We're nearing the end! I feel like I should warn you, it's gonna be 15 chapters in total.
(Also, wow, what a reaction to the last chapter! I was overwhelmed! Thank you all so much!)
CH 13
"Chandler?!" Kurt was astonished. "What are you doing here?"
"Visiting?" Chandler beamed. "You said it was okay, right? A few weeks ago… when we ran into each other in New York."
"Yeah, but I asked you to call first!" Kurt stood back as Chandler walked into the house. He could not believe this was happening. Today was supposed to be about him and Blaine. He was barely even dressed; he had only put on sweatpants and a t-shirt, assuming whoever was at the door would be gone as soon as they came and he could crawl back into bed with Blaine. He sighed as he followed Chandler into the house. It looked like that wasn't happening.
"I know, but I lost your number, sorry," said Chandler, not even looking the least bit sorry. His smile was as big and cheerful as ever as he sat down at the kitchen table. "Funny thing, by the way, I actually stopped by a few days ago, but you weren't home."
Kurt rolled his eyes as he switched on the coffeemaker. If he was gonna do this he'd need a lot of caffeine.
"So I'd figured I'd drop by your parents house, I remember how close you were with your dad. Guess who I saw."
"Definitely not my dad, he would have warned me," Kurt grumbled as he downed his first cup of espresso in one go. Lots and lots of caffeine.
"No, your brother, Finn! He told me he runs the garage now. Funny, how things change."
Kurt stared at Chandler blankly. "Is this going anywhere? Because if this is just polite chit-chat you can shut up now. I'll go and wake Emma up so you can see her, have your biannual awkward conversation with her, and be on your way out, preferably before lunch."
Chandler giggled (God, he actually giggled, Kurt had forgotten how annoying he found that), and shook his head. "No, see, he said this funny thing. He said my daughter was in the hospital, having a kidney transplant from someone named Blaine, who I thought to be your boyfriend, only Finn didn't seem to know anything about that. He said he was just, and I quote 'her biological dad, man'."
Kurt closed his eyes and shook his head lightly.
"Now, I'm sure there's been a mistake somewhere. Since back in New York you said everything was fine with Emma."
"Chandler, I can explain," Kurt let out a weary sigh. He didn't need this, he didn't want this, but it was happening anyway.
"Kurt, Love, are you okay? I thought you were coming back to bed—oh…"
And of course Blaine had to choose that exact moment to walk into the kitchen, wearing only his boxers and a t-shirt. Kurt groaned. Could this get any worse?
"Well, well, Love…" Chandler's smile fell a little. "Maybe Finn didn't know everything after all."
"What are you doing here?" Blaine frowned as he looked from Chandler to Kurt. "What is he doing here?"
"I have no idea," Kurt said. "I'm guessing he's here for Emma."
"That's right, I'm visiting my family," Chandler said, his voice suddenly a lot colder. "I could ask the same of you."
"They're not your family," Blaine spat. "You walked away from them."
"Well they're not yours either," Chandler spat back. "In fact I'm pretty sure if I called the adoption agency now, they would advise me to call the police to get you taken away. A closed adoption means no contact, remember."
"Chandler, please," Kurt pleaded as he walked over to Blaine. "Please, let me explain." He grabbed Blaine's hand and looked at him with pleading eyes as well. "Just let me take care of this, okay? You get showered and dressed, and wake Emma up, and by the time you're ready this will be over."
"I don't want you alone with him," Blaine said softly to Kurt. "I don't trust him."
"He's Chandler. He's not gonna do anything." Kurt shook his head, as he grabbed Blaine's face between his hands, so he could look him in the eye. "Please, Blaine. If you don't trust him, trust me."
Blaine frowned as he glanced at Chandler. "If anything happens—"
"Nothing will happen, I promise," Kurt assured Blaine. "He's the past, okay. You're the future."
Blaine sighed as he nodded. "Okay, I love you."
Kurt smiled as he pressed a quick kiss against Blaine's lips. "I love you, too. Now go get dressed, you're distracting me."
"I am?" Blaine smiled teasingly. "See, that was the plan, to lure you back into bed with me."
"Go!" Kurt chuckled and pushed Blaine away after he pressed a kiss against his lips again, before turning around. He had to refrain himself from slapping Blaine's ass, as it looked mighty good in those tight boxers he was wearing. Behind him Chandler cleared his throat, and Kurt got pulled back into reality.
"So… care to explain? Or do I need to call the adoption agency after all?"
Kurt rolled his eyes and grabbed another cup of coffee before sitting down at the other side of the kitchen table. "It's pretty simple. Emma's kidneys were failing, so she needed a transplant. I couldn't be a donor, because I have a different blood type, so I needed to find someone who was."
"Why Blaine? Why not your parents?"
"Too old," Kurt answered directly.
"Why not me?"
Kurt hesitated before a moment. "I'll be honest, I thought of you."
"But you'd rather contact a man you've never even seen in your life than your ex, the father of your daughter."
"Chandler…" Kurt pondered his next sentence for a moment. "Blaine's chances of being a viable donor were much higher, since he is her father. I hadn't seen you in years. I honestly wasn't sure you'd care anymore."
"Papa?"
"Emma, Sweetie."
"I'm sorry," Blaine came into the kitchen with her. "She heard you and wanted to see him."
"It's okay." Kurt shook his head. He looked at Chandler. "That's why you're here, right, to see Emma. Well, here she is. Get it out of your system."
"You're wrong," Chandler said as he looked at Kurt. "I am her father. It's my name on those papers."
Kurt closed his eyes and sighed.
"Hey, Emma, come here. You remember me, right?" Chandler said sweetly.
"Yeah, you're Chandler, Papa's ex-husband."
Kurt looked at the scene unfolding in front of him, and he could only see it ending in disaster. Emma was inching closer and closer to Blaine. She didn't know Chandler. Last time she had seen him was more than two years ago.
"And I'm your daddy," Chandler said with his signature million dollar smile as he stood up and crowded down in front of Emma. "What do you say, don't I get a hug?"
"You're not my daddy." Emma wheeled backwards, until her chair bumped against Blaine's legs, and she instinctively grabbed hold of him. "He is."
Kurt looked in surprise at Blaine when she said that. He had not expected that, and apparently neither had Blaine, as he was matching Kurt's impression of a goldfish. He saw the slight worry in Blaine's eyes as the man looked at him and smiled encouragingly at him. Emma was right, Blaine was her dad. They could worry about the details later, but right now this was what Chandler needed to hear.
"I can't believe this," Chandler stood back up to face Kurt with and angry scowl on his face. "I can't believe you manipulated her!"
"I… What?" Kurt looked puzzled. "I didn't even know you were coming, how could I manipulate her? Whatever she says, she says because that's the way she sees it. I'd never force her to do or say stuff she's not comfortable with. You know me, Chandler, you should know that."
"This is wrong, it's all wrong. He's not supposed to be here," Chandler raised his voice while gesturing at Blaine. "I'm supposed to be here. I'm her father. Not him!"
"Isn't it a bit late to play the jealous husband card," Blaine spat. "I think you've lost that right six years ago, when you walked away from them!"
"Daddy," Emma pulled at Blaine's shirt, and looked up at him with a fearful expression.
"Oh, Ems," Blaine's heart broke at the sight of Emma and he sank down to her level and pulled her in a hug. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you."
"I can't believe this," Chandler said, his face incredulous. "I can't believe it." With that he walked back to the front door, opening it forcefully to get out.
"Chandler!" Kurt cried, walking behind him, "Please let's talk this out!"
"Surprise! Oh, you're not who I thought you were gonna be, am I at the wrong house?"
"Cooper?" Blaine showed up behind them with Emma in his arms. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, so I am at the right house," Cooper said, fake-sweeping some sweat from his forehead to overdraw his relief.
"Who's that? Another father I don't know of?" Chandler said venomously as he briskly walked passed Cooper.
"For crying out loud, stop being such a drama queen." Kurt rolled his eyes. He glanced at Blaine, pleadingly. "I need to set this straight, please, I don't want him to… you know." He looked pointedly at Emma.
Blaine nodded. He knew what Kurt meant, even if Blaine was sure it would never happen. Kurt was afraid Chandler was gonna apply for custody of Emma. "Go, I'll handle this."
"Thanks." Kurt looked at Emma, who was still close to tears, and his heart nearly broke. "I'll be back soon, Sweetie, okay?" He pressed a quick kiss against her cheek before he turned to run after Chandler.
"Am I interrupting something? Or is this some sort of acting exercise you've come up with to keep you on edge?" Cooper asked as he walked inside. "Hello, little brother." His hand came up to mess with Blaine's curls. "And here's a girl I've wanted to meet for years now."
"You did?" Emma asked, turning her head that was buried in Blaine's neck so she could see who was talking to her. She was still sniffling a little and clinging tightly to Blaine's neck.
"He did," Blaine confirmed. "This, little girl, is my brother, Cooper. So I guess technically, he's your uncle."
"Hi there!" Cooper said with his million dollar smile. "Yes, I am the guy from the 'Free Ratings Today' commercial. Most people call me Mr. Anderson, but you can call me Uncle Coop!"
Emma blinked a few times and lifted her head to look at Blaine. "What a rating commercial?"
Blaine laughed as Cooper's face fell. "Let's get inside. I'll explain everything, okay?"
…
"Okay, Sweetheart, eat your Frootloops and then you can watch some TV. I don't want you to tire yourself too much," Blaine said as he sat the bowl down in front of Emma. He grabbed two cups of coffee for himself and Cooper and sat down next to Emma, opposite of Cooper. "I didn't know you were back in town."
"Yeah, I got some time off from the new TV-show I'm working on," Cooper mumbled in his cup of coffee.
"You got fired, didn't you?" Blaine said, face blank.
"Hey!" Cooper looked defensive for a moment before slumping down in his chair. "Yeah, it wasn't my fault. I can't help it the assistant director was hot."
"Coop!" Blaine scolded. "You didn't…" he glanced at Emma. "You know."
Cooper shrugged. "Who cares, I was too good for that role anyway."
Blaine chuckled. "Whatever, big brother."
"This is way better though. I finally get to meet my favorite niece," he said, changing the subject not so subtly.
"I am your favorite niece?" Emma looked at him with big, unbelieving eyes. "But you just met me."
"But you're Blaine's daughter, so that makes you awesome by association."
Emma looked at him with a frown and started to giggle. "You're funny." She turned to look at Blaine. "Daddy I finished my Frootloops. Can I go watch some TV now?"
"Yeah, let me help you get settled."
…
"Chandler, please slow down. I don't want to fight with you!" Kurt said as he jogged after Chandler. He almost bumped into him when the man stopped abruptly and turned around.
"You know what I don't get?" he asked wearily, as he sank down on the curb, his arms resting on his knees. "Why did you lie to me in New York? why not just tell me the truth?"
Kurt shrugged as he sat down next to Chandler. "I honestly don't know." They were silent for a moment. "My dad has a theory about it, if you want to hear it?"
"Sure, Burt was always the smart one."
Kurt chuckled. "I was a mess when you left, Chandler. I really was. I loved you so much, you were the love of my life back then and when you left I wasn't myself for a long time. Now don't say anything," he cut off Chandler before the man could open his mouth. "Just listen. Seeing you after our divorce, it hurt. Every time I saw you some part of me hoped you'd change your mind, you'd want us back. You know when the first time was when I didn't want that?"
"In New York?"
"Yeah," Kurt nodded.
"Was it because of Blaine?" asked Chandler, softly.
"No," Kurt hesitated for a moment. "Maybe partly. It was because Blaine showed me I was ready for another serious relationship. I realized I didn't miss you as much as I missed the idea of you. I missed a husband, someone to come home to, someone to share my life and Emma's with. So when I saw you in New York I wanted to show you I was over you. I wanted to show you I was happy, and that I finally didn't need you anymore."
Chandler nodded. "I'm sorry. I really did love you, I still do, I think, but I can't…"
"I know, I understand," Kurt replied. "At least, now I do. You don't want to put your family above your career, and that's what I asked of you. It wasn't fair to either of us."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. It's okay. I'm… over it," Kurt laughed softly. "I really am. I wouldn't want to go back anymore."
They were silent for another moment.
"I'll always love you, Kurt. If the circumstances were different… You're the love of my life, you know."
Kurt shook his head. "I'm not. You'll see, someday you'll meet a man that you'll love even more than you loved me."
"It's Blaine, right?"
Kurt bit his lip and ducked his head, trying to suppress the smile on his face. "I don't know. It's new, we have a few things to sort out first. But I love him. Emma loves him… and he loves us."
"You think he's the one?"
"I don't know," Kurt shrugged. "I used to think you were the one. Life's funny like that." He was silent for a few moments. "But I hope he is."
…
"Okay, let me get this straight, so you slept with the father of your biological daughter, then didn't talk with him about it for a week, and now when you're finally straightening things out, the ex-husband, official second father of said daughter, walks in on you two?"
Blaine hushed his brother and looked over his shoulder to the living room warily. Emma was watching a cartoon and didn't seem to be paying any attention to the two men in the kitchen, but he didn't want to take any chances. "I… yeah, basically. I mean, he didn't really walk in on us, but I guess the picture was pretty clear."
Cooper whistled softly. "Good soaps are made of stuff like this, maybe I can sell this to-"
"Coop!" Blaine scolded.
"Sorry, sorry," Cooper held up his hands. "It's all just so… Soap-opera-esque."
Blaine rolled his eyes and checked his watch. Kurt had been gone for almost half an hour.
"You're not… worried, are you?" Cooper said timidly.
"Of course I'm worried," Blaine snapped. "He's been gone for half an hour. How long does it take to say 'you're an ass, I don't ever wanna see you again'?"
"Blaine…" Cooper smiled at his little brother. "He loves you, he's not going to run off into the sunset with his ex."
Blaine frowned. "You don't know that. He was married to him once, so he obviously loved him a whole lot. We haven't even talked about what we are. I don't even know if he's my boyfriend or not."
"He wants to be." Blaine turned around abruptly. Kurt was standing behind him with a soft smile on his face. "Can we… talk? Like, really talk."
"Kurt!" Blaine gushed as he walked over to him and pulled him in a hug. "God, I was so worried."
Kurt shook his head as he returned the hug fiercely. "I told you not to worry."
Blaine nodded as he buried his head in the crook of Kurt's neck. Kurt still smelled like sleep, like bed, like them. Blaine was pretty sure he was in love with that smell.
"How about I take my niece out for lunch?" Cooper suggested. "I'm sure there's some nice diner around here."
Kurt pulled back and looked at Blaine questioningly, who nodded. "It's okay. He'll take care of her."
"Okay," Kurt agreed. They needed the privacy for a moment, and if Blaine was in his life, he couldn't deny Cooper either. Besides, one more crazy uncle wouldn't hurt.
…
Guys, I have a question for you. Since this story is almost finished, I'm thinking about my next one, and I don't know which one to do. I have two in mind, so I'm gonna give a short synopsis about each one, and you guys get to decide which one you'd prefer to read.
Set in Dalton, Kurt never transferred back to McKinley. He and Blaine aren't dating, but they're best friends. Blaine invites Kurt over to his place for the week (spring break, maybe?), only he's never done that. He's never asked anyone to go home with him. Turns out Blaine lives hours away, and at a farm. His mom is sort of like the housekeeper there, they've lived there ever since Blaine's dad left them. The owner of the farm is like family (like a cool aunt), and pays for his tuition to Dalton ever since the Sadie Hawkins fiasco. Imagine lots of teenage awkwardness, feelings, embarrassment. You know, a real teenager story.
Or… (and this is very different): Kurt is a time-traveler, but he doesn't know this yet. He thinks he's dreaming at first, very realistic dreams, but that's always been the case for him. The same boy always appears in this 'dreams'. Until one day he doesn't wake up, and he realizes he's on the titanic! Dream-boy (aka Blaine) interferes and explains everything. Turns out he's a traveler from his mother side (hence he didn't know about it, his mom never got to explain it, and his dad is happy to ignore it as long as it hasn't happened. He hoped his son hadn't inherited his mother's gift), and this is his first 'mission'. He doesn't know what it is, but he can't return to his own world before he finishes it. Lots of irritated Blaine (who is a 'experienced' traveler), and lots of feelings, obviously. Could be set in high school or New York-years idk yet. What would you guys like?
So, what do you think? I want to do both, but I can't write to stories at once. SO I'd like to know what you'd prefer to read. For the second one I chose the setting of Titanic because I'm obsessed with the ship, and I could write a pretty accurate historic story on board of the ship. So yeah, let me know in your reviews!
X, Joyce