Perfect Day,

Written by WickedSong.

Disclaimer/Note : In the first chapter. For scared-like-me who wanted a Samcedes day by the lake. I put in the specific thing you wanted but everything else was fair game so I put in a mixture of angst and fluff. You all know this about me by now. Hope you enjoy, Coral! And yes, it's angsty but with a little bit of hope.

Time was slowly slipping away as June became July and the new month came with the news that Sam's father had been offered a new job - in Kentucky.

Sam had been happy for his family but there was also an unmistakeable devasation as his world felt rocked for not the first time in that year. Thoughts of finally leaving that cramped motel room had been replaced by the fact he was leaving his friends, a life. The prospect of a happier and healthier environment had been washed away suddenly by the fact that he would probably never see her again.

Mercedes.

Being unable to see her, the chance to kiss, touch or even simply hold her hand would be taken away from him by a state line and a four hour drive.

To make matters worse their time had been limited to four days. Initially Sam's father had wanted to set out for their new home - a room in a three star hotel that the company had offered until he started his job - as soon as possible. However, after a chat with his wife, and Sam was unsure what exactly she had said, the move had been delayed. After months in a motel room, sufficient time to say goodbye could do no harm.

In the midst of packing it had also been Sam's mom who had taken a box from him, demanded that he call Mercedes and have one day with his girlfriend - just the two of them where the inevitable goodbye would not be present in their minds. She made him promise he would block it out for however long he had left with her. Mary Evans wasn't stupid - she could see the way her son looked at that girl and the way she looked at him in return.

Mercedes had been the one and only person Sam had revealed the move to - the night before when his father had sat himself and his siblings down and explained, along with his mom what was happening. His mind had swimmed with the consequences of such a change, and he had left the motel in a hurry, his mom nodding in understanding as he slammed the door and walked the streets until he arrived at her house.

They had both remained brave on the outside as he explained that he was leaving, never once letting himself look into her eyes, not wanting to know how much pain he was causing. He was tempted to look at her, to say in no uncertain terms that this wasn't the end but what could he really promise? He left without a kiss or a hug goodbye, just a promise that he'd call.

He'd never admit to anyone but he was fighting the tears the entire time back to the motel room.

Lake? xx, he texted quickly to her.

When? xx, was her reply.

Pick u up in 10 xx, he typed in quickly, sending the message off, his mom giving him that smile once more, one that said she understood. He nodded in her general direction and then heard his phone buzz again in his hands.

Sounds good xx, she replied.

He sighed, not happy, but not sad, and put his phone in his pocket. He turned to his dad. "I'm going out with Mercedes."

Dwight Evans nodded, just as Mary had, to Sam. He took the car keys and handed them to his son. With a sad smile he ruffled the boy's hair and realised he wasn't much of a boy anymore. He was a man - who had grown up much too soon, who had made sacrifices for his family, who could be allowed one last day with this girl who had made him smile more and more. Between March and April he had been silently getting on with it, his work, school, babysitting, anything his family needed. Somedays he wouldn't smile at all.

Then the prom happened in early May and it seemed as if new life had been breathed into him with Mercedes making an impact in his life. When something like that happened you had to hold on for as long as you could, make every second count - especially if you didn't know where you would be in a month's time.

"On you go," Dwight said, smiling as he waved Sam off, proud of the man he had become and the sacrifices he was continuing to make.

It was a lovely afternoon, it was warm and the sun was beaming down on them but neither Sam or Mercedes could find any words to say to the other. There had been a quick exchange of hello's and he had placed a kiss on her cheek but since then the ride to the lake had been quiet, too quiet. In an attempt to break the silence, Sam smiled at her and nodded to a stand outside of The Lima Bean as they passed.

"Ice cream?" he asked. She looked at him, with a small smile. "My treat?"

"No, no, I can buy my-"

"I insist."

"Sam-"

"No buts."

She laughed and nodded. Sam pulled over and told her he'd back in a minute and he was true to his word, returning with two tubs of ice cream. He handed Mercedes both of them while he put his seatbelt back on and took the wheel again. He was surprised when, for a moment before he started the car again, she placed her hand over his before retracting it quickly as the car began again.

They reached the lake as the temperature seemed to increase even further. Sweltering, Mercedes insisted they sit under the shade of the biggest tree beside the water, one with a tyre swing attached. Sam complied and they each took their tub of ice cream over to the cool area. They continued to sit in a silence but it was easier now. Or as easy as it could be. Mercedes lay across his legs once she had finished her ice cream and sighed, not happy, but not sad, just somewhere in between. It sounded more frustrated than anything else. Sam smiled down at her and in an attempt to lighten the mood took a dab of his ice cream and placed it playfully on her nose. She looked startled at first but then giggled - the most precious sound he had ever heard - at his action. He bent down and kissed her nose and again she laughed.

"Perfect," he commented with a grin and she shook her head at him playfully as she lifted her head up and he bent down to kiss her on the lips - the kind of contact he had missed since last night. Was it weird for someone to become such an integral part of your life in such a short time? Was it odd that she had become so important to him and they were still so young?

His mind said yes but his heart said not at all. A dreamer through and through, Sam was more prone to following his heart and he deepened the kiss. She returned it, taking his face in her hands and they remained in that position for a couple of minutes before they broke away. He smiled lazily at her, that lopsided grin and she smiled back.

The silence was now more content. Was there really anymore to be said?

Mercedes stood up, stretched her legs and then turned to Sam, looking at him with a pondering look. He stood up as well and surprised her by taking her hand and putting his arm around her waist. "Dance with me?"

"There's no music," she remarked.

As if that would stop the boy in front of her as he started to sing a tune she knew incredibly well, and was surprised that he did too.

"Ten minutes ago, I saw you, I looked up when you came through the door, my head started reeling, you gave me the feeling the room had no ceiling or floor. Ten minutes ago, I met you and we murmured our how do you do's," at this point he twirled Mercedes, "I wanted to ring out the bells and fling out my arms and to sing out the news." With a dramatic flourish of his arms Sam did just that, while singing the song in an equally over the top fashion. Mercedes had to admit it made her laugh as he finished with, "And I like it so well that for all I can tell, I may never come down again, I may never come down to Earth again."

He brought her close to him but just as he was about to lean in for a kiss, she smirked and quickly made him twirl her as she began, "Ten minutes ago, I met you and we murmured our how do you do's," at this point he twirled Mercedes, "I wanted to ring out the bells and fling out my arms and to sing out the news." Looking at her in amusement, Sam wasn't watching where he was going, causing him to trip over the roots of the tree they had just been sitting under only moments ago, before their impromptu song and dance around the lakeside.

He fell and brought her down with him, as she landed beside him, also falling over roots as well. Sam breathed heavily as did she before they both turned over to see the other was alright, just covered in grass from the fall.

"Are you alright?"

She nodded and laughed scooting closer to him, cupping his cheek. "Cinderella, huh? You know the way to a woman's heart, Sam Evans."

He nodded back in response and gave a chuckle. "We found it on video at the store. It was cheap and the room only has a video player. Stacey fell in love with it immediately."

"Your sister has impeccable taste." Mercedes went to lay on her back and took Sam's hand in her own, linking their fingers together, gripping on as tightly as she possibly could. "Whew, that was exhausting." She fanned herself, and after a moment retreated back to the shade of the tree. Sam followed quickly afterwards.

Once he reached the tree an idea struck him. Taking out his car keys Mercedes looked at him oddly as he put one of the key chains in his hand and knelt silently at the tree.

"What are you doing?" she asked as she walked over to him.

He didn't reply, only continued whatever he was doing to the tree. She watched intently as he carved something. She realised as soon as she saw 'SE' followed by a small love heart. At a loss for words she put a hand to her heart as he engraved 'MJ' as well.

"So yeah, it's cheesy as hell-" he began but he never got to finish his sentence before he felt her lips upon his. And for the first time he was sure there were tears there. No, no, this wasn't the time for tears. He never wanted to see her cry. He broke the kiss quickly and started to rub small circles in her back.

"Hey, hey," he said to her, making sure he was looking in her eyes now, "I-I-" the words were there but there was an invisible barrier stopping him from saying them, those three words which, like it or not, would change everything. "I had the perfect day today. That dance there-that isn't our last one, alright? And this," he gestured to the tree, now forever marked with their initials, whether the world liked it or not. "this is for everyone to know that even if I can't be with you, I am with you alright?" She nodded. Her hand was still over her heart, so he placed his there as well. "See, told you."

Looking down, she smiled, and it was a sad smile. "I-I-I had the perfect day too." She couldn't say the words either, not now.

It was the perfect day, one that they would remember and cherish forever.

The song was meant to be a surprise so the disclaimer is here for it : I do not own Ten Minutes Ago from Roger and Hammerstein's Cinderella, one of my favourite movies of all time. I did cut a small part of it but that was for creative reasons.

In addition, I put my own personal headcanon in there.

Anyway, Coral, I hope you enjoyed this! :)

Any prompts, just send them my way via PM or a tumblr message! Please please review! *hopeful smile*

WickedSong x