Mercy & Stacey

"So I just needed to tell you something before you got home, I could have kept it to myself, but I don't think it's fair" Mercy told her

"What's happened?" Stacey leaned in eager to hear this mystery

"I told my Dad about the kiss"

"You didn't?" Stacey asked her face showing the shock "What did he say? Did he tell my Mom? Does she know?" she asked all at once, panic setting in

"I didn't tell him it was you" Mercy rolled her eyes at seeing the girl scared enough to merit revenge already "I said it was Kitty, and yes he told your Mom"

"God" Stacey gasped, covering her face with her hands "She's going to get into so much trouble"

"No she isn't" Mercy grabbed her hands to settle her down telling her

"Why?" their eyes met "Did you say it was all your fault?"

"No" Mercy giggled "And don't freak out" she smiled grabbing he hands to hold her attention "Your Mom knows your a lesbian" she held her stare telling her "She said she's always known and that you're her little girl and why wouldn't she know that about you, she just needs you to be comfortable enough to tell her about yourself"

"Seriously?" Stacey let go of Mercy's hands and flopped back in her chair asking, she sat looking at the table for a while, processing the information, Mercy sat waiting for her response "She knows?" Stacey finally looked up at her smiling "I know you don't know what you just did for me" she grabbed her hand smiling "And I know we've been like enemies forever, so you didn't have to tell me this, but I'm so glad you did and I thank you from the bottom of my heart"

"Don't thank me yet, she said nothing about your Dad" Mercy warned

"I'll leave him to Sam, he knows how to win him around" she looked across at her brother "He likes you, you know?"

"I guess he told me that already" Mercy smiled

"No, I mean really likes you, he never spends time with any girls, he's singing a lot and he's mad at me right now for keeping you two apart, he's whipped" she giggled as they both looked at him again

"I better get back we only have hours left, we promised to make the most of them"

"Will you be able to leave him on Tuesday?" Stacey squeezed her hand asking

"Honestly I don't know" she frowned getting up to go see Sam, the smile on their faces as she approached him told Stacey that wasn't going to be a bond easily broken, she jumped up to follow her

"I thought maybe we could have another stab at this friendship again" Stacey caught up with Mercy asking "I told Kitty a lot of shit about you too, and maybe we could clear all that up later, what do you say, clean slate?"

"I'll take the friendship, but for the rest you'll have to ask Sam, I think we have plans"

"Sam can we double date tonight?" Stacey stopped in front of him asking

"Keep up, we plan on making memories to last a lifetime fast" he grabbed Mercy hand smiling "Talking of memories, I have a plan for tomorrow, give me a minute" he left her standing with Stacey and went off for a few minutes "So what are we going to do tonight is..." his face surprised on his return at Mercy and Stacey coming out of a hug "What's going on?"

"Nothing we just decided to be friends" Stacey smiled at him, "I suggest you guys sit down and write a bucket list or something" she added

"Good idea" Mercy smiled

"I'm calling Kitty" she grinned taking her phone out while she went off to find privacy "It's time to go home" she called back at them

"She's right" Mercy told Sam watching him grab her hand again, before following Stacey out of the studio

"I guess your coming with us?" Sam smiled at his sister already acting like she wasn't trying to get Mercy out the way yesterday

"Kitty" Stacey called through her phone oblivious to the conversation Sam was trying to have with her as she got in the back of his car "I have news" she giggled "You're going to love this" she told her before relaying everything Mercy had told her earlier, Sam's eyes fixed on the road with a smile on his face at Mercy's game

"You helped the enemy?" he laughed as the story unfolded

"I helped us, we only have two days" she told him "So" Mercy turned to look at Stacey intrigued "You're going to tell your parents?"

"I figured the only thing to do right now is come clean, and Kitty thinks the sooner they know the sooner they can come to terms with it all and we can go on living our lives"

"What you think she's the one?" Mercy's tone went up a notch

"That's a thing you'll learn about us Evans' once we know, we just know, there's no point in messing about" she laughed

"No offence Stacey, I'm just going to drop this and leave it there" she turned her head to look at her "You were pledging your undying love to me less than 24 hours ago"

"That was..."

"As I said drop it and leave it" Mercy held her hand up at the girl stopping her conversation "Anyway, tell me, how did you two meet?" Mercy turned in the chair ready to hear the story

"There's no story really, we met at school in fourth grade" Stacey smiled, more than ready to tell her story, Sam laughing at Mercy knowing his sister so well "I've been in love with her since we were 16 years old and I think she still loves me, or at least I hope she does"

"She does" Sam laughed

"We're behind you one hundred percent with your decision" Mercy told her

"You're like a sister" Stacey touched her shoulder telling her "I like that you keep it real, thank you" she told her as the car came to a standstill in front of the Evans home

"You owe us, so use those charms on Dad to get us out tonight" Sam told her

"I'll try as an apology to Mercedes"

The Evans Home

There was a frost in the air when they got back, Sam knew he'd disappeared for the day without an explanation, Stacey knew she'd left work well before the end of the shift and her Dad was sure to have heard about that and Mercy just felt guilty for getting Mary into trouble and her Dad having the whole family up at the apartment in the middle of the night.

"Mr Evans" Mercy half smiled as she sat across the dinner table from Sam and his Dad "I feel I need to apologise to you for last night, it was all totally my fault, I guess it was all the excitement of being let out at last, and I want you to know I'm sincerely sorry for all the upset I caused Mary and yourself"

"There were tears I can't lie but everyone seems to be happy today" Dwight smiled at her "I'm just eager to know what these two have been up to today" he looked at Sam sitting beside him before looking across at Stacey

"I've been at the studio" Sam told him setting his fork down to hear the explosion

"Did you get it all out?" Dwight asked him, Sam looked at him shocked at his response

"Yeah" he chuckled "Actually I did"

"Good" he nudged him smiling "And you?" he looked at Stacey "Eventful day?"

"Well" Stacey started, looking to her left at Mercy, who was sat there smiling encouragement, and for a second she thought she could "I'm see..." she cowered back at the look on her Mom's face she couldn't make out if it was a; don't you dare tell him look, or a not now frown, or a I want to kill you eye bulge, or maybe a spit it out now half daring grin, she couldn't decide. Panic set in for a second as she looked around the table the worse case sinario playing out in her mind as she watched the expectant faces staring back at her "I'm sweating" she gasped rubbing the back of her neck, much like her brother did when he was in a corner

"Spit it out" her Dad's voice seemed to bellow across the room

Stacey sat wondering what made her feel like this was the time for all this with a visitor in the damn house, maybe this is the safest time, her mind told her as she shuffled in her chair. What she was about the reveal was going to change her, her family, and she didn't think it was in a good way, but if she kept it in any longer surely it was going to destroy her relationship with Kitty. They'd argued about it for over a year now and with this new information maybe this was her one and only break "The thing is Kitty and I are girlfriends" she didn't know how that rolled off her tongue she hadn't planned for it to happen that second but the silence that followed was chilling

"Finally" Mary yelled slapping palms with Dwight while they smiled at each other "What did you think we were going to do about it?" she asked getting up to hug her daughter "Beat you straight?"

"Dad" she looked at her Father for approval, he'd never said much to her once she'd started her period, he'd stopped play fighting, swinging her around the room, chasing her with spiders, carrying her on his shoulders, and for a relationship that was on fire even the day before she became a woman, the disconnection had been brutal, suddenly there were things she couldn't do anymore. She'd cussed like crazy at first as her jealousy for her brother's relationship with their Dad grew, but somehow they'd all gone through a transition she ended up with a Mom as her friend while Sam and Dad had bonded as men "You haven't said anything"

"I'm just happy you've owned it sweet, I just want you to be happy" he smiled "At least I won't be stressing about you coming in pregnant"

"Dwight" Mary slapped at him

"What, it's true" he laughed "No offence sweetheart, you know I love you" he told his daughter

"Enough to let us out tonight?" she asked sending him her classic Evans grin

"Well..."

"Please Dad Mercedes goes home on Tuesday"

"Keep time tonight" he warned "Okay" he smiled at his daughter "Everyone in by 2am"

"Fine" Stacey snapped the offer up for all of them,

Sam had been sitting talking to Mercy with his eyes, the only thing going through his head was how he'd managed to fall so hard so fast, how she was worth it and how he really couldn't just stand by and watch her walk out of his life. He didn't know how he was going to do it but he knew for certain it had to be done, because it was true he never even thought about addiction of any kind, but here she walks into his life and hell he was addicted, she was definitely his perfect drug. His body was hot and before he even realised it, he was in a compromising situation, no way could he even think about getting up just now, he looked around the table puzzled at the faces watching him "What?" he asked Stacey

"2am curfew"

"That's fine bowling finishes around midnight anyway"

"So we're bowling?" Stacey asked

"What time do you have to be home?" he asked Mercy paying no attention to Stacey's conversation, he couldn't believe after all this time she got off so damn lightly, if he'd have rocked up with some woman barefoot and pregnant they would have hit the damn roof

"I can stay or go, I just need to tell my Dad"

"It's your last day tomorrow I want to get everything you ever wanted to do here, in your last day"

"Everything?" she asked with a smirk on her face

"As much as we possibly can" he wiggled his eyebrows at her, behaving himself when he saw his Mom looking at him suspiciously

"I need to go home and get dressed for... bowling?" she asked

"Yeah we can take you to do that" Stacey told her "Just let me get ready"

"Hurry up" Sam shouted as he watched her disappear out of the kitchen

"So what did you get done at the studio?" Mary asked her son now all the attention was off Stacey

"Joe turned up this morning so we had a session and then later Marley turned up all sad and stuff, stayed with her for a while, had something to eat and then Stacey turned up and we came home" he shrugged his shoulders telling her "Standard"

"You'll keep an eye on your sister won't you?" Dwight looked at him asking

"As always" he replied "I'll keep an eye on both of them" he smiled at Mercy telling his Dad

"I guess you will" Mary frowned at him "I've spoken to you two before..."

"And we heard you, and it's fine, we're friends" Sam smiled at his Mom "Best friends actually"

"As long as it goes no further" she added

"Mom" Sam hummed embarrassed at her blowing shit up for him "Are you alright?" he asked Mercy for the strange look on her face

"Yeah, I'm fine" her mouth smiled but her eyes didn't, he knew something was up

"I'm out" he got up and left the table "I'm going to get changed" he told Mercy as he walked towards the door, looking back at her concerned

"I guess I could use the bathroom while I wait" Mercy jumped up heading in the same direction, truth be told she felt panicky inside like she was about to faint and needed to splash her face with some cold water

"Brick wall comes to mind" she heard Dwight saying, to Mary's giggle, smiling at him knowing his son too well "I should maybe start thinking a bit more serious about that boy and his music" he said before it went quiet and Mercy realised she was standing outside the door eaves dropping on Sam's parents

She finally found the bathroom and stood wondering what she was going to do, how she was going to cope when all this was over, suddenly her body wasn't her own as she started shaking, the panic setting in, she was sweating, she held her head, there was so much spinning round in it, the realisation that she was falling hard for this guy hit her like a brick, knocking her off her feet, the next thing she knew she was on the bathroom floor cry into her fist like the spoilt brat she was at home, but this wasn't a designer dress, a new mobile phone or even a totally new wardrobe, it was a person she wanted to share everything with.

She needed her Mom right now, she needed to hear some logic, to be told to snap out of it, fix up, whatever, her heart was beating so hard it was aching for what lay ahead for them, she grabbed her chest to stop the stabbing pain

"Mercedes" she heard with a light tap on the door, jerking her back outside of herself "Are you alright in there?" Mary asked

She swallowed hard "I'm fine" her voice breaking, she hadn't even realise she was still crying "Give me a minute" she wiped her face telling the woman

"Okay" Mary told her, Mercedes sat listening to her footsteps walking away

"What's wrong with her?" she heard Sam ask his Mom concern in his voice before footsteps approached "Mercy" he taped the door as he spoke "Let me in" his tone wasn't demanding but she felt like she had to obey it, she crawled across the floor and opened the door "What's happened?" he bent to pick her up

"I'm fine I …"

"Mercy you're sitting on the bathroom floor crying, you're not fine" he butted in sitting down beside her "It's because you've got to go home soon isn't it?" he rested his head back on the shower wall as he spoke "I know it is because I feel like crying all the time too, but I have to be happy for you"

"I'm sorry, I've never done this before, I don't know what I'm doing, I don't know what I'm feeling and I just feel like you... I mean this is big for me, and all these big decisions are being taken away from me..."

"The only decisions we can make right now, is that these next 30 or so hours are going to be amazing for us, because we're going to make them amazing"

"I know you're right" she looked into his eyes telling him

"And right now we have bowling to take on, I've got big plans for us tomorrow, we start at around 5.30am" he wiggled his eyebrows making her laugh

"You're a geek" she giggled

"And you're a geek lover" he laughed "Come on let's go paint the town"

"It's the smallest town I've ever seen" she laughed

"Easy to paint then, but aren't you that Princess that's been locked in a Castle for 19 years, how many towns have you actually seen?" he got up holding his hand out for her to take

"It turns out this was the only other one I ever needed to see" she smiled at him "Let me freshen up" she let his hand go and stood re-setting her hair and splashing her face with cold water

He stood watching her before grabbing his hand to make their way back to the kitchen "Crisis over" he smiled as they walked into the kitchen and unlinked their hands

"You're enjoying your holiday?" Dwight asked smiling

"More than I thought" she smiled, Sam hugged her, watching her push her bottom lip out in a sulk as she spoke

"I don't mind telling you all, seeing as it's a day for revelations" he looked at his Dad telling him "If Mercedes was here forever, this right here would be it for me"

"We can actually see that" Dwight laughed "But you know the boundaries right?"

"We both do" he told his Dad "Confession two, we're going to the beech tonight not bowling" he frowned "We're meeting everyone and having a bit of a jam, it's officially her last night"

"Sam" Stacey walked in moaning at his honesty "You've always been the honest one" she giggled "Don't ever tell him any of your secrets" she told Mercedes laughing

"Truth's always best" he shook his finger at her saying, mimicking his Dad "Okay we're out" he told his parents grabbing Mercy's hand, smiling when Mercy linked arms with Stacey and they left

"I'm really proud of you" Mercy told Stacey as they walked

"Yeah that was brave, and long overdue" Sam laughed "When's Kitty coming for dinner?"

"Joke right?" Stacey asking him watching him open the front passenger and back passenger doors on the car

"He's joking" Mercy giggled as she got in the car

20:00

Post Ranch Inn

They made the journey to Mercy's apartment singing along to the songs in Mary's ride, Mercy quickly learned that most of the artists were frequent visitors to the area and that Dwight had something to do with the music business, he was a silent partner with Ryder's Dad; his brother-in-law, in the club and done all the bookings for the studio

"Come up" Mercy told them when the car came to a halt at the usual gate

"Can we?" Stacey asked

"I just invited you didn't I?" Mercy laughed "Come on" she told them as the door opened and Roderick was stood waiting for her to get out, Stacey and Sam jumped out behind her and followed her into the other car

"It's like treading on enemy territory" Stacey laughed

"Maddy's family own this place" Sam told Mercy

"Is she coming tonight?" Mercy asked grabbing Sam's hand

"Unfortunately if Mason's there she is, they're in the band" Sam frowned

"What's her story?"

"You can ask her later, keep her away from me for a while" he laughed as they got out the car, they expected the luxury for the price, but they couldn't deny the views were fantastic up on one of the highest peaks of the mountains, Stacey and Sam sat out on the balcony looking out at the orange sky making it's way across the blue water, it was romantic, Stacey looked at Sam and smiled "What?" he asked smiling back

"You love her don't you?"

"Can you tell?" he smiled

"Are you shitting me?" Stacey sat up asking him "I guess if I'm honest with myself I was jealous of you having feelings for her, not at first I didn't know you guys really had them, but when I did it was just so obvious and I felt like..." she looked at him "You'd already taken Dad away from me and now you were out to take her and I just went a bit ratchet" she giggled

"I think if you push her she can be much more ratchet than you" he laughed "She'll never take your place, you're my sister, but she could very much come first in my life, much like I guess Kitty does in yours" he grinned "No, I'm not jealous of Kitty" he held his hand out telling her

"Why would you be jealous of Kitty?" Mercy asked alerting them both to her being there

"Statuesque" Sam gasped, when he looked around to see her clad in black leather from boots to jacket with a bright white blouse underneath her jacket, hair tied back and makeup flawless "You're..."

"Beautiful" Stacey told her smiling

"I know, thank you" she giggled "Come on lets get this night started" she watched them get up before she turned to lead them out of the apartment, the drive to the beach was noisy, the music blasted as their conversation shouted over it, and the windows were down taking in the fresh air

"Hold on" Sam warned as they left the road and ventured down a dark path, Mercy was sitting in the front and held her breath at the change of road

"Is it safe?" she asked

"It's less than a minute away" Sam replied, smiling at her gasp when the bonfire, instruments and barbeque came into site

Pfeiffer Beach

21.30

"Hi everyone" Sam shouted as he got out the car half watching Stacey run across to Kitty and half watching Mercy get out the car safely, while he grabbed his guitar

"Thanks" she smiled at him closing the car door behind her

"We were just about to give up on you guys, what happened to 7.30?" Ryder asked walking towards his cousin

"Stacey" Sam rolled his eyes smiling

"The girls won the draw, they called love" Ryder told him rolling his eyes before looking back at everyone, turning back to firm his cousin "Hi Mercedes" he smiled hugging her as he spoke

"Hi" she smiled back taking the hug as Sam grabbed hold of her hand, both watching Stacey getting her PDA on with Kitty

"Guys" Joe called from behind the drums "Let's get this show on the road, I got plans for later on" he told them looking at Sugar smiling

"Haven't we all" Ryder replied taking his Base guitar from Jane as he walked past her and gave her a quick kiss

"Here" Marley handed Jake his Keyboard trolley

"Do you want to Join in?" Sam asked Mercy as he flung his guitar strap over his head

"No... I mean we'll see" she smiled not in the mood for love songs

"Come sit with me" he hugged her, thinking she might still be fragile from earlier "We'll see" he smiled, knowing she wasn't going to be able to resist joining in, she loved the buzz

"Mason take the lead" Ryder told him, watching him wave the skewer in acknowledgment "'Peer Pressure by James Bay & Julia Michaels" he announced

"Ready?" Sugar asked, watching for the go ahead

"One two three four" Jake counted them in

Mason: Seven texts, 2am, Halfway just off saying, call me up, you can't sleep, you testing me, bad but sweet and I'm just trying to keep it together
Oh, and now you're saying

Stacey & Kitty: Put your hands on my body, just like you think you know me, want your heartbeat and only, don't leave me hot and lonely
I don't usually give in to peer pressure, but I'll give into yours

Sam: When we met, innocent, now I'm dead every time you're touching me
Sam & Mercy: You're dancing around on my mind every second, I'm under control till your in front of me, maybe I'm scared, I don't care, I'm addicted, I'm in it

Ryder and you say Ryder & Jane: Put your hands on my body, just like you think you know me, want your heartbeat and only, don't leave me hot and lonely
I don't usually give in to peer pressure, but I'll give into yours

Jake & Marley (All): So I give you my everything, yeah, you keep on teasing, with that look in your eyes, cause you know I believe it
I don't usually give in to peer pressure, but I'll give into yours, (oh, oh) I'll give into yours (oh, oh)

Joe: When we met, innocent, now I'm dead, and you're saying

Maddy & Mason: Put your hands on my body, just like you think you know me, want your heartbeat and only, don't leave me hot and lonely
I don't usually give in to peer pressure, but I'll give into yours

Joe & Sugar: So I give you my everything, yeah, you keep on teasing, with that look in your eyes, cause you know I believe it
I don't usually give in to peer pressure, oh, but I'll give into yours, yeah, I'll give into yours

All: Dancing around on my mind every second, I'm under control till your in front of me, maybe I'm scared, I don't care, I'm addicted, I'm in it

"That was... yeah" Mercy clapped

"It's ready" Mason announced watching as everyone made for the plates

"I see Jake and Marley made it back up" Sam asked Ryder looking over at the two wrapped in each other

"Apparently they sung to each other and that shit made it all go away" Ryder laughed "You know I made a decision today, she's on her own when it comes to him, unless she seriously wants to get away from him, I'm not getting involved"

"You won't stick to it, she's your sister"

"I know, but today I feel that way" he laughed "So... Mercedes and you any progress?"

"As in?" Sam looked at him asking

"You know what I mean, you've only got tonight left" he nudged him smiling

"I... we haven't even talked about that stuff" he told his cousin rubbing the back of his neck as he spoke

"You've never spoke about that stuff, just be a man about it" Ryder told him, turning to see Jane standing beside him "You alright?"

"Yeah I got you something to eat" she smiled saying a quiet hello to Sam

"See" Ryder laughed "Trained" he took the plate off Jane laughing as she slapped his arm for the comment

"Chauvinist" she snapped at him when she missed

"I do trained" Mercy came up behind Ryder telling him with two plates of food in her hand "Maddy told me what you liked so I picked the opposite" she told Sam handing him the plate as he laughed

"Thank you" he took the plate from her and offered a kiss, which she quickly took "Trained and cute" he told Ryder

"PDA" Joe joined them saying "I like it" he knocked fists with Sam as he spoke

"Talking of PDA" Sam looked around the small group "Update?"

"Yeah we talked, I'm going to Yale, it's going to test us but I know what I want" Joe told his friends

"Yeah we're strong enough" Sugar grabbed a hold of his hand telling everyone

"It won't last" Maddy came into the conversation shouting for everyone to hear "Mark my words" she warned

"Maddy" Mason called unhappy with her negative input "Just because Darrell's gone off to Canada already and you don't trust him, doesn't mean everyone else has to be painted with the same brush, we gave them the freedom to do what they're doing, so there's only us to blame for what we're going through" he told her putting her in her place, Mercy was surprised she didn't even make to answer her brother back

Sam could see Mercy was stood wondering what this Darrell looked like, and how the hell he put up with Maddy and her crap "Stop it" Sam laughed

"That's a dangerous place to be Sam Evans" she told him as he looked on puzzled "In my mind" she warned

23:00

Everyone was sat eating, conversation was flowing easily they'd watered down the watered down vodka and everyone who indulged was getting a buzz "Do you want to go for a walk?" Sam asked fed up of Ryder giving him the eye and trying to get him to do something he wasn't too comfortable about doing. As usual boys were being boys and of course with Mercy being the first girl he'd ever showed attention outright, they all thought it was about getting his leg over. Maybe it was in the beginning, after all his first thoughts of being with her was during a night session, but now he knew it was more than sex, and definitely more than a careless fumble on the beach.

"Sure" she held her hand out for him to grab and help her up, everyone sat watching them walk away

"Don't get lost" Maddy shouted after them

"She's alright isn't she?" Ryder asked the others when they'd gone out of earshot

"She is actually" Maddy surprised everyone saying

"Where did that come from?" Stacey asked

"I spent the day with them the other day and I guess she won me over, they both did actually" she told everyone

"Result" Mason smiled

"Actually I was kind of jealous of her getting Sam's attention for a while but she helped me tell my parents about Kitty and I tonight and... well I'm grateful and I think Sam has some deep feelings for her and I respect that, but she goes home tomorrow"

"That's a shame, he's never been interested in anyone before" Marley cuddled into Jake telling them

"I just hope he gets done what he needs done, I don't want him waiting another 19 years to find someone else" Ryder told everyone

"So romantic" Marley rolled her eyes at her brother laughing "Is he supposed to come out with the blood stained pillow?"

"Shit Marley" Stacey hissed "Too much fucking information, that's my brother"

"Oh stop being such a... oh I forgot you two will be real dick virgins till you damn well die" Marley hissed

"Why don't you shut your fucking mouth" Kitty stood up defending her girlfriend

"Why don't you stay out of family business" Marley replied as Stacey pulled Kitty to sit down "Yes sit down" Marley told her looking at Stacey hard, she was just about ready to tell the world that the girl Jake had kissed was lesbian cousin Stacey

"Okay Marley that's enough" Ryder looked at her daring her to speak again, Jake sat hoping Ryder had this under control "And you Stacey" he looked across at his cousin

"Come on Shug let's take a walk" Joe pulled her up wanting to get away from the tension

"Good idea everyone take a damn break" Ryder suggested watching everyone get up as he spoke, there was so much tension between everyone right now, it was a taxing time for everyone, they were scattering across the country in less than two weeks time, moving away from everything and everyone they knew and rightfully everyone was on tender hooks, scared but too pig headed to admit it, he had plans to have that group conversation in the very near future

Sam & Mercy

"So" Sam looked behind him to make sure no one was there "I guess they think we're going off to do the nasty" he laughed nervously

"What?" Mercy's head spun round asking

"No, I'm not saying that's the case, just what they were thinking" he looked at her making himself clear "It's in my mind of course it is, but it's not on my mind, I'm fine with us taking our time, I mean I know we don't have much of that but I'm fine with where we are, I'm not making sense and I, I mean..." he stopped himself recognising he was rambling "I'm nervous"

"Me too" she smiled at him

"We'll take this as it comes, nothing forced, and total honesty" he grabbed her hand telling her as they walked along the beach edge "I know this isn't like romantic or anything but it's our first real date and I sort of wanted it to be special and everything so" he looked around smiling "So I printed this off earlier I thought we could read it together, have a laugh" he took two A4 pieces of paper out of his pocket typed on all sides "It's fanfiction but I think we could still put another spin on it" he laughed

"A story" her eyes lit up "I've never really read fanfiction"

"It's just people's alternative versions of what should happen in films, TV shows, books all sorts" he smiled "Sometimes it's all about sex and stuff but this one's all sci-fi and just to prepare you nearly all of them have corny endings" his hand left her hand and found her waist pulling her into him "This is my spot" he nodded over to a massive rock looking quite odd sitting in the middle of the beach "It's my chair" he smiled bringing her round to the front of it, showing her there was actually a seat carved into it

"Did you do this?" she asked looking at the stone shaped chair

"No" he laughed "It's always been here, I usually come here when everyone starts getting loved up" he nodded back in the direction they'd come from

"So are we going to get loved up?" she wiggled her eyes with a smile asking him

"We're going to read" he laughed "Loudly" he took his Jacket off and spread it on the cold stone for them to sit on "Settle in" he sat beside her surprised when she swung round and rested her head in his lap

"The sky's beautiful at night don't you think?" she asked before he could comment on her actions

"Everything about tonight seems beautiful" he looked down at her smiling "I know you're trying to embarrass me putting your head there" he laughed

"What was that Marley said the other day?" she laughed

"You don't have a brother"

"But I've felt you" she looked up at him with a cheeky grin on her face

"Now I'm embarrassed" he rolled his eyes smiling "Story" he opened the sheets of paper up and focused on them, they sat getting excited about the fiction he was reading, adding their bits to the crossover fic where of course Buffy, Wolverine, Harry Potter and Touchwood clashed and collaborated to save their worlds as they knew them

"This stuff is so mad" Mercy laughed as they tried to think of something even more ridiculous than the storyline "I give up, I can't think of anything more bazaar than that" she looked up at him saying "Except that I need you to kiss me right now" he didn't say anything, he used his knees to lift her head up and kissed her, smiling when her arm went up to grab his neck to hold herself onto him "I don't know how I'm going to leave you" she looked into his eyes telling him

"I don't know how I'm going to let you go" he pulled her back to him and kissed her with urgency, his hand wondering down towards her breasts they both jerked at the contact

"Sorry" he said, watching her get up and walk away "Mercy" he called after her, watching her run with her head in her hands "Shit" he banged the stone bench "Stupid" he told himself angry at the fact that he let his urge control him just then. he looked up waiting for her to come back it was dark ahead "Mercy" he stood up shouting realising he'd taken his eye off her for those seconds and she'd disappeared "Mercy" panic set in, everyone knew who she was, he'd promised to have his eyes on her at all times, she'd left the security near the car behind them and now he'd lost her "Mercy" he stepped off into the night to find her. He heard her voice before he saw her and stood listening to her singing their song, realising she was upset about leaving, and none of them had any control over that, regardless of how they felt about each other the fact remained, she was leaving

"And when I walked away I left footsteps in the mud so you could follow me ..." he smiled at her wanting this as much as him watching her turn sharply as he joined in startling her. He walked towards her until he was stood holding her hands in his, singing, before wiping the tears rolling down her face. She could stay right there forever, it was where she wanted to stay, but there were so many things in her head stopping her from taking that step she so needed to take with him. Him standing there brought back to mind Mary's conversation reminding her he hadn't grieved for his Grandparents, he'd purposely changed the words to the song so he didn't have to think about them but this was her opportunity now and she was going to take it "...Then the path would wash away, wash away" they finished stood looking at each other

"I'm sorry about earlier" he said

"Why haven't you talked about your Grandparents since that first night we talked?"

"What?" he pulled away from her, shocked at her random question

"Are you using me as a substitute for them?" did she even mean to ask that she wondered

"What?" he asked even more shocked "No I just..." he stood wondering what to say, wrestling with his feelings, looking into her eyes before deciding to tell her the truth "I just don't want to hurt my family by freaking out"

"You can freak out with me Sam, I want to be the one to hold you through all that, it's the least I'll ever get to do"

"You don't need me to start talking about all that" he stepped away from her telling her

"You're right I don't, but you do" she stepped towards him telling him "There's no one else here just us, and I'll never tell a living soul" she stood wondering if she'd gone too far "I heard the words you put to our song, they were words of hurt and then you just discarded them, and wrote about us" she watched him slam himself on the sand and hold his head in his hands "Sam you need to let it out" she sat beside him her hand resting on his knee waiting, it took a while but the silence paid off, he started talking

"Pops was my best friend, he knew everything, taught me everything, told me I'd meet someone like you and he was right it was a bolt of lightening, I miss them so much, I spent more time with them than my parents in the later years, I did everything for them, The last thing Pops said to me was not to let anyone stop me from being who I was meant to be" he lifted his head out of his hands "How do I tell my grieving parents that I want to be a musician, live in Los Angeles and now be with you, Pops was the wisest man you'd ever want to meet, they were my best friends and I miss them" his shoulders jerked, Mercy grabbed his shoulder and held him, watching his head fall into her lap while he cried for them for the first time in 7 months "Sorry" he eventually wiped his face before looking up at her

"It's me Sam no need for sorry" she held onto him, watching the tears uncontrollably running down his face

"They loved to hear me sing, Pops believed in me, not like Dad, he brought me my guitar" he sat up telling her

"Sing the words you wrote for them, they'd love that" she told him letting go of his shoulder and holding his hand, smiling when he started singing the words he'd originally written for her music, she sat listening to him, seeing the hurt in his face as each word came out of his mouth, this was too personal, she knew it was never going to be heard ever again out of his mouth

God grant me patience to accept the things I cannot change, to realize sometimes it's gonna be change, I need a smile to help me through the pain
Sometimes in life I wish I could escape from, reality, when shit's too real, wish I could find a way to just not feel
I wanna be in a rage, something inside of me says, "Peace, be still"
You have people in this world who really need you, and it's a few that's come and said they never leave you
Some of them had to go a day, it couldn't have pleased you, they couldn't go to places life was gonna lead you
There gon' be some days you gon' wish that you could throw it all away, it's okay when you're goin' through to say that you're afraid
So cliché to say that it's gon' be some better days, but it won't always be this way, so don't lose the faith
Since we're being honest, losses always come with trauma... 'Footsteps' by August Alsina

He cried again unable to carry on, and she let him until he felt ready to stop "I need to stop" his head popped up and he wiped his face "I'm getting into that funk I promised myself I wouldn't" he smiled at her hugging her "Thanks for being here"

"I got nowhere else to be" she smiled

"I meant it earlier, I'm sorry about what happened back there"

"It wasn't that" she stared into his eyes telling him "I want that so bad, with you I mean" she moved away from him "But I can't hurt my parents like that, I thought I could, I came to America to do that, but I've seen my Dad angry and I don't want him to look at me like that"

"And I want to too, but I'm not about to ruin my Mom's reputation by losing her job for her, or disappoint my parents either" he moved closer to her "I know the right time will come for us"

"We'll know it won't we... the right time?"

"Yeah and if I'm honest, we did that already"

"Yeah" slipped out of her mouth before she could catch it

"When did we do it for you?" he asked

"The early hours of the day of the awards" she told him embarrassed

"Same night" he smiled "if we weren't meant to be... and I swear, we're going to happen, somehow I know that" he grabbed hold of her shoulder almost trying to shake her into believing what he was saying

"I guess when we stop remembering we could always make do with that Buffy and Harry hook up" she laughed

"I'm sure there's a place for sticks and daggers in the bedroom but I'm not sure about creating that scene, or even the image of it in my bedroom, not about you anyway"

"Maybe we'll use that one for a laugh memory" she giggled

"Let's get back" he got up, grabbed her hand and pulled her up and started back "How do I look?" he asked grinning at her grin "That good?"

"Better" she giggled, following her hand he was dragging along "Hey" she pulled his hand stopping him from going forward "Are you alright?"

He looked down at their hands linked together "I'm a lot better than I was, I didn't even know I needed that"

"Neither of us knew what we wanted..." she smiled

"But all we knew is that we cared, still all we painted was a moment" they both sang

"This moment" he pulled her to him kissing her deep before they continued their journey back to the others "Hold up" he stopped her as they got to his chair on the beach, grabbing his jacket before turning to get one last kiss for the night before all eyes were on them

"We'll always have our song" she smiled up at him

"It's not just our song it's our duet, fitting us together for all time"

"You're so random" she giggled "That sounds so Marvel"

"That's a good thing yeah?" he grinned laughing as she rolled her eyes at him and dragged him back towards the crowd