**So this story is something that popped into my head and I just had to get it out. This is also my first story with a Finn character. I was missing Cory a lot this week and wanted to write something that would express my love for both the character and the actor. I hope you guys like it.**

Disclaimer: No affiliation to Glee at all! But my love for samcedes will live on forever!

Mercedes' Motto #1: Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.

Mercedes watched the hands of the clock move, willing them to move faster as she sat on the blue counter stool. She was working the third shift, 10pm to 7am, at the diner and was only 2 hours into her Friday night shift. She was in a funny mood today and couldn't shake it. She felt antsy and restless and just wanted her shift to end. She didn't have plans for later, but she felt like something was going to happen, and the anticipation of "it" was driving her nuts.

Mercedes initially took the job as a waitress at Have It Your Way Diner this summer to pay for her books and supplies for college this fall. She knew her parents were already financially stretched with the tuition for Berklee College of Music and thought maybe she could help out by covering those other expenses. All things considered, the job was going great. Aside from the dirty jokes and cheap come-ons that she had to endure from the random customers, she loved the people she worked with and made fabulous tips. She even liked working the third shift. The restaurant was typically quiet at that time, so she could watch sci-fi movies and episodes on her IPAD for most the night. Her only real complaint was her uniform.

It was just so damn degrading. Mr. Ortiz made all of his waitresses wear white peasant tops with full floral skirts. The skirts were fine, although they had a massive split on the side that put the ladies' right leg in full display. It was the peasant tops that were the problem. The off the shoulder tops were made with a white gauzy material and had ruffles with blue stitching along the edges. The sleeves were short sleeves that stopped mid arm and the front hung extremely low, which for Mercedes meant that the customers had a hefty helping of her cleavage with their meal. Typically it worked out well for her with tips from the male customers, but she was so sick of the gross ogling and the pathetic pick- up lines that usually followed.

Her parents' main concern was that the third shift would interfere with her social life this summer. Mercedes' Mom wanted Mercedes to enjoy her summer before having to go back to her rigorous music course load. But Mercedes assured them that she intended to enjoy her break and party as much as possible. So far, her summer social events consisted of her going clubbing with Tina, Santana and Quinn. She loved hanging with her girls, because they always made the party jump. They were known for wearing the sexiest outfits and giving an impromptu singing performance. All of her girls could sing and together they were hellified! Now her dating life was another topic altogether.

Her dating life has been pretty scarce since high school. She broke up with her highschool boyfriend Shane at the end of senior year and had not dated since. It was an intentional decision. She was living under her "Mercedes' Motto #1" Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. Mercedes was not going to let impatience push her to be with somebody that she didn't really care about. Life was just too short for that. She was determined that was going to wait until the right one came, and felt sure that she would know it. This motto was often lost to her when loneliness and horniness was heavy on the brain and body, but none the less she maintained her stance.

As for tonight, all Mercedes wanted was for the night to go by quickly. She was off for the next three days and wanted desperately to get started on her mini-vacation as soon as possible. Even if that meant she would simply be curled on her couch, eating pizza and watching re-runs of Doctor Who. She twirled around on the counter stool and realized that there was exactly one person in the restaurant beside herself and Finn the cook. The customer was Mr. Hanson. He was a usual customer who came by every night at his shift as a janitor for the nearby hospital. He would always fall asleep in his soup and one of the waitresses would wake him up by 5am to go home. He was a sweetheart and always gave a generous tip.

She turned toward Finn who was talking on the phone to his girlfriend Rachel in New York. Mercedes always teased Finn about how he was the most devoted boyfriend she had ever met. He religiously called her three times during his shift and always ended his calls "Love you, love of my life". Mercedes secretly envied their devotion, but could never admit it to Finn. She teased him like the brother she never had.

Mercedes yawned as she stretched her feet to rest upon the top of the stool next to her. She knew she shouldn't have been wearing her black strappy sandals at work. But she couldn't help it! They looked so damn good on her feet and make her so sexy. Yep, this is going to be a long night, she thought as she closed her eyes. Just as that thought popped out, she heard the bell above the entrance door ring. She opened her eyes to see three guys walk in and move toward the booth. Mercedes stretched quickly and hopped off the stools. She pulled out the mirror hidden behind the counter to check on her appearance. Satisfied that she looked decent enough, Mercedes put the mirror back, grabbed her pad and walked over to the table.

Two of the guys were looking through the menu, while the other one was fumbling with a guitar case that placed in the seat next to him. His back was toward Mercedes and she could not see his face.

"Hey you guys!" She smiled at the two men facing her, greeting them brightly. "Welcome to Have It Your Way, where everything on our menu is negotiable. Atleast to a point. Why don't I grab some drink orders and give you guys some time to figure out what you are in the mood for tonight?"

The young man sitting by the window had thick black hair slicked down with a massive amount of gel. He smiled warmly at Mercedes.

"Finally somebody with great attitude tonight! We just came from a music gig with the meanest group of people you would ever want to meet. I swear I heard people hissing in there."

"Aw, that sounds awful. Where was your gig?"

"Breadstix. They have live entertainment Friday through Sunday."

"Really? I never knew that. Well can I bring you something to help you wind down from your crazy night?"

"I am going to take a soothing cup of mint tea."

"Would you like some honey and lemon on the side too?" Mercedes offered. The young man tilted his head and nodded.

"That would be amah-zing! Thank you so much…um…uh…." The man searched Mercedes' top for her name tag. "Mercedes!"

"Sure. And you?" She asked the man sitting next to him. He was dressed in a very posh green trench coat that matched his green skinny jeans. Under his trench peeked an orange and black plaid shirt. He looks much to stylish for Lima, Ohio, Mercedes thought. He leaned his head on the other man's shoulder.

"Blaine, you always know the right thing to order. Mercedes, can you make that two hot teas please?" He asked as he leaned forward, crossed his legs and folded his hands on his lap.

"Of course. And you sir?" Mercedes asked turning to the man still fumbling with the guitar case. When the guy didn't respond to her, Mercedes touched his shoulder softly. The man turned and Mercedes found herself face to face with the greeniest eyes that she had ever seen. Those amazing eyes were bordered by short sandy blond hair and the sexist, fullest pair of lips Mercedes has ever seen on a white boy.

I shall name you Mr. Emerald Eyes from this moment forward, she thought.

She was so stunned that she didn't realize that she wasn't the only one with an open mouth. Mr. Emerald Eyes was staring at the doe eyed beauty standing in front of him, with the sexiest smile and dimples he had ever laid eyes on. Her face was framed by soft raven curls that cascaded to a dangerously sinful cleavage. The awkward silence was broken by the sound of throats being cleared by the other two men who were smirking at the scene.

"I'm sorry." Mr. Emerald eyes replied. "What did you just ask me?"

"Hmm?" Mercedes mumbled still mesmerized by pools of green.

"His drink order?" The gentleman across from him interjected. The statement seemed to bring Mercedes to the present, because she blinked her eyes rapidly and started to stammer.

"Oh-oh, yeah, yeah…Um, sorry. Green- I mean, Mr. Emerald, I mean…what would you like from me? I mean, what would you like me to bring you? You know, to drink?" Mercedes cringed. Get it together, girl. She thought.

Mr. Emerald Eyes smiled a lopsided grin that made Mercedes imaging reaching over and sucking those lips till they bright red.

"No, it's my fault. I distracted." He answered, "I'll take a vanilla shake."

"Mercedes." The gel headed guy sitting by the window whispered to Mr. Emerald Eyes, who had not stopped admiring Mercedes.

"Right." He answered softly. "A vanilla shake…Mercedes." Something about the way Mr. Emerald Eyes let her name slide slowly from his lips made Mercedes feel shivers running across her arms. Mercedes felt her face flush as she nodded and backed away slowly, still facing him. She bumped into a table behind her and then quickly turned, heading straight to the counter to fill the order.

Once she got to the counter, Mercedes realized that not only could she not stop her heart from pounding a mile a minute, but she was grinning like an idiot. She pressed her hands to her cheeks and still felt flush. When she glanced back at the table, her eyes locked to a pair of green eyes that had not taken his eyes off of her. Mercedes quickly turned away and biting her bottom lip.

"Mercedes?" Mercedes lifted her head quickly when she heard Finn calling her. He was smirking at her as he watched the whole scene unfold.

"Are you alright, Diva? You seem a little…off?" Finn had never seen Mercedes this way. They have worked together for over a month now and she was always in control. Mercedes was the ultimate Diva in the diner. To see her like this made him laugh.

"Finn?" She whispered to him. Finn lifted his eyebrows.

"Is he still looking over here?" She asked shyly. Finn rolled his eyes as he tried to hide his smile. He shifted his eyes quickly, looked back at her and nodded.

Mercedes fought the smile that was creeping on her face. She tried to focus on the drink orders, but Finn's staring was making her nervous.

"What!" She finally asked. Finn laughed.

"I've just never seen you like this. You're usually so calm and relaxed. This guy must be something for you to act so nervous." Mercedes wrung her hands and then shook them. She picked up her tray of drinks and turned to walk toward the table. After a few steps, she turned her head to Finn (who was staring) and stuck out her tongue.

When she was a few steps away from the table, Mr. Emerald Eyes jumped out of his seat and took the tray from her hand.

"Man, this tray is too heavy for you to be carrying." Mercedes was stunned by the action and giggled.

"I've actually carried trays way heavier than that. But thank you anyway."

"Sam". Mr. Emerald Eyes added as he stood looking down at Mercedes. Mercedes looked up and smiled.

"Sam".

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**So I don't know if this is a long story or a possible three shot. We'll see how I feel and if you guys like it! Love you guys. Tootles xoxo

**FYI, the quote is by Carl Sagan.