Little Country, Little Rock & Roll Chapter 20, a glee fanfic

Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, but I love their characters even if RM if constantly jacking them up.

Chapter 20

Truth be told, Mary Evans wasn't always sure what was going to eventually happen to her eldest son Sam. She knew he was going to be a success in his career. There was never a question or fear about that. Sam was bright and ambitious and she knew he would always give 100% to his music. But that tenacity towards his career is exactly what concerned her. Sam could easily form a tunnel vision when it came to his life. Throughout his high school and college experiences, Sam stayed focus on certain areas- Sports, Academics, Finances- never deviating from those areas.

Sam was an amazing athlete in high school, excelling in baseball, football and synchronized swimming. He lettered in all of those sports. Academically, because of his dyslexia, Sam pushed himself hard. He met with his tutor daily and studied harder than anyone else in his class. Sam wanted it never to be said that he was not at the same level as his classmates. He suffered with self-doubt often and leaned on his mom for support when those times came. Mary knew exactly how to pull her baby out of a ditch of a self-doubt. She would pump him so full of power and determination that he was convinced he would own the school if he wanted to one day. Mary loved all her children equally, but deep inside she always felt a special connection with Sam. It became most evident during those years in which the family was struggling financially. Every night when Mary came home from her part-time job, she would find Sam waiting up for her with a cup of hot tea ready for her and a plate of dinner warming in the oven. Sam would rub her shoulders and tell her about his day in school. Mary missed those times so much. She worried that Sam didn't have anyone's shoulders to rub and to tell about his day. Mary gazed at Sam and Mercedes from across the dinner table. They were laughing and giggling as they talked with Stacy and Stevie. Mary felt a sense of peace watching them. They were truly a team and Mary felt confident that there was a strong connection between the two. But Mary was worried about one thing- chemistry. They complimented each other easily, just like Mary and Dwight. She smiled as she watched Sam casually hold Mercedes' hand, touching her hand with delicacy and warmth. She hoped that before the end of the weekend she would feel assured that there was a passion and excitement to go with the sweetness. Her thoughts were interrupted with Sam suddenly standing up and applauding her at the table.

"Momma, that meal was amazing. You have no idea how much I needed your homecooking." Sam gushed. Mercedes nodded her head enthusiastically in agreement.

"Yes, Momma Mary, you put your foot in this chicken." Mary laughed and looked down bashfully.

"Thank y'all so much, but it was truly my pleasure. I missed cooking for my eldest and it is so amazing to have him here tonight." Sam smiled as he sat down and blew his mom a kiss.

"Now," Mary began as she got up from the table, "I am going to bring out the caramel cake and icecream while y'all think of what you are going to do for the Evans' variety show." Sam and his sibling collectively groaned as Mary walked into the kitchen. Sam turned to his dad sulking.

"Y'all still doing that?" he whined. Mercedes giggled at the sour puss that came across his face.

"Ok, clue me in on the situation." She asked Stacey. Stacey rolled her eyes as she shook her head.

"Just my tortured life, Cedes. I can call you Cedes, right?" Mercedes nodded yes. Stacey's smile broadened widely.

"Ok, well…my mom and dad like to torture their children by making them perform a mini variety show for them after a special dinner. My mom will not let us get out of it. If we refuse, we might as well sign up for a week full of chores, grounding and early suppers. Not a good look at all." Stevie nodded his head miserably.

"They get some kind of kick out of watching us completely humiliate ourselves." Stevie groaned as he slunked into his seat. Dwight furrowed his brows and rolled his eyes.

"Dramatic much, Stevie?" Dwight muttered. Dwight turned his attention to Mercedes with a smile.

"Me and Mary think it's important for our kids to embrace their talents and what better place than with family. Unfortunately my kids seem to think this is some new form of torment. I don't know why though? It is nothing but fun." Sam, Stevie and Stacey all started gasping and shaking their heads.

"Really Dad?" Sam questioned. "What about when you made us try to try being ventriloquists during one Christmas?" Dwight shook his head confused.

"Yeah and you guys did great with your dummies."

"They gave me nightmares for a week. I kept thinking they would come to life like Chucky." Stacey cried.

"What about when you guys tried juggling? You guys had fun, right?" Dwight interjected.

"I knocked myself out with a vase. I had to get six stitches." Stevie answered as he tapped Mercedes' shoulder and lifted his shirt to show a scar near his hip. He was about to show her a scar on his lower abdomen before Sam slapped him across the head. Sam squared his eyes at Stevie as he slumped down in his seat disappointedly. Dwight shifted his head to the side.

"Oh yeah. I forgot about that. Well what about the time you guys did that song for the family reunion? You guys were the hit of the reunion!" Dwight exclaimed.

Sam shook his head. "Yeah and they made us sing that freaking song twenty times before that stupid reunion was over. I use to love Bruno Mars before that day." Mercedes was laughing so hard she had to grip the side of the table to keep from falling. This family is hilarious!

"Oh come on you guys, let's do it!" She cried. It sounded like so much fun to her! Sam, Stacy, and Stevie looked at her like she grew a second head.

"Seriously?" Sam questioned.

"Yeah, it sound like real family time and I'm kind of craving that right now." Mercedes admitted quietly. Sam took her hand and squeezed it softly. It never occurred to him that she would actually like these family rituals, but realized now that it probably made her a little homesick.

"If my Mercy wants us to this craziness, then I'm in." Sam stated confidently. The twins looked at each other and then reluctantly shrugged their shoulders.

"Fine, we're in too." Stacey declared. Dwight jumped up and swung his hand in the air.

"Yahoo! That's what I'm talking about Evans Clan." Dwight answered with a twinkle. He turned to Mercedes. "And soon to be Evans Clan." He whispered as he winked at Mercedes. Mercedes' eyes bulged and she felt herself growing hot. Thank God I'm Black, and these folks can't see me blush."

"Ok, Ms. Jones, you got us into this mess, I hope you got a couple some ideas too!" Sam asked as the group gathered together around the table. Mercedes smiled devilishly.

"Well, now that you asked…" she began.

xxxxxxx

Mary and Dwight sat on the couch in the family room, after setting up the ice cream sundae bar in the adjacent kitchen. Mercedes, Sam and the twins had been working on their routine for the past hour and the Evans' parents were anxious to see what they had in store for them. Mary had set up a hidden camera system in the room years ago to record these events. The kids tried finding it once to dismantle it, but ended up tearing the room apart and still never finding it.

Mercedes walked into the room first, dressed in her comfy black leggings, red pull over and white socks. She felt like she was back home with her daddy and Nana.

"Ok, Momma Mary and Daddy Dwight, introducing Sam, Stacey and Stevie Evans!

[Highway Don't Care] - Sam and Stevie walk in playing their guitars, with Stacey coming up behind them slowly.

[Sam]

Bet your window's rolled down and your hair's pulled back
And I bet you got no idea you're going way too fast
You're trying not to think about what went wrong
Trying not to stop 'til you get where you goin'
You're trying to stay awake so I bet you turn on the radio
And the song goes

[Stacey]
I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby
I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby, baby

[All three]
The highway won't hold you tonight
The highway don't know you're alive
The highway don't care if you're all alone
But I do, I do.
The highway won't dry your tears
The highway don't need you here
The highway don't care if you're coming home
But I do, I do.

[Stevie]
I bet you got a dead cell phone in your shotgun seat
Yeah, I bet you're bending God's ear talking 'bout me.
You're trying not to let the first tear fall out
Trying not to think about turning around
You're trying not to get lost in the sound but that song is always on
So you sing along

[Stacey]
I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby
I can't live without I can't live without you baby, oh baby

[All three]
The highway won't hold you tonight
The highway don't know you're alive
The highway don't care if you're all alone
But I do, I do.
The highway won't dry your tears
The highway don't need you here
The highway don't care if you're coming home
But I do, I do.

[Stacey]
I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby
I can't live without I can't live without you, baby, oh baby

[Sam]

The highway don't care
The highway don't care
The highway don't care
[both]

But I do, I do.

[Stacey]

I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby
I can't live without I can't live without you, baby, oh baby
[Sam]

(The highway don't care
The highway don't care
The highway don't care
But I do, I do)
[x3]

[Stacey]
I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby.

xxx

By the time they finished their song, Mary, Dwight and Mercedes were standing on their feet applauding.

"You guys, that was fantastic!" Momma Mary exclaimed, running to them with her arms open wide.

"You boys played your guitars like pros." Dwight cheered. May was smothering her kids with kisses until Stacey pulled away from her.

"Momma! I still got another song coming up!" She yelled while running to the back room. Mary and Dwight quickly got back to their seats on the couch, with Stevie sitting on the floor. Sam ran to the front.

"And now, the sultry, gorgeous, amazing Mercedes Jones and the self-declared princess of Arkansas, Stacey Evans!"

**[Put It In A Love Song] Mercedes and Stacey sashay into the room.

[Stacey]
Hey yo, M
[Mercedes]
What up, S
[Stacey]
What we want?
[Mercedes]
Want them to say

[Both]
Say you love me, Say you love me
Then put it in a love song (Put it in a love song)
Say you need me, Say you need me
Then write it in a letter for me (Oh oh oh)
Say you want me, Say you want me
Then text me on the cell phone (Text me on my cell phone)
Say you love me, Say you love me
Then put me in a love song (Oh)

[Stacey]
If you say you want me, yeah,
You say you want me
If you do the right thing, we can be together
I'm not easy, yeah, you gotta work for it
I'm the real thing, and baby gotta please me

[Mercedes and Stacey strut across the room, dancing confidently.)

All that talkin', boy, you better walk it
All that frontin' that's not how you do it
If you really need me like you say you need me
Baby better show me, baby, better come and say

[both]
Say you love me, Say you love me
Then put it in a love song (Put it in a love song)
Say you need me, Say you need me
Then write it in a letter for me (Oh oh oh)
Say you want me, Say you want me
Then text me on the cell phone (Text me on my cell phone)
Say you love me, Say you love me
Then put me in a love song (Oh)

[Mercedes]
What you gonna do when somebody convinces me
To believe that he can do it better [Mercedes struts around Sam.]
Sending me gifts and showing me the romance
All this, this, and that, can you do better?

All I'm saying: love is what I'm looking for
If you wanna keep me, baby gotta love me more
If you really want me, like you say you want me
If you really need me, baby better come and say

[Stacey]
Gotta work it baby, work it out [Mercedes twerks around the room.]
If you want me baby, Work it out
If you need me baby, Work it out
Gotta work it out, Gotta Work it out

[Mercedes] [Stacey twerks around the room.]
If you love me baby, Work it out
Gotta work it baby, Work it out
If you want me baby, Work it out
Gotta work it out, Gotta work it out

[Stacey]
If you want my love and all my time
Part of my plans and part of my mind
[Mercedes]
All of the things that you wanna do
But make sure your love for me's true to you
[Stacey]
Oh, If you show me; make me believe
[Mercedes]
So many possibilities
[Stacey]
Oh, We can look to infinity
[Both]
If you wanna be with me Ohhhhhhh

[Stacey]

1, 2, 3, 4!

[Stacey] [Stacey & Mercedes twerk around the room.]
Gotta work it baby, work it out
If you want me baby, Work it out
If you need me baby, Work it out
Gotta work it out, Work it out
[Mercedes. Mary jumps off the couch and starts twerking with the girls.]
If you love me baby, Work it out
Gotta work it baby, Work it out
If you want me baby, Work it out
Gotta work it out, Gotta work it out

The Evans Men were applauding madly at all the ladies. Mary made sure to shower Mercedes with enormous hugs and kisses.

"Momma Mary, what do you know about twerking?" Mercedes asked curiously, trying to catch her breath.

"Honey, Miley Cyrus is not the only white girl that knows how to twerk. I got some skills." Mary answered proudly. Mercedes hooted as she gave Mary a high five and a fist bump. Stacey hugged Mercedes tightly until Sam pulled her to his side.

"We got one last song to do, y'all. Hug up on her later." He insisted as they both walked around the corner to the back. Sam kept his arms around Mercedes' waist and held her close, nuzzling her neck.

"Don't think I didn't see you teasing me, Ms. Jones. You are going to pay for that." He murmured as he sucked gently on her neck. Mercedes giggled at first but then released a soft moan.

"That's what I was hoping for, Mr. Evans. Teach me a lesson." She growled as she pressed her lips against his. Before they could indulge in their kiss, they heard the yells of Sam's family in the room. Laughing, they both made themselves presentable and then walked back into the room.

"This song is a new one by yours truly, so be kind. I am singing along with the mighty tempting Ms. Mercedes Jones." Sam wiggled his eyebrows while smiling at Mercedes and strumming his guitar.

***[Fade Into You]

[Sam]

If you were the ocean and I was the sun
If the day made me heavy and gravity won
If I was the red and you were the blue
I could just fade into you

[Mercedes]
If you were a window and I was the rain
I'd pour myself out and wash off the pain
I'd fall like a tear so your light could shine through
Then I'd just fade into you

[Both, gazing at one another ]
In your heart, in your head,
in your arms, in your bed under your skin,
Til there's no way to know where
you end and where I begin

[Sam, caressing Mercedes' cheek.]

If I was a shadow and you were a street
The cobblestone midnight is where we first meet
Til the lights flickered out, we dance with the moon
Then I'd just fade into you

[Both]
In your heart, in your head,
in your arms, in your bed under your skin
Til there's no way to know
where you end and where I begin

[Both]
I wanna melt in I wanna soak through
I only wanna move when you move
I wanna breathe out when you
breathe in then I wanna fade into you

[Sam]

If I was just ashes and you were the ground
And under your willow they laid me down
There'll be no trace that one was once two
After I fade into you

[Both, gazing at each other intensely]
OoOoOo OoOoOo OoOoOo
Then I just fade into you.
OoOoOo OoOoOo OoOoOo
Then I just fade into you.
Then I just fade into you.
Then I just fade into you.

Mary and Dwight had to fan themselves from the heat that Mercedes and Sam were generating from their performance. All of Mary's doubts were gone. There was most definitely chemistry between these two with a capital "C".

"Oh, Sam! That is the most beautiful song I have ever heard!" Mary exclaimed as she joined the rest of the family hooting and clapping wildly. Sam had to force myself to look away from Mercedes because his mind and body wanted to do things to her that he absolutely could not do in front of the family. He sat on the sofa next to his brother and dad, rubbing his hands furiously. Mercedes was absolutely feeling the same way. Mary was walking towards her with a glass of ice water. Mercedes quickly took the glass and drank it quickly, fanning herself with a small pillow. Her body was on fire and she needed to cool down quick. Mary sat next to her on the stool by the bar.

"Baby girl, you and Sam looked amazing up there together." Mary gushed.

"Thank you Momma Mary." Mercedes was finally able to squeak out. She sat on the stool next to Mary.

"Girl, you two are just wonderful together. At first, I was afraid that you would outshine Sam with your voice, but he really managed to keep up and did a damn good job with it."

"I agree." Mercedes and Mary clicked their glasses of water together.

"See, I told Sam that he should be doing this! He told me not to tell you but I agree with you on that secret thing." Mary whispered. Mercedes lifted her eyebrows.

"Secret, what secret?" she asked cautiously.

"I know Mercedes. I am his momma. He can't keep anything away from me for too long. Don't worry. I know why he didn't want to talk about it. But look how great he is up there singing with you? How could he not be proud of doing this?"

"So, he told you?"

"Yeah, Girl! I told him he should just go for it!" Mary exclaimed laughing. Mercedes jumped off her chair, took Mary's hand and gripped them tightly.

"Oh thank heavens he told you!" she squealed happily. "See, I told Sam!" Mercedes turned toward the couch where Sam was sitting. Sam looked at her confused as he walked over to the Mercedes and Mary.

"See what?" he asked amused.

"I was right, Sam! I told you your momma wouldn't care about you losing your job and working with me! She thinks we are fabulous together!" Mercedes shouted at him laughing. Sam's eyes bulged as he looked from Mercedes to his mother. The room fell silent. The twins looked at each other and then at their dad. Dwight looked at his wife and then at Sam. Mary's face was blank. His mom turned to look at Mercedes.

"Mercedes, what did you say?" She asked slowly.

"Momma Mary, you know?" Mercedes laughed as she playfully pushed her arm. The silence was making her feel uneasy and she didn't understand what had happed. "You know, the secret? Sam being fired. He told you, right?" Mercedes' laughter was ceased when she turned back at Sam who was shaking his head from side to side.

"But…you said you knew?" Mercedes asked as she turned quickly back towards Mary. Mary's face turned rigid as she turned to look at Sam.

"You lost your job?" She asked sternly. Sam started to walk toward his mother.

"Momma, I can explain…" he began.

"You. Lost. Your. Job!" she shouted. Dwight stood up from the couch and walked toward Sam and Mary. Sam had his hands shoved deep into his pocket, looking down.

"Yes." He answered meekly.

"Why in the name of all that is good and holy didn't you tell me?" she asked baffled.

"I don't know…" he answered quietly. Mary shook her head violently.

"NO! NO, Samuel Evans. "I don't know" is definitely not good enough. How long have you been fired?" She demanded.

"Momma, it was…" Sam mumbled.

"Samuel, how long?" she demanded louder. Sam let out a long sigh, closing his eyes tightly.

"All together- four months." Mary's mouth dropped open.

"Four months? They fired you four months ago and I'm just finding out about this now?" Mary answered baffled.

"Momma, it was none of your business, alright! It was mine!" He shouted angrily, still looking away. He suddenly realized what he had done and turned to apologize to his mother, but she was already in his face.

"Don't you ever, in your life, raise your voice to me like that!" She roared as she stood in front of his face, nose to nose.

"I'm your momma. Your business is my business. And I can ask you anything I damn well please. But you know what…" Mary's face suddenly turned sad and heartbroken. "I probably wouldn't get the truth from you anyway, would I?" Tears slowly ran down her face as she backed away and left the room.

Mercedes stood there in a state of shock and fear. She didn't have any idea what to do at this moment. Dwight, Stacey and Stevie sat on the couch in silence, Dwight refusing to look at Sam.

"Sam?" Mercedes whispered quietly to her boyfriend whose back was to her, standing in the same spot his relationship with his mother erupted. Sam turned to look at her and she saw his face was red and covered with tears. His chin was trembling as he looked at her sadly and then walked out of the room.

xxxxxxxx

**Hey everyone, thanks for sticking it out with me on this story. RL is really kray-kray right now, but I was dying to get this chapter out. I have had the vision for this discovery for awhile. I hope you guys liked it. So do you think the worst is over? Or has it only just begun? Think Sam is angry at Mercedes for telling? Even if it was mistake? Please give me your thoughts and reviews. Your guys are the very best. Xoxo Tootles!

P.S. Tell me what you thought of the songs too! If you never heard them before, definitely look them up in and check them out.

*"Highway Don't Care", Tim McGraw feat. Keith Urban & Taylor Swift

**"Put It In A Love Song", Alicia Keys feat. Beyonce

***"Fade Into You", Clare Bowen feat. Sam Palladio