Saturday evening, Hudson-Hummel Home

Once they ran out of competition videos to watch, conversation splintered off into smaller groups, people moving around the room, getting more food or drink or running upstairs to use the bathroom. Mercedes was standing in the kitchen area by herself, just observing the room, particularly Sam, Artie, Tina and Blaine laughing together across the way. She's seen it before, of course, how they'd been the bridge between OG New Directions and the second wave of members and how it must have bonded them, but somehow she forgets in between reunions. Maybe that's why she always somehow forgets that Sam wasn't part of glee club that first year, since two of his best friends are OGs like her.

As she contemplated this, she caught a flash of motion at the back door and looked over to see Rachel stepping outside. On a sudden impulse, she grabbed Sam's sweatshirt off the back of the couch where he'd left it laying and followed her out the door, pulling the hoodie over her head as she did.

Rachel had walked up the sidewalk to the patio and was sitting down in one of the outdoor dining chairs when Mercedes caught up to her.

"You okay, Rach?"

Rachel looked up and couldn't help smiling. "That is some outfit," she said lightly and Mercedes laughed, knowing that the McKinley hoodie probably did look ridiculous over her cute dress, leggings and boots, but whatever.

"It's keeping me warm and it was closer than going upstairs for my coat," Mercedes said with a shrug. "Anyway," she said, sitting down at the table across from Rachel, "seriously. I know we haven't talked much in the last few years, but is everything okay? You've been awfully quiet. Especially for you."

Mercedes was sure that would get a response, but Rachel only smiled again.

"You know, you never struck me as the type who would wear her man's clothes," Rachel commented idly. "I don't know why, maybe your whole independent woman thing or something."

Mercedes shrugged again. "Maybe. Maybe it's different being married to him? I dunno."

Rachel nodded and they sat in silence for a few minutes.

"Mercedes, when you were talking earlier about Sam and glee girls, you know Sam and I never…that couple of weeks we were kind of dating, we only kissed," Rachel said suddenly. "And even that was weird – anything else would have been even weirder – I –"

Mercedes managed to hide her smile. Trust Rachel to be worried about that. When it came to glee girls who had kissed her husband, she sometimes forgot Rachel was even on that list.

"I know that, Rachel. Sam and I talked about that a long time ago," Mercedes said quietly. "Is that what's up with you? You think I'm upset about you kissing him a million years ago?" She didn't really think that's what had Rachel so quiet or had prompted her trip outside, but if that's what she wanted to talk about, then so be it. "I mean, I don't really like thinking about anyone else he's kissed or dated or been with, glee girl or otherwise, but I don't really think about it because it's a waste of my time. He's made it more than clear that I'm the only one he is doing or wants to do any of that stuff with. And for God's sake, we're not different than any other damn show choir or drama club in the country. Everyone dates everyone in these groups, it's just how it works. It's high school bullshit. We're all adults now, we're married - it's totally different. It's not high school anymore."

Rachel actually laughed at that. "That is true. Just about every actor I've worked with has a high school story like ours."

Mercedes laughed too. "Sam says the current New Directions are as bad as we ever were. He can't ever keep up with who's dating who. He's just glad they manage not to let it affect competitions."

"I bet he's a good teacher, a good coach," Rachel says quietly and even as she nodded, Mercedes could almost hear something in her voice – sadness? Maybe wistfulness was the better word?

Rachel looked down and was quiet for a long minute before looking back at Mercedes. "No, it's just – being here, at his house." She didn't say his name, but Mercedes knew they were talking about Finn now. "Seeing him in those videos. I love remembering the good times, but then, you know – like, don't get me wrong, I love Jesse, I adore my daughter, I have a good life. I like to think that things work out the way they're meant to. Who knows, maybe Jesse and I still would've gotten together in the end, even if…" Her voice trailed off and she sighed, looking up at the sky. "It's just being here makes me think about all those 'what ifs?' you know?"

Mercedes nodded. "I get it. I remember how we all hung out here that spring of senior year with the brothers-from-other-mothers." She smiled, remembering. "The three of them…what a mess they were, literally, figuratively. I don't know how Carole survived that year."

Rachel smiled. "'We had some good times at school… I didn't know how good till I left…' or something like that, it's a quote I read somewhere once." She smiled wistfully. "It's just – you know, Kurt and Blaine have basically been together all along and you and Sam have finally stopped fighting the inevitable and I just feel like – it's how it's supposed to be now, for all of you."

Mercedes nodded. "I think about the 'what ifs' too, you know. What if Sam hadn't moved to Kentucky? What if we'd tried to make it work long-distance after I graduated? Would we still be together now? Maybe, maybe not. I have to believe us not happening for real until now is the way it was always supposed to be." She gave her a reassuring smile. "And you're where you're supposed to be. Forgive me for bringing religion into it, but I do believe that things are a part of God's plan."

Rachel considered this. "Yeah. God, the universe, something. I'm where I'm supposed to be too, it's just like – I don't know - even if he and I aren't together, he should be here with us. Puck and Santana too." She shook her head. "It's just still so weird to think that for every reunion, every get together we ever have from now on – the group isn't whole."

Mercedes nodded. "I know." She didn't need to say anything else, Rachel knew she understood.

They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes before Mercedes shivered in the cool fall air, despite the hoodie. "I'm going to head back in."

Rachel nodded. "I'll be in in a minute." She smiled. "Thanks, Mercedes. You've always been a better friend to me than I have to you."

Mercedes shrugged, for there was no real way to answer that, and reached across the table to squeeze her hand before turning and walking back down the sidewalk and into the basement.