Author's Note: Thank you all for your continued support and reading of this story. I wish I had all your phone numbers so that we could chat I feel like we would be great friends! To celebrate my 18th Wedding Anniversary here is another chapter. Please forgive any mistakes. Anna

Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or any of its characters.

I Knew You Were Waiting for Me-Part II

Chapter 11

An-jella had entered the stadium and approached her office; once inside she placed her cappuccino onto her desk along with a magazine she picked up from the newsstand. She liked to settle in before work began and she just had to read this story. Apparently, that guy Trey was just paid another large sum of money to write his memoir for his night with Mercedes this time by Playboy Magazine. He promised some more intricate details of the sexual acts themselves, and he was revealing his secret on how he, of all men, got her to change her mind and drop, her pants as well as, her convictions about saving herself until marriage. The article actually hinted that since the death of her backup singer she had been experiencing a "Crisis of Faith" and this also spurred her on to her decision. In regards to his own drug background, the story alludes that Mercedes not only knew of his background but also believed in the redemption of souls and believed that she could help get him over the rough spots. Or, at least this was to be her "cover story" when asked but in reality Trey dropped a bombshell that she wanted this drug connection in an attempt to "Live a little" and help her find a more creative edge. She hoped that if she took a hallucinogen that she would write better songs since…. (As Trey put it) "She had stalled creatively." The magazine would be coming out at the end of the month.

"I can't wait to read it-this one, is going to be great! Ha, all these 'goody-good' girls are never as good as they claim to be!" An-jella spoke out loud to herself as she took another sip of her drink and tossed the magazine down on top of her desk. She turned on her computer and began checking her emails. It was then that she realized that Crystal had been out of the office because there were many emails for projects that Crystal had been handling which had now been forwarded to her instead. "Where could she have gone?" She wondered. An-jella stood up and went to another table in her office and began picking up some folders from it. She was wearing a tight light grey micro-mini skirt, a sheer white shirt and a grey bra which peeked through the sheer top through her two unbuttoned top buttons, she had on black stockings with a seam up the back and black stilettos with red bottoms. It was when one of the contracts from the folders slipped out and fell to the ground that An-jella bend at the waist and extended her body down past her long legs to retrieve it; it was then that she noticed, out of the corner of her eye, that there was a figure standing in her doorway. An-jella believing that she was showing of her best side simply turned her head toward the doorway but did not bother to stand straight up.

"May I help you?" She spoke as she looked over and saw Mr. Pettway standing and staring at her form. An-jella still did not rush her movement as she slowly picked up the piece of paper and took this opportunity, by the deliberate protruding of her backside, to capture his attention; before she straightened her body and then turned to face him. "Where's Joshua?" Mr. Pettway asked. "He had a death in his family and he had to go out of town since the end of last week; he will be out until next week." She responded. "Are you then the person who is covering for Crystal while she is out this week?" Mr. Pettway asked as he studied what she was wearing as if he had to write a dissertation on it later today. "Mr. Pettway, I'm An-jella Moore and yes, I will be taking over Crystal's duties and responsibilities in her absence." Her voice was loaded with put upon sexiness and feigned innocence. "Is there anything that I may do for you? I am at your disposal after all." She continued in a coy manner.

Mr. Pettway could not take his eyes off of her and he had already been trying to figure out how he could get with her without having a sexual harassment lawsuit pending; he didn't need that in his life right now, but for her it almost seemed worth it. "I have a dinner engagement this evening at 7pm with some representatives of Under-armor and Gatorade they want to jump in on the Coach and player angle that Treasure Trailz is doing; this thing might be bigger than I ever imagined. Now I have to see how we can benefit from it and not just Evans, and Raven. I need you to get me prospectus on how the Falcons can utilize these two companies to our advantage while they attempt to utilize our staff members for their company's endorsements—oh, and make sure that the Falcons get the lion's share of the profits if you know what I mean." "I understand completely, I will do my research and have it to you by…. (She scanned her office and her eyes fell on the clock which now read 8:50 am) no later than 2:30pm for your review and any revisions that you may have." An-jella seductively slinked in his direction and once she approached him he spoke again. "Maybe, you'd might like to join us this evening, these meetings always progress better with an attractive and intelligent young woman in the room." Mr. Pettway made his move. "I am glad that you noticed, I would love to join you. I would do anything, in my power, Mr. Pettway to help make your desires become a reality." An-jella practically purred as she spoke (a trademark move on her part). Mr. Pettway locked eyes with An-jella for a few moments before he began to leave the room. When he returned to the door frame to leave, he casually looked over his shoulder and spoke to her again. "Call me Peter." "Call me willing and eager to please." She commented. A slight smirk graced his face as he heard her response; Peter then left the office and An-jella now knew how to get what she wanted out of life, and how to make Rick and Crystal pay for what they did to her all at the same time.

XXXXX

Mercedes had all of their belongings folded on the bed as she was packing their suitcases to leave and catch their flight back to Georgia. After years of traveling she had gotten this packing thing down to a science, certain items were folded while others were rolled. She chuckled to herself at the mere fact that they packed all of these things and they didn't need any of them since they hadn't left the hotel, the bedroom, or the bed for the last four and a half days. If it weren't for room service she didn't think they could've survived it. She reached over the suitcase to reach a stack of Sam's socks to re-roll them and place them into the bag when she felt a very familiar presence grinding against her backside pushing her further down onto the bed.

"Sam…" Even the way she spoke his name now had dripped with a knowing sexual familiarity which she had never had with him before-Sam was loving this new intimacy that they had now been sharing. "C'mon baby, just a quickie before we catch our flight." Sam said as his hands were sliding up the undersides of the dress she was wearing. Mercedes grabbed his hands and held them tightly. "Sam you are insatiable, and I like that about you but, Sam there is absolutely nothing quick about what you do to me, and not that I wouldn't love too but after last night at nine, and then again at one-thirty, again at five, and in the shower this morning at eight-forty-five, if we do it again now…. (She looked at the clock in the room)….at 12:10pm, we will definitely miss our flight." She said as she slid his hands back down her thighs but pushed backwards on his crotch with a circular grinding motion of her own until she had them both standing upright again. "There that's a promise for another time." She giggled. Sam's erection appeared within mere moments of this interaction with her "You are killing me woman!" Sam hugged her and began kissing her neckline; then Sam continued. "But, you are right because once I get started with you I won't want to stop and we will most definitely miss our flight." He spoke between the kisses. "I just want to let you know though, that I have heard this rumor, that there are other flights that leave too; you know later on, so if we just happen to miss this one…." Sam's devious and yet sexy grin appeared and she knew exactly what he was saying and thinking; probably because she was thinking it too but it wasn't just them. "We have to meet Rick and Crystal-I feel kind of bad that we brought them all the way out here with us and then dumped them at the first sign of an opportunity for a legal and legitimate consummation of our marriage." Mercedes spoke as she continued packing their suitcases.

"Hmmm, I really don't feel bad about that…. (Sam looked up and to the right for a few moments as if he were searching his feelings)….nope; I'm pretty okay with that actually." Sam laughed and so did Mercedes. "I promise you that we just need to make it through the flight home and we can start all over again." Mercedes used this promise as her power of persuasion. "Mercy, you know that I am a man of my word and I expect no less from you—right?" He quipped humorously. "No worries, I am quite eager to rejoin our regularly scheduled love-making sessions—you are not alone in this." She replied but then she continued; though changing the subject. "I wonder what they did to kill the time." She stated. Sam began extending his long arms and picking up articles from the bed as well to assist in the packing process. "I don't know, Crystal seemed like she would have been satisfied with the slots here in Vegas but somehow I think Rick may have had other ideas in mind."

"Why don't you text him and let him know that we are going to be checking out soon and they can finish packing as well then we can all meet and have lunch together in the restaurant at the airport before the flight home." By this time Sam had helped by clearing most of the articles off of the bed and so he walked over to his nightstand and reached for his phone then he turned around to face Mercedes. "Yes, dear" he said as he smiled a giddy smile and then sent a message to Rick.

XXXXX

Crystal's arm tensed as it suddenly sprawled out across the pillow lying next to her – her hand grabbed the pillowcase and she gripped it within her fingers, her back arched and her toes curled as Rick's cellphone began vibrating on the night stand next to their bed. "Rick….uh, um, oh, Rick….Rick…." her words struggled as if her breathing had gotten in the way; but Rick did not answer her he was too preoccupied with his suckling of her breast. He had positioned himself so that his lower torso of his body was lying on top of and across her right thigh keeping her unable to close it and he had his right foot pressed against the back of her left knee unwilling to allow her to close her legs from that position as well. He deepened his fingers inside of her, inserting and removing his hand from inside her at a frantic pace, as she squirmed and writhed helpless to defend herself from the onslaught of sexual pleasure he had been providing her; beneath him. He was determined, he was delicate, he was dedicated, he was deliberate, and he was relentless; he refused to stop-no, not until it happened again.

She pushed at his shoulders with her hands; a frail attempt towards having him stop. Her head pressed deep into her pillow and any attempt that she had made at movement, to catch relief-even for a moment, was only met by slightly more pressure applied from his body refusing to let her move or quit until he made sure that her vagina became fully submissive and produced the orgasm that he so desperately desired from her; the more he pinned her down the more aroused she became as she, uncontrollably, inched closer and closer towards his desired goal. His phone vibrated again on the nightstand. "Oh….oh…ummmm….Rick!" Rick quickly removed his lips from her breast and lowered his body so that his shoulder held open her right thigh and he placed his head onto her abdomen as he felt her tighten around his hand and a creamy substance coated his fingers, she twitched and shook underneath him. Rick closed his eyes delighting in the victory and began launching a creamy substance from his own penis onto the bedsheets and part of her calf—he finally removed his hand from inside of her.

He began kissing her abdomen and he continued kissing her up the entire length of her body until he had planted his lips on hers preventing the gasping of air she had attempted to intake. Rick was quite pleased by her trembling which had been for entirely different reasons than when they began this honeymoon journey. He released her from his kiss and rolled off of her body placing his head on to the pillow beside her. His phone vibrated again and Crystal finally spoke again. "Someone wants you." She said listlessly as she waited and tried to regain her normal breathing pattern. "As long as it's you Teddy, I'm goooood." Rick said, his own shivers of excitement still coursing throughout his own body, then he reached over and interlocked his fingers with hers.

Crystal turned to lay on her side now; looking at Rick. "Rick you are so dangerous, what am I going to do with you?" She asked meekly as her eyes looked into his then briefly scanned his entire face and returned to his eyes. "You have the rest of your life to figure it out, but I know the things that I want to do with you." He joked. "Rick, I'm serious… (Rick looked over at her) "There was something, something in her eyes, it was different." (He thought as he also moved to lay on his side as well facing her). "You scare me Rick." She spoke soberly. "Why?" He asked. Crystal had a look of such vulnerability in her eyes, that was it, and such tenderness that Rick knew that what she was about to say, that he had to listen carefully and understand; this would be important. "I'm broken Rick, I'm not good at holding on to my own self-esteem, or my own happiness, I can't nurture them, I drop them, I lose them, and I am careless with them but you…. When you hold them for me they thrive, they're nurtured, and they grow. In many ways that's wonderful but that also means that both my happiness and self-esteem are always in someone else's hands and not my own." (Her eyes lowered) "What if one day you drop them, or lose them, or become careless with them; would it be on purpose? It wouldn't be because you don't know how to hold onto them or make them thrive so maybe it would be because that you just chose that you didn't want to anymore, what if you think, after a while, that it's too much work? Or, that you decide that you would rather work on some other new project, or new girl instead? Then where does that leave me? I know that it is not your job to hold on to my self-worth or my emotions but I have tried to hold onto them for myself, so many times—all my life, and I have failed; they never last or grow and thrive for me. (She looked up again into his eyes but her eyes began to water) It's hard to admit but I actually need you to do what you are doing…because I can't do it on my own; that is why you are so dangerous Rick; that is why you scare me."

Rick watched as her eyes glistened with mounting tears and his heart ached for her. He knew how difficult this was for her to admit but he was so proud of her for having done so. If it were even possible for him to have fallen deeper in love with her than he had already had-this would have been the moment for it. Rick looked at Crystal for a few moments but he didn't say anything. He then sat up on the bed reached for his phone and made two phone calls instead-one to Chris Jennings his agent and one to Esse and both phone calls involved pretty much the same conversation from differing vantage points. Rick spoke into the phone but his eyes never left Crystal's and during his first phone call he said "Chris, it's me Rick, I need you to re-negotiate my contract with a stipulation that I will also get to train for, and get to play wide-receiver for the Falcons as well." Despite all of the questions which were now coming from Chris; Rick simply responded "Just do it!" then Rick hung up. Then looking at his phone again he dialed Sam and that conversation went like this "Esse, when we get back to Georgia I'm going to need you to work with me; because you are going to start training me on how to also play the position of a wide-receiver. Yeah, we will discuss it later, okay…yeah we will meet you there for lunch at 1:30… no problem (Rick looked at a puzzled Crystal again) we have a big surprise for you guys; we will see you soon. Thanks, Bye." Rick then hung up the phone.

"Rick didn't you hear anything that I just said to you? Crystal sat up in bed as well. Didn't it matter to you? Am I to receive no response from you at all?" Crystal questioned beginning to feel truly hurt that he had no words of comfort, assurance, or even a definitive refusal to give to her. "Did you hear anything that I just said?" Rick countered. "You want to change your position on the team?" She quickly shrugged her shoulders as she spoke incredulously. Rick leaned in a little closer to Crystal. "I want to learn how-to never become careless, to never lose, and to never drop the ball." Rick stared into her eyes waiting for her to understand what he was saying to her. A dawning of recognition came over Crystal's face. "I have absolutely no problem holding on to those things for you… (Rick continued)…but I just want to make sure that, I will be the best at holding them-that I possibly can be-and when I am, then, I will teach you how to do it too." Rick reached out his hand and tenderly caressed her face and Crystal moved forward and embraced him.

XXXXX

As Sam and Mercedes walked through the airport Mercedes did not go through unnoticed; several people stopped them along their route towards the restaurant to get her to sign autographs. Mercedes gave Sam a compassionate and sorry look as she tried to accommodate her fans and yet not make him feel like he had been just a cast-off on the sidelines of her fame. Sam had a look of pride on his face as he winked at her and the put into practice the patience that all these years of waiting for Mercedes had taught him. As Sam looked around the area while he waited he noticed a newsstand in the distance and saw on a, prominently displayed, magazine cover the promise of Trey's new Playboy Magazine article-"Inside Mercedes Jones: A Deep and Penetrating Article That will Leave You Breathless; The Real Truth by Trey." Sam's anger flared immediately his body tensed, he felt flush, and he turned a shade of bright red. He quickly glanced again at Mercedes only to realize that she had been too busy interacting with her fans to notice it. "Thank God" he thought. "This guy must be crazy! Does he really think that he can keep doing this and continue to go by unchallenged?" Even Sam's thoughts seemed to be shouting. His mind was now flooded with thoughts of "How was he going to get this man to stop?" "Sam…Sam" Mercedes called to him as the last of her fans walked away. "I'm sorry hon…" was all that she could say as she stopped herself and noticed Sam's change in coloring. "Sam what's wrong?" She asked. "Let's just get out of here." He spoke as Sam wrapped his arm around her shoulder and guided her away from the newsstand and continued in the direction on towards their destination.

Sam and Mercedes had only waited about ten to fifteen more minutes before Rick and Crystal arrived at the restaurant. The greetings were warm and friendly as they passed out hugs, and smiles between them. "It's great to see you guys again." Mercedes said as she then took her seat in the booth and Crystal sat down beside her. Sam and Rick sat on the opposite side Sam across from Mercedes and Rick on the outside across from Crystal. "You two look great in general; radiant I would say." Rick smiled while he used his thigh to nudge Sam's leg under the table. Sam pushed his leg right back with his hand and Rick just giggled but he tried to cover it up by picking up the menu and putting it in front of his face. "Did you guys get to see a lot of Vegas?" Mercedes inquired. "Well…." Crystal started. "We saw the Bellagio Fountain." Rick spoke up. "Really oh, I've heard that it's lovely!" Mercedes exclaimed. "It is." Crystal stated. "We got married there." Rick spoke nonchalantly from behind his menu. "WHAT?" Sam looked at Crystal as he spoke. "It's true" Crystal said hesitantly as she was fearful of the judgement which might come their way but she held out her hand and showed them her wedding band. Sam and Mercedes were flabbergasted and yet Mercedes gave Crystal a big hug of congratulations. Sam's eyes darted immediately to Rick's direction. "Married?" "Should you be the only one soaring around here? C'mon Esse, you know that you are happy for me." Rick nudged Sam's shoulder with his own. Sam saw Crystal's facial expression begin to lose some of its vibrancy and that is when he stated "Of course I'm happy for the both of you-congratulations." Sam smiled a genuinely confused smile. "It's just that it seems soon." Sam attempted to not make it seem like he had something against Crystal personally. "It must've felt like a micro-second compared to how long you waited." Rick said then he snickered right before he took a sip of his water. "That wasn't entirely Sam's fault." Mercedes came to the defense of her husband. "You know me Esse, I've never had your patience for things." Rick put his menu back down on the table. "But how did you?" Sam thought for a few moments and then lightly punched Rick in the arm. "When you had me waiting outside the County Clerk's office; I thought you had to go to the bathroom!" "No, I told you that nature called; human nature that is."

Sam shook his head from side to side and then directed his attention to Crystal. "Crystal, I just hope you know what you've gotten yourself into, but I am grateful that you are taking him off my hands." Sam quipped. "You're not getting rid of me that easily besides who's going to teach me how to be a married man if not you?" Sam looked at the two ladies sitting across from him with wonder and then looked back at Rick. "In case you've missed it I just got here two seconds ago myself." Sam's rebuttal was playful at worst and truthful at best. "I suppose… the two of you can learn together" Crystal suggested. "Now that sounds like a plan." Mercedes chimed in but then she felt a tickle in her throat and began to cough. She took a sip from her water glass that sat in front of her. "If you will excuse me for a minute I'm going to use the restroom." Mercedes motioned to Crystal to allow her out of the booth. "I'll go with you" Crystal added.

As the ladies walked through the restaurant they continued their conversation. "So how was the ceremony?" Mercedes inquired now feeling her throat becoming irritated. Crystal began beaming at the thought of it. "It was beautiful Rick planned the perfect day for me." She couldn't stop smiling. "Well, look at Rick; who knew he had it in him?" Mercedes joked. "I know right! He is such a conundrum to me he's so confident, determined, frightening even, but then he has these incredibly sensitive moments too." Crystal spoke full of wonder about the man she could now call her husband. "It's the moments of sensitivity that traps us and pulls us in. You know once in high school I put on a performance and Sam recorded it without my knowledge. I allowed myself to be vulnerable in front of a room full of people that day and discuss my concern about being good enough to make it as a professional singer Sam didn't just listen to me but he heard me and out of everyone in the room he was the only one to do something about my concerns. He uploaded my performance onto the internet and people loved it. I got my first offer from a real producer in L.A. to be a background singer because of Sam; from the very beginning he has been making my dreams come true." Crystal could see that Mercedes was falling even more in love with her husband as she retold this story. "I think we may have gotten the last of the good ones." Crystal smiled. Mercedes cleared her throat before she asked another question. "When are you going to introduce him to your family?" Mercedes entered into the ladies room. Crystal's smile became a look of panic as she entered into the ladies room behind Mercedes. "Yeah, my family." Crystal pondered.

After the ladies had excused themselves to the restroom and once they left the table and were at the far end of the restaurant Sam spoke up. "Rick, what are you doing?! When I asked you how you really felt about her you couldn't even give me an answer and now you've married her? Crystal is so sensible. How did you get her to do something like this?!" Sam scolded. "Esse, calm down. I was just surprised when being confronted with it for the first time—that's all. It's not that I couldn't answer you it's just that – that was when it really hit me that I truly loved her. I couldn't imagine my life without Crystal in it- we fit, she needs me and I need her too; we're good for each other." "Rick if you break her heart I swear…" "Esse don't worry; the honest truth is that she has a much better chance…." Rick spoke with a level of vulnerability and disbelief of how he had gotten here himself. "….of breaking my heart into a million little pieces long before I would ever even consider breaking hers; I promise you that, and I am a man of my word too." Rick nodded but then he continued. "Speaking of breaking…" Rick lifted his body up a little from the booth and pulled something out of his back pocket and sat back down while he threw it down on top of the table. It was the same magazine that Sam had seen at the newsstand. "….what are we going to do about him?"

Author's Note: Thanks for reading – Anna.