Blaine blinked as the sun shone brightly in his eyes. Focusing his best to stay on the road, he groped blindly in the passenger seat for his sunglasses. Finding them after a moment he slipped them into place and sighed with relief. He was too tired for the bright and cheery sun. It mocked him with its promise of a brand new day when he knew this day would completely and totally suck. Stupid sun.

He pulled in to the Hudmel's driveway moments later. Having finally figured out the secret behind the odd name he smiled to himself despite his grumpiness. It was foreign to him to have such a tight-knit family, but he absolutely loved it. Directly in front of him he recognized Kurt's SUV. Ok, so maybe this day would have a small amount of redeeming value after all. His smile turned into a grin.

Kurt and Elliott must have gotten there literally moments before because the doctor stepped out of his vehicle at the exact same moment as Blaine and glanced back with a cheery wave good morning. (How is he always so stinking happy in the morning? And why does his hair always look so good? And how can a simple pair of black plastic frames look so damn sexy?... Wait. What? For goodness sake Anderson! You're in the middle of the messiest breakup ever. Don't mess this friendship up by turning all lovesick!) He knew that he was just kidding himself though. He was already falling for the kind and handsome doctor. He just had to keep things in check for now though. He couldn't possibly do anything about his feelings in his current state. To be honest, he felt so messed up right now that he wasn't sure his own feelings were stable enough to be trusted. Besides he kept getting mixed signals from Kurt. One minute he would be friendly and warm and charming, the next he would be sassy and downright flirtatious and then out of nowhere he would change again into the distant professional. He felt that he understood third mood swing somewhat, considering it usually happened at the hospital. If things were getting too personal in the way they were conversing, especially if a patient was nearby, he would snap into this alter ego almost instantly and avoid eye contact for a few minutes, referring to the other man as 'nurse Anderson' instead of Blaine. It was partially to just remain professional, he was highly respected at the hospital, and partially a defense mechanism. Defense against what exactly was the question. Blaine suspected it was probably something as simple as fear of rejection.

"Please just hear my concern and don't take offense to this, but you kinda look like crap this morning." Kurt teased but had a caring expression as the two followed behind their kids who had already made a mad dash for the door.

"Yeah, well, I just had 'one of those kind of days' yesterday and then didn't sleep at all last night." Blaine tried to laugh it off as nothing but his voice was tight and the tension was practically radiating from his body. Kurt stopped and took Blaine's hand in his. The curly haired nurse gulped visibly thinking that Kurt must surely feel his pulse racing through his palm.

"It's not my business, I know, and I don't want to pry, but please know that I'm here if you need me. If you need to talk... I'd love to be your support." Kurt seemed uncertain and a little embarrassed at his next words but charged on anyway, still gripping the other man's hand, "I realize we barely know each other but I feel like I've known you forever. Like I've just been waiting to meet you. You know, kismet." (Oh. My. Lord. The sappiness police need to arrest me immediately. Oh my god, he's just standing there and staring! Please let the sidewalk swallow me whole so I can die of embarrassment right now. What is wrong with me! I lose all sense around this man!") "Um, please forget what I just said. My brain must be malfunctioning. I swear I'm not some social reject. I'll just leave you alone." Kurt had let go of the other man's hand by now and was backing away, fully prepared to run up the stairs inside and hide in his old bedroom until the coast as clear. Maybe he could transfer to the hospital in Westerville...

"Wait!" Blaine grabbed the doctor's hand back again and was pulling them close together once more. "I don't want you to leave me alone," he almost whispered, "not even close." He met Kurt's eyes fully. "I'm sorry I just stood there with my mouth hanging open. You surprised me, but it was a good kind of surprise," he assured quickly seeing Kurt's hesitancy return briefly. "I feel pretty much the exact same way." Kurt's smile at that was dazzling.

"How would you feel about going to dinner tonight then? Us single gay single dads need to stick together," he joked. "I... I would love for it to be a date but I am more than happy for it to be just as friends too. I'm spectacular at listening." Kurt assured him and watched closely, waiting for a response.

"I can't tonight actually, but it's not because I don't want to!" Blaine rushed to reassure the other, not wanting to mess this up. "I really do have plans and it's kind of crucial that I not cancel, or I totally would... in order to hang out with you." They continued to stand there, holding hands and feeling like teenagers, as they blushed and exchanged glances. Blaine knew he should feel embarrassed by his forthrightness. Somehow with Kurt though, he found that not only did he desire to be completely honest in all things, he felt completely comfortable with it too. That had never been a part of he and Alex's relationship. It felt wonderful. Speaking of honesty...

"Listen, I kind of need to tell you something. There is more to mine and Addy's life than you know. I haven't tried to keep anything from you, it's just that it's kind of involved and there hasn't seemed to be a right moment to share yet. Maybe we can have dinner tomorrow instead and talk then." Blaine steadied himself before he spoke again. "I think it's only right and fair to both of us that, until you know everything there is to know, we just think of this as a friendship. I-I want more. I promise I do... but probably more like down the road a little. I don't want you to feel tied into anything though so I promise that if, after hearing my whole saga, you just want to be friends, I will take that happily. I don't want to lose you. I'll take you in whatever capacity I can get." Blaine finished his spiel, hardly realizing that he had been talking about a thousand miles a minute by the end. Kurt just grinned in amusement.

"Of course, absolutely. We all have our past and our issues. I'd be a fool to think you came with a blank slate. I don't want to lose you in any capacity either. Let's just plan on a 'friend date' tomorrow, learn more about each other and wherever it might lead down the road I'll be happy with, so long as you're part of the equation."

Blaine giggled (Did I just giggle? For crying out loud, I'm a thirteen-year-old girl!) "You realize we sound like we're quoting lines from a fabulous rom/com right?" Kurt threw his head back and laughed fully at this.

"You guys are so precious!" Both men blushed widely, just now realizing that they were still holding hands in plain view of any passersby. They let go quickly, attempting to look innocent and nonchalant but fooling no one. They both turned then to find Jeff, Wes, Finn and Rachel all heading up the walk. Rachel was grinning widely and wrapped her arms around both men, squeezing tight. Kurt was used to the girl's tendency to hug the nearest person when excited and thought nothing of it, but Blaine, having never met her before, patted the pregnant girl awkwardly on the back and looked over her head questioningly at Kurt as if to say, 'Who the heck is this?'

"Blaine, let me introduce you to my pregnant and slightly hormonal sister-in-law, Rachel." She playfully slapped Kurt's arm at that and turned to meet Blaine with roll of her eyes and a smile as she shook his hand. "Sorry to hug-attack you like that. You guys are just so cute together and I couldn't help myself! It's just been so long since Kurt had anybody and..."

"Alrighty then! Let's get you inside and out of the heat. It's making you say insane things!" Kurt grabbed her shoulders and gently pushed her ahead of him and through the front door, carefully avoiding Blaine's amused gaze.

Elise and Micah rushed past him next, already fighting about who's turn it was to play with the pink power ranger.

"And Mike and Tina said that my form has improved so much that I will definitely have both a tap and a free-form solo at the next dance recital! And my vocal coach says..." Finn clapped a hand to Blaine's shoulder as he walked by, greeting him with a "Hey dude" all the while listening to his daughter ramble and occasionally sneaking in a "That's great Hailey!"

"So, you two were looking all kinds of adorable." Wes smirked at his friend while wrapping an arm around his shoulders and heading them both in after the kids.

"Yup, all Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks," Jeff quipped with a grin, hooking on arm around Blaine from the other side.

Blaine felt like a teenager back at Dalton with his two friends by his side, teasing him. Disentangling himself from their grip as he opened the front door he spoke quietly so as not to be overheard, "We're just friends, really."

They both looked at him skeptically and Wes nodded, patting him on the shoulder with another smirk. "You keep telling yourself that, buddy."

Blaine just blushed in response and the other men laughed. Before joining the other parents in the living room Jeff pulled Blaine aside.

"We're good for tonight. Nick and I will pick up both of the girls and take them out for pizza right across the street from where you'll be. It's totally up to you how this goes, ok?"

Blaine grabbed his friend and pulled him in for a hug. He didn't have the words to thank him. None would do justice. Jeff just hugged right back. They looked up to Kurt approaching them as they broke apart. He looked curious but didn't ask.

"So, I kind of have you parked in. Do you want to ride with me in my car for a change?" Kurt nodded happily in agreement.

"I was actually just coming over here to ask you about that. We both got here early today and I have to talk to my mom and dad about something. Would you mind waiting for a few minutes? You don't have to though! You can just leave whenever and I can drive myse..."

Blaine clapped a hand over the doctor's mouth. "I'll be happy to wait for you," he smiled. "Hey kids," he called. "How would you all like to play outside with me and some of your daddies for a few minutes before we have to leave?" He glanced around the room for a response and all of the children, along with Wes, Jeff and Finn gave resounding sounds of approval.

"Uncle Blaine, can we play tag and you're it?" Elise was jumping excitedly at his feet as he grinned.

"You'd better start running."

Shrieks of laughter came from the children and the whole group headed outside. Elliott looked questioningly to his father and Kurt knelt by his side.

"I'm so sorry kiddo. I've gotta talk to Grandma and Grandpa right now. I promise I'll play next time. Can you go with Uncle Finn?" Finn, who was waiting by the door, swept the little boy up to sit on his shoulders and headed out.

"So what's going on, kiddo?" Burt joined Rachel at the kitchen table and pulled out chairs for both Kurt and Carole. Kurt couldn't help but smile at the fact that he and his father had used the same term of endearment for their respective sons in less than a minute's time. (Guess that's where I got it from) Kurt sat down and leaned forward on the table with hands clasped. "I want Finn to hear this too, but I think he's good with Elliott right now. I'll talk to him myself later but feel free repeat all of this to him, Rachel." He quickly recited all of the events from the day before, from the results of the hearing tests to Dr. Parsons' words at the therapy appointment. He finished and looked around attempting to gauge their reaction. What he didn't expect was Burt's sudden outburst of laughter. The other three adults at the table looked at him like he had lost his mind and Kurt was unsure whether to be hurt or just plain mad.

"Oh god, this is coming across completely the wrong way!" Burt wiped some mirthful tears from his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Kurt. I promise I'm not laughing at you or Elliott or even the situation. Is just... o.k., when you were younger, you were anything but quiet and reserved. I spent many days loving your dearly but wishing you would just shut the hell up! It's just funny to think of your kid taking after you in that way when I consider how you were at that age." Kurt snorted in laughter at this realizing that it was indeed, incredibly ironic.

"Then older you got and the more you had to deal with like losing your mom and that crap in high school, the quieter you got." Burt spoke with quiet reflection then. Kurt watched his father intently, listening to this slight recap of his life through his father's eyes with interest. "It wasn't a defeated kind of quiet though. It was just a determined kind of quiet, like you were going to meet everything life threw at you with dignity." Burt laughed again but this time it was soft and with affection for his son. "You kind of lived your life by that saying... how does it go? 'Better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.'" All four laughed lightly at this. "And when you did speak, you were full of such confidence, that it was like you were saying people could just suck it if they didn't like it." Burt nodded his head at his son in approval, "I've always loved and respected that about you, Kurt."

"Thanks, dad." Kurt wasn't necessarily surprised at his father's words, his dad had always been incredibly supportive. He did feel a little overwhelmed by them though. They were just what he needed to hear to negate the insecurity that had been building up inside of him over the last weeks.

"Listen, I feel like I need to apologize to you. I've been pushing so hard lately for you to get Elliott checked out. It only came from concern for my grandson but I kinda forgot in the process of trying to help what an amazing and accomplished man you've become. You don't need us telling you what's right for Elliott. You've provided a life for that boy that most foster kids could only dream of. On your own. Without our help. Now, he may be quiet as a mouse most of the time but I tell ya, that is one happy kid. No one in this family doubts that for a moment." Rachel and Carole both nodded brightly and Rachel was crying by this point. She brushed at her eyes muttering something like "freaking hormones" under her breath. Both men were a little choked up to and stood to hug each other tightly.

"Now, you tell us what you need from us." Burt spoke with authority for the whole family. "What do you want us to do, or not do, for both you and Elliott?"

"Well," Kurt coughed lightly trying to remove the lump in his throat from his father's words, "I think the next step for everyone in the family is to do all we can to encourage him to talk without placing any pressure on him. Please don't be offended by this, any of you, because I truly know that it came from a place of caring, but you have to stop reacting and giving each other looks when you ask him direct questions and he doesn't answer. Please stop asking him questions more than once hoping he'll answer the second or third time. He won't. In fact, it makes it worse. What I want is for everyone to keep on talking to him, ask him questions and involve him in conversations just like you do with Hailey, but just leave it alone when doesn't respond. The more pressure he feels from us, the more withdrawn he gets, and the less likely it is that he will talk at all. Dr. Parsons and I both feel, at this point, that he will talk when he is ready and not before. We need to provide the opportunity without making him feel like he is failing when he doesn't." They all nodded their agreement wholeheartedly and Kurt was grateful but he looked down at his hands as he spoke the one last thing on his heart.

"... and I need to not feel like my family thinks that I am failing as a father every time you stress about whether he's talking or not." Kurt didn't dare to look up at his. "I know that isn't your goal at all but..." he trailed off and finally looked up at his family.

No one said anything. All three stood and surrounded him in a tight family hug. It was an apology and support and love all wrapped in one. It was what their family was best at.

"I really need to be off to work," Kurt smiled as he wiped his eyes and pulled away. "Thanks guys. Just... for everything. Oh, and Rachel, would you possibly mind babysitting Elliott tomorrow night? I have dinner plans." Rachel agreed with knowing glance and a huge grin.

All four adults then walked outside. Kurt went to say goodbye to his son and collect Blaine before they were late. They were still playing tag, although it had turned into a version that seemed to be morphed with superman. Each of the men were taking turns being 'it' but flying one of the kids in the air like superman while chasing everyone else around and using the child to do the actual tagging. Blaine was 'it' again and was flying Elliott. The rare audible giggles that made Kurt's heart sing were escaping his son's mouth. Kurt was impressed by Blaine's interactions with Elliott. The nurse was one of those rare people who wasn't bothered in the slightest by Elliott's refusal to speak. He just talked to him like he did with every other child and would keep carrying on a conversation as if Elliott had spoken back. Sometimes after posing a question and receiving only silence or a smile for an answer, he would say things like "You're right, El, I couldn't agree more" or "You've got to be kidding me! I was just thinking the exact same thing!" Elliott loved it. Kurt knew that Blaine didn't know the full extent of what was going on as he hadn't really spent much time with the child and had never asked Kurt about it. He got the impression that Blaine was waiting for him to talk about it whenever he was ready and he could not have been more grateful. Just another reason he felt himself quickly falling for the man.

"O.k., superman. I've gotta go to work and so does your personal flyer." Kurt snatched his son from Blaine's arms and hugged him tightly, pressing a kiss to the top of his head before placing him on the ground.

Blaine quickly snagged Addy for a kiss too before she ran with the rest of the kids back to the house and then turned to walk with Kurt to his car. Both men waved to Elliott, who was the only child left outside and was standing on the sidewalk holding both his Grandpa's and Aunt Rachel's hands.

"Bye Daddy. Bye Mr. Blaine."

Eight adults stopped breathing and time stood still.