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Chapter 9

"Flowers?" Artie asked.

"No," Sam shook his head.

"Chocolates?"

"Nah."

"Cards, candy, teddy bear?"

"No, no, no," Sam sighed. They sat together in Mercedes' jeep. Sam thumped his head back. "I've been racking my brain all night, Artie. Mercedes deserves something special. I owe her everything and I want to do something… I don't know…life changing for her."

Artie thought for a moment. He looked at his friend and knew Sam had been stung hard by the love bee. He might not admit, but that didn't mean he wouldn't act on it. "What would you be willing to give for her?"

"Everything." Sam's tone was resolute.

"Then, I have an idea. It's crazy. I mean absolutely insane, but it might just work."


I won't fail.

I refuse to fail.

Mercedes' mind was tired, but she refused to give up. Facts, short answers, essays and equations flew from her pencil as she worked her way through her exam. During the halfway mark, the test takers were given a half hour break. In the hall, she met with Kurt and Santana.

"Someone please," Kurt complained, "tell me the purpose of the Quadratic Equation. When am I going to use it? How is it going to help me? Whoever put letters in math equations should be shot. Not killed, but momentarily harmed because of karma alone."

"Tell me about it," Santana seconded, "this test is stressing me out so much I think I threw some Spanish in my English essays."

"I'm not built for this life," Mercedes said, placing her arms around her two best friends, "I named Jesus as the reason for all of the Social Studies questions. What happened to Pangaea? Jesus. Gravity and evolution? Jesus again."

The three friends laughed.

"I'm happy to see you're laughing, but are you holding up okay, mama?" Santana asked.

"I'm good," Mercedes answered. "I know why I'm doing this and I refuse to fail."

Mercedes thought of the messages she received that morning. After kissing Sam goodbye, her phone buzzed. She had two messages from Tina. The first said: A little birdy told us you were going for your GED today. We just wanted to say…

The second message was a picture of Isaiah with a sign that read: Good luck!

He was smiling and had his Mickey doll clutched in his arms. His curls were ruffled and his dimples were deep. Her baby was beautiful and he wished her luck.

That's all she needed. Mercedes knew she was blessed. She sent a thank you text to Tina who proved to be an angel. Although she was wildly curious why Tina would be so nice, she didn't take it for granted. Instead, she buckled down. She focused and she did her damnedest to pass the exam and get her GED.

I'm doing this for you, baby Isaiah… and maybe a little for me too.


3 hours later

Kurt drove Mercedes and Santana home.

"So Mercedes," Kurt asked looking in his rear-view mirror at his friend, "when are you gonna come clean?"

Mercedes looked up in confusion. "Come clean about what?"

"About Trouty Mouth girl," Santana quipped. "I've never seen lips like that on a white boy and speaking of lips… I saw you guys this morning."

Kurt frowned at Santana and asked, "Saw what?"

Santana leaned over and glanced teasingly at Mercedes, "She gave our boy Trouty Mouth a chocolate kiss. I think I saw his knees weaken."

"Shut up, Satan," Mercedes interjected, laughing.

"Oh wait a minute," Kurt said, "I thought you guys were just friends."

"We are!" Mercedes exclaimed.

"Uh uh," Santana put in, "that was more than a friendly kiss. Friendly kisses don't make your eyes cross. I swear he grew a third leg if you know what I mean."

"Santana!"

"What?" Santana refused to back down. "At some point, Mercedes you have to be selfish. If the one armed soldier with broad shoulders and ungodly lips is what you want, then take it. Why fight it? For some reason, you let him behind all of those defenses you think no one knows about. I see the way you look at him. More than that, I see the way you trust him. Why not steal some joy for yourself and let G.I. Joe knock some of the dust off that old heart of yours?"

"I think she has a point, Mercedes," Kurt said, "you deserve it. Plus, if you don't then I will."

Laughing, Mercedes responded, "And what do you mean by that?"

"Look, I love me some Blaine. Madonna knows I do," Kurt paused, "but Sam looks like hot fudge on cold ice cream, topped with nuts and a cherry. I want it real bad and you know I'm allergic to dairy."

"I can't with y'all," Mercedes cried, "I'm attracted to him. We haven't done more than kiss, but I admit there's something special about him. In the mornings, I always wake up before him. His arm is always around my waist and his face is resting against my back. His body is warm. I feel safe, but it's more than that. As soon as his eyes open and he sees me, he smiles. He's not disappointed or discontent. He's happy to see me and it's almost as if seeing me was the best thing that could happen to him."

Her friends saw the way her face softened and her voice lowered. Santana saw how she gripped her pants and how her breathing became irregular.

"Have you told him?" Santana asked.

"Told him what?" Mercedes glanced up.

"That you're kind of in love with him," Kurt said gently.

"I- I mean, I'm not," Mercedes sputtered. She was not in love with Sam. She wasn't. Was she? So she asked her two friends, "I'm not sure if I know what being in love is like. I thought I knew a long time ago. I thought I was in love once and that the boy I loved returned my feelings. In the end, I was left alone. The feelings I had for him don't seem to fit Sam."

"First, you said boy. Sam is a man," Kurt responded.

"Also," Santana helped, "don't compare Sam to a memory. It isn't fair to you. Are you the same person you were back then?"

"No," Mercedes answered. "Not at all."

Santana laid her head against the headrest and looked at her friend. With a smile, she said, "Then my love, figure out what you want and reach for it. If it so happens that it's Sam, maybe he'll reach for you too."


"Okay, let's see here" Artie looked around, "we have candles, some R&B playing softly in the background. Sam did you do everything I told you too?"

"Yeah, Artie," Sam said nervously, "I mean it wasn't easy doing the dishes one handed, but I got them done and took out the trash. I'm still not quite sure why you made me lay this month's bills on the table after I paid them."

"You wrote 'Paid' on them, right?" Artie asked.

"Yeah Artie, I even spread them neatly on the table like you told me to," Sam responded.

"Trust me, women like two things. Ambiance and security. You want to keep a woman happy light some candles and pay the bills. It's never failed me before."

"Are you sure about all of this," Sam asked for the hundredth time.

Artie sighed, "I'm sure this is the craziest idea I've ever had, but if Mercedes is all that you say she is I'm sure she'll probably think you're at least the sweetest craziest man who ever lived."

Squaring his shoulders, Sam said, "Okay, she's going to be home soon. I have to get ready."

Artie did a little dance in his chair. "Ooh, this is going to be good."


"Sam," Mercedes called as she walked into her apartment. She stopped at the sight and smell of candles scattered around the room. Closing the door behind her, she walked over to the table to place her bag and coat down. Facing her were the cable and the light bill marked as paid.

"Hmm," she murmured, slightly tickled at the gesture. The apartment was spotless, the dishes done and the trash taken out.

"So you made it through the exam? Congratulations, Mercedes."

Smiling at the sound of his voice, Mercedes turned around. Hand in his pocket, Sam stood with his feet wide apart and shoulders back. She looked up at his eyes and there it was. The look. The happiness to see her and only her.

"Sam, this is beautiful," she told him as she stepped closer.

"Mercedes, I-"

"Wait," she said. "Before you say anything, I wanted to ask a favor. I wanted to ask before I lost my confidence."

He closed the distance between them so that their clothes brushed and their hands touched. Leaning down, he whispered into her ear, "Anything."

Licking her lips and raising her hand to clasp his neck, she whispered back, "Kiss me." Bringing his face closer to her, she breathed in his scent, saying against his lips, "Kiss me, Sam."

He was scared. For a moment, he felt like he was back in that museum where she found him dirty, wounded, dying and worthless. But Mercedes asked a favor of him and he would never be able to deny her anything.

He kissed her and she tasted like love. She was the balm for his broken humanity. Forgiveness for the lives he had taken and desire for a life of his own. Her tongue caressed his and her hands clutched him. She nipped his bottom lip and desire ran a sharp fingernail down his spine.

"What do you want from me?" he asked her.

"Touch me. Make love to me."

Her hands trembled, but somehow she found the courage to raise his shirt. He looked at her with disbelieving eyes as she kissed his chest and caressed the stump that used to be his arm. She actually wanted him.

"Mercedes," he groaned, wrapping an arm around her waist. Burying his face in her neck, he nuzzled and nibbled her flesh.

Grabbing his hand, she led him to the bedroom. Her nerves were tight as she put space between them to undress. She turned her back to him because she'd never been fully naked before a man. Mike's car was no place for nudity, not in the corners and parking lots they had to frequent for intimate moments. God, she was scared, but she wanted Sam. She wanted him so badly.

She took off her shirt and reached to unclasp her bra. She didn't hear the footsteps behind her, but she felt the heat of his chest against her back.

"You're not doing this alone. We do this together, Ms. Pretty," he said, wrapping his arm around her waist. With unknown sensuality, she raised her hand behind her to graze his neck. He sucked in air between his teeth.

"Look at us, 'Cedes," he said, turning them towards her mirror. She looked at herself, lips parted and bra straps down around her shoulders. She saw Sam kissing her shoulder with his strong hand caressing her stomach. She took her bra off. Grabbing his hand, she brought it to her breast and closed her eyes when she felt him squeeze.

He played with her, pulling and squeezing and her body pulsed in reaction. Her nipples grew hard and her reached up and turned her face to him for a kiss. "I want to taste you, Mercedes. Let me taste you, baby."

Sam was driving her crazy. For a man with one arm, he had them undressed and in bed in no time. His lips sucked and his tongue laved her down until she couldn't lie still.

There was no rush because Sam took his time.

There was no shame because she knew what she wanted.

There was only Sam surrounding her, holding her. Finally with her leg wrapped around his waist, he was inside of her. He made her forget her past. There was nothing but the sheets beneath her and her legs spread wide. She couldn't control her body pushing back against him and trying to take more of him.

Sam was a goner. He was drowning in her juices. He licked his lips, her essence still on his face. She hadn't let him stay down there long, her shyness making her blush. Now, he moved against her groaning at how she clenched his member tight. The sight of her coming apart almost did him in, but she owed him and Sam planned to collect.

Mercedes came until her eyes crossed. Taking deep breaths, she tried to find the energy to open her eyes as he still moved inside of her. He slowed and laughed against her lips.

"How do you feel," he asked.

"Limp," she responded.

"Baby can't move," he teased.

"Cut the crap, Evans. Give me five minutes," she laughed with her eyes still closed.

Seizing his opportunity, Sam slowly left her body. As she lay with her legs still spread, his mouth watered. Leaning down, he licked her core. Hearing her gasp, he wrapped his arm around her thigh and lapped at her.

This felt like falling in love. Kissing Mercedes at his leisure and having her move against his face. Showing her pleasure and hearing her cry his name. Her thighs tried to close against his head and he allowed it. He was a former soldier. Pressure was a good thing. When she tried to scoot up the mattress, he knew he had her.

Mercedes couldn't take anymore pleasure. Her toes were making gang signs and Sam's tongue had her on the run. When he finally came up for air, she glared into his face and said, "Sure you weren't a Marine?"

Sinking back inside her, he said, "I've never had trouble holding my breath." Laughing, they kissed sharing her juices.

Laughing while making love, that's what they would remember most as they rolled and twisted on the bed.

Above her, Sam looked into her brown eyes. I love you, he thought. Unable to keep his feelings hidden, he wrapped his arm around her and buried his face in her neck.

"I love you," he said as he came and gave her every part of him.


The next morning

Mercedes stared in the bathroom mirror and smilingly shook her head at her reflection.

Look at you, her inner voice joked. Being nasty all night and now you don't know what to do with yourself. Legs sore and still want more. You even sacrificed your twist out for lust. For shame, Mercedes.

She felt good. She wasn't sixteen anymore and shame wasn't required here. She'd done nothing wrong and not having to feel guilt made her spirits soar. She walked back to the bed and look at her worn out lover.

Blond hair sprouted wildly from his head. His arm was flung out and the sheet barely covered him. She climbed on the bed and found herself immediately snatched to his chest.

"Good morning," she said to his bristly chin.

"Morning," he returned, kissing her puffy hair.

"Thanks for last night," she began and felt his chest begin to shake with laughter. Rolling her eyes, she qualified, "Not for that silly. I mean the candles and the paid bills. It was nice."

"You're welcome. I didn't get a chance to give you the whole surprise though," Sam said quietly.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Nerves made Sam stay quiet. They made him sit up and leave the bed. He pulled on his pants and left the room saying, "I'll start breakfast."

Frowning, Mercedes dressed in a long t-shirt and followed him to the kitchen. "Sure, breakfast would be nice, but I'm still curious about this surprise."

Sam stood at the sink. Eyeing her, he shook his head and began to make coffee.

"Sam, what's going on? Talk to me," she said. Going up behind him, she hugged him from the back. Masking her own insecurities, she asked, "Do you regret last night?"

"No," he said, "last night meant everything to me. You mean everything to me. That's why…" he trailed off.

"Why what, Sam?"

"I want you to marry me." Clasping her arm and looking down at her surprised face, Sam said seriously, "I'm asking you to marry me."