Lucky Dip Diner

Off Fremont Street

"Marry you?"

Within seconds the girl in front of him had gone from being even better looking up close than she had been from a distance, to completely and utterly crazy. Cute or not, she was definitely certifiable!

Sam sighed and pressed on his temples in an attempt to relieve the tension headache which had been getting progressively worse throughout the day. It had already been a shitty day by all standards, and now it had descended to the point where he was actually being propositioned by some random in a diner! That Vegas would be full of crazies was expected, but to have one right up in his face like that after the kind of day he'd had was causing a complete sense of humor bypass. Especially as it seemed cute little Miss Crazy had already been eavesdropping on his conversation!

Thankfully her pretty blond friend had some sense and was trying to drag her back down into her seat with profuse apologies.

"She's hot! I'll do it!"

Puck, his incredibly unhelpful friend never saw the seriousness of situations. It was exactly the reason why they were in this position in the first place. Who the hell goes to Vegas early and maxes out their credit before they've even checked in anyway?

"Shut up Puck you're not helping!"

But it was too late. Crazy Girl had already turned back to them with hope in her eyes. Despite himself, Sam had to admit the crazy in her eyes was beginning to look a little more along the lines of innocent desperation. What the hell would possess a pretty woman to want to marry a complete stranger for only one week? It wasn't an indecent proposal, she'd made that clear, but something still didn't sit right with him. Marriage was a serious matter. Marriage in Vegas was not his idea of taking life seriously.

"Look lady, you seem really sweet and I'm sure you'd have to be in one hell of a pickle to think that this is your only option, but don't sell yourself out. I'm sure there's something else you can do and someone you can find who can marry you for love."

She cast him a look that was more sadness than madness. "This isn't about love. This isn't even about wanting to be in a relationship. It's purely about technicality. We do the ceremony and that's it. The bonus of me helping you out with accommodation is simply that it would be easier to find you at the end of the week to get this annulled. Then we can go back to our respective lives with no damage done."

Puck leaned forward and indicated between him and Sam. "And even if you marry one of us, we'll both have somewhere to stay?"

"We have a suite. You can have one side of it and sort out the sleeping arrangements as you want."

"I'm not sure if that's safe-"

Miss Crazy glared at her friend for voicing her concern aloud. Sure it had occurred to her too, but she wasn't going to just say it aloud in front them like that. "You and me will be sharing together and the door locks. Just think of it as adjoining rooms with living space in between."

The blond looked unconvinced but Sam could see that the ideas rolling too fast through Miss Crazy's mind for her to be giving them any true thought. It took her friend to pull her forward across the table to get her full attention again. "And what about when I'm gone? I'm not leaving you alone with two guys!"

"So stay!"

"I have a family to get back to!"

They glared at each other, clearly at an impasse until Miss Crazy began to chuckle.

"What's so funny?"

"This! All these years I've been the sensible one and suddenly it's a complete role reversal!"

"Crazy as I was, I would never have actually married a stranger!"

"But it was your idea!"

"A suggestion! I was thinking out loud! You weren't supposed to turn right around and proposition the nearest breathing males!"

"You've done so many crazy things in your life Quinn. Why won't you let me have my chance?"

"Because you're better than that! Your idea of crazy is having a couple of drinks too many or trying a different color in your hair! Even in college you thought that revising for three hours instead of six was the worst possible thing in the world that you could do!"

"But you had fun!"

"I also ended up in rehab! There's things you can do without being drastic!"

"But that's just it. I have to do something drastic or I won't be taken seriously. If daddy sees me doing this he knows I won't get sucked into his plan. All my life I've been too nice to say no. It ends today. It ends right now!"

Sam smiled. They weren't keeping their voices down and he could hear every word. The two pretty women in the next booth were at the very least, incredibly entertaining. For a second it actually drowned out his own problems.

Puck nudged him with a smile. "She sounds like a female version of you! If I can hang out with you for years I can hang out with her for a week!"

"Don't even think about it!" For some unexplained reason, the thought of Puck actually taking up the offer made him angry. "Stop trying to take advantage!"

"Take advantage of what? She's clearly in some sort of a bind. We're here for ten days by which time this would all be annulled and over. In the meantime, for a few words in front of Elvis, we get to stay in a suite instead of- where was it you booked us for tonight?"

Sam twiddled his thumbs sadly. "It's a toss-up between the Golden Gate or the Sin City Hostel."

"I already told you I ain't doing a hostel. Bedbugs be damned I'm staying in a proper downtown hotel. We'll just think of this as part of the adventure."

"Adventure? I thought this trip was supposed to be cheering me up?"

"It took you three months to actually make it here! Your heart should be healed by now! It's not like that bitch was ever actually going to marry you anyway!"

Sam simply glared at his friend but said nothing.

"Come on! You're the one who's always up for helping a damsel in distress! We get to help someone out and receive free accommodation to boot… did you not hear the word suite mentioned? And we'll be hanging out with two hot babes. You never know, the suite might not be the only thing we all end up sharing!"

"Puck! She said it wasn't like that and I believe her! I just think that marriage is a big deal. Maybe she's into something illegal or needs papers. We can't be too careful!"

"So ask!"

"I can't just-"

"Hey-" Puck stood and made his way closer to where the two women had stopped their argument and started staring back at him. "Just out of interest, this sudden request wouldn't be coming because of any kind on illegal or potentially dangerous behavior would it?"

Sam facepalmed at his friend's lack of subtlety and the two women rapidly shook their heads. "Nooooo! No no no! This is just me being rebellious. I just want to stick it to my dad for thinking he can interfere in my life. I'm way too old for him to be trying to take control."

"So they why don't you just pretend to get married? You can do the ceremony without actually getting a license."

"I know. But… let's just say he's the kind of man that would actually check."

"But why is it so important?"

She sighed and looked more sad than crazy. "Because otherwise I'll end up marrying someone I don't want to marry!"

Sam finally joined the conversation. "So just say no! Women seem to have no problem saying no to marriage proposals in my experience."

Even he was stunned at the amount of bitterness that dripped from his voice and there was silence as all three stopped speaking and stared at him. Rapidly reddening he turned back around and took a long slurp of his shake, wishing there was really such a thing as a cloak of invisibility.

Puck simply shrugged. "Don't mind my friend Mr Skeptical here. His bark is worse than his bite and he's nursing a broken heart like a bear with a sore head. But I, on the other hand have never been able to resist helping a damsel in distress, especially if it serves to help us get out of the little accommodation problem we seem to be facing! After all, it's only for a week then we straighten it all out again before we leave. Annulment mean the slate is totally wiped clean. 'What Happens In Vegas…' right?"

Sam's head snapped back as he heard his friend's words and tried in vain to interrupt him.

"So you'll do it?" The hope and excitement in the woman's eyes touched Sam's heart more than he cared to admit.

"Cedes! Think carefully-"

Sam had to credit her friend with being the sensible one even if this crazy idea had been hers in the first place.

"Quinn, what if I was to change my reason and say I just want to do this because I've always wanted to get married in Vegas! It's on my list of things to do before I'm thirty and this might be my only visit and my only chance!"

Puck simply smiled. "Sounds like an honest enough reason to me!" He held out his hand to her, "Noah Puckerman at your service ma'am! But please call me Puck. Everyone else does!"

She took the hand with a smile that was so stunning it nearly blinded both men. "I'm Mercedes. Mercedes Jones. But I'll be keeping my name if that's okay with you?"

"That's fine with me sweetheart. I totally understand this is a flash in the pan thing and we'll wipe the slate clean at the end of the week."

She waved over to the scowling blond. "This is my best friend Quinn. She's here to teach me how to be crazy without going too far."

Sam was busy scoffing at that statement when Puck pointed to him. "That lump over there is my best friend. He's called Sam and he's a boring old man!" He scowled at his friend but took the small soft hand that was offered and found himself reluctant to let it go.

She smiled as she spoke to him. "Please don't worry about your friend. He's just doing me a good deed. And I promise to make it worthwhile for both of you." Her eyes widened in mortification when she realized how her words had come out. "I mean- not in a dodgy way. I just meant that you can tag along with us until your funds come through. I'm not having sex- I mean I didn't come to Vegas to have sex- Oh shit I'm just going to shut up now before I embarrass myself even more!"

Sam smiled at her being flustered and noticed that they hadn't let go of each other's hand throughout the whole speech. The moment she noticed she snatched her hand back and cleared her throat nervously. "So, um…." Turning back to Puck she addressed him directly, "So how do you want to do this?"

"I don't mind. We're the homeless bums at the moment so we're pretty much at your mercy!"

"Yes! You're right! How about we grab your things, bring them to our hotel then go sort out the marriage licenses!"

"Sounds fine to me... Ah, but our bags are on The Strip. We arrived at 9am and checked them in at the Bellagio where we were supposed to be staying. When we left we figured as we'd tipped to leave them they could stay there until we sorted out another place for the rest of this trip."

"That's perfect. We're staying at the Bellagio too!"

"Wait! You have a suite in the Bellagio?"

Mercedes looked sheepish. "Well… I'm not the one paying for it!"

Sam opened his mouth to ask a question but was interrupted by Quinn who was looking at her watch. "Hate to interrupt guys, but as it seems like this is definitely happening, I just wanted to let you know that the Marriage Bureau shuts in an hour. If we go back up Strip to get the guys settled in the room we'd never get the licenses done today."

"It can wait until tomorrow."

"I suppose so. But the Bureau's only two blocks from here so we could do it before going back to the hotel, then once you have the paperwork you can sort out the rest whenever you're ready! And if you don't go through with it just destroy them."

"How do you even know that Quinn?"

"I have a past. You know that! Vegas and I go way back!"

Puck looked suitably impressed while Sam looked at her with suspicion. This was his first visit to Vegas too and he knew there were places he didn't want to find himself ending up by accident.

"I say let's sort out the paperwork then go back and talk through the final details. Getting the license doesn't mean we're actually married yet."

For once Puck spoke sense and they paid up and made their way out of the diner.

"This way!" Quinn didn't even need to get her bearings before she led the way.

Marriage License Bureau

Downtown Las Vegas

"It's not too late to back out!" Sam hissed to his friend as they were stood in line, the women in front, deep within their own conversation.

"Why would I back out? I like that we can stick it to the Bellagio by going back and freeloading on one of their suites after the way they treated you!"

Sam thought back to the events of the day with a sigh. It had been a complete nightmare. As they'd arrived early they didn't bother trying to check in at the desk. They'd simply handed over their bags before warming up on the slots then hitting the tables. By the time they'd come to check in, Puck had stupidly put his money where his big mouth was in an attempt to impress some ladies and had maxed out his credit card with losses. After standing in line for what felt like an age, Sam handed over his paperwork and card only to be told that the special rate offer that he thought he'd booked through a third party was no longer valid and they were being charged a rate that was nearly double without the free buffet or the room credit.

Unfortunately for him the clerk had already swiped his card. It was only after cutting their losses, cancelling the room and heading downtown for a cheaper hotel that he discovered his card was no longer working. The reason? Once his card had been swiped at the Bellagio, they'd put a hold on it for the entire 10 night stay and now there wasn't enough credit free to pay for the new room. Arguments with both the Bellagio and his bank were futile. The hold would take several days to be released and until that happened, his card would be unusable, even though he had sufficient credit and was no longer staying at the Bellagio.

He'd been fuming and it took a lot to make him lose it. Just at the point when he'd felt the shift between mortification and anger he'd looked up and caught the eye of one of the most gorgeous women he had ever seen. Her friend had caught his attention first. She looked a lot like his ex and he had sworn he would never go for a typical classic woman like her again. He'd done it all his life and it had got him nowhere. Her friend on the other hand, was everything she wasn't, short to her tall, dark to her pale, curvy to her slender, smiley to her serious. She couldn't have been further removed from what he usually went for and yet he loved every inch of what he saw. Sneaking what he thought was a discreet second look he'd found her staring right back at him, but instead of looking away he'd chosen to smile. She was just a pretty girl in a crowd who he was never going to see again so he decided to drink her in and appreciate her as the momentary distraction that she was from the second shitty argument they were having with a hotel clerk that day.

And now, somehow he was stood in line, pretending that he wasn't stealing discrete glances at her ass in what could only be designer jeans while they waited to get licenses for her to marry his best friend. Where was the justice in that?

Sure the Bellagio had it coming, but this was going a bit far wasn't it?

"I bet she's really good in bed! Strong thighs and all that…"

"She's not going to sleep with you!" Sam didn't know why he said it with such conviction but somehow he knew that it was going to be true, despite his friend being a real ladies man.

"Maybe not. But her friend might. Two hotties and one week! At least one of them will be giving the Puckasaurus sugar by the end of it, just watch me!"

"So you didn't notice the wedding ring on Quinn's hand?"

"Ring?" Clearly he hadn't. "I don't see any husband here right now. And remember, 'What Happens In Vegas…'"

"Stop saying that!"

"This is the perfect opportunity Sam. We get luxury accommodation and we get to hang out with two gorgeous girls. I can't wait to put this up on Facebook! There's definitely going to be selfies of me and the 'wife' going up soon!"

"Puck, marriage isn't a game. You ask someone to marry them because you see yourself spending the rest of your life with them, not because you're in a bind, and definitely not because you want a nice hotel room."

The response was a slightly patronizing smile. "Sam you seriously need to lighten up! This is not a normal situation. Nothing that happens in this city is a normal situation! You can't apply regular rules to the one place that's the greatest exception!"

"I know, but-"

"But nothing Sam! I swear you're my friend because we're chalk and cheese and we balance each other out. But this time I don't get it. Usually you're all over yourself to help a woman out."

"I'm not saying Mercedes doesn't need help, I'm just saying that this isn't the right way to do it! And Quinn agrees with me!"

"Quinn sounds like she's made more than her fair share of Vegas mistakes. It's her friend's turn now. She'll be able to tell her grandkids that she got married in Vegas. How many sensible women have that tale to tell?"

"Not everyone is proud to act like that."

"Yeah, well then it's a good job I'm here to do the right thing by her. I have the feeling she's desperate enough to ask a complete psycho if she's not careful. Better us than anyone else eh!"

At least that was something Sam could agree with. "Better us than anyone else!"

"NEXT!"

Finally they'd made it to the front after waiting in line for nearly half an hour. It seemed like the whole of Vegas knew the Marriage Bureau was closing and was trying to get in before the doors were shut. Mercedes and Puck stepped forward to the woman behind the screen while Sam and Quinn stood back and watched.

"I can't believe she's actually going through with this!" Quinn cast an anxious stare at her friend who was speaking to the woman through the glass.

"I can't believe Puck's going through with this either. He's generally not the kind of guy who 'follows through' on things once the novelty's worn off."

"Hmmm…"

"But he's not dangerous either."

Quinn turned and watched them carefully as they stood filling out forms. "I know. I have a sixth sense around guys and if you two had made me anxious in any way I would have dragged her away already."

"You're a good friend."

"She's been a good friend to me. Better than I deserved for a long time. She put herself on the line for me over and over so if she says she's in a crisis I drop everything and I come. I wouldn't have the normal life I have now if it wasn't for her."

"So she must be in a real crisis to be doing this!"

"Mercedes has always been the level headed one in all the years I've known her. The only time I've seen her act out was when she was feeling trapped. She's clearly feeling very trapped right now and is trying to find her own way out of it without hurting anyone."

"FUCK!"

They turned from their conversation to see Puck madly emptying all his pockets with an expression of pure panic. "Sam! Sam have you seen my wallet?"

"No-"

"Sir, you have to produce a valid form of ID or I cannot issue the license and will have to call the next person in line." The woman's monotonous voice held not an ounce of compassion or sympathy for the man's panic. Mercedes looked petrified and tears started to stream down her face. "Oh lord! Please find it!"

Puck was beginning to shake. "We have to call the police!"

Sam stepped forward and touched his arm. "Think Puck, where did you last see it?"

He stopped for a second. "At the Bellagio. I put it on the front desk when we tried to put half the rooms on my card."

"And what pocket did you put it back in?"

Puck frowned. "I don't remember taking it back. Do you think the clerk took it?"

Sam shook his head. "No. They have cameras. They would have kept it for you."

"I don't know, maybe I should tell the police."

"We're going straight to the Bellagio after this. Let's just ask when we get there and if they don't have it then we'll report it-"

"Sir! If you can't produce ID then stand aside and stop holding up the line!"

Sam glared daggers at her complete lack of sympathy. He cast a look at Mercedes who looked distraught with Quinn attempting to console her. Her shattered expression hit him right in the gut and he thought about Puck's words of how it was better that they were the ones doing this than anyone else.

Going against all his better judgment he made a decision that he just knew he was going to regret. Pulling out his wallet he produced his driver's license and shoved it in front of the cantankerous woman behind the glass screen.

"Give me a form! I want to apply for a marriage license…"