For Maria

Burt Hummel was never a morning person. Today, however, was not an average day. "Good morning!"

"What's so good about it?" Finn murmured into his cheerios.

Kurt looked up from his Vogue, confused. "Good morning, Dad." He grinned, despite his complete lack of enthusiasm for the holiday. "What's your problem, Finn? It's Valentine's Day. I mean sure, we're both alone, but there's no reason for you to look as...pale...as you do." Kurt paused, surveying his stepbrother's sluggishness. "Maybe we should spend Valentine's Day on the couch, watching movies. I have plans, but I won't be gone all night—"

"You need to plan to be gone until late, Kurt. You too, Finn. Carole and I have a special night planned." Burt grabbed his favorite cap from the hook next to the door and placed it onto his bald head.

Kurt's eyes rolled dramatically. "Use a condom."

"Gross." Finn muttered before pushing his cereal away.

Carole scurried through the kitchen, putting on an earring with great difficulty and grabbing a glass of orange juice from the kitchen. "Finn, you okay, baby?"

"I think he's sick." Kurt replied, disinterested. He was already re-immersing himself in his magazine. "That was only his second bowl and he's full."

"I'm fine." Finn stood without another word and grabbed his car keys, hastily treading out the door.

"Well, he's a joy to dine with." Kurt folded his magazine closed and stood, grabbing his blazer from the back of his chair. He kissed Carole's cheek and then his father's. "I'll be home...around eleven?"

"Take your time, sport." He winked. Carole's cheeks turned a curious shade of magenta.

Kurt slid a pair of sunglasses onto his face and turned to leave, calling over his shoulder, "Dad, I didn't like you calling me sport after my first ballet recital. Nothing has changed my opinion on that."

As the door clicked shut behind Kurt, Burt immediately shimmied up behind Carole and kissed her neck, eliciting giggles and playful swats from her. "Stop that! You know I'm ticklish!" she laughed, ducking out of Burt's grasp. "You shouldn't go to any trouble for me tonight, okay honey?"

"This is our first Valentine's Day together! I want it to be special. I want it to be perfect!"

Carole turned to her husband and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his nose. "Seriously, don't worry about it. Nothing sounds better than snuggling with my man and watching a movie."

Burt sighed. "How did I get ahold of such a beautiful and low-maintenance woman?"

Carole shrugged. "The same way you ended up with such a beautiful and high-maintenance son—just lucky, I guess." She kissed Burt. "I'll be home around five."

"I'll be waiting for you."

...

Burt had everything planned perfectly. Trails of rose petals everywhere. Romantic music. An amazing dinner planned—Kurt laid out a recipe with foolproof instructions for him. This wasn't about getting laid (although he would be fooling himself if he said he didn't hope that would be part of it), it was about the fact that for the last 9 years, he hadn't had anyone special to spend Valentine's Day with, and it had been even longer for Carole. Finally, after so many long years of spending Valentine's Day alone, waiting up for Finn to get home from a date, or soothing Kurt's lonely heart, this was their year. This was going to be a night they both would remember for the rest of their lives. Burt Hummel was a true romantic at heart. And nothing would stand in the way of their night.

"Burt, honey, come quick!" Carole's voice at the back door. What was she doing home? It was 2:00! Burt immediately grinned. Carole had something planned for him as well! That woman!

"Coming, sweetheart!" Burt called back, unbuttoning his shirt a few extra buttons. Nothing obscene, just enough to notice. He walked into the kitchen with the sexiest strut he could manage.

"Burt, what are you doing? Come on!" Carole was about to fold under the enormous pressure of her son, who looked like his entire weight was on her. "Finn is sick, help me!"

Burt immediately ran to them and threw Finn's arm over his shoulders. "What's wrong with him?"

"So...weak..." Finn murmured, his face an eerie shade of gray.

"I think it's mono," Carole replied softly, as though hoping Finn wouldn't hear her. "Come on, we'll never get him down the stairs. Let's just put him in our bed."

Burt groaned as he thought of the rose petals he sprinkled all over their bed and the very sick teenager who would be taking that space. Carole was a great mother, he had to admit, but he wished Finn's illness wouldn't be at the expense of their perfect night.

After stripping Finn of his clothes, feeding him soup, keeping his head cool with a washcloth, and basically caring for his every need until he fell asleep, it was 6:00. Burt opened a bottle of champagne and looked and Carole lovingly. "We might not have our bed, but that doesn't mean we can't still have a romantic evening." Burt cooed.

"Oh, Burt." Carole blushed, taking a glass from him and kissing him. "Happy Val—"

Kurt burst through the kitchen door and vomited straight into the trash can.

"Honey!" Carole ran to Kurt's aid. "What's wrong?"

After he stopped retching, he replied rather weakly, "I'm sorry...I know I said I'd be out until 11...but I think I ate something bad..."

Burt sighed and picked Kurt up as though he was a bag of flour—Carole mentally noted that it looked as though he had done this many times before—and took him to the bathroom. Together, Burt and Carole stripped him, cleaned him, and put him in bed next to Finn, a garbage bag and a glass of ginger ale set next to him, just in case.

It was nearly 11 by the time both boys were asleep. Burt and Carole both laid on the rug in the living room floor, exhausted from caring for two sick (and very high-maintenance) teenage boys.

Burt sighed heavily. "I'm sorry."

"What for?" Carole looked genuinely confused.

"I wanted our first Valentine's Day together to be special and perfect. And then all of this happened..."

"Baby..." Carole rolled onto her stomach and faced her husband. "We could have spent today doing taxes and cleaning the house and it would have been special and perfect to me. You wanna know why?"

Burt shrugged. "You're low-maintenance?"

"No." she grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "It's because every day of my life with you as my Valentine is special and perfect. Knowing that I will wake up next to you every day for the rest of my life, knowing that I have someone to help take care of our boys, especially when they're acting like big babies, knowing I have someone to hold my hand and tell me everything's going to be okay...that's what is special and perfect to me." She leaned forward and kissed him gently.

"Happy Valentine's Day, baby." Burt couldn't believe he was so lucky to have Carole.

"Mommy..." Finn's voice whined down the hallway. "...could you make me some soup? My throat..."

"Am I really waking up almost naked next to you, or is this a dream that I need to be taking advantage of? Oh, encore—" the sound of Kurt throwing up again echoed.

Burt and Carole exchanged one more kiss before going to tend to the chaos.