A/N: Amg. Sorry for the late update. Our morning consisted of a 6am Maccas run, swimming, hanging around without shirts while we watched Glee and walking to the shops and back -.- We're online! http : / / tinychat . com / taiu4

Rating: K

"Anne, no!" Kurt called desperately, grabbing for her and missing as the five year old darted out of his reach, stopping in front of the group who'd just called them fags. Blaine had just disappeared into one of the shops around them, leaving him with James in the stroller and Anne - who'd chosen that moment to confront the bullies.

"Do you have a problem with my daddies?" she asked them, hands on hips, her head cocked to the side. When they didn't reply she prompted them impatiently. "Well?"

Blaine reappeared at that moment, looking around for Anne and gasping when he noticed where she was. He started trying to push through the crowd, desperate to get to her.

"You little..." one of the men in the group growled, stepping menacingly toward her. One of the people who had been looking on was there in an instant, stepping between Anne and the man, one of his friends stepping through the crowd to his side, backing him up.

"I wouldn't finish that sentence if I were you, little ears are quite impressionable." the stranger said warningly, looming over the other man. The bully looked him up and down, backing away as he realised how badly this could end for him. He growled, backing down, stalking away as his friends followed him.

"Fucking fags." he tossed back at Kurt and Blaine, who were frozen in shock.

The man who'd rescued her scooped Anne up, depositing her in Blaine's arms when he finally managed to push through the crowd to claim her. Blaine held her tightly as she nestled into his arms, shaking, finally realising what could have happened.

"She's got quite a temper." the stranger told Blaine, smiling gently. "Try not to let her get away next time, alright? She might not be so lucky, and that wouldn't be good." he said, "Behave yourself now." he told her, before walking back off, waving at Anne. Kurt finally made it to Blaine's side, James quiet and serious in his stroller.

"I think it's time we left." he said quietly, wrapping an arm around Blaine's waist, even as Blaine pressed his face into Anne' hair.

"Let's go." Blaine agreed.

Anne was quiet all the way to the car, having finally stopped shaking, though Blaine insisted on carrying her. Kurt had hugged her tightly as he put her into the car, murmering,

"Don't you ever do that to me again." into her hair. She'd nodded seriously, looking up at him with wide eyes.

Back home, Kurt disappeared upstairs for a second, tucking the sleeping toddler into bed for his nap before coming back downstairs, finding Blaine and Anne curled up together on the couch. He joined them, hugging Anne between their chests as he pulled a blanket over them, Anne's current favourite movie on already.

Anne's voice when she spoke was quiet, and very very soft.

"Daddy?" she asked, plucking at the material of Blaine's shirt.

"Yes baby?" Kurt answered gently.

"Why do people call you and daddy mean names?" she asked, her voice insecure.

Blaine looked at Kurt over her head, his eyes pain-filled.

"Because some people aren't very nice." Kurt explained simply, kissing the top of her head as she cuddled closer. "And because they don't understand how much daddy Blaine and I love each other, and you and James."

Anne nodded seriously, her bottom lip trembling.

"Why can't everyone just play nice?" she asked, her voice breaking halfway through.

"Because their parents didn't teach them." Blaine answered her. "Their parents didn't teach them that they have to be nice, or no one will like them, or that love is love, no matter who it's between."

"And that you have to share your toys to have friends." Anne added seriously. That lesson had taken her quite a while to learn, and she still messed it up sometimes.

"Exactly." Kurt whispered. Anne looked up at him for a second, tears filling her eyes.

"I wish everyone was nice." she sniffled, finally starting to cry as Kurt hugged her, Blaine moving closer, patting her back gently. They said nothing, waiting for her to cry herself out.

Eventually the tears slowed, and Anne whimpered a little, shifting until she could curl up between them, warm and comfortable, finally opening her eyes again to look up at Blaine.

Blaine smiled at her gently, grabbing a tissue and wiping her face.

"Love you." she said quietly, yawning. "Love you both." she whispered, snuggling into Kurt, already half-asleep, exhausted from the shopping trip and the drama.

"Love you too." whispered Kurt, gently petting her hair, watching as she fell asleep. Blaine smiled, leaning forward to kiss her cheek.

"Love you Annie." he said, making her smile reflexively, though her eyes still didn't open.

As soon as Kurt was sure the little girl was asleep, he turned to Blaine with sad eyes.

"Blaine..."

"I know babe...I know."

"She's so little...and she was gone so fast..."

"Shh, it's okay."

"Why is the world so stupid?" he moaned, burying his face into Blaine's shoulder. "She's just a little girl. She shouldn't have to deal with..."

Blaine stroked Kurt's hair with his free hand, nodding sadly.

"It's just the way the world is going to work. Maybe it's best she learns it now from strangers, than later from people she thinks are her friends."

Kurt's eyes filled with tears. "...it was all supposed to change. I thought the same-sex marriage equality would change it all..."

Blaine shushed him gently, still stroking his hair.

"Annie will learn. She'll deal and she'll cope. But we have to be strong for her babe."

Kurt nodded feebly with a sigh, wiping his tears and leaning in to kiss Blaine gently.

"Love you."

"Love you too."

They lapsed into a drowsy silence, Kurt gently patting Anne's back, his head on Blaine's shoulder as Blaine petted his hair. A scream from upstairs interrupted them, and Blaine dropped a kiss on Kurt's hair.

"I'll go." he murmured, gently untangling himself.

He came back a few minutes later, James holding onto him desperately, his face red and tear-stained.

"Look who's awake!" Blaine said cheerfully, bouncing James slightly as he whimpered. Kurt smiled up at him.

"Come here." he said gently, holding his arms out for the baby. They switched children expertly, Anne ending up on Blaine's chest, still fast asleep, the blanket tucked back around her while Kurt cooed to James, getting the baby to calm down. Finally, James relaxed into Kurt with a sigh.

"Poor baby, he doesn't like waking up alone." Kurt whispered affectionately, stroking James's hair, careful not to wake Anne.

"Anne never had that problem." Blaine frowned.

"Yeah, but how long did it take us - " Kurt looked pointedly at Blaine, "-to let her sleep the night in her own bed?"

"Point." Blaine agreed softly, reaching out to stroke his fingers through James's baby hair. "He'll learn."

A/N: We'll be working on some teenage Klaine :D