A/n: Yes, if you haven't guessed, I'm procrastinating. And I procrastinate in the form of Samcedes one-shots lol. I know the AIWFCIY plot has been done a lot, but after seeing the spoiler video for it I had to write this. I hope y'all enjoy :)

Disclaimer : I neither own glee, nor the songs used in the chapter.

Giving You Pandora – One-shot

Mercy's POV

Christmas used to be my favorite time of the year. It was a time when my entire family got together, along with friends, and forgot about work or schedule and just gave each other time to talk and laugh. It was the one time that love and happiness were blatantly evident. For me, it wasn't about the presents. It was about the love, but this year I was denying myself just that. I wasn't in the spirit this season, and everyone knew it.

"Cedes, honey, you haven't been hinting at anything this year. What would you like Santa to have under the tree for you?" My dad asked.

I laughed. As old as I was, he still used Santa as the excuse for how gifts miraculously made their way under the tree. "Dad, whatever Santa decides to bring me is fine." As if he could bring me what I really wanted.

He smiled, hugging me to him. "Guess Santa is just going to have to have a conversation with New Directions and see what they can come up with."

"Oh Lord," I mumbled. "Good luck with that. Dad, you're stepping into the unknown."

"I'm pretty sure I can handle myself just fine. They're only teenagers."

I rolled my eyes. "I tried to warn ya. You're going to be like Jake Sulley, going off into Pandora without a clue how to handle yourself."

Dad chuckled. "Girl, you sound like Sam. That boy watched Avatar over here so much last summer, I picked up on the language."

At the mention of his name, I tensed. I missed Sam so much, but I shouldn't. I had Shane, who my father wasn't too fond of, yet he loved Sam. The sheer way he talked about him occasionally was proof that even my parents missed Sam. "How is he doing?" my dad asked.

"Wh…who? Sam? Fine. He's living with Finn and Kurt and settling back in nicely. The Glee kids missed him," I said as if I didn't miss him as well. If anything I felt his absence the most, and now he was back with a promise to fight for me.

Just the thought of his hand in mine the day he returned brought a smile to my face. His touched sent a familiar spark through me that I couldn't mistake. I knew it was him before I looked his way, and still I held his hand, lacing my fingers through his and squeezing for just a second. He wanted to pick up where we left off, and I wished for that too. Our breakup had been mutual, and our friendship continued until Sam just stopped responding. After hearing all of the rumors after he returned, I knew why. Sam was a stripper and he was ashamed of me finding that out. He wasn't ashamed of doing what he had to do to make ends meet for his family, but he was ashamed of what I would think of him. That silly boy didn't know that I respected the way he supported his family. He did what he had to do, and that made me love him even more.

Loving Sam even more was dangerous. I had Shane, who I liked a lot. He was good to me, never overbearing, or hurtful. He was a perfect second best, and I knew in my heart that was wrong but didn't Shane at least deserve a try at having a real relationship? Mercedes Jones didn't use anyone, and I wouldn't do that to Shane. I wouldn't make him feel like he was just a place holder. Thus, I was back to my crummy Christmas – one where I didn't get what my heart truly desired.

I sighed, coming back into the conversation with my dad asking, "Baby girl, where'd you go just now? You were smiling for a second before that downtrodden pout returned."

"Just for a little while, I went to Pandora before I realized that it wasn't real," I said cryptically. That had been my code phrase anytime I thought about Sam, but didn't want to admit it. I doubted if anyone knew. To them it would sound like I was just sprouting off a random fantasy, but really I had been thinking of Sam.

"Well as much as you've been dreading it these past few weeks, you've got to get to school. It's your last day before the break, so get moving." Dad gave me a push off the couch.

On the drive there, the radio was filled with Christmas songs that would normally make me as Merry as Saint Nick, but it made me as grouchy as the Grinch. This year, we wouldn't have a Sue the Grinch. It would be me throwing out the bah humbugs this year. After parking and entering the school, I found Shane waiting for me at my locker. Seeing him there, smiling as I walked up the hall to meet him picked up my spirits just a bit. He leaned down and kissed me on the cheek before asking the dreadful question, "Baby, what do you want for –"

"Please don't ask me that!" I hissed. I didn't mean to, it just happened. Between my family hounding me for hints as to what presents I'd like to see and now him, I just wanted this month to be over.

"Okay, okay. I get it. Skip Christmas talk because it gives my girl a frown when all I want is to see her smile." He pulled me into a hug.

"I'm sorry. I just want this day to be over so I can go home."

"How about I take my lady to Breadstix tonight?"

For some reason, tonight seemed booked, and then I remembered. In all my anti-Christmas haze, I forgot about the Christmas Special – or whatever Schue was calling it – that we were supposed to be doing. We were decorating today after class, then going to feed the homeless tonight. We would be going to the soup kitchens every night for the next week up to Christmas Eve, and some of us – if not all – would be devoting part of Christmas morning to the soup kitchen as well. "Crap! I forgot that I have Glee stuff, and I didn't even prepare a song."

"Baby, you got this. Just sing what's in your heart."

"Right," I said, pulling out of his embrace as he began to walk me to my first class.

All throughout class, I thought about what song to sing, coming up with nothing. Even as it was time for Glee club, I had nothing. I was one of the last to get there, and when I arrived, I saw the Christmas tree up and mostly everyone with their heads together whispering in hushed tones. "Guys, what's up?" I asked.

They all seemed to jump apart, not answering my question. "Mercedes, there you are! Please talk some sense into Kurt. He's trying to be way too extravagant with the tree!" Tina pleaded.

I laughed. "We all know I can't talk Kurt into or out of anything. You need to be talking to Blaine about that one."

Kurt blushed and Blaine winked at me. Those two were adorable. There wasn't really much of a class today, just people singing their favorite Christmas songs and decorating the tree. We started before I realized that Sam wasn't there. I sat, listening to Rachel and Finn sing something fluffy, lovely and Christmassy while everyone else was dancing around, and throwing whatever they could on the tree. Sam came in a few minutes later. Seeing the smile on his face made my heart skip a beat. "Sorry I'm late guys. I was talking to – " he looked at me, averted his eyes and finished, "someone."

It seemed like everyone else gave a conspiratorial nod. Did everyone in the room know what was going on here but me? Maybe I was just being left out again. I wouldn't be surprised. They'd done that a lot last year, so why would this year be any different. Today seemed like an out of body experience for me. I watched everyone laughing, throwing things at one another, and they even tied Artie up in tinsel. It was one of the first times in a while New Directions was acting like a family, yet I wasn't a part of it. My sour mood had me utterly at a loss for anything joyous, all because I was stuck. I was stuck between a jock and a hard place. Oh my God, Sam has rubbed off on me more than he knows. I'm even thinking in horrible joke form!

"Mercedes," Tina called. "Why don't you come help us with the tree? We're almost done."

Sighing heavily, I got up. She handed me a basket of glitter flakes to scatter on the tree. Quinn playfully bumped me. "What's wrong? This time last year, you were practically bouncing with Christmas joy. Every year since I've known you you've been Ms. Christmas Spirit."

"Just not feeling it, I guess."

A deep rumble of a voice that always made me shiver and my heart skip a beat said, "How 'bout a song, Mercy?"

I didn't even look his way as I climbed the step ladder to sprinkle glitter on the tree. It took me a few minutes, but I knew I just wanted to answer everyone that kept asking me what I wanted for Christmas. I wanted the impossible, but for just a few minutes singing about it, I would have it. After all, Shane had told me to sing from my heart.

The step ladder was positioned behind the tree. The rest of the group was sitting as I started to sing. I would need those few moments of not seeing their faces – his face – as I uttered an impossible truth with my song.

I don't want a lot for Christmas
There's just one thing I need

I stepped down from the ladder then, still unable to look at them as I threw more glitter onto the front of the tree. My heart was racing and my hand was gripping the basket tightly.

I don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you.

Finally, I turned to look at them. Sam was grinning, Artie had me about to crack up as he was pointing to himself, and Puck was giving me the waggling eyebrows. The music picked up and it seemed like the choir room came alive again. Everyone was on their feet.

I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree

Blaine and I did "the Carlton" before I ran over to Rory, holding the wrapping paper as Mike burst through it. I ducked and dodged empty gift boxes being thrown about the room, and I felt almost giddy with cheer being a part of all the madness while finally answering everyone's irritating question.

I don't need to hang my stocking
There upon the fireplace
Santa Claus won't make me happy
With a toy on Christmas day

Making my way around the room, I sauntered around Sam, the gift that I'd never get. My cheeks burned when his eyes followed my every move around him. The girls handed me a tinsel boa and we proceeded to dance in a circle. The more I sang, the more we danced, I felt the joy the season coming back to me.

I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is

Turning away from the girls, I walked right into Sam's waiting arms. I wrapped the makeshift boa around his neck, looking right into his eyes. His gaze was too intense. It practically screamed the love that he felt, and I couldn't stand in his embrace any long without kissing him. I escaped, quickly, wrapping the tinsel around Artie.

You

I danced my way back over to the step ladder, grabbing some mistletoe and placing it above Finn and Rachel's heads as they share a chaste kiss at the song's end.

This is what I needed all along. If no one else knew the truth, at least my glee family would know. We were all a ball of laughs after that, but what startled me was the voice that came from directly behind me. "I'm not gonna ask you what you want for Christmas, because I already know."

Turning to look behind me, Sam was there against the wall looking up at me. "Sam, are you being dirty?"

He smirked. "Why do you always think I'm bein' dirty when I say things?"

"Because I know you. Your mind is sixty percent Sci-Fi, thirty-nine percent gutter, and one percent other."

"If my mind was in the gutter, it's your fault. Woman, what were you thinkin' wrappin' me in tinsel and givin' me all kinds of Christmas bondage fantasies?"

At that I had to laugh. "See, nasty! If anything you had dirty thoughts anyway. I saw the way you were eyeing me before the tinsel incident, and even now with your particular chosen spot. Let me guess, perfect spot to admire my ass, Evans?"

"You got me."

He raised his hands in surrender, before opening them for a hug. I walked down the step ladder and into his arms. Sam smelled so wonderful as I buried my face into the crook of his neck. He was wearing Axe and I wanted to be just like the girls in those commercials, trailing my nose down him and soaking up his scent. I felt so content and comfortable in his arms. I didn't want to move.

"What was with all this sadness I hear about? I hope it's not me, because I don't wanna make you sad, Mercy. I'll move back to Kentucky if that's what makes it go away. Y'all don't need me anymore we've got the numbers back up."

"No!" I said in a panic, tightening my hold around his waist. "Sam, it's nothing."

"Alright," he said soothingly. "Can I ask you this? Why can't you have what you want for Christmas?"

Sam wasn't dumb. He knew that song was about him. "Because I'm not the sort of girl that drops a guy because the one she really wants is back. It's not fair to him. It's not fair that I want you to hold me and never let go. It's not fair that I wanted to kiss you so bad during the song. It's not fair that you left me and now you're back. It's not fair that you still want me and I'm unavailable."

I didn't know tears were falling until I was clinging to Sam's shirt and sobbing. He just held me there, rubbing my back. It was torture, loving someone when you were with someone else. I had a choice, choose Sam and hurt Shane or give Shane a fair chance and keep hurting myself. I just wasn't one to hurt others.

When I could finally lift my head to look at the others, revealing my utter embarrassment for crying in front of them, I realized the room was empty. "Where'd they go?"

"To the soup kitchen. I'll take you home, okay?"

I handed over my keys, and he drove me home in silence. My parents were in the living room when we arrived. Sam hugged me once more before I headed up to my room, not wanting to talk about why my eyes were red and puffy. My dad called after Sam, offering him a ride, and that was the last thing I heard for the rest of the night as I fell into a peaceful sleep.

We'd had soup kitchen duty most of the week. None of my friends mentioned the breakdown they witnessed a few days ago, nor did they treat me any differently. They didn't even complain when they saw Shane volunteering with me on Christmas Eve. Surprisingly, he and Sam were civil, and I appreciated the effort both guys were making, even though it was making me a little crazy. I would find myself comparing the two with Shane always coming up just a little short when compared to Sam.

That night Shane drove me home. As we were standing on my porch, he said, "Mercedes, I want to give you your present early."

I frowned. "Okay." I hadn't seen him with a present.

Shane leaned in and kissed me. It was short and sweet. "Was that the present?" I asked. "Not that I don't like kissing you, but in that case you've been giving me presents a lot."

"It's goodbye – a goodbye kiss. A wise man laid some wisdom on me, and today I saw. It's the way you are with him that I can't compete with. The way you feel about him will never be the same with me. I knew going into to this that I would be second, but I knew as long as he wasn't around I could live with that. He's back, and I can't fight a battle I lost before it started. Cedes, I know you would never break up with me without reason, so I'm giving you what you won't even acknowledge that you want."

I couldn't look at him. He knew all along that I didn't, nor could I, love him. "I'm sorry."

Shane lifted my chin. "I'm not mad. You've been my best friend since I moved here. Just promise we'll be friends? I'll be mad if I lose you all together."

I nodded. "Thank you, Shane."

We hugged once more and went our separate ways. As I went into the house, I thought I'd be saddened that my relationship had ended, but I wasn't. I was happy that I could finally be with Sam, and tomorrow I would finally tell him.

Being snatched out of my sleep by my father's yelling didn't make for a happy diva. "What, daddy? It's not even time for the soup kitchen breakfast yet!" I whined.

"Don't you want to see what Santa brought you?" my mom asked.

"Fine, you guys won't leave me alone if I don't agree."

I got up fully prepared to head downstairs, when they stopped me and directed me to get dressed first. Curiously, I did as I was told and they drove to the school. I was hesitant, so Mom grabbed me by my arm, dragging me to the auditorium.

The place was empty at first glance, until I walked closer seeing New Directions members sitting in the front rows. "What is this?"

My dad turned to me. "It took a lot of digging, and a lot of work but I've got you the perfect present, Merce."

They led me to three empty seats in the middle that my friends had left open, and I sat between them. The lights went out and music started to play while the curtains were still closed.

I know great distance still remains…
Between us
But there's good reason to hold on
It's the happiest time of the year
Filled with laughter and good cheer
As you watch the snow
Sweet love you'll hear me say

The curtains opened revealing Sam and a bunch of fake snow covering the stage along with a Christmas tree and decorations. As he sang the next lines, I was frozen in my seat and overwhelmed with happiness.

You've got my heart on Christmas
Inside my soul your love remains
Love's in our hearts
On Christmas day

He motioned for me to join him, and my mom practically had to push me out of my seat to get me to move. Once I was up I ran up on stage, nearly knocking him down. He laughed, wrapping his arms around me and slowly swaying with me as he continued to sing.

The days and weeks and months go by
So slowly
We are both wishing them to fly
As the night begins to fall
Twilight crowns the bedroom cheer
Such a rush of joy
Your love, it comforts me
And I do believe

Loves in our hearts on Christmas
Though far apart
As one we pray
Loves in our hearts
On Christmas day

With his forehead resting on mine, he finished the song with most meaningful of the lyrics, reassuring me that he believed in us as a couple.

Snowflake melts in your eye and turns to tears
But your cheek it stays dry
With your warm smile so near
I have no fear
We're gonna make it

My family and friends joined us on stage, forming a semi circle as they sang the last chorus.

Love's in our hearts on Christmas
Though far apart
As one we pray
Loves in our hearts
On Christmas day

At that moment, when my lips touched Sam's did I realize that he was my Christmas joy. He lifted my spirits, and he was all I needed to be happy. There would never be a replacement for Sam, and I could never try it. It would only leave me unhappy in the end. Pulling away, he said, "Told ya, I knew what you wanted for Christmas."

Hugging him tight, I rested my head on his chest. "Daddy, what did you do?" I grinned, not being able to hide my happiness.

"I did some digging. Your friends just confirmed what I already knew, and I had Artie here – who is just as protective of you as I am I found out – lay down some words of wisdom. Sweetheart, your mother and I just wanted to give you Pandora. We wanted to show you that it could indeed be real."

"I don't know what to say. Thank you doesn't even seem like enough."

All the while, I never let go of Sam. He kissed the top of my head and laughed at my tight grip on him. "Mercy, I'm not goin' anywhere. I'm not even leaving for Christmas. My parents, Stevie, and Stacy are here. They're at the Hudson-Hummel home right now."

My head shot up then. "We get to spend Christmas together?" I asked, not believing that would have ever happened.

"I don't know, can we?" Sam asked my dad, who nodded.

"This is the best Christmas ever!" I exclaimed, finally letting Sam go to hug my parents and friends.

After all the hugs had gone around, I found myself back in Sam's arms. Being in his embrace was what I would always equate to what it would be like to be in Pandora.

Hope you guys liked it! I'd love to hear what you thought.

Also the songs were All I Want For Christmas Is You sang by my hero the lovely Ms. Amber Riley, and Love is in Our Hearts on Christmas Day by Nsync.

I have one more one-shot that I plan to write before I force away writer's block and actually write something for my multi-chapter Samcedes fic Someone Like you. Yes, that was a shameless plug ;)