DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN GLEE NOR ANYTHING ELSE.

ENJOY :)

Mercedes smiled as she put the small leggings on her little girl, laughing as she looked at her in amusement, "You're so beautiful Ari." She picked her daughter up from the bed and sat her down to her feet, watching as she walked over to Rocky.

Sam watched as the movers came in and out of his house with a sigh. Josh had just dropped a bomb on them last night and less than 24 hours later, people was here to move his bed and other things out the house. He didn't think he was going to move out this fast.

Josh nodded once the mover grabbed the last of his things out the room. Taking a deep breath, he gave it one final look before closing the door.

"It's pretty cool right?" Sam looked at his best friend with a smile as he showed him the house that he was planning to buy.

"It's huge as hell Sam." Josh said as he stared in amusement.

"I know but I think it's a perfect fit." Sam said as clicked off the browser, turning back to his friend, "For you too.."

Josh crinkled up his nose, looking at his friend confusedly, "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about you coming and living with us. Since you're sacrificing a lot for me right now, it only right for me to have you live with us."

"Sam, I couldn't impose on you and Mercedes like that.."

"You're not imposing..this is something we both wanted." Sam could see he was not going to agree so he clicked the browser back up, going to one of the images, "This whole area is downstairs in the back corner. It has a bedroom, your own bathroom and office. You'll have this whole space to yourself."

Josh looked at him in shocked, shaking his head, "Seriously?"

Sam chuckled as he nodded, "You're our family man..always will be."

Josh came out of his thoughts when heard the man say they were done. He handed him the address and told him he would be down in a minute. He walked down the hallway when he heard Ari babbling on, knocking on the already opened the door, he saw Mercedes sitting on the floor with her and Rocky, "Hey."

Mercedeswatched as Ari got up and went to her uncle. She moved her hair behind her ear as she stood up, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Arianna." He smiled as he picked up the girl, laughing when she laid her forehead on his.

"You don't have to worry about getting her in the mornings anymore." Mercedes said quietly, avoiding eye contact with him.

Josh frowned as he looked at her, "Why?"

"I don't want to inconvenience you anymore than I have too." She said as she turned around and went to her drawer to grab something.

Josh sighed as he looked at the little girl, who was looking at him curiously, "Don't be like this Mercedes."

"I'm not being anything Joshua. You live twenty minutes away now, I wouldn't want you to drive all the way over here and drive back to your place every morning." Mercedes gave him a glance before moving pass him and going downstairs.

Josh rolled his eyes as he followed behind her, rubbing the little girl's back as he walked down the stairs. He took a deep breath as he looked at Ari, "I'm going to miss you short stuff."

Arianna looked at her uncle Josh with a slight pout as if she knew what he was saying. She took her small arms and wrapped them around his neck.

Sam came out the kitchen when he heard Josh talking to Ari, seeing the little girl reaction, he knew for sure this was going to be hard for both of them. He looked behind them and saw Mercedes sitting on the couch. He knew that this was going to be hard for her too but he had hoped she would at least be a little happy for their friend.

"It's not like I won't be around." Josh made sure he made it clear to them, looking over at Mercedes, who was making sure she ignored him. He sighed and turned back to Sam, kissing Ari's cheek before handing her to Sam, "Guess I'll go."

"Like I said, I wish you nothing but the best."

"Can't really tell if you mean it or not.." Josh pursed his lips as he looked at her, seeing the look on her face, he knew he shouldn't have let that left his mouth.

Mercedes let out a humorless laugh as she stood up, "Wow..I may be upset with you for moving out but I would NEVER not want you to be happy nor great at whatever you decide to do." She shook her head as she walked up the stairs and back to her room.

Sam looked between the two and sighed, looking down at Ari, who was reaching for her mother, "Hold on sweetheart."

Josh wiped the tear that fell from his eye, shaking his head, "I didn't want this to be like it is."

"I know and she knows that Josh. She's just emotional as hell right now and I don't know why..but I will find out."

"momma." Arianna crinkled her nose up, her eyes starting to water as she looked up the stairs for Mercedes.

"Don't cry Ari." Sam said as he looked at his little girl, wiping her tears and placing a kiss on her cheek, "I'm about to take you to her."

Josh watched as the little girl gave him a look before laying her head down on her dad. He looked at Sam as he picked up his last bag, "I'll see you tomorrow for the game. Good luck."

"Thanks man." Sam said as he gave him a smile, walking behind him to the door, "Be careful."

"I will and Sam?" He turned to him as he got outside the door, looking at him dead in his eyes, "Thank you for everything."

"You don't have to keep thanking me." He watched as he nodded and turned around. Sam gave him one final wave before closing and locking the front door. He balanced Ari on his side as he traveled back up the stairs and to the bedroom. Seeing his wife sitting on the bed, he laid Ari down at the foot and watched her crawl to her.

Mercedes looked up when she saw her daughter, frowning a bit when she saw tears, "Cookie are you crying?" She picked her up and the one year old immediately wrapped her arms around her neck, clearing catching Mercedes off guard.

"I think she can sense when you're sad." Sam said as he sat beside her, moving her hair back behind her ear, "I know you're upset but are you really going to stop Josh from keeping her in the morning?"

"It's not a malicious thing I'm doing, honest. I really don't want him driving back and forth every morning to get her."

Sam looked at her confusedly, "That's truly not a good enough reason Mercedes."

"It's a good enough reason for me Sam." Mercedes stressed, trying not to raise her voice at him. The last thing she wanted to do was fight with him. She took a calming breath, rubbing their daughter's back, "Tina is going to keep her. She already agreed so it's taken care of."

Sam didn't know what to say. It felt like it was more than Josh moving out that had his wife like this but she wouldn't tell him. He decided for the sake of having to sleep on the couch he would let it go for now, "Okay."

Mercedes gave him a glance before standing up with their now sleep daughter, making her way to the door, "I'm going to put her in her bed." She kissed her forehead as she walked across the hall, pushing the door opened with her hip. She walked into the room and laid her down into her crib, pulling the blankets over her small body. She looked down at her and wiped a tear that managed to slip from her eye, whispering, "I love you Arianna Nicole and hopefully you will understand when you get older that the things I do for you now is only because I want the best for you." She moved her curly hair back with a soft smile before walking out the room.

Lexi stood inside the stadium, scrolling down her emails as she waited for Mercedes. Today was the first game of the season and the atmosphere was absolutely amazing.

Josh was texting his little sister as he walked. She was begging him to come home for Thanksgiving because she missed him. He was happy that she was asking because he had planned on going anyways. He was so focus on the text, he didn't realize he had bumped into someone until he grabbed the person's arms so they wouldn't fall, "I'm so sorry."

Lexi felt someone grabbed her when they bumped into her, looking up, she saw it was Josh, "Um..hey."

"Hey." Josh said as he looked at her with a small smile, letting go of her arms, "Sorry about that."

"It's okay." She said with a smile of her own, moving her hair from out of her face, "How are you?"

"I'm doing good and you?"

"Good." Lexi said as she rocked back and forward on her heels awkwardly as she looked around, "I'm just waiting for Mercedes."

"Oh okay..well, I guess I should go find my seat." Josh said as he lifted his ticket up, "If I can find it."

"Let me see." She absently moved closer to him so she could see, looking at his ticket, she looked back up at him, "You're actually sitting by us."

"Great..hopefully Mercedes is not still pissed at me." He muttered that last part out before clearing his throat, he sent her a smile, "Would you like anything from the concession?"

Lexi looked at him and politely shook her head, "No thank you but thank you."

Josh nodded as he gave her one final look before walking away, "I'll be back."

Mercedes stood in front of a nervous looking Sam outside of the locker room, running her hand through his hair, chuckling, "You being nervous is making me nervous."

"I'm not nervo..I can't even finish that lie." He said as he shifted Ari in his arms, looking down at her with a smile, "I love you and your shirt, Cookie Monster."

Ari looked at her daddy, leaning up to squish his lips together with her small hands. Arianna had on a USC's cardinal color shirt that said 'My daddy is the coach' with gold writing paired with her blue jean shorts and white converses. Her short curly hair was braided back into two small French braids.

"I got a wonderful feeling that you guys are going to do good and you are going to be amazing." She smiled as she leaned up and placed a soft kiss to his lips.

"Another one." He muttered across her lips as he bent down and pressed against hers again, whining when she pulled back so quickly.

Mercedes giggled as she grabbed Ari out of his arms, laughing at the pout on both of their lips, "I can't handle you two at all."

Sam smirked at her as he kissed his daughter's cheek, doing the same to Mercedes, "And you look beautiful as well. I'm really digging these jeans, they make you look thicker and I like that."

"Goodbye Samuel." She giggled as she pushed his shoulder, shaking her head as she started to walk backwards, "Good luck babe."

"Thank you, I love you."

"Love you more." She sent him a smile before walking up the steps, kissing Ari's forehead as she took the side steps to get to their seats quicker. Seeing Mike, Tina and Austin, she smiled as she made her way to them, "You guys get in okay?"

"Easy breezy." Tina said as she leaned down and gave her friend a hug, Mike doing the same.

Austin eyes brighten up when he saw them, he got up from his seat and walked in front of his parents to get to the two, "Auntie Sadie, can I hold Ri-Ri?"

"You sure can buddy, have a seat." She chuckled when the six year made him a seat by his dad and waited for his friend. Since moving to California, both Austin and Arianna became inseparable. The two had a bond much like Austin and Mercedes. He referred to Arianna as his little cousin, giving her the nickname 'Ri-Ri', and vowing to protect her at all costs.

Ari squealed when her mother sat her in Austin's lap, she looked at the boy with a big grin, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

Mike and Tina awed at the two while Mercedes pulled her phone out of her pocket, sending Lexi a text to let her know to come on in then switched it to the camera. Stepping down one row, she stood up in front of them, "Say cheese you two." She watched with a giggle as they both smiled big, snapping a couple pictures, "You guys are adorable." She selected one of the photos as she went to take her seat, posting it on Instagram and Twitter, captioning it with 'These two cousins are ready to watch daddy & uncle Sammie coach his first football game.'

"Hey guys." Josh greeted once he finally made it to the seats.

"Hey man." Mike said as he stood up and gave his friend a hug, "It's good seeing you."

"You guys as well." He smiled as he looked over at Austin and Ari, "Hey you two."

"Hi uncle Josh." Austin said sweetly with a smile much like his father's.

Tina looked behind Josh with a raised brow, looking at the woman curiously, "And you are?"

"Oh, sorry." She blushed as she held out her hand, "I'm Lexi, Mercedes' assistant at work."

Mike nodded to her as he shook her hand, "It's nice to meet you." He looked over at Mercedes, who was putting all her attention on her phone. He could feel the tension in the air and he had no idea why it was there.

"How are you Mercedes?" Josh asked politely as he sat down in his seat, looking down at the younger woman.

"Good." She said shortly, her eyes never leaving her phone as she finished texted out her text.

Tina looked between them and looked at her husband. She pulled out her phone and went to her notes section, opening a clean page, she typed out something and gestured for Mike to read.

Mike looked at what his wife had typed out and it all made sense now. He looked over to Mercedes and decided to break the tension, "Is Sam nervous Cedes?"

Mercedes replied back to Quinn text with a smile, looking over at Mike, a giggle escaped her mouth, "I think nervous is an understatement. He didn't sleep at all last night."

"I can't believe he's nervous though." Lexi said in amusement as she looked at Mercedes, "He has played in front of thousands of people."

"You do have a point Lex. It is weird that he's nervous about coaching but at the same time, he has the right to be. This is going to be his first time doing something other than playing football." Mercedes smiled a bit as she moved her hair behind her ear, "Wouldn't you be nervous too?"

"I know I would be. It's a huge difference between the two." Mike said matter of factly, placing an arm around his wife.

"Sam's going to do great." Josh said as he looked each one of them.

"I have to agree." Tina said with a smile as she turned to look on the field.

Mercedes smiled at her, hearing the band starting to play, she looked over to Ari as she began to clap her hands. She laughed as she stood up and clapped her hands, yelling with the crowd as the team ran out on the field.

Sam thanked one of the team mangers as he gave him his headset, placing it on his head, he immediately heard the voice of the man who was going to be his extra eyes and ears.

"Sam Evans, are you ready for your first game as a coach?" Derek smiled as he grabbed his cup of water, sipping it down as he opened up his playbook.

"Too late to back out now right?" Sam joked as he walked down the sideline, gathering his starters up.

"Way too late my friend." Derek said as he reached over and grabbed a pen from the defensive coordinator, "You got this though. I'm going to be with you at all times, so just think of this as your second marriage."

Sam chuckled as he shook his head, "I don't think my wife would like that." He looked up at the crowd and instantly found the two he was looking for, sending his girls a wink, he turned back to his group, "Alright y'all, let's start this season off right. I want you to go out and play hard. We going to start strong and we are going to do finish strong. Trust each other because you are all you have out on that field." He heard the whistle blow for the game to began and he wrapped up his speech, ending it with their hands in a huddle before the broke off. He turned around and crossed his arms over his chest as he watched the other them kick off. Here we go.

A/N. Let's start from the beginning. Surely I bet most of you are saying Mercedes is being a bitch but she's not. She's just stubborn and has a lot going on with her that's she not telling anyone (it will be revealed next update) & this has a big impact on why she's treating Josh like she is. Do you really think something will go down with Lexi & Josh? Can't forget Ari. This sweet little munchkin knows when her parents are upset and that make her upset as well! Merry Christmas, everyone! :)