Friday Afternoon

"When are they coming, daddy?!" Addy was clinging to Kurt's hand and jumping around so crazily, he was sure she would dislocate his arm if she wasn't so small. He lifted her into the air and propped her up on his hips so that she could face him, her little legs wrapped around his waist.

"When, daddy? When?!" She threaded her fingers around his neck and bounced excitedly in his arms.

"Not for another hour, sweetie." He kissed the tip of her nose and leaned in so that their foreheads were pressed together. She giggled as she squirmed and bounced some more.

"What is with you, princess?" He laughed. "You're a little wiggle monster right now."

"I'm just so excited!" She yelped. "I can't stop wiggling till I meet them!"

"Well, we'll just have to see what we can do about that, huh?" Kurt raised an eyebrow at her before suddenly flipping her around in his arms and swinging her in circles. Her legs kicked happily as she screamed her laughter.

"How's that?" He spoke above her joyful squeals. "Am I helping you get the wiggles out?"

"Yes! Y-yeh-hes!" She laughed as he slowed and set her down.

Blaine looked into the living room from where he was chopping some vegetables and shook his head with amusement. Addy slowly made her way over to him, weaving around unsteadily as the spinning caught up with her.

"Addy, why don't you sit down right there on the floor for a minute. Daddy spun you really fast and you're going to trip on..."

Thump

"Frick!"

Blaine's head snapped up in surprise and he couldn't help but snicker when he saw Kurt holding his knee and hopping on one foot. The doctor heard him laugh and glared at him over the rim of his glasses.

Addy glanced over from where she had plopped down on the floor and giggled, pointing her finger at him.

"Thanks for your sympathy, guys," Kurt breathed out as he rubbed his knee gingerly and put a hand on the wall for balance. He hadn't anticipated how the spinning would affect him. He squinted one eye at his husband, hoping to regain his equilibrium. Blaine gave him a little mock pout.

"Do you not want me to say it's your own fault then?"

"Nope," Kurt grimaced as he limped into the kitchen. "I figured that out on my own. I don't need you pointing it out."

Blaine smacked him on the backside as he passed by to go and sit in a kitchen chair. Kurt cocked one eyebrow at him with a small smile.

"You have an obsession with my ass, you know that?"

"Who could blame me?" The nurse skipped over to kiss him on the cheek before going back to slice another carrot. Kurt just laughed and rolled his eyes.

"You okay, Addy?" The doctor called to the little girl as she finally stood steadily to her feet and bounced over to climb up on his lap.

"Yup! That was fun. 'Specially when you made yourself dizzy!" She sighed happily as she rested back against his chest. He laughed and hugged her close.

Blaine watched them contentedly while he finished making dinner. He smiled to himself as he thought about how they had all grown, personally and together over the last three years. Each pairing in their little foursome had their own unique relationship and interactions.

Kurt's dynamic with Addy was so different than his dynamic with Elly. Both Kurt and his son tended to be rather stoic and men of few words, preferring to take in their environment silently, then responding after much thought. Their interactions together would always bring out those tendencies. Sometimes Blaine amused himself by counting how many times the father and son would respond with a simple nod while conversing together.

With Addy it was completely different. She was Blaine's daughter, from her dark curls to her sensitive yet extremely playful personality. She alone could bring out the doctor's outgoing and childlike side. Seeing his husband act silly and playful with their little girl never failed to fill him with joy.

On the same note, Elly and Blaine had their own distinctive relationship. The nurse could bring out Elly's goofy, fun-loving side, while Blaine would enjoy having serious and heartfelt talks with the boy. The kind of talks that didn't happen as often between himself and Addy. She was usually busy bouncing and hugging everyone she met.

Elly and Addy had morphed into fairly typical siblings. They played, they fought, they tattled... they would have defended each other to the death. They had tried on occasion. Once, Elliott came home from the park with a black-eye from defending his sister. On another occasion, Addy came home from school with a broken lunch box. She had smashed it over another boy's head for teasing her brother.

No matter their differing personalities and dynamics, all four members of this little family had one thing in common. They all loved openly and with their whole hearts. They were all empathetic to an unbelievable degree, and wanted, more than anything, to spread the love in their special family to any who might need it.

That was why Addy was so excited. That was why tonight was so special. They were expanding and adding two more members to their happy bunch. Temporary members... but they would be loved all the same.

Blaine's musings were interrupted when Elliott quietly entered the kitchen. He grabbed his little footstool and moved to help Blaine with dinner. This had become a nightly routine for them. Whichever parent made dinner had Elliott as a helper. Elly absolutely loved to cook, and quite honestly they trusted him more when it came to anything sharp or hot. The other parent would clean up with Addy. She mostly loved to play in the bubbles as she washed.

"How are you feeling about the new kids coming tonight, buddy?" Blaine asked as he piled the vegetables he had just chopped into a colander for the boy to rinse. Elliott just shrugged and moved to rinse the vegetable without a word. The lack of verbiage was nothing new for Elliott. The lack of a smile was. Blaine immediately dropped what he was doing and stooped down so that he was eye-level with the child.

"Spill. What's bugging you?"

Elliott shook his head as if to say 'nothing', but his father knew better by now.

"I am not afraid to pull out the tickle gun for this," he lifted his arm and hand, shaping it like a gun and made little sounds with his mouth as if he was cocking a gun. "You better speak up. It's gonna get you."

Elliott was doing his best to stay solemn, but a smile cracked through his serious facade. He laughed when the nurse poked at him with the make-believe gun, tickling his side.

"Stop, daddy," he grinned, but quickly grew serious again when the tickling stopped. Blaine sighed and grabbed Elliott's hand, pulling the boy over so that they could all sit at the table together. The nurse sat down and pulled Elly into his lap.

"Tell us what's wrong, baby. Daddy and I can't help until we know," Blaine said, smoothing back the strands of hair that had fallen into Elliott's eyes.

"Well," Elly began, then paused. He looked up tentatively into his other fathers' eyes. Kurt was paying full attention now, still holding Addy, but focusing solely on the boy.

"What is it, honey? You can tell us anything." The doctor said softly. The child sighed and plopped his chin down in his palm.

"In school, a while back, we were supposed to draw pictures of our families. 'Member, Addy?" The little girl nodded solemnly without speaking, suddenly looking sad and like she might cry. Both fathers felt their stomach's drop, already fearful of where this was going. "I drew us, and then I drew bunches more kids." He stopped talking and looked down at the table. Kurt and Blaine's eyes met over the table before Blaine spoke softly.

"Why does that make you sad, honey?" Elliott tapped his fingers nervously on the table for a moment before responding, and then it was like a dam had burst.

"Jonah said that it was creepy that we have two dads instead of a mommy. Then he told me I drew it wrong cuz we don't have that many kids. I told him we're getting more and he said that he felt sorry for kids who became part our family cuz we'll all be freaks and we'll be teased every day."

The husbands met each others gaze from across the table. They both felt two things simultaneously. Their hearts being ripped in two, and a livid protectiveness that practically radiated from them.

"You two listen to me," Kurt spoke up in a gentle but firm voice, showing them he would brook no argument. "Daddy and I love each other very much. Do you know that?"

They nodded solemnly.

"And we love you both very much. Do you know that?"

Another nod.

"We will love any child that comes into this family just as much as we love each other. Right?"

"Yes, daddy," the both answered softly.

"Is there anything wrong with being a family that loves each other?"

"No, daddy."

"So, was what Jonah said true?"

"No," both children responded with a shake of their heads.

"But," Addy looked at him with tears pooling in her eyes. "It still hurts my heart, daddy." Kurt swallowed back his own tears.

"I know, princess. I know. I'm so sorry." He looked across to Elliott and reached out a hand to smooth back the sandy brown hair. "I'm so sorry, monster." Elliott hopped down from Blaine's lap and crawled into Kurt's. The doctor held them both tightly, crying a little with them.

At this point, Blaine's anger and heartbreak came to a head. He couldn't hold it back anymore. No one hurts his babies like this. He dove down onto his knees and put his arms around all three.

"Elliott? Adelaide? I want you to hear what I'm about to say and remember it." They attempted to sniff back their tears and look him in the eye. Kurt wiped a thumb across both of their cheeks, drying the tears a bit. He didn't bother with his own.

"There will always be Jonahs in the world. There will always be someone who doesn't understand. There will always be people who hate for no reason. Daddy and I want more than anything to clear all of those types of people from your paths, to make sure you never have to feel pain or hurt like this. Life isn't meant to be lived that way though. You can't hide from those people and we can't hide you away from them. We have to be better than them and prove them wrong. Show up their hate by being the most loving people we can possibly be. We might change their minds and help them to see that they're wrong... we might not. In the end, it doesn't even matter whether we've changed them. What matters is that we haven't changed ourselves because of them. Their ignorance and hate can't dictate how we see ourselves or how we live our lives. We are going to stay the same. You are going to stay the same. Daddy and I will love each other and love you. We will love these new kids who are coming from the bottom of our hearts. Do you feel good about that?"

Both children nodded happily, smiling at their curly haired daddy. Kurt watched his husband in awe, realizing anew how blessed he was to have found this man.

"Good. Then you keep being the amazing children you are. Be loving to others and know that you are loved." He kissed both of their cheeks and they wrapped their arms around his neck as he held them close. They jumped down from Kurt's lap then, looking like a weight had been lifted from their small shoulders. Blaine called to them once more before they ran off to play.

"Hey, guys?" They turned back to him with expectant looks. "Being loving doesn't mean you can't stick up for yourselves though, or others. You're allowed to stand up for what you believe in." Kurt looked down to his husband and smiled, quickly nodded his agreement. Addy and Elly grinned at their fathers again, calling another "Yes, daddies!" before rushing out into the back yard.

Blaine sighed heavily, looking suddenly exhausted. Kurt gently tugged on his husband's hand and pulled him up so that the nurse was sitting in his lap. They cuddled in silence for a moment, Blaine tracing light circles on Kurt's back with his fingertips and Kurt pressing soft kisses to the nurse's neck.

"You're amazing, baby," Kurt breathed. "You said everything perfectly. I couldn't have asked for a better man to be a parent with."

The nurse smiled and tipped his husband's chin up, leaning down for a feather light kiss before pressing in more firmly, enjoying the sensation of their lips and tongues moving together, tasting and touching. After a few moments, Blaine pulled back to catch his breath and gave Kurt a little eskimo kiss.

"Right back at you, baby."

Friday Evening

"Oh my god. This is it, Kurt. What if it goes horribly? What if they hate it here? What if they don't get along with Addy and Elly? What if..."

Kurt leaned in and silenced the nurse with a kiss, putting his hands on his husband's shoulders.

"Blaine, it'll be fine. They've been through a lot, from what we know. Let's not put any expectations on them as to how they should react or behave. We're just here to take care of them. We can do that."

Blaine took a deep breath as Kurt spoke and immediately felt better. He smiled when he thought of their dynamic and how they switched roles with comforting the other so easily. Earlier that day, Kurt had been the one freaking out and it had been his turn to be the calm one.

Addy clung to Blaine's hand and she let out an excited little, "Eeep!" when she saw Finn's car pull down their driveway. Elly had a finger hooked onto one of Kurt's and he looked up at his father, giving him a nervous smile. Kurt ruffled his hair and reached out his other hand to squeeze Blaine's. Their excitement and nerves were so palpable, the air was almost electric.

They stepped down into the driveway as Finn came to a stop. Time seemed to slow as the social worker opened his car and smiled softly at the family. The expression on his face brought back the full reality of the situation though. They knew when they talked to him this morning what kind of environment the children had come from, but their excitement to add to their family, however temporarily, had pushed aside the negative thoughts and fears.

The husbands gripped hands and held their breath as Finn opened the back seat and pulled out a baby girl. She had downy soft, blonde hair that hung limply around her too-thin face. A child that age should have been chubby and full faced, not skinny and wan looking. Kurt swallowed back his anguish and rage when he noted the small purplish bruises that covered her bare forearms. The rest of her skin was covered in clothing. He felt sick when he considered how many more injuries the little OshKosh outfit was most likely hiding.

The doctor held out tentative arms for the girl and she let herself be handed over with no fear or hesitation. She reached out a curious hand and lightly touched his glasses. When he smiled and nuzzled her hand a little in response, she relaxed even further in his arms and sank her head down on his shoulder. Kurt looked at Finn steadily as the social worker reached back into the car for the other child. The brothers exchanged a look that they both understood without words.

If they had their way, whoever had treated these children like their own personal punching bags would be burned at the stake.

Blaine stepped forward then as Finn scooped the two-year-old up and handed him over. The nurse took the child in his arms gently, observing the same thinness and bruising that Kurt noted on the little girl. The boy was slightly more hesitant though, holding himself stiffly in the man's arms while looking him over. Blaine smiled a soft and reassuring smile. He balanced the boy on one hip and cautiously took a small hand in his. The child looked at him curiously, before glancing down at his hand that was being held. He didn't squeeze back, but he didn't pull away. Blaine considered that to be a triumph.

Addy and Elly had caught on to the serious mood that had descended on all of the adults, and stood off to the side, feeling uncertain. Finn smiled at them and motioned for them to come over to him. They ran to his side in relief, glad to be a part of what was going on.

They were both fairly petite for six-year-olds, so he easily scooped the two of them up at once, one in each arm. Finn looked all six of them in the eye before speaking.

"Addy and Elly? This is Tia and Liam." The older siblings glanced at each other before smiling widely at the young ones in their fathers' arms. They said quiet hellos, still sensing that this whole experience was a little more serious than they had anticipated.

"Tia? Liam? I want you to meet Addy, Elly, Kurt and Blaine. They're going to take good care of you here at their house, okay?" Tia seemed to have already adjusted, comfortable and resting sleepily in Kurt's arms. The toddler looked at the social worker with serious eyes. This tall man had been a sudden, and much needed, anchor in the tormented chaos that was this young one's life.

Liam glanced back at Blaine and then over to Kurt. These two new grown-ups seemed to be just as nice as the really tall man. The ghost of a smile came and left, there for barely a second. All three men caught it though and smiled brightly at the child.

"Are you hungry, Liam?" Blaine asked the small boy as he turned to enter the house. He had been just as moved, just as angered by the appearance of the little ones, as Kurt. He only now trusted that he could speak without unintentionally sounding angry and scaring the child.

Liam looked at him, green eyes wide. These men kept wanting to feed him. These men were being so nice to him. He had no idea what to think. His tummy had been painfully hungry on so many occasions though. He wasn't about to turn down a snack. Especially if it was being offered so kindly. He gave Blaine a shy nod of his head and the nurse smiled.

"Well, we can fix that. Dinner is ready now." He set the boy to his feet when they reached the front door, reaching to turn the nob. Without a word, Elliott stepped forward and held out a hand. The toddler looked at the older boy for a moment before taking the offered hand and stepping inside. Tia saw her brother entering the house and squirmed to get down from Kurt's arms. He set her down cautiously, observing that she didn't quite have the balance to hold herself up yet. Addy quickly stepped up behind the baby, taking the hands that should have been filled with pudge in her own. She glanced up at her fathers for approval before starting to walk the baby girl into the house.

"Careful! Go slow, Addy!" Kurt called, biting his lip nervously as they both almost took a spill when Tia tripped over the front rug. The near fall elicited giggles from both girls though, and they moved on without a backward glance at the adults.

The doctor and nurse hurried in after the kids. They fell into a seemingly natural flow. Blaine checked on dinner. Kurt scooped Tia back up into his arms and told Addy to set the table. Elliott pointed to the swing set and sandbox in the back yard through a window, telling Liam they could play there after they ate.

Finn stopped at the doorway and leaned on the frame for a moment before entering. A slow smile spread across his face as he watched the scene play out before him. If anyone deserved to be happy and have the big family they always wanted, it was Kurt and Blaine. If anyone deserved to two parents that would love them, cherish them and help them to heal, it was these two kids.

It really couldn't have been a more perfect match.

Kurt looked up from where he was cleaning in the kitchen when his husband walked into the room.

"Is everyone settled?" Kurt asked, wringing out the dish rag he had been using to wipe the counters. Blaine shook his head with a laugh and motioned for the doctor to follow him. Kurt tossed the rag into the sink and took Blaine's hand, letting himself be led down the hall. To the doctor's surprise, they didn't stop in the bedroom that was meant to belong to Liam. They moved on until they were in Elliott's bedroom. Kurt put a hand to his mouth and smiled with a content sigh at the vision in front of him. Elliott was on his back in the middle of his bed, arms spread out to either side. Addy was on his right, lying a little more diagonally across the bed with both legs flung over Elliott's. Elly had his right hand threaded through her curls and was gently stroking them in his sleep. They had been doing this since they were three. Heartwarming as it was, this part wasn't new for the fathers.

What really took their breath away was the third figure in the bed. Liam was curled up as close to Elliott's left side as he could possibly get. The toddler had one arm flung over the older boy and his small blonde head was resting on Elliott's chest. One of Addy's hands was resting on top of Elliott too, holding onto the small boy's. Elliott had his left arm tucked snugly around Liam, and his fingers would occasionally flex and grasp, as if making sure that the toddler was still there.

Blaine smiled at Kurt and wrapped his arms around his husband's waist from behind. Pulling him close, he rested his chin on the doctor's shoulder.

"You're not going to try to move them to their own beds?" Kurt whispered. He could feel Blaine shrug from behind him.

"They're so content and sleeping so peacefully. I don't see any reason to disturb them."

Kurt nodded his head in agreement, stroking his husband's hands with his fingers.

"Did Tia go down okay in her crib?" Blaine nodded once again. He laughed though when he felt Kurt bounce anxiously from foot to foot after receiving his answer.

"Kurt, you can go check on her too. I'm not going to be offended," he smiled. Kurt jumped out of his arms and pecked him on the cheek before hurrying down the hall to the small bedroom directly off of their own.

The doctor slowed down once he got to her door and stepped inside quietly, not wanting to wake her. He needn't have worried. She was sound asleep, breathing out little breaths that were occasionally accompanied with a tiny coo or a sigh. His heart absolutely melted into a puddle when he took in the blonde wisps of hair framing her face, the pink lips forming a little heartshape and moving as she breathed, the bright flush to her cheeks...

Wait. Flushed? She shouldn't be that flushed...

He reached out a hand and touched her cheek. It was so warm, he could feel the heat radiating from her.

"Blaine," he called out softly, still concerned about waking her. The nurse hurried in, hearing the urgency in his husband's voice.

"What is it? Is she okay?"

"She's really hot. She definitely has a fever. Did she feel warm to you when you put her down?"

Blaine quickly stepped to her side and reached out a hand to feel her skin.

"She wasn't! I swear! She felt perfectly normal!"

"Blaine..."

"Oh my gosh. The first night we have them, one gets sick!"

"Blaine..."

"We don't even know her medical history, Kurt! What do we tell her doctor when they ask us? They're going to think we're irresponsible guardians!"

"Oh my god, Blaine..."

"It doesn't matter. She needs to be looked at. You stay here and I'll take her to the hospital..."

"Blaine!" Kurt had grabbed his shoulders by then and shook him slightly. The unexpected movement, along with the force in Kurt's voice jarred him back into the moment.

"Wow, I haven't seen you crack under pressure in a while. As always, it is incredibly amusing." Kurt smiled.

The nurse glared at him, not seeing a humorous side to this. He opened his mouth to snap something back but Kurt went on before he could speak.

"It's fine. It's a little fever. She probably WAS fine when you laid her down. We both know how fast these things can come on. We don't have to know every detail about them to be able to take care of them, at least for now. Nobody is going to think we're unfit guardians for goodness sake. And, seriously?" He shot his husband a disbelieving look at this. "Did you just insinuate that we would need to take her to the hospital to get her checked out?" He held his hands out in the air then, as if to say, 'Hello! I'm right here!'

"Oh, wow. I'm sorry, honey," he blushed, wrinkling up his nose in apology. "Thanks for snapping me back to reality. You're right, I guess I panicked for a sec. I'll get her and you go get your bag. I'll meet you in our bedroom." He kissed the doctor on the cheek before reaching down and scooping the baby up into his arms. Kurt just laughed and shook his head, kissing Blaine back quickly before stepping down the hall to grab his bag.

Moments later they were settled on their bed together, Blaine holding the sleeping baby in his arms and Kurt carefully examining her.

"Well, her ears look fine. The little glance I got at her throat wasn't too bad. A little red, but I highly doubt it's strep."

"Her adenoids are swollen just a bit," Blaine responded, reaching up a hand to lightly feel the sides of her throat.

"I'm sure we're just dealing with a little virus. Let's see how she does tonight, and if she gets worse we'll get her on an antibiotic." Kurt set aside the scope he had been using to examine her and brushed the limp blonde hair from her eyes.

"We should should give her some Tylenol though, so she can at least rest comfortably." Blaine pressed a kiss to her forehead and handed her off to the doctor. He stopped mid-step though and planted his face down in his palm.

"Kurt, we didn't get infant's Tylenol." The doctor looked at him in disbelief.

"You're telling me, that in car full of stuff we bought today... no, the TWO cars full of stuff... We, two medical professional parents, forgot tylenol."

They looked at each other in silence before cracking smiles and laughing at themelves.

"The hospital is actually closer than the 24-hour pharmacy," Blaine said. He pulled a sweatshirt and some trainers from their closet. "I'll run over and steal some of the free samples."

Kurt burst out laughing and Tia started in his arms before settling back into a restless sleep. Kurt grimaced and rubbed her back soothingly before turning back to Blaine with a grin.

"What?" Blaine asked with a curious smile.

"I just think you're adorable is all. You're the only millionaire I know who is tossing on an Old Navy sweatshirt to go and steal free samples."

"I'll up our quarterly donation." Blaine grinned, hopping on one foot for a moment as he pulled his sneaker on. "How many millionaires do you even know, though? Maybe this is perfectly normal behavior."

"Several, actually." Kurt stuck out his tongue. "I have to put up with them at hospital board meetings. None of them wear Old Navy and all of them would be sending out an assistant or a nanny to buy the Tylenol."

"Well," Blaine brushed a quick kiss to the doctor's cheek. "I'm nothing if not unique. Be back in a few minutes."

Kurt laughed to himself as he settled back against the headboard, cuddling Tia against his chest.

Blaine shivered and pulled the hood of his sweatshirt up over his head as he hopped out of his car, jogging up to the back entrance of the hospital. He was just about open the door when something caught his eye. A small, dark lump was settled against the side of the dumpster in the alley next the the hospital.

He didn't know why the bundle had specifically caught his eye. From here it simply looked like a bag of garbage that had missed it's destination. He took a few steps closer, heart beating fast for reasons he didn't even understand.

A small glint of white caught his eye, and he dashed forward, falling to his knees. The little bit of white was a small hand. He yanked back the dirty black cloth, realizing that it was a tattered men's overcoat. His heart nearly stopped at what he found.

A young girl, no older than fourteen or so. She was so very thin. Her collarbone was overly pronounced and her cheeks were hollow and gaunt. She was wearing clothes that were covered in grime and starting to wear thin. Limp, greasy hair hung into her eyes.

What really scared him though, was the expression on her face. It was almost peaceful, like she wasn't there anymore. He reached out in a quick, nervous motion to take her hand. It was absolutely ice cold. He fumbled at her wrist, desperately trying to find a pulse.