AN: For spookybibi who gave me the prompt "never" and rubylis who gave me the prompt "fluffernutter". I managed to combine the two... Somehow.

Better Late Than Never

by ktfranceebee

"Hi, I'm so sorry I had to spring this you on such short notice. But Rachel had to work and Sam has been sick this week and I'd rather he didn't pass whatever he has on to Fiona," Kurt said in a rush. Dave moved out of the threshold, which allowed Kurt to usher his daughter into the apartment, rather begrudgingly.

"Hey, what are friends for besides… Baby sitting?" Dave narrowed his eyes playfully at Fiona. She rolled her own.

"You're sweet," Kurt said genuinely as he gave the arm that was still holding the door open a squeeze. "I'll find some way to make it up to you. I promise."

"It's fine, Kurt. Go. Have fun at your meeting."

"Yeah… Right," Kurt scoffed before turning his attention to his daughter, who was leaning against the wall behind Dave in his foyer and had her arms crossed in front of her.

"Be good for Dave, okay, sweetie," Kurt said poking his head through the door. "I'll be done in just a couple of hours. I promise. And then we'll pick up some frozen yogurt or something on the way home. Sound good?"

"Sure, Dad," Fiona drawled, disinterestedly.

"Maybe we can make it an outing and Dave can come too, if he wants." Kurt gave Dave a warm smile that was not unlike the one he remembered so well from when they were younger. Except maybe a few more laugh lines thrown in. It was hard to think how he managed to go nearly 15 years without seeing that smile. It had been two years since Dave moved back to New York, and he was glad living only three blocks away from Kurt and being the friend and former agent of baseball great Sam Evans meant being able to see Kurt more often… Make up for lost time.

Still, it was an intimidatingly long time to make up for. Even if nothing came of it except reconnecting and bettering their friendship. He doubted anything more could ever come of their strange relationship-even if it felt like no time at all had passed since the day he said goodbye; since the day he might has well have broken the other man's heart and threw away a perfectly good relationship. Which was why Dave often had to tell himself to pull back. Kurt had other responsibilities now. Responsibilities that didn't involve him-a daughter, who was still likely dealing with the loss of one of her parents. To put his burgeoning feelings for Kurt over the girl's was… Well… It would be very unlike him to do so. He was the one who ended it after all. And look at the good that had come of it. Kurt was a dad, and Fiona Gilbert-Hummel was every little bit of Kurt from appearance to attitude. The excessive use of eyeliner was something absorbed from her other dad.

"I might have to take a rain check," Dave said regretfully. Though Kurt nodded understandingly, the smile on his face momentarily wavered.

"Well, maybe next time. Text me if you need anything," Kurt said airily as he gave Dave a wave.

"Will do," Dave said, returning the wave and watching Kurt until he disappeared down the hall, and then he closed the door.

"Hey, Fiona," Dave said kindly to the girl. Her head was bowed from where she was leaning against the wall lost in thought and her long, dark brown hair came down in wavy tendrils.

"Hi," she said looking up, her grey eyes still not exactly meet with his. She scratched the side of her delicate, pointed nose with a fingernail, painted black.

"Sooo, how's everything?" Dave stuck his hands into his pockets and rocked back and forth on his heels. She gave a shrug.

"Fine," she pulled out her phone from her back pocket.

"It feels like it's been a while since I last saw you," he pointed out following shortly behind her as she made her way past the living room and to the kitchen bar. She set her phone down on the counter and hopped up onto one of the three wooden stools. "How's middle school?" Dave stood in front of her, his hands on the kitchen bar.

"We have lockers now," she said plainly. "So I guess that's nice." Dave made an effort to give an exaggerated nod, despite her being more occupied by whatever was on her phone. He remembered that age well.

"That's good. So did you bring any homework to work on? Anything you need help with?" Dave offered. Dave might have only known Fiona for two years, but he was aware she was much shyer and quieter than her dad (though apparently shyer than both her dad's, even if Dave never had the opportunity to meet the famous Starchild).

"No, I finished it on the bus," she said, and Dave had to frown. He never heard of someone doing their homework on the bus. Surely she had friends she wanted to talk to and goof off with.

"Oh." Dave chose not to voice his concern. He wasn't her parent after all. But he was definitely considering bringing it up to Kurt later. He tapped the counter, deep in thought… So much so that he didn't realize Fiona had set her phone down and was staring right at him.

"So, are you still seeing the Jeffrey guy?" she asked, changing the topic rather brazenly. Dave sputtered and nearly lost his balance when his elbow nearly gave out from under his weight from sheer surprise.

"What? Uh…No," he frowned. What reason did she have to bring up his dating life. "Why? How did you…?"

"Dad was talking about him," she said with a blink. "Well… The two of you."

"Why would your dad be talking about a guy I'm seeing?" Dave narrowed his eyes, suspiciously this time. Kurt… Was talking about him? With his daughter?

"I don't know. I think he was talking to Aunt Rachel or Uncle Sam. Since you're all such great friends, I guess." The phone buzzed on the counter and she picked it up, resuming whatever conversation she was having.

"Oh." So Kurt did talk about him? He couldn't help but wonder what other things he said. But at the moment he couldn't help but be distracted by the intense look of concentration on the girl's face as she stared at her phone. Her full lips were scrunched up, in a look of complete befuddlement.

"What are you doing there? Texting someone?" Dave asked casually, trying not to pry. Fiona shook her head.

"Nah... Playing Trivia Crack. But I'm stuck on a sports question. And it's baseball. Uncle Sam would be ashamed." Dave chuckled. He supposed Fiona forgot what line of work he was in.

"Here, let me see," Dave said motioning to show her the question. She gave him a dubious look.

"The time is going to run out."

"Rickey Henderson," Dave said not two seconds after reading the question on who was the first baseball player in history to steal one-thousand bases. Quickly, Fiona put in the answer and looked pleasantly surprised that she-they-got it right.

"Wow, thanks, but... You know you don't have to make small talk with me," she said, feeling his gaze upon her. Dave recoiled, wondering why Fiona would think he wouldn't want to show an interest in her life.

"You act like it's a hardship. You're my best friend's daughter. I mean, I know I don't have any kids of my own-"

"I'm not a kid. I'm going to be thirteen soon."

"I'm pretty sure you're still a kid," Dave pointed out.

"I don't even know why Dad needed you to "babysit" me," she said the word like it was cough medicine in her mouth-completely and utterly distasteful. "I can take care of myself."

"Your dad's just worried about you. New York City isn't the safest place for kids to grow up."

"I'm still alive aren't I?" she said, looking up at him through her thick eyeliner.

"I think your Dad's just nervous about you running off and something happening while he's not around."

"Like what?" she asked setting down her phone once more, her voice adopting a curious tone.

"Well, I'm pretty sure your Dad and Aunt Rachel broke into Gershwin theater when they were only slightly older than you?"

"Are you kidding? Dad never told me that."

"Yeah, he probably didn't want you getting any ideas. So you didn't hear it from me, alright." He said giving her a playfully stern look. She smirked, likely imagining what other shenanigans her dad could have gotten into.

"So have you eaten yet? I could make you something. Are you hungry?"

"Not really? I ate a couple of hours ago but..." she gave him a guilty look.

"What?"

"Dad say's you're a terrible cook," she cringed and eyed his stainless steel stove fearfully like it was going to explode with Dave just standing in its vicinity.

"Hey, I'm still alive aren't I?" Dave held out his hands palm up, mimicking her earlier statement. Fiona giggled.

"Besides. I'd like to think I've come a long way since microwave ramen. There's only so much food you can make in a college dorm." Dave nibbled on his lip, trying to think of food he liked when he was Fiona's age. Not that his tastes had changed all that dramatically. There was one snack that he kept on hand. It was his guilty pleasure.

"Here… I'll make you something you've probably never even heard of and something your dad will probably kill me for if he finds out I made for you, so it's going to just be between us alright?"

"Okay," Fiona said giving an honest smile as she scooted forward in her seat looking interested.

"You want to help me out?" Dave asked.

"Do I have anything better to do?" she raised an eyebrow in a very Hummel-esque way.

"Nope, get some plates out of the top cabinet." He jabbed a thumb behind him. "To the left of the stove."

"Got it," she said as Dave grabbed a couple of knives from the silverware drawer, followed by a jar of peanut butter from the cabinet by the refrigerator. Fiona looked over and frowned, unimpressed. "If you're planning on making me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich then that's pretty lame, Uncle Dave." She turned around with two blue ceramic plates and set them on the counter.

Dave would have been a bit more insulted if it wasn't for the title he never asked-nor expected-her to use. It's not like they were related or anything. And he hadn't known Fiona for as long as Rachel and Sam. He felt his heart swell with affection.

"Hold your horses," he said, reaching towards another jar at the back of the cabinet. "Are you ready, because I'm about to blow your mind. Here we go." He held out the jar filled with a white substance like it was something spectacular.

"Is that… Mayo?" she asked, looking like she was about to retch. Dave shook his head.

"Gross. No. Come on kid," he gave the jar a little shake, "it's marshmallow fluff."

"Really?" she gave him a dubious look as she took the jar from him, studying it carefully.

"You're gonna have to trust me on this." He took the jar from her again and unscrewed the top, followed by the jar of peanut butter. She watched in fascination as he smeared the peanut butter on two of the slices of bread he retrieved from the loaf on the counter. Then, with a clean knife, he did the same with the marshmallow fluff on the other two. Once it was all assembled, he pointed at the chair she was sitting in before.

"Go ahead and sit, do you like your crust cut off?"

"Umm, sure." Something told Dave she was liking the attention she was getting. With Kurt being so busy with work since Elliot's passing, he probably didn't get to spend as much time with Fiona as he used to. Not that she didn't understand he was only merely trying to provide for her.

"Cool, me too," Dave agreed and he cut the edges off of both their sandwiches and slid her a plate. "Prepare to be amazed."

With tentative fingers trying to avoid the sticky fluff oozing from the edges, Fiona held up her sandwich and stared at him. Dave smiled when he realized she was waiting for him to pick up his sandwich at the same time so they could eat it together. And when they did, each taking a bite, Fiona's eyes grew wide.

"Oh my God," she said with her mouth full and muffled.

"I know right?" Dave chuckled. "Milk?" He asked, and she nodded enthusiastically. Dave went to get two cups from the cupboard. While he was turned around Fiona spoke up.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Hmm…" he hummed noncommittally.

"You and Dad dated when you were younger, didn't you?"

Dave dropped the cup and it went clattering across the counter. Lucky for him it was a cheap plastic cup.

"Who told you that?" he gulped, and not from the mixture of peanut butter and fluff sticking to the insides of his mouth.

"You thought I'd never figure it out?"

Dave gave her a knowing look as he grabbed the carton of milk from the fridge. Fiona's shoulders slumped as she picked up her sandwich again. She tore it in half, and set one half down and nibbled on the other. Another Hummel habit.

"Fine, Aunt Rachel told me," she confessed begrudgingly. Dave sighed. Why was he not surprised?

"That was a really long time ago," he poured the milk into two glasses and set one in front of her. "And I mean a really long time. Back when my hair wasn't graying, long time ago."

"How come it didn't work out?" she asked sadly, her almond-shaped eyes looking at him woefully.

'Damn you Kurt Hummel,' he thought. 'Damn you and your genetics and your incredibly astute progeny.'

"Fiona, I don't think I should be talking to you about this. And especially when your dad isn't here to lend his side of the story."

"I'm not a child," Fiona fumed, slamming her hands on the counter top. "Everybody likes to act like I'm a child and I know that, yeah, I'm only twelve. But that doesn't mean I'm not smart or that I don't understand. By the time Dad was twelve he could already perfectly bake a rum chocolate souffle. And by the time my other dad was twelve, he had already started his first band, and I'm… Well, I'm not a kid, okay. I thought you would be the last person to baby me, Uncle Dave."

Dave considered her words as he pursed his lips. It was true. It was hard to not think of Fiona as a kid when he was forty, but he knew that he was more than capable of understanding relationships when he was her age. Well… Not his relationships. But relationships in general.

"It just didn't work out between us," he said calmly as Fiona began to simmer down.

"I was offered a job in California at the Dodgers Stadium and it was a huge stepping stone. It got me where I am today. And I probably wouldn't be where I am today if your dad hadn't pushed me so hard to accept the offer. So we…" he gave her a sad smile. "Broke up. And… Your dad's dreams were here so… We moved on."

"But you're in New York now."

"Yeah," he said looking down at his sandwich. "I am."

"So what if you were to… Start things up again?" she asked nonchalantly, playing with some of the marshmallow fluff that got on her plate. She carefully licked it off her thumb.

"Fiona," Dave said warningly.

"David," she cocked her head.

"God, you sound just like him. It's scary." Dave shook his head as he picked up the sandwich again and took a bite. "I can't just swoop in and pretend I'm some sort of replacement for-"

"It's been three years," she said imploringly. "You seem to know things that I would like." She held up her sandwich. "Maybe you'd know the things he likes."

'Calm down, she's not referring to what you think she's referring to.' He busied himself with taking a gulp of milk.

"He calls you a silver fox, you know." The milk nearly came out of Dave's nose.

"You're hilarious," Dave said sarcastically. Fiona held her hands up innocently.

"I'm not joking," she said innocently, holding her hands up. "Why couldn't you just ask him out? He'd say yes. I know he will."

"Because it's more complicated when you're older. This isn't high school, Fiona, and we're not kids on the playground playing truth or dare. There are other things to take into consideration."

"Such as?"

"Work."

"Work?"

"Yeah, you're dad and I are busy people."

"Oh. Well why aren't you at work right now, then?"

"My work doesn't work that way. Technically I already went to work today. All of my meetings were in the morning."

"Oh, well, Dad only started working harder since my other dad passed away. Maybe it would be different if I had two parents again."

"I can't just swoop in and replace your other dad, Fiona. He was a good man and-"

"So are you," she nearly cried. "And you know that someone, eventually, will swoop in. At least if it was you it's be somebody I actually liked not some… Douche." She grumbled the last part just as the doorbell rang. He couldn't imagine who it could be.

"You better make sure your dad doesn't catch you saying that," he said as he made to go open the door. Fiona laughed behind him.

"Who do you think I learned it from?" Dave shook his head. The Hummels would be the death of him.

As Dave looked at the peephole he frowned. That was weird...

"It's your Dad," he said as Fiona turned around in her seat. She stuffed the rest of the sandwich in her mouth in one bite. Dave snorted in amusement, and then opened the door.

"Hey, everything okay?"

Kurt gave him an apologetic smile.

"Yeah. I can't believe it though," he said exasperatedly. "My boss had to postpone the meeting because she had to take her cat to the vet. I was halfway to the office when I had to ask the cab driver to turn around. I'm so sorry for wasting your time like this David."

"No, it's fine," Dave said waving Kurt off as Fiona came up behind him, still chewing her sandwich. "We had fun right, Fiona? While it lasted?" She nodded, her cheeks looked like those of a hamster hoarding food for later.

"What are you eating there, sweetie?" Kurt said, giving a cute head tilt that Dave was so accustomed to.

Fiona let out an unintelligible mumble.

"Oh, um…" Dave scratched the back of his head speaking up for her. "I made her a fluffernutter. Her first one, apparently."

Dave watched as Kurt's eyes grew misty. He blinked and then smiled reminiscently.

"Those things were my favorite. My dad made those for me all the time after my mom…" Kurt froze, staring, this time, unblinkingly at Dave. Like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I know," Dave said quietly. He didn't realize how close they were standing until he felt like the back of his neck was burning. He shook his head, trying to clear it of its dreamy state, and turned around to see Fiona staring at him with a smug look on her face. He could hear Kurt taking a step back.

"Thanks for letting me stay with Uncle Dave for awhile. He's cool," Fiona said as she stepped out into the hall with her dad. "Maybe we could do it again sometime?"

"Well, of course, but it's up to Dav-"

"I'd love to," Dave said quickly. And then added, "Actually, maybe if it's not too late to change my mind… I'd love to get some frozen yogurt with you guys." Dave only shared a small, secret smile with Kurt, but he couldn't help but let his eyes flicker towards Fiona, standing behind her dad and grinning hopefully.

"It's never too late, David," Kurt said, his bottom lip trembling slightly. He swallowed thickly as he tried to steel his emotions. Rather poorly, actually, and it took Dave everything in his power not to kiss Kurt right in front of his daughter. After all, Kurt was always an emotional man about things that mattered. Which made Dave all the more certain that he wasn't only referring to the possibility of frozen yogurt.