A/N: final chapter time… I wanted to end this the way I does, cause I wanted to do a sequel soon… but idk. Also thank you for the reviews and alerts and all that ish, you guys are all kinds of awesome (drunk Rachel voice) anyway chapter 10…

Mercedes was having a pretty bad week. It was only three days until nationals. They had no songs to sing thanks to Sue's scheming, and Mercedes knew that the whole "original song" idea would leave her only belting out the final glory note at the end of the group song. Mercedes didn't mind it; cause she wanted to win, but that didn't mean she didn't reserve the right to be mad as hell when she wanted to. Truthfully what was really bumming her out was Sam. They were having a great time together, but sometimes they clashed. Times like in glee club when he visibly noticed she was upset about nationals, she confided in him and he told her he understood, but he felt like she wasn't being a team player. Mercedes was angry. She argued that for two years all she did was be a team player. That she was tired of playing second fiddle to Rachel's bullshit. Sam finally saw her point and tried to end their spat with a kiss outside of his locker. This only lead to another arguement about them wanted to keep things quiet... Well more like Mercedes wanting to keep things quiet and Sam asking her if she was ashamed to be with him. Mercedes laid down in her bed thinking over their little disagreement in front of his locker.

"So why can't I kiss you?" Sam asked. "There's no one in the hallway right now... And my lips are begging to be on yours."

He smiled and moved closer to her, hovering over her like he usually does, leaning his disgustingly beautiful body towards her short frame. Mercedes proceeds to back him away from her with her hand giving her signature hell-to-the-no face. Sam gets frustrated and slams his locker then walks away. Mercedes tries to keep up with him, but damnit white boy could move!

"Sam wait!" Mercedes called out to him. He stopped right before he passed miss Pillsbury's office and then turned around to look at her.

"Sammy... Please, you need to understand that I want to kiss you, I do... But you never know who's in the hallways, I don't want rumors to start up about us, cause we are… you know keeping a low profile? We've been through this Sam." she took his hand and held on it tight. She could tell he was angry but she needed him to understand she was only doing it for his benefit. The rumors people would create about them, his popularity (as fleeting as it was) she was doing it because she cared.

"I know we talked about it, it just makes me angry. That I can't kiss you whenever I want, or hold your hand, and sit next to you, anything. Can you understand that?"

Mercedes shook her head yes. He moved her in closer and traced her jawline with his thumb. Mercedes could tell he was trying to be reckless, and for once she didn't care. She moved closer and he hovered, their lips ready to touch when miss Pillsbury came out of her office. She smiled at them with gloves on her hands and then went down the hallway in the opposite direction.

Sam smiled at her, while Mercedes shook her head and mouthed "crazy" to him. He moved back in for the kiss, but kids started to come into the hall and Mercedes pulled away. She saw Sam's face and once again he was not happy. "Sam..." she said almost silently. "Can we talk later?"

"I have to work. See you in glee club." says Sam before walking away in a huff.

Mercedes hated the way she made him feel. But she just kept telling herself it was all for him. I mean it was, wasn't it?

Mercedes' week wasn't getting any better when she saw Sam and a cheerio in the hallway. She hid next to the locker as the busty brunette who everybody called 'Candy' talked to her man. Mercedes was sure her real name wasn't as sweet, but for some reason her real name was blanking in her mind right now.

"Hey Sam." candy said.

"Umm.. Hey... Umm you." Sam had no idea what this girls name was.

"So, summer almost starting, I'm gonna be spending a lot of time at the beach... In a bikini..." she said motioning to her breasts. Sam stared at them for a second and in his mind he kept saying 'not as good as Mercedes'… if only she let me touch just one!'

"Yeah, that's great." Sam took two books out of his locker and then opened his cherry chap stick to reapply.

Candy just laughed as if he said something funny.

"So. Listen Sam; I wanted to know if you had any plans for next Saturday? The cheerios and the football guys are all getting together and having an end of the year bash. Tell me you're free?"

"I don't know... I might have to work or other things... I guess I'll see?"

Candy smiled and moved towards him and put her hand on his arm squeezing it a little before letting go.

"I definitely hope to see you there." she winked at him before sauntering off in the hallway.

Sam watched her go for a second then went back to looking in his locker. Mercedes watched the whole thing and felt like she could literally die right there. She always thought Rachel was being her usual over dramatic self when she complained about the cheerios all over Finn. Now she saw first hand what it was like. And it sucked even more that in candy's eyes, she wasn't doing anything wrong. Sam was a hot guy, who didn't have any attachments. Mercedes just needed to get out of there as fast as she could, without Sam seeing her. But her legs felt like they were stuck to the floor by nails. Sam closed his locker and Mercedes's inner voice was saying "move dumbass, move!" but she couldn't. Something was just keeping her there. Sam walked down the hallway in her direction and Mercedes had an idea. She would take her funky hat she was wearing and pull it down to her eyes. 'Brilliant' she says to herself. She does it quickly as Sam walks pass. She was breathing a sigh of relief when he didn't notice her. She pulled her hat back up, and that's when Sam started walking backwards until he stopped right in front of her.

"Hey cedes.. Whatcha doing?" he asked coyly.

"Hey you!" she slapped his chest playfully and then smiled, hoping he didn't notice any other emotions stirring inside of her.

"Why are you standing here, all incognito- James bond-esque by the lockers?"

"Oh I was... I was just umm..." she began. She was trying to form a sentence but her conscience kept yelling, "I was just watching you flirt with another girl you jackass!"

"You were just...?" he asked.

"I was walking to class and then I stopped and noticed you talking to candy." diva jones was popping up. And there was nothing Mercedes could do to stop her.

"Who?" Sam tried to think... 'Candy... Candy... CANDY?"

"Candy... The cheerio?" Mercedes says.

"Oh yeah, she was just inviting me to some party or was it the beach? I wasn't really listening." Sam shrugged his shoulders and then extended his arm to rest on the wall above her. Sometimes Mercedes hated that he was so damn tall.

"It looked like you were listening... it seemed like you were listening real well." she crossed her arms in front of herself and Sam could tell he was in for another battle of words with his mercy.

"I don't know what your talking about, but I can see what you are doing and I'm not falling for it mercy. Not this time." Sam began to walk away and that's when the diva jones followed him, all the way to the boy's bathroom.

"Mercedes what the hell?" Sam screamed when she came busting through the door.

"I'm not gonna be in here for long, I will leave as soon as you admit that you are interested in other girls..."

Sam zipped up his pants and then went to the sink. He washed his hands and then repeated what he said before. "I'm not doing this with you. I'm not gonna argue with you because you are paranoid!"

"Oh hell to the no! You did not just call me paranoid!" Mercedes screamed.

"Yes. I believe I did... If you didn't hear me I'll say it again: you. Are. Paranoid."

He dried his hands and then turned around to face her. Whether he wanted to or not this battle was happening. And it looks like he just won round 1.

"I'm not paranoid. I'm realistic Samuel. And realistically you dated girls like candy before and you had no problem with her touching your bicep or watching her walk away!" Sam swallowed hard; yep Mercedes wins round 2...

"I know usually I go for girls like Quinn or candy but, I want you to understand that at the end of the day, I'm not thinking about any Quinn's or candy's. You're the one I want. You're the one I think about. You are the one I dream about..." (The last one he meant literally, but Mercedes didn't need to know that.) Sam's eyes softened as he stared at her and so did Mercedes'. Damn him. He won round 3.

"Sam... It's just hard for me. Seeing you with all these girls all over you. It makes me want to pull a hoes weave out." Sam smiled and pulled her in for a hug.

"You know... It wouldn't be any girls near me if we just let people know we are together." he says to her forehead.

Mercedes pushes him away and says, "I'm not having this conversation with you again. You think just because you claim me, that means girls won't still crawl all over you like cats in heat? Please Sam. Get real." she pursed her lips at him and Sam knew they were in for another round.

"Claim you? Is that what you think I want? To claim you? You're not a possession Mercedes. And maybe girls would still come after me! So what!" he started yelling.

"So what? So what? So you wouldn't care if we were together out in the open and girls still rudely chased after you? Is that what you're telling me?"

Sam shrugged his shoulder and said, "I don't see what the big deal is. It's just harmless flirting..."

"Your an ass." Mercedes stated simply. She gave him a "fuck you' look and began for the door. Sam grabbed her arm before she could go.

"I don't understand what I said wrong!" Sam said to her back. Mercedes turned around and looked at him. "That's just it. You don't understand. And maybe you never will. You wanna know why I don't want anyone to know about us Sam? Take a look in the mirror." she pulled her arm away from him hard and then left.

Mercedes boarded the plane to nationals. She was thanking her lucky stars that her seat was window seat, next to her soul sister Quinn. Quinn delightely embraced her and they both sat down next to each other.

Sam was on the other side of the plane next to mike. But he wouldn't take his eyes off Mercedes. It has been two whole days since they talked, she wouldn't even respond to his calls or text messages. Mike noticed him looking at Quinn and Mercedes laugh together, he shook his head and said,

"Stare any harder and you'll burn a whole through her clothes."

Sam turned to Mike and asked, "what? Who are you talking about?"

"Quinn. I see you looking at her, damn man I thought for sure you guys were over for good. I owe Tina 10 bucks." Mike said, then put his headphones in and closed his eyes. Sam shook his head, he wasn't looking at Quinn. And one day, after he marries Mercedes (the right way) he would call Mike and tell him that.

Mercedes laughed as Quinn sang Before He Cheats by Carrie Underwood. Her voice was so different then Carrie's but they were playing the 'emotions' game and Quinn was winning.

"Ok your turn!" Quinn yelped. "Let's see... A song where... You are falling in love but you are unsure about your feelings."

"Really Quinn?" Mercedes huffed. "I gave you heartbreak... You go and give me heartburn." they both laugh and Quinn hits her leg and tells her to do it.

Mercedes exhaled and sung the only song that came to her mind. Quietly she sang Whitney Houston's How Will I Know. Quinn swayed and moved her hands, loving the sound of her voice. In the moments of singing Mercedes felt like crying. Sam never admitted to loving her, and she didn't know if she loved him yet, but dammit if the song wasn't hitting home. She finished up and Quinn claps, along with Finn, and Artie who was sitting directly behind them. And Sam who heard her despite the loud noises in the plane. Quinn and Mercedes look over to him and then Sam and Mercedes' eyes quickly connect. Mercedes looks away fast, trying to avoid his melting green cores. Quinn looks at Mercedes, then back at Sam. She had no idea what was going on but even she could feel the tension from both sides of coach. She reaches for Mercedes, grabbing her hand and holding it tight.

"Mercy... Can I ask you something?" Quinn says.

"Anything."

"You wanna tell me why Sam has not stopped looking over here since we boarded the plane?"

Mercedes just shrugged. "He's probably looking at you." she said to Quinn.

"No. We both know he's not... What's going on, are you two… Like Together?"

"Like I said last week, no we aren't."

"Mercedes... It's me. I know we haven't been that close since I moved out, but remember? We used to come home together then just let whatever we were feeling out. We told each other everything, why does that change now?"

"Because, Sam... It's Sam, Quinn. Your ex- Sam."

"Ex being the particular word here. I care about him, but not like that. I will always regret what I did to him, but I know now, that it just wasn't meant to be." Quinn hugged her close to her body and Mercedes' head fell on her shoulder.

"So... Wanna tell me what going on?" Quinn asked. She looked around and practically everyone had fallen asleep or had headphones in, including Sam. So Quinn knew whatever she told her no one would hear.

"Where do I start?" Mercedes laughed humorlessly.

"How about at the beginning?"

Mercedes then proceeded to tell Quinn about her and Sam. They're little fights, and their dry spell of non-speaking. Quinn laughed at parts, smiled at others and frowned when she heard they weren't talking.

"You two need to talk Merc." Quinn said after she was done.

"Yeah... I know, but what if I messed up Quinny? What if he wants nothing to do with me? I'm the one who suggested secrecy and 'no labels'. He probably… no, he does think I'm ashamed of him."

"You know he doesn't. I've seen you in your head so many times mercy, this time you need to stop listening to beautiful brain of yours and figure out, what does she want." Quinn said pointing to her heart.

"She wants her trouty mouth back. As her boyfriend." Mercedes answers holding her hand to her heart.

"Then I think you should tell him... Agreed?"

"Agreed." Mercedes said with a smile.

Quinn smiled and said, "Well... Then, New York here we come!"

Everyone wanted to kill Rachel and Finn for that little debacle they pulled once the new directions started performing. But they kept pushing and when they were done, Sam couldn't help himself. He ran over to her and gave his woman a bear hug. He didn't care if she was still pissed or not. Luckily for him she smiled and hugged him back. But when they found out they were last place, everyone tried to hold back their tempers. Everyone except Santana of course. She started cursing in Spanish saying something about 'Lima Heights Adjacent' and running for Rachel. Everyone tried to hold him her back, and Santana calmed down for the most part, before of course starting back up again. Mr. Shue was trying to calm things down and that's when Mercedes slipped out of the door. Sam noticed this and went after her. She was just outside the room when she noticed him there and she smiled.

"Hey... You're smiling." Sam says.

"I Am." she says back.

"Why? We lost."

"I'm not smiling because we lost. I'm smiling cause I figured out something yesterday."

"Yeah, what's that?" he leaned near the door with his arms crossed, just incase a new battle was brewing.

"I realize that... Our fights are silly. I realize that, you make me laugh more than anyone, that… I can be irrational sometimes and that I missed you more than I ever thought was humanly possible when we weren't speaking... But most importantly... I realized that, I wanna be with you Sam. As your girlfriend and if you will still have me... As my boyfriend?"

Sam stood up and started walking back and forth in front of her. "So let's say... I do agree to this 'proposition'. Will I be able to kiss you in public?"

Mercedes nodded smiling. "Would I be able to.. Hold your hand anywhere I please?" she nodded again.

"Could we tell people about us?"

"Yes Sam... Anyone you want." Sam stopped pacing and stood in front of her rubbing his chin pretending like he was contemplating.

"Sam..." Mercedes said getting frustrated at his silence.

Without a second thought, He pulled her close to him smiling and then laid a big wet kiss to her lips. He released them with a pop and then says, "Mercedes, I never wanted to pressure you into anything. I just wanted to know that there was a possibility of it all. We can do whichever way you want. Secret, no secret I really don't care. All I honestly want is you."

She reached up and hugged his neck.

"Thank you Sammy. Thank you so much." he grabbed her waist tighter and whispered, "You're welcome" into her ear.

She pulled away from him and tugged on his blonde hair, pulling it behind his ear before saying. "I think we should keep it a secret for just a few more days..."

"Why?" he asked.

"There's just something about, having you all to myself that excites me." she pulled him back into her and kissed him sweetly. His hands fell to the wall behind her and he kissed his woman with passion, which he never knew he had before.

She pushed him away and asked, "Agreed?"

Sam couldn't form words, instead he just nodded. Mercedes pulled him in for one more kiss before they entered the drama filled room once more, completely unnoticed.

Sam agreed to meet his little lady for coffee at the Lima bean cafe. He met her in front of the store and they automatically hugged and joined hands, interlocking fingers. They were reaching the store when Mercedes spotted Kurt and Blaine in the window.

She stopped her movements, unlacing Sam's fingers. He noticed and asked her what was wrong.

"Klaine is in there..." she said to him.

"I'm sorry... Klaine?" he asked confused

"Yes! Kurt plus Blaine equals Klaine."

"AH!... Okay, I don't see the big deal..."

"Look I tell Kurt everything, but he's a blabber mouth. If he thinks anything is going on between us he'll call Tina, who would call Rachel, who would tell Finn.. and so on…So just play it cool ok... Very nonchalant. Good?"

"Umm... Sure?" Sam said smiling.

They walked in and said hi to 'Klaine' and then went to go order some coffee.

"So... We ran into each other in the parking lot? Very subtle Mercy. Very..."

She hit his hard chest and laughed. "Shut up Sam."

"I'm just saying, if they weren't curious before..."

"Oh my god..." Mercedes begins. "Do you think they know?"

"I don't think nobody knows." Sam grabs her hands into his sweetly interlocking their fingers once more.

Sam got home and then his mom left to her job she was late for. Stacy and Stevie were already fed, and in there bed clothes. He tucked them in and then did his nightly routine of showering and texting his beautiful girlfriend goodnight. He was gonna go to the couch but Stevie and Stacy were wide-awake.

"Guys.. It's bed time." Sam said to them.

"Sammy we can't sleep. Can you sleep with us?" says Stevie

Sam doesn't even think about it. He climbs into bed and hugs the two twins by his side.

"Sammy... Could you tell us a story?" Stacy asks.

"I don't really know any stories off the top of my head guys.." Sam says to them.

"Please Sam? Can't you just make one up?"

Sam sighs trying to think of one, but his sighs turn into smiles when he starts his 'story'.

"Ok there once was a pauper named Samuel... Who fell for the beautiful queen... Even though it was strictly foreboded. Her name, was Mercedes..."

Sam didn't know when he fell asleep but he did and that's when he woke up and saw those white sheets again. His future self wasn't in the bed though. Or the shower. He went all the way downstairs of his huge house and found him with a woman. She was very thin, like a supermodel, she had brown her cascading down her face in curls and she laughed whenever future Sam said something funny. He put his hands on hers many times as he pours them more wine. Present Sam couldn't help but notice how much of a player his future self becomes. He's all but fucking her with words right now. And she's taking it all in, holding on to his hands and arms. Present Sam didn't have time to be disgusted because the doorbell began to ring. Future Sam excused himself from the table and went to answer the door. Unluckily for the player, Mercedes was at the door. She looked distraught and pissed as hell.

"I've been calling you all week Sam! What the hell! I have to come all the way to NYC to talk to you nowadays?"

She didn't bother asking to come in; she sauntered in taking off her leather coat, revealing a dress that had both Sam's licking their lips.

"I've been ignoring you all week, Mercedes. We are divorced, what is there to talk about?" future Sam asked.

Mercedes eyes soften at him and she said simply, "Sam... There are things we need to discuss... Important things.."

"No. There isn't. You made it very clear the only thing you wanted from me was my dick... Two months ago. And now I want nothing more to do with you." he said bluntly.

Mercedes seemed unaffected by his rudeness. She seemed like she needed to get something off of her chest...

"Sammy please, can we just sit and talk..." she moved towards him and grabbed at his shirt. Future Sam hated when she did that. He was jelly when she did that. "I have something to tell you, and its important." she looked into his eyes and he back and hers and in that moment he wanted to give her whatever she wanted.

Before he could answer, the woman from before came into Sam's living room and asked, "Sam.. Is everything ok?"

Mercedes looks at her then back at Sam in disgust. She pushes him back and yells, "So this is why you ignore my phone calls for an entire week? Me, the woman who in your wedding vows, specifically told me you would never love anyone else?"

"Mercy that was ages ago! I'm free to do whatever the fuck I wanna do! It's you who wanted the divorce remember? Well guess what? You got your wish! WE ARE DIVORCED!" future Sam yelled,

Mercedes was crying now. Present Sam hadn't seen her cry before. It made him sad.

"I don't even know why I fucking decided to come out here! I fucking hate you Sam Evans and I wish I had never laid eyes on you!" she spat.

"You know what so do I! I hate you too Mercedes. I wish I would've never loved you…So let's do each other a favor and keeps our lives separate from now on!"

"Fine!" she yelled.

"Fine!" he yelled back. Mercedes got her coat and stormed out the door, slamming it shut. Present Sam goes after her. He sees her in her car, crying her eyes out, holding a picture to her heart.

Sam waits until she moves her hand to see it was a picture of a sonogram. Present Sam's mouth opened wide, he couldn't believe it. Mercedes was pregnant. And Sam was the father, that was what she was probably going to tell him! And now he would never know. Mercedes cried openly, threw the sonogram to the back of the car and then jetted off.

Sam woke up in a haze of confusion and sadness. If his dreams were true, if they got together exactly how they did now... Then would the future be the same? Would they still split up in college, get back together then get married and divorced? Would Sam be a father without knowing? Would he break Mercedes' heart by cheating on her in the first place? Or was his dreams a sign that he had a chance to do it differently? Did he have a chance to love her the right way? And stay away from crazy women named Emma? Would she still get pregnant in the long run? Most importantly was Sam dreaming to change the future or alter the past?

Sam sighed at all the thoughts and questions whirling around in his head. Yet he had no answers. He looked down at Stacy and Stevie sleeping soundly and decided to turn his brain off. For now the future didn't matter to him, because his present was so much better.

He picked up his phone and dialed the woman who he hoped would be on his mind forever, "dreams be damned" Sam thought.

"Hey sexy..." Mercedes answered after the third ring.

"Yep…" Sam said to himself. 'His present was so much better."

The End… I guess. :(.