Mercedes made her way to her apartment and placed her bags on the floor. This place had been hers since she moved to New York, and it housed a lot of memories for her, but for some reason, all she saw was loneliness. The house was quiet, and she realized just how much she missed Sam. How could she miss someone she had learned to live without a long time ago. But she missed Sam's laugh and the warmth she felt when he sat next to her or cuddled with her.

Checking her phone, she noticed Sam had sent her a text.

Sam: Hey, did you make it home?

Mercy: I did. I am just getting settled inside now.

Mercy: It's been a long day, that's for sure.

Sam: Who are you telling? The wedding was a mess after you left,

Mercy: What do you mean?

Sam: I mean, Rachel got down on one knee and asked me to marry her

Mercy: She did.

Sam: yeah.

Mercedes stared at the phone, afraid to ask him her question; she wanted to live in the fantasy a little bit longer.

Mercy: Hey Sam, I gotta go, but I will understand if you can't make it.

Sam: Mercedes, I am coming on Thursday. I told you nothing will keep me away.

Mercy: OK, well, I will see you then.

Sam: Good, because we need to talk.

Mercedes put her phone down and moved to lay on her bed. That's it, Sam was engaged, and she had no choice but to be OK with it. And she should be OK with it. Sam was her best friend, and he deserved all the happiness the world could ever offer. He deserved the world. So why was her world-shattering?

Mercedes sat across from Sebastian Smythe, taking a sip of her drink as he spoke about a case he had been working on. It had been three days since she Sam last spoke. It wasn't because of anything other than they were both busy, Sam preparing to come to the retreat and Mercedes, who was over the presentation for the weekend. She was hesitant when Kurt said he had a guy to meet to take her mind off of Sam, but she figured she should try anything. And not that Sebastian wasn't cute, the man was gorgeous, he wasn't Sam, and she wasn't the hot, male bartender. He thought she didn't see him checking the guy out, but she did. And she didn't blame him, Hunter Clarington was really hot, and he could make drinks better than anyone.

"Mercedes?"

Mercedes glanced at him and frowned. "I am sorry. What did you say?"

"I said, you aren't enjoying this night, are you?"

Mercedes sighed. "It's not you, trust me, it's me."

"That's what they all say. And most of the time, I believe them because well, hello," he said, motioning to himself. "But you are more distracted than not interested."

She nodded. "That's why I said it's not you. I am thankful that you wanted to come out tonight, and you are great, but my mind is just elsewhere."

"Wanna talk about it?"

Sebastian signaled for Hunter to bring them another round, then looked back at Mercedes. "OK, so tell me, what's got you so distracted?"

"Ugh, OK, I guess this night isn't going anywhere anyway."

"Hey!"

Mercedes motions to Hunter and back at Sebastian, whose eyes were lingering. "Umm, you do realize I am not blind?"

Sebastian laughed. "OK fine, fair you win."

"Anyways, my best friend has my head spinning. We have always just been friends, nothing more. But something happened last week when I got home, and I started to see him as more, so much more. I love him and want to be with him, but he and his ex might be back together, and it's my job as his friend to step back and let them be happy."

"Like hell it is. Where in the hell does it say that a hot lawyer like you cant' go get the man you want?"

"Probably the same spot where it says a hot lawyer like you can't muster up the courage to ask the hot bartender out."

Sebastian downed his drink. "I sleep around; it's what I am good at. Hell, it's how I met Kurt and Blaine; I am a love em leave em kinda guy. And before you ask, I am bisexual, but my preference is men. My bedpost has a lot of notches, but for some reason, I just don't want him to be one of them. How messed up is that?"

"It's actually charming. And we will be visiting exactly how you know my boos, but take it from me, sitting here crying over what could be is pathetic, and we are not pathetic."

Sebastian nodded. "You are right!"

Before Mercedes could say anything else, Sebastian went up to Hunter and kissed him. Mercedes squealed and laughed; after a few minutes, Sebastian returned with his phone held high. "I got his number."

"I would hope so after a kiss like that!"

"It's your turn."

"My what?"

Sebastian smiled. "I know we have only known each other for two hours, but I already see a Goddess is trying her damndest to break free. So the next person who walks through that door, I dare you to kiss them."

"I can't!"

"You can, and look, he is fine!"

Mercedes turned and was shocked to see Sam walk into the bar. His eyes met hers, and her heart stopped. What was he doing there a day early? He smiled at her, and her heart skipped a beat.

Sebastian cleared his throat. "While I m young, please."

Mercedes shrugged; Sam came knowing they had to pretend to be together, which included all things the couple did. So she made her way over to Sam, and before either could say anything, she pulled him into a deep, passionate kiss. His hands wrapped around her as he pulled her closer. She moaned into his lips as his hands roamed over her body. After a moment, she pulled back.

"Hey."

"You kiss me like that and then say "hey"?"

Mercedes smiled. "It was a dare. I had to kiss the next guy who walked in, and thank God it was you."

"Oh, that was a bet?"

"Of course, come and meet Sebastian; he is a friend of Kurt and Blaine." She led him over and smiled. "Sebastian, this is Sam, my best friend, and Sam, this is Sebastian."

Sam shook his hand and nodded. "Nice to meet you."

"You too."

Mercedes glanced at him. "What are you doing here? You aren't supposed to be in till tomorrow."

Sam smiled. "I wanted to see you, so I came early."

Sebastian downed his drink. "I am going total to that hot Hunter; you enjoy time with your best friend." Sebastian kissed her cheek. "Him being here is a sign; take a leap to see what happens."

He walked away, and she turned to Sam. "Well, now that you are here, what do you want to do?"

"Why don't you show me what passes for a good time here?"

Mercedes shook her head with a soft smile. "Well, I am tipsy, which is why I took the bet to kiss you, so you have to have two drinks to catch up."

"Oh, so I can take a bet to kiss you?" He teased.

Mercedes rolled her eyes and signaled Hunter, who was flirting with Sebastian. "6 Shots, please!"

Sam's eyes widened. "Six?!"

"Yeah, two for you to take right now, then we each take two more!"

Sam side-eyed her, but when the shots came, he downed two of them. As Mercedes watched him, she slapped the table. "Hey! Where are your things?"

"I took them to your place. I ran into your friend Kurt, or at least he saw me go into your place and came in with a hairdryer threatening to knock my head off. But then he recognized me and apologized. He told me where you were."

Mercedes laughed. "Yep, that's my boo for ya. He and Blaine are a tad overprotective over me."

"That's an understatement, but I get it. I am glad you have people here like that."

He looks over to Sebastian. "Is he one of those people too?"

Mercedes smiles. "He seems to be; tonight was a date gone right, and by right, I mean right into friendship."

Sam took another shot. "Date?" she heard him whisper.

She sighed. "Can we just, for tonight, not talk about relationships or anything. Just be in the moment as best friends tonight. Tomorrow we are leaving for the retreat, and I want to have fun."

Sam smiled. "Then you better drink up those shots; you are falling behind."

Two shots, some water, and an Uber ride. Later, Mercedes and Sam are back at her place. She slipped out of her shoes, and Sam laughed. "I swear you get so short when the shoes come off. It's pretty adorable."

Mercedes rolled her eyes. "Come on, it's late, and we both need our beauty sleep."

Sam froze as she walked to the back of her place. "I was just gonna take the couch."

"Don't be stupid Sam, there is plenty of room in my bed, and it's more comfortable unless there is a reason we can't share a bed?"

Sam hesitated and shook his head. "Let's get some sleep."

After changing into an oversized T-shirt and short shorts, she climbed into bed with Sam. As they both laid on their backs, Mercedes glanced at the ceiling.

"I am glad you are here; I really missed you."

"I missed you too; the house is pretty empty now."

Mercedes turned towards him. "I know you said we had to talk but, maybe we can wait, wait until after we get settled tomorrow.?"

She just wanted one more day where she wasn't gonna be asked to be his best woman. One day where she could pretend that Sam could be hers. She snuggled close to Sam, and he held her.

"I love you, Merce, you know that, right?"

Mercedes looked at him. "Of course I know that, Sam."

"And you know that I would do anything for you?"

"And I would do anything for you too. What's on your mind?"

Sam sits up. "Mercedes I-" He stops as the phone rings; seeing it was Quinn, he sighs before answering. "What's up, Quinn? You do realize it's like a little after midnight here?"

Sam put Quinn on speaker as the blonde laughs. "Hey, I wanted to make sure you got to New York safely, and this is the first time I could call from my honeymoon."

"Hey Q.,"

Mercedes said with a smile. "Having fun?"

"We are, though Mike wants to go cliff diving. Is he crazy?"

Sam laughed. "Come on, it could be fun; you should do something bold and crazy for once; you can't always be a stick in the mud."

Quinn scoffed. "I am not!"

Mercedes yawned. "Q, don't listen to him and don't do something you don't want to do."

"Or maybe do, trying something new can be exciting," Sam said.

There was a long pause before she spoke up again. "I will think about it, but you two get to sleep and have some fun."

They said their goodnights, and Sam smiled, reaching over and kissing Mercedes's head. "Good night Merce."

She frowned, really wanting to know what he was going to say. "Oh yeah, good night." She laid down as Sam pulled her closer to him, and they both fell into a peaceful sleep.