Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, etc through 39th cycle. Now cycle 40!
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Go to: gleekathon [dot] tumblr [dot] com [slash] cheatsheet
** UPDATED WITH CYCLE 40 CHEAT SHEET ** Check it out to find out about shift days, starting in cycle 40!
This is a shift day [see above]. There will be another upload this afternoon: The Ties That Bind, chapter 11.
"First Visit"
Sam/Mercedes
Samcedes Firsts series (sequel to 'First Test')
It was going to be a surprise. She would go to Kentucky and she'd arrive… she'd see that smile she hadn't come face to face with since he'd driven off from Ohio to Kentucky weeks ago.
They would talk on the phone, send texts back and forth… As much as they wanted to think otherwise, it wasn't the same. They had to go on living, and physically it couldn't involve them both in the same place. They wanted to make the long distance thing work, so they would give it time to adjust.
The bus ride was spent lulled by the passing landscape… She hadn't gotten much chance to sleep the night before, too anxious for this one, for seeing him. She missed them all, really, even his brother and sister.
Getting off the bus she was given directions from the address she had. She'd sent him a couple of packages, presents and forgotten things. She wasn't sure what she expected, but it was like she'd imagined it all, the good and the bad… She saw him moved to run and meet her as soon as he saw her, just as much as she saw him with a secret new girlfriend… It was making her dizzy, she just needed to see him.
She finally made it to the house, confirmed by the sight of the family truck out front. "Mercedes!" she heard a voice come out of… above? She looked up and there she spotted Stacey's head poking out of the upstairs window, waving hand and all.
"Hey, Stacey," she waved back, shielding her eyes from the sun.
"What are you doing here?"
"Came to visit," Mercedes explained simply. "Is Sam there?"
"No, he's out," she informed her, and Mercedes sighed. "I can take you to him if you want…"
"Would you? That'd be great, if that's no trouble…"
"It's okay, I was bored anyway. Just give me a minute, okay?" she disappeared from the window before Mercedes had the chance to reply. A minute later, Stacey came bounding out the door and right into Mercedes' arms. "I missed you."
"You did?" Mercedes smiled.
"Yes," Stacey nodded.
"Do you like it here?"
"It's okay," she shrugged. "We have a house again now. That's good. Everyone's not sad anymore," she reported.
"Good news, right?" Stacey smiled.
"Yeah," she agreed.
"You like your house?"
"I get my own room!" she announced. "Sam and Stevie have to share."
"Yeah, Sam told me," Mercedes laughed.
"Except… sometimes, I get scared. Before we were all sleeping in the same room, now Mom and Dad are together, so are Sam and Stevie… and I'm by myself. Some nights I get scared, but I don't want them to think I'm a baby."
"It won't always be scary," Mercedes promised. Stacey nodded and smiled. "So where's Sam exactly?"
"He got a job at the supermarket," Stacey revealed.
"When?" This was the first she'd heard of it.
"I don't know, a few days?" Stacey guessed. "He has to wear an apron," she giggled.
"Do you tease him about that?"
"All the time," Stacey confirmed, making Mercedes smirk.
They got to the market and Stacey pointed through the window. Mercedes saw him at the end of register seven, putting items in a bag. Mercedes felt the smile come, completely captivating her face. Stacey went to the window and knocked until Sam looked up. She waved and pointed to her side. Sam's eyes locked on and he smiled, turning to tell something to the cashier. She nodded and he took off running for the exit.
"Is he going to kiss you now?" Stacey asked.
"I, well…"
"I'm going to close my eyes," she warned.
"If that's what it takes," Mercedes told her. Sam came out the door, jogged over.
"Just get it over with," Stacey begged, putting her hands over her eyes.
"I didn't know you were coming…" Sam took Mercedes in his arms then kissed her for a beat.
"That's why it's called a surprise."
"Right, makes sense," he laughed. "Stacey, put your hands down, it's fine," he looked to his sister. She blinked, finally doing as told. "My shift ends in an hour, you want to wait for me out here or go back to the house?"
"I'll wait," she smiled and he smiled back. "Or maybe I should take Stacey home and come back after."
"I can go by myself!" Stacey insisted.
"Yeah, nice try, go with her," he instructed his sister. Mercedes walked her home, returned to the market and sat outside, waiting. She almost fell asleep again, would have if it wasn't that the anticipation kept her energized.
Then there he arrived, carrying a grocery bag. "If I had more time to prepare it would have been more, but… lunch?" he asked, producing a number of ready to eat meal options.
"Yes, please," she hummed the tone of someone who was hungry.
"Good," he sat across from her and they dug in. "I'm so happy you're here," he shook his head. "Last few weeks it's been all about settling in, working together, but I missed you so much," he took her hand.
"So did I," she returned. They both knew this was necessary, the job, the house, and they were being as strong as they could without acting like she was disturbed.
"How long can you stay?"
"But is at 3:45."
"Good, gives me time to show you around." She smile, but he could see she wanted something else, not more but less. "Or we can hang at the house. I can show you around that," he went on slowly.
"Yes, please," she smiled on, and it only grew when Sam squeezed her hand.
"I'm really glad you came," he spoke with a beaming gaze.
"So am I."
"Next time though, if I get a heads up I can plan something, pick you up at the station, maybe have one of those signs with your name on it." She laughed.
"Next time."
THE END
A/N: This is a one-shot ficlet, which means that signing up for story alert will not bring you any alerts.
In the event of a sequel, the story will be separate from this one. And as chapter stories go, they are
always clearly indicated as such [ex: "Days 204-210" in the summary] Thank you!