"I don't mean to brag," Artie was saying, from where he lay belly-down on the floor in Sam's family's living room. "But I've sort of got a talent for this. My mother will tell you it's because I always notice anything dirty on the ground, but I tell people it's all the wheeling I do. Gives me huge biceps, perfect for scrubbing baseboards."

As he made his point by scrubbing more vigorously, Mrs. Evans chuckled from where she had just finished vacuuming under the couch after Sam had moved it for her. "I can't thank you enough, Artie," she said. "Not too many guys your age would give up spring break to help their friend deep clean a house."

"Totally worth it for the incredible meal you made us last night, Mrs. E," Artie said, making Mrs. Evans blush as she put the vacuum away and then helped Sam move the couch back into place.

"Hey, you down there," Sam said, poking Artie's shoulder with his big toe as Artie made a disgusted face up at him, pushing Sam's sock covered foot away from himself. Sam's mom had disappeared into the kitchen to clean something else. "If I'm not allowed to accidentally flirt with your sister, you're not allowed to flirt with my mom."

"WHAT? I wasn't-" Artie looked up to see that Sam was completely not serious, of course, but all the same, he was never, ever going to let Sam off the hook for all the totally inappropriate behavior around Amy anytime she came home. "I will never call such a truce, sorry. Ain't happening."

Sam grinned. "Hey, we've done a lot today," he said. That was an understatement. Already, they'd dropped the kids off at school, picked up a few things from the grocery store, and picked up some items Mrs. Evans needed from the hardware store. But it saved her from doing all of that herself, so that she could focus on cleaning and packing.

Artie looked around. "Still feels like there's a whole lot more to do before Friday."

"Well, let's go ahead and leave to get the kids," Sam suggested. "I know it's too early, but if we leave now, I have time to stop by my high school and say hi. Like I said, I wasn't popular, but well, I knew a few people..."

"Yeah, that's a great idea!" Artie agreed right away. "Um, do you think maybe we should both change though? We're kind of dirty. I can clean up in five minutes– " At this, Sam shot him a doubtful look. "–okay, ten. Maybe fifteen. Anyway, I'll hurry."

Sam's old high school was right down the street from the elementary, just like how it was back home in Lima. This was a small district, right outside Louisville, and Sam said there were only about a hundred or so kids in his freshman class. He shared that he'd played baseball and football there, and as Artie listened to him explain all this as they drove there, he couldn't help but wonder why Sam didn't describe himself as popular. Seemed to check all the boxes. Maybe he never could shake the ugly duckling syndrome after developing a complex back in middle school.

"Super choice parking, just like always!" Artie announced when they arrived, with Sam unaware that he'd recycled the phrase from Santana. "So, is this going to be like the John Mayer song? Are you going to run through the halls of your high school and scream at the top of your lungs? Because you just found out there's no such thing as the real world. Just a lie you've got to rise above."

Sam grinned. "Remind me next time we get a solo day in Glee club, that I still need to do 'My Stupid Mouth,'" he said. "Santana would love it."

"Ah, but she would only love it," Artie began, as he retrieved chair parts from the backseat. "If you reworked the lyrics and called it-"

"Don't say it!" Sam jumped out and came around to Artie's side. When Artie was out of the car and ready to wheel inside, he noticed Sam was sort of staring in the direction of the school, running his fingers through his hair, chewing on that enormous lower lip of his with a far away look in his eyes.

"Nervous?" Artie guessed. "Excited? Little of both?"

"Guess so," Sam said, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I was never very good at saying good-bye, and anyway, junior year wasn't going so well. I kind of just... left. A few people might be a little mad at me over that."

"Well, don't worry about it," Artie tried to reassure him. "Nobody could fault you for that. You didn't have anything you truly enjoyed for an extracurricular, not unless you counted working at Stallionz."

"ARTIE!" At this, Sam raised his voice and then looked around, making sure no one had heard that. He leaned over and shushed him. Artie rolled back a pace, stunned by the huge reaction. "Could you not even joke about that while we're here? Okay? A few kids did know about that, it had already gotten out that I worked there. If Rachel and Finn hadn't busted me, someone else would have. I don't want to relive... any of it."

"Sorry, sorry!" Artie very much was sorry he'd joked about it. They never talked about what happened before Sam returned to Lima, so as far as Artie was concerned, that was all ancient history by now. Apparently not.

He followed Sam inside, where they had to head straight to the office first. Sure, they'd blend in pretty well with the other students –Artie's chair not withstanding – but it was better to go ahead and let someone know they were there and why. As they made their way to the office, it looked like just about everyone in there remembered him.

"Samuel Evans!" A tall, black lady approached them. "You know I've missed having you in my class. How have you been?"

He chatted with all of the staff for a few minutes before making an excuse to get away. Artie gave them all a tight smile and nod before pivoting and following Sam right out. "Were you a teacher's pet while you were here or something?"

"That lady who came up to me was Ms. Pennington," he explained. "She's a reading specialist. She worked with me a lot in middle school and high school. She was actually the one who diagnosed me with dyslexia. Anyway, c'mon, this way. A lot of kids hang out in the library during study hall period, let's go see who's there..."

They didn't even make it all the way to the library before he was stopped. A group of three cheerleaders, two blondes and a brunette, did a double-take when they saw Sam stride by. (And, was it just Artie's imagination, or was he sort of strutting?)

"Sam Evans!" One of the blondes rushed up to give him a hug, the others literally lining up to do the same. Artie didn't know why he was surprised. Sam's definition of unpopular and his were vastly different things.

"We miss you," added the lone brunette, with a pout. "It's not the same around here without your Matthew McConaughey impressions."

"That's what I love about these high school girls, man," Sam said, doing his best impersonation of his favorite actor and directing them comment at Artie who just fixed him with a look of annoyance. "I get older, they stay the same age."

Literally no one but you would ever get a laugh out of that dumb line, Artie thought, musing on what a charmed life Sam lived as the three girls giggled. It was actually offensive that Sam somehow deemed himself unpopular at this school.

"Who's your friend, Sam?" asked the third blonde.

"This is Artie," Sam said, as Artie responded with a shy smile and wave. "He goes to school with me at my new school. We're on spring break. He's here with me for the week week, helping my family move back to Ohio."

At this, Artie fully expected someone to ask how on Earth someone who looked like him was supposed to help anyone move. Or at least, he expected they'd look like they wanted to ask that. But these three cheerleaders simply took that tidbit of information in stride like it was a totally normal thing. Artie wondered if all small, country schools where everyone knew everyone were like this.

"Oh, I was hoping you were moving back," said the brunette, with a pout. "Our football team could really use you. And baseball."

"Call us if you wanna hang out this week," said the first blonde again, as Artie ever so politely tried to scrape his jaw back up off the floor.

"What?"

Artie had fixed Sam with an accusing stare as the three cheerleaders headed off in the opposite direction. "That is not unpopular," Artie said. He gestured to himself. "This is unpopular."

"Dude, that's just three girls," Sam said, shaking his head and continuing to walk in the direction of the library as Artie followed alongside him.

"Yeah, three cheerleaders," Artie said, rolling his eyes at Sam. "Sam, seriously, I know we're great and you missed us, but why would you trade a school like this one for a school like ours? One where jocks routinely throw ice-cold slush all over losers and the teachers all just look the other way."

As Artie said this, they turned the corner and went through the double doors that led into the library. Sure enough, there were lots of kids hanging out in here. Several kids were at tables doing homework. A group of popular-looking kids were on the comfortable chairs and couches playing cards. You could always spot the popular crowd. When they looked up and acknowledged Sam's entrance, it only added more fuel to Artie's fire.

"You complete fraud," he muttered, through gritted teeth as he smiled at the group of strangers and wheeled to a stop next to Sam.

"Do my eyes deceive me or have you come crawling back?" That was one of the jocks, or at least Artie assumed he was a jock because he had a muscular build. The other guy stood and exchanged a high five with Sam, as a few more did the same and one girl gave him a hug.

More hugs from cute girls, Artie thought, suppressing the urge to roll his eyes yet again.

"Nah, man, I'm just visiting," Sam told them, as he pulled up a chair from one of the empty nearby tables and sat. "This is Artie, he's one of my Ohio pals..."

"One of many," Artie piped up, nodding importantly. "He's very popular at our school. As I'm sure he was when he went here."

"Not really, I'm in Glee club," Sam added, with a goofy grin. Just the fact that he was confident enough to bring that up was telling in and of itself. "But I'm also in, like, football, basketball. So, yeah, I guess I'm pretty popular. And our Glee club's going to Nationals..."

Oh brother, Artie thought, but he let Sam get all of that out of his system. Pretty soon, the conversation became a little more relaxed and comfortable. They were even about to start a card game with the popular kids when Sam noticed the clock.

"Oh, man," he said. "Artie and I better go. We're picking up my brother and sister from school and we better not be late. It was good seeing all of you."

On the way to the car, Artie said nothing but when they'd gotten in and were on the way to the elementary, he finally started in with the burning questions he'd had ever since they showed up that day.

"Seriously, you looked comfortable with those kids in there," Artie started in once more. "You're like their hometown hunk. I don't understand what makes you say–"

"Because I'm poor," Sam cut him off, earning a curious glance from Artie, effectively silenced by that one comment. "Because most of this particular school isn't. Because pretty much everyone there is white–"

"Uh, Sam, in case nobody told you, you're also white..." And Artie also wanted to mention here that McKinley was pretty white. That Mercedes and even Tina and Mike felt pretty isolated in their predominately white school and town.

"Not their kind of white," Sam argued, rendering Artie silent again at that. He waited, giving Sam the space to say what he wanted to say. "Look, you're right, those kids are pretty nice to me. But there wasn't much interaction beyond that. None of them wanted to confront the knowledge about how poor I was. I didn't see them outside of school. But if I did? Like if they came to the Dairy Queen during one of my shifts? I was invisible, dude."

Artie bit his lip. "Dude, I didn't know you felt that way about... about..." He couldn't find the right words, so he gave up on that particular sentence. "I'm sorry. I guess we all feel a certain kind of way about high school, regardless of what we look like on the outside."

Artie pulled into the pick up line today, since they were almost late arriving and were joining the line at the end. Today, they had the little window hangers with the kids' names. A moment later, a teacher read the names over her walkie talkie and a second teacher walked them out. If Stevie and Stacey were annoyed to have been kept waiting until the end of pick up, they didn't show it as they climbed into the backseat. Sam had stowed Artie's chair in the trunk this time, to make more room for them.

"How was school?" Artie asked, grinning over his shoulder at them and thinking how much he would have loved having younger siblings himself.

Stevie just gave the characteristic shrug and replied with the typical, "Fine."

"It was Monday," Stacey complained. "I have gym on Monday, and they made us play freeze tag. I always try to get frozen first, so I can just stand around."

"Stacey hates anything athletic," Sam explained.

"That's a smart plan," Artie told her, as he pulled out of the school parking lot. "How about parks though? Playing at the park is kind of athletic, do you hate that?"

"No!" Stacey and Stevie said in unison, clearly neither of them too tired to run around at the park. This had been Sam and Artie's plan all along, to keep them out a bit longer.

Sam knew of a really nice park between his home and the school. It was perfect park weather, plus there were some shaded picnic tables where Artie and Sam could sit and watch the kids join a bunch of other kids and play on all the climbing equipment.

"Did you ever hang upside by your knees on those bars, drop from the ground, and land on your feet?" Artie asked, as Sam nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, me too."

"Those were the days," Sam added.

"Think you could do it today?" Artie asked.

"Maybe, you?" Sam turned it back around, grinning.

At this, Artie laughed appreciatively. "No, but I bet you I can hang on that bar for a pretty long time," he said, always feeling the need to prove himself physically when it came to Sam. "If you get me up there."

Artie was dressed more casually than he did for school days, sporting a Titans shirt and a pair of those jeans Amy bought for him that she'd be delighted to know he'd packed. Therefore, he was ready for physical activity. Sam agreed, the glint in his eye telling Artie he thought this would be fun to see. After dealing with the usual playground obstacle of pushing over mulch (Sam had to help), Artie made it over to the bars. Many sets of curious eyes looked their way.

Artie removed his gloves and discarded them in the pocket of his backpack. He then let Sam lift him by the waist until he could grab the bar. He hung there for a few minutes, looked down to make sure his pants weren't slipping off his waist, and then showed off by doing a few pull-ups. Thanks to basketball, he was feeling pretty fit these days. He couldn't quite do a full chin-up, but he'd be doing even better by the end of spring and summer, once he had effectively worked his arms out by doing a ton of swimming.

As Sam helped him back down, Stacey let out a little cheer. "That was amazing!" she proclaimed, as Stevie applauded beside her.

"All in a day's work when you have super human upper body strength," Artie joked, as Sam pushed him back over the mulch. He gave a little muscle flex, lower lip out, and if he'd had a pair of shades, it would have completed the gesture.

"Nice," Sam said, as they returned back to their shady spot where several other parents were hanging out, zoning out on their phones while letting their children burn off some energy after school.

"It's always fun to surprise kids," Artie said. "Challenge what they might have been thinking, you know. Show them what I can do."

Sam nodded, but he had something else on his mind now, and the conversation took a more serious turn. "How do you think you'll feel when Quinn's walking again?"

"Huh?" Artie tilted his head and fixed Sam with a confused stare. "Elated, of course. She's worked so hard."

Speaking of Quinn, he hadn't texted or called her yet today, as they'd been so busy. He intended to check in tonight, as he hoped she'd gotten an appointment with her doctor to see what was causing her the sudden pain.

"No, no," Sam said, bringing Artie back to the present moment. "How do you think you'll really feel? Don't bite my head off like last time, okay? I'm just looking out for you."

"Elated, of course." Artie gave the same answer, flatly, glaring at him and hoping he'd back off the topic before this got ugly. As luck would have it, they were interrupted before he had to say anything else or before Sam asked him any more questions. Artie's phone was ringing. And there was only one person his age who tended to try calling first before texting...

"Quinn!" He hadn't changed his standard greeting for her in two years.

"Artie, hi!" she said. "How are you and Sam doing? I hope I'm not interrupting, but I just called to give you some updates."

"No, you're not interrupting anything," Artie said, as Sam looked somewhat relieved that she'd interrupted their awkward conversation. "We're just at a park with Stacey and Stevie."

"Fun," she said. "Well, I called to tell you my doctor saw me this afternoon. I'm waiting on the results of an MRI, which he'll go over with me tomorrow. Therapy's kind of on hold for now but that's okay. I have a good distraction. Shelby came to visit and brought Beth to see me."

"That's really great!" Artie said. Then, for Sam's benefit, he filled the other guy in. "Shelby brought Beth to see Quinn. Listen, Q, I know it's tough, but I'm proud of you for listening to your body. Feel free to bring Shelby and Beth to the pool with you. Mom won't mind at all."

"I'll do that," she said, and Artie could hear the soft smile on her face as she spoke. "You guys have a great time in Kentucky. See you soon!"

When Artie hung up, Sam didn't bring up the conversation about Quinn again. Artie guessed that the other thought it was a safe topic, now that some time had passed since Quinn's accident and the initial shock had worn off. But Artie wasn't budging from his first answer. He'd been fine with Quinn walking again. What kind of person wouldn't be fine with that?

While the kids played, Sam got a call from his mother. She wanted them to grab a pizza on the way home. Artie was relieved he hadn't accidentally pressured Sam's mother into cooking for them every night. Once was plenty, given all the other tasks that needed tending to right now.

They loaded back up in the car and headed to the Domino's that was on the way home. Sam headed in to grab the pizza while Artie stayed in the car with the kids.

He was momentarily distracted, however, when someone familiar stepped out of the Domino's, carrying a pizza box and spotted, in a rare moment, outside of her uniform. Artie rolled down the window to get a better look. Sure enough, it was her.

"Santana?"

"It is you," Sam said, as he also emerged out of the Domino's carrying a couple pizzas, his eyes wide. She, however, looked like a deer in headlights.

"Just my luck." And she scowled at the both of them. "I don't make a habit of begging, especially not with the two of you, but please. Do not tell anyone I was here."