Disclaimer: I still own nothing associated with Glee.

Thank you all so much for your fantastic reviews and for adding me to your alerts! It makes me so excited to read the reviews for this story. :)

Thanks again to my Sorysexual beta jlbassmaster.

(I made some corrections to this chapter on things that have been driving me insane for ages. I couldn't stand it anymore, so I had to fix them.)

The Plan That Actually Worked
Chapter Two: Carrying Out the Plan

Throughout the entire practice, Rory had tucked himself away in the furthest corner of the back row to avoid drawing attention, but Sam got up midway through and came to sit next to him.

"Why are you hiding?" His voice was light but was undertoned with genuine concern.

"I'm not hiding, really. I just sort of feel out of place. Everyone else has been here forever, and I just came waltzing in here halfway through the year."

"I know how you feel. I did the same thing my first year, but at least I was dating the captain of the Cheerios, so that helped ease the transition."

Rory couldn't think of anything to say. He certainly didn't have the convenience of dating someone popular. He was just a foreign kid, with a foreign accent, that everyone treated as though he was from Mars.

No one really bothered to ever talk to him. Aside from his conversations with Brittany, this was the longest he'd spoken with anyone since arriving in the States.

"Rory?" Sam's amused voice was louder than normal. "You in there?"

He had spaced out. "Yeah. Sorry, Sam."

"I asked why you decided to come to Ohio, of all places."

"Oh, I didn't really get to choose where they sent me."

Sam looked almost horrified. "Someone sent you here? Who?"

Rory caught himself laughing before he could stop it. "No, not like exiled to Ohio. I'm part of my school's foreign exchange program."

"Oh," he looked relieved. "That's good. So, you'll have to go back after this year."

Rory's heart leapt at the idea of going home. He missed everyone so much. "Yeah, after this year is over, I go home to Ireland."

They kept up a steady conversation over the course of the hour, and Rory found himself feeling at ease around Sam in a way he hadn't expected. There was an air about Sam that was just instantly comforting. Sam found himself hanging on every word that Rory said, entranced by the excitement that was infused in everything he said. The blonde could feel the way his stomach fluttered each time Rory laughed his goofy laugh. It was infectious.

They talked about serious things and ridiculous things. Finding it easy to just laugh and carry on a conversation. The two didn't even realize how long they'd been talking until Mr. Shue told them it was time to go, because he had to lock up. Everyone else had already filed out. Brittany left with the excuse of having to go to Santana's and asked Sam if he'd mind just dropping Rory off at home later.

Brittany winked at Rory while Sam wasn't looking before she left the room. A text message followed shortly after her departure saying: "Ur gonna tell me everything 2nite!"

Rory smiled at his phone and just sent back a smiley face.

He knew that the Cheerio would be waiting to accost him the second he walked in the door.

"She's doing this on purpose, isn't she?" Sam asked as they walked to his truck.

"What?" Rory tried to play dumb.

"I know Brittany. She's up to something."

Rory just shrugged his shoulders and Sam laughed.

The Irish boy looked down at his feet to avoid Sam's line of questioning. The blonde didn't miss the blush that colored Rory's cheeks. He found himself spending just a little bit too much time watching the way the flushed pinkness accentuated the Irish boy's sparkling blue eyes. A slow smile spread across Sam's face.

The brunette shifted his messenger bag on his shoulder awkwardly. They'd made it to the double doors leading to the parking lot, and Sam held the door open for Rory.

"After you," the blonde gestured grandly toward the open door, a wide smile gracing his features.

"Thank you," Rory stuttered, his voice colored with embarrassment.

The two walked in companionable silence to Sam's truck. Rory's stomach did a nervous flip as the reality of what was happening hit him. He was about to be alone, really, really alone with Sam. Rory contemplated their plan as he climbed into the cab of Sam's truck and heard the engine roar to life.

Sam had mentioned earlier that Finn's house was going to be empty and that they could just go there and practice for Rory's debut, but now the plan had been reworked in order in include watching Avatar after Rory had said that he hadn't seen it.

Sam had looked personally insulted and began speaking Na'vi as the Irish boy watched him with confused eyes and an amused smile. He watched the excitement shine in Sam's eyes as he spoke.

"Wanna know what I said?" Sam had asked. Rory nodded, amusement still playing across his lips. "I said, 'You have beautiful eyes'."

Rory's cheeks had flushed scarlet, and he quickly dropped his gaze to his lap. Sam laughed quietly to himself and adjusted the volume on the radio. His fingers tapped time on the steering wheel as his smooth, deep voice crooned along with a song Rory had never heard before. He tried to act disinterested, eyes wandering out the windows to survey the scenery, but he was intently paying attention to Sam's voice. It calmed him, relaxed him in a way that made him feel safe and almost sleepy.

He sighed and continued to gaze out the passenger's side window, completely content. The drive back to the Hudson-Hummel house was relatively short. The boys felt comfortable enough with each other that they had ridden most of the way in companionable silence, no awkwardness to be found. The gravel crunched under the truck's tires as it pulled into the driveway.

Excitement fluttered in Rory's stomach as he stepped out of the cab, his eyes taking in the sight of the empty house.

Sam started talking again as they began walking the short path to the front door. "So yeah, my guitar is inside, so I can play behind you. What song were you going to sing again?"

Rory shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know yet. I was actually hoping you might have some ideas."

Sam made a small, contemplative noise in throat as he unlocked the door and held it open for Rory.

"We can think about it while we eat. You hungry?" Sam tossed his backpack aside and started toward the kitchen. Rory followed absently, shaking his head lightly. "Thirsty?" Sam offered.

"Uh, yeah, actually," Rory answered. His throat actually was a bit dry. The blonde tossed him a can of Coke and he opened it quickly, too quickly.

The well-shaken can of soda began to spray all over the front of Rory's t-shirt, staining it with splotches of brown. Rory cursed quickly and sprinted to the sink to grab a dishrag. He mentally flogged himself for being such an idiot. As he ran water over the dishcloth, he risked a glance to Sam. His face was alight with amusement and fondness. A wave of quiet laughter shook through him.

The blonde took the few steps that would close the gap between himself and the embarrassed Irish boy to take the cloth from his fretting hands.

"Don't worry about it, Rory. I've got it. I'm not going to freak out because you spilled soda. Just relax, Ror." His eyes surveyed the ruined front of Rory's shirt. "Go into my closet and grab a clean shirt. You can't wear that."

Sam pointed the way to his bedroom, and Rory walked away after profusely thanking the blonde for his generosity. Rory walked through Sam's door and immediately knew he was in the right room. The room smelled of peppermint and cologne, Sam's cologne. He stood still for a moment and just breathed in the scent before walking to the closet and pulling the door open to reveal Sam's collection of t-shirts.

He quickly grabbed a comfy-looking gray shirt with the words "McKinley High Athletic Dept." printed in a faded shade of red. He slid his shirt over his head and pulled on the fresh one in almost the same motion, wary of spending too much time alone in his crush's bedroom. He stopped by his backpack in the living room to stuff in the stained shirt before heading back to the kitchen.

Sam had cleaned up the mess and poured the remaining contents of the offending soda can into a glass. He swiftly offered the glass to Rory. "Here, I figured this might be a little easier for you," he joked. Rory took the glass and followed Sam back into his bedroom.

"Make yourself comfortable," Sam said easily, gesturing for Rory to sit down on the bed. Rory settled down, cross-legged, on the bed. Sam grabbed his guitar and dropped down beside him. "Okay, so I was thinking about the song you should do. I think this would suit your voice well."

Rory listened as Sam began to play the first few notes to the song and immediately recognized the tune. It was a song he hadn't even considered, but it was perfect.

Rory began to sing along to the tune.

Well I heard there was a secret chord

that David played and it pleased the Lord

But you don't really care for music, do you?

Well it goes like this:

The fourth, the fifth,

The minor fall and the major lift

The baffled king composing Hallelujah

Sam smiled softly as he watched Rory singing. The Irish boy was singing with his eyes closed. It was obvious that he was singing the song from the very core of his being. It was such an intimate moment that Sam felt as though Rory had closed himself off to the world. His voice was quiet but passionate. Sam's fingers played the song from memory, his eyes transfixed on where the boy's body swayed in front of him.

Maybe there's a God above

all I've ever learned from love

Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you

And it's not a cry that you hear at night

It's not somebody who's seen the light

It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah

A tear slid down Sam's cheek as he heard Rory's quiet voice drift into the final chorus, repetitious and subtly passionate. The words came out a whisper louder than the guitar. The final note hung poignantly in the air and Rory's eyes fluttered open. They sparkled ice blue with emotion and Sam couldn't help himself. He closed the small gap between them and pressed his lips softly against Rory's, the guitar squeezed tightly between their chests.

Shock flitted across Rory's face before his eyes fluttered closed again and started moving his lips against Sam's. The soft kiss was broken shortly, and Sam's hand came to rest against Rory's cheek. His voice was breathless as his eyes opened to meet the crystal blue gaze of the Irish boy. "That was...That was beautiful, Rory."

Rory's pale skin began to warm under Sam's hand at the compliment. The blonde's thumb idly stroked the blush tinted apple of Rory's cheek. The brunette's answering smile was breathtaking. It literally took Sam's breath away, and he leaned forward to press another soft kiss to the boy's lips.

"All right," Sam said, leaning back and slapping his hands against his thighs. "Wanna watch Avatar?"

Rory laughed a quick peel of laughter, waiting for the awkwardness that never came. Sam had just kissed him and now he had changed direction so quickly that it made the Irish boy's head spin. He didn't understand what had happened, or what was going to happen next, but he couldn't bring himself to question it.

"Sure," he replied, his voice amused but still breathless from the shock that hadn't entirely worn off.

"All right," Sam repeated, throwing himself off the bed in the direction of the small television in the corner of the room before busying himself with the DVD player. Rory sighed contentedly and pushed himself backward so that his back was leaning against the headboard of the small bed, stretching his legs. The muscles in his legs had become cramped from being crisscrossed for so long.

Sam flipped off the light in the room and tossed himself on the bed beside Rory, sliding into his side and putting an arm behind his shoulders. The brunette smiled at the new contact, reveling the warmth that Sam's arm provided. He wasn't sure exactly when it happened, but before long Rory was lying with his head on Sam's chest watching the movie play itself out on the screen and listening to the blonde's strong heartbeat as he felt Sam's fingers threading themselves idly through his hair.

The moment, with Sam's warmth so close, Rory felt the weight of the day beginning to wear down on him. He yawned widely and snuggled a little closer against the blonde's side. Sam adjusted the blanket over them and slid his free hand along Rory's back. The darkness of the room began to be too much for Rory's willpower, and he felt himself beginning to fall asleep.

Sam laughed quietly when he'd realized that he'd lost Rory to sleep. The brunette's fingers loosening their clutch on the front of his t-shirt as he relaxed. Soft snores slipped from Rory as Sam watched him sleep. He looked so peaceful as he lay against Sam's side, wearing his favorite t-shirt. He squeezed him a little tighter out of instinct, and soon the tranquility of the scene became too much for Sam. He drifted to sleep shortly after Rory.

The sound of a door slamming jarred Rory awake. The bed he was in was too soft to be his own, and he felt a little too warm. Underneath his ear he heard the slow, thudding sound of a heartbeat as reality began to seep in. He heard the quiet sound of breath gusting in and out of Sam's chest and remembered that the warmth he felt was Sam's arm around him.

There had been no awkward tension after Sam had kissed him. Everything drifted along so naturally that he suddenly felt stupid for being worried in the first place. He had no idea what was going to happen from that point on, but he wasn't afraid anymore. A smile spread across his face.

He hadn't noticed that Sam had woken until he felt fingers ghosting at his shoulder. He spoke first.

"Hey."

"Mmm...hey," Sam mumbled sleepily. "What time is it?"

The whole scene felt so domestic that Rory couldn't help but laugh.

"About 5:30, I think."

"I can't believe we fell asleep," Sam said, lifting his free hand to rub the sleep from his eyes.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I was exhausted, and you were comfortable. Like a pillow." Rory joked.

"Glad to be of assistance," Sam added, laughing quietly. "So...do you want to talk about this, or...?" His voice was still light.

"What about this did you want to talk about?" Rory's voice was light, but colored with mild anxiety.

"Well, I sort of kissed you..."

"Sort of?"

"Okay, I kissed you, and then we cuddled, and then we fell asleep," Sam listed, ticking each item off on his fingers as he covered it.

"Yeah, we did."

"So, what does this mean?"

"What does it mean to you?" Rory was hedging, afraid of overplaying his hand.

"Well," Sam said, nervously stroking his fingers along Rory's shoulder. "I was hoping that this sort of made us...together."

Rory's heart jumped and kicked into overdrive. "I-I think I'd like that, Sam."

"Really?" The blonde's voice was excited.

A blinding smile flashed across Rory's face. "Yes, really."

The two laughed quietly, before Sam leaned down and kissed Rory on the top of his head.

"I've really got to be heading back to Brittany's though. I told Mrs. Pierce that I would be home for dinner. I'm probably late already."

Sam sighed deeply. He didn't want to move. He wanted to stay just the way they were. "Alright, if you have to."

Sam insisted that Rory take one of his hoodies since it had gotten cold outside while they'd slept. The ride bringing Rory home hadn't taken nearly as long as Sam or Rory would have liked. They held hands on the seat and sang along to the radio. When Sam pulled his truck to the side of the curb outside of Brittany's house, Rory noticed a small bit of light peeking through the curtains of the front window as though someone had their face sneakily pressed between the curtains to spy. He sighed, amused, as he realized that that was probably exactly what was happening.

Sam took his free hand from the steering wheel and touched two fingers beneath Rory's chin to turn his head toward him. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Rory blushed lightly and whispered his reply. "See you..."

He made to get out of the truck, but Sam reached across to stop him, shaking his head. He brought his hand back to Rory's face and held his head still as he leaned forward and kissed him, softly at first but growing more insistent. His tongue flicked lightly at Rory's full bottom lip, making him moan quietly. He'd never felt anything like it.

Sam pulled back, smiling. "Goodnight, Rory."

The inexperienced Irish boy was beyond flustered. "N-night," he managed to stutter out.

Sam laughed quietly before pressing one last kiss to Rory's lips, just a peck this time.

Rory slammed the truck door and watched it until it disappeared around the corner. He fisted his fingers into his hair and spun around excitedly. He couldn't believe it. It all seemed so surreal. The only constant reminder that his mind hadn't made the whole thing up was the fact that he was wearing Sam's clothes, infused with the smell of his cologne.

The Irish boy all but danced up the sidewalk toward the front door. As he reached for the handle, the door was wrenched open, revealing Brittany bouncing with excitement and anticipation. She reached out and grabbed Rory's hand. She yanked him inside with enough force to unsettle him, nearly sending him sprawling on the floor. She dragged him into her bedroom, nosiness radiating from her. "Okay, tell me everything!"

And so, he did.

After about an hour of regaling Brittany with every single detail of the afternoon, she seemed pleased enough with the account and cheerfully kicked Rory out of her bedroom. "Goodnight, Rory Leprechaun."

Rory chuckled out his goodnight wishes before heading to his own bedroom. He shucked off his jeans and fell into bed. He pulled the fabric of Sam's shirt up to his nose and inhaled deeply, a smile stretching across his face.

He thought over the events of the day and what he had to do tomorrow. He was nervous about performing in front of the glee club, but as long as he had Sam for back-up, he knew everything would be alright.

It took awhile, but eventually, Rory drifted into a peaceful sleep, excited to see what would happen next.