Title: Sleepovers

Summary: Tina gets to see what Artie's home life is like after their parents suddenly go away on a vacation together, leaving the two young Gleeks home alone for a three-day weekend.

Author: Charlie-chan

They both could not believe the situation they were currently in. There they were, sitting together at the kitchen table, leaning over the speaker phone with both sets of their parents on the other end while they tried to reassure them that they were doing fine and no need to worry about them. Wishing them a fun time and saying their "I love yous and farewells", Artie clicked the button on the phone off and turned his head towards Tina and smiled awkwardly.

"Well, that wasn't too weird now, was it? Guess we should order that pizza before it gets too late, huh?"

But it was weird. And they both knew it.

The whole situation began a few days earlier.

Artie and his family were in the middle of eating dinner when his mother suddenly stood up and made an announcement.

"Boys, your father and I have been invited to go away on a little vacation for this upcoming three day weekend. Jimmy, I've already set it up with your friend's mom that you can stay at his house while we're gone. Artie, your little school friend, Tina, is going to stay here with you, seeing as it was her parent's that invited us on this vacation with them," and with that she sat back down and continued eating as if nothing happened.

Artie stared at his mother with wide eyes, holding his spoon in front of his face frozen.

"…What?"

His mother glanced up from her plate of food, "Well, you know how we met Mr. and Mrs. Cohen-Chang at your club's Invitational performance a few weeks back, right? Well, we got along so well that they let us in on a time share they have of a cabin in the mountains up north and we decided to have a ski trip together. Isn't that fantastic? And rather than worry about leaving you both home alone by yourselves, we decided it would be best for you two to spend the weekend together and watch over each other since you both are a bit too old for a babysitter."

Artie could not believe the random nonsense he was hearing from his mother's mouth; him and Tina alone in his house for three days? I mean, sure they were close friends- at school. They hang out at school all the time before and during Glee club nearly every day but the only time they'd actually hung out outside of school was with the other Glee kids in a big group. He couldn't even imagine the two of them alone; let alone sleeping in the same house alone! His thoughts were suddenly invaded by more intimate thoughts of what that really meant.

"Wait, aren't parents supposed to discourage their kids from being alone with a member of the opposite sex or something?"

"Oh honey, you know I don't have to worry about that with you…" she tightened her lips and looked towards her eldest son suddenly feeling a pang of guilt for saying those words. Artie looked at his mother with hurt eyes and stared down in his lap with a frown. Suddenly he pulled away from the table and wheeled himself as fast as he could into the living room without a word.

"Oh Artie, oh, honey please wait!" his mother jumped up from the table leaving her husband and youngest son with confused looks.

Mrs. Abrams leaned down next to his wheelchair and put her hand on his.

"I didn't mean it like that. I'm so sorry, sweetie.. It's not because of that," she motions towards his lifeless legs, "but because I trust you. You are a very responsible and intelligent young man and I know you two would be careful and make the right choices. I trust you, is all I meant," her hand tightening around his.

Artie lifted his gaze from his lap to his mother's apologetic face, staring hard into her eyes.

Then with a big smile he tells her, "I'll only go along with this all under one condition. You leave us enough money to order out pizza and Chinese food to our heart's desire."

The next day at school was a bit awkward for them both. Once Artie met Tina at their usual rendezvous spot near their lockers, he could tell Tina had the same kind of conversation with her parent's the night before too. She walked slowly towards her wheel-bound friend, grasping her arms tight to her chest and an embarrassing look on her face.

"I take it you heard of our weekend plans?" he asked with his infectious smile on his face.

"Y-y-yeah.. that was s-sure.. sudden.. and r-r-random," smirking down at him with pink tinged cheeks.

They didn't talk much at all that day. She just casually pushed his chair like she usually did but they were both still unsure what to make of the whole situation.

When Glee practice finally came around they sat on opposite sides of the choir room even. Stealing glances at each other they both had so many questions running through their heads- mainly of how this weekend was going to play out.

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Author notes: I am SUCH a Tartie shipper, hehe. and I have NO idea where this idea came from but I just wanted to give those two some time alone in a non-school environment and see where it will lead to. ;)

I'm gonna get this all written out as fast as I can during this horribly looong 2 week hiatus until ep.9-'Wheels', before anything can be confirmed or denied (because I SO know there's gonna be some ArtiexTina action in that episode and I just can not wait :D)

So I hope ya'll enjoyed the intro chapter- and please review my lovely readers! ^o^/