Hi guys this is something I have been toying with. Let me know what you think and if I should continue.

Mercedes Jones-Rodgers sighed sitting in the waiting area of an Attorney's office. She didn't know if she could trust the attorneys of Evans, Abrams and Hudson, but Santana, her best friend, swore by them. She needed something because she was at the end of her ropes. She looked down to her stomach and sighed as she let her head fall back gently onto the wall, this was what she needed to do. This is what she needed to do for herself and for her unborn child.

"Mrs. Rodgers? Mr. Evans will see you now."

Mercedes stood up. "Oh I thought I was going to speak to um…"

Mercedes grabbed her phone and cleared her throat. "Finn Hudson?"

The short dark haired woman shook her head. "Yes you were, however Mr. Hudson was called to court so Mr. Evans agreed to meet with you. Unless you want to reschedule?"

Mercedes shook her head. "No, no that is fine."

The brunette nodded leading Mercedes to an office in the back. Knocking on the door she opened it leading Mercedes in. "Have a seat, Mr. Evans will be back in, in a moment."

"I am here now, thank you Rachel."

The girl gave a small smile and walked out the room. Mercedes glanced up at the man in front of her and her breath hitched. Staring back at her with the most enticing emerald green eyes, his sandy blonde hair was cut short and the well-trimmed goatee added to his all around sexiness. Mercedes swore under her breath when he smiled. He extended his hand to hers and when his hand encased hers she felt her heart flutter. "

"I am Sam Evans and I assume you are Mrs. Rodgers?"

"Mercedes, please."

He smiled and sat on the edge of his desk. "Ok Mercedes, you can call me Sam, what can I help you with?"

Mercedes sighed heavily. "Uh my best friend Santana recommended you guys. I want to divorce my husband, and I think I need a restraining order too."

Sam folded his arms. "Ok, I guess the first question is why?"

Mercedes sighed removing the scarf from around her neck. "This would be the short answer."

She pulled the scarf completely off revealing a hand print bruise on her neck, she pulled down her shirt slightly to reveal more bruises. She could tell Sam was shocked, but she continued.

"Things have gotten worse now. He really doesn't care if he leaves a mark."

"How long have you been married?"

"Five years." She said bitterly.

"And how long has he been abusing you?"

Mercedes looked down to her hands. "Two years. And before you give me that pity look don't! I stayed because my parents threatened to disown me if I ruined this."

Sam sighed standing up and sitting next to her. "I feel like I am missing something?"

Mercedes sighed. "Anything I tell you is confidential, private between us?"

Sam nodded. "Of Course even if you don't hire me, I believe in discretion."

Mercedes bit her lip. "My maiden name is Jones. As in the daughter of Percy Jones, CEO of Jones Enterprises. We deal with architecture and construction. My husband is Bradley Rodgers. Acting CEO of AER Hotels and B&B's. The merger consisted of me marrying Bradley and bringing our families and businesses together. When I first met him I knew he was not the one for me, I didn't have that spark. But between my parents pressuring me and telling me that I was never going to find anyone, "No guy wants an overweight wanna be singer". That was my mom. My dad just told me it was time I helped out the family. I never wanted any of this, but I did it. I married a man I didn't really like. Everything was fine for the first two years. He actually made me like him, but then his dad got sick and Brad became the man in charge.

The first time he hit me I was cooking dinner. He was angry because one of his mergers fell through. I told him that things would get better but he got angry and just shoved me away from him, he slapped me across the face and said I don't support him enough. He grabbed me and forced me to have sex with him."

Mercedes wiped her eyes and continued. "I left I packed my bags and went home. My parents and Brad froze all my accounts. My mom told me that I married Brad and if he needed to release some tension 9then it was up to me to let him. I told them I wanted to leave but I had nothing. No money nowhere to stay. All my friends were off living their life you know? Anyways I decided that I was going to say until I got enough money to leave on my own."

"And did you did?"

Mercedes nodded. "I spent the last two years slowly taking money from different accounts and putting it in my own personal account. I planned on doing it for a little longer but as you can see, I need out now."

Sam took her hand in his and couldn't deny the spark he felt just from her touch. The moment he laid eyes on her, something was pulling him to help her. Something told him that she needed him, and he was right. His heart broke for her.

"How is your husband taking the news?"

"He isn't home. He is away on business for the next two weeks. It's giving me time to pack up all of my things and move out."

"Where are you moving too?"

"I haven't found a place yet, that is my next stop. I have enough money to pay your retainer and survive for a while…"

Sam shook his head. "You were referred by Santana, we are not charging you."

"I couldn't accept that."

"Well to bad. So tell me are you going to tell him or just leave?"

"Honestly I am scared of telling him, he did this because I fought back."

Sam ran his hands through his hair. "You fought back against your abusive husband?"

"The first time he hit me I went to a few self-defense classes. I learned to defend myself, ways to make his abuse not hurt as bad. This last time was the longest he had went before he hit me. 6 months, I thought things were good but while he was packing to leave he lost it. He grabbed me by my neck and as you can see got really rough. He tried to push me on the bed but I fought back, I kicked him in his, anyways, he got angrier. The sad part is I was going to tell him that I am 10 weeks pregnant."

Sam didn't know why he was sad to know she was carrying her husband's child. "So he doesn't know?"

"Nope it's probably for the best. I need to get out, I can't take it anymore."

"Ok well I will draw up the papers today, do you have anyone to help you move when you find a place?"

She shook her head. "Tana said she would come back here but she can't until next week."

Sam nodded. "Ok well here is my cell number. If you need anything just call me."

Mercedes nodded. "Please don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Pity me, yes I am in this situation because I couldn't turn down my parents request but I am trying to get out of it."

"Ok, I don't pity you, I just want to help you."

Mercedes sighed standing. "Ok, thank you Mr. Evans."

"Sam, and you are welcome."

Mercedes glanced at Sam once more before she walked out of his office.

"Santana stop I am fine. I talked to Sam last week and he left me a message telling me that the papers have been filed. I am packing right now and some of my things are already in storage."

"Well I will be there tomorrow and that ass hole better not say a damn word to me. I can't believe that bastard tried to choke you out."

"I know but its ok. He isn't due back until next week and I am not gonna be here when he does so he won't be saying anything to you."

"He better not because Auntie Snixx will come out and show out!"

"I know Tana."

Mercedes heard that alarm beep and turned around. "Tana hold on someone's here."

"It's probably your parents. My flight is about to board so I will call you when I land. Remember I leave Phoenix tomorrow after my meeting and head right to you!"

"Got it love you."

Mercedes hung up the phone and walked out of her bedroom and stopped seeing Brad looking at her.

"Hey Cedes." He said as he walked into the room and stopped seeing her bags. "Going somewhere?"

He moved towards her and she backed away. "Brad, I didn't expect you back."

He moved closer to her and backed her into the corner. "Are you leaving me?"

Mercedes exhaled. "Brad."

"ARE YOU LEAVING ME?"

Mercedes bit her lip and swallowed. "Yes."

He smiled a chilling smile and shook his head. "Mercedes we went through this, you and I both know that you have nothing. Nowhere to go, no one but me."

Mercedes stood her ground. "Brad I am leaving and you don't have to accept it but its happening."

She pushed past him and walked back to her room and continued packing. He followed her. "And what makes you think I will just let you go?"

"You don't have a choice. I am leaving Brad and there is nothing you can do to stop me."

Brad ran to her and grabbed her by her wrist. "Are you sure about that?"

Mercedes pulled her arms away from him and tried to move but he grabbed her again and gripped her tighter. "I am your husband. You are mine. You are my wife and you are not going any damn place you got that?"

Mercedes looked him in the eyes and sighed. "I filed for divorce."

Brad lifted his hand and smacked her across the face. "You really think I will let you get away from me?"

He shoved her to the ground and kicked her in the stomach. "There is no attorney that would file against me." He kicked her again. "You are nothing without me. Nothing without my money!" He kicked her again and lifted her so that she was face to face with him.

"Go fix your face, and then you will unpack all of this shit."

He shoved her towards the bathroom and grabbed his coat. "You know how much I trust that you will not leave me? I have to head out. So why don't you have dinner ready by the time I get back. Make I am in the mood for bbq."

Brad smirked walking towards the door and Mercedes fell to the ground in tears and pain. Grabbing her phone she called Santana, but the call went straight to voicemail. She screamed in frustration as she cried harder. She called Santana again opting to leave her a voicemail.

"Tana, it's me. Brad came home early and he… its bad I am taking myself to the ER. Just please get here soon. I am going to use my Jordyn ID, so if I am there when you get here. Love you Tana."

Mercedes pushed herself up, grateful the only things left in the house that was hers was her furniture. She grabbed her purse and made her way to the car driving herself to the hospital.

"Ms. Grace?"

Mercedes looked up at the doctor who entered her room. She had been there for five hours already and she was ready to leave. "Yes?"

"Ma'am I know you said you didn't want to talk to anyone about what happened but I have to insist. You have three bruised ribs."

"I just want to go home. Please."

He sighed. "There a programs that can protect you."

"Yeah I am sure there are, but when your husband has an unlimited back fund, people tend to do what he wants. I am taking care of it so please just let me go."

He nodded. "Let me do the ultrasound and prescribe you some meds and you can go."

Mercedes nodded as he left and then came back in with the ultrasound machine. She lifted her shirt as he placed the gel on her stomach.

"You said you are about ten weeks or so, so we should be able to hear the heartbeat, if we do then the bleeding is not as big of a concern."

Mercedes held her breath waiting to hear the heartbeat. Seeing her doctor's face drop, made her realize that was something she was wrong. He looked at her and shook his head.

"I am sorry."

She nodded wiping the tears away they fell. She was devastated. The doctor looked at her and cleared his throat.

"I know this is hard for you so I will give you some time before I discharge you."

Mercedes didn't bother looking at him as she silently cried for the mess she was in and the baby she had lost. Someone knocked on her door and looked up wiping her eyes in shock.

"Wh-what are you doing here? How did you find me?"