It was two in the morning and Sam and Artie were up getting everything ready for the trip to Chicago. They had to be at the school by four, when they were leaving. "Sam do you have all the formula and bottles packed?" Sam turned around holding up the bottles and the formula. Artie nodded and continued putting clothes into the suit case.
Sam walked over putting his hands on Artie's shoulders. Artie jumped a bit but eventually relaxed into his boyfriend's touch. He put his hand on top of Sam's. "Are you excited for Nationals babe?" Artie sighed, "Yeah I guess so…" Sam sighed kissing Artie's hair. He'd been so detached lately.
"Sam what do you want me to dress the triplets in?" Sam turned around from where he was changing Jack's diaper. "I'd say go with pink with bunnies, blue with bears, tan with elephants." Artie nodded and went to the dresser pulling out the outfits. He got the girls dressed and brought Jack's outfit over to Sam.
"I feel like we have everything that we need for Chicago." Artie whipped around eyes wide at Sam. "Sam, weeeee didn't pack!" The two boys were silent for a few seconds before they started laughing and shoving clothes into their empty suit cases.
Annie pulled up at the school letting the two boys out. Sam went around to the back and got the kids out of the car. Finn and Puck walked over and helped the boys get their luggage out of the back of the car. Once all of the luggage was put under the bus they lifted Artie up onto the bus. Sam and Artie strapped all of the babies into the bus and waited for the rest of the kids to get on the bus. Rachel ran onto the bus. "Oh my god! They are too cute!" She ran to the back of the bus cooing over the babies. Within thirty minutes everyone was cooing and loving on them.
Jack and Sarah were sleeping and Britt had Natalie. Finally Sam and Artie had just a little down time, kind of. Sam took Artie's hand kissing his knuckles. Artie looked up at him tears spilling from his blue orbs. Sam brushed hair out of Artie's face pulling him close to his chest. He pressed gentle kisses into Artie's hair. He just didn't know what else to do.
Kurt opened the door to the hotel room popping it open fully with his hip. Blaine came in behind him dragging his suitcase and Kurt's three. Sam and Artie followed in suit. "Okay so we have to queen beds and look they delivered those little fold up cribs!" Kurt squealed while picking up Sarah. Blaine and Sam went to work putting the cribs together.
Artie and Blaine decided to go and get something from the vending machine in the lobby. Leaving Kurt and Sam in the room. "They're so peaceful when they sleep?" Sam nodded. "Do they sleep a lot at night?" Sam smiled stroking Jack's little cheeks. "Yeah, through almost all of the night. That of course doesn't mean that I get too." Kurt looked up from Natalie whose hair he was petting. "Why don't you get to sleep?" Sam sighed putting his face in his hands. "It's Artie…" Kurt looked shocked. "Are you two having… issues?" Sam nodded no. "Well at least I don't think we are. He just spends any down time he has crying. He's just detached and sad." Kurt sighed playing with a wisp of Sarah's hair. "It sounds like he has postpartum almost but it's weird because he didn't give birth… generally I'd say that he's suffering from depression… just… talk to him." Sam sighed thanking Kurt for his advice.
Artie and Blaine came back. "Babe I got you diet coke!" Blaine yelled out and Kurt went running to him. Artie wheeled over and kissed Sam's cheek handing him an ice tea and teddy grams. Sam smiled kissing Artie's forehead. Sam watched carefully as Artie opened His coffee cake and ice tea.
The night before nationals Sam held Artie as he shook finally falling asleep. By the time that the boys had woken up Kurt already had the babies dressed in formal outfits with bows in the girl's hair. After breakfast they handed the babies of too Beiste and got ready to perform.
And they won. With their kids in the audience watching. They wouldn't remember but they were there.