Last one until next week at the earliest. Really must start revising for my January exams (I put off writing an essay on Inborn Errors of Metabolism to write this, but what can I say, this was way more fun :P)

Warning: Contains angst of what I consider to be a mild nature that is swiftly resolved because this is a happy story. Also contains quite a lot of references to science and research yada yada (the job Kim goes for is an actual job by the way).

PLEASE REVIEW! PRETTY PRETTY PLEASE! (Don't you ever ever feel...)

Disclaimer: Glee is not mine. Never has been, never will be.

October rolled around faster than I'd have liked, to be honest. My bump had grown to the point of being the main attraction for elderly women wherever I went, and my boss at the book shop kindly informed me that he was selling the business and moving to Australia to live with his daughter, so I would be out of a job by the end of the month. He promised to write me a glowing reference, and wished me luck with the rest of my pregnancy, so I couldn't be too angry at him.

Evie's firm had won their star case, and Evie had been promoted to some higher position in the firm that I still have no idea what the official job title of it is (I just know it involves more paperwork and less grovelling). Blaine was working on a new album, and Kurt was quite happy for the time being with his life as a gentleman of leisure, before everything would be turned upside down with the arrival of the baby.

So, life was going swimmingly for my friends. And I was so happy for them, really, I was. I'm a giving person, remember? But while everyone elses lives were progressing, mine was stagnant and boring. I was single, unemployed, and covered in stretch marks, and could not for the life of me work out what I should be doing with myself. I spent day after day, trawling through the Guardian job pages, googling decent graduate schemes, and hauling myself around central London, searching for a menial job to tide me over in the meantime. I never had any luck. They all took one look at the bump, and bam. 'Sorry miss, but we don't have any suitable positions open at the present time. Feel free to check again in a few months.' A few months wouldn't really do, I couldn't rely on Evie to pay most of our rent forever. I needed something then and there.

Evie and I were at Kurt and Blaine's for our weekly movie night (that usually ends up being Kurt and Blaine making out on the sofa, Evie talking to a client on the phone and me, engrossed in the film and sobbing into a box of After Eight mints) when I found it. Kurt was cooking something garlicky, Blaine and Evie were engaged in a heated game of chess and I was reading the newspaper when…

'A-HA!'

Kurt's head popped around the door with a worried expression.

'Are you okay? Is it the baby?'

I sighed and folded the paper into my lap.

'Stop jumping to that conclusion every time I exclaim in surprise slash any other emotion that warrants a gasp. I'm fine and so is the baby. No, there's a job in the Guardian. An actual, honest to god, graduate science research job with a decent salary and achievable location… I can't believe it.'

Blaine and Evie halted their game and rushed to the sofa to look at the advert.

'You're definitely qualified enough Kimmy.. Oh my god, this is so perfect! You have to apply right now.'

I giggled as Evie grabbed the laptop and entered in the website for the applications.

'Calm down! The closing date is a few days away, I have time, I don't have to fill it in right now!'

Blaine fixed me with a stern look.

'Kim, Evie is right. This job is perfect for you, so why not apply now? You have plenty of time to do it whilst you're here, and we can help, right Kurt?'

'Sure!', came a voice from the kitchen, 'What's the job title again?'

'Postdoctoral fellow and junior scientific officer in the Biophysics department of a cancer research charity.'

Kurt came into the sitting room, wiping his hands on a towel with a slightly confused look on his face.

'Right… Erm. Well, I can help with those questions like, 'What's your best quality?' kind of thing!'

'They don't really do those for this sort of job…'

Kurt looked disappointed, and returned to the kitchen mumbling under his breath.

'Stupid science. Why couldn't she be a French major? I could help then…'

Blaine giggled at his husband, and beckoned for me to hand over the laptop, which was bearing a list of necessary qualifications and certificates for applicants. He began reading them to confirm that I had them, and smiled when he got to the end.

'Well, I see no reason why you shouldn't fill out the form now. This could be a great start for you Kim. Just go for it.'

'Ugh, ever the wise one, Mr Anderson. Makes sense, considering how much hair you have. Think of all the wisdom that can be stored in there!'

A muffled chuckle emerged from the kitchen, as well as a not so muffled one from Evie. Blaine poked me in the shoulder in retaliation, and walked off to help his husband finish the dinner. Evie shuffled closer to me on the sofa, and lay her head on my shoulder.

'You going to do it?'

I thought for a moment, before smiling and nodding.

'Yeh. Blaine is right, as always. This could be a great new start for me.'

A week later, I was busy cleaning the kitchen counters when an excited Evie bounded into the room, Ernie under one arm and an A4 brown envelope in the other.

'KIMMY! Oh my god Kim, you have a letter from them. And it's a big envelope. It can't be a rejection with a big envelope!'

I took the proffered letter from her, and had to admit… It was big, and quite weighty for paper. They wouldn't put all that effort in if they were just going to reject me, right?

It took a few deep breaths, but I eventually ripped open the envelope and removed the main letter, scanning the first paragraph for…

'we would like to invite you for an interview on the 24th October at 2.30pm at our main research facility in…'

'YES! I GOT AN INTERVIEW! I ACTUALLY GOT ONE! Oh my god Evie, oh my god. I didn't think I actually would! I mean, just… There's must have been hundreds of applicants. I think I need to sit down…'

I collapsed onto the chair Evie had pulled out just in time, and returned my thoughts to the envelope. The rest of the papers in there were standard maps, leaflets on the charity and it's work, as well as forms to fill out and information on procedures I needed to be aware of. It was immensely overwhelming to be faced with proof that I wasn't just some ditzy girl who likes food too much and swears all the time, but a proper, educated, accomplished woman who could actually get an interview for a job at a prestigious charity like that.

'Kimmy, you have to call Kurt and Blaine. They'll be so freaking happy for you!'

'I know, I know. I just need a minute.'

I regained my composure, and managed to calm the wildly kicking child in my uterus (the baby always responded to my heartbeat if it got particularly high), before dialling Kurt and Blaine's number. Kurt picked up almost immediately.

'Kim? What happened? Is it the…'

'If you say 'is it the baby?', I will throttle you. The baby is fine. I just wanted to let you and Blaine know that I got an interview for that job I applied for when I was at yours.'

'That job when… OH MY GOD KIM! OH MY GOD LET ME GO FIND BLAINE! BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAINE! KIM IS ON THE PHONE! SHE GOT AN INTERVIEW FOR THAT JOB! BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAINE!'

I heard the thunder of footsteps running towards the phone, and held it slightly away from my ear in preparation for the sheer volume that Blaine's voice takes when he's being, for want of a better term, an excited puppy, as opposed to his usual, dapper self.

'KIM! I'M SO DAMN HAPPY FOR YOU! I told you you'd get one, I told you, didn't I? Didn't I?'

I giggled at his adorableness (is that even a word?) and answered him.

'Yes Blaine, yes you did. Now, I have to go pick out the perfect outfit for my interview in FOUR DAYS TIME, and you need to go.. I don't know, kiss your husband or do the washing up or something.'

Blaine laughed loudly, and replied with a teasing tone.

'Hmm, I think I'll go with the former. Well done though Kimmy. Kurt and I are so happy for you, you deserve it more than we could say.'

The warmth and love of his words spread through me, and I started to choke up before I could get away.

'Thank you Blaine. Really, really, thank you.'

'No worries Kim. We shall have to meet up tomorrow night and celebrate. But, for now, I'm going to take your advice and go kiss my husband. Bye!'

I ended the call, and was immediately wrapped in my best friends embrace.

'Okay, so I heard the word 'outfit', and I'm going to assume that means that we need to pick something absolutely wonderful, yet conservative and smart, for your interview. So, lets get to it!'

After an evening spent celebrating my success (with a bottle of red for Kurt, Blaine and Evie and a can of fully sugared, blissfully caffeinated coca-cola for me), and a day spent shopping for the ideal 'I'm a serious scientist, but I also know I look good in this dress' interview outfit, I was completely buzzed and only a huge bit nervous for my interview. I arrived at the specified location desirably early, and was ushered to a waiting area, where there were a couple of other interviewees. They all looks up at my arrival, presumably to check out the competition, and they all smirked when they saw the bump. They must've thought that there was no way I'd get the job pregnant, and went back to reading their journals or scrolling on their smartphones.

I couldn't help but feel apprehensive as, one by one, my fellow applicants were called in and their seats taken by yet more hopeful candidates. There must've been around twenty individual people waiting for an interview in the quarter of an hour or so that I was there. It did not bode well for my chances, and the baby knew it too. It was kicking like mad, and I had been having terrible back pain all morning because of my stress.

Before I knew it, my name was being called and I anxiously made my way to the office of the interviewer, clutching my handbag in one hand and massaging my sore stomach and back with the other. The female secretary who was escorting me gave me a sympathetic look, and then I was there.

The man behind the desk seemed like your average academic. A bit eccentric (you have no idea how many mad scientists I've met), but well turned out, with a smattering of a beard and kind eyes. He stood to greet me, and shook my hand before introducing himself.

'Good afternoon Dr Miller, I'm Professor Alan Walker, head of the Biophysics department here. I'm the one who you'd be working under if you got the position. Now, before we get started, I'm going to cut straight to the point. You're, from the looks of it, about six months pregnant?'

I had been expecting this, except not quite so bluntly perhaps, so I merely smiled and replied.

'I am, I'm due in about 15 weeks, but I'm a surrogate Professor Walker, and therefore will not require maternity leave except of a week or two to recover after the birth.'

He sighed in relief, and turned to the paper in his hand.

'Good, that is certainly no issue then. Right, onto your education. You studied your bachelor's degree in Cell and Molecular Biology at Edinburgh…'

Twenty minutes into the interview, the pain in my stomach was getting to the point of being unbearable. I hadn't been too worried, all the books warned about Braxton-Hicks, but then I felt it. A sharp pain seemed to rip across the bottom of my stomach, and I couldn't help but cry out in pain.

Professor Walker jumped from his chair and rounded the desk to try and help.

'Dr Miller, are you feeling okay?'

The pain came again, and I doubled over with a silent sob. I couldn't help but jump to the worst possible conclusion. Everything around me blurred into nothing, and all I could do was silently pray that the baby in my womb would be alright. I didn't hear Professor Walker call his secretary, I didn't hear her call the emergency services, and I didn't feel them lift me into the back of an ambulance. I just hoped and prayed to a God I didn't believe in that they could do something, anything, to save this baby's life.

Three hours later, I was lying in a hospital bed, with a distraught Kurt and Blaine on one side and a frazzled Evie on the other. I was still pregnant, and I wasn't in pain, but none of us were sure of what was going on. Finally, after an eternity of silent worry, Dr Farmer came in, wheeling the ultrasound machine.

'Right, I think it's about time I set all your minds at ease. The baby is absolutely fine. Kim's placenta tore a little, with a couple of weeks rest at home and some medication you should be back to normal in no time. We can't say what caused it I'm afraid, but both Kim and the foetus are healthy now, and that's the main thing. I'm just going to do a quick ultrasound scan now, and then you can get off home, but please stay off of your feet for at least a few days Kim. You may have to see about moving somewhere temporarily where you can have around the clock care, as I know Evie is a busy woman.'

Kurt spoke for the first time since I'd heard him ask my name at reception all those hours earlier, and it came out hoarse and exhausted.

'She can come stay with us, for however long she needs. Evie can come too of course, we can't separate you. Oh, and Ernie. Just, please let us look after you Kim. Please.'

Kurt's eyes were pleading, and he looked as if he were about to cry. I couldn't imagine how he and Blaine must've felt when they thought the worst had happened. I know how I felt. I felt like a complete and utter failure. How could I have been so careless as to nearly lose their baby? I honestly don't know what I would've done with myself if that'd happened.

I nodded my agreement, and he clutched my hand tighter in thanks.

'Now', spoke up Dr Farmer, 'I think we can find out the sex in this scan. Would you like to know?'

We all looked between each other and smiled.

'Yes', said Blaine, with the first smile I'd seen on him that day, 'yes we would.'

I could hear Kurt, Blaine and Evie whispering something about a bet whilst Dr Farmer searched around my bump with the wand. They must've bet on the sex when I was asleep at some point. The image stilled on a profile of the baby, bigger and clearer than it had been at the first scan, and impossibly even more magical.

'Just let me…' Dr Farmer wiggled the wand a bit before exclaiming, 'Ah! There we go… Now, congratulations Mr Hummel, Mr Anderson, you will soon be the proud fathers of a baby girl.'

A quiet sigh of disappointment from Evie signalled that she had lost the bet, but she soon joined in the excited squealing from the other members of our little group. I just stared at the screen, unable to imagine that there was a little girl in me, and I'd nearly lost her. Blaine sensed my sadness, and wrapped me in his strong arms.

'Shh, Kimmy, shh. We're all fine. You and that little girl are healthy and beautiful. She's a fighter, Kim, I can tell that already. Why, with us as her biological parents we can be sure of that. We can also be sure that she's going to be a genius, have terrible hair and a tendency to jump on furniture.'

I chuckled at his (slightly working) attempt to cheer me up, and wiped away the few tears that had managed to escape.

'Right. Well, if we're going to be moving into yours for a while, and I'm not allowed to overexert myself, you lot better get moving! Lots to do you know!'

Two days later found me on the sofa in Kurt and Blaine's spacious living room with Ernie and a cup of tea, directing them and Evie on where to put the numerous boxes full of all the things we'd need to live with them. We'd decided that Evie and I would stay until the baby was born, so that Kurt and Blaine could be even more involved and nobody would have to worry about me being left alone if the worst happened again. Luckily, Kurt and Blaine had more than enough room for all our things, and even if Evie and I did have to share a bedroom for a little while, it was worth it for the security of the situation.

'No, I colour coded all of the boxes Blaine, I told you that orange goes in Kim and Evie's room!'

'Yes, well the yellow and orange are surprisingly easy to mix up! Why couldn't you use more distinct colours?'

'Because all the other stickers had been used on the boxes for the nursery, honestly, don't you listen?'

Evie came through the door after them, clutching an orange (yellow?) coded box and a small brown envelope.

'Oi! Stop your bickering you two and just get on with it! And, erm, this came for you Kim.'

With a swallow of dread, I took the letter from Evie's outstretched hand. I didn't want to open it. I didn't want to acknowledge the inevitable, but I had to. Kurt, Blaine and Evie watched with baited breath as I read the letter.

'Unsuccessful.'

They all put down the boxes and made their way over to the couch. Just in time too, because as soon as Evie's arms were around me I burst into tears.

'I knew I wouldn't get it. There were so many other candidates, and I missed half the interview, but I just… I just hoped, you know? I was crazy for even considering it in the first place.'

'No you weren't Kim. Circumstances beyond your control happened. That's the way life is, and we're so sorry that we caused it. You would've gotten that job if our baby hadn't ruined your interview.'

I took in Kurt's stricken face, and put my hands on either side of it, forcing him to look me straight in the eyes.

'You listen here Kurt Hummel. Anderson. Oh god, what is your last name?'

Kurt rolled his eyes, but did not move his head from my grasp.

'Hummel-Anderson, officially. Hummel to the media though. They're not big on name changes.'

'Okay then, Kurt Hummel-Anderson, you listen to me now. Don't you bloody dare blame yourself for this. This was neither yours, Blaine's or the baby's fault, understand? I didn't get the job for other reasons, he had plenty of information to go on before the incident occurred. Hell, we'd almost finished when it happened, I can't imagine what I'd have had left to tell him! It just wasn't meant to be, okay? I probably would've hated that job anyway. I've been thinking of applying for a teacher training course lately. It's always something I considered, but my mother wouldn't have approved. Something to do with a low salary and me being too clever to resort to wiping noses for a living. Stupid woman…'

'You'd be a wonderful teacher Kim. You'd be wonderful at anything.'

I grinned at him, and removed his head from my grip to pull him into a hug.

'Thank you. I'll start researching applications tonight. After dinner. But, for now, there are boxes to be moved, and I have a very hectic afternoon of drinking tea and watching re-runs of Top Gear planned, so get to it!'

He kissed me on the forehead, and went to join Blaine and Evie who had left to continue the heavy lifting.

'Okay then. Bye Kim', he kissed my stomach, 'Bye baby girl!'

'Bye daddy!'