Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, etc through 51st cycle. Now cycle 52!

This is a double shift day. There will be one more upload today: Overshine.

"Steps 44-53, Breathe & Push"
Brittany, Kurt, Santana, Brittana, & others
Paper Heart series
(all series now listed under the communities tab in my profile)

1. Step Forty-Four, Find Patience

His father had all but needed to stop him from setting up camp on the nursery floor so he could be nearby, or call in sick to school. Brittany's due date had come and gone and, four days later there was still no sign of the baby boy wanting to leave his mother's womb. Now another morning had rolled around, and as they all sat to breakfast he was looking at the blonde time bomb with the look which would prompt his father telling him that, yes, he was going to school.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Kurt asked her as he followed her up the stairs. As careful as she was about it, he couldn't help shadowing her on the ascent.

"Yes, Kurt," she told him, going back into her room, picking up her book, iPod, and blanket before starting back down. Kurt zipped by her so to be ahead of her on the descent.

"I could have gotten those for you," he pointed out, and she stopped. His eyes snapped. "What? Is it time?" he asked.

"Go down," she pointed down the stairs.

"Dad?" he called out. "It's okay, we…"

"No, stop, it's not…" Burt came bursting through from the kitchen. "It's not time!" she sighed. "Just go down and let me come down on my own, please? You're stressing me out," she told him, and he breathed out.

"I just don't want you to get…" he started, then getting her point, he bowed out, going down the steps. Once he was down, she carried on down. "Sorry," he told her and her smile returned.

"I get that you're worried, and it's really nice to know how much you're here for us, just…"

"Relax, got it," he nodded, and she hugged him.

"Alright…" Burt was still coming down the previous panic. "Come on, I'll drive you to school," he told his son, who went to get his things, before turning to the girl. "Nicely done," he told her, and she beamed, heading into the living room. She got comfortable on the couch, where she could get a hold of anything she needed. She looked up, seeing Kurt stop in the door for a beat, decide against whatever he was going to say or do, and just wave at her. She waved back with a smile, watching him go.

She was feeling good today. She couldn't explain it, she had just woken up that morning and she felt great, energized… The fact that her due date had come and gone was curious to her, of course, but it didn't really trouble her. She was a good home for him, so if he didn't want to leave yet…

She didn't want to worry, not now. Even the delivery, all of it, she'd put it aside… If she was so worried, then he might feel it, and then no wonder he wouldn't come out. So she went with confidence, and with the belief that when the time would come, they'd all be ready, and then he would be born, and she could hold him in her arms… She knew he was in there, could feel him constantly, but he was still unseen… The sonograms couldn't possibly compare to looking at him, really him, in the flesh, an actual little person that would look like her and Kurt…

Until he was ready to be born though, all she could do was wait for him, and so she did. She sat there with her blanket, and her music, and her book, and she would wait out the day. She didn't have lessons today, so she would read a while, do her homework, try and do her exercises… She couldn't wait until the end of the day, when Kurt and Burt would return, keep her company… Hopefully Santana would drop by, too.

At McKinley, once he'd been dropped off, Kurt could finally check his phone for messages from home without being accused of being some kind of lunatic who couldn't keep it together. What did they expect though? It could be today, at any time… He would get the call and he would know he was about to become a father. There was no way he could stay calm, not with that hanging over his head the whole time. He was pretty sure he hadn't retained a single thing in the last week of classes. This was just another reason for him to stay at home with her… He was useless here, whereas at home he could at least look after her, even if he apparently drove her crazy. At least she got why he did it. And he wasn't alone.

He met up with Santana in the hall. She had been unusually quiet these last few days, and even if he had a pretty good idea why, he didn't call her up on it. It was her business, he'd said what he had to say, now the ball was in her court and pushing would help no one, least of all her. Still, she wasn't completely shut down.

"How's she doing?" she asked when she saw him coming.

"She's fine, she's great… Kind of bossy," he told her, and Santana had to smile.

"Good," she nodded. "She knows I'm not here this afternoon, right?"

"You're not here this afternoon?" he asked and she rolled her eyes.

"I told you about this, I have to go with my parents to see a doctor, the insurance thing? Don't see why I have to go, but apparently I have no say in the matter."

"I'll remind her if she's looking for you," he promised.

"Thanks," she told him before they parted ways, headed to two different classes. As he stopped at his locker, he was approached by Will.

"Kurt, good morning," the teacher smiled.

"I'm fine," Kurt frowned, picking books from his locker and slipping them into his bag.

"Your mind went right there, didn't it?" Will sighed.

"Seeing as anything people want to know these days is how I am and how Brittany is, it was a safe bet," he explained flatly.

"Well then I guess I'll see you for Glee this afternoon," he patted the boy on the shoulder. "Should do you some good."

"Yeah, sure…" Kurt managed a smile for him before moving along down the hall.

He knew Schuester was right. He needed to snap out of 'imminent fatherhood' mode, even for just an hour or so. If he was like this now, he wasn't sure what to think of what he might be like once the baby was born and it was actually up to him and Brittany to take care of him…

On his way down the halls and even as he got to class he got more of his friends coming up to him and asking after Brittany. He told them what he could tell them, that she was fine and there was nothing to really say for now, but that once there was something, he'd make sure to let them know.

Until then he sat in his place, his phone in plain view on his desk, his books taken out, even if he didn't expect to even feint to open them like he could pay attention, and so began the day.

TO BE CONTINUED (TOMORROW)