The Third Eye
My dedication to Santana Lopez (R.I.P. Naya Rivera)
Sam
It was their weekend again, and time for a blow out, Mercy had been away working all week, she was busy shooting an album cover with Alicia Keys, they'd been to various venues, taken well over 5 thousand shots and took nearly two days to sort it down to her favourite 20 shots. It had taken just under a week of near 14 hour days at four different locations, to collect the material and she was shattered.
Sam had been in Canada doing a two week gig, he'd got a spot supporting this part of the Ed Sheeran tour, this gig had been his biggest and furthest away since he'd started opening for tours, he was buzzed for the opportunity. He'd started out as a solo artist and done his own album which didn't get as far as he'd expected it to, he hadn't listened when his Agent had told him it was too early because he hadn't had enough exposure, he learned the hard way.
Mercy and he had made time to speak to each other every day since he'd left, but these past few days, he'd noticed since he'd told her about the fan that kissed him, she was talking less, snapping at him and even put the phone down on him once. The gig was televised for Ed's performances, but he'd mentioned it to her in a 'no big thing' kind of way, and as far as he knew she'd understood, shit like that happened sometimes. She'd been in a funny mood, trying to emotionally blackmail him, making him feel guilty for leaving her for two weeks, while she wasn't even home for a week of it, she'd suddenly become this woman he didn't know, he'd never done anything to make her feel so insecure.
Two days later, it was time to go back home, he wasn't quite sure what he was going to be facing, but the last thing he needed right now was for his damn flight to be late. Reluctantly he took his phone out to make the call at least she could get mad now and calm down by the time he got home.
"What do you mean delayed?" she hissed down the phone "We're supposed to be going to celebrate Brittany's birthday, we already missed the party"
"I know but if you recall, I did ask you not to book anything for tonight?" he snarled down the phone
"So we're missing this dinner then?" the silence needed cutting with a knife
"Mercy if the plane's delayed, unless I grow wings, I don't think I'm getting back before ten" he finally stopped thinking negative and answered the question
"So that's a yes then?"
"Mercy" he rolled his eyes
"It's always the same story with you, music first and everything else comes second and then me" she shouted
"Mercy, that's not true"
"It so is" she hissed "Fuck you Evans"
"Why because a plane, that I have no fucking control over, is delayed?"
"No because you're you" she spat at him
"I can't talk right now, too many people, we'll deal with this when I get home"
"If you even remember where the fuck that is" she snapped
"I'm putting the phone down now" he shouted, clicking it closed, it wasn't like it was his fault the damn plane was running late, he'd told her not to set anything up before midnight to be safe. They'd already cancelled on Brittany's birthday party last week, which was already upsetting because they'd promised Santana to be there for her no matter what, and now he was wondering why she'd booked for them to take her out for a meal on the actual day he was due to arrive home "Damn Mercy" he squeezed his phone, angry
His angry mind told him to blow this toxic relationship out the water, but his heart knew that wasn't going to happen, they'd been childhood sweethearts, got together when they were 17 years old and been together for the past 12 years, through thick and thin. He never knew anyone else and neither did she, they'd been virgins together had great fun breaking each other in, and, unless she was due a period, he generally understood her totally.
Three hours later he was finally getting on a flight, for whatever reason his original flight had been cancelled, something about the airline being declared bankrupt. He'd got onto his travel insurance company and demanded they get him home, with all this stress his mind kept going to bad places, he finally sat in his designated seat on the plane, closed his eyes and breathed. He was going to be late, super late, but he was finally going home "To what?" he felt pressure fall on him
"I guess we could talk about that?" he heard a familiar voice ask
"Hi" he smiled
Mercy
"If you even remember where the fuck that is" she snapped
"I'm putting the phone down now" he shouted back at her
"What do you mean you're putting the damn phone down on me, Sam?" she called "Sam?" she stood looking at the dead phone "He put the fucking phone down on me" she gasped, if she wasn't pissed before she was now. All she'd asked was for them to take Brittany out for her birthday, show her some love after losing her life partner eleven months ago
"Arrhh" she screamed through clenched teeth, throwing the phone onto the couch, just because he knew he had her heart didn't mean she was going to let him treat her like dirt, he'd been so wrapped up in his gig he hadn't even kissed her before he left for his two week life changing experience, considering he was always bragging about her being his freaking life, he wasn't doing a very good job of making her feel like she was right now.
Then of all the people to bring her shade it had to be Tyrone; they say women gossip a lot, but hell this man breaks all records, he couldn't wait to show everyone a video of some random bitch slapping one on her man, she was laughing like everyone else for the whole day, and she had to work with these people, pretend it was funny. It didn't look how Sam had described it, the bitch actually wrapped her arms around his neck and took a full on kiss, and he was definitely smiling when he came up from it. He'd got time to give random girls kisses but the love of his life... he was going to pay for this
She sat around for most the afternoon trying to find the words, after finally plucking up the courage to tell Brittany things were cancelled again, she got in the bath to melt away her guilt. At 8 pm she decided she'd wasted long enough sitting waiting for the cheat to come home, she got dressed, shook Sam off her mind and went out to find her own enjoyment, there was no reason for her to wait for him, she knew he was going to use his classic 'too tired, can we do this next week' shit and fall asleep on the couch. Well from now on that wasn't going to be her life, if he didn't have any boundaries why should she have to find any, she was dressed for her night out by 10 pm
The Club
She got to Hardy's in record time, headed straight to the bar, ignoring the prying eyes "Set me up Jay" she told the barman
"Mercy" he smiled grabbing a glass "Where's Sam tonight?"
"He's out of town, I'm on the town" she giggled grabbing the glass of tequila, downing it in one gulp she was going to have her night out if it killed her.
She wasn't keeping a tab on how many she had, she just knew when she decided to get up and have a dance the floor moved, she quickly sat back down. A smile spread across her face at a couple getting up to do a duet on the karaoke, she sat listening for a while. It was inevitable, there was no way an intimate singing session was going down and she wasn't getting involved, she loved singing, she just hadn't got as much guts as Sam to get in front of thousands of people and do it.
She fell off the chair onto the ground and smiled when she landed on her feet "Will you sing with me?" she asked the random guy, with his hands on her "Thanks" she straightened up and took a good look at him, he looked fit "I mean can you sing?"
"Can you?" he laughed at her rocking on her heels to get her balance
"Actually yeah" she smiled "Do you fancy it?" she asked, finally feeling confident enough on her feet to look up at the nearing 6 foot giant that stood up in front of her "You're tall" she grinned
"I'll do it for a kiss" he laughed "You up for it?"
"Yeah" she smiled following him to the stage "Whatever you want to sing, I'm up for anything"
"Okay" he looked quickly through the book "We'll try 'Sing It With Me' by JP Cooper & Astrid S seems appropriate, do you know it?"
"Yeah I can do that, of course I know it" she laughed, she barely knew the words, but she could catch a tune quick enough and make shit up if she needed to "Let's do this" she laughed grabbing the microphone, when they were called. She smiled her way through the first verse and part of the chorus but by her turn she had it in the bag she was enjoying the flirt so much she didn't see Sam walk in
…..I never saw it coming, when you caught me way off guard, I almost crashed my car
That melody you wrote, I'm falling for somebody I don't know, maybe you could sing it with me
He looked straight at her, smiling at her enjoying herself, he wanted to be mad at her for leaving without him, but the fact that she'd left her phone on for him to track her, meant she wanted him to find her and yes he'd do that this time because two weeks was a long time to leave your girl without so much as a kiss. He'd only realised he hadn't even kissed her when he sat on the plane, the first second he'd had to think about her since he'd left the house nearly two hours previous, she hadn't mentioned it so he hadn't either but on is way back, that was the only thing he could think of making her salty right now
"Usual Jay" he smiled at the familiar barman "Things good?"
"Yeah, except she's running on a full tank of gas"
"I can hear that" Sam smiled turning back to listen to the song, she was enjoying herself, he was still baffled at her being frightened to sing for a large crowd
So tell me, will you call me? I'll be waiting, tell me that you want me
And I'll be there to play for you, play for you tonight, and baby, you'll be singing with me
Du du, du du du, du du du, du du du
"What the fuck" his eyes couldn't leave her, she was stood on stage kissing this random she'd just done a duet with, the man's hand went up and pulled her face into his, there was fucking passion in it, he nearly shouted across the hall, he left his drink and went across the dancefloor "Mercy" he called up to the stage
"Sam" she quickly detached herself from the stranger, shocked into sober
"What the fuck are you doing?"
"Sorry I..."
"Excuse me, I'm claiming my prize for doing a duet with this lady" the random told him
"What?" Sam asked jumping on stage "With my Lady?" he asked the guy
"Well I don't think your lady wants to be your lady anymore, she sure ain't acting like it" the random pulled Mercy by the arm towards him
"Mercy?" Sam looked at her asking, he would have took the deserved shot at the guy there and then, but Mercy was standing too close to him, he couldn't be certain she wouldn't get hurt in the cross fire "What's he talking about?"
"Nothing, it was a stupid agreement, I just needed to sing" she brushed the guys hand off her and stepped towards Sam "Let's get out of here" she looked at him aware of everyone watching, and him spoiling for a fight
"Next time keep you're fucking hands to yourself" Sam turned to hiss at the guy
"You want to go?" the guy asked
"What?" Sam stepped back into his face
"Sam" Mercy pulled at him "Come on, please"
"Come on then" Sam squared up to him "Outside"
"Sam" Mercy grabbed his hand and pulled him off stage with her "What the fuck is wrong with you, showing me up like that?" she spun round to ask him as they got back to the bar
"Are you serious?" he pulled away from her "I walk into our local club to find my damn girl with some random man's tongue down her fucking throat and you ask me what's wrong with me?"
"It was a stupid fucking kiss, it's not like we were..."
"It was a kiss alright, but it wasn't fucking stupid" he yelled at her
"Stop shouting" she looked around them
"Now you don't want people to know our business?" he shouted even louder
"Fuck this" she threw the drink he'd been drinking down her throat, and walked off
"Where are you going?" he turned to ask
"Anywhere but here, with you, I don't want to do …. this" she flung her arms in the air "Anymore"
"So you'd prefer to walk around kissing random guys in clubs?"
"Sam" she stood looking at him, this wasn't what they'd signed up for, they were both unhappy and too invested to call it "I'm done"
"Done?" he asked "What do you mean done?"
"With you Sam, I'm done with you, I can't take the fucking stress"
"This is the drink talking" he grabbed her arm
"No Sam" she looked into his eyes "This is Mercy talking, we're done, I can't handle your bullshit, I don't want to keep feeling this... I don't need the stress"
"What are you feeling, what stress?" he pulled her back to him "Talk to me Mercy"
"I saw the video of that girl kissing you, it was nothing like you'd described it, I can't live like that, not knowing, I want out"
"I'll stop, I'll do something else" his eyes begging her to rethink
"It's not what you do Sam, it's how I feel..."
"What you don't love me anymore?" he pulled her to him
"Of course I love you, I'll always love you, but I can't live feeling like this" she pulled her arm away from him and walked away "Bye Sam"
They both knew what she meant, they'd had a strained relationship for a while now, nothing that couldn't be put to bed by a good session together, but that was just covering the cracks. There were things none of them were happy about within the relationship, nothing that couldn't be fixed with a constructive conversation, but with neither willing to open the can, it had festered into something that felt unmanageable now
He stood watching her walk, they'd got this far before, the furthest she'd ever got was to the door, and it was that far from the bar he didn't actually expect her to get there. He knew he shouldn't have played that kiss down, it was just his luck that of all the brilliant things that happened that night, that was all someone had the time to post, and on his head be it. His heart stopped beating for more than ten seconds when she touched the door, she stood for a few seconds herself before pushing it open and walking out, his feet were stuck to the floor, for how long he didn't know, but he was moved when Jay's voice caught his attention
"What?" Sam turned to ask him
"Mercy left her purse" he repeated, handing it to him
"Oh thanks" Sam grabbed it and moved across the dance floor towards the door to get her back "Mercy" he called when he got outside looking up and down the street for her "She must have got a cab" he told himself jumping in one to meet her at home, he needed to pay for her cab.
He got home to find the spare key still in it's place and the apartment just as he'd left it, with his gear all over the floor, a pile of dirty clothes beside the bath and a half empty cup of coffee on the table, he thought about cleaning it up, but decided he wanted to hear her moan about it when she got in "How did I get here before you?" he looked around the landing asking himself before checking the bedroom just in case "Okay" he frowned deciding to clean up, grab a shower and make himself something to eat while he waited to talk sense to this woman when she came home
Mercy
Mercy had got to the club door and screamed for the attention of the next available cab, got all the way home and went for her purse to pay before she realised she'd left it at the club.
"Sorry about this" she told the cab driver watching him angrily turning the cab around, they drove the seven minute trip in silence
"The clocks on" he told her watching her quickly jump out the cab
"Mac" she smiled at the bouncer "I left my purse" she rushed past him, across the dancefloor to speak to Jay
"Mercy" Jay smiled
"I left my purse"
"Sam took it, he left straight after you"
"Shit" she looked at her options "I've got a cab outside and no damn money"
"Sorry" he laughed "Sucks for you"
"Have you got a back door?"
"Through there" he pointed to the fire door
"When he comes looking for me, just tell him I'm good for it, just not now" she giggled making for the back door
Tonight the walk would do her good anyway, she needed to clear her head and the twenty minute walk might just be the ticket. From the back door she knew she wouldn't be taking the conventional route home, the cab guy might be cruising the main street looking for her, she decided to wonder down some of the old quiet side roads, and maybe calm down enough to tell Sam, and make him understand, that this thing between them was over.
She took the first left and adjusted quickly to the quiet of the night, you wouldn't have believed there was a nightclub just a few meters away.
Encounter 1 - River Deep, Mountain High
Suddenly she felt dizzy, obviously all the drink had just remembered it's role and rushed back to her head "Wow" she leaned on the wall, trying to control the sharp flashes of lightening hurting the back of her eyes
"You alright Wheezy?" the familiar voice made her smiled
"Satan" she grinned leaning off the wall "I thought you were.."
"The best third eye you've ever had?" she laughed finishing her sentence
"Something like that" she giggled "What are you doing here girl?"
"Remember I told you, when you needed me"
"I remember" she laughed "But I didn't call you"
"You just don't realise it, but you did" Santana laughed
"What did I want?" she looked at her "I must be super drunk, you look a hell of a real right now"
"That's because to you, I am"
"So what's your third eye telling you I need right now?" she laughed at the fact that she was believing this hallucination right now
"It's telling me you need to remember"
"Remember what?"
"The choir room at school when your eyes met with his for the first time, you'd just told me you thought he was cute and you wanted in, we were practicing that song we knew Mr S wasn't going to let us sing, laughing like the kids we were, and when we stopped there he was, giving you those I want in eyes, right back"
"I know" she laughed "I still get a tingle through me when he looks at me like that"
"Singing like a ban-chi" Santana laughed Mercy stood watching a hologram of herself in the choir room singing and wiggling her ass off
What, what did you do to me, way past infatuation, this connection that we make, make
And babe, keeping me up till late, it's only cause I can't wait till, till you come to my place, place
You say bye, baby, let me be wrong, on my mind like my favourite song, promise me you won't leave me low, no, no, no, cause
All the things you do to me, do to me, do to me, do to me, yeah 'Do To Me' by H.E.R
Santana smiled, "He'd caught you red handed you mouthed 'fuck' right in his face and he smiled, you were so embarrassed you didn't speak to him for over a week after he joined Glee club"
"Don't make it sound so damn melodramatic" Mercy laughed "He's a guy"
"A guy?" Santana asked "Girl I know you, I was there remember" she laughed
"Okay he was the guy" she shouted over the music
"So don't make out like it was nothing"
"I didn't" she laughed the music and the scene disappearing quicker than it had appeared
"You can't deny you loved him from the minute you saw him"
"I'm not denying that of course I love him, too much if I recall" she sighed "But not everything is made to last"
"But I thought you said..."
"I was wrong Satan, he wasn't the one"
"So you're just going to throw like eleven years down the drain?" Santana sighed
"If it's not the right thing for us, why stretch it out?"
"So what is it he's done that's so bad?"
"You're the oracle" she smirked at Santana's waiting face "He kissed a..."
"You mean a fan kissed him?"
"So if you know why the hell did you ask?" she hissed at her "You're pissing me off now"
"Because Mercy Jones, he called home and told you about it"
"And?"
"Well I remember a certain friend of mine showing up at my place one night crying, regretful, guilty because..."
"I didn't do anything with Anthony, it was all a..."
"You forget I have a third eye, I know if you hadn't been in love with Sam, that night, things could have gone further, have you ever mentioned it to him?"
"No, he can't ever know"
"Why because it would cancel out a kiss from a fan?"
"Fuck off Satan"
"Hard topics Mercedes Wheezy Jones" her voice faded off in to the night
Mercy looked around expecting to see her lurking but nothing "Satan?" she called when she didn't hear her voice again "Why the hell did you have to bring that up?" she asked the missing person "Why am I talking to a damn ghost" she turned to carry on her journey
It had been a while since she'd had to think about that dreadful night, Sam said he was staying late for some extra football thing, having just made captain, he wanted to impress, he'd told her to go straight home and he'd call her when he got in. She knew he wasn't joking but Mercy being Mercy, feeling spoilt neglected, as usual, when it came to his football, didn't want to go home, so she found some group to join. She ventured into the Black Student's Union meeting, and found she actually enjoyed the informative session, she was thinking about making it a regular thing, and decided to talk to Anthony, the well presented President of the group, once everyone dispersed, they went straight to the canteen, grabbed a drink and sat talking for what seemed like forever.
She was surprised how easy he was to talk to, actually it might have been his intellect that drew her to him. She didn't hesitate when he offered to walk her out to her car, having realised she'd spent so much time talking, Sam might have been on his way home getting ready to call her "Will you be alright from here?" he asked stood in the middle of the secluded car lot
"Yeah I'll be fine, I'm just over there" she pointed to her car
"That's your ride?" he asked impressed at seeing her sporty BMW
"Yeah" she smiled
"Can I get a closer look?"
"Sure" she walked him over to it, she usually parked on the student car park but today she'd been late in, couldn't be asked to find a spot, the teacher spaces were available so she jumped in one
"You get privileges too?" he looked around the car lot
"No" she giggled "I was late this morning and took the liberty"
"Wow" he touched the bonnet as he got to the car "love this baby" she watched his hand smooth it down like he was literally touching a baby "Feels like a woman's body" he smiled at her, she felt a bit uncomfortable with the comment, so she moved cautiously "What does it's owner feel like?" he asked, leaned against the drivers door
"I feel just fine thanks" she looked at her car door "Excuse me" her eyes asking him to move away from her car door, her mind trying to work out how the fuck she'd got herself in this situation, and what the hell she was going to say to Sam
"What's it worth?" he asked half lifting himself off the car "Give me a kiss and I'll let you in"
"Are you for real?" she asked, bringing all the attitude she could muster "You do know I'm with Sam, right?"
"I know" he grinned "But yet you've been coming on to me all evening"
"No I haven't"
"Mercedes" he sighed, laying back on the car "Are we going to argue about this, I can read the signs?"
"No" she stepped up to him, pulled his head towards hers and kissed him, pulling him in until she felt him relax against her, swiftly bringing her knee into his groin so hard he bent with the pain giving her enough time to jump in her car and lock the door
"Bitch" he yelled after her, watching as she drove off
She drove straight over to Santana's to cry about it all, they both sat wondering how the hell she could have been so stupid, between them they'd planned her get out claws, if Anthony ever said anything she was going to deny it to the hilt and Santana was going to back her story. Fortunately for her, he had a conscience it seemed, he'd never mentioned that night to anyone so it never did get back to Sam
Sam called that night, just like he said he would, asking if he could come to hers, she made up some story about being tired and went home to reflect on her actions, that could never happen again
"So Wheezy" Satan jumped out at her as she reached the corner of the street
"Shit Satan" Mercy jumped back
"Don't be scared I told you, I've got your back" she giggled "So has it come back?"
"What?"
"The love Wheezy, has the love come back"
"I told you the love never went, I just can't live like this anymore"
"Yeah I guess it's hard, with all the lies you're holding in and everything"
"Not me" she screeched "Sam, he's going places, I can't hold him back, my jealousy will hold him back"
"How do you know that?"
"Because I know he's willing to give it all up to make me happy"
"Remember that mall tour back in college?" Santana asked her
"Which one?" Mercy looked at her puzzled
"Exactly" Santana hissed "When you turned that down because he was going to a gig in LA, his very first gig, how did you feel?"
"Like I needed to support him, he was going out there for the first time, he needed me"
"Do you regret it?"
"No, look where he is now?"
"We're going in circles Wheezy" she laughed looking up at the sky "So the problem isn't that you don't love him, it's that you love him too much?"
"What if she kissed better than I did?"
"So now this random fan is better than you?"
"No" Mercy snapped "It's just that we've never known anything else and..."
"So because you couldn't help looking at that Anthony's junk, everyone's marked with the same brush?"
"I.."
"Third eye" Santana reminded her "Then there was that time you looked at Finn's butt, of all the people" she cringed "Wicked thoughts, don't lie" she laughed
"That was a split second thing" Mercy giggled
"You licked your damn lips" Santana reminded her "And don't let me get into your little fantasy with Tina" she laughed
"That was a damn dream" Mercy laughed
"What I'm trying to tell you here Wheezy, is that your mind's strayed more than his has"
"Seriously?"
"So are you going to give him another chance?"
"You've always liked him, you'd say anything to defend him, I know you Satan"
"Would I?" Santana asked, leaving a puff of smoke where she'd been standing
"I miss you girl" Mercy turned the corner, smiled at the small crowds of people walking in her direction, the main road was busy with people. She walked along watching the cars go by, dodging from all the taxi's while humming along to one of her favourite duets with her girl 'When I was a little girl, I had a rag doll, only doll I've ever owned, now I love you just the way I loved that rag doll, but only now my love has grown...…" There were too many cabs, she slipped down the next side road to get home
Encounter 2 - The Boy Is Mine
"What the fuck" Mercy held her chest at Santana appearing in front of her "Give a girl some damn warning"
"You're not listening to me are you, I said, I've got your back"
"You'll have my foot in your damn ass if you keep coming at me like that" she giggled "I'd love to see what you'd actually do if I was in danger"
"You'd be surprised"
"What are you back for?"
"I was thinking about what you said about Sam straying, and to be honest I didn't have all the facts when I answered so I just nipped away to find some stuff out"
"And?"
"I think I have some juice on him being unfaithful, was that the word you used?"
"I don't actually remember using that word, but I might have meant that"
"Do you want to see?"
"No" she chuckled "I don't want to see every fuck up he's ever made, I'd like to leave this relationship as friends"
"Are you sure?"
"I'm guessing that means I'm going to see it whether I want to or not"
"I guess it does" Santana waved her hand in front of Mercy's face, the picture of Quinn stood in the corridor with Sam walking towards her flashed in front of them
"I knew that bitch was after him" she hissed
"Wait let's watch" Santana stopped her talking
"Sam" Quinn turned to follow him down the corridor
"Quinn" he turned rolling his eyes at the girl "This better be important"
"It is" she giggled, running a little to catch him up "I wondered if you'd had anymore thought about what I suggested?"
"Not a damn one" he laughed irritated
"What did she suggest?" Mercy asked Santana
"Just watch" she turned her attention back to the scene
"Sam" Quinn's tone in spoilt brat mode, the only thing missing was the stamping foot
"I feel the exact same way" he stamped his foot laughing "I know you know Mercy, I know you see her, and I hope you know I'm still wondering why you think you're better than her" he rolled his eyes "We've had this conversation before, she's the only one for me, get used to it"
"How do you know that?"
"Because I love her"
"Life will change you Sam Evans, and you'll regret not tapping this"
"Life will change, no doubt" he laughed "But where you're concerned there'll never be any regrets"
"Fuck you Evans"
"I should tell Mercy about your little conversation, I'd take great pleasure in watching her fuck you up" he told her
"You wouldn't?"
"Come at me again and you'll see" he laughed watching her turning sharply and rushing off, the scene fading
"I hope you noticed that at no time did he even entertain it" Santana highlighted
"Yeah I noticed, and he was right, I would have kicked her ass into next century" she giggled "That was easy to do at school, we'd not even slept together at that point, there was so much to lose in him straying"
"You need more proof?" Santana's hand waving before her again
"Where's this?" Mercy looked at the unfamiliar scene puzzled
"It's the studio where he did his first album"
"Gosh my first photoshoot" she giggled "So what happened here?"
"Watch"
"Hi" three ladies walked past him on his way into the studio smiling
"Hi" Sam turned to smile back politely
"Working on anything exciting?" the tall blond asked
"Yeah I'm working on my album"
"An album?" the shorter blond asked
"Yeah I'm on my first one" he smiled proudly
"You want to try another first?" the brunette asked
"As in?" Sam asked confused, watching them look at each other "What?" he stepped back wondering how the conversation had gone from his album to four in a bed "No thank you, I have a girlfriend"
"We're not looking for a long lasting relationship" the tall blond informed him
"I am, I love my girlfriend" he backed away "Bye"
"Your loss" they giggled, walking away
"He told strangers he loved me" Mercy held her chest
"He did" Santana confirmed "And there was the time when he met his photographer for that album, she laid it all on him, sort of said he wouldn't get anywhere in the business if he didn't lose his guilty feelings or drop his girl" Santana looked at her friend
"So that's why he finally asked me to do the shoot?"
"Best of both worlds" Santana smiled "And that wasn't the only time someone came on to him, but the outcome was always more or less the same, do you want to see more?"
"No I get your drift" she giggled "You know I've told you before, it's never been about the love with us, that's there"
"So it's about clipping his wings?"
"It's about loving someone enough to let them go Satan"
"What like Brittany had to do with me?"
"Exactly" she pointed her finger at her girl
"So how's Britt doing with all that letting go stuff?"
"Not very well last time I saw her, she's still... you know how Britt is" she giggled
"I know how she is" Santana laughed "Remember the song she danced to at my beautiful funeral?"
"Yeah" Mercy smiled "That was a beautiful tribute"
"Made all the more meaningful by the song Sam and the guys sang"
"It hit all the right notes, I remember laughing at him getting your number just right" Santana bringing the scene in front of them of Sam, Blaine, Matt and Artie singing while Brittany, who had barely said a word since that awful day, danced her heart out to 'Intentions' by Justin Bieber & Quavo
Picture-perfect, you don't need no filter, gorgeous, make em drop dead, you a killer
Shower you with all my attention, yeah, these are my only intentions
Stay in the kitchen, cooking up, cut your own bread (whip it)
Heart full of equity, you're an asset (asset) make sure that you don't need no mentions (yeah, yeah)
Yeah, these are my only intentions
"Sam wrote that song... for you"
"No he didn't" she laughed "It was from Brittany to you"
"You said it yourself Brittany had hardly said a word till well after the funeral, Mike had got it out of her that she wanted to dance, Sam did the rest"
"He's never told me"
"Why would he need to, everything he sings he sings it for you, remember?"
"But..." Mercy started to protest about the Brittany song
"Everything" she laughed "So what if he wanted to give it all up for you, what would be so bad about that?"
"And do what?" she snapped "He's never done anything else, he's never loved anything else, I don't want to be responsible for that"
"So the fact that he'd do it of his own free will, means nothing to you?"
You're talking like you know something, what do you know Satan?"
"Other than you guys loving each other?"
"Love isn't always enough you know"
"So you think Britt would have felt better for me not being there with all you guys around her to remind her that I wasn't there?"
"What?" she shook her head "No that's not what we were trying to do, we wanted..."
"To force Britt into remembering that I'm not there for your own selfish reasons"
"That's not true, we just didn't want her to be alone"
"I'm fucking with you Wheezy" she laughed "I just always wanted to do that to you, it felt cool knowing you couldn't hurt me" she chuckled
"Satan for real" she laughed
"Britt was upset that you guys couldn't make it though"
"So were we"
"And she'll be pleased when you actually turn up in two weeks time"
"Gosh, I can't believe it's nearly been three months already"
"I know" Santana stood looking at her, before the puff of smoke arrived again and she was gone
Mercy got to the corner of the road smiling, it was going to hurt now, but she knew something for sure, Santana had left no doubt in her mind, that boy was hers, and maybe not now, but in the future, she was sure she could get him back, this was a necessary sacrifice. She turned the corner smiling at seeing a familiar face, waved and carried on humming to herself another song she'd shared with Santana that just popped into her head 'I think it's time we got this straight, let's sit and talk, face to face, there is no way you could mistake him, for your man, are you insane. See I know that you may be, just a bit jealous of me, cause you're blind if you can't see, that his love is all in me..." she giggled "What the fuck am I doing?" she asked herself stepping faster, she was less than five minutes away from home "Shit" she dodged seeing a familiar cab coming up the road, she dived down another side road
Encounter 3 - Doo Wop (That thing)
"You like our chats Wheezy?"
"Mmm" she moaned laughing at Satan's reaction "What are we going to chat about now?"
"You, Sam, life"
"What is it with you, why are you working so damn hard to keep us together?"
"Why do you think?"
"Satan" she stopped walking to look at her "I couldn't second guess you alive, I've got no damn chance now"
"Okay" she giggled "I've seen what you're like apart and I don't want that for you"
"So you're protecting me?"
"Both of you, you know Trouty has a special place in my heart, he managed to get you, and that takes a special kind of man"
"Finally" Mercy laughed
"Yes I called him a man" Satan laughed with her "He's proved that so many times"
"So now I'm trying to be a woman about our relationship, it's a problem?"
"It's the wrong type of woman, this isn't what you guys need"
"So you're happy for me to hold him back?"
"I'd prefer you to hold him back than push him back"
"What the hell are you talking about...?" her conversation stopped by a vision of Sam stood front and centre on stage, the crowd roaring at him, their heads and hands beating like one single pulse as he strummed his guitar "He did it" she smiled listening to him play
"Keep watching" Santana's head turned to watch, suddenly the mood lights came down and the crowd hushed as purple lights lit up all around the stadium, it seemed like everyone in the crowd had come prepared
"What's happening?"
"Shhh" Santana replied still watching
Empty streets now, where used to love, our hearts out but now I'm dancing all alone, scared to go out on my own
This calming feeling faded into anxious breathing, in the places we were happy once, stuck inside but never home
And if I lose it all, in the blink of an eye, like a fire burning out in the night, and my hearts stops beating but something's screaming
And I, wish we didn't say goodbye, cause we're just standing still, and I don't really know, what tomorrow holds
But I've, I've finally realized, if this is our last goodbye until we're gone
Who cares about the wrongs we cause ourselves, cause I don't want to watch the world end with someone else
'I Don't Want To Watch The World End With Someone Else' by Clinton Kane
"I've never heard that one before, it's sad" Mercy told her friend
"Yeah the song's sad but there's a reason" she looked back at Sam singing, they watched as he sang the last chorus, before unclipping his guitar and walking off stage
"He looks Sad" Mercy commented
"Listen"
"Ladies and Gentleman, that was Sam Evans saying goodbye, so sad to see a talent like that back out at this point, but he must have his reasons" the commentator told the cheering crowd
"Why's he saying goodbye?" Mercy asked shocked
"Come on Wheezy keep up" Santana pulled her with her, she felt like she wasn't on her feet
When they finally came to a stop again, they were looking at Sam, stood with his foot up on a lamppost, his guitar strapped around his neck as he slowly strummed "What the..."
"The future as you want it" Satan told her
"What him standing playing music in the street?"
"He left the music business remember?" she nodded behind them "He didn't have any music left in him"
"He's written a load of music, I've heard them, most of them are really good"
"His muse has gone" she smiled "Remember everything he sings he sings it for you, and if you're not there anymore..."
"He can't sing?" Mercy asked
"Me thinks the dots are joining up" Santana laughed, they looked back at Sam still stood there
Falling deeper, deeper into hopeless thinking, remember when you pulled me out
Wishing you would come around again, when the room goes quiet, I'm hit with regret like a riot
Reminds what I really want, but have waited for too long?
Cause if I lose it all, in the blink of an eye, like a fire burning out in the night
And my hearts stops beating but something's screaming
"That song's so damn sad" Mercy stood listening
"He's..."
"Singing it for me I know" she rolled her eyes
"Come on, there's another side to this" Santana grabbed her hand
"Is that the Ms Diana Ross?" Mercy screeched watching her much older self taking photo's of the beautiful legend
"It is" Santana smiled at Mercy's excitement
"This has to be the happiest day in my life" she giggled "The woman's make up is flawless, she ain't even cracked"
"Follow me out, all the way to the car, every angle" Diana instructed her, Mercy couldn't believe she was getting this exclusive photo shoot with Ms Ross
Mercy watched herself following the woman, clicking everything in her path until she was safely in the car "Who's that?" she asked of the man running towards her, even more surprised when she hugged him "Who is that?" she asked Santana
"He's Rick, your husband"
"I got fucking married?" she gasped "Why didn't you show me the wedding?"
"You didn't want to remember it, you don't love him, he asked"
"What do you mean he asked?"
"Sam got married to a woman called Kate and you finally said yes to Rick"
"What, because Sam got married?"
"He reached out to you and you got engaged to Rick, five years later you married him"
"I'm standing here watching this and I know I don't love this man"
"Why don't you love this man Wheezy?"
"Let me see who Sam married" she demanded
"Why so you can measure yourself against her and come up being found wanting?"
"I just want to see her"
"Why?"
"Because, just show me her" Mercy shouted
"You getting mad with me, you're the one that threw your man away, not me"
"I didn't throw him away" she shouted
"What did you do then?"
"We had an argument, that's all"
"Changing your damn tune now someone else is involved, what is it, you don't want him but you don't want anyone else to have him?"
"No"
"Say it Wheezy" Santana laughed
"Say what?"
"Look at you out here on your own in that dress, shaking that god given ass, pretending it ain't shit, acting like he don't mean shit" Santana shouted at her
"He means something Satan, you know he means something"
"So act like it bitch, behind his back and in his damn face"
"If I don't tell you, who'd you think, that's still alive, got the nerve?" she laughed "Everyone argues Mercy, it shows you feel, care even, but it's how we work through these times and come out stronger on the other side that builds a relationship" she looked at her "I've only seen love like yours five other times in my lifetime"
"You and Britt had it"
"Yeah, Quinn and Puck had it"
"Tina and Artie have it" she laughed "And it kills me to say, Rachel and Finn had it"
"And Blaine and Kurt definitely have it" Mercy laughed
"And now you six are keeping it alive for all of us" she shook her ass "We can't lose the dream Mercy, it wasn't just one person's dream, we all sat in that choir room and dreamt about it, thought we were destined for it, none of us saw all this coming, you can't just throw everyone's dreams away, including your own"
"No pressure then?" Mercy giggled "I can't throw Sam away, I know that much"
"Finally" Santana puffed out "My work here is done"
"Am I supposed to thank you for saving me from myself?"
"Girl" Santana stood looking at her friend like she'd never seen her before "End of the road on this trip for me, but I'll see you again soon"
"Where?" Mercy asked watching her fade into the scenery
"Just do the right thing, go with your heart" and she was gone
"Bye" Mercy smiled turning the corner her house just ten steps away "I really do miss you girl" she stepped humming another of their favourite songs "Showing off your ass because your thinking it's a trend, girlfriend, let me break it down for you again, you know I only say it because I'm truly genuine, don't be a hard rock, when you really are a gem..." "So true" she shook her head laughing at herself as she mounted the steps
She grabbed for the spare key before she remembered Sam was home and rang the bell instead, he didn't release the buzzer he came to the door instead "Hi" she looked at him, bent her head, and walked past him into the apartment
Home
He stood at the door for a second trying to work out what to make of that, he'd expected her to walk in shouting, her arms flying all over the place and maybe some crying not "Hi" he was worried. He closed the door and walked slowly back into the apartment, she wasn't shouting, things weren't being thrown around, she'd obviously gone upstairs to have a shower, it was just something they always did when they got in, take outside off, make up and all, so they could be themselves.
He sat on the couch in the middle of the small living room, flicking through the channels trying to find something to take his mind off what he felt was coming next "Do you want a hot drink?" she came walking down the stairs asking with a pile of dirty clothes in her hand, his included
"Please" he looked round at her, she still wasn't giving any eye contact, she just walked through the living room and went into the kitchen, at least she wasn't packing, he took a deep breath and sat waiting for shit to hit, watching her move around in the kitchen from the corner of his eye "Thanks" he smiled taking the drink off her, finally allowing the TV to rest on the channel it was on
They sat in silence drinking hot chocolate and watching whatever was happening on the TV "Are you watching this?" she finally asked
"No" he looked at her for a second, he just didn't know how to judge this situation
"So you won't mind..." she set her cup on the small table and got up "Me sitting here then?" he watched her leg move across him, straggling him as she sat open legged in his lap, looking at him, he wasn't about to protest
"Mercy.." her finger covered his lips
"Shh" she told him "I just want to show you how I kiss someone I love" she grabbed his face gently, demanding his attention. Her lips opening as her head moved closer to his, her tongue reached his lips and licked them, he instinctively opened them to give her access, flinching when she pulled back "I love your taste" she told him, bringing his shy before she moved back in, biting his bottom lip, teasingly pulling at it until his mouth grabbed for hers and, their tongues started their battle
She moaned as his arms wrapped around her and pulled her into him, the bliss causing her body to shudder, the tingle of his hands on her awakening everything within her, she could never live without feeling this feeling of love, this complete, unrestrained exquisite sensation called Sam, she was already lost in him "God I missed you" he told her, just as his lips left hers and wondered down her neck.
He quickly undid her gown to feel her naked body against him, her body moved trying to curl itself around his hands as they slid around her body, the shuddering intensifying when his hands touched her already tender breasts, his lips quickly following to find her nipples and let his tongue torture them until she moaned again with want. She was sat on him naked her legs open, inviting, demanding, he cupped her ass with his hand and pulled her closer to him, pushing her onto the couch and lifted her hips to meet his mouth "This is how I kiss someone I love" his face disappeared between her legs.
Mercy moaned and jerked in his hands at the feel of his tongue flicking at her, bring her closer to the edge with every stroke "Sam" she moaned her body full to bursting. His mouth finally left her body and he replaced it with himself, watching her trying to get him to touch her again, he smiled, how could she never be his girl, he grabbed her hand, opened her with his thumb and spread her moist softness, grabbed her hand and guided it to feel herself, she was greedy for it right now "No" she pulled away. He smile grabbed her hand again this time wrapping her fingers around him, he leaned over her watching as she ran her hand up and down him, hard, fast, slow, gentle as his veins pumped faster, his head kicking back as she teasingly covered him with her lips "Condom?" she asked
"In my pocket" he told her watching as she took it out his jogging bottoms and put it on him, finally getting lost in each other, until they felt muscles throb and flex, forcing her to tighten her grip on him, the noise intense as they both flooded their surroundings "Fuck" he moaned at the release "Now we've got that cleared up, can we talk?" he lifted off her to sit back on the couch
"Yeah" she sat up "Lets get washed up first"
Seemed like her plan was for him to be too tired to talk, but Sam was like a dog with a bone, something had happened for them tonight and he wanted to sit and talk, for too long now sex had been the answer to all their problems and as much as he loved it, he knew it was just a plaster. If their relationship was ever going to get to where he needed it to be, they were going to have to talk, put everything on the table and work their shit out
"Come on" he grabbed his jogging bottoms, watching her putting another condom in his pocket before she dragged his sweatshirt on, and he pulled her back down to the lounge, the bedroom really wasn't the place to talk, not for them anyway
"Want a drink?" she let his hand go and walked off towards the kitchen
"Water please" he shook his head at her avoidance, he was just as bad sometimes he knew all the tricks "Thanks" he took the drink when she came into the room and sat next to him, throwing her legs on his lap "I need us to be honest with each other" he turned to look at her "I mean really honest"
"Okay" she took a sip of her juice before putting the glass on the table "I'm ready"
"Well first I have to apologise for playing that kiss down" he looked into her eyes, nervously rubbing her calves "It didn't mean anything, I knew it was all being televised and I just didn't want to embarrass her or show myself up, I'm still breaking into the business Mercy, I don't want to be seen as scared of girls, and if you'd let me tell everyone about us, I'm sure things would be different"
"It would be worse" she giggled
"Couldn't be any worse than pretending to be single"
"I guess" she sighed
"I know sometimes I get so involved in things I lose sight of my priorities, but I promise you, that's just for a second, you're always there front and centre" he smiled "And I promise to find a way to let you know that all the time, I'd never do anything to hurt you, on my life"
"I think I blew because of a combination of things, the a random wasn't me" she looked at him guilty "Freaking Tyrone found the video and shared it with everyone I was so embarrassed, and angry" she picked her glass up "You smiled, and I got it in my head that you enjoyed it, sent me off on one"
"Hence the kiss in the bar?" he rubbed her hand "Mercy why don't you want to commit to this relationship?
"I'm committed to you Sam"
"So why all the secrecy when it comes to work?"
"I just prefer to be behind the camera and not in front of it"
"Mercy" he frowned at her flip answer
"Okay" she rolled her eyes "Don't be mad"
"I won't"
"Remember the mall gig?"
"You mean the one you walked off stage on?"
"There was only the one Sam" she laughed putting the glass down "Well Sue told me I wouldn't ever get any further, that and I should stop trying because I wasn't made for centre stage, and that I should leave you alone if I wanted you to get anywhere" she shrugged her shoulder "And I couldn't leave you so this was the best option" she wiped a wondering tear
"Sue had no fucking right saying that to you" he snapped "I'm sorry babe, but if you only held onto how talented you are"
"She knocked me babe, and I've never really come back from that"
"Just listen to this" he got up and grabbed his phone
What, what did you do to me, way past infatuation, this connection that we make, make
And babe, keeping me up till late, it's only cause I can't wait till, till you come to my place, place
You say bye, baby, let me be wrong, on my mind like my favourite song, promise me you won't leave me low, no, no, no, cause
All the things you do to me, do to me, do to me, do to me, yeah 'Do To Me' by H.E.R
"Remember that girl?"
"Where did you get that from?" she laughed
"The mall gig" he laughed "Mercy, don't ever let anybody define you, not even me"
"Easy to say"
"You're gonna have to do more than listen to me saying it babe"
"Sam" she looked at him "There's more, I kissed another guy"
"What?" he sat down slowly "When?"
"At college" she looked into his eyes "Anthony Grant from the..."
"I know him, when?"
She sat telling him about that dreadful night, when things nearly happened and the only way she saw herself getting out of it was to pretend to be a part of it, how she went to Santana's and cried her heart out and decided never to mention it "I knew there was a reason we rolled" Sam told her
"What?"
"I might have caused that" he looked at her with sad eyes "He was forever ragging me for going out with you, said he should kick my ass for taking you, I sort of told him to take you back if he thought he was man enough"
Sam" she moaned
"Sorry I just didn't think he'd go that far" he smiled "He wasn't man enough though was he?" he laughed
"You're always so sure of yourself" she lifted her foot and tapped his chest with it
"As long as I have you, I'm sure of everything" he smiled "I mean it, if you want me to stop I will"
"I'll leave if you do"
"That's it, I'm never stopping now" he laughed "And seeing as we've just committed to a lifetime, how about for our 12th anniversary together, we announce our wedding for next year"
"Is that a proposal?"
"I thought you proposed, I just said yes" he laughed
"I saw Santana tonight" she told him
"Yeah, I saw her on the plane ride home"
"What did she say to you?"
"I think it was the pressure of you being upset, me not knowing why, the stress with the flight delay, not being about to see Brittany as you'd planned, everything just balled into one, and I found myself asking if it was all worth it" he looked at her "You can be a hell of a bitch when you want to be" he laughed "I sat in my seat and she sat next to me, we talked about you, me, us, confirmed for me that no one would ever come close to what we have, and that I'd fight tooth and nail to keep us" he smiled grabbing her thigh "I always want to be an us with you"
"Me too" she rubbed his hand
"What did she say to you?"
"What?"
"Santana, what did she say to you?"
"Oh she walked me home, talked me back to sense, I was determined you'd need to cut me loose to move on, I went somewhere I don't even recognise, I convinced myself I loved you enough to let you go. Seeing you kissing that girl..., I just thought" his fingers covered her lips
"But you're here, fighting for us"
"I am"
"Remember that day at school at glee club with Mr S?" he smiled "We'd all just got our offers for college, had that random lock in at Finn's house and got plastered" he laughed "The next morning all of us sat there thinking we'd planned our lives out, none of us were going back home New York became home for Blaine, Kurt, Rachel, Finn, Santana and Brittany. We moved to California with Tina, Artie, Quinn and Puck" he laughed "We were set to take the world by storm, our dreams were big"
"It was more like a pact than a plan" she laughed
"And now Santana, Finn and Puck are gone" he looked at her "Life's too damn short, I want to get everything I ever wanted to do in that little line between my start and my finish" he grabbed her hand "So Mercy Jones, will you do me the honour of helping me make that little line between now and then the happiest?"
"Yes" she giggled with tears in her eyes "You know what this is don't you?" she laughed
"Santana's third eye" they told each other laughing
"I miss her" Mercy smiled
"Me too, I miss all of them" he told her "I'm trying to set something special up for Britt, Rachel and Quinn next month, I've got Kurt and Artie on the case already"
"Whatever it is they'll love it" Mercy smiled
"So Miss Jones" he looked at her "Are we going to take the bull by the horns?"
"As I'm going to be Mrs Evans soon, I guess we could"
"No time like the present" he leaned across the couch, picked his phone up and took a picture of them, wrote "She said yes!" underneath it, and posted it, "Done"
"So what are we doing for the memorial?"
"Well I thought we'd make it almost royal, bright colours, slap up meal, party games, music, singing of course, and some well needed stories about them only for about six hours or something. I wanted to do a weekend but Blaine didn't think that would be everyone's cup of tea, especially with Rachel and Quinn being remarried now, so it's going to be a day"
"It sounds fantastic"
"It will be"
"I have it under good authority, it will be" Mercy laughed
"Someone with a third eye maybe?" Sam laughed "She gave me the idea"
The End