A/N Okay, I know I fell way behind on this story again. I've been having a hard time writing this chapter, mostly because of the scene with Blaine's dad, but also because of the scene with Johnny. Emotional rollercoaster ahead!

PS. Look for the one shot from this verse that I wrote for the Glee Potluck Big Bang, called Black Friday. It takes place after this chapter ends!

Reviews always appreciated!

…

The Meaning of Family

The wedding of Wes and Annie took place the Saturday after Regionals, at the Justice of the Peace. Kurt, Blaine, Nick, Jeff, Lizzie, Bee, and Johnny were the only witnesses. Afterwards, they had a small reception at Annie's house, where a tent had been set up in the backyard, and several space heaters placed to keep the guests warm.

Johnny was sitting with Beth, Danny, Xander, and Brendan, watching his mom dance with Wes. She looked so happy.

"So, how do you feel about the fact that your new stepdad is only seventeen years older than you?" Beth asked.

Johnny just shrugged. "My mom is only nineteen years older than me. Wes is cool, though, and he makes my mom happy. That makes me happy."

"Why don't you ever date anyone?" the girl continued, taking a sip of her coffee. "I mean, you're gay, I know, but…"

"I'm bi, actually," Johnny interrupted.

"Oh, I thought…" the girl seemed flustered now. Johnny just smiled at her.

"A lot of people assume I'm gay. I'm used to it. I do tend to prefer guys over girls, but I like both. As for why I don't date, well…" He glanced to the other side of the tent where Kurt and Blaine were leaning against each other, lost in each other's eyes. "Let's just say it's complicated."

The song ended, and it was time for his speech. He excused himself from his friends and moved to the head table.

"I never got the chance to meet my dad. He died the day my mom found out she was pregnant with me. I've been told stories about him, of course. He was a volunteer firefighter. He loved his job, and he loved my mom very much. I like to think he would have loved me just as much.

"It was hard for my mom, raising me all alone, but she never complained. She always did her best to provide for us, and made sure I never felt like I was a burden or holding her back in any way. She made sure I knew I was loved every day, even when I could tell she was tired and emotionally drained. She always focused on making sure I was happy.

"When mom met Wes, I saw a change in her. She became more confident in herself, happier. I was happy that she finally began to focus on herself, on her own happiness. Wes has made her smile more in the past five months than I can remember her ever doing before. For that alone, I'd gladly welcome you to our family. But you've also become a good friend to me, too, and while I may not need a father figure anymore, I've come to appreciate your wisdom and advice. Thank you for coming into our lives!"

They drank a toast to the new couple, wishing them happiness and a long life together.

...

Blaine was freaking out Monday night, as they were packing for their trip to California to visit Cooper. His dad had finally accepted Coop's invitation to join them the previous week, and now Blaine wasn't sure he wanted to go after all.

Kurt sat on the bed and watched him pace. "If you don't want to go, we don't have to, especially if it is going to cause you this much stress. I can always cancel our plane tickets. Cooper will understand."

Blaine stopped and turned, running his hands through his hair and growling in frustration. "If I don't go, I'll feel guilty for making Cooper face him alone."

Kurt stood and moved to take his hands. "What is really bothering you about this? Is it just facing your dad again, or is something else bothering you?"

The darker man sighed and leaned into his husband. "You know me so well. Something else has been bothering me about this."

"What is it, sweetie?" Kurt asked, sliding his arms around the shorter man and rubbing circles on his back to soothe him.

"It's just, the timing, I guess."

"I don't understand."

Another sigh of frustration left Blaine before he stood up a little straighter. "Remember when I told you that my dad didn't think you were good enough for me, and the only redeeming thing was the fact that your dad got elected to congress? I just find it a little suspicious that the invitation came as you were on the verge of winning the election. Cooper told me that when he spoke to him on the phone last week, he'd asked about you, about the Sanders scandal, and about George Mathers dropping out of the primary. He didn't ask about the shooting, though. Seemed more interested in how you won than anything else."

Kurt frowned. "You think he is only reaching out now because I've made something of myself, and that I'm finally worthy in his opinion?"

Blaine shrugged. "That, or he wants to lord it over us that you only won because your opponents either dropped out, or were forced out because of their crimes."

Kurt smiled and kissed him. "Let him try. Nothing he can say will change the fact that I ran an honest campaign, and won fairly. And if he thinks that I'm only worthy now because I won, well, you and I both know that we love each other, and that is all that matters.

"If you don't want to go, we'll stay here and have our own Thanksgiving dinner, together, as a family. Annie invited us to join them if you decide not to go. But if the only reason you don't want to go is because you're worried he's going to insult me, then stop worrying. Let him insult me. I don't care. But if he insults you? He better watch out, because I will bring down the righteous wrath of Kurt Hummel to smite him."

Blaine laughed. "I love you."

Kurt kissed him again. "I know. Now finish packing. The kids and I are all set. I'll load the luggage in the SUV after you leave for school, and I'll pick you all up afterwards and we'll set out straight from there to the airport. Lisa made arrangements to work our flight so she could help us out with the babies, and Cooper and Katie are going to meet us at the baggage claim area."

Blaine smiled at him. "You truly are amazing, you know."

…

Lisa was waiting for them in the boarding area, having flown in on an earlier flight. She hugged each of them, and cooed over the babies.

"They're getting so big!" She exclaimed. "You'd never tell they were preemies!"

Kurt laughed. "They each have their own distinct personalities, too. Katie is definitely the Diva, always being the first to try new things. Audy is the curious one, always wanting to explore and study everything she finds. Mattie seems like the quiet one, but he's just plotting how to get himself and the others into trouble, while Phin is the cautious one, waiting for all the others to master a technique before he'll even try it."

"Are any of them talking yet?" His sister in law asked.

"Not yet," Blaine replied, "but they're starting to make distinguishable sounds, so I'm guessing first words aren't too far off."

Once the flight was announced and preboarding began, they entered the plane and got settled. Kurt was in one row with Bee, Kathy, and Mattie, while Blaine was behind them with Lizzie, Audy, and Phin. Lisa had to leave them to help with the preflight check, and to help the other passengers board, but once they were in the air, she came to check on them. Phin had fussed a little on take off, but quickly settled down once he'd been given a bottle. He and the other three fell asleep not too long into the flight.

Bee had also fallen asleep after the in-flight meal, but Lizzie was wide awake, and happily chatted with her aunt Lisa when the woman wasn't busy helping other passengers or serving beverages.

About forty minutes before they were supposed to land, they hit a patch of rough turbulence that had Bee crying in fear and clinging to Kurt, while Blaine had two not quite nine month olds fussing behind them. So far none of the babies had disturbed the other passengers, but Kurt began to worry that one of them might start screaming at any moment.

Lisa came and sat across from Blaine and took Audy from him and began rocking her as Blaine rocked Phin. Lizzie had moved up a row to help Kurt with Kathy and Mattie, while Kurt soothed Bee. Fortunately, they passed through the disturbance quickly, and all the children settled down quickly once the plane stopped vibrating.

They landed at LAX without any further problems, and waited for all the other passengers to disembark before leaving the plane, Lisa carrying Audy, and Lizzie carrying Mattie. Blaine carried Kathy and Phin, while Kurt carried Bee. As they walked, Kurt noticed his oldest son seemed a little warmer than normal, but didn't really think about it as they made their way to baggage claim.

Katie was holding up a sign that read, 'Uncle Blaine, Uncle Kurt, and the rest of the Hummel Andersons!' The sign made Lizzie laugh as they approached, and she hugged her younger cousin. More hugs were exchanged, and babies were passed around, before they were led out to the parking lot.

"We rented a minivan," Cooper said. "You two can take the luggage and drive the babies in that, and Lizzie and Bee can ride in our car with Katie."

"Sounds like a plan," Kurt said as he followed the taller man.

"When is dad arriving?" Blaine asked, cautiously.

"Not until tomorrow afternoon, which will give you all plenty of time to get settled tonight and get some rest. Lisa's grandmother will be joining us as well. She was supposed to go to San Francisco to have dinner with Lisa's sister, Angie, but she just broke up with her fiance, and isn't really in the right state of mind for cooking a meal, so Angie is going to her Mom's instead, and Grandmother Gale is joining us."

Blaine seemed a little relieved that there would be someone else joining them, to possibly act as a deterrent against their father making a scene. They got the luggage stowed away in the minivan, and got the kids settled between the two vehicles, and set off.

When they reached Cooper and Lisa's home, Lisa was looking concerned as she got out of the car, and approached Kurt on the driver's side. "Bee threw up a few minutes ago, and I'm pretty sure he has a fever."

Kurt frowned and hurried over to the other vehicle as Lizzie came around from the other side with Katie. Both girls seemed a little grossed out. Blaine was by his side as Kurt eased the door open and looked down at the auburn haired boy sitting limply on the seat and looking miserable.

"Sweetie?" Kurt asked gently. He'd noticed the boy had seemed a little pale on the plane, but had chalked it up to the fear during the turbulence, but now the boy was even more pale. He opened his mouth to try and talk, but suddenly clutched the small plastic garbage bag he'd been holding in his lap, and threw up again. "Oh, baby, let's get you inside and into bed."

…

"One hundred and two point two," Lisa said, reading the thermometer later that night, as Kurt wiped at Bee's forehead with a damp cloth with one hand, while trying to coax him to take a sip of pedialyte through the straw. In the bed on the other side of the room, Blaine was soothing Lizzie, who had started feeling ill shortly after they arrived, as she threw up into a trash can that had been placed beside the bed.

"I'm so sorry," Kurt said, smiling tiredly at his sister in law. "If I had known the kids were sick, we'd have stayed home."

"Hey, don't worry about it, Kurt! You couldn't have known. Just be thankful the babies seem fine, and showing no signs of being sick, too."

Kurt shrugged. "For now, but we've all been exposed to it, and you guys will probably get sick, too!"

"It'll be fine. A little stomach bug isn't going to kill us. Besides, I deal with sick people on airplanes all the time, and rarely get sick. And I know what you are going to say next, 'what about Thanksgiving Dinner?' We'll still have it. I'll save some leftovers for when the kids are feeling better if they don't make it downstairs to join us."

Kurt smiled at the tiny woman. His sister in law was about an inch shorter than Rachel, with dark brown hair cut in a classy bob, and light blue eyes that pierced through you and made you think twice about disagreeing with her.

"You're a saint, you know that?" He said, a weak smile on his face.

"Of course," she teased. "It's part of my job description. Now get yourselves in bed and get some sleep!"

…

Both children were still sick the next morning. While Bee's fever was still above one hundred and two, Lizzie's had gone down a little, though it still hadn't broken completely. By lunch time, Mattie had also developed a mild fever, and was throwing up.

Lisa's grandmother, Maggie Gale, arrived around the same time Kathy and Audy had started showing signs of being sick too. The woman, who was in her late seventies, was even smaller than her granddaughter, and twice as fierce, had been a nurse during the Vietnam War, immediately took charge of tending the kids, while Kurt helped Lisa in the kitchen, making dinner, and heating up soup for Lizzie and Bee.

Blaine helped Maggie with the kids, while Cooper watched over Katie and little Phin, who as yet hadn't shown any signs of being sick.

It was into this scene of controlled chaos that Richard Anderson arrived, shortly after four. Cooper let him in, and introduced him to his wife and daughter.

"You know Kurt, of course," Cooper said, as the pale man picked the smallest Hummel Anderson up out of the playpen.

"And this is Phineas Christopher, our youngest." Phin studied the newcomer for a moment before turning away and hiding his head on Kurt's shoulder.

Richard Anderson had a perplexed look on his face. "I didn't realize Blaine had another child. And such an...unusual name."

Kurt hid his annoyance, having detected the disapproval in the other man's tone. "We named him after my stepbrother, who died shortly after graduating from high school, and after Finn's father, Christopher, who died when Finn was the same age as Phin is now."

"I see," said the older man, tone still making it clear that he thought the name was ridiculous. "Where is Blaine?"

"He'll be down shortly. Lizzie and Bee got sick shortly after we arrived last night, and he and Lisa's grandmother have been taking care of them most of the day."

As if on cue, he heard his husband descending the stairs.

"Hey Kurt," He called out, looking down at his phone, not noticing the other person in the room yet. "Sam texted me. Julia's water just broke!"

He glanced up then, taking in the situation. "Dad, you're here."

"Hello, Blaine. It's good to see you."

There was an awkward silence as the three Andersons exchanged looks, waiting for someone to say or do something. It was one of the other babies crying that broke it. Richard frowned, looking at Phin in confusion.

Kurt handed the boy off to Blaine. "That sounds like Audy. I'll take care of it, you talk to your dad."

"Who is Audy?" The older man asked after Kurt had disappeared up the stairs, glancing to Cooper, expecting to find out that his oldest child also had an infant.

"Our daughter," Blaine said. "She, Kathy, and Mattie are all sick with a stomach virus."

"Kathy? Mattie?" His dad was still confused.

"Yes, dad. Kathy is Audy, or Audrey's twin sister, and Mattie, short for Matthew, is Phin's twin."

"You have four infants?" The eldest Anderson seemed shocked by the news. "How is that even possible?"

"It's not unusual for multiples when using IVF. We had two embryos implanted in our surrogate, and both eggs took, and split into twins."

Richard opened his mouth to say something, most likely about the evils of fertility treatments, but Cooper cut him off.

"Why don't we all sit down? Dinner won't be ready for another half hour or so. You said you wanted to talk to us."

Richard nodded, and glanced around. He immediately headed for the overstuffed armchair in the corner, but Cooper stopped him. "Sorry, that's Lisa's seat. She gets picky when anyone else sits in it other than her grandmother. Why don't you take the recliner?"

Richard frowned, but redirected himself to the recliner in the opposite corner. Blaine and Cooper both settled on the leather couch, Phin sitting up on Blaine's lap. Lisa had taken Katie into the kitchen to finish preparing the meal.

Richard glanced between his two sons, and then cleared his throat. "As I said, I wanted to apologize to both of you. I may have overreacted when you both decided not to follow me in to law, despite it clearly being the best career option."

Both brothers frowned, and Richard could see he wasn't winning any points with them. "I mean, at the time, it seemed like the better option. Obviously you've both found some success in your chosen professions, although I must admit I find it strange that you'd give up your acting career to teach, Blaine."

His younger son's frown deepened. "I haven't given anything up, dad. I'll still act, if and when I'm offered a roll that speaks to me. Kurt and I moved back to Ohio to follow another dream. Kurt wanted to continue his father's mission in Congress of making the world a better, safer place for our kids."

"He could have done that from New York," Richard said, annoyance clear in his voice.

"There weren't any seats coming up for election in New York. Besides, Kurt and I both wanted to move back to be closer to our friends and family."

"Family? What family do you still have in Ohio? Your mom moved to Chicago, and Cooper lives here in LA!"

Blaine shook his head. "And what about you, dad? Where do you live? But to answer your question, Burt and Carole Hummel are my family. Nick and Jeff are my family. Wes and Annie, Sam and Julia, and all the kids that come through my classroom, they are all my family. But especially Kurt. And Lizzie, and Bee, and the babies." He hugged Phin closer to him. "They are my family. Where they are, that is home to me."

Richard looked apoplectic. "What kind of name is Bee, anyway? Don't you even know how to give a child a proper name?"

Blaine glared at him. "Bee is a nickname. His full name is Burt Edison Hummel Anderson. He is named after Kurt's father. You know, the guy who understands what unconditional love is, and treats me like another son? The one who set the example of parenting that I try my hardest to follow every day?"

"Blaine?" Kurt's voice called out soothingly as he entered the living room, followed by Maggie and Lisa. "Is everything alright?"

The dark haired man shook his head, and carefully stood up with his son. "No. I think I want to leave now."

"No," Cooper said, also rising. "You can't leave with your children sick. I think maybe it would be best for all if Richard left."

They all turned to the older man, who rose slowly. "So be it. I had hoped we could speak reasonably, but apparently not."

"I'll ask you not to speak another word in my granddaughter's home, sir." Maggie said, standing up straight to her full four foot nine and a half inches. "I love my family, and although I've only met Kurt and Blaine today, they are included in that family, and I do not like seeing Blaine upset."

Richard frowned, looking from one face to another, and then merely nodded before heading to the door.

"I'll see you out," Cooper said. "Perhaps one day, when you realize what it really means to be a family, we can try this again, though not on a major family holiday."

Kurt pulled Blaine and Phin into a hug. The shorter man was shaking, and quickly took their son from him as Blaine suddenly rushed out of the room and into the downstairs bathroom, where the sound of vomiting echoed down the hall. Kurt handed Phin to Cooper, and followed after his husband.

"Honey? Are you okay?"

Another round of vomiting was his only response.

"Looks like he's got the stomach bug, too," Maggie said. "Help me get him upstairs, and we'll get him settled in. This is turning out to be quite the Thanksgiving gathering!"

"I'm sorry, Miss Maggie," Kurt said. "We didn't mean to ruin your Thanksgiving dinner!"

"Oh, pish posh!" she said, waving away his apology. "I'm having a great time! I haven't had this many people to care for in a very long while! Reminds me of my army days! Well, except no bombs dropping around us. And don't worry about Blaine's dad. Someday maybe he'll grow up. If not, it's his loss, not yours."

Kurt decided he loved this woman, and gave her a hug.