A/N - Thank You so much for the feedback, guys! I'm not sure if the other updates will come as fast as this one, but I'll try my best not to keep you all waiting too long. Anyway, enjoy chapter 2!


"This is happening," Sam told himself, as he sat slumped against the wall next to the toilet in Finn and Kurt's bathroom. "This is very real."

"Sam, you okay man?" Finn tapped lightly on the door.

It was quite the question. Was he okay? It depended on whether he was dreaming or not. He was done being sick, but he was still shaking. The adrenaline rush had been too much for him to handle.

"Sam…?" Kurt's voice called through the door. "Come out when you're feeling better, okay?"

Sam weakly got to his feet. "I'll be right out."

He took a few cautious steps over to the sink and grabbed a bottle of mouth wash off the granite counter top. As he rinsed the taste of vomit out of his mouth, he watched his reflection and wanted to laugh at how shitty he looked. He always thought he'd look better on the day all his problems disappeared.

He finished up, washed his hands, and went to open the door. Kurt and Finn were standing right out in the hallway. Sam didn't even know how to greet them. It's as if he had forgotten all social functions.

Kurt's eyes sparkled, doubtlessly about to flood with tears of joy.

Sam blinks, swallowing the lump in his throat, having to reassure himself that he wasn't going to throw up again. "Hi…" He said stupidly.

Kurt choked on a laugh and lunged forward, throwing his hands around Sam's shoulders. Sam couldn't help it; he started laughing too, and wrapped his arms tightly around Kurt's waist. Soon the two boys were just laughing like idiots, rocking in their embrace.

"Um…what's going on?" Finn asked. "Are you guys okay? You're kind of freaking me out."

Kurt and Sam stopped suddenly and simultaneously turned their heads to look at Finn.

"You tell him…" Sam said quietly, backing away from Kurt and giving him a light nudge. "He's your brother…"

Kurt took a deep breath, but lost himself in a fit of giggles before he could speak. "I'm sorry…" Kurt gasped for breath, throwing his hand over his mouth. "I can't…it's just…how do you even tell people something like this?"

Finn's nostrils flared as he looked back and forth between his brother and Sam, patiently awaiting an explanation.

"Well…" Sam took a deep breath, taking responsibility. "You know how it was my birthday on Thursday…"


"The Lottery: Many adults play for years and never win a dime. But the fates have dealt a different hand to two Lima high school students this weekend. These best friends tell us that they played together the first day it was legal, and get this – they won!"

Sam and Kurt stood awkwardly next to the chipper female reporter. Well, Sam stood awkwardly. Kurt was milking the moment for all it was worth. The cameras were filming them on the sidewalk outside of the regional office of the Ohio State Lottery, where they'd come to file their claim that morning. Everyone in the office was fascinated by Sam and Kurt, mostly just by how young they were. They'd begged the boys to let them call the press; said it would be great publicity.

"So tell us," The reporter asked. "Whose idea was it?"

"It was mine!" Kurt announced without hesitation, raising his hand proudly. "I wanted to do something for Samuel for his birthday, but I had a feeling I'd regret it if I forked over the tickets entirely."

"A feeling, huh…?" The reporter asked, flashing a hokey grin at the camera. Sam wondered just how jealous she was of them. "So did you know you were going to win?"

Sam looked to Kurt. He wasn't good with cameras.

"You know, you can fantasize about these things as much as you want. I mean, I thought it would be great if we won, but I wasn't going to be heartbroken if we didn't. I mean, it's sort of naïve to think you'll win the lottery when you're eighteen," Suddenly, Kurt was holding onto Sam's bicep with both hands. Sam could tell Kurt wanted him to include himself. "Right, Sam?"

"Um…yeah…" Sam said. Kurt had put it perfectly.

"And what are you boys going to do with the money?"

"Well, I for one am going to kick student loans to the curb and give myself a free ride through school," Kurt told her. "I'm starting at the New York Academy of Dramatic Arts in the fall."

"…And you, Sam?" The reporter asked.

He felt his cheeks heating up. He wished he had an answer. "Um…well…I haven't really thought about it. I never thought college was an option but…um…maybe I'll end up in New York now that I can afford it," He smiled nervously. "I mean, Kurt's going to need some company."

Kurt, still touching Sam's arm, looked over at him with a strange smile on his face. Sam suddenly worried he'd caught his friend off guard.

"That's really incredible…" The woman said, turning back to the camera. "…A really great story. A game of chance has given these boys the future together they never thought they'd have."

Kurt quickly let go of Sam's arm, his mouth hanging open slightly.

"From Lima, Ohio this is Mary Hanson. Back to you, Steve…"

After her sign off, the camera was lowered, and the reporter gave the boys a final smile. "Thanks guys, you were great…this will air on the nine-o'clock cast tonight."

Kurt and Sam thanked her in return and waited for her and her crew to retreat to their van.

"Well, she certainly made assumptions, didn't she?" Kurt said rigidly.

"What do you mean?" Sam played dumb. He was pretty good at it.

Kurt bit his lip. "Nothing. Never mind," He looked thoughtfully down at his feet. "…Would you really go to New York?" He said quietly when he looked up again.

"Like I said," Sam replied nervously. "I haven't really thought about it."

Kurt nodded slowly. "Well, for the record, I'd love to have you along for the ride."

Sam felt a burst of happiness in his chest. He grinned hugely. "Really…?"

"Definitely," Kurt said. "If I'm alone with Finn and Rachel all the time I'll be, like, the constant third wheel."

"You'd make new friends," Sam shrugged, his cheeks were already getting sore but that didn't help him stop smiling. "And between rehearsals and…Skype dates with Blaine, you wouldn't find the time to miss me."

Kurt smiled back sweetly. "I'll always have time to miss you, trouty mouth."

Sam shook his head, feigning annoyance at the use of his nickname, "Oh, so we're going there now!"

Kurt shrugged cockily. "I think we are!"

Sam jumped at Kurt, getting him in a head lock with one swift motion. "I'm going to mess up your hair," He threatened.

"Please don't!" Kurt begged.

"No, I think I'm going to do it…" He held his fist several inches away from Kurt's head.

"No!" Kurt cried again. Sam took mercy on the poor boy and let go. Kurt stepped away from him, blushing, and dusted off. "You really are four years old, aren't you?"

"No, I'm eighteen," Sam replied knowingly. "Remember. You got me a birthday present."

"No. I don't remember." Kurt rolled his eyes playfully. "Refresh my memory."


Sam marched into the country club at the start of his shift that afternoon with his head held high. He loved how he felt. For the first time, he was superior to everyone around him.

"So, we meet again…" Sebastian popped out of nowhere and began walking alongside him. "I was told you could caddy for me today. I've already reserved you."

"Awesome," Sam said, pretending to be enthusiastic.

"Well…" Sebastian could barely contain his own enthusiasm. "Looks like somebody's had a much-needed attitude adjustment,"

"Looks like it," Sam agreed. "I'm very much looking forward to carrying your golf bag for you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to clock in."

Sam made his way into the employee quarters. Instead of going straight to the time clock, like he usually did, he made a detour in the manager's office.

"Hello, Samuel," His boss, Katherine greeted him cheerfully. "Did they tell you? You'll be helping out the Smythe boy again today."

Sam nodded dismissively. It really was something he could put up with for an afternoon. "So, I just wanted to tell you…" He started, getting into the reason he'd stopped to talk to her. "I'm giving my two week notice."

He'd thought about quitting the job immediately: making some glorious scene by, like, flipping tables in the dining room or tearing his shirt off and flailing out the front entrance shouting obscenities on the way to his car. However, in the end, he felt compelled to be a mature adult.

"Oh no…" Katherine looked genuinely disappointed. "Do you want a raise? Is someone else offering to pay you more, because we can pay you more?"

"Really…?" Sam was taken aback, but then reminded himself how little that mattered at this point. "I mean…no…it's not about that. I mean…it's kind of about that…but…no."

"Well, I'll be sad to see you go," Katherine sighed sadly. "You're the most reliable teenager we've had here in a long time."

"That's nice to hear," Sam said honestly. "Well…I'll talk to you later. I have to go, you know, do my job."

Katherine folded her hands under her chin, nodding adoringly at the young man. "Of course,"

Sam felt a wave of relief pass over his body as he finished clocking in and went back out into the members' area. Months of hard work, and he was nearly done. And it took him such little effort to get to that point.


"Gimme the five iron…" Sebastian demanded.

Sam obediently traded clubs with the other boy, ignoring the suggestive wink Sebastian gave him as they did. Sebastian teed up and hit the ball, sending it flying through the air. Sebastian lowered his club, his eyes following the ball as it landed in a sand trap. His face twisted in disgust and turned back to Sam. "I don't even feel like playing anymore."

"You've hit two holes." Sam reminded him tonelessly.

"Yeah, well, golfing is really just an excuse to hang out with you, if I didn't make that clear enough yesterday." Sebastian said, narrowing his eyes.

Sam chuckled. "Have you ever thought that maybe it's just a little pathetic that you have to pay me to hang out with you?"

Sebastian shrugged. "I like to think of it as a worthy investment in our future together."

"Right…" Sam flicked his head to shake his hair out of his faces.

"Look, the whole hobo-chic thing is really attractive, and honestly I wouldn't want you any other way," Sebastian told him bluntly. "But don't act like being poor makes you a better person. People respond to materialism. It's a fact of life, and I'm not going to ignore it. If you had money you'd understand that sometimes you have to take advantage."

Sam felt the urge to sucker punch Sebastian and tell him all about the fortune he'd just come into, but the better part of him realized how much fun it would be to watch Sebastian come to the realization on his own.

Sam was still in shock; still having trouble wrapping his mind around the fact that he had millions of dollars to his name. He may not have known entirely what he was going to do with the money, but one thin was certain: he'd never be like Sebastian.

He reached out and took the iron back.

"If you're done playing, I should go find another member," Sam told him simply, slipping the club back into the bag. "I mean, I'm on the clock. I'm not being paid to stand around and talk."

"Actually…" Sebastian licked his lips. "I think I've got a few more swings in me."

Sam was careful not to react. "Fantastic."


"Honey, I'm home!" Sam called out in his best Latino accent as he entered the house that night. No one answered him right away, so he decided to be himself instead, thinking maybe that would be less confusing for Finn. "Carole…? Burt…?"

"Hey, sweetheart!" He heard Carole call from the kitchen. He kicked his shoes off and walked down the hall to greet her. "How was work?" She asked as he came into the kitchen. She was sitting at the table, clipping coupons, which Sam thought was funny. Her step son had just won the lottery and she was still trying to save money on breakfast cereal.

"It was good." He told her. "Where is everybody?"

"Oh, Burt's napping, and the boys are…" The sound of the door to the garage bursting open interrupted her. "Oh. They're home!"

"Oh my god…!" Kurt's voice cried out in agony. Sam could hear the crinkle of shopping bags coming at them through the living room. "We drove had to drive an hour! There is absolutely no good shopping in Lima! I don't know how I never realized this before!"

"You could never afford to look for them before," A second voice explained to him. It wasn't Finn's. Sam's stomach convulsed.

"Hey guys…" Blaine walked into the kitchen, his boyfriend in tow. Sam stepped out of their way and watched them deposit their twenty-something bags on the table.

"I can't believe you worked a full shift," Kurt practically scolded Sam. "I would've died if I couldn't go shopping today."

"What did you guys buy?" Carole stood up, trying to peek inside the bags, her eyes lighting up like a kid looking at Christmas lights.

"I've treated myself to classed-up versions of my usual staples," Kurt told them. "I spent five hundred dollars on two pairs of skinny jeans…and they were on sale."

Blaine looked to Sam, "They look fantastic on him."

"Don't strangle him," Sam told himself. "I know you want to, but don't strangle Blaine." He forced a smile. "I bet."

"And Blaine…typical, typical Blaine insisted that all he wanted was more cardigans." Kurt began to rummage through one of the bags, pulling out a couple of sweaters. "Well, we took him from cotton-blend to cashmere, and if I have any say at all, he's never going back."

Sam couldn't help but be a little surprised that Blaine had gone shopping too. Of course Kurt had bought him things. He was Kurt's boyfriend. If Sam had someone to pamper, he would pamper them. Unfortunately, the person he wanted to pamper was just as rich as he was.

"What do you guys want to do for dinner?" Sam interrupted loudly, wanting to take everyone's minds off of Kurt and Blaine's little shopping excursion.

Kurt and Blaine looked at each other. To Sam's horror, they answered in unison. "French food,"

He clenched his teeth, and decided it would probably be better for him to just leave the room.


Sam didn't even have to think about where the first big chunk of his money was going to go. As soon as the thought occurred to him, he knew what he wanted to do.

"I'm setting up a college fund for Stacey and Stevie," He told his parents, sitting in front of Kurt's laptop late that night and talking to them via web cam for the second time in forty-eight hours. "And I want to pay off your mortgage. It's the least I can do. I would hate to see you lose another house when I could've done something to stop it. "

"Sam, we can't let you do that!" Mrs. Evans protested. "We're doing fine. This is your money: yours and Kurt's."

"Dad, don't try to talk me out of it!" Sam cried. "So, I'm out a million dollars! There's a lot more where that came from."

"Something every father dreams of hearing their son say," Mr. Evans replied lightly.

Sam chuckled. "I want to take care of you guys." He swallowed, hesitating to tell them anything else. "But, you should know…my own plans are going to be changing."

"Well, I would hope it would!" Mrs. Evans said, emphatically slapping the top desk she was sitting behind.

"I mean… as long as I know you guys are taken care off…I'm not sure I'll be moving back to Kentucky after all." It killed him to say it, but he'd always known he couldn't have it all. He'd have to sacrifice something.

His parents nodded, taking it in. "Well, I can't say I didn't see it coming," Mrs. Evans told him strongly.

"I love you, Mom," Sam reassured her. "I'll come visit whenever you want me to."

"Every day…?" She teased.

"Okay, well, maybe we'll have to compromise…" Sam grinned.

"It's fine," She told him. "Part of being a mother is accepting the fact that your kids are going to grow up and leave you. I just…I'd hoped I would have more time with you."

"I know," He told her sadly. "I'll never leave you completely, though. You know that."

Mrs. Evans nodded acceptingly.

"Well, it's getting late. You take care, son," Mr. Evans told him, ready to wrap up their conversation.

"Kiss the kids for me," Sam told them.

"Will do…"

"Bye."

"Bye."

It was the same feeling Sam had had the last time they disconnected. This time it was worse, even. He wasn't sure why.

"You okay…?"

Sam jumped, whipping his head around to see Kurt sitting at the bottom of the basement stairs.

"How long have you been there?" He asked, terrified.

"Long enough to hear you offering your parents early retirement," Kurt grinned. "You're really something, you know that, Sam?"

Sam blushed. "I guess…" He offered. "I mean, I don't really know what else to spend it on."

"Besides a life in New York, you mean?" Kurt stood up and took a few slow steps toward Sam. "You know, I was thinking of booking a flight right after graduation. It might be cool to spend the summer out there."

"I was actually thinking the same thing," Sam replied honestly, astounded by how similar their minds worked.

"We could share a ridiculous penthouse on the upper east side…" Kurt went on, enchanted. "I don't know about you, but I'm not willing to live alone just yet."

"Me neither."

"So it's settled…" Kurt laughed musically. "We're going to New York…" And with an adorable touch of his chin to his shoulder, he added, "Together…"

"Together…" Sam repeated, shifting in his seat, a cloud of butterflies swirling through his stomach.

"This is very real," He told himself. But in all actuality, it had to be too good to be true.