The next few days were all about getting ready for Sectionals. Sam, Quinn and Rachel spent every waking minute together, either making the kids practice or planning out logistics. Sam was thankful for his friends, he couldn't have managed all of this without them. There was an overwhelming feeling of comfort, something Sam had missed in the past couple of years.
When Sam had told the glee club that Rachel was going to be joining them, everyone was ecstatic. Rachel had go onto become a very big Broadway star and everyone loved the idea of being coached by the likes of her. The influence she had, had somehow made Josh, Alex and Kate get along, much to Sam's surprise. Practices had been going great and Sam could see themselves moving closer and closer to wining the competition.
The week had been rigorous and Sam was glad the weekend was upon them. He was packing his things up, when Quinn walked up to him. She had stepped out of the choir room to take a call.
"Hey." Quinn said, looking a little worried.
"Hey, is everything okay?" Sam asked.
"Yeah. That was my old firm, they want to meet me." Quinn said.
"What about?" Sam asked.
"I'm not sure, they just said they wanted to talk to me and that they had booked a ticket to New York for me." Quinn said.
"When do you leave?" Sam asked.
"Tomorrow." Quinn said.
"When are you back?" Sam asked.
"I'm not gone for too long. I'm back Sunday night." Quinn said.
"Do you have to go?" Sam asked, hoping Quinn would say no.
"I think so. I still have to finish some final salary stuff with them, so it's best I go." Quinn said. She was kind of happy looking at how sad Sam seemed at the thought of her going away.
"Well, have a good trip. Call me if you need anything." Sam said, giving Quinn a hug.
The next day, Sam woke up late, not needing to be up for anything. Things with the glee club were good and he figured it was good for everyone to have a day off. Just as he was getting ready to start his day, his phone buzzed.
"Hey, do you want to have dinner with me tonight?" The text from Rachel read.
"Sure." Sam replied.
Sam was kind of excited about going to dinner with Rachel. They hadn't caught up in a while and she always had all of these great stories to tell. Stories that Sam had grown to love through their time together. Stories that he didn't even know he missed, till he saw her again.
The rest of the day passed in a flash and before they knew it, Sam and Rachel were at dinner.
"So, how's New York?" Sam asked, with a smile.
"It's my dream come true." Rachel said, with her usual big smile.
"I'm glad you're happy, Rach." Sam said.
"How are you doing? I feel like every time I speak to you, I'm the one telling you stories and you tell me nothing." Rachel said with a little pout.
"Haha, I like your stories." Sam said.
He was always so sweet. Rachel couldn't help smile. "Come on, Sam." She said.
"Things are good. Work is good, the kids are finally getting along. My parents are settled in Kentucky and I'm so close to buying them that house." Sam said.
"All that's great Sam, but how are you doing?" Rachel asked.
"I'm alright." Sam said.
Rachel looked at him, as if she knew there was more to it than Sam was letting on.
Sam took a deep breath and began. "My life is great, I'm doing what I love and it finally feels like I can make a difference. And on most days, that feeling is more than enough. But there are days that I just keep feeling like something is missing. And I don't know what that is or who that is but it just never goes away."
Rachel just looked at Sam for a few moments. It was crazy how he had put into words, something had been feeling all this time. She loved how he had opened up to her, how he was always so honest.
Seeing how Rachel was looking at him, Sam got a little self-conscious. "I probably sound crazy." He said.
"No, not at all. It's so funny, I feel exactly the same way. As if, even though, everything I had wished for has come true, it never feels like it's enough. And not in a I want more kind of way, but just in a things feel incomplete kind of a way. But can I tell you a secret?" Rachel asked.
"Of course, you can tell me anything." Sam said.
"I haven't felt like that since I've been back here." Rachel said, trying to stop her heart from racing as Sam looked at her with his signature grin.
"I haven't either. I'm so glad, you and Quinn are here. Maybe what I miss is having you guys around, people who understand me. My family." Sam said, with a smile.
Rachel was a little hurt at the thought that Sam might not like her in that way anymore. That she wasn't the sole reason, why he felt complete. She brushed the thought aside, she wasn't going to let anything ruin her night with Sam.
"I've missed you, Sam. I didn't know how much till I came back. And it makes me not want to go back." Rachel said, after a few moments.
"Then don't." Sam said.
Rachel smiled, that's all she wanted to hear, that Sam wanted her to stay. She wasn't really sure what she wanted with him yet, but as long as he wanted her here, they could figure it out.
"My agent said, he might have a job that would keep me in Lima, a little bit longer." Rachel said.
"That's great!" Sam said, the excitement evident in his voice.
"Yeah, I have a meeting with him about it tomorrow. Who knows, I might be sticking around for a little while longer." Rachel said, with a grin.
Sam and Rachel spent the rest of the night discussing everything – high school, their time apart and all the things they would do if Rachel got to stay a little bit longer. There was nothing quite like talking to someone again, in a way you hadn't in ages. Even though everything had changed, it felt like nothing had.
Rachel and Sam spent the rest of the weekend catching up on some rest and working on Sectionals with the club. And come Monday, it was as if everyone was filled with a new energy, determined to win. Most of the day had gone into classes and glee rehearsal. Quinn hadn't texted Sam since she'd been back, which was something that irked him. He was walking by the astronomy room, when he saw a glimpse of a blonde sitting on a table.
"Quinn?" He asked, walking into the room.
"Hey." Quinn said, getting off the table to hug Sam. It had only been a day but God had she missed him.
"Why didn't you text me? How was New York?" Sam asked, sitting down next to Quinn.
"It was good, I think." Quinn said, asking more than telling Sam.
"What did they want to talk to you about?" Sam asked.
"They want me back." Quinn said.
Sam's face fell. "Do you want to go back?"
"No. I don't know." Quinn said, she didn't know why she was confused but going back to New York had cast some kind of weird spell on her.
Sam sighed, he couldn't believe the fact that Quinn might already be going back. "I was just telling Rachel the other day, how complete I feel with you guys around. I guess I jinxed it, huh?"
Quinn wanted to cry looking at Sam so hurt. She didn't even know why she was considering New York. Sam was here and he was the only thing that mattered.
"Do you remember when I kind of lost it, in my senior year of High School? The pink hair and wanting to get Beth back?" Quinn asked.
Sam was a little confused by the change in topic but nodded.
"I never told anyone why it happened but it was because you left." Quinn said, looking up at the planets above her head, not wanting to look Sam.
"What?" Sam asked.
"Yeah, after Nationals, I was going to tell you that I loved you and I wanted you back. Before I could, I found out about you and Mercedes, so I kept my distance. But before I knew it, you were gone and I just felt so lost. Like my purpose in life was gone. So, when you came back, the first thing I did was tell you, I wanted you back. I was out of it that I never told you that I wanted you back for you, and not for raising Beth. The reason why, I seemed so okay when we went to the shelter that year, was because you were back. And everything felt right again." Quinn said, finally looking at Sam.
Sam didn't say anything for a few moments, he just sat there, searching Quinn's eyes for more.
"Why didn't you ever tell me this?" Sam asked.
"Because, I didn't want to be a burden on you. Especially after the way, I had hurt you. And I know that the second I leave, I'm going to get that feeling all over again. I don't even know, why I'm even confused about New York." Quinn said.
Sam held Quinn's hand in his. "I will always be there for, no matter where you are. You will never ever be a burden to me, Quinn. It's okay to be confused, it was your dream to be a lawyer in New York and who says you have to give it up? If it's really what you want, this time can be different. You won't be doing it alone, I'll always just be a phone call away." Sam said, with a reassuring smile.
Quinn hugged Sam. No words would ever be enough to tell him how much she loved him, how much she always would. She hated even thinking about New York but he was right, it was her dream. But maybe now, it was time for a different dream. She hadn't known it till that moment, but the boy in her arms was her dream. And she wasn't someone who was going to give up on her dreams.
