The first time the phone rings at three in the morning, Blaine charges through the apartment looking for it, cursing Santana for not calling his cell as previously arranged. He finds it on the kitchen counter, skidding to a halt on the floor which Kurt had waxed diligently that very afternoon. He slams into the counter hard, shouting loudly at the pain in his hip before he answers the phone.
"I'm on my way! It's early! Oh god, it's early. Are you okay? I'm coming right now."
"Blaine? How do I work the DVR?" his dad asks, completely oblivious to his panic. "Your mom always did it. I've been trying to figure it out but I just don't seem to be able to...hold on...let me just...no, no, that's not it either."
"Dad? Are you shitting me right now?" Blaine asks sternly down the phone. "It's three in the morning. Why couldn't you have asked me this when we spoke after dinner?"
"I didn't have the problem then, and please don't curse."
"Why do you have the problem now?" he cries, laughing in disbelief.
"Because I got up to pee and I remembered I hadn't set the DVR to record extreme fishing, and Kathy is taking me to see Cooper's new place tomorrow so I didn't think I'd have time to do it before I left... Did I wake you?"
"Yes!" Blaine laughs, shaking his head at a dishevelled Kurt who has appeared in the kitchen. "I thought Santana had gone into labor."
"Oh. Sorry about that."
"Go back to sleep dad. I'll record extreme fishing for you and you can watch it when you visit with Cooper on the weekend."
The second time the phone rings- Kurt's cell this time- it is two thirty am, one week before the baby's due date. Kurt promptly rolls out of bed and onto the floor, then managing to hit his head on the nightstand in his effort to locate his cell.
"Yes?" he cries as Blaine charges around, pulling on pants and trying to locate car keys.
"Uncle Kurt!" comes the unmistakable voice of a very drunken Joe. "Your niecey nephew and I were jus wondering if you're a papa yet?"
"Joseph," Kurt's voice is cold and unyielding, even to Joe's hysterical giggles. "Fuck off."
The third call is not received well. One week later, the exact day the baby is due, a phone rings at three fifteen am. It is not answered immediately, but when it is, it is with a very heavy and frustrated sigh.
"What?"
"Have you had it yet?"
"Yes, Blaine," Santana says wearily. "I had it a week ago and I've been storing it here until I felt ready to tell you. What the hell do you think? Seriously, do you know how hard it is for me to sleep right now?"
"I know," he says earnestly. "I can't sleep either."
"I was asleep, you moron!" she yells, waking Lacy who becomes thoroughly confused. "I was perfectly, soundly asleep- finally- and then you decide to force your insomnia and paranoia onto me. Believe me, I will know when it happens, and so will you. I'm pretty damn sure I'll be unable to sleep through the whole thing. Now please, let me try and go back to sleep!"
"I don't think Santana likes me," Blaine moans as he climbs back into bed.
"I'm pretty sure I'd go off you too if you called me on an almost hourly basis to find out if I'd gone into labor. And I can well imagine she didn't take kindly to it in the middle of the night," Kurt mutters as he cuddles close to Blaine. "Come on. Try and sleep a little more. Otherwise this baby will arrive and you won't have the energy for it. Only twenty percent arrive on their due dates. We could have nearly two more weeks ahead of us."
It turns out they have two hours.
The cell rings and Blaine seizes it quickly. "Yes?"
"Yes," Santana gets out through gritted teeth. "You pissed me off that much I went into labor. Though it could still be a long time."
"Even so," Blaine says, nodding at Kurt who is already halfway to the bathroom. "You're sure?"
"As sure as I can be. I had a show in the toilet."
"A show? What kind of show? Like a musical?"
"A show, show," she snaps at him. "Blood, mucus, show."
"Ew," he grimaces. "Do you have to?"
"Yes I fucking do!" she snarls. "I thought you digested every book known to man."
"I skipped the labor parts," he admits.
"Well my friend, you're in for an education."
"Now just remember," Kurt says as Blaine drives like a maniac toward Santana's apartment. "Santana can be difficult at the best of times. She's likely to be even worse in labor."
"I know," Blaine says as he jumps a red light.
"And I'd like to get there alive, please!" Kurt yells at him. "Jesus Christ!"
"Sorry. Sorry."
"A four by four doesn't make you invincible."
"No, okay. Sorry," Blaine says, skidding two wheels up on the curb and cutting the engine. "Shit, Kurt. This is it," he says, looking at him with wide, excited eyes. "We're gonna meet our baby."
Kurt leans across and kisses him, a kiss filled with promise, excitement and love as Blaine's hand finds the back of his neck and pulls him closer.
"I might have known," Santana sighs as she pulls open the car door, throwing her bag onto the back seat before climbing in. "You two are incorrigible," she says with a smile. "Okay, let's go."
The trip to the hospital sees Santana surprisingly cheerful and upbeat, and apart from two contractions which leave her cursing and gripping the door handle, she is perfectly fine. "I'm telling you," she says once Blaine is parked and they're heading into the building. "This is gonna be a long day. Please don't get over excited. And Blaine, will you quit rubbing my back?"
"Sorry."
The receptionist takes their details, calling for their obstetrician who arrives quickly, smiling at them all. "Here we go then," he says, shaking everyone's hands. "How are you feeling, Ms. Lopez?"
"Actually, good," she answers, smiling. "Excited for these guys, a little apprehensive maybe but the contractions so far have been bearable. I think that...ooooh," she breathes, doubling over and clutching the desk for support as Blaine rushes to resume rubbing circles on her back. "Woah, woah," she pants. "That one really hurt. Jeez, Blaine! Leave me alone. Could you please look away while I kill one of the fathers?" she asks the doctor who chuckles and beckons for them to follow him.
"Come on. Let's get you settled in and then we'll examine you."
"Four centimeters," the obstetrician remarks, removing his gloves as a pale looking Kurt and Blaine huddle together in the corner. "The three of you are in for a long wait. Go get some coffee, take a walk, whatever. This baby will take its time."
"That is the grossest thing I've ever seen," Kurt whispers to his husband once the doctor has left.
"I think it's gonna get worse," Blaine whispers back.
Santana seems unbothered though, settling back on the bed and pulling a book from her bag, telling them to go and eat something. They walk through the corridors toward the canteen, holding hands and sharing excited smiles. "Should we call our dads?" Blaine asks.
"I don't know," Kurt says. "I'm not sure..."
"I like the idea of it just being us who knows," Blaine says, "for a while, at least. I mean, obviously I want to tell everyone when the baby is here but..."
"But if we say she's in labor they'll all be getting in their cars to drive here and..."
"And I think a moment of selfishness is allowed," Blaine says, stopping to wrap his arms around Kurt's waist.
"But I do need to let Anna know," Kurt says, "she'll worry when I don't turn up to work."
"Same. I should call Riccardo. But they can keep secrets."
By the time they have eaten, and made the necessary phone calls, Santana is bored, completely uncomfortable and very, very snappy. "Help me get the fuck off this bed," she snarls at them the second they're back in the room.
"Why? Why do you need to get off the bed? What's wrong? Is it coming?" Blaine rushes out as he crowds around her.
"I need to fucking pee!" she yells. "That's all. Just help me get up."
He helps her carefully from the bed and escorts her to the bathroom, waiting outside- much to her annoyance- to usher her back to the bed. "Oooh, shit," she gasps, just as she's climbing back onto the bed, and a sudden gush of water has Blaine screaming and Kurt pulling the emergency cord.
"My shoes! My shoes! Jesus Christ, woman!"
"I can't help it!" she yells back at Blaine as a nurse appears. "You want this baby, it has to get out somehow!"
"Okay, okay, no need to worry," the nurse soothes as she helps Santana back into bed. "We'll get this cleaned up. Guys, time to scrub up, it looks like we're in business," she says, peeking between Santana's legs under the covers. "Ten centimeters. Ready to go."
Within ten minutes Santana is huffing and puffing her way though untold agony as her body forces her to push over and over again. Kurt and Blaine are either side, gripping her hands tightly and calling out words of encouragement as she grits her teeth and bears down, a strangled scream coming of her mouth out before she pants and falls back against the bed for a brief respite.
"Okay Santana, you're doing really well," the doctor encourages. "Gentlemen, decide which end you wish to be. You'll be able to see the head any second."
"Oh!" Kurt says in surprise, looking between Blaine and Santana. "We uh..."
"You can look," Santana says with half a yell. "It's not like you're...fuuuuuuuck...ever gonna see it happen again. Not from my parts, anyway."
So Kurt looks, eyes widening in shock and surprise. "Oh my god," he chokes out, eyes brimming with tears. "Blaine..."
"Is it gross?" he asks, reluctant to leave his spot by Santana's shoulder.
"No," he says, laughing through his tears. "It's incredible."
They look together and Blaine gasps loudly as he turns to the doctor. "Is that the head?"
"Yep," he nods, "okay Santana, listen to me. Two more big pushes, okay? First one to deliver the head, second to deliver the shoulders and then you're all done. On my count now, one..two.."
"Threeeeeeee!" Santana screams, pushing down for all she's worth.
It suddenly becomes impossible to know who is saying what as everyone calls encouragement to Santana and someone- doctor, nurse, who knows, calls to her to keep going, keep going and at last the head is out.
"One more!" Blaine sobs excitedly as he and Kurt push against her knees. "You can do this, you can!"
And with a final shout and a gigantic push, the baby is born. "Oh my god, oh my god," Kurt sobs as they both reach for the tiny infant. A swift finger is inserted into the baby's mouth, cleaning out the mucus and it gives a tiny splutter before a loud wailing fills the room. "Blaine! Blaine!"
"Girl," Blaine sobs, ignoring the blood and mucus and picking up their brand new daughter. "Kurt, we've got a little girl."
Kurt is rendered speechless, smoothing a shaking hand over the baby's head before leaning to kiss her gently. The doctor takes her then, to be cleaned, checked and weighed, leaving Santana to fall wearily back on the bed and Kurt and Blaine to stare at one another in wonder.
"A little girl," Kurt whispers before he breaks down completely. "We've got a daughter."
"Small," Blaine chokes out, leaning across to kiss his husband tenderly. "Kurt, she's so small."
"Thank you," Kurt says, suddenly remembering Santana is in the room. "Oh my god, Santana just...thank you."
"Come here, you dummies," she smiles, holding her arms out. They go willingly and the three cry together, totally overwhelmed and so immersed in what they've just achieved that neither man grosses out when Santana delivers the afterbirth.
"We can never thank you enough for this," Kurt says, wiping at his eyes that just won't seem to stop leaking water.
"We have gifts," Blaine continues, stroking her wet hair back from her forehead and kissing her tenderly. "Though they kind of pale in comparison to the gift you've just given us. That vacation you mentioned? It's ready and waiting. Lacy has all the details. And here..."
Rummaging in his bag he produces a jewelry box, and places a large diamond pendant around her neck. The jewel shines brightly, and Santana's eyes go wide. "Holy hell it's huge," she whispers. "You didn't have to do this."
"Kurt picked it," Blaine admits. "I'm not allowed to choose such things."
"That's probably why I like it," she smiles.
"As Blaine said, it's nothing compared to what you've given to us. It's uh...it's shaped like a teardrop because...well, you'll think this cheesy...but because you've saved so many of ours. You made this all so easy, so enjoyable and we felt so involved...just thank you, a million times and more. We love you so much."
"It was seriously, my absolute pleasure," she grins tearfully.
"Okay, we need to take Santana to be stitched now," a kindly nurse says, and the men turn to see her holding their baby out to them, swaddled in a white blanket and wearing a little pink hat.
"Would you like to hold her?" Blaine asks, and Santana nods.
"We need words," she says, taking the baby carefully from the nurse. "Well hello, little one," she coos, smiling softly. "Aren't you just all kinds of wonderful, huh? Now you need to listen to me. You have been so well behaved for me, these last nine months. So now you need to do the same for your dads, okay? You're the luckiest little lady alive, I can tell you, because although they'll be completely dorky and totally embarrassing, they'll be the best parents you could wish for. Just remember though, when they sit down at the piano after dinner to sing the entire sound of music score for the eleventh time that week, you'll always be welcome at mine. So I'm gonna go now," she sniffles. "And leave you three alone." Kissing the baby's cheek gently, she passes her to Blaine, who looks like he might pass out any second. She offers a small wave as they wheel her from the room, and then she is gone.
"It's up to you two," the nurse smiles as she tidies away. "But we encourage all new mothers on the ward to have some skin to skin contact with the baby. You might want to do the same- take your shirts off and cosy up on the couch together with her while she's only in a diaper. Open the front of the blanket and lie her against your chests, it helps to bond. I'm gonna leave you for now. Just pull the cord if you need anything."
It takes an awful lot of maneuvering, but eventually Blaine lies back shirtless on the couch, with Kurt half on top of him and creating a 'v' shape for the baby to go in. Ever so carefully, as if afraid she might break, Blaine opens the front of the blanket and settles the now sleeping baby between them. She lets out an adorable little snuffle but stays settled, her tiny fist curled against Kurt's skin as they both look down at her in awe.
Kurt smiles softly through never ending tears of joy. "Have you ever..."
"Never," Blaine whispers, not wanting to speak too loud and ruin the most perfect moment they've ever experienced. Reaching out, he runs a finger gently over her little round cheeks and button nose, marvelling at how huge his finger seems in comparison to her tiny features. "Never has there been a more beautiful little girl. And she's ours, Kurt. She's our little darling."
"Look at her Blaine," he says quietly, pressing his lips to Blaine's temple. "Look at her little tiny fingers, the cute button nose, her perfect, unblemished skin...I love her so much already. I love her and I love you, dearly."
"I love you both too," he says, looking up at him and beaming before kissing him slowly. "Hmm, this is good," he sighs, wrapping an arm around the baby and another around his husband before kissing him again. "So good."
"What are we going to call her?"
"I haven't a clue."
They cuddle together for as long as possible, until the baby starts to cry and Blaine panics, pulling the cord for the nurse to return. "She's crying and I don't know why," he cries desperately. "She doesn't like me."
"She likes you," the nurse laughs. "She just wants feeding. Here," she says, holding out a bottle of formula.
"I don't know how," Blaine whispers, terrified.
"Neither do I," Kurt adds.
"Well you're gonna have to learn," the nurse says. "Wrap baby up tight and sit up."
Within a few minutes Kurt is settled in Blaine's lap, baby in arms as they feed her together, leaving the nurse to return to her desk once more and cluck about how cute the gay dads down the hall are together. Left alone in the room with a now sleeping baby, Kurt suddenly remembers the wider family and ignoring any hospital rules, pulls out his cell to call his dad.
"Kurt?"
"Hey dad...you're a grandad!"
"What? Since when? Holy crap, Kurt! Holy crap! Boy? Girl? Name? Is it okay?"
"Calm down dad!" He laughs as Burt hollers for Carole. "Girl, she's wonderfully, wonderfully perfect and no name yet."
"Can we come up? Can we?"
"Of course," Kurt laughs. "Bring Mike."
"Oh we certainly will!" Burt laughs. "We'll leave as soon as possible. Oh Kurt! Congratulations!"
"One happy father," Kurt remarks to Blaine with a smile as he hangs up. "Time to make it two."
"Hey dad," Blaine says cheerfully, swallowing down the tears he can feel threatening. "So...you have a new granddaughter."
"I what?" he asks, "let me just turn down the tv. That's better. Say it again?"
"You have a new Granddaughter," Blaine says louder, laughing at the gasp from his dad.
"Really? Oh Blaine how wonderful! Oh, oh my son...she was right," Mike says, voice cracking with emotion. "Your mom was right."
"She was," Blaine nods, thrusting the phone at Kurt as he becomes too overwhelmed to speak.
"Hey Mike," Kurt says cheerily, and happily listens to him gush over how happy he is. Once all the arrangements have been made for visiting, Kurt sets the phone down and takes the baby from the crib, handing her to Blaine. "Here," he says gently, rubbing one hand over his arm.
"I wish," Blaine starts but it's all he can get out before heavy tears begin to fall and Kurt wraps his arms around both of them, kissing into Blaine's hair over and over.
"I know, I know," he soothes. "It's okay. Cry and cry for her Blaine, because I'm crying too. We both wish our moms could be here but they're watching, I'm sure of it. Your mom was so certain we'd have a girl, and we did. Look at her, Blaine. She's here, and she's gonna grow up to know all about these two fantastic grandmas who watch over her, and we're gonna love her and make her happiness our lifetime priority, okay?"
Blaine doesn't respond, only holds the baby tighter to his chest and snuggles into Kurt, who kisses them both in turn. They doze off, only realizing they have done so when the nurse arrives and announces the baby will be taken to the nursery for a few observations. "Nothing to worry about," she says cheerily. "Just routine checks. Use the time to send photos to anyone and everyone you've ever known," she smiles. "Then you might like to give her a bath, and get her dressed."
"Okay," Blaine says firmly. "We're gonna do this. We're gonna name her, and bath her, and dress her and probably panic like hell. But we're gonna do it."
"Together," Kurt grins.
"Together."
"And I didn't drown her!" Blaine says happily down the phone to Wes. He has left Kurt in their private room, cuddling the baby close as he naps, and now he steadily goes through the barrage of text messages, calling back the most important ones, starting with Wes of course. "She cried a little bit, but Kurt held her and I poured the water over her tummy- which is just the cutest tummy in existence, by the way- and then when she was done I wrapped her in a towel and dried her. The dressing was a challenge," he admits. "Those onesies are incredibly difficult to maneuver little limbs into, and she did really yell at that point. But she like...stops yelling as soon as she has a bottle in her mouth. That's it. She just shuts up and sucks with these big blue eyes looking at you and...oh Wes," he laughs. "I can't wait for you to see her."
"Does she look like Kurt?"
"Yes," he smiles, thinking of the two of them back in the room. "She has his mouth, definitely, and eyes. Nose too, that cute little turned up bit. Yeah. Yeah she does look just like him. But not as much hair. There's just like this little bit of dark hair which the nurse says will probably fall out and then she'll go fair."
"Can we come tomorrow?"
"Yes," Blaine says quickly. "Please do."
"And is Santana okay?"
"She is. I've just been up to see her. It's good so far. She seems really happy about the baby but not upset at all, which is good. I guess all the counseling before hand helped. She's resting but said she'll come down to our room tomorrow."
"That's good, I'm hoping to see her," Wes says slowly. "I uh...we...well, we have some news."
"Wes? Is there gonna be a mini Wes?"
"Yes," Wes laughs. "Beginning of September."
"Oh my god!" Blaine cries. "Congratulations! Can I tell Kurt? Can I?"
"Yes," Wes agrees "but no one else yet."
"Okay. Aw Wes! This is amazing!"
"Did you want to call her Sara?" Kurt asks later that day.
Blaine stops texting Riccardo and looks up, thinking. "I don't think I do," he says quietly. "If it was years further on, maybe. But right now I just don't feel ready for that daily reminder."
"Okay," Kurt shrugs. "I just felt like I should offer."
"And that's really sweet, thank you."
"It's okay, Blaine," Kurt says, studying him and knowing he feels guilty as hell. "You don't need to feel bad about it. We're entitled to name her whatever we want."
"I know that, but I still feel like I want to honor her in some way."
"I feel the same about my mom," Kurt admits.
"So what are our options?" Blaine asks. "Beth's out the window, but Elizabeth has loads of diminutives. Eliza, for one."
"I hate it."
"O-Kay," he says slowly. "Um... Betty, Betsy, Elise, Libby, Lizzy..."
"What was that?" Kurt asks, sitting upright.
"What was what?"
"That name you just said."
"Lizzy?"
"No, before that."
"Libby."
"Yes," Kurt says, his whole face lighting up. "That one."
"You like it?" Blaine asks, moving from the armchair to the couch where Kurt sits.
"I do," he confirms. "Do you?"
"I love it. Let's see what she thinks," he says, taking Kurt's hand and tugging him over to the plastic crib where the baby lies sleeping. "Well?" he asks, lifting her out and kissing her tiny nose. "Do you want to be called Libby, darling?"
"Oh my god Blaine, you're a genius!" Kurt laughs suddenly.
"Huh?"
"That's it! The perfect way to honor your mom and mine. We'll call her Libby Darling."
"And again, huh?" a totally confused Blaine asks.
"Libby Darling Hummel-Anderson," Kurt says slowly. "In memory of both our moms and yet entirely original. Your mom called everyone darling, and if she was still here now, no matter what name we gave this baby, she'd still be known as darling. So that's what we'll do."
"I think..." Blaine starts slowly, shifting the baby to one arm to tug Kurt close. "I think that when our family arrives we can introduce them to our daughter, Libby Darling," he grins. "I love it. It's perfect. And now I'm gonna sit in the corner and cry a while, if that's okay."
"Can Libby and I sit with you?"
"I think I'd like that a lot," he smiles.