Hey everyone! Thank you so much for all of your reviews! Yes, I know! A baby girl! :D Eeep! :D I'm so excited!

I'm already playing with names…so do tell me if you have any ideas you'd like to be considered! :D

Enjoy, and please review! xxx

"Hello?"

"Hey, Cooper,"

"Oh! Blaine! Hi!" Cooper sounded immensely relieved at the other end of the phone, as if he'd been expecting someone else. "How you doing?"

"Great thanks, and what about you?" Blaine sat cross-legged on the camp bed, which he'd just neatly made after changing the sheets. He knew Carole would if he did not, and was determined for her to do as little as possible for him. He was grateful enough that she was letting him stay in her house, and wanted to make sure she didn't feel any difference having a third teenage boy in her basement.

"Oh, I'm getting on well, thanks. I'll come down to Lima at the weekend to check on you,"

"You don't have to check on me," Blaine switched phone hands.

"Yes, but I need to…Anyways," he said, tone becoming casual again. "I miss you, buddy,"

"Really? Buddy? What happened to "squirt"?" Blaine grinned.

"Well, you'll always be "squirt" to me, because that's what you are," Cooper sing-songed. "You'd better hope your kid doesn't get your height genes, or it's in for a lifetime of this too!"

"Speaking of my kid…" Blaine smiled at the ultrasound photograph in his hand. "It's a girl,"

"Oh! Awesome!" Cooper sounded as though he was positively beaming. "Awwh, congrats, man!"

"Thanks," Blaine said shyly.

"No, really, congrats. I know I was weird at first about it, but now anyone can see you and Kurtsie are going to be the best parents ever,"

"Really?" Blaine asked uncertainly. Well, he'd certainly read everything he possibly could about it, but he did worry…

"Sure. It's in human nature, isn't it?"

"I hope so…"

"And you two are going to be amazing parents to this little girl. And hey-you'll be able to give me advice if I ever do settle down and do the whole marriage and babies thing…Well, that is if Megan Fox wants kids…"

"Obsessed!"

The two brothers laughed, Blaine rolling his eyes good-naturedly. Well, Cooper would be Cooper…

Perhaps Finn had been playing too many video games, for the moment he set foot in the choir room-he swore a throng of brain-feasting zombies had grabbed him with their inhuman hands and began to pull him forward-apparently to his impending doom. But before he could scream-he had been thrown down into a chair beside the piano-and he was genuinely surprised to see that his captors were not the undead, but instead-the Glee club. Who all looked both determined-and worried.

"Okay, Frankinteen," Santana had not let go of his collar as everyone else bore down on him like hungry vultures eyeing their prey. "No bullshit. What's wrong with Kurt?"

Instantly-panic set in. Oh God. He knew what they were on to.

He knew they'd cotton on eventually-but had been hoping for his sake that that day would be at least ten years down the line. And that they would not come to him for answers. He had had strict instructions from Kurt not to tell a soul-on pain of death-well, at least never trusting him again. But as Santana's nightmarishly terrifying eyes, horribly like Sue Sylvester's, burned into his skin…oh shit.

"Well?" Artie demanded, quite forcibly-but his eyes were filled with concern.

"H-how do you know there's something wrong?" Finn tried to look confident, folding his arms-but his eyes were already watering as Sugar's perfectly manicured nails dug into his shoulder.

"We went to see Kurt's dad last night-you were out," Tina explained, in a tone somewhat more polite than the last-but still worried. "And-and he told us that Kurt was at the-the doctor's-but he wouldn't say why,"

"Yeah, he played the "it's late for you kids to be out" card…" Mike said, rolling his eyes. "Told us that if we wanted to know, we should talk to Kurt,"

"Then w-why aren't you?" Finn desperately tried to keep them talking as he was treated to an expert death-stare from Quinn. God, he'd thought he'd seen the last of them when they were dating…

"Because you're easier to interrogate," Santana said bluntly. "Kurt's smarter and less breakable than you,"

"Oh, thanks a lot…"

The Hispanic girl ignored him. "And we know you know, so don't beat around the bush. Out with it, white boy," She glared at him suspiciously.

"Look, we're all worried about Kurt," Tina's eyes were wide and fearful, and she looked much less intimidating and much more genuinely caring. "If he…if-if there's something seriously wrong with him…"

"There's nothing seriously wrong with him!" Finn said defensively.

"Then why is he sneaking around to the doctors and not telling us anything?" Santana ploughed on.

"Actually, I think Kurt's perfectly entitled not to share every single thing he does with you," Finn said bravely, squaring up to her as best he could.

Santana looked furious. "Now hold on a second, puffy-"

"Cool it, cool it!" Artie waved a hand. "Finn, look, we just want to know what's wrong with our friend. We're really worried about him, and-"

"Hey-what's going on?"

Everyone's heads snapped around-to see Rachel and Mercedes entering the room, arm in arm. Their eyes widened in confusion as they saw Finn pinned to his chair and surrounded.

"What is this, the Spanish Inquisition?" Mercedes approached cautiously. "Guys, what the hell are y'all doing?"

"Baking a cake," Santana snapped at her sarcastically. "What does it look like?"

"Finn, are you okay?" Rachel rushed to her boyfriend's side, shoving through the wall of bodies separating them. As she knelt down, Finn mouthed- Kurt.

Her brown eyes flashed with the more articulately-expressed version of: We're screwed.

"Rachel? Mercedes? Do you know what's going on with Kurt?" Tina asked them worriedly. "He's not actually-seriously ill-is he?"

"No, no," Mercedes re-assured her friend.

"So you do know what's up with him?" Santana finally let go of Finn, who sighed with relief as he was able to breathe properly again. She stood up straight, folding her arms. "Go on. What's happened to Kurt?"

Despite Santana's terrible stare-Mercedes' fierce sassiness quickly sprung into play. "Oh, hell to the no, girl," she snapped. "It ain't my job to go telling you my boy's business-what the hell makes you think I should? It ain't right. Kurt would have told you himself if he wanted to. So you can take your cocky, bitchy ass, and-"

"What's happening, Mercedes?"

As the high, musical voice could be heard at the door…everyone stopped dead.

Kurt walked into the choir room, Puck on one side, Blaine on the other. He looked around at his peer's expressions as each and every one of them gawped at him…and instantly, he knew something was up. "Right, either I've grown another head, or I'm finally getting the recognition I deserve,"

No one made a sound.

"…Okay," Kurt folded his arms. He looked sideways at Finn-who made a panicked, cut-throat sign at him. "Is someone going to tell me why you're all staring at me? As your shocked expressions aren't of delight and admiration, I gather it's not because of my amazing new sweater,"

He looked around at them. Again, no one moved.

Feeling more than a little uneasy now, Kurt glanced across to Mercedes-who frantically mimed a baby bump to him.

"Oh!"

Kurt's eyes widened in panic as everyone continued to stare, as if he was a particularly interesting zoo exhibit. Oh my God, he wasn't ready for this…please no…he wasn't ready…please no…

"…Kurt?" Blaine asked gently, concerned. "You okay?"

Taking a deep breath…Kurt finally looked the still angry and suspicious Santana in the eyes. Okay.

He had to face this.

"…What do you know?" he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper and an octave higher than normal. He waited anxiously for the answer.

"We don't know anything," Quinn said quietly. "What we want to know is…what's wrong with you, Kurt?"

In that moment-Blaine cottoned on. "Kurt, you don't have to-" he began protectively.

"Yes, Blaine, I do,"

Kurt's voice came out far stronger and more forcefully than he had thought it would. A deathly silence fell over the usually noisy choir room. Every eye was on Kurt.

Kurt took another deep, calming breath, reaching back to take Blaine's hand tightly. It felt warm, offering him the comfort and security it always did.

He opened his mouth, trying to from some structure of words in his mind, some sort of explanation, some way to clarify…but no sound came out. Nothing. He stood, feeling tears prickling behind his ears, a sinking, swooping feeling in his heart. The hand holding Blaine's had begun to shake slightly. As everyone stared expectantly, all his friends, watching, waiting…

"It's okay, Kurt," Immediately, Blaine wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, who had begun to cry. "It's okay, you don't have to-"

"No!" Kurt pulled away. "No, I want to tell them now. It's time they knew," he said, as certainly as he could-far more certain than he felt. He faced his friends again, racking his brains to try and find the words…

"Okay…"

Taking yet another deep breath, not having let go of Blaine's hand…Kurt spoke.

"I-I know…this-this might come as-as a shock…" he began shakily.

"What?"

Suddenly-Mr Schue had entered the room, clutching an armful of sheet music and a mug of coffee-and looked surprised to see Kurt in tears and centre stage. "You alright, Kurt?"

"Mr Schue, Kurt was just-" Blaine began.

"No, it's okay. Sit down, Mr Schue," Kurt told his very taken-aback teacher.

"Urm…okay?" Looking like he wasn't sure whether to be amused or worried, Schue cautiously sat down on a stool. "Come on then, Kurt. What do you want to say?"

"I…I…" Suddenly-it was like there was a great deal of something sticky and cold stuck in his throat. Like a Pritt stick, or a large quantity of chewing gum…he couldn't get the words out. Oh God…After Quinn…and he'd left it so long…and now, with everyone staring so…A long silence hung in the air. You could almost taste the anticipation and worry of the fellow Glee clubbers, the awkwardness of Finn and Puck, the sympathy of Rachel and Mercedes…

"…You're pregnant, aren't you?"

All of a sudden-the musical, low-pitched, trembling…Irish voice rang across the room like a death toll.

Kurt stopped dead.

The silence thickened like rank custard.

"…Don't be stupid, Irish," Sam shoved him in the ribs. "You're bullshitting,"

"I'm not," Rory said quietly.

Everyone stared at Kurt.

The silence become so dense, it was almost unbearable.

"…What's going on, Kurt?" asked Mr Schue, half suspicious, half deeply concerned.

Kurt didn't move.

"…Oh my God, is it true?" Tina gasped, clutching Mike's arm.

"What the hell…?" Artie's mouth had dropped open.

"Kurt?" Quinn looked fearful.

Slowly…metallically…Kurt nodded. "It's true," he whispered.

The room was as silent as a grave.

…

"Rory!" Kurt called after the Irish boy as Glee club ended. "Rory!"

That had been the most stressful half hour of Kurt's life.

The shock…the questions…the accusations…the gasping…the shouting…One or two had actually been on the verge of a mental breakdown. And-it was the only time in his life that he had seen Santana Lopez lost for words…Mr Schue had not acted surprised. Said that he'd gathered something was up a long time ago, but hadn't been sure…Kurt thought that was rubbish. He'd only been trying to convince himself that he had not had a student very close to him get pregnant without him noticing for so long…but he felt bad as Mr Schue obviously was beating himself up over it inside.

He'd had to go through the "Yes, I'm keeping it,", "No, I'm not considering adoption,", "Yes, Blaine is behind me, and I've told my parents," yet again.

The hardest part was looking Quinn in the eye.

But…she had been the first one to hug him. "Keep your baby," she'd whispered.

And that was it.

But he'd face everything else as it came. He was sure the Glee club were a long way from letting this go lightly…however. The only thing he was worried about now was how on Earth Rory knew.

"Rory!" Finally, knowing he could no longer pretend he could not hear him-Rory turned around to face him. As the rest of the Glee club filed out, still muttering and just looking in shock…they were the last two left in the choir room. Kurt sensed Finn waiting for him outside…but he needed to talk to Rory alone.

"How did you know?" Kurt got straight to the point, wiping away the last of his tears.

Rory…could not look at him straight. "I-I guess I-guessed,"

Kurt frowned. He was made intensely uncomfortable by Rory's gaze. It would not stay in the same place. His eyes flicked from wall to wall, floor to ceiling, piano to drum kit…anywhere but Kurt's face.

"…There's something else-" he began suspiciously.

"Look, I don't think you should go through with this, okay?"

There was a pause.

Kurt was taken aback by his tone, the usually tranquil, pretty accent so hard, forceful and…fearful.

"…What do you mean?"

Rory sat down hard at the piano, back to the other boy. He put his head in his hands. He looked as if he was…far away. Lost in thought. He'd silent ever since Kurt had confirmed his "guess"…

Kurt didn't understand. But he wasn't having it. Angrily, he folded his arms. "Look, if this is about our age, or-"

"No, no. I think you and Blaine would be the perfect parents…Through surrogacy. Or adoption. Or-"

"Look, what is your problem, Rory?" Kurt snapped heatedly. "If everyone else can get over it, you can too. This has happened, and Blaine and I have decided-"

"Kurt!" Rory turned around sharply-his face noticeably paler. He had the look of one remembering something unpleasant… "Look, I just really, really would advise you against going through with pregnancy!"

Kurt was shocked. "This is really none of your business-" he began hotly.

"Kurt, you are my friend, and I like you. And-and I don't want to…I don't have that many friends in the USA and I do not want to loose the few that I've got," he rushed.

Kurt was confused. "What do you-look, I'm perfectly aware of the risks, and-"

"Will you just listen a second? Will you?" Rory suddenly looked him straight in the eyes-his face even paler.

Kurt stopped.

Rory hesitated. Then…he began. "Look, this…this male pregnancy gene…it's rare, right?"

"Yes," Kurt bit his lip.

"Well…look, you can't tell anyone else about this, okay?" Suddenly-Rory looked distinctly uncomfortable. Closed off. Nervous. "Not even Blaine,"

"…Kay…" Kurt answered warily.

A pause.

Rory licked his dry lips, then opened his mouth. As he spoke-a change came about in his voice. "My-my cousin in Ireland-well, I say "cousin", actually he's my mammy's cousin, but-"

"Go on," Kurt said…a weird, prickling feeling beginning in his chest.

"Well…I never met him, see. But…he-he has this gene,"

Kurt's eyes widened with shock. "What?"

"He did," Rory nodded.

"You're bullshitting,"

"On my granddad's grave," Rory muttered. Suddenly…his eyes were distant. Like he was back home in Ireland… "Anyway…he had this gene. He-he didn't know, like, until…. This was all before I was born-he was seventeen…"

Kurt gulped.

"…and he-he was with this guy. And Mammy says they were so in love-so in love…anyway…one day…he came home and told Mammy he was-he was pregnant…"

Kurt bit his lip so hard, he could almost taste blood. Inside him, he felt his daughter-Goodness, that felt strange to think-his little girl turn a somersault. That little flutter of life…

"Well, the whole family were shocked of course-but he was determined to keep it. Absolutely adamant. His-his boyfriend ran a mile when he told him…but Kian didn't consider termination even then. He carried on like a soldier, doing everything you're supposed to do, everything he could…my great auntie and uncle were very supportive, and Mammy and Granny…Everything was going fine. All his doctor's appointments were remarkably good-everything was completely normal. Mammy still has the first sonogram photo…"

Rory stopped. He rested his head heavily on his hands, as if there was a huge weight on his shoulders.

"Go on," Kurt whispered. "What happened?"

Another silence. Then, like he was pushing a boulder up a steep hill… "He was so brave through it, our Kian. Never complained, though Mammy said he had the most terrible mourning sickness, and headaches…Never pined after his ex-well, not that anyone knew of anyway. He just concentrated on doing everything he could to make sure his baby was going to be okay…

"But…"

Suddenly-Rory's face contracted, as though in pain, like he was having to brutally force himself to continue.

"But…when he was in the eighth month…something happened. Something went wrong…and-and suddenly, Kian collapsed without warning…out cold…Of course, they got him straight to hospital, did everything they could…but…but…"

Rory seemed to be finding it harder and harder to continue.

"…he died an hour later,"

Involuntarily, Kurt took in a quiet, but sharp gasp of shock. He felt…quickly, he sat down on the nearest chair, feeling ill…oh my God…His eyes were filling with tears.

"He died…They didn't know exactly why…but he died. Mammy was devastated-you can imagine what the family went through, especially his parents…his friends too…"

Kurt had to ask. "W-what happened to…to his baby?" He hardly dared hear the answer.

Rory breathed out hard.

"…The doctors performed an emergency C-section, and the little boy was born three weeks early…took him straight to intensive care…"

"And?" Kurt asked breathlessly.

"…The poor little thing was in hospital for weeks…they named him Kian too…little scrap he was, so weak and helpless…but he pulled through,"

Kurt looked up, hardly breathing. "What?"

"He made it…" Rory looked out of the window, up at the sky. "Just. Great Auntie and Uncle were going to take care of him…but…they couldn't face it. He looked so much like Kian…they just couldn't look at him every day, because all they could see was…So they had him adopted,"

Kurt listened hard.

"They still see him, though. Used to visit once a month at his adopted family-he's about thirty now, with kids of his own…"

Kurt had stopped listening, Rory's voice trailing out of his thoughts…

"…So I really don't think you should go through with this, Kurt. So many people love you so much, and there's so much risk, so much heartache…Great Auntie and Uncle never really got over losing their son…"

Kurt wasn't listening. Inside-he felt another little flutter...

"I don't want to loose you, Kurt. No one does. Please, Kurt, think about this," Rory begged, eyes pleading.

Without another word-Kurt left the room, face set, to join his waiting stepbrother.