and Kurt really beamed back this time. It was the first time she was really addressing him, without talking about her dad or anything else. And she didn't seem to hate him. Not even a little. Her smile was genuine and beautiful, noticed Kurt. And honestly, he thought she looked a bit like him. Not only physically, but he could see that underneath that angelic face, she wasn't as innocent as she seemed. In fact, he thought that she understood much more than she was letting people know. That didn't really comfort him.

"It's weird, it's like you are scared of me. Don't worry, I don't bite," giggled the little girl.

"Well, you survived a deadly accident, you must have super powers. That's scary," teased Kurt

"Stop talking like I'm a 4 year old. I'm not a baby," Dianna pouted teasingly.

"Well, I'd swear you were four. Could have fooled me. More super powers for you. Can I borrow one of them. It would be nice to look like a 10 years old sometimes."

Dianna couldn't suppress the laugh that burst through her lips, which made Blaine turn around from the corner of the room, looking to the source of the familiar hysteria. And here they were. Kurt and Dianna. His Kurt, and his Dianna, laughing together. Kurt teasing the little girl who couldn't stop giggling. His heart stopped. His breathing stopped. All the things that made sense stopped. All that remained were the utopia that was running in his mind. The dreamy picture he had thought about for the last 10 years. The perfect family he had been picturing sharing with Kurt. Even when had shared it with Lisa. He had always thought that Kurt was the one to stand at her place in the family picture. And here it was.

But it wasn't really. Kurt wasn't really his, and Dianna was definitely not Kurt's daughter. She wasn't even his own. There was no big happy family here to picture. It was one big giant mess, that's what it was. But he couldn't stop either looking at them as they were now having an apparently more serious conversation, away from Phil's ears who had picked up a new call. Blaine didn't want to interrupt them. Interrupt the illusion. The pretense. They were having a moment. He knew that every moment counted because it couldn't last long.

Really those men had to work on the half full glass thing.

*********

In the other side of the room, they were indeed no more teasing. Kurt and Dianna were discussing something way more serious than age or powers.

"How do you feel, darling?" asked Kurt, really concerned. "I know we have been waiting a long time. Do you feel dizzy or something?"

"No, it's ok. It's just…"

"What?"

"Well, actually I am a little bit confused. Not about my injuries. But…"

"You don't understand what happened," finished Kurt.

She looked him gravely in the eyes and nodded. Kurt could feel her confusion, her despair, lost with the thought that her mom just deliberately put her in danger like that. How could she?

"You know, Kurt, I know I'm supposed to be angry at mommy and all, and I am but…"

"She's still your mom, right? And you still love her." Finished once again Kurt, because it was a topic that he understood way too well.

"Yeah" admitted Dianna sheepishly. "Is that wrong?"

"To love your mom? No."

"But she hurt me. I don't think she wanted to but she did"

"Listen sweetie, I don't know if I'm the best example, but I can totally relate to you."

"Daddy?" asked Dianna, looking at her father who was standing at the corner of the room. Her tone though wasn't angry or protective. It was just a simple question she wanted to ask Kurt, as if she had wanted to do so for a long time.

"Yeah. Blaine." Kurt smiled sadly at her perceptivity.

"What happened?" Dianna asked curiously.

"All I can say is that I understand what you feel."

"Did he hurt you like mommy did?"

"Not exactly. Not physically". Well it wasn't entirely true but it wasn't something that Kurt could explain to the girl. "Let's say that he didn't mean to either."

"But he knew it would? Just like mom. If she had stopped one second, she wouldn't have done it."

"Neither would he. I think. Well, I hope." Kurt was now fully aware of much their two situations were alike and that's what maybe had brought them closer. People love wounded them both.

"Does it get better?" asked Dianna. " I mean do you understand better after a while?"

"You mean do you know if it's wrong or right? I don't know, darling. You just stop thinking about it I guess. Though your situation is not the same. Your mommy is still there."

"It is more difficult this way, I guess. I can't not love Mommy and at the same time I can't help but think that I should be angry at her. But sometimes I tell myself that it's not his fault, you know?"

"Oh yes I do!" admitted Kurt "But baby, don't listen to what people tell you to do or to feel. Just listen to your own heart."

"And how that worked for you? You're here which means you forgave Daddy."

"And how do you know there is something to forgive?"

"Oh I just do," smiled sadly Dianna. "But like I said, you forgave him, even if he hurt you Why is that? Because you still love him maybe, like I still love Mommy?"

Kurt didn't answer but gave her a very mysterious smile. It wasn't sad, nor happy, but it was almost apologetic. That didn't make sense for her. She hated when grown ups reacted that way. Why couldn't they just say what they had to say. She could handle it. Besides, she thought that Kurt was somehow different than her daddy. That he was opening himself to her almost like she was an equal. Why did he have to become so mysterious now? But a little voice in her head told her that he wasn't mysterious at all. In fact, he had given her answer. Of course, he still loved Daddy, he just wouldn't admit it. Even to himself.

But she was obtuse. She wasn't going to give in before getting a straight and loud answer. She wanted to keep interrogating him. But she wouldn't be given the chance.

"Mr. Anderson?" called suddenly a nurse from the door.

They all rushed from where they were (even Phil turned off his phone) to gather around the nurse.

"Yes, that's me" said Blaine, with a suddenly very shaky voice.

"A doctor will see you now. Sorry but there can't be more than 3 people in the room"

"It's ok, I'll wait here. Go ahead" offered Phil.

"Thank God! I though you had forgotten about us! What kind of hospital is this?" screeched Blaine

"The kind that just had to deal with a multiple bus accident, with 50 injured people, several head traumas, 2 imputations and 5 deaths. Oh and one comatose person. That's the kind. I'm sorry Sir, but we just have been a bit preoccupied." The nurse didn't raise her voice though. Angry parents were just another part of her job.

"She doesn't have to sound so pleased about it, either," mumbled Blaine, still unwilling to let it go. But he didn't say anything more.

"We are sorry. Must have been hard," apologized Kurt for both of them.

"It's ok. Here you go. Room 2451. The doctor is in here. "

Blaine didn't look like he was finished throwing his fit to the nurse, but both Dianna and Kurt, pulled him forward, sighing. They had lost enough time like that.

"Hello, Mr. Anderson. Hello darling, are these gentlemen your daddies…"

"Only one of them is, sir. The other is…" started Dianna

"Oh God, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to…"

"What? Assume that we are gay, that's alright we are," chuckled Kurt. He was so used to these kinds of situations. Everything about him screamed gay. Well, he was better than letting people call him a stereotype because he had made sure he wasn't one, but it didn't bother him anymore that people would immediately assume his sexuality. He understood that some people would think about it as discrimination but it had came to feel more like a compliment for Kurt. Like they would notice him as an artiste or something.

"But it doesn't mean that we are a couple. You do understand that, right?" Blaine argued, still angry after his snap at the nurse.

"It's just that she's obviously your daughter by name, but she looked so much like with your friend here…"

"She does?" snapped suddenly Kurt, like he had been struck by lightening.

"Yeah. But I'm sorry, I shouldn't have assumed."

"No harm done. We shouldn't have snapped at you like that. Kurt is a friend, that's all."

Dianna suddenly chuckled, and rolled her eyes at the same time,, as if she was saying "yeah right, just a friend!" but only Blaine and the doctor noticed because Kurt was far away in his thoughts. The doctor's comment about the resemblance between Dianna and him was enough to trigger some vivid dreams into his mind. Once again, he saw himself holding a child, but this time it wasn't just his child. It was Blaine's and his. Dianna as the last missing piece of a big happy family. A kid that looked a lot like him, with her blue eyes, her pale skin and had the curly hair of her father. He didn't take into account anymore that Blaine wasn't Dianna's biological father and neither would he be, but in his mind, that didn't matter. They were 3, standing together, in the big happy picture.

He had a hard time focusing again as the doctor checked Dianna who apparently had no sight of any injuries.

"At first sight, every thing is good. But I want to make sure that there is no internal bleeding, so I would like to run a head C.T."

"Sure, whatever she needs" agreed Blaine, who was still uncomfortable and a bit scared.

"It's ok Daddy. I'm good" smiled to him Dianna, and he felt at once better. "Besides I do have special power, right Kurt?"

"Right," smirked back Kurt.

"Well, I'll call someone to take her now. I still have some questions to ask you if you don't mind."

"No problem doctor. Whatever you need"

***********

After Dianna was taken away for taking her C.T, the doctor leaded the two men into a small office next to the waiting room. They sat in silence, before Dr. Hidey, started the conversation.

"I understand that she got injured in some car accident."

"Yes, that's right." Blaine wasn't sure where all this was going. Of course the doctor knew that was a car accident. That's way he had ordered the radio after all. What was his point? He couldn't see. However, Kurt had a pretty good idea what the doctor wanted to do.

"Was it intentional?" asked finally the doctor, obviously concerned

"Yes," said Kurt before Blaine could answer. "Yes, her mom crashed her car into Blaine's."

"Kurt!" Blaine called angrily.

"Blaine!" Kurt responded the same way. He wasn't going to let that one go. He knew that Blaine didn't really want to get the police involved, for a lot of reasons. The main being that he didn't want to people to judge him because he was gay. Kurt knew that he was so insecure about that part of himself that he have been trying to hide for the past 5 years. But his daughter's safety should matter more than gossip. It mattered more for Kurt. Because he was well aware of how dangerous Lisa was. And if Blaine wasn't going to take charge and prosecute Lisa, well, he would do it. He had talked about it with Phil and there was nothing that could stop him now.

"Be angry I don't care. But I have to do this" whispered Kurt to a very dumbfounded Blaine. And then he raised his voice to talk to the doctor again : "We want to blame Lisa Anderson Criss, for a deliberate attempt on her daughter's life and that's the truth."

"I understand," nodded the man in agreement. "Do you agree Mr. Anderson?"

Blaine struggled for some time at these words. It was like he really didn't know what was the good thing to do anymore. He didn't want a public case but he wasn't really having the choice anymore. Kurt would make it public and official without his help anyway. He wasn't so sure if he was angry or grateful to the man. But he was right, there was no denying it. Even if Blaine wasn't ready to face all that just now, he knew that he would have to do it some day. The situation wasn't bearable, for him or his daughter. And Lisa, the crazy woman, was still out there.

"Ok, but not right now," Blaine compromised.

"What do you mean, not right now? It has to be now, Blaine, or it won't have the same legal weight!"

"I know, I mean giving my testimony on today's events but for the rest, I need a few days at least to gather my thoughts. Dianna needs time too," explained Blaine

"Oh! Yeah, ok I understand. Of course, you need time, I'm sorry if I was too bold on you."

"It's ok," sighed Blaine

But both men knew that it wasn't ok. Far from it. And it wouldn't be ok for a long time. Contrary to what Blaine had promised him, he hadn't been totally honest with him, but he wasn't sure how he could be. Kurt had been acting too straight forward all day long and he kept pushing Blaine to his limits. He always wanted more of him. Maybe it was his way of helping, but he shouldn't have made all the decisions by himself and taken him by surprise in front of Dr. Hidey. What would the man think of him? That he was a weak and irresponsible father that couldn't take care of his own child and protect her from her crazy mother? But it was the truth. Kurt had done everything. Like always. He had been in charge and he even brought him his coffee! All Blaine could do was mope around and pace the floor. What a man! He should have been grateful, and even humble, but he wasn't. He didn't know why, but the idea of Kurt being the man in charge didn't suit him at all. It was like he was trying to show him that after everything Blaine did to him, he was still able to handle himself. He had now the upper hand in the relationship. What a crazy idea, thought Blaine. How can I even blame Kurt for helping me?

As for Kurt, he was feeling almost as uncomfortable as Blaine. He had sensed of course that Blaine's words weren't completely true and he couldn't really understand why. He had an idea, sure, but it felt that it was more than just about the legal case. It felt that Blaine was revisiting their whole relationship. He should have cared, truly, he should have exposed Blaine's lie, but he didn't feel like that. The pressure of the day seemed to get back to him, now that everything was over. Sure, they still waited Dianna's results but he was sure the little girl would be fine. And sure, they still had to testify against Lisa but it wasn't holding the same stakes as before. Because Blaine didn't want to.

So there was nothing more to worry about. And nothing more to fix. And that didn't comfort Kurt. Because as long as he knew that he had to fix things, he was all right, but when he had nothing to do, that's when he started to panic, when all his demons came back to haunt him. The one that told him that some things can't be fixed. Like when Blaine had left. He felt totally useless because he couldn't understand it. And every time, he couldn't comprehend something or fix what was broken, all those feelings resurfaced. That's why he had achieved so much in so little time. Because he had to resolve any problem on his way no matter what it cost him. He couldn't take no for an answer, he couldn't let something misunderstood. He had to take care of everything himself to make sure that is was right. Most people called him a dedicated man, but he knew and his best friends knew, that sometimes it was just wrong. Like today maybe. He had surely overstepped some boundaries. That's why Blaine might have been upset with him. Because of his compulsive need to fix things. Because for 5 years, he hadn't managed to fix himself.

The two men stayed silent for nearly half an hour as the doctor left to check on the little girl and to get some police officers to get their statement. They had warned Phil who agreed to be present for the statement and to represent, at least temporarily Blaine as his lawyer. But in the mean time, none of the men knew what to say. That was a strange feeling for both of them. Unpleasant. Because even though they had enjoyed quiet times together, it had never been because of a lack of what to say. They had always something to say to each other even when they spent the whole day together. Even after 4 years. But now, they just didn't know, and it wasn't a comforting thought, knowing that the man was about to move in with him.

Eventually, sometime around 7pm, the doctor came back to them with Dianna and two policemen. Phil was close behind them. The two men stood up, on edge again.

"Good news, she's perfectly fine. No trauma," said the doctor with a smile.

"Oh god! Thank you! Thank you!" moaned a relieved Blaine. He reached for his daughter, and raised her to crash her to his chest. She was slightly amused by her father's preoccupations, and she turned to look at Kurt, with a big smile on her face.

"See, told you. super powers"

"Knew it," grinned back Kurt. But he would be lying, if he didn't say that he wasn't relieved himself by the doctor's confirmation.

"These are Officers Kellerman and Grady. They will take your statements." Both men nodded.

"I have already talked to them. They will take your deposition, and the case will be open until you decide you take further actions against Lisa for Dianna's custody. For now they will be no discussion on that matter. They just want your version of what happened. You leave the rest to me to take care of, until you're ready for the rest ok?" explained Phil.

"Thank you Phil. Really." Said Blaine, still holding his daughter.

"No problem mate. We are all involved in this now"

The two policemen took the statements very quickly. They started with Dianna, who had a hard time talking about what had happened but she knew that she had to do it. For her dad. And for Kurt, who had done so much to help her family. She owed it to them. And as Kurt had said, she would later figure it out. For now, it was all to new, too fresh, to even try to understand it. She would have all the time later. So she told them about her mom's reaction to seeing her dad's car, she told them about her speeding up, she told them that she had slow down at the last second, but that it wasn't enough. And she told them about the shock. They didn't ask about the reason her mother was so pissed at her dad, and she was glad about it. Phil must have told them before. She wasn't sure if she could explain it to them. It didn't even make complete sense to her.

Next was Blaine and then Kurt. They gave the same statement but Kurt had to linger a bit on Lisa's craziness. He tried to remember exactly what had been said between them and what had been done. The policemen didn't ask further question, like with Dianna. Which Kurt was also glad about because he wasn't really proud of his actions back there and if they did ask, he wasn't sure he could lie to them.

In all, it lasted less than 20 minutes. But Kurt was exhausted. He hadn't slept much and he couldn't wait to get back home. He couldn't think about the road ahead of him, or the next day, when he had to perform. It was too much but he knew he had to do it, still.

Blaine and Dianna were feeling pretty much the same. The little girl was even half sleeping after the interrogation and Blaine wanted nothing more to climb into Kurt's new Navigator, turn up the heat and sleep the three hours it took to get to the City. But he knew that it wasn't something he could do, because Kurt was as tired as he was, apparently. They had to keep each other awake for the road, and that wasn't going to be an easy task, especially when they had nothing to say to each other.

"Well, I guess, we should head home, for good now," said Kurt.

"Well, then I guess, I should go home too."

"Thank you so much, Phil, for all your help. And I'm really sorry for the disturbance," apologized Blaine, shaking his hand.

"Nonsense, mate. Besides I've gained a client with a very curious case" smiled Phil.

"I don't think you will thank him when you'll see the fees he'll charge in the bill!" said Kurt with a serious face.

Blaine chuckled. And it's all it took for everybody to feel better. Blaine smiling and relaxing. Blaine letting himself be content. Only for a moment. It meant hope. For the two men. But also for the little girl. And for Blaine himself. It meant that things would eventually get better. That's all they needed.

**********

They eventually said bye to Phil, after setting a conference call for the following Monday at 8, to follow the updates on the case. He called a cab for himself, as the trio climbed into Kurt's car. Dianna was already asleep by this point and then put her on the back seat, making sure that her belt was closed and wasn't disturbing her to sleep. After setting up his little girl, Blaine climbed in the front seat next to Kurt, who had already put the radio on, with a low volume so it wouldn't wake up the little girl.

Neither of them talked for the first 10 minutes, until they reached the highway.

"Damn, Blaine, I swear if I smoked, I would need a cigarette right now. I mean that day was intense!" finally sighed Kurt, who felt the need to say something, anything, to relieve the tension.

"I know you're only kidding but we can't be too careful with you," sighed back Blaine.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Kurt, raising one eyebrow, and looking toward Blaine, forgetting about the road for a moment.

"What's with the beer in your car?" asked Blaine, pointing to an empty can that was between them.

"So?" said Kurt, more and more confused. Did Blaine though that he was drinking too? Because, even if it was true, that beer wasn't his at all. It was Jeff's. They had a lunch the other day, and he had brought with him his beer to finish it in the car. Kurt, who was normally so neat, had so much stuff through his mind that he actually forgot to throw the can away. And now, Blaine was assuming it was his. Unbelievable!

"Won't you tell me its Finn's or someone?"

"Apparently not. Because somehow you already made up your mind that it's mine. Way to assume Blaine!" groaned Kurt

"I don't assume. I know. Rachel told me about your problem with alcohol, Kurt."

"When in hell did she do that?" shouted Kurt suddenly. He wasn't concerned anymore about waking up the little girl or taking it easy on Blaine who had a rough day. He was beyond mad, and his fists were clenched hardly on the wheel.

"At the hospital. When you burst out of the room when Quinn called you. She took me aside. And she told me to let you alone, if you never wanted to talk to me again. She said that they only staged the intervention for your sake. And because you needed that to move on. She said that she still hated me even if I had the best intentions for leaving. Because I hurt you so badly. Badly enough for you to start drinking. I'm sorry Kurt," admitted guiltily Blaine

"For the drinking or the leaving part?"

"For both."

"Listen Blaine. I make my own choices. You have nothing to be sorry concerning the drinking. If you want to be sorry, you have plenty other material to mope about." Kurt pointed out, still mad.

"I know but… "

"But what Blaine?"

"I never though it would be so bad… "

"I'm sorry, but WHAT?" Nothing had shocked him more then this.

"Me leaving I mean."

"Blaine, what the fuck are you talking about? Do you hear yourself right now? Did you honestly think that it wouldn't affect me? You leaving me? Or… Oh, wait, maybe it was because it didn't really affect you that you thought it would be the same for me?"

"How could you even think that? It broke my heart, I was devastated. Nothing seemed bright anymore! I was…." moaned Blaine, trailing off.

"Well, that's something I guess. I can't tell you how it felt for me because… honestly there are no words for this. But don't come and tell me that I didn't care!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way. But don't say that it was easy for me either!"

"Oh my god! This is the most irrelevant conversation I've ever been part of! What's the point, tell me?"

"The point is I didn't think you would start drinking. I know how you feel about alcohol."

"Well, let me clear some stuff for you. When you left, all the convictions I had about myself just vanished into thin air. Nothing made sense anymore. But I didn't drink. Then."

"But…"

"I said, then. I took my first sip the night you returned. The first night I saw you after 5 long years." Finally confessed Kurt

"I'm…."

"Sorry? I know."

"No, confused. Why now?"

"I don't know, you'll have to ask my inner subconscious. The one that has been locked away ever since you left. The one that got hurt and smashed and that I had to lock away so I wouldn't turn mad. I Guess it resurfaced the day you resurfaced yourself."

They both stayed silent for few seconds, looking at each other, regret and pain on their faces, before Kurt sighed and turned back his attention to the road.

"I don't know what to say…." admitted Blaine

"Nothing would be the safest."

"I'm sorry."

"I know. Please stop saying that. Sorry doesn't change the past."

"But it can improve the future."

Kurt turned to look at him, surprised. For that, he had no answer. Blaine had made him speechless, for once.

"I know that it's not my place to say this, and that you probably heard it a lot, but drinking is bad for you. It doesn't solve things."

"And what does, Blaine?"

"You, me, us, sober. Moving forward."

"I feel like we are currently stuck somewhere and I don't honestly know how to get past that. "

"What?"

"I don't know Blaine. I honestly don't. And that frustrates me. How can I fix things if I don't know what's broken?"

"Stop trying to fix things all the time Kurt. Some things just fix themselves with time. Be patient."

"I don't how to do that…"

"Yes, you do. You are the most patient man I know. With me at the least. You've been patient for the last 5 years and you've been patient now with everything that had been going on with me and my daughter."

"I wonder why that is…."

"You know why Kurt… "

He didn't add a thing more and neither did Kurt. They both knew why but they weren't quite ready yet to say it out loud, to trust each other enough to do so.

"To come back to the main point…"

"I didn't know there was a main point…"

"Drinking Kurt."

"Oh, right. You were about to lecture me. How ironic!"

"I know I have no right, but please it's bad for you. Drinking, and for that matter, smoking, damage your health."

"Loving you, too."

The shock that spread into Blaine's face was almost comical as he was trying to grasp the enormity of Kurt's words. Did he actually just say that he loved him? Of course he knew that already, but hearing it was a whole different matter. Kurt seemed as surprised of himself. He hadn't really though about saying it. But now, it was all out there and they had to deal with it. Kurt tuned to look at him, and they gazed at each other deeply in the eyes, forgetting about everything that surrounded them. The car, the road, Dianna, the time, everything. They must have been staring at ecah other for 5 seconds or 5 years but that didn't matter. They just forgot. But the world hadn't forgotten about them, as a very small sleepy voice called them back to reality from the back seat.

"Gee, isn't that lovely and romantic! Now Kurt, if you will just look at the road please, I've had my dose of accidents for the day, thank you. "