Title: Concrete Jungle Where Dreams Are Made Of Ch. 1

Paring: Blaine/Sam

Rating: PG

Warnings/Tags:

Summary: When Sam moved to NYC with Blaine for college, he never expected things to turn out as they did.

Notes: Sorry for any typos. My transcription software doesn't always understand what I say and I don't always catch the mistakes. I have trouble typing things by hand since I suffered an injury last year to my right hand and it seizes up if I try to do too much.

To be honest, until more than halfway through his senior year at McKinley, Sam had never really given any thought to the idea of going to New York City after graduation. He wasn't going to be a star, not like Rachel or Kurt or Blaine and he wasn't super smart, so a scholarship to a college in NYC was out of the question…or so he thought.

Apparently, places like the Pratt Institute appreciated his artistic skills and, with Blaine's help, he wrote a decent essay, impressed the interviewer with his diverse array of interests (football playing, synchronized swimming, singing, dancing, guitar playing nerdy artists who helped support their family during bad times weren't too common, who knew?) and found himself receiving a full ride. His parents had reacted with tears of happiness for him, hugging him tight and telling him they always knew he'd achieve his dreams.

Sam loved his parents.

Of course, Blaine got into NYADA (Sam had never had the slightest doubt he would) and his parents had responded by buying him a brownstone in the city. Sam wasn't actually sure they'd seen Blaine in person to congratulate him, but Blaine had shrugged it off, saying they preferred to express their regard through money and gifts rather than affection. That just sounded wrong to Sam, so he made sure to let his friend know how proud he was of him and gave him extra hugs whenever the opportunity arose.

Living with Blaine had just happened. Sam had been packing up his stuff at the Hummel-Hudson's, planning to bring whatever couldn't fit in his dorm back to his parents in Kentucky, when Blaine began slapping shipping labels onto boxes. Shipping labels addressed to his brownstone. Sam had totally tried to protest, saying he would be fine in the dorms, but Blaine had turned the puppy dog eyes at him and asked if he was going to leave him to face life in New York all alone.

Really, how could Sam say no to that argument?

Living in New York was different than anything Sam had ever known. Blaine was a great roommate, the brownstone was gorgeous (they spent most of the summer setting it up to their liking) and it was interesting to learn how to function in the city as an adult. Finding a market within walking distance, working out who was best at what chores (they were both rather tidy for 18 year old boys, but Sam was a better cook and Blaine worked miracles in the laundry room, getting stains out of clothes Sam would have just shrugged at and accepted as permanent) and learning how to navigate the city via subway (Adam, Kurt's boyfriend had been helpful with that, attacking Sam's subway map with multi-colored highlighters).

Their first night in the city, sitting on the floor amongst boxes and sharing a dinner of Chinese food straight out of the containers (they had yet to unpack the boxes in the kitchen), high on a mix of excitement and the sheer joy that they were there together, Sam kissed Blaine, right there over the Moo Shoo Pork. For a moment, Blaine froze and Sam thought he'd made a giant mistake…but then Blaine smiled against his lips and reached out to pull him closer.

Turned out they were pretty much perfectly suited for each other and friend love was already there, so the falling in love thing happened pretty easily. When they told their friends they were together, they were met by an array of positive responses that ranged from surprise to smirking.

Puck had simply messaged them, asking : So you're telling me you weren't doing it at all last year? Cuz you dudes were pretty much dating. We just assumed you were keeping it on the DL.

So, life in New York was awesome. Pratt was a great school, he was making new friends, saw a lot of their old friends (Rachel, Santana, Brittany – who moved to New York and reconciled with Santana - and Kurt, who came with Adam attached) and his relationship with Blaine was probably the strongest he'd ever had.

On a Friday night a few weeks into fall semester, Sam and Blaine joined Rachel, Kurt, Adam, Santana and Brittany for a night out at Callbacks. Blaine didn't have great memories of the place, but Rachel and Kurt insisted he needed to come along and make new, good memories. Sam agreed and even caved, saying he'd get up on stage and perform something. He hadn't performed publicly since leaving McKinley, though he sang with Blaine at home and it was that promise that really convinced Blaine to join them.

Throughout the night, everyone in their group sang, standouts among a very talented crowd and Sam was understandably nervous by the time his name was called. Guitar in hand, he mounted the stage, squinting under the bright lights and clearing his throat uneasily. He could just see Blaine smiling at him and that made him feel a little better.

"Hi, everyone. I'm Sam and I'm gonna sing a song for you all tonight…Hope you like it"

He knew his song wasn't anything like the show stopping numbers everyone else had been singing through the night, but he was kinda proud of it.

"I've always been the one to risk my heart

On a whisper of love in my ear

Too fast I fall without a care

Hoping someone would want me near

Over and over, cast aside and alone

But the you came along to see the good in me

No one thought we'd make it

Past broken hearts were shaken

But in your arms, I found trust and love

Beyond my brightest dreams"

Country was not the usual sound one heard at Callbacks, but Sam was a country boy at heart.

"Cuz my heart don't hear their cruel words

And I keep on movin' forward

To the one who makes me smile through my tears

Take my hand in yours dear

Oh, kiss away these dark days

I love you so, you're my only home

I love you so, you're my only home"

He was trying not to get too sappy, but he met Blaine's gaze through the glare of the lights and he smiled. The words he was singing were meant for Blaine, something he obviously knew and Sam just hoped he wasn't making a fool of himself.

"Your words, they touch me so

Pick me up when I am down

When the darkness has crept into my dreams

And I can no longer stand on my own

Your love gives me strength to carry on

And when you're blue, I'll carry you

Hold you tight and kiss away your pain

You're the one who sees me true

And I will never leave you

The one who's made my world whole

Cuz my heart don't hear the cruel words

And I keep on movin' forward

To the one who makes me smile through my tears

Take my hand in yours dear

Kiss away these dark days

I love you so, you're my only home

I love you so, you're my only home.

My heart is yours, my love

I love you so, you're my only home."

When he finished, he smiled at the polite applause and scrambled off of the stage. As he wove through the tables, he was surprised when someone caught his arm. Turning, he found himself looking at a man in a grey suit and lilac shirt. "Can I help you, sir?"

The man produced a business card. "Michael Saunders. Talent scout for Artista Records. I'd like you to stop by tomorrow and record a demo. Your full name?"

"Sam Evans." He blinked as he took the card. "What?"

"You're good. If tomorrow goes well, we might want to sign you," the man continued. "Can you come by around noon?"

"Yeah, sure," Sam replied. "But why me? I mean, I'm not anything special. My friends are all incredible, they go to NYADA…I'm an art student!"

"Kid, most people who perform here are great and you're one of them. You stand out because you have the sound and the look we want. Be there at noon."

With that, he stepped away, pulling out a phone as he melted into the crowd.

Continuing toward the table where his friends were sitting, Sam glanced down at the card in his hand, still not sure exactly what had happened.

Blaine was up and out of his chair immediately, wrapping Sam in a tight embrace. "You were wonderful!" he said, voice soft and sincere. "You are wonderful."

His words meant more to Sam than anyone else's applause and he pressed a happy little kiss to Blaine's lips. When they settled back into their seats, he asked, "Have any of you guys heard of Artista Records?"

Blaine, Kurt, Rachel, Adam and Santana all nodded and Santana said, "Sure. They're a division of Sony Entertainment. Sort of a big deal, Trouty."

"Oh," he said, now more surprised than ever. Placing the card on the table, he continued, "I'm supposed to go record a demo for them tomorrow."

For a moment, everyone gaped at him and Brittany bubbled, "That's great, Sam! Isn't it?"

"It is," Blaine agreed, smiling bright and grabbing Sam's hand. "That's awesome, Sam!"

"What are you going to sing?" Kurt asked, eyes wide. "Oh God, what are you going to wear? You can't…."

"He said I have the look they want," Sam interrupted, knowing he had to or risk a makeover. "So…This is a big deal?"

"People would kill for this opportunity, Sam," Rachel said very seriously and Santana nodded.

Apparently, a fun night out with friends had the potential to turn into something more…the kind of more that could change his life.

TBC….