Short & Simple before the drama is sure to ensue.

"So how was the date with the new hunk of a doctor on Friday?" Quinn asked as she and Mercedes were going over charts, behind the desk. Mercedes rolled her eyes at her friend, she knew this conversation was going to come up eventually, but she expected the prying to come from Santana, not Quinn.

"It was fun, we went out to dinner, took a walk throughout the park, got ice cream, and then he dropped me off at my house. And we kissed." Mercedes explained.

"My, my, my Mercedes Jones kisses on the first date, someone needs to alert the presses." Quinn joked, Mercedes grabbed a pen and tossed it at her friend causing them both to laugh at each other's silliness.

"Dr. Jones," Sam called out as he leaned over the desk and looked at her.

"Yes, Dr. Evans." She replied sweetly.

"I was thinking I could take you and your daughter out for ice cream after our shifts are over," He suggested.

"Pushing for a second date already I see," Quinn interrupted.

Mercedes shot a look at her nosy friend, "We'd love to, when did you get off?"

"Tonight I get off the clock at 6:30."

"Ok, we'll meet you at the front door then." Mercedes said as she bit her lip.

"Good, see you later." Sam winked at her and walked away.

"You know the sexual tension between you two is hella strong right?" Santana said as she came to the desk once Sam walked away.

"It is only a matter of time before she will be in his bed, or will he take her against the wall?" Quinn added.

"Hell, he'll take her any way he can get her," Santana retorted causing Quinn and Santana to laugh as Mercedes just looked at them.

"Both of you can go to hell," She grumbled as she walked away only making the duo laugh harder at their friend.

Mercedes was taking some time to herself, and she found herself up on the roof enjoying the view. It was where she came when she needed to get away from herself. The way the colors ended up mixed up together to make the perfect shade of a rainbow always soothed her. She was sitting on the lounge chair she had bought for the roof one day when she got a phone call. She didn't know the number but assumed it was no harm in answering the phone call.

"Mercedes Jones, how may I help you."

"You need to get your ass back to New York," The familiar voice spoke.

"Mom?" Mercedes replied back confused because she hasn't talked to either of her parents in forever.

"Yeah, it is me, now listen I let this whole leaving New York thing slide for three years but Mercedes it is time for you to come back to New York, and marry him like we had planned," Her mother hissed.

"Hell no, I am not going back, I am fine where I am and I am staying here."

"So you are just going to deny him his child?"

"He doesn't care about her, the same way you and daddy don't care about her, we are fine where we are and I am not marrying his ass, so you can pimp me out for social clubs, and events for the upper Elite in New York. I am happy here, she is happy here, I have built a life for her and I will be damned if you try to destroy it."

"Mercedes Jones, if you are not back in New York soon I promise to God I will run down on this little happy life you have. I will destroy everything that you care about, now bring your ungrateful ass back home and I fucking mean it."

"Two words. Fuck you." With that Mercedes hung up the phone and blew out a breath. She would have thought after being MIA for the past three years they would have just left her alone but alas here they were trying to force her and her daughter's hand for their personal gain. Matt hadn't bothered to contact her to spend money on Iris or even help her with anything, her parents never contacted them to see how she or her daughter were doing. So why would they contact now? It didn't make any sense but she wasn't going to let them put a damper on her day. Not at all.

Sam was changing out his scrubs into his work clothes getting ready for the ice cream date. He had been thinking about it all day and couldn't wait until he spent time with Iris and Mercedes, they were both such a light and he was glad that Mercedes had agreed to do this. He grabbed his phone and bag and headed to the front door where saw both Mercedes and Iris. Mercedes wore a pair of blue jeans and a cropped oversized sweater, while Iris wore black jeans and a short sleeve shirt.

"Dr. Sam!" Iris cheered out as she ran towards him and gave him a hug.

"Hi Iris, how was your day?" he replied as he bent down to her level and returned her hug.

"It was good, we got to play, color, and learn the whole day, and now you are taking me and mommy to get ice cream," She replied.

"Yep, we are so are you ready to go,"

"Yep." Iris took Sam's hand and lead him toward her mom.

"Hey," Sam said to Mercedes.

"Hey, there is this cute ice cream place just walking distance from here." Mercedes replied.

"Ok, great let me my stuff in my car, and then we can go." Sam headed out to the parking lot as Mercedes and Iris followed him. Once his stuff was in the car, he, Mercedes, and Iris started the short walk. To a regular eye, the trio looked like a small family, and it was adorable. Iris held both of their hands and each adult kept stealing glances at the other. Once they made it to the ice cream shop, Sam ordered them their ice cream and they sat outside on the benches as they continued to eat and talk.

"So Iris, what is your favorite thing to do?" Sam questioned her as he wiped the ice cream from her face with a napkin/

"I really like doing gymnastics, I can do a cartwheel, a backflip, a front flip, and a bridge. Some of the teachers say that I am really advanced." She spoke proudly.

"Wow, that's great so you are going to be a professional gymnast when you grow up, or a doctor like mommy?"

"A gymnast, mommy has to work with too much blood." Her response caused both of them to laugh.

"Well, mommy has fun working with a lot of blood," Mercedes interjected.

Iris looked up at the two adults and gave them both a curious look before saying, "Mommy are you and Dr. Sam dating?"

Sam choked up on his ice cream a little bit, Mercedes looked at him and let out a small chuckle, "What makes you think we are dating baby?"

"Well, because you guys seem to like each other, and you guys are looking at each other all princess and prince-like. Like when Tiana and Naveen got married that is how you guys look at each other?" Iris said knowingly.

Mercedes looked at Sam who shrugged his shoulders to which she rolled his eyes at her.

"Um, mommy and I, are having fun getting to know each other, but it is ok if me and mommy date," Sam tried.

Iris put her finger to her chin and thought it over, "Yeah, that's fine,"

Mercedes chuckled slightly at the interaction between the two, "Ok, finish your ice cream sweetie so we can head back home." After everyone had finished their ice cream Sam walked to two back to the hospital and helped Iris get into her car seat. Then he turned to Mercedes who was fiddling with her keys.

"You seem preoccupied with something," Sam began.

"That obvious huh," She replied.

"Yep, so do you want to talk about it,"

"Not really no, because I don't want to ruin the mood between us. You took my daughter and me out for ice cream. You had the cutest conversation with her, and I want to keep it that way."

"Fine, but only because you asked so nicely." He smirked. Mercedes rolled her eyes but stepped closer to the man and reached up and gave him a kiss. He dropped his hands and wrapped them around her waist being mindful to keep it PG given the fact that they did have a small audience. When Mercedes pulled away he smiled at her.

"So does this make me your boyfriend?"

"I guess it does. Goodnight boyfriend."

"Goodnight girlfriend."