Joey sat on the couch, holding his stomach, feeling more full than he ever had. He went back for thirds and realized he overdid it. Three hours later and he still had what Mercedes called the itis.

Mercedes dressed in her two-piece halter top and boy shorts; she grabbed some towels and put on her swim cover. Walking out, she smiled. "Still full?"

Joey looked up. "Uh-huh, didn't know it was possible. Buy it was so worth it.

Sam sat down next to Joey and shook his head. "It was so good," he laughed.

Mercedes smiled. "Well, I am going swimming if anyone wants to join me. Trunks are in the rooms." With that, she turned and left

Joey sighed. "This is legit like heaven on earth."

Sam looked up at Mercy as she left before turning to Joey. "It really is."

"I don't want to go back," Joey said sadly.

Sam frowned and squeezed his hand. "I know."

Joey sighed. Do you think it's gonna happen?"

Sam hesitated for a moment. "I don't know," he finally admitted. "I think so, but I don't wanna get my hopes up."

"Me too." He said softly.

Sam wrapped an arm around him. "If not, we'll still be together."

Joey sighed. "Well, we need to enjoy it while we can."

Sam nodded. "Exactly."

Joey glanced towards the French doors leading outside. "I wanna swim, but my body wants to stay here." He laughed.

"You can dip your feet in?"

He nodded. "Maybe once the foods digested.."

He smiled. "Okay. You good if I leave you here?"

Joey smiled. "Yeah, I am gonna snuggle up on this couch with the blanket and take a nap... crazy that I am saying that."

He smiled and kissed Joey's forehead. "I'll be outside if you need anything at all."

Joey nodded. "Thanks, Sam." He said sleepily.

With that, Sam headed out to the water.

Mercedes was lying on the ground kicking her feet in the water when she saw Sam. "Hey, Joey, okay in there?"

He nodded and sat next to her. "He overate. Said he was gonna take a nap."

"Yeah, that third helping might have been much." She laughed softly.

He nodded and leaned gently against her. "Probably. But he'll be okay."

She looked over to Sam as he leaned in and smiled, laying her head against his shoulder. "I wish every day could be like today."

"Me too," he whispered.

For a long moment, they sat there in silence, just taking it all in. Then, finally, she took a breath and smiled over to Sam. "Come on, let's get in, its time for you to have some fun."

Smiling, Sam stared at her; he hadn't been in a pool like this in so long.

Mercedes smiled and pulled her cover-up off, then slid in the water.

Sam couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was so beautiful. He smiled at her, a laugh bubbling out of him.

"Come on in, Sam!" She said, splashing him slightly.

Sam laughed and slid into the pool as well.

When he got in the pool, she pulled him close. "Hi."

Sam smiled. "Hi, beautiful."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I like this you, this is you, you should always be."

Sam stared at her for a moment. "This is the me that you helped bring out," he whispered. "Without you, this me doesn't exist."

She leaned in and kissed him softly. "I love you."

Sam returned the kiss before breaking it with a smile. "I love you too."

She bit her lip and went in for another kiss but splashed him instead and swam away from him, laughing.

He was ready for the kiss and got a face full of water instead. It caught him off guard for a moment, but her laugh grounded him. "Cedes!"

She swam to the other side and tread water while she teased him. "Awww, is Sammy all wet?"

Sam didn't move from the shallow end of the pool. "You messed up my hair!"

She moved closer to him. "It looks better wet."

Sam pouted. "It looks better shorter too."

She smiled, moving to him and running her hands through his hair. "Do you want to cut it?"

Sam worried his lower lip for a moment, then nodded. "When we're free, can you cut it?"

"I can do whatever you want." She said, running her hands over his hair.

He smiled and struggled against the urge to kiss her again. "Whatever I want?"

She nodded. "Whatever you want."

He leaned against her and closed his eyes. "Be mine?"

She stared at him for a moment. "What?"

Sam looked away. "Nothing,"

She turned his head back to her. "Sam, I want to know what that means to you."

Sam looked at her. "I want... to be yours..." he whispered. "And you be mine... like... together?"

She smiled, kissing him softly. "I would love to be yours."

He smiled. "I'm already yours. Completely."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close. "God, Sam, I am so in love with you."

Sam smiled and nuzzled close. "I love you too."

She lifted his face to hers and kissed him again.

Sam kissed her back, never wanting this moment to end.

She pulled him closer to her, running her hands through his as she deepened the kiss.

Sam smiled into the kiss, running his hand over her hair.

Mercedes swam them to the edge; his kisses always left her weak. Once they reached the edge, she wrapped her legs around his, tongue caresses his, body pressed tightly to him.

Sam held her and kissed her, loving every single moment.

She moaned out, moving to his neck.

Sam let his head fall back a bit, giving her access to his neck.

Seeing him, she kissed a trail from one side of his neck to the other, her hands running down his body.

Sam groaned and let out a small sigh. "I love you so much."

Her hands stopped at the top of his shorts. "Can I?" She practically begged.

Sam couldn't say no at that moment. His breath caught in his throat, and he nodded.

She stated at him, letting her hand slip between his shorts and body. This was all so much, and yet not enough. Gripping his length, she nipped at his lips. "You know...we could cross something off my bucket list right now if you let me..."

Sam gasped as he felt her hand touch him. "Cedes," he whispered. "What if Joey or Brax come out?"

She smiled. "I know, makes it...exciting. you know I have a bunch of stuff on my list but never wanted to do them until now."

He offered her a small smile. "For your birthday..."

She shook her head. "Not if you are uncomfortable...I have another one where now will see."

"No," he whispered. "It's okay."

She stared at him for a moment. "is this something you want, or are you just wanting to make me happy?"

Sam hesitated for a moment. He knew the answer, but he truly wanted to make her happy. "I want you."

She kissed him softly. "I love you so much, but I also know you, Sam. "She released him and moved away from him.

Sam whined and turned to look away. "I'm sorry..."

She turned him back to her. "Sam, why are you sorry? You didn't do anything wrong, baby?"

"I'm being selfish and ruining your birthday."

"How are you selfish? Because you aren't comfortable having sex in a pool? Sam, you asked me to be yours, completely. That also means taking care of yourself. Protecting you. I would never want to make you do something you don't want to do. Ever."

Sam turned to look at her, tears in his eyes. "Because I'm broken... and you deserve better. You deserve Brax."

"We are all broken, baby, but that doesn't mean we can't be healed. And I love you, all of you. If that means we don't have sex at all because you aren't comfortable with it, then that's what it means."

"That's not fair to you!"

"I get you; that's what's fair." She pulled him closer. "You better not be taking back your proposal to be mines cause that's just unfair." She said lightly.

Sam was tense. "I'd never want to do that."

"Sam, please just trust me. I know what I can handle and what I want. I love you. Do you really want to push me into Brax's arms?"

Sam nodded. "No... I want to be selfish and have you all to myself."

"Then be selfish. But, also tell me what you want from me, need from me? Like do you want to have sex, or do you want to not do it? Do you want to kiss or touch lets set a boundary so this doesn't happen again?"

"I don't know what boundaries I have," he whispered. "I trust you, more than you know, but sometimes things just... make me shut down."

She nodded. "Does kissing shut you down?"

He shook his head. "Kissing makes me feel good."

She nodded, giving him a kiss. "Does me touching you shut you down?"

Sam shook his head. "Not all the time."

She nodded. "Does the thought of having sex with me shut you down?"

Sam hesitated. "Not all the time," he repeated.

"So is it the being out here that is shutting you down right now, or the actual thought of having sex with me?"

"Being out here," he replied. "The thought of someone catching us."

She nodded. "That doesn't mean there is anything wrong with you; some people just aren't into that. I mean, hell, I have things on the list I know won't happen. No way I am gonna bungee jump. Nor am I gonna have a threesome. It's okay to say no."

Sam closed his eyes and moved to rest his head against her shoulder. "I get scared for no reason."

"It's always a reason, trust me. And it's okay, I don't mind." She bit her bottom lip. "How about we dry off and head to my room?"

Sam hesitated. "If that's what you'd like."

She shook her head. "Not to have sex, Sam. And what I would like is for you to do what you want, not what I want."

He paused. "I like the pool. Can we just stay out here?"

She nodded, "Yes, we can."

He offered her a smile. "Good."

"What else do you want to do?"

"Spend time with you."

She smiled. "Okay, do you wanna swim, want to float? Sit here? Whatever you want, we can do."

"Float and sit here and relax?"

She moved closer to him. "That I can do." She ran her hand over his face.

That made him smile and relax. "Okay."

She pulled him over to the stairs leaning back against them, enjoying the pool. "Thank you for letting me in."

Sam nestled himself in-between her legs and wrapped his arms around her. "Letting you in?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "You have been through so much, but you still have room in your heart for me."

Sam exhaled slowly. "I need this to work, Cedes.*

She raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I'm scared of... the what's ifs."

"Okay." She said, moving his hair to the side. "Let's talk about them. What if this plan fails? Then I will keep trying. I won't stop till you are free." Or I am dead, she added in her mind.

"Get Joey out if you can't get me," he whispered. "I know that sounds weird, but that kid is dying in there."

"So are you."

"Not as fast as him," he admitted. "I can survive. They borderline starve him. He does one thing that they consider wrong, and they do. I... I don't know how much longer he'll last."

She bit her bottom lip. "We will save you both. I won't accept less."

Sam nodded. "I believe you."

She kissed him. "I wish that I could do this now, but Friday is the best time."

Sam nodded. "Let him live it up a little. The kid deserves it."

"Mercedes looked over her shoulder and then back to him. "That boy is lucky to have you; you are amazing."

Sam chuckled. "I'm not that amazing. I was just raised that way."

"Yes, you were. Do you want to go over the plan again? Make sure you know what to expect?"

Sam exhaled slowly. "No. I'm okay."

She nodded. "Okay, so let's do something to distract you."

"I'm good just being with you."

She leaned in and kissed him softly. "So tell me, does making out in public shut you down too?"

Sammy shook his head. "I'm okay with that."

She nipped at his bottom lip. "Well, then you should kiss the birthday girl."

"As you wish," he whispered, quoting one of his favorite movies as he pulled her close for a deep kiss.