This one had to be split... these will be sad chapters

The Beautiful Life of Anthony Rashad:

Part One

Anthony Michael Rashad was born in the middle of a storm and power outage and unlike the storm, he came in without a single sound. Sara was worried something was wrong with him before looking down and seeing that he was staring at her, with bright brown eyes and firm frown on his face.

She couldn't help smiling at the expression on his face, he was after all just like his father in that way. Quiet and stern. Well until he turned four, it was like his personality needed to charge up and once it was ready, it exploded with a bright burst of color. Sara often saw bright yellows and oranges whenever she looked at her son, losing her husband was hard on them but they somehow managed to get by.

It wasn't until she started working with the Evans that she was able to afford a better upbringing for her son. Much to her joy, the Evans had a son around Anthony's age, Sam. Meeting Sam was like meeting another son and for a while, it was easy, until the trouble started. Sara would spend most of her time wrangling the boys than she did tending to house duties.

The more time she spent with the Evans, the more her love for them grew and the more she viewed each new edition as her second or third child, it was simply the best situation for everyone involved. That is until the boys got older and Sam changed, she recognized the difference from when he was a child to a teenager. It was like the weight of the world was on his shoulders and Anthony did everything in his power to try to get him out of his shell.

"You know Sam is still your friend right?"

Anthony nodded, sifting the flour. "I know ma. Just a bummer is all… we were supposed to play football together and he backed out."

Sara sighed, grabbing his hands. "Just give him time, he's got a lot going on right now."

Anthony shrugged. "Yeah, I know. I'm going to go hang out with Puck- we're going to train for tryouts." He said, kissing her on the cheek before heading out.

Sara watched him walk away, shaking her head. "You can come out now."

Sam came out, walking over to Sara. His young face was pinched into his new normal frown. "Do you think he's mad?"

Sara looked at him, shaking her head. "Mad isn't the word I'd use… he's disappointed but he also understands."

Sam crossed his arms. "I can't do what he wants…"

She frowned. "You are choosing to be hard on yourself, you can do whatever you set your mind to… I don't know what that talk was about with your father but whatever he said, it's not true."

"I'll be upstairs if he comes back." He replied, sulking away.

Sara watched him walk away before quickly sliding her pie into the oven and then storming off to Dwight's office. She knocked and he looked up from his writings and smiled, nodding her in.

"Mr. Evans, I don't know what you told him but you need to go fix it."

Dwight looked at her confused. "I'm not sure I know what you mean?"

She closed the door as she inched closer. 'Whatever you told Sam, you need to go and fix it. He's being hard on himself about something and even Anthony has noticed that he's changed."

"Sara, you have been with us for a long time and I've had an issue with interjecting your views on my children but I have to ask that you stay out of this." He said, sitting back.

"With all due respect, you are going to make him hard and he shouldn't be that way. I know you see him moping around now, go talk to him!" She urged but Dwight just sighed, shaking his head.

"You stupid selfish man! He is carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders now and you're just going to let him?"

Dwight slammed his hand on his desk. "Be careful, I am not above firing you."

Sara took a step back, keeping her head high. "Then do it."

Dwight gritted his teeth. "Sara, don't test me on this."

She rolled her shoulders. "Then go fix it!"

Dwight stood walking over to the older woman. "I will talk to him but let this be the last time you speak to me that way. I enjoy having you and your son around but this is still your place of employment."

Sara waved him off. "I'll keep that in mind." She quipped before walking out to finish her cooking.

Sara fussed over the three ties Stacey laid out for her, they were all so elegant and beautiful but she couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that she was picking the last time her son would ever wear. He hated ties and she knew it but it was his request to be buried in one, his last way to appease his mother.

If I should die before my immortal mother, bury me in a tie. She deserves to see me in one, one last time.

She shook her head, letting off a small laugh. "You would choose this as a dying wish, you silly bastard." She said aloud before getting choked up.

"My God, why did you have to be so perfect?" She cried out, throwing the ties against the wall as she slowly fell. "Why did you take my baby?"

Stevie stood outside the door, tears streaming down his face as he heard Sara cry. He out of his siblings was the closest with Sara so hearing her break down as this tore him into pieces. After their mother past away he gravitated to her and she took him under her wings. Him and Anthony were close as well, after the fall out between him and Sam before he went to college, Anthony and Stevie got close due to their love of football and girls.

It was like losing another brother and watching his surrogate mother breaking into a million pieces all at once. He wanted to go in and comfort her but he wasn't sure how. He racked his brain trying to figure out a way to comfort her but he knew that the loss of a child was way out of his wheelhouse.

"Stevie, are you okay?" Stacey asked, gently grabbing his hand.

He shook his head. "No, I need to… I'll be back. Keep an eye on Sara."

Stacey grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Where are you going? We can't leave her right now and we have to get to the hospital to check on Sam… you can't check out right now Stevie."

Stevie yanked away. "I know! I'm not checking out, I have something I need to do, damnit! I haven't used since before going to rehab, I've been clean for YEARS! Jesus, I get it I fucked up but I'm not going to run off and get drugs!" He spat back before walking out of the house to his car.

He hated having to snap at Stacey but he was tired of defending his actions, it wasn't like either of his siblings ever visited him while he was in rehab. The only people to visit him were Sara and Anthony, Anthony not as much as Sara but it was the thought that counted for him. He made plenty of mistakes but had been working towards fixing them, his stint in rehab was enough for him to stay off the drugs for good. Mostly because he'd found love there or so he thought, whatever it was ended in him having a son.

He shook his head, taking the long road to his son's mother's house. He'd only been there a few times out of respect for her but he knew this would make Sara happy.

"What are you doing here?" Bree, his son's mother asked. She was sitting outside lounging when he walked up.

"I came to ask if I could take Jason to meet someone very important to me?"

Bree looked up at him with her hand above her eyes to block the sun. "Why?"

Stevie shifted. "Because… she lost her son and is like a second mother to me… you wanted him to get to know my family. This is how you do it."

She sighed before slowly nodding. "That's fine but he has a strict schedule so he'll need to be back by six."

Stevie smiled brightly. "Okay! I can do that, I will have him back in time I swear."

Bree offered a smile "JAS!" She shouted, standing fully looking him over. "You look nice… healthy. Taking care of yourself?"

"I am. It's not really hard so long as I stick to my schedule."

She nodded, smiling when Jason ran up and wrapped his arms around her leg. "Hey buddy, so you're going with your dad today. He has some people he wants you to meet, okay?"

Jason beamed. "Really? Where are we going?"

Stevie kneeled down, taking in his son's bright smile. "I'm taking you to meet your aunt and uncle and a dear friend of mine."

The young boy nodded. "Okay!"

Stevie stood, holding his hand out for him and he gladly took it. "We'll be back before six."

Bree smiled. "Be good kiddo, call me if you need anything." She said, giving Jason a hug before they walked away.

Stevie helped Jason into his car, making sure he was securely fastened before shooting Bree an appreciative smile. "We'll be back later!" He said and she just nodded.

"Alright buddy! Let's go meet some people."

The young boy smiled brightly. "Will I need a jacket like yours?"

Stevie chuckled. "I guess we can stop and get you one, if you want?"

"Yea!" Jason replied excitedly.

After Stevie and Jason found a suit like his, they went back to his parents house. He was a ball of nerves but he was ready for his family to meet his son, helping Jason out he couldn't help the big grin that formed. He led the young boy inside, stopping in the foyer and kneeling down so that he was eye to eye with his son.

"Okay buddy, so I'm going to introduce you to some very important people."

Jason nodded, looking around. "Is this where my grandma and grandpa lived?"

Stevie had told him that his parents passed away when he was younger and promised to bring him to his childhood hated that it was on this occasion but he knew it was beyond time.

"Yes and it's where I grew up with your aunt and uncle."

Stacey walked out of the guest room, freezing when she saw Stevie talking to a little boy. "Umm… Stevie, who's this?" She asked, slowly approaching.

Stevie stood, feeling his nerves. "Well this is my son. Jason this is your aunt Stacey, Stacey this is Jason."

"Hi!" Jason said excitedly and Stacey gasped before smiling with watery eyes.

"What?" She asked, kneeling down in front of Jason. "Hi! Aren't you the cutest thing ever."

"Yeah…" Stevie said, shifting in his feet. "I wanted him to meet everyone, especially Sara."

Stacey sniffled. "He's beautiful, how are you?"

"Why are you sad?" Jason asked, making her laugh.

"I'm not, I'm just really surprised and happy to meet you." She replied.

"Is Sara still here?" Stevie asked.

"Yeah she's just in there, we're headed to the funeral home."

Stevie sighed. "Come on little guy, I want you to meet my second mom."

Jason grabbed his dad's hand, smiling at Stacey. "See you later, aunt Stacey!"

Stevie couldn't help chuckling. "Good job, she's gonna spoil you for sure now." He teased, guiding them into the guest room where Sara sat.

"Sara?" Stevie said inching close. "I have someone I want you to meet."

The older woman looked up, looking at Stevie before looking over to the young boy. "I was wondering when you were going to bring him to see me."

"You knew about him?" Stevie asked, shocked but also relieved.

"Of course I did, come here sweetheart." She replied, holding her arms open for Jason who gladly embraced her.

"My dad says you're his other mom, does that mean you're my grandma?" Jason asked and Sara looked up at Stevie with teary eyes.

"It does." She answered, pinching his cheeks. "I wish you could've met your other uncle"

Jason tilted his head. "I had one but I haven't seen him, he said he would come back but he didn't yet."

Stevie looked at him confused. "Who was he?"

Jason shrugged. "He told me to call him uncle Ant and that he would come to see me again."

Sara shook her head, grabbed the picture she had of Anthony, and showed it to Jason. "Him?"

Jason tilted his head before nodding. "Mhm, that's him."

Tears started streaming down her eyes. "Oh my sweet boy, surprising me to the very end," Sara said.

Stevie smiled, grabbing her hand. "We'll be with you every step of the way, we won't leave your side." He promised.

Sara nodded. "Let's go send him home."

"Mercedes, it's time to wake up."

"I'm not ready… I like it here. It's safe here." Mercedes replied, running her hands through the soft grass. "You're here."

Elise sighed. "That's because I belong here, you don't… not yet at least."

"Seems I don't really belong anywhere, at least here I know I won't get hurt." She replied, falling back enjoying the warmth from the sun and the gentle kiss of flower petals on her skin. "I can be free here."

"You can not stay here because there are people waiting for you out there. People died for you, baby so you gotta fight for them."

Mercedes frowned, turning away from her grandmother. "Why are you bringing that up? Why don't you want me to be here?"

"Baby, I do but not now. Not when you have so much living left to do and so much love waiting for you."

"I don't have anyone that loves me, not like how you loved me." Mercedes protested.

"That's not true." A voice came, she looked up and saw a woman that looked a lot like her standing there. "Oh how I wish I could've seen you longer."

Mercedes looked at the woman before tears began streaming down her face. "You're her aren't you?"

"I'm your mother, yes." Denise replied, kneeling down cautiously bringing her hand up to her face. "You look so much like my mother, she was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen."

Mercedes placed her hand on her mother's. "I'm sorry… that they… I'm sorry." She sobbed out.

Denise quickly wrapped her arms around her daughter. "Don't ever apologize for what those people did. You were a child and I didn't know that he was who your father warned me about…"

"I wish they hadn't done this to you, to me, or to him." Mercedes said, sniffling.

"Me too sweetheart but they did it and there's no changing it." She said, using her hand to tilt Mercedes' head up. "As much as I want to linger in this moment and love on you, you have to wake up or you will get stuck here."

"But… I just got to meet you, I can't leave now."

Denise smiled, pulling her into a warm embrace. "I will never not be here, and I will always be with you but I lived my life though short, I lived it and you have to go live yours."

"I'm afraid to leave and go back… what if everyone hates me?"

"They won't, they want you back." A deeper voice said, she looked up and saw a man standing there. "Hey, baby girl."

Mercedes looked at her mother, who just nodded before standing and running over to hug who she assumed was her father. "Hello!"

Derek hugged her back tightly. "Wow…" He said, pulling away slightly before hugging her again. "You look like my sister… you have an aunt you know?"

"I didn't know…" She replied looking up at him. "I have so many questions."

He nodded. "I know but your time here is fading, so just let me look at you." He said, tears falling. "I… Jesus, you're more beautiful than I ever imagined."

Mercedes smiled. "Thanks… I'm not entirely sure what I imagined either of you looking like but now that I know, I understand a little more about me."

Elise walked over, giving them a knowing look. "Whatever happens when you wake up, just know that here or there you are so loved."

Mercedes shook her head, tears streaming. "I just… I don't…" She stammered as her parents and grandmother walked her over to a bridge.

"Go on, you're not alone." Denise encouraged. "We love you, always."

She looked back at everyone before slowly walking over the bridge where she saw a man standing there looking off. She slowly walked further before stopping and letting out a gasp.

"Hey none of that." He said, offering her a warm smile. "I kept my promise didn't I?"

She nodded, wiping her tears. "Yes but at what cost?"

Anthony held out his hand for her, she looked at it for a moment before taking it. "I knew the cost and you staying here only means what I did was in vain. The only thing I ask is that you tell my mother I love her and that I don't regret a thing." He replied, leading her to an archway.

She turned and looked at him. "What if I don't remember any of this?"

"You will, you will remember everything and you'll tell everyone everything. The fight is nearly over, you just gotta wake up." Anthony answered.

She nodded. "Thank you for everything." She said hugging him. "I'll make sure everyone knows the truth."

Anthony smiled. "Don't let my mother bury me in shoes!" He shouted before she started to walk through the archway.

She laughed. "I'll make sure she knows." She replied, turning again and staring at the archway.

"Cedie!" She heard, making her turn around but she didn't see anyone. "Come on, this way!"

"I… where?" Mercedes asked, hearing a giggle.

"This way silly!"

Mercedes heard the voice more clearly and ran toward it, right through the archway before she fell onto a block of ice. Her eyes grew wide and she began to shake, slowly she stood noticing that she had on ice skates.

"CEDIE!" She heard, looking up before seeing Carla waving excitedly.

"Oh my God…" She gasped, her lip quivering and eyes filling with fresh tears rolling down her face. "C-carla."

The young girl glided over to her, wrapping her arms around her. "I missed you!"

Mercedes hugged her back, afraid to let go. "I missed you too!"

Carla looked up at her with a sad smile. "We only have a little time left but there's something you need to know before you wake up."

I left it on the cliffhanger... the next chapter will explain how Anthony got out and Sam will wake up! Until next time xoxo