Disclaimer: I still own nothing associated with Glee.
Beta Credit: Jlbassmaster. :)

The Plan That Actually Worked
Chapter Sixteen: Memories

Visiting hours had come and gone, and Sam, Rory, and Mrs. Flanagan were shown to the door. Rory still took issue with not being able to stay with his brother, but finally relented after the doctor promised that Seamus would be released on Monday. Rory shut the door behind him, giving it a longing glance as Sam laced their fingers together and began to lead him down the hallway.

"Come on, boys," Mrs. Flanagan said. Her voice was tired but still managed to be bright. "I'm going to take you out to dinner."

"You don't have to do that, mammy," Rory protested. "You've got to-"

"Rory, don't tell me what I've got to do. My son is in town with his boyfriend, so what I've got to do is take them out to celebrate," she corrected, her voice stern but still motherly and kind.

Sam laughed softly and squeezed Rory's hand as he mumbled something in Irish beside him. Sam didn't know what he said, but it earned him a stern look and a smack to the back of his head from his mother. Rory didn't argue anymore after that.

A helpful young waitress showed the trio to their seats, asking for their drink orders a little too eagerly, staring dreamily at Sam's face as he asked for a Coke. Rory slid closer into Sam's side and lifted their intertwined hands to rest on the table. Sam was oblivious, but the waitress got the hint. She frowned and left the table with a barely cordial, "I'll bring those right back for you."

Mrs. Flanagan covered her mouth to stifle the giggle that threatened to slip out. Sam glanced between her and Rory's sly smile, confused, before shrugging it off. Mrs. Flanagan finally managed to pull herself together. "Rory, love, you should come stay at grandma and grandad's. They miss you."

Anxious hopefulness crossed Rory's features. "D-Do they, really? They're not...?" he trailed off. His mother cocked her head to the side curiously. Rory sighed and tried again. "They're not mad at me?"

Shock flitted across Mrs. Flanagan's face as she quickly reached forward to seize one of her son's hands. "Why on Earth would they be mad at you, Rory? They love you. Just like they always have." Her voice turned earnest at the end, and Rory relaxed visibly with the assurance, a smile breaking across his face.

The conversation took a much lighter tone. Rory's mother started pressing for details of his stay in America, asking if he'd met any celebrities. When Sam had laughed and tried to explain that it was very unlikely that Rory would run into Colin Farrell or any of the Kardashians in Lima, she looked genuinely disappointed. She quickly moved on to a new line of questioning. "So, Sam," she said conversationally, picking up her coffee cup. "Tell me about your family. Rory went on and on about his Christmas holiday with your parents."

Rory smiled and turned his eyes to Sam. "My parents loved Rory. So did my brother and sister. I think they like him more than they like me," Sam laughed, squeezing Rory's hand. "Every time I call, they ask when I'm bringing him back." Mrs. Flanagan laughed brightly and took a sip of her coffee.

Sam launched into the story of how he and Rory taught Stacy and Stevie how to build a snowman, explaining how he had to all but drag Rory inside out of the cold. "Every time I would turn around, Rory would be outside in the snow with my brother and sister," Sam said lightly, amused.

"He's always been that way, Sam. Even when he was little," Mrs. Flanagan joked, smiling at her son. "I used to call him my little snow angel." She reached across the small table to stroke Rory's cheek lightly.

Rory's cheeks flushed crimson and he dropped his head into the cradle of his arms with a grumbled, "Oh my God".

Sam covered his mouth in a doomed effort to stifle his laughter. "That's totally adorable." The blonde laughed again brightly and wrapped his arm around Rory's shoulders, squeezing gently. Rory looked up hesitantly, his face glowing red in embarrassment. Sam couldn't resist leaning forward and pressing a quick kiss to the boy's lips, sliding his thumb across the apple of Rory's cheek and whispering, "I am so in love with you, Rory."

The younger boy's face lit up at the admission. He pressed his hand against Sam's, holding the blonde's hand to his face for a moment before lacing their fingers together and dropping them to the table. "I love you so much, Sam," he promised quietly.

They'd been so lost in their exchange that they'd all but forgotten Mrs. Flanagan's presence. Sam briefly worried that maybe they'd overstepped some boundary, but his fears were immediately erased. When he risked a glance in her direction, she was watching them with wide, bright eyes, an adoring smile stretched so widely across her face that it looked almost painful.

The waitress suddenly appeared with their plates. She set them down in turn and quickly excused herself. The trio ate in companionable silence for a while before Mrs. Flanagan spoke. "I want to get everything packed and moved to your grandmother's house before Seamus gets released from the hospital."

"Whatever you need help with, I'd be happy to do what I can," Sam assured. Rory nodded in agreement.

"Thank you, boys," she said kindly. "We'll have to be fairly quick. I don't want Rory's father coming home while you're there." Her voice turned hard. Sam had to fight back a growl at the idea of Rory being near his father again.

"Don't worry, mammy. We'll get everything done." Rory leaned forward and patted his mother's hand, a reassuring smile on his face.

-xXxXx-

Rory sat in the passenger's seat of the car, chatting easily with his mother. Sam sat in the back and listened to their conversation without commenting. He loved how genuine and caring their relationship was. The younger boy turned in his seat to face Sam, his face bright. "I can't believe you get to see my house."

"I know," Sam said, his voice a little heavier than Rory's. "I wish it wasn't like this, though."

Rory nodded slowly. "I hate that we don't get to stay there." he admitted, his tone still light. "I think you'll like my grandma and grandad." His face screwed up in confusion and he looked at his mother. "Mammy, have you told them about Sam?"

A smile spread across her face. "I told them you fancied a cute, blonde, American boy."

Rory's cheeks reddened and Sam chuckled quietly. "Did you really have to tell them all that?" Rory mumbled.

"They're happy for you, love." She reached over to pat Rory's cheek. "They just want you to be happy."

Rory sighed and let it go.

The car pulled into a small driveway. Sam looked out the window to get a better look at the house. Though it was a different color, it reminded Sam of his own home in Kentucky. The small, white house looked warm and inviting. Sam climbed out of the car and quickly opened Rory's door, offering his hand to help the boy from the car. Mrs. Flanagan was already on the tiny front porch, unlocking the deadbolt and pushing the door open.

As soon as the two boys came through the door, she closed it. "Okay, boys," she started, sighing. "Rory, I want you and Sam to go pack your clothes and things in a bag. You took a lot of them to America, so that won't be too much work. Then, go pack Seamus', please." Her voice was determined. She rattled off a small list of things that Rory needed to make sure to pack. Rory nodded along until she finished. He took Sam's hand and pulled him up a narrow staircase and into a small hallway.

Rory walked quickly toward the first of the two doors on the left side of the hallway before rocking back on his heels and turning to look at Sam. "This is my room," he said excitedly, turning the knob and opening the door. As it creaked opened, Rory towed him inside the tiny room and pushed him down onto the twin bed tucked away in the corner, climbing on top of him to straddle his waist. He leaned down to press his lips eagerly against Sam's. The blonde barked a surprised laugh, surprised by Rory's unexpected enthusiasm.

The younger boy broke the kiss, laughing quietly. "I'm sorry." He laughed again briefly and pressed a short kiss to the corner of Sam's mouth. "I just couldn't resist kissing you on my bed." He bent forward and kissed Sam again quickly, a wide smile stretched across his small face. "Alright," he said pointedly, smacking Sam's hip with playful roughness. "Let's get to work." Sam nodded and Rory climbed off the bed. The blonde sat up and took a moment to really look at Rory's bedroom as the younger boy bustled around the tiny room gathering his clothes and throwing them in a duffel bag.

As he looked around the room, he was suddenly struck by the fact that everything Rory knew was about to change. This wasn't going to be his bedroom anymore. He got up from the bed to walk to where Rory was standing in the middle of the room. The blonde wrapped his arms around Rory's waist and pressed a kiss to the side of his neck.

"Are you okay, babe?" Sam asked quietly, resting his chin on Rory's shoulder.

"Yeah," Rory replied wistfully. "It's just strange. This has been my room since I was born."

"I know." Sam commiserated. "It's hard to let go, but it's for the best."

Rory sighed again, his head falling back against Sam's shoulder. "I know that it's for the best, but I'm so worried about how Seamus is going to take all this. He doesn't deserve to have his life uprooted like this. Especially when it's my fault." Rory's voice turned sad.

Sam stiffened behind him. "Rory! What part of this could you possibly think is your fault?" he asked angrily, turning Rory around to face him. Rory's eyes glistened with tears and he wouldn't meet Sam's gaze. Sam put his finger under Rory's chin and lifted his face until their eyes met. "Baby, none of this is your fault. You didn't do this. He did," Sam said slowly, stressing each word. He slid his hands up and down Rory's arms as he spoke.

"If I hadn't-"

"No," Sam stated sharply, cutting Rory off. "Your coming out had nothing to do with what your father did to Seamus." Sam pulled Rory into his chest and hugged him tightly. "None of this is your fault, so don't try and take the blame for it."

He held Rory for a minute before pushing softly at his shoulder. "Now come on." Sam made his voice light. "Let's go pack up your brother's stuff."

A small smile crossed Rory's face. He let out a huff of air. "What would I ever do without you, Sammy?" Rory asked rhetorically.

Sam smiled and leaned forward to connect their lips in a sweet kiss before lifting the duffel bag of Rory's clothes and assorted little items from the floor and taking his boyfriend's hand. He set the bag in the hallway and followed Rory into Seamus' bedroom.

-xXxXx-

It had taken them less than two hours to pack an entire lifetime of meaningful possessions and memories into boxes. From necessity, so many things were left behind, but all of the things that remained could be easily replaced. The small amount of bags and boxes fit easily into Mrs. Flanagan's car, so with a parting glance at what they were leaving behind, the three pulled out of the driveway and headed for Rory's grandmother's house.

The house was much larger than the Flanagan home. The brick exterior was cracking slightly, but the house looked warm and welcoming all the same. Rory drummed his fingers against his knees nervously as his mother turned the car off. His eyes darted around anxiously.

"Rory, love, it's going to be fine," his mother soothed, reaching out to still Rory's hand as it worried a loose thread of his jeans. Rory looked up to meet her eyes, and Sam could see the rampant anxiety in his blue eyes. Mrs. Flanagan gave her son a tranquil smile and patted Rory's cheek. "They love you, Rory. Just like they always have." Rory's eyes flitted nervously toward Sam. The woman smiled, knowing immediately what was going through her son's mind. "They'll love him, too. I'm sure of it."

Sam tried to hide his smile at her words. "Mrs. Flanagan, if it's going to be any trouble at all, I can stay at the hotel. I really don't mind."

"You absolutely will not," the woman said, affronted. "You're going to stay right here with Rory, where you belong."

Emotion flooded through Sam and a broad smile dawned on his face. His words came out barely above a whisper. "Thank you, Mrs. Flanagan. I..." he trailed off, at a loss for how to finish his sentiment. "Just, thank you." He leaned into the front seat and kissed her on the cheek.

"You're welcome, love," she said sweetly. "Now, let's get this stuff inside. After we get everything sorted, I'll take you both to pack up that nasty hotel room," Mrs. Flanagan added, wrinkling her nose. Sam nodded once in assent and climbed out of the car to open Rory's door. His mother just watched the scene with a fond expression.

Sam made sure to do the lion's share of the work, sorting through the boxes and bags to separate the heaviest ones so that he could carry them inside. It wasn't that he thought Rory wasn't strong enough to carry them. Sam had just been raised to be a gentleman and his father's words still resonated in his mind. "Just because Rory isn't a girl does not mean that you get to act like any less of a gentleman. Remember how you were raised, son."

The work had gotten done rather quickly, but by the end, Sam was exhausted. It was all he could do to stay awake on the car ride to the hotel to retrieve their bags. As soon as they'd walked back inside the house, Rory insisted on showing Sam to where they'd be sleeping—a small room in a partially finished basement. Rory's mother would be taking the guest room on the first floor until Seamus was released and then she'd move into the basement after Sam and Rory went back to America.

Sam collapsed on the creaky double bed, toeing off his shoes and flicking them across the room with his feet. Rory cuddled into his side, resting his head against the blonde's chest. Sam tried to shrug away, but Rory held him close. "Aww, babe, I must reek. I've been lifting boxes all day."

Rory smiled and laced their fingers together against Sam's chest. "I don't mind," he said dismissively, snuggling closer. "I want to thank you properly for helping my mother. It means so much to me, Sammy. You have no idea." He stretched up and kissed Sam on the lips, slipping his hand under Sam's shirt to slide across his stomach as he dropped his head back to the blonde's chest, sighing contentedly. "I love you, Sam."

Sam tipped his head downward and kissed the top of Rory's head. "I love you, too, Rory."

They lay in silence for a few minutes before Sam finally insisted on taking a shower. Rory laughed and pointed him toward the small bathroom in the corner of the basement. Sam threw himself off the bed and kissed Rory quickly before heading toward the bathroom. Rory called for him to come upstairs when he was finished.

Sam let the water beat down on his tired muscles, the heat releasing some of the knots in his shoulders. The only thing the shower really did was manage to make him more tired than he'd already been. He sighed and shut the water off, wrapping a towel around his waist and making for his duffel bag. It was late enough that Sam could get away with putting on pajamas. He dressed quickly and padded his way upstairs, dropping down heavily next to Rory on the couch. The news played on the television, but Sam wasn't paying attention. Rory could see that Sam was in a daze. The younger boy's face screwed up with concern. "What's the matter, Sam?"

"Tired," Sam mumbled, resting his head against Rory's shoulder. "Mmm...shoulders hurt."

Rory smiled and turned himself until he was behind Sam. He lifted his hands to Sam's shoulders and began kneading the knotted muscles. Sam's eyes fluttered closed and he melted beneath his boyfriend's hands. Rory laughed softly when he heard Sam's breathing even out into the steady pattern of sleep. He slid back on the couch and pulled Sam further onto the couch. The blonde adjusted himself unconsciously until he was lying with his head on Rory's lap.

Rory toyed idly with the blonde locks as Sam slept. He looked up when he heard someone enter the room. "Is he asleep?" Mrs. Flanagan asked, her voice sweet. Rory smiled and nodded. "Good," she said, dropping down into the easy chair next to the couch. "Grandma and grandad have already gone to bed. I talked to them while you two were downstairs. They can't wait to meet Sam, but I told them it was best to wait until morning. Poor boy was exhausted."

"He worked hard today," Rory affirmed. "He's such a good man, mammy."

"I see that," the woman said easily. "He's good for you, Rory. He loves you so much. He treats you like gold."

Rory smiled and cast his eyes to the sleeping boy in his lap. "I know he does. I love him, too."

Mrs. Flanagan smiled before her face turned serious. "Rory, I don't tell you enough just how proud I am of you," she said thickly. "Because I am. I am so proud of the man you've become."

Rory leaned forward and took his mother's hand, a small smile on his face. "You tell me plenty, mammy. I'm glad I can make you proud. That's all I want."

She squeezed his hand pointedly. "And, I love you no matter what. You will always be my baby, Rory."

"I love you, too, mammy," Rory said, a wide smile on his face. His mother leaned forward and captured him into a hug. Rory returned it enthusiastically. "Okay," she said, straightening her shirt. "I'm going to go to bed. Goodnight." She leaned forward and kissed Rory's forehead before sliding her hand across the upper part of Sam's arms affectionately. Rory wished her goodnight and leaned back against the couch. He knew he should wake Sam up to get him downstairs, but he couldn't bring himself to move. Finally, though, he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer, so he gently nudged Sam's shoulder. "Sammy," he said in a hushed tone, brushing wayward hair from his forehead. Sam grumbled sleepily. "Come on, love. We have to go to bed now."

Rory gently rolled Sam forward to prompt him to move. The blonde groaned and took the hint, unwillingly sitting up and rubbing his eyes. Rory pressed a kiss to his temple and took his hand. "Come on." He helped Sam down the stairs, flicking off the lights as he went. Rory turned down the bed and gestured for Sam to get in. The older boy kissed him quickly in appreciation and climbed under the blankets. Rory rifled through his bag and gathered an armful of pajamas. He went into the bathroom to brush his teeth and get ready for bed. He intended to take a shower, but settled on just washing up with a cloth. He'd take a shower in the morning. He brushed his teeth and headed toward the bed. Sam was already asleep, snoring softly.

Just as he was about to lie down, he heard a banging on the front door. He darted up the stairs to investigate the noise before it woke anyone up. As he got into the living room and turned on the light, he was able to see a man standing on the front step pounding his fist into the door and yelling. Apparently, his father had figured out that his mother had left home. Anger enveloped Rory and before he could stop himself, he wrenched the door open and pushed his father back a step. "Knock it off!" he snapped. "You'll wake the entire house."

"This is your fault, you little bastard!" the man slurred, drunk. Rory rolled his eyes. He'd expected nothing less.

"No," Rory stated plainly, his voice angry but even. He poked a finger into his father's chest. "This is all your fault. You were awful to mam and she finally came to her senses and left you."

The man faltered back a step, clearly rethinking whatever it was he had planned to say. "Now you listen to me," Rory said in a low, dark voice. "I don't give a damn what you think of me. I'm going to go to bed tonight and lie down with Sam, and there's nothing you can say that will change that. I'm happy with him, not that you care. What I do care about is my mother and Seamus. I don't want you to come near them. They don't need you."

"How dare you speak to me like that!" Mr. Flanagan said, affronted. "You have absolutely no respect-"

"I have respect for those who deserve it. You don't. You mean nothing. You will stay away from mam and stay away from Seamus," Rory said, his voice ringing with finality.

"What are you going to do? You're nothing but a queer boy," Mr. Flanagan sneered.

"I'm more of a man than you'll ever be, no thanks to you," Rory snapped before evening out his voice.

Mr. Flanagan's mouth fell open. Rory took the opportunity to reiterate that he need to keep his distance before slamming the door in the man's stunned face and locking it. He flicked off the porch light but watched to make sure his father went on his way. The shamed man trudged to his car and drove away. Rory sighed and scrubbed a hand across his face.

He turned around to walk back to bed and saw his mother standing silently in the doorway to the living room. "H-How much of that did you hear?" he asked anxiously. As she crossed the room, Rory could see the tears rolling down her face. He pulled the woman into his arms and hugged her tightly. "He's gone, mammy," Rory promised.

"You're such a good man, Rory," his mother whispered, her voice thick and husky with emotion.

He just hugged his mother tighter as she cried against his shoulder. Finally, she leaned back and took his face into her hands, pulling him down to press a kiss to his forehead. "Go to sleep, my love." She stroked her thumb across his cheek. "Thank you so much."

"Don't thank me," Rory mumbled. "I love you."

She pressed another kiss to his head and shoved him toward his bedroom. "Go."

Rory smiled and obliged, descending the stairs and crawling into bed next to Sam, cuddling into his side and falling asleep quickly.

-xXxXx-

Rory woke up to the sound of Sam on the phone. Sam saw him stirring and met his eyes, his expression sympathetic. "Sorry," Sam mouthed. Rory patted his arm. "Okay, Burt. I've got to go. Rory's awake." Sam said his goodbye and disconnected the phone, sighing.

"What's the matter?" Rory asked, concerned.

"I've got to go home. My plane leaves at five." Sam's voice was sad. "I told Burt that Seamus was getting released tomorrow. He said that I need to come back to Lima since everything is okay now."

Rory nodded dejectedly. "I understand. I was hoping we could fly home together, but I guess you do need to get back to school."

Sam had wanted the same thing. All he could muster as a response was a weak, "Yeah, I do."

Breakfast wasn't nearly as awkward as Sam had been expecting. Rory had excused himself to take a shower, so Sam went upstairs without him. His grandparents didn't say very much, but the way they watched Sam made him feel self-conscious. Luckily, he didn't have to supply much in the way of conversation. Mrs. Flanagan filled her parents in about Sam. He was surprised and amused by how much she knew about him, and he idly wondered how much Rory must have talked him in order for her to glean so much information.

Rory came upstairs shortly after breakfast and fixed himself a plate, dropping down next to his grandmother and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. She beamed in response, patting his hand on the table. She launched into a series of questions about how Rory liked America. He gave her a detailed account of day to day life. She seemed pleased by how excited Rory was about his stay in America. She excused herself shortly after to clean up the dishes, politely refusing Sam's help. She patted the blonde's hand and gave him a parting smile.

After lunch, Sam and Rory went downstairs to pack up Sam's things. Rory twined his arms around Sam's neck. "I wish you didn't have to leave, Sam," Rory said sadly, connecting their lips sweetly.

"I know. I don't want to," Sam responded quietly.

They loaded Sam's bag into the car and headed toward the airport. Rory chose to sit in the back with Sam, leaning into his side silently.

Check-in went quickly and before Rory was ready, it was time for Sam to leave. He threw his arms around the blonde's neck. "I love you so much, Sam. I'll be home as soon as I can," his voice was bordering on desperate.

"Shh, baby. I love you, too." Sam quieted, kissing him softly on the lips. He got a secret pleasure from hearing the way Rory referred to Lima as home. "Take care of Seamus. Don't worry about me."

"Call me as soon as you land in New York," Rory urged, leaning forward to capture Sam's lips again.

"Okay," Sam promised, pulling Rory in for a tight hug, burying his face in the crook of the younger boy's neck to breathe in his scent. "I love you, Rory."

Rory pulled back and met Sam's warm, green eyes. "I love you, too, Sam."

Sam gave Rory a parting squeeze and a quick kiss before disappearing through the security gate.

A/N: Sorry for the gaps in between these, college sucks. Cooper Anderson is right. Don't go. :) Please review.