I'm sorry it's a day late, I had an extremely busy weekend. (Also, I finally saw The Great Gatsby, and I really liked it! Who saw it/is planning to see it, and what did you think?)

I'm going to add a new one-shot in my bravid/klaine verse later tonight, so look out for that. (Do they have a name? Should I call it the klaivid verse?)

Many, many thanks to Themuse19, for being an awesome beta!

CH 12

"Okay, careful," Kurt said as he supported Blaine as he walked into the house.

"Kurt, please, I'm fine. I can walk on my own, you know."

"I'm just worried; let me be worried about you." Kurt's answer was accompanied by a glare that was enough to shut Blaine up. "I can carry Emma, but you're a bit too large for me, so at least let me help you."

"Sure." Blaine shook his head fondly. Not that he minded having Kurt close to him. In fact, any excuse to have Kurt close was good. Maybe he should lean on Kurt a little more.

"We'll get you settled on the bed in the living room, okay? Emma's going on the couch for the afternoon, and I've pushed the bookcase aside so you can see her. I'll put it back tonight."

Blaine frowned. He really didn't want to sleep in the living room. Not unless it was with Kurt. He had spent the last week in the hospital longing for more than a touch of the hands or a stolen look when Kurt thought he wasn't watching. He wasn't sure what the man in question was feeling, but it must be something. Something more than… this, whatever this was. He needed to have a serious talk with Kurt, and soon rather than later, because this was killing him. He had the most wonderful dreams these past, and he needed to make them happen!

As soon as Blaine was settled on the bed, Kurt hurried back to the car to get Emma, giving Blaine a few moments to gather himself. He closed his eyes and pictured Kurt's face as he repeated the sentence he had said a million times in his head. I love you, Kurt; I want to be with you; I want us to be a family. He had tried to say it to Kurt numerous times over the past week but something always seemed to get in the way - either the nurses, or visitors. It seemed like he had no privacy at all in the hospital.

"Here you go, Sweetheart." Kurt came back into the living room with Emma in his arms. He positioned her on the couch carefully. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Papa," Emma said as she rolled her eyes. "I'm not dying. The doctor said I could sit up if I wanted to."

Blaine grinned at the fierceness in her voice. Kurt would have a hard time containing both of them.

"Can't a father be worried about his daughter?" Kurt said, a little over dramatic. "I just want you to be comfortable. I didn't think you'd mind getting a little spoiled."

"Go spoil Blaine, he likes it," came her cheeky answer. "He likes it a lot." She clasped her hand over her mouth and tried to suppress her giggles as Kurt stared at her, jaw slack. Blaine started to blush as he bit his lips. He couldn't deny what she said, but he also couldn't believe she'd caught on it. At least he didn't have to worry about her approval.

"He… I… what do you mean?" Kurt spluttered. "I don't know, I mean-"

The bell rang, interrupting his incoherent speech, and he hurried to the door. He couldn't believe what just happened. Emma might have been teasing, but it showed Kurt she was okay with whatever would possibly happen. If anything would happen.

"Hey, Bud," Burt greeted him as Kurt opened the door. "How's it going?"

Kurt shook his head and stepped aside to let Burt, Carole and Finn in. "I'm not sure," he murmured before closing the door behind them. "Finn, I didn't know you were coming."

"I hope it's okay," Finn said, trying to contain Lady who was struggling in his arms. "Mom said Emma would like my visit, and she needed me to carry the dog."

"I'm sure she will," Kurt said as he saw his step-mom and step-brother disappear into the living room. A few loud barks from Lady and a yell from Finn showed that the dog had escaped from Finn's grip and the exited squeal from Emma told him she had jumped on the couch and probably started licking all over Emma's face. He should gather himself and go into the living room, join them, but he couldn't seem to get his feet to move.

"Kurt, Son, are you okay?"

Kurt tried to control his breathing as he looked to Burt.

"Kurt?" Burt looked concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Do you think it'll work out?" he blurted.

"I'm sure the operation went fine, the doctor's said so-"

"No," Kurt interrupted his dad, shaking his head. "No I mean, Blaine and I. Do you think we'll be able to make it work? With Emma, and the fact that he lives in New York. He's only here for the summer, how does that work, how will we have a future? And Emma, she's his daughter, but he doesn't have any legal claims to her. I'm pretty sure that the fact that he's here is breaking some of the adoption rules. How can it ever work? I just-"

"Kurt, you're rambling," Burt said as he put his hand on Kurt's shoulder. "Did you talk to Blaine about this?"

"No." Kurt shook his head. "It's just, Emma mentioned something, and I don't want to start something that'll only hurt her in the end."

"Do you love him?"

"Yes." Kurt didn't need to think about that answer.

"And does he love you?"

"I…" Kurt bit his lip and thought back to the previous week. There was the unconscious 'I love you', but there was more than that - Blaine holding him a little longer than he was supposed to, brushing their hands together not so subtly, the looks. "I think he does."

"Then talk to him. Don't panic; don't make up doom-scenarios in your head. Take your time, and talk to him. Talk about Emma, about your living situation, even talk about the adoption stuff. Sort it out. If you really love him and he loves you, you'll find a way." Burt smiled and patted his son on the shoulder.

"I… I will," Kurt decided. "Thanks Dad, you always knew how to calm me down."

"I've had plenty of practice over the years," Burt said in a teasing voice. "Now let's go see my favorite granddaughter."

Kurt nodded as he followed his dad into the living room. The sight he was greeted with pulled on his heartstrings. Blaine had moved from the bed to the couch (he was going to scold him later, Blaine shouldn't tire himself) and was petting Lady excessively. Emma had pulled herself in a sitting position and was leaning into Blaine's side, who put an arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head fondly. Carole was shaking her head and laughing at something Finn had probably done. As soon as Blaine caught sight of Kurt he smiled at him and motioned for him to come join them on the couch. There wasn't much room left, but Kurt managed to squeeze himself between the armrest and Blaine. As soon as he sat down Lady jumped from Blaine's lap to his own and demanded his attention. He gave in easily and scratched her behind her ears. He had missed her. She had spent the week with his parents while Blaine and Emma were in the hospital. Out of the corner of his eyes he caught Blaine looking at him with bright eyes and a smile to match. He took a deep breath before grabbing Blaine's hand, intertwining their fingers between them. They were squished together on the couch and he was sure nobody could see their hands, which was good, because he and Blaine needed to talk first, but the smile that widened even further on Blaine's face made the decision ever so easy for him. He loved Blaine and they were going to talk, seriously, and soon!

…

"Blaine, go back to bed!" Kurt scolded for the third time. "You've followed me from the living room to the bathroom, back to the living room and then to Emma's room like a lost puppy. You just got home from the hospital. You need to rest."

"Oh, come on, Kurt. I feel fine. I wanna help you put Emma to bed," Blaine pleaded, looking at Kurt with big eyes and a pouty smile.

"I've done it on my own for the last five years, I think I can manage putting my daughter to bed," Kurt said, shaking his head. "I want you to rest.

"Okay." Blaine gave in with a sigh as he settled down on the bed next to Emma who was looking at both of them with a curious expression. "I'll rest; you read us a bed time story."

Kurt rolled his eyes and sighed in exasperation. "How will I survive the summer?"

"By giving me what I want," Blaine grinned as Kurt sat on the edge of the bed. He discreetly touched Kurt's thigh and smiled as Kurt looked at him with a soft expression. Kurt had surprised him earlier in the afternoon when he had grabbed Blaine's hand and held it tightly. He had let go after a while to get everybody some drinks and neither man had mentioned it since, but Blaine was pretty sure it meant something good.

"And what do you want?" questioned Kurt, his eyebrows raised expectantly.

You. It was on the tip of Blaine's tongue, but Emma beat him to it.

"I want my daddies to stop fighting and read me a bed time story," she announced.

Blaine's eyes widened almost comically. Had he just heard her right, had she just referred to himself and Kurt as 'her daddies'? Technically they were that, of course, but she had never given any indication that she thought of Blaine like a father. He glanced at Kurt, who was looking at Emma with a soft look in his eyes.

"No, Sweetheart, we're not… fighting, we're just teasing, that's all," Kurt said, while Blaine let out a breath he didn't realized he had been holding. For a moment there he had thought Kurt would deny it, that he would tell Emma that Blaine wasn't her dad. Blaine closed his eyes and swallowed away the lump that had formed in his throat because this was what he wanted. He wanted his daughter; he wanted Kurt; he wanted this to be his family. "Okay, let's read you a story."

Two stories and a song later, Kurt had to help Blaine pry Emma from his chest. Somewhere between the second story and the song, she had curled herself around Blaine, her arms wound tight around his stomach and her head resting on his chest. For a moment Kurt had contemplated laeving Blaine in the bed with Emma - it looked like he had been asleep as well - until he had opened his eyes and smiled softly at Kurt, saying he should help him get up. As soon as Emma had curled herself around her teddy bear and Lady had found her place at the foot of the bed, they closed her bedroom door behind them. Neither man was sure what to say, so they stood there in the living room, staring at each other.

"Kurt-"

"Blaine-"

Kurt ducked his head and chuckled. "You go first."

Blaine smiled and grabbed both Kurt's hands, intertwining their fingers and letting their arms hang between them. "I can't believe Lady has abandoned me."

At this Kurt snorted. "That was so not what you were going to say, but I feel your pain, I really do."

"Hmm, no."

"Okay, so I don't. I never had a pet, but I can imagine-"

"Kurt," Blaine interrupted him. "I mean, 'no, that wasn't what I was going to say'."

"Oh," Kurt breathed. He suddenly felt very nervous. "I… Can we talk about this tomorrow?"

Blaine's face fell. He looked at their hands, still clasped together, and suddenly felt very small. "Why?"

Kurt pulled his hand back and wrapped his arms around himself. He felt vulnerable, too vulnerable, and he didn't like it. "I'm tired; I just wanna sleep. It's been a rough week."

Blaine nodded. It must have been for Kurt. He had spent the last week lying in a hospital bed, but Kurt had run from one place to another. "Promise me you won't find another excuse not to talk tomorrow?"

"What?" Kurt's head shot up.

"It's just, ever since we slept together last week I feel like you've seized every opportunity to avoid talking to me."

"I've talked to you," Kurt protested.

"I mean really talk, Kurt, talk about what happened between us. We've spent the last week surrounded by doctors, nurses, Emma, your family ,…" He sighed. "I just, I want to know we're on the same page here. Because one minute I feel like we are, and the next you pull away from me and I just… I don't know."

Kurt looked at Blaine, who had refused to meet his eyes during his speech, and lowered his arms. He twisted his hands together and let the guilt wash over him. He had been so worried about how Blaine might or might not feel he had completely overlooked the fact that the man in question might be struggling with the same issues. "I… I guess it depends on which page you're on."

Blaine looked up at him and let out a humorless chuckle. "Really? God, Kurt, I thought it was obvious. I love you. I've been crazy, head over heels, in love with you for weeks now." Kurt's eyes widened. "I've had feelings for you from the moment I laid eyes on you, and I tried to fight them! I tried to think of Emma, but then you came to New York and I fell even more for you." Blaine shook his head and closed his eyes. "And I tried to ignore it, I really did. I told myself it was for Emma, you only liked me because of what I was doing for her, but then last week you broke down and you cried and all I could think was how I never wanted to see you cry again. When you said you were afraid of losing me as well, I though you did feel something for me, maybe not the same, but definitely something, so I let myself go. I went with the moment and it was wonderful. It was the best…" Blaine blushed and paused for a moment. "… well, I mean, it never felt like that, with anyone, and then the next morning you acted like nothing happened and I just don't know anymore, okay?"

"Oh, Blaine," Kurt said in a soft voice.

"God, I'm making a fool out of myself, aren't I?" Blaine shook his head. "Ugh, never mind all that. I'm an idiot. Let's just go to bed and forget this ever happened and tomorrow I'll- hmmpf"

Blaine was suddenly cut off by a pair of lips that pressed against his own. It was very short, and before he fully realized what was going on Kurt had already pulled back. He smiled as he opened his eyes and looked right into Kurt's. "So maybe I'm not an idiot?"

Kurt laughed and cupped his face to pull their lips back together. "I think I can say you're my idiot now."

"Your idiot, yeah, I like the sound of that," Blaine decided before pressing another short kiss against Kurt's lips. "So, does this mean…" he trailed off.

"Honestly, I don't know what this means," Kurt said, shaking his head in disbelief. He couldn't believe he had just done that but it felt so right. He tightened his grip on Blaine. "I know we have a lot to talk about. We live in different states to start, and there's Emma."

Blaine bit his bottom lip and nodded. He knew. He knew this wouldn't be easy. "But-"

Kurt cut him off again by pressing their lips together once more, a little longer this time. He swept his tongue softly over Blaine's upper lip before pulling back. "But I know I love you, too."

"I… you do?" Blaine looked at Kurt, amazed. "You do?"

"I do," Kurt chuckled. "I love you, and I promise we'll talk tomorrow, but I wasn't lying before. I really am tired."

"Oh, yeah, of course," Blaine stuttered. "I'm sorry, I've been rambling on and on, and you said you were tired but I was freaking out and-"

"Blaine."

"What?"

"You're rambling again." Kurt bit his lip, suppressing a grin.

"Oh, sorry." Blaine ducked his head and smiled. He looked back up into Kurt's eyes hopefully. "So, we'll talk tomorrow, right?"

"Yes," Kurt promised.

Blaine nodded. "Okay, so I guess I should go to sleep."He looked sideways at the bed in the living room with a frown. He loved that Kurt made him a makeshift little room but now that he knew that Kurt loved him back, he didn't want to be separated from him. He sighed, looking at their still-intertwined hands. "Okay, sleep."

"I…" Kurt glanced at the bed in the living room as well, clearly conflicted. "You… I haven't had a good night's sleep since the night guys went to the hospital."

"Oh?" Blaine frowned. That was the night they'd slept together. Did Kurt mean to say …? He looked at Kurt and saw that the man was biting his bottom lip nervously. "Kurt?"

"Just, sleep, okay? Nothing more. I'm too tired and I want to have that talk first, but I don't want to sleep alone after this and I-"

Blaine cut him off by pressing their lips together again. "Just sleeping sounds perfect to me. I'm not sure what I'm allowed to do with my incision anyway."

"Oh," Kurt chuckled. "Right, I almost forgot about that. Does it hurt?"

Blaine shrugged as Kurt turned and pulled both of them toward the bathroom. "Sometimes. If I laugh, or put some pressure on it."

Kurt nodded and grabbed two toothbrushes from the sink, handing one to Blaine. He looked down at their hands and laughed softly. "Can I have my hand back?"

"Oh, yeah, sure," Blaine blushed a bright red and let go of Kurt's hand quickly. "Sorry, I-"

"No, no," Kurt shook his head. "It's okay, I get it."

Blaine smiled brightly at Kurt in the mirror, as both man started to prepare for bed. When Blaine was finished he leaned back against the sink and just watched Kurt as he went through his evening skin care routine. His smile softened every time Kurt glanced his way. He knew he probably resembled a love struck puppy, but he couldn't care. He was one. He was so in love.

"What?" Kurt looked self-conscious as he put away his last bottle. "You know I care for my skin."

"I know," Blaine nodded and stepped a bit closer, grabbing Kurt by the waist and pulling him close. "I love it." He pressed a sweet kiss against the tip of Kurt's nose. "Your skin is so soft." He stroke his thumb over Kurt's jaw line. "No stubble, just smooth skin. I love touching you."

"Blaine," Kurt ducked his head, his face flushed.

"I'm allowed to say that now, aren't I?" Blaine said, tipping Kurt's chin up and pressing a series of fleeting kisses against Kurt's cheek, his nose, his lips. "I love your skin."

"I… that's probably the strangest compliment anyone has ever given me."

"People should compliment your skin all the time," Blaine insisted, still nuzzling Kurt's face. "In fact, I'm strongly considering starting a fan club."

Kurt laughed as he wrapped his arms around Blaine's neck, pressing them flush together. "Bed?"

"Sounds good."

Kurt was surprised by how normal everything felt. Not one awkward moment arose between them: Not when they walked to the bedroom, close together because neither one was prepared to let the other one go; not when they got changed; and not when they had to pick a side of the bed. It seemed like they had been doing this for years. Blaine had picked the right side of the bed (come to think of it, he had slept on that side last time as well), and curled himself around Kurt without a second thought, as if he had done it hundreds of times. Kurt, who was a little more nervous, relaxed as soon as Blaine pressed a few more soft kisses against his lips. He felt all the tension flow out of him as his breathing relaxed. He dozed of a few times, but Blaine never stopped holding him or pressing kisses everywhere he could reach. "Blaine," Kurt whined as Blaine kissed a particular spot between his clavicle and his neck. "Stop that. You promised."

Blaine closed his eyes and nuzzled the spot. "I'm sorry, Love, I can't help it. I told you I loved your skin. Now that I'm finally allowed to touch it I don't want to stop."

Kurt's breath hitched at the nickname. He loved it that Blaine called him that. "I like that."

"That I love your skin?"

"Hmm." Kurt chuckled as Blaine pressed a few kitten licks against his jaw. "Yeah, but I meant the nickname."

"Love?"

Kurt nodded. "Love."

"Good, because I plan to call you that for a long time."

"Good," Kurt repeated. "Now let's sleep."

Blaine nodded and shifted a little so he was lying on his side. He pulled at Kurt's arm until Kurt got the hint and curled himself around Blaine's back. He pressed a few more kisses against the nape of Blaine's neck before they both drifted off to sleep.

…

"Who on earth rings the door at this ungodly hour?" Blaine moaned as he turned around in Kurt's arms. "We should ignore it."

Kurt grinned and pressed a kiss against Blaine's lips before untangling himself. "It's almost nine. I'm surprised we slept so long. I'm surprised Emma slept this long."

"I could stay in bed with you all day," Blaine replied, pulling at Kurt's arm. "Let's do that."

"Hmm," Kurt leaned back in Blaine's arms and let himself be kissed more thoroughly. He was considering just getting back into the bed as the bell rang again. With a sigh he pulled away. "We have to get up for Emma anyway. Might as well check who's at the door; maybe it's my dad."

Blaine pouted but agreed reluctantly.

"Get out of bed and I'll make you guys a proper breakfast, nothing like the hospital food you had to survive on."

"That sounds like heaven," Blaine admitted as he pulled himself out of bed. "I'll just go freshen up and I'll see you in the kitchen."

Kurt nodded as he walked out of the bedroom, sighing in annoyance as the bell rang for a third time. Whoever it was better have a good excuse to ruin his almost-perfect morning. Whoever it was should be prepared to get sent away, as Kurt planned today to be just him, Blaine, and Emma, figuring out where they stood and what they would do. Today was about his family, and how Blaine would fit into that from now on. He opened the door, ready to get rid of anyone who could possibly be on the other side.

"Hey, Kurt."

Kurt's eyes widened. Out of all the people in the world, this was really the last one he expected.