Stretching his arms above his head, Kurt let out a small soft sigh, he felt wide awake, well rested and relaxed. No heavy eyes, no muscles aching and no frazzled brain. It was nice to wake up early, or at least he thought he had, the little green lights however on his alarm clock sitting on the nightstand read 9:49 am. Kurt dove out of his warm, cozy bed faster than he ever had before, he usually liked a gentle start to his mornings but with school having already started almost an hour ago Kurt's morning was gonna be utter chaos, rushing in and out of the bathroom with little time to brush his hair and teeth he grabbed some clothes from his closet. He was so late for school. Kurt couldn't remember the last time he'd been late for school, his heart was racing in his chest, old moody pants Mrs Edmund was gonna be so mad.

He shot down the stairs and straight into the empty kitchen... Wait, where was his Dad? He stupidly turned in a circle looking for the older man. Why hadn't he called Kurt down for breakfast? Had his alarm failed to stir him too? Panic began to set in as he quickly turned, sliding slightly in his socks on the laminate flooring, he ran for the stairs again he'd have to wake his Dad, he too was gonna be late for work but it wouldn't really matter for his Dad seeing as he was his own boss. As Kurt reached the bottom of the stairs something clicked in his sleep mused brain suddenly remembering that it was Saturday.

Which also meant...

"Whoa, careful there Buddy. Where's the fire? I know it's your birthday but isn't it a little early for all this excitement?" Burt's deep laugh broke the silence as his son ran straight into him, almost knocking them both over. "Happy Birthday Son" His Dad smiled pulling him in for a hug which Kurt happily returned with a grin of his own, still trying to calm down from his fright, feeling slightly silly for thinking it was a school day.

"Thirteen huh? A teenager already" Burt held his son by the shoulders out at arms reach looking him over "I remember when you were this big" Burt held out his hands to show how small Kurt used to be. "I could sit you in the palm of my hand..."

"Daaaad" Kurt whined, playfully shoving his Dad, to avoid embarrassment

"Fine" Burt chuckled "The story can wait, I've got breakfast to make for a special birthday boy anyway" Burt added as he ruffled his son's hair much to the annoyance of Kurt.

Breakfast had turned out to be tons of fun though as Burt made them both scrambled eggs on toast before loudly singing him a very out of tune Happy Birthday as he presented a small birthday cake that he'd picked up on his way home from work the night before. They'd had a fun morning together and then come noon Burt told his son to put his shoes on before leading him out to the car, refusing to answer any of his son's questions.

"I know you said you didn't want a fuss made for your birthday this year" Burt finally spoke as he drove down the road "And I know you're so against the idea of a birthday party, which I don't understand by the way because you absolutely loved them when you were little, you had one every year since you were born..."

"I'm not seven anymore Dad" Kurt quickly interrupted, his voice hard, narrowing his eyes as he glared at his father. The man was clearly up to something and Kurt really wanted to know what.

"Promise me you aren't gonna be mad" Burt said chancing a quick glance at his son sat beside him before focusing back on the road. "But turning thirteen is a big deal, and I bet Blaine would agree"

Blaine.

Kurt Hummel's best friend. Kurt and Blaine aren't like your average pair of best friends though. They're a special kind. They share a connection, that most best friends don't, a connection that runs deep. And that's because Kurt and Blaine have been best friends since the day they were born. They know it sounds silly when they tell people and most of them never understand but it was true.

Thirteen years ago on May 27th at seven o'clock in the morning a little screaming fuzzy haired bundle of joy named Blaine Devon Anderson was born. It's wasn't until after four that same afternoon that a much smaller and quieter Kurt Elizabeth Hummel arrived. Both boys got tons of kisses and shared long cuddles with their Mommy's and Daddy's before night time arrived and the nurses took them both away to let their Mommy's rest. Neither Elizabeth Hummel nor Pam Anderson had been able to sleep that night, both worrying about their baby boys, wondering where they were and if they were okay. That night as both women paced the dark hallways they met and soon became great friends.

What neither of them knew though was that just down the corridor in a dimly lit room a baby Blaine and Kurt had also just met, both new born boys had been carefully wrapped up, in matching blue blankets, and tucked into little weeny glass cots that stood near one another among all the other boys and girls born that day.

Poor little Kurt had been a bit frightened that night and he was really missing his Mommy and Daddy and so he'd spent most of the night crying, he had cried so much he'd ended up throwing up his milk all down the front of one of the Nurse's uniform, Kurt thought she deserved it though for keeping him away from his Mommy. Little Blaine was missing his parents too, not his big brother who had towered over him looking scary so much, but he didn't have time to cry he needed to make sure that his new friend was alright first. So even though he couldn't properly see Kurt past the thick fluffy blanket he still managed to coo to him in special baby talk.

"Hi, I'm Blaine" he'd coo'ed

And Kurt actually managed to calm himself down just enough to coo back. "I'm Kurt. I don't like it here"

"Being born is a bit strange isn't it?" Baby Blaine had replied and if Kurt had learnt then how to laugh he probably would have. Instead he just let out a whimper and told his new friend that he wanted to see his Mommy and a slightly watery eyed Blaine did his best to reassure his friend that they would get to see their Mommy's again really soon because they'd need to be fed and then Blaine had cried too in case there was a chance he would get fed sooner.

Kurt can still be a bit of a cry baby now, the kids at school love to tease him about it, always calling him a wimp and a cry baby, Blaine doesn't tease him about it though he always tries his best to cheer the other boy up instead. Burt had told his son many times that it's okay to cry sometimes especially like the times when he was six and he fell off his bike when Burt had been teaching him how to ride it for the first time or when he was eight and his Mom had died or even when he was ten and Blaine had persuaded him to climb a tree in the park and Kurt had slipped, falling and breaking his arm.

Kurt turned to stare out the window, the houses and trees going past in a blur of colour as he zoned out. The truth was he'd refused to have a birthday party ever since his Mom had died when he was eight. He can still remember the day he lost his Mom as though it were only yesterday that it had happened.

It had been a Wednesday and an eight year old Kurt had, had an awful day at school. The bigger boys had been a lot meaner to him than usual and his grazed knees were still stinging from where they'd tripped him over, twice, in the courtyard at lunchtime. Kurt couldn't wait for the school day to just be over so that he could see his Mom and get one of her big special hugs that always made everything, no matter how big or small, feel better again.

Only when he'd gotten off the school bus that day she hadn't been waiting to meet him, and his Dad hadn't even been there either to tell him that his Mom was a little busy or that she'd gotten carried away whilst out shopping, because that sometimes happened. So Kurt had made the short walk home, alone, feeling more upset than ever and making little stories up in his head to try and explain why neither of his parents had been there to meet him like they usually were. But nothing his eight year old brain had conjured up would of ever prepared him for what was really happening. Kurt had expected to walk through the front door and see the happy smiling faces of both his parents, for them to wrap him up in their arms and hold him tightly as they told him how much they loved him and how everything was alright and that they were really sorry that they hadn't met him off the School bus.

Instead he'd been greeted by a pale, slightly green looking Blaine who was sleeping on the sofa and Blaine's Grandmother who looked at him with sad eyes, the old lady hadn't really made Kurt feel any better either as she quietly explained to him that there had been some sort of accident and that his Mom and Dad were both at the hospital. But she'd told him it would be okay and that his Dad would be home really soon to see him. Taking in that tiny piece of information Kurt had sat silently by the front window in the living room all night, holding tightly to Sherman a stuffed teddy bear he's had since the day he was born, and just watched out for his Dad's truck or his Mom's small blue car to pull into the driveway. He'd been so transfixed watching the world outside slowly pass by that he hadn't even been fazed when Blaine had woken up and began vomiting into the bucket that had been left beside the couch for him or even attempted to move and help his best friend when he'd called out for some more tissues or water.

Blaine's Grandmother - or just Grandma as she had insisted that Kurt also call her - had managed to pull the upset boy away from his position by the window for about ten minutes or so to force not even half a bowl of her special homemade soup into him. Blaine had tried to ask his friend if he was alright but for the first time in either of their short lives Kurt had just ignored him as he pressed his aching forehead against the cool glass. Kurt had fought to keep his watery blue eyes open as the dark street outside continued to remain empty, just like his insides were starting to feel. Clutching Sherman closer to his small chest he'd let his heavy eyelids fall closed.

Kurt doesn't remember falling asleep and he couldn't tell you how long he'd slept for but when he woke again the sun was shining brightly through the window and someone, probably Grandma, had moved him to his Dad's armchair where he was curled up with a soft blanket and Sherman. Blaine and Grandma were gone but Burt was crouched beside the chair that his son had been sleeping on. Instantly Kurt knew that something wasn't right because his Dad's eyes were all red and puffy and he kind of looked like the zombie he'd accidentally seen on the TV a few weeks earlier when he was suppose to be sleeping. Sitting up he launched himself forward and into his father's open arms, where they'd both clung to each other for what seemed like hours. Kurt didn't like seeing his Dad upset and hugged the man as tight as his little arms would allow hoping to make him feel better, because he always felt better after receiving hugs. Burt had looked at his son and the tears he'd tried so hard to hold back since he'd returned home fell, Kurt buried his face into the crook of his Dad's neck, not sure what else to do. His head was starting to ache again and he didn't know how to feel, he was happy that his Dad was finally back but sad at the same time because he still didn't know what was going on and his Mom didn't seem to be home yet. "Where's Mommy?" he'd asked quietly but that only made his Dad cry harder so a confused and scared Kurt who had so many other questions running through his tiny head but couldn't get any of them out began to cry quietly into his Dad's shoulder.

Why hadn't his Mom came home? Had he done something wrong? Did she not like him anymore?

Burt had just continued to hold his son close, gently rubbing his back as he whispered softly into his ear, finally managing to calm down enough so that he could move them both to sit on the couch. Making sure to grab the blanket and Sherman from where they'd fallen to the floor forgotten, Burt sat in the middle of the couch, pulling his son onto his lap. Kurt took the old bear and held it under his chin before resting his aching head against his father's chest, as his Dad wrapped the blanket around his shoulders, the strong arms around him making the small boy feel safe as he breathed in the familiar scent and just let the steady thud-thud of his Dad's beating heart under his ear calm him.

Hugging his son close Burt had quietly explained, as much as he could to an eight year old, everything that had happened, from how a drunk driver had caused a crash on the highway and how Elizabeth, in her car, had been stuck in the middle of it. And how the doctors had tried their very best all night to fix her but she was hurting too much and the only way they could make her feel better again was to put her into a special sleep and let her go to live with the Angels where she'd be safe. By the time he'd finished, Kurt was sobbing loudly into his Dad's flannel shirt and clutching tightly to him as though afraid he'd disappear if he were to let go. Burt for his part had just held his son and tried his best to comfort him despite his own tears. For months after that Kurt had become really clingy with his Dad, afraid to let him out of his sight. Scared to go to school in case he would come home and find that he'd lost his Dad just like he'd lost his Mom.

Kurt shook his head to clear his thoughts, using his sleeve to dab at the corner of his eyes, as the car pulled to a stop not long after. A smiling Burt and a scowling Kurt made their way around the side of the Anderson's huge home and entering through the gate to the back yard.

"Now, I don't want you to be mad with me okay? But Pam and I thought that you and Blaine deserved to celebrate your birthdays properly this year now that you've became teenagers and all"