And our weekend comes to an end. There is still an epilogue to come, as we've got to see at least a bit of the wedding! No idea when I'll get to that - I'm feeling all Christmass-y and have several ideas floating around for some holiday one-shots featuring my SIX!kids!Samcedes family. So be on the lookout for those! But I promise it will come eventually - I have at least 3 things that I HAVE to make happen.

Anyway - enjoy this one. The first part is one of my favorite bits - I love flirty, affectionate Samcedes. I hope you like it too - please let me know!

The room was grey with pre-dawn light when Mercedes woke up the next morning, surprisingly with only a relatively minor headache. Sam's arm was still around her waist but she'd rolled towards him sometime in the night and her head was pressed against his chest, one of her legs between both of his. She lay there for a minute or two, listening to the slow, steady beat of his heart before she remembered that they weren't at home and she was supposed to be rooming with Quinn while Sam shared a room in the other house with Puck and it finally occurred to her to wonder how they'd wound up sleeping in the same bed. She carefully disentangled herself from him and sat up, contemplating all of this before deciding to wake him up.

"Sam. Sam. Sam. Saaammm." As she repeated his name in a loud whisper, Mercedes continually poked at her husband's chest and shoulder until he finally opened one eye and squinted at her.

"What time is it?" he asked sleepily. "Are you still drunk?"

Mercedes made a face at him. "Early. And NO. But, c'mon, get up."

"Babe, it's still dark out," he complained. "If you're not still drunk, how the hell are you so cheerful?"

She considered the question. "I'm not exactly cheerful, I'm just awake." She rolled off the bed and then reached for his hand, tugging him towards her. "But, really, come on. Let's go watch the sunrise."

Sam almost laughed. "Who are you and what have you done with my wife?" he wondered as he finally stood up. "Because the only thing my wife generally has to say about a sunrise is that it's too damn early in the day."

She shook her head at him. "I know," she finally said, since she didn't have any other better answer. "I just – I woke up and since it's early enough, it feels like the thing to do."

"Okay," Sam said, blinking a few times to try to clear the sleep from his eyes. "Guess that's as good a reason as any," he muttered to himself, even as he found his shorts and pulled them on and then followed her out of the bedroom, down the hall and out the back door to the deck and then down to the dock. They were both barefoot, her still in her sundress from the day before. They sat down at the end of the dock, feet dangling in the water. He wrapped his arm around her as she rested her head on his shoulder. The first streaks of pink light were just starting to appear across the sky.

"See?" she said softly. "Isn't it beautiful?"

Sam nodded. He had to admit she was right. "Yeah."

"By the way," she asked after several minutes of silence. "Who took off my bra last night?"

"Me, of course," he said, looking insulted that she might suggest otherwise, and she laughed, turning her face to look up at him.

"Did you cop a feel when you did it?"

He grinned down at her. "Don't ask dumb questions," he said, bending his head to kiss her.

Mercedes clicked her tongue. "Terrible. Taking advantage of a drunk girl."

"Now you know I would never."

"I know," she said, putting her head back on his shoulder. "How drunk was I?" she asked, scrunching up her face as she asked the question.

He glanced down at her, snuggled against his shoulder, and grinned. "You don't remember?"

"Vaguely," she replied.

"Well," Sam said, "Two of the highlights were you telling me that the main reason you married me is because I am 'so hot' –" he made air quotes as he said this and Mercedes groaned – "and you also made sure to let Quinn know that the 'gorgeous man' who brought you to your bedroom was your husband."

Mercedes groaned again, even as she was also sort of laughing at herself. "Lord, there'll be no living with you now. Your big ol' ego's not gonna fit back in your car to drive home."

Sam laughed. "Yeah, especially since your next move was to demand that I stay the night in your room."

"I guess that's when Quinn decided to sleep elsewhere?" Mercedes asked sheepishly.

"More or less. You don't have to worry about my overinflated ego though, since immediately after demanding I stay, you promptly passed out."

Mercedes laughed. "Sorry you didn't get lucky, babe," she said, patting his knee.

Sam laughed too, as he shrugged. "Didn't expect to," he replied simply. "But I won't complain if you want to make that up to me after we get home tonight."

"Won't complain," Mercedes echoed sarcastically and Sam laughed again.

"Okay, then, how 'bout it would be awesome?"

"It's a long drive home, I've got time to think about it," Mercedes said, tipping her face up to his so he could kiss her again, even as he laughed, both of them knowing it was pretty much a done deal.

"For the record, I married you for a lot more reasons than just being hot," she added as they broke apart.

Sam laughed. "I know. Same."

She laughed too before turning a little contemplative. "I think Santana's kind of anxious about the whole 'married' thing."

Sam nodded. "Yeah. She basically asked my opinion of marriage last night."

"And?"

He shrugged. "I told her it doesn't suck." The sidelong glance he gave her after saying this let her know that he was being a complete smart ass.

"Sam!" she said, punching his arm. "You punk. You didn't say that."

Sam laughed. "Of course I didn't say that. I told her was the best decision I've ever made."

"Much better answer," Mercedes told him before shaking her head and laughing again. "God, I can just hear what she'd've said if you actually said 'it doesn't suck.'"

"Oh yeah?"

Mercedes grinned before launching into a pretty fair imitation of Santana and saying, "Marriage might not suck, but for your sake, Trouty, I sure hope Mercedes does."

"Why, Mrs. Evans," Sam said, in a mock scandalized tone, "do you kiss your husband with that mouth?"

She grinned again. "Sure do," she replied, leaning over to do just that before she added, with a smirk, "And not just on his lips."

"Oh my," he said, in a George Takei voice, and Mercedes burst out laughing, even as he was kissing her again. The way Sam made her laugh was definitely one of the reasons she'd married him.

"I love you," she said quietly as they broke apart.

"I love you too," he replied, pressing a kiss into her hair as she put her head on his shoulder again, before she pulled back and took a deep breath, staring out at the water.

"Sam – I need to tell you something."

Sam turned his head to look at her. She suddenly seemed – anxious, unsettled.

"And, no, I'm not pregnant," she said quickly, before he could say anything. "Or at least, I better not be, considering the massive amounts of alcohol I've consumed this weekend."

"Oh-kay," he said slowly. "But is it about what you were really thinking about yesterday afternoon?"

Mercedes nodded. "Yeah. I glanced at my email on the way back from the spa – there was one from the label. They want me at the main offices for a meeting tomorrow afternoon. And then there was another one from Callie – you know, that producer I've worked with a bunch?" Sam nodded and she continued, "She said she's not supposed to tell me, but they're going to offer me an actual recording contract, a chance to make a few songs, put an EP on iTunes – like, the real deal."

"Are you serious?" Sam said and she nodded. "Baby, that's amazing! It's everything you've been working towards, I'm so proud of you." He pulled her in tight against him in a hug before realizing that she still seemed a little anxious. "What's wrong?"

Another deep breath. "My sound – it's not right for Nashville producers. They're going to ask me to move to New York and write and record and everything there. It's gonna take at least a year."

Sam shrugged. "Okay, so we're moving to New York, then."

"Sam – we can't just pick up and move. I can't ask you to do that – leave your job, the city that you love – "

"Of course you can," he said, interrupting her. "That's how we wound up in Nashville in the first place – I got a job first and you said, okay, I'm moving to Nashville after graduation." His brow furrowed as he thought back. "And I'm pretty sure I didn't ask you to do that either. You just did it."

"Okay, but – "

"But what?"

"But your job is like, the real grown-up one in this marriage. It's our primary income, it's where we get our health insurance – and more importantly than that, you really love it."

"Yeah, I love what I do," Sam said with a shrug. "But I'm not all that attached to the company – I can find graphic design work anywhere, really."

"But you love Nashville," she said, chewing on her bottom lip. "And I mean, I've kind of come to love it too."

Sam nodded. "I know. And I can't say I won't be sad to leave, but, I mean, come on – New York? You love it there. Maybe it's your turn to introduce me to your city." He grinned. "And besides, most of our friends live there."

"Except Quinn."

Sam frowned, thinking for a minute and eventually shaking his head. "Yeah, okay, I don't have a counter-argument to that."

Mercedes sighed. "I have to admit – " her voice trailed off as she tried to figure out the right words for what she was thinking - "I almost wonder if she might be better off without us in the same city?"

Sam frowned. "How do you mean?"

"Just – like, we're a comfort zone for her, you know? She's really done with Puck finally – she'd like to find a real relationship, but maybe always having us to hang out with keeps her from taking that risk, you know?" Mercedes shook her head. "I don't know, maybe not."

"No, I get what you're saying."

They were quiet for a minute before Mercedes said with a sigh, "It's all just a rumor right now anyway. Or hearsay or something. No point in getting worked up over something that might not even happen."

"Hey," Sam said firmly, "It's going to happen. Maybe not this week, but eventually. You're too talented for it not to happen."

Mercedes nodded, not looking at him, and said quietly, "You have to say that, it's like a husband rule or something."

Sam turned his body towards hers. "Hey," he said, more firmly, cupping her cheek in his hand and turning her head to force her to meet his eyes. "You know that's not true. You could have dumped me in high school and never spoken to me again and I would still say you're the most talented person I've ever met."

She rolled her eyes but didn't look away from him and he grinned. "Granted, I might be bitter about it, but it would still be true."

Mercedes smiled at him, shaking her head. "You're still crazy, Sam Evans."

Sam kept grinning. "Yeah. Still crazy about you. And you still love it. And that," he said, leaning in close, "you absolutely know is true, Mercedes Evans."

It was such a dumb thing, but even more than two years later, her heart still did a funny flip-flopping thing every time she heard her new name.

"Yeah. I know," she said, just before their lips met and she let herself get lost in kissing her husband, one of her arms going around his neck, fingers tangling in his hair, her other hand sliding up under the back of his t-shirt as his hand slid from the side of her face, down her arm and then over to cup her breast through her dress.

"Hey! Behave yourselves, there's a child present!"

Good Lord, she had completely forgotten that they were out in the open in front of two houses occupied by thirteen of their closest friends.

As they broke apart and turned to see Tina and Mike sauntering down the dock towards them, Tina's words finally caught up to her brain and she gave her friend a WTF look.

"I think a child being present is a stretch, T. Do they even have eyes yet?"

Tina shrugged as she sat down beside Mercedes and Mike followed suit. "I think so, but I don't think they can actually see anything yet? Anyway, whatever. I'm totally looking forward to using this excuse to get people to stop doing things I don't like."

"Yes, Tina, because that's what parenting is all about," Sam said dryly, shaking his head.

"Don't listen to him, you're gonna be a great mom," Mercedes said loyally, patting Tina's arm before looking back at Sam and mouthing, no, you're totally right.

"Does it feel weird?" Mercedes asked Tina. "Like, physically and all. Since you can't tell by looking at you yet."

Tina laughed. "You might not be able to tell, but I can. Pretty much any pants I own that button are impossible already." She took Mercedes' hand and laid it on her abdomen. "Can you feel how tight my belly is? It might not be showing yet, but it's getting ready to."

"Oh, that is weird," Mercedes said, poking at her own softer belly in comparison.

"Apparently just one of many crazy, weird things I get to experience," Tina said, shrugging again. "Anyway, how do you feel this morning? You had quite the good time last night."

"Oh, you hush," Mercedes said, shaking her head. "You know I don't usually get like that."

"Well, you know, after all the invasive questions about sex after marriage, I'm not surprised you needed a drink. Or twelve," Tina teased.

"You know she asked me more questions at the spa yesterday?"

"Oh, she cornered me after we got back to the house yesterday afternoon."

"Who, Santana?" Mike asked. "She got to me yesterday too."

"Me too," Sam said. "Do you think she actually arranged this weekend so she could pick the brains of all the married couples?"

Tina shrugged. "It wouldn't surprise me if it was a motivating factor."

Sam frowned, Tina's earlier words catching up to him. "Wait, invasive sex questions? She didn't ask me about sex."

Mercedes side-eyed him. "Really? She passed up a chance to take a crack at me and my original plan to wait for marriage?"

"Well, no," Sam admitted. "There was one obnoxious joke. But other than that, it was a pretty genuine chat."

"Yeah, ours too," Mike agreed.

Tina shook her head, looking at Mercedes. "Really? The guys get the sincere, meaningful conversations and we get challenged on our husbands' ability to bring us to orgasm?"

"Tina!" Mercedes hissed as Mike and Sam shared amused yet incredulous glances. "Do we have to repeat it?"

Tina ignored her, continuing to think out loud. "She did burst into tears from the weight of her concern for us. So maybe that's sincere and meaningful?"

Mercedes sighed, accepting the inevitability of the conversation. "For Santana Lopez – yeah."

There was quiet for a moment and then, surprisingly, it was Mike who broke the silence. "So – you did defend our honors, right?"

Tina laughed. "Obviously," she said and both men looked relieved.

"She threatened to kick your asses, so yeah," Mercedes added, shaking her head. "You know, the whole stereotype of married sex automatically being bad is so dumb. Especially if you want to encourage people to wait for marriage. Which I know not everyone is on board for," she added hastily, "and even I didn't in the end, but I mean, I was pretty sure at that point that I was gonna marry Sam one day, but anyway. It's like when people get all mad at the lady from Full House, the one that played DJ."

"Oh, right," Sam said. "I remember you showing me that picture."

At Tina and Mike's quizzical expressions, Mercedes went on to explain about the picture Candace Cameron had posted on Instagram that showed her husband jokingly grabbing her boob.

"And all her 'Christian' followers got all up in arms and she was like, y'all. If we're trying to tell people that sex and marriage should be linked but then we get pissy about a husband and wife being affectionate and loving and appreciative of each other's bodies, then we're just wrecking our own message." Mercedes shook her head again. "Anyway, I hope we got the point across that marriage doesn't automatically kill your sex life."

Tina gestured at her stomach. "I mean, what's more proof than an unplanned pregnancy?"

Laughing, the foursome got up and headed back to the houses to get ready for the day, meeting back out on the deck of the girls' house for breakfast a little while later.

"Listen, everyone," Brittany said, getting everyone's attention, "I know you all have to start leaving soon so I just wanted to say how much fun this weekend and how much we appreciate you guys coming to celebrate with us." Beside her, Santana was gazing at her with an adoring smile. "We know you'll all be at the wedding, but like Santana said yesterday, this was our chance to really celebrate with you guys. So – thanks."

"Yeah," Santana chimed in. "Thanks, y'all."

The good-byes started then – Artie, Finn, Rachel, Kurt and Blaine were all on one flight back to New York and headed out first in one of the rentals, leaving Tina and Mike, who were flying to LaGuardia, not JFK, Puck and Lauren headed to Vegas and Sugar going back to Ohio, to take the other rental back.

"You're going to ride home with Sam, right?" Quinn said to Mercedes as they got their bags together in their room.

"Oh!" Mercedes said. "I guess I should, but – I mean, I hate to abandon you – "

"It's fine, really," Quinn said, waving her away. "I need to call Emily Hansen and talk some final details for the Juliette Barnes shower next week and if I can do that while I drive, that'll give me a head start for the week."

Quinn could see that her friend still felt bad and she impulsively went to hug her. "Seriously, Mercedes. I'm fine. It's dumb for me to have to drop you off at home when you could just ride with Sam."

"I mean, I could go halfway with you and we could meet up with Sam somewhere and I'll switch cars…"

"Mercedes. Go home with your husband. I love you both. I'll text you when I get home."

"Okay, okay," Mercedes said with a laugh. "Just trying to be a good friend."

"You are definitely that. I promise," Quinn replied, laughing too.

Mercedes took her suitcase outside, meeting up with Sam by his Jeep.

"Any chance I can get a ride home with you?" she asked him.

"Hmm," Sam replied, appearing to think over the question. "Where are we on the status of gettin' lucky when we get home?"

Mercedes narrowed her eyes at him. "Um, you're getting nothing if you go home alone, buddy."

He laughed and leaned over to give her a quick kiss. "Excellent point, my brilliant wife."

"Hmm," she echoed him, grinning. "The more you flatter, the luckier you might get."

"I like my odds," Sam grinned, backing her up against the SUV before bending his head to kiss her.

"Okay, okay, we get the point!" Santana called from the front of the vehicle. "Again, go home and do that on your own time."

Laughing, Sam and Mercedes broke apart, looked at each other and with nearly one motion, both swooped Santana into a hug.

"Ugh! Gross! Get your trouty germs off me!" Santana was squealing even as she was laughing and trying to get away from them.

"We love you, Santana!" Sam said, giving her a loud kiss on the cheek.

"And you too, Britt!" Mercedes said to Brittany, who was watching the scene with great amusement.

"We'll see you in New York in two months!"