Oh hi there... it's been A WHILE

Chapter Twelve

Sam arrived back to his parents to find Mercedes sitting on the sofa curled up watching a movie and couldn't help smiling at how beautiful she looked. His mother was sitting on the opposite side napping, he only had thirty minutes before they needed to be at the airstrip.

"Hey, I see this still hasn't changed." Sam said walking over to where Mercedes was laying, he lifted her slightly and laid her head on his lap.

"Did you get everything figured out?" Mary asked, smiling at her son.

"Mostly but we have to head out sooner than expected." Sam answered.

"I thought we were going to be able to stay the night." Mercedes said and Sam sighed.

"No, we can't…" He responded, checking his watch. "We have to get to New York tonight… Mark's letting me use his private jet but it comes with some contingencies."

Mercedes looked at him and nodded. "He wants to work with me." She said and Sam nodded.

"He wants to feature you."

Mercedes buried her head into her hands. "I can't contractually work with him… I'm not allowed to cross over genres."

Sam sighed. "He just wants a chance to speak with you besides I think he's the one wanting to cross over."

"Well, I guess we should get going." Mercedes said having a bad feeling about leaving.

"You know you could stay… I'll only be out there for this meeting and you're probably more hidden here than you'd be in New York." Sam suggested but she shook her head.

"No, I don't think it will matter where I am, if he wants to find me he will."

Sam sighed before standing. "I get that but it would be easier to run in and out without a media frenzy… besides, pops can protect you."

Mercedes shifted. "Do you… do not want me to go?"

Mary sat up. "Excuse me, I'm going to check… the water." She said, sensing the tension brewing.

"I'm not saying that, I'm just saying it'll be easier." Sam replied.

She nodded. "Do you mean easier because you can work faster or easier because I won't be there?"

Sam sighed. "Both. You have a lot of media attention on you right now and I made it in the writing industry without anyone knowing that we know each other… if you're with me they're all going to want favors."

"Huh… well there you go. Sorry to be a hindrance to your career, I won't go."

"Mercedes, it's not like that. I just… I don't want the hassle of explaining how I know you and why I've worked with you."

"WRONG ANSWER!" Mary shouted from the other room.

Mercedes shook her head. "Hassle? You are the one that told me to come with you, you are the one that made it seem like this was okay and now it's a hassle? Fine, consider yourself hassle free!" She said, grabbing her phone and storming off.

Sam rolled his eyes. "Mercedes, don't make this into something that it's not." He replied, running after her.

"I'm not, I'm going to stay or be anywhere I'm not wanted. You have a plane to catch, I suggest you do it because I'll be damned if I'm blamed for you losing this."

Sam grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Mercedes, I never said you're not wanted. I just… this is hard okay? All of this is hard and I thought I could handle it but I can't and I'm trying to vocalize it but I'm doing my best."

Mercedes looked at him and sighed. "I get that… let me make it easier for you." She said, stepping away from him. "Go on, you're gonna be late."

"Don't do this…"

She shook her head. "It's done. Being with me is difficult and it shouldn't be so I'm making it easier." She held her hand up when he started to talk. "No one is at fault, go before you miss your meeting, I'll have Monica schedule me a flight back."

Sam started to move forward but stopped when she turned and walked away on her phone. He watched as she walked further and further out of his view before figuring he had to make a decision, no matter which way he went he would lose something important to him but this time it would be on him.

Mercedes sat down, coffee in her hand, softly blowing on it to cool it. She took a long sip, rolling her neck and appreciating the calm that the early morning brought. If she were honest, this was the only time she was promised peace and quiet and it was something she looked forward to over the past seven months.

A lot of changes were made when she landed at L.A.X. One of them being the way she handled the public's perception of her, thanks to Tank and his little stunt she had to do a lot of damage control. She publicly announced the end of their short lived engagement exactly forty-eight hours after being back home and braced herself with forthcoming backlash.

She faced a lot of it due to how Tank presented himself to the press, she had no choice but to get ahead of everything he might throw at her, which meant she had to leak the video of her and Sam kissing. She wished she could've given him a heads up but she had to focus on herself first, it was selfish but had to be done.

Luckily, the only person clearly visible was her, she chose to keep his identity a secret but that didn't stop Tank from trying to point him out. His credibility was only slightly damaged, her breaking things off then the video allowed more to view her as a cheater and him as an innocent bystander.

She snorted thinking about Tank being anything but innocent, he was far from it and unfortunately she was stuck in an ironclad deal with him and his label. She couldn't make a move professionally without his approval which meant she couldn't reach out to Sam and ask him to write her a song.

Oddly enough, she's come across several new artist who told her about getting songs written by him and she couldn't be happier for him. She never told them she knew him since it seemed like the best thing to do but there were a few who did their research and asked if she'd ever ran into him while at McKinley.

She would always reply the same way. "McKinley is a distant memory, but she might've stumbled into him once or twice."

She let out a deep breath, counting the seconds until the peace she was currently interrupted by her new assistant. She felt her eyes rolling at the mere thought of… Jack.

Jack Greene was the worst assistant known to man and yet, she still hired him. She was left with no choice since Monica quit shortly after their return to Los Angeles, she quit without so much as an explanation.

"I'm sorry but I have to do this… you'll understand when it's time."

She was still waiting for the understanding to set in but Tank was happy that she was gone which meant he was only slightly an asshole. Her career was at a permanent standstill because she refused to do a movie he told her to do. A movie that she would never in a million years ever do but he thought since he held the reins that she would just accept everything but he found out the hard way that she could and would make herself a boulder and not budge.

He delayed her album out of retaliation but that didn't stop her from performing when she felt like it. She booked things behind his back, leaked music and did press all without his knowledge and the best part of it is, he couldn't touch a cent of her earnings because he was dumb enough to put anything he booked he would reap the benefits.

"Sorry I'm late Ms. Jones." Jack said, stumbling into the kitchen. "I got your coffee and breakfast!"

Mercedes looked him over, nodding to the cup that was in her hand. "Thank you. I appreciate you getting me coffee and breakfast." She replied lifelessly.

Jack frowned, placing the coffee cup and meal on the table. "Right, so let's go over today's itinerary. You have a meeting with Tank and the record execs at ten, a photoshoot at twelve thirty and a meeting with… a Monica."

Mercedes completely ignored everything he said until he said Monica's name. "Monica? What time is that meeting?"

He looked at his table. "Five thirty."

She shook her head. "Why? When was this made?"

Jack scrolled before finding whatever he was looking for and showing it to Mercedes. "I inherited this calendar, it's been on here since I got hired."

She racked her mind trying to figure out why Monica would pre schedule a meeting with her. "What is the photoshoot for?"

"It's a promo for the Danger film."

Mercedes slowly set her cup down, shooting him a stern look. "Excuse me?"

Jack shifted nervously. "It's… promo for the Danger film. It's been rescheduled sixteen times and today is the last day to get it completed."

She tilted her head. "Funny considering I've said it multiple times that I will not be doing that damn film and yet here you are telling me I have promo work to do." She replied. "Did he tell you to add that on there?"

Jack nodded. "He told me to integrate your schedule with his…"

Mercedes bawled up her fists. "And let me guess, you gave him my full calendar and he knows everything I have planned now?"

He shook his head. "No! I only gave him the one you told me I'm allowed to share."

She narrowed her eyes on the man. "I will say this one last time, do not mention that fucking movie to me again, understand?"

Jack nodded, quickly deleting it from her calendar. "Right, so you are free from twelve thirty to five now… I know you wanted to know when Mr. Evans was in town-" He stopped when she shook her head.

"One dilemma at a time, can you call Tank and let him know that the meeting at ten is now moved to twelve and then call the execs to schedule the change. After you finish that call Xander, let him know I'll be there in twenty minutes. I can squeeze out a few songs and after you finish that, please go pick up my gown and shoes, also call Santana and tell her I need her to fly out here as soon as possible."

Jack nodded, his fingers typing furiously. "Lunch?"

"No, I'll order from the studio- check and see if Britney and the baby are coming along with her, let my parents know I'll be home in three weeks." She answered, starting to walk away but Jack grabbed her arm stopping her.

"About that message…" Jack said, flinching when she jerked away.

"We all get drunk, it was your one freebie." She replied, walking out of the room.

Jack let out a deep breath before quickly hurrying out to do everything she asked, happy that she was going to overlook his fuck up.

Fifteen Days Ago

"You've reached Mercedes, leave me a quick message and I'll get back with you."

"Mmm, even your voicemail sounds sexy. It's so hard working for you knowing that you're single and no one is keeping you warm at night… I could do that! I could keep you so damn warm at night, fuck just let me have a taste. I bet you taste so fucking goood."

Mercedes listened to the message twice, once out of obligation and twice out of sheer horror. Jack wasn't unattractive in the slightest but he also didn't present himself in a manner that she would remotely be his type.

Instead of addressing it, she chose to pretend that she never received it. And would've been successful had he not followed up with a second voicemail begging her not to fire him.

She felt for him, she knew how hard it was getting into this business and just didn't have the heart to be a complete bitch but he insisted on trying to apologize.

She walked into her room, looking over everything and closed her eyes. She was admittedly tired of everything, the appearances, the shows and singing. She couldn't let anyone know it but she was burnt out, fighting for her rights to her own voice and music was starting to wear her down.

That's the one area in which Tank was succeeding, she could refuse and refuse but he owned her voice. Which meant he owned her, and he made sure she knew it.

Month after month he made sure to get her hopes up with these little meetings with the execs but he would always they'll them the same thing.

"We're working on a new sound, this takes time and she's branching out with movies and tv shows so we're going to take the time we need."

She shook away the tears that had been threatening to fall. "Just get through today." She said to herself, she needed to compose her thoughts before stepping outside.

She'd mastered the unbothered look, the carefree smile and perfected the over-the-shoulder smirk for the paparazzi. She was essentially a machine, a very lonely and tired machine.

Running to her bedside, she grabbed her phone quickly calling Jack.

"Ms. Jones, something I miss?"

"Have you spoken to Tank?"

There was a long pause. "No… I-"

"Thank God you're incompetent. Don't tell him anything, don't tell anyone anything… as far as you know, when you arrived this morning I was gone. Got it?"

"Umm… what about your meeting with Monica?"

She sighed. "If Monica wants to reach me, she knows how. Now do you understand what I just said?"

"Yes… where are you going to be though?"

"Need to know and frankly you don't need to know. I'll continue to pay you but one fuck up and that's it." She replied before hanging up. She'd had enough, if she was going to get her life back then she needed to take complete control of it, on her own.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE ISN'T THERE? WHERE THE HELL IS SHE?" Tank shouted

"I-I… When I went to give her breakfast, her place was empty… I tried calling her but she just isn't answering." Jack replied, shaking.

Tank punched the wall. "Did she put you up to this? Is this some ploy just to piss me off?"

"No sir, if she's missing then I need to go looking for her… she could be in trouble."

"Oh she's in trouble… she just doesn't learn." He muttered, pulling out his phone and making a call.

"Release it and include everything!"

Jack slowly backed out of the office, quickly grabbing his own phone to text Mercedes.

JG-He's not happy.

MJ-Good. Goodbye Jack, I'll put in a good word.

Sam sat at his desk, listening to the soft drumming of rain and the tv in the background. He'd been in the middle of writing another song for a new client when his phone began to ping nonstop. Not wanting to stop his flow, he quickly glanced at it, seeing he had a few messages from his parents and Santana. Instead of responding he just silenced it and continued.

A lot of things happened that day when Mercedes ultimately left, including him losing a client. He refused to leave with them on the terms they were one but she interpreted his words as him pushing her away and deep down he was. He should've been man enough to admit it but at the time he just didn't want to be another factor in her already complicated life.

He felt like shit when it finally hit him that he was doing that, she knew him and he should've known she would figure it out before him. She gave him the out he wanted and he regretted every single day, especially since he'd been going out to LA more but was too cowardly to reach out to her.

His phone started vibrating and he groaned before answering. "What is it Santana?"

"God damnit Guppy! Did you check any of your messages?" Santana shouted, making him phone his ear from the receiver.

"I'm working, what do you want?"

She sighed. "Mercedes has decided to go missing and that asshole leaked pictures of the two of you!"

"What? I haven't seen her in months… is she okay? Does anyone know anything?" He asked, putting her speaker and quickly skimming the messages and other notifications.

"No jackass, we don't know where she is. You need to do your thing, whatever it is that you do and call her."

Sam shook his head. "I can't call her… she won't answer me." He said, right as a loud clap of lightning sounded and the power went off. "Shit! Santana?"

He looked and saw the call had dropped and he no longer had service. Sam stood, walking into the kitchen being greeted by Lily slowly pondering in, yawning and shooting him a bored look.

"I know, I know but I can't call her… she doesn't want anything to do with me." He rambled, going through his drawers looking for candles.

Lily stretched before laying by his feet, yawning again. Another crack of lightning followed by various rolls of thunder, Sam found the candles and lighter and started to light them.

"You think it's that easy? Just call her up and be like hey, heard you were missing… how's that?" He muttered, placing the lit candles everywhere before moving into the living room and doing the same

Lily followed, hopping onto the sofa and curling up next to him when he sat. "I mean… Do you think she will answer my call? This is a good reason to call but the damn power's out… Do you think she's missing? I hope she isn't… I don't think she is… I think she's right where she wants to be." He said, rubbing Lily's ears. He looked down seeing that the old dog was looking at him, almost expectantly.

Sam rolled his eyes. "Fine! I'll go try to find some power, Jesus, so damn pushy!" He pushed off the couch, grabbing his shoes and keys before opening his door.

"Shit." He said as Mercedes came into view, drenched but smiling. "I thought you were missing."

She stepped closer, shivering slightly. "I was but not anymore."

What happened in those seven months will be explained more- including why Monica quit!