Friday the 17th of October 2031

Kurt closed the bedroom door behind him. "Hi Stella. Happy birthday, honey." He walked over to the bed and slowly sat down. "I just wanted to talk to you a little. Your dad should be home any minute now. He just finished his first week at his new job. He likes it so far and apparently he has very nice co-workers." Kurt moved his legs onto the bed and lay down on his side. "We miss you so much, sweetheart." he mumbled, looking at the picture of his family on the nightstand. "Sometimes I still find your little brother outside your bedroom door, calling for you. I really wish you could have been here this weekend to celebrate Nathan's birthday. I can't believe he's already five years old."

"Papa?" Kurt turned his head toward the bedroom door and found his son's curly head peeking into the room. "Daddy and I are home now. We're gonna make pancakes for dinner!"

Kurt smiled fondly at his youngest child. "I'm just talking to your big sister. I'll come help you in a minute. Okay, buddy?"

"Oh." Nathan's face fell a little, but he nodded. "Okay." he said before leaving and closing the door again.

"We're planning on getting him a racecar bed for his room, with matching sheets. Blaine had to pick them out, though. Because I thought all the different kinds the store had were hideous." Kurt chuckled a little, remembering Blaine's excited face as he dragged Kurt along down the sheets-aisle. "We are also getting him a few toy cars for his collection. And a big, brown plush elephant. Your dad insisted on buying it, even though Nate has neglected all the stuffed animals I've bought him. He only sleeps with the yellow bunny you gave him. He brings it everywhere and refuses to let me wash it. I guess it reminds him of you. I bet it still smells like you after the years you spent sleeping with it." Kurt sniffled.

"Babe?" This time when Kurt turned toward the door it was his husband who peeked his curly head into the room. "Are you okay, Kurt?" He walked into the room after shutting the door.

Kurt wiped a tear off his cheek as Blaine sat down beside him. "I'm just talking to Stella. It's her birthday today."

"I know, honey." Blaine put a hand on Kurt's knee and squeezed.

Kurt picked the picture of his family – himself in a stylish outfit with his hand on four year-old Stella's shoulder, Blaine in jeans and a shirt with a bowtie, holding a two year-old Nathan in his arms – up and hugged it to his chest. "The day after tomorrow Nate will be older than she ever became." Kurt said brokenly and let out a sob.

"Oh, baby." Blaine put his arms around his husband's shoulders and held him close. Kurt nuzzled his wet face against Blaine's neck as the latter whispered comforting words to him. "She's not in pain anymore." Kurt sobbed helplessly again and a few tears slid down Blaine's cheeks as well.

"Daddy? Papa?"

Blaine turned his head toward his son's voice and smiled a little. "Come here." he said softly and the little boy walked over, one of his socks sliding down his foot. "Papa's sad. He needs hugs."

The hazel-eyed little boy climbed onto Blaine's legs and forced himself in between his fathers' chests, putting his tiny arms around Kurt's ribs. "Don't be sad, papa. We're gonna eat pancakes!"

Kurt chuckled a little and pulled back from his husband, wiping his cheeks with his hands. "I just miss Stella. It's her birthday today."

"I know, papa. I made her a card at preschool." Nathan said and pulled back too, wiping a tear Kurt had missed off his father's cheek. "She didn't like when you were sad."

"I know." Kurt smiled as he felt Blaine's hand moving up and down his back. "Let's go make pancakes." He gripped his son tightly and stood, walking toward the kitchen. He leaned in close and whispered in Nathan's ear. "We can throw some flour on daddy when he's changed out of his suit."

Nathan giggled mischievously as Kurt put him down on the counter and started pulling tools and ingredients for the pancakes out of the cupboards.

Blaine joined them after a few minutes, now dressed in his street clothes. Nathan threw a handful of flour at his head and Kurt pretended to scold him before doing the same. Blaine laughed before cracking an egg and smearing it into his husband's and his son's hair.

After eating about a dozen of pancakes and washing up, the three of them went to a bakery a few houses down their street and bought a cupcake each before returning to their home. They put Nathan's favorite movie on and sat down in the sofa. Blaine served the other two their cupcakes before placing a fourth one on the table too, pushing a candle into the frosting and lighting it. They watched the movie and ate their cupcakes while the little candle burned out.