DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN GLEE NOR ANYTHING ELSE.
Trent Evans- Robert E. Torres
Bryce Evans- Sam Underwood
Victoria Bishop- Ruth Kearney
Sam sighed as he rolled over, going to wrap his arm around Mercedes but all he got was air. Opening up one of his eyes, he saw that she was no longer laying there. He groaned as he laid flat on his back, covering his eyes with his hands. Last night had been a ruff one. From the song till they made it back to the tent. Everything that was going on in Mercedes' life right now, she was letting it get to her. And as usual, she was blaming herself. Sam hated when she did that. He uncovered his eyes when he heard a familiar laugh. Grunting with scowl on his face, he jumped up and grabbed his shirt. Unzipping the tent, he threw on his shirt and found the source exactly where he didn't want it to be.
Trent smirked widely as he stared down at Mercedes, hugging the girl tightly, "Still fine as wine, little Mercedes."
Mercedes gave him a small smile as she hugged him back, "It's nice to see you too, Trent." She gasped slightly when she felt herself being pulled away abruptly. Looking up, she chuckled when she saw it was Sam.
"Keep your sleazy hands off my girl, Trent." He glared at his cousin as he kept a tight grip on Mercedes' waist, "I won't hesitate to kick your ass."
"Geesh little cousin. Why you so hostile?" Trent asked with a chuckle, crossing his arms over his buffed chest.
"Because asshole..I don't trust you around my girl." Sam huffed out in frustration.
Mercedes shook her head as she unwrapped herself from Sam, folding her arms across her chest, "Sam please, you know Trent is just being Trent."
"Yes little cousin, I'm just being me. Take a chill pill, you know I wouldn't do anything like that." He said sincerely, patting his shoulder as he walked away.
Sam grunted as he held his arm, glaring at the man. He turned back to Mercedes and sighed.
"He's your cousin and you really should trust that I wouldn't do anything like that." She said quietly as she turned to walk away but Sam grabbed her wrist, causing her to stop.
"I do trust you Cedes and I'm sorry. You know how I am."
"I do and I wish you weren't." She sighed as she ran her hand through her hair, looking at him with sad eyes when she noticed how harsh her tone was, "I'm sorry, I'm just tired and emotionally drained."
"Do you want to go back into the tent and sleep for awhile?" He asked sweetly as he pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her.
Mercedes folded her arms across her chest and nodded, "That's sounds good. Maybe I'll be in a better mood."
"Lets go then." Sam let go of her and grabbed her hand, leading her back to the tent, he let her go in first before following behind her.
Mercedes sighed as she sat down, looking at him, "I'm sorry Sam, seriously, I am a mess. I'm trying to not think about everything from Danielle to my mom and I can't. And last night, I just embarrass myself in front of your family."
"Mercedes, calm down." He said as he pulled her to him, "Everything is going to work itself out, I promise. As for embarrassing yourself, you didn't. My family loves you Mercedes and they all was just worried." He moved her back and kissed her lips softly, pulling back, he caressed her face with both of his hands, "I love you."
"I love you too and I'm sorry I'm ruining this trip with my issues."
"Stop it. You're not ruining anything.." He pulled her down so that they were laying on the covers, throwing his arm around her waist, "We just need to get a quick nap in and be ready for the rest of the day."
Mercedes laid her head down on his chest, snuggling closer to him as she closed her eyes. Less than a minute later, she had drifted off into a much needed slumber.
"Your family is huge babe. How does everyone remember everyone's name?" The blonde asked as she held on to her boyfriend's hand as they walked through the woods.
"Name tags at the family reunion." He chuckled as they walked closely together, "But the ones who are on this trip are just the immediate family."
The girl nodded with a smile as they continued to walk. They made it to the campsite quickly and she saw people sitting down at the table and some were already down at the lake. She held on as he tugged her towards them, speaking and began introducing her to the people she hasn't met yet.
Mercedes tossed her tank over bathing suit before exiting the tent. The nap she had took had helped her out a lot and she decided when she woke up, that she was going to put whatever she was feeling in the back of her mind. She was not going to ruin this trip for anyone nor herself. She looked up when she heard laughing and she smiled as she walked up, "Oh my god, what happened to my little Bryce?"
"He grew up." Bryce turned around with a huge smile on his face and hugged her tightly, "Mercedes.."
Mercedes giggled as she hugged him back, "It's so good to see you."
"You too." He pulled back with a smile, letting her go, he turned back to his girlfriend and saw how star-struck she was, "I want you to meet my girlfriend Victoria."
Mercedes smiled at the girl and held out her hand, "It's nice to meet you Victoria."
Victoria just stared at her in complete shock, her mouth hanging low, "You're Mercedes Jones. Oh my god, I love you so much. I've been a fan since you've started your career and oh my god I love you." Realizing that the older woman's hand was still out, she felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment as she hurriedly shook her hand, "I'm sorry. You can call me Tori or Victoria, whichever one you would like."
Mercedes chuckled at the young girl but nodded, "Tori it is." She looked over to Bryce and gave him an approval nod, "Good choice. She's very pretty."
"Oh my god she said I'm pretty." Victoria whispered to herself, trying to regain her breathing, she punched her boyfriend in the shoulder, "Why didn't you tell me you knew the Mercedes Jones?"
"For the same reason I didn't tell you about my cousin." Bryce chuckled as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "Before we started dating, I wanted to make sure you liked me for me and not who I'm kin to."
"Aw babe. I understand where you're coming from but you know I'm not that type of girl." She smiled at him as she bumped him against his shoulder, "But you do get extra brownie points for knowing two famous people."
Mercedes smiled at how cute they were together. To be honest, the way they were acting right now reminded her how her and Sam use to act when they were younger. She came out of her thoughts when she felt someone tugging on her hand, she looked down and smiled when she saw little Bailee. Leaning down, she scooped her up, "What's up kiddo?"
"Cousin Sam told me to tell you to come on to the lake." Bailee moved her hair from out of her face and smiled.
"Okay." Mercedes smiled as she held onto her, turning back to them, "See you two later." She turned around and began walking down the pathway towards the lake, finding him with Lacey, Lillie, Lilly, Wyatt and Dean.
"Mercedes, you up for some jet skiing?" Wyatt asked as he strapped himself into a life jacket.
Mercedes shook her head as she walked on the dock, looking over at Sam with a snicker, "I don't know, last time I fell off when I rode with Sam."
"Well I told you to hold on baby. I do tend to go very fast." Sam laughed heartily as he kissed her softly, earning a 'yuckie' from his little cousin.
"So that's a no then?" Dean called out from the water with a slight pout.
"Yes, that's a no." Mercedes chuckled at them, balancing Bailee on her hip, "I'll stay and play with Bailee in the water and we'll watch."
"I'm staying with too because you boys do get a little out of hand out there." Lacey said shaking her head at them.
"We're men Lacey." Wyatt patted his bare chest proudly, "We're men."
"You haven't even finished puberty yet." Lilly quipped at her brother, smirking at him when he threw his shirt at her.
"Alright, lets get this show on the road then." Sam said as he rubbed his hands together before getting onto the jet ski, holding his hand out for his little cousin, Lille while the other Lilly got on with her brother.
Lacey shook her head at them as she watched them take off. She looked over at Mercedes, who was sitting down with her daughter.
Mercedes removed her tank and placed her hair into a ponytail, looking up, she found Lacey staring at her, "What?"
"Nothing." Lacey said with a chuckle.
"Oh it's something." Mercedes gave her a knowing look before she sat down on the edge of the dock and slipped into the cool water slowly, holding on to the ledge, she patiently waited for Bailee to get ready.
Lacey helped her daughter take off her button down shirt, her red Minnie Mouse swimsuit on full display, and she made sure she put her floaties on for her.
Bailee ran and jumped off the ledge and into Mercedes arms with a giggle.
Mercedes chuckled little girl as they began to just float in the water. The swam around for a few minutes before B let go and began swimming on her own in the shallow part.
"So Mercedes, how are things going with you and Sam?" Lacey asked as she kept a close eye on her daughter.
Mercedes swam to her and folded her arms on top of the dock, looking at her as she kept herself afloat in the water, "Everything's good."
"That's really good Cedes." Lacey smiled as she kicked her feet, watching as her daughter got out, she turned back to Mercedes with a smirk, "Any wedding bells or buns in the oven anytime soon?"
Mercedes chuckled and shook her head, "Definitely not soon but in the future, yes. I'm working on my next album now and I want to do at least two more and then another tour. I think I'll be good after that."
"That's sounds like a great plan Mercedes. I seriously can't wait to hear new music from you and I definitely can't wait to go to one of your concerts." Lacey smiled at the younger girl, gasping when her little girl wrapped her wet arms around her neck.
"Mommy, I love you." Bailee said sweetly as she hugged her mother.
Lacey turned around and kissed her cheek, "I love you too sweet pea."
Bailee smiled as she let go and went to Mercedes, bending down, she kissed her cheek, "I love you cousin Cedes."
Mercedes smiled at her, moving her hair from out of her face, "I love you too B." She looked behind her when she heard Dean shouting out for Bailee to come with him. She watched the little girl as she bounced excitedly and waiting for him to come get her.
Sam rolled his eyes as he turned the jet ski back towards land. His cousin, Lillie, was complaining that he was going too fast and she wanted to get off. He turned off the engine and let them float the rest of the way, he looked at Mercedes and he could tell by her demeanor that she seemed calmed.
"I'm never riding with him again." Lille said as she jumped off, deciding to swim the small distance to the dock.
Mercedes chuckled as she looked at her, "I tried to warn you."
"I should've listened." She called out as she pulled herself out, sending a small glare to her older cousin before she walked off.
Sam snorted as he leaned against the handle har, "Geez, you guys do not know how to live life to the fullest."
Mercedes looked at him, laughing a bit, "Oh we know how to live life babe, we just know how to do it in a safe way."
Sam smiled at her, shaking his head innocently, "I am safe though."
"In some ways you are." She gave him a knowing look, a small smirk gracing her lips.
Lacey looked between them and caught on to exactly what they were talking about. She shook her head and let out a laugh.
"You guys need to wrap it up down there, lunch is ready." Aunt Leslie yelled down from the top of the hill.
"I'll go get them." Lacey said as she walked over to the edge, beckoning for Sam to get off.
Mercedes lifted herself out the water, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her body.
Sam helped Lacey get on as he got off, stepping up on the dock. He came behind Mercedes with a smile and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her wet neck, mumbling against her skin, "I love you."
Mercedes turned around and smiled at him, "I love you too." She pressed a kiss on his lips before pulling back, "I'm sorry about earlier."
"Don't be baby. I understand what you're going through and I just want for you for the remaining of the trip to try to put all of that in the back of your mind and just relax." He moved her hair from out her face and kissed her cheek.
Mercedes nodded as she looked up at him through her lashes, taking a calming breath. Sam literally knew how to make her feel better.
Sam kissed her once again before wrapping his arm around her shoulders, leading her back to the campsite. The rest of their trip was going to be spent in a relaxing way. He wasn't going to let any negativity or sadness mess it up.
A/N. Is anybody still there? I'm so sorry for the long wait. I've had a busy summer & now I'm starting college in a week and it's been quite hectic around my neck of the woods. Updates will be running a little slow for the next couple of weeks. Expect a very special update any for TLOL in late September. Hope you enjoyed this filler chapter. Next update, there will be a time jump & I will try not to wait so long to update again!