"Liam, sweetie, hold on to Papa's hand!" I said to my son Liam, who was four. He was at that stage where he had the tendincy to explore everywhere. Myself and my family were at the airport to pick up my husband Blaine, who had went back to Ohio. I pushed the buggy, where my 11 month old daughter Ava was sleeping soundly, and my other hand clutched Liam's. We eventually arrived at arrivals, and I went over to take a seat, waiting on Blaine's flight landing and him finally coming home to our family. I turned the buggy so Ava was facing myself, and I picked up Liam, sitting him on my lap. I straightened his dark jeans, wrapping one arm around him to keep him steady
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"Papa, why did Daddy go away?" Liam asked, his hazel eyes inquisative. I stroked one hand through his dark curls, smiling sadly.

"Well, baby, Grandma Anderson isn't very well. So he had to go to Ohio to be with her and Grandpa Anderson and Uncle Coop." I could see Liam's eyes scrunching, and I could tell he was about to ask another question.
"Has she got better now, Papa? Is that why Daddy's coming home?" Liam asked, turning slightly more towards me. I smiled sadly at him, my hand stroking through his dark curls once more.

"I'm afraid not sweetie, Grandma Anderson died. That means she's gone up to heaven, and is watching over us all."

"Can we speak to her in heaven?" Liam asked, his eyes clouded with confusion.

"No baby, we can't. We will always have memories with her though, and we will always talk about her, so it will be almost like she's still here."

Liam smiled slightly, seeming to be happy with my answer. What the real story was that Lydia Anderson had a brain tumour, and the doctor's estimated she had one month, if she was lucky two. We took Liam and Ava to see her before she got too sick, but as she got sicker myself and Blaine didn't want Liam and Ava to see her like that. Cooper called three days ago to say she had taken a turn for the worse. Blaine and I had decided that it would be best that he go to Ohio, and I stay here in New York with the kids. Blaine called the night before to say that Lydia had passed away, and he would be home mid afternoon. I looked at the arrivals screen, to see that Blaine's flight had landed.

"Liam, keep an eye out for Daddy, his flight is here." I said to him. Liam clapped with excitement, the noise obviously waking Ava up from her slumber. I stroked her forehead with my index finger, and leaned forward to give her a kiss on the forehead. She smiled up at me, her blue eyes glistening. Ava was an insanely happy baby, and was barely ever fussy.

"Hey sleepy head, are you excited to see Daddy?" I asked her. She gurgled and smiled, clapping her little hands, which I took as a 'Yes Papa!' Liam squeeled, and jumped off my lap, screaming "Daddy!" at the top of his voice. I looked up to see Blaine coming through arrivals, dropping his bag and crouching down to hug Liam, picking him up and holding him close. I made my way over, pushing Ava's buggy, as Blaine crouched down to see our daughter.
"Hey, cutie, did you miss your daddy?" He asked her, stroking a hand over her blonde head. She gurgled once more, kicking her little legs. Blaine looked at me, and I moved forward and wrapped my arms around him, running my hands softly up and down his back.

"I'm so sorry, baby. How are you doing?" I asked him, kissing his neck, and moving my hands up to cup his face. His eyes were still red, and I could see the bags under his eyes. I stroked my thumbs across his cheekbones, leaning forward once more to kiss him softly on the lips. He sighed into the kiss, and pulled back, smiling at me sadly.

"I've been better. I just want to go home, and cuddle up with you and the kids." He said, the sadness in his tone easily heard.

"Sure, of course, let's go home." I said to him, entwining our fingers, pushing Ava's buggy with one hand while Blaine carried Liam to the car.


******
When we got home I sent Blaine to bed, telling him I would make him lunch, and bring it up. I was in the kitchen making Blaine's favourite, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches when Liam walked in, coming over to hold onto my left leg.

"Hey baby, are you bored with cartoons now?" I asked him, stroking his hair softly. Blaine had put Ava down for her nap when he went upstairs, and Liam was watching his favourite cartoons while I made lunch for Blaine. Liam nodded his little head, clutching onto my leg a little tighter.

"Papa, I don't like it when Daddy's sad." Liam said solemnly. I crouched down to his level, kissing his forehead.

"I don't like it either baby, but Daddy's going to be sad for a while, and it's our job to cheer him up. Do you think we can do that?" I asked him. Liam nodded, and I thought if he nodded any harder his head would fall off his shoulders.

"Good! Now, do you want to help me take these up to Daddy? I think Daddy would like it if we had lunch with him." Liam smiled, and I passed a plate of sandwiches down for him to carry. He began to make his way to the stairs, me behind carrying our drinks, which if Liam was carrying, it would be all over the carpet. Liam knocked on the door, and reached for the handle, pushing it open one handed.
"Hey little guy, is that lunch?" Blaine asked, his eyes red and puffy, it was obvious that he had been crying. I placed the glasses on my bedside table, climbing onto the bed next to Blaine, and kissing his cheek. He turned to me and smiled softly, reaching over and taking my hand.

"Yes daddy! It's peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!" Liam exclaimed. I took the plate from him, handing it across to Blaine, and lifting Liam up onto the bed with us. Blaine handed a sandwich to Liam, and offered me one. I shook my head no. Liam began to eat, chewing loudly with his mouth wide open.

"Liam, mouth shut when you eat." Blaine stated, beginning to eat the same way Liam had. Liam giggled, and followed Blaine's instruction. Liam stopped eating his sandwich, looking nervously at Blaine.

"What's up, bud?" Blaine asked, lifting Liam over so he was sat on his lap.

"Daddy, are you sad about Grandma?" He asked, looking up at Blaine, his soulful eyes brimming with a hundred questions.

"Yeah, I am bud, but don't worry your little head, okay? I have you, Ava and Papa to look after me." Blaine said, hugging Liam closer. Liam hugged his father, and jumped off the bed, running out of the room. I moved closer to Blaine, his arm coming around my waist, and my right hand resting over his knee. I leaned my head onto his shoulder, kissing it softly.

"I'm so sorry baby, how are you feeling?" I said, squeezing his knee slightly. Blaine sighed, turning his head to kiss my hair.

"Empty, hollow, not myself. I couldn't stay there any longer, Kurt. I couldn't...I miss her so much already." Blaine sobbed, the sobs wracking his body, I turned to the side, wrapping both my arms around him, rubbing my hands up and down his back. I kissed his hair and face over and over, whispering words of comfort into his ear. I heard tentative little footsteps, and Blaine and I looked over to see Liam standing there with his stuffed girrafe which he named Harry.

"It's okay bud, you can come in." Blaine sniffed, wiping his eyes and smiling at Liam. Liam climbed onto the bed, crawling over to Blaine.

"I came back to give you Harry, daddy. Harry makes me happy, so he can make you happy too!" Liam proclaimed, holding the stuffed giraffe out towards Blaine. Blaine laughed quietly, taking the giraffe from Liam and kissing his hair softly. I wiped my eyes, which were filling with tears, Blaine saying thank you to Liam, and promising to keep Harry with him at all times.

"Hey, how about I get Ava and we watch the Lion King in bed?" I asked them. Liam whooped and Blaine nodded, squeezing my hand and smiling softly. I made my way through to Ava;s room, and she was already awake. I picked her up, straightening her spotted onesie, kissing her hair. I made my way back into Blaine and I's bedroom, to see Blaine had set up the DVD and was under the covers with Liam next to him. I climbed under the covers as well, Blaine reaching over to take Ava from me. Blaine held Liam and Ava close, starting the movie as I made myself comfortable. Liam snuggled into Blaine's side, and Ava clapped happily, she took a particular liking to the Lion King. Blaine held his left arm out, inviting me into the space, and I snuggled in so I was close to my husband and children. Blaine turned and kissed my forehead, and kissed both of our children's foreheads, and we, as a family settled down to watch the movie.

I knew everyday would get harder for Blaine, but I knew that as long as her had his family near him, he would be okay. And I would be okay.