Disclaimer: I don't own Glee. I just have the misfortune of loving the characters from that shitfest so very much.
A/N: I'm back! Yaaaay? Lol. Let me know what you think. I like reviews. Please excuse any errors I might have missed.
Special thanks to keeponsmilingg because she's the 'Cedes to my Nick. Love you!
"Sam, it's really quiet back there," Mercedes said with a wary glance toward the back of their truck, where their usually vocal four-year old had suddenly gone silent a little while ago. Lilliana was never silent. So, either the four-year old diva had fallen asleep—or she was up to something. Her parents tended to think it was the latter…well, because Lilliana was always up to something.
Sam and Mercedes constantly marveled at the sticky situations she'd manage to find herself in. She'd definitely inherited her father's boldness, sense of adventure, as well as his charm—which opened up plenty of opportunity for trouble, and Lilliana took every one she got.
Once upon a time, Sam and Mercedes had expected this behavior from Cameron, but he'd proven to be pretty level-headed and rational most of the time. Lilliana, on the other hand, had a dreamer's disposition—she was curious about everything and always had a million thoughts swishing about her head. That, coupled with the drive she'd inherited from both of her parents, made her a bit of an unintentional troublemaker.
Like the time she let the squirrel into the house—she'd just wanted to feed the animal and hadn't really understood why making a hole in the screen window of her bedroom had been the wrong choice.
Or the time she'd lodged three beads from her newly braided hair right up her nose—she couldn't explain why she did it. It had just occurred to her in that moment and she'd followed the impulse.
There was also the time where she'd hoisted herself up onto Mercedes' vanity bench and applied an obscene amount of makeup to her entire face. She'd then proceeded to put on a pair of her mother's sneakers and waltz proudly into her dad's home office to show off her handiwork. She'd been upset when Sam only goggled at her and went to show Cameron instead.
She didn't mean any harm, she just couldn't help her curiosity—and that almost always got her into a mess. Her parents had long since learned to look and listen for the warning signs, one of which was silence.
Mercedes looked toward the back of the truck again, craning to get a view of her daughter, but her seat belt made the task difficult. The family was in the middle of their annual Christmas morning road trip—this time to visit with Sam's family in Kentucky. Lilliana had insisted she sit in the very last row of seats in the car, her 'personal seat'. She'd learned the word in school a few weeks back, and that was it. Everything was her personal something. She'd laid claim to anything from her personal toys, to her personal room, to her personal clothes.
She'd even gone as far as claiming Sam when she'd been sick the week before—and that was a glorious twenty-four hour period where she'd been extra clingy and fussy as all get out. She'd thrown a fit at the mere mention of Sam having to leave the house for a meeting for a couple of hours. She'd cried real diva tears and informed him he was her 'personal Daddy'.
It'd taken all Mercedes had to push Sam out of the door. He lived to spoil his little girl rotten, but they had to draw a line somewhere.
The car seat was just the latest in a string of things she'd claimed as her own.
Even though her parents were a bit uncomfortable with the idea of her sitting in the very last row, they figured they could set up her booster seat back there just the same, and Cameron—who sat in the middle seat—would keep an eye on her.
Except, Cameron had passed out somewhere around hour three of Sam's special 'Evans Family Chris-Mix #16'. By the way his long, lanky body sprawled across the backseat, snoring softly, and oblivious to the world, he was out for the count—and probably wouldn't return to the land of the living until they made it to their destination.
"Maybe she's just asleep," Sam said, countering Mercedes' concern. "I mean, look at Cam," he told her.
Mercedes laughed as her son went right on snoring. He'd been fine at the start of their drive, but apparently he'd tuckered himself out after the very invigorated family sing along of Human Nature.
Mercedes tried to go back to just enjoying the drive with Sam—he was probably right and Lilliana had just succumbed to the lull of the moving vehicle as her brother had. They'd been making this drive since they first moved in together in college and it was a tradition that held, even when they'd started their family.
She tried to engage again and just enjoy the music, but she couldn't shake being worried about Lilly—call it the mom in her. Sam noticed and sighed, wordlessly pulling into the next rest stop.
Families milled about the area as Sam parked the car and Mercedes beamed at him, kissing his cheek before hopping out. Cameron shot up, blearily looking around him.
"We're there?" he asked, his face scrunching up in confusion as he looked out of the front window.
Sam chuckled watching his son try to get his bearings. He was about to respond teasingly, when Mercedes exclaimed, "Oh my God!" from the back of the truck.
In a second, Sam was out of the car, jogging over to his wife to see what was happening.
Cameron was even more confused now and turned to the direction he'd heard his mom's voice come from. He spotted her and noted the befuddled look on her face. He followed her gaze and, as soon as his eyes landed on Lilly, he burst into tear-inducing laughter.
The little girl's face, hands, and dress were covered in chocolate. They'd gotten an early start so Mercedes had purchased a few things at a supermarket in Lima before they hit the road. Cameron had requested Nutella—which he'd placed in a bag of purchases next to Lilly when he'd finished.
Clearly, that had been a mistake—she'd gotten into the jar and gone crazy.
Mercedes lifted her gaze from her sleeping four-year old to her husband, who was trying his hardest not to laugh—and failing.
"Sam, this isn't funny. This is a mess," Mercedes said, failing to hold back an exasperated giggle. She swirled her hand in circles over her daughter's motionless frame.
"Oh, I know. The laughter is only holding back my tears," Sam said still chuckling. "She's going to be a nightmare tonight—especially if she gets sick."
Cameron still giggled spastically as he watched the scene before him. His phone was out snapping pictures and Sam and Mercedes knew they'd be Instagram material in a matter of minutes.
Mercedes shot Sam a teasing smile and said, "Well, at least we know she's her father's child." Sam's only response was an intense look to mirror his wife's and an impish smile.
Cameron noticed immediately when the mood changed between the two and his giggling stopped abruptly. His smile was replaced with a familiar queasy look. "Oh, eww. Honestly," he said, turning around and opening the car door. He stepped onto the pavement, shutting the door, before telling his parents, "I'm gonna go get a snack—and maybe some bleach for my eyes…and my brain."
With that, he took off toward the small mart—only to turn back to his parents a moment later.
Sam raised an eyebrow at his son's continued presence.
Cameron raised a palm toward his father, "I need some money for the snack—and the bleach."
Sam shook his head and pulled out his wallet, handing Cameron a $20 bill.
"Would you two like anything?" Cameron asked. "Some baby wipes for all this, perhaps?" Cameron said pointing at his sister, who was still oblivious to all of the activity around her.
"I have some," Mercedes told him, moving to the trunk of the car to get them. "But, get your sister a couple bottles of Pedialyte if you can find it. If not, water should do."
"Okay, I'll be right back," Cameron said looking between both of his parents. "Don't forget I'm in there and leave me again. I was not amused last time. I will not be amused this time. Mirror check before you take off. I'm the curly-haired blond. Your son—been around for 16 years. If I'm not sitting in that middle seat, the car does not move. Are we clear?"
Sam rolled his eyes and Cameron shrugged. Close enough. He had his cell phone. He could always call them again, like he had last year when they forgot him just outside of Kentucky. He took off toward the store, his wild blond curls flapping against his back as he went.
Sam and Mercedes shared another playful smile and laughed. A wise ass for a son, and chocoholic diva for a daughter—they were the luckiest parents in the world.
Together, they got Lilliana clean in a matter of minutes—Sam responsible for cleaning the left side, and Mercedes responsible for the right. Mercedes carefully took off the dress, trying desperately not to get chocolate all over the car. The groggy four-year old whined uncomfortably as the cold wipes swiped across her skin, but didn't wake up.
After Sam pulled on her new outfit, he turned back toward the front seat, stopping short when Mercedes climbed in next to Lilliana. He gave her a questioning look.
"The personal seat thing is definitely over," Mercedes said sternly. "I'm going to wake her up as soon as Cameron gets back with those drinks and start dealing with the sugar shock. Then she's going to explain exactly what she was thinking consuming all that chocolate."
Sam was disappointed. He enjoyed having Mercedes co-pilot the road trips, but he was also glad not to be playing bad cop. He sucked at bad cop and usually had more issues with punishing Lilliana than Lilliana had with being punished.
Cameron was back a few minutes later, thrusting the Pedialyte bottles at his mother and climbing into the front seat next to his dad.
He looked to his dad after he fixed his seat belt and said, "Head count?"
Sam rolled his eyes again. "All Evans are present and accounted for, knucklehead," Sam answered dryly.
"There's no need for name calling," Cameron said, eyes widened innocently as he sipped on his drink through a straw.
Sam sighed and looked back to his wife, "You sure you don't want your spot back?"
Mercedes giggled at the exasperated look on his face, but shook her head. Lilliana wasn't getting away from her scolding or her Pedialyte.
Sam turned back toward the front and Cameron slapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, Mav, do some of that pilot shi—uh, stuff," Cameron said awkwardly. "Sorry, Mom," he added prematurely, glad she was all the way in the back of the car—too far away to slap him upside the head.
Mercedes simply shook her head and started to shake her daughter awake.
"I feel the need," she heard Sam say loudly as he started the car.
"The need for speed," Sam and Cameron shouted together as Sam started to move the car back toward the highway.
Lilliana's eyes popped open at the noise and she scowled tiredly at her mother.
"I don't feel good," she pouted.
Mercedes lifted the Pedialyte toward her daughter with a sigh.
This was her family—and she wouldn't trade a single crazy one of them for the entire world.
Cam is so sassy. I love him. Lol.
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