"Let me just walk this little guy out, and I'll be right back," Blaine stated.

"Hey! I'm not little," the student yelled out indignantly. Kurt chuckled.

"Okay," Kurt called after him, taking the time to notice how natural Blaine was with kids.  He could hear Blaine singing the ABC song with the child as they walked down the hall,followed by jovial giggles. Blaine stopped to chat with a young woman, presumably the mother, before walking back down the hall to his class.

"Actually, I was hoping to talk to you about that," Blaine began, taking a seat on top of a student's desk.  Kurt half-sat on top of the teacher's desk.  

"Okay", Kurt said hesitantly indicating for Blaine to continue.  

"This is going to sound insane, but I need you to hear me out, okay?" Blaine pleaded.  

"I'm listening," Kurt responded trying his best to sound open to what Blaine had to say.  

"Yesterday, I had a talk with that boy's mother. You know, Gabriel?" he reminded. Kurt nodded.  

"Well she's been really sick." Blaine continued. "She has leukemia."  

"That poor woman. How awful," Kurt empathized.  Blaine looked directly at Kurt.  

"She's got it rough. There is no one; not parents, siblings, aunts or uncles to take care of Gabe or his 3 year old sister if something happens to her.  I've been trying to help her out by letting Gabriel stay a little later after school if he needs to because she has an appointment or something.  We were talking yesterday, and she...." he trailed off with a couple of breaths, "She asked if we would consider adopting her kids, if she can't care for them anymore." There was a long silence.  

"Wow, Blaine, oh my God, that's huge," Kurt responded taking a breath.  

"I know, hon," Blaine dismissed running his hands nervously through his curly hair. "Believe me, I know."  

"What did you tell her?" Kurt asked.  

"I told her that I obviously had to talk it over with you, that we would need some time to think about it. She told me that she wanted us to take whatever time we needed to think it over,"  Blaine answered, walking over to sit next to Kurt on the teacher's desk.  

"What do you want to do?"  Kurt asked looking thoughtfully at Blaine.

"I honestly don't know right now.  This is obviously a decision we need to make together," Blaine paused before adding, "I would like for us to seriously consider it though." After a minute or two of silence, Blaine asked "What are your initial thoughts?" Blaine searched his husbands face for some clue as to what he was thinking.  

"Well, I'm honestly in too much shock to form any coherent ones,"  Kurt frowned. "I mean we've talked about kids as something in the distant future.  I feel for the mother though and those poor kids." Kurt's thoughts drifted to his own mother's fatal battle with cancer. What would his life have been like without his dad, someone to care for and love him?  

"Let me sleep on it tonight, and we'll talk more about it tomorrow,"  Kurt asked. "This is a huge decision."

"Absolutely, I'm kind of freaking out about it myself,"  Blaine answered. "Let's get some dinner."

Kurt's mind was a blur of thoughts.  He and Blaine had talked about adopting children in the abstract.  Both knew they didn't want to go the route of surrogacy when there where so many children who needed good homes.  But was it the right time?  Maybe.

For one thing, they did have a measure of financial security owing to Blaine's steady career teaching, and to his recent year and a half stint as a main character on Broadway in Son of a Witch, the sequel to his favorite musical Wicked. Secondly, they did have the time.  Kurt was on hiatus from the show and was not working. Blaine's school schedule was kid-friendly.  Thirdly, their recently purchased house had enough room for children.  They had the means and the time.  But were they ready and willing to be parents right now? Would he even make a good parent?  It would change everything.

Over the next week, Kurt and Blaine discussed it at great length, but they came to the conclusion that they should spend some time with the mother and children to help them in their decision.  Blaine arranged for them to come to their house for dinner on Sunday.  

Kurt spent all day cooking and cleaning, preparing for their guests. It felt good to have something to do while the enormity of the decision weighed on his mind. At 5:00, the doorbell rang.  

"Blaine, they're here!  Get your cute butt down here please," Kurt called as he went to answer the door.  

"Welcome, come on in!" Kurt greeted as he opened the door. He felt Blaine put an arm around his waist as he joined his husband in greeting their guests.  

"Hey there, Ms.  Williams! This is my husband, Kurt," Blaine introduced. "Kurt, this is Ms. Williams."

"Pleased to meet you," she accosted politely, shaking hands with Kurt.

"This guy here is Gabriel," Blaine continued the introductions.  

"Hi, Mr. Blaine!" Gabriel said giving him a high five.  

"This must be..." Blaine paused trying to remember what the younger girl's name was.  

"This is Elizabeth," Ms. Williams chimed in. Her youngest clung to her mother's leg shyly.  Kurt froze a bit as he heard the little girl's name, a name near and dear to his heart as it was his mother's, and his own middle name.  He shot Blaine a significant look.  

"That's a pretty name for a pretty little girl," Kurt acknowledged taking a knee to greet the little girl.  

"Don't be shy, sweetie. We're glad you're here," Kurt smiled. "Come on in, dinner is almost ready." He and Blaine lead the way to the dinning room.  As they walked, he studied the faces of their guests.  Ms. Williams was showing definite signs of her illness.  Her curly dark hair was somewhat limp and had lost some of its sheen.  She looked like someone who had lost a significant amount of weight in a short time.  Gabriel had curly dark hair like his mother's, (rather like Blaine's too, he noted) and wore a bright, inquisitive expression.  Elizabeth had straight, dark blond hair (rather like his own) and seemed quite thoughtful and shy.  

"I bet all the kids at school will be so jealous that you got to have dinner at Mr. Blaine's house, huh Gabe?" Ms. Williams remarked as they sat down to eat a short time later.  

"Yeah, they will, ‘cause everybody thinks Mr. Blaine is the coolest teacher ever," Gabriel responded enthusiastically. "Dinner was delicious Mr. Kurt, thank you," he continued.  

"You're welcome, buddy. I'm glad you liked it,"  Kurt responded, silently pleased. "Did you get enough to eat Elizabeth?" he inquired of the little girl whom he noticed hadn't eaten much.  

"Yes, thank you," the little girl responded formally.

"I know! Why don't I put on some cartoons for you two in the living room, while us grown ups have coffee? How does that sound?" Blaine asked addressing the two children.  

"Can we watch Dora? Lizzie loves Dora," Gabriel requested noticing his sister's unease.  

"Dora sounds perfect," Blaine agreed, ushering the children into the living room.  

"It's alright, honey," Ms. Williams assured her daughter when she noticed her hesitance to follow.  At that, Elizabeth followed her brother and Blaine into the room.  

"Thank you so much for dinner tonight, Mr. Hummel-Anderson," Ms.  Williams added conventionally.  

"Please, call me Kurt," he responded as he got up to get some coffee cups. "Do you take cream or sugar?"   

"Sugar, please," the sickly woman responded.  Kurt placed the mug on the table and poured the coffee.  

"How are you feeling these days?" Kurt asked, attempting to gently broach the subject of her illness.  

"Today? Not too bad, but I should tell you, I haven't had much good news recently," she sighed.  

"I'm so sorry. I can't even imagine what you are going through," Kurt murmured, pushing the coffee cup toward her.  Blaine shortly joined them in the dining room.  

"You have two wonderful children, Ms. Williams," he remarked.  

"Thanks," she answered.  "I'm so thankful for everything you guys have done. Your kindness means so much."  

"Are you still on the chemo?" Blaine asked the woman who seemed to be getting a bit emotional.

"I have one more treatment. We'll see what happens next," she responded. "There aren't too many more options, if the chemo doesn't take after all. That's why the social worker at the hospital asked if had made back-up arrangements if...." Her voiced trailed off.  

"Ms. Williams," Kurt began, "we are so honored that you would consider Blaine and I as back-up guardians for Gabriel and Elizabeth.  I am humbled by your trust, truly."   

"Call me Susan.  I see how comfortable Gabe is with you, Blaine.  He talks about you all the time.  I don't have any family. Their father was an abusive jerk and is in jail for a long time.  After being here tonight, and meeting you, Kurt," she paused looking at him, "I am even more convinced I asked the right people."  

Blaine began, "We've been doing a lot of thinking, and we'd like to spend more time with you and the children before we make our decision, to see how comfortable they are with us, let you get to know us a little better."  

"I was wondering, how about I take you to your next appointment, and the children can stay with us for a few days as you recover?" Kurt offered.  

"That would be wonderful. I'd appreciate it so much.  The first day or two after the chemo really do me in, and it's hard to care for the kids," she said appreciatively.  

"When is your next appointment?" Kurt asked.  

"Friday at nine."

"They could even stay the weekend, and you could pick them up after school on Monday," Blaine offered after silently conferring with his husband.  

"I can't thank you enough, that would be so helpful." she replied, a little tear in her eye.