And she returns! I have so many ideas I want to write down, and hopefully I'll have time to now that college term is over. Have a little more Klaine in your life! Go ahead and read it!

(Happy Thanksgiving?)

If you wanted to have brunch with your friends in New York City, there were tons of great places to do so, fit to every budget and need. And indeed, usually Rachel suggested one of these places when she called inviting them, but this time she had simply told them to come over to her house at 10am.

It was a cold January Thursday, and NYC was not sympathetic, as usual. Rachel had lit the fireplace and insisted on serving brunch in the living room to make it cozier. Kurt protested once about leaving crumbs everywhere until Rachel reminded him that he wouldn't have to pick them up, so it wasn't a problem.

With Jesse out meeting with the producer of Jane Austen Sings, it was only the three of them, which wasn't unusual. Even though, obviously, Jesse was completely okay with the surrogacy thing, he said that the main decisions weren't his. He would always be there when called, but when it came to the procedures and paperwork, Rachel let him be free. Now that she would be leaving his show soon, he had to find an understudy for her understudy – just in case, Rachel insisted because of her history.

"Did you cook all of this?" Blaine asked after he took a bite of a cupcake, jumping to dessert.

"Mostly," Rachel answered, taking a seat on the armchair. "You know my canapés aren't very pretty. I had to order in."

"But they taste good," Kurt said. "All you have to do is learn how to place the ingredients in a neat, symmetrical way."

"I know how to dial the numbers on my phone in a neat, symmetrical way and order some."

"I doubt the number is symmetrical."

Rachel rolled her eyes fondly. "But I actually have a reason for this brunch."

"Do we need a reason?" Blaine asked. "I mean, we were wondering why we didn't go out like usual, but…"

Rachel took a deep breath and put the snack she was eating back on the coffee table, turning to the couch to face them both. "Because I didn't want anyone overhearing it."

That brought back memories to their meals at each other's houses when they were going to discuss surrogacy topics so no nosy people would hear and tell the world, making a thousand different versions of the story pop up in all Broadway gossip websites.

Kurt perched himself forward. "Why? Is everything okay with the baby? Did you go to the doctor without us?"

"No, Kurt, I would never do that," Rachel affirmed. "Our next appointment is still next week."

"To see the sex of the baby," Blaine added like a record machine. He had memorized every ultrasound.

"Yes," she smiled. "Which I'm very excited about!" She inhaled deeply. "But I actually wanted to discuss another thing with you guys. Still about the baby."

Kurt and Blaine waited patiently as Rachel retrieved her forgotten snack and took a bite before continuing.

"These winter clothes and those huge costumes for the play hide my belly very well, and it's really not that big yet – although I've been told I look a little plump –, but people are gonna notice for real soon. Especially because I'm gonna step away from the musical."

Blaine nodded, understanding. "So you're saying we should probably get to the press first before it blows."

"Look, I'm not saying anything. It's your baby. People are gonna notice I'm pregnant, of course, especially at the Tony's, so they're gonna ask. They'll find it weird if I'm pregnant, then I'm not, and Jesse and I aren't raising any child."

"No, no, the rumors would be terrible," Kurt scooted to the edge of the couch. "I can think of at least three horrible stories to fill the holes right now."

"Well, that's the path if we don't say anything," Rachel continued. "I can't very well say the baby is Jesse's and mine. But, and I mean this, I don't care about the rumors. I can handle them and have my producer forbid the press from asking me about it. If you guys don't want to go public with this, I'm fully ready and supportive. On the other hand, I am perfectly comfortable with sharing the story as well, so it's really up to you." She popped her snack into her mouth.

Blaine turned his eyes to Kurt, his face neutral and the cupcake still in hand. He shrugged, "We haven't ever really hidden anything."

"Well, we haven't had anything to hide, really," Kurt replied, eyes on the coffee table. "When people started knowing our names, we'd already been married for a couple of years, and half of the people who work in theater knew that. It was no breakout tabloid story. And the most scandalous thing we do is wear more than two patterns in our outfits."

"But that's a good thing," Blaine said, confused.

Kurt frowned. "For a way of living, yeah. But then anything big we do will get stamped literally everywhere. The press is hungry for something."

"Look," Rachel cut in, cleaning her hands on a napkin, "you guys have a very solid fanbase. Both as individuals and together. But they're all very nice, and I think they'll just be very happy."

"Of course they will, Rachel," Kurt said, breaking his eye contact with the food. "But they'll also get curious. You're gonna be followed everywhere just in hopes they get a picture of your stomach. That's gonna stress you out, and it's not good for the baby."

"I think you're overthinking a bit," she replied. "I mean, I know that that's gonna happen, but I can take precautions. The only snippets they'll get of me will be getting out of and into a taxi and crossing the sidewalk to the theater, and I have a bodyguard. Tons of actresses have dealt with it, and their babies weren't any less perfect."

"I remember last time you were on the spotlight in the media."

"You're not giving me grown-up credits here, Kurt."

"They might camp outside our houses to try to learn more. Tell me that's not a pain in the ass."

"This isn't Hollywood. People in New York are much more respectful of our personal lives."

Blaine frowned a bit and discreetly shook his head to Rachel, and she shut up. Kurt probably noticed something, because he turned back to Blaine, raising his eyebrows. They held eye contact for a moment before Kurt sighed and asked, "What do you think?"

"Kurt," Blaine chuckled. "I want to shout from the roofs and let everyone in this world know that I have the best surrogate and am having a kid with the most wonderful man in the planet. I wanna tell them I'm gonna be a father. I wanna show them how happy we are." He toned down his grin a bit. "But I do know that you're more reserved than that, and I wouldn't do anything that makes you uncomfortable."

When his husband didn't answer, Blaine scooter a bit closer and took his hand. "Rachel does have a few points. This isn't L.A., people are a bit more respectful. And she can handle the pressure that's gonna fall on her shoulders. You know that. I know that's not what you're really worried about."

Kurt sighed, smiling a bit for a moment. They still knew each other very well. But the smile gave way to a frown. "I'm worried about how a kid can grow up surrounded by paparazzi."

"Kurt, they're gonna find out. I don't wanna hide a –"

"No, of course I don't wanna hide our child. I just don't want to… broadcast it."

Rachel sat forward. "We control every information that gets out. I can arrange a controlled interview where we sit down and tell the story. We choose what's being said. Kurt, we can choose everything. It's not gonna spire out of our hands."

Kurt still looked a bit troubled, staring at the coffee table again. He was quiet for a few moments. He then turned to look into Blaine's eyes. "I do wanna tell the world. I don't want you to think I don't. I'm really, truly happy, and I'm way past the part of my life when I hid my emotions from everyone. I just…"

"Worry, I know," he finished for him. "We all do. But it's gonna be okay."

And there was just something about Blaine's voice that soothed him. Kurt was being irrational – how could he believe, even for a second, that this loving man would let anything bad happen to their baby? How could he believe he himself would? How could he forget Rachel had sharp claws? Kurt let his face relax and took a deep breath. This wasn't one of those movies where everything went wrong just for the sake of the plot. This was his life. And as everything else that the world had learned about him, he decided what they got to know.

Slowly, but surely, he turned to Rachel, "Mrs. St. James, you've got yourself a deal."

She pulled a face. He only called her Mrs. St. James when he was making fun of her, although that was her last surname. Mostly he still called her Ms. Berry, because she had kept that name to use artistically – as he had kept Hummel and Blaine had kept Anderson because their hyphened surname was a bit of a mouthful.

Rachel, after rolling her eyes at the "nickname", smiled and clapped her hands. "Thank you so much! We can start setting up the interview. Please tell me you guys will come with me."

"I absolutely will," Blaine answered.

Kurt grabbed a canapé. "Well, I can't very well leave the two of you unsupervised." But his smile at the end of the sentence showed the others that he was just kidding.

It wasn't like Kurt didn't have a few reservations still. He understood that there were celebrities that shared absolutely everything of their lives and celebrities who only shared their face and name. He was pretty sure Blaine leaned more towards the sharing everything type and he was somewhere in between.

He meant it when he said he didn't want to broadcast his life; he'd never done that. He just didn't hide. Years back, it meant wearing the clothes he wanted to, and it brought people's attention to himself. Sometimes good, sometimes bad, but that was about it. Now he would be bringing attention to a defenseless baby. Of course he wanted to share the news and take millions of pictures and post the cutest ones – he just didn't want it to become huge. It was huge to him, to his family, not to the rest of the world, and there were going to be times when he would need his privacy.

But then he reckoned he had home for that. Coming home to Blaine trying to cook dinner and feed a toddler at the same time and getting food everywhere. That was an image he couldn't wait to see and file in his memory forever. The rest, he pondered, he could share.

Getting an interview with Broadway dot com wasn't that hard. Their publicists arranged a meeting for the three of them in one of their offices. No exclusive photographs yet, just a talk. The only information they had given to get their attention was that they had important news to share.

The lady who would be interviewing them was called Alice and she seemed very nice. She was seated on an armchair perpendicular to the couch, where Rachel sat between Kurt and Blaine. Rachel wasn't wearing one of her long winter coats that covered her slightly round belly – one could already notice it had gotten bigger –, but a soft, long dress that actually accentuated the growth.

"So, you guys got all of us very excited when you said you had some news," Alice started, sounding and looking cheerful. "There were some crazy guesses around the office, but I bet no one came close."

"Should have probably taken a bet on that," Blaine replied with his natural charm.

Alice laughed. "That would've been a good idea. But do tell, are we to expect a fabulous collaboration in the future?" She was trying not to be obvious about it, but every now and then she glanced at Rachel's belly, giving Blaine the feeling she was only asking about a collaboration so she wouldn't seem too rude.

"Speaking from experience," Kurt said, "working with Rachel can lead to fabulous things, and we probably should do something one of these days."

"Oh, God, when was the last time we performed together?" Rachel asked. "I had a duet with you for my junior midterm, and Blaine and I sang Broadway Baby back in sophomore year. But the three of us…"

"It was probably Nationals in high school," Blaine frowned in thought. "If you don't count all the songs in the choir room and such."

"Wow, that is quite the story," Alice chirped in. "Or stories, should I say. You've known each other for a while, correct?"

"Oh, since almost forever," Kurt explained. "I became friends with Rachel in sophomore year of high school and I met Blaine the year after. Then he transferred to our school the following year."

"We've shared a loft in Bushwick for quite a while," Blaine continued. They had already told this story a couple of times, but it didn't hurt to do it again to warm up. "Went to the same college for a year."

"These two are just…" Rachel started, reaching for their hands. "They're absolutely wonderful. I've shared a lot with them. They hug the life out of me when I'm high, bring me delicious food when I'm low, and yell at me when I'm being irrational, and are just pretty much the best friends ever."

"You must all be very glad to have ended up in the same city," Alice focused on what they were saying instead of Rachel's obvious baby bump. "It's truly a beautiful friendship."

"Thank you," Rachel said, squeezing the other two's hands to say she got this. "And in the spirit of that, and when presented with the opportunity, I decided to give back."

The interviewer's eyes gleamed. Yes, she had figured it out. "And what opportunity might that have been?"

"To sacrifice nine months of my life to give them a lifetime of happiness."

"Should we interpret those nine months as they sound?"

"Yes," she grinned. "I'm coming full circle with the way I was born – my dads had a surrogate as well. And I love these two so much that I wanted to be theirs. So yes, I am pregnant with their baby."

"That is so exciting!" Alice seemed genuinely happy for them. "And so sweet! How far along are you?"

"Just three months. That actually puts the due date near the Tony's, but I didn't wanna wait.´

"And that means we won't be seeing you in Jane Austen Sings for much longer?"

"No, I'm leaving in another month."

"That is very unfortunate, as you are amazing in it. And how are the future dads feeling?"

With a quick glance to Kurt, Blaine knew he should talk first. "Well, first we're honored. I did cry when she offered and insisted she was serious. Then I cried when we went to the doctor. Then I cried when they implanted the embryos. Then I cried when it worked. And I still don't believe it sometimes. I actually have an ultrasound pinned to the wall on my closet. You could say I'm excited."

"That is just the sweetest thing."

"It's been a long way to get here, but it's been worth every step," Kurt added. "And we are always on Rachel's speed dial when she has crazy cravings."

"Do we know the sex yet? And the biological father?"

"We just found out last week that it's a girl," Blaine answered. He continued over Alice's cooing. "As for the biological father, we do know, but we aren't telling." That was Kurt's line.

"Keeping up the suspense," she joked good-heartedly. "I'm sure she will be the most talented baby in New York with parents and genes like these."

"Well, as godmother, I wouldn't go for any less," Rachel smiled.

"And how about Jesse, Rachel?"

"He obviously is on board. He's actually extremely supportive and has been an angel throughout this whole thing. I'm really blessed."

"Well, I'm glad. Congratulations to all of you! We wish you the best and hope to hear more about your little girl. I can already tell she's gonna be loved very much."

"She is, thank you," Blaine grinned, and that was the end of it.

It had gone very smoothly, and Blaine could tell that Kurt was relieved that the interviewer didn't insist on the biological father question. He had worried about it when he had told them he wanted to keep that information to themselves, but it turned out there wasn't much to worry about.

Alice was very nice on the way out, hugging each one of them and congratulating them again, and she promised to have their interview up in the next morning. After that, Kurt and Blaine shared a cab with Rachel to her place before continuing on to theirs.

When they got home, Kurt went directly towards the stairs. Blaine spent a bit of time on the kitchen grabbing a drink and turning his phone on his hand, feeling like he should call someone. Finally deciding, he dialed and put the phone to his ear, leaning against the counter.

"Do I get access to the last ultrasound, squirt?" Cooper greeted him.

"Hi to you, too. And you have the last ultrasound. We don't go weekly."

"That's too bad. I really need more pictures of my awesomely talented niece so I can show her off."

Blaine's breath caught. "Coop, you're not –"

"No, I didn't tell anyone gossipy or spread it to the tabloids," he interrupted, sounding bored. "C'mon, you need to trust me a little more."

"I do, I do. But we really didn't want it to leak. At least not until tomorrow morning. We just did an interview for Broadway dot com."

Cooper paused. "Then can I tweet about it?"

Blaine laughed, "Yes, feel free to do so. Tomorrow. But no ultrasound pictures," he added, trying to sound stern, but really, Kurt was better at that. "And we didn't share who the biological father is, so you are also forbidden to inform them."

"Duly noted." He paused for a moment. "But hey, your New York morning comes before my L.A. one, which means I get to tweet about it in the middle of the night!"

"Okay, absolutely not. You'll mess up the time zones."

"I know my geography and math, little brother."

"Yeah. What's the capital of Sweden?"

"… or I could keep checking their website and wait for the article to come up."

"Cooper, Kurt will have my head, and yours, if you –"

"Alright, alright! Boring morning it is."

"Thank you," Blaine said softly. "This whole going public thing has been stressing Kurt out a bit. I just want it to go smoothly so he can see it's no big deal telling our fans."

"You're not telling just your fans, though. The internet is open to mostly everybody, squirt, and all kinds of people can just go in there and read it."

"Bye, Coop."

"Now that is rude."

But Blaine disconnected the call anyway, chuckling to himself. He was glad that his relationship with his brother allowed them to joke around like this without hard feelings.

He left his empty cup in the sink and moved upstairs, hoping to find Kurt in their bedroom, but when he reached the top of the stairs he saw him sitting on the floor of the nursery with the door open. Blaine leaned against the doorframe and looked around. There wasn't really much there yet. They had been waiting to find out if it were a boy or a girl to start decorating, so it was simply a room with a white, comfy armchair in the corner – an armchair Kurt didn't choose to sit on.

"Mind sketching?" he asked, knowing that Kurt was going to love decorating the room.

His husband raised his gaze, smiling slightly. "Not right now."

"Then care to explain what you're doing on the floor?" Blaine approached and took a seat next to him.

Kurt was quiet for a while, picking on the wooden floor. Then he spoke in a low voice, "You know how my studio down the hall used to be my corner to go and think when I have too much going on?"

"Used to?"

"Yeah, I think I like it better here now."

Blaine watched Kurt's nails lightly scratch the floor, following patterns and inventing some, but always in a too contained way. He reached and covered it with his own hand, turning Kurt's around and intertwining their fingers. Kurt's thumb, as if on reflex, starting stroking his skin.

"So what were you thinking about?" Blaine asked.

"What am I thinking about 80% of the time?"

"Well, it used to be scarves, but then I'm fairly certain it became me."

"Big-headed," Kurt shouldered him playfully. "I meant our daughter."

"I know," Blaine raised his hand to place a kiss on the back of it. "Even though I'm down to only 19% of your thoughts now. 'Our daughter' sounds really nice."

Kurt smiled. "It does. And I love her so much."

"I love her, too."

Blaine knew he wasn't finished, but he also knew that he had to wait it out. So he stroked his hand until they engaged in a silly thumb war and Kurt smiled again. Blaine used his free hand to hold his chin and turn him to look in his eyes. It did the trick.

"The interview was really nice."

"It was," Blaine agreed.

"And it's actually a relief to take this weight off our shoulders. It's been so hard watching what I'm saying around some people."

"But you're still worried."

Kurt scoffed. "I'm gonna be worried for my whole life, and you can't stop me, because you're gonna be equally worried right next to me. I just… have a harder time opening up and I'm gonna take the day in to really digest it. But I'm fine, really. I want the world to know."

"It's okay," Blaine kissed him swiftly. "I was just gonna offer to draw you a nice, warm bath and give you a massage. Then cook you lunch and spend the afternoon tucked in on our fluffiest blanket as we watch TV trash, and then order in for dinner and give you another massage."

"Pretty sure massage means sex."

"Massage means massage, but it can lead to certain activities." Blaine waggled his eyebrows exaggeratedly, and Kurt barked a laugh. "But really, if you need to take the day to yourself, I'll be out of your way."

"No," Kurt squeezed his hand and bit his own lip. "I think I'm gonna take you up on that offer. Lots of time to kill until the interview is posted."

Blaine smiled and kissed him one more time before getting up and pulling Kurt with him. He drew his husband into a hug for a few moments, feeling the tension roll off his shoulders bit by bit. Only then did he drag him into their bedroom and through to their bathroom to start their relaxing day in.