DISCLAIMER:I DO NOT OWN GLEE NOR ANYTHING ELSE MENTION.

WARNING: A SMALL AMOUNT OF ANGST :(

Maverick smiled as he walked through the playground of the elementary school. Everyone pretty much knew who he was and loved how helped with the kids. Seeing Madison sitting on the bench, his smile started to instantly fade when he saw that she was crying. He walked up to her, "Madi? What's wrong?"

Madison looked up, wiping her eyes in the process, "Nothing." She whispered quietly, biting the inside of her cheek.

Maverick picked her up, "Something is wrong. Tell me." He said softly.

She started to sniffle a little, "Tyler keeps picking on me. He pulled my ponytail a-and he called me a crybaby."

Maverick smiled gently, "Sounds like he likes you." He laughed softly when she scrunched up her nose, "It's going to be okay." He sat her down to her feet, "When I come back, we can go get something to eat, okay?" He smiled when she nodded. He turned on his heels in search of the little hooligan that made his sister cry. Finding him on the swings, he sat by him, "Hey Tyler?"

"What?" The angry boy fixed him with a glare.

Maverick looked at him dead in the eyes, "If you pick on Madison again, I'm going to pull all of your teeth out." The boy looked at him with a shocked face, "You leave her alone or else..I will tell Santa to purposely skip your house this year, meaning no presents for you."

"No presents?" He said quietly.

"There might be some if you go apologize." He almost doubled over in laughter when he saw the young boy jump from the swing and run over to Madison.

Tyler approached her, "I'm really sorry for pulling your hair and calling you a crybaby. You're not one. I was just being a big ole meanie and I'm sorry again. Don't be mad at me..you're my best friend." He said softly.

Madison shrugged as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "It's okay."

"Are we still friends?" He asked cautiously, meeting her gaze.

Madison nodded and quickly was taken aback by the quick hug he gave her. She smiled as she watched him run back over to Maverick and tell him something.

Maverick stood up and walked back to Madison, "Ready to go?"

"Mhm." She grabbed her book bag and walked over to him.

Maverick grabbed her small hand and led her to his car. The two went to the local pizzeria and ate and he took her home afterwards.

Sam locked his truck as he walked up to the building. Him and Maverick had agreed to spend some guy time with each other to get to know each other better. He didn't know what to expect out of this meeting but hopefully they could have a better relationship after this. He played baseball throughout high school and college and he knew Maverick played, so what better place to take him than a batting cage. He opened to door and greeted one of the workers as he walked through the screen doors. Every since he moved to California he had become a regular here. He smiled when he saw him, "Ready?"

Maverick looked up and nodded, "Lets go." He grabbed his hat and headed outside.

The two stayed at the batting cage for an hour just hitting the balls around. After they were done, Sam took Mav to Leo's, a local sports bar that was down the street. Sam thanked the waiter when he dropped off their drinks, "This place has the best burgers and fries, no doubt." He took a sip from his beer and look towards Maverick, "So..what do you want to finish high school?"

Maverick sat up in his chair, folding his hands on top of the table, "I want to go to UCLA and major in sociology."

"Really?" Sam asked surprised, "You know I always thought you would followed in your mom's footsteps."

Maverick laugh a little, "Nah, I'll leave that to you two."

Sam laughed at him. He was a good kid and he could tell that he had a bright future ahead of him.

"You know..I'm really glad you're dating my mom." Maverick started as he played with the straw in his drink, "She's been through so much and she deserves to be happy."

Sam smiled a little at his admission, "I plan on making her happy for the rest of her life too." Sam said truthfully, "But you deserve to be happy too." Sam took a deep breath, "I-I know I can't replace your dad and I'm not trying too but..I just want to let you know...that if you need anything, I mean if it's just to talk about things you can't talk about with your mom..you can always come to me."

Maverick tugged on his bottom lip at the mention of his dad. He never let it showed how much it bothered him not having his father around. It pissed him off too see everyone have theirs but he couldn't have his. Of course he never expressed how he felt to Mercedes because he didn't want to seem weak. He looked up at Sam and saw the sincerity in his eyes. He respected him a lot, "I appreciate that..a lot."

Sam nodded, "You're welcome. It's the least I could." He leaned over and patted his shoulder. He smiled hard as the waiter came back with their food, "God yes. This is the place the be." He grabbed his burger, taking a big bite out of his burger.

Maverick laughed at him, taking a bite out his. They spent the rest of the day getting to know each other more.

Mercedes smiled when she saw Sam sitting on the couch. Closing his door, she walked towards him, kissing his lips soundly, "How was your day?"

"Exhausting." He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to his lap. He moved her hair from her neck and kissed her sweet spot.

Mercedes moaned at the sensitive touch. She turned around and kissed him again, "I forgot to ask you..how did the batting cages go with Mav?"

"Good. Really good." Sam smiled brightly as he ran his hand up and down her back.

Mercedes quirked at brow, "Oh really? What did you two talk about?"

"Guys things." Sam gave her a knowing look.

"Okay, I guess that meana you not going to tell me?" Mercedes laughed when he nodded, "I'm glad that he actually talked to you."

"What do mean?" He asked her questionably.

Mercedes sighed as she sat up, "I-I mean, he really doesn't like to open up to..men. Puck, Mike and Artie are a different story, he's close to them because they practically helped me raise him..it's just..outside men. I don't know if that made since or not.."

"It did." Sam nodded as he looked at her, "And I completely understand that."

Mercedes smiled a little, "Thank you for talking to him." She looked around the house, finally noticing how quiet it was, "Where's Madison?"

"She's at a sleepover." Sam smiled mischievously at her, "We have the whole house to ourselves."

Mercedes smirked as she straddled his lap, "What do you want to do then?" She whispered hotly in his ear, leaving trails of kisses from there to down his neck.

Sam moaned as he cupped her ass, "I think I have some ideas." He flipped them to where she was laying on her back, hovering over her. He kissed her, pushing her lips apart with his tongue.

Mercedes snaked her arms around his back, raking her freshly manicured nails underneath his shirt. She was about to ask for removal when she heard her phone ring.

"Ignore it." Sam said as he kissed her chest area, making his way down to the button of her jeans.

Mercedes pushed at his shoulder, "I can't." She rolled from under him and grabbed her bag, pulling her phone out of it, "Mercedes Jones." She stood up and went to the other room.

Sam groaned, feeling the déjà vu of this happening. He placed his sock covered feet on table, knocking down Mercedes bag in the process, "Shit." He got up from the couch and picked the things up from the floor. His eyebrows shot up when he spotted a folder. He would've thought nothing of it just thinking it was one of her case files..but it wasn't. He sat the rest of the things on the table except the folder. He opened it up and started reading. His face felt like it was going to explode as he read on. He looked over at the date stamped on it and his jaw started to clench slightly.

Mercedes shoved her phone back into her pocket as she walked into the living room. She saw Sam's back was turned away from her, "Hey." She walked around the couch, immediately stopping when she saw the folder in his hand.

"Why wouldn't you tell me about this?" He said in a low, enraged tone. He turned to her with hurt and anger showering through his now dark eyes.

Mercedes felt her whole heart sink as she saw the look on his face, "Sam.."

"ANSWER ME MERCEDES!" He yelled at her.

Mercedes jumped at the sound of his voice, "I-I just wanted to protect you."

"Protect me?" He laughed bitterly, "How the hell is this going to protect me? You knew about this for two damn months and you didn't tell me. Do you know what the fuck you did?" He walked up to her, "My daughter's life could've been in jeopardy Mercedes..my fucking daughter."

Out of all the yelling Sam was doing, neither one of them heard the front door open.

"I'm sorry okay..I told her to leave you two alone.." Her voice starting to waver off.

"You're a prosecutor Mercedes, working for the damn law..YOU should've turned this in. I don't care what excuse you have, you were wrong."

Mercedes vision started to get blurry. She didn't mean for this to happen. All she wanted to do was protect them. Sam's voice broke her out of her trance.

"Get out."

"Sam.." She felt her tears starting to come down.

"Get the hell out of my house Mercedes..I don't even want to look at you right now." He said brokenly.

Mercedes bit down on her bottom lip, trying to keep her sob in as she grabbed her jacket and bag. She walked to the front door wiping her face when she felt herself bump into someone. She looked up and saw the confused look on the older woman's face, "E-Excuse me." She said quietly as she opened the front door and ran to her car.

Sam sat on his couch with his hands over his face. He couldn't believe this was happening. He was pissed. Pissed at Nicole for being a fucking manipulative bitch and he pissed at Mercedes for lying to him about it, "Fuck." He jumped when he heard his mother shrill voice.

"What the hell Sam?" She came in and sat her purse down.

"Ma, not right now."

"Oh yes, right the hell now Sam." She sat her purse down with Stacey behind her, "You're going to explain to me why there's a girl coming out of your house crying."

Sam looked at with sad eyes, knowing he wasn't going to get out of this. He finally broke his resolve and told her everything.

Mercedes sighed as she wiped the remaining tears away. She knew she messed up and she swore she was going to tell him but looks like the universe had other plans. She opened the front door to her house, hearing all of the commotion in the living room. She cursed under her breath forgetting that Maverick had his study group tonight and there was no other way to get to stairs without them seeing her. She wiped her face and plastered on a fake smile as she walked in the living room, "Hey guys."

"Hey Ms. Jones." They all said in unison.

Maverick sat his book down and looked at her with frown on his face. He could tell something was wrong, "Mom.."

Mercedes looked at him shaking her head, "Do you guys need anything?"

"You." Brent said with a lustful smirk, "I need you."

Aiden hit him upside his head.

Mercedes rolled her eyes at him as she let out a small laugh, "If y'all need anything, just ask." She headed towards the kitchen the get her some water.

"Yes ma'am." They replied as they went back to studying.

Maverick told them he will be back. Walking towards the kitchen, he saw her getting something out of the fridge, "Mom, what's wrong?"

Mercedes sniffled as she grabbed her water. Turning to him with a smile, "Nothing..just a bad day at work."

Maverick could tell she was lying, "Mom.." He approached her and frowned up when she stepped back.

"I'm fine." She smiled at him even though she was hurting in the inside, "Go back and study."

Maverick knew something wasn't right. He hated when she got like that. And plus, her eyes were puffy and bloodshot red. He knew he had to find out what was going on, he didn't like when she was upset. He looked at her one last time before he reluctantly left the kitchen.

Mercedes sighed as she walked up the backstairs to head to her room. She slid off her shoes and got into her bed. Wrapping herself in her quilt, she drifted off to sleep with a heavy heart.

A/N. It's going to be okay, I promise. :)