"I feel really bad that Wes and AJ can't go home for Christmas." Kurt said, coming into Blaine's room.
"She wouldn't be able to fly anyway because she's so far along and it's a 30 hour drive. She was at the hospital two days ago and was already dilated 4 centimeters." Blaine, who was putting some jeans into his backpack, looked up.
"I know… but still." Kurt sat down on his bed.
"The process has started. They said it would probably be any day now. It's too risky for them to do anything." Blaine zipped his bag. "Plus, I get the feeling they kind of wanted to stay here by themselves… Well, Adrian is actually staying too."
"Really?"
"Yeah. She wants him in the delivery room. He doesn't really go home anyway, though." Blaine shrugged. "He's probably grateful for a solid excuse."
"I would never want to be in a room with someone birthing a baby." Kurt shuddered.
"Yeah, well, she's his best friend. Honestly if Wes had asked me to stay, I would have…" He lowered his voice. "I am so glad he didn't."
"I would have been pretty sad." Kurt admitted.
"Yeah, but you would have understood." Blaine gave him a smile. "But you don't have to worry about it because I'm going home."
Kurt smiled and it grew when Adrian came into the room.
"Hey." Blaine said.
"God, I wish I could beg you to take me with you." He whispered. "This is stressing me the heck out."
Kurt gave him a sympathetic look. "Are you going to stay there the whole time?"
He nodded and the shrugged. "Yeah. I'm probably less anxious than Wes, though."
"Oh, he's freaking out. He has been since the 21st when they told her she was already dilated." Blaine said. "If AJ wasn't always here, he'd probably be freaking out a lot more. He doesn't want to stress her out."
"It's understandable." Kurt said. "His entire life is about to change and it is literally just a head drop away."
Adrian cringed. "Oh God. I have a feeling Wes will pass out and I will puke… hopefully not on the baby. Honestly I don't want my head anywhere near that until it's cleaned up anyway. Am I a horrible person?"
"No." Blaine laughed. "But I think in the moment you'll want to see her as soon as she's born."
Kurt nodded in agreement. "You will. You're a good friend. How is she doing?"
"I think she's ready for it to be over with honestly. She's been miserable since the first of December. She can't even get comfortable enough to sleep." Adrian said. "Which means Wes hasn't slept either. He's too sweet to sleep when she can't."
"I love Wes." Blaine let out a little sigh.
Adrian snorted and Kurt rolled his eyes.
"So, how's Matt?" Kurt asked as Adrian sat on Blaine's bed.
"He's fiiine." Adrian laughed.
"Do you have a ring yet?"
"No, not yet. I don't even think it will happen anytime soon, either. Things have been kind of crazy between me with finals and with him working overtime." Adrian shrugged. "How were your finals?"
"They were all fine. I don't have to study for stuff… I just have to do stuff. It's stressful with a deadline but I definitely don't have to study like you all do." Kurt shrugged a bit.
"I think I screwed up the essay in Johnson's final." Blaine sighed.
"No, you didn't. We basically touched on the same things and I know I knocked it out of the water." Adrian said—for the fifth time since the day of the final. "Kurt, he worries too much."
"I know." Kurt smiled. "I'm sure you did fine, honey."
"I'm nervous for a class with Bob… although criminal law sounds awesome so I really want to take it." Adrian groaned.
"I don't know why you're so nervous. It's not even like he's a professor. I think he just teaches the class every few years when the main person goes on sabbatical." Blaine said. "Plus, honestly if he's anything like with his paperwork, he probably reads three paragraphs—one from beginning, middle, and end—and then judge by that."
"Seriously?" Kurt asked.
"Well not for like cases but with the stupid office stuff, yeah. Sometimes Ryan will put random stuff into the memos just to see Bob's reaction when he realizes what he signed off on." Blaine laughed.
"It's true." Adrian nodded. "Ryan messes with him all of the time."
"If it was anybody else, they would get in so much trouble. Ryan just gets this look that isn't even that serious." Blaine shook his head.
"Oh." Kurt looked surprised.
"Ryan helps him out with a lot of work. I think they're pretty close. He even went to Ryan's wedding." Adrian said.
"Aww, did he?" Blaine asked
"Yeah. He came to the hospital when both of their babies were born too." Adrian nodded. "Ryan says Bob is the protective big brother he never had."
"Bob is the best, Kurt." Blaine said. "I love him. Like… the best."
Kurt smiled.
"Back to where we were, though, my point was that I don't think he even cares about writing stuff. He seems like he's much more of a participation grader." Blaine said. "You like to talk in class so you'll be good."
AJ came in. "Oh, hi, Kurt!"
"How are you feeling?" Kurt smiled.
"It's December 23rd and I'm about to give birth to Wes' spawn. I'm feeling pretty anxious."
"About giving birth?" Kurt asked.
"No. That it won't be human." She joked, sitting in Blaine's desk chair.
"Oh my God, you're baby belly is so cute." Kurt said.
"Enjoy it because it's the last time you'll see it." AJ smiled at him. "If you want to touch it, go ahead."
"Really?" Kurt went over and touched her belly. "She kicked!"
"Oh, I know." AJ winced. "Are you all leaving soon?"
"Yeah. We have to be at the airport in half an hour." Blaine zipped up his smaller bag.
"I have a feeling when you leave, Wes is going to freak out." She admitted.
"I think he's just like you—partially freaking out because of the waiting, but once everything starts happening you will both be calm." Blaine reassured her, smiling. "He's a little nervous but I think a lot of it comes from being really excited."
"Yeah. I guess. I was really hoping she would hold off until January, though." AJ sighed a bit.
"Well, you can't control that." Adrian said, coming into the room. "Apparently your spawn is a go-getter like mommy and daddy. She can't even wait to her due date."
AJ nodded. "Figures, doesn't it?"
Kurt smiled. "You overachievers, you."
She laughed and then stood up. "You have to hug me, Blaine."
Blaine gave her a hug. "Everything will be perfect. She will be perfect and then everybody that knows you is going to be insanely jealous of you guys for having such a perfect little human."
She hugged him back and then went to Kurt for a hug.
"Good luck!" Kurt said as Wes walked in.
"You're leaving already?" Wes asked.
"Yeah." Blaine nodded, punching him in the shoulder. "Don't faint."
"Oh my God. I didn't even think about that." Wes' eyes widened and then he took a deep breath.
"Please, don't give him any ideas." Adrian moaned. "I cannot handle this birth alone."
"You can't?" AJ scoffed, looking at him. "Are you serious, right now?"
"I'm not going to pass out." Wes reassured Blaine, Adrian, and AJ. "I've watched tons of videos. I am mentally prepared."
"I might." Adrian mumbled.
"I will definitely see you guys on January 3rd but maybe a bit earlier." Blaine pulled his backpack on.
"See ya." Wes ruffled Blaine's loose curls. "You too, Kurt."
Kurt shook Wes' arm a bit before following Blaine out of the room.
…
"You got an earlier flight!" Burt exclaimed when Blaine and Kurt walked into the shop.
"Why are you still here, Dad?" Kurt dropped his bag and hugged Burt.
"I thought it'd be easier to get caught up on paperwork with nobody else here." Burt hugged him and then Blaine. "Well, how was the flight? Finals? Has anybody had a breakdown yet?"
"The flight was good, finals were finals, and I think anyone in their last year of graduate school is breaking down every minute of their life." Blaine said cheerfully.
"Oh, you do good." Burt shook his shoulder a bit. "Don't even worry. I don't worry about you two at all."
"I do." Kurt snorted. "Mainly him."
"Why's that?"
"Monday I had to go to the emergency room because I had a panic attack…" Blaine admitted. "I'm fine, though."
"Panic attack?" Burt pulled back and looked at him. "Are you okay?"
"Too many classes and not enough time to breathe." Blaine held his hands up. "Don't worry. My boss picked me up and already gave the whole speech. And then Adrian's boss the next day…"
"Well," Burt said gruffly, shaking him a bit again. "As long as you are okay."
"Next semester I'm only in five classes so it will be better... I hope." Blaine reassured Burt. He then glared at Kurt for saying he was worried.
"What?" Kurt asked. "You were going to tell Carole anyway and he would have found out. Just rip off the band aid. Get the dad talk in and we can move on to cookies and potato candy."
Burt chuckled a bit. "Let me put my paperwork up and we'll go home."
Blaine gave Kurt another look when Burt walked back towards his office.
"It's payback for telling Wes about our sex life." Kurt shrugged.
"Seriously? I'm sorry but if I… you know… and I walk weird, I mean, he's going to know. I don't even know how to come up with a lie for that." Blaine threw his hands in the air. "Excuse me."
"What are you two talking about?" Burt asked, coming out with his jacket on and his keys in his hand.
"Moon cycles." Kurt said, too quickly.
"Forget I asked. I probably don't want to know." Burt gestured towards the exit. "Let's get out of here. Do you guys want to get lunch first? Anyone hungry?"
Blaine's eyes literally lit up.
"I'm not." Kurt, who was in front of him and hadn't seen his reaction, shrugged.
"Blaine has already spoken."
"He didn't say anything."
"No but he literally had stars popping out of his eyes." Burt chuckled. "Do you want Waffle House, Blaine?"
"Oh my God, yes." Blaine responded.
"You can't eat that, Dad. You just had a heart attack."
"Eight months ago. Kurt, I'm kidding! I'm not going to eat."
"Dad, please tell me that you aren't eating at places like Waffle House. I am so serious." Kurt stared at his father.
"I'm not, kid. I promise." Burt went over and ruffled Kurt's hair.
"I don't want to go through that again. You have to take care of yourself."
"My doctor said I couldn't be better." Burt pulled him into a hug. "I am going to be fine."
"20% of people who have heart attacks after the age of 45 will have another heart attack within five year." Kurt said.
"Well there you go. I'm 42."
"Dad! You've already had two!"
Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt. "Calm down."
"Don't tell me to calm down. I can't go through that a third time."
Burt came back over to him. "Kurt, I was kidding."
"Well don't." Kurt angrily wiped his eye. "God, this is so stupid. Why would you even say that? And why am I crying?"
"Come here." Burt said, pulling him into another hug.
"You have to take care of yourself. You have to, Dad."
"I am." Burt's voice was very calm. "My check ups have been perfect. There's no junk food in the house… apart from the stuff for Christmas but I don't plan on having a whole lot of junk anyway."
Kurt halfheartedly punched Burt's arm, sniffling. "You are going to send me into an early grave."
"Me send you into one?" Burt laughed. "All four of you kids have to be more stressful than one me."
"You said all four." Kurt pulled back, seeing Blaine's shocked facial expression. His smile after warmed Kurt's heart in a way he didn't know it could be warmed.
"Finn and Blaine are as much my kids as you and Melody… and they treat me better." Burt grinned.
"I'll treat you better once I make sure there isn't a stash of junk food hidden somewhere." Kurt sighed. "Blaine, we're not going to Waffle House."
"I knew it was too good to be true." Blaine sighed, more dramatic than it really needed to be.
"It always is, kid. It always is." Burt ruffled Blaine's curls. "They're just so puffy."
"Hey. Just because you did it in a hospital bed does not mean you can do it any time you want." Blaine said, pulling back.
"They're so soft." Kurt said.
"They are." Burt reached over, ruffling them again.
"I'm going to go and sit in the car now." Blaine grabbed his bag, walking towards Burt's car.
"Was that too much?" Burt asked, looking a little worried.
"No. He will never say it, but he secretly likes it."
"I mean I did it in the hospital and it was fun so I'm just going to keep doing it." Burt said as they walked to the car. He took two steps towards Blaine.
"No." Blaine put his hand up. "No. Do not touch my hair."
"I fed you for a year."
"Did you have to call them puffy?" Blaine whined.
While he let his guard down, Burt ruffled his hair again.
"Oh my God. I am never visiting you in a hospital again." Blaine opened the back door of Burt's car.
"Fine by me because I don't plan to go to one again unless it's for a birth… hopefully of your children."
Kurt climbed into the passenger seat. "Can you at least let us get through grad school first?"
"Or marriage? That's important." Blaine said from the back seat. "You know. We need a strong foundation before we bring children into the world."
"You've got about eight million to spend on foundation so I don't want to hear it, Blaine."
"I didn't mean physical foundation. I meant—you know what. We will talk about this in a year."
"Uhm, I'm going to need more than a year." Blaine leaned up so he was closer. "I won't even take the Bar until the February after next so if you could dial it a few notches up."
"When do you find out if you pass?" Burt asked.
"Late April." Kurt responded for Blaine. He then added sheepishly, "I looked."
"Great. A year and four months. Then we'll talk about it again." Burt clapped his hands.
"Oh God." Blaine moaned from the back. "You do know that school breaks are supposed to be stress free, right? I need these four weeks. Like, really. And I can catch up on sleep. Oh my God. I miss sleep."
"I wish I didn't have spasms go through my hand for drawing so much." Kurt said. "And my eyes are always weird because of how much I stare at the tablet."
"Kurt, you don't have to sit through Administrative Law. You can't complain until you sit in that lecture hall for three hours once a week. I am going to actually die."
"I would rather sit in a room for three hours listening to boring stuff than sketch and erase and pin and sew and sketch and erase and pin and sew and—"
"Fine. Five years. Can I bring it up in five years?" Burt asked, sounding annoyed.
"In five years, I will be four months away from thirty." Blaine said. "Shit. Is that right?"
"Yes. It's right. Thank you for that reminder." Kurt scoffed. "I really appreciate that."
"You know what? I never want to be alone in a car with you two again right after you take your finals." Burt said as they pulled into the driveway.
"KURTBLAINEKURTBLAINEKURTBLAINE!" Melody shrieked running outside.
"It's snowing! Get a jacket on!" Burt exclaimed and then mumbled, "They're going to make me start drinking."
…
Carole came up to Kurt later that day. "Hey, hon."
"Hey." Kurt, who had been watching Melody and Blaine having too fun trying to decorate cupcakes, smiled.
"Potato candy done?"
"Yeah. It's in the fridge… meaning it will probably all be consumed by tomorrow morning between Dad and Blaine."
She laughed and patted his thigh.
"How is Dad doing?" Kurt looked at her somewhat nervously.
He knew his father said everything was okay… but he also didn't know how much he believed him. It was also the first time he'd seen her without Burt since they had made it home early in the afternoon.
"He's doing good. Eating mostly healthy, letting a couple of the guys at work help with the managerial stuff. He seems less stressed." She reassured him.
"Really?" Kurt looked like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
"Yes. The checkup was near perfect. I went back because I don't trust him to tell the truth either." Carole gave Kurt a look.
"You're not worried? They really said everything looks good?"
"Yes. They said he was really lucky but that if he keeps his stress down and keeps healthy habits, that he'll be back to normal soon." Carole nodded. "And he really has been doing less. Jeff has been doing a lot of the stuff around the garage… and he won't let Burt under a car either."
"Jeff has always been my favorite." Kurt took a deep breath.
"How are you? Do you feel better from the pneumonia? I hate how you always get that."
"I do feel better… I didn't tell Blaine about that, though." Kurt admitted. "He's been so anxious over school and stuff… plus, David was keeping an eye on me anyway."
"He probably would have wanted to know."
"It's okay. He's got so much going on and it was before finals so he wouldn't have been able to study if he came to New York." Kurt shrugged a bit. "I don't know. Maybe I'll tell him later or something… but I don't want to get David in trouble for not telling him either."
"I think he'll understand but appreciate knowing." Carole patted his thigh again. "Are you excited? In May you can Blaine get to live together again!"
"I am so excited." Kurt's eyes lit up. "I can't wait to live with him. I miss him when we're not together."
"He showed me the pictures of the apartment. It looks beautiful." Carole smiled.
"Yeah. Honestly I don't think we really needed that much room but I think he's excited that he'll have enough money to pay that." Kurt laughed a bit. "It's definitely a step up from my old apartment with Quinn."
"No, Blaine, that's stupid!" Melody suddenly shrieked before giggling loudly.
"It's not stupid. It's Harry Potter. Come on now." Blaine responded. "You don't deserve the icing bag. I want it back."
"But it's my turn."
"Your turn has lasted an hour." Blaine huffed.
"Excuse me." Kurt got up, went around the island, and pulled another icing bag out of one of the drawers. He then held it out, giving Blaine a look. "Here you are, children."
"I was trying to draw something and she pulled it out of my hand." Blaine pouted a bit before taking the bag. "How many full bags do you have in there?"
"The rest of it is white." Kurt looked at the cookies. "Whose are whose?"
"Seriously, Kurt? Don't be a you-know-what." Blaine pouted.
"I think he means asshole." Melody said, hiding behind Kurt when Carole sent her a glare. "Sorry, momma!"
"I'm sorry. You are very smart and musically inclined, but you are still terrible at decorating cookies… you've gotten a lot better with cakes and cupcakes, though!" Kurt patted his shoulder.
"Does that mean I'm as good as Blaine?" Melody asked excitedly. "Since you can't tell them apart?"
"Uh, yeah. You are. Just as good as Blaine."
"Yay!" Melody bounced up and down. "Did you hear that, Blaine?"
"I… think that's a bad thing." Blaine said slowly. "Kurt doesn't think I'm very good but he doesn't know true artistic talent."
"It's okay, Blaine. Kurt has to be better because he draws for school." Carole laughed, coming over. "If you practiced, you would get better. Once a year just isn't enough."
"He was better before he sketched stuff all of the time too." Blaine pouted a bit. "I don't have time to practice."
"Your cupcakes look a lot better than they used to, though!" Kurt said before borrowing Melody's icing bag and fixing a cookie for her. "I have been doing it since I was five. I used to do it with my mom and then, later, Grammy and Taylor always did it with me. Paige was really bad at it, though."
"The cupcakes are easier." Blaine sighed, watching Kurt decorate another cookie. "You know, you don't have to be a show off."
Carole laughed at Blaine.
"Yeah. Don't be a show off, Kurt." Melody giggled.
Kurt put the icing down and scooped her up. "Guess what?"
"What, Kurt?"
"I can't help but show off." Kurt kissed her cheek. "That's okay sometimes."
"Daddy says you're a show off." Melody wrapped arms around his neck and then put her nose against his. "Is it true?"
"I am nothing if not a showoff." Kurt wiggled his nose.
Melody moved one of her arms and then sighed.
"What?"
"If Finn was home, we'd all be here." She stuck out her lower lip.
"Hon, he'll be here later tonight." Carole rubbed her back.
"Yeah. With the baby." Melody scrunched her nose up again.
"You'll always be my favorite." Blaine came over and bent down, kissing her cheek. "You look comfortable."
"I want to take a nap." She giggled again.
"Are you serious?" Kurt leaned back to look at her.
"Uh huh. Right here. The whole time. Until you go back. And then I'll go with you. And never let you put me down." Melody nuzzled her head under his chin. "You have to hold me forever, Kurt."
"Hey now. I like some Kurt loving too." Blaine pouted.
"Nope. He's mine." Melody shook her head. "I'm seven. Daddy said I get what I want."
"Hon, he didn't mean it in a good way." Carole laughed.
"Oh." Melody frowned. "Daddy's mean."
"He can be." Carole agreed. "Are you going to let Kurt put you down?"
"Fine. If Blaine will hold me."
"Please." Kurt mouthed.
"I guess I can." Blaine said after rolling his eyes at Kurt.
Kurt passed her over and then grabbed three cookies, taking them to the table to decorate.
Melody cackled and put her hands in Blaine's hair.
"Was this your plan all along?" Blaine asked.
"Yes." She said. "You have pretty eyes."
"Well you have a pretty face. I'll give you more compliments if you leave my hair alone." Blaine laughed.
"How's dogger school?"
"It's law school." Kurt said from the table where he and Carole were decorating cookies.
"I know." Melody grinned.
"Law school is very, very exhausting. I wouldn't recommend it." Blaine sighed.
"Blaine!" Carole scolded from the table.
"What I meant to say was that it is hard work. Hard work pays off so I'll make enough money to support my and Kurt's clothes shopping." Blaine said. "Did you know I had to get a whole extra room for the second closet?"
"If you have money for an extra room, can I borrow $45? I want to buy the Harry Potter books!"
"Oh my God. I'll buy them or you and still loan you $45." Blaine looked like Christmas had come early.
"Not hardback, though, because Momma says I'm not responsible enough for that." Melody said very seriously. "I've been reading a LOT."
"What have you been reading?" Kurt asked, grabbing more cookies off the kitchen island.
"Momma, Daddy, and I read A Wrinkle In Time. My teacher says even though I'm in second grade, I read like a fourth or fifth grader!"
"God. I love you." Blaine gave her a squeeze. "This is music to my ears."
"Tell them what else we've read." Carole smiled when Kurt sat back down with more cookies for them to ice.
"Uhmmmm…." Melody looked thoughtful as Blaine readjusted his arms around her. "The Bridge to Terabithia. It made me and Momma cry."
"Yeah. That one is really sad." Blaine nodded in agreement.
"Daddy read Holes with me. Ooh, and The One and Only Ivan!" Melody looked excited. "Ivan is a gorilla. Did you know there is a lady that taught Koko sign language? And she could talk to people!"
"One of my best friends at school has deaf people in his family so they use sign language. His name is Adrian." Blaine said. "His mom and twin sister are deaf and one of his brothers has trouble hearing too."
"I bet their house is quiet." Carole laughed.
"I think it's just a different kind of loud that we're not quite used to." Blaine laughed.
"That's it. The cookies are decorated. Blaine did the cake and cupcakes and they look really good. And Melody helped with everything." Kurt said. "So, she gets to help with clean up."
"Kurt."
"When we live together, he makes me help clean up too." Blaine set her down on the floor and went to Kurt who was putting something into the sink. "Oh my God, she is so heavy."
"I know!" Kurt mouthed.
Long Time Coming
"Oh my God!" Blaine whispered the evening of December 26th, coming into the house.
"Hey." Wes grinned, closing the door behind him.
"I can't believe you guys are already home." Blaine pulled him into a hug.
"She was born at, like, 12:20 in the morning. They let us leave at 3:00 this afternoon since they're both doing so good."
"She's a Christmas baby." Blaine said. "How are you? Are you freaking out?"
"I'm good. We're all three good."
"All three." Blaine repeated, looking like he wanted to cry.
Wes led Blaine into their room.
Adrian was fast asleep in the bed next to AJ, who was holding a little bundle in her arms. She smiled when she saw Blaine.
"Oh my God, she's so pretty." Blaine's eyes teared up and he looked at Wes. "She didn't come out an alien."
AJ laughed quietly. "Do you want to hold her?"
"Yes. Let me wash my hands." Blaine went into the bathroom attached to their room and then came back. "I can't believe she's already home. How are you?"
"I'm sore but I'm doing really good. I'm just tired." She smiled. "I have no idea how we'll pull this last semester off but…"
"We'll get it. Don't worry." Wes gently took the baby from AJ. "Do you want to sit down or…?"
"No. I'm good. But I've never held this new of a baby. Okay, I did a year ago but… Oh, here we go."
Wes lay her in Blaine's arms. "I'm sure it's like when Melody was born, she's just smaller. Just make sure her head doesn't move around too much."
Blaine's eyes filled with tears again. "Wes! Oh my God!"
"I know! She's kind of perfect, isn't she?" Wes grinned.
"You two are too adorable." AJ laughed and moved to stand.
"Do you need help?" Wes asked.
"No, I'm good." She came over, touching the baby's cheek.
"I can't stop crying. Oh my God." Blaine touched the baby's cheek and said, "Hello, Scarlett."
"It's okay. You should have seen Wes cry when he held her for the first time." Adrian, who had woken up and was now sitting up, said. "If I hadn't seen it myself, I wouldn't have believed it."
"I was terrified Matt was going to have to deliver her in the back of the car." AJ laughed. "I didn't know it would take so long after my water broke, though."
"I think he was terrified he was going to have to do that too." Wes laughed. "I have never heard the words shit and fuck so many times in my life… he did use the lights and sirens, though."
"Because it was an emergency." AJ said. "Thank God he was here, though… and that Adrian brought our car to the hospital."
"We literally had nothing." Wes told Blaine. "It broke and it was kind of this chaotic moment and then everyone started running around to find stuff… which we still forgot."
"She's so perfect, guys. Oh my God." Blaine looked at Wes and then AJ. He clearly hadn't heard a word Wes had said.
"Thanks." AJ smiled and squeezed his shoulder a bit.
"Did David leave already? He was here, right?" Blaine asked. "I'm so jealous he was so much closer to you guys."
"He didn't see her until yesterday afternoon when his shift ended." Wes said. "He got there in time to help us with the car seat because I didn't install it right. I had a feeling it wasn't right."
"That's okay. You'll get it next time." Blaine sniffled.
"David had to go back to work this morning, though. He's going to try to come back after his shift if he doesn't have to stay late." AJ told Blaine.
"He didn't cry, did he?" Blaine asked.
"Nope." AJ shook her head, smiling.
"I cried more than you if that makes you feel better." Adrian came over to peek. "But Wes—"
"We know, we know. And you have photographic proof so can we not talk about it again until tomorrow?" Wes asked, although you could tell he was joking. "Twice a day quota, okay?"
"How are you, though?" Blaine asked AJ. "Really?"
"I'm relieved it's over. We're done."
"Done?"
"There is no way I could ever love another baby as much as I love her." Wes said very seriously, looking up from his daughter.
"We just want her." AJ nodded.
"Did you already…?"
"Hell no. I pushed her out. He's getting that taken care of." AJ said very seriously.
"Yeah." Wes groaned. "I am."
"You couldn't pay me to have any kind of knife anywhere near there." Adrian said. "Nope. Never."
"You are 10,000% sure you two will never ever want a baby again?" Blaine asked hesitantly.
"Yes." The both said together.
"Well… I guess you've got six weeks to do it?" Blaine asked.
"Can we change the subject away from snips in my bits? I'm doing it but I would rather not think about it right now." Wes asked.
Blaine looked back down at Scarlett, who was now awake and looking at him with open eyes— They were the same color as Wes' eyes. "She's got your eyes. I want to cry again."
AJ laughed, squeezing Blaine's arm. "You are the most precious thing, you know?"
"I don't know about all that." Wes snorted.
"She's just so perfect and you two are so perfect for each other and your life is going to be perfect." Blaine sighed. "Kurt is jealous he isn't here now. It's hard for him to get to Lima, though, and they miss him."
"I'm surprised Kurt's dad didn't try to get you to stay."
"Oh, he half attempted but the second you told me she was in labor I bought the first flight available today." Blaine laughed a bit. "They knew I was going to leave if it happened early, though. They were fine."
Adrian came up behind Blaine, reaching down and pulling out Scarlett's little arm. "Look at her fingers."
"Oh my God." Blaine gasped. "Stop."
"I think Blaine wants one." Adrian grinned.
"Of course I do eventually. I love babies and kids." Blaine looked at Wes again. "Okay, she's really great but I think she just pooped."
Wes sighed and took her from his arms. "I would suggest you all leave. It's super gross still. It's like tar. Really smelly tar."
"Wait, what?" Blaine looked confused.
"You don't want to see." Adrian nudged his shoulder as the baby started to cry. "I wish I hadn't seen or smelled it. Let's just walk out and come back when she's cute again."
Long Time Coming
"So… what's being a daddy like?" David asked, sitting between Wes and Blaine on the couch a couple of days later.
"Equally parts exhausting and exciting. I mean I love Alicia, but I never knew I could feel this way about this little thing that I've known for, what, four days?" Wes, who was holding a sleeping Scarlett, said. "I feel the same but I also… don't. If that makes sense. Like nothing will ever be the same again but in a good way. I don't know."
David reached over, adjusting the baby in his arms just a tiny bit. "She's very cute. Luckily she looks like AJ."
Blaine expected Wes to scowl but he nodded in agreement. "I know, right? She's so pretty."
"I wonder how dark her skin will be." Blaine said thoughtfully.
"It can take up to six months for babies to get their permanent skin tone." David said.
"It doesn't matter either way. She'll still be perfect." Wes shrugged a bit and then groaned. "I have to get a vasectomy."
"'Have' to?" David repeated.
"No… but we don't want any more kids. Honestly, I don't think either of us separately wanted to have kids in the first place but here she is… and we're super happy and don't regret our decision to keep her at all, but… we don't want any more." Wes explained. "Plus, birth control medicine doesn't make Alicia feel very good anyway and I want her to feel good… it feels like the best solution for everybody."
David cringed. "Well… It's a lot easier now than it used to be. You don't have a job where you do a lot of physical work so… I mean, it's not going to be comfortable for a couple of days at least… maybe up to a week. But after that, you shouldn't really even be able to tell."
"Yeah." Wes sighed.
"I would wait for AJ to be healed before you do it, though. There may be a couple of days you can't move a lot. Not super long, though." David suggested. "That way you're both not in pain. Are you sure you want to do it?"
"I'm not excited about it but yes. I am very sure I don't want any more babies. You can't get perfect twice, you know?"
David rolled his eyes but smiled. "She is pretty perfect. Can I hold her?"
"Sure." Wes carefully passed her off.
David held her in a way that would have made Wes super nervous if David didn't work with babies and children 90% of his work life.
David glanced up and then said, "She's fine. She's not as fragile as you think."
"I didn't say anything." Wes held his hands up.
"It's in your facial expression." Blaine laughed.
"Sorry. I know you know what you're doing, though."
David smiled. "Soon you and AJ will be holding her in all kinds of weird positions. Trust me."
"I think she's already starting to get there… and Scarlett seems to have better control of her head. I mean, a little bit." Wes said. "I'm just worried I'll break her."
"Nah." David shook his head. "She's a lot sturdier than you think. In a couple of weeks she'll be lifting her head. They really do grow so fast."
"So, are you sure you'll never want another one? Look at how cute." Blaine asked.
"100% sure. We are at the perfect size family now." Wes said confidently. "We talked about it some before she was born and we just… I know it probably sounds horrible but I really could love another baby the way I love her. I don't want to either."
"We want at least two. One of each of ours." Blaine said.
"Well you do know that IVF has a good chance for multiples…" David said.
"Well then I guess we'll have however we end up with after we both have our own babies." Blaine shrugged.
"I'm surprised you all have talked about that." David looked impressed.
"It's hard to not think about it when Wes and AJ are new parents." Blaine admitted.
"I think I want a bunch. Maybe three… maybe four… no more than five." David said thoughtfully. "But pretty close together."
"Five?" Wes asked. "Are you crazy?"
"Hey now." David said, looking down at Scarlett. "They are only this size for a very small amount of time. I've been working in PEDS and the NICU for a long time and this really is the best age. They're so sweet."
"I can see you with a bunch of kids actually, David." Blaine nodded.
David snuggled Scarlett a bit. "You're so lucky, Wes."
"I know." Wes smiled when Scarlett opened her eyes. "I definitely know."