Hi! Here it is the fourth chapter of the story ^^ Hope you like it! Thanks to Anni again who translated it and thank you all for your amazing reviews and your alerts and favourites. I never thought to have so many reviews from the story. I'm so happy you like it, you don't know. :D Thanks again!

And iIf you haven't already done so please check out "Shining Light" by the wonderful jericho2k. You'll love it! :)

As always, Sam's thoughts are written in italic.

Disclaimer: Glee isn't mine. Just the truck. ;)

The World through the Glass

Talk to me about your dark room

Your sleepless nights and your heat

Call me and I'll be at your side

Don't ask me who I am because I don't know

They walked back to the truck without speaking or looking at each other. They were feeling their hands joined together as though it was the most important thing in the though they felt that what they had would be gone from one moment to the next and they didn't want that to happen. They had been through situations that had changed them, situations that had made them stop seeing each other as enemies. They weren't any more. Something had changed inside. Now they worried about each other and they supported each other. They looked after each other. There now existed complicity between them but there were still walls to breach and fears face.

Sam opened the passenger door letting go of her hand reluctantly and helping her to climb in without her complaining as she normally did each and every time. Then he slowly walked around the front of the cab, climbing into the truck and sitting down in his seat. His hand fished the keys out of his pocket to put them in the ignition but instead of doing so he leaned his head back against the seat and closing his eyes for a few seconds.

"Sam…" she called him making him open his eyes to listen to her.

"What?" He said sarcastically drawing out the word.

"What are you doing?"

"I am resting. Can't you see?" He shut his eyes again leaning his head back. "You made me run Mercedes. You can put it down to the fact that I haven't slept until now, but I still feel sore from Tuesday's beating and yesterday's session…"

Mercedes pulled him up to stand taking him by surprise and making Sam push her without realizing it.

"Calm down! I just want you to go to the back cowboy" she told him amused.

"Not again Mercedes"

"Don't argue with me her Sam. You just told me you haven't slept the whole night. You're not seriously thinking of driving like this are you?" she said wrinkling her forehead in disagreement.

"Of course not. I was only resting for a few minutes and then I'll be able to go back on the highway" Sam watched her raise her index finger and signal to him to move to the rear without saying anything.

He shook his head making her more angry than she already was.

"Do not make me tell you again Blondie."

"You gonna make this into a habit Mercedes Jones" he said getting up and moving to the rear "you will make me sleep during the day and drive at night" He replied amused.

"I'm not the one, who decided to drive to Portsmouth" she reminded him "if you got your sleep pattern mixed up that's your problem."

"Exactly. I can go back to my seat then" he said getting up from the bed.

"No way" she replied pushing him back down to lie on the bed "you going to sleep for a bit and then I'll wake you up to continue the journey. Do you trust me?"

"No"

"When you should start trusting me if you want me to travel with you"

"I don't trust you. Yesterday you tucked me into bed at four o' clock in the afternoon and I woke up at eleven at night. I'm not going to go to sleep again. Who knows if I'll ever wake up again? You probably are planning to murder me while I'm sleeping."

"Without a doubt! It's all in my plans,"she replied laughing "along with stealing the truck and driving across the United States with you dismembered in the fridge." Sam started to laugh and covered himself with the sheet.

"Don't let me sleep too much mercedes. I beg you. We can't afford to lose another day of travel."

"Sam, trust me." With those words he fell asleep.

Mercedes had watched him sleep for a few hours, sitting on his bed watching over him until she fell deeply asleep again. She had not been able to help it. His bed was too comfortable and he was sleeping so peacefully that it had invited her to sleep soundly at his side.

"A mouse! A mouse!" Cried Sam waking her up abruptly.

"Where?" She shouted getting up beside him. Mercedes watched as he started to laugh raucously and hit him on the arm making him fall down on the bed again.

"You're an idiot," she said getting up quickly.

"And you're a liar," he replied tapping on the forehead with his finger "you told me "trust in me Sam I won't let you sleep" and the one that went to sleep was you."

"It's not my fault the bed is so comfortable,boy." He shook his head as he let out a small chuckle.

"What time is it," he asked.

"Well…" she looked at the clock in the truck "it is 11. You've slept for 4 hours. How do you feel?"

"Better than before without a doubt. But I'm so hungry I could eat, I don't know… Anything."

"That's nothing new. Especially if you take into account we haven't had breakfast"

We haven't had breakfast…

"Come on move yourself and let me sit in front. We will continue on the journey until our stomachs start to complain and make us stop to eat."

She moved to the front of the cab and waited for him to do the same.

"I thought yours already started to complain," she said while he sat down and switched the engine on.

"Oh yes it has but I need to get out of here. Remember today we are going shopping," he smiled at her.

"Wasn't that yesterday?" Sam looked at her strangely.

"Unless you a sleepwalker I would have sworn that yesterday we didn't buy anything on my list," he held the steering wheel with his left hand while he took out a small piece of paper from his pocket and passed it to her.

"What is this?" She asked him taking it from him.

"You heard. It's the list of all the things you need." Mercedes looked at least for a couple of seconds, and then began to read out the things that he had written down.

"Panties, bras, socks, skirts, blouses… What is this? A suspender!" He quickly snatched the paper out of her hand and put it back in his pocket and looked in the other pocket.

"It wasn't that one," he smiled "it's this one"

He passed her the new piece of paper which she took reluctantly.

"A suitcase? What do I need a suitcase for?" She asked bewildered.

"To put everything I am going to buy you in," he said astounded.

"Sam, I really don't need all this stuff. Trousers, T shirts, sweaters, shoes… Are you seriously thinking of buying me all this?" She asked passing it back to him.

"Yes and a wash bag with a toothbrush, comb and anything else you need in it." Mercedes looked at him astounded.

"Why you doing all this?"

"Because it was my fault you lost your bag. You were left without money because of me; it's my way of saying sorry."

"I thought you told me that it wasn't your fault," she looked at him gobsmacked. What on earth had happened that had made Samuel Evans want to give her suitcase full of clothes?

Of course! That stupid promise.

"Who cares!" He exclaimed

"I can't accept all this. I might have accepted that you pay me to travel with you, Sam. But there is no way I can accept you buying me with clothes."

"I'm not buying you with clothes!' he cried without being able to control himself "I don't want to keep seeing you in the ones you are wearing, ok?"

"Why not?" she asked sadly. "Don't you like them?"

Of course he liked them. He loved them! They drove him crazy. He didn't respond and after a couple of minutes without receiving an answer she gave up.

"You want to buy me clothes? Fine! But you're not coming with me to buy them!"

"Why not?" he asked disappointed.

"Because you don't like what I'm wearing," she said annoyed.

"I do like them!" he shouted helpless.

"So why don't you want me to wear them?"

"I've got my reasons, Mercedes."

"And you're not going to tell me. Why not?"

He shook his head. What could he say? That the clothes she had on didn't let him stop looking at her all day? That every time the jacket slipped it also took the T-shirt with it? Or that her jeans traced her ass in a way that would only lead him to certain death? Or her heels. Her heels had driven him mad throughout three long days and nights.

"I want to go with you," he told her "let me come" He waited patiently for her 'no' but it never came.

"Fine, but there is no way you're coming underwear shopping with me." She said seriously.

"Damn it! I had all these dreams…" Sam saw her face light up at the same time as her beautiful smile appeared.

She watched him drive, his gazed fixed on the road ahead, without wavering, without ever losing concentration.

"Sam," she called him. He didn't look at her though, his focus was on the road even though he was listening to her.

"Yes?"

"Thank you, thank you for everything you've done. I know that it's because if that promise, I know."

It's not because of the promise.

Sam nodded his head without replying, something that Mercedes hated. What did she expect? That he was going to say that there was nothing to thank him for? She was very much mistaken if she had thought that about Samuel Evans, very much mistaken

"Thank you," he whispered almost inaudibly.

"What?" She thought she had heard wrong.

"Thank you"

"What for?" why was he thanking her?

"For making me laugh all the time," he said hoping his cheeks wouldn't betray him again. Mercedes' mouth dropped open in shock. He was thanking her for making him laugh? And now he'd tell her that the reason she made him laugh is because he liked to make fun of her.

"You like to laugh at me, right? That's what you mean to say?"

"Of course not! I do not make fun of you. I'm saying that you make me laugh, Mercedes. You're fun and you've made the journey less boring," Sam chose his words carefully so that they would not be taken the wrong way.

"I'm sorry," she said quickly, ducking her head. "I thought…"

"I know what you thought. Don't ok? I'm sorry I was rude when we met. I'm just like that, I can't help it. But I suppose after everything we've been through we now see each other in a different light. At least we're not trying to kill each other."

"Oh no?" she asked, amused.

"No"

"You thought I was going to kill you while you slept"

"Very funny," he said trying to keep his gaze fixed on the highway but it was impossible. Her laugh had made him lose concentration and her smile made him lose his lust for driving.

Lose my lust for driving? Dear God, it's worse than I thought...

Frightened, his expression changed quickly.

"What's wrong, Sam?" she asked worried.

"I'm hungry," he said without thinking.

"Oh," she nodded her head and relaxed, leaning back in her seat "I don't think we're too far from the next city"

"Look," he said pointing at a sign a bit of a way off. "Richmond Kentucky, three kilometres."

"About fifteen minutes?" she calculated.

"Maybe less," Sam looked at her out of the corner of his eye as they passed the sign.

"Richmond Centre. Is that where we're going?" she asked curious.

"Yep right there. You'll love it Mercedes," he gave her his best smile.

"Are there puppets?" she asked laughing.

"I don't have a clue but it has a square filled with beautiful flowers. And lots of shops…and restaurants…and a cinema. They have a cinema too..." he said excited.

Mercedes looked at him, the smile disappearing off her face. What had happened? Had he said something wrong?

"I don't like the cinema," she said sadly, although she hid her face so that he couldn't see the tears forming in her eyes.

"Why not?" he wanted to know "What kind of girl doesn't like the cinema? I don't mean action films but one of those romanctic fims…I'm sure you like them."

"No," she shook her head without looking at him.

Sam couldn't understand why all of a sudden the atmosphere had turned cold between them. He felt she was still hiding something even though he had told her his life story. He only knew that her mother had died and that her father, the son of a bitch, had left when he found out he was going to have a baby. He also knew she was headed to Alabama but no idea why. He didn't know her. He didn't know anything about her and he was dying to get to know her, for her to tell him everything she had been through. Deep down inside, Sam knew she would never tell him. He would have to be content with the little that he was discovering about her. And for the moment he had found out that….he should never take her to the movies.

Ten minutes later he parked the truck in the carpark of the mall. Mercedes had not spoken to him again much to his chagrin. Sam felt as though he had put his foot right in it although he really didn't know why. He jumped down from the truck and ran to open her door and help her down but she had got there before him, climbing down without help, much to his dislike. What had he done that had affected her so badly? Mercedes no longer talked to him, wouldn't even look at him and he was beginning to get worried. He needed to know what had upset her but at the same time didn't dare ask. What if she got even more annoyed? If he took his eyes off her for a second and she left? Oh God no! He couldn't bear to lose her again. And if it happened this time, he wouldn't have a clue of where she might have gone.

"Come on lazy! I'm dying of hunger," he tried to break the ice pushing her gently at the same time as tickling her waist gently. Then he walked in front of her expecting her to follow. He didn't look back as he didn't want to see the expression of disgust which was on her face lately.

They went into the first restaurant they came too and sat next to the window, looking outside whilst one of the waiters came over to serve them. Mercedes ordered reluctantly making Sam get annoyed at the fact that she intended on not eating again.

"You're going to eat, Mercedes" she looked at him pursing her lips.

"Hey, I'm serious. Don't start like you always do. If you won't eat I'll have to feed you and I don't think you'd like that."

"No Sam. Don't you start again. Pay attention to your own food and try not to vomit it back up as soon as you've eaten. Leave mine alone."

He stared at her openmouthed. How could it be possible that they were back to the same situation as before? Sam had thought that the hatred they had felt for one another was a thing of the looked like he'd been wrong. Mercedes had put her armour back on. Had built a wall right in front of him; a wall which would take a lot for him to break down.

"I'm sorry," he apologised. He wasn't sorry, not in the slightest. He was worried about her, very worried. He couldn't help it. Everytime she got angry with him, she wouldn't hadn't eaten since the day before. Stupidly, he hadn't taken her for breakfast. What was it about Mercedes Jones that made him forget everything? She relaxed a bit looking through the window at the square filled with flowers that they had passed to get there.

"Here you go…enjoy," the waiter said, leaving their plates on the table. Sam waited for her to start eating before he did, but she didn't. She picked up a fork and moved the food about the plate from one side to the other.

"Mercedes…" he said warningly.

"I'm not hungry. You can eat it like I did with your sandwich." She said annoyed.

"If you don't eat I'll do what I said before. You don't want everyone to see me feeding you right?" Mercedes put the fork down and shoved her chair back, letting him know how little she cared about everyone else.

"Fine!" he said standing up. "Move along a bit"

"Hey! What are you doing?" she asked raising her hands to stop him.

"I'm going to feed you, I already told you," Sam put his chair down next to hers.

"No way! I'm not a baby!" she pushed him before he could sit down "Go back to your own seat,"

"Mercedes, honey" he said looking around "The entire restaurant is looking at us. Control yourself a bit," She snorted annoyed.

"I don't want to eat," she repeated as he sat down beside her.

"Right…Come on give me that fork," He moved his hand to grab it but her hand grabbed it first beginning a battle to win the damned utensil.

"Let it go Sam," she said feeling his agitated breathing too close to her "Let go of it now" But there was no way he was giving in. He had decided to feed her even if she died of shame. Even if all the diners in the restaurant stared at them. Even if he didn't eat anything again.

With his other hand he fastened his fingers on her hand trying to get her to let go of the fork. It was at that moment that she let go of it as though she had been burned. The fork clattered on the table while she raised her fingers to her mouth.

"For God's sake!" she said trying to soothe them. "What was that!" she asked wide-eyed whilst she waved them around in the air.

"What was what?" he said grabbing the fork off the table and using it to pick up some spaghetti.

"You gave me an electric shock, Sam," and immediately as she said this he put the forkful of spaghetti into her mouth, taking her by surprise.

"Umm." She groaned trying to chew and breathe at the same time as he picked up yet another mouthful from the plate.

"Swallow, Mercedes. Here comes more," She still had her mouth full and she held the fork down on the plate whilst moving her fingers to show that she was not going to eat any more.

"You're going to eat everything that's on this plate, whether you like it or not. Swallow, come on," She shook her head, swallowing finally what he had force-fed her.

"No, no way," she said closing her mouth quickly in case he tried to take her by surprise again. But Sam didn't care. He raised the fork to her mouth staining it with tomato sauce.

"Open up, Mercedes," said Sam seriously. She pulled back a couple of centimeters from the fork and shook her head. Sam didn't know whether it was due to the hunger he had or because her mouth was stained with tomato sauce but in that moment he would have given anything for her to allow him to kiss her. He wanted to so much! His eyes would not stop gazing fixedly at her mouth and Mercedes had become aware of it her hand lifting towards her face with the intention of wiping it. But his hand got their before and his thumb stroked her lips, cleaning them.

For a couple of seconds which seemed like minutes to both of them, Sam didn't stop caressing her lips with his fingers. Mercedes sat still, too still observing how he stared intensely at her lips. Was he planning to kiss her? If he did, how would she react?

But he didn't kiss her, he dropped his hand slowly away from her mouth and looked down at the plate. He grabbed the fork and made her eat again. This time she didn't resist. She opened her mouth and ate the food without argument. Scared that he would stain her lips and caress them again.

"Sam," she said, once she had swallowed "I can carry on myself, ok? I understand that you won't stop until I've eaten everything. Go back to your own seat or I'll have to feed you now."

"Really? Ok!" he said grabbing his own plate and putting it down at her side. "You can start feeding me now,"

"Are you kidding? I'm not feeding you."

"Come on, I fed you," he said, laughing "And I'm dying of hunger…don't I make you feel sorry?"

"No," she said shaking her head while she picked up his fork and placed it in his hand. "Go on, eat"

Sam grabbed it and wrapped some spaghetti and ate them quickly, staining his own mouth. Mercedes started laughing.

"Whaff's wong?" he asked chewing at the same time. She shook her head grabbing a napkin and wiping him.

"You're a disaster, do you know that?" she told him whilst laughing. Sam nodded whilst he swallowed and gave her one of his smiles.

"So…you'll feed me then?" he asked hopefully.

"No" she pronounced.

"I had to try," he replied getting up and moving his seat back to its original place. "Eat"

She rolled her eyes and picked her fork up eaten another mouthful of food.

"Happy?" she said once she had swallowed it down.

"Yes," he replied whilst he ate his own meal. "What do you want for dessert?"

"Nothing."

"What do you mean nothing? Of course you have to have dessert! There is no good food that isn't followed by a good dessert! I'm going to order chocolate pie with cream. And you?"

"I don't want anything Sam. Really," she protested.

"Ok well I'll just ask for a double helping and share it with you," he said,smiling.

"You won't let it go will you?"

She watched as he quickly wolfed down the rest of his meal and raised his hand to call the waiter.

"Double helping or another plate for you?" he asked.

"Double helping then," she replied, amused. She bit her lip and looked briefly at the waiter causing him to go red with embarrassment whilst he wrote the order down.

"Ok you heard that, right? Please bring me a double helping of chocolate and cream pie. My girl wants me to share it with her." he said, winking at him. The poor boy left hurriedly towards the kitchen.

"You frightened him," she laughed.

"For sure…eat your spaghetti" She rolled her eyes…didn't he ever get tired of making her eat? She picked up her fork and finished her meal. The waiter brought out the dessert and two spoons quickly and took the rest away.

"It looks good! Come on Mercedes, eat" Sam said picking up a spoon and cutting into the pie and lifting it to his mouth.

"Slowly, Sam. Or it'll sit badly with you like yesterday," she reminded him, grabbing her spoon to do the same. Ten minutes later the pie had gone and Mercedes could barely move because of all that she'd eaten and Sam was trying to wipe the cream off as she laughed at him.

"I can't eat anything else!" she said trying to stop laughing. "I hope you don't want to go shopping now, I'm not going to fit in any trousers."

Sam flagged the water down for the bill and he leaned over the table to whisper.

"All the more reason to buy skirts," Mercedes rolled her Evans was never going to change and deep down inside she was grateful for it.

"Come on," he said holding out his hand once he had paid the bill. "Let's go"

She took it and got up slowly so that the food that she'd eaten did not make her feel ill.

"Are you ok?" he asked worried as they left the restaurant hand in hand.

"I've eaten too much," she said pouting.

"Let's sit down on one of the benches in the square. We've got time…Actually we've got the whole afternoon."

When they got to a bench Mercedes let go of his hand and they sat down side by side. They sat there for half an hour without speaking. Quiet. Just feeling each other's nearness. They didn't have to talk to feel comfortable silence let them see that. Sam had never been this way with any girl. By her side, being with her, caring for her, protecting her without expecting anything in return. It was a new experience for him.

"Come on Sam. Or we'll stay sitting here all afternoon," she said holding out her hand to help him up.

I wouldn't mind staying here as long as you were here with me.

He took her hand, standing up but they let go quickly, walking towards the mall side by side.

"Where do you want to go first?" he asked.

"I have no idea. Where's your list…the good one please,"

Sam smiled at her amused and fumbled in his pocket passing her the piece of paper.

"Shoes I need shoes. These are killing me," she said gesturing at the heels she had on.

Believe me, not just you.

"Shoes? Ok, how do you want them?" He said smiling.

"Without heels." She replied and he burst out laughing.

Finally she bought two pairs or shoes; one pair of flats and another pair which were double the height of the heels she had worn through the journey. She had also gone into an underwear store, having gotten really annoyed with him so that he didn't come in with her and bought two new sets of underwear. Then they had bought some sweaters and t-shirts and had stopped at the drugstore to buy a toothbrush and everything else she required.

"You need pyjamas," he said as they left the luggage shop "If you want to sleep in the bed in the truck you need them,"

"You're going to let me sleep in your bed?" she asked excitedly.

"Only if we buy you pyjamas,"

Mercedes nodded her head and grabbed his hand pulling him and the bags he was carrying.

"Come on then. Let's go buy pyjamas!" Sam smiled and followed her laughing. Mercedes Jones was going to ruin him! But it was worth it just to see her smile. One set of pyjamas and two vests later they finally went to get some trousers.

"These will look great, miss. I'm sure they're your size," said the assistant with a friendly face. Mercedes looked at her doubtfully but took them anyway in the changing rooms while Sam watched her intently. Closing the curtain she took off her trousers to try the new ones on. Just as she had thought the trousers were at least two sizes too big. Great! The assistant obviously had no clue about sizing. Now she had to put her ones back on and ask her to get some smaller ones.

"How are they?" Sam asked from the other side of the curtain, startling her.

"Awful," she replied sticking her head out. He moved closer to the cubicle to avoid shouting.

"Why… don't they fit?" he asked curious and for the first time he was not using a joking tone. Mercedes opened the curtain enough so that he could see how they fit. She grabbed the trousers around the waist and pulled them away from her skin like they were elastic.

"They're huge! I need them at least two sizes smaller. See?"

No. What Sam could see was her new set of underwear peeking out from under the trousers and killing him slowly. She had bought it half an hour ago and already had it on. Breathing deeply, Sam nodded.

"Yes they're way too big. Take them off and I'll ask the girl for the right size," Mercedes closed the curtain again starting to take her trousers off. Just as she was about to take the other leg out Sam burst into the changing room running and pushing her against the wall.

"For God's sake Sam! What are you doing in here?" she asked pushing herself off the wall and recovering her balance at the same time that he sut the curtain covered his eyes with his hand.

"I'm not looking, I'm not looking! I swear I'm not!" he said turning his back.

"I don't believe you," she replied taking off her trousers. "What happened?" Still in the same position he replied.

"I was out there minding my own business waiting for the trousers when an old woman came out from one of the cubicles and accused me of watching her as she got changed." Mercedes tried not to laugh but she couldn't help it. He turned with his hand still over his eyes.

"Did you do it? Did you spy on her?" she asked forgetting she had taken her trousers off and was holding then in her hand and that her legs were completely bare in front of him.

"Of course not!" he cried uncovereing his eyes and noticing her bare skin. He trained his gaze on her eyes to avoid the temptation of looking at her beautiful legs and her sexy underwear. "Are you crazy!"

Mercedes pulled the curtain back a couple of centimeters, just enough to stick her head out and see if the old woman was still out there, giving Sam the opportunity to admire her new panties from behind.

"I can't see here," she said seriously. "I'm sure you scared her Sam. Are you sure you weren't watching her?" she asked him arching an eyebrow.

"Please, Mercedes. Do you honestly think that I'd be spying on an old woman when I could be looking at you?" said Sam looking at her legs briefly. She followed the direction of his gaze and suddenly remembered she was in a state of undress in front of him. Hysterical, she pushed him out shoving the trousers at him and crying "Get out of here! And bring them in my size!"

She leaned on the wall closing her eyes for a moment, giving thanks that she had worn her new underwear. She turned around looking at herself in the mirror. Her appearance was horrible but at least her new panties had saved the situation. However she badly needed a shower and to wash her hair. She brought her face closer to the mirror, noting her tiredness. She had been through a lot to arrive here. Nothing was left of the Mercedes Jones that had left home determined to devour the world, leaving nothing insecure, distrustful, shy Mercedes Jones. Everything had changed the moment she had met Sam Evans. He, a natural disaster, had arrived in her life to get it into order. After everything she had been through she had trusted in someone again and that person had been precisely the least person she could have expected.

"Two sizes smaller," he said from the other side of the curtain. Mercedes tuck her hand out waiting for him to pass them to her.

"Stay outside," she replied taking them into the cubicle. She tried them on quickly and just as she had thought the fit her perfectly, like a hand in glove.

"How are they?" he asked. Mercedes opened the curtain slowly coming out of the cubicle barefoot.

"I think they fit me nicely," she said, twiling around.

Nicely? Mercedes, you're killing me.

"They're not too tight?" he asked worried. "Can you breathe ok in them?"

Because I can't.

"Yes of course," Mercedes looked at him doubtfully. "Do you like them?"

"They're ok," he replied trying to distract himself. "You know I saw an adorable dress outside,"

"Sam…" she protested "I'm not buying any dresses." She turned around opening the curtain to go inside. He put out a hand to stop her turning her towards him.

"Come on, just try it on," he begged her with a pitiful face.

"What colour is it?" she asked shaking his hand off. Sam though about it for a couple of seconds before replying.

"Purple" He watched her smile.

"Ok bring it here. But only because it's my favourite colour." She said, amused as she sent him towards the store.

"Purple's your favourite colour? You should have told me earlier! There's a purple skirt over there…" he said turning to point out a rack where the skirt supposedly was.

"Sam…don't tempt fate," he raised his hands up.

"Ok I'm sorry. I'll go get the dress."

Mercedes watched him leave, tracking his path to the assistant. They went to the shop window and it was impossible to keep watching them due to the clothing racks between them. She turned around and went into the cubicle, shutting the curtain.

Sam was right. There were a bit tight, but they were the first pair of trousers she had found in a long while that she liked the way they looked on her. Her backside looked nice in them, to her way of thinking. If she had to hold her breath to wear them, she would glady do it. Wanting to look nice had its inconveniences and this was one of them.

"Here you go," said Sam expecting her to open the curtain but she only stuck her head out looking at the dress he brought on a hanger.

"It's very pretty!"

"Of course! Come on try it on," he said passing her the hanger quickly with a smile from ear to ear. Mercedes took it excitedly and retreated back into the cubicle to try it on. It was lovely and it fit her perfectly but the zip was in the back and she couldn't reach it.

"Sam," she called. However he didn't reply so she put her head out again.

"Sam, can you come in for a moment?"

"What do you need?" he asked once inside. Mercedes turned around showing him her bare back and picking up her hair with her hand.

"Can you do it up, please?"

"What?" he asked confused. She turned back around, hair falling down her back seeing his look of disconcertion.

"The zip, Sam" she explained grabbing her hair with her hand again making the dress slip down her left arm being as the zip was undone. Showing him how well her new bra went with her panties.

"Of course, Sam tried to tear his gaze off her breasts hurriedly, before she realised. He had the good or bad luck depending how you looked at it, that the zip was located at the bottom of her back, just where her backside was hidden underneath her underwear. Sam tried to calm his trembling hands before grabbing the zip. He didn't want her to see he was nervous. He didn't want her to see that he was dying to take the dress of her instead of helping her to put it on. His hand grasped the zipper while the other held the material of the dress and he began to do it up, slowly, brushing her skin at times with his fingers. Noticing how it was now done all the way up Mercedes spun around in front of the mirror.

"It's lovely!" she said stroking the material with her hands.

"Yes, it is," he smiled in agreement "we're taking it."

Mercedes turned around quickly ready to argue.

"No Sam, I don't need a dress," she said seriously.

"Get that idea out of your head, Mercedes or I'll buy you the skirt as well"

Half an hour later, they went back to the truck with loads of bags in their hands and a suitcase full of clothes.

"I can't believe it's nighttime already," Mercedes cried climbing into the truck. "We've spent the whole day shopping. Are you sure you're not a girl?" she asked, amused.

"Do you want to prove it?" asked Sam jokingly.

"No thank you. I believe you"

They put the packages in the back of the truck leaving them on top of the bed and sat down in their seats rapidly. They agreed to drive to a small motel on the outskirts of town, where Sam slept whenever he was nearby. They couldn't stand to sleep another night without having a good shower. They drove for an hour until they reached the 'Sun of Richmond' motel and they stopped they got down they after having placed Mercedes' things in the suitcase and Sam's in his travelling rucksack. When they walked into the motel the owner welcomed them with open arms.

"Sam Evans! Long time no see!" Mercedes watched how the man who had previously been behind the bar stepped forward to give an effusive hug to her travelling companion.

"Too long, Jerry" he replied clapping him on the back.

"Wow! You finally got a girlfriend?" Mercedes looked at Sam waiting for him to get her out of the erroneous assumption the motel owner had come up with in his mind.

"Not really. Mercedes is my travelling companion." The owner nodded his head gesturing an apology to Mercedes.

"This is Mercedes Jones. Mercedes this is Jerry Forks."

"Pleased to meet you" she said quickly moving forward to shake his hand.

"Pleasure is all mine, Mercedes" Jerry replied squeezing her hand and giving her a friendly smile. "What brings you here? Are you coming to say hello?"

"We need a room with two beds. We'll stay here the night and then leave tomorrow at first light," Sam informed him.

"Oh God! I don't have any rooms with two beds left. I've only got one bed rooms. You can have two rooms," Jerry suggested.

"No, no" Mercedes replied quickly making them both turn towards her bemused. "We don't need two. We don't have a problem sharing"

"Are you sure?" Sam asked, praying she wouldn't take it back. She didn't…just nodded her head.

"One room then, Jerry."

"Great!" he answered getting the keys from the key locker. "Room eleven. Sign here."

When they got to the room, Mercedes swept in like a hurricane leaving the suitcase on top of the bed and ran to the bathroom without wasting any time.

"Mercedes, take your pyjamas with you," he said before she could go in. "You've got pyjamas now. Don't come to bed in a towel again" he begged. She looked at him for a couple of seconds before doing as he asked and opening the suitcase to get her pyjamas and wash bag out.

"Thank you," she said carrying the pyjamas into the bathroom.

Sam grinned stupidly at the door which she had shut leaving him alone in the wasting any time he threw himself on the bed separating his arms and legs while he stretched. It wasn't his beloved bed on the truck but at least in the motel they had a shower. He'd been needing a shower for days. A good shower which would leave him feeling like new. Quite honestly after the last few days that's all he needed. A shower and a sleep. Sleep through a whole night without any worries. Sleep with her. Share the bed with her.

Sam breathed in deeply, closing his eyes for a few seconds. He was going to sleep with her, in the same bed. Mercedes hadn't wanted a room to herself, she had agreed to share the same one. Why? Was she thinking about asking him to sleep in the truck? Maybe she wanted the bed in the motel room all to herself. Sam hoped and wished that it wasn't so because he needed to sleep in that bed. He needed to rest.

Still keeping his eyes closed he tried to remember the last moments he had just spent with her. He'd gone shopping with her the whole afternoon and contrary to what he had expected he'd had an awesome time with loved her laughed and the grouchiness she displayed at times. He loved everything about her. Including the fact that she could kill him just with the clothes she wore. Dear God! It was impossible that she could breathe in those new trousers. Impossible! Her intention for buying them had been to kill him on purpose. He was sure of it. And the dress…The dress had been his idea. But it fit her beautifully. It fit perfectly! From the moment he had seen it in the shop window he had imagined what she would look like in it. When she had put it on, he had been stunned stupid, seeing her curves accented by the dress. The blasted zipper had almost been his undoing, and he'd had to fight not to take the dress off her and kiss her passionately whilst he crowded her against the wall of the cubicle. It was all in his head and there it would stay. He couldn't touch her, at least not how he wanted to. He'd content himself with looking after her and protecting her just as he'd promised and enjoying what was left of the week by her side. At Thanksgiving their paths would separate and they wouldn't see each other again. Sam felt how a pain rose in his chest and spread throughout his whole tired body. He tried to get up, thinking that his position wasn't helping him rest but the pain was still there. It wouldn't go. Was it for her? Was it hurting him to leave Mercedes?

He had to do it! She had her own destiny and he had his own life. Their paths would separate on Thursday of the next week and he couldn't change that no matter how much he wanted to. He would miss her yes, but he would go on.

I'll go on without you.

The bathroom door opened and Mercedes came out in her pyjamas. Sam turned with care and observed her pyjamas were like a tracksuit, not sexy in the slightest. But the top half had lots of buttons which he was dying to unbutton. And her wet curls fell down on top of it wetting it slightly, making her shiver slightly as she tried to dry it with a towel. She wasn't wearing a bra.

She isn't wearing one.

"You can go for a shower, it's free" she said.

"Mercedes," he said making her raise her head and look at him. "You want me to sleep in the truck, right?"

She was shocked when she heard what he had said. Was he being serious?

"No, what makes you think I want that?" she asked sadly.

"I don't know…I thought that maybe by refusing a room for yourself you thought you'd have this one and…"

"No way Sam. You need to rest," she said getting up from the bed and standing in front of him. "You haven't slept properly since Monday. If of course you even managed to sleep that night. Listen; if you don't want to share the bed with me I can sleep in the truck. But there is no way you're going to"

"I don't mind sharing with you," he said sincerely "If you don't mind either,"

"I don't mind, really." She replied quickly. "Go and have a shower. You'll sleep better for it."

Sam nodded his head and went to the bathroom with a smile on his face.

When he finally came back out of the shower Mercedes had lain down on the right hand side of the bed, stuck as close to edge as possible to give him as much room as she could. He climbed in too pulling the sheet back and lying down by her side, leaving some distance. Naked from the waist up, he settled between the sheets, curling up and covering himself completely so that no part of him was exposed to the chill of the room. Hearing Mercedes' calm breathing beside him, he fell asleep.

He didn't sleep for long because her movements beside him throughout the night wouldn't let him. Worried, he turned towards her noticing her agitated breathing and the slight whispers she was making. She was crying. Mercedes was crying while her whole body trembled. Maybe from cold? Sam covered her carefully so as not to wake her and watched her for a time waiting for her to calm down and stop trembling. She didn't though. Her whispers got louder making him get closer to hear what she was saying.

"Mom…" Mercedes didn't stop trembling whilst she called for her mother. Her tears wouldn't stop either.

"Mom…Mom…" She was shaking and crying. Sam watched her shaking as she desperately called her mother in her dreams.

"Mommy..." He stretched out his hand fighting the urge to hold her. He stopped it half way. Even though it hurt him, she didn't want him to hold her. She started to cry harder and call her without stopping. He couldn't stand it any longer and moved closer to her at the same time as she screamed for her mother and woke up.

"Mom!" Opening her eyes, she remembered where she was even though the room was dark. She covered her mouth with shaking hands, noticing that her cheeks were wet with the tears that she had cried. She dried her cheeks trying to calm down. But she couldn' memory of her mother's death would follow her in her dreams, always. She started to cry again, trying to not make much noise so as not to wake Sam but he moved beside her showing her that she had already done so.

"Mercedes" he caressed her arm, rubbing it carefully trying to put some warmth back. She didn't stop crying or trembling.

"Sam," she cried between sobs.

"I'm here Mercedes. I'm here with you," She searched for his hand on her arm and trembling pulled it towards her.

"Hold me, please" she begged as she put his hand over her stomach and placed her trembling hand over it.

He pressed himself completely to her body, so that his naked chest remained in contact with her back. He left a kiss on her hair, whilst he held her tightly, trying to calm her down. Mercedes' hand interlaced her fingers with his, making them shake as well. She needed him. She really needed him. Without being able to stop crying she said what he never thought she would say.

"Don't go Sam. Don't you go too."

So, what do you think? Tell us in a review ;)

The title and the song are translated too. The original song is "El mundo tras el cristal" by La Guardia.

Thank you all for reading it!