A/N: Enjoy!

Chapter 23

Two Roads Diverged

Sam woke up smiling as he stretched before it faded when he felt the cold spot next to him, he sat up and looked around before figuring Mercedes had gone down stairs so he got up and looked in her closet finding another pair of his shorts putting them on and went to look for her.

"Merce?" He said once he reached the living room but didn't hear anything, he went into the kitchen and started to become very aware that he was there alone. He walked back into the living room to look to see if her key were on the hook but they weren't and his were on top of a piece of paper, he picked it up letting out a sigh before reading it.

Sammy,

I hope you nothing but the best at your new job. I am very proud of you…

Best of luck!

-MJ

Sam slammed the paper down rubbing his eyes and shaking his head, he was breathing heavily through his nostrils before he walked over to where his clothes were sprawled out and quickly put them on. He pulled out his phone and called Tina, he figured that's the only person she'd be with outside of her parents and he hoped she answer.

"Hello?"

"Is she there?" Sam asked skipping the pleasantries

"Who?" Tina asked knowing full well who he was asking about.

"Mercedes."

"No, she isn't here… why? What happened?" Tina asked hoping like hell he bought her fake shock.

"I know she's there Tina you're bad a lying but tell she doesn't have to worry… I got the message." Sam replied before hanging up.

He walked into his office and began grabbing all his old note books and sketch pads rummaging through them until he found the one he was looking for and placed it on the coffee table with a note of his own. He wasn't sure what was going to happen after he left but he knew that the next time he was see her would be on Samantha's first day of school giving him a small window to fix everything that happen to get them to this point. He looked one last time before turning around and leaving, he was going to stay true to his word and not drive to Tina's to get her to talk to him. He instead went home and packed for his trip to California.

…

"He's gone… are you sure you want to do it this way?" Tina asked Mercedes when she walked to her car that was only a few blocks away from her house.

"He shouldn't have to keep choosing between the things he want and what others want for him. So I removed myself from that equation and now I have to move on." Mercedes answered looking down and sighing.

"Bullshit!" Tina said not believing a damn word her friend was saying and when Mercedes shot her head up Tina gave her a knowing look.

"W-what?"

"You're pushing him away because your scared, he's not the scared one you are and from how he sounded on that phone you might have succeeded. Seeing his mother gave you the opportunity to do what you were too afraid to do on your own and that's drive a wedge between the two of you because you're afraid he won't leave this time. You lost him four years ago and your child found him do you understand how much of a miracle that is? The child you made together brought you two back together and the moment he got his memory back you have subtly been pushing him away." Tina said giving Mercedes a hard look.

"No I haven't! His father tried to kill me, his mother helped protect the bullshit he did and then she had-" Mercedes stopped mid sentence her eyes filling with tears.

"Exactly! You're blaming Sam for something he had no control over, something you had no control over but this, what you did today… that was them that was all you. I understand you are hurt and I don't blame you but Sam has chosen you since before you had his child, you seem to have forgotten all the things you needed him to remember. Look, I get you are hurt by what happened but did you even let him explain?'

"T… he yelled at me and then-"

"So what! You are not innocent in this Mercedes. You aren't and you leaving the way you did, making me watch him leave you didn't see the hurt on his face but I know you saw it when you did see him. You're not protecting him, you're protecting yourself by allowing him to think he was defending you but you didn't stay long enough to find that out did you?" Tina cut her off again and Mercedes was growing angry because she was right but also because she felt like her friend wasn't taking her side in the matter.

"No, you will not make me feel bad for letting him go… he lost four years because of all this shit and for me to ask him to stay and for what? Because I love him? New flash Tina I've never stopped loving him and what has that gotten me? Huh! His family WILL NOT ACCEPT ME and you want me to make him choose? We're not married, hell we barely just got back together and then all this shit pops back up again. No I will make it easier for us both and remove myself from that equation." Mercedes said biting her lip and furrowing her eyebrows.

"Then you're a fool if you think he wouldn't choose you again." Tina said walking away leaving Mercedes stunned.

Two Months Later

"Good morning." Sam said to Mercedes when she opened the door, he hadn't seen or spoken to her since that night and since today was Samantha's first day of school he came over as promised to take her.

"Morning, you know you could have just used your key...right?" Mercedes said moving aside to let him inside. Sam nodded and shoved his hands into his pockets looking around before looking back at her and smiling.

"I don't have it, I left it here. Where's little bit? Is she nervous?" Sam asked his smile growing when Samantha came down stairs in her uniform with her book bag flailing behind her.

"Why don't you-"

"Daddy! Do you like my uniform?" Samantha asked spinning around making them both laugh. She looked so adorable in red and blue plaid jumper dress and white three button top, she had a pair of white shoes and her hair curly hair was half braided then put into pigtails where her naturally curly hair was seen.

"I do little bit! You very cute!" He said kneeling down holding his arms open for her to give him a hug which she did gladly.

"Oh stay like that I want to get a picture.." Mercedes said grabbing her phone and snapping a few of them before nodding so he could stand back up.

"Okay well I guess we should be heading off then." Sam said smiling at Samantha who was doing some happy dance.

"Yeah… I guess so." Mercedes said looking at them both then back with half smiles and Sam could tell she wasn't ready for Samantha to go to school, so he grabbed her hand and walked them both to the door. Mercedes shot him a shocked look that he chose to ignore, he grabbed her keys and locked the door before placing them in her hand and leading them to his truck. He helped Samantha in and made sure she was buckled before opening the passenger side for Mercedes who looked at him for a minute before getting inside and he closed the door.

"Alright ready?" He asked after he gotten into the driver's side looking back at Samantha who nodded excitedly. He reached over and squeezed Mercedes' hand mouthing 'It's going to be okay' before turning the truck on and pulling off.

The ride over was filled with Samantha asking a million questions that both Sam and Mercedes tried their best to answer and for a brief moment Sam had a natural smile on his face. Once they arrived at her school he could see Mercedes panicking and decided to be a whatever she needed him to be in that moment.

"Hey, you got this and it's no different than preschool… just longer hours." Sam said giving her hand another squeeze before getting out and walking over to open her door then get Samantha out. He grabbed Samantha's hand and held out his free one for Mercedes who smiled and took it, they walked inside and located her classroom they visited a few weeks ago. They were told to let her go inside by herself so that it would be easier for them to leave, Mercedes squeezed his hand and he looked at her seeing the tears forming. He pulled her closer to him giving her shoulder a light squeeze that seemed to calm her down.

"Alright little bit, be good and listen to your teacher okay?" Sam said smiling at their daughter who seemed more excited about getting away from them than realizing she would be there all day.

"Okay daddy! I will." She said tugging at his hand for him to let it go. He let go of Mercedes and kneeled down whispering something in her ear and she nodded before he let her hand go. Samantha moved over to her mother smiling before giving her the biggest hug she could muster, Mercedes smiled and fought her tears before hugging her back and squatting to give her a better hug and a quick kiss.

"Have fun baby girl. I love you so so much!" Mercedes said smiling at her daughter.

"I love you too mommy! Bye!" Samantha said waving and ran into her class. Mercedes stood wrapping her hands around herself smiling, she was sad but also happy that Samantha was so independent. She smiled when she felt hands on her shoulders, she turned giving him a weak smile and he just pulled her into him hugging her before they walked out.

"Thank you for this." Mercedes said when they got back into his truck.

"This moment was big and should have been shared as a family, I was going to ask you to come anyways… I know how big this is for you especially since you have an extra two to three hours without her now." Sam said giving her small smile as he pulled off headed back to her house.

"Have you had breakfast?" Mercedes asked when they pulled into her driveway looking at Sam.

"You remember, you remember when we would joke around and say when we got married and had kids what we would do on their first day of school?" Sam asked with a chuckle and Mercedes nodded laughing as well.

"Oh God… yes I remember! If memory serves me correctly we should be at the store buying a crap ton of snacks, blankets and balloons." She replied smiling and shaking her head at the memory she almost forgot about, they had been talking about their future and joked that on their kid's first day they would throw a party to celebrate the new milestone.

"I never knew why we needed blankets but then again you are obsessed with fluffy blankets so it made sense."

"Oh please! You loved all those blankets I bought and it was for the fort we were going to make so that when said kids would come home they could join us." Mercedes responded laughing more.

"We had it all planned out… the night before we make their lunches together leaving notes and putting stuff we knew they shouldn't have so they wouldn't be sad that we weren't there." Sam said sighing biting the inside of his lip thinking about how that might never be now. He looked at Mercedes and saw she had the same expression and started to say something but bit his tongue instead.

"How about we pick her up together? At least for the first week and then we cam alternate… I ne-need to go ahead and tell you that in two weeks I have to go to California for four days but I'll be back for my weekend with little bit." Sam said looking at her and she just gave him another weak smile before nodding.

"That's fine and I like that idea… just tell what days and I'll make sure to have her set." She replied unbuckling her seat belt and getting out of the truck. "Thank you again… I'll see you later okay?"

"Y-yeah later..." Sam said watching her walk away.

"Hey Merce." He shouted and she turned around. "Thank you for giving me her and for being a great mother, I don't think I ever said it but I don't think she could have had a better mother than you." He said before waving and pulling off, Mercedes stood there feeling the tears burning but she shook her head and walked inside calling her mother.

"Hey baby, how was it?" Diane asked immediately.

"You know that grandchild of yours..."

"She didn't look back, that's my girl!" Diane said laughing. "How about you? You didn't cry when Sam took her did you?"

"Actually I went with them, he said it was a family moment and should be shared… moma what the hell am I doing?" Mercedes asked as the tears began to fall.

"I can't and won't answer that for you baby. Not this time, you have to figure this out on your own because it's not effecting my life." Diane answered feeling bad for telling her that but she couldn't make that decision for her.

"I don't want to be like this with him… but he's leaving and he even gave his key back which I was unaware of until this morning. He's leaving me moma and I think I'm letting him… but I don't want him to go." She said fully crying and Diane had take a deep breath to keep from crying herself.

"Mercedes, if you didn't want him to go you wouldn't be letting him and that's all I'm going to say. Try to get your mind off of it for now, go treat yourself or call that crazy girl Santana… she's always fun."

"Yeah, I just might. I love you moma."

"I love you too baby. Call me when she gets home okay?"

"Okay I will, tell daddy I love him. Bye." Mercedes said and hung up.

"She's so damn stubborn." Diane said looking at her husband who just nodded.

"It's hereditary." He said sipping his coffee and giving his wife a knowing look.

"Oh I know you're not calling me stubborn!"

"I haven't said anything you just assumed I meant you.." Matthew replied chuckling.

"We have to help her, crazy girl going to throw that poor man away out of fear." Diane said pacing.

"No we don't need to do a damn thing but let this play out as God intended. She is a grown woman and the choices she are making are just that choices, if Sam was going anywhere he would have done it by now… trust me." Matthew said remembering their conversation from Samantha's birthday before smirking.

"You know something don't you?"

"I know that you're going to try to help after saying you wouldn't and I know she isn't going to listen to damn thing you suggest. Hereditary." Matthew said shrugging and standing up giving her a quick kiss before going upstairs.

"Hmm… I'm not stubborn and I'm going to help my damn baby." Diane mumbled before walking into her office.

…

Sam arrived at to pick up Mercedes so they could get Samantha from school and she smiled when he opened the door for her.

"Be honest you cried." Sam joked and she couldn't even lie she did for a minute but not just about Samantha being at school.

"Okay fine I cried." She said laughing and shot him a look.

"What I'm an emotional guy, my daughter's facing this crazy world we call kindergarten." He admitted making them both laugh, they pulled up and waited for her to come out sharing a comfortable silence between them until they heard her shouting excitedly and saw her running towards them.

"Mommy! Daddy!"

"Good Lord child what happened to your hair?" Mercedes said looking at their daughter's disheveled hair and grabbing her face turning her noticing one of her braids were completely undone and Sam was more focused on the fact that she had grass stains on her shirt.

"How in the world did you manage to get a grass stain on your shirt?" He asked with a light laugh when he saw Mercedes rub the bridge of her nose and take a deep breath.

"I missed you mommy and daddy." Samantha said bringing them from their fussing over her appearance and they both kneeled down and she pulled them both into a hug.

"We missed you too baby girl, how was your first day?" Mercedes asked picking her up and carrying her to Sam's truck while he grabbed her book bag and lunch box from her teacher.

"I had fun! We played and colored, look!" She said after Mercedes put her in the truck and Sam handed her her book bag. She took out the different papers that she colored and handed them to them, she colored some flowers, a picture of a whale and one she'd drawn of her family.

"Awh baby girl is this us?" Mercedes asked showing it to Sam who smiled brightly at Samantha who nodded.

"Yep! It's me, you and daddy!" She replied.

"And what's this?" Sam asked pointing at the picture.

"My dog." She answered calmly and they both laughed.

"You don't have a dog little bit." Sam said placing the sheets back into her backpack and started laughing when she sighed dramatically.

"I know but I just thought if I drew it you would want one too." She replied after they both go into the truck. Mercedes shot Sam a look and his eyes grew big and he shrugged making her laugh.

"Well let us just think about it first okay?" Mercedes said hoping that would end the discussion for now and it did.

They talked more on their drive back before Mercedes realized they passed her house and she nudged Sam who just shrugged again and shot her a mischievous smile. When they pulled up to his turned to her smiling and looked back at Samantha who was still rambling about her day.

"Humor me?" He whispered and Mercedes nodded slowly before they both got out he grabbed Samantha from Mercedes and held his hand for her to take which she did giving him another look that he chose to ignore.

"Okay I need you both to close your eyes." Sam said and Samantha covered her eyes quickly while Mercedes just shut hers, he quickly opened the door guiding them inside before putting Samantha down and then moving Mercedes so she was standing next to her.

"Open!" He said and both of their eyes grew big before Samantha let out a happy squeal.

"You did it." Mercedes said smiling and looking at the balloons, blankets and table full of snacks and he made a large fort for them as well.

"Yeah, I figured we could at least keep that one memory intact you know? Plus this should keep her mind off of you know what." He answered nudging Mercedes giving her a sweet smile and she couldn't help when she wrapped her arms around him hugging him tightly.

"This is amazing." She said after pulling away.

"Yeah I figured we could hangout here tonight watch a movie or two and then I'll get you back home before it's to late and get little bit into bed."

"Can we have pizza?" Samantha asked popping her head out from the fort.

"No, but maybe this weekend when you come over we can but only if you do good your first week." Sam said pinching her cheeks then getting down to join her in the fort before poking his head out and nodding Mercedes over to join.

They were all under the fort snacking and watching Frozen II when Sam's phone rang and he had to get out to take the call. Mercedes figured she could start dinner since it was they agreed to cook something simple instead of adding more junk to the snacks they let Samantha eat. She saw that he had already some chicken out so she decided to make some pasta with it, she looked a noticed he had a fresh salad made and realized it wouldn't take long to cook everything which was good because she needed to make sure Samantha got enough sleep for school.

"Are you sure I can't hold off for another month?"

"No, no I understand.. I just need a little more time and I'm fine with making the trips."

"My daughter just started kindergarten and I really don't want to miss it."

"Thank you, I'll have a final decision made by then. I appreciate your understanding, goodbye."

Sam let out a sigh walking back noticing Mercedes was standing there with an uneasy expression on her face.

"You didn't have to cook I was going to get to it after my call." He said moving closer trying to see what she was making.

"No you should be in there with her… I can cook it won't take me long anyways." She said looking at him for a moment before turning her attention to what she was doing.

"Mercedes-"

"Sam really, besides with your job and everything these moments are going to fly by so I want you to enjoy them." She said giving him the best smile she could.

"I wanted to talk to you about that, my job I mean. I asked them if I could work remotely for a while but they still need a firm answer on when I'll be there more consistently. I know we are together or even really talking but I don't want things to change in regards to Samantha… if I can figure out how to be out there twice a month for a few days but make it back for the weekends I'm going to try. I just don't want to be gone for months at a time away from… umm you both. I know it's a heavy topic but I've never kept things from you before so I wanted to be forthcoming about what's going on with me." Sam said shoving his hands into his pockets.

"So.. you're not moving to California?" She asked her mind suddenly racing.

"Not if I can help it, as far as I know they're working out a way to keep me remote per my request since-." He stopped mid sentence before shaking his head. "I don't want to be away from her not now that we've bonded and I don't want to miss anything if I don't have to so I'm working with them to get it in my contract to limit actual time inside the offices and working from here." He answered with a lopsided grin.

"I thought… you made it seem… so you're staying?" She asked stammering over her words.

"You wouldn't talk to me, you didn't give me a chance to tell you any of this and originally I wanted to ask if you and little bit would consider moving but… look I don't want to keep talking about the same thing. I promise to keep you updated but if it means me moving then I will have to walk away from the job, I'm not leaving my child." He said firmly.

"So if Samantha wasn't-" Mercedes started.

"Don't, don't use her to ask that question." Sam interrupted. "You know the answer to that anyways, I'm right here Mercedes. I haven't pushed you away and I haven't pressured you to think anything outside of what you wanted, you asked me to be a good father to our child and that's what I'm doing. You asked to me to stop holding on so tightly and as hard as it is to do, I'm doing it… I keep my distance and damn it I try to keep my feelings at bay. So if you want to ask me if I would have stayed for you then don't dance around it and just do it." Sam added moving closer to her making her step back slightly.

"I-I need to finish dinner, please go check on Samantha." She said turning her back to him with her eyes closed tightly.

"Yeah, I'll do that." He said shaking his head and leaving smiling when saw looked in the fort to Samantha watching the movie happily and sat down next to her.

"Daddy when will I see Auntie Stacey and Uncle Stevie again?" She asked still looking the movie.

"Umm how about I have them come over this weekend when you come and we can do this again?"

"Can mommy come too? It was fun with mommy last time." She asked looking at him happily and Sam didn't have to heart to tell her that he wasn't sure if she'd want to so he just nodded.

"We'll just make sure she isn't busy first." He said. "Come on let's go wash up for dinner." He added after a moment pausing the movie and helping her out first them following.

…

Sam was up early to take Samantha back to Mercedes's because he had to catch his flight out to California, he let Mercedes know that he would have to bring her early and since he'd given his key back she said she'd be awake. However when he arrived she wasn't so he used the spare opening the door then running back to get a sleeping Samantha out of the truck, he made sure to be quiet as possible because he didn't want to wake either of them nor did he want another round of Samantha crying because she didn't want him to go but he promised he'd bring her something really amazing when he got back which worked long enough to get her to calm down.

He carried her into her room and laid her down tucking her in and giving her a kiss on the forehead before walking down the hall to Mercedes's room and smiled when he saw here balled up in her bed. He walked over to her and gently tapped her shoulder, she wasn't a light sleeper but he knew he needed to let her know that Samantha was there, she stirred slight but didn't wake. He kneeled down and shook her slightly and chuckled when she groaned before opening one eye.

"Hey, I just wanted to tell you that little bit is in her room. I'll text you after I land and let you know when I can call and talk to her." He said softly and she just blinked at him before nodding slowly.

"You didn't comprehend a word I said did you?" He asked and she let out a sleepy laugh before yawning then sitting up slightly.

"Sorry, you're off then?" She asked after stretching and he stood nodding.

"Yeah I'll be back in a few days… she cried again about it but I promised to bring her something back." He replied looking at his watch making sure he was still good on time.

"Poor thing. Did you need a ride to the airport?" She asked looking at the clock and groaning again making him laugh.

"No, my truck will be fine get some go back to sleep I know how you are with early mornings. I'll lock up, let me know how she does okay?"

"Mhm… be safe okay?" She said laying back down and he could see the worry in her eyes, he moved closer and leaned down placing a kiss on her forehead.

"I will, I'll text you when I land." He said looking at his watch again and sighing. "I have to go."

Mercedes just nodded and he walked out, she listened hearing him go down the stairs and then out the door. Everything was to familiar that moment was to familiar and she felt a rush of panic flow throughout her body, she jolted up and ran down the stair swinging the door open and began tearing up.

"Took you long enough." Sam said with a smirk before she wrapped her hands around his shirt and pulled him into a deep kiss.

"Don't go… shit I don't want you to go! There I said it." Mercedes said kissing Sam again who smile against her lips.

"I know but I have to go baby… I had to give them an answer. I'll be back in four days and then when can talk about everything okay?" Sam said feeling her pull away shaking her head.

"No, don't go at all. Come home, be here with us..." She said looking at him with sad eyes that grew when she saw the conflict in his making her nod. "You're going regardless even after you said all that… you're going."

"Mercedes I can't just not show up, I promise when I get back we can and will talk about everything I just need to get through these four days. Trust me… just four more days." He said moving closer but she backed away away.

"Have a safe trip Sam." She replied before turning and walking back inside closing and locking the door.

"Shit!" Sam said walking to get into his truck slamming his hands on his steering wheel before making a promise to come here once he got back.

Yep... Cliffhanger city over here but there's a little flicker of hope right? I will say this though she's not pregnant lol I'm not letting them have a surprise pregnancy like this, they both deserve what they lost ;) Until next time XOXO!

Also the event that happened at the beginning of Chapter 18 IS VERY CLOSE!