Never Giving Up
'Get You' by Daniel Caesar & Kali Uchis
Sam and Mercy Evans finally decided to get married after just over five years courting, they'd met at some hotel club, while Mercy was on a mini break in Oklahoma, waiting to start university, she was bored and just needed to get away from Los Angeles for a few days, Sam was on a blast out before he started his studies he wanted to be an Archaeologist, they hit it off from the get go and did the long distance relationship thing for a while, they both had life plans they needed to get on the way. So some three years later they finally decided to live together in Los Angeles, it just seemed like the best thing to do, Sam was getting in some experience itching to start his Archaeological career, so he had no real base, while Mercy was working at the main government building in the area as a Foreign Service Worker. They were both planned on travelling a lot with their chosen careers, but had insisted on a base so they could start making plans.
So a week after Sam moved up to Los Angeles from Texas on his 25th birthday, they were deep in house hunting and nest building, ready for when should that ever happen. They eventually found a beautiful three bed apartment in Long Beach a very spacious town home with a large open plan living room with a very spacious kitchen overlooking the garden, two double bedrooms and a more than average office sized room with views across the park. It was in a central location close to shops and free way, with a school not far away should the need come up in the future, they loved their new life and it wasn't long before they were able to move their belongings in and make it totally their own.
Nearly 6 months after that, Sam got a sort of thumbs up from his boss, saying he'd done his qualifying hours and he'd be happy to take him on if he saw a future there with them at Arch's, of course Sam jumped at it, it was his dream job after all, and Mercy encouraged him to take at least a stab at it. He eventually went back to Stan; his boss, and accepted the post, he was given a month settling in period, and warned that life was going to get busy for him very soon after. Sam saw his opportunity and jumped right in, they weren't bad at it so they liked to sing to each other, and did so regularly in random places so he smiled as he thought of his proposal idea and 24 hours later he'd put it into action. He'd acquired a band and showed up for a surprise performance at their lunch time meet up singing his version of "'Marry Me' by Train" putting her name in the lyrics 'Marry Me Mercy, today and every day' making her laugh hard enough not to have the breath to answer him straight away, of course she said yes eventually
Mercy had taken steps in her career too, she'd got a job at the Local Government Building and there was definitely room for promotion. She'd started the long climb and to be honest she was enjoying it more than she'd ever thought she would, the opportunity for travelling hadn't reached outside the realms of America yet, but she was watching others who had started just like her doing just that, and right now that was encouragement enough for a 25 year old. She'd been past happy at Sam's proposal, she'd always hoped that this was where their relationship was leading, but had opted for the no pressure, ride with it approach it seemed he'd always wanted to take, and if it wasn't broken and all that.
"Seeing as you've got a month reprieve and I'm not anywhere near working abroad just now" she held her ring finger up saying to him the next evening watching him from the couch as he made the hot drinks "Could we maybe get a wedding on the agenda?"
"What that quick?" his eyes quickly moved from the hot drink over to her face "Are you joking?"
"No" she giggled "I'm sort of guessing once this thing starts for you it's going to be hard to work around it, and I just figured we could just get it done before anything else comes up"
"Why have you heard something from work?"
"No" she smiled "Actually I just can't wait to be Mrs Sam Evans"
"And I can't wait either I think your right we should just get it done"
"When?"
"Two weeks time, there's only the parents and Mel for me" he walked over to her tray in hand saying
"And the parents and Dean for me" she smiled back "We can organise a wedding for like eight people don't you think?"
"Sure" he smiled kissing her to seal the agreement before sitting down
"So I guess I could ask Mel to be my chief Bridesmaid?" she asked cheekily "If she approves of me taking her best friend away from her some more"
"I wouldn't even ask her the can I question, she'd presume I even care what she thought about our marriage, and it's none of her damn business" he smiled "But you can ask her if you want, I'm obviously going to ask Dean to be my best man"
"Are we bad for not getting any of our other school friends involved?"
"Come on, all that shit flew for me years ago, I wouldn't even know how to make contact with any of mine" he laughed
"I feel bad to say it, but me either" she giggled "Mine don't bring good memories" she frowned as she watched him pick the cups up and offer her one
"The only friend I need at our wedding is you" he kissed her nose telling her
"You're it for me too babe" she smiled 'Ooohhh who would have thought I'd get you' she sang at him
'Oooohh who would have thought I'd get you' he sang back at her "That's our tune"
"Everything's our tune" she laughed
So invites went out via social media, wedding attire was brought on a shoestring, with a new mortgage to support they needed to live within their means, so the wedding party came to them, the wedding took place with the song from their favourite album being played as they danced around the flat, telling each other they were in love, before they left for a weekend away in Paris, on the bank of their parents.
4 months Later
They'd had a few months of comfort, Sam's fieldwork hadn't taken him outside of home for more than two weeks, Mercy's climb was accelerated but still manageable and life was sweet, married life was amazing, they couldn't keep away from each other. Things felt fresh, new, the love was somehow deeper than it had been when they were just together and there was a new found respect that came with the title husband and wife.
"I have a new team" Sam walked in one evening to announce excitedly "I haven't met everyone yet, I just know there's four of us" he smiled as he went towards his wife to say hello properly "Wade, you remember him from my first team when I was training?"
"Hi babe" she smiled up at him
"Hi babe sorry, I'm just excited this is moving on for me"
"I understand excited" she grinned as he sat beside her ready to tell more
"Someone called Shawn Davis I think and Carla somebody, I've never met those two, but it's exciting I hope we get a big one soon"
"That's great babe" Mercy replied giving him a kiss "I have news too" she grinned "I have my first foreign assignment in two weeks, I'm off for three weeks with Donovan, Jean and Mark to China" she said pleased with herself
"You deserve it, you've worked hard for that" he kissed her saying
"So have you" she pulled back to stare into his eyes saying "So here we go grabbing our dreams, I miss you already" she held his eyes telling him
"But think about when we finally get back together" he rolled his eyes telling her, too hurt to tell her he missed her too
"Dinner's ready" she jumped up saying grabbing his hand as they went off towards the bedroom
"But that's the bedroom" he laughed following her anyway
"Every time I look into your eyes I see it, you're all I need" she sang
"Every time I get a bit inside I feel it" he laughed singing back "You are channelled" he rolled his eyes telling her
A few hours later they were giggling laying in each others arms humming 'And when we're making love, your cries they can be heard from far and wide, it's only the two of us, everything I needs between those thighs, every time I look into your eyes I see it, you're all I need, every time I get a bit inside I feel it' "Now can I get food?" he chuckled
"Sure" she jumped up telling him "Come on" she called as she got to the door, an hour later they were sat in the kitchen, still naked, eating
The First Assignment
"Bye babe" Sam smiled as he waited at the airport for Mercy to get away for her flight "Who would have thought I'd get you" he sang to her
"Who would have thought I'd get you" she sang back, hugging him "You love me"
"Remember that right?" he looked into her eyes telling but asking her "You love me"
"I will, you remember that" she poked him telling him
"I will" he laughed kissing her lips lightly before letting her go
That first four months had gone faster than any of them had thought it would, it seemed like they'd just mentioned it and suddenly they were off travelling, working, missing each other. It had been an emotional departure, they knew it would be, but it was what they'd wanted for each other, and what they both needed, they'd promised life wouldn't change for them, the love would make them survive this life they'd chosen.
"Babe" Sam shouted down the crackling connection less than a week after she'd left LA "I've got a dig in the Brazilian Amazon, remember we spoke about it?"
"I can't hear you babe" she shouted back "Your breaking up"
"Brazil next week" he shouted back
"You're in Brazil?"
"Not yet" he looked at the phone frustrated "Next week"
"How long"
"Three weeks" the silence that followed told him everything "I know babe" he told a still silent Mercy "We'll always have Paris"
"We will" she finally said her voice revealing that tears were present "I miss you"
"I miss you too babe" he found himself choking up as he spoke "Listen Shawn turned out to be Shawna"
"What, you're breaking up again, I can't hear what you're saying, I'll call you back next week Sam love you"
"Love you too babe"
"What?" she got out before the phone went dead and the two of them stood looking at their phones
Mercy's Two Week Trip
The Trip was relaxed for Mercy, she'd known the crew since she'd started working at The Building, as they fondly called it, she was great friends with Jean, they lunched together when Sam was busy, so when they were teamed together, she was happy. Jean had been a kind of lone soldier before Mercy came along, it seemed like the other females didn't get on with her but she couldn't see why, she was an absolute laugh.
Within the first week of the assignment Mercy was more than aware of why everyone frowned at her, Jean was having an affair with Mark. Mark was a married man with two children, and that wasn't anything he'd ever hidden, he'd told Mercy within the first fifteen minutes of their first conversation, she couldn't believe this shit was happening. Of course it left Donovan and her in a very awkward position, they were left to keep each other company, she didn't really have a problem with that except Don was a single man, blond dreadlocks, green eyes and every sentence he spoke finished with him licking his lips and a definite fuck me in his eyes, of course she ignored it, but she saw it.
She'd initially been talking to Sam nearly every day keeping herself grounded and shit for the first week, but then he'd called saying he was going on some dig and calls got scarce. She assumed he busied himself getting prepared and then the following day he'd called to say he was leaving for his dig, that Saturday. She wasn't happy that the two weeks she'd thought they were going to spend apart had suddenly turned into five weeks, he'd called just before he went into unchartered territory and lost all contact just to say the usual love you stuff and remind her that Shawn was Shawna, she had alarm bells for a second but she trusted him. They'd both agreed if the temptation had ever gotten too much they'd divorce before they cheated on each other and she knew that was more than lightly going to be her asking.
By the end of her two week assignment, she knew what Donovan's intentions were, she just prayed that they weren't on the next assignment together, and she got time with her husband before the next one too, because abstinence was hard when you knew what you were missing.
Sam's Three Week Trip
Sam and Wade were almost best buddies, they'd worked together since they'd been doing their qualifying hours, they sort of got how each other worked. Wade was a bit of a ladies man being single and good looking, if it needed explaining Sam might have likened him to Jake Gyllenhaal with deeper blue eyes. He had this thing about getting Sam to be the man too, but he'd met Mercy once so he only ever went so far with it.
Sam had been a bit apprehensive when he found out that the other two were females, first off, although he maybe had ten years on him, Wade was always on heat which would surely make everything embarrassing and secondly he wasn't bad looking himself and if any of them got attached he'd cause bad blood because he wasn't getting into the slightest bit of shit with any of them.
That had all been well and good when he hadn't met them but when he did he knew for sure Shawna had attached herself she was blatant with it, before she even knew his name, he rolled his eyes and tried to call Mercy again, they hadn't had contact for two days because she was in some unreachable spot. It didn't help that he was now on his way to some remote place near the Brazilian Amazon, for sure there'd be no satellite out there, they'd be cut off from each other for nearly three weeks, he didn't get hold of her and jammed his phone in his pocket with the frustration.
The first week was as Sam had guested, Wade was all over it asking for groupie action embarrassing everyone with Carla, and Shawna's looks were getting more intense but to add to it all, because of the way Wade was being even 45 year old Carla, who was more Wade's age range, found him the centre of attention so he spent the days working and the nights fending off the unwanted attention from both women
By the end of the three week dig, he knew what Shawna and Carla's intentions were, he just prayed that they weren't on the next dig together, and he got time with his wife before the next one too, because abstinence was hard when you knew what you were missing.
2 Months Later
It had been a hard slog, they'd managed Christmas, Mercy's birthday and their first time together anniversary, their schedules had been past hectic, but their commitment, as they'd promised, was one hundred percent. So month seven was like the treat they'd always needed, wanted, even dreamed of career wise, Mercy was finally getting her chance to talk to the Gambian government for a month and Sam was going on his dream dig somewhere near Easter Island for a month. They had that to look forward but on top of that they were spending Sam's birthday together in the best way, they'd planned to do so much squeezed into the week long break they'd snagged themselves, bed being the first middle and last items on the agenda.
"Happy Birthday Babe" Mercy head popped up saying watching him spurt all over the sheets
"God thanks, I'm so coming for you" he grabbed her head laughing as he pulled her hips up to meet his mouth, smiling when he was satisfied with her sound "Now that was a Birthday treat" he laughed
"Babe" she laughed "Ready for our day?"
"I'm past ready" he smiled looking down at himself
"I mean it babe, no babies just yet, and please don't tell me anything about clocks" she laughed
"Are you saying no on my fucking birthday?"he sat up asking
"I'm saying no protection, we need to stock up, or you can make do with the alternative"
"I swear we work to supply those fucking things" he snapped slamming back on the bed so hard Mercy turned to look at him
"What's that about?" she asked surprised
"We're not moving forward Mercy I want a family, you want a family, but work is stopping us, what the fuck is that about, is it ever going to happen?"
"I guess when we're ready yes" she turned fully to have the conversation
"I'm ready are you hearing me?" he shouted
"Sam" she whined, ready to start her it's my way speech
"Don't Sam me Mercy, I'm not backing down on this I want to start our family" he stared at her saying "You knew this before we got married, before we brought this damn house" he looked around telling her
"This is your fucking birthday" she shouted a cry coming out at the end of the shout
"The tears are not cracking this for me Mercy you always win, I want to start our family now, it's my birthday and that's what I want"
"Talk to me Sam this isn't you, what's up?"
"I just told you" he looked at her saying, they sat staring at each other for the longest time "I'm not changing my mind Mercy seriously" he said before he finally looked away, he couldn't look any longer she was about to ugly cry and that would have got him to give in "Take the day, think about it"
"I have things planned for your bir..."
"I told you what I want for my birthday" he shouted at her, she knew there was no swaying him she just rolled her eyes at the impossible situation
"And will you take my final answer?"
"Only if it's what I want to hear"
"So you're telling me I actually have no choice in this?" he didn't answer her, his look told her she was correct in her assumption "That's so unfair" she cut her eye at him saying
"What's unfair is that you have the power to give me what I want, and yet you refuse me" he cut his eye back at her saying
She didn't answer him that day, his entire birthday plans went to shot as he refused to do anything because he wasn't happy right now and that led into the rest of the week because Mercy went into a sulk for him refusing to do what she'd planned and looked forward to for nearly eight months. By the end of the week they barely said bye to each other and left for their month long expeditions
Sam's Big Dig
"Sam"Shawna shouted him across the airport when he arrived on the Island, he looked around for other faces, any faces but found none
"Shawna" he smiled inside he was rolling his eyes, he hadn't had any of this drama since that first dig, luckily he'd been out with guys "I didn't know you were on this one?" he said as she ran up to him so fast he had to use his hands to stop her from bumping into him, awkwardly resting them on her hips
"They said I was going to see an old friend, I didn't think you either" she laughed "But I'm really pleased to see you" she lifted off him saying "You still married?"
"Yep" he smiled, grateful she'd remembered that
"I'm alright with being your dirty little secret" she grinned up at him
"I don't have secrets from my wife" he told her seriously, hoping she'd catch the seriousness in his voice, but her reaction didn't tell him that was the case, he knew for sure she wasn't listening when she came back at him with
"Just dirty then" making him roll his eyes
"Who else is here?" he asked looking around trying to ignore her remarks
"For now it's just us but I guess Andy should be coming in a week or so"
"A week?" alarm bells going off for him right there
"Yeah his wife's just dropped about a month ago or something" she smiled up at him
That night there was nothing to do except talk, he'd got no reception and furthermore Mercy and he weren't really into that talking thing at he moment, there wasn't an option he was stuck with Shawna for now
"So" she sat next to him with her cup of soup "Who is this woman that's taken you off the market?"
"Mercy my wife" he laughed
"Yeah who is Mercy?" she stopped eating to ask thinking as she spoke "I imagine she's fitter than me like tall, blond, mesmerising eyes, really tight fanny, full of make up and well just fucking perfect in every way, like Mary fucking Poppins" she smiled back at him finishing
"Well" Sam laughed "She's got black hair and she's short but the rest is kind of accurate" he waved his hand saying "Oh and the make up thing, not even necessary, she looks better without actually"
"Sounds perfect" she smiled as Sam looked at her laughing, thinking I like that, she could be a friend
"She is perfect" he looked out at the sea saying "We want a family but the timings all wrong" he looked at his hands saying, his mind telling him not to talk to this person about his personal life and his heart having to let it all out "She works for the Government, she's just gotten her big break, she's always wanted to do it and I guess this is my dream" he looked up in the air saying "I guess I found out I have a biological clock" he laughed
"I know that feeling, that's what broke Simon and I up back then" she looked up saying
"Simon as in..."
"Yeah Simon, we started this thing together back then, he wanted a family I didn't so we parted company, he has his family now and well I'm lonely" she said resting her head on Sam's shoulder
"Do you regret it, not having that family I mean?"
"Sometimes and then, there's a big dig and I forget it all, but I loved Simon and I guess I regret not being the one you know"
"I love Mercy, she's my heart and I don't really know what I'd do if she said no but I want children I need a family" he smiled "I've told you much too much I'm off to bed" he got up saying
The week passed and Andy didn't turn up, their personal conversations were becoming the focus as they seemed to talk morning, noon and night about life, ambitions, digs, everything, he was comfortable
"I think we could be good friends" Sam laughed one night as they sat talking about music
"I want to be more than just your friend Sam" she said moving into him and taking a kiss, he pulled her in, it had been so long since he'd been kissed he took it fully before from nowhere but everywhere Mercy flashed in his mind and he pushed her away
"Shawna why did you do that?"
"We both did that Sam" she pulled him back to her saying
"No I don't want this" he got up and walked away from her saying, that last week was strained as she kept trying and he kept pushing her back, two days before they were due to leave the Island he finally gave in to his feeling "There's something there, I'll admit that, but I'm not a cheat, I can't do this to my wife"
"I know you feel this thing between us Sam, and I know you'll do the right thing, tell her and come to me" she said grabbing his head and pulling it towards her, he was so hungry he fell into her mouth
"I can't cheat on my wife" he finally pulled away saying "I've already gone too far" The next day they left the Island, Shawna with Sam heavy on her lips and Sam with Shawna heavy on his mind
Mercy's Trip
Mercy got to Gambia and found herself in the Presidents quarters, at first she was pissed thinking she'd been sent there on some sell your body to the big man thing but then Jean appeared saying she'd been put in different quarters for some reason apparently and they finally surmised there must be some cast thing going on.
"I guess we're down here with the peasants?" Don asked her as she spun round unaware he'd even entered the large dining room
"I guess" she smiled "But there's no funny business I will not be cleaning floors" she laughed
"Oh me neither have you seen these nails?" he walked towards her flashing his nails at her "Plus my fore-parents did enough of that shit" he laughed
"Fair enough" she laughed "But really why do you think they've separated us?"
"In this man's house there are many room" he said sounding like a king with the echo of his bellow and his African accent "Maybe it's just where they were empty"
"Could be" she half smiled
"What is wrong with you, I've been trying to make you laugh, I mean really laugh all the way here and nothing, are things alright at home?"
"Things are fine at home" she smiled trying to make it convincing "I'm going to my room" she told him walking off
It turned out the President had an eye for Jean and with Mark spending time with his family she was more than willing to butter that particular bread, he was actually a bit of a dish, but Jean's pre-occupation had however left Mercy at a bit of a loose end, that loose end being Don
"Don" she rolled her eyes saying one night in week two when she'd just about had her fill of his stupid fucking get in her knickers jokes, for which she really wasn't in the mood "Will you please stop with the fucking come on, what the hell is wrong with you, do you not get no?"
"I don't want to hear it Mercy" he almost shouted at her, she jumped back in her chair shocked "I'm putting myself on the damn line every time we hook up and do you think it's easy for me to keep bouncing back?" he sat waiting for an answer but Mercy was stunned she couldn't find a response "I love you, do I need to say it any clearer than that?"
"Don I'm..." she muttered unable to think fast enough to respond appropriately
"I know you're married Mercy that's what makes this so fucking sad"
"I'm sorry, well I'm not, I mean I love my husband"
"I know all of that, and I'm willing to wait, I mean you spend more time with me than you do him, he's going to stray I've seen it before, and your not telling me your face has been like that because you guys are happy"
"I shouldn't even be talking to you about my life but we're just in a disagreement at the moment that's all"
"Disagreement you guys aren't together long enough to have disagreements, that's what I'm saying, we have disagreements"
"We don't Don you just piss me off" she chuckled
"And you get on my last nerve, you couldn't do that if I didn't feel something"
"I need to …." she got up saying as Don grabbed hold of her and kissed her hard, she didn't kiss him back but she did allow him to stay there for a while wondering what she was feeling "I need to go to my room, alone" she finally pushed herself off him saying, raising her eyebrows as she walked, she'd actually felt something
"One ring and I'll be there" he shouted after her
"I'm not a cheat" she turned and shouted back
Over the weeks the tension between them grew as Mercy went from reminding herself daily to hourly that Sam existed and it would break their hearts if she cheated.
"I know you feel the same as I do, you know what you need to do" he grabbed hold of her taking her lips one last time before they boarded the plane, they left the Gambia Don with Mercy heavy on his lips and Mercy with Don heavy on her mind
Home
"Hi" Sam said when he saw Mercy come through the door, getting up to greet her, they hugged but there was something missing "Look" he pulled away saying "I just need to say, this baby thing we're arguing about, forget it we can wait" he smiled "And I'm sorry for taking you there"
"I'm sorry for taking it further than it ever needed to go too" she said resting her head on his shoulder as they walked "I missed you"
"I missed you too" he awkwardly grabbed her lips saying
"Sorry Sam it's a bad time of the month for me, I've got another maybe three days left, sorry" she rolled her eyes at the weak hello she was sure he'd have noticed if she hadn't had a good reason
"It's fine, I've waited this long a few days won't hurt" he walked away from her saying, no longer wondering why she'd given such a cold welcome, before thinking my hello was lame too
They sat on the couch wrapped in each other feeling like strangers, nothing much to talk about after a month of no contact, not that nothing had happened, just that they couldn't tell a story without leaving Don or Shawna out of it and that would bring awkward questions.
"Good Dig?" Mercy finally asked
"A few pieces but there's a bigger picture there, so maybe next time" he smiled "You?"
"President was more interested in Jean than negotiations" she laughed "I'm going to grab a bath and get some sleep I missed our bed" she got up and turned to smile at him as she left the room
"Mercy" he called getting her attention "You still love me right?"
"Who would have thought I'd get you Mr Evans" she smiled singing
"Who would have thought I'd get you" he sang back
"Why do you ask?"
"I just haven't heard you say that in a while"
"Never doubt it" she rounded back to give him a kiss to seal that deal before leaving him watching the TV
"What the hell am I thinking, why was I even contemplating that shit, look what I've got at home" he looked at his bedroom door thinking "That woman needs to step off and I'll tell her as much the next time we damn well see each other, I must be fucking crazy" he looked at the picture of their wedding day at the side of the TV "Crazy" he smiled "I actually love my wife always have" he shook his head thinking giggling at how stupid he nearly was "Wade and Andy would tell me how fucking stupid I was being about this even letting it invade my time with Mercy right now, that's why you're sitting out here instead of laying in bed with your damn wife isn't it?" "No" he got up telling himself as he jumped in the shower before jumping into bed to hug his wife
"What the fuck" Mercy had run into the bathroom thinking "I was kissing my husband and it felt alien to me how, why, when, what the fuck happened when you walked into your damn house girl, you need to set yourself straight, you have a man a fine fucking man and Don can fuck off, I'm being serious Mercy Evans forget it" "What happened?" "You thought he didn't love you any more that's what happened" she shook her head telling herself as she stepped into the hot water washing everything horrible away "He still loves me" she smiled, some time later her eyes were closing as she lay soaking and she soon opted to find her bed, sorting herself out she finally got into bed, smiling when she heard the door open, they were going to get their cuddles on
"I missed you" she smiled half asleep already, and fully at home finally
"I missed you too" he hugged her in smiling as he finally found sound sleep, his wife in his arms
They'd got back to some sort of normality by day four when Mercy finally came into the main room naked "Sam" she purred
"Hhmmm" he replied without looking up from his journal
"Could you come fix this for me please?"
"In a minute babe" he replied still not looking up
"Fine, but I thought you'd want to fix it as soon as you knew it was broken" the smile in her voice making him look up
"Fixed" he smiled jumping up leaving his journal to fall on the floor "Longest three days ever" he grabbed her lips saying, that day they both knew exactly who it was they wanted "I missed you babe"
"God I missed you too babe" they fell asleep some three hours later humming their song 'And when we're making love, your cries they can be heard from far and wide, it's only the two of us, everything I needs between those thighs, every time I look into your eyes I see it, you're all I need, every time I get a bit inside I feel it' waking up for food and more of the same
Sam's Call
Sam was sitting in the garden writing in his journal again some ten days later when his phone rang "Shit" he hissed when he looked at the face to see Shawna's name on it, reluctantly he answered it "Shawna, what's up?"
"What's up?" she laughed "I expected your call a while back, have you forgotten me?"
"In that way I have I'm sorry, I love my wife, I'm in love with her actually, I guess I was just missing home to let that between us happen"
"You know that's not real for you Sam, you told me as much, you even admitted you weren't happy" she moaned
"I never said I wasn't happy" he raised his voice telling her "Look I love my wife, you were a mistake and that's all I've got to say, please don't call me again" he said putting the phone down to hear it ring again, rolling his eyes as he watched her name flashing on his screen again "What do you want Shawna?" he asked angrily
"I'm not giving up on us Sam, I'm going to fight for you" she said and put the phone down, he sat looking at the phone wondering exactly what that woman meant by that, getting shaken out of his thought when Mercy landed on his lap
"Hi babe, you ready for me?" she asked kissing his lips before he could answer
The Next Day
"Babe" Mercy shouted through the house "Babe" she shouted again as Sam went running from the kitchen back to the bedroom
"What's up?" he charged into the room asking
"I just thought you needed to know" she smiled
"Mercy" he grinned "You scared me shitless" he jumped on the bed telling her "There are more romantic ways to ask for love"
"I know but I think I've used all of them" she grinned back, pulling him by the neck to lay down on the bed "Let me do my thing" she smiled as he lay back and let her do exactly that listening to her singing 'And I'll take some time, just to be thankful, that I had days full of you' she was woken four hours later by a ping on her phone, she jumped up to look at it and rolled her eyes
"Who was it?" he asked sleepily
"Oh just work" she threw the phone back down telling him, that was easier than telling him it was Don and then explaining all that, he was becoming a pest, and she was going to nip that in the bud next time she saw him. "Can I get an extra week?" she asked cheekily
"You want to keep me in bed?" he smiled
"If you've got someone you like..." she sang to him making him smile
"Don't you love when I come around" he turned singing
"...feel something that's right somebody just tell somebody" she told him
"Build you up then I take you down" he pushed her back on the bed laughing
Month 10
Sam hadn't seen Shawna for a while, he'd still not spoken to anyone about her random calls, which were pissing him off more than anything, she was demanding that he split with his wife before she came forward and told everything. It was a few kisses nothing more and Sam knew that was minor, but the fact that he'd actually kept the fact that it had happened away from Mercy he knew would destroy their trust he couldn't risk it. Mercy was already stressed about something and he was pissed that she wasn't talking to him about it, they were getting touchy with each other, to have that on top of this would finish them for sure he thought. He finally agreed to another long haul dig, he already knew Shawna was going to be on it, he'd expected to talk her down and get his life back on track, this really wasn't the time to take time out from home something was wrong.
Mercy had been getting constant calls from Don, constantly telling her that her husband was going to cheat and she needed to jump before she was pushed and how he'd be much better for her, it was totally stressing her out. Then to add to the mess he'd given her an ultimatum saying he'd waited long enough and he knew their kisses meant something if she didn't come clean, he was going to, she was spitting blood. To add to the stress every time she looked at Sam he was on his damn phone, shouting or angry but everything was alright when she'd ask and she knew he was lying, and why the hell would he do that? She'd finally agreed to meet with Don at a coffee shop near work, he was waiting eagerly when she got there that morning, she didn't want to but she'd felt something back then and it frightened her, she was in love with Sam, she knew this so what the hell was that. She tried her best to fend him off but his threats just got more outlandish, she somehow knew he had some screw loose somewhere, she promised another meeting soon, she needed to get a handle on how to deal with this properly, she allowed him to kiss her cheek and made her exit.
"Mercy" Sam walked into their apartment calling "I'm off again in two days"
"Two days?" she came out of the kitchen covered in cookie mix asking "They usually give you at least a weeks notice"
"I know babe but this space was going it's near the Boovet Island and you know that's one on my bucket list" he smiled "I'm excited"
"I'm excited for you babe, all our dreams coming true" she walked towards him taking his kiss "Hi" she pulled away long enough to say gazing into his eyes before wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him in again "I'm going to miss you"
"Hi" he smiled "I'm going to miss you too" before he took his kiss
"How long for?" she asked when they let each other up and she went back to the kitchen with him following
"They offered me two months but I said that would go right through our anniversary so I asked for two weeks"
"I'll be home" she smiled up at him
"Mercy" he looked into her eyes, his filled with tears for what he knew he needed to tell her "I need to tell you something" he stood in the kitchen telling her "I need to..." he looked around the room as if it were unfamiliar to him "I have feelings for someone else, it's nothing like what we have but I just feel like, I'm betraying you not saying anything" he walked away from her saying expecting the blow up
"I have feelings for someone too" he heard spinning him around
"Do you love him?" he shouted
"I don't think so" she looked at him awkwardly saying "It's just a feeling and as you said it's nothing like I feel for you"
"Sorry, I don't even know why I'm shouting, I'm just as damn bad" he stepped towards her saying
"Don't" she held her hand up at him telling him not to touch her
"I haven't done anything with her" he stopped his eyes puzzled at Mercy's move
"I have" she looked at him saying "I've kissed Don several times" she stood ashamed looking in his eyes
"I've kissed Shawna several times too, but I've done nothing else"
"I guess we both need this time to reflect on what's happening for us" she smiled awkwardly looking around the kitchen
"Mercy this isn't university, this shit matters, we're married"
"I know that Sam, but we still need to reflect, we need to work shit out, we'll talk when you get back" she told him, very aware of Don's recent threat, and Sam being mindful of where he'd left things with Shawna, nodded in agreement
'We Find Love' By Daniel Caesar
The next two days were awkward to say the least 'You don't love me any more, let's see how you like this song, I see you walking out that door, wonder why it took you so long' she sung in her head as she followed him walking out the door to go see another woman "Mercy" He turned shocking her as he got to the door "I love you, you know that right, I mean..." he looked into her eyes telling her "I'm sure of that, that I love you, Ever since the day that I met you, I knew you were the girl of my dreams," he sung looking into her eyes "With all my heart babe"
"I hope so Sam" a tear fell down her face as she spoke "But we just need to sort our feelings out, we'll talk when you get back" she half smiled up at him before they hugged and parted company
Sam's journey to the airport was silent with Mercy on his mind, he knew exactly what she was thinking, singing at that moment because he was thinking the exact same thing 'You don't love me any more, let's see how you like this song, we find love, we get up, and we fall down, we give up' he hummed in his mind "Except we never give up" he smiled suddenly he knew what was important to him
Sam's Two Weeks
"Finally" Shawna smiled when he stepped out the jeep near the camp "You've been avoiding me" she walked up to him saying, Sam was surprised at how his heart raced for seeing her
"Shawna" he smiled taking her hug
"Look before you say anything about my behaviour, I'm sorry I know you belong to someone else, but you know that saying the heart wants what the heart wants" she looked up at him saying "Well mine wants yours, and I guess I'll go to hell and back to get it"
"We need to talk" he looked down at her saying "I've got a big decision... Wade" he looked up smiling for seeing his old friend "Great to see you" he moved away from Shawna towards Wade smiling, she stood watching as they greeted each other "We need to talk" he told him looking back at Shawna as he walked away with Wade
"Sam" Shawna jumped in as they walked away from her saying "I need to speak to you first"
Sam looked at Wade, wondering what to do first for a second before Wade nodded him off to go speak to her "I'll see you later I believe we share a bunk" Wade smiled walking off and leaving them to it
"What is it?" he walked up to her asking
"Come sit down" she said showing him to her bunk
"Outside here will do" he looked at her suspiciously saying as they sat on the folding chairs outside her bunk
"You know my feelings for you, I just needed to tell you stuff before Wade gave you his version" she looked at him saying "Some might call me a loose woman, slut even but I've just been unlucky in love a few times" she smiled "I paint this picture of being all hard and self sufficient but I'm not and some of the things people say about me hurt, a lot" she smiled nervously. Sam couldn't help but smile at how cute that made her look, he'd never seen her in the picture she was painting of herself, he knew a bit about being unlucky in love, he'd been there so many times before Mercy, he looked back at her to see she was still talking he'd missed what she was saying
"Sorry" he said turning to give her conversation more attention
"So I guess I'm begging you to be the one to choose me" she smiled "I know your wife would be the victim in all this, but how much do you really care about her if you're here with me?"
"Wow" Sam told her pushing his hands out stopping her flow of thought "Seriously, you don't even know my wife let alone to be presuming to know what she may or may not be feeling" Sam felt defensive of this woman pushing his relationship to the back burner for him, if anyone was going to ever do that it was Mercy and him
"I didn't mean anything bad in saying that, but you are here with me"
"Because I love my job" he told her
"Yeah but there were many other digs you could have gone on"
"There were, but this one is on my bucket list" he smiled "Shawna" he looked at her rolling his eyes "I told my wife about you before I came on this trip, I'll admit I told her I maybe had a small thing for you, but it will never be enough for me to leave my wife"
"I'll take now, just when we're on digs, I'll be your woman and your wife will still be your wife at home"
"So while my wife's making our home, you expect me to be here with you doing wrong things?"
"Its an alternative"
"No it isn't, I made a promise, if I was ever going to sleep with anyone else for whatever reason, I'd divorce her, even if it was just for a night"
"What kind of stupid promise is that?"
"One filled with respect I guess" he looked at her saying "So I guess this is me saying a very big no to what you have to offer" he told her getting up and walking away to his bunker 'But we could never be ...' he hummed over and over again as he walked
"Let me guess" Wade laughed as he walked in "She's not a slag like everyone on earth says, she's just looking for love and right now the only place she can find it is in another married man's trousers, Right?" he asked
"Something like that" Sam laughed
"She is a slag bro, I'm not even going to joke about that, and she will if you let her, break up your marriage, she's a fatal attraction type"
"Really?" Sam sat down asking "Wade I just told my wife I have feelings for the bitch, we're on some hard rocks because of it and she's a fucking slag?" he held his head saying
"And don't think that was the end of whatever happened out there just, she's a predator, you should have asked me as soon as she started her shit" he laughed "I'm laughing but I'm not Sam this is serious"
There were no cosy chats for Sam and Shawna for the rest of the trip, Sam and Wade made sure of that, but she sent him a text when they finally parted company at the airport, he didn't read it just deleted it, he needed his wife bad, he got off the plane to his phone ringing happy to see Mel's name flash up, they didn't speak often any more "Mel" he said happy until he heard her tone
"I've heard what's going on between you two, didn't I tell you everything was just going too damn fast, I begged you to wait and now we have this situation" she shouted at him
"What's going on between us?"
"Don't give me that Sam, you guys have been seeing other people, want a damn divorce, and apparently all that love you pair were showing, less than a year ago I might add, has fucking gone"
"None of that is accurate" he shouted down the phone "And how the fuck are you going to be telling me anything about Mercy?" he huffed "You know that subjects off limits, who told you all that?"
"Mercy's been talking to Dean, a lot"
"When did you and Dean become pals?"
"We're not pals our best friends just happen to be married to each other"
"And that's as far into my relationship as you go" he told her looking at the phone "I'm off home to see my wife, bye" he clipped the phone off telling her angry for her intrusion, making his way home
Mercy's Two Weeks
Mercy chest lifted as she saw Don walk into the coffee shop, her and Sam's favourite one, she'd already ordered their drinks and was sitting ready to have this awkward conversation. It seemed like hours ago, but Sam had only set off less than an hour ago and she couldn't wait to grab her coat and head to this place, determined to sort her shit out "Don" she waved catching his attention "I've got you a drink" she smiled as he walked towards her
"Mercy" he smiled sitting down and grabbing his drink "Thanks" he held it up saying "And thanks for meeting me again too"
"Look Don, I have no intention of leaving my husband" she pointed her finger at him saying "And you have to stop with the threats"
"I think I'm the one in the position, to spout conditions don't you" he stared at her saying
"I've told him about you" she stared back at him saying "I don't need you threatening me"
"You told him so, now we can be together" he said excitedly
"I just said I have no intention of leaving my husband for you, and all the mystery or whatever that was I felt went as soon as I told him" she looked at him blankly
"I thought we were getting together here?" he asked
"No I'm warning you to leave me alone, I've told him but I haven't mentioned your threats, you won't like him if I do"
"Are you daring me to bring it?"
"I guess if you carry on you'll be forcing me to bring it" she laughed getting up
"Don't dare me" he smiled a snarl on his face telling her not to test this
"I dare you" she smiled before turning and walking away "That felt fucking good" she rubbed her hands together saying before finding her car and going back home ''Let's see how you like this song, we find love, we get up, and we fall down, we give up' she hummed as she drove along "But we never give up" she smiled pulling into their home garage. Mercy's time was focused on work after that meeting, in the evenings she spent a lot of time talking to Dean about the situation she'd found herself in and what she was going to do about it.
"Just checking up on you girl" Dean said when she picked up the phone in the middle of rushing around cleaning and getting things ready for Sam's return "A little bird tells me your hubby's coming back today" he giggled down the phone
"Who's that birdie?" she asked alarms bells going off for her "Dean please tell me you haven't been relaying everything we've talked about back to Mel"
"Only the things that could help this situation" he told her
"No" she screamed "I told you he was super sensitive about Mel knowing our damn business"
"Why she's his best friend isn't she, like me she'll be wanting to do everything she can to keep you guys together"
"I don't think that's the kind of relationship Mel and I have Dean" she rolled her eyes telling him making a note to herself never to divulge anything to him about their life ever again
"I'm sorry Mercy, I feel like I've made things worse instead of better but I really did mean well" he sulked down the phone
Mercy couldn't help but imagine his sad face, making her chuckle down the phone "It's fine, we'll get over it" she laughed "Got to go he's on his way up" she told him quickly putting the phone down
Sam & Mercy
"Hi" he walked in, his arms open waiting for a running Mercy to jump into "God I missed you" he held her to him his eyes closed just taking in the feeling of possessing all that love "I'm glad to be home" he kissed her head telling her
"I missed you too" she finally looked up at him smiling "And I'm sorry about Dean, I just found out what he was doing" her eyes begging him for forgiveness
"That's fine, I've already spoken to Mel" he rolled his eyes saying "Can we talk first?" he asked as she pulled him towards the bedroom, she stopped and turned to look at him "I just need to say what's in my head" she smiled and went towards the couch and got comfortable waiting for him to speak "I think Shawna was some sort of infatuation, there really was nothing there, I'm sorry to have put you through that, I guess I'd just spent too much time with her at some point and she got into my head"
"I understand that I guess it was some of the same for me Don's a real smooth talker you know and somewhere in there it got clouded, but then I see you and I know where I need to be" she smiled "And I want to forget all about our little glitch and get on with our lives chalk it up as a life experience" she looked at him saying "And I'm sorry too"
"We find love" he sung
"We get up" she smiled running with his hand in hers across the room
"And we fall down" they fell on their bed laughing as they sung
"But we never give up" Sam warned
"Never" she buzzed as they fell into each other, their love making sealing an unsaid promise that they'd always be together no matter what, when or who tried to pull them apart