Cooper shot to Kurt's side. "Kurt? Is everything okay? Did you - "

"They're alive," Kurt whispered. "They're okay."

A great cheer rose from the occupants of their table. A server rushed to them to see what the commotion was all about, and she was quickly informed of the situation. She was delighted to hear the news and comped their bill so they could leave the restaurant that much sooner.

Cooper whooped and dragged Kurt out to the car. Kurt snapped out of his fog just enough to climb into the passenger seat and buckle up before Cooper took off, tires squealing.

"Where we going?" he demanded.

"Lima General," Kurt replied.

"Wow - they've been that close all this time?"

"I don't... I don't know. I kind of got the impression they were dropped there." Kurt began to recount the phone conversation to Cooper. "But Cooper, Elsa's sick," he said, voice breaking.

"Oh god, Kurt, why didn't you say so earlier? How bad is it?"

"I don't know - they mentioned antibiotics and fever and possible sepsis, and I just don't know. It was all a whirlwind in my mind and I was stuck way back on 'we've got them.'"

Cooper reached over the dash and grabbed Kurt's hand in a comforting gesture. "It's gonna be okay, Kurt. She's in the hands of the good guys now, and they're not going to let us down." Cooper pulled into the hospital parking lot and drove right up to the door. "Go on, find your girl. Tell Blainey I'll be right there, 'cause I KNOW he's going to be right there with Elsa until he can turn her over safely to you."

"Thank you, Cooper, I - "

"There'll be time for all that later. Now shoo! Go!" Cooper practically threw Kurt out of his car and sped off, out of sight before Kurt could even register in his head that he had left.

Shaking his head, he trotted up to the emergency room doors where he was met by members of the media.

"Mr. Hummel!" one shouted, and another stuck a microphone in his face and asked question after question, rapid-fire style, that Kurt didn't have a hope of understanding. A door off to the side of the main entrance opened and a uniformed police officer came out.

"This way, Mr. Hummel," he said, and he put himself between Kurt and the reporters so that Kurt could escape them quickly.

"Thank you," Kurt sighed.

"My pleasure, sir," the officer replied. "Now if you'll follow me, I'll - "

"KURT!" a familiar voice shouted.

Kurt immediately jerked his head in the direction of the voice. "DAD!" He ran into the outstretched arms of his father, tears beginning to stream down his face. The men embraced, both outwardly crying.

"It's okay, Kurt. It's okay. She's okay, she'll be fine," Burt said, rubbing Kurt's upper back soothingly.

"Dad, what's wrong with her? They said infection on the phone, but I was so overwhelmed that I didn't really absorb anything after that."

"It's okay, Kurt. She had a bad infection after stepping on a nail, but they're pumping her full of antibiotics now and she'll be as good as new. Physically, anyway."

"How is she otherwise?" Kurt asked fearfully.

"She's drained. She's confused, for sure. She's a bright little girl but she doesn't understand why her papa took her from her daddy and told her she'd never see him again. But she'll be okay. A heaping helping of her Daddy's love will go a long way."

"Can I see her now?"

"Sure, kiddo, let's go," Burt said, leading his son down a long hallway.

"She's not alone right now, is she?" Kurt worried.

"No, no, Carole and Blaine are in there with her."

"Blaine!" Kurt exclaimed. "Dammit, I did it again! I forgot about him." He wanted to slap himself.

"Calm down, Kurt. He's fine. Not a scratch on him. Elsa won't let him leave her sight. From what I hear, the doctors wanted to take Blaine to another room to check him out but she screamed her little head off and they decided to wait until you got here to distract her. But don't worry - it's only a formality. There doesn't seem to be a thing wrong with him. A little hungry maybe, but he's good."

Kurt let out a deep sigh. "Thank goodness."

The two men stopped at a door in what was obviously a children's ward. Burt stepped back to allow his son to enter the room first. Kurt stepped through the doorway and was greeted by the sight of a little girl, dwarfed by a huge bed, with tubes and wires attached to her small hands.

But all he could see was his little girl. Finally.

"Elsa!" Kurt called.

Elsa's eyes shot open. "DADDYYYYYYYYYYY!" she squealed. She moved to try to get out of bed, but Blaine, who had been sitting wearily at the side of her bed, reactively put out a hand to stop her.

"No, no, sweetie. The doctor said you had to stay in the bed, remember? You can't get your medicine to make you better if you get up."

"Oh yeah," she said. "Sorry Blaine."

"It's okay, Elsa. Just remember for next time, okay?"

Kurt's heart melted at the easy rapport Blaine had with his daughter. He couldn't help but see how easy it would be to integrate him into their lives, and -

Wait.

He hardly knew this man.

Yet he felt like he knew everything he needed to know just by watching him interact with the little girl.

"Hi Blaine," Kurt said.

"Hi Kurt," Blaine replied. "Look, I'll just get out of your hair now, I know you're anxious to be with your daughter."

"No, Blaine, you don't have to leave. You're welcome to stay," Kurt tried to tell him, but it was too late. Blaine had disappeared.

While Kurt was able to hold his baby for the first time in weeks, Cooper was finally able to hold his baby brother.

"It is so good to see you, Coop. I'd started to wonder if I ever would again," Blaine confided.

"Don't ever think that again," Cooper said seriously. "I will always find you. I will walk to the ends of the Earth for you, kiddo, and I think you know that."

"The Earth is round, Big Brother," Blaine teased. "But yeah, I know that. And I'd do the same for you."

"Is this gonna be one big ol' 'I Love You Man' moment?"

"Let's not and say we did. We're in public, after all."

"Like that's ever stopped us!" Cooper grabbed his little brother and proceeded to give him a noogie.

"COOOOOOOP!" Blaine whined.

"I love you, man," Cooper said, throwing his arm around Blaine's shoulder.

"I love you too, man," Blaine replied.