Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or Keeping the Faith or any of its characters.

Chapter 1

PUCK

The tall, dark haired and disheveled man stumbled into the empty bar at 2 AM.

"I'm sorry sir," the bartender called out, "We are just about to close. Last call was five minutes ago."

The drunk man looked at him with such pleading eyes, that Figgins found himself softening towards the stranger. It had been an unusually slow night and he wasn't looking forward to going home to an empty house since his Roz had left to stay at her sister's after they had gotten into a fight.

"Okay, one drink. What would you like?"

A look of gratitude spread across his face as he suddenly made a sprite bee line to the bar to sit down.

"You don't know what your kindness means to me, man. I could use a friend. I just fucked up so badly…." He trailed off and started to stare at his hands.

Figgins started to make a drink for the man…should probably stay away from the hard stuff, but he looked like he was suffering. He slid the drink to the man and asked, "Okay, who is she?"

Noah looked up at him with a start. "How did you know?"

"Listen, I have heard everything running this bar. I am the lowest paid psychologist in New York City. So tell me, who is she?"

"Her name is Mercedes. Mercedes Jones. And," Noah's voice broke, "I not only lost her, but my best friend. What have I done?"

"How about you start at the beginning?"

Noah took a big swig of his drink and winced as the heat travelled down his throat.

"The beginning? Well, we met as kids, when we were 12. Sam and I were best friends and let's just say we had our growth spurts late. We were both scrawny and constantly talked about being a superhero team. We had our own language. Other boys made fun of us. Well, one day, the biggest bully in school, Shane, came over and demanded our lunches. Sam fought back, but Shane pushed him to the ground. Out of nowhere, this little force of a girl comes swooping in and pushed Shane, yelling at him about picking on someone his own size and all sorts of other stuff. We both were staring at her in awe. Shane turned to leave and she looked back at us, put her hand out for Sam and stated in all confidence and brightness, "My name's Mercedes." And that was it. We were a trio that could not be separated. We did everything together. She was the perfect combination of tomboy, prettiness and loyalty.

One day she came running to Sam's house crying and crying saying her dad got a job out in California and they would be moving the next week. Sam and I were devastated. Our best girl was leaving. The goodbyes were so hard and we missed her so much, but Sam and I became closer than ever.

We kept in touch with her for a while, but by the time high school had started, we had lost complete touch with her. We always talked about her and compared girls who we would date to her. "She wasn't a Mercedes, but she was nice."

So, I'm going to jump to 17 years from when we first met. Six months ago, Sam and I are playing a game of pick up basketball and after the game he says, "You'll never guess who called me."

"Who?"

"Who's the coolest girl we have ever known?"

"That's easy. Mercedes Jones."

"Bingo. She's going to be in town next week. She's some high powered executive out in San Francisco and she's going to be in New York for business. She found me online."

"What? She called you? Why would she call you and not me?"

"Puck, what, are we still 12? Who the fuck cares? She's going to be in town and we are going to pick her up at JFK next Tuesday night."

Tuesday comes and I am nervous as hell. I keep breaking out into a sweat and can't concentrate at all at work. It's finally the end of the day and I haven't done shit. Finally Sam calls from the cab downstairs. I get in the cab and Sam looks like a mess too. His eyes are all shifty and he can't sit still.

"Sam! Would you stop bouncing in the damn seat? Relax, it's just Mercedes." Even I didn't believe that lie. He just gave me the side eye and kept bouncing his legs. We got the airport and are waiting with all of the limo drivers holding signs.

"Do you think she will look the same?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, man. She's still going to look like a 12 year old girl. Fuck! You are freaking me out."

Just then, the most gorgeous woman in a black fitted skirt suit comes out of the doors walking with all the confidence in the world. I was momentarily paralyzed. I couldn't talk. I couldn't move. My mouth just hung open like a fucking idiot. I broke the spell for a split second to look at Sam and he was just as gone as I was. I looked back at Mercedes, she was almost to us.

She gave the biggest smile and said, "Hello boys!" and grabbed us both into a hug.