The sweetest victories, the happiest endings... they come after a journey fraught with the most harrowing obstacles.

Much Love,

PickingViolets

"You have got to be kidding me."

"Mr. Hudson, you need to understand that-"

"You have GOT to be kidding me!"

Silence fell across the room.

A young man sitting in the office chair across from the judge, was looking pointedly at the ground. The aging judge was sitting directly at his desk, staring at Finn evenly with narrowed eyes. Nick had lowered himself to sit down on a small table that was up against a wall, looking absolutely ill. The second lawyer in the room, a stranger to Finn, was looking incredibly uncomfortable and standing stiffly near his equally uncomfortable client. Finn had raised himself from the chair next to the man whose eyes were downcast in a guilty manner.

"Why? Why would you... we talked! We talked and I told you how well Tia and Liam were doing! The last time we talked you were still in Nevada and you agreed that they were better off! They're happy and loved and... why? Why all of a sudden... and like this! When did you even get into town? Why didn't somebody at least warn me?! You're giving them absolutely no warning either! You're just going to..."

Finn trailed off and sank back down into his chair, lowering his face into his hands.

"I didn't mean to upset anyone," the man in the chair next to him said softly. "I'm trying to do the right thing here. I got to thinking after our talks, and I couldn't bear the thought of just giving up on my own kids. Not after what they went through with their mother."

"Where the hell where you when they were actually going through these things," Finn shouted, leveling the man with a glare. The smaller man paled, but didn't cower away.

"I didn't know, okay? I didn't know, and I have felt so sick about it since the day you called me," he responded in a shaky voice. "I hate myself, knowing that my own flesh and blood went through those things! I almost went along with what you suggested, leaving them with their foster parents. I thought they'd be better off. These foster parents you told me about are doctors and stuff. I thought at first they'd be better... but then I really got to thinking. Who is better than their own father? And how do I know that these guys will take any better care of them? Just because they have money doesn't mean they'll be better parents than I could be."

"So," Finn choked out, "all this time we were waiting on those paternity results, all this time we left the Hummel's hanging, waiting to hear something... all this time, after they decided that they wanted to go ahead with adoption and become Tia and Liam's fathers... you were just trying to figure out the logistics and legalities of taking them back. You didn't have the courtesy to even let them know."

The other man bowed his head, looking shamed, and Finn looked up in the air, sucking in a deep breath. All he wanted to do was to throw up right now. He glanced over at Nick, and could tell that the lawyer was struggling with the same thing. The social worker ran a hand through his hair distractedly.

"Look, if you're so concerned about their well being, why don't we set up some visits. I would never try to keep you from your kids completely if that wasn't what you wanted, and I know Kurt and Blaine would feel the same. Let's just make it so you can meet them. You'll see that-"

"No," the other man repeated softly. "I know that this will be sudden. I know it will probably be hard at first, but I think it'll be better than making it long and drawn out. They're my kids. I want them. The judge has agreed. Let's just get this thing done and then we'll all be able to move on with our lives."

Finn growled in frustration and leapt from his chair, pacing back and forth. Nick watched him with pain-filled eyes, and turned to the other lawyer and judge.

"Surely you both realize how unorthodox your request," he nodded to the lawyer, "and decision," he nodded to the judge, "is. Why wouldn't you at least allow time for the entire family to adjust to this? On top of that, how do we know that this man, this father, will treat the children any better than the mother? We know nothing about him. You're taking the children away from what we know is a safe and loving environment, and thrusting them into one that is completely unknown. We should at least allow some time for-"

"Mr. Scott has passed every background check," the other lawyer responded evenly. "He is a completely above-board citizen, with nothing in his past that would cause us to question his ability to parent his own children. We have no real reason to keep his children from him. He has every legal right."

"I'm not suggesting that we keep them from him completely," Nick replied, his voice tight. "I'm suggesting that we give it a trial run. I'm suggesting that we give the foster parents, who love this child dearly, the time to adjust to this situation. I'm suggesting that we give these children, who have been through hell and back, time to adjust to the fact that they will be taken away from the one loving environment they have ever known. Give them time. Let the foster parents help them adjust even. I know that they will. As much as it will kill them, they want these kids to be happy."

He paused and sent an even stare in the direction of the other lawyer's client.

"I'm mostly suggesting- that we give it a little time before we trust this man completely. These kids deserve that at least. They deserve for us to be thorough. They deserve for-"

"That is enough, Mr. Duval," the judge responded tightly. "I have heard your suggestions and my decision holds. I would stop right now if I were you, because you are dangerously close to sounding like you are questioning my judgment, and that would be a unwise move on your part."

Nick tensed, and gave a jerky nod, looking pointedly away for a moment. The judge continued with a glance of irritation around the room.

"I am aware that this situation is probably a little more rushed than you would like, and more so than the norm. I have met the father, however. I have read all of the reports regarding his background. I have read the history concerning the children. They are legally his. He has not signed them away, and now that he has decided to take them himself- and not leave them in the care of the foster parents, we will uphold that. You will respect my decision."

He attempted to level both Nick and Finn with a glare, but to the credit of them both, they just looked back steadily. They nodded respectfully, but they held their heads high, showing clearly how they still felt. The judge leaned back in his chair and sighed.

"I do see the point, of not completely jerking away the one stable environment these children have come to know, however."

The young father looked up anxiously and the judge went on.

"Mr. Scott has already made temporary living arrangements, and I will require that he stay here, in town, for two months time. During that time, he will be given complete custody of his children, but the foster parents will be given supervised visitation rights, along with regular visits by their social worker," he nodded at Finn. "This will hopefully help with the adjustment period, and..." he sent an even stare toward Nick, "help to ensure that we have been 'thorough' in making sure that these children will be properly cared for."

The young father nodded slowly, realizing that this was probably the best he could hope for. Nick swallowed hard, and stood to shake hands with the other lawyer.

"When?" Finn asked in a rough voice.

"I'll give you until this evening," the judge replied evenly.

Finn simply connected his gaze with the father, and then walked out of the room.

"Daddy!"

"What, bear?" Kurt called in a tired voice as he kept a steady hand on top of his four day old son. He was in the midst of changing a diaper, when the two-year-old's voice called from down the hall. His eyes widened though when the small blonde limped into the nursery, holding a hand over a bloodied knee.

"Oh, honey! What did you do?"

Liam looked up with bright eyes and sniffed back his tears.

"Bubby's bed."

Kurt nodded with an exasperated smile. Liam had been making a habit of climbing on top of Elliott's bed and jumping, inevitably leading to him falling off the edge and bumping or bruising himself somehow. Kurt and Blaine had been trying to discourage it, but they had honestly been so thrilled with the toddler acting like a typical child for once, their admonishments hadn't been too heartfelt. Something like this was a reality check for the doctor though. It was time to start buckling down and being just as firm about rules with Liam as he was with Addy or Elly.

"Sit down on the floor, sweetie. I'll fix you up in just a second."

Liam nodded with another damp sounding sniff and plopped to the floor. Kurt went back to hurriedly finishing with Greyson's diaper, but Blaine popped his head through the door before he could finish.

"What happened? I thought I heard Liam crying."

The nurse had a sleepy looking Tia propped on his hip and was looking around in concern. Kurt nodded with a sad smile, down to where Liam was huddled on the floor.

"Evil Knievel here decided to jump on Elly's bed again. Landed his first big injury in our care."

Blaine looked at Liam in concern, and squatted down next to the boy.

"Liam, daddy told you not to do that. Only ten minutes ago I told you to stop because you would get hurt."

The two-year-old bowed his head, then looked up at Blaine with a lower lip that was trembling.

"Sowry, daddy."

Kurt bit his lip, trying hard not to laugh as he tossed the dirty diaper in the bin and scooped Greyson back up into his arms. That little lip sticking out would be the end of Blaine. The nurse seriously could not handle his children looking so sad and pathetic... his heart would just melt.

"Oh, bear," Blaine crooned, pulling the toddler into a hug, "it's okay. I'm sorry you got hurt, but you just need to listen to me next time. Okay?"

He glanced up at a small snort from Kurt and rolled his eyes.

"Shut up."

"Hey, now!" Kurt grinned. "Don't get all annoyed with me just because you turn into a puddle every time one of our children sends you a semi-pathetic look. Besides, I wasn't teasing. I just think you're cute is all."

Blaine grinned back and stood as he leaned in for a quick kiss. He paused against Kurt's lips, and sighed.

They hadn't had sex since the new baby was born, and for them, that was a long time. They were both starting to feel the tension, and every quick kiss they stole throughout their days was backed with a lot of intensity.

"Tonight," Blaine whispered, nipping a tiny bit at Kurt's bottom lip. The doctor shivered and nodded, more than ready to acquiesce. Brandi had been telling them since before Greyson was born that all they had to do was ask and she would be thrilled to get up with the newborn in the night for his feedings, giving her foster fathers a break. Kurt had been hesitant, seeing as he never wanted to take advantage of Brandi's giving nature. He figured that letting her do it for one night, for just one feeding even, wouldn't hurt.

God, he really needed to get laid, and he knew that Blaine needed it, too.

Blaine pulled back, raising an eyebrow suggestively as he did so, causing Kurt to laugh and shake his head.

"Okay, Liam," Blaine said cheerily as he turned around. "We're gonna let daddy rock Greyson. Let me lie sissy down for her nap and then I will bandage you all up."

Kurt knelt down by Liam when Blaine ducked out of the room, balancing their youngest son in one arm as he brushed the hair from Liam's eyes with a sympathetic smile.

"Are you okay, bear? Is it really owie?"

"Jus' tiny bits owie," Liam sniffed, leaning into Kurt's hand. The doctor laughed a little, melting a bit at how Liam pressed into him so contentedly, with so much trust.

He could not wait for the day when he got to officially call this child his son. He was starting to get impatient, and hoped that they were able to work through all of the red tape soon.

Blaine was back within moments and pulled Liam into his arms, toting the youngster off to the bathroom to patch up the bloodied knee. Kurt moved to the rocker that had been placed in Greyson's room, and sank into it with a tired sigh. They had gotten so little sleep since bringing him home, but nothing had ever been quite so worthy of a little exhaustion.

He and Blaine were finally able to do this together, take care of a newborn that was both of theirs, and he was so ridiculously happy. What made it even better was sharing it with all of the other kids. Greyson was so incredibly loved by his older siblings. Kurt was pretty sure that they had yet to hear the baby really cry, because there was a constant multitude of people to hold him. Even now that Puck had gotten a hotel room; and was no longer staying at their house, he was there constantly to help. Then add on the grandparents, Finn and Rachel, and then friends... it all added up to a happily held baby.

Kurt and Blaine were the tiniest bit worried about him getting spoiled, but they knew that if their biggest concern was whether their child was held too much, they really had it good.

Kurt smiled softly as Greyson let out a minute sigh and relaxed completely in his father's arms. He looked down lovingly at the small face that was pressed against his chest. Tiny lips were pursed and letting out soft coos, and chubby cheeks were twitching as Greyson started searching in his sleep for his next meal.

He really was an incredible newborn, so easy-going and content, and they knew that they were quite blessed. Kurt sank his head back against the rocker and was just getting ready to close his eyes, when Brandi knocked softly on the door. He looked up with a gentle smile for his eldest, and nodded for her to come in.

Since coming home from the hospital with their newest addition, Brandi had seemed to have a break-through. She was so much less timid, much more affectionate, and just generally at ease with the whole family. Kurt and Blaine were both called 'dad' or 'daddy', though it was said with a bit of shyness. They, in turn, were automatically referring to themselves by the same. She was also one hundred percent in love with Greyson, and constantly at her parents' elbows, waiting to be needed.

She entered the room now though, with an air of uncertainty.

"What's on your mind, punkin?"

Brandi knelt down next to him, smiling brightly at the baby and running a finger against the chubby cheek. She looked up at Kurt with a serious expression, and sighed.

"I was wondering..." she bit her lip, glancing aside anxiously, then took a deep breath as she hurried on. "I was wondering how you would feel about me calling Cara."

Kurt felt his shoulders sag. This is the first real thing that Brandi had ever requested of them, and he had to say no.

"Honey, I'm so sorry," he looked at her sadly. "I wish you could. I know you miss her. We all do. She wants space right now though. We have to respect that."

Brandi flushed brightly, nodding her head quickly, and made to leave. Kurt reached out a hand to stop her.

"Hey, talk to me. What's going on in your head?"

Brandi sank back down on the floor with a deep blush.

"I'm sorry I asked," she said softly, looking down at the floor.

"No," Kurt exclaimed, a little too loudly, causing Greyson to startle in his arms. "Don't you ever apologize for telling me something you want. Dad and I ALWAYS want you to come to us. Always. Honey, I wish so much that I could let you call her, and if it was within my power to give you your friend back, I would."

He reached out to squeeze her hand, and she squeezed back with a sad smile.

"I just thought maybe if I talked to her on the phone, maybe it might make her happy again. She wouldn't have to see Greyson or anything."

"It's such a nice thought, punkin. I know that Cara would appreciate it, but we just can't put any pressure on her. You're such a good friend though, Brandi."

Brandi sighed again, blushing a bit at the compliment, and leaned against his arm.

"You're right. I don't want to pressure her. And thanks, daddy."

He bent over to kiss the top of her head, and they settled against each other for a moment, watching Greyson sleep contentedly.

Kurt started a little when he heard a sharp cry from Tia's room. A moment later, Blaine called from down the hall.

"Kurt, can you possibly check on her? I decided to put Liam in the bath."

Brandi immediately jumped to her feet, showing that she would check on her sister, but Kurt shook his head.

"Why don't you go ahead and hold Greys for me. I'll go get Tia."

Brandi smiled brightly, settling herself in the rocking chair after Kurt stood up, and took the infant happily, automatically humming as she snuggled him into her shoulder.

Kurt squeezed her arm before quickly jogging down the hall. He shook his head with a roll of his eyes once he reached Tia's door. He knew that cry well. It was her 'I'm going to look as pathetic as possible so that people will feel sorry for me and hold me, even though there is absolutely nothing wrong' cry. He opened the door with a placating smile.

Even though he knew very well that she was perfectly fine, his heart plummeted just a bit when he saw her down-turned mouth and wide, watering eyes. She reached pudgy arms for him with grabby fingers.

"Dada!"

"Hey there, goober," he called out softly, moving over to scoop her up. She gulped back a choked cry and clambered into his arms, pressing her face against him with a little sigh.

"What's wrong, Tia? Did you just want daddy to hug you?"

She rubbed a hand over her face sleepily, and sighed once more as she fell lax against him.

"Dada."

Kurt beamed at the term, never growing tired of how their newest children thought of him and Blaine as their fathers so easily. He kissed her cheek and held her close.

"Soon, baby. Soon I'll get to be that for real."

Finn held up his hand to knock on the front door. He hesitated, clenching his eyes shut for a moment and taking a steeling breath, before forcing his hand forward. It only took a moment, and Blaine was at the door, holding a fresh faced Liam with damp hair and rosy cheeks.

"Finn! What are you doing here in the middle of the day?"

Finn opened his mouth, willing anything to come out. Blaine looked at him curiously, rubbing a soothing hand over Liam's back.

"You okay, man? Come on in."

"Is Kurt here?" Finn asked in a strained voice as he stepped through the door.

"Yeah," Blaine answered slowly... cautiously. "He's just trying to get Tia settled for a nap."

Finn gave a jerky nod, then looked Blaine steadily in the eye, causing the nurse's pleasant expression to fall away completely.

"Get him please. Immediately. We all need to talk."

Burt was rummaging through the fridge, looking for something decent to eat. Carole was outside with the kids, playing in the yard, and he was hoping to snag a mid-day snack now that she wasn't there to keep an eye on him. He grumbled a bit when his phone rang, and debated just not answering.

He was never more irritated as when someone interrupted his secret snack times. On the third ring, he rolled his eyes and decided to at least pull it out to check his caller ID. He couldn't help the smile that crossed his face when he saw Kurt's name flash on the screen.

He had never seen his son so content and fulfilled as he was right now. Kurt finally had all the things he had always hoped for, and it showed so easily. Burt pressed answer with a grin.

"Hey there, kiddo! What adorable, and/or, hilarious grandkid stories do you have for your old dad today?"

His brow furrowed when there was only silence on the other end.

"Kurt? Bud?"

A sharp intake of breath.

"Dad?"

Burt's heart dropped. Nothing good could come from that tone.

"Yeah, bud."

"I need you. I can't... I... I need you. Please."

All thoughts of snacks, all thoughts of absolutely anything else, disappeared immediately. He whipped around, searching for his keys.

"I'm on my way, kiddo. I'm on my way."

Puck sighed contentedly as he lounged back on the hotel bed. He had been spending every free moment at Kurt and Blaine's, enjoying his time with the kiddos. Elly and Addy were back at school full time today, and Puck had decided to take a well-deserved nap and a bit of time to himself before heading back over to the 'circus', as he thought of the Hummel house in his head.

He cracked open an eye when he heard an alert on his phone, and shook with a little laughter. Kurt had been sending him pictures of Greyson almost nonstop, even when Puck was right there to see it for himself.

He snatched his phone from the night table with a grin, and raised his eyebrows in surprise when he saw that it was a text from Finn instead. He sat up slowly as he read, feeling his stomach sink. He gripped the phone tightly after reading the text twice, making sure that he wasn't misreading it.

He let out a low growl, holding his phone over his head, ready to whip it across the room. With deep breaths, he calmed himself a bit, stopping just in time from doing something incredibly stupid. He really couldn't afford to buy a new phone right now.

He jumped from the bed, snagging his coat as he dashed for the door. So many times police escorts were used in these situations. At the very least, he could use his clout to temper the situation. He wanted to scream when he realized that this was the absolute only thing he could offer his friend right now.

Kurt's reaction had been about exactly what Finn had expected. Solemn, stoic, accepting. He was the picture of calm.

It was all a front. Finn knew he was dying inside.

Blaine's reaction had been a little harder to predict, as Finn had only known his brother-in-law for the last few years.

In all honesty, Finn still wasn't sure what was going on in Blaine's head. The nurse had grown quiet and stiff throughout their conversation. He had started off initially with small proclamations of disbelief, but those faded away when Finn had shared, in a wretched voice, the entire situation- and how it was all above board and legal.

There was nothing that Kurt and Blaine could do. There was nothing Finn could do. There was nothing Nick could do.

Tia and Liam's father would come to take them. He would take them tonight. Kurt and Blaine would get a few supervised visitations over the next couple of months to help in the adjustment, and then that would be it.

Blaine had grown quiet then, but it wasn't the calm quiet that Kurt was displaying. It was a quiet that barely covered the storm brewing inside. The only thing he said after that point was:

"We never should have let them call us daddy."

Kurt's eyes had closed at those words, pressing his lips to Tia's chubby cheek, and Finn saw his chest heave for just a moment before his cool demeanor returned. Blaine just stared blankly as he held Liam tightly. The two-year-old squirmed to get down, and Blaine eased him to the ground. He clenched the table with white knuckles when the toddler ran off to play with his trains, blissfully ignorant of what was going on.

Brandi had been in the nursery with Greyson for the whole conversation, and had thankfully missed the initial telling. By the time Addy and Elly got home from school, Burt had arrived, and had taken Greyson from the thirteen-year-old, telling her that her fathers needed her.

Woodenly, Kurt and Blaine had sat all five children down at the kitchen table. Finn had stood by, ready to help or intervene the moment he was needed...

Blaine pulled Brandi in close to him, holding her hand. He wished to God that there had been enough time to talk to her separately before this all went down, but there just wasn't. This was happening right now. He knew that this would affect her more than anybody though, and he was scared of how she would respond.

"We have something we need to share," Kurt rasped, then cleared his throat carefully. Blaine scootched over to hold his husband's hand, too, but it was obvious that it was out of habit and mechanical, rather than the type of loving connection they normally shared. Kurt squeezed the hand back, just as robotically.

"You all know that Tia and Liam have a different dad than Brandi's, right?"

Elly and Addy looked on curiously, while Liam and Tia watched on from their foster fathers' laps. Brandi stiffened, and watched Kurt speak with obvious anxiety.

Kurt opened his mouth to speak again, but nothing seemed to come out. When he snapped his mouth shut and looked away, closing his eyes for a moment, Blaine sat forward.

"The truth, guys, is that Liam and Tia's real daddy has come back to town."

There was silence as each of the children fought to comprehend what this might mean. Blaine rushed on, knowing that he needed to remain calm and rational right now, and that his ability to do so was quickly fading.

"When they were taken away from their mommy, Uncle Finn called him and told him that we were taking care of them. At first, he wanted us to take care of them. He knew that they were happy and safe with us and that we loved them. That's why we told you we wanted to a-adopt them. We meant that, we want you all to know. We... we meant it..."

He trailed off, his voice becoming rough and tight. The kids looked at him with wide eyes. The four youngest seemed to not quite understand... but Brandi did. She was tense, looking like she was ready to spring away at a moment's notice. She was gripping the table tightly, her fingers shaking, and staring at Blaine as if her life depended on what he said next. He locked eyes with her, and couldn't speak.

Kurt cleared his throat one more time, and stepped in.

"We want Tia and Liam. We want them so much." He squeezed Liam to him, and tried to smile when the two-year old patted his cheek with a grin. "As much as we want them though, their real father is the one who should be taking care of them. Now that he's back in town, he can do that. He's going to come tonight..." His voice wavered, and he almost faltered when a sound like a wounded animal escaped Brandi's lips. "He's going to come, and he's going to take them home with him. We-we need to take a little time now and all say goodbye to each other."

Quiet fell over the table once again, before the three oldest children responded.

Brandi dove from her seat, yanked her younger brother and sister from Kurt and Blaine's arms, and collapsed down on the floor, holding them close. She was dry-eyed, and staring blankly over their heads. Blaine murmured her name and reached out for her, but she stiffened and pulled away, only tightening her grip on her siblings.

Blaine pulled back his hand shakily, looking to Kurt. The doctor was watching the teen in anguish, clearly just as uncertain how to respond.

They both whipped around, when a loud whimper came from Addy. She gazed at her fathers with wide eyes, bottom lip quivering, before throwing her face down in her hands, sobbing harshly. Blaine quickly moved from his chair, pulling her into his arms.

Elliott and Kurt both watched on in silence. The doctor struggling to hold onto his calm, wondering what the hell he was supposed to do next. The seven-year-old struggling to grasp the enormity of what he had just been told, and wanting more than anything to just fix this, and make his family happy again.

Elliott finally stood quietly, going over to Kurt and climbing into his lap.

"I'm sorry, daddy."

Kurt closed his eyes, holding Elliott to him and kissing his hair.

"Yeah, monster. Me, too. Me, too."

Brandi watched as her two foster fathers moved around the house. It was obvious that every movement was forced. Every teary smile that they plastered on was a show for the younger children.

They were absolutely broken, but they were forging ahead anyway, because they had to.

This was what she had been talking about, when she'd told the kids the other night that even their dads couldn't fix everything. Some things in this world were just too big. Some things were too horrible. Even their superhero fathers couldn't fix something like this.

She watched on as her two foster parents packed bags for the younger kids, Kurt a little more actively than Blaine. The nurse seemed to freeze up every few minutes, and would stare on helplessly. The doctor was more stoic and steady. This was nothing surprising though, it was kind of their M.O.

Logically, she knew the reality. The Hummels loved her. They loved Tia and Liam. This turn of events was out of their control. She knew this.

Logically.

She watched them pack up her sister and brother. She watched as they headed to the front door when the bell rang. She watched as they walked out the door, taking away the only real family she had.

She watched... and the only thing she could feel- was betrayed.

Blaine looked on as the stranger buckled his kids into the backseat of the beat-up rental car.

Kurt and Finn were loading bags of Tia and Liam's things into the trunk, and the doctor was rambling on with a list of a million little instructions that were making the young father's eyes glaze over.

Puck was standing just off to the side, sending the father leveling warning glances every chance he got.

Blaine watched his husband in a daze, unable to believe that this was actually happening, and that Kurt was actually helping the man. He wasn't fighting. He wasn't angry. He was fucking helping the man.

At first he had been bewildered by Kurt's seeming serenity, though he knew deep down that this was just Kurt's way. Watching him now though, calmly explaining which toys the kids liked to sleep with- and which type of cracker was the least messy for Tia to eat... now Blaine was just growing angry.

Apparently he was all alone in actually caring that their children would be taken away. Something deep down told him he was being unfair, and so very unloving, to be thinking this way. He pushed that nagging feeling aside. The hurt and pain that was filling his soul too easily overwhelmed his common sense.

The nurse turned back to see Liam look out of his window in confusion. A tiny hand was pressed up against the window, and wide, green eyes suddenly seemed to finally grasp the fact that his fathers were not joining him on this little road trip.

Blaine watched him mouth the word 'daddy'.

This man was taking away his kids.

His kids.

HIS kids.

Kurt stepped away from the car on unsteady legs, holding his hand to his mouth as Tia made her little 'grabby hands' motion for him. The doctor reached out a hand, as if hold her small fingers from a distance, but turned it into a shaky wave at the last minute.

The young father glanced around uncertainly after shutting Tia's door.

Blaine started shaking his head. First slowly, and then almost frantically.

"No."

Both Finn and Puck stood at attention, hearing the desperation in his voice.

"No. This isn't right. You can't do this."

Blaine turned to the children's father.

"Why! Why would you do this? They were happy! They were so happy with us! We love them!"

Finn stepped forward, attempting to place a calming hand on his brother-in-law's shoulder, but Blaine brushed it off.

"Please don't do this," he called out to the man who was backing away slowly, preparing to climb into the driver's seat... ready to drive off with his children. He paused, looking at Blaine with a pained expression. It was obvious that he wanted to say something, but just had no clue what.

Kurt closed his eyes, looking as if he was going to be sick.

"Honey. We can't-"

"Please don't take them," Blaine gasped. "Please..."

The children's father swallowed nervously, glancing around at the men surrounding him.

Finn looked off into the distance, knowing it was time for him to intervene.

"You need to go, Mr. Scott. This won't get any easier. Go, and I'll check in with you later."

The young man nodded with a harsh swallow, and ducked into the front seat quickly.

The door slammed shut.

The engine started.

A squealing cry rose from inside the car as Tia realized that the vehicle was leaving, and neither Kurt nor Blaine was with her.

"Tia," Blaine murmured, stepping forward. Kurt gasped a little sob, wrapping his arms around himself, looking as if he was physically trying to hold himself back from following the car too.

The last glimpse they had- was two pairs of green eyes, gazing at them through the back window, full of tears and confusion. Then the dust started to rise as the car pulled away.

Blaine whipped around to his husband, shaking.

"What is wrong with you?"

Finn and Puck looked on in shock.

Kurt's mouth fell open, and he stared at his husband with tortured eyes.

"What?" He whispered.

"You stood there, Kurt!" Blaine shouted. "You just fucking stood there! He just took our children away! We don't know that man! We don't know how he's going to treat them! What if he's worse than their mother was?! God! Why am I the only one who can see this?!"

Kurt shook his head, torn between trying to find a way to respond to his husband, and desperately just wanting to keep his eyes on the car that was pulling down their long drive.

"What would you have me do, Blaine?" He asked in a harsh voice.

"You could have done something," Blaine cried. "You could have fought at least! Like me!"

"And I would have lost," Kurt shouted back, "just like you're losing right now! This is bigger than us, Blaine! We can't win! No matter how much we love them, it's the law!"

"Fuck the law," Blaine said in a dangerously low voice. "You acted like you didn't even care at the end there. You just stood there. You just-"

They all looked up suddenly when they heard a strangled cry from the house. Kurt let out a harsh sob when he saw Brandi run from the front porch. Her eyes were trained on the car that was just preparing to pull out of their long driveway.

He jumped when he realized that she intended to run after the car, but Blaine got to her first. The nurse gently grabbed her thin arms, attempting to pull her to a stop. She was almost crazed by this point though, and she fought him with all her strength.

"NOOOOO," she shrieked, twisting from his hold and even slapping at him when he tried to carefully hold her once again. "No! Why?! Why would you do that?! You promised! You promised you would take care of all of us! You promised you would take care of them! Why would you just give them away to that man?!"

She jerked away from him one last time, stumbling in her haste to get away. She heaved a sharp cry and turned then to Finn.

"You're a liar! You lied! You said we would be safe now! You said! You promised!"

"Brandi," Finn whispered roughly. "I don't... I..."

He didn't even need to try and come up with anything though. She whipped from him as fast she could, and lashed out at Kurt.

"You're all liars!" She screeched. "I should have known I couldn't trust you! I can't trust anyone! I..."

She broke then, sobs wracking her body so hard that she could no longer hold herself upright. Both Kurt and Blaine dashed forward to hold her, but she held out her arms.

"No!" She cried. "No! I don't want you!"

They stopped in their tracks, both sobbing themselves. For the first time ever as parents, they felt completely at a loss.

The rental car pulled down the road and out of sight.

Puck cleared his throat and stepped between them, scooping the girl up into his arms. He turned to Kurt with a questioning look, and the pure brokenness he saw there almost undid him. He turned to the house and walked away wordlessly, with Brandi sobbing brokenly into his shoulder.

Finn moved to stand in between the two husbands, placing a hand on either of their shoulders.

Neither felt a thing.

"Guys, I'm going to take the other kids home. All four of them. I'll take them to mom and dads actually, Kurt. You guys need some time."

Kurt made a tiny head movement that Finn took as a nod, and Blaine spoke without looking at anybody in particular.

"They need us, though. They're all upset, too."

Finn sighed and pulled his brother-in-law into a hug, not letting it faze him when Blaine just stood there stiffly.

"They need support from people who love them, man. Burt, and mom, and Rach and I can do that. You guys need to figure yourselves out first."

Finn pulled away, then leaned over to give his brother a hug, too. Kurt responded a little bit more than Blaine, patting Finn on the back mechanically, whispering a thank you.

Finn backed away, walking toward the house, but paused for a moment.

"You can't let this break you... separately or together. Go ahead and grieve. You need to... but grieve together. Don't let this come between you. You're better than that."

Finns jogged up to the house then, leaving them alone.

Kurt waited in silence. Waited for an apology. Waited to be forgiven himself. Waited for his husband to say absolutely anything. When Blaine continued to stand there, staring at nothing, not saying a word... Kurt nodded in resignation, wiping away his tears.

Then he walked away.

AN- Just a quick note to say... writing this chapter absolutely broke my heart.

Also, I want to address how quickly the kids are being handed over to the biological parent. I have actually researched this and interviewed experienced social workers. While a situation like this is incredibly rare, it is possible. Even legal unfortunately, depending on your state. No, most judges would not grant something like this. I talked about this issue briefly within the story, but I just wanted to clarify, in case some of you wondered.

PV