Higher Ground
If it were someone you loved and cared about, how far would you go to make them happy?
Their village was an awkward place to live, the twenty or so children that lived there went to the same school, the eight teachers that taught them, were parents, and lived in the same village, the old lady in the local shop was the grandma of Sam's best friend Mike. To add to that Mercy's Father was the local Minister, his wife the choir leader, and marriage counsellor, Sam's Dad was the local ranch owner, Kurt's Dad owned the local general store, the list went on, there was nowhere for young people in love to hide.
So, when Sam and Mercy decided to embark on a relationship, like all the other trying couples, they knew it was going to be difficult to manoeuvre, they couldn't get time in school, at home or even outside, someone was always somewhere watching, the situation was complicated with Mercy being the daughter of the preacher, there were added expectations.
They whole group moved under the guise of friends every evening Rachel and Finn were the best at it, pretending to be mortal enemies all the time, Tina and Mike seemed to be living on shared looks and the occasional hand holding, and Santana and Brittany got the most time together, no one in the aging village envisaged they'd be a couple. Blaine's family moved into the village about four years back, and took ownership of the café, which soon became one of their main haunts when Kurt took a fancy to the no so new guy now, they hadn't revealed anything just yet. The group of ten teenagers passed time sitting around in the café, snooker hall or playing on the makeshift ice rink in winter.
They were 18 and still sneaking around like 14 year olds, they were all taking it in turns to go missing, and everyone was getting away with it. For Sam and Mercy their detriment came when they dared to have a date in Sam's family stables one night, sneaking away from the crowd to get themselves some private time to take their relationship to the next level, after a year of first base, six months of groping her chest, and his frequent bathroom breaks, they both thought it was time for that third base.
"Shhh" Sam pulled a giggling Mercy into the stables, the adults were at the annual harvest dance, they knew the coming winter was going to be good, when they hit goals
"Stop Dragging me, you're so impatient" she pulled her arm towards her pulling him with it
"Impatient?" he smiled "Two years"
"Technically it's been two months since we started talking about it"
"Two years" he corrected her
"If I'm going to New York alone, I need you to remember this, before I let you free with all those girls" she laughed
She'd worn the most seductive top tonight, every time she moved it revealed just enough of her bra to get him itchy, it was as thin as silk all he could do was sit and watch as her nipples hardened and flattened as they talked, with lust mindful their parents stood next to them. Now they were together alone there was nothing stopping them, he grabbed hold of those teasing breasts and squeezed them pulling her into a kiss
"Seriously" he pulled himself away "Are you really up for this?"
"Absolutely" she grabbed his neck and pulled him back into her, he was pleased to hear that because he was there already, she'd been toying with him all evening
"I've set everything up over there" he pointed at the empty stall "Blankets" his voice suddenly nervous as he opened the gate to let her in, shocked when she turned and attacked his lips again, he was happy for her to lead, he really didn't have a clue how these things went, neither did she, but her way had to be better than his.
He pressed himself against here stomach his body quickly telling her he was ready "Do you want to touch me some more?" she pulled away asking
"Yeah" his eyes drowsy with the feeling of being so close to something he'd been dreaming of since they were 16 years old "Omm" he gasped as she pulled his hand and placed in on her butt, two years of looking he was finally touching it, her skin-tight shorts were already carving their way around her firm butt, clinging so tight he could feel her flex at the touch of his hand "Are you alright?" he jumped at her reaction to his touch
"Yeah" she smiled, watching him grab hold of the front of her short, undoing the button with ease, and pushing his hand down the front of them, they'd been near this point so many times before and backed out, but that wasn't the intention tonight
"Get them off" he demanded, when he was finding it hard to get past the material, refusing to move his hand as she did as he'd asked "I want to see" he stood watching while she stripped
"Take yours off" she stood naked with her hand across her chest covering her nipples and her other hand in front of her bush watching him quickly take his clothes off "Wow" she stood frightened at seeing his rather long, hard, dick that was about to somehow reach up inside her
"It won't be that scary tomorrow" he laughed looking down at himself
"It's not that scary now" she giggled, grabbing his dick, to pull him towards her, his head tossing back with extasy for the first time she was actually touching him like that
"Don't stop" he grabbed her hand when she threatened to stop "Sorry, I'm enjoying that" he hissed letting her hand go to carry on until his body pumped sticky fluid
"I don't know that we wanted that to happen" she looked up at him, pleased with herself
He stood in the pleasure of it all unable to find the words to describe the mixed feelings he was having "Amazing" came out as he tried to think of something spectacular to say, watching her lay on the blanket "Can you believe we're going to really do this?" he knelt on the blanket looking at her nakedness, smiling at still be hard and eager
"I'm just a bit scared"
"We won't do anything you don't want to do" he parted her legs "I can't believe I've never actually seen you totally naked before" he smiled, looking at the neat hair, his eyes exploring every part of her before his hands got involved, he could feel her eyes boring into him as he took his time to memorise everything "You alright?" he asked smiling at her quivering body, unaware of how erotic his actions were
"I'm just.." she gasped as his hand unexpectedly moving her hairy lips out the way, smiling at finding there was more in the fold
"Babe" his head went lower to look at what he'd found, he'd been one of those boys at school, sat at the back pretending they knew all about the male and female anatomy, just so they didn't have to be embarrassed for thinking about it. His idea of a woman's fanny was something that she peed out of, bled out of sometimes and it was that big a freaking baby came out of it, and until now he couldn't actually see any fun in floating around in something like that. "It's so small" he laughed touching what he'd found inside
"Do you think we could get on with having sex?" she asked frustrated
"Let me just…" he grabbed hold of her button, she was so turned on she didn't even care that he was being rough something was happening and that was enough for her right now "Can I?" he looked at her for a second before his mouth kissed her inner thighs, smiling at her tasting like grapes, she was forever eating drinking, cooking them, he shouldn't have been surprised. His kisses going higher until he could fully smell her, teasing her button out of his hood with his tongue, it was her turn to scream and somehow, he found pleasure in her noise
There wasn't a second to breathe before he climbed on top of her impatiently "Sam" she gasped at him filing her up
"Sorry" he pulled out at bit
"Condom?" she asked aware he'd gone in bare back
"I'll pull out" he caried on excitedly
"Sam" they heard shocking them into frozen, they hadn't heard anyone come in, let alone to be hearing his dad stood at the stall door watching them, if there was ever a time in his life to be embarrassed, that was it, but he felt the opposite actually, relieved their relationship was out in the open. "Is that… Mercy you better go home and tell your parents, because believe me, I'll be round first thing" he shut the gate
They wanted to laugh, but Sam knew his dad and Mercy wasn't looking forward to telling her father either, so they quickly got dressed, kissed and she left shyly saying goodnight to his parents.
For them that was the beginning of the end of their relationship as far as the village were concerned, everyone was watching them from every angle, they couldn't move without someone asking a question. So, they'd spent as much time with their friends as they could and eventually, it was time to decide on their college, Mercy had gotten into Dongguk, UCLA and NYC. Sam had offers from IAU and UCLA, for them after all the controversy that had gone on at home, it was inevitable that they were both going to UCLA, but for whatever reason their parents were surprised.
Theirs had been a turbulent relationship, Mercy's parents hadn't been too happy with her choice of life partner, Sam had always struggled with the fickle relationship he'd caused between her parents and her, so he tended to keep out the way. That was easy while they were at college, they just didn't go home as often as they should have, and never really hung around alone while in the village, but life had changed for them once they'd finished college and after three years they weren't used to complying with their parent's wishes.
They'd been home a month and already things were falling back into restriction, her parents were demanding more of her by way of getting involved in the church, there was no place for that life for her, now she'd completed her history and music. While at the same time Sam's Dad seemed to think he'd studied art, music and business to use it drawing farm animals while singing to them and tallying the business books, that couldn't have been further from the dream he had for himself
"Meet me at the brook" Mercy whispered in his ear as she left the café with Santana and Brittany
"No later than 8pm" he smiled "Remember curfew" he raised an eyebrow
"I thought you two had finished things" Rachel caught them passed comment
"You know how it is here" Sam replied, sharing a goodbye look with Mercy
"What happened to that girl Quinn you brought home last year, it seemed like you two had hit it off?" Rachel asked Puck
"She's still on the scene" Puck told him "We're planning on moving in together, she wants me to move to DC"
"DC?" Mike asked surprised
"Yeah" Puck laughed "I didn't want her moving here it's stifling" he looked around
"Dude" Blaine rolled his eyes at him for talking so loud with his mom in earshot
Sam sat looking at his phone wondering what the hell Mercy's Dad was calling him for "Mr Jones?" he got up leaving everyone in the café to have the conversation, watching Mercy's car pull off the car park as he stood listening to the man "Sir" he stood wondering where this conversation was going "Sure Sir" he closed the call and stood for a while wondering what the man was up to. He wasn't far from the church, in fact, if he stood on the corner he could see the front door, he shoved his hands in his pocket and made his way over to find out what was going on "Sir?" he pushed the door open shocked to see his father stood with Mr Jones "Has something happened?" he rushed towards them worried
"No son, sit down" his dad pointed to three chairs purposely placed to intimidate him, he rolled his eyes knowing what this was about "Mr Jones and I have been talking"
"About?" he rolled his eyes again at his dad, wondering how exactly he was thinking he could intervene in the relationship between two consenting adults "We're adults"
"Sam" Mr Jones butted in "It's nothing against you, we just have a different path planned for our daughter"
"What if your plan isn't her plan?" Sam snapped
"Well, that's just it, I don't think she's had the chance to think about anything else for herself, and neither have you"
"So, what are you saying?" Sam looked at the two men sat opposite him
"I thought you could go to Australia, see your cousin Stevie and the family for a while, just take a break from each other and if it's to be…"
"I don't like it over there, you know that" Sam snapped, he'd never liked being handled
"Well, I'm afraid this time there's no choice, it's business and you know I can't move right now"
"How convenient" he cut his eye at his dad "How long for?" the two men look at each other "How long?"
"A year, maybe two"
"I can't do that" Sam jumped forward in the chair telling them "That's too long"
"I was hoping we didn't have to say this next bit, but…" Mr Jones looked at his Dad "The other option is Mercedes goes to do Missionary work in Africa for two years" he looked into Sam's eyes
"When do I go?" Sam didn't hesitate to ask, Mercy cringed at the thought of going to most places she didn't know, but he knew for a fact missionary work was something she fiercely rejected for her life, she'd cried about the possibility of having to do it, and at least if she was home he knew where she was.
First thing in the morning"
Will I be able to say bye?" he asked his dad, he wasn't at all pleased with the situation, but they had him over a barrel on this one
"If you come to the dance tonight, I'll make sure Mercedes is there" Mr Jones told him, he wasn't even thinking about that kind of goodbye, but if that was all they were offering he'd have to take it
Okay" his false smile made its appearance
"This is for your own good" his dad assured him "We'd better go pack" he got up; his tone one of victory
The Dance
A few hours later Sam and his dad were stood outside the town hall, Sam wondering how he was going to explain all this to Mercy and have the strength to walk away after all this time of fighting for what they had. "Ready?" his dad asked
"Yeah" he pushed the door and walked in, his eyes searching the room for Mercy "Hi" he half smiled when their eyes met she knew something was wrong, he could tell by her concerned look. "Fuck it" he hissed refusing to play their game anymore, he left his dad and walked straight over to her "We need to talk" he grabbed her hand and pulled her across the room to a free table, everyone watching in shock.
"What's happened?" she sat down looking around the room to find where her parents were
"They already know about this" he grabbed her chin for her to look at him
"Who the hell told them?" she snapped "Sorry" her eyes widened "So does this mean they think it's alright?"
"No, the total opposite" he frowned grabbed her hand "Babe"
"We're not splitting up" she warned "We'll just make arrangements for another night, no problem"
"Babe"
"I'm getting so freaking fed up with this sneaking around thing, we're grown adults" she huffed "Should we just tell them? she asked daringly "We should just go over now and tell them" she looked into his vacant eyes "What's up babe?"
"How do you feel about missionary work?"
"Has my dad been talking to you?" she moved closer asking him "Is that what they're going to make me do?" she grabbed his arm "You know I'll kill myself before I go" he could feel her trembling as she held onto him
"So, you'll understand why I had to take the alternative?"
"What alternative?" she looked into his eyes refusing to let his arm go
"Australia to Uncle Den" he told her "This is all wrong" he hissed looking over at his dad
"For how long?"
"I knew you were going to ask" he rolled his eyes "A year, maybe two"
"Two years?" she gasped "They want us to split up?" she looked at her mother sat with her friends at the emergency door chatting away happily, as if she weren't in on their conspiracy to fuck up her life "I hate them" she hissed "We could run away, now, just get up and go"
"I'm sure you've noticed the eyes on us" he smiled "They've got their plan, I'm hoping however long it is, we can wait it out"
"We can" she looked into his eyes "We can babe"
"He's calling me" Sam looked over at his dad, making to get up
"Not yet babe, just a few more minutes, they can take you out with me kicking and fucking screaming, I don't care"
"That would be a great exit" he laughed, smiling at Blaine nodding at him "Come on let's dance, we'll talk" as the song 'I Wanna Know' by Joe started
"I love this song"
"Fuck everyone this is us" he laughed grabbing her hand to take the floor
It's amazing how you knock me off my feet, mm every time you come around me I get weak, oh yeah
Nobody ever made me feel this way, oh, you kiss my lips and then you take my breath away
"I don't want you to go" she looked into his eye, a tear rolling down her face
"I don't want to go either, but the alternative isn't happening, you might never get out of there" he wiped the tear off her face "Whatever I'm doing, you know that right?"
"I'm waiting for you too" she rested her head on his chest, listening to his heart beating fast "Do you think I'm not going to wait?" she looked up at him
"You said you would, and I believe you" he moved her hair off her face "I love you, no matter what"
"I love you too" she smiled resting her head back on his chest to take in the song
Girl he never understood what you were worth, no, and he never took the time to make it work, no
(You deserve more loving, girl) baby I'm the kind of man who shows concern, yes I do
Anyway that I can please you, let me learn, so,
"So, when do you have to go?"
"Tonight, I'm leaving from here, I got them to let me say bye"
"So, this is it for two years?"
"We've got phones, we'll talk every day, once I sort the time zones out, promise" he pulled away from her
"Not yet" she pulled him back into her
"Babe if I don't go now, I'll never go, please"
"Just another minute" she clung onto his shirt "One damn minute" she hissed
"Seriously" he looked around the room "Kicking and screaming?" he smiled at her
"I will if you make me"
"Another minute and then I have to go, I told them I would" he looked up at his dad waving for him to hurry
"Sing to me" she looked up at him smiling "Like you used to at Uni"
"That loud" he laughed
"That loud" she confirmed, smiling as he rocked her in his arms singing along
Tell me what I got to do to please you, baby anything you say I'll do
Cause, I only want to make you happy, from the bottom of my heart, it's true
"You're doing everything to please me, thank you" she reached up and kissed him on the lips, he didn't care he pulled her in and kissed her deep "Remember me"
"Always" he smiled letting her go, he didn't look back, waving at his shocked friends as he walked towards his dad, he just needed to get outside and in the car so he could cry for his loss
"It's for your own good son, he'll never let you and Mercedes be together" his dad told him
"Maybe if you'd have had the backbone to fight for me" he replied doing the rest of the trip in silence "I'll never forgive you for this" he told him grabbing his backpack
"Son" his dad called after him
"Father's usually love their sons don't they, this isn't love, I'm not your son"
"But you are" his dad grabbed hold of him "When you come back and your love is as strong or stronger than it is today, I'll fight for you and Mercy all the way, but she's his only child and he at least wants to try, he deserves to get the chance to try, doesn't he?"
"But don't we deserve to love each other?"
"You're both fighting for the same thing, her happiness, just this once, take the higher ground, let the man have his way"
"Make no mistake, I'm doing this for her" he told his dad walking away and through check out
He hardly called his parents unless it was business, barely spoke to them when they called, he really didn't want to see them, if he couldn't see Mercy. The two spent what time they could speaking to each other, Mercy was working at Rachel's dad's solicitor firm, Sam was busy setting up his Uncle's new salvage firm and that was their life for two years.
2 Years Later
"It's all yours" Sam finally held the keys up to his Uncle, he wasn't sure how long the business was going to last after he left, but he'd done everything he could to get it up and running
"So does this mean you're going back?" Stevie asked
"Yeah I booked a flight for tomorrow"
"Can't wait to get back?"
"No" he laughed "No offence but…"
"I know" his cousin laughed "She must be worth it?"
"She is" Sam smiled "I've got to pack" he walked off, leaving them to themselves
A hell of a lot had happened in those two years, Rachel and Finn had gotten married, Mike and Tina had gone to live in Mexico, unable to take the hassle anymore and as he'd said Puck had gone off to live in DC. Even Kurt had come out and gone to New York with Blaine, Santana and Brittany had never revealed themselves to their parents, as far as anyone knew they were sharing digs in California, and Mercy was still in the village, unhappy and waiting.
The journey had been tiring, but he'd found energy when he landed, happy he was finally breathing the same air as her again "Sam" his eyes scanning the arrivals area hoping to see her face, grinning when their eyes met
"Babe" he grinned dropping his bag where he stood to get to her "I was hoping you were going to be here" he hugged her almost crying he was so happy "We did it"
"We did" she smiled up at him, seconds before they shared a kiss that went into something deeper "I just want to say" she pulled away from him "You're definitely worth doing missionary work for"
"You'd do that for me?"
"Every day all day" she kissed him again "So let's get this done" she turned to leave the airport, this time they had an ultimatum for their parents, leave them alone or they were gone, they'd saved enough money for it, the two years had given them time to hatch their own plan.