Author: I am glad you all enjoyed my little Samcedes moment at the end of the previous chapter. Your reviews not only make me happy but they give me ideas for future chapters.

Disclaimer: Glee belongs to its creators and FOX studios. I own nothing other than the plot and Aria :)

"...and clean the glass doors and windows," Esther commanded without sparing a glance at the young man standing in her office. She kept herself busy with her task of calculating the soup kitchen's projected expenses for the upcoming month.

The woman sensed the hostility her niece had towards the young man. Esther was a boisterous woman; she was opinionated and she was blunt but she knew when a situation required her to tone it down and observe in silence.

Esther was an intelligent woman; she did a few calculation of her own and concluded that Samuel Evans might be the boy who not only broke her niece's heart but also fathered her child. She did her research on the man and found that he attended the same college Mercedes attended in her freshman year before returning to Ohio and continuing her studies. The most compelling evidence to support her theory of Sam Evans paternal status was Aria herself. The girl's pale cinnamon brown skin told all of her mixed ancestry and then there were those big forest green eyes. Yes, Sam Evans was probably not the only green-eyed white kid on campus at the time but Esther did not believe in coincidences.

She decided to stay out of it, though. They were both adults. She just hoped they would both make the right decision for the child God has given them.

Sam walked out of her office to do what he was told like a good little boy. Though Esther worked on his nerves with her dismissive tone, he found what she said amusing. The older woman had a dry wit Sam could not help but appreciate.

He gathered all the needed supplies and made his way towards the front of the building to carry out the order given to him. Sam was thankful that he did not have to be at soup kitchen again until Friday morning. He had Wednesday and Thursday off to try to and figure out what to do about his personal dilemma. He needed time to come up with a plan to approach Mercedes without the involvement of lawyers.

Sam sprayed the chemicals on the dirty glass and waited for few minutes until in penetrated the sticky stains before dipping his cloth in the small bucket of water at his feet and wiping glass clean. Sam continued his work oblivious to the world around him until he heard a familiar voice behind him. Her voice was a void of emotion.

"We need to talk."

He turned to find her standing behind him with her arms crossed over her chest. Sam could not help but notice how beautiful she looked standing in front of him in a black and white striped maxi dress clinging to the right curves in its descend down. Her dark hair, that Sam distinctively remembered always smelling like cinnamon, framed her face with their soft curls barely brushing her shoulders.

She offered her his phone staring at him with an unreadable expression.

"I presume you would like to talk about Aria and the situation surrounding her soon. I need your number so I can text you my address after you're done here tonight so we can talk," She said in the same monotone explaining the gesture. "Aria will be sleeping at my parents' place."

Sam nodded unable to say anything to the woman. He obliged by saving his contact details on her phone before giving it back to her.

"Thanks, I'll see you tonight," She said before attempting to enter the building in search of her aunt. Sam stopped her by wrapping his large hand around her elbow. Immediately the familiar sensations she thought long forgotten resurfaced. His touch caused goose bumps on her skin. The warmth of his hand soaked its way through her skin and muscles into her bones.

"Mercedes, about what I said all those years ago. I am sorry. I was irrationally drunk-"

"No, Sam," She hissed pulling her arm out of his grasp as if he was on fire. "I don't want or need an apology from you. I don't want or need anything from you." She said glaring at him with as much hate as she could muster. "I'm not doing this for me and I am most definitely not doing this for you either; I'm doing this for Aria." She straightened her spine taking a deep breath trying to calm down. She could feel the burning waves of tension boiling the blood in her veins. "I don't care about you apology, Sam. It means nothing to me so please don't waste your breath."

She walked away from him but paused when she reached the door opening into a short hallway that led to her aunt's office. She looked at him over her shoulder.

"Using alcohol as an excuse won't work. A drunken man's words are a sober man's thoughts."

She left him standing there soaked in his shame.

She was pregnant.

Mercedes Jones was an 18-year old unemployed full time student, daughter of a preacher and she was pregnant out of wedlock to top it off. She had no idea what to do. All she knew was that she was royally screwed. She could not raise a child; heck, she was a child herself. Yes most people think once they reach a certain age they magically attain a sense of maturity but Mercedes still thought of herself as a child at times. She has not worked a day in her life, her parents still financially supported her, heck she still occasionally watched Disney Channel and Cartoon Network on random days. How was she supposed to raise a child?

She had a clear plan for her life since the age of sixteen: she was going to become an educational psychologist. It was her younger cousin, Brian who suffered from autism and epilepsy, who inspired the dream. She saw the struggles he had to go through before his death two years ago due to a severe seizure. Mercedes wanted to help children like him one day. Her plan after obtaining her degree was to then to own her own practice before marrying the love of her life. She had a clear plan for her future and having a child now would throw her life off course.

A part of Mercedes thought this child was God punishing her for her sins. She broke a vow she not only made to herself but also to her God. She felt like an utter failure. She felt as if she not only let herself down but God. The shame of giving into the lustful wants of her body made it hard for her to talk to God. She rarely went to church these days. The knowledge that she was living in sin made her feel like a charlatan of sorts; pretending to be holier than thou in church but once out the doors she went back to her sinful ways. She felt like God was angry with her and now He was punishing her for life with a child.

She could rid herself of the child. However, even though Mercedes' political views were pro-choice she personally was pro-life. There may be a wedge between her and God but she knew each life was a gift from God and if she got an abortion, she would never be able to look at herself in the mirror again. She heard stories of children who survived abortions, heck one of friends back home Noah Puckerman was a child who survived an abortion by the Grace of God before he was adopted. Even though Puck worked on her last nerves, she could not imagine her life without him in it. So, no, abortion would never be an option for her.

The child currently growing in her could be the first person to find a cure for cancer. The child growing inside could be the love of somebody's life. The child inside her could make the world a better place. It was not the child's fault that he or she was conceived out his or her parents' carelessness. The child had a right to live.

Not only was Mercedes alone, she felt also lost. She was busy losing her Faith. She was drowning in schoolwork. She was pregnant and her boyfriend was absent during her turmoil. Sam was too busy celebrating with all his friends and minions. Not only was Sam selected for the NFL Drafts, which was a huge honor in itself, but he was also conversing with the Chicago Bears and working on a contract behind the scenes after he participated in the NFL Scouting Combine in February. Of course, this knowledge had people flocking to Sam like moths to a flame. Sam was basking in the glory bestowed upon him. Not only was her boyfriend training hard he was partying hard too. Sam was dropping the ball; between all the training and partying his grades were slipping and his absence was taking a toll on their relationship.

Mercedes sighed in irritation as a drunk Sam childishly gave her a pout and calling her a buzz kill much to the agreement of his new 'friends' around him. This was the first time in nearly two weeks she has seen her boyfriend and much her disappointment he was inebriated.

They attended the same college but the campus was like a small town and whilst Sam was slowly murdering his liver with all his alcohol consumption, Mercedes was trying to keep her head above water. Schoolwork, an emotionally lacking relationship and changing pregnancy hormones were taking a toll on her. She was close to having an emotional break down soon.

Speaking of her pregnancy, she has been holding onto the secret for the past three weeks. She has not found the perfect opportunity to tell the child's father yet. After peeing on a bunch of sticks and receiving the pregnancy verdict Mercedes went to a clinic off campus on the down low. She found out she was five weeks pregnant at the time.

"Sam, come on." Mercedes said crossing her arms over her slow growing chest.

It was clear to see Mercedes did not belong. All the females in the club were wearing short figure-hugging dresses and heels. Many of there faces were decorated with heavy make- up. It was clear to see they spent a lot of time in their appearance. Mercedes though stood out like a sore thumb. It was clear to see, not only by the annoyed expression on her face, but also her attire that she did not plan to be her. She stood at the bar counter in a pair of Puma tracksuit pants and Yale hoodie her eldest brother gave her after he graduated Med-School.

Sam's parents called her earlier asking her if everything was okay with Sam since he has not called them in two weeks either. Mercedes then made up her mind and asked Jake, a friend of Sam where he was and if he would take her to him. That is how she ended up in a club half-blinded by laser lights and nearly suffocating to death on the fumes in the air.

"Ba-babe, come on have a-a-a drink with us." Sam said looking up at her with hazy eyes and throwing his arm around her waist. He pursed his lips asking her for a kiss as if no time has passed between them.

"Sam, I'm taking you back to sleep this off." Mercedes said taking his arm.

"Hey, let him stay. You're not his babysitter." A high drunk voice said. Mercedes turned to the redhead whose cleavage was threatening to suffocate her. She took deep calming breathes deciding to rather keep her mouth shut.

"Hey, don't you talk to my-my girl-girlfriend like that," Sam said shaking his head at the girl as he pointed a crooked finger at her.

The girl, too drunk to respond rolled her eyes before asking the bartender for another drink with a flirty smile.

"Sam, we are leaving and we are leaving now so get you ass up from that chair." Mercedes hissed pulling on his shirt's sleeve.

Sam sighed before turning to his small group followers.

"I guess I gotta go guys."

He stood up, nearly tripping on his own feet, before taking out a few bills and placing them on the counter. He threw his arms around his girlfriend. Mercedes held her breath as the strong scent of alcohol assaulted her nose. She led a stumbling Sam through the throng of bodies grinding in to the rhythm of the music. She passed the bouncer that let her in even though she was underage so she could find her boyfriend. She gave the ripped Middle-Eastern man a grateful smile as she continued leading Sam, who was now happily singing the lyrics to a modern country song to Mercedes.

After she asked him, Sam showed her where he parked his pick-up truck. She helped him inside before walking over to the driver's side and climbing in. After adjusting the seat and mirrors to complement her shorter build she sent a quick prayer up that a police officer would not pull her over since she did not have her driving license with her.

"I love you so much, baby-"

"Just shut up, Sam." Mercedes snapped not being able to control her irritation anymore.

Mercedes was a protected child. Her family, from both her mother and her father's sides, were educated Christian people so she was not use to constantly drunk people and alcohol around her. She found it annoying.

"Seriously Sam, grow up. Look, I get it you're happy but this is just ludicrous." Waves of anger, frustration, loneliness and hurt all crashed down on her. "Who are you, Sam?" Mercedes asked throwing her hands in the air. "You're not the person I fell in love with. You're constantly drunk and surround your self with Judas-like disciples eager to see you ruin your life before it has even started!" She shouted as tears of frustration ran down her cheeks. "You're never here anymore, Sam. You do not care about anybody but yourself. I do not know who you are anymore. Are you the person I fell madly in love with, is that the real you? Or, is this person you are now the real you? Is this who you have been the whole time; because if so then I don't like it."

She needed him now more than ever but he was too busy drifting away from her on a path of self-destruction to see it. He was too busy enjoying his life that he failed to notice her silhouette on the sidelines crumbling to the ground. Mercedes had his child growing inside her and she needed him for support.

"Sam, you have to make a choice. You have to grow up before you lose me."

Alcohol had a way of making Sam Evans bipolar at times; one minute he was happy and the next he was either pissed or depressed. His mood changed like a light switch; words could easily make him soar in the heavens or make him crash down on earth. Alcohol also made him an empath absorbing emotions of others. The hostility coming from Mercedes absorbed its way into his body charging him with the same fire. Alcohol also had a way of making him not only a rash lying jerk.

The next word leaving his mouth, Sam would rue everyday since.

"It's not like I care," He said with a snort. "You weren't anything but an easy lay anyway." Yes, the words were a lie but in his inebriated state, he wanted to hurt her as she was hurting him with her words.

'Who gave her the right to sit or her high pedestal and tell him what a bad person he was? Who gave her the right to make him feel lower than leech? How Dare she say he was a bad person?'

Once sober Sam, would realize he still would have had a chance to redeem himself and beg for her forgiveness, if only he stopped. The alcohol gave him a case of verbal diarrhea, and without thinking, he continued his drunken rant:

"You weren't that fantastic anyway," Sam said taunting her with his lies. "I should have just f*cked Quinn when she stood in front of me in nothing but a coat and heels. At least she knows how to get the job done right."

After their break up, Quinn lost the envy of others and her social status, still elite in comparison to those of others, slipped down the rank. People knew who she was but they did not care anymore. Quinn's popularity was linked to Sam. She hated Mercedes Jones for stealing away ticket to social acceptation and the envy of others. Quinn was not the dumb blonde many thought she was. The woman had goals and she had plans to reach them. Her ticket to achieving those goals was Sam Evans. She knew he had a bright future on the football field and she wanted to make sure she cashed in on that by marrying him and popping out a kid to make sure she could keep him in her grasp. Quinn was raised in high society. She was molded to be the trophy wife of a rich successful man. She was bred to bask in the jealousy of others. That future was just on the horizon until Mercedes Jones appeared.

Quinn did not believe in the saying 'what goes around comes back around'. Nope, she made karma for those who wronged her. She decided to wait for the perfect opportunity to strike and when it did, she took full advantage of it. She could see there was trouble brewing in paradise. Quinn also knew men were dogs when drunk who only thought with their pants. She decided to make her move and take back what was once hers. She celebrated with Sam and his legion of followers one night, pretending that she was supporting him in his new life journey. That night she led a drunk Sam back to her place before trying to seduce him into sleeping with her and 'accidentally' leaving a camera on and making a sextape for leverage when he was sober.

Her plan, however backfired when Sam, the ever devoted boyfriend, turned her down before stumbling his way out of her apartment.

Mercedes, though, did not know that. The words vaporizing into the air sliced through her already fragile heart.

He broke her...no; he destroyed her and jumped on her shattered pieces. She clenched her jaw and lifted her head refusing to make him see how he caused her world crashing down on her. With nothing left but her pride, she took a deep breath before opening the truck door and climbed out of it. Ever dignified and gracious, the 18-year-old wiped away the tears burning beneath her eyelids. She held her head high and nodded to who held her heart in his hands before ripping it to shred.

"I apologize for wasting your time. Have a good life, Samuel."

She threw the truck's door closed and left the man sitting on it. She could hear him drunkenly call back for her but she refused to turn back. She wrapped her arms around herself trying to keep herself together as she used the last drop of strength she had left in her body to force her numb body and soul to walk through the dark streets.

Only once Rachel picked her up at a nearby gas station did she allow herself to cry. She felt as if she was slowly dying whilst her friend held her. Every part of her was numb with pain. Her soul felt like an empty vortex of black nothingness. She was lost. She lost her being. She lost who she was. She had nothing left. She was just a hollow body.

The next morning when the severity of his words and actions hit him, did Sam rush to look for her. A girl who stayed in the dorm room across from hers told him she saw Rachel and Mercedes come out with duffle bags before disappearing. The girl told him Mercedes looked visibly upset. Sam then decided to go look for her at Sugar's apartment.

He found here there but she refused to see him. Sam, however, was on a mission and refused to leave. He sat outside Sugar's apartment for hours crying his heart out and begging her forgiveness until Sugar called a security guard to escort him off the property, but not without a fight from Sam.

The Monday morning the campus was buzzing with the news that Sam and Mercedes broke up, without Sam's knowledge that there even was a break up. Nobody knew the reasons why but that did not stop them from coming up with theories. Some people said he was only with her because he had a fetish for black girls. Sam knocked a few people out that day. Some people were saying he decided to drop her because he does not want her dragging him down whilst the reality was that she was keeping him afloat. However, the most offensive rumor was that she was nothing more but the casualty in a wager he made with his friend to bang a freshman which was a lie.

Three days later after Rachel nearly attacked him and had to be restrained by Jesse he found out Mercedes dropped out of school and moved back home. He tried calling her but she refused answering his calls. He sent her Facebook messages before she had the chance to ultimately unfriend him. He went so far as to try calling her parents, he was supposed to meet before the Draft started, however he had no idea what to say not only to them but also to her so he did not call.

Sam straightened his spine taking a deep breath before knocking on the door. He let out a deep breath praying for strength and favor. As Sam waited for her to open the door, Sam took a whiff of himself. He called a cab straight from the soup kitchen so he had no time to wash off the smell of food. A cloud of nervous energy threatened to suffocate him; tonight would be the first time since that fateful night he and she would be spending time alone with one another.

The front door opened but rather than revealing the familiar warm brown face of the young woman that still held his heart, a man stood in front of him. The man stared at him for a few seconds before raising a brow. Sam felt his limbs go numb. The thought that Mercedes could be with somebody else never hit him until that moment.

"Mercedes, why is Sam Evans the football player in front of your door?" The man asked slowly clutching the cup against his chest as he studied the man in front of you.

Sam heard her speaking behind the man.

"That's none of your business, Puck."

She nearly pushed the man out of the doorway as she rolled her eyes.

"But-"

"Look, Puck, we'll talk later. Your girlfriend sent you for sugar not get your Wendy Williams on and sniff for hot topics," Mercedes said interrupting her childhood friend. "Give Lauren a big hug from me. Bye, Puck."

Puck pouted before exchanging pleasantries with Sam and going to his apartment but not before throwing Mercedes a curious look. He told her with his eyes that they would be continuing this conversation later on.

"Come in," Mercedes told Sam immediately adopting her cold demeanor once they were alone again. She made way for him to enter.

Her soft citrus scent washed over him. He recognized it immediately. Sam could never smell a bottle of DKNY without thinking about her. That scent always linked back to a memory of her.

Sam's gaze washed over the small living area linked to the small stylish kitchen. The living room might be small but the decor and photos lining the walls made it homey. The black lounge set was decorated with blue and white throw pillows. Photos of Aria and friends and family of Mercedes decorated the brick walls. Next to the television was a photo of Mercedes in a black gown and cap. In her hand, she grasped a diploma and on her hip sat Aria grinning proudly. Next to the photo was her framed degree from Cleveland State University. Sam saw the date of the degree and saw that she just graduated a few weeks ago. On the other side of the television was a black and white photo of Aria and Mercedes sticking out their tongues. Aria's eyes shone with happiness behind her mother's thick-rimmed glasses she was wearing.

Sam smiled at the picture.

"She's too cute for words," he said turning to the woman who was silently studying him.

It may not be a bachelor pad overlooking the skylight but it was her home and she was proud of it. After Aria's birth, she had to grow up fast. The first two years of Aria's life, she spent living with her parents and continued her studies online and during the evenings that her parents paid for. She later decided to find a job so she could move out. Luckily, for her, she found herself a job at a pre-k one of the church congregation members owned.

Mercedes started out as a teacher's aid with a low salary barely enough to afford an apartment so she had to save up until she was given a promotion (after getting Montessori Teacher certified) and had a class of her own to teach the basic social, intellectual and physical skills . Luckily, Aria was also in pre-k so it was not as if Mercedes did not see her child as she tried balancing studying, working and being a mom. After the promotion, she moved out of her parent's home into a two-room apartment in the apartment complex one of her best friends owned and lived in. Her brothers were kind enough to give her their old furniture so the place did not feel so bare. She created a pleasant life for her and Aria.

She walked over to the kitchen divided from the small cozy living room by a small breakfast bar. Sam followed her and sat down across from her on the black high chair. In his search for the right words to say the beauty in front of him distracted Sam. The kitchen light soaked her skin in its soft glow illuminating her brown skin. He noted that she was not wearing the dress she wore earlier this afternoon but she chose to change into a pair of yoga paints and oversized band-T. Sam clearly got the subliminal message she was sending him: she was not dressing to impress him at all. However, what she did not know was that he found her most attractive when she did not try.

"Why...why didn't you tell me?"

Mercedes gave a sarcastic snort.

"Really, Sam?" She rolled her eyes before she bitterly replied. "You made it clear I meant absolutely nothing to you. I wouldn't want to inconvenience you with a child."

Pride. It was nothing but pride that stopped her from telling him. After she moved home, she was so lost; she did not know who she was. She lost her identity; everything she thought she was, she realized she was not anymore. But she still had her pride left. All she had left of her previous self was pride.

"Mercedes, I never meant those words-"

Mercedes gave a small-exasperated laugh in disbelief before taking a deep breath and chocking down the hurtful words burning to be spoken.

"Look, Sam, we're not here to talk about me or you. I called you here so we could talk about Aria." The woman said with a sigh. She promised her mother that she would try to be civil with Samuel Evans.

"Look, Sam, I don't like you-" nope she more than just disliked him she hated him. She hated the fact that she still cared about him even though she did not want to. "-but even though I don't like you we have a child together. It is your choice, Sam. I am willing to give you a pass: you can walk out here and go on with your life as if nothing has changed. But if you walk out that door then you can't just one day randomly decide that you want to be in Aria's life and just pop up. If you walk out then I never want to see you again." Mercedes said. "But if you choose to be in her life I will try my best to be civil with you. You have to realize you will have to be her superhero, her best friend, her nurse, her babysitter, her maid, her source of not only physical but also emotional support...her everything. You are going to be her father, not her playmate who can go home whenever he wants to. She is going to put you on a pedestal; she is going to expect you to always be there. And you better not disappoint her."

"I want to be in her life, Mercedes." Sam said. "I know I've made mistakes in the past but I want to be in her life. I want to get to know her. You know I have always wanted to be a father and even though this was not the planned method, I still want to be in her life. I'm willing to try; I can't promise I won't mess up from time but I'll try my best." He said honestly.

"Well, you better try your damn hardest or I will hurt you."

Sam *looks at Mercedes on the couch next to him*: Has anybody ever told you you are kinda scary at times.

*Mercedes shrugs but says nothing.*

Sam *slowly takes remote from Mercedes and turns of TV*: I think that is enough 'Deadly Woman' for tonight, don't you think? We wouldn't want to give you ideas of ways to get rid of me without a trace after we have our next fight.

Mercedes *rolls eyes*: They always look at the spouse first. I will hire somebody else to execute my master plan so I can have an alibi when the police come asking questions.

Sam *gapes at her for a few seconds*: Wow, so you have been thinking about this for a while?

Mercedes: Sam, have you met yourself? At times, you are very infuriating. I get the urge to kill you at least once a week but then I remember that Aria needs her mother and father. *Looks at stomach* And, I don't plan on giving birth to junior while I'm handcuffed to a hospital bed. Those two things usually stop me.

Sam: What about the fact that I am your husband; does that not stop you?

Mercedes *pretends to think for a few seconds*: I remember that I married and love you after the urge to throw you with something disappears…so nope, it's just the kids. You should thank them; they have saved your life on many occasions.

Sam *gasps before standing up pretending to be offended: I am going to bed…with one eye open, so do not try anything.

Author:

Hello my dear beautiful readers, I hope I am not confusing you all with all the flashbacks in anachronic order. Memories do not come in chronological order and I am making this all up at I go, so when a sudden idea strikes I just pen it down. I think the anachronic flashbacks are a type of symbolism to the story's title Now And Then since were in the present for one minute and then we jump back into the past. (Wow, my high school English teacher would have been so proud of me now for actually listening in her class.)

Anyhow, thoughts?