Sam searched around hoping to see Mercedes. He knew she wasn't the strongest swimmer and prayed she got off the boat in time "Mercedes? Mercy? Baby please just scream or something. Let me know you are ok." Sam heard a faint cry and turned towards his right seeing Mercedes on a piece of wood moving towards him. He said a silent prayer thanking God as he made his way to her.

"Baby I thought I lost you."

"Sam?" Mercedes reached out to him grabbing a hold of him. She held him close wanting to cry. She glanced around wondering how they were going to get out of their situation, when she noticed a small motor boat moving towards them. Mercedes recognized the driver as the driver of the boat they were just on. She grew fearful that he would hurt them but he did warn them that they needed to get off. He pulled up shaking his head.

"Oh thank God you are both alive. I didn't want to do it but they made me."

He leaned forward helping Sam and Mercedes into his boat.

"We have to get you out of here before the search boat gets here. He cant know you survived."

Sam wrapped his arms around Mercedes. "What are you talking about?"

"A man pays my boss and says I have to drive you out here and leave you before your boat explodes. But I couldn't do it. He had the boat rigged with a camera which is why I couldn't tell you. Please we have to go."

Mercedes glanced at Sam shaking her head. "Its never gonna end Sam, he is gonna find me no matter where we go."

Sam sighed glancing at Mercedes then the man. "You said that a search boat is coming?"

"Yes he had me rig that one with a camera as well. He wants to watch the suffering."

Sam glanced around the open water and then back to the driver.

"Why are you risking everything to help us?"

"Um my name is Marco Reyes… I am helping you because I never signed up for this and you didn't either. I am a God fearing man and I wouldn't be able to live with myself. I will let you know that you need to really check into the people or just one person working for you. All I know is a female told this man where to find you guys and he wants one or both of you gone."

Sam sighed realizing that he didn't really have much time to really think about what his next steps were. "Take her somewhere. There is a small condo off of Rickmore Shore. There are only two people other than me who knows about it other than me and they are not here right now. The address is 3245. If he wants one of us dead let him think its you babe."

Mercedes sat up shaking her head. "No. NO."

"Mercy, please. I need to know that you are safe. Let him think you are dead until we come up with a plan to stop him, stop all this."

He wiped a fallen tear from Mercedes eyes and kissed her gently. "You are gonna be my wife and I want to take care of you baby so please, go with him, let Brad think you are dead let him think he's won."

Mercedes didn't want to leave Sam but she knew it was only a matter of time before the rescue boat came. She leaned up and kissed Sam deeply.

"Sam, I love you."

"I love you too Mercy." Sam pulled Mercedes closer to him. He glanced at Marco who was glancing around the ocean. "Baby the address is 4532 Highland Square. Its a couple blocks from where I am having him drop you off. Just turn left on Rickmore and you will see it. The key is in the flamingo. You just open the mouth. I know he might really be trying to help but we have to be sure. remember 4532 Highland Square." She nodded as he dove back into the water. "Now go guys. Marco its 3245 Rickmore Shore. Please get her there safe. You are gonna want to drop her off and leave just in case you guys are being followed."

He nodded started his small raft and driving away from Sam. Mercedes knew leaving was right but it still felt so wrong. She watched as he disappeared from her sight, repeating the address.

Brad Rodgers watched as Sam frantically looked around the water for Mercedes. When the boat showed up and Sam was alone he couldn't help but leap for joy. Sam may not of lost his life but there is no way Mercedes got off the boat in time. So now Sam lost the love of his life and Brad was ecstatic about it. He had spent a lot of time trying to give Mercedes the life she wanted and yet she didn't appreciate it. She didn't see how hard her worked just for her. She left him, made a fool of him and now, he was rid of her for good and no one could connect him to it. He did a little dance in his chair as happiness continued to fill him. Jesse walked in and at in front of Brad.

"Its been 12 hours, there is no sign of her. They are stopping the search because they think she was dragged out by the current."

Brad smiled as he rewinded the tape. "Look at that face, he thought he won and now I have taken from him the one thing he took from me."

"How do you want to proceed sir. i know they were both supposed to die."

"I want him to suffer and look at him, he is suffering."

Jesse nodded and stood from the desk. "Well is there anything else I need to do?"

Brad stood from his desk. "Yes, you need to clean up."

"Sir?"

"The girl, the boat owner and driver. they all need to go."

"Sir they can all be trusted. Rachel wouldn't betray me."

"But she would Betray me. She knows too much. Now you have had your fun with her, get rid of her."

Jesse stared at him and Brad cleared his throat. "Let me make this very clear. Its either her, or its you and then her."

"I got it." Jesse turned walking out of the room. He had started to develop feelings for Rachel but at the end of the day he valued his life, a lot more than he valued hers.

Brad watched Jesse walk out the room and glanced towards a picture of him and Mercedes. He wanted to feel bad, wanted to act like the grieving husband, his wife was gone, but all he could do was celebrate his plan finally came together and he was rid of her once and for all.

Sam made his way to the small condo tired and ready to see Mercedes. It had been 12 long hours of pretending. Pretending have lost her, pretending to grieve, pretending that he didn't know where she was. He could have left as soon as he was rescued but he knew Brad was watching, and he knew he had to play a role. So he cried for her, fought with the coast guard when they said that they had to give up the search, and sadly went to their hotel room packing their things up, saying he couldn't bare to stay in that room. They ruled everything a malfunction with the boat's motor or some crap he really didn't pay attention to.

His fear was that she didn't remember the address, or worse all this was a trap, he prayed and prayed over the last 12 hours that she was okay. He stood at the front door walking to the hideakey he sighed in relief seeing the key was missing. Knocking on the door he waited for her to answer and when she did, she was immediately in his arms. He enveloped her holding her closely, all the pretending made him realize that if he did lose her, he didn't know how he would be able to handle it.

Mercedes hadn't fared any better than Sam. From the moment they left him, fear surrounded her. What if Brad didn't believe she was dead, what if he knew they were lying and went after Sam. She couldn't call him and as the hours ticked by she feared the worse. This whole situation was her fault. Sam's life was in danger because of her and she wasn't sure what she could do to keep him safe.

Marco had dropped her off as he continued to apologize. He wanted to follow her in to make sure she was safe but she convinced him to leave. Pretending to go towards the house, she waited for him to drive out of sight and walked towards the end of the block, she took a left as Sam said and it didn't take her long to find the condo he was talking about.

As beautiful as the place was, she couldn't stop thinking about Sam. She really wanted to believe he was fine, but she was scared for him.

Where there was a knock on the door, she grew scared for a moment but then she remembered that Sam said there were only two others who knew about the place and they weren't around. SHe was certain no one followed her so going to the door and pulling it open all she could do was pull Sam into her arms.

"I was so worried Sam."

"Me too baby."

Mercedes pulled him into the house and shut the door. "So what happened?"

Sam dropped their bags and pulled her to the living room sitting them on the couch. "Well they searched the water for a while and finally gave up. The official report has you missing but the officers are basically saying there is no way you made it. While I was there I had a lot of time to think. I know we need to talk to someone, but I don't trust anyone anymore. I mean who knows who Brad can get to."

Mercedes sighed heavily. "Sam I am so sorry you are in this. You don't deserve it."

"Merce this is us, you and me. I promised you I wouldn't leave you."

"So what are we gonna do?"

Sam took her hand in his. "I know someone who can help us. I know I haven't talked much about my family and its not for anything bad its just, hard to get a hold of them."

Mercedes shook her head with a sigh. "I don't understand."

"Ok I grew up with my grandparents, my dad's parent. My parents were unable to raise a child with their careers and it took me a long time to be ok with that. I barely knew or saw them growubng up and even now its very rare, but I know that I can call on them if I need to."

"What do they do?"

"My dad works for the government and he met my mom, they wanted to be together but after she found out she was pregnant she grew distant. She knew having a child would ruin her career. I can't go into what she does but I believe it would have hurt her career. but she had me and my parents wanted to put me up for adoption but my grandparents stepped up. I am grateful they did I mean I had a wonderful life."

Mercedes nodded. "So you really think they can help?"

"Only one way to find out. I placed a call to him and we just have to wait for him to call back."

Mercedes sighed leaning against Sam. "I hope he can, or someone can. Sam I don't want to live my life running scared. I don't want to lose you either."

Sam pulled Mercedes.
"You won't lose me baby. I am here. No need to worry about that. And i swear as soon as we get all this taken care of you and I are going to get married."

Mercedes kissed him gently and Sam laughed as he realized for the first time all she wore was a towel. He cocked an eyebrow. "What are you wearing?"

She glanced down at her towel and smiled. "I didn't have any clothes."

Sam stood up pulling her with him. He yawned as he walked her over to their things. "I brought all of your stuff. So how about you get dressed and I will go change because I really could use a shower."

Mercedes smiled grabbing her bag and Sam followed her to the room and watched as she walked into the bathroom. Mercedes reached for her night shirt just wanting to get comfortable and walked out to the room seeing Sam asleep halfon and half off the bed, she smiled walking over to him, gently tugging at him, she was able to help him get more comfortable and laid next to him, allowing him to pull her closer and nuzzle her neck. Mercedes sighed saying a small prayer that they were able to figure out everything that was going on and that someone was able to help them.