A/N: FF . net was having trouble uploading my documents, so I've been e-mailing them to my sister so she can upload them. Hopefully, this problem will be fixed soon, but until then there might be delays between uploads.

Blood, Sweat, and Tears

Sam hates it at the clinic. He feels constantly uncomfortable, no matter how many times the therapists, doctors, and nurses tell him they're just going to help him. He knows that, but what they don't get is that he just really wants to go home. They won't let him exercise at all, but they make him eat a full meal even though he isn't hungry. He isn't hungry because he can't help but think about how disgusting it tastes in his mouth and how he's going to get fat and please can he just go home? He breaks down on the second day because he's stumbling through Ender's Game. He remembers how Dave would read to him every night, and he misses it. He misses how his brother would watch Torchwood with him and give him the brightest smile. He misses how his mother would tease him about his hair. He misses how Nathan would talk about football with him. He wants to go home.

The third day, his mother comes to visit him. She rushes up to him and squeezes him like she could absorb him back into her womb if she hugs hard enough. She asks how it is, and he refuses to cry or say he wants to leave because he knows it'll break her heart. He has to get better for her. He swears to himself that he'll do his best from now on. She tells him the whole family will visit on Sunday and that his father is going to fly out to see him next week.

"I'm so sorry, Sammy." She puts a hand on his cheek, and he feels like he's five again. "I miss you so much. I keep thinking this is my fault, and I know it's not... You must be miserable here. I want you home, but -"

"No, Mom, I need to get better." There's a lump in his throat. "I don't want... I need to take care of myself, right? And I can't do that if I'm sick."

"We're seeing a therapist, you know? So we all know how to adjust when you come back. So you don't relapse or anything." She drops her hand to the table, and Sam takes it. "Nathan is selling your exercise equipment, Sam. I'm sorry."

"I..." He feels sick. "It's okay, Mom." He tells himself that it's for the best. Maybe if he says it enough, he'll believe it. "The doctors say I'm focusing on the wrong thing, using exercise to regulate my weight instead of to stay healthy."

"I... the doctors say you should stay off the football team."

"What?" Sam's face falls. "Why?"

"Because it's so exercise intensive. It if were just the games, they'd be all for it. They wanted me to keep you out of Glee, too, but I know how much that means to you."

"I can't even play football."

He promised he wouldn't cry, but back in his room, he loses it. He wants to be normal. For one shining second, he wishes he could trade liking boys for being another healthy teenager. Then he looks at his copy of Ender's Game and knows that he would miss Dave too much. He picks it up and struggles through it, mouthing the words, but he gets a headache from squinting so much. He hates being dyslexic. He hates everything right now. He walks to the receiving room and signs out a phone. Dave picks up after six rings.

"Hello?" Of course he doesn't recognize the center's phone number.

"Hey, baby. It's Sam."

"Baby? Really?"

"I miss you. Can you tell?" He smiles a little. "How long do you have to talk?"

"I have work in an hour."

"So, thirty minutes?"

"Yeah. I miss you. Classes are really easy, so you won't have too much to catch up on when you come back. I've been trying to take good notes..."

"Thanks, baby."

"Are you really going to call me that?" Dave asks. Sam isn't sure if he's embarrassed because it sounds girly or because it's a bit romantic.

"Do you want me to stop?"

"... No."

Sam grins. "I won't... baby."

"Are you gonna call me that in public?"

"Maybe."

"You're so bad." He gives a half-laugh, though, so Sam knows it's okay. "When you get out, I'll take you out to dinner."

"Really?"

"Yeah, anywhere you wanna go. We'll even make out in a bathroom stall."

"Romantic."

"I'll hold your hand under the table."

"Are you gonna kiss me at the door, too?"

"If you want me to."

Calling Dave was a good idea.

When New Directions comes to visit him on Friday, Sam's surprised. Everyone either hugs him or pats him on the back. He gets most of his class notes and a week's worth of gossip. They keep him updated on choices for Sectionals even though that's not until November. He tells them about having to quit football for good and how his dad's coming to visit.

He leans over, and through the glass doors, he can see Dave sitting in the lobby, looking nervously back at him. He has a book in his hands.

"We wish you were back at school," Mercedes says. "Everyone's been on edge since you left."

"Just two more weeks." Sam shrugs. "How bad can it be?"

Rachel looks like she's about to say something, but she thinks better of it.

"Dude," Finn says, "if you need anything after this, just call. We're here for you."

When Dave comes in, Sam can see that he brought a copy of Ender's Game.

"I thought I could read it to you." He looks around first, but before Dave starts reading, Sam puts his hand on top of Dave's. They're resting on the table where anyone could see. Dave stares at him for a second, but he opens the book without saying anything.

This is the one place Sam doesn't worry about what other people will think, and it's the one place he wants to leave the most. He doesn't think about that, though; he just listens to Dave read about genius children fighting an alien war.