Nine Weeks After The incident

Both Emma and Mercy were pleased with the breakthrough with her confidence in such a short space of time, Mercy was still weary but she was getting on with her life and even thinking about going back to work, it had been nearly 10 weeks since she'd called in sick and the Principle was due to visit her as part of her return process. She was going to have to tell someone else she could see this thing going out of control, Tina had been bugging her to tell at least the Principle but she didn't want anyone looking at her like she was diseased, nasty or even up for what happened to her, she'd been denying the inevitable for a while now but week ten was coming and the date had been set for the visit, she could do with a friend she fanned through her contact list dismissing names as she scrolled, huffing as she kept going back to Tina, eventually stopping when she came to the name Sam Evans, he was neutral, he didn't know her she could pretend to be anything or anyone maybe, she shook her head trying to get rid of he ridiculous idea, but against everything in her body she pressed call and sat numb looking at the phone ring

"He won't even remember me" she told her phone as it rang "Sam" she called down the phone when he answered

"Yes" he replied flatly, obviously wondering who the unrecognisable number was on his phone

"I don't know if you remember me, Mercy, the girl that brought you home one drunken night?"

"Sure" his tone went up an octave "I'd given up on you calling"

"No, I was always going to call, I was just getting rid of old baggage" she laughed

"That ex turned up again?" he asked "Did you fall again?"

"No, it wasn't the ex, but it's taken a while to shake things with him off too, if you know what I mean"

"Only too well" he laughed

"I was wondering" she paused for a while before carrying on "I haven't been out since that night, and my therapist thinks it's time I did, I guess as I reckon you owe me at least one favour, you could be my chaperone for the night, or should I say my bodyguard?"

"When?" he asked, he wasn't even thinking of hesitating, he didn't know it before the call, but he was never going to find anything she asked too much, he had a debt to repay for his brother

"How are you for Friday night?"

"I can do Friday, I've not really been anywhere since that night myself, what do you say we do something different, go for a quiet meal or something, break back in gently?" he laughed

"It's a plan" she giggled

"I'll pick you up"

"Are you sure?"

"Positive, it's not going to be as easy as you think"

"How do you know that?"

"I'm actually a therapist myself" he laughed

"Perfect" she giggled nervously

"Don't worry I'm used to changing hats" he laughed

"So what time?"

"Good I've convinced you" he giggled "Say 7pm but I need your address" he looked around the room for a pen "I just need a pen..."

"I'll text it to you" she told him "Got to go I'm finishing my lunch break, she lied "Friday"

"Yeah Friday" he smiled to himself as he heard the phone go dead

She was smiling but she really didn't know why, she'd just thrown herself at a strange man, asked him out on a damn date ten seconds after being destroyed by however many men, was she insane. "Maybe not insane" she told herself that was too strong a word for her actions "And you do need to get out, he looks like he could defend if he needed to" she'd talked herself around "Keep up that positive vibe" she reminded herself "You deserve a life" it was only Wednesday but her mind was already planning what she was going to wear, what she was going to say, do everything, it might as well have been a date

He on the other hand didn't know what to feel about the conversation, he felt what he'd said was genuine, but somewhere in the back of his mind he knew there was guilt, he needed to work out how much of that guilt had made him agree to do this, why he needed to try and make better what had been wrongly done to this victim. He eventually gave up the guilt trip and found excitement, it had been a while since he'd been out with a friend, his best friend Finn was an actor and was forever moving around for how in demand he was, they hooked up when they could which was around twice a year, he'd never just been out with a girl as a friend, there was always an ulterior motive, so this was going to be a treat "Black slacks" he went to his room to see if they were clean "Yes" he smiled knowing he was going to change his mind several times before the appointed hour came

Friday

She might have been found guilty for faking illness that afternoon as she sat in her local hairdressers getting her weave refreshed, smiling at her stylist as they talked about the latest disasterous relationship of one of the clients best friend, she'd never dream of outing Tina like that, this woman was no one to make any sort of friend to anyone. They were soon finished, she checked her do, paid her debt, grabbed her new eyeliner and left the salon for home, she had big decisions to make. Even after making her decision on Wednesday she was stood in her bedroom looking at her fifth choice of outfit, moving it around trying to make it fit her skin, wondering if it was too revealing, too sexy, sluttish, just plain calling out for someone to rape her. She was still struggling with what she'd done that night to make those animals pick her of all people on that night, she hadn't been drunk or mouthy, she hadn't dressed any different than she usually did but somehow she's sparked something off for those vermin, and now she was just scared to get dressed and look good. In the end she decided on a trouser suit with a crew neck top and boots, it wasn't even winter but she felt like she was putting up enough of a resistance not showing anything to trigger pigs.

Sam jumped into his usual black casual trousers with a shirt and his sketchers, he didn't want to over do it and put her at unease by making her think he wanted something at the end of the night, he'd made an effort but she was never going to know that, he grabbed his keys and made for his car. He put her address in his maps app, turned on his MP3 player and followed the instructions, humming away to the favourites on his playlist, just over 25 minutes later he was sitting outside her house, it was a familiar area to him but he'd hardly ever been on the east side of the city, another fifteen minutes and he'd have been at his Mom's house. This was nothing like where he'd moved to after getting his current job, his house was secluded, his surroundings were birds, grass and fresh air, hers was brownstones attached to each other people sitting on doorsteps, music blasting from cars, houses even, people walking past and busy, real busy.

"Hi" he smiled when she answered her phone

"Please don't tell me you're cancelling" she huffed

"No" he laughed "I was just calling to say I'm here and I'm about to knock your door"

"Oh" she looked at the phone wondering why

"I didn't want you to freak out at me knocking"

"Oh, it's fine" she told him "I always look out the window first"

"Great" he opened his car door and stepped out of it "I'm here then" he walked up the steps and smiled at her stood looking through her window at him

"Come on in" she clicked something to release the door and watched him push it open, she was stood in her doorway waiting for him when he got there, he wanted to complement her she was looking beautiful, but the situation didn't call for that stuff

"You're ready" he smiled "I thought I'd be waiting at least an hour" he laughed

"I started nearly three hours ago, this is my sixth choice" she giggled closing the door behind him as she stepped in

Despite the noise outside, inside was quiet, there was music playing, the room was light and airy, a white couch dominating the room with a glass coffee table in front of it with expensive china ornaments on, the white fur rug screaming comfort between the coffee table and the log fire "I love your place" he looked around

"Oh I inherited it, the whole house, I converted it into three apartments and I rent the top two out"

"Entrepreneur?"

"I guess" she laughed "So where are we going?"

"I thought we could go to Famous Dave's, I forgot to ask if you were vegetarian or something"

"Great, no I'm not, I love my meat" she laughed

"Me too stake's my thing"

"Me too"

"Come on let's go, are you alright with going out?"

"I'm fine with going out" she smiled watching him attempting to grab her hand but thinking better of it and guiding her out her own door. Having travelled in silence, less than 15 minutes later they were sat at a window table looking out over the pond at the restaurant, settled in and wondering what to converse about "I'm sure we can run through the ex thing and get this conversation warmed up" she suggested

"Ladies first" he smiled resting his lower arms, crossed in front of him on the table to lean in and listen

"Well" she smiled at the waiter coming towards them "Fresh orange juice for me please" she told him

"Make that two" Sam looked up to see the man standing behind him, he didn't say anything just walked away to get their order

"Noah" she rolled her eyes "Was a pig from day one, I guess he stayed so long because he was my first everything" she laughed at the memory "His best friend Artie linked up with my best friend..."

"Tina" Sam interrupted

"Yes Tina, I can't believe you remembered that" she smiled "We met in college, he was a gamer and I didn't even see it, by the time I did see I had too much invested to do anything about it, I was all in from the start, he led me to believe he was too, but as you know after hearing the same tired story for fuck ups you tend to see the bluff in it all so, against everything my body told me I had to cut him loose" she smiled "I'm glad he's out my system and I'm looking forward to the next chapter in my life, without him, and you?"

"Without me?"

"No I mean what's your ex story" she laughed

"Can I take your order?" the waiter put their drinks on their table asking

"Stake, well done, seasonal veg and Salad please" Sam told him

"Make that two" Mercy smiled at him

"Santana was a rebound" his eyes not leaving hers "I knew I shouldn't have gone there, but I guess I was trying to get over a long term relationship fast, I was at risk of going back to that toxic mess and I grabbed at Santana" he laughed "She was high maintenance from the start, I knew that on day one, she was drinking champagne like it was going out of fashion on my tab without even asking me" he looked at his glass of juice "But she was chatty and I guess I just needed distracting noise at the time" he looked back at Mercy unsure why he was being so open "I guess to use your word I was bluffing myself that she was what I wanted but I guess we both knew it had come to an end she just jumped that night before I could push her"

"So why get so drunk over a rebound"

"I guess looking back it wasn't just about her, Brittany; the girl that broke my heart, was in there too, I guess I got rid of both of them that night, I actually woke up fresh the next morning my head was clear for the first time in ages" he laughed

"So you know my best friend who's yours?" she asked

"Finn, he's an actor, works mainly in Hollywood so he lives over those sides, we meet up around twice a year, I've never been one to carry friends, neither has he really we went all through school together"

"Tina and I went through college together met in our dorm our first year" she told him excitedly "I don't have many other friends"

"Parents?"

"Both gone, I grew up with my Grandma but she passed a while back hence the house" she rolled her eyes, "You?"

"Dad passed years ago at work, Mom's still around, she's a diamond"

"Only child?"

"Yeah, you?"

"I have a brother, he's a wannabe ball player but more a thug, I try not to get him involved in my life" she laughed, Sam sat wondering why he'd denied having a brother "So now we've caught up can we get on with normal conversation?"

"Sorry what?"

"Normal conversation, sorry am I boring you?"

"No not at all, sorry I was wondering if I'd..." he fidgeted in his pocket "Oh I have" he smiled at his phone coming out "I wouldn't want them breaking into my car for it, I thought I'd left it on the dash"

"I'm boring you" she nodded her head telling him

"No really, you're not" he assured her "I was just wondering why I told you I was an only child when I'm not" he laughed nervously "I have a brother younger than me who sometimes makes me wish I was an only child"

"I guess my bro thinks the same about me sometimes" she laughed "Can I please disown mine too?"

"You have my permission" he laughed, watching as their meals were set down in front of them "Good choice?" he looked at the well presented meal asking

"Very good choice" she picked her cutlery up and quickly stuck her fork into it, cutting some off and eating it "Tastes good too" she told him when she'd finished chewing

"So we've covered ex's, family any other safe topics up your sleeve?" she asked

"Hobbies?"

"Yeah interesting" she rolled her eyes telling him "I actually made the effort for this meal, the least you could show is some appreciation" she laughed

"Okay" he laughed "I did think you looked pretty awesome when I saw you, but I didn't want you thinking that was what I was about"

"What finding a pretty awesome woman pretty?"

"Now you're fishing for more complements aren't you?" he put more food in his mouth after asking

"No I'm out to make you blush" she laughed "Like that" she pointed at his reddening face "Now you look cute and vulnerable and sweet and..."

"Okay I get it" he covered his mouth full of food telling her "You can tell I like you" he rolled his eyes laughing "I didn't want to jump in, I don't know how far ahead you are with your therapist"

"I thought you could separate the two?"

"I can"

"So?"

"Separated" he smiled "So what is it you do for a living Mercy Jones?"

"I teach Music at the local school"

"So you enjoy music, playing and listening?"

"I play, listen and sing"

"What do you play?"

"Piano mainly and I listen to anything and sing anything before you draw this out too" she laughed

"I don't do chat up lines, I think they're corny and belittling" he smiled "You're making me work tonight"

"For what?" she jerked back in her chair asking

"Conversation, what did you think I meant?" he asked her throwing his fork down

"Sorry" she grabbed his hand telling him "I'm a bit on edge and I didn't realise"

"That's what tonight is all about isn't it, not me trying to get in your panties"

"Sorry" she pushed her bottom lip out begging his forgiveness "I'm so out of practice with this stuff"

"Me too actually I never actually realised how out of practice until tonight" he smiled, not being able to resist her cute face "Dessert?"

"It's got to be chocolate" her eyes widened with her smile

"Chocolate brownies smothered in white chocolate sauce" his eyes already eating the dessert

"With honeysuckle crispy bits on top, please" she begged

"You've twisted me arm" he laughed putting his hand up for attention, and ordering their dessert

The conversation got lighter after that, Mercy talking mainly about her teaching, while he sat listening nodding when he needed to and feeling a connection, they were on their third glass of juice before they checked the time, "Come on I need to get you home, it's way past 11pm"

"Is that late for adults?"

"Funny" he laughed getting up to get her shawl and pay the bill "I enjoyed tonight, I'm hoping we can do it again, maybe an official date?"

"I thought you'd never ask" she laughed turning her back to him to get her shawl on, watching him pay the bill before making their way to his car "Can we get some music?" she asked as the conversation stopped and the quiet started

"Yeah sure" he turned the MP3 player on "What are you into?"

"Anything"

"Chill out?"

"That's your jam?"

"Amongst others yeah"

"Chill out it is then" she laughed, listening to him verbally instructing his system to select his chill out playlist 'Listen, baby, ain't no mountain high, ain't no valley low, ain't no river wide enough, baby...' blasted out his speakers

"Oh I love me some Marvin, he's my jam, I played this one for ages before I got it" she laughed as 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough' by Marvin Gaye & Tami Terrell played

"Got what?" he looked at her puzzled, the lyrics were pretty clean

"That there were plenty of fucking mountains high enough most of them actually"

"Right" he laughed "I guess it learns me to take notice of which way he rivers flowing"

"Noah, Brittany, Santana, yep I can work with that" she raised her hand making him laugh "Maybe now we've got over their asses this can be our happy song"

"Maybe" he looked at her for a second, her face was lit up, she was happy, he smiled hoping he'd got something to do with that 'Just call my name, I'll be there in a hurry, you don't have to worry' humming in the car, they both laughed at the drama of their first meeting "Definitely"

"Ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley low enough, ain't no river wide enough, to keep me from getting to you, babe..." they both started singing at the same time smiling impressed with each others vocal skills "Cause you are my goal, if you're ever in trouble, I'll be there on the double, just send for me, oh baby, my love is alive, way down in my heart, although we are miles apart, if you ever need a helping hand, I'll be there on the double, just as fast as I can, don't you know that there..." they both sang giggling as they pointed at each other while the song played on

"Do you think we can make that promise Sam Evans?"

"Promise?" he asked wondering what the hell she was talking about

"Are you willing to let this mess of a mood driven bitch, count on you?"

"I could definitely give that a try" he laughed relieved

"You're the second person I've ever asked to be my friend in my entire life"

"Your my second lifetime friend" he smiled back at her

"And we have a song" she leaned on his arm for a second

"We do" he rested his head on top of hers for a second

"The reason I asked you to take me out tonight was because I have the Principle coming to see me on Monday and I guess I was feeling like the world was going to know my shit and I don't think I can face the world right now, I guess I was panicking, trying to get myself relaxed"

"Whatever the reason I enjoyed myself, I didn't feel used once" he smiled

"Thank god for that" she held her chest in relief telling him

"And I guess that might mean you'll be ready for teaching again, you know it's a passion rather than a career, it might help more than you think"

"You're the expert I guess"

"No, I'm the hot date for the date not date we just went on, actually we could call it a mate" he laughed

"Sam Evans you're..."

"Fantastic I know" he laughed louder, conversation was light until they got nearer her home and then she got quiet "So you did it" he smiled at her trying to lighten the air "You made it out and back in one piece, well done"

"I think that was mainly because of the company" she half smiled "Thank you for doing this for me, you didn't have to but you did and I'm grateful"

"I did have to, you saved my life, I'm forever indebted to you"

"Okay so now I owe you a debt back" she smiled settling back into the seat to enjoy the last five minutes of the drive home, Sam's music filling the comfortable silence

"We're here" she heard making her eyes flash open "Did I bore you to sleep?" he laughed

"No" she giggled "The exact opposite, that's the most relaxed I've been in weeks"

"Sorry to break that up, do you want me to go round again?"

"No" she tapped his arm in jest "I could do with you walking me in though"

"And I'm doing that in a mate capacity" he warned, more to put her at ease than anything else, while he got out the car to let her out,

"Thank you" she got out smiling at him "You're such a gentleman"

"I know it's one of my weak points"

"I wouldn't have called it weak" she told him as they mounted the steps to her home "I hope we can do this mate again soon"

"Whenever you're ready, just call" he told her

"Or you can call me, whichever"

"I guess I can" he watched her opening the front door "Are you alright from here?"

"Yes" she smiled stepping into her house "Thank you for a lovely evening"

"No" he giggled "Thank you and... I'll see you again soon"

"Very soon?"

"Very, I enjoyed my very first mate, goodnight"

"Goodnight Sam" she smiled before closing the door

He stood watching it for a second wondering what the night actually was, coming to the realisation that he was actually excited about it, he'd managed to forget for most of the night that he was there because of his stupid brother, he enjoyed her company and it seemed she enjoyed his too. He smiled, put his hands in his pocket and made his way back down the steps to his car, his music came on as soon as he turned the ignition on and he smiled at his playlist jumping back to that Marvin Gaye song for the first time in nearing 3 months he was actually smiling at the song that had depressed him for so long, for sure he was over Brittany and Santana. By the time he got home he was back in that hole he'd dug for himself, he genuinely like this girl, but it had all started on a lie and now it was done how was he ever going to bring it back to mean anything, he slammed the car door as he got out, mad at his brother.

Mercy was pleased she's survived the evening, it had been a strange time, but she'd actually enjoyed it, Sam had been so easy to talk to and made her feel at ease quickly. She chuckled to herself at the fact that she'd actually been flirting with him and enjoyed it, he didn't make her feel like she was too dirty in doing that, in fact he'd given her a safe platform to do it. "Yes" she punched the air as she walked across her living room and down the stairs to her bedroom, she was more than ready for the Principle and all his bull shit, and right now if Sam accepted her with everything she'd been through, then she really couldn't be all that bad.

Monday came, the meeting came and went, Tina came back just before Mercy went back to work, they had an afternoon of fun and she was officially in a good place again, she would have liked to be able to merit the whole thing to Tina but the conversations she was having with Sam every evening were exciting her. Mercy walked into her class of 9 to 10 year olds teary eyed as they presented her with flowers and chocolates, before they sang her a medley of welcome songs in their various mother tongues, she was more than impressed and humbled by it. As time went by Mercy became less concerned with Tina's comings and goings and more concerned with where Sam was, what he was doing, making him laugh, hearing him talk, they had their regular Friday evening drinks, Saturday afternoon lunches and the Sunday were either phone catch ups or he'd pop over to hers for the afternoon if she wasn't busy, they'd play music and talk about anything from work to emotions

Six Months After the Incident

"How are you getting on with the Therapist?" Tina asked as they walked through the mall looking for Christmas presents for her parents, a week before the big day

"It's good, it's helping" Mercy replied not wanting to add what she really wanted to say, which was, not as much as Sam was, but she didn't know how Tina would take her having a male friend after everything that had happened, somewhere in the back of her mind, she was still feeling much to blame for what actually happened, she was still finding it hard to shake that feeling off

"So when are you going Lima?" Tina asked the usual question Mercy dreaded, every year they had the same conversation, Tina forever wanting her to go home, where the only thing she was reminded of there were her parents and the fact that Christmas or any other celebration just wasn't that anymore. Christmas, much like Thanksgiving, Mother's or Father's day always left a raw taste in her mouth and this one was no exception

"I volunteered to do the nativity play at the church on Christmas morning so I guess I'll be going to the Paster's house for the holidays"

"I could have done with you coming with us this year, especially after everything you've been through"

"I'll be fine" Mercy smiled, knowing she'd only told half truth, she was doing the nativity but she was going home to a meal for one from the freezer straight after it, she really didn't feel much like getting into the spirit of Christmas this year

"If your sure" Tina stood searching her friends face for confirmation

"I'm sure" she smiled diverting Tina's attention to a silk scarf, that she thought was just right for Artie's Mom

"Should we do something tonight before I go home?" Tina asked eager to blow out "Artie's coming home tomorrow, packing on Sunday and then we're off on Monday Morning?"

"I don't …."

"I'm not talking club maybe for a meal or something"

"I have this Teacher's thing going on, later this afternoon, and I don't know what time it will be done"

"That's fine" Tina told her looking at her suspiciously "Is something going on that I don't know about?"

"Like what?"

"Are you back with Noah or something?"

"No" Mercy laughed "He's history, he hasn't even so much as asked me how I am once since we split, after nearly four years of being my entire life"

"There's something going on"

"There's nothing going on" Mercy rolled her eyes telling her

"You might as well tell me before I find out" Tina warned

"When you find out, I'm sure you'll let me know" Mercy told her laughing, as they stood paying for their wares at the till, later they had their usual coffee and cake, exchanged presents, hugged and parted company for the holidays.

Sam & Mercy

'Are we still on for tonight' she smiled at her message from Sam, as she sat in the car contemplating whether or not to open the present Tina had just given her, she knew what it was anyway

'Sure' she wrote back still smiling, they'd managed to get themselves a firm mate-ship, they'd established they were both lonely and both needed time alone to heal from the deep scars that had been left from previous relationships and events, so their light hearted banter, that was sometimes suggestive, gave just the right amount of excitement and security for them. What they had, this mate-ship was enough for them, it was like a relationship but without the sex or complications of possessiveness, jealousy or even expectations that came with their experiences of relationships. Of course there were times when one, the other or even both got attention from a third parties, sometimes they'd let it ride for a while until they exchanged their alert signal and then they'd pretend to be together, they'd jump in asking questions like, what you playing at? always directed at each other rather than the third party, and they'd get lost in their role play of jealous partner, it was fun.

She'd made her way back to school, for the afternoon sessions, the Teacher's thing was a very quick snack after school closed, a bit of socialising but with shopping days limited until Christmas there were very few that found the time to stand around for over an hour, so by 5pm Mercy was free to get home and prepare for her evening with her mate.

It was her turn to drive so, Sam made his way to her house, made his usual call and went in as usual, he was alright with her driving but not to drop him off and come back alone, he kept telling her it was too soon. She didn't bother to argue, if he wanted to protect her like that she was up for it, and she felt double comfortable with him doing that "What did you do today?" he asked walking in and dropping himself on her couch ready to listen

"Shopping, lying" she frowned

"Why did you lie?"

"I didn't want to be a burden I guess" she stood in the mirror grooming her hair

"To?"

"Tina and her family, I always seem to be there, and you can guarantee she's told them what happened to me, and to be honest I could do without the sympathy" she stopped combing and looked at him

"Surely they're being supportive"

"Maybe I just wanted to be on my own, I hate going back too, there are so many memories"

"So that's the real reason" he got up and walked towards her "Your parents"

"It's supposed to be a happy time, they don't need me moping about" she smiled at his reflection looking at her in the mirror "Maybe this is exactly what I need"

"What?"

"Some alone time, down time whatever they call it, reflection" she lifted her hair off her neck "Could you do my button please?"

"Sure" he moved what was left of her hair and stood fiddling with the clasp for a short while, Mercy stood in the mirror watching him concentrate on the task at hand, smiling at him biting his bottom lip in frustration at not succeeding, before a smile came to his face and he looked up at her reflection "Done" he grinned

"Thank you" she giggled

"So you're going to be alone at Christmas?" he stood fidgeting with her hair getting in settled against her back

"There's nothing wrong with that is there?"

"No" he looked up at her smiling his appreciation "Not bad, even if I say so myself" he looked at the back of her hair telling her "I could have been a stylist in another life you know?"

"Yeah sure" she giggled "You put my hair back, you didn't style it"

"Maybe not an actual stylist then but definitely in some sort of hair place" he laughed

"I still think you're pushing it" she shook her head telling him no

"I guess that's an agree to disagree conversation?"

"Definitely" she giggled "Come on let's get out of here"

"Where are we going?" he asked opening the door for her to get out the apartment

"I thought we'd have a bit of a change and go up town to Jotti" she smiled

"Sweet" he raised his eyebrows at her choice, he actually liked the burgers there, the journey was, as usual, chatty and when they pulled up at the busy bar they sat outside for a while wondering if they were even going to get a seat let alone a drink "Come on let's at least try" he finally made their minds up for them as he jumped out the car and let her out "If we're standing for half an hour we'll go somewhere else" he told a stubborn Mercy, sat refusing to get out the car "I promise"

"Remember you said that" she warned "And that timer starts... now" she checked his watch as she told him that, before stepping out of the car

They got into the crowded bar and stood in the crowd waiting to get to the bar "It's been refurbished" he told her as they looked around at the lilac and brown jazzy décor high back brown leather seats and modern bar "Can we still order food here?" he asked when they finally got served, looking around at people standing at the near chest high tables eating burgers

"You can" the bartender shouted back over the noise "But you'd be better going round to the new restaurant, it's quieter" he pointed

"They have a restaurant" he turned to tell Mercy "Do you want to try it?" he rolled his eyes at her reaction, of course she would if it meant sitting down "Can we book a table?" he asked

"There are spaces, just go round and ask" the bartender told him "You can order your drinks at the table too"

"Thank you" Sam turned in the direction the bartender had pointed him in and grabbed Mercy's hand, after securing a table they sat chatting about their week, waiting for their ordered food and drinks

"Sam" a voice invaded their conversation making the two of them look up

"Brittany" he smiled up at the tall, pretty blond before getting up and hugging her "Nice to see you, how are you?"

"I'm fine and you?" she asked looking over his shoulder at Mercy sitting at the table

"I'm more than fine" he pulled away from her turning to look at Mercy "This is Mercy" he smiled at her as he said her name, his eye giving her the signal "And Mercy this is Brittany who I told you about"

"Nice to meet you" Mercy smiled up at the woman

"Likewise" Brittany smiled, Mercy could tell the woman's mind was in overdrive "I see you finally moved on" she looked back at Sam, telling him but Mercy could tell she was asking him the questions

"Definitely" he smiled "We were young and foolish" he let go of her hand telling her "So what's life doing for you?"

"I'm still doing me on stage, not so much now but I Choreograph a lot more now"

"And still enjoying it?"

"Very much so"

"We're just about to have something to eat, he looked back at Mercy telling her "But it was nice to see you again" he sat back down

"Yes it was nice to meet you" Mercy added

"We must catch up sometime" Brittany's gaze moved from Mercy to Sam as she spoke

"I think not" Mercy answered, watching Brittany's head spin back to look at her "I don't do well with ex's, sorry"

"Oh" Brittany gasped, put out by the brash response "I'll see you around then" she told Sam

"I said, no you won't" Mercy told her, pissed at the fact that she'd spoken but the bitch had chosen to respond to Sam again, she was ignoring her "And if you must know, I'm more than pissed that you saw us here and felt the need to come over and make your damn self known to me"

Brittany stood looking around the room at this woman getting attention for shouting her out "I'm sorry we were..."

"Exactly, were" Mercy huffed

Sam sat looking at Mercy wondering what was going on for her, they usually went off at each other, but for whatever reason she'd decided Brittany was going to get it this time, he didn't have anything to say about what she was doing but what she was saying seemed, to him, like she was really hurt about the situation "Brittany will you leave us alone please?" he butted in before things got too out of hand "Mercy I'm sorry about that, I didn't mean to..."

"It's fine Sam, I guess I got pissed because she ignored me"

"Don't lie" he smiled grabbing her hand "You got pissed because you felt threatened"

"I'm sorry" she looked at him upset

"I'm sorry I made you feel like that" he squeezed her hand "We already agreed we were doing it alone for now, and that we'd tell each other when we felt ready"

"And no going back I know" she giggled "I just... I cant explain it"

"I can" he smiled "You saw someone I used to love and you were jealous, I'd feel exactly the same if I saw that Noah of yours"

"About that" she pulled her hand away "There's just never been a right time to tell you"

"Tell me what?"

"Santana" she watched his eyes narrow "She left you that night for Noah, I saw them dancing together, which was why I left the club in the first place, and Tina told me they went home together that night, I recognised her at your house that first day"

"Santana and Noah" he laughed "I might have been offended had she ever really meant anything to me, but fuck it" he grabbed her hand back "They were made for each other, he wasn't the first guy she's strayed with"

"He wasn't?" Mercy gasped

"Enough about ex's lets get back to life" he smiled watching the food arrive "This looks good" he took the lid off his stake burger to inspect it "Like you" he grinned at her

"You're the best mate" she smiled before they tucked into their meal, they took time over it before eventually going back into the bar to have a couple of drinks before they decided to call it a night and went home. he saw her in, picked up his keys kissed her cheek and left for home himself

Sam

Sam got in his car and sat looking at her house, what the fuck was he doing, he might have been fooling her with this mate stuff but he really wasn't fooling himself. She was everything he'd want in a woman, she flew off the handle sometimes about shit stuff but he more than liked her, he was all up for telling Brittany she was his new girl, so much so he'd nearly forgotten to wink when he looked at her and saw cute jealous written all over her face. Tonight his imagination had gone a bit further than usual he'd actually walked into her home still dreaming of what staying over would produce, he'd left unusually quickly not trusting himself to be alone with her this thing was getting to him

"Stevie" he hissed banging his steering wheel, he hadn't mentioned to his family that he just happened to be one of the best friends of the girl his brother gang raped, mainly because he didn't want to lose her like that, he'd worked it out in his mind and felt he could keep the two lives separate, but he never figured on feelings and now they were here and he was in a rut.

He turned the key igniting the engine and drove off with the dream of a relationship between Mercy and he ever coming to fruition fading with every kilometre, the catchy intro from his playlist whistled in his ear, he got lost in the dream presented by the music, he saw a vivid picture of Mercy sat on the steering wheel in front of him, he shook the thought out of his head, frowning when he found himself parked outside his Mom's house, he sat wondering how he'd got there without paying attention to the road, he wasn't even planning on going there, but now it had happened it was nearing 1am and he needed sleep., "Driving me mad alright" he shook his head before getting out the car

"Sam" Stevie gasped putting the knife down "You frightened the fucking shit out of me" he held his chest telling his brother

"I thought I'd come check if you were keeping your word" he told him, smiling at having frightened him

"I haven't even been out let alone around that bastard since that day, that shit happened too close to home I don't need to see that woman ever again" he held some toast up asking if he wanted any, Sam grabbed it out his hand and sat on the counter to talk

"I guess she could be in the same position"

"I still have nightmares about that shit"

"You should, for the rest of your damn life" Sam told him, he wasn't joking about that either "Anyway what's happening for Christmas around here?"

"The usual" he looked at his brother wondering what was going on "Why?"

"I might be doing something different this year"

"Like?"

"Going somewhere else for dinner"

"Dude you know how Mom is about holidays"

"That's how she wants to celebrate them not me" Sam told him

"Is this because of what I did?"

"No" he chuckled at Stevie's connection "It's about what I want"

"Who is she" Stevie smiled "Are you back with that Brittany bitch"

"No" he laughed "I thought you liked her"

"She gave me my first blow job of course I liked her"

"I recall she thought that was an okay thing to do" he laughed

"There was a lot of things she thought was okay to do, I'm glad you didn't believe that shit about her thinking I was you in that bed"

"You and me both, you weren't the first and I'm sure we won't be the last" he took a bite of his toast telling his brother "I saw her tonight, I was at Jotti's and she walked up to me as bold as anything acting like we could try again" he laughed

"What did you say"

"I told her to fuck off, what do you think?"

"And came home just in case you ventured over to her place?"

"No I had no intention of doing anything like that" he laughed "You need to get to bed"

"Why?"

"If you want me to take you shopping for absolutely anything you want in the morning, I've got 9 till 11 open and then that's it, you've missed your chance"

"And there's no all-nighter option?"

"Not on this table no"

"Goodnight" he threw the toast down and moved off fast to get to bed, his present on his mind

"Still a little boy at heart" Sam chuckled, he knew Stevie would struggle before falling on the newest game for his Wii, between his Mom and him that boy had everything he'd ever need

The next morning they woke up to their Mom cooking breakfast for everyone, and Sam had a difficult conversation to have, Stevie smiled looking across the breakfast bar at Sam getting himself puffed up to make the announcement "Mom" he almost shouted getting everyone's attention "I wont be here for dinner on Christmas day"

"What do you mean?" she asked her voice strained

"I just want to be on my own this year"

"Why would anyone choose to be on their own at Christmas?"

"I just want to"

"Who is she, and why are you ashamed of us?"

"I'm not ashamed of anyone, I just want to do something different"

"We'll come to yours then"

"That's not an option"

"So you are going somewhere else?"

"Can we leave it at I'm not having dinner here, I'll wake up here and maybe come back in the evening?"

"For now yes please, because you promised me shopping" Stevie told him looking at his phone, it was past 9am this conversation was taking place in his time

"This conversation isn't finished" his Mom warned

"I think it is" Sam warned, she knew he could be just as stubborn as her when he dug his heel in