As usual,

THEMoDePo: Yes, poor guys it was about time they got a bit of luck! I'm glad you liked the Harry Potter reference ;) Not much, but you are getting a bit of the boys in this one, hope you like it. Thank you soooo much!

Mildlifecrissis: hahaha, no, they didn't jinx themselves and are not going to get sick XD. Yes, poor Blaine can finally sleep! About for Beiste needing some help or not... I will leave that to you ;) Thank you so much!

Darrinia: cariñín! Oh, there was no especific reason for Blaine not having watched Harry Potter before, it was just a silly scene, I just wanted a light scene and a chance to make a reference to A Very Potter Musical. Gracias, guapísima! Muuuuak!

CHAPTER 25

Sam and Blaine separated the next morning with a loving kiss and a encouraging hug, as both of them were about to start their new jobs. Before letting him go, Blaine once again checked Sam's scarf was well wrapped around his neck and Sam once again checked there was no trace of worry or sadness in Blaine's eyes. They both knew they acted like an old married couple, but far from being embarrassed about it, they loved it, as they made them feel secure and proud of each other's love.

The day went by without much incidence, except for the two of them learning to do their jobs, giving the best of themselves and missing each other like crazy. So when the time for Sam to finish his shift came, Blaine decided to surprise him at the petrol station. That, and the fact he couldn't wait any longer to see him, of course.

"Hey, love" Blaine tried to catch his attention from behind as Sam was putting on his jacket, jokingly patting his shoulder, and Sam immediately turned around, a smile already on his lips at his boyfriend's voice.

"Hey, babe!" he answered merrily, as he placed a quick peck on Blaine's lips and warmly embraced him. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought it would be nice to go and pick my boyfriend from work" Blaine answered with an adoring smile that made Sam fall in love with him all over again.

"It is nice, you're right" Sam answered in appreciation, as he put his arm around Blaine's shoulders and they both started walking together back home and away from the winter cold.

"So how was your first day, mister professional?" Blaine joked, trying not to show too much how proud he felt of him, and kissed his cheek before he himself put his arm around Sam's waist as they walked.

"It was good" Sam answered, nodding enthusiastically. "My boss is very nice, he patiently showed me all I needed to know to start"

"That's good. You deserve to be treated nice" Blaine joked, squeezing Sam's waist to bring him closer to him, although there was a lot of truth in his words.

"No more than you" Sam answered honestly, with a loving smile. "And how was your day?"

"It was good too" Blaine answered, contentedly. "I helped Mrs. Beiste clean the common areas and then went shopping for groceries while she tidied up the rooms. She was even nice enough to let me go a little early so I could come and pick you up. I think she loves us quite much and wants to spoil us a bit"

"I guess you gave her one of your good-boy smiles and she immediately succumbed to your charm, right?"

"Maybe" Blaine answered, blushing a little in embarrassment as how accurate Sam's words were.

"You're incorrigible" Sam chuckled, shaking his head.

"I'm not that bad" Blaine protested.

"Yes, you are, but I love you all the same"

"Awww, look at you getting all sentimental" Blaine playfully pouted in emotion.

"And look at you, making it look like a joke!" Sam answered with mock indignation.

"I'm not! I love it when you become a soppy moron!"

"Well, thanks" Sam sarcastically said, and Blaine chuckled at him.

"You're always welcome"

"I can't believe we've got so lucky all of a sudden" Sam suddenly said, more seriously, after a couple of minutes in comfortable silence. "I think my boss suspects there's something out of the ordinary with me, but far from being scared about it, he offered me not so sign a contract if I didn't want to and to get paid under the table, which is great so our names don't get registered anywhere"

"I guess it was time for us to get a bit of luck, wasn't it?" Blaine asked with a smile, but Sam knew him enough to read some sadness under it even if he tried to hide it.

"It surely was" Sam answered softly, placing a reassuring kiss to Blaine's temple, and then he tried to change the subject so as for Blaine's mind not to dwell in the reasons that brought them there too much. "By the way, I thought I'd made it clear that we needed to buy you a pair of gloves. Look at your hands" Sam said, picking up Blaine's free hand with his own. "They're all blue and chapped from the cold"

"Ok, mother hen is back" Blaine joked, although he secretly loved when Sam worried about him.

"And with vengeance, I might add" Sam joked back, letting go of Blaine's shoulders to hold his hand instead, rubbing it in his to warm it up. "Put your other hand in your pocket, we are going shopping right now"

"Yes, sir" Blaine imitated the military hand salute with a smile before immediately obeying, and Sam chuckled at him, while they both kept on walking together, content after a long day in which they felt they had become adults who were able to take care of themselves and each other. Things were definitely looking brighter for them. Finally.

A couple of days passed in which things remained mostly the same: they separated in the morning, they spent the day working, and then Blaine would pick Sam up from work –now with gloves on his hands– and they would walk together back home as they explained everything that had happened to them that day to each other. And then they would spend the evening resting, watching TV, talking or whatever came to their minds. They only thing they cared about was being together, and they couldn't be happier about how things were going.

After their fourth day since they had started working, Blaine got into bed after having supper, intending to watch a history documentary on television he was very interested in. Sam had jokingly grumbled about it when he had told him before supper, calling him a spoilsport and a pseudo-intellectual while Blaine laughed, but had not insisted for him to let it be, as he knew he really enjoyed those kind of shows.

So it was a little surprise for Blaine when Sam got into bed to watch the documentary with him. He usually was quite bored by those kind of TV shows and he'd prefer to grab a magazine to leaf through or listen to some music on his headphones. But that night he quietly laid down on the bed next to Blaine, who was resting his back against the headboard, and nestled on Blaine's chest, carefully tucking his head under Blaine's chin, who surprised as he was, didn't lose a second to envelope Sam with an arm around his upper body.

That's how Blaine realized Sam was not in the least interested in the documentary, and had probably just been looking for comfort in the shape of physical contact. Sam usually liked to hold Blaine in his arms whenever they cuddled; yet that night he was the one in the need to feel surrounded, protected. And that immediately made all the alarms go off in Blaine's head and for him to lose all interest in the documentary. There was and would never be anything more important than Sam's welfare.

"Sammy?" Blaine said softly, almost whispering, so as not to disturb the calmness of the room.

"Yeah?" Sam answered, equally soft.

"Are you okay?" Blaine asked, almost tentatively.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" Sam answered with a smile, looking up at his boyfriend's face from his chest.

"I don't know, but you seem... kind of sad" Blaine answered honestly.

"I'm okay, love, don't worry" Sam kindly dismissed his worries, turning his eyes to look at the screen again.

"Are you...?" Blaine didn't dare to ask what was on his mind.

"What is it, sweetie?" Sam asked, sensing his hesitation.

"Have you started regretting it? For us to come here, I mean. I'd just like to know because I'd understand completely" Blaine confessed his biggest insecurity.

Sam smiled fondly at his boyfriend and stretched his neck to kiss the corner of his mouth.

"I haven't regretted it for a second, okay? I'm so happy here with you, especially now that things are looking brighter for us. There's no way I could regret it" Sam answered, completely honest.

"Then why do you look so sad?" Blaine insisted.

"Okay, I'm feeling a bit down today" Sam confessed suddenly with a deep sigh, "but I swear I don't regret anything. It's just... I miss my family. And the boys"

Blaine felt a familiar stab of guilt in his heart, one with which he was learning to live, but today it felt stronger than ever due to the sadness emanating from his boyfriend's expression. Blaine kissed Sam's forehead and strengthened his grip on him, trying to make him feel better.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" he gently reprimanded his boyfriend.

"Because I knew it would make you feel guilty" Sam simply answered.

"I'm not feeling..." Blaine tried, though Sam knew better.

"Yes, you are, don't even try to deny it" Sam answered in a joking tone, and Blaine chuckled at it.

"I'm so sorry you miss them so much" Blaine lamented sincerely.

"I guess it's just natural to do it, isn't it?"

"Of course. Especially considering you didn't have any reason to walk away from them"

"How about accompanying the person I love?" Sam reminded his boyfriend with a smile.

"You know what I mean. You went away to accomplish something, not to run away. That's the difference: you miss them because you were not prepared to leave them behind"

"I guess you're right" Sam admitted. Why was Blaine always so wise?

"And that's what I've been fearing all along. And why I didn't want you to come"

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course I miss them, they're my family. But I can live with it. If I had lost you... I don't think I could have stood it"

"It's still not fair you had to choose"

"It was never a choice in the first place, Blaine. It was the only option. Just as I know it would have been for you, if it had been the other way around"

"And can't you explain this to your parents?" Blaine suggested, hesitantly. "Maybe if you'd call them..."

"I just can't talk to them. I can't begin to imagine how disappointed they'll be in me" Sam whispered sadly. So that was what had been worrying him all along, Blaine thought.

"Will they?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm sure they are not happy you are not near them right now, but I don't know... the fact they have not reported your disappearance must mean they trust you to make your own decisions, don't they?"

"What if I call them and they want to convince me to come back? I can't break their hearts again"

"I understand, and as I told you it's your decision. I just... I think they'd be happy to hear you. And maybe it would make you some good too" Blaine reasoned, all the while playing with Sam's hair between his fingers.

"I know. Maybe... maybe I could give them a call the day after tomorrow. It's Saturday and neither them nor us have to work, so I guess it would be a good time" Sam said, not sounding too convinced even if he knew Blaine only wanted the best for him.

"I think it's a great idea" Blaine nodded, just before placing a loving kiss on Sam's forehead.

"Okay, and now stop talking and start listening to the television. You've missed enough of that documentary of yours"

"You know what? Suddenly it doesn't look that interesting..." Blaine said in a suggestive voice as he reversed their positions and he straddled Sam's hips to the bed and approached their faces until their lips were merely inches apart from each other's.

"Do you have any other ideas to spend the evening?" Sam mockingly asked, even as his hands had already found their way under Blaine's sweater and were softly caressing the skin of the brunet's lower back.

"Maybe" Blaine hoarsely answered before breaking the distance between them and capturing Sam's lips in a searing kiss that instantly made him forget.

"So... no pool playing today?" Sebastian asked his friends as they all sat around a table in their favorite bar after another long day at class. It was unusual for Puck and Mike not to be at the pool tables, Sebastian realized, and that's why he had asked about it.

"No, Puck is not in the mood today" Mike replied, making a stupid voice as if he was imitating Puck, throwing him an angry look that told Sebastian that Mike was not happy with his best friend.

"Am I not allowed to have a low day?" Puck protested, and Sebastian had to bit his bottom lip to avoid laughing at both their annoyed expressions.

"On a Friday? And why would that be?" Sebastian insisted.

"Mister couldn't-care-less-about-his-grades is suddenly feeling troubled 'cause he failed an exam" Mike sarcastically answered for him.

"It's not that funny when you are the only one who fails..." Puck added, quite moody. "I miss Sam"

"Come on" Sebastian protested with a laugh. "Since Blaine arrived, Sam didn't fail any more exams. You've been the only one for some time now"

"Okay, now you're just rubbing salt into the wound" Puck protested, but they could clearly see he was having a hard time trying not to smile.

"He's failed every single exam since the year started, and now all of a sudden it's a problem" Mike protested once again, clearly annoyed at his friend's lack of interest in playing with him today.

"Weren't you the one who told me to take my studies more seriously?" Puck pointed out to Mike.

"But that means studying before an exam, not pouting like a baby when you've failed it" Mike answered, and Sebastian had to chuckle.

"Oh, I'll play with you, Mike" Sebastian offered, to avoid a confrontation.

"Thanks, Seb!" Mike answered happily, his face already shinning again.

"Hey, if you're both going to play..." Puck started.

"Oh, now you want to play?" Mike asked, incredulous, already on his feet and walking to the pool area, so Puck hurried to keep up with them.

"I don't want to be left alone here!" he yelled after his friends.

They were about to start a game when Sebastian's phone started ringing.

"One second, boys" Sebastian said as he hurried to pick it up. "Hello?"

"Hi, Seb. It's Mary Evans" Sam's mother greeted him. "Can we talk for a moment?"

"Yes, yes, of course" Sebastian kindly answered. "Is everything alright?"

"Have you talked to Sam and Blaine lately?" Mary asked in a rush.

"Em... no, just that call some days ago I already told you about" Sebastian answered, sensing something was happening.

"I hope they are okay"

"I'm sure they are, Mary. Try not to worry too much"

"It's not just that. We need to talk to them urgently. And now we can only wait for them to call home or to call you, can't we?"

"Why? Is everything okay?" Sebastian asked, feeling worried all of a sudden.

"Sebastian, something's happened. And they need to know"

Next morning, just as promised, Blaine and Sam had breakfast without any rush, as it was their free day, and then they made their way towards the public phone at the entrance of the boarding house, with the intention of calling Sam's parents.

Sam stood in front of the phone and sighed deeply, trying to get the courage to do it. Blaine, who had not moved from his side, immediately put his hand on Sam's shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly, wanting to make sure he knew how much he supported him.

"I guess now it's as good a time as any" Sam commented, just trying to postpone the moment.

"Yes" Blaine simply answered, before giving him an encouraging smile.

Sam nodded at him gratefully, and then he slowly picked up the phone receiver and rested it against his ear. He moved his fingers to the buttons and he shakily dialed a number he knew very well.

"It's ringing already" he informed Blaine, who just nodded at him.

A ring. Two. Nobody picked it up. Three. Sam could just picture his mother hurrying towards the phone from another room of the house, complaining about his husband not doing it even if it was sitting right next to it. Four. She must be so close to picking it up now, Sam thought. Suddenly it all seemed too much and Sam closed his eyes in surrender.

"I... I can't" Sam lamented with a broken voice, hanging up the phone before it was answered. "I thought I could, but I don't"

Blaine could hear some tears in Sam's voice, even if they were not in his eyes, so he cupped the back of Sam's head, gently caressing the hair there, and joined their foreheads together.

"It's alright, love. I'm sorry I insisted, I should have seen you were not ready" Blaine apologized, his heart breaking for his boyfriend.

"Maybe... maybe some other day" Sam pleaded for Blaine to understand.

"Of course. When you're ready" Blaine reassured him with a caress to his cheek.

"I'm such a coward..." Sam lamented, shaking his head and looking down so as not to meet what he thought would be a disapproving gaze from his boyfriend.

"What?" Blaine exclaimed, putting his finger under Sam's chin to make him lift his face so he would just have to look at him. "No way, Sam, I'm not letting you think that about yourself. Come on, look at what you did! You left everything behind and started a new life from scratch, and it was just for me! You're the bravest person I know, Sammy"

"You think so?" Sam asked, with something as hope in his voice.

"Of course I do! You're my hero" Blaine praised him, enveloping in a bear hug.

"I don't think I'm a hero at all" Sam contradicted him, but he buried his face in Blaine's neck all the same, grateful for the loving support.

"You are to me" Blaine insisted.

"Then that's more than enough"

"You can call home any other time. Whenever you're ready. And I'll be right at your side when you are"

"I love you" Sam told him with a smile, breaking the embrace to be able to look at him, and then he cupped Blaine's cheeks and kissed him tenderly.

"Not more than I love you" Blaine answered devotedly, glad Sam was already feeling a bit better.

"I think we could discuss that..." Sam joked as he enveloped Blaine in a half hug and they started walking in each other's arms back to their room and away from the phone, unaware of the big event that had taken place back at home and that would change their lives.