Mercedes was stressed out, but the good thing was that she couldn't even focus on her own trauma. Sam or Cap, as he was now known, had reverted back to his submissive form. She tried her best to be who he wanted, but it was hard. Finally, Megan said that if they pushed him to bring Sam back out, they could lose Sam for good, and she didn't want to do that. But, on the other hand, she couldn't imagine a world where Sam wasn't there, though Cap was making that more and more a reality. And now she had to bring Brax into the mess.

Because Cap figured that Mercedes had claimed him, he thought that Brax had claimed Joey after seeing Brax and Joey together. When they tried to explain it, Cap spiraled, so they just went along with it. But trying to convince him they were together but not living together was getting so hard. Mary suggests Brax move in, so now they were fixing up Brax's and Joey's "Room."

"Thanks for agreeing to do this, Brax," Mercedes said softly.

Mary smiled. "Yes, thank you, my son has been through so much; just thank you both."

Brax sighed as he started unpacking his suitcase. Things were going wonderfully with Joey. He fell more and more in love with the younger man with each passing date. Of course, he wanted to spend more time with him, but this wasn't exactly how he envisioned it happening. He didn't want to impose on Joey's personal time and space, but if this was what was best for Sam (well, Cap), maybe it was worth it until things steadied out.

"It's nothing, Mrs. Evans," he smiled.

Mary beamed., "You know we think of you as family anyways, and this house is huge."

Mercedes stared at the dresser, her mind was all over the place, and she wondered if things would ever be expected. Brax was moving into Sam's old room with Joey, and she and Sam, well Cap, was moving into the Mother In Law Suite outback; it was all so much so fast.

It was all happening too fast. Brax gave up his comfy bed in his apartment for what would eventually be an air mattress on the floor. "That's super sweet of you," he said.

Mary nodded. "It's the truth. We are happy you are here." She reached out and took Mercedes's hand. "Both of you,"

Mercedes snapped out of her thoughts once she felt Mary take her hand. "Oh, no worries, I told you I would do whatever Sam needs me to do."

"But sweetie, with everything you have been through, I know this must be hard."

Mercedes shook her head, "It's okay; Sam comes first."

Brax wanted to help Mercedes, but he had no idea what he could say or do to make things any easier for her. It was a horrible position to be in. He wondered what it was that finally made Sam snap. He was so strong for so many years.

Mercedes grabbed the clothes from the bed and put them in the dresser. "So enough about me. Brax, what is going on with you and Joey? I heard you guys are getting closer."

Mary smiled. "Joey never stops smiling now."

Brax blushed a bit and looked down. "We are," he admitted. "He's so amazing, Merce."

Mercedes smiled. "I know he is, and so are you. That's why I am glad you guys hit it off. You deserve all the happiness and more."

Brax smiled. "So does he. Moreso than me."

Mercedes nodded, chewing the inside of her cheek, not wanting to cry. "Yeah, that he does."

He sighed. "And seeing that smile..." He melted.

Mary beamed. "Well, you certainly look like you are in love."

Mercedes finished putting the clothes in the drawers and moved to set up the air mattress. "This should be comfortable. "She said softly.

Brax is worried about the future of their relationship sometimes. Joey was a lot younger than him and went through so much that Brax was afraid he'd flee. "I think I am..."

Mercedes closed her eyes. She was so happy for her friend, but her heart broke every time she thought about it.

Mary smiled. "Everyone seems to be falling in love..."

Brax never thought he'd turn into those lovey-dovey saps, but Joey did that to him. "Yeah."

Mary nodded. "Love looks good on you, Brax."

Brax smiled and looked down. "It's all him."

Mary nodded. "Maybe, but maybe it's you too."

He chuckled. "Maybe."

Mercedes sniffed as she spread out the air mattress.

Mary glance at her phone. "Dwight and Stevie should be back with the boys. I can't believe how hard it was to get Sam-Cap out of the house."

Cap was very apprehensive about leaving the house. However, Joey eventually managed to convince him to go out with Sam's father and brother.

Mercedes sighed. "Having control over him is exhausting. "

Brax turned to look at her. "I wish I could help more..."

Mercedes wiped her eyes. "It's okay, it's just...he won't do anything without permission, he asks to sleep...and I wanna help, but I miss Sam, and I'm so torn..."

Brax's smile faded. "We can't send him away .."

"I know...he just, I don't know if what I am doing is right. I don't want to make a mistake."

"None of us really know what we're doing, Merce..."

Mary took her hand. "You are here, that more than most people."

Brax nodded in agreement. "Most people wouldn't help like you are."

"What was I supposed to do?" She said weakly. "Walk away from the man I love because his alter ego is here? Cap is here because of me."

Brax sighed. "You don't know that... he went through years of hell.*

"Which he came out of it as Sam. But I couldn't handle things after what happened to me, and I needed space. And now Sam's gone."

"He's not gone," Brax insisted. "I'm sure he's just... hiding."

Mary nodded. "Mercedes, none of us blame you. This was a situation that none of us foresaw. You can't beat yourself up. And he's right Sam is not gone. And Cap wouldn't let you leave, which means that Sam is still in there."

Mercedes let the tears fall. "I should have come by sooner, it took you guys to trick me for me to even do it, and by then, it was too late."

"Cap was always there," Brax insisted. "He's a part of Sam.*

Mercedes hadn't broken down in the week since Cap arrived, but she had too; so much had happened, and so much had changed. "I feel like I am betraying Sam."

Mary sat next to her. "Sam is a part of Cap, just the stronger part, and when Cap feels safe enough, Sam will return, that's what Megan said. So you just have to do what his claim person would do."

Mercedes sighed, "And what's that? I don't know how to claim someone?"

Brax sat on her other side. "Sam and Cap are one and the same, just different parts of the same person. You're not betraying Sam.*

Mercedes nodded. "I guess I needed to hear that... I am just so lost right now. Having control over another person, he just wants to please me...so what do I do?"

"You tell him how to please you, honey; it's no different from if he was ya husband. It's only he has to listen to you," Mary said with a laugh.

Brax nodded. "Take it easy with him.*

Mercedes nodded. "Okay, I can do that." She said softly.

Brax smiled. "Sam" ll be back."

Mercedes leaned into him, hugging him back. "Thank you both; I really appreciate you helping me through this. I have been through so much, and knowing that I have you two makes it easier. And I owe you Brax; I know coming in here and sleeping on the floor isn't ideal but you doing it means the world to me."

Brax held her tight. "You know I care about you.

She nodded. "I know; I care about you too."

Brax smiled and rubbed her arm. "As long as Joey's okay with it."

"Joey wants to help Sam just like you do, plus he likes you, so I am pretty sure you will only be on the mattress for a few days."

Brax smiled sadly. "I don't want to push him ..."

Mercedes gave a sad smile. "You aren't. It was his idea to have you move in."

"Really?"

She nodded. "Yeah, so don't worry about it."

"I always worry when it comes to him."

"I can relate to that a lot," Mercedes said.

Mary stood off the bed. "I think they are home. I should get dinner started. We have sloppy joes and fries."

"Sounds wonderful. Thanks, Mrs. Evans."

Mary smiled, walking away, and Mercedes wiped her eyes. "I better get myself together, Sam well, Cap doesn't like it when I cry."

He nodded. "You got this, Merce."

"I don't want to screw this up." She said softly.

"You won't..."

She sniffed. "I'm barely holding it together... wake up with him next to me, but I'm in a cold sweat, scared and lost..."

"I'm here if you need me, Merce. And I'm sure he is too.*

She looked at him. "We never really talked about what happened to me."

"No? Maybe you should..."

"He's not Sam; he won't understand." She said softly.

"Don't discredit him..."

She closed her eyes. "I just don't want to cause more problems, you know?"

"Give it a try... you might relate."

She nodded. "Okay, I will think about it. I should go. He will legit just sit in the room for hours if I don't tell him he can leave."

Brax frowned. "Damn."

"I had to leave for a bit. I came back. He was sitting in the same spot and really had to pee... it's that bad."

Brax sighed. "We'll work through it."

She nodded and kissed his cheek. "I'd be lost without you."

Brax closed his eyes. "Go..."

Mercedes nodded before taking a breath and walking to the MIL suite across the house. She smoothed down her Jersey dress and walked into the room. "Cap? You here?"

Cap was sitting on the bed where Sam's father left him. Mercedes entered, and he fought every urge to fall to his knees. "Yes..."

Well, he wasn't on his knees. So that was a good sign. "How are you? Did you have fun?"

Cap nodded. "I did..." He offered her a forced smile.

She shook her head. She knew his looks even if he didn't think she did. "Then why do you look like that? What happened?"

"I missed you," he murmured. "If I'm allowed to say that"

"You missed me?" She nodded. "You can say that I told you; you can say how you feel always."

He nodded. "Yes, Miss Mercedes. I... I missed you."

She smiled. "I missed you too. But I am glad you and Joey got to hang with Dwight and Stevie."

He smiled. "I like them all. They're very nice to me."

"They like you too." She said, sitting next to him. "Are you hungry? Mary said we are having sloppy joes tonight."

Cap smiled. "I'd like that."

"Okay, well, dinner is in like an hour, is there anything you need or want to do before then"

Cap shrugged. "Whatever you'd like?"

Mercedes laughed. "We have this conversation every day, isn't there anything you want?

Cap hesitated. "Ice cream?"

"What flavor?" She asked.

"Um.." That was a lot for him.

She tilted her head to the side. "We have Oreo Cookies and Creme. Strawberry, French Vanilla, and Chocolate."

"Oreo Cookies, please."

She smiled. "I will be right back, okay? You can do whatever you want. You don't have to just sit here and wait." She said before going to the kitchen and grabbing his ice cream.

Sam was exhausted. When Mercedes came back, he was curled up on the couch, drifting in and out of sleep.

She smiled, watching him for a moment; it was oddly calming. "Did you still want your ice cream, or do you want to sleep? I can come back later."

"Whatever you'd like..." he mumbled.

She rolled her eyes but didn't say a word; she just grabbed the blanket and covered him with it. She looked at his ice cream and decided to put it back in their freezer; Sam could have it when he woke... or instead, Cap could. After that, Mercedes made her way to the bathroom; she felt a heaviness that she couldn't explain. What started as a simple, quick shower turned into Mercedes falling apart.

Everything was weighing on her, and she was just broken. And when all she wanted to do was a hug and kiss Sam, feel loved after everything, she couldn't, and it hurt. That's why an hour later, she found herself in the shower, still crying, ball on the ground, naked and alone, hiding her sobs behind the water or trying to.

Cap remained curled up on the sofa until he realized a long time until he realized that Mercedes hadn't come out of the bathroom yet. He slowly got up and knocked at the door. "Miss Mercy?"

Mercedes hadn't heard the knock; she hadn't heard anything beyond her own tears. She should be better; it had been weeks since that torture, but her mind sees River everywhere, her body feels his hands and body all over her, and it makes her sick. The heat blasts her body as she tries her best to erase all the evil thoughts.

Cap didn't know what to do. He was already such a failure; what more harm could he do. He slowly opened the door and got to his knees when he entered. "M-m-miss Mercedes?"

Mercedes heard someone call her name, and she knew it was Cap; she could hear the worry in his voice. She closed her eyes, not knowing if it was the water falling or tears. "Hey Cap, are you okay?" She forced out.

"Worried about my Miss... you..."

She took a few deep breaths. Then, "S-Cap, do you think you could grab me my robe, please?"

"Yes, Mistress..." he whispered, getting up off his knees and finding her robe.

She wanted to correct him, tell him that he didn't need to call her that, but he would still do it. "It's handing on the door," she said softly.

He knew she didn't like it and flinched as soon as the word left his mouth. He was undesirable. His Mistress didn't want him, and that hurt.

She used that time to finish washing and to try and fix her face. She had to be brave; she had to do what was right for him.

He slowly came back in and handed her the robe. "You... you can call me Sam if... if that makes you happier."

She turned off the water and opened the shower door. Then, putting on her robe, she looked him over. "If your name isn't Sam, I don't want to call you that. I want you to be you," She said softly.

Cap frowned. "I want to be him..."

Mercedes frowned. "Why?"

"Because you want him."

She ran her hands through her hair. "What do you mean?"

"You want me to be Sam... and I want to be him because... I'm undesirable.*

Mercedes frowned, moving towards him. "You think you are undesirable? Why would you think that?"

"B-b-because you won't touch me... you won't let m-me please you..."

Mercedes closed her eyes. "Cap..." She opened them and looked at him. "You are very desirable. You have no idea how much I want...I am just trying to do right by you, Cap. Not use you."

Cap got to his knees. "Please..." he begged.

"Please, what, Cap?" She asked softly.

"P-Please use me... fuck me... I can be good.*

"Cap, please get up." She bent over to help him stand.

Cap was on the verge of sobbing. "I just wanna be useful."

She lifted his face to hers. "I don't want to make you do something you don't want to do, Cap. I want you to do what you want... not be forced. I didn't force Sam, and I won't force you."

Cap sobbed. "I need to... I need to..."

Mercedes pulled him close. "You need to what? Take a breath and tell me,"

"I need to please you... I d-don't wanna go back!"

She lifted his face to hers. "I won't send you back; I will never send you back there, I promise."

He sobbed again. "I'm so scared.*

She nodded, gently moving him to the bed. "Scared of what?"

"Everything..."

"And you think having sex with me will make things better?" She asked.

He nodded. "That's all I'm good for."

Mercedes shook her head. "No, it's not. And that's why I won't touch you, because if I-if I do that, then that's all you think I want from you. I want you to want me, not have to please me."

"I do..." he whimpered.

"You do what, Cap?"

"I do want you." But, unfortunately, it wasn't entirely the truth.

She shook her head. "Cap, wanting to please me and wanting me are two different things."

While Sam was super into Mercedes, Cap wasn't. He wasn't really into women, if he was honest. "They are?"

She nodded. "Cap, I see the way you look at me; you don't want me, and it's not that I blame you; why would you? So I am not going to make you do something you don't want to."

Cap started crying again. "I do want you!"

Mercedes knew he didn't, and she could prove it. "Fine, you want me, then kiss me, really kiss me like you want me."

Cap leaned forward and kissed her, needing to pass this test.

She kissed him back; the back of her mind knew he wasn't into her, and it hurt her because that meant that Sam wasn't into her either. But, like Brax said, they are one and the same. So she moved closer, seeing what he would do.

Sam loved Mercedes and wanted her so badly. Cap was like a totally different person. Cap hesitated when she moved closer.

Mercedes closed her eyes as she pulled away, looking at him with unshed tears. "I told you, you don't want me, Cap. No one does." She said softly.

Cap was shaking. "That's n-not true."

"Please, Cap, you aren't in trouble, and I won't send you back. But you can barely kiss me."

Cap fell to his knees again, gasping in pain at the shock. "Please. please."

"Please what, Cap...tell me what's going on?"

He started hitting himself in the head. "Worthless... useless... scum..."

Mercedes dropped to her knees and pulled him to her. "Stop it, please." She bit her bottom lip; she hated seeing him like that. "Kiss me again...kiss me again, Cap."

He continues fighting against her to hurt himself. "Useless... worthless... no one wants you."

She grabbed his hands. "I want you, Cap! God, can't you see that?" Because he hadn't gotten back his full strength, She could hold him to her.

He continued struggling. "Useless... not even worth fucking..."

"Listen to me." She turned him to her. "Listen to me! You are all I have, Cap. Please."

"Not Cap. Scum.."

"You are not scum; you are everything." She held him close. "You are worth everything. "

He started crying. "Scum..."

She kissed his forehead and pulled him closer to her. "I love you, I love you." It was all she could say, all she could do.

"Scum. Scum is bad ..."

"You aren't scum. You are my love." She said.

Cap was gone. He fell silent and still.

Mercedes was scared, she didn't know what was going on, but she was so afraid. "Please...please come back to me." She cried, rocking him in her arms. "Please come back to me."

Nothing. He was so scared that he completely shut down.

She thought back to what she read up on and sniffed. "You are safe; you are loved. You are safe. I'm here. You are safe." She said it over and over again, wanting him to believe her."

He didn't, though. He knew better. He was worthless scum.

"You are safe; I am here. I love you. "She hugged him tighter, wrapping her arms around him tighter. "So safe. So loved."

He still didn't believe her. He wasn't Sam or Cap. He was scum.

Mercedes wasn't going to move. She would be with him through it all. She would sit on that floor and wait until he came back to her. So she kept talking, kept telling him she loved him.

He wasn't coming back at that point. He was shut down.

Mercedes had been on the ground with him for at least an hour. She was spent and lost. She had no idea what to do or how to help. So all she could do was help the best way she knew how. But that would be commanding him, and she couldn't bear it.