Sam woke with a start on Monday morning, the sun beaming down through the open window blinds onto his face. He propped himself up on his elbows and rubbed his eyes groggily, looking around the room.
It was in chaos. Notebooks and balled up sheets of paper had been tossed everywhere, bags of chips lay scattered randomly around the room. He peered over the edge of the bed to see Mike on the floor with a pillow tucked tenderly under his head. Finn had crashed on the bed opposite Sam, his tall frame causing the tips of his feet to dangle just over the edge. His mouth was wide open, snoring.
All of the guys were still sleeping, thankfully, so he figured that now was his chance.
Slowly, and as quietly as possible so as not to wake them, he made his way over to the suitcase that lay propped up against the wall and grabbed a change of clothes. Then he took a quick shower and slipped out the door.
He made his way down the simply decorated hall, past only a few doors, until he stopped in front of the girls' room.
A sudden thought came to mind. How was he supposed to wake her up? He couldn't just knock, because one of the girls would probably answer and he'd definitely have some explaining to do. And it's not like he could call her. He didn't have a cell phone.
He stood there, going over his options, until he heard the doorknob click.
Damn it. He thought. He wasn't about to get caught. Not now, not after they had spent so long trying to keep things a secret.
He considered trying to make a run for it, back down the hall to the boys' room. It wasn't that far away, but still, it wasn't exactly right next door either. Whoever was leaving that room would see him no matter how fast he ran and would no doubt hear and see the door close behind him.
He backed away from the door and glanced up and down the hall, searching for a place to hide. Without another look, he darted around the nearest corner, to where the elevators and ice and snack machines were. He stood back against the wall, trying to look casual.
And then he heard footsteps.
He needed to look like he was doing something, not just randomly standing here. Thinking fast, he grabbed a cup that was sitting in the ice dispenser, and pushed it under the tab. Unfortunately, he had done it so quickly and forcefully that the ice poured out faster than he had expected and it filled the cup with such speed that the rest crashed to the tiled floor, breaking into pieces as it did so.
"Oh…shit." He mumbled, panicking. He bent down and tried to pick up the ice blocks that had jumped ship, but they slipped out of his nervous, shaking hands every time.
"Sam?" a voice asked, suddenly.
Sam removed the cup from where it sat on the ice dispenser, and looked up to see Rachel and Kurt. They were both dressed like they were going somewhere special and had confused looks on their faces.
"Uh…hey." He said, casually from where he knelt on the floor.
"Are you okay?" Rachel asked, staring at the mess surrounding him.
"Um…yeah. Yes. I'm great. Just, uh-you know." He pointed to the machine. "Just getting some ice." A nervous chuckle. He brushed hair from his eyes.
"Oh." Rachel said.
"Where are you guys-"
"Nowhere!" Rachel interrupted him immediately. Kurt nudged an elbow at her. "Uh, what I meant was…we were just…just going to take a walk around the hotel." She nodded, content with her answer.
Kurt closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, a sigh escaping his lips.
"I mean it's such a beautiful building. Don't you think? We wanted to make sure to see everything before we leave." Rachel continued.
"We're sneaking out for a few hours to get some breakfast and do some sightseeing." Kurt finally explained. Rachel widened her eyes and turned to stare at him. "What? Sam's not going to say anything. Are you, Sam?"
Sam shook his head.
"See? Nothing to worry about. Now, come on, Miss. Berry. We're late."
"But-but-" Rachel spluttered. Kurt pulled her along, into an elevator, before she could say another word. He managed to wave goodbye to Sam before the doors shut.
This would only happen to me. Sam thought as he stood up. He threw the full cup of ice into a nearby garbage can and kicked the ones on the floor under the ice dispenser.
His plan had worked though. Sort of. Most likely, they hadn't suspected a thing. He was merely getting ice. Where was the harm in that, right?
He stuck his hands in his pockets and turned to round the corner, but immediately ended up crashing into someone.
"Ow!" a harsh voice yelled.
He was taller than the person, and his chin had hit against something, hard. Sam fell back a few steps, rubbing his chin. Through squinted eyes, he saw Mercedes, standing in front of him with one hand on her hip and the other on her forehead.
"Damn…" she said.
He rushed over to her. "I'm so sorry!" he exclaimed, his hand hovering near her forehead. "Are you ok? I didn't see you there, Mercy, really. Let me see. Are you bleeding?"
"What?" Mercedes asked, about to laugh. Since when did he call me 'Mercy'? "No, I'm not bleeding. I'm fine. But man, that hurt." She closed her eyes for a second and tried to walk it off. Her head was spinning.
Sam followed her. "Let me see."
"It's ok." She waved him off.
"No, let me see."
"Sam-"
"Come on, baby."
She stopped and allowed him to get close enough. Sam lifted an arm and gently moved her hand away from her head. He stared down at her for a few seconds. There was no bruise, for which he was thankful, and it definitely wasn't bleeding. He pushed her bangs away and planted a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Better?" he asked.
Mercedes nodded slowly.
"You're a natural."
Sam laughed and dropped his hands. He put his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him. "Well, I better be. There are these two little kids at home that are always getting into some kind of trouble. They're always getting hurt."
"Good thing they have you to help fix them up."
"Well, there are some things I'm just not able to do for them." He leaned in to kiss her and she smiled. "Like that, for example."
Mercedes laughed. "I would hope not."
Sam turned with a smile and linked his fingers with hers. He walked them to the elevator and punched the 'down' button.
"So guess what. I ran into Rachel and Kurt." He told her. "Well, they sorta ran into me, but that's not the point."
"Oh yeah? Where were they going?"
Sam shrugged as the elevator dinged.
"I wasn't exactly paying attention." He admitted. "I was more caught up in what had happened seconds before and I wasn't really thinking straight."
"What happened?" They stepped into the elevator together and Sam directed the elevator to 'Lobby'.
"Uh," he chuckled nervously and pulled her closer. "Nothing important."
"Come on!" Sam groaned, grabbing for Mercedes. "Why'd you stop?"
"Spill." Mercedes said, darting away from his hands.
"Aw, come on don't do that."
"Nope. I want the story, Evans."
"Mercedes, I can't tell you. It's crazy embarrassing. Just- come on, just come over here-"
"No. I want the rest of that story. Or I'm going to keep leaving you hanging like that, begging, until you tell me."
"I can't."
"Fine. No more for you then."
"UGH." Sam groaned again and fell back onto the blanket they were sharing. They were in Central Park. After stopping off at a deli to grab a couple things for a quick breakfast, they came right over to bask in the warm sunlight amongst dozens and dozens of other couples. The fact that they had been happily making out just a few seconds ago didn't seem to matter to anyone.
"Are you giving up?" she asked, eyeing him.
He grinned. "Never."
Mercedes rolled her eyes and leaned back to lie next to him.
"You're annoying."
Sam laughed, but decided to change the subject. "So. Do you think that we can actually win this thing?" He looked over at Mercedes. "I mean, this is it, you know? This is the big league."
Mercedes sighed and decided to go with it. He wasn't going to say anything, so she had no other choice at the moment.
As for his question, she had to think for a second. Over the past year, everyone in the glee club had been constantly looked down on and told that they would never make it this far, yet here they were, two out of thirteen of them lying on a blanket in the middle of Central Park. Two kids from small town Ohio in the big New York City. What were the chances of that even happening?
"I do." She said confidently. "We've come so far. We've worked so hard. We deserve to win."
Sam laughed. "I don't know. I just feel like I've been asking for too much."
"What do you mean?"
He shrugged, looking up at the clouds. "I guess…even after everything that's happened, I feel like I've already gotten the best I could ask for. Like it's kind of unfair that I'm so happy. And it just seems like I'm going even more overboard by expecting us to win."
"You're crazy." Mercedes said, shaking her head. He rolled over on to his side to look down at her.
"Am I though?"
"You are."
"What makes you think that?"
"Because, Sam, I really don't understand why you would think you don't deserve everything you have. You have an amazing family that loves and cares about you. Not to mention that everyone in the glee club feels the same way."
"Yeah, but-"
"Don't but me. I'm not finished." He shut up. "Look, you have the right to be happy. Just because of your family's situation, yes it's heartbreaking what you guys had to go through, but that doesn't mean you have no other choice but to be depressed. Be happy that we've gotten this far. Be happy that we're here, together. And be confident that we are going to win."
He was silent for a minute, like he always was when she went off on her little speeches. Mercedes didn't mind the silence, though, because it let her know that he was listening and thinking about what she said.
"Can I say something?" he finally asked.
"Yes."
"I understand what you mean. And you're right. I know you are." He sat up and pulled his legs up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. "But I think you need to take some of that advice too."
"What do you-"
"No, my turn." Sam insisted, quickly putting a finger to her lips.
"Fine."
"Back at home. Your parents. Have you told them about us?"
"Well, no but-" she sat up to face him as well, ready to defend herself.
"No buts, like you said." He shook his head and didn't give her a second to answer. "We're telling them. Together. As soon as we get back."
"Sam-"
"I'm serious, Mercedes. And then after we tell your parents, we're going to tell mine."
"We can't-"
"Stop." He said, and she looked up at him with nervous eyes. She wasn't ready to tell them. She wasn't ready to tell anyone, he knew that already. But he had to try. He couldn't keep living like this, with all these secrets. Look at where that got him this morning with Rachel and Kurt. Not a pretty sight.
And he knew that keeping it a secret was killing her too, but she just wouldn't admit it.
"I know." He told her. "I know what's bothering you." Sam moved closer to her and put his hands on either side of her face. "You think they won't accept us. Don't you?"
She was quiet. Her eyes moved away from his. She didn't want to look at him.
"You don't have to say yes, but I understand." His voice was soft and gentle, soothing. "Hey, you don't have to be scared. The Mercedes I know and I'm crazy about wouldn't be scared. She wouldn't give a damn about what anyone thinks, am I right?"
She nodded. It was slow and small, but it was a nod nevertheless.
"Good. And I'll be right there with you. You won't have to do it alone."
Tears had welled up in her eyes and she looked up at him then, a small smile dancing on her lips. Despite the crowds around them, it felt like they were in their own personal bubble. Away from the craziness of the world and the pressure of Nationals. It was just the two of them. Nothing else mattered, at this point.
She had found enough of her voice to come up with a single word. "Promise?"
Sam nodded.
"I promise." He reached over with his thumbs to wipe away the tears that had broke free, and leaned in kiss her first on her forehead, then on both cheeks, and then on her lips.
With a deep breath, Mercedes focused her thoughts on his words and on his face, on his lips and on his voice. He was completely sincere. He wouldn't make her face this alone. Because, if there was no one else in the world you could trust, you could always count on Sam to keep his promises.
She wouldn't be scared. She would bring him home, sit him down in her living room, and introduce him to her family. She would either have to face whatever criticisms or dirty looks they had or she would welcome their praises and blessings. Still, whatever happened, she would be facing it with Sam at her side.
And that was enough for her.
Wow, another chapter already? Haha I'm on a roll! Hope you enjoyed!
But really, I decided to submit this chapter a few days earlier than I usually do because of everything that has been going on in the fandom for the past few days. I'm sure everyone (or mostly everyone) has heard about Chord's status for Season 3. I was crazy upset, when I first found out. I couldn't believe it. I still don't want to believe it, actually. A part of me won't give up hope that he will still be a recurring guest star like he was for all of season 2, instead of being entirely cut from the cast.
But whatever happens, I won't stop writing Samcedes. I've grown to love these two together, and whether or not the writers choose to keep their storyline, they will still be one of my favorite ships. That is something I'm sure will not change :)
