Black Or White

Happiness isn't something that happens to you, it's something you happen to find; get it?

"I'm ready" Sam laughed to himself satisfied with his look, wondering what his mischievous colleague was up to now, as he pushed his feet into his shoes while waiting for Rachel and her partner to turn up "Hey" he answered his buzzing phone a short while later, "I'll be right there" he walked across the landing to make his way to the front door and down the drive to the waiting car as he spoke to his colleague

"Hey" he smiled, stopping for a second to frown at seeing a random woman in the car

"Sam" Rachel smiled "This is my husband Jessie"

"Pleased to meet you" Sam smiled; he didn't know why he was surprised at her choice of man; they'd never had conversations about their lives outside of work until today when they'd agreed to share a ride.

"And this is Mercy, your date for the evening, you need to brief her if you want her to play the part"

"This is your plan?" he looked at the woman he'd just sat next to, shocked at himself for saying that out loud "Sorry" he smiled at Mercy "Obviously she didn't tell me" he shook his head "Sam… Evans" he held his hand out for shaking

"Blaine doesn't know who our partners are, he just wants partners, she's game" Rachel looked at Mercy "I told her she was going to a champagne party, so you better make it happen"

"What's the play?" Mercy asked

"We've been living together for four years, I'm a workaholic, never home, and ambitious as hell" Sam told her

"That about sums him up to be honest" Rachel laughed

"Easy read" Mercy smiled "And what do you need me to be?"

"My partner, just don't cop off with anyone, and make me look bad" he laughed

"She's not that type of girl" Rachel pipped up "She's my best friend, so treat her right"

"Protective" Jessie tapped Rachel's hand mouthing to Sam

"This is on you if we don't pull this off" Sam told Rachel

"In case you didn't notice, I actually have a partner" she widened her eyes at him, he got the hint, the others didn't know anything about him

"I can't help it if females don't find me attractive" he laughed

"I can't believe that" Mercy smiled at him

"To be fair between work and work, I don't find much time for relationships" he looked at Rachel wondering what exactly he was getting himself into

"Except when your boss demands a business dinner" Mercy commented

"Two of my favourite things work and food" he looked at her smiling "How can one resist?"

"Okay" she rolled her eyes smiling "Let's get the awkward out the way before we start the night, we don't know what this boss of yours is going to expect of us"

"Awkward?" Sam looked at her frowning, shocked when she moved in and kissed him on the lips, pulling his head into her so firmly he couldn't get away too easy, then he surprised himself by falling into it, his whole body surrendered to her lips

"So" she whispered into his ear "Just think about where that could go, and act accordingly" she pulled away, licked her lips, smiling at him doing the same

"She's a good kisser" he looked at Jessie smiling

"So, that's settled?" Rachel asked smiling

"What's settled?" Sam asked

"Your date"

"Yeah" he smiled rubbing his hands down his well seamed trousers, he was playing a dangerous game he knew he was, but he'd promised his boss he'd bring his partner and by hook or crook that was going to happen. The situation had been forced on him, it wasn't where he'd choose to be, but it was where he was and if there was the possibility of getting a promotion out of this he was going to play the part to the very end. He looked to the side of him where Mercy was sitting and smiled, she was definitely a good kisser, pleasing to the eye, and everything she had going on could make him moan.

"Lucky for you I approve" Mercy smiled at him

"Of?" surprise in his voice that she was checking him as much as he was checking her

"The whole get up, I like a man who takes care of himself" she smiled resting her hand on his, he looked down at their hands resting on his thigh

"Acting accordingly" he blushed "Got it"

"Relax" she squeezed his hand "We've got this"

"I believe we have" he sat back smiling, he was going to enjoy this night, he couldn't remember the last time he actually enjoyed a night out, his mind quickly brought back to his reality, making him flinch when a reminder of a life he didn't care for, flashed in his head

Flashback

He'd been asking his wife to attend the event he'd been asked to attend with his boss and for over a week, and eventually she'd said yes. So, this evening he finished work and rushed home to get ready and pick her up, he'd agreed to share a cab with a work colleague and her partner, so they were on clock.

He walked into their bedroom, shocked to see her in her bed with clothes and tissues surrounding her "Are you not coming tonight?" he stopping to ask, "Are you going to bed, or have you been in there since last night?"

"I'm in bed" she snapped" he rolled his eyes, and walked past his bed, throwing his jacket on it, before going into the bathroom, she was in her mood again, he didn't have time to think about her he hurriedly got ready for the important event. She'd taken to not doing anything that involved him for the past eighteen months or so, and in honesty, he was too busy and detached to care, but tonight was official so, she was expected to show up.

"Are you not coming tonight?" he asked again when he came out of the shower, seeing her still sat up in bed

"No" she turned to tell him "Go without me"

"But I told you Blaine specifically said bring your wife, you said you would"

"Well, I've changed my mind" she muttered "And anyway this wife things a farce" she slammed her head into her pillow

"Thanks" he snapped sarcastically, "For nothing" angrily grabbing his clothes to put them on, not happy about what he was going to have to say to his boss about his wife not turning up, and how he was going to look, he checked himself in the mirror, slapped on some cologne and left the bedroom "Rachel" he answered his phone

"Ten minutes" Rachel told him excitedly "I'm picking my husband up and I'll be there" she giggled "Is she ready?"

"She's not coming" he told his work colleague

"She's not?" Rachel gasped "This isn't good" there was a silence for a minute before she spoke again "I have an idea" she laughed "Just be ready, I'm leaving out now"

The next thing he knew he was sitting in a cab with the sexiest woman he'd been close to in a while having just got the lips sucked off him and thoroughly enjoying it

End of Flashback

"Something on your mind?" he looked up to see Mercy looking at him, searching his face for an answer

"Just wondering how I got here" he smiled at her "This is going to be a great night" he squeezed her hand

"You're acting accordingly" she smiled looking at their hands touching

As soon as they stepped out the car she was clinging to him like a doting girlfriend, she was very polite when he finally introduced her to his boss, Blaine and his husband Kurt seemed to take to Jessie and Mercy after the first conversation. The evening started with business and ended with light conversation, which was easy, Mercy seemed to have stories of their lives together slipping off her tongue, he nodded, laughed, and kissed his way through the night with ease.

A song Kurt said was his favourite came on and everyone was tasked with dancing "Should we?" Sam asked feeling obliged to dance

"Sure" Mercy got up to follow him to the small dancefloor

"So" he pulled her to his chest "What do you really do for a job?"

"I'm actually a wedding singer" she smiled

"I've never met an actual wedding singer before" he laughed "Do you get much work?"

"Enough to get me by" she smiled "Kiss me" she lifted her head and allowed her lips to touch his, looking into his eyes, they were communicating, but none of them were using words

"I love you two" Blane commented at he danced past with Kurt in his arms

"You're a good boss" Sam laughed letting go of her lips, to finish the dance

"We should do this again" Kurt announced as they walked back to their table, everyone watching as Blaine threw his bank card on the tray for payment, Sam and Rachel looked at each other "Maybe we could pen something in for next week?"

"Next week?" Sam asked concerned as he sat Mercy back in her chair, his mind wondering how he was going to move from this in love relationship to a swift break up and then a wife in tow by next week

"Yeah" Blaine confirmed grabbing his husbands arm

"Okay?" Sam looked at Mercy asking

"Sure" she smiled at him, he smiled but his mind was somewhere else, he'd got what most would call a wife back home, there were few that would understand the situation he'd found himself in and even less that would condone it.

Flashback

"It's time son" his dad stood in the church vestry smiling at him "You'll learn to be happy"

"I'm doing this for you and mom, no one else" Sam told him

"Just give it three years, that's all we need" his dad confirmed

They'd found themselves in financial difficulties, his dad had been a senator for over 20 years, some might have called him a dodgy one. Then five years ago he'd lost his seat, and due to pure frivolity, arrogance, and having no plan B in place in the event of that happening, they were at a loose end. They'd lived a lavish life for as long as Sam could remember, he'd had a spoilt childhood.

So, when his parents started seeing things going south his dad quicky rushed to marry him into money, of course he wasn't up for it at first, he was only 25 years old, much too young for any of that, but when his dad sat him down and told him the facts of what was happening, he had no choice, there was no two ways about it, that marriage would save the day for them.

By the time he'd decided to conform his family wasn't as well off as the masses thought, but as was his dad's way, they faked it until the wedding day and beyond. He didn't know there were going to be sacrifices on both sides, all that glittered wasn't gold, she had a habit, an expensive on, so for those first months of courtship his life was getting her home, putting her to bed and getting ready to do it all again the next day.

The wedding was this grand affair, how she stayed clean for it, he'll never know, the day itself was manageable, but come the night when everyone had gone home and they were alone, her favourite powder came out and that was life. He wasn't really under any illusions, they hadn't married for love so there was none of that involved, intimacy wasn't on the agenda, so there'd never been cause to discuss it.

After a year of marriage Sam got a job at a national newspaper and suddenly things changed for him, he didn't need her shit in his life, he was working long hours, she was partying hard in his absence, and ultimately, she ended up in rehab yet again. Following her recovery, which was all kept under wraps, she dived back into the life she lived with a vengeance, and still her family were keeping it all under wraps.

There was no love in the big empty house, it wasn't even made with that intention, Sam moved up his professional ladder quickly, it helped that his father was gaining Kudos in the ranks again. Within eighteen months the relationship had turned into an empty, non-communicative shell, they were civil to each other, but they both knew it was a relationship purely for the public face, the only reason they stayed together was because of the agreement their parents had made for three years minimum.

End of Flashback

"Where do you keep going?" Mercy whispered in his ear

"I'm right here" he smiled at her "Business head keeps coming back" he shook his head, unwilling to share his thoughts

"Well, I'm ready if you are" she rubbed his cheek and kissed it

"Thanks for a brilliant night" he smiled "It couldn't have gone any better" he looked into her eyes, he meant what he was saying it had been just over two years since he'd even had what one might call a flirtatious conversation, telling him he was alive "Let's get you home" he stood up holding his hand out for her to grab

They all stood outside waiting for cars, Sam wondering how this was going to pan out with Blaine stood waiting for them all to get off, he was watching everyone and everything "I'll see you at work" Rachel came up to them smiling "Just take her home" she whispered in his ear

"See you on Monday" he smiled when she let him go

"Mercy" she smiled hugging her friend "Don't let him take advantage" she whispered

"Lovely to meet you" Mercy smiled, giving Jessie a hug, before watching him shake hands with Sam, they'd played the strangers game all night "And it was a joy to meet you guys" she turned to Blaine and Kurt smiling

Seconds later everyone was in their cabs making their way home "Thank you for tonight" Sam smiled "I don't know how they got you to do it but I'm grateful"

"It was a good night" she smiled "Your good company" she leaned forward to give the driver her address and sat back in the seat, there conversations trying to discreetly work out the truths from the lies of the night "This is me" she finally smiled grabbing the door as the cab came to a standstill

"Let me" Sam brushed past her hand and grabbed the handle "It seems strange to kiss at the beginning of the night and not at the end, don't you think?" his eyes met with hers, their lips within touching distance

"It does" she grinned leaning in to give him a kiss, surprising each other when they went further than they'd intended

"Not acting accordingly" he smiled before she pulled him back in

"Definitely not" she giggled opening the door and sliding out the cab "Bye Sam" she smiled cheekily before entering her building

"Mind if I call you again?" he called after her

"Rachel has my number" she called back, and then she was gone, he gave the driver his address and sat back

Home

The ride home wasn't very long, he just about had time to think about the night, take a few smiles from it and move back into the life he was about to face at home. For all intents and purposes, he had a wife, but that was in name only, they slept in separate beds, sometimes in the same room, if they had guests, and if anyone knew he was married and jerking off on a daily basis he'd be the laughingstock of the office. He smiled at maybe not needing that certain part of the moving he was currently using to get off tonight, Mercy had given him something to really think about, it had been a while since a woman had laid hands on him in any way.

The car stopped outside the house, and he was shocked to see all the lights on, that wasn't something that she did, he was concerned, he threw some money at the driver and quickly entered the house, ran up the stairs and into their bedroom "What the?" he stopped dead in the doorway "Are you…?" his voice itched again when a woman's head popped out from under the sheets "Seriously?"

"Sam" her voice just as shocked as his

"I cannot freaking believe you" he hissed at her "The fact that you like women doesn't even phase me" he laughed at the ridiculous "But the fact that your parents threw you at me knowing this shit just pisses me off"

"Sam" she got up, wraping herself in a sheet to follow him out the door "I'll be back in a minute" she told the woman in her bed leaning in to kiss her "Sam" she caught up with him

"Why didn't you use your room?" he turned to snap at her

"It just happened" she ran in front of him "I'm sorry you had to see that"

"It really doesn't bother me; we knew we didn't want each other like that from the start" he smirked

"My parents don't know" she told him "And I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell them"

"I'd appreciate it if you used your own room"

"I'm sorry" she frowned

"Is this why this time's different for you?" he looked at her "You haven't relapsed for six weeks, is she the reason?"

"Maybe" she laughed "She makes me happy; I can be myself with her"

"I'm actually happy for you" he smiled at her for the first time in a long while "We've got five months of this left and then we're free to do what we want"

"I don't think it's going to be that easy for me" she smiled at him "To think" she looked at him "If I'd have known you were going to be so amicable about this, we might have been friends instead of whatever we are"

"I don't hate you" he assured her "You're just not the person I want for my wife"

"And of course, I don't want a husband" she laughed

"You better get back to your warm bed"

"We'll move"

"No, it's fine, I'm in my room" he pointed across the hall "But I'll need clothes in the morning"

One Week Later

The next day he'd asked Rachel to hook him up with Mercy again for the pending night out with their boss again, if this was going to be a regular thing he was going to have to tell her the truth. They met up as usual, a bit more familiar than they'd been the week before, even Rachel was occasionally smiling at the implausible sexual tension between the two.

"Are you going to remind my friend this is all an act?" Rachel asked Sam when they got a second to themselves

"I'm going to tell her the truth tonight" he assured her

"Come on" Mercy grabbed his hand eager to get back the dancefloor "I thought you could return the favour" she smiled "I'm doing a wedding tomorrow and I wondered if you'd be my plus one?" she asked as they moved around the floor freestyling "I shoved the address in your pocket" she nodded at their seats "Two o'clock"

"We need to talk" he stopped jumping to tell her

"What now?"

"Definitely tonight"

"Can we dance first" she moved her butt, tapping it while Blaine laughed

"She's a keeper" Blaine told Sam, he didn't get time to answer, Mercy dived at him and planted a kiss on his lips, he melted wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, not caring who was watching them

The night eventually finished, and everyone once again went their own way "Can we?" Sam pointed at a café on the way to her house

"It's crap coffee but if you want to talk" she nodded watching him tell the cab to stop, they grabbed coffee's and settled into their seats, "So" she smiled at him

"This is going to sound worse than it is" he smiled awkwardly "I'm just going to say it" he grabbed her hand, somehow he felt this was going to hurt him as much as her "I'm married"

"What?" she nearly choked on her drink

"But it's not a conventional marriage"

"Do you know how many times I hear that in my line of work" she laughed getting up "Nobody has a conventional wedding anymore Sam"

"Let me explain" he grabbed her hand "Please" he held it tighter when she tried to pull away "Just five minutes"

"Five minutes" she sat back down

He sat explaining the situation he'd been in over the past near three years, the reason he was in that predicament and the recent revelations from his so called wife "And to top it all I should have said something the first time we met, but I was… well I didn't think there was going to be a second time" he frowned "And I don't know about you, but I feel an attraction"

"But this whole situation isn't just black.. or white is it?"

"I admit there's a whole heap of grey, but if you'll let me, I swear you'll learn to love that colour too"

"Why would you think I'd want, or even need, all this complication in my life?"

"I'm sorry" he frowned "I only know what I need to make me happy"

"I can't decide anything right now" she got up again

"Can I have your number?" he asked

"Give me yours" she took her phone out and took his number

"You're going to call me, right?" he asked

"I need time" she smiled and walked out the café

He'd done all he could, the ball was in her court, all he could do now was wait for her to call, or maybe call Rachel, get her number, and call her back. He took the night to soul search, he wanted someone, he couldn't deny that, but was grabbing the first girl to show interest the right way to go, and was she just showing interest because of the situation, he'd asked nothing.

The next day

By the time daybreak came he'd got a plan, he was going to the wedding she'd asked him to attend, he grabbed the address out his pocket and went to see his wife "Are you and your girlfriend" He looked at her wondering if he'd used the right words "Free this afternoon, about one thirty, I need you to help me with something?"

"I can call her, get her to come over" she smiled

"Tell her to dress up, it's a wedding"

"I'm not even going to ask" she giggled watching him grab clothes from his wardrobe "You like her?" she smiled at his choice

"I do" he stopped to look at her "We just met actually"

"You don't need to explain yourself to me" she laughed, happy for him

The Wedding

"Mercy" he smiled at seeing her standing behind the bridal party "I know we didn't…"

"It's fine Sam" she smiled grabbing his arm "I was hoping you wouldn't let me down"

"I've brought some crashers" he laughed "I just need you to meet her, see there's nothing between us"

"At a wedding?"

"It just felt like something you wouldn't run away from"

"I like your logic" she laughed "Rachel usually comes but they've got something on" she leaned in and kissed him on the lips "Can we meet your crashers after the church I'm working now" she stepped off leaving him to himself.

He fetched his wife and her girlfriend out the car and went into the church, he sat in awe at her singing some next level song that he didn't see coming, as the bridal party walked down the aisle. Eventually the church finished, and everyone was asked to make their way to the reception, she didn't waste time in getting back to him "Hey" he smiled, she seemed almost as excited as him "That was amazing" he nodded at the church "You're voice" he rolled his eyes

"Thank you" she smiled taking another kiss

"Mercy" he turned to the two women grinning "This is Brittany and her girlfriend…"

"Santana" the woman stood next to her smiled "Nice to meet you"

"Ladies" Mercy smiled "Let's get to this reception, I'm working, but we can get to know each other in the gaps" she grabbed Brittany's arm, Sam smiled, happy she could get on with them.

They sat chatting as if they'd known each other forever; even Sam felt comfortable enough to join in "You should come round have dinner sometime" Brittany invited her

"You might regret asking that" Mercy laughed "My pet hate, cooking" she admitted

"I love cooking" Santana giggled

"Excuse me" she heard her cue for work again, kissing Sam "Love those lips" she whispered to him before she got up

"Oh, I love this song" Santana smiled as she started singing

…Baby just close your eyes, relax your mind, breathe in and out yeah
No one will notice, if we focused on each other now, you got me slowly floating high, your lips can lift up my guard,

Man, I'm saying, this ain't a tough spot to be in, it's you and I, I ain't thinking about what's outside, no I
Nothing got anything on you right now, I'm addicted to the feeling, I just want to get lost in you
Feel the energy it's healing, I find myself getting lost in you, you… 'Lost In You' by Jade Novah

"I'm willing to try this" she smiled walking towards him when she finished the bride and groom's first dance "You're right, things are never just black or white, there are all shades of grey, I have some pretty messy shades myself"

"We'll turn them all into warm shades of grey" he punched the air having finally found his piece of happiness