DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN GLEE NOR ANYTHING ELSE.

FACE CLAIMS WILL ALWAYS BE POSTED ON MY TUMBLR (TWRITES1).

DANIELLE 'DANI' JONES-JESSICA SULA

SHELBY EVANS-ANNE HORAK

ENJOY :)


Mercedes sighed as she zipped up her purse, looking down at her watch for the hundredth time, "Dani, we're going to be late."

"Mom, I'm coming." The teen yelled down in a huff, stuffing her phone in her back pocket as she grabbed her leather jacket from bed. She swung her door open, walking down the hallway and stairs.

Mercedes ran her hands down her face as she looked at the girl with a frown, gesturing to the front door. They were running late, she obviously knew that and was doing it on purpose.

Dani put her head down as she walked out the house and to the car, getting in. She pulled the seatbelt across her chest, looking over when she saw her mother getting in, "I'm sorry, I woke up late."

"You're doing it on purpose." Mercedes said as she started up the car, taking a calming breath as she pulled off and drove down their neighborhood street.

"I know." She said lowly as she stared out the window, playing with her fingers, "I'm just nervous."

"You're going to do great sweetheart." Mercedes said softly as she turned on her signal light, moving over so she could get in the other lane.

Dani shook her head as she let out a snort, "I can't believe I'm legit scared for an interview at a pet store."

Mercedes chuckled as she looked at her for a quick second, "It's normal for everyone to be nervous for their first interview but I have a feeling that you're going to do amazing."

"Thanks mom."

"You're welcome baby." She said with a small smile. Mercedes Jones was thirty five years old and a fully licensed medical doctor. Her daughter, Danielle, was nineteen and a freshman at Georgia Tech.

"You know mom, I'm really glad that you took off today to be here." Dani said as she turned in her seat, giving her a big smile, "You're always there for me."

"I'm your mother baby, I'm always going to be there for you no matter what it is."

It was true. Her mother was always there for her and she was so glad to have someone like that. Dani closed her eyes for a few minutes, listening to the music that was playing lowly, trying to shake this nervousness out of her.

Mercedes stoled another quick glance at her daughter again and smiled. Danielle was her pride and joy. She had turned into a beautiful, strong, responsible young adult and she was so proud. She turned and parked into the parking lot, shutting off her engine, "We're here."

Dani unbuckled her seatbelt, turning to give her mother a nervous but excited smile, kissing her cheek before she got out, "Wish me luck."

"Good luck sweetheart, you're going to be great." Mercedes reassured her as she patted her cheek, watching her get out, she shook her head with a smile and pulled out her phone just in time to see her best friend calling. She rolled her eyes as she clicked the answer button, placing it on speaker.

"A heads up would've been nice." Santana said as she went through the files, opening a few up before she pushed the cabinet door close with her hip.

Mercedes smirked as she looked out the window, "I sent you two texts this morning Santana, don't do me."

Santana pursed her lips as she handed a file to the nurse, turning around to lean against the desk, "I didn't get them."

"I sent them but I'll tell you again. I will be back in the morning. Dani wanted me to be with her today for her interview and you know she's still my first priority."

Santana smiled as she listened to her best friend. She was so proud of Mercedes for everything she has done over the years but raising her daughter to her was one of the biggest accomplishments ever. She looked over at the TV when she heard everyone gasping, her jaw started to clench when she saw the person and the announcement that was being made. Hearing Mercedes calling her name, she looked away, "I'm going to call you back, I have another round to do."

"Okay." Mercedes said slowly as she took note of how her tone changed, "I'll talk to you later."

"Alright, bye." Santana hung the phone quickly, looking at the TV again, muttering underneath her breath, "That stupid son of a bitch."


Sam gave the woman a strained grin as he pretended to listen to what she was saying. He wasn't the type that was all for women throwing themselves at him, that just wasn't him. Clearing his throat, he heard the producer call over and say that they were going back on air. He watched as the woman straightened back up and turned to camera.

"Welcome back everyone. Once again, I'm KC Wentworth and I'm here with the one and only Sam Evans." She turned back to him, giving him a big smile, "We have talked about your baseball career today but what people want to know is what's next for you?"

"Well, as I said today, I'm retiring from the league. It's time, I'm getting old y'all." He laughed at himself, the audience laughing with him, "I will be returning to my hometown. I am also going to be working with ESPN as an sport anchor/commentator, so I'm pretty excited about that."

"That's pretty amazing news because we still will be able to see your handsome face on our television." She giggled flirtatiously, crossing her legs, staring at him with a smile, "What many of us would like to know is, why a man like you has not settled down yet. Anyone special in your life?"

"KC, you know I don't like my personal business out there but I will say this..there is someone special and I'm going to leave it at that."

KC wanted to roll her eyes but she reframed from doing so, looking at him with half smile before turning to the camera, "Well..isn't that something. Sam Evans is retiring and moving back to his hometown folks. That's all the time we have for today, see you tomorrow morning bright and early for recaps of tonight's games."

"And we're out, great show everyone."

Sam yanked the mic off of him, standing up, he looked KC dead in her eyes, "You're coming off as real desperate, KC. Have some damn self respect for yourself." He gave her one last glance before stepping off the stage, undoing his tie as he headed into the hallway. He was glad that it was over with so he could finally head back to his hotel room and get some sleep. On his way out, he stopped short when he saw a girl leaning against the doorway, his eyes going wide when he saw her face.

"Surprise." She said with a sarcastic tone as she walked up to him, her piercing blue eyes staring back into his green ones, "Hello brother."

"Shelby?"

"Yeah, it's me." Shelby moved her long, recently dyed brunette hair behind her shoulders, looking at him, "Crazy how you just show up back here after years of being away."

Sam sighed as he stuck his hands in his pockets, looking away from the woman, "I left because I got drafted, you know that."

Shelby scoffed as she rolled her eyes, crossing her arms across her chest, "That's not what I'm talking about and you know it." She looked at him deep in the eyes, "The great Sam Evans can't handle things face on so he cuts off communication with his family, yeah you took the cowardly way out. You turned your back on us."

"You think I don't know that? I spent years wishing I could muster up the courage to come back and make things right but I couldn't. There's a reason why.." Sam shook his head as he looked at her, pursing his lips, "But you won't see the reason why so whatever. I wish I had time to talk to you but I have another meeting."

Shelby let out a humorless laugh, shaking her head at the man, "I don't know what happened to you. You used to be the most lovable person to be around. Now you're just like every other athlete when they become famous." She gave him one last glance before walking away from him.

Sam looked at her retrieving form and rolled his eyes. This was a big reason why he was so hesitant on moving back to Georgia..he didn't want to face the things that had happened in his past.


Mercedes smiled at the people as she walked down the hallway, putting her chart on the desk when she came back to the nurses station, "I'm finally on my break."

One of the nurses, Lela, laughed at her as she grabbed the chart and opened it up so she could transfer the information to the computer, "That billionaire Barbie came by to see you yesterday."

Mercedes snorted at the name that they have given the perky woman, signing her signature on the papers, "And I'm glad I wasn't here. I love me some Sugar but I can't handle the girl sometimes."

Santana balanced the bag in her left hand as she used her other one to text her wife back, muttering angrily underneath her breath.

Mercedes looked over to the side when she heard Santana, sitting down in one of the chairs away from everyone, "What's up with you?"

"Brittany has me looking for Almond milk. I've been all across Atlanta looking for this damn milk and every store is out. Now she's pissed at me because I can't find it." Santana huffed as she sat down beside Mercedes, handing her a bag, "I brought you food."

"Thank you." Mercedes said with a smile before sitting the bag to the side, crossing her ankles, "You should've called me. I picked up two gallons yesterday. Thanksgiving is in a few days so that's why you can't find any. You can have one of mines." She bit down on her lip to suppress her laughter when she saw her face, hearing her phone vibrate, she looked at it and snickered, "Brittany."

"You're a lifesaver Cedes, thank you." Santana said as she leaned back into the chair, rubbing her forehead.

Mercedes chuckled as she opened the container, sticking her fork into the loaded fries before turning on the computer, "I've been working so much lately, I've behind on the news."

Santana leaned up quickly, pressing the button to the computer back off, earning a strange look from her friend, "Nothing new."

Mercedes looked at her strangely, "How do you know? You don't watch it." She tried to turn it on again, only to be stopped by her friend, "Seriously, what's your deal?"

"I just want to talk to my friend and you catching up on the news is going distract you." She gave her a big smile, hoping that she would believe that.

Mercedes glared at her for a minute before going back to her food, "What do you want to talk about?"

"How it is time for you to go on a date." She gave her a cheesy smile, waggling her brows.

Mercedes shook her head, swallowing the delicious fries before speaking, "I'll pass."

"Oh come on Cedes, it's way pass time for you to get back out there."

"Have you ever thought that maybe I'm fine with being single?"

Santana looked at her as if she had grown several heads, "Nobody in this world is just fine being single..be realistic."

"That's not true at all. I know plenty of people who are happily single."

"Come on Mercedes, let me just set you up on one date. I know this guy, he's pretty damn awesome, no kids, same age you are and he's a teacher. And did I mention he is hot?"

"Who is hot?" Mike said as he came up to his friends, handing Santana a chart. Mike was one of Mercedes and Santana's oldest friends. The trio have know each other since they were little.

"The guy Mercedes is going on a date with."

"I'm not going on a date with anyone."

"But why not? Don't you think it's time?" Mike asked honestly. He knew his friend like the back of his hand and he knew there was a reason she didn't want to do this but he thought it would be very good for her to get back out there.

Mercedes looked at Mike flabbergasted, "Again, have you two thought that maybe I don't want to?"

"Okay, how about this.." Mike said as he leaned against the counter, looking at her with a smile, "You go out with this dude. If you don't feel a connection, so be it. At least you tried. And if it turns out that you do like him but just as a friend, that's great too. Am I making sense?"

Santana nodded excitedly, pointed her pen at him, "You're making a lot sense Chang."

Mercedes sighed as she looked between the two, "You guys are not going to stop bugging me about this are you?"

"Not a chance." They both replied with smirks on their faces.

Mercedes opened and closed her mouth repeatedly before speaking, "I'll think about it." She said just as her pager went off, taking it off her waist, she looked at it before standing up from her seat, "I have to go."

"Think about it now." Santana called after, laughing when she threw her hand up.

Mike waited until she was around the corner and gone before speaking to Santana, "She doesn't know does she?"

"No and I've been trying to keep her from finding out." Santana sighed as she looked at her friend, "I wished the bastard stayed gone."

"That's Sam Evans for you..always going to pop up and ruin lives." Mike frowned as he shook his head, hearing his pager go off, he grabbed his chart, "But he's not going to get a chance to do it again, not on my watch."

"Not on mines either." Santana agreed, biding him a goodbye once he left. She leaned back in the chair, covering her hands over her face. She didn't know how much longer it was going to be until her best friend found out but it was bound to happen.


A/N. As if I needed another fic, I couldn't help it. This was originally just suppose to be a three part one shot for Christmas/New Year's but my idea for it became more. Now, I know you're like mad confused on everything and you have dozens of questions but I promise they will get answered, as always! As for now, I would love to know what you guys think is going on! It may seem clear as day but it's not. Way more complex & complicated! BTW, I've been had this story ready but if you follow my tumblr, you would know that I was having trouble finding a name for it lol. It's still not the best title that I have come up with but it will do!