Chapter Twenty-Three

CRASH

The sound silenced all the conversations in the living room, and all heads snapped up at the sound. Blaine, Finn, Carole and Burt were all in the living room so the only person that could have made the sound would be Kurt.

Blaine leapt up out of his seat and ran into the kitchen, panicked by the noise. When he reached the kitchen, he let out a sigh of relief to see Kurt stood unharmed in the middle of the kitchen. The same could not be said for the stack of plates that were now broken in a pile on the floor. Kurt was staring down at them looking very confused as if he couldn't fathom how they had gotten there.

“Did you not like those plates anymore, honey?� Blaine asked with a chuckle.

“I don't understand.� Kurt said in a very dazed voice. “One minute the plates were in my hand, and the next they weren't.�

Blaine had approached the mess to clear it up, knowing that Kurt was having difficulty bending down that far already. The pregnant boy stepped away from the broken china and sat down at the table, allowing Blaine to just get to work. He knew there was no point in trying to help, and he'd only be getting in the way.

“What happened?� Carole asked as she came into the kitchen a surveyed the surroundings.

“Kurt dropped the stack of plates. I'll replace them, I promise.� Blaine said.

“Don't worry about that sweetie. It wasn't my favourite set anyway.� She laughed lightly before going and sitting with Kurt who looked as confused as Finn did on most days. “Don't worry, Kurt. Everyone has accidents sometimes.�

“But I don't even know how it happened. One minute I had them and the next I didn't.�

“That's another thing you can blame on the pregnancy. Because you're getting bigger, your centre of gravity is shifting, causing you to be a bit more clumsy than normal. It's nothing to worry about, it may just slow you down a bit as you try to accommodate for the changes.�

Kurt let out a groan of annoyance. That was just another one of the numerous changes that were occurring because of his pregnancy. He was getting irritated. It was mostly because he never knew whether he was coming or going. He was discovering something new every day, and the rush of knowledge, in the constant stream it came in, was often overwhelming. Blaine was somehow managing to keep up but most of it was going over Kurt's head.

Kurt was now twenty-one weeks pregnant. He'd gotten even bigger, so much so that he was having trouble hiding it in school anymore. The glee club had come around after the shock of the news, and were trying to help Kurt with his privacy around school. It was nice to have their support, and it also meant that Blaine and Finn got breaks from basically being Kurt's bodyguards. Things were still a little weird with everyone, but it was mostly from their lack of knowledge, so they couldn't really be blamed.

It had been a few weeks since Blaine's trip to see his family and he was still riding on a high from the experience. He was keeping in contact by text every day, especially with Connor, who was always asking him for advice on pretty much everything. Blaine had never been so attached to his phone. It was constantly buzzing with new messages and anyone could see how much his eyes lit up as he viewed the messages left for him.

The court case against Blaine's father was quickly approaching, and for Blaine to have something better to focus on was a relief for everyone around. They couldn't stand to see him hurting. That being said, it couldn't be ignored for that much longer as Blaine would be needed to go to court soon. He didn't really want to. His father had hurt him, badly, and being in the same room as him frightened Blaine terribly. He knew that his father wouldn't be able to harm him, but it still freaked him out to think that there would be very little distance between them.

Kurt had been trying to help Blaine in any way that he could. Blaine didn't want Kurt anywhere near the court though. It was too much stress, and honestly, he was worried about Kurt being out and about. He was larger than he had ever been. Hiding the pregnancy was quickly becoming impossible, and Ohio was so unaccepting. It was a miracle that no one had noticed yet. Blaine was becoming a little paranoid, he had to admit. When Kurt was at school, every second they were apart, Blaine worried about him and the potential harm that could come to him or their baby. So far, thankfully, someone had always been with him, but what might happen when that wasn't the case? Blaine shuddered to think. He tried to put it out of his mind for now. He had the trial to worry about and he had other people to rely on when it came to looking after Kurt.

XXXX

Blaine was laid with Kurt snuggled against him in bed. They were alone in the house for what seemed like the first time in ages. They'd had lawyers and police coming and going working on the court case. Kurt had been staying up, trying to take note of everything that was going on. All the late nights had left him feeling utterly exhausted. He'd never admit it to anyone, of course. In fact, he'd probably deny it to the grave. Though he was snuggling with Blaine, he was fighting to stay awake. He wanted to spend at least some time with Blaine just the two of them and sleeping seemed like it would be a waste of their time together.

“Go to sleep, Kurt. I'll be holding you all night long.� Blaine tried to convince him.

Sure, he would have liked to spend some quality time with his boyfriend, but he needed his sleep and he wasn't about to deny him that.

“No. I wanna talk to you.� His voice was mumbled and full of sleep.

“Sleep, baby. You need it. We can talk tomorrow.� Blaine planted a kiss on Kurt's forehead as he felt the boy's breath even out a little.

Kurt was on the brink of sleep when he felt the baby give a kick that took him by surprise. He let out a “umph� and opened his eyes wide.

Blaine shuffled so that he could look into Kurt's eyes.

“Was that..?� He trailed off as he felt the baby kick again against the side of him that Kurt's abdomen rested.

Tears sprung to his eyes as he felt Kurt and his baby kicking. This was the first time that he had felt his baby. This was the sign that their baby was healthy and alive. It further showed the miracle of what they had created.

“They're getting stronger.� Kurt said in awe, tears in his eyes as well.

“That's our baby, Kurt. I can feel it.� His voice was alive with excitement.

He jostled them so that Kurt was laid on his back and Blaine was able to rest his head against Kurt's belly. He could feel the nudges against his cheek and he wondered what Kurt was feeling as the baby moved inside him. He felt one of Kurt's hands in his gel-free hair, stroking him gently. Blaine closed his eyes and just let himself feel.

Kurt let out a sigh of discomfort and Blaine frowned at the sound.

“What's the matter? Are you okay?�

“It's alright. Just a little uncomfortable.� Kurt chuckled.

“Is it supposed to be uncomfortable? Does that mean something's wrong?� Blaine was panicking slightly.

“Blaine, honey. There is something growing inside me that is kicking at me. It's going to be a little uncomfortable. It's not painful though.� Kurt reassured his worry-ridden boyfriend.

Blaine settled himself again so that he could feel the kicks. The way he felt right now just couldn't be put into words. He was completely overwhelmed with emotion. He wanted to scream and cry with joy. It was a feeling that he'd never felt before. It was like his heart was swelling in his chest. He was filled with such a profound feeling of love, even more extreme than the love that he felt for Kurt, and even that was mind-boggling most of the time.

XXXX

“Morning gang.� Melissa said cheerily as she and Cooper entered the kitchen where all the Hudmel family were gathering for breakfast.

They did this every week, having one day where all of them gathered to have breakfast. It made things very hectic with so many people in the house, but it was also a lot of fun. It was nice to see the two families interacting so well with each other. They didn't want just to be united by Kurt and Blaine’s baby; they wanted a friendship, which was what they had. They were becoming a family in pretty much every sense of the word.

“Morning.� Kurt yawned as he spoke, catching it behind his hand.

“Someone's tired. What were you up to all night?� Cooper asked, raising his eyebrow suggestively.

“Someone decided that they wanted to be awake when it was time for sleep.� Blaine said, his voice sounding all airy, as he remembered the hours that he had laid, just feeling the baby, even after Kurt had finally settled in to sleep. “And I got to feel it.�

“You felt the baby kicking?� Carole asked, as she moved back to the table with a jug of milk in her hands.

Blaine nodded affirmatively, and rubbed a hand over Kurt's stomach.

“Dude! I totally wanna feel that!� Finn said excitedly.

“I'll let you know as soon as it starts again.� Kurt promised his brother. “Or Blaine will, as he seems to be attached now.�

“I just want to be ready for the next time.�

“I remember what that's like. I remember when Lizzie was pregnant with Kurt. He didn't start kicking till very late, so late that we even asked the midwife if he was okay. But boy when he did start kicking... Kept Lizzie up nearly every night and they weren't soft kicks I can tell ya! It's no wonder you were such a good kicker for the football team.� Burt laughed. “I was always hovering around her, taking every opportunity to be able to feel it. Guys normally spend most of the pregnancy feeling pretty useless; he's just an observer in the process.�

Blaine could see a lot of sense in what Burt was saying. He was feeling a little useless. He couldn't know everything that Kurt was going through and there was nothing that he could actually do for the baby until it arrived. How was he to know if everything was alright? He wouldn't know until it was too late if something bad happened.

It was something that he worried about a lot. The risk involved in this pregnancy and the fact that it was all totally out of his control. It was hell, especially for a guy that liked to be in control most of the time. It'd all be worth it when the baby was here though, that was the thought that he was holding onto. He wished that time would go quicker; he wanted to see their baby. But, at the same time, he knew that they weren't ready for the baby yet. They hadn't got any supplies and neither household had started to set up the nursery yet. That was next on Blaine's agenda, right after this stupid court case.

“Now, I know we're all getting tired of this but it'll soon be over and done with, and we'll have justice.� Melissa said, as if reading Blaine's thoughts. “Tomorrow will be the first session of court. Now nobody except Blaine, Cooper and I have to be there, though of course anybody else is welcome.�

“I'll be there.� Kurt said with conviction.

“Is that wise Kurt?� Carole asked with a worried look on her face.

“I'm not going to stay trapped in this house like some kind of freak!� he snapped, full of agitation.

Everyone went silent at his outburst. Blaine's hand stilled in the rubbing motion on Kurt's stomach. And everyone looked over to him.

“Kurt, honey. You know that no one means it like that. You need to think of the stress on the baby.� Melissa said it gently.

“I know. I'm sorry.� Kurt sighed. “I just need to be there.�

“Kurt I really don’t think that it’d be a good idea for you to go to the court sessions. You can still help Blaine from home.� Burt said, everyone relying on him to be the one to make Kurt see sense.

“No please. Let me be there. I couldn’t stand the thought of me being stuck at home while Blaine is facing the man that hurt him.�

No one said anything. They didn’t want to risk upsetting Kurt. Each of them had already made a vow to look out for Kurt and at the first sight of any trouble or discomfort then they’d be getting him out of there.

XXXX

Blaine felt a bit like a monkey in a suit once Kurt had finished dressed him. He was certain that he had never owned anything this fancy in his life before, and Kurt’s refusal to tell him what it cost obviously meant that it had cost a lot. He sent a glare at Cooper who pulled off a suit with ease, and was clearly grinning at Blaine’s discomfort. Burt looked so different in a suit and without his signature baseball cap, but he seemed to pull it off, looking quite formal. The only thing that made Blaine feel a little better was the fact that Finn looked just as uncomfortable as he felt in a suit.

When Kurt wandered back into the room though, Blaine’s breath was taken away. He looked beautiful. He wore a simple shirt covered by a waistcoat, and a blazer over that. His bump was only slightly hidden but it was the best that anyone could do. He’d be sat down for the most part which made it easier to hide.

He worried about Kurt being there because if his dad were to see him, and connect him with Blaine, he didn't know what the man might do. He knew that there would be police there to make sure that he didn't do anything, but risking both the things that he loved the most was a scary prospect. He only hoped that his dad didn't pay attention to the people in the gallery.

The drive to the courthouse was filled with silence. Blaine sat in the back of Burt's car with Kurt and Finn. He was gripping Kurt's hand so tightly that he wondered if he was hurting the boy. He didn't say anything and held his hand nearly as firmly, so Blaine took that to mean he was okay. In a way, he was glad that Kurt was coming along. He made Blaine feel strong when he thought that he was at his weakest. Kurt gave him a courage that no one else seemed to be able to instil in him.

At the courthouse, Blaine was quickly swept away from Kurt by his lawyer as they discussed what would be happening today. Burt herded him, Carole and Finn into the room where they would be sat. He put them in a back corner so that if Kurt needed to leave for any reason he could do so without being noticed too much. There was also the reason that he didn't want Blaine's father to see him. Even in handcuffs, Burt knew that he couldn't trust the man not to do something. Maybe he was just being paranoid, but he couldn't risk Kurt or his grandchild.

The room started to fill up, and Kurt watched as Blaine walked in. They made brief eye contact before Blaine continued towards the front. The judge walked in and allowed them all to be seated.

After that, everything was a blur to Kurt. He'd been trying to pay attention, wanting to be able to support Blaine in any way that he could, but around ten minutes into the session he started to regret him coming at all.

It started off with cramps. His stomach and back were painful and stiff. He kept shuffling uncomfortably in his seat, one hand at his back and one on his belly, rubbing, trying to get rid of the cramp. He tried not to make any noise of discomfort, not wanting to make a fuss. Carole noticed and sent a concerned look his way.

He was about to reassure her quietly that he was fine when a searing pain shot across his abdomen. He clenched his teeth to keep from making any sound. The pain relaxed and Kurt let out a breath, trying to calm himself. A couple of minutes later, he felt the pain again and his stomach tightened.

Carole saw that Kurt was in distress and as quickly and quietly as she could, she helped him out of the courtroom and into the lobby.

As soon as they had left the courtroom Kurt moaned in pain, tears pricking at his eyes. He wasn't sure what the pain was, but he knew that it couldn't be good. He cried out, louder this time, as his stomach pulled painfully again.

“Kurt, honey. What are you feeling? What's hurting?� Carole asked, hoping against everything that it wasn't to do with the baby.

No such luck.

“It hurts. My belly keeps pulling tighter and it hurts.� Kurt sobbed.

Carole jumped into action. She grabbed Burt and Finn from the courtroom and piled them into the car. Carole sat in the back with Kurt and timed when the contractions were coming. Burt was driving like a maniac. He was not ready to lose his son, or the grandchild that he couldn't deny he come to adore. Once they had gotten to the hospital, Kurt was promptly whisked away to be looked at and they were left to sit in the waiting room. Carole sent a text to Melissa letting them know where they were and what was going on, though they didn't know much themselves.

XXXX

“You did so well, sweetheart. We'll have to come back to hear whether the judge found him guilty or not, but that won't be for a few days. For now you can relax. I'm so proud of you.� Melissa said hugging her youngest child close to her.

“Thanks mum.� Blaine said, not really knowing what more to say. “Where's Kurt?� He asked, looking around, noticing that his boyfriend hadn't come out of the courtroom.

“I dunno..� Melissa got her phone out and checked for messages. “Come on boys, we need to go. Carole messaged me just over an hour ago. They're at the hospital.�

Blaine's face flooded with fear, and he rushed out of the courthouse, to the car that Cooper had driven, Melissa and Cooper following behind him just as speedily.

XXXX

Kurt lay in the hospital bed. His eyes were red from crying, and his face was blotchy. He couldn't believe that he'd been so stupid and careless. He'd been warned by practically all of his family, but he'd been so ignorant and foolish.

The door creaked open and Finn stuck his head in. Seeing that Kurt was awake, he moved forward into the room and sat down beside the bed.

“You scared us, little brother.� He said, relief in his voice.

“I'm sorry.� Kurt said in a pitiful voice.

“Hey, don't worry. You're both okay now and that's the main thing.� Finn gave Kurt a reassuring smile.

Kurt stroked his abdomen where the baby was still. He wanted to feel some kicking, just to be sure that everything was okay. The doctors had reassured him but he couldn't be satisfied until he'd felt the baby himself.

“I actually have something that I want to sing for you and the baby. If that's alright?� Finn looked bashful as he asked and Kurt managed to give him a small smile.

“I'd love that.� Kurt's voice was quiet.

Oh.. why you look so sad?
Tears are in your eyes
Come on and come to me now

Don't be ashamed to cry
Let me see you through
'cause I've seen the dark side too

Tears spilt from Kurt's eyes as he listened to Finn's voice filling the room with these beautiful words that meant so much to him.

When the night falls on you
You don't know what to do
Nothing you confess
Could make me love you less

I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you

Kurt felt like Finn was singing directly to his niece or nephew. He was going to be an amazing uncle, and would love the baby more than anything. If Kurt thought about it, he could see that his baby would be very lucky because it was being born into a world where so many people already loved them. A loving family would always be there to protect them, and teach them so many things.

So.. if you're mad, get mad
Don't hold it all inside
Come on and talk to me now

Hey, what you got to hide?
I get angry too
Well I'm a lot like you

When you're standing at the crossroads
Don't know which path to choose
Let me come along
'cause even if you're wrong

I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
Take me in into your darkest hour
And I'll never desert you
I'll stand by you

The rest of the family stood at the door watching and listening to Finn, as he sang for Kurt and the baby. It was a beautiful moment and they didn't want to ruin it. Blaine, Melissa and Cooper joined them, all out of breath from rushing to the hospital.

And when...
When the night falls on you, baby
You're feeling all alone
You won't be on your own

I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you

I'll stand by you
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I'll never desert you
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
and I'll never desert you
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you

Finn finished the song, blushing all over his face. He had to admit that he had felt a little foolish singing that song to his step-brother but it wasn't in a romantic sense, and he knew that Kurt understood what he meant by it. He panicked a little when he saw the tears in Kurt's eyes, but the smile on his face reassured him that he had liked the song.

Everyone else moved further into the room to make their presence known. Kurt's eyes met Blaine's, and he gave him a weak and timid smile. It was only with that smile that Blaine relaxed a little. But only a little..

Things were going to have to change. They would not be having another scare like this again.