Disclaimer: No characters in this belong to me; they are the property of Ryan Murphy.

A/N: The first is devoid of fluff, the second is a little bit obscure. But I like them, and hope you do, too.

Prompt: Boyfriend. They both have them. Neither wants one. Ignoring canon a little bit.

Jane bustled out of the kitchen, catching Sam as she plopped down on the couch. "Oh, Sam, honey, do you think George will be coming for dinner?"

"No... we... uh... we kind of broke up. Incompatible differences."

"Oh. Well, if you ever want to talk about it, I'm here."

Sam took in a deep breath. Deep, deep, deep, deep enough, she hoped, to prevent her from saying what she was about to say.

"Actually, I kind of do want to talk about it." Jane turned, delicately striding over to the couch, sympathy out in droves from the urgency in Sam's voice.

"What is it?"

"I think... I mean... I broke up with him." Sam paused, tears threatening to overwhelm her eloquence, "because I think I'm in love with... or I really like someone else."

"Oh, darling, that's alright, it happens and you can't help-"

"Mom, just, hear me out," Sam took a big gulp of air, "IkindofthinkIreallylikeagirl."

Jane was silent.

A little 'hnph' of air escaped, and Sam smirked.

"I know it's a shock, mom, I'm kind of still reeling from it." Sam mumbled. She didn't cry very often, speech was never overwhelming for her, but something like this, that had been ricocheting around inside for the better part of a month, was too harrowing to hold in anymore.

A short while passed before Jane spoke again, voice wavering but intent on staying even.

"It's comforting, I suppose, to see that your kid is growing up just like all the others. Makes your job seem a little bit easier. But when it comes down it, thinking "comforting" thoughts is the worst way to be a parent. It's the worst feeling in the world when you find out that the situations that made you feel safe, made your child feel terrible."

She looked at her daughter, the petulant, beautiful, strong, sweet Sammie, reached out to brush away her tears, and pulled her into a hug.

"But it's my job to worry about that. Your only worry should be doing what's right for you. I love you, Sam, and nothing will ever change that."

"Thank you."

Jaime. He was sweet, exciting, handsome and romantic. He was pretty much a perfect boyfriend.

Sometimes, he was just fun to hang out with. Sometimes, he gave Brooke butterflies in her stomach.

But for all the butterflies floating around her stomach, none were comparable to the ones she was seeing now.

Mostly because (for some nearly inexplicable reason), McKinley High thought that a field trip to the zoo was appropriate for its students. For its Chemistry students. Regardless, Ms. Glass had persuaded her entire class to fill out the forms and pay the fees, apparently just so she could trap them in the insect building and regale them with the violent mating rituals of various arthropods.

So, Brooke was now seeing her stomach inhabitants manifest. There was something extra vibrant about these butterflies. Jaime wasn't there, though. Just the sly, arrogant, intensity that was Sam McPherson. And Sam, she gave Brooke fireflies. Lightning bolts starting in the pit of Brooke's stomach, working their way up to her chest where they glowed and fluttered out to the tips of her fingers and curled her toes, and made everything around her glow just a little bit. And that made these butterflies noticeably more wonderful than the ones Jaime gave her.

Brooke leaned against a banister in front of the butterfly tank, musing on the educational effectiveness of field trips.

"I wonder if they pin these on the wall, too, when they die." A sarcastic siren call found its way into Brooke's ears, drawing her eyes from the fluttering beauties to her other.

She responded with a smirk "Sam McPherson: eternal optimist. Be glad Lilly didn't hear that…"

"Oh, I did. And I think it's outrageous what is done to these poor creatures. Not just butterflies, but locking animals in cages for our entertainment?" Lilly paused to adjust the 'With zoos, we all lose' shirt she had on, than continued on her personal seminar.

Sam, though not ignoring her friend, diverted her attention long enough to give Brooke a small smirk.

And at that smirk, Brooke decided to break up with Jaime. (It was convenient that he had been cheating on her, so she didn't have to explain the real reason.)

And the fireflies lit a bonfire.