Mercedes wasn't happy. And the worst part was that there was no real reason why. It was one of those irrational bad moods that was most likely caused by getting out of bed on the wrong side in the morning. Whatever it was, the heavy feeling of anxiety and foreboding began before she'd even got dressed. Then her mom had upset her over breakfast. She couldn't even remember why but she remember wiping unshed tears of frustration from her eyes as she sat in her car before starting the ignition to drive to school. There probably hadn't been any real cause. She just knew that it was actually due to her being oversensitive and crabby rather than any actual fault of her mom's. And it annoyed her even more that she knew she was being so stupid.

On the other hand, she'd been looking forward to Glee club all day. It was the one thought that had kept her going and distracted her from her funk. She wanted to know if Sam was feeling better yet. Dammit, the truth was that she simply wanted to see Sam. Despite herself she was missing him and had been thinking about him a lot.

Since the night he'd come back to the motel room sick, her hormones had been in overdrive. She knew it was just a stupid crush and she had to put an end to it. But then he'd convinced her to stay and help him with his homework the following night and she had not been able to get out of it. Her head was in a mess. Every once in a while she had caught his eye and thought she'd seen something in them but either she didn't have the courage to hold his gaze or he would look away quickly. She had absolutely no idea what to think or feel.

Crushes were supposed to make you feel happy and excited. This one was just making her feel as miserable as sin.

She missed Kurt.

Yes he was sitting right next to her eating his lunch but since he'd been seeing Blaine things weren't quite the same. Now they often did things in a three. Even when it was just the two of them, he always had this slight smile on the corner of his mouth and the occasional faraway look. When Blaine wasn't actually there, the reality was that he was never actually very far away. If Kurt wasn't thinking about him, then he was on his iPhone sending or reading messages from him.

She wanted to tell her friend about the conflicts going on in her head and her ailing heart but she didn't dare. He'd probably bring her down with a reality check that she hadn't yet emotionally prepared herself to hear.

"Cedes are you ill?" She heard his voice rise above her thoughts.

"Huh?"

"I have never seen you leave uneaten tots on your plate." He focused on her with creased brow and an intense stare. "Spill!"

"There's nothing to sp-"

This time a single eyebrow shot up and she instantly knew that he wasn't going to let this one go. Any moment now he would lean forward with his chin in his hands and she'd really be in trouble!

Mercedes sighed. "I'm just nervous about Nationals." Quick thinking!

He looked unconvinced. "I know you'll be fine. We'll all be fine."

"But Kurt. We're not prepared! We leave in 3 days and we still haven't come up with an original song! I hate to agree with Jesse at this point, but all the other groups will be fine tuning their performances. We're still at the scratch that we need to start from!"

He nodded in agreement. "But we'll come up with something. Look what happened at Regionals. We totally blew them out of the water with 'Loser Like Me'!"

"True. But the timing on that was far too close for comfort. And this is so much bigger than Regionals. This is a trip of a lifetime for all of us. None of us have been to New York before, hell – half of Glee club haven't even been out of State before! I'm just worried that we're going to build it up into something and fall on our faces at the last moment. I'll never be able to live with it if we came last!" Despite herself her eyes began to fill with tears. Hell to the no girl! You are NOT crying about losing Nationals. You're crying at the thought of building up feelings for Sam and falling on your face. You can't let something like that happen to you twice!

Kurt decided to take charge of the situation. "OK. Here's what we're going to do." He stood up and offered his hand. "We are going to take this lunch outside like we used to, and have a proper heart to heart without the irritating sound of every McKinley student clinking their cutlery in the background!"

She forced a watery smile and allowed herself to be led out of the dining hall. From the corner of her eye she thought she saw Sam eating at a table with Finn, Puck and some of the other Football players but she didn't dare turn her head.

"Where are we going Kurt?" He'd said they were going outside but the direction they were actually heading in was for the rehearsal room.

He shot her a winning smile. "I have an idea."

Kurt's ideas were always things that were slightly left of center.

The room was empty and Kurt ran straight to the performing area, spread his arms, spinning in circles, reveling in the empty space, his neck scarf flapping from the speed. He held out an arm to her. "Come on. You have to release the inner child! If there were swings nearby we'd be on them. But there aren't so we're just going to spin like little kids until we feel sick!" She shrugged Kurt could be crazy stupid sometimes, but she missed the times when they were stupid together so she began spinning, emptying her mind of the thoughts that had been bothering her. She was no longer Mercedes. She was now Stacy, playing without a care in the world!

The giggle began deep in her belly, rising slowly until it reached her mouth and burst forth from her lips as infectious laughter.

Kurt wiggled his fingers at her as he sped past. He kept trying to 'spot' on particular point the wall but his legs were failing and the wobble had begun.

They collapsed, laughing and dizzy in the middle of the floor.

They spread their arms and legs like snow angels, heads together, staring at the ceiling.

Kurt raised himself up on one elbow. She did the same. As much as she was having fun, a girl's weave did not belong on the floor!

Kurt flicked her nose with his finger and it tickled. "Hey! Do you remember how Tina once suggested we do a Grease medley?"

She laughed. Remembering everyone's horrified responses. Especially that of Mr Schue. She hadn't actually thought it was such a bad idea.

"Well I happen to think she may have had a point!" Mercedes looked at her friend incredulously, hoping he was joking while knowing in her hearts of hearts that he was being carried along by another of his crazy ideas. He was already getting up and brushing himself down.

He smiled and ran up to the top row of seats. She eyed him suspiciously as he spread his arms wide and grinned at her.

A look of panic spread across her face. "Don't you DARE Kurt! I know exactly what you're thinking!"

But it was too late. He was already clicking his fingers and humming the introduction. Mercedes buried her head in her hands to fight the laughter. She could not believe this was about to happen. "If we get caught I'm going to kill you Kurt!" He was crazy enough as it was, and now he had the impulsive quirks of Blaine rubbing off on him too!

I got chills, they're multiplying
And I'm losing control

He started gracefully working his way down the stairs.

Coz the power, you're supplying
IT'S ELECTRIFYING!

Inwardly she was groaning and relieved that there was nobody else around. And yet despite herself, she found herself walking towards him, pointing her finger and the words burst forth:

You'd better shape up, coz I need a man
And my heart is set on you.
You'd better shape up, you better understand
To my heart I must be true'

Kurt's voice raised to match hers.

Nothing left, nothing left for me to do!

They grinned at each other for the chorus.

You're the one that I want, you are the one for
Ooh ooh ooh, honey
The one that I want, you are the one for
Ooh ooh ohh, honey
You're the one that I want, you are the one for
Ooh ooh ohh,
The one I need
Oh yes indeed…

They danced and sung their way around the auditorium making full use of the steps until laughter caused their voices to break. Rachel wouldn't be seen dead doing what they'd just done which made it all the more sweeter!

Mercedes threw her arms around her friend. "I've missed you Kurt. You always know how to put a smile back on my face."

"I missed you too. I'm sorry I've been so caught up with Blaine. I promise to make more time for me and you". They stayed like that for a moment, enjoying each other's company.

Then they walked out of the rehearsal room arm in arm, Kurt put on a mock thoughtful voice. 'You know, I'm actually starting to think that you and me could kill it at Nationals with our very own Grease medley."

Mercedes punched him with her free hand and laughed at his crazy imagination. Kurt Hummel was no John Travolta!

Kurt's infectious good mood stayed with her until the end of the day. Before she knew it classes were over and she was heading to Glee club.

There was a buzz in the room when she got there. Talk was of New York. Less of the music and more of the city itself. Excitement among the group was reaching fever pitch and it was starting to become a distraction from all other activities.

After a quick scan of the room she didn't see Sam so opted for her usual spot next to Kurt at the back.

Mr Schue smiled up at the class. "Right people. NATIONALS! Has anyone had any new ideas for an original song?"

Brittany shuffled in her seat. "I started to write a song about Lord Tubbington but I couldn't find enough words to rhyme so I gave up."

The room let out an audible sigh of relief.

Rachel's hand shot up but she started talking before waiting to be called. "Mr Schue. I've been thinking about what kind of music makes the most of my vocal ability and I think that we should write our own version of a show tune."

An audible groan went around the room. Puck's was the loudest and Lauren elbowed him in the ribs.

Mercedes looked at the door. Sam still hadn't arrived. She'd passed his table at lunch so she knew that he was somewhere in the school. He was just wasn't where he should be in right now in Glee club.

And for that matter neither was Quinn! A coincidence surely…

She zoned back in to hear Kurt's voice, "Rachel, we all know I can hold a show tune as well as you. I'd offer to duet it with you but I'm not sure that kind of music will go down best at Nationals."

Rachel huffed. "I just think that as I'll be doing a solo I should be right there with the creative input!"

Finn burst through the door and apologetically found his way to a seat. Mercedes hoped that Sam would follow him in but the door just swung closed and remained shut. What the hell was going on?

"OK," said Mr Schue, "Let's take a brief time out from thinking about the songs. While I've got you here I just need to go through the itinerary of what will be happening once we arrive in New York and give a few reminders about safety and behavior…"

The door opened again and a sheepish looking Quinn entered, immediately followed by Sam, head down, hands in his pockets. They took the first available seats at the front. Mercedes heart jolted. She knew something had been going on today!

"Nice of you to join us!" Santana's voice was so cold it was dripping icicles. Although she was sat behind and therefore unable to see Santana's face, she could see her whole body tense. Why the hell was Santana so riled with them. She'd arrived seconds before Mr Schue so they couldn't have all been in the same place.

Mercedes kept her eyes straight ahead, focussed soley on what was being said. Despite this she could sense Kurt's eyebrow raise, and she felt the nudge from his sharp elbow milliseconds before it actually happened.

She nodded her head in silent acknowledgement of whatever he was thinking, probably theorizing on some juicy piece of love triangle gossip, but she didn't dare turn her face as she couldn't guarantee what expression was on it.

The rest of the final Glee club went by in a blur. She didn't really hear anything properly at all. Scheuster was rambling on as usual and nobody actually got to perform anything apart from a few moves for the group dance which could easily be adapted to any song, once they finally eventually got one.

But everything happening in the room was simply background noise. Mercedes' brain was in overdrive. There was only one thing on her mind. Sam and Quinn. Arriving late. And arriving together…

Together…

Straight after class Mr Schue had gone to speak to Sam to ask how he was feeling and how his voice was holding up. She used the opportunity to sneak out. She wasn't sure what kind of response she'd give Sam if he tried to talk to her while she was sorting out her feelings and she really didn't want to end up making a scene.

Kurt suggested getting coffee at Lima Bean as the first of their 'spending more time together' and Mercedes agreed. The faster she could get away from the school the better. And she really needed Kurt's cheerful nature right now.

Maybe she would have a caramel coffee frappuccino instead of her usual mocha...

But home alone, while trying to pack, the melancholy returned.

As hard as she tried, she couldn't find a song that matched her mood. She wanted to sing to relieve her stress but wasn't sure what the right song was.

Then she remembered an old Mama Cass song that her mother used to sing to her when she was little.

I can see, no matter how near you'll be
You'll never belong to me
But I can dream can't I?
Can't I pretend that I'm locked in the bend of your embrace?
For dreams are just like wine and I am drunk with mine.

I'm aware, my heart is a sad affair
There's much disillusion there
But I can dream can't I?
Can't I adore you although we are oceans apart?
I can't make you open your heart

But I can dream (I can dream)
Let me adore you although we are oceans apart.
I can't make you open your heart
But I can dream (I can dream)
I can dream, Can't I?

He voice had got progressively louder and more soulful with each line, so that by the end she was practically shouting the words. She flopped backwards onto her bed, crushing the clothes that she'd laid out to go in her suitcase and gave up fighting back the tears.

But didn't take her long to start wondering why she was wasting her tears on a guy who probably had no idea of the mental turmoil he was causing her. It was a stupid pathetic stupid schoolgirl crush. She needed to get over this. And fast! He'd clearly moved on and back to Quinn, so what was the point in even indulging in fantasies of things that would never happen? Mistaking friendliness for something more was clearly always going to be her downfall.

And more importantly, why all the stupid tears? Where had the diva inside her gone? The last time she'd been this upset about a guy she was belting 'Bust Your Windows'. This time it was Mama Cass! Something clearly needed to be fixed.

Mercedes Jones needed to quit being soppy and get happy!

She sat up, dried her eyes and applied some lip gloss just for the sheer hell of it. Then she fished out her favorite zebra print pants and threw them into the suitcase. She was going to make sure that she had fun in New York. There would be no time to pine.

Because, just like Stella, she needed to Get Her Groove Back!

Song credit: I Can Dream Can't I? by Mama Cass