If anyone would have told Kurt Hummel six months ago, that someday he would replace Sam's picture with someone else's, he probably would've scowled and snorted at the same time.

Yet here he was, leaning against his locker, gazing into the honey colored eyes and radiant smile of Blaine Anderson. Blaine was holding a grinning Lily in his arms as they both looked into the lens. It was a snapshot Kurt had taken during their visit at Cedar Point, a couple of months earlier. Smiling at the memory, Kurt's eyes slowly drifted upward to the top left corner of the locker door, where he'd moved Sam's picture to.

It had seemed like a simple act of rearranging photos, but to Kurt, it pretty much reflected the change in his heart and soul. Because even though there had been no marriage proposal, the weeks after that incredible night had felt like a wonderful, sensual honeymoon to Kurt.

He and Blaine had found their way back to each other, physically and emotionally. Their relationship had become even stronger, and so had Kurt's bond with Lily. So when he seriously thought about it, the position of the pictures mirrored how Blaine and Lily had now become the centre of his life, and Sam… his sweet, beautiful Sam… he was looking down from above, still with the same bright, adoring eyes, almost as if he was watching over them.

Yeah. It felt right.

"Nice trophy collection." A low voice breathed into Kurt's ear, causing him to jump back in surprise.

"Jesus fuck , stop doing that!" He blazed, as he glared at Sebastian Smythe's smirking face.

Sebastian shrugged. "Sorry to have startled you like that. Need some mouth-to-mouth?" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Kurt made a face. "Ewww… no thanks, I'll live." He slammed his locker door shut, grateful for the fact that he'd already changed out of his uniform before Sebastian had come in. At least today he wouldn't be able to leer at Kurt's half naked body. Now if he would only shut his crass mouth…

No such luck.

"No but seriously, if you want to add my portrait to your little wall of shame there, just say the word!" Sebastian sniggered, while throwing his cap in the laundry basket, quickly followed by the shrugs he'd been wearing.

"When hell freezes over, Dr. Smythe." Kurt muttered as he sat down onto a nearby chair to lace his boots. He didn't want to give that perverted meerkat the satisfaction of watching him bend over.

Sebastian had already stripped down to his boxers and was rummaging inside his locker, grabbing a clean towel and a tube of shower gel. "It's snowing pretty bad outside, so hell must be getting colder already. So how about you and me have some fun?" He twirled around, flashing Kurt a wide grin. "Look, I'm not saying you should ditch Dr. Curly… just some harmless fooling around? Join me in the shower, hmmmm?" He said casually, as he leaned back against his locker with his towel slung over his shoulder. "Aw, come on, it's Christmas Eve, don't I deserve a little treat?" He whined mockingly.

Kurt had hoped to make it out of the locker room before he lost his temper, really he had. But honestly, he'd had enough of Smythe coming onto him at every turn, in the most outrageous and trivial way possible, as if Kurt was some kind of cheap toy. It had been going on for weeks, and it had gone. Too. Far.

Dropping his boot-clad foot heavily on the floor, Kurt hoisted his backpack onto his lap and hugged it tightly against his chest, while throwing Sebastian what he hoped was his most vicious glare.

"What?" Sebastian chuckled lightly, his eyes crinkled with mirth.

"Why do you keep doing this?" Kurt hissed. "You know the answer is 'no'. When are you going to get it through your thick skull that I'm not the least bit interested?" He jabbed his finger against his temple to emphasize his words.

Sebastian took a deep breath while gazing at Kurt. Then he shrugged once more. "Maybe because I refuse to believe that you're really the prude you pretend to be?" Ignoring Kurt's angry huff, he continued. "I think you're hot, Kurt, and you can act like a sweet little angel all you want, but I don't buy it for a second. Deep down, you're just as feisty… just as wicked… just as dirty… and just as eager for it as I am." He almost growled out the words, rendering Kurt breathless for a moment.

"I…" Kurt shook his head in disbelief, a warm blush spreading over his cheeks.

"So simply put, Kurt, I want you." Sebastian said, as if he were explaining something to a child. "And yeah… I like a challenge." He added as an afterthought.

"I don't care!" Kurt snapped. "You may like a challenge, but this isn't a game, and I am not some prize to be won! You want me? Well too bad, 'cause you can't have me." Kurt said, hoping he'd finally been clear enough.

Sebastian raised his eyebrows but kept quiet, his smirk still in place.

Apparently it still hadn't hit home. Well then. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

"Dr. Smythe-" Kurt began.

"Sebastian."

Kurt let out a long breath. "Fine. Sebastian… Look, I love Blaine and that's it. I don't want anyone else. That makes me neither a prude nor a slut." He sneered. "And you, Sebastian, need to stop whatever it is you think you're doing. Do you really need another accusation of sexual harassment on your resum�?"

The smile fell from Sebastian's face, leaving him frozen in shock.

Touch�.

"I… How do you know…?" He stammered.

"About what happened in Paris?" Kurt smiled sweetly. "Welcome to the Lima Children's Hospital, Sebastian, where gossip spreads faster than bacteria. Or at least, one should hope so."

"Oh fuck…" Sebastian groaned, letting his head fall back against the locker.

Kurt nodded slowly. "Yep… pretty much everybody here knows that leaving Necker wasn't your own choice…" He watched the other man shaking his head in defeat.

"But I didn't even do anything wrong!" Sebastian roared. "So I did some harmless flirting, so what? I never touched anyone against their will! Why is everybody always so fucking uptight about stuff like this?"

A sharp bark of laughter escaped Kurt's mouth. He quickly squeezed his mouth shut when Sebastian threw him a dirty look. "I'm sorry, but I think it's hilarious how you're this brilliant, sharp-witted, extremely talented surgeon, yet at the same time you have the emotional intelligence of a cockroach."

"Thanks." Sebastian spat bitterly as he crossed his arms. "So now what? Gonna run to the hospital board and try to get me kicked out? Is that it?"

Kurt couldn't deny that he would've jumped at the opportunity just a little while ago. However, after working with him during the last few weeks, both he and Blaine had been forced to admit that Dr. Smythe was a highly skilled surgeon, and surprisingly very easy to work with. What he lacked in manners, he made up for in efficiency and shrewdness. He was a no-nonsense kind of man. And most importantly, he was amazing with the kids. He talked to them in a sweet, funny, almost affectionate way. After witnessing a few of Sebastian's interactions with his patients, Kurt's initial dislike for the new doctor had lessened considerably. If only he would stop his annoying, incessant flirting…

"Believe it or not, I don't want to get you fired." Kurt said, sinking back in his chair. He caught the glimpse of doubt and distrust in Sebastian's piercing green eyes, still staring back at him. "I meant what I said about you being a good doctor, but…", Kurt frowned and sighed deeply, "you really, really need to stop making it impossible for us to work with you. You're constantly either making me uncomfortable or pissing Blaine off, and it needs to end. The kids here need and deserve our best possible care. We owe it to them to make this work, Sebastian, as a team." Kurt stressed the last word, and fell silent, looking expectantly at the doctor. This had been his final plea on the matter, and if Smythe refused to change his ways, then Kurt would have no choice to take further action, because he was sick and tired of-

"Fine."

Oh.

Hallelujah.

"Fine?" Kurt repeated tentatively. He honestly hadn't expected for Sebastian to give in, but apparently mentioning Paris had worked its magic.

"Yeah, fine… I'll quit flirting and saying things you obviously don't want to hear, okay?" Sebastian muttered. "And… I'm sorry, I guess." He was actually looking vulnerable right now, which confirmed Kurt's suspicions. There was indeed a human being hiding behind that outrageous facade.

"Okay." Standing up, Kurt closed the distance between them and reached out his hand. "Truce?" He smiled at Sebastian's stunned expression.

"Truce." Visibly relieved, Sebastian took Kurt's hand and shook it firmly. "But if you ever decide to dump Dr. Poodle, I'll be at your door in a heartbeat." He deadpanned.

Kurt shook his head. "Don't hold your breath." His gaze drifted to the inside of Sebastian's locker, where a mass of red and white fabric was jammed into the lower shelf. "Oh. My. God…" He guffawed. "Is that what I think it is?" He pointed, trying to keep his laughter at bay.

"Never you mind!" Sebastian groaned, slamming the door shut. "It's none of your business!"

"It'll be everybody's business if you go around the hospital tomorrow, dressed up as Santa!" Kurt chuckled loudly, moving past Sebastian to reopen his locker and examine the outfit . Sebastian Smythe… as Santa Claus? This was priceless… he couldn't wait to tell Blaine.

"I'll have you know I'm a master of disguise, so nobody will recognize me! Besides, someone has to do it and I wasn't working tomorrow anyway so- Will you stop pawing at my costume!" He growled, as he snagged the material out of Kurt's hands and stuffed it back into the locker, before closing and locking the door.

Kurt's brow was furrowed in thought. "I'm not sure that costume will even fit you. Not if it's the one from last year, I mean, that guy was only like 5 foot tall."

"Whatever. You'd better not tell anyone, or I will staple your blabbermouth shut like the evil surgeon I am!" Sebastian scowled in menace, but it only fueled Kurt's mirth even more.

He patted Sebastian's shoulder. "See, I don't believe you, Sebastian. You're not an evil surgeon, you're just a closeted good guy, aren't you?" He winked and nodded towards Sebastian's locker.

"Fuck you, Hummel." Sebastian breathed, the corners of his mouth quirking upward. "Oh hey, I could use an elf tomorrow…" He drawled.

"Well, good luck on finding one!" Kurt quipped without missing a beat. "Merry Christmas!" He smirked as he patted him on the shoulder and turned to leave.

"Where is Kurtie, daddy?" Lily whined. "Kurtie has to put a tail in my hair!"

Blaine smirked from behind the piano, where he was playing some Christmas tunes. "Kurt is in the bathroom getting ready, sweetie. Want me to do your hair?"

"NO!" Lily gasped. "No, no, no! Kurtie has to put a bow in my hair. Not you, Kurtie!"

"Okay." Blaine threw his hands up in surrender, quietly snickering at his daughters antics. "Shall I play another Christmas song then, my lady? Which one would you like to hear now?"

"I wanna hear…" She tapped her finger against her chin and frowned exaggeratedly. "Hmmmmm…I wanna hear… The Muppet Song!" Jumping up and down, she hopped towards her father. "Muppets! Muppets! Muppets!"

Meanwhile Blaine was hiding his face behind his hands, choking with laughter. "But… that's not…" He wheezed.

"Muppets! Muppets! Muppets!" Lily danced back and forth.

"Tough audience?" Kurt's soft, melodious voice traveled over the noise Lily was producing.

Blaine turned his head and hummed appreciatively. "Wow… what's a beautiful boy like you doing in a place like this?" He ran his eyes over Kurt's outfit. His boyfriend was wearing a stunning pair of grey shiny pants with a matching turtleneck, both bringing out his bright eyes, and his hair was styled into a gorgeous mess. "Do you like it?" Kurt placed his hands on his hips and made an enthusiastic twirl. "It's Michael Kors."

"Oh I like it very much. Michael Kors looks very good on you, but you know what looks even better on you?"

"What?"

"Blaine Anderson."

"See, I should've seen that one coming." Kurt rolled his eyes affectionately. "And I know what you're about to say next so just don't, okay, because it's not suitable for kids."

Blaine poked out his tongue in answer

"Speaking of kids," Kurt continued, "yours is still jumping around shouting 'Muppets'. I believe that's your cue, maestro." He gestured towards the piano keyboard.

"Ummm… fine." Blaine scratched his hair. "Wait, how did it start again?"

With a huff, Kurt plopped down next to Blaine. "Here, let me do it." He placed his fingers on the keys and started playing the melody effortlessly. As soon as he hit the first notes, Lily stopped bouncing around and hurried over to stand next to Kurt, where she resumed her lively dance moves.

"Come on Kermit!" Kurt grinned at Blaine, who chuckled and then started singing.

It's time to play the music
It's time to light the lights
It's time to meet the Muppets on the Muppet Show tonight.

"Very good, Kermie!" Kurt mimicked Miss Piggy's sickeningly sweet voice, before singing the next few lines himself.

It's time to put on makeup
It's time to dress up right
It's time to raise the curtain on the Muppet Show tonight

Blaine took over again, using his grumpiest, lowest voice, to imitate Statler and Waldorf.

Why do we always come here?
I guess we'll never know
It's like a kind of torture
To have to watch the show

Kurt giggled loudly before he and Blaine sang the rest of the song together.

But now it's getting started
Why don't you get things started?
It's time to get things started

On the most sensational
Inspirational
Celebrational
Muppetational

This is what we call The Muppet Shooooooooooooooow!

Kurt ended the song with a flourish and then they both dissolved into laughter, while Lily was clapping and cheering, begging for more.

"Oh wow… that was fun!" Blaine chuckled.

"Yeah!" Kurt nodded. "But do you want to know the funniest part?"

"What's that?" Blaine asked, as he reached for Kurt's hand.

"It's that someday we'll tell our grandchildren that our very first duet was The Muppet Song. On Christmas Eve." Kurt smiled happily, clasping his fingers around Blaine's.

Those words made Blaine's heart stutter, because not only was the mental image unbearably cute, it was also exactly what he wanted with Kurt.

"You should get changed, my parents are expecting us at seven." Kurt remarked, oblivious to Blaine's musings.

Blaine nodded. "Okay… what should I wear?"

"I've laid out some options for you, honey. I was thinking maybe a white shirt and the brown Dolce and Gabbana cardigan I bought you last week, together with some dark blue denims?" Kurt pondered.

"Sounds great!" Blaine nodded, secretly thrilled and relieved that Kurt had taken it upon him to act as his personal stylist after nearly suffering a stroke when Blaine had told him about that time he had worn dark blue dress pants with a black shirt and a green tie. So, gone were the days of clashing colors and ill-fitted, badly cut garments. Although Blaine had to admit that he'd gotten a bit miffed when Kurt had dubbed his favorite multi colored vest 'a crime against fashion �nd humanity' and had then thrown it onto the pile for the homeless shelter.

As Blaine was making his way towards the bedroom, the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" He shouted from the hallway, wondering who in earth would be dropping by on Christmas Eve. He opened the door to see his mother, carrying a large shopping bag in her hand and a smile on her face.

"Mom? Hi!" Blaine stepped back and gestured for her to come inside. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be… at home, you know?"

Rebecca shook her head briskly before kissing Blaine's cheek. "Your father thinks I'm getting some last minute grocery shopping done. I wanted to see you, sweetie. It's Christmas Eve and it's bad enough we're not able to spend it together, as a family." She said, followed by a dejected sigh. "Are Kurt and Lily in the living room? I have presents!"

"Um yeah… why don't you go in, I'll just go change and be back in a minute." Blaine answered with an inaudible sigh. He was having some mixed emotions about his mom coming over. The fact that she had to sneak out to see her son on a day like this remembered him of the fucked up situation with his father, something he really didn't need to be reminded of right now. But then again, it also proved once more that his mom loved him and Lily. Plus, she seemed to be pretty fond of Kurt as well.

Still, Blaine had a bittersweet taste in his mouth.

It bothered him that he just couldn't accept the truth… The truth being that his father despised him. That he didn't have a father anymore, or maybe he'd never even had one to begin with. It bugged him that he couldn't just be done with it, once and for all.

More than anything else, Blaine hated the way his father had broken his heart, and how there always seemed to be inadvertent moments like these, that made him feel as if he had just stepped into one of the shards, hurting him like a bitch.

Blaine's sudden depressed mood evaporated just as quickly when he returned into the living room, where he saw Lily, surrounded by a pile of torn wrapping paper and playing with her new toys. Her bubbly laughter was so infectious and heartening it made Blaine tear up with joy and contentment. Kurt had crouched down beside her to assemble what appeared to be a Playmobil play set.

"Look daddy!" Lily squealed as she saw her father and pointed at the play set. "It's a hospital like where you and Kurtie work! With children and doctors and nurses and beds! Can I play with it, can I?"

"Sure princess." Blaine smiled. "But only for a little while, we'll have to leave soon, to grandpa Burt and grandma Carole, okay?"

"Okay!" Lily answered automatically. She was already engrossed in the story line that was developing between the two little dolls she was holding.

Sitting down next to his mother, Blaine gave her a grateful smile. Rebecca cleared her throat. "I thought it was cute, a hospital. She seems to like it."

"It's wonderful, mom."

"I've got something for you too." She said, as she leaned forward and pulled a flat rectangular box out of her bag. "I hope you haven't got one already. " A warm grin spread on her face as she watched her son quickly tearing the wrapping paper off.

Blaine gasped and broke out in a wide smile. "Oh wow… an iPad? That's awesome! But, mom, you shouldn't-"

"Oh hush." Rebecca tutted and ruffled Blaine's curls as he leaned in to press a kiss against her cheek. "Let me spoil you, okay… you're my only son, and Lily's my only grandchild, so I'm allowed to." Her eyes drifted towards Kurt, who was now on his knees, playing a Playmobil patient to Lily's Playmobil doctor. "I didn't buy you anything, cherub."

Kurt looked up and shook his head quickly. "Oh, that's fine, I wasn't expecting anything."

Rebecca frowned in confusion. "Why not? I didn't say you weren't getting a present. It's just that I have found that you're not that easy to shop for."

"Oh…" Kurt breathed softly.

"So anyway, since you're so into fashion, I'm thinking about taking you to New York Fashion Week in February. I don't know if Blaine has mentioned it to you already, but I have a few connections in the fashion world, so I'm pretty much invited to every possible runway show. You can take your pick of which ones you want to see." Rebecca shrugged. "And, you know, while we're there we could do some shopping, I'd love to hear your thoughts about the latest trends. What do you say?"

Kurt stared at her blankly, his lips slightly parted and his chest going up and down quickly.

Rebecca turned to her son and whispered urgently. "Oh dear… have I said something wrong?"

A loud chuckle escaped Blaine's throat. "Mom, I think you've just broken my boyfriend."

Ten minutes after Rebecca had left, Kurt was still rambling as he paced through the apartment. Blaine figured this was Kurt's interpretation of a happy dance. "Fashion Week, Blaine! I'm going to Fashion Week! Fashion Week! In New York! I can't believe it… I'm SO excited!"

"Are you? 'Cause it's hard to tell with the way you've been hyperventilating over it the past half hour." Blaine grinned.

Kurt halted his steps and fired him a mocking glare. "Haha, very funny, Anderson." Then he clasped his hands together in delight and grinned. "This is a dream coming true, Blaine… I'll get to see it all with my own eyes and, oh, maybe I'll even meet one of the designers!"

"That's pretty likely, my mother knows a lot of them in person." Blaine said off-handedly. "Anna Wintour is an old acquaintance of hers too."

"OH MY GOD BLAINE!" Kurt shrieked into his hands as he did a little jump. "Your mother knows ANNA? Are you serious?" He let out a giddy, shuddering breath. "What else have you been hiding from me? Let me guess," Kurt held up his hand. "You're related to the Kennedy's?"

Blaine shook his head. "Not that I know of." He smirked.

"Seventh in line for the British throne?"

"Nope."

"The lost Lindbergh baby?"

"Do I look like I'm 80 years old?" Blaine shot back with a grin.

"Okay, no…" Kurt pondered. "Definitely not. Sorry for freaking out, honey, but this is just-"

"The best Christmas present ever, I get it." Blaine smiled calmly. He loved to see Kurt in a state of bliss. Who cared if it was his mom who had put that smile on Kurt's face, and not him. Kurt and Lily's happiness were the most important thing in the world to Blaine. Speaking of Lily, she was still very much occupied with her new toys. So much that she'd been pretty much oblivious to Kurt's frenzy.

Kurt stepped towards Blaine and snaked his arms around his waist. "It's not the best Christmas present… The best Christmas present would be…"

"What?" Blaine whispered.

"I…" Kurt shook his head, seemingly annoyed at himself. "This is stupid… I wanted to give you something special… for Christmas."

"Huh?" Blaine was confused.

"I've written you a song." Kurt blurted out.

"Really?" Blaine was amazed and touched at the same time. Kurt had once told him that he'd only written one song in his life, and it had been for Sam. For Sam's funeral. "Wow… Kurt, you did?"

Kurt tightened his hold around Blaine and beamed at him. "Can I sing it for you now? Before we go to my parents' house? I… I had this whole thing set up, but then your mom barged in and I love her for it because, well I won't start freaking out again, you know why, but I really want to sing this for you now, before we leave."

"Sure…" Blaine breathed. He allowed Kurt to lead him towards the piano, where they both sat down, with Blaine straddling the bench so Kurt would have enough room to play.

A bit hesitantly and with trembling fingers, Kurt started to play a sweet melody. The notes travelled straight to Blaine's heart, and when Kurt began to sing in his crystal clear, pure voice, Blaine felt as if he had fallen right into a Disney movie.

I was living surrounded by different shades of grey
With a dream that promised all the colors

Then you came

Nothing seemed to fit
And I tried to find my place
I found my way through the maze
Through your grace

Suddenly I'm waking up each day
Caressed awake by your rays

You're giving me everything and more
No more colors to complete
You're half the painting that isme
We're a masterpiece

And every day I didn't know you
You were still meant for me

Blaine took a shuddering breath and gave Kurt a watery smile. Their eyes locked as Kurt sang the next lines.

I was breathing in and out but far from feeling alive
With a dream that promised a kiss of life

Then you came

Now I'm living each and every day
Under a rainbow sky
And you're the firefly
Lighting up my night

Suddenly I'm waking up each day
Caressed awake by your rays

You're giving me everything and more
No more colors to complete
You're half the painting that isme
We're a masterpiece

And every day I didn't know you
You were still meant for me

Kurt smiled brightly at Blaine. A few stray tears fell down his face, but he kept singing steadily, adding more power to his words.

I always hoped the fairytale would happen to me
And I waited my turn so patiently
Now I don't have to sleep
To live out this dream
Our colors formed this masterpiece

Blaine answered with a few silent tears of his own, wiping at his eyes and unable to keep from smiling so widely that his cheeks began to hurt.

You're giving me everything and more
There's no more colors to complete
You're half the painting that is me
We're a masterpiece

And every day I didn't know you
You were still meant for me

No, no more colors to complete
There's no more colors to complete
You're half the painting that is me
We're a masterpiece

And every day I didn't know you
You were still meant for me

You are still meant for me

As soon as the final note had died down, Kurt angled his body towards Blaine and took his hands into his. They kept silent for a few moments, just gazing into each other's eyes and nothing more.

Blaine was the first to speak. "Kurt, that was so beautiful. Thank you…"

Kurt huffed out a breathy laugh. "I'm glad you like it… I was so nervous." With a slight frown, he opened and closed his mouth a few times, as if searching for the right words. Finally he took another deep breath and tightened his grip on Blaine's hands just a bit more. "It wasn't hard to write, because of you, Blaine… You're my inspiration. You inspire me in every way possible. You made me see the colors again… thanks to you I can hear the music, I can see the words… You make me laugh and cry… You taught me how to love again. You broke down the walls around my soul and melted the ice around my heart. You saved me, Blaine." Kurt smiled through his tears. "You're everything to me, and I want forever with you. And I know you didn't want to propose to me because you were afraid I wasn't ready for an answer. But I, on the other hand, already know for certain what your answer would be. Which means I can do this…"

Without releasing Blaine's hands, Kurt slid from the bench to kneel on the floor next to Blaine, who gasped in joyous disbelief.

"Blaine Anderson, I love you so much. And I want us, the three of us, to be a family. It would be everything and more to me. Will you marry me?"

Blaine swallowed deeply.

Yes.

YES.

YES!

"Yes." He whispered, before wrapping Kurt into his arms and releasing everything he felt for this beautiful man into a passionate, mind blowing kiss. Blaine laughed giddily as their lips parted again. "I can't believe we're getting married… we're getting MARRIED!" He all but shouted, causing Lily to gasp in surprise.

"Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!" She cheered, clapping and jumping up and down. "Daddy and Kurtie are getting married!" She shouted at no one in particular. "I'm going to have TWO DADDIES!"