Thank you for your continued interest and support. I appreciate it.
I do not own Glee or the characters, neither do I own Chasing Christmas Eve.
Last chapter. Huge thanks to all for taking this journey with me. You are all super wonderful!
Please excuse any extreme mistakes.
Mercedes' heart was thundering in her chest, ricocheting off her ribs.
She was going on fumes at this point, and grateful that going from east to west had given her three extra hours of Christmas Eve.
Because, it had allowed her to zip her way back here...in time for this.
This being, what would hopefully be the best night of her life.
Their life.
Sam stood before her, looking like the sexiest geek she'd ever seen, all tall, built, and as rumpled and exhausted as she.
And clearly shocked to see her.
Having no idea what he could possibly be thinking, she stepped closer and put a hand on his chest, to ground herself to his calm energy.
But beneath her palm, his heart was beating like hers, which boosted her confidence some.
"I missed you, Sam."
His hands went to her arms, one gliding up her shoulder to stroke her throat, before he tucked a lock of her hair behind an ear.
"Thought you didn't see visiting each other, working out that well," he said.
"I was wrong."
She turned her face into his palm, planting a kiss in the center of it, over his rough calluses.
"I was very wrong, about a lot of things actually."
When Mercedes met Sam's gaze again, his had grown warm with so many things, her throat clogged.
It seemed like forever since he'd looked at her like that, and she melted as he pulled her to him and kissed her long and hard.
"I missed that," he said, voice rough. "And I missed you, Mercedes...so much."
With tears pooled in her eyes, she tugged him down for another kiss. And then another, after which, they were both breathing heavily.
With her hands fisted in his jacket, every cell in her body came alive and started singing, as he nuzzled her temple, then placed a kiss on her jaw.
"You going to tell me what else you were wrong about?" he asked.
"You already know."
"Sometimes it's nice to hear."
His mouth brushed her earlobe as he spoke and she clutched his arms to get a grip.
"I have a terrible habit of running away," Mercedes admitted. "And apparently, I come by it naturally."
She shook her head and added,
"I thought it was my brothers who needed to grow up...turns out, it was me too. I left you because what I felt for you scared me..."
"And...you're not scared anymore?"
"No, I'm still scared. Terrified actually," she conceded. "But I'm more terrified of losing the best thing that's ever happened to me."
"You mean writing in San Francisco?"
She choked out a laugh.
"You. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Sam."
Sam cupped Mercedes' face and pressed his forehead to hers.
"Right back at you," he said with quiet steel.
She gripped his wrists.
"Tell me I didn't screw up so badly with you. Tell me that you're willing to give me another try."
"Are you kidding?" Sam asked in disbelief. "I've made plenty of mistakes too, especially when it came to you. So let me show you how willing I really am."
He let go of her to fish in his pocket for his phone, bringing up his boarding pass...
To New York.
Mercedes stared at it.
"You were coming to me?"
"Tomorrow morning," he said. "It was the first flight I could get. I'd forgotten to tell you something."
"What?" she asked.
His thumb swiped over a few tears she hadn't realized had leaked out.
"That I love you," he said with no hesitancy. "I told you, Mercedes, I'm playing for keeps. I know that this thing between us scared you, and I'm willing to give you whatever you need...time, space, patience...I can give you all of that and more, but what I can't do...is let you walk away."
"I love you too," she said. And at the words she didn't know she had in her, butterflies took flight in her belly.
"For how long?" Sam asked.
Mercedes stared at him, confused by the question.
"How long am I going to love you? Seriously?"
He nodded and opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off.
"I'm going to love you for as long as I live, Sam."
Sam released a breath he didn't know he was holding.
"Excellent! Because, I had the same thought in mind...to love you forever...and in the next lifetime to come."
Unable to find the words for that, Mercedes shook her head...marveled and boggled...because somehow, in spite of themselves, they hadn't managed to screw everything up.
"So to be clear, we just decided to be together...right?" Mercedes asked.
"Right," Sam agreed, with a sweet smile on his face.
"Could it really be that easy, though? What about living three thousand miles apart?" she asked.
He shrugged.
"I like New York."
She blinked.
"But you own this building here in San Francisco."
"I could buy another."
"But you love this building," she said. "You built yourself an entire community and made it home."
"Funny thing about that," he said with quiet intensity. "I thought I needed to create a physical home for myself. I thought that's what home meant. Turns out, it's not a physical space at all."
"No?" Mercedes asked, hope filling her chest.
"No. See, home is wherever you are."
"Oh," she breathed. "Oh, that's good. I need to write that down..."
Sam laughed while she fumbled through her big bag, for one of the note cards he'd sent.
She scribbled down the words and then stilled, looking up into his face, realizing, he was waiting out her special brand of crazy.
Quickly, she shoved the note back into her purse.
"You're pretty amazing, you know that?" she asked softly.
He smiled.
"Thanks for saying so in front of our audience."
Mercedes looked around.
They were alone, just as Fergus had told her they would be.
"What audience?" she asked.
At that, heads silently popped up from behind the bar...Fergus, Pam, Shamus, Wendy and Keith. Then came Kitty, Artie, Noah, Mollie, Karen, Holly and Christian.
They all waved.
"Carry on," Shamus said. "Don't mind us."
Mercedes laughed and turned back to Sam.
"So...a few months in San Francisco and then a few in New York? Or vice versa?" she asked.
"I can go either way," he said. "What I can't go either way on, is being without you."
This was met by a thundering applause and accompanying cat whistles. Their friends were all sitting on the bar now, sharing bottles of champagne, apparently starting without them.
Sam bowed, grabbed Mercedes' hand and pulled her in close.
She stared up at him and asked,
"Are we really doing this?"
"Yes."
He kissed her jaw, her cheek, then tip of her nose.
There was a smile in his voice, but his eyes were serious as he asked,
"So...for as long as you live, huh?"
Mercedes closed her eyes for a beat, savoring the feel of him against her.
"Well yeah, or I guess...until you get tired of me."
He gave her a slow, sexy smile.
"I determined on day one, that I was never going to get tired of you."
"Never ever?"
"Never ever," he repeated, sliding a hand through her hair to tip her face up. "Think you can handle that?"
"Oh yeah."
Then she kissed him, knowing she was never going to get tired of him either.
Never ever.
Epilogue
One week later, New Year's
The lights came up in the movie theater, but Mercedes couldn't tear her eyes off the screen as the credits rolled.
Screenplay adapted from the novel by M.J. Callista.
When the words scrolled by, the audience went nuts and she beamed.
"So," Sam asked at her left. "What did you think?"
"She loved it!" her mom exclaimed from her right, squeezing her hand. "Right, baby?"
Mercedes couldn't talk.
This was her second time seeing her book come to life and it was no less amazing.
It'd been an experience of a lifetime and she felt like she was floating.
Behind her, Karen and Wendy were practically bouncing in their seats as they thrusted their faces close to her.
"It was terrific!" Karen exclaimed. "Better than terrific! Five stars! Both thumbs up!"
"Yes, all of that," Kitty said next to them. "But it wasn't as good as the book."
Mercedes' heart felt full to bursting as she shot Kitty a smile of thanks.
"You all liked it? Really?" she asked.
Everyone nodded emphatically...everyone. All her new friends...even the guys.
Fergus, Shamus, Keith, Artie, Noah, Christian...the entire gang.
Her brothers and mom had flown into San Francisco the day before to celebrate New Year's Eve and to get a feel for her new home.
And all of them were here for her.
She felt her throat get tight.
And Sam met her gaze, and as usual, read her without effort.
He pulled her into him, wrapping his arms around her.
The gesture was sweet, even if she could feel his chest shaking with his low laugh.
"Cute," he said in her ear. "You're cute. And amazing. I love you so much."
Mercedes looked into Sam's eyes.
He'd flown her family out here...for her.
He'd rented the theater out for the movie...for her.
His work world was going a million miles an hour this week, but that hadn't stopped him from being here...for her.
In fact, he was flying to Europe for several weeks tomorrow, to deliver the drone prototypes and he'd convinced her to go with him.
Seemed their lives could indeed be entwined, and the knowledge made her grin ridiculously.
He smiled down into her face and kissed her.
She'd thought her heart couldn't get any more full than it was, but she'd been wrong.
Because the poor organ swelled, straining against her ribs as she cupped Sam's jaw.
"I love you back, you know."
"Yeah, yeah, to the moon and all that," Karen said, thrusting her face in between theirs again. "Blah blah. What I want to know is...can we see it again?" She turned to Sam. "You can get them to do that, right?"
Sam, to his credit, never took his gaze off Mercedes. But he raised his brows, silently asking if she wanted him to.
She grinned.
"Yes, but we'll need more hot dogs and pizza and popcorn."
"And wine," Kitty said.
Sam stood up, presumably to make that all happen, but instead of walking away, he went to a knee at Mercedes' side.
"Holy shit!" Noah said. "Didn't see that coming."
At that, Kitty smacked him upside the head.
"Shh!"
Mercedes' heart stopped as she stared at Sam.
"Did you drop something?" she whispered.
He smiled.
"No."
Wendy clapped her hands in delight.
"Oh my God, is someone getting this on their camera?" She shoved Keith. "Quick, get your phone out!"
"Oh.." Mercedes' mom breathed on a quiet sob. "I never thought this would happen! She's not good at letting anyone want her."
"Shh, Mom," Davis murmured and squeezed her hand.
Meanwhile, Mercedes couldn't concentrate on any of it, as Sam pulled something from his pocket...
A small black box.
"Oh my God! Are you sure?" she managed. "It hasn't been all that long and I have a whole bunch of faults that you haven't really gotten to see in full Technicolor yet, so I would advise you give me some more time..."
"I've seen everything I need to," Sam said, his voice calm and sure. "You are the light in my world. You make me a better man. You..."
"Yes!" she said emphatically. Then both laughed and cried when he just blinked.
"I had a whole speech planned," Sam said slowly. "I was going to tell you..."
"Yes!" Mercedes cried again and leapt at him.
He barely caught her, laughing as he rose with her in his arms.
"Honey, you should maybe listen to what he wants to say," Kitty suggested. "Cuz he's got some faults of his own and..."
She broke off when Sam gave her a long look.
Artie pulled Kitty against him, his hand coming up to cover her mouth.
"Got her," he told Sam. "But make it quick before she bites me."
Sam nodded, his gaze still on Mercedes.
"You didn't look at the ring."
"Still yes," she said.
He grinned.
"You're that sure of the question? What if I was just going to ask you to..."
"Let me save you some time," she said. "Yes to everything and anything."
"Well that's a little dangerous," Pam murmured. "Giving him free rein to anything..."
But Mercedes wasn't listening.
She'd gotten her lips on Sam and was happily losing herself in the man who understood her, loved her, and wanted forever with her.
Which just might be the right amount of time...
That's it for this little fic. I hope it was alright, since I'm editing on an iPad. Dear God, that thing is so frustrating!
I had all the updates for my original stories lined up to finish writing over the Easter weekend...and my computer shut down. Bummer! Anyway, I will see what I can do.
Stay safe guys. Much love to you and your family :)