Sam's POV

Sam spent all free period and lunch with Blaine working on football plays and skills. They were both thankful that as Co-Captain of the Cheerios and Quarterback of the football team, they were able to get away with a bit more than normal as none of the teachers had a go at them regarding their absence from school that morning. Sam almost wore Blaine's shoulder out as he tried to demonstrate throws and accuracy. Blaine (in Sam's body!) was able to get it further but no-where near the direction it was meant to go in. Okay, this might take a few practices.

After school, cheerleading, Glee and Football practice the boys headed home. Sam followed Blaine to his door and neither of them thought much of the fact that they were walking into Sam's house. His parents were in the kitchen and the little ones were running around in a mock fight. The boys just headed upstairs as if they did this every day and sat on Sam's bed as Blaine started to explain what he had planned for his NYADA audition.

"I can actually play piano, a bit" Sam reluctantly admitted as Blaine was jabbering on about teaching Sam the basics and learning the one song by heart.

Blaine stopped and stared with his mouth open in a way that made Sam both uncomfortable and amused.

"You play the piano and the guitar?" Blaine asked disbelievingly. "How come I don't know about this? I can see in your bedroom. You are only ever playing video games or drawing in your sketchbook."

"I don't know whether to be creeped out or flattered that you know this" Sam slanted a look at the other boy after hearing what he just said.

"Oh, sorry. That does seem creepy." Blaine touched Sam's arm. "Come on. Like you don't know what I am doing?"

"Yeah, you are always on that piano or you are crying over some trashy novel" Sam admitted that he had kept track of his beautiful, curly haired neighbour.

"They are not trashy" Blaine defended his romance novels. He couldn't help that he had to live his romantic fantasies vicariously through novels.

"Whatever." Sam dismissed before adding quietly. "My guitar is under here"

Sam bent and pulled out his shiny red fender strat from under the bed. "I don't have an amp yet, but I think Dad is hinting at getting me one for my birthday." Sam paused as he felt a pang of longing for his wonderful family. "But anyway, I just use it acoustically and I usually play it when the blinds are across, when I am getting ready to go to sleep. It's calming."

"Wow. And the piano?" Blaine asked, wanting to know more about his captivating neighbour.

"I learnt that at primary school when we were in Nashville. That's where I learnt the guitar too. I like the guitar more so I saved up with my summer lawn mowing gigs and bought this beauty." Sam smiled as he ran his hand over the body of the instrument.

Blaine sat and smiled at the other boy until he felt eyes on him. He looked towards the door and saw Stacey half hiding as she looked between the teenage boys in her brother's room.

Sam noticed they weren't alone either as he greeted his sister. "Hey, Stace! Come in!" Sam held out his arm, but Stacey ran toward Blaine and quickly sat on his lap and brought his arms around her protectively. Sam's face fell as he remembered their 'situation' and that the little girl didn't know the boy that he looked like too well.

"Hi. Are you Blaine?" The little girl asked from her cocoon of arms.

"Yeah." Sam choked out over the lump in his throat. "And you must be Stacey. Your brother talks about you all the time. He really loves you, you know that?"

"Mm-hm" Stacey answered solemnly. "I helped him last night."

Blaine shifted uncomfortably and tried to change the subject. "So Stacey, why don't you tell us what you did at school today?"

"Oh, I did a painting!" Stacey exclaimed, looking up at the teen blonde she was sitting on. "I did a picture of you crying like last night. And I wrote a story in free-writing time about how I made you feel better."

The little girl smiled up at Blaine and Sam felt a piercing in his heart. Blaine was crying last night? Was it because of what he thought Sam was doing with Sebastian? He had to do something to make it up to his friend. He could say they were friends, couldn't he?

"Stacey, your brother tells me you are a really good drawer. Maybe you could show me some of your pictures in your special sketch book?" Sam asked smiling at his little sister.

The little girl squealed as she ran out of the room to grab the book. Sam knew it would give him a few minutes alone with Blaine.

"You're doing well with her. For someone who's not used to kids I mean." Sam said as Blaine brought his knees up to his chin and hugged his legs to his chest.

Blaine shrugged, embarrassed by the compliment. "Yeah, they're not so bad when you get used to the deafening decibels."

"I really am sorry about what I made you think I did last night." Sam put his hand on the other boy's arm and tried to catch his eye. "I wouldn't hurt you like that."

Blaine simply nodded and smiled slightly as he looked out the window to his own house.

"Oh Dude!" Sam remembered. "Cooper is home! He was there when I woke up thismorning."

Blaine's eyes and mouth opened wide in surprise, horror and then sadness.

"Shit!" Blaine's mouth drooped at the corners. "I haven't seen him for over a month."

"Dude, can I ask you something?" Sam asked quietly, checking the door to ensure no-one was listening. He continued after a nod from Blaine. "Where are your parents? How do you cope being there by yourself so much?"

Blaine looked at the comforter so long Sam was convinced he wasn't going to answer him until the quiet words left the other boys mouth.

"They work away. A lot. My father is in Chicago most of the time. That's where his main office is. My mother is over in Europe a lot as she is schmoozing clients and attending conferences. They call sometimes and see if I need anything. Mostly they just jabber about their own stuff and what I need to do. They have shipped me off to boarding schools in the past but Dad decided about a year or so ago that he didn't want to pay out that kind of money for a fairy son who doesn't appreciate it. To top it off, I won't go to Business School, so they are cutting me off as soon as high school is over. So, I am saving whatever they are giving me at the moment to get me to New York. And from there, I will work to get myself through my degree."

Sam longed to take Blaine into his arms as a tear rolled down his face. He wiped it away quickly though as Stacey came barrelling in and back onto Blaine's lap. Blaine seemed to hold Stacey tightly for a couple of counts before clearing his throat and asking Stacey to show them her work. Sam moved up beside Blaine so their thighs were pressed tpgether and he enjoyed the warmth that spread through his body by the contact.

Blaine's POV

The next morning when Blaine got into Puck's car he looked over at Sam and Cooper getting into Cooper's car and gave a wave. Cooper being Cooper waved with a broad grin as did Sam. Blaine sank with a sigh into the car seat as he longed to be in the other car instead of with Puck and listening to stupid music. He had gotten quite close to Cooper over the past year or so since the showdown with their parents. He came home for about a week every month or two in between acting gigs that he got. The older boy was nowhere near as judgemental and condescending as he used to be.

"Hey, could I maybe put a different CD on?" Blaine asked Puck, shaking himself out of the maudlin mood he was getting into.

"Sure, man!" Puck agreed as Blaine ejected the CD and put his own in. Blaine momentarily shut his eyes as he allowed the music to wash over him. 'Against All Odds' was his all-time favourite song.

"What's with this shit?" Puck asked horrified at the sound coming out of his car stereo.

"It's Phil Collins. It's very melodic. Give it a chance you may enjoy it" Blaine defended his favourite artist.

Puck paused and listened briefly before stating, "No, it's still shit!"

Blaine rolled his eyes but made no move to turn off the music.

"I put up with your Barry Manilow crap and now this? Dude, were you dropped on your head as a baby?" Puck looked at his blonde friend sideways while trying to get them to school as quickly as possible.

Sam's POV

As Sam got out of Cooper's car and made his way into the school grounds he noticed Quinn sitting on a garden bench crying. He rolled his eyes as he approached her. What has Puck done now?

"Hey, Quinn. You ok?" Sam asked sitting beside her.

"No." Quinn answered as another sob broke out of her mouth.

"What's wrong?"

"It's Noah, he's seeing some other girl." Quinn broke down again as she admitted what was upsetting her.

"No, he wouldn't do that" Sam hoped he sounded convincing as he looked around for Britney, Santana or someone else to deal with this so he could go and find Blaine.

"Then how come I saw him with his tongue down her throat?" Quinn asked pleadingly at Sam.

"Did you see who it was?" Sam thought Puck was working on his fidelity to the lovely blonde girl. Puck thought the world of Quinn. If the mohawked boy could just get over his need to uphold his stupid reputation. Although, Sam wasn't one to talk, he let his decisions be swayed by how he would be portrayed by the other students.

"No, they were in his car." Quinn sighed. "But I could see what they were doing clear enough. Why are guys such jerks. No offence. But why am I asking you for advice? You know less about relationships than anyone on the planet"

Sam could do nothing but stare at Quinn, that she would talk to him like that. Well, to Blaine like that. Sam frowned, thinking about his beautiful neighbour and how he was treated badly by so many people in his life. Including himself.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean that." Quinn dismissed her previous comment and sighed. "I'm so stupid I know what Puck's like."

"Then, why do you go out with him?" Sam asked.

"I lke him. A lot. I mean we had a child together … I thought I could change him but … Plus - When I transferred to McKinley I was nothing. I got with Puck and he got me on the Cheerios, I became friends with Santana and Britney and Sam and I became popular and, this sounds bad but I like being someone." Quinn explained wiping the tears from her face and searching Sam's eyes for understanding.

"More people feel like that than you know" Sam muttered more to himself, but Quinn heard.

"You don't. You go your way no matter what anyone thinks. I admire you for that." Quinn said as she stood up and made her way inside.

Sam just sat and thought about what the blonde had just said. Blaine put across that he didn't care what anyone thought of him. And for the most part, that was probably right. But Sam's heart still ached for his neighbour that he deserved to have a bit more support and respect from those around him.

That afternoon in Glee, Sam enjoyed himself more than he had in a long time. The group was like a family and so supportive of each other. Mr Schuester just let anybody sing whatever in between practices for up-coming competitions. Blaine cutely asked Sam if it was ok to use his body to sing some of the stuff that he thought he couldn't pull off as himself. Sam laughed and told him to go ahead. Blaine performed Nelly's Hot in Herre and totally nailed it. Sam grinned as he gazed at his neighbour having such a great time and didn't hear Quinn approach.

"Hey, Blaine"

"Uh, Quinn. Hi!" Sam answered, shooting a look at Puck and seeing the mohawked boy glare at him.

"So, I really want to thank you for listening to me thismorning. You are a really nice guy, huh?" Quinn smiled at Sam and looked at the other girls who were engrossed in flirting with Blaine, who was currently using Sam's abs for some white chocolate body rolls. "I was wondering if maybe you would like to come to our sleepover tonight?"

"Me?" Sam blurted. "You want a guy at your sleepover?"

"Well you are a gay guy with a major crush on Sam. Believe me, we have all been there. And you are the co-captain of the Cheerios. We should spend more time together. You know bonding time." Quinn bit her lower lip while she waited for Sam to answer.

What did she say about Blaine having a crush on Sam? Was Sam so obvious in the way he was looking at Blaine?

"Um … sure" Sam said. "That might be fun." The idea grew on Sam as he thought about it. Maybe he could see where Britney's head was at and get some inside gossip on how he could get her back when he got his body back. Wait, did he want Britney back?

"Great!" Quinn broke Sam out of his thoughts. "So I will come pick you up on the way to Brit's. You live next to Sam, right?"

"Yes. I do." Sam chuckled in response to the absurdity of the statement.

"Cool. See you at 7!" And with that Quinn sashayed away and Puck looked at him like he was going to hurt him. Sam told himself to remind Puck Blaine was gay and there was absolutely no chance of him trying to hit on his girlfriend. As Sam got up to go talk to Puck, Blaine came rushing at him excitedly.

"Oh my god, Sam! I'm going to a frat party!" Sam looked at his own face as it almost split in two with happiness. "I've never been invited to any party, let alone a frat party!"

"Have fun, Dude!" Sam patted Blaine's shoulder. "Actually, you were just invited to a slumber party with the girls tonight." Sam waggled his eyebrows at the other boy.

"Oh, Sam no! You cannot go to a slumber party with your ex-girlfriends!" Blaine hissed at him.

"Wouldn't be the first time" Sam chuckled as he left the room and a fuming Blaine staring after him.