A/N: Just a little something I thought up. Hope you enjoy! I'll update sometime later in the week.

Sam POV

"We're going to have a wonderful time just you and me without distractions okay I've been planning this outing for the longest and I want everything to go perfectly. Are you about ready honey?" Justine called out to her boyfriend Sam while she stood in front of the mirror checking her outfit out at every angle. "What do you think babe?" She twirled her bright yellow skirt flying about from her body.

"Looks good," Sam answered without even watching her he was distracted by the information on his phone. "Why are you looking like that? I said you looked good." She pouted unfazed by his response. "Fine you look beautiful and sinfully gorgeous are you happy?" He wrapped his arms around her waist she pulled back brushing herself off. "What was that for?"

"This outfit cost me a lot of money and I refuse for it to be smelling like your cologne. Yeah it smells good on you but, it won't smell good on me. I want to smell dainty and feminine" She sniffed her blouse groaning. "The smell has already set I may have to change outfits you know what I will be right back." She ran upstairs to the bedroom with Sam right behind her Justine had already taken off the outfit it was balled up beside a bag on the floor. "I'll be just a minute we can still make our three o'clock reservations."

"Take your time." Sam took the bag dumping out the garments on the bed his eyes bulged out his sockets getting a view of the price tag. "You got to be kidding me! You spent two thousand dollars. Justine!" He screamed as she came out her closet paying him no attention. "I know that you heard me you spent two thousand dollars on this skirt! It's only two items of clothing here! So you spent four thousand dollars!" She shrugged blowing kisses at her reflection in the mirror. "Aren't you going to answer me?"

"No, I'm not." Justine snatched the skirts out his hand tossing them in her closet. "Let's go I planned a great day for us and we're going to go out here like the wonderful couple that we are and enjoy it!" She shouted in his face as his phone began ringing he turned his back answering the call. "And you better not answer that call I'm tired them calling you every damn time something goes down..."

Sam stuck his finger in his ear drowning her out as he answered his phone. "Hello, no that's Justine yelling at TV okay I'll meet you there see you soon Justine I gotta-"

"Do not tell me that because I already know! I told you not to answer your phone! You just do not hear me! Go ahead and do what you gotta do you are a selfish excuse for a boyfriend and I have never..."

"And you can say the same shit about yourself because you are a pathetic excuse for a girlfriend. Don't think that this is over when I get home later we're going to pick it up right where we left off." Sam gathered his belongings and then left. As he walked out of the house he was thankful that he was on call but at the same time felt bad not for his spat with his girlfriend those, were becoming more common. He pulled out the driveway not even looking back at the house his focus was on his job and what he was about to go into. Forty-five minutes later he pulled up to the scene exiting his 2016 Toyota Camry he put on his raincoat as the light Memphis rain began to fall steadily dispersing the large crowd of onlookers that were behind the yellow tape. "Sarge!" He called out.

"Evans! This is your case you are lead as far as I know you have a 23-year old male shot in the back he's over there in the grass." He said pointing over to the body lying in the grass as CSI took photos of the body the medical examiner examining the victim. "Some folks on the scene saw him running from that way ending up here."

"Okay, Al tell me if my victim had ID on him?" He shook his head. "No, looks like was hit there, there, and right there too. Look he was stabbed to whoever knew him knew him because that is personal you stand that close to someone you don't know. Hey, Bruce, do you have someone that is willing to talk to me because it was a lot of folks out here."

"Yes I do they're taking him down to headquarters I'll process the scene and meet you there but before we leave you and I need to talk to you." Sam knew what Bruce what wanted to talk about and he didn't want to hear of it he had already put it on the back burner it was about to be thrown in his face. "Your girlfriend called my wife crying that you yelled and hit her, I don't know how many times that you and she have had it out! I've lost count, but you need to get yourself together stop treating her like she means nothing to you." Sam chewed on his tongue tapping the hood of his car. "How could you hit her? You say we don't go for anything like that. You look like you aren't in the mood?"

"You're right I'm not in the mood because I'm at work my focus isn't there it's here look whenever I feel like telling you about what's going on I will but from here on out don't come at me with my business. Will you excuse me your blocking my door?" He stepped allowing Sam to get in his car Bruce knocked on his window he put the car in gear speeding off. "We don't have nothing else to say." Sam was pissed he tightly gripped the steering wheel as his knuckle turned white. "Call Justine!" The voice activated talked back indicating it was calling Justine three rings later she answered laughing. "There is nothing funny! Why do you insist on calling my partner wife lying on me? I never raised a hand to you and you know it! What is your issue?!"

"So what I was informed in the moment I told I had to make it believable besides you know my issue! I don't like that you are being called away from me I need you to be here with me! You don't know how it feels when all of my girlfriends have their boyfriends and I'm just stag feeling like the 7th wheel."

"It's MY JOB!" He screamed. "I didn't want to bring home issues to work yet here, I am I'm hanging up on you. Bye." He arrived at the headquarters of interviewing the witness, the witness gave him some substantial information he was able to get somewhat of a clear understanding, his partner returned with more information them two worked throughout the night with into the early wee hours of the morning. "I say we call it a night I've drunk enough coffee to keep me up until we return in a few hours." He cracked his neck drinking the last of his water. "Don't like things going to waste let's roll Bruce."

"I'm right behind you." They said goodbye to the other detectives working on cases walking out into the warm Memphis summer night not a cloud in the sky stars beyond the eye can see. "I love these kinds of spring-ish summer feel nights, speaking of love care to now tell me about you and Justine." Sam hurriedly walked away being pulled back. "You not getting away we worked now you can tell me."

Sam sighed. "Fine I'll tell you it's the job that I do she knew that when she and I got together over a damn year ago that would be next month on the fourth of July that my job calls at random hours that if called I need to go she doesn't get it but what she does get is that the money I'm bringing in she spends like it's water! You know this chick purchased two damn skirts for four thousand dollars. Then earlier today she had something planned I hugged her she doesn't want to smell like me." Bruce smacked himself against the head his lips curled up in disbelief. "Yeah it's like that then she lying on me saying I hit her. It's a lot of other things too, but the job is numero uno. She's not the girl I came to love she's this snooty, uptight, snobbish, self-centered woman that it's all about her, not me."

"Wow, I didn't think it was like that but you still love her, right?"

"I do not even know, what is love? Can you show me, real love? What is it like to be in love?" He reached up snatching a lighting bug out of the air letting the insect crawl over his hand watching it take off. "Guess you can't. Well look enough chit-chat you have a good night, morning, the day you know the drill I'll see you in a few hours." Sam jumped in his car leaving the parking lot heading right, coming to the red he turned on his radio K97 was playing Mali Music "Beautiful", he bobbed his head to the smooth tunes singing along, "I put my lighter in the air for you, I see whatchu doing, yeah I see, whatchu go through. Put my lighter in the air, the truth is you're beautiful, beautiful..."The unexpected sound of someone else singing caught his attention he looked in the direction of the one with the voice his eyes landed on a lady and her young child he thought it couldn't possibly be her, he looked all around him it was just them three on the block, looking at his watch it was passed one o'clock in the morning. "It's late what is she doing on out here this late? It's way past the little girl bedtime." His mind asked him to mind his business but his heart told him to pull over. "Excuse me miss!" Sam shouted exiting his vehicle the woman and her little girl who looked to be around 3 or 4 years old stopped to face him, the woman she appeared to be no more than thirty years old, the little girl hid behind her mother as he approached them. "Wonder if you know how late it is? Shouldn't you stay here late with this your baby? You need a lift home?"

"No, I'm fine just taking her for a walk." She answered walking by him. "Excuse us."

"A walk? This late? You sure you aren't running away from someone reason I asked is because you have two duffel bags, and your daughter has a bag as well. That would bring the total to three."

"We don't-" The little girl spoke but her mother shushed her. "Sorry mommy."

"I can offer you a lift to where you need to go just jump right on in," Sam said pointed to his car. "I'm a good guy."

"Um, good guy or not I don't get in strange people cars sorry about that come on baby." Sam chuckled trying to get in front of them. "Why are you still bothering me? I said we're okay please don't have me call the police."

"No need to you're looking at one the name is Sam Evans." He extended his hand smiling looking into her deep brown eyes holding up his badge in the other. "Come on there we go. Since you know my name I'm not a stranger, but you are to me, what is your name?"

"My name is Mercedes and this is my daughter Avery Rose."

"Two beautiful names for two beautiful ladies now care to tell me where I can take you because I'm not letting you take another step on these streets with this little one I wouldn't feel right and my mother wouldn't accept me not helping a pretty lady like yourself so you better hand me your bags. Thank you." He took Mercedes hand walking to the car. "I'll be able to help you I don't have a car seat so she has to sit in the middle. I'll get these in the trunk. Let me get that back door for you, I'll buckle her in for you. That's a cute blanket you have put that over your legs. You good? Alright, give me five." Avery Rose gave him five he closed the back door opening the passenger door for Mercedes. "For you, you are welcomed. So where shall I drop you off." He asked driving through the red light.

"You do know that was a red light right. Yet you are police officer guess you can do what you want to do."

"Something like that." Sam and Mercedes engaged in a detailed conversation until he realized that. "We've been driving around for the past hour and I still don't have your address tell me the truth I won't judge you. Do you have some place for you and your daughter to rest for tonight?" She chewed on her bottom lip tears falling from her eyes shaking her head. "It's okay." He reached over brushing away her tears. "I'll put you up in a hotel but first, we need to hit up Walmart get you and Avery some necessitates maybe a teddy bear or two for her. I know what you're going to tell me, I don't have to do that for you but I am." Sam flashed her those pearly whites turning his attention back to the road few minutes later they pulled up in the parking lot of the 24-Hour Walmart. "Here we are, everyone, out I'll grab a cart and meet you inside." Once inside the store, Avery was pulling her mother's arm for the toy section. "I know exactly where she wants to go we'll visit that aisle before we leave. Which aisle you wanna hit up first you lead the way I'll push the cart. Alright, bath gel aisle I love this smells good." Mercedes placed one bottle of bath gel in the cart, I know she didn't want to take advantage of this but one, though. "Mercedes get what you want two put two in there. Now we shopping, next you need a loofah look at all these pretty colors three that works you're getting the hang of it. Avery, you like this for you? A cute character towel, you do? Take it, need maxi pads? No, some shopper had dropped off a random box of them in the toothbrush aisle." Everything Mercedes and Avery needed they got and more. "That was fun! No, no let me get the door for you. Avery is knocked out sleep I'll lay her down."

"Sorry, I got too much stuff for just the two of us. I'll pay you back for all of this I promise."

"Mercedes, don't worry about it consider this a gift from a new friend to a new friend." She smiled. "Besides, I like the way you shop as compared to my girlfriend. She shops like I have money trees planted in my backyard do not wish to annoy you with my relationship problems. So, hopefully, you don't mind me moving this but are you from around here? Because your accent."

"No, I'm not I'm from Ohio, moved here about 10 years to attend college with my boyfriend..." Her voice trailing off. "So yeah I'm from Ohio."

Sam was going to ask about her boyfriend, but he left it at that. "Ohio I've been there a couple of times for a football game. I'm going to put you up at the Best Western." She nodded. "Okay, it's not far up here." They rode the rest of the way in silence pulling in the parking lot of the Best Western he noticed that Mercedes was asleep and Avery was up. "Hey sleepyhead, that was a quick little nap, Mr. Sam is going in here and get you and your mother in a room. Stay right here okay."

"Yes, sir, do you mind if I get on the driver side and act like I'm driving?"

He couldn't deny that request even if he wanted to say no. "Come on up here put your seat belt because you never drive without your seat belt, the only rule don't blow the horn don't want to wake mommy." She gave the thumbs up. "Okay." Sam went into the lobby of the Best Western, ringing the bell waited to be helped.

"How may I help you on this night sir?"

"I would like to get a room for the week, double beds, non-smoking please how much is that?"

"That would be $944, how is this being paid for? AMEX, Visa, Discover, or Master." She asked him as he handed her his platinum AMEX. "Here you go, sign this, here are your keys, enjoy your stay."

"Thank you we will. Man, how many keys do they give you nowadays." Returning to his car Avery was still in the driver chair doing sound effects with her mouth. "I see you are enjoying yourself. You're awake I got the room let's get you two in the room and I'll unload your things." Avery jumped in Sam's arms surprising him she hasn't been around no more than an hour and she felt comfortable enough to do that, he hit the keypad locking the car taking Mercedes hand in his as they went to find her room. "Your room is on the 4th floor Avery you wanna press the button."

"Yes." She said excitedly pressing the number 4. "Four." Avery counts the floors as they light up indicating which level they're on. "One, two three, four! Mommy four!"

"That's good baby. You did it you count to four. You are a smart little girl. Sam is our room that way or the other way." He drew attention to the left. "To the left, no running baby girl! It's late do not wish to wake up the guests walk there you go. Why did you stop there?"

"This is our room. I know it I just know it. Am I right Mr. Sam?" Sam opened up the key holder then up at the room. "I'm right the tiny light turned green. Mommy this room is perfect." Avery climbed on the bed with her shoes on jumping up and down. "Weeee..."

"Avery Rose stop jumping on the bed it's late! Thank you. Sam." Mercedes flopped down on the bed kicking off her tennis shoes. "Whew this bed is so comfortable we're going to get a good sleep tonight baby."

"Yeah, mommy we going to sleep good tonight." Avery crawled beside her mother resting her head on her chest. "I love you."

"I love you more."

Sam took one of the keys leaving the others on the foot of the bed, he gathered all of their belongings returning to the room placing everything on Avery's bed the both of them were knocked out sleep snuggled up together on top of the comfortable Sam looked through the bags for the blanket Mercedes picked out. "Here it is, put this over you too and I'll be gone." He tucked it snug around them. Wrote a note to Mercedes leaving his number before he left kissed both on the forehead. "Goodnight Mercedes and Avery, I'll back later to check up on you." Getting out his phone rang, from the ring-tone he knew it was Justine. "What?" Sam answered dryly. "Where am I? Out driving around, I'll be back soon. Whatever bye." He looked down at the key in his hand, he just wanted to stay with them but he had to go home back to Justine. "After work can't come fast enough."

Mercedes POV

Mercedes sat up remembering that all of their belongs was in Sam car or so she thought she pulled the blanket off. "How did this? Sam, did he leave a note?" She slipped out of bed her socked feet padding on the carpet. "He did, you and Avery fell asleep so I let myself out, I have a one of the keys so don't be too alarmed if you are missing one, this is my phone number to my cell call me if you need anything also I left you some cash too, I'll be by later today to check in on you. PS: Secure the door don't want any harm to happen to you girls, your new friend, Sam."