"Alright Beth looks like we're all good here. I want you to continue with the brushing and flossing to keep that smile nice and pretty. How does that sound?"

The little girl wiggled in the weird dentist chair for a moment before she said her response.

"Can I have a lollipop now?"

"Sure you can, but you have to say the special line first."

Beth cranked her head up to see Mercedes' father reach for the gigantic tub of sugar free treats.

"Please Dr. Jones, can I please have a lollipop?"

"Sure you can short-round, pick any one you like."

Shelby just shook her head at the interaction going on in front of her. Beth didn't really have a male role-model; most of the men she interacted with were gay show-choir directors. So it always hurt her heart a little bit to see Beth so engaged and excited to see her dentist only to separate them after her check-ups.

"See ya Dr. Jones," the little girl said with the lollipop engulfed in her right cheek.

"I'll see you next month kiddo."

As Shelby and Beth headed out towards the waiting room, Shelby caught the eye of Mercedes Jones who was working in her dad's office over the summer.

"Hi Mercedes, it's nice to see you," Shelby said very awkwardly.

"Hey Ms. Corcoran…Hey Beth," Mercedes waved at the 5 year old who waved back with her one free hand.

"So umm how's college?" Shelby was not good with small talk.

"Oh it's going great I'm really enjoying it."

"Yeah, what are you majoring in?"

"Political Science, I want to start interning in Washington but my dad keeps begging me to come back here to spend time with him, and be his indentured servant."

"Well that's what fathers are for right? Ruining your life is in their job description. But seriously, I hope you realize how lucky you are Mercedes. There are only a few good men out there, and one of them is your dad."

"I know, he's a bit of a goofball but he's my goofball."

"Hey before I let you get back to work…have you talked to Rachel? Last time I saw her she was walking with that cute tall boy from your Glee club. How is she? Are they together?"

"Well Ms. Corcoran, Rachel and I kind of lost touch after graduation. And that tall boy… his name is Finn and he is my boyfriend now."

Later that evening at Breadsticks

"And then she got this bug eyed look on her face like I had just sprouted a second head or something. Then she hurried Beth out the door…stop laughing Finn it isn't funny," Mercedes whined as she sipped more of her Pepsi.

"It's a little funny, especially the part about you with two heads, that would be kind of cool," Finn said between bites of food. "Why would you care what Shelby thinks anyway?"

"I really don't it's just that…I hate that reaction. If I say I have a boyfriend named Finn people usually just think you have a weird name and that's the end of it. But when they actually know you and know what you look like it becomes this big revelation that they were unprepared to hear."

"It's Shelby…as in Rachel Berry version 1.0, dramatics are pretty much par for the course."

"You think so?"

"Yeah trust me I dated her daughter for a…and I'm not supposed to mention that around you am I?"

"No…but you're cheering me up so I'm going to let it slide. Finn…I don't boss you around too much do I?"

"You do a little bit, you do a lot actually, but I know that you just want what's best for me and that sometimes I need to be pushed."

"You keep saying that, but there are plenty of girls who would enjoy bossing you around. And don't play dumb because I see how those cougars keep coming to Sheets N Things to try and holler at you."

Finn put down the fork and held Mercedes hand across the table.

"I wish you would stop comparing yourself to other girls, you really shouldn't do that. Rachel was really determined to push me into the things she wanted to do. She had this whole plan set up where we would be this ultra famous Broadway couple. Broadway is really competitive and even if we did make it, as much as I love to perform, I'm not sure it's what I want to do with my life. With you I know I can say "Hey Mercedes, I want to be a nuclear physicist today and train chameleons to fight hamsters tomorrow," and you would support me."

Mercedes raised a questioning eyebrow at him.

"The animal training I get but come on Finn…nuclear physicist?"

Finn shrugged and picked up his fork again.

"Yeah even in my fantasy world, the physicist thing doesn't last long. Hey you should try one of these fries they're really good."

"No thanks….I am really enjoying my salad," Mercedes said picking at her plate in an attempt to convince herself more than to convince Finn.

Another couple of minutes go by and Mercedes is digging into the French fries on Finn's plate.

"Hey Mercedes-"

"You made an offer Finn you can't take it back now."

"No it's not about the fries…how is Beth? I never got to see her….how is she doing?"

Mercedes looked into her boyfriend's hopeful eyes and felt her heart sink. It didn't matter if she wasn't his genetically, that little girl was always going to have a place in his heart. He did think he was going to help raise her, and Mercedes guessed his brain was still searching for a daughter to love and protect.

"She is the most beautiful little blonde thing I have ever seen in my life Finn."

This made Finn smile, which made Mercedes tear up a little.