Hi! This is a short chapter, it's really just to see what people think. If there's an outcry for more, I'll keep at it!

Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or it's characters. The songs are not mine either.

Chapter 1

He hadn't set foot in Lima for over ten years. Part of it was because life had kept pushing him elsewhere, but it was also partly because he felt guilty. What would he say if he say any of his McKinley high friends? He had no excuse for ten years of avoidance. Facebook existed, twitter... there were so many ways he could have given them news. But he hadn't. Instead, he had contented himself with becoming a ghost in their memory though they never left his. No, he had followed Rachel's Broadway career, Mike's dance academy, Mercedes' music career. He had kept tabs on them because no matter how much he tried, he could never forget them.

Sam wasn't certain what brought him back to Lima after so long. He had just woken up one morning, tired of the New York life and made plans to move here. What was he expecting to get out of this move? Everyone was ten years older, and scattered around the country. There was no going back to the past.

Yet, he found himself in a small pub, auditioning for a part-time gig.

I threw my life away

To walk you home

Cause it?s all I know

To feel like something

Your room is dark

The shadows turn their gaze

The light reflection out your mirror gaze

The candles lit to flicker light on me

The quiet beauty of our desperate kiss

As he sang, he scanned the pub, taking in the details. It was rather small, but it wasn't cramped. There's was an Irish feel to it, which he appreciated. It was currently empty but for two old men, who were busy discussing politics over their lunch, and Vera, the tall English woman who worked the bar. She watched him, her lips pursed, as she scrubbed the counter.

"Alright. You can stop." she said. "You got the job. I like your style."

"Thanks," Sam stood and set the guitar on it's stand. "Is it usually crowded in here, or what?"

"Crowded would be an understatement. This a popular spot. We have an hour or two of peace and quiet before people start waltzing in." Vera shook her head in exasperation. "Then, we won't be able to sit for a while. There'll be food orders, drink orders, song requests... We give Breadstix a run for it's money."

"Great. So, do I start tonight?" he asked,making his way to her. She shook her head.

"Tonight, you sit back and watch." said Vera, smiling widely. "The boss is making a surprise appearance. You wouldn't want to miss that."

Sam frowned. "You aren't the owner?"

"Hell no. I take care of this place when Boss Lady's out of town or otherwise busy, but she's the one who spent nights scrubbing the floors and getting this old building back into shape. Blood and tears have spilled on these floors, all hers." Vera shook her head sadly. "As if she didn't have enough on her plate."

"She's had a hard time then?" asked Sam, curious.

"She's a single mother and she lost a lot of people she loved." nodded Vera. "Her folks passed a few years back. It nearly destroyed her. But, she's a fighter."

There was a loud bang and curse, followed by a child's giggle. The sound came from the kitchen. Whatever was happening in there, the cook seemed baffled and amused.

"That would be Boss Lady's son, he comes 'round sometimes after school. Just to say hi, then he'll be on his way." Vera rolled her eyes, but Sam could see that behind the facade was a lot of affection for the child he'd yet to meet. "Zachary Miller! Get your butt out here!"

No more than a few seconds later, the door that led to the kitchen was opened by a young boy of around twelve. He was tall and lanky, but Sam thought that with age and training, he'd grow up to have the perfect build. The boy, Zachary, had messy dark brown hair and striking green eyes. He had a small nose that was covered with light freckles. His pale skin was flushed in excitement. There was no doubt he would grow up to be a handsome man.

"Hey Vera," he grinned. "Are you excited to see mom tonight?"

"Always am, aren't I?" she replied and brought him into a tight hug. "Now be polite, boy. That's Sam. He's the new act. He'll be singing country and rock on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays." The boy turned to Sam as he detached himself from Vera's embrace.

"I'm Zach." his tone was cautious as he watched Sam.

"Nice to meet you." Sam grinned, though he felt extremely self-conscious under the boy's gaze. Something about the way he watched you made you feel like you were under inspection.

"Why are you going to work here?" he asked bluntly.

"Ah, I just moved here from New York. I write comic books but sometimes I need to get away from that. That's where this gig comes in. It'll give me an excuse to get out of the house, 'cause I have a tendency of being a hermit."

Zach considered him a moment before finally nodding. "That's pretty cool. I love comic books. Mom buys me a bunch of 'em." he turned back to Vera. "Mom said I can stay until later and eat here. She'll be here in an hour or two. So, I'm going up to her office."

"But there's nothing to do-" started Vera, but Zach interrupted her.

"I got homework and I brought my PSP. Plus, I know were you guys keep the playstation. And if I'm still bored, there are a bunch of age appropriate movies on the second shelf of mom's bookcase." he spoke as though it was something he often said. Sam couldn't help but to grin at the boy's spunk.

"Fine," Vera sighed as Zach ran off. "And what did I say about interrupting me?" she called after him. But he just laughed.

"He seems nice." said Sam when they were alone again.

"He is, but he's a hand full. He approves of you, there's that." said Vera, but there was a warning in her tone. A don't-fuck-it-up warning.

"Oh?" Sam arched a brow. There was something else she wasn't mentioning. Years of character study for his comics told Sam that Zach and his story was off limits. "So what can I do until the Boss Lady herself arrives?"

SMSMSMSMSMSMSMS

By the time seven o'clock rolled around, the pub was packed, just like Vera had said. Sam sat at a table in a corner of the room, watching the scene before him. A band was on stage, getting their instruments ready. A hand touched Sam's shoulder, he saw it was Zach who had left his mother's office.

"You have to watch." he said. "She's the best performer."

As if on cue, the Boss Lady came on the stage and Sam was shocked into silence. It was Mercedes. Granted, she was older and she had slimmed down some, though she still had the curves he'd always appreciated, but it was her. Her hair was darker and shorter, but there was no mistaking her face or her mouth. She wore a tight navy blue plain dress that stop mid-tight. On her wrists were multiple gold bracelets that matched her heels.

"I haven't been here in a while." said Mercedes. "I missed you all." There was a bunch of cheers from the audience, and Sam couldn't help but smile. Beside him, Zach settled on a chair.

"That's my mom." he said quietly. "She's sad today."

"Why's that?" asked Sam. Mercedes seemed fine, but then, he hadn't seen her this close for ten years. He wasn't sure he still knew her well enough to be able to tell what she was feeling just by looking at her.

"Grams and Gramps died today, five years ago." replied Zach, his tone grieving. "I don't remember them much, but mom tells me stories sometimes. Have you ever missed someone you can't remember?"

"No, can't say I have."

"It sucks." Zach sighed. "She's going to start. You have to be quiet 'cause people hate when you interrupt her."

"Today, five years ago, my parents passed." said Mercedes. "They would still be here today if that driver in the other car had chosen to be responsible and not mix drikin' and drivin'. So I'm asking all of you, be respectful and be safe." There was a murmur of agreement and she smiled. "Now darlings, we'll start of the soirée with a little song in memory of all the people who leave us, whether it be voluntary or not."

The pub erupted into cheers and Zach clapped. "She never sings her own songs here, by the way. Mom likes to keep work and the pub separate."

The light's dimmed, and she began to tap her foot to the beat of the music. Unlike the rest of the pub, Sam was surprised to hear her sing a country-ish song. He had been used to hearing her deal with soul, blues and RnB songs. Regardless of the surprise, he was mesmerized by her voice and the grief that filled it. Her parent's death really had been hard on her, and judging by the emotion behind the song, it was still very hard.

You escape like a runaway train

Off the tracks and down again

My heart's beating like a steamboat tugging all your burdens

On my shoulders

In the mourning I'll rise

In the mourning I'll let you die

In the mourning. All my worry.

Mercedes smiled at her audience, but Sam was certain he saw her eyes glisten.

And now there's nothing but time that's wasted

And words that have no backbone

Now it seems like whole world 's waiting

Can you hear the echoes fading?

In the mourning I'll rise

In the mourning I'll let you die

In the mourning. All my sorry's.

There is was. The look he remembered. She didn't need to say she was lost and missing her family. Her eyes said it all. That was something the magazines never showed. The few times he had seen her in one, he had barely been able to recognize her. They never showed the haunting sadness in her eyes, they managed to hide that. But then, Mercedes had managed to keep this pub and her child to herself, so he wondered if they hid the pain per her request.

And it takes all my strength not to dig you up

From the ground in which you lay

The biggest part of me,

You were the greatest thing

And now you're just a memory

To let go of…

Mercedes smiled as the pub joined her to sing the rest of the song. It was strange to see her there, on a little stage of a crowded pub when she was known internationally. With her voice, she could sing at any stadium, any stage, but she was here. He wondered vaguely what happened to her dreams of becoming a Grammy winning singer who lived life on the fast lane. She got the Grammy winning part, but owning a small bar and having a child had never been in her plans. At least, not that he remembered.

In the mourning I'll rise

In the mourning I'll let you die

In the mourning. all my sorry's.

She finished the song with the crowd and clapped for them as much as they clapped for her. The love wasn't one sided. With just a wave of her hand, the pub quieted, anxious to hear more.

"My baby's here tonight. Come on up, Zach!" she said smiling and pointing at Zach, still unaware of Sam's presence.

Zach didn't need to be told twice. He ran to stage, nearly tripping over chairs and legs. When he finally reached the stage, she laughed and hugged him. "Me and you, we're different, Don't always see eye to eye, You go left, and I go right" She drifted off into another song, an arm still around Zach's shoulders. Which, now that he though of it, didn't make sense. He seemed to be around twelve, which would mean that he was born when they were still in highschool, but that was impossible. Had Mercedes been pregnant? Of course not. She would have told the Glee club. But he moved and hadn't kept in touch. Who knew what had happened during senior year? But they looked nothing alike. Sam frowned as he watched them, searching for physical similarities. There were none. Zach didn't even look biracial. Though, genes were a tricky thing so looks never really confirmed anything. Despite that, Zach and Mercedes had an obvious bond. The boy watched her with love and awe, and she watched him with such tenderness in her eyes that it moved him.

A few songs later, she was saying her goodbyes to the Pub clients while Zach, in all his excitement, ran up to her office to gather his belongings. Sam waited patiently by the backdoor hoping to speak to her. But what would he say? There was nothing to say, except "Dear God, you made it. How does it feel to be a star?" and he supposed that wasn't something she would enjoy speaking of tonight. Luckily, Zach saw him and dragged Mercedes away from Vera, so he didn't have to think of an excuse to get closer to her.

"Mom, this is-" started Zach.

"Sam Evans. Well isn't this a surprise." Mercedes raised a brow and looked him over. "Taller than the last time I saw you. Better looking too."

He blushed under her gaze. "Mercedes, it's been a while."

"Ten years to be exact." she sighed and rubbed at her temple. "This is the part where we do some catching up, right?"

"You don't have to, I heard about your parents. We can have lunch or coffee some other day." said Sam quickly. "I just really wanted to say hi."

She softened, seeing the sincerity in his face. "No, I need a good distraction. Follow me with your car."

SMSMSMSMSMSMSMS

Twenty minutes later, he was sitting in Mercedes spacious living room and coffee mug in hand. For some reason, he hadn't expected her house to be so homey. He had expected furniture that cost more than a normal house would, heck, he had even half-expected maids and a butler. But while the house was quite large, it was just her and Zach. The furniture wasn't the overly priced type. Everything was normal. Mercedes just kept on surprising him.

"So, how are you?" she asked, sipping her coffee. She sat on the couch opposite to him, in a t-shirt and sweat-pants, her legs curled up under her.

"Great! I'm a comic book writer." Sam grinned and set the mug on the coffee table. "I was living in New York before, but needed a change so here I am."

"That's amazing." Mercedes smiled. "You always did love comic books. What's your series called? Zach might have it."

"The Crystal Child series, but it's not really for kids." said Sam.

"Zach's twelve, he's hardly a child. That happens to be his favorite series at the moment." Mercedes walked over to one of the book cases and took something before settling back into her spot. "See?" she held an all too familiar copy of his series. "From what I hear, you're quite talented. Zach can go on and on about your Crystal Child, the Keeper and the Seeker. His favorite character is Anne, I believe."

"Well, that might be because she's based on his mother." said Sam. He was shocked yet pleased that his series was a hit for her son. "I started the series when we were dating. Anne is based on you."

Mercedes was silent for a moment as she stared down at the comic book. "Well," she said clearing her throat. "I guess I should read it, then. I want to know what a superhero version of me would do."

"Yeah, well, you don't have to." Sam blushed. For some reason, the idea of her reading his stories scared him. What if she hated it? "What about you? I wasn't expecting a homey house on the side of a lake for Mercedes Jones. What ever happened to living the big life with the stars?"

She laughed, a sound that thrilled him. "Turns out she didn't like it. No, if age and experience has taught me anything, it's that money and fame doesn't buy happiness. The pub, this house and Zach are what keeps me going. They make every day a gift. Don't get me wrong, I love singing and my fans, but I don't want to be on the cover of every magazine, I don't need all the attention. Not anymore. Sometimes I have to go to L.A and New York, but most of my work is done in town and keep away from the limelight. That works for me. I need stability for Zach."

"He's a cute kid." said Sam.

"Yeah, he's a cutie. Reminds me of you actually. Infuriating,yet charming." she laughed again. "He's going to break a few hearts when he's older."

"Can I..." Sam raked a had through his hair. "Am I..."

"What?"

"is he mine?"

Mercedes frowned. "What on- oh, my God." This time, when she laughed, her eyes filled with tears, and he could only sit there embarrassed. "No, no. Sam, Zach is not your son. He's been with me for six years. The adoption was final last year."

"He knows?"

"Yes. We're working on getting his last name changed." she softened. "The first time I saw him, he was so little... He was hurt, at first he was scared of me, but we worked past that, eventually. There's still work to be done, though."

"He's had a hard time, then?" asked Sam.

"You could say that." she smiled, but Sam noticed the change of tone. He had been right. Zach was off limits. "As much as I love talking to you, Santana comes back from her vacation tomorrow morning and she'll want to talk all about it, so I should get some sleep."

"That's fine. I get it." Sam grinned and pushed to his feet. "She lives in Lima?"

"She lives here." Mercedes shrugged. "She and I have been living together for a few years now. Brittany used to as well, but they had a falling out. Don't look at me like that." She laughed at his confused expression.

"Why does she live with you?" he asked slowly.

"When I first got Zach, his psychologist was worried that my job would make it hard to care for him. I was working on my first CD out back then, my career was just starting. Santana's a lawyer, so her job is stable and she works in town. We took custody of him together, because they weren't going to let me have him alone- even if I just wanted to be a foster family for him." said Mercedes as she led him to the front door. "After I adopted him, Santana stayed. It just became a habit. He likes his Aunt Tana close anyway. "

"That doesn't sound like Santana at all." admitted Sam, surprised at the way Mercedes was describing the feisty Latina.

"Well, she hasn't changed that much, believe me." laughed Mercedes. "Our bond has, though. She's like a sister and she loves Zach. She'll be happy to see you."

"Tell her I'm looking forward to catching up." Sam considered hugging Mercedes, but the woman who stood in front of him wasn't at all like the one he remembered. There was so much he had missed, so much she hadn't said. She was practically a stranger. Instead, he just smiled. "I'm looking forward to seeing you around, Miss Jones."

"I've missed you, Sam." Mercedes opened the door and looked at him seriously. "Seeing you today was exactly what I needed. Drive safely."

Songs

Where We Started - Iwan Rheon [sung by Sam]

In The Mourning- Paramore [sung by Mercedes]

That's all for this chapter. This was just a test run. Are you guys interested? Do I stop... or continue? Tell me what you think.