Hi. Thanks so so much for everyone who is following and who have faved this fic. And thanks to all of the reviews. I'm so happy you liked the dream (I attempted to blend in ALL of the Star Wars movies from New Hope to the last one in the series). But you guys reviews have helped a great deal so thanks again.

Okay so it seems like it has been forever since I've updated this fic. That's because I came to a horrible mental road block with it. Like I know where I want it to go but I just didn't know how it was going to get there. So I finally just started typing and it acted like a mental GPS (So to speak). I can say with a bit of confidence now that it an update shouldn't take as long as the last one did. I'm so sorry about that. So here is Chapter 3 which is Mercedes centered and starts to get into their weekend togther.

As always: Read, Enjoy, and review...

The Road Map

Mercedes was always an excelled in the subject of reading. By the age of four her kindergarten teacher gushed to her mother about how advanced she seemed and her ability to read full simple sentences with ease. By the time she was in sixth grade, she was reading at a high school level. And by ninth grade she had a collegiate comprehension in reading. Reading was so easy it came to her as logically as singing.

However, her ability to read extended from the world of books, magazines, and music to the realm of people and their emotions. She found at even a young age she could read peoples facial expressions when they would attempt to hide what their true sentiments, hearing the slight fluctuations in their vocal patterns to tell when they were withholding information. People were open books to Mercedes, just waiting to be read and analyzed.

Her ability first became apparent to her when she was in grade school, and her older brother would come home with a bad grade. She could easily tell when he was lying about the reasoning why he received a low or undesirable grade by the way the corners of his mouth would slightly twitch while he discussed it with their parents. It was a small personality trait she noticed easily, while it took her mother and father seemed to go years before they could tell when he was being less then honest. After that she learned she could read not only her sibling, but her parents as well. She was able to tell when her father was hiding a surprise by the way his eyebrows would flutter lightly as he spoke, or when her mother was attempting to suppress her fury by the way she would ball her fist at her side as if she were squeezing out all of her anger.

But it wasn't until she hit high school that she noticed that her ability didn't stop solely at her familial bloodline. When Quinn was still living with her, they became close enough where she could look into the blonde's eyes and tell her real feelings. When Quinn gave an icy or intimidating glare, assuming she was warding off concern, contempt, or any ideal of vulnerability, Mercedes found she could see right through to her core, to the hurt, anger, or pain that she attempted to lock away from the world. She assumed that Quinn wasn't fully comfortable with the idea that she could look deep into her where everyone else would normally stop at her seemingly frosty exterior when she learned of Mercedes heightened senses. That she possessed the ability to drill past her emotional armor, in a real attempt to find the source of her behavior or word choices. Mercedes figured that was one of the real reasons Quinn distanced herself from her the previous year, to push away one of the people who had the honest ability to make her come face to face with her true feelings. Mercedes initially shrugged off their separation, assuming their friendship had run its course, until she came across the Quinn's Facebook page after school was out for the summer. When she looked at the pictures of the chain smoking pink haired tattooed teen, she didn't see a rebel, a Skank, or a bad ass. Mercedes looked into her emerald eyes and saw a sad girl spiraling out of control. Unfortunately Quinn, still determined to keep her at an arms length, failed to return any of Mercedes messages.

She became so sure in her ability Mercedes began to rely on it, figuring she could figure people out as easily through simple, silent, observation. That was until she got to know Samuel Evans. In the beginning of their relationship, she assumed she had him all figured out instantly. When she first laid eyes on him, Kurt informed her that he had to be batting for his team, only to find him dating her former sister Quinn later that week. Then when he and Quinn fell completely apart, and Santana totally dropped him as if they hadn't spent the whole night of Rachel's party making out profusely, she assumed he was a cheater when it was revealed that Quinn and Kurt had both been spotted with him coming out of a motel room. A boy who couldn't wait to break up two happy, or at least one happy, the other seemingly stable, relationship for his own pleasure, only to find out her two very attached, friends where assisting the teen with the struggle of his life, as he dealt with the perils of being homeless. At that moment, when Sam screamed to the class that he was living in that motel room with his family and stormed out of the room, Mercedes realized that her keen observations only got her so far with Sam. She found that he was much more complicated than she'd originally imagined and was curious to find out more.

She got her chance the night of prom to get a deeper glimpse into who he was, when Sam surprised her by holding out his hand while asking her to dance. Since they were both dateless she assumed him being her escort would only entail them showing up together and when asked who their date was, each had a name and a face to refer to. She never imagined they would actually spend the night dancing with each other, and having a great time. He commanded her attention for the entire evening, showing her that there was so much more to him than she originally thought. He was light, airy, kind, and genuinely charming in a way that most boys their age hadn't quite managed to learned yet.

New York only strengthened her resolve to know him more, after he took her on their "second" date (as he called it), giving Mercedes her first taste of passion and romance. After that day, she felt a gravitational pull to him, finding that she wanted to spend more time with him. The more she time she spent with him, the more she actually learned about this muscular blond who had a large soft spot for sci-fi and impressions. And the more she learned the farther she wanted to go with him.

However, the unexpected hit Mercedes as she and Sam grew closer to each other. As she was reading Samuel, learning what drove him, what he hoped for his future, and what he cared about most, he was reading her in the exact same manner. He could tell when she was feeling hurt, happy, nervous, or a host of other emotions only by looking into her eyes. She had never expecting him to take as much interest in her as he did, but when she found herself under his watchful gazes, she knew that he could see right through to her thoughts, and emotions. And in return she could see right through to his insecurities, fears, anger, and exhaustion. She had seen him experience virtually every emotion in the short time of their budding relationship, the last being the most prevalent. Between his job, caring for his siblings, and his family's housing situation, exhaustion became his permanent facial expression, completed with sagging sad eyes, tight lips, and disparaged glow. It was this emotion in particular that caused Mercedes to come up with a devious scheme to find a way to give them a small getaway where they could enjoy themselves alone, without the distractions of their respective lives interfering.

"Mercedes, we're going to Phoenix this year for your father's dental conference" her mother announced one Sunday afternoon, as she prepared dinner for that evening. As she assisted, Mercedes thought how she loathed attending the events with her parents. Her father spent all day in different lectures, presentations, and conferences while she was glued to her mother's hip as she shopped, dragged around to historical or seemingly important sites that she had no interest in, or sat around the room bored, when she refused to take part in either of the first two. She quickly devised a plan of action freeing her from the obligation. Mercedes quickly wove a plan of action, which surprised even her, due to the fact she had never been a deceptive child.

"I guess I can go, or I can stay here and give you and daddy some privacy" she smiled innocently into the vegetables she meticulously chopped.

"Mercedes don't be ridiculous" her mother laughed off as she placed the casserole in the oven. "You can't stay here by yourself"

"I'm eighteen Mama" Mercedes gently reminded her, attempting to hide her offence from being seen as a child. "I have a car, I can cook without burning the house down, and I'm very self reliant" she smiled gently. "Just think about it, you and daddy all alone on vacation with no responsibility. I mean really when was the last time you guys took a vacation without anyone running interference?" she smiled. She knew she'd sparked a flame by the glow of consideration of her words in her mother's eye.

"I'll think about it, and then talk it over with your father" her mother coolly stated, attemting to refrain from signaling her excitement as she mentally pieced together her first childless vacation in over a decade.

With those words Mercedes knew her next target for discussion would have to be her father. Luckily, she knew she would need another tactic to use on him. So the next day after dinner she sauntered into the den where her father normally retreated for a few hours to unwind from his day. "So daddy, what are we watching?" she asked jovial in an attempt to fake interest in his television viewing as she plopped down on the couch beside her father, snuggling into his side for good measure.

"Oh just some Sport's Center highlights" her father smiled without peeling his eyes from the television to notice her current buttering up methods. Although most of his favorite sports were not in season, her father always became entranced by ESPN whenever it was on in his vicinity.

"Oh" she sighed. "So mamma tells me we're going to Phoenix for your dental conference this year" she sighed making small talk after a moment.

"Yeah" he waived off watching the highlights of the tennis tournaments of the day.

"Yeah, sounds exciting. It's funny though how mamma mentioned it to me" she shrugged sitting back on the coach adding "Like she's not really looking forward to it or something"

"Why do you say that?" her father turned to Mercedes, her last statement catching his attention.

"Well, I mean really Daddy, how much fun can you two really have with me in tow?" she asks as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "I mean come on, a vacation with me tagging along. But it's not like she expects romance from these things anyway. I'm mean, it is one of your dental conferences. Like she would expect you to plan something special for it" she waived off, turning her attention to the television.

"Why wouldn't she?" he asked sounding offended that his daughter would imply he didn't possess any romantic tricks up his sleeve.

"Oh come on daddy" she laughed off. "Like you think about things like romantic surprises and things like that. Plus how romantic can you guys get with me as a third wheel" she chuckled."Just hang it up Pops. Your romantic smooth days are long gone" she smirked as she lightly patted him on the back as she rose to her feet to leave her father's den. As she watched him mull over what she just suggested from the door way, she secretly thanked Sam for forcing her to sit down and watch Inception with him, finding it more useful than she could ever imagine. She went to bed that night, hoping she'd done just enough to get the outcome she was aiming for, but not too much to tip off her parents of any possible plans she had. She agonized the following day, waiting to find out if she had successes in her plan, scared she'd given away too much in her delivery.

"Mercedes, your mother and I are going to Phoenix for my dental conference, but we wanted to know if you wouldn't mind staying home for the weekend?" her father questioned the next night at dinner.

"Really?" Mercedes questioned fighting tooth and nail to suppress the excitement she felt that her little plan actually worked. "Are you guy sure?" she added hoping to cover her internal celebration.

"Yes" her mother reassured. "You're eighteen now and we feel you are responsible enough to stay the weekend home alone. We trust you."

"But with a few ground rule" her father chimed in, looking her straight in the eye. He began to run down a list of rules that included, no boys, even Kurt although everyone at the table knew that Mr. Hummel hadn't been seen in the Jones house in months. No drinking, and most importantly no partying. Mercedes quickly agreed to the rules with a silent nod, but fought smiling widely into her plate of food.

After dinner, she quickly retreated into her bedroom to figure out part two of her plan. She found a way to gain an entire weekend to herself however she failed to think ahead of how she and Sam could spend it together without being caught breaking her parent's rules.

She quickly called Sam on his newly acquired pre-paid cell phone. He got one for he and his father to ensure communication between them incase they needed him in a stitch. She promptly explained her situation about how she all of a sudden found her self parentless the upcoming weekend.

"Well that's amazing 'Cedes" Sam sighed exhausted from coming fresh off of a double. "But my family is traveling to Kentucky this weekend to visit friends"

"That's perfect" she practically shouted. She quickly checked her tone to make sure she wasn't too loud, tipping her parents off to any possible planning she had going on. "Can you stay here?" she whispered.

"Well I don't have to work" Sam sighed laid his head again the head rest of the car seat feeling that he could possibly fall asleep right in his family truck. He was parked outside of the motel, but wanted some resemblance of privacy before he went inside his shared one room home. "What excuse can I give my parents for me to stay here?"

"Well do your parents know you're off?" she practically wined.

"No" he shrugged "they are waiting to find out now"

"Just tell them you probably have to work and then find out you got off but by the time you found out they were gone" she huffed as she flung herself onto her bed.

"Baby, I'm not really comfortable with anymore lying to them" Sam warned in a paternal tone.

"I know but I promise it will be worth it" she smiled.

"Why? What are we going to do? You said no boy at your house and you said you don't plan on breaking the rules. So what you're staying here with me?" he questioned as he shuttered at that though to her being locked up in his drab little one room motel of home.

"Well no" she sighed as she sat up. That's when she saw it. In the picture of she and her cousins from ten years ago, smiling soaking wet standing on a small pier, arms around each other in their bathing suits in the bright summer sun. The answer she was looking for. "We're going away too" she smiled as she quickly formulated a plan in her head. "On our own mini vacation, just me and you. Alone."

"Mercedes" Sam sighed not really wanting to admit it but feeling it must be said "as great as that sounds, you already know I don't have a lot of money to-"

"That's the thing" she interrupted his speech knowing where it was headed, and that was straight to his wallet "you don't need a lot of money. Room and board is free!" and smiled as her plan quickly pieced together in her head. "All that we will need to worry about is food. And if I know my mother I will have plenty of that before they leave here. All you'll need to bring is yourself, and a weekends worth of clothes including a bathing suit" she smiled becoming more and more excited. "All you have to do is say yes"

"But I don't' know where we're going" Sam huffed. He heard the excitement in his girl's voice, and knowing that she was smiling caused him to become intrigued about her plan.

"I'll explain it to you later I promise" she smiled "but you have to say yes Sam. The plan can't work if you're in Kentucky with your parents. You trust me don't you?"

Sam's shoulders slumped. "Of course I trust you" he hushed. "It's just-"

"Nope" Mercedes cut him off. "No if, buts, or maybes. Just say yes Sammy. Please" she begged really wanting this for the both of them.

"Okay, okay" Sam smiled as a glimmer of excitement ignited in him from her insistence. "I'll find a way to stay here"

Mercedes let out a loud squeak before she realized how loud it was. She cleared her throat and took a few deep breaths, as she calmed herself. "I swear this will be epic" she hushed into the phone. They quickly made their pick up plans for that Thursday, the day when both of their families where leaving town. "I promise" Mercedes smiled before she hung up with her secret boyfriend "you're going to love it"