Disclaimer: I own nothing

S&M

Her house was empty, but Sam Evans wasn't surprised. Over the course of their three week romance he had only laid eyes on Mr and Mrs Jones twice, and both times they were happily walking out the door. He hadn't really thought about it much and when he did he always regarded it as a bonus. Living in a motel room diminished any chance of privacy, so it was convenient that Mercedes parents were always busy.

Today though he wished they were home, because Mercedes hands were quickly travelling south. He never thought he'd be the one to halt any progress in the bedroom, but the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes really killed the mood. He'd been subtly re directing her hands back to his chest and shoulders, but as they slid down back to his belt buckle he had to say something.

"Mercedes…."

"Hmm?"

She murmured, her eyes closed and hands focused on her task.

"Don't…."

At first he thought he had said it too softly and she hadn't of heard in. Then Mercedes froze, rolled on her back and closed her eyes.

"I knew it"

She finally said in a defeated tone that caused Sam to slide closer next to her.

"You knew what?"

He wondered aloud

Mercedes eyes snapped open and she pushed him away. Sitting up on the side of her bed, she pulled on the hooded jacket, self-conscious in her t-shirt. In a minute she realised where the hooded jacket had come from and ripped it off immediately. Sam watched the whole process, unable to work out what was going on.

"Can you just go Sam?"

She threw the orange jacket at him, hitting him squarely in the face.

"And take your stupid jacket with you"

He looked at the offending item, now in his hands.

"I'm not rejecting you; I just don't think we are ready"

Mercedes rolled her eyes

"That's rejection Sam. Especially when I had the conversation that I did with the girls today…yeah it definitely feels like rejection"

Sam sighed and slumped against her headboard. Mercedes stepped over to her bedroom door and yanked it open, gesturing for him to walk out. He wasn't leaving though. Every day he spent with her, he'd learn something new but this tactic he had become really familiar with. If times got a little tough or a little too real she flees. It might have worked with her parents, or alleged best friends but Sam's family situation had made him little worldly and he was a little bit too in love with her to let her hurt.

"No I'm staying. Make a scene all you want, but I'm staying and we are going to talk this out"

She crossed her arms against her chest and Sam knew he had pinched a nerve when he accused her of causing a scene. He didn't care though; he was slightly immune to it.

"Oh what do you want to talk out? The fact that I clearly repulse you?"

Sam couldn't help but chuckle at that. Mercedes would have first-hand knowledge that that wasn't true.

"You don't repulse me Mercedes, you should know that"

He said with a smirk

"Do I? Word on the street is that Sam Evans hands slid up skirts on the second date"

"Word on the street? Who even says that?"

"Quinn"

"No I mean who even uses the phase word on the street?"

He was deflecting and he knew that she knew.

"I don't want to talk about Quinn"

He said firmly

"She has nothing to do with this relationship. She is in the past"

Mercedes smiled sadly

"You can say that easily because you don't know what it's like. I have no 'past' that sits two seats away from you in the choir room. I certainly don't have any 'past' that wants to share war stories with you about the forever randy Sam Evans"

He could start to see her walls go up. Her mask was being tied into place and Sam was about to be locked out. Yet again.

"Mercedes, it's not like that! You know it's not like that!"

"Please just go ok? Look I'm not mad at you, I just need a minute"

"You are mad at me and no I will not give you a minute. I'm always giving you minutes"

Mercedes slammed the door, her emotions finally getting the best of her. She sat down on the end of the bed, her back to Sam. He made no motion to sit beside her, choosing to stay at his end of the bed. She was like a baby deer sometimes he muses, one crack of a stick and she'd run straight into traffic.

"Tell me what Quinn said"

He pushed gently. Sam didn't need to see her face to know she was rolling her eyes.

"I'm only telling you this because I want you to go away. Not because I think you deserve to know"

That was lie; he knew but let it pass anyway.

"We were all chatting about….stuff…. and Tina started talking about Mike, then Rachel about Puck and suddenly all Quinn wanted to talk about me, well us"

Sam looked up at the ceiling, totally able to imagine the scene. All the girls chatting around the sinks in the bathroom or whatever and then suddenly Quinn finds herself the only single girl in the room and get defensive.

"And let me guess, she also shared a couple of memories that she had about Puckerman as well? Made Rachel feel like crap too?"

Mercedes finally turned and looked at Sam, surprised

"Oh come on Mercedes, isn't it a little bit obvious? She has suddenly found herself single and all her exes are in happy relationships. She is jealous"

Mercedes seemed to be pondering what he said but shook her head

"Ok then, so what? Is it true though? She might have bought it up to be a cow but is she a liar too?"

Sam blushed and focused on his hands.

"No, she isn't a liar"

Mercedes rolled her eyes and turned her back to him once more.

"It's not what you think Mercedes"

Mercedes stood up at that, glaring hard at Sam.

"What is it then? If I've got it all wrong then what should I be thinking?"

Sam matched her intense stare. He wasn't put off by her intimidating stance.

"Sit beside me?"

He offered, rubbing the empty stop next to him. As expected Mercedes shook her head and he sighed.

"You'll seriously regret that when you hear what I have to say. I'm warning you, you are going to want to get all up on this when you realise how crazy you are being"

Instead of laughing, her frown deepened.

"Don't realise that's the issue? I do want to get all up on that, expect I get cut off at every turn"

He swallowed, hard.

"And I want you to get all on this Cedes….it's just…."

"It's just what?"

Her hands firmly on her hips

"I don't know how to like word it"

He rubbed his eyes, frustrated in himself. Articulating his feelings had never been his strong suit and it always seemed to get into more trouble. Mercedes sighed, her expression softening. She sat back down on the bed, but remained near his feet. She gently reached out and knocked his feet together and Sam smiled discreetly at her touch.

"It's like this…in Tennessee I was went to an all-boys school, so when I got to McKinley I was excited to like be around girls"

Mercedes nodded and didn't interrupt. Sam felt a little more confident to continue.

"So then Quinn come long and not only did she let me kiss her, but I was able to touch her as well"

Mercedes eyes narrowed at that declaration and Sam swallowed hard. Despite this though, Sam continued uninterrupted.

"I guess I was a little enthusiastic and like I wanted to get as much as I could get…as much as she would allow. Then Santana came along….and well she keen for everything and I took as much as I was ready for… as much as I wanted"

"What are you getting at Sam? That you're over all that now? Suddenly it comes to me and we have something a little more meaningful but you have already had your fill, you don't need anymore?"

"I used those girls, Mercedes. For a minute I thought I loved Quinn, but I think I was just confused with all these like emotions and stuff…but really I was just using her. It's different with you. I want to talk to you and make sure that you're happy. I wanted you to meet my family and fall in love with them. I love you so much….so much….and the reason I'm so controlled is because you deserve more than a quick roll around while your parents are still at work"

Mercedes seemed to be mulling over his words and his stomach clenched. He spoke nothing but the truth, Mercedes had quickly become his everything and he wanted every moment to be special. Finally she sighed and crawled up beside him, taking her place under his arm and rested her hand on his chest.

"You are such a charmer Mr Evans. No wonder everyone loves you"

"Don't care about everyone else. Do you love me?"

Mercedes reach up and left a small kiss under his jaw

"Yeah I guess I kind of do"

Sam smirked and covered his hand over hers on his chest.

"I know you said you want to make it special Sam, but we have to be realistic. Unless you want to do it in some plot of random bushes or in your truck….it is going to have to be here, while my parents are at work"

Sam took a calming breath, his body not really co-operating with her bluntness on the topic.

"I know, I just want to look back and know that I made it special for you"

Mercedes wasn't the only one in the room with slight insecurities and his voice slightly quivered. It made Mercedes sit up and stare at him straight in the eyes with a soft smile.

"No matter where or how it will be special, all because it will be with you"

S&M