They prepared dinner in companionable silence, Jane preparing a salad and garlic bread, while Kurt quickly threw together some spaghetti. Normally, they would work together on all of it, but after the day they'd had, they mutually agreed to delegate. They were both anxious to put this day behind them and unwind together on the couch.
"Hey, how did Allie's appointment go today?" Jane asked as they sat down to eat.
Kurt sighed. "I wouldn't know. I didn't get there in time. Connor went in with her."
"I'm sorry," Jane said. She knew it bothered him that Connor was accompanying Allie, despite his protestations to the contrary, and she felt incredibly guilty that she was partly responsible for him being late. He was hard to resist, but she would make damn sure that he was on time for all future appointments.
"Don't be," Kurt told her. "I know this is hard on you as well, Jane." They hadn't discussed it, but it was part of the reason he had lingered in bed this morning. That, and she was just so damn irresistible when she flashed him that half-awake smile of hers. He couldn't seem to get enough of watching it come fully awake as he made love to her.
Jane didn't know how to respond. Her feelings about Allie and the baby were . . . conflicted anymore, to say the least. They finished their meal in companionable silence, and then she suggested Kurt go work on the nursery for a while, while she cleaned up. He'd bought the furniture over the weekend, and put it together, as well as painting a few swatches on the wall, but he kept finding new and better ways to arrange it. Hopefully, that would cheer him up from this morning's disappointment.
She was just drying the last few dishes when a knock sounded on the door. "Kurt!" she called as she started toward the door, knowing whoever was coming by had to be for him. "Allie," she said in surprise when she opened it. "Uh, hi. Kurt didn't mention you were coming by. Come on in."
"He doesn't know," Allie said as she stepped inside. "Hey, Kurt," she greeted as he stepped out from the hallway. "Sorry for stopping by so late, but I needed to talk to you. Jane, could you give us a minute, please?"
Jane felt her heart sink at the serious expression on the woman's face. Something was clearly up. "Sure," she agreed as she turned back to the kitchen to finish putting the dishes away.
Kurt clearly didn't notice anything amiss. "Come on," he said eagerly as he motioned for Allie to follow him. "I have something I want to show you." He led Allie back down the hallway to the nursery.
Jane strained her ears, but she couldn't hear any trace of their conversation. She supposed the lack of raised voices was a good thing. Or not, she realized a few minutes later when Allie emerged from the nursery alone. "Allie?" she asked as their eyes met, already moving toward the woman. "What's going on? Is everything okay with the baby?"
"The baby's fine, Jane." Allie hesitated, wondering if she should leave it to Kurt to break the news and then deciding it might be best coming from her. "I, uh . . . I got a promotion, so Connor and I are going to be moving to Colorado. I talked it over with Kurt, and he gave me his blessing."
"And you believed him?" Jane took a half-step back, stunned by this news. "Look, Allie . . . I've been trying to stay out of things between you and Kurt, so maybe it's not my place to say this, but I hope for the sake of your daughter, you'll reconsider. Do you really want your child to grow up without her father? Connor seems like a nice guy, and it's great that he's being so supportive of you and willing to play a role in her life, but he'll never be able to take Kurt's place. As a child who was orphaned very young, I can tell you that the one thing I wish now more than anything was that I'd had the opportunity to know my parents. Both my parents. And Kurt is so excited about being a dad. Please . . . don't take that away from him. Don't take it away from your daughter."
Allie glanced away as she listened. "Kurt told me to take the promotion. And Connor's already put in for a transfer." She fiddled with the buttons on her coat. "I should go."
Jane watched in disbelief as Allie turned and walked out of the apartment without a backwards glance, and then went in search of Kurt.
He was standing in the nursery with his back to her, shoulders slumped as he stared down into the crib that would never hold his daughter now. "Kurt," she said softly as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry."
"Allie told you," Kurt stated more than asked as he turned toward her with tears streaming down his face, reaching for her even as she wrapped her arms around him.
"She did," Jane confirmed. "I tried to talk her out of it, but I don't think it helped. I probably shouldn't have said anything. I hope I didn't make things worse."
Kurt smiled sadly. "I don't think you could, but I appreciate your trying. We haven't talked much about the baby, but I know this hasn't been easy for you, Jane." He couldn't imagine how he would feel if their positions were reversed, and she were expecting some other man's baby.
"I admit that I wish parenthood were a first we were experiencing together," Jane said carefully, "but this isn't about me, Kurt. Like I told Allie, this is about your daughter, and what's best for her. And that is absolutely having you in her life. Why did you tell Allie to take the promotion?"
"I just . . . she caught me so off-guard I didn't know what to say," Kurt admitted. "It was clear she wanted to go, and I didn't want to stand in the way of her career. And I've never had your confidence that I would be a good father, Jane. When Allie first told me she was pregnant, all I could think about was my mom telling me I was just like my dad."
Jane sucked in a breath as fury coursed through her. God help that woman if she ever laid eyes on her. "You are nothing like him," she insisted. "You're loving and kind and dependable and honorable. And you are going to be an amazing father. Just seeing how excited you were to build this nursery proves it. You deserve the chance to find that out for yourself." It was all she could do to force out her next words. "Maybe you should consider moving to Colorado."
"What?" Kurt drew back, stunned. "Jane . . . No. I am not leaving you." He couldn't believe she would even suggest it.
"It wouldn't be forever," Jane said softly. "Once we take down Sandstorm, I could join you." The thought of even that short separation broke her heart, but she couldn't bear to be the reason Kurt was separated from his child. "You shouldn't have to miss out on your daughter's birth and all of her important milestones because of me."
"I'm not," Kurt told her. "Even if we hadn't gotten married, I would still be staying here, Jane. Sandstorm was watching me long before you came into my life, and until I know what they want with me, I'm not going anywhere. Come to think of it, it might be best that I keep my distance from my daughter for the time being. Besides . . . I'm not even sure it would be possible for me to move at this point without taking a huge demotion myself. I doubt there's an opening for a lead agent in Colorado, much less an assistant director.
"And . . ." He pulled Jane back into his arms. "What kind of husband would I be if I abandoned you now? I vowed to love, honor, and protect you, and you and Roman need me. If I were to leave, Pellington would probably hand him over to the CIA before my flight could even take off." No doubt with Nas's blessing.
Jane shivered at the thought, and Kurt's arms tightened around her. "Relax. I won't let that happen. Partners, remember? I'm in this for the long haul. I love you, Jane."
"I love you too, Kurt." Jane lifted her head from his chest to smile up at him. "And what I said earlier . . . I didn't mean . . . I really am happy for you and Allie. Truly."
"I know," Kurt assured her. "If things aren't too hectic when Allie goes into labor, maybe we could fly out there for a visit." She nodded, and he hesitated before continuing. "Maybe I shouldn't say this, but I wish it was you and me, as well, Jane. It means the world to me that you spoke up to Allie on my behalf, and to know that you'll never take any of our kids away from me. You're going to be an amazing mom. And given the circumstances, for all intents and purposes, we will be experiencing parenthood for the first time together."
Jane swallowed hard as she stared at him, and Kurt froze. "I mean, if you want to have kids. I guess I just assumed when you said what you did that . . ." He trailed off, but when she still didn't speak, he quickly backpedaled. "It's okay if you'd rather not. I—"
"No!" Jane blurted, finally finding her voice. "I hadn't really thought about it when I said that, but . . ." She took a deep breath. "We haven't had a chance to talk about our future, and to be honest, I've been avoiding thinking about it with everything going on, but I would love to have a family with you, Kurt Weller. Once we take down Sandstorm and figure out a way for you to be in your daughter's life, we can work on a kid of our own."
"Something to look forward to then," Kurt said quietly. "I think we could both use that right now." He stepped back and gestured around him. "In the meantime, I think I'll put this furniture in storage and turn this back into a guest room."
"Don't you think you should hold off on that for a while?" Jane suggested. "Allie may think it over and change her mind."
Kurt shook his head. "No, she won't." Allie's mind had been made up before she ever came over here, and if he had stood in the way of her career, she would just have wound up resenting him, making it more difficult to coparent than any amount of distance would. "And I'd rather not have to walk by here every day and be reminded of . . ." He looked away. "Besides, this way Sarah and Sawyer can stay with us when they come to visit. If that's okay with you."
"Of course," Jane assured him at once. She was a bit nervous about coming face to face with Kurt's sister again, but Sarah had been so kind the few times they talked on the phone that she had set Jane's mind at ease. "I'm looking forward to seeing them again."
Kurt's face brightened. "Me too." It felt like an eternity since they had left. "I gave away the old furniture, so we'll have to pick out new stuff for in here, unless . . ." He hesitated. "We could pick out new furniture for our room, make that space our own, and move the old stuff in here."
Jane's face lit up. "Really? You wouldn't mind?" Kurt's furniture was nice, but she loved the idea of them picking out a set all their own to commemorate the start of their new life together. Every place she'd stayed that she could remember had come fully furnished, so this would be another first for her.
"Not at all," Kurt assured her. He reached for her hand and threaded his fingers through hers. "I'm just . . . I'm so thankful to have you in my life, Jane. I don't know how I'd have gotten through tonight if I were alone.
Jane tightened her grip on his hand. "I'm thankful for you as well, Kurt. I'm thankful neither of us ever has to be alone again." She moved back into his arms, and they held each other tightly, each relishing the comfort found in the other's embrace.
They had weathered their first storm as a couple, and together they would weather any others life threw at them.