Hey, Samcedians! Thanks for all your reviews! They make me feel guilty for not reviewing more often, especially since I follow most of you guys' stories... So this took longer than expected... I hope you like it though. Had some frustrations but most of it has resolved itself in the form of a flexible outline. If you have things you wish to see let me know. Can't guarantee it will make it but we'll see... this 1-2 shot will be continued through the end of the school year, it seems, so you never know. I even have oneshot ideas that I had ignored finally being written! You readers and reviewers have created a monster! Anyway, on with the chapter and I hope I didn't disappoint.

Chapter 7

As much as Tina hated virtually everything Coach Sylvester had ever said or done to her, she couldn't help but enjoy being a member of the Cheerios! Sue's verbal, emotional, and borderline physical abuse during practice was nothing new to her and she was already used to all the catty attitudes of the other cheerleaders— Glee had it's fair share of girl fights. However, there were some things Tina was still getting used to. Her days of stuttering to avoid conversation were already a distant memory, but now others were acknowledging her in the hall without it ending in a slushie facial! But the number one thing Tina appreciated about her new extracurricular activity was practice. When the Cheerios! met after school, they were always ready to work. Grudges and gripes had to be pushed aside because the cheerleaders all knew that their energy was best spent making sure they didn't drop each other. The Cheerios! ran a tight ship, working in perfect unison to avoid giving Sue a reason to fling a clipboard in their direction. Even if Mr. Schuester didn't want to admit it Tina knew that fear and competition were great motivators.

As Tina went over a few eight-counts of floor work with some of the other girls she felt a pair of eyes on her periodically through practice. I swear someone is staring at me. Tina looked over her shoulder and almost immediately locked eyes with Blaine who was in another corner of the gym running through the routine with the other guys on the squad. Tina raised an eyebrow at him.

"What?" She mouthed.

"Later," he mouthed back with a slight shake to his head.

That was enough to break Tina's concentration for the rest of practice. Blaine took practice for any type of performance extremely seriously, so for him to seek out her attention during practice meant he had something important to tell her. When the school year had started Tina knew she would need to do some adjustments in her circle of friends, but she never thought that meant Blaine would become her so-called "best gay." She, Blaine, and Sam were quickly becoming a tight-knit group and though she sometimes missed having more estrogen around her, she was having fun.

"Alright, that's enough for today!" Sue shouted through her megaphone. "If I have to look at your pathetic attempts any longer, I'll have to gouge my own eyes out. Get out of my gym!"

The Cheerios! briskly made their way towards the exit while Tina made a beeline for Blaine.

"Okay, spill!" Tina practically yelled.

"Well..." Blaine put his palm to his face for a moment and let out a frustrated sigh, "I can't help but feel like I'm falling into a stereotype here, but I have some news."

Tina's eyebrows shot up at the mention of new gossip. "Out with it! Sharing is caring."

"Sam and Mercedes are texting each other."

Tina let out a squeal and demanded, "Details!"

Blaine rolled his eyes. "Well we hardly had a gab-fest. He just texted me that he finally texted her, that it went well, and that they're Skyping Sunday. I imagine Mercedes would be the one to talk to if you want someone to rehash the entire conversation."

"Boys," Tina huffed, "Sometimes you guys are so useless. Now I've got to get home and find out for myself. Still, thanks for the news!" Tina rushed off without another word to Blaine.

"You're welcome," Blaine said to the space where Tina had stood only a second ago. He chuckled to himself and shook his head.

Tina sped home and raced up her stairs, flinging her bags across her bedroom while simultaneously calling Mercedes. After a couple rings, Mercedes answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey 'Cedes!"

"Hey, T! What's up?"

"You tell me," Tina replied with a knowing tone.

"Girl, you are way too good with the gossip game. How did you know?" Mercedes asked, genuinely surprised.

"Unimportant," Tina brushed off quickly. "What is important is what happened in your conversation with Sam today."

Mercedes responded with a sigh, "I can't talk now, I'm literally outside my class. I can fill you in later."

"Ugh. You with all your classes."

"Well excuse me for trying to get an education. And you know my schedule; I take night classes."

"Yeah, yeah... Just call me when you're done. Seriously. I don't care how late it is," Tina demanded.

"Fine. Now I've really got to go."

"Okay. Enjoy your class, Diva!" Tina chirped before hanging up the phone. Tina jumped into action. She had to eat and do all her homework before Mercedes was done with class. This conversation deserved an uninterrupted Skype session.

A few hours later, Tina was sitting in her pajamas staring at her computer screen that showed a pajama clad Mercedes eating a bowl of ramen.

"Aww, this is just like our old sleepovers! Except the time difference and the awkward indirect eye contact," Mercedes said.

"Enough reminiscing! I need to know what happened today. What did you guys talk about? And make it quick cuz I have to be up in a few hours."

"God, T! Calm down. Nothing really happened. We just talked." Mercedes eyes cut to the side and she struggled to keep a smile off her face.

"Nuh-uh! That's not what 'just talking' looks like. What did you guys talk about?"

"The normal stuff: school, church. He said he misses me."

Tina gasped excitedly, "He did!? What did you say?"

"I said I missed him too. Well, actually I said it first."

Tina gasped again.

"Girl, if you don't calm down you're gonna pass out!"

"Sorry 'Cedes but this is a big deal. You guys are on the road to reconciliation."

"I don't think so. We've both been very serious about being friends and not a distraction. Not that I wouldn't like to get back with him. I swear, talking to that boy for five minutes has me falling for him all over again."

"Aww, that is so sweet!"

"No thank you to the waterworks," Mercedes sassed.

"Ha. Ha. I'm not gonna cry," Tina rolled her eyes at the computer screen. "I'm just saying that it's obvious that you both still love each other—"

"Both?"

"Yes, both. I'm one hundred percent sure," Tina replied with an exasperated sigh. "It's only a matter of time before you get back together."

Mercedes sat quietly with an uncertain look on her face. After a few moments she spoke again, "I'm not so sure, T. Sam seemed really pumped for the whole 'be friends while we better ourselves' thing. I mean, I'm glad, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping for him to ask for me back."

"You can't have it both ways, Mercedes. Plus you know if he asked to get back with you you'd freak and say you've got too much going on or something."

Mercedes went silent again which made Tina concerned.

"Umm… 'Cedes? Say something cuz I can't read that expression."

"Okay. But promise you won't say anything."

"Of course I won't! You are my number one best friend and that trumps all good gossip. So spill."

"Okay… Um… Well, I guess what I'm saying is—"

"You haven't said much of anything yet," Tina mumbled.

"T!" Mercedes shrieked, "Just let me get it out! What I'm saying is I really miss Sam. Really miss him. And I want him back."

"Yes! The first step is admitting it, you know."

"Shut up."

Both Tina and Mercedes couldn't keep the grins off their faces, but Tina had to bring them both back down to Earth.

"You know you can't get back together now, right?"

"Of course not. We just started talking again yesterday. But I know I really want it to happen. As soon as possible."

"Well give it some time, girl. Being friends is not a bad idea. It already seems to have done you guys some good. So promise me you'll give it some time. Leave the spontaneous decisions to Sam."

"Don't hate on my man, Tina," Mercedes laughed.

"I'm kidding. But really, don't rush this because you are both happy now. If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

"Yes, Mom." Mercedes playfully rolled her eyes.

"Don't sass me; I give excellent advice. Now I need my beauty rest. Goodnight!"

Mercedes replied in kind and the girls blew each other kisses through their web cams. Tina settled into bed with a secret she was happy to keep. Across the country, Mercedes laid in bed full of a nervous excitement that she remembered well from the end of her junior year. There's something about this boy that makes me feel like such a girl.

The next morning, Mercedes woke to a rattling noise against her apartment door.

Mercedes nervously sat up in bed and grabbed the Louisville Slugger by her bedroom doorway while making her way into the living room. As she lifted the bat over her shoulder in preparation, the door opened to reveal Puck in blue flannel pajama pants and a white undershirt tank top. He paused abruptly in the doorway.

"What the hell, Mercedes!? You were gonna hit me with a bat? I have a key for God's sake."

"You were making a lot of noise. And that key is for emergencies only," Mercedes explained.

"This is an emergency. A breakfast emergency. I brought the cereal," Puck shook a half empty box of Cap'n Crunch while making his way into the kitchen. "Do you have any milk? Mine is spoiled."

Mercedes leaned against the kitchen doorway and watched Puck as he moved through the room, picking out a bowl and spoon with ease and familiarity.

"Nice choice of weapon, by the way," Puck called while searching through the refrigerator. "Makes up for the fact that you're wearing footie pajamas."

Mercedes chuckled. "Milk's on the top shelf, near the back. And thanks, my brother gave me Satchmo as a housewarming gift."

"Satchmo?"

"Louisville. Louis "Louie" Armstrong. Also known as Satchmo. Duh." Definitely not naming it for Louisville, Kentucky. Screw that.

Puck raised an eyebrow in confusion and brushed past Mercedes to sit on her couch.

"Hey! I thought we were having breakfast together. Where's my bowl?"

"Your arms ain't broke!"

Mercedes glared at Puck and began pouring herself a bowl of cereal. Puck continued speaking, "I know we live in a tough neighborhood, but if we lived together we could afford something nice. Though I know no matter what The Lady Jones says Doc Jones ain't havin' that."

"And I ain't havin' that either. You may be able to sweet talk my mother but I know you, Noah."

Puck chuckled. By this time both of them were sitting on the couch and ignoring the argument that had become part of their routine in favor of the Khloe and Lamar repeat playing on the E! network. Mercedes and Puck sat eating cereal in companionable silence. Mercedes spoke first.

"Hey, have you talked to Sam lately?"

"If by 'talked to' you mean 'played Halo with' then yeah. We Glee guys try to play at least once a month."

Mercedes rolled her eyes. Of course.

"So how is he?" Mercedes tried to sound casual and failed miserably.

Puck smirked and looked at her from the corner of his eye. "Why? You feelin' White Chocolate again? I thought he's with Brittany now."

"They broke up. How'd you even know they were together?"

"My mulatto baby bro told me. But seriously, you tryna get back together with him?"

Mercedes groaned in frustration and put down her bowl. "I don't know. I mean, I want to but we just started talking again and we're focusing on the whole 'friends' thing."

"So... You put yourself in the friend-zone?"

Mercedes let out a second groan. "Yes."

Puck chuckled and tipped his bowl to his lips to slurp down what was left of the sugary milk. He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and stood to bring his dishes back to the kitchen. Meanwhile Mercedes sat still, her eyes tracking his movements as she waited for his advice.

"Well I'd hate to cock block— or would it be vag block?— but if the friends thing is working then you should leave it alone. I mean, it's not like you're missing out on a hook-up; you're a thousand miles apart."

Mercedes sighed and followed Puck into the kitchen and dumped what was left of her cereal down the sink. She quietly made her way back to her room and right before she closed the door she turned back to Puck.

"Thanks for the advice, Noah. I appreciate it. I've gotta get ready for the day but continue to make yourself at home. Or take yourself down the hallway to your actual home."

"You're welcome, Mama," Puck replied as he stretched out on her couch and picked up the television remote. "The Puckster has always got your back."

Hope you liked it... Puckcedes friendship was surprisingly easier for me to write than Mertina. Not sure when the next chapter is, but there will be Sam/Mercedes interaction and hopefully a slight push forward in time (for those who care, I'm a planner and what has happened so far is durind the end of the first week into the second week of December.)

Thank you for reading, please review!