Sorry I've been MIA. Blame Fanfic. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy how confusing this chapter will be lol
Sam and Mercedes arrived in Memphis hours later and made their way over to where Sam remembered his mother lived. Mercedes parked her car across the street from where his mother lived and they both just sat and waited. The entire ride there they talked about their childhood. Mercedes listened as Sam explained how his parents date went down according to his mother and then the way it went according to his father. She could tell that Sam missed them dearly and that seeing them again was definitely going to lift his spirits up. She prayed they'd be able to enjoy watching his parents on their date without messing up anyone's future. She didn't know much about time travel but she feared that this little innocent trip could make an ultimate change in Sam's future.
"Wait...there goes my dad I think." Sam said smiling from ear to ear as he pointed towards a ford truck coming down the street. "Yeah, that's my dad's old truck." They both ducked then watched as he parked his car and go out with flowers in hand. Mercedes saw where Sam got his good looks from because from where she sat he was definitely easy on the eyes.
"Aww he brought her flowers." Mercedes gushed. Sam looked over at her and shook his head as they both watched his father walk to her door. "I can't believe we're doing this." Mercedes smiled. Sam leaned forward and smiled as his dad nervously shifted before knocking on the door.
"He was so nervous. He never told me that. He acted as if he was Mr. Cool and that my mother was the only one that was nervous." Sam said looking over at Mercedes.
"Wait...look...there's your mother, right?" Mercedes pointed as a slender blonde opened the door and smiled at Sam's father. Sam nodded but he didn't say anything as he watched them. Mercedes almost thought he was holding his breath as well but then she saw him exhale and a smile stretched across his face. His mother took the flowers, disappeared inside and then minutes later she was back outside and following his father to the car.
"Let's go to the diner before they do. I don't want them realizing that they are being followed." Sam said as he sat up. Mercedes nodded then started the car and drove off in the direction that Sam told her to go.
When they arrived at the diner, Mercedes was shocked to see the place was packed. In what world is there a diner packed like this? Either way they both walked in and waited to be seated. Sam kept looking behind him as if his parents would walk up any minute. Mercedes gave him slight pat on the back to calm him down when the hostess finally approached them.
"Party of two?" she asked with smile. Sam nodded then looked back once more before smiling at the hostess. "We've got a booth right over here. Follow me." she started walking with two menus in hand as Mercedes began to follow her. Once they were seated they both ordered their drinks then Sam excused himself leaving Mercedes alone. That same minute Sam's parents walked in, all smiles, holding hand and waiting for a hostess to seat them. Mercedes stared at them trying to see who Sam looked like the most. As she stared at them she watched Sam's mother frown as the hostess told them that they'd just given away the last table.
"Damn. We just messed things up." Mercedes said to herself. She looked over to where Sam had gone and wondered if she should tell him that they needed to leave. She paused and remembered the what Sam told her about how his mother said the date was on the verge going south at the beginning of the date. She got up and walked up to them as they talked to the hostess. She wasn't sure what she was going to say but she knew she couldn't let them leave the diner. Who knows what would happen if they left there solely because Sam and Mercedes took the last table.
"Dwight, let's just go. This is the third place we've passed. They are all packed like this." his mother said. "Maybe this was just not meant to be." Mercedes heard the hostess apologize as they were turning to leave.
"Uh...excuse me, ma'am, sorry..."Mercedes said stepping quickly in front of them. "I couldn't help overhearing your dilemma." Mercedes said looking between the two. She could tell from the look on Sam's mother's face that she was getting ready to throw in the towel. "I would like to offer my table to the two of you."
"Ma'am...you don't have to..."
"I know..." Mercedes said cutting off the hostess then turning her gaze back to Sam's mother and smiled. "Just take the table, please." Mercedes looked over at Dwight and immediately saw Sam's face. It was crazy how much Sam looked like his father. She prayed they didn't see him and automatically see the resemblance.
"Why don't you join us?" Mary asked then looked over at Dwight. Mercedes noticed Sam searching for her then his eyes widen as he saw her talking to his parents.
"Um...no...you two enjoy it." Mercedes smiled and waved Sam over. The hostess took them over to the table just as Sam grabbed a menu and covered his face till he was in front of her. "That was freaking close. Let's get out of here before we end up right in front of them." Mercedes giggled then stopped as Mary was standing right behind Sam.
"Hey, I want to thank you two. I really appreciated it." she said reaching over to shake Mercedes hand. Sam turned around slowly and in shock as his hands took hers and shook it. "I'm Mary by the way." She smiled. Sam stood and gawked at her until Mercedes removed his hands from hers.
"I'm Sam...I mean...I'm not Sam." he said as Mercedes and Mary both looked at him. "Saved it!" he whispered to Mercedes then smiled. Mercedes shook her head because that was definitely not a save. And things didn't get better as she noticed Dwight heading in their direction and knew it was definitely time that they left.
"It reall was nothing...and we really need to be going. I hope you two have a nice first date." Mercedes said pulling Sam towards the door. "Come on, Sam...I mean...not Sam."
"Wait...how did you know it was our first date?"
"Um...I..." Mercedes looked over at Sam then towards the door wishing they could just beam themselves out of there. Sam still stood there motionless as he just stared at his parents.
"It's probably because she can tell how nervous we are." Dwight laughed.
"Uh...is your date alright?" Mary asked looking at Sam. Mercedes pulled his arm and opened the door.
"Yeah...no...he's not feeling well...that's why I really need to take him home."
"Enjoy your night!" Sam finally said as Mercedes pushed him out of the door. "I just told my parents to enjoy their night. I just spoke to my parents, Mercedes." he repeated as Mercedes continued to push him lightly towards her car.
"Sam...you just spoke to your parents...you told them your name." She said as they continued to walk over to her car. She knew someway some how they just changed something in their story. She got to the car and leaned against it and finally exhaled then looked over at Sam who kept repeating that he spoke to his parents. "Sam, do you hear yourself?"
"Yes I hear myself, Mercedes, think about it. In my mom's story she said they almost never had their first date. They didn't even remember that it was you who gave up your seat so that they'd have their first date."
"So you're trying to say that originally I was supposed to be here to meet your parents?"
"Yeah!"
"No...that can't be. I only came over here because of you. What other reason would have made me come all the way out here just to eat at a diner?" Mercedes asked as she tried to think about it. "And they met you. So did they meet you back then too?" Mercedes asked. None of it was making sense to her but Sam was just all smiles as if everything was going the way it should have. Mercedes watched as he paced in front of her then stopped in front of her and shrugged.
"I don't know but everything happened as my mother told it." Sam replied. "Wait...do you think that I'm the reason they named me Sam? They named me after myself?" Sam asked.
"Sam...all of this is making my head hurt. I thought we'd just get to watch them on their date while I fangirl on the sideline." she shook her head and opened her car door and got in then looked at Sam. "You comin'?"
"Yeah." he replied then ran over to the passenger side and sat. Mercedes looked over at him then back in the diner where she could see his parents laughing and having a good time. Sam turned and looked in that direction and smiled. "Thanks for this." he turned and looked at Mercedes before reaching over and squeezing her hand. She squeezed his hand back then released his hand and started the car.
"Let's get out of here. We'll grab something to eat on the way."
They made it back to Mercedes' house hours later tired, hungry and ready to eat. Sam was still on cloud nine from seeing his parents that he didn't feel the hunger till they stepped in and opened the containers. As they ate Sam finally remembered why he was upset earlier. And the dream he had last night about Mercedes. He was stuck in 2015 and he wasn't having a bad time. And he had Mercedes to thank for most, if not all that was happening to him. He kept stealing glances at her as she ate thinking about how she just saved his future. She was a part of his life more than he knew. She was the reason his parents actually got together. Was that fate? Were they destined to meet?
"What?" Mercedes asked when she noticed that he was staring. Sam tried to quickly tried to think of something to say that wouldn't scare off but he drew a blank when she blushed.
"I'm racking a steep bill with you, you know." he smirked.
"Boy stop!" she waved him off. "Don't worry about it."
"Are you sure? I can write you a check but you won't be able to cash till 2045..."
"But will it be valid? Y'all don't even use paper." she reminded him as they both started to laugh. She stopped laughing suddenly and shuffled her food around her plate then looked at him. "You think...you'll remember...me when you get back." Sam thought about everything he had recorded on his chip and wondered if it will work when he got back to 2045. Then he remembered the conversation he had with Artie. He wasn't going back home no time soon. He was probably never going back.
"I've recorded every moment since the Sugar Shack...I...want to remember you." he replied. She smiled and looked at his sleeve then sighed before getting up from the table with her container. Sam got up and followed her to the kitchen with his container in hand as well. "Are you okay?" he asked. She turned and shrugged before forcing a smile on her face.
"Every time I remember that you're from the year 2045 I suddenly realize how crazy this is. I'm doing all of this with you and you know..." she shrugged. "And, I know you'll be leaving soon. I'm fine with that. I'm okay with that." She leaned on the counter then looked up at him and sighed. "You have your memory chip but I have nothing. I mean I can record this too but what if..." she paused and looked away. "What if I don't remember?" Sam never thought about that. He was more concerned with himself. All this time he kept worrying about returning to Quinn and saving Artie. He never stopped and wondered how all of this would affect Mercedes and Artie. Maybe leaving would just mess up everything. What if when he returned things were different? What if Artie and Mercedes didn't recognize him?
"I don't know what will happen if...I mean when..." Sam paused as he thought about his conversation with Artie. "Look, we don't know when Artie will fix this thing and what will happen when he does or if he can fix it at all."
"You don't think he can fix it?"
"I'm just saying I might be stuck here..." he replied and watched her frown at his choice of words. He walked over to her and held her hand in his before smiling at her. "And I don't see anything wrong with being stuck here with you." she smiled and squeezed his hand then nodded.
"We should call it a night I guess."
"Oh...yeah...it is getting a bit late." Sam responded then let go of her hand. He watched her walk out of the kitchen then make her way up the stairs. Minutes later he followed and went to shower as well. As he showered he thought about what he could do to make a life in 2015. One thing was for sure, he needed a car and a job. And he needed to figure out his feelings for Mercedes because every time he was near her he would get glimpse of his dream. By the time he got out of the shower he heard nothing from Mercedes' room. He figured that she was asleep so he went to his room and shuffled through his bag for his boxer briefs. He had just slipped one on when he heard a door close. He walked over to the door and opened it then smiled when he saw Mercedes standing out in the hallway. "Couldn't sleep?"
"I was about to go get some coffee." she replied then smiled. "I guess coffee wouldn't be helpful at this moment, but yeah I couldn't sleep."
"Me neither." he replied. She nodded then slowly made her way over to him and hugged him tight. He wasn't sure why she was hugging him but he wasn't going to push her away. He wrapped his arm around her and inhaled her sweet aroma.
"Just wanted to say that I will miss you even if I forget you." she replied before slowly pulling away. Her cheeks rubbed against his before she placed a kiss on the corner of his lips. He smiled and tried to do the same but the kiss landed on her lips instead. They stared at each other for a minute then kissed once again. Then she pulled away and smiled shyly. "I'm sorry." she turned to walk away. Sam quickly grabbed her hand then pulled her back to him and kissed her once more. He placed his hand on the small of her back, pushing her into him as he deepened the kiss. Mercedes wrapped her arms around his neck, not caring that his hair was still wet from his shower. They took a couple steps back, bumping into the wall then making their way into Sam's room. His hands ran up her shirt and grabbed her breast as he suckled her bottom lip. Mercedes moaned then pushed him onto the bed before climbing on top and kissing him again. Sam rolled over and kissed on her neck as he grinded himself in between her legs. "Oh dear God." she moaned softly as Sam took one of her nipples in between his fingers. He began to lower his kissed across her collarbone when the phone began to ring. "Don't stop. It will go to my machine." She stated. Sam smiled and continued down as the phone continued to ring. The person must have really wanted to speak to her as the phone stopped then started all over again. "Damn, give me a second." she grunted as Sam moved himself off of her and sat down. She picked up the phone and sighed. "Hello?" Sam tried to listen to the call but he couldn't pick up anything. She quickly got up and fixed her clothes which made Sam do the same.
"Is everything alright?" he asked as she placed a finger up at him then placed the phone on speaker.
"Sam...oh great you're up. I think I've fixed the reverser! You're going home!" he heard Artie say. Sam looked at Mercedes then back at the phone. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to be happy or sad but from the look on Mercedes' face he knew that she wasn't happy at all.
