Disclaimer: I don't own Glee

Pink Promise – One-shot

Mercedes's POV

His cheeks were wet. His green eyes were showing more vulnerability than I'd ever seen in them. This was it. He hadn't said a word to me as he sat at the foot of my bed. Oddly, I couldn't sit. I just stood looking at him, taking in everything about him - his sad eyes, his trembling lip. Sam was sobbing, and my heart broke.

"Baby, what is it?" I asked, barely above a whisper. My throat felt like it was closing in fear.

"I can't go. I can't leave. Puck said I could stay with him, but…" he shook his head and his hair fell into his eyes. I kneeled in front of him, brushing the hair out of his eyes and taking his hands in mine.

"Go where, Sam? I need you to talk to me. Please," I pleaded.

"Kentucky…my dad got a job."

I couldn't cry. I wouldn't, not right now. My strong man – the strong man who'd held it together through everything – had crumbled. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I said, "That's great. You guys are going to get back on your feet."

His head snapped in my direction. "How could you say that, Mercy? There's nothing great about it."

"I'm sure Kentucky will be okay."

"You're not there. Mercy, I'm leaving my heart in Ohio, and it's not fair."

"Don't…don't do this, Sam. Don't say that. Your family needs you." I was doing well, keeping up the strong front for him, until he kissed me. When his lips touched mine and his tongue gently caressed mine, I lost my composure and tears began to fall. My heart was aching, and I was dying inside.

"I fucking love you, and that's why this is so hard." His green orbs were intently staring at me, looking into my eyes with such sincerity. Sam had never told me he loved me before.

Why now? Why at this time? I shook my head trying to unhear the words, hoping they were just a part of my imagination, but he kept speaking. "Don't ask me how I know, and don't you dare second guess me, Mercedes Jones. I'm not sure how to handle not being with you. I need you to be the first person – other than my family – that I talk to when I wake up, and yours has to be the last voice I hear before I go to sleep. I can't rest easy any other way."

His lips touched mine once more, and I felt like those lips were my last lifeline. If I released him, he'd be gone forever. Sam's grip on my hand was tight, like he was thinking the same thing. Standing, I moved to sit in his lap. Moments later found me lifting Sam's shirt over his head and unbuckling his belt. "Mercedes, your parents –"

"Are downstairs, but I can keep it down."

For just a moment, the sadness was forgotten and Sam smirked. "Thought you weren't that kind of girl?"

I smiled too, thinking of the time Sam and I'd almost had sex when we'd first started dating. I told him I didn't sleep around. "I thought you said when the time came, you wouldn't question it. You'd tackle me and have your way with me," I mirrored his words from a time before.

Sam allowed me to undress him and he did the same for me, and stayed true to his word by tackling me to the bed. I laughed so hard at his antics. I would miss him so damn much. My hands ran through his shaggy blond hair. I would miss the feel of it sliding through my fingers. I spent our time together, focusing on everything about his body, committing the way his muscles looked bunched with tension and released with relaxation. I focused in on Sam's facial expressions as he made love to me for the first time. It was hard to keep quiet, but that was a part of the excitement. His lips had crashed into mine upon my released and he had kept them there to silence his own grunts a few minutes after.

We cleaned ourselves up and redressed and he just held me. I held up my pinky and he linked his with mine. "I'll always be yours," I promised. "I love you too, Sam."

"There won't be a day that I won't think of you," he promised.

Sam and I had shared so much, crammed so much into our summer together and I would always love him. There was no power on earth that could uproot him from my heart. I just didn't think that I was still in love with him, but the minute I saw him in the hallway my heart started to speak up once more. My brain kept butting in with Shane, and a tiny piece of my heart had started to form an opinion on my feelings for Shane as well. When Ms. Pillsbury suggested silence, it was just what I needed. I heard it all so clearly then, but before I could speak one word Shane came up.

In a way I was relieved. I would have been skipping a step otherwise. "Shane, study hall is in the other direction." I was confused as to why he was leading me out to his car instead.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"Alright."

"What about?"

"I love you, Mercedes," he said once we were sitting in his car.

I smiled. "I love you too, Shane." It wasn't a lie. I did love him, but I wasn't in love with him. I was about to open my mouth to say just that when he shocked me with his next statement.

"I've been talking to Sam this week."

Frowning, I said, "Really?"

"He's an okay guy. He talks about you a lot." I stayed silent because I didn't know where this was going. "I didn't know that you prefer gummy bears instead of chocolates to cheer you up."

I sided eyed him. Curious as hell as to where this was leading, but I let him talk still. "I didn't even know about the three divas sleepovers, or that you played football to help out your friends, or that you were a Cheerio. What I'm trying to say is, Mercedes Jones, I've never asked you to be anyone you're not, but I've realized that I didn't know anything about you. You like tots?"

I'd told Sam all those things without him having to ask. I'd chatter on and on about the past. Sam knew almost everything about me, but I never realized that Shane didn't know most of it. I'd stopped eating tots because they reminded me of mine and Sam's date at Breadstix. He'd never had tots, and that was the first time he'd tried them. Watching his eyes light with amazement at what he'd been missing out on had made me smile.

Tears pricked the back of my eyes as I looked at Shane. "I'm sorry," I whispered.

He shook his head, wiping away my tears. "Baby, please don't cry. We both know that I'm not what you need."

"I do love you, Shane."

He nodded. "Just not as much. I get it."

"I didn't know…Shane you have to believe me. If I'd known my feelings were still this heavy I wouldn't have ever started this."

"I'm glad you did. Otherwise, I wouldn't have met this beautiful person sitting beside me."

Shane placed a kiss on my temple. "I hope he treats you good, or he'll have me to deal with."

I laughed, wiping away the stray tears. "I'll see you in church Sunday?" I asked as I was getting out of the car.

He nodded. "And after that at your Aunt's house for dinner too. We can be friends. No hard feelings."

"Thank you."

I didn't go back inside. I went straight to my car and headed home. I didn't talk to Sam that night, Saturday or Sunday. I just needed time to think about what I was doing. He couldn't live with Finn and Kurt forever. There was just a matter of time before he would pack up and move back to Kentucky, leaving me once more. What I needed to ask myself was if I was willing this time to withstand the distance for love.

That next Monday, there was a note taped to my locker from Sam. "I can't stand to see you walk away with him anymore. If you love me, I need to hear you say it. I won't do the weird in between. I want all of you, Mercedes Jones, not just part of you. I won't share. It's all or nothing."

I'd already had a plan in motion. I'd texted both Shane and Sam to meet me in the choir room during Study Hall. Shane arrived first, taking a seat. Sam walked in next, taking one look at us both and ready to walk out the door. "Sam, please sit." He sat down a few chairs down from Shane, looking like he wanted to be anywhere else but here right now.

"I owe the both of you this, and I wanted to say I'm sorry for what I've put you both through." I nodded to the band and started to sing.

If I should stay,
I would only be in your way.
So I'll go, but I know
I'll think of you ev'ry step of the way.

I was looking in Sam's direction, hoping he remembered the night that he was trying to tell me he'd had to move. He'd considered staying, and even had a plan, but didn't want to be a burden. I walked over to him, grabbing his hand and linking our pinkies as I sang the chorus.

And I will always love you.
I will always love you.
You, my darling you.

When the next verse started, this was all for Shane. I looked at him and smiled. He returned my smile with a sad one of his own. I caressed his cheek and lifted his chin so he would look at me and see sincerity in my words. I wanted him to find happiness one day as well.

Bittersweet memories
that is all I'm taking with me.
So, goodbye. Please, don't cry.
We both know I'm not what you, you need.

And I will always love you.
I will always love you.

I hope life treats you kind
And I hope you have all you've dreamed of.
And I wish to you, joy and happiness.
But above all this, I wish you love.

Stray tears rolled down my cheeks as I backed away. I smiled at an utterly confused Sam. Shane was gesturing for Sam to go to me, but Sam was still confused. I beckoned and Shane gave him a push. He nodded to me and quietly left the room.

And I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I, I will always love you.

You, darling, I love you.
Ooh, I'll always, I'll always love you.

I took Sam's hand in mine, kissing the back of it. "If you leave, you don't get to leave your heart in Ohio. Take your heart with you this time. I'm not letting you leave me again."

Sam nodded, placing his forehead on mine with our noses touching. His eyes were practically going cross eyed as he looked down at my lips. I smiled for just a second before his lips touched mine. As we kissed, Sam's pinky linked with mine, sealing our unspoken promise to always love each other.

Hope you guys liked it! I'd love to hear your thoughts! And I can't wait to see what they really do with this on Tuesday! Thanks for reading.