June 10, 2013, 7:04 p.m.
A Fresh Start
All We Ever Wanted: Chapter 14
E - Words: 5,519 - Last Updated: Jun 10, 2013 Story: Closed - Chapters: 20/? - Created: Sep 24, 2012 - Updated: Jun 10, 2013 681 0 3 0 1
AN- To the anon who sent me an ask on tumblr, letting me know you had made me a banner for these stories, I am ridiculously excited to see it! You are one of my favorite people :)
To the anon who requested artwork from abritincanada, just for me?! Oh gosh, you are also in the 'one of my favorite people' category :)
The reviews, the notes, the support from all of you. Oh my. It just does things to my heart :)
Happy Early Birthday *Mummy*
Much Love,
PV
Very Early Friday Morning
"Sissy?"
Brandi immediately lifted her head from her pillow at the tiny voice. She was wide awake, but Grandma Carole had insisted on them at least trying to get some rest by the time midnight had rolled around.
"Liam?" She peered into the darkness, trying to make out his form, but knowing his voice well. She couldn't help but grin when pattering little feet sounded across her floor and a small, warm body scrambled up onto her bed.
"Hi, baby bear." She hugged him close, pulling him into her lap and sighing contentedly when he wrapped his arms around her neck.
"Sissy, where's daddies?"
"Daddies are at the hospital. They are with Cara so they can bring home the new baby. Remember how we're going to have a new baby?"
She felt a tingling warmth spread through her at mentioning the fact that 'we' were going to have a new baby, not 'they'. She couldn't even begin to express how much she loved being part of a 'we'. She was even beginning to believe that it was actually true, which was equal parts exhilarating and terrifying.
"Thomas!" Liam exclaimed happily. Brandi giggled.
"Maybe, bear. Maybe. Daddies will have to decide what they want to name the baby. We're gonna love it to pieces though, whatever they call it."
They sat quietly for a moment, Liam scrunching his fingers up in Brandi's pajama shirt, and Brandi rocking him slowly back and forth. She would never turn down the opportunity to snuggle her younger brother. Never. She had spent way too many nights helplessly worrying about his well being to ever deny him anything.
"Brandi?"
The teen looked up in surprise at another small voice. She knew even without seeing that it was Addy. The six-year-old was normally such a sound sleeper, and Brandi was a little shocked to find her awake.
"Yeah, princess?"
"Is Liam with you?"
"Yeah, he's right here."
"Can Elly 'n I snuggle with you too?"
Brandi smiled brightly as she peered toward the doorway, finally seeing two small figures standing there, looking hesitant.
"'Course! Climb on up."
The bed shook considerably when Addy bounced up with all of her might, followed much more gently by Elliott. Addy snuggled up to Brandi's left side, while Elly curled up at her right. She briefly let go of Liam to give each of the older kids a reassuring little squeeze.
"You guys okay?" She asked softly.
They both nodded simply, in response, but remained silent,
"Are you worried about the baby?" She asked carefully.
There was silence for a few more moments, until Addy spoke up.
"Well, kinda, I guess. We were just talking in El's room though. We're worried about some other stuff. I'm not too worried about the baby cuz Daddy Kurt is a super good doctor and Daddy is a super good nurse. They'll help the baby if he gets sick or anything."
Brandi thought to herself that there were some things that could go wrong that even their dads couldn't fix, as much as it hurt to admit. She didn't say so though. She had taken on a fiercely protective role when it came to her biological siblings, but now her foster siblings as well, albeit quietly. She was determined that each one would stay innocent of the cruel realities of the world for as long as possible. She would do anything within her power to make that happen. That would include placating them when she knew the possible, hurtful truths.
"'Course, Addy. Dads will be able to fix anything."
Addy sat up, and Brandi could see her dazzling smile in the darkness. Her long, black curls were falling loose around her pixie face, and she looked particularly angelic in that moment. Brandi reached out a hand to stroke the curls, still a little bit in awe of the fact that she now had a family who so readily accepted these types of physical displays. She shuddered when she considered what would have happened had she attempted to show any form of affection with her father, but quickly pushed those thoughts aside. This was not the time nor the place.
Addy leaned against her hand with a happy sigh. The younger girl was incredibly physical, and the moment Brandi had started to show her this form of affection, she had been lapping it up eagerly.
"What are you guys worried about then?" Brandi asked curiously.
Elliott sighed as he leaned against her shoulder, reaching a hand up to pat Liam's back before speaking.
"We're just sad, cuz we didn't get to say goodbye to Cara. After the baby is born she's not gonna be here anymore. We thought we'd get to be with her for another couple weeks, but instead she got taken off to the hospital so fast. Daddy Blaine said she won't stay here anymore, because it would make her really sad to see the baby, since it's gonna be our baby now. I know it's selfish, but I don't want her to go, Brandi! She's our squishy! She belongs with us!"
His voice turned into a hoarse whisper at the end, as he was trying to hold back his tears, and Brandi felt a lump form in her throat. She had, quite honestly, been struggling with the same thoughts all evening, but hadn't wanted to say so. Like Elliott, she felt that it was entirely too selfish. Never mind the fact that Cara was her first, and only, legitimate friend, and she was about to lose her.
"I know, monster," she replied in a whisper, leaning down to rest her head on top of his. "It makes me sad too."
"Will Cara still love us?" Addy asked in a broken voice.
"Of course she will!" Brandi answered quickly. "She loves all of us! She won't stop just because the baby is born. But guys, daddy Blaine is right. She's gonna be sad, and we have to love her back and be okay with letting her stay away if she needs to. I know it'll be hard, but this is how it has to be."
"Cawa gone?"
Brandi looked down at Liam's sad voice, to see his wide green eyes watching her intently.
"Yeah, bear. Cara's gone."
Liam pouted for a moment, then suddenly brightened.
"Thomas coming!"
Brandi glanced over to Addy and then Elly, all three of them smiling gently at each other once again.
"Thomas, sissy!" Liam squealed, leaning over to give Addy a kiss.
"Thomas, bubby!" He shouted once more, diving off of Brandi's lap and into Elliott's. The older boy barely caught him in time with a giggle.
"Yeah, bear. Thomas," Elliott smiled, hugging the toddler close.
Brandi sucked in a deep breath as she pulled Addy into her lap to replace Liam. The smaller girl sighed happily and automatically snuggled into her.
"You're right, Liam," the teen said with a determined smile. "The baby is coming home. We may be sad to lose Cara, but we're getting a new baby brother."
With a squeeze for all three siblings, she settled back down onto her pillow, finally starting to feel sleepy. They all crawled under the covers, piling in around her. She managed to put an arm around each of them, and pulled them to her as they all closed their eyes.
"I guess," she yawned, "we were never meant to have them both."
"Honey, will you stop pacing please? I didn't think it was possible to be more nervous than I was ten minutes ago, but you're making it happen."
Kurt shot an exasperated look over to his husband, while continuing his dizzying steps. He felt the same as he had outside of the therapists office while he waited for Elliott so many years ago, only this was ten times worse.
They had brought Cara in to the hospital over eight hours ago now. They had gone through hours of contractions, special breathing, and letting her squeeze both their hands simultaneously until they had broken blood vessels. All the while, feeling absolutely terrible at watching her go through so much pain. She had been a trooper though, barely complaining at all and even spewing out adorable rambling apologies to the nurses when she thought she had been too vocal during a contraction. They had reassured her repeatedly that grown men had complained more over pain in their care than she currently was.
That was why it was especially disheartening when they finally told her that she wasn't progressing quickly enough, and that it was looking like a C-section might be in order.
It then went from disheartening to downright scary when her blood pressure sky-rocketed and the baby's heart rate dropped. Kurt and Blaine had been ushered from the room and she had been swept off to surgery before they could bat an eye. Her father had gone into surgery with her.
They had been quickly reassured by one of the nurses that everything looked great, and they had nothing to worry about, before being left alone. Not worrying was basically impossible though. They simply knew too much.
"No, Blaine. I cannot stop pacing. How in the world can you sit still?"
Blaine smiled, despite his own anxiety, and stood up to pull Kurt into his arms. The doctor automatically stiffened, not quite in the mood to be mollified, but then quickly reigned in his attitude. They were in this together, not separately. Blaine was just as scared as he was.
Kurt sighed and tried to relax himself enough to hug Blaine back, and was surprised at how nice it felt, despite his tension. He let out another deep breath and sank into his husband fully.
"I'm sorry, baby. You know me, though. If there's some type of medical emergency, and I'm not the one in charge, I freak out. Let alone the fact that this involves our own child."
"You control freak doctors," Blaine teased softly. Kurt snorted a little laugh into his shoulder.
"I can't help it. I've been a control freak for as long as I can remember. My profession just exacerbates the problem."
Blaine just smiled silently, and rubbed gentle circles on his husband's back.
"Hey, Kurt," he spoke in a sing-song voice, slightly muffled from being pressed into his husband's neck.
Kurt laughed again, resting his cheek down on Blaine's shoulder.
"Yes, honey."
"Guess what."
"What?"
"We're about to have a baby."
"I realize that, Blaine," Kurt laughed.
"No, Kurt." Blaine pulled back to look the doctor in the eye carefully. "I want you to really think about it. You and I. Together. We're about to have a newborn baby. One that's for you and me. Together. We get to take that baby home to the rest of our beautiful children. Together. We get to raise him from the very beginning. Together. You and me and all of the older kids. All of us. Together."
The longer Blaine kept talking, the wider Kurt's smile became, and by the end he was grinning like a fool. He threw his arms around Blaine's neck, almost knocking him backward with his enthusiasm. Blaine only chuckled loudly, squeezing Kurt tight and even leaning back to lift him off the floor for just a second.
Though his nerves were still there, and would be until Cara's doctor came through the door to tell them that they had a son, Kurt was suddenly overflowing with joy, because really? He had never wanted anything more in his entire life. He and Blaine were finally getting the chance to experience it all. Together.
"Is that..." Cara's hoarse voice trailed off as the piercing, plaintive cry filled the air. She turned her head to the side to catch her father's gaze. He was leaning in closely, stroking the strands of hair that had escaped the little surgery cap that covered her head.
Their view was obscured by a small surgery curtain positioned at her chest, and even though her father could have viewed what was going on, simply by leaning to the side, he kept his focus solely on his daughter.
"What do you want Car-bear?" He whispered in a thick voice. "Do you want to see..."
He trailed off when she shook her head frantically from side-to-side, squeezing her eyes shut as hard as she could, tears steadily streaming down and dropping onto the stiff pillow beneath her head.
A nurse who was standing at the other side of the room, cleaning the newborn and wrapping him in a blanket, cautiously caught the eye of Cara's father. She sent him a silent question, and he shook his head slowly.
The nurse nodded with a smile that was the tiniest bit sad, yet incredibly understanding, then moved to place the infant in the mobile hospital crib. The would-be grandfather caught a glimpse of tiny chubby cheeks, rosy and bright, along with a shockingly thick tuft of strawberry-blonde hair, before the baby disappeared from sight.
Something tiny, something he didn't even know existed before this moment, broke as the baby was wheeled away. This baby, his first grandchild, was being taken away without any hope of him of ever being able to know him, to even hold him.
He knew that this small broken feeling would heal in time. He knew that, no matter how much it hurt in the moment, this was how it needed to be.
He pulled up every last bit of his strength, and pushed those feelings away. Time enough to deal with them later. He turned back to his now sobbing daughter, and cradled her head as he pressed kisses to her sweaty hair.
He still had his baby girl. His job was to take care of his own precious, baby girl. He wouldn't give that up for the idea of snugging a million possible grandbabies. Someday, maybe, but not today. Today was for Cara... and now, because of her brave decision, the next several years would still be for Cara.
Late Friday Morning
"So, what do you think?"
Kurt grinned as he leaned back against his husband's chest, sighing contentedly when he felt Blaine's arms fold around him and their newborn son.
They were both sitting on the bed in their own private room, away from the nursery. The nurses in the maternity ward had seen to it as soon as Cara had been brought in. One of the perks of being favorites among the entire staff at the hospital.
"I think that, having this moment with you? This exact moment? Is exactly what I've been wanting since we got married. I kind of feel so full of happiness and contentment that I might burst."
Blaine chuckled as he pressed a kiss to Kurt's cheek, resting his chin on the doctor's shoulder to look at their newborn son.
Greyson Malachi Hummel.
He was six pounds, five ounces, and nineteen inches long. He had an unbelievable amount of hair for a newborn- strawberry-blonde and sticking up on end. His cheeks were almost too chubby for how small he was, but that only served to make him that much more adorable. They had yet to get a good look the color of his eyes, though they guessed that they were blue, like so many newborns.
Even though he knew it was biologically impossible, Blaine could have sworn that their son looked so much like Kurt.
They were both just sitting contentedly, feeling like they really couldn't get enough of holding their son, when the door cracked open with a small knock.
"Hey, daddies."
They both smiled as Lisa entered the room with a bright smile. She squealed as quietly as possible, seeing how they were curled up together, and immediately pulled out her phone to snap some pictures. They both pulled out their own phones with soft exclamations, asking her to take more pictures so they could text the family.
She sat down in a chair close to them when she was finished.
"How are you guys?"
"We're pretty perfect," Blaine replied with a smile, not looking away from the two men in his arms. Lisa couldn't hold in a small 'awww', and they both smiled at her.
"Well, if everything falls into place, you should hopefully be able to take him home this evening. His APGAR scores were excellent. He's set to get his routine hearing screen soon here, and his immunizations right after. Has he eaten for you?"
"Yeah," Kurt said softly, pressing his cheek down against his son's. "Finished almost two ounces."
"Good," Lisa replied with a happy. "It'll be nice for you to take him home right away and not have to spend the night here at the hospital."
"Yeah, only he's going to go home to an unfinished bedroom," Kurt laughed.
They had gone out immediately on Tuesday to purchase everything they needed to finish the nursery, but hadn't had time to actually put it together.
"How is Cara?" Blaine's voice was quiet. It was obvious that the answer to this question would hold a lot of weight for him.
Lisa looked down at her lap carefully, judging her answer before she spoke. She looked up to find both men watching her anxiously, and smiled as she reached out to rub Greyson's tiny arm.
"The answer to that, is that she WILL be fine. The delivery went very well after that initial scare, and she'll have a normal C-section recovery. Emotionally... she's a bit of a mess right now, but it's a mess that is perfectly understandable and it is being managed."
Kurt sighed, but nodded, honestly expecting no other response.
Blaine was a different story. He placed a kiss on Kurt's hair, then leaned forward to softly kiss Greyson, before standing up and pacing a minute in agitation. Kurt sighed again as he watched his husband move restlessly around the room.
"Blaine, this is just how it is in a situation like this. You can't..."
"Can't what? Care?" Blaine shot out. He wasn't angry. Well, he wasn't angry at Kurt anyway, and he was grateful that his husband seemed to automatically get that. When he heaved out a deep breath, feeling exasperated with himself and looking at Kurt apologetically, the doctor simply gave him an understanding smile.
"Why don't I just go talk to her. Maybe-"
"Honey," Lisa interrupted with a pained expression. "She doesn't want to see you guys at all."
Even Kurt's eyes will filled with hurt at that, and Blaine liked as if she had just stabbed him in the chest repeatedly with a sharp knife.
"It's too much, guys. She didn't want to see the baby either. She couldn't do it. She needs to distance herself."
Kurt nodded in understanding, still looking pained, but like he could appreciate where Cara was coming from, and went back to snuggling the baby against his chest. Blaine just started pacing again anxiously.
Lisa watched her friend's agitation for a moment, before resolving herself, and holding out a hand for him. He eyed her warily, but took the open hand and sat down next to her. She chewed her lip for a moment before speaking.
"You have to understand, that giving this baby up is the hardest thing she will ever do in her life."
Blaine gave Lisa a look of disbelief.
"Of course I understand! I-"
"Blaine," Lisa sighed. "You are one of the most understanding and sympathetic men that I know, and I know how very much you care- not only about Cara, but about people in general. You have to realize though, that while you can be sympathetic, you cannot be EMpathetic in a situation like this. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
When he just looked at her uncertainly, she went on.
"You can't possibly know, really know, what it's like for a woman to give up her child. She is giving up a piece of herself. She is losing part of herself. She knows that she will forever wonder what it would have been like, or if she made the right choice. Even in a situation like Cara's, where giving her child to you is clearly a wise decision, she will always wonder just a bit. It's suddenly real. For the last nine months, even though she knew mentally that this was what was going to happen, her child was still there. With her. Inside of her. She was caring for him and nurturing him. The whole time. Now, all of a sudden, she is giving away her own flesh and blood. She is taking this child who was dependent on her for so long, and just giving him away. She is feeling lonely, and guilt-stricken, and she's grieving, and second-guessing herself... and then add on postpartum."
Blaine just gaped, feeling sick to his stomach.
"She doesn't need to feel guilty. She isn't doing anything wrong. She's doing something amazing for us."
Lisa nodded with a sad smile.
"Of course. We know that. Everyone knows that. Deep down, she knows it. You cannot expect her to come to terms with all of that so quickly though. It takes time. It's a process. No matter how much she knows this is the right thing, she has to deal with her feelings at her own pace. There is no easy way out in a situation like this. Sometimes, life just has to be shit for a little while before it can get better."
"I don't want it to be shit for her though," Blaine whispered roughly, looking so young and devastated, rather than a husband and father of six.
"Oh, sweetie," Kurt's shoulders sagged, absolutely hating to see his husband this way. He both loved and hated Blaine's sensitivity and huge heart. It made the nurse so incredibly good it his job and absolutely amazing as a father, but in situations like these, it tended to rip him to pieces emotionally. He stood from his place on the bed, and walked over.
Blaine opened his arms immediately when Kurt moved to place Greyson against his chest. As soon as the baby was settled, Kurt knelt down next to him, placing a hand on his knee.
"Of course you don't want that for her. Neither do I. It kills me... but Lisa is right. It unfortunately just has to be this way for a bit. We have been there for Cara as much as we could possibly be. Our part, when it comes to her care, is done now. It's up to her father. She's also going to have all the support she wants from the adoption agency, and from social services connected with the hospital. We have absolutely got to respect her by not contacting her, if that's what she wishes."
Blaine closed his eyes, and heaved out a deep breath. He held his new son even closer to his chest, pressing a kiss onto the downy tuft of hair.
"I know that you're right. I know, I just... I didn't expect for it to hit me so hard, being so concerned for her."
Kurt didn't say anything, just leaned forward to wrap his arms around Blaine's waist and rested his head on the nurses arm, looking on contentedly at Greyson. Blaine leaned into him, joining his husband in gazing at their son.
"Now it's our job to take care of you, Greys."
Kurt smiled at the pet name. He then thought of the other nickname that he knew they would end up calling their son. It was kind of Cara's legacy.
"We're gonna take such good care of you, nugget."
Blaine laughed, but it was a bit teary. He leaned into Kurt for a quick hug before nodding to his phone that had been left sitting on the bed.
"Let's send some of the pictures to the kids, babe. It's time for them to officially meet the youngest Hummel."
Kurt quickly skipped over to pick up the phone, and forwarded the best picture that Lisa had taken to the kids. He typed a little message and smiled as he pressed send.
~ Meet your new brother, Greyson Malachi "nugget" Hummel. Love, Daddies ~
Friday Afternoon
Cara pressed her face down into her pillow, willing the pain meds to kick in so that she could sleep.
She wanted to be done crying. She wanted to be done thinking. She wanted to be done feeling- at least for the moment.
She sighed in relief when she began to feel the slight bit of loopiness, and started to close her eyes. She cracked them open with a bit of irritation though, when the door to her room popped open.
"Hey, sweetheart. Are you asleep?"
She swallowed back the tears that seemed to constantly overflow in the last few hours whenever anyone spoke to her. She knew that voice. It was Lisa, that super nice nurse who didn't even work in the maternity ward, but had stuck around to help care for the teen anyway. Cara figured it was a favor to Kurt and Blaine, but oddly never felt like she was a burden. Lisa just had a gift of making people feel comfortable and wanted.
Cara didn't answer, but shifted slightly on the bed to show that she was at least awake. She stared blankly into Lisa's eyes when the nurse knelt down next to her. She then closed her eyes again, feeling her emotions swell when Lisa reached up a hand to brush back her hair without saying a word. They stayed that way for a few long moments, Lisa offering what comfort she cold give, and Cara taking it gratefully.
After serval minutes, Lisa took a deep breath and pulled out her phone.
"Listen, you have every right to say no, but I have something I want to show you. If you tell me that you'd rather not, I will absolutely respect that. If you are game though, I'd really like you to take a look at this picture. I just... really think that it will do you some good."
Cara tensed immediately at Lisa's words. She had a pretty good idea what the subject of this picture would be. She thought she had been quite clear on how she felt. She needed space. She needed distance, from everything.
She was about to open her mouth to argue, when she saw the look in the nurses eyes. They were just begging for the teen to trust her. Cara felt her chest tighten, and tears sting the corners of her eyes. With a minute movement, she nodded her agreement, and then braced herself- ready for her world to come crashing down when she saw the picture.
What she saw though, was not at all what she had expected. She had anticipated chubby cheeks, and bright eyes, and daddies oohing and aahing as they fawned over the baby that was no longer hers.
What she saw, was two husbands- one with his arms around the other, both looking at the camera with the brightest smiles she had ever seen. Blaine was holding onto Kurt and was resting his chin in the doctor's shoulder. Kurt was leaning back into his husband, his head resting against the nurse's cheek.
There was a small bundle snuggled lovingly in Kurt's arms, held close against the doctor's chest. Blaine's hands were splayed over Kurt's, gripping them tightly and helping to hold onto the bundle.
The thing that drew her in, was pure joy on their faces. Joy that she had caused. Joy that clearly came from the nondescript bundle in their arms. She was suddenly hit with the memory of how she had felt, two days before, during the ultrasound. She had been so sure, so at peace. This was their baby.
She suddenly realized that this hadn't changed. Yes, the next little while was going to be terrible for her. She was going to cry, and ache, and hurt beyond belief. There was no way around that.
The baby was theirs though. It was still the right thing. She was making the right choice.
She swallowed back another flood of tears. If it was so right, then why did it still have to hurt so much?
She took one more look at the picture, smiling a tiny yet genuine smile, before handing the phone back to Lisa. She looked the nurse steadily in the eye.
"Thank you."
Lisa nodded somberly, stroking her hair once more, before standing and helping to tuck Cara back under the covers. It was easy to see that the teen was fading fast, and sleep was the best possible thing for her right now.
"Lisa?" Cara spoke quietly, eyes closed, words slurred just a bit. Lisa smiled gently.
"What, sweetie?"
"Tell squishy I love him. Tell them all I love them. I'm not gone forever. Just until I'm okay again. Not forever..."
Friday Evening
"Addy, eat your peas."
"They're gross, Grandpa."
Paul looked over his glasses at the little girl, and had to work to hold in his smile. Only Addy could pull of a look of disgust and make it look stinking adorable.
"Not the point, princess. You know very well that your dads make you eat vegetables at every meal, so we're gonna do it. It's good for you."
"Yeah, Addy," Brandi spoke up softly, scooping up a spoonful of peas as a show. "I thought you wanted to be a nurse or a doctor like daddies someday? You have to eat good food so you can grow up big and strong, to be like them."
"She doesn't want to be a doctor or a nurse anymore," Elliott spoke up, stabbing one pea at a time with a fork and popping them into his mouth.
Addy looked at her brother with a bright smile, nodding.
"What do you want to be now, sweetheart?" Carole asked with a laugh, encouraging Tia to eat a small spoonful of her own peas.
"A welder!" Addy exclaimed, bouncing in her chair.
Burt snorted and shook his head, helping Liam with his own plate of food. He quickly stopped his laughing though, when Addy shot him a glare.
"Um," he coughed. "Tell me why you want to be a welder, princess."
"We watched 'Dirty Jobs' the other day," Elliott rolled his eyes, but sent his sister a loving glance. She looked back at all three of her grandparents and nodded cheerfully.
"Well," Burt replied, holding in his smile. "I believe you can be anything you want, darlin'. You still need to eat your peas though."
"But they're gross!"
"Addy, watch," Puck scooted forward in his chair, scooping up the remainder of her peas in his bare hand. At Carole's sharp gasp, he held up his hand, as if to say that they just needed to give him a chance. He cupped his hand up around his nose, then began to make exaggerated noises and gasped for breath.
"Ah-ah-ah-aaaahhhhh-choooo!"
"Phew!" He pretended to wipe his brow with his free arm, the pulled away the cupped hand from his nose, offering the peas to Addy. "There you go, cupcake. Fresh from my nose to your mouth."
Addy squealed in laughter and snatched the peas from Puck's hand, shoving them into her mouth. Puck glanced around at the other adults with a wide grin.
"I know my niece."
"That's disgusting, Addy," Elliott sighed. Addy stuck her tongue out, accidentally spitting out a couple of peas. Brandi wrinkled her nose, but smiled at her younger siblings anyway.
"Noah, you'd be a good dad yourself someday," Paul looked at the officer appraisingly. "You ever think about it?"
"Um, someday," Puck said quietly, looking over at Tia as she smashed her peas into her booster tray. "Someday."
"Okay, everyone done with their dinner?" Carole spoke up, moving to clear the plates. "I've got dessert-"
They all stopped what they were doing when the front door suddenly opened, and Kurt and Blaine stepped in; laden with bags, and packages, and most importantly, a baby carrier.
"Daddies!"
Liam, Elly and Addy all dived from their seats, dashing over to their fathers' sides. Tia squealed to be let down from her seat. Brandi followed, with a tad more reservation, but just as much excitement.
Puck watched with a growing smile as his two friends knelt down among their kids, pulling the newborn from his carrier and showing him off. It looked pretty amazing, to be a dad.
Someday.
Friday Night
Four hours later, there were six people piled up on the king sized bed in Kurt and Blaine's room. The nurse was sitting tall against the headboard, holding Greyson to his chest. His head was tipped back slightly, mouth open just the tiniest bit, dead asleep. Kurt was flush up against his side, head on the nurse's shoulder, just as soundly asleep. Tia was plastered against his chest, face smooshed down into his neck and tiny hands wrapped around him. Liam was sprawled across both of their laps, arms and legs spread eagle. Brandi was curled up against Blaine's other side, clutching his arm and breathing steadily against his shoulder. Elly and Addy, the 'twins' of the family, were cuddled up together at Kurt's free side. Elliott had his back against Kurt's arm, and Addy was clinging to her brother like a little octopus. His fingers were threaded through her dark curls, and he was stroking them gently in his sleep, just as he'd done since they were three.
Eight people. One family. In reality, no combination of their relationships would be considered 'normal' by most of society. Two men as the parents. Adoption. Surrogacy. Fostering.
It didn't matter.
To anyone who might look on in that moment, it would be quite obvious. This little family really couldn't have been more flawless.
Comments
So good! I cried my eyes out! So well written regarding the emotions and fears of the characters. Keep it up!
Great story. I loved it.
i can just picture them all sleeping in the same bed <3