An authors note...I am very excited and a little apprehensive about starting this new piece. It will mainly consist of snippets about the Abrams throughout the years(not necessarily in chronological order), with appearances by other family members(those already mentioned and some not), as well as the Gleeks(both past and present). I love the idea of reader participation, so if there are any requests you may have, feel free to contact me personally and I will do my best to honor them...just please keep in mind that this is a fic about Artie and his family.

Disclaimer-Glee is the property of FOX, the creators and the writers.

Let It Be

Art Abrams had never been a particularly superstitious person. So when his wife called to complain about the laundry list of things that had gone wrong since he left for work that morning, just as he was getting back to his office from lunch, he couldn't help but roll his eyes a little.

At the top of that list, was their current plumbing issue, and her sinking suspicion that their youngest son was single-handedly responsible for it.

This was no surprise to Art. It was common knowledge that his rambunctious five year old could be a handful on any given day...not just a Friday the thirteenth.

"I swear Art, I'm almost certain I saw a black cat out our kitchen window this morning." She sounded winded and flustered as she ran up the stairs and into the boys bathroom. In the background, the telltale trickle of water spilling onto the tile floor could be heard, followed by the pop/slosh of a plunger being administered.

"Now don't you think you're overreacting just a bit, Leesh?" A small chuckle escaped his lips. "I mean unless the cat's the one who flushed the baseball down the toilet..."

"Be serious Art," she cut-in, her tone sounding only slightly less annoyed than it did a minute ago.

"I am," he returned in playful defense, which only succeeded in earning another incredulous sigh from the Misses. Art paused a moment before changing the subject with a question. "Where's Andy now?"

Alicia tried plunging one more time before answering. "At Harry's party."

"You still let him go?" Art asked surprised.

"What else was I supposed to do?" Alicia snapped defensively. "We'd already responded and bought the gift."

"You could have kept him home," he countered pointedly. "What's a better punishment than having to miss your best friends birthday party?"

"I know, but..." Alicia let out a sigh of defeat as her gaze automatically shifted in the direction of their oldest son, dutifully pushing a mop through a thin stream of cold water that had puddled under his bare feet. His pleading request from a little while ago, still ringing fresh in her ears. "Let him go Mom. It was an accident...I swear. "...I didn't."

The thought that followed was fleeting, and Alicia's mood lightened considerably. "Though I only allowed him to go under two conditions...one, he use his own money to replace his brothers baseball after the party today and two, he has to do Artie's share of the chores for the next week."

At the change in her tone, Art could imagine the loving glance she was predictably sending their eldest son at that very moment. "I guess that sounds fair enough," he quipped approvingly and after a brief pause, decided, "It's Friday and there's not much going on here anyway...What do you say I come home a little early and help you guys clean up that mess?"

Alicia let out a breathy chuckle. "Well, were almost done with that, but I loved for you to get over here and see if you can't figure out how to get this ball out of the pipes so we can use the toilet again."

Art laughed. "I'm on my way."

He smiled at the absurdity of the situation the entire ride home. Joked about it when he was forced to call a plumber for assistance. Even laughed when said plumber explained that he would need to take the toilet apart to get the wedged ball out.

That would all change when just about thirty minutes later, the phone would ring and the voice on the other line would sympathetically inform him that there had been an accident and his wife and son were on route to the hospital. And it wouldn't be until he learned of the seriousness of his sons injuries that he realized his parting words to his wife would forever haunt him..."Leesha. Why don't you take Artie with you."