The Ones You Love Chapter 4 by Yinx

Sam groaned as he lost himself in her kiss. He pulled her inside closing the door and pressing her against it. Grabbing her wrists from around his neck held them firm above her head he pulled out of the kiss.

"What are you doing, Mercedes" his lips grazed hers as he spoke.

Mercedes searched his eyes they looked happy yet sad at the same time. "I don't know, Sam" she whispered before meeting his mouth again.

Sam backed out again "Truth."

Mercedes shoulders sagged defeated at the plan yet denounced to even her. "I miss you" she whispered looking down feeling him release her. It was the truth at least she thought but the thought of him cheating again held her tongue from saying the truth. Sam cupped her face making her look at him.

"I'm not going to jump into bed with you, just because you miss me," he let go, turning around heading for the kitchen. "but if you need to talk."

Mercedes followed, sitting at the nook she watched him pour her glass of milk. She mumbled a small thank you. She took a sip before talking "You must think I'm crazy, huh." She glanced at him as he sat next across from her.

"Well it is one in the morning" he stated calmly studying her.

Mercedes chuckled at her stupidness, "I sorry" she got up to leave. Sam pulled her into his lap.

"Talk to me" he smiled at her.

Mercedes sucked in her cheeks as she played with the strings of her jacket "Anthony told me he loved me today". She felt his body tense.

"Do you love him back"? Sam's heart swelled as she shook her head. "Did you tell him"?

"I couldn't lie to him, I told him I didn't know" she whispered as she moved off him heading for the door.

"Mercedes" Sam turned her around "Do you still love me" he asked wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Don't you know, you said you did" she whispered back looking down at his lips.

Sam nudged her head up with his "I want to hear you say what I already know" he brushed his lips against hers. The feeling of her in his arms again was getting in his head. It took all his strength not to toss her over his shoulder and head upstairs to ravage her.

"I never should have come here, Sam I'm sorry" she pushed out of his arms starting for the door again.

"No, Mercedes, you came here for a reason, what…what was it" he asked knowing the answered; he blocked the front door.

Mercedes closed her eyes "Sam let me go"

"Fine, but I want you to know that you came back" he stepped out of the way opening the door. "Whether it was mistake, or so I could fuck you like never before". Mercedes cast him a dirty look as she stepped out on the front porch. "Or and I hope that you still love me" he sighed.

"I will always love you, Sam" she glanced back seeing him perk up. "You were my first but I wasn't you're only I realize that now" she gave him a sad smile before heading to her car.

"Hey Sistah"! Mercedes looked up from her work to see Quinn Fabray standing in her doorway with two To-Go bags. "Lunch time" she smiled striding over and setup up their meal.

"Thanks" Mercedes forced a smile as she moved her papers out of the way. "How are you"?

"Nope the question is; how are you" Quinn smiled before closing her eyes to say a quick prayer.

"I've been better" Mercedes said when her friend opened her eyes. "But seriously how are you"?

"You first" Quinn said before taking a bite of her chicken salad. "I need my sister to vent to me."

Mercedes smiled, "My kids are great they are adjusting well I think…well Nathan won't talk to me. Brianna just had her first birthday party with divorced parents and Simon is just my rock he has been so strong through all this...he makes me feel guilty for leaving" Mercedes sighed on the verge of tears.

"You shouldn't feel guilty Mercedes for what your husband did" Quinn said quietly as she watched Mercedes use a napkin to dabbing her eyes.

Mercedes nodded mindlessly, "Maybe I rushed into the divorce we could have tried counseling or something" she look up into her best friends eyes.

"No, because this divorce made you realize what you are worth" Quinn continued confidently taking another bite. "You are worth more than what he thought. Sam always knew you'd always be there and he knows now you're not. Probably thought he would get away with it the bastard would have kept his shit up if you hadn't caught them".

Mercedes poked at her salad. "I wish I didn't have to put the children through this. I feel just so guilty Nathan is taking it out on me…Brianna I'm missing her life when I'm not with her and Simon he is growing up too fast in dealing with this mess.

"How often do they see you" Quinn asked softly taking her friend's hand and giving it a strong squeeze.

"Every other week." The friends were silent for a few minutes. "Should go back"? Mercedes asked thinking out loud.

"NO"!

"Not like that but like move back in and just sleep in different rooms. I miss my kids".

"What about Anthony"? Mercedes opened her mouth and closed it. "I know one thing about guys is that they don't take their girlfriends living with their exes well" Quinn scolded gently.

Mercedes chuckled "Anthony told me he loved me the other week" she confessed.

"And"?

"And what"?

Quinn rolled her light hazel eyes "Do you love him back, silly goose"?

"I don't". Mercedes blinked the first time speaking what she already knew in her heart. "I don't want to string him along but I also want to give our relationship a chance…I kissed Sam" her confessions spewing out as if she was at Mass.

"You did what" Quinn's eyes widened with disbelief.

"Yeah, yeah I know" Mercedes waved her fork in the air hoping to discourage the scolding that was coming. "I think the reason that I don't feel not much if nothing towards Anthony is because I've been with Sam for so long" she sighed. "I don't know how to be…be in another relationship."

"But you need to break that hold Mercedes. If Sam finds out you can beat your apple bottom ass that he will use it to get you back. That little fucker would hold it over your head the next thing you know you're back with him a preggers with baby four".

Mercedes nodded "I know and I don't want him back." She reassured Quinn "It's just being out on my own for the first time in twenty plus years…"

"It's hard" Quinn smiled "I can't tell you that it's going to get better cause I don't know, but if you need anything, anytime; wait except for at breakfast." Mercedes started laughing. "Hey everyone know not to get between me and my bacon time" Quinn joined in.

"That's for sure" Mercedes smiled, "Okay tell me about Rachel and the baby".

Quinn turned a slight pink at the mention of her wife and newborn boy. "They are both fine Rachel loves being a mom and so do I. It was hard leaving them for this business trip. But I get to spend time with my best friend too".

"I'll be up there in a few weeks to do some scouting maybe I can bring my kids" Mercedes told her friend.

Quinn smiled, "Rachel and I would love that".

Mercedes sat on the couch that afternoon putting the finishing curls in her daughter hair. "There the swan princess to ready for her debut" she smiled giving Brianna a hand mirror.

"Thank you mommy" she hugged her mother.

"Go get your shoes so we can leave" Mercedes popped her baby's butt gently. Brianna ran to her room as her mother cleaned up, then went to get the door as it rang.

"Hey beautiful" Anthony's hazel eyes smiled from behind a huge bouquet of yellow roses.

"Hiya back" Mercedes smiled getting up on her toes and pecking his lips. "Thank you for the flowers" she started to take them.

"Nope sorry Merce, but these are for the dancer on her stage debut." Anthony said walking in a placing the bunch on the kitchen counter.

"That is really sweet", Mercedes smiled closing the door. "She will love them.

Anthony pulled towards him. "Mercedes, it's been three weeks" he smiled sadly down at her.

Mercedes cupped his cheek "Anthony, I care for you I really do I just don't know if it's love or just deep affection" she sighed her hand falling to his chest.

Anthony kissed her forehead softly "It's okay Love, I'll wait." He cupped her cheek gently "However long it takes, I'll wait" he smiled brushing his lips against hers as Brianna announced herself as the swan princess.

The ballet was in full swing. Sam looked down the row at his ex-wife snuggled up to her beau as he video-taped the performance. He sucked in his cheeks as he turned back to his daughter. He had no one to blame but himself he sighed thinking. Why had he even cheated in the first place. Sam starred unseeing at the stage. It was fling he knew that but why when his wife gave him all he ever wanted and needed. He ran a hand over his face.

"Was she worth it Sam"! Mercedes yelled throwing anything that she could reach at him.

Sam ducked as he tried to put on his boxers. A sandy blonde woman ran out a few minutes before. "Cede"

"NO! YOU DON'T GET TO CALL ME THAT EVER AGAIN" she spat as tears streamed down her face.

"Mercedes, baby" Sam came over while she was searching for another item to chunk.

Mercedes grabbed the bedside lamp holding it aloft "Our bed Samuel, our bed why? Why would you do this to me…wasn't I enough" she asked barely audible.

Sam stopped "Do you want the truth"? He asked watching her nod. "Truth is I wanted something different. I've been with you for twenty years of marriage and five more in dating. I never got my fun bachelor time 'cause I've dated you since I was seventeen. "

"You regret me"?

Sam sighed "In some ways, some days, yes I do. The girl is just some blonde temping as my secretary. We went out a couple times."

"Do you love her"?

Sam shook his head "No"

"We had date night every week, Sam"! She chunked the lamp ripping the cord from the wall. "So that means nothing to you"!

"I'm a man I have needs" Sam said ducking again.

"What needs? I came home I cooked and cleaned while you sat your sorry excuse for a father behind in your fuckin' man cave only coming up to eat and fuck me in the ass. I still can't shit right cause of you"!

"Well fine maybe you did give your all, but maybe I needed something different. "

"I see. So that faithful vow meant nothing to you" Mercedes walked into their closet.

Sam ran his hands through his hair as his wife came back with her suitcases "Where are you going"?

"You actually think I'm going to stay after what you did"! She spat throwing clothes into her bags. "That is our bed" she pointed at it.

"Mercedes" Sam reached and turned her around and was met with a burning sting across his cheek. He stumbled back both starring at each other in shock.

"I want a divorce, Sam" Mercedes whispered zipping up her bags.

"Dad"!

Sam was shaken out of his thoughts by Nathan who was up on his feet clapping. He stood up clapping glancing at Mercedes who was whistling and beaming at her daughter. They met together outside the playhouse. Sam watched Mercedes put her daughter's jacket on and Anthony present her with the roses.

"Who's hungry" Sam called out at them. He watched Brianna's head engulf in the flowers. His children nodded as he turned his gaze to Mercedes.

"No thanks, we are going home to eat" she smiled steering her daughter and eldest away.

"It's my treat, Cede, please" he lowered his voice.

Mercedes sighed "Just have them home by nine please"

"I meant all of us, you and Anthony" Sam said with a smiled. He saw Anthony glance at Mercedes.

"No, Sam just have them home by nine" Mercedes said calmly taking Anthony's hand leading him away.

Sam sat in a booth watching his children banter and try to steal each other's food. His mind traveled again.

"Cede, CEDE! WAIT PLEASE" he yelled after her as she grabbed her keys and entering the garage. "Mercedes come on listen to reason."

"Reason Samuel" she answered in a low voice. Mercedes fisted the keys dragging them down the length of his black F-150 as she heading for her car. "I was tired of the same old same old look of your truck, Sam. It needed something different."

"Daddy, are you okay; you look like you are going to cry" Brianna brought him back to reality. Sam sniffed as he wiped his nose on the napkin. He glanced at his eldest two.

"Dad, we all miss mom. Why did you have to cheat on her she's perfect" Simon asked quietly.

Sam shook his head feeling tears in his eyes. "If I could take it back believe me, boys I would in less than a heartbeat. "

"I want to know why", Nathan spat, glaring at his father.

Sam took in the look. It clicked at why his son was so bitter with him yet stayed with him "You don't want us back together Nate, why"?

"You hurt mom. She deserves better than you" Nathan's green eyes turned red.

Sam swallowed hard "Look Nate I love your mother and I want to see her happy. She not with Anthony at least I hope she's not, plus, I want the best for you and for us..."

"The best would have been never cheating on mom in the first place then mom would be sitting here with us" Nathan stood his ground.

"Nathan, stop" Simon hissed.

"No! It's his fault we aren't a family anymore. It's his fault we are broken. It's your fault Brianna will grow up knowing that her father is a cheating asshole."

"That's enough out of you Nathan"! Sam yelled. A few patrons stopped eating to stare.

The two met the others glares before the younger one looked away. Nathan sat back "Fine." The booth was silent everyone lost in their own thoughts. Nathan broke the quiet. "Why Dad, what did mom ever do to make you step out" he whispered as tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Your mother did nothing, Nathan" Sam stated calmly. Nothing Brianna. Nothing Simon. Absolutely nothing it was me as for why? I thought I wanted something different. Turns out I had turned into someone different. Your mother has always been there for me and all of us and I took advantage of that. I took you all for granted. I'm paying for the mistake but not as much as you three because you have two homes now. I want us to be right again if you'll forgive me."

"I forgive you Daddy" Brianna smiled up at him before turning her mother's glare at her brothers.

"I forgive you Dad" Simon said.

"Only if you stop going after mom", Nathan ultimatum his father.

"I can't promise that Nathan" Sam sighed. "Now, if your mother is truly happy with Anthony I will stop."

The two starred each other down "Mom doesn't love him, Dad. I heard her tell Aunt Rachel, on the phone the other day that she still loves you." Nathan said quietly. "If she comes back, you won't stray"?

"I won't Nathan."

Nathan glanced at his siblings then back at his father "I have a plan."