If you're reading this update thinking 'I'm sure I'm missing something' I uploaded Chapter Nine about ten minutes ago. Equally if you're reading this note and HAVEN'T seen a conversation where Blaine talks about what to name his baby, go read Chapter Nine first :) Enjoy!

Blaine found out later that both boys had been suspended, due to the fighting, for three days each. It was hours later, when Tina had called his home to see how he was doing and, subsequently, spilled all the gossip about what had happened after Blaine had been sent home. It wasn't hard to guess what was floating around the school after the fight and the suspension didn't surprise Blaine either. Considering how strict Miss Berry was about violence in school property but the fight wasn't what had Blaine's head in a spin, it was what had happened in the Nurse's office.

Kurt had held him, against his chest, for a long time, letting Blaine just cry into his shirt, neither of them saying a word and when the bell rang, signally that classes were changing, Kurt had kissed the top of Blaine's head and let him go, just like that. Not a word as a goodbye.

Blaine's mind had been blissfully blank for the rest of the day, a rare occurrence for him lately, almost afraid to think about what had happened that afternoon between the two of them, scared that he would overthink it or mentally add in things that hadn't happened but he was home now, lying back in his, seemingly constant, position on the couch watching Oprah fuss over some celebrity, his thoughts now loud and proud and a million miles away.

God, Baby. He just let me cry on him. I know all I do is cry lately so it was just… Oh. It was lovely. He took care of me, Baby… and he smells really good. Blaine was getting used to having mental conversations with his Baby but he didn't want to gush over his crush too much to her but, oh, he could have stayed like that for hours.

A deep sigh shook through him, Oh shush Blaine. It's not like he… Well, he must care a little. He stayed all that time just holding me. Which was very nice of him. Blaine switched conversations partners from Baby to himself, thinking that would be safer ground, Blaine allowed his mind to drift off into sweet daydreams, imagining that Baby had two daddies that loved each other, almost as much as they loved her, both wanting her…

The phone's shrill ring broke Blaine out of his blissful state and he leant back over the edge of the sofa to pull it out of his cradle.

"Andersons." Blaine could never break out of his parent's habit of answering their phone with their own name. Cooper had tried but it was just easy for Blaine to slip back into the routine he had, primarily, grown up with.

"Blaine. I am your saviour." Blaine laughed at Sam's, spot on, Vader impersonation.

"Obi-Wan, you are our only hope!" Blaine's voice went higher than it even had before and even though he didn't have the penchant for impersonations that his friend did he knew Sam appreciated having another, self-proclaimed, geek around him.

"Feeling any better?"

Blaine laughed again. "I think that's my line, Sam. How's your eye?"

"I'm thinking of telling girls I got into a bar fight with a man three times my size, since it looks like my little sister's attacked one side of my face with purple makeup. Think I'll get the sympathy date?"

"It's worth a shot." Blaine paused. "Sam… What you did for me, thank you." Blaine really didn't know how else to thank Sam. He had been planning a day long X-Men marathon with the original cartoons as well but he just needed Sam to know that he appreciated what Sam had done for him immediately.

"He needed his ass handed to him. He need a hell of a lot more than that, really, but I can only really help with the first bit." Sam's tone grew harsh, feeling angry at how callous and unfeeling Sebastian had been toward his best friend.

"I know." There was nothing else he could say about it.

"Say, Blaine… What do you think of Santana?"

Blaine startled at the unexpected change of subject, he didn't know what to day. "Lopez, Santana, that Santana?"

"You know many other Santana's?"

Blaine laughed at Sam's clear sarcasm and, over the other side of town, Sam smiled. He loved to make Blaine laugh, make anyone laugh, and it was a sound he scarcely heard the past month. "She's not bad. I mean, she helped today. So that was nice."

Sam took the plunge, making his way to the main reason he had called Blaine – he had heard from Tina that Blaine was safely home and happier earlier in the day – he took a deep breath. "Do you think she might like me?"

"Santana?" It never entered Blaine's mind to pair those two together. "I don't know, Sam. I could try and find out for you?"

"Covert op mission!?" Sam was excited at the prospect of Blaine helping him.

They made plans to do just that and once they had said their goodbyes and hung up Blaine snuggled back down into the soft couch, falling into a light sleep, dreams of Santana, Sam and the odd appearance of steely blue eyes.

Kurt was grading, some truly horrendous, papers when his phone began to ring and, grateful for the interruption, he reached across the table and slid his finger along the screen to answer the call.

"Hello." His best friend's voice filled his ears and Kurt laughed when the greeting he was given in return was and elongated "Thank youuuuu!"

Knowing full well why Rachel was calling but deciding to tease her by asking "For what, dear Rachel?"

"You know damned well what I'm thanking you for, Hummel, stupid doesn't suit you." There was an answering chucked in Rachel's faux-biting tone.

"Calm down. Is that gratitude I hear in your voice?" Kurt was enjoying this, there was very little he was able to lord over Rachel Berry, she had gotten into NYADA first, she had realised she wanted to follow a teaching route first, she had been promoted within McKingly first, so he was determined to revel in his being right. He had known halfway into their meal that Jesse wasn't the one for him. Smart, snappy, very goal orientated and, admittedly, very attractive, Jesse was an acquired taste and that was something he had heard about his best friend in abundance since they were sixteen. But Jesse was tall and lean, not short and broad, his hair was freely curly not slicked back like a fifties movie star… So Kurt knew he wasn't the one for him.

Kurt remembered it hitting him, on his one and only date with Jesse – in the middle of dinner no less – that the man he really wanted was still just a boy, still in high school with captivatedly, Bambi-esque, brown eyes,

Lost in his own thoughts Kurt had completely missed what Rachel had said. "Sorry, Rach. I'm miles away. What was that?"

"Never mind Kurt. I just wanted you to know that I'm thankful, truly." There was a real happiness in Rachel's voice, something Kurt hadn't heard in years.

"Anytime, Rach." And he meant it.

Rachel hung up the phone, and looked to the man whos arms she was in, smiling broadly. "I am grateful."

"Talent like mine could only be matched to you, I am as well." Jesse smiled softly, a gentle side of him that he seldom let out before leaning down to the feisty Brunette, meeting her lips in a deep kiss, promising more, always more.

Blaine was home alone, Cooper had left on another road trip, this time to New York, to deliver three back to back workshops and he had just woken up from his late afternoon nap. He looked over at the clock on the mantelpiece, it was still quite early, not yet time for dinner but the nap had been so necessary. The emotional stress of the day just called for Blaine to be able to sleep a little bit longer but, for the second time that day, it was the home phone ringing that startled Blaine awake.

Blaine had gotten used to being home alone, he didn't really think much of it, and sometimes he even looked forward to the quiet that followed Cooper leaving. He knew Tina or Sam were just a phone call away so it was never something to panic about and lately Blaine never knew how Cooper was going to react to something so he was happy to have some peace. His brow furrowed as the phone continued to ring, he'd already spoken to both Tina and Sam that afternoon so he wasn't quite sure who would be ringing and even as he leant over to pick up the phone again there was some niggling doubt in the back of his mind that maybe he shouldn't answer this phone call.

Mrs Smythe's hard voice greeted him, a false sincerity attempting to warm her tones, and Blaine's radar went on high alert, bracing himself, knowing nothing good would come from this phone call. It didn't take long for Sebastian's mother to get to her point. "Blaine. I'd like to ask you a question, actually a few questions. "She had already dropped off her sincere tone and it was replaced with a much more business-like timbre.

"Please, do go ahead." Even in his rising agitation Blaine would never forget his manners. He played with the hem of his, untucked, polo with his free hand, attempting some kind of distraction.

"My husband and I would like to make you an offer. We'd like to provide you with financial support in exchange for your cooperation."

Blaine felt the chill run through his body, hurt racing through his veins and pooling in his stomach. Unable to believe this was happening Blaine stuttered out a few syllables that Mrs Smythe took it upon herself to deliberately misinterpret as Blaine's agreement and continued to talk.

"All you would need to do is to sign a consenting document; it would be legally drawn up by lawyers and solicitors, which would absolve Sebastian of his parental responsibility." Pausing slightly, Mrs Smythe's voice kept on going but Blaine, simply, wasn't listening anymore.

They don't want us, Baby. They want me to take their money so we won't… Oh. No, I won't let them do that to us, Baby."

Blaine didn't want to hear anything more that Mrs Smythe had to say so cut her off with "I can't. No. Please don't call me again" and ended the call. Tears sliding down his cheeks, his heart broken. Oh Baby, I'm so sorry. I promise I will make sure you know that I want you, I'm going to love you so much, and I will always want you.

The phone rang once more, interrupting Blaine's soothing internal monologue, and without waiting for the person on the other end to start talking Blaine said, in his strongest voice – even thick with tears -, "No. I won't be taking your money just so Sebastian can walk away with a clear conscience."

There was a deafening since on the end of the phone and then a soft pitch came through. "Please, tell me, Blaine… You didn't just say what I thought you said."

"Kurt?" Wiping his cheeks, Blaine tried to clear his throat.

"Yes. What's wrong?" Kurt knew he shouldn't have called Blaine; he shouldn't have searched for the boy's home number before he left school that day and he shouldn't want to get in his car and drive over to the boys house right now.

"Nothing." If Blaine kept to one word answer he might be able to fool him, it had always worked with his parents. Blaine, desperately, wanted to confide in his teacher but he was afraid to say anything at all, his fears outweighing his want for comfort. Blaine longed for someone that would just rest with him, keep him protected and maybe smash up his home phone a little. Blaine let more tears escape into the long silence.

There was such an extended pause on the phone that Kurt swore he could hear the sound of Blaine crying but, still, the boy didn't speak. He couldn't. Everything was collapsing and he was completely alone right now. His breathing hitched and a sob broke through before he could even contain it and the dam around his emotions snapped, hormones and situation rushed through and Blaine dropped to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.

Kurt refused to predetermine any consequence of his actions or assign them a value, he couldn't allow himself to think that was he was doing was wrong, the only thoughts rushing through his mind was that Blaine needed someone, needed him, and from what he could pick out from the boys sobs it seemed that no-one was home with Blaine and it would be staying that was for days. There wasn't a fibre of Kurt's being that was okay with leaving Blaine like that, he refused to leave him in that condition by himself, so he drove faster than he should and made it to Blaine's front door in less than fifteen minutes.

There was nothing but tears, Blaine felt his body being hot and cold at the same time and could feel the tremors wracking through his frame, his throat felt on fire from the sounds he was making and he just couldn't do anything but cry, tears coating his face and his cardigan, from where he kept wiping it over his face, Blaine grew up in a household where fears and emotions were kept behind their respective doors but he had always had someone to hold him when the tears got too much, Cooper when he was very young and his friends at Dalton when he was sent there. Now, no-one was here, there was no-one to hold him, Blaine felt unloved, he felt unwanted. The only person he had was Baby. He loved his Baby and that was it. It was just the two of them.

Kurt found the front door to be locked and he didn't bother ringing the bell or knocking, he just made his way round the side of the house, through the unlocked gate and around to the back door. He peered inside the window of the door and couldn't see Blaine at first; he fought the panic rising in him until he heard a loud sniffling. He looked toward the entryway and saw Blaine huddled almost in a ball, head down on his knees and arms curled around his legs.

Kurt prepared himself to break the glass of the window to get to him but was surprised when he turned the door handle and found it open. He raced through the narrow corridor, sliding on his knees to where Blaine lie, and gathered him into his arms, once again letting his tears soak through another shirt.

Additional A/N: I know... I know... Will I ever end a chapter without having Blaine in Kurt's arms. (Lets hope not.)