"Is that so?" Mr. Fabray smirks walking back into the house. "I reckon I have to be the one to change his mind."

Bang...

Bang...

"NO!"

Mercedes sits up terrified shouting into the darkness of the small cabin.

"Merce" Sam says almost accustomed to her nightmares. "Wake up...you're having a dream."

Mercedes shrinks away from Sam's comforting touch, before relaxing against his hold. He brings her close resting his chin on the top of her head. He brushes the hair from out of her face and feels her arms wrap around him, burying her face into his chest.

"It seemed so real" she shivers in a cold sweat. "Like it was happening all over again...he was coming after me, and-"

"You're safe" Sam says hushing her. "Go back to sleep, everything is fine."

But Sam is wrong, everything is far from fine. Everyone at the Evans Plantation seems to be struggling with Delilah's death. Work in the fields has been delayed until further notice by Mr. Evans command, and it's already starting to go into the third week without any crop production. Mr. Evans has been swallowed whole by a combination of depression and grief. He spends most of his time in his room alone, thinking about the countless memories he had with his love. He isn't eating properly and he barely sleeps; days seem to be the worst for him while it's the exact opposite for Mercedes. Night after night, her mind replays the murder of her mother in syndication. And night after night she wakes up in a cold sweat, shivering in guilt and fear at what happened. Sam is caught in the middle between the two people he cares about the most. During the day he spends his time checking on his father and his nights are spent comforting Mercedes. Her nightmares keep her up most of the night, and by morning she's so tired she sleeps away the next day and the cycle repeats.

Hours later, Sam is able to lull Mercedes back to sleep. The morning sunshine peaks its way in between the cracks of the tiny cabin, providing a gentle glow around the space. Sam skillfully slides himself away from her warm body, so he can make his way to his house. He dresses himself quickly and tiptoes quietly until he's outside in the dewy chilled air. Sam walks back to the plantation seeing how this land is on it's way to abandonment if something isn't done soon...

"Mr. Sam!"

Sam stops walking to find out who called his name. It's Carter, one of the many overseers who work on the plantation.

"Morning Carter" Sam says exhausted but still polite.

"Morning" Carter answers before getting straight to the point. "I was just wondering...when can we get back to work?"

"I, uh-"

"Not that I don't enjoy the extra time with my family, it's just" Carter says rocking back and forth on his heels. "I need to know if I have to find work someplace else."

Sam nods.

"I love working her Mr. Sam" he adds. "But, I gotta take care of my own-"

"I understand" Sam says putting a hand on his shoulder. "Do me a favor?"

"Of course Mr. Sam."

"Gather all of the overseers and tell them to meet me at the house in an hour or so?"

"What about the work?"

"Can you all sacrifice another day? I can pay extra if necessary-"

"Oh no, that's fine" Carter says hurriedly, before running off. "An hour at the house...yeah I'll tell everybody."

Sam continues his path to the house and when he get's there he enters through the backdoor of the kitchen. He finds Flora standing over a big pot on the stove, with a heavenly aroma arising from the basin.

"Mornin' Flora" Sam says so quiet he almost scares her.

"Oh! Master Sam, its you!"

"Yeah it's me" he smiles half heartedly. "I'm sorry, I wasn't tryin' to scare ya"

"You think I'd be used to it now" Flora glares before turning around back to her pot. "A little boy I help raise used to think it funny to come into this kitchen and scare me time and time again...hiding in cupboards and closets" she chuckles shaking her head.

Sam smiles at the memory. He used to play in this kitchen countless times with Mercedes as Flora cooked and Del...

Sam stops smiling...

"What'cha makin?" Sam asks sounding like the little kid Flora described.

"Some honey oatmeal" she says ladling it into a bowl. "I'm tryin' to coax your Pa outta that room...or at least open up enough to eat."

"How's he doin' today?"

"The same...I've never seen him this down" Flora says shaking her head.

Sam watches her scoop out another bowl. "Who's that one for?"

"Noah" She answers setting it on a tray. "He's still resting though...you wanna take it to him?"

Sam shrugs taking a bowl of oatmeal. "Hey Flora,"

"Yeah?"

"Can you make a nice lunch today?" Sam asks a little hesitant. "I'm having the overseers come to the house and I need-"

"Any special thing?"

"No, no" Sam says quickly knowing how elaborate Flora's meals could be depending on the occasion. "Just something simple, make it easy on yourself...I don't want to cause no trouble."

"It's no trouble at all Master Sam...a little work is just what I need to keep my mind busy" She nods taking her bowl of oatmeal and walking out of the kitchen. Sam follows feeling better about the upcoming meeting; everything's a little easier when food is around.

They're both climbing the steps to go to the rooms.

"His door's open today" Flora says hopeful. "Maybe that's a good sign?"

"Yeah, maybe" Sam says hopeful as well. "I better get this oatmeal to Puckerman."

"Now Sam, don't eat it" Flora warns with a smile entering Mr. Evans room. "That's for Noah."

He smiles resisting the urge to take a spoonful walking to Noah's room. He's sitting upright staring at the ceiling of the room humming some kind of song. When he sees Sam in his doorway, his eyes stretch pleased to see him.

"Bout time you came by" Noah smiles sitting straighter.

"Flora sent this up" Sam says entering the room. "How ya been?"

"Fine...Flora's a gem" Noah says taking the bowl. "She even makes this chicken shit look appetizing."

Sam chuckles a little. "It's her honey oatmeal, and if you don't want it I'll take it."

"That good?" Noah says a little eager and Sam nods. He takes a spoonful and closes his eyes enjoying the flavor. "That woman could make wood taste like cake" Noah laughs.

"Yeah, she's amazing" Sam says appreciating her. "She's the only one who seems to still have it together."

The smile on Noah's face fades remembering the tragedy. "How's Merce?"

"Not too good man, not too good" Sam breathes heavily stretching his neck. "She sleeps most of the day because of her nightmares. She's not eating much, and she barely leaves the shed."

"What about your dad?" Noah asks.

"He's worse...it's like he's frozen in time."

"He's grieving Sam-"

"I get that" he says cutting Noah off. "Like if things were reversed I'd do the same thing but-"

"But what?" Noah says eating more oatmeal.

"This place is startin' to go down" Sam groans. "There's been no work for the past few weeks, and he doesn't look like he's going to snap back into place."

"Which means?"

"I can't go West" Sam grumbles. "God knows I wanted too."

"You still could if you wanted too" Noah says eating more oatmeal.

"Are you insane! I can't leave my father like this" Sam says starting to get upset. "Besides I don't think I could live with myself knowing that the Evans legacy would die with me if I left. This plantation has been in my family for years-"

"You could always sell it" Noah says trying to be helpful.

Sam shakes his head. "No one is wealthy enough to buy it...and I'll be damned if the Fabray's get their hands on it."

"What's gonna happen to them?" Noah asks frowning. He knows that he's still upset with what happened to Delilah, but his emotions can't make him completely forget about Quinn either. Although, he's spent these few weeks releasing the dream of growing old with her.

"I don't know" Sam says honestly. "Del was a slave, so it's not like the sheriff was gonna do much. But if he sets one toe on our property I've got orders out to shoot him."

Noah sighs deeply eating another mouthful. "You should go check on your dad."

"You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah, I'll see if someone can bring me up another bowl of this oatmeal" Noah smiles on the end.

Sam nods before extending his hand to him. "I never got to thank you...but what you did for Merce and Del-"

Noah shakes his head cutting him off. "Stop it, I was there. Anyone else would've done the same thing."

"No they wouldn't" Sam extends his hand even further, forcing Noah to take it. "But I'm glad you did."

Sam lets his hand go and walks out of the room across the hall to see his father. He's sitting in a rocking chair facing a window. The warm breeze ruffles his salt and pepper hair strands as Sam steps closer to examine him. He looks tired and worn, and his eyes are sunken in a little from the redness of the crying. It takes a while for Mr. Evans to realize he's not in the room alone.

"Sam..." he says unsure looking at his son.

"Hey" Sam smiles warmly. "Did you eat?"

Mr. Evans shrugs turning his gaze back to the window.

"You need to eat somethin'"

"No appetite" Mr. Evans says calmly.

"All the more reason you should eat somethin'" Sam says bringing him the bowl of oatmeal. "It's your favorite...honey oatmeal."

"Enough with the food Sam" Mr. Evans snaps. "Is there something you wanted?"

Sam puts the bowl on a nearby table. "Just came to check on you."

Mr. Evans looks down on his hands, crossing them placing them on his lap. "If you're waiting for me to say I'm fine, it's not going to happen."

"I know dad, I miss her too" Sam says trying to be sympathetic.

"I don't just miss her Sam" he says slow. "She was my life...and because she made me so happy, she was stolen from me."

"She died trying to protect Mercedes-"

"She died because I loved her" Mr. Evans says final. "She warned me. She told me something was bound to happen, but I was too selfish to send her away...and instead of living without her for a few short months, I now have to live without her for the rest of my life."

Sam isn't sure what to say or if he should say anything at all. But a question just popped into his head and he can't help but ask it...

"She wanted to leave?" Sam asks already knowing the answer. Mr. Evans nods still looking out of the window. "Where would you have sent her?"

"She wanted to go wherever I sent Mercedes" Mr. Evans says. "Thinking about it now I probably would've sent them to some friends I have in Europe...France maybe."

"Master Sam?" Flora calls entering the room. "Company is waiting for you in the dinning room"

"Company? What company Sam?" Mr. Evans says starting to get anxious.

"It's just the overseers, nothing to worry about" he answers trying to calm him down. "I have to go, but try and get some sleep okay?"

Mr. Evans settles back in his chair as Sam leaves the room. Sam makes his way downstairs to find the overseers already helping themselves to lunch. They see him enter in and freeze a bit confused.

"I thought Mr. Evans was going to-"

"I am Mr. Evans" Sam answers sounding just like his father. No one questions anything returning back to their meal. "Now I've called this meeting because even with a dark cloud looming over us, this plantation still needs to produce the best tobacco in all of South Carolina."

Sam pauses gauging the reaction of the workers.

"I need to know if I can still rely on you to work for me just as well as you have in the past" Sam says looking around the table of men. "If not, speak up and I can prepare your last weeks worth of pay-"

"That won't be necessary Mr. Evans" Carter says. "I think we was just worried that the plantation was closin'"

"I can tell you right now, I have no intention of closing the plantation" Sam promises and the men agree continuing to eat. "So...we'll start work first thing tomorrow morning? Bright and early, as usual?"

The men shrug and nod, and in Sam's mind he mentally checks off one task he's just completed as the head owner of one of the most successful plantations in the south.

"Well gentlemen," Sam says preparing to leave. "Please enjoy your meal...if you'll excuse me."

Sam gives them all a final nod before exiting the room. He wants to make a stop by his father's office; checking to see if there are any important meetings or errands he has to run, but before he can make it to the office there is an urgent knock at the front door.

"It's alright Flora, I got it" Sam assures her, stopping her before she can answer it. Sam goes to a side closet and pulls out a spare shotgun prepared to answer the door. The accident with Delilah has made him a little more cautious.

"Who is it?" Sam says on the other side of the door.

"It's me! Dave? Dave Karofsky" he says urgently. "Open up!"

Sam steps out of his stance to answer the door; he finds David Karofsky from the Karofsky Farm standing excitedly in his doorway.

"Man! It's happening!"

"What is?" Sam frowns letting him in the house.

"The south! We're finally stepping up and stickin' it right to the Union!"

"What are you talking about?" Sam asks still confused. "Who's sticking what to the where?"

"The south! We're breakin' away from the north!"

"Quit playing" Sam laughs. "The south can't break away from the north...we're one country. The United States of-"

"Don't give me that bullshit!" David says cutting him off angrily. "We're finally fighting back!"

"Over what?" Sam asks. "There's nothing to fight over-"

"Nothing?!" David shouts. "You call our livelihood nothing! The way we earn our money, provide for ourselves-you call that nothing?!"

"Dave, relax man."

"I can't! We're on the brink of war! I can feel it!"

"War?"

"Well the north isn't going to just let us be our own damn country are they" he laughs. "But if it's a fight they want...we'll sure as hell give'm one!"

"We can't fight the-"

"Can't stay long" Dave says heading for the door. "I just came to give you the news; pass it along to your Pa. I gotta spread it around myself"

"Wait Dave!" Sam calls after him. "When is this war supposed to start?!"

"What?" He shouts back to far away to hear. "I can't talk no more! I gotta get to the other farms!"

Sam is lying awake on the floor of their shed/house; Mercedes breathes deep and even but he can tell she's awake as well. It's been quiet night for both of them; especially with Sam wrestling with a plan that he's been thinking about ever since Dave Karofsky came by.

"How's your dad?" Mercedes asks quietly, speaking for the first time all night.

"Not so good" Sam says stroking her arm. "He's havin' a real tough time stayin' here."

"I know the feelin'" she answers. "Everywhere I go...seems like a reminder."

This sentence confirms what Sam has been thinking...this gives him enough courage to ask.

"Then, maybe you should get away for a bit."

Mercedes leans away from his hold to get a better look at his face. She can't understand what he's asking her...

"You mean, send me away?"

"Only for a little bit" he says reassuring her; he can already see her starting to panic. "Its not what you think-"

"I'm not sure what I'm supposed to think-"

"I'm not selling you, if that's what you're thinking-"

"I'm thinking you're trying to get rid of me because-

"It's not like that at all" Sam says turning his body to face her. "You're unhappy. There are too many painful memories for you here...You need a new start."

Mercedes bites her lip thinking over his offer. She's not sure what to do...she doesn't want to leave Sam but everyday she's faced with the constant visions of her mother, and how she'll never get those back.

"Besides" Sam adds. "It's more of a favor to me anyway. I need someone to look after my father while he's overseas."

"What?"

"It's too much for him here just like it is for you. You both need to leave, at least for right now."

"For how long?" Mercedes asks worried. "And where? How will I find you again?"

"Well I was thinking, France maybe?" Sam tries hopeful. "And you could stay there as long as you want...maybe I could even come visit-"

"That long?"

Sam strokes her cheek. "I can't leave here Merce-"

"You could before" she challenges bitter.

"Before I thought I wasn't needed here, but I am" Sam answers and she pulls her face away from his touch. "What are you so afraid of? I'm doing this for you."

"I'm afraid of never seeing you again" Mercedes admits. "It's already like that with my mother...I can't handle it if I lose you too."

Sam inches to her closer cupping a hand under her chin guiding her to look at him. Her brown eyes are starting to fill with water; he watches her nostrils flare a little before he hears a sniffle.

"You love me yes?" Sam says watching a single tear run down her cheek.

She nods with another sniffle.

"And I love you correct?"

"Yes but-"

"But nothing" Sam says cutting her off sweetly. "We are connected...we could never stop seeing each other, even if we wanted too."

"How?" She asks sniffling again.

Sam closes his eyes. He takes the hand that's cupping her face and traces her features with his thumb. He runs his thumb across her smooth cheek, over her button nose, up to her closed eyelids before running his thumb down her full lips.

"Because when I close my eyes Mercedes, I see you" Sam smiles opening his eyes to find hers closed. "And when you close your eyes, you see me."

"So..." she begins as another tear runs down her cheek. "We'll meet in our dreams?"

Now Sam is the one who's starting to get watery eyes. "Yes...in our dreams, until we meet again."

Mercedes can't help herself from leaning into Sam; passionately pressing her lips to his wanting to keep this memory alive for the rest of her life. Sam memorizes the feel of her, and relishes in her sweet caresses silently promising himself and her, that he will always wait.

Some Weeks Later...

"Dwight!"

A white man with a medium build came walking to Mr. Evans with the biggest smile on his face. Mr. Evans eyes brightened a little at the sight of his friend, but quickly returned to their dimness.

"Herbert" Mr. Evans slightly smiles.

The man frowns at the mention of his name. "Now I know it's been a while Dwight, but do you really have to go back to calling me Herbert."

"Sorry Bert" Mr. Evans says relaxing a little as the man steps towards him for a hug. "How've you been?"

"Not too bad, just settling in to the new house. Carole is anxious to see you! Where's Sam?"

Mercedes takes in a quick breath at the mention of Sam, but Mr. Evans continues the conversation normally.

"He's still in the States."

"Even with what's going on back home?" Bert asks surprised.

Mercedes starts to frown; what exactly is going on back home?

"That's too bad, I know the boys were looking forward to seeing him."

Mr. Evans nods before looking around for Mercedes who's walking silently behind them. "Mercedes?"

"Yes Mr. Evans?"

"I'd like you to meet my good friend Mr. Hummel."

Mr. Hummel looks at Mercedes carefully before looking back to his friend. Mercedes ducks her head politely and Mr. Hummel gives her small smile.

"Alright, back to the house."

The three of them get into Mr. Hummel's carriage as it prepares to take them to the Hummel's French Estate. Mr. Evans and Mercedes had spent a few days in London England before taking a boat to one of Paris' ports where they were to meet Mr. Hummel. The Hummel Estate was located on the outskirts of Paris almost heading towards the countryside; Mercedes couldn't help but appreciate the scenery. From the busy streets of Paris to the lush green hills hidden in between the dirt roads. The Hummel mansion is large and grand completely made out of stone. Tall archways and elegant designs accent the details of the home. Mercedes mouth drops at the grandeur; she's never seen any place so elegant. Even the Evan's Plantation, with all of its wonder can't compare to this place. It's taken the European style and given it a modern twist; it's absolutely breathtaking.

When the carriage stops Mr. Hummel is the first one to step out and make his way to the front entrance.

"You go on ahead Bert, we're comin'" Mr. Evans calls after his friend before helping Mercedes down from the carriage. "Now Mercedes?"

"Yes sir?"

"I know I don't have to tell you to be on your best behavior here...you've always been respectful and polite."

"You don't have to worry Master Evans...I'll work extra hard here-"

"That's where you're wrong" Mr. Evans says placing both hands on the side of her body. "You are not here to work."

"But Master Sam said-"

"I know Sam sent you here to look after me" Mr. Evans says cutting her off. "But what I want you to do is to take advantage of this opportunity...get some schoolin'...become educated."

Mercedes looks at him in shock. "I can't just not do any work-"

"You can keep me company but..."

"But what Master Evans..."

"Let me do this for you...Del would want me too."

Mercedes swallows hard.

"Please?" Mr. Evans says stepping forward wrapping his arms around her.

Mercedes sighs accepting the hug...but then she pushes herself away. "Only on one condition Mr. Evans."

"What is that?" He smiles hearing Mercedes sound just like her mother.

"If I'm to be educated...you gotta get better too" Mercedes says looking at him seriously. "Mama would want me to help you too."

He laughs a little for the first time in weeks. "It's too late for me Mercedes...but you may try."

A/N: alright, sorry for the delay. i was trying to post my other samcedes story before updating this one but it's not quite right yet so i just posted for this one. hopefully i didn't shoot this story in the foot again, but if i did you know the drill (if i don't like it, i'll remove it and ask you guys to forget it and start fresh in the new chapter lol)

uh...during that whole Dave Karofsky thing i noticed that my writing could be interpreted as like some confederate loving "author", which i'm not...i'm more than thankful that the North won the civil war but i was just trying to write in the POV of someone who supported the south...

also too with regards to the civil war/france plot-direction i've decided to go in i'm gonna ask you to use your imaginations just in case what i write isn't 70% or more accurate...remember it's a story and i kinda need things to go my way so my focus can stay with Samcedes

Finn Hudson/Kurt Hummel/Brittany Pierce/possibly Rachel Berry & Santanna Lopez will be making their debut in this story very shortly...

as always, thanks for reading and your lovely reviews...i'm sorry i made so many of you cry in the last chapter...if it makes you feel better i teared up a little with the whole Samcedes-goodbye thing in this chapter...

alright now i'm starting to ramble lol thanks again! much love...pce!