*Hey all, thank you for the support with the story. I hope you are enjoying it. Please let me know your thoughts. Blessings and tootles xoxo**

Chapter 7

Sam stood behind the large black and silver curtain of the stage, sternly eyeing Mercedes as she danced and swayed on the stage. His heart was beating heart as he watched her, wanting desperately to protect her from any kind of harm. She seemed to have noticed the white guy in baggy clothes waving at her. She reached down and barely grazed his hand with hers and then continued making her way to the other side of the stage. The man became agitated as he continued to call Mercedes' name and aggressively reached up and grabbed her right ankle tightly. At that second, Sam sprang toward Mercedes and pulled her toward him. He pushed her toward the band members that were still on stage, ordering her to stay with them. He spotted the guy trying to run in the crowd. Sam leapt into the crowd, grabbing the guy's jacket with one fist and letting his other fist make contact with his face. The man initially resisted Sam, but Sam easily over-powered him and dragged him to the backstage exit on their right. The arena's security guards were waiting for Sam backstage as entered, pushing the drunken man toward the group of three security guards.

By this time, Mercedes made her way to the backstage looking for Sam. When she spotted Sam near the security guards, she began walking toward his direction. The drunken man turned his head away from the guards and saw Mercedes. Quickly, he broke away from the guards and made a run toward Mercedes. He reached into his left inside pocket and pulled out a switchblade, screaming "I just wanted to talk to you Bitch!" At the same time as Sam pushed off the wall and ran to tackle the man, Mercedes grabbed the fire extinguisher on the wall next to her. She slammed the butt of the cylinder against the man's forehead, just as Sam threw himself and the guy to the ground, knocking the knife out of the culprit's hand. The security guards were right behind Sam, slapping handcuff on the crazed man and confiscating the knife.

Mercedes ran next to Sam, who was on the floor, rubbing his head. She knelt beside Sam and tried to help him up from the floor and onto a nearby chair.

"Oh my God, Sam. Are you alright?" She asked anxiously, as she slipped his arm around her neck. Before Sam could speak, the chief of the security for the arena came running beside Mercedes.

"Ms. Jones, we've got the guy under detention now. We're just waiting for the police." Mercedes placed Sam on the chair and pulled out her cellphone from her pocket.

"I'm calling an ambulance, Sam. You should get checked out." Sam started shaking in protest, as he continued rubbing the back on his head.

"Mercedes, I'm ok. I just have a headache." Mercedes ignored Sam's statement and rattled the address of the arena to the person on the phone and hung up the phone.

"They should be here in 5-10 minutes. We have to make sure that maniac didn't give you a concussion or something." She told him gently, as she grabbed a chair and pulled it next to him. "In the meanwhile, lay your head on my lap and just rest." Sam chuckled to himself as she patted her lap and gestured for him to lay on her. Hesitantly, he laid his head on her lap and closed his eyes. She began running her fingers through his hair as he laid peacefully on her. Mercedes held Sam protectively, overwhelmed by a feeling of gratitude.

"Sam," she whispered, "Thank you for taking care of me. That was amazingly brave. You're amazing." Sam smiled as he brought his hand to rest on Mercedes' knee.

"You are the brave one. You knocked that dude out! A minute there I thought you were going to hit me with that thing." Mercedes laughed as she continued to caress his hair.

"Give me some credit, Cowboy. I have some aim."

"I can see that. Are you sure you need a bodyguard?" They both continued to laugh, until two EMTS ran toward them with a gurney. Mercedes waved to them and motioned for them to take Sam. As they transferred Sam to the gurney, Mercedes leaned into Sam's ear.

"I am going to ride with you in the ambulance, ok? Don't worry. Everything is going to be fine." Sam opened his eyes to see Mercedes' big brown eyes looking softly at him. He took her hand and squeezed it.

XXXX

When Sam opened his eyes, he was blinded by the white lights of the room and sheets. His head was throbbing massively. He turned to his left and saw a huge bouquet of flower on the bed stand next to his cellphone. His phone said it was 7am in the morning. The last thing he remembered was being in the ambulance with Mercedes screaming at the driver to drive faster. That's when he noticed a body sleeping on the small sofa in the corner. Mercedes lay huddled on the sofa covered with a blanket, propped up with pillows. He was surprised and touched to see her there. She really stayed with me? All night?, Sam thought. He quietly got of his bed and walked over to her. He brushed the hairs that were over her eyes and cheeks.

My God, she is so beautiful. He gently rubbed her cheek with his finger. He couldn't resist rubbing her lips gently as his heart raced. Mercedes began to stir, and opened her eyes slightly. She smiled sleepily at Sam.

"Hey you. Wait…what?!" Her eyes sprang open as she began to realize Sam was out of bed and standing next to her.

"Sam, what are you doing?" She scolded, pulling the blanket off of her. "Get your white booty back in that bed until the doctor say otherwise." She began to usher him back to his bed, stealing a look at his naked butt from his open hospital gown. Damn! She thought. He is all kinds of hot.

"Sorry m 'am. I was just surprised to see you here." Sam raised an eyebrow, as he pulled the covers over him. "Why are you here anyway? I thought you hated me." Mercedes rolled her eyes.

"Learn to read between the banter, Sam." She murmured as she tucked him in. Sam grabbed her hand, forcing her to look at him.

"Why don't you just tell me how you feel?" Sam looked into Mercedes' eyes intensely, as she stood next to him silently. He felt himself pulling her closer to him, her head leaning into him. They both turned their heads when the hospital door opened with Puck racing in. He looked at Sam and shook his head.

"Sam, dude! Are you alright?" Puck asked full of worry.

"I'm fine man. Just a bump." Sam turned his head back toward Mercedes when he felt her pull her hand away from him.

"Well, Puck since you're here, I'm going to call Sebastian and find out what time we're leaving to head for Tennessee." She spoke nervously as she grabbed her bag and walked toward the door. She turned abruptly and looked thoughtfully at Sam.

"Do you need anything? I can get you whatever you need."

"I'm fine, Mercy. Go ahead and make your calls." He answered with a crooked half-smile. Mercedes nodded and walked out of the room. Puck stared at the door and then looked at Sam suspiciously.

"What the hell did I just walk in on, dude?" Puck watched as Sam turned beet red and ran his hand through his hair. His body tingled a little, as he remembered the feel of Mercedes' hands through his hair last night. It was so soothing.

"We're friends, man. That's all." Puck's eyes widened.

"Really? Friends? I thought that would never happen." Sam shrugged.

"She's cool. She's just…guarded. She has a lot of walls up, but she's actually pretty sweet." Puck watched Sam as he bit smiled shyly.

"Dude, are you falling for her?" Puck squinted his eyes as he watched his friend turn an even deeper shade of red.

"What, oh man. What? Please. Huh?" Sam kept eyes on his hands, removing an invisible stain in the middle of his palm, trying desperately to avoid Puck's eyes. Puck rubbed his chin, scratching at his morning shadow.

"Yeah, alright. Whatever you tell me Sam. But that was a moment that just happened. A moment between you and that woman. And you look a little sprung to me." Sam rolled his eyes at Puck and he looked closed his eyes.

XXXX

Mercedes paced the waiting room floor as she waited for Tina to pick up her phone.

"Cedes, I am so glad you called. I just saw the whole report on the news. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Tina. I knew you would be worried, that's why I called. Everything is fine, thanks to Sam. He was amazing."

"That's what I hear. Is he okay? Have you seen him since last night?"

"Oh yeah, I just left his room now."

"Oh, you're there already?"

"Well, yeah, kind of. I spent the night." There was a pregnant pause.

"In the hospital? Like in his room?" Tina asked suspiciously.

"Yeah! I'm not a total bitch Tina. I wasn't going to just leave him in a hospital room all by himself. That's scary and I didn't want him to feel alone."

"Wow, that was awful…sweet of you. Dare I even say caring?" Mercedes could hear Tina smiling through the phone. Mercedes rolled her eyes.

"He's my friend Tina."

"Oh really? Since when?" Tina answered quickly.

"We've become friends, ok?" Mercedes reasoned.

"Hmmm, ok. Hope Big Sean doesn't mind." Mercedes' eyebrows frowned.

"Who cares what he thinks? Why would you say that?"

"Because he is telling every reporter he can find that you two are together."

"What!" Mercedes yelled at the phone. One of the nurses tried to tell Mercedes to lower her voice. Mercedes mouthed a silent apology and walked toward the exit. Tina laughed through the phone.

"You didn't know, did you?"

"Hell to the no. Tina, I know you are off but I need you to.." Tina cut Mercedes off before she could continue.

"Speak to every magazine and deny the relationship. Got it. It'll happen today." Mercedes hailed a cab when she was outside the hospital.

"Oh, I know something that is going to happen today too." She snapped as she entered into a cab headed for her hotel.

XXXX

When Mercedes arrived at her hotel, she saw that the lobby was covered with paparazzi. Her agent Sebastian was speaking with a reporter as she sauntered up to him pulling him to the side.

"I've been trying to reach you, Sebastian."

"Sorry babe. Lots of media here today."

"When are we leaving?"

"Soon as we get an ok from Sam's doctor, we are on the road." The paparazzi began to clamor as Big Sean strolled out of the elevator and headed toward Mercedes. He outstretched his arms as he walked toward her.

"Baby, I am so glad you are alright." He moaned as he grabbed his chest with both hands. Mercedes crossed her arms in front of her as she watched him.

"Really, Boo?" she cooed.

"Yeah, sweetheart," He pouted.

"Was that before or after you told the world you were fucking me?" She whispered in his ear. Big Sean's face dropped and his jaw tightened.

"What are you talking about babe?" He asked her nervously. Mercedes pulled out her phone and showed him a text from the reporter of Vibe, asking her to comment on a statement he made last night in the green room.

"I don't know what's that all about, babe?" He shrugged. Mercedes took a deep breath and handed Sebastian her purse. She then preceded to hold onto his arm and take off her high heel shoes.

"You know what you dry ass, stinking piece of dog manure," she barked at Big Sean as she marched towards him and he backed away from her slowly. "Mark my words and hear me real clear. I will let every reporter that asks me know that not only did I never ever, ever, ever want your pathetic ass, but that even in my lowest points, I was never that desperate."

"Mercedes, please. Just let me explain."

"Are you going to cry again Sean, like you did when you were in my hotel room the other day? Get you shit, forget my number and get the hell out. Right now!" Big Sean was in the corner of the lobby when Mercedes leaned into him and whispered something into his ear. Big Sean's eyes bulged and began to water. He ran out the hotel door. Sebastian followed behind Mercedes and handed her shoes.

"Mercedes, what did you say to him?"

"Oh just reminded him that I know some special anatomical things about him that he wouldn't like to get out." Mercedes smirked as she put on her shoes. Sebastian's face turned ashen as he watched her swagger to the elevators.