Sam was seated as far away from Mercedes on the flight back to Ohio as he had been on the way out. But this time his thoughts were not of a girl he really liked but couldn't have, but of a girl who he really liked who liked him back and who had made this trip the most awesome one ever!

He smiled contentedly in his seat, staring out of the window, knowing he wouldn't be sleeping on this particular flight. He thought about Stevie and Stacy. They would have no idea how much their words touched his heart and made him see sense. He was so looking forward to see them. Yes they were kids and they spent more time getting on his nerves than anything else but he'd missed having them around for the last few days. Living together in such a confined space together, meant he couldn't help but miss their presence when it was no longer around. Obviously he wasn't going to tell them what had happened with Mercedes but some day in the future he would explain how he was eternally grateful to them. But he wasn't going to tell anyone just yet. This was theirs and theirs alone for now.

"What are you smiling about?" asked Kurt from the seat next to him.

Sam snapped back into the present. "I was just thinking about how amazing New York was." Damn! Kurt is always keeping me on my toes!

Kurt joined him in the smile. "I know. I had some amazing experiences there that I'll never forget."

"So did I..."

Kurt looked hard at his friend and Sam felt the need to clarify. "It was great just getting out to see the city that has inspired so many. And even though we didn't place it was a total rush performing in front of so many people like that."

Luckily Kurt seemed to understand what he said and nodded. "I can't wait to come back to Broadway and do it properly. I still can't believe Rachel and I got to sing on a Broadway stage. It's something we'll get to tell the grandchildren. The adventures we had before we got famous!"

Sam smiled at his friend as he was overtaken by the glazed look of someone fantasizing about the future. "I know you're going to make it," he said, and genuinely meant it.

At the airport there were a collection of parents waiting to meet them. Sam was surprised to see his mom sitting talking to Mrs Jones of all people!

"Sammy!" Stevie and Stacy cried his name in unison as they saw him walk through the arrivals door and he rushed over to them, leaving his bag to scoop them both up and plant kisses on his younger siblings.

"We missed you so much!" Stacy looked as if she was about to cry with happiness, "We made you this at school."

It was a welcome back card, covered in glitter which was rapidly covering him. He knew that he was now going to be finding pieces of glitter on his body for days but it was worth it. The picture on the front was of a giant apple and inside, written with metalic pen were the words 'We love you Sam. We miss you x x' Sam felt his eyes begin to prick. "Thanks guys, it's wonderful!"

His mom joined in the hug. She looked pleased to see him but tired. Very tired. As he embraced her he watched Mercedes hug her own mother and they turned and headed towards the exit and his girl turned to shoot him one final smile before they disappeared from view.

His own mom hugged him so tightly that he thought she was going to start crying. But she didn't. She took a deep breath, cupped his face in her hands, kissed his cheek and shot him such a genuine smile of happiness that he hugged her again. "I missed you baby," she sighed, "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too mom."

As he pulled his bag towards the exit he asked, "Where's dad?"

He noticed her shoulders visibly stiffen. "Dad's in the car."

Sam knew not to push it. The hushed arguments had obviously continued while he was away. He had no idea what was going on with them but it was definitely worry him.

The first thing he noticed as they approached the car was that his father was in the passenger seat rather than the driving seat eliminating hid first assumption for why he hadn't come in with the others to meet him.

"You're driving?" He looked over to his mother who simply shrugged and made an indecipherable sound from the back of her throat.

The second thing he noticed was the smell of alcohol as he opened the back door of the car. His father had his head back and was snoring loudly.

"Hey dad!"

"I wouldn't bother. He can't hear you." Sam could clearly hear the bitterness in her voice. But she rapidly put a smile on her face and asked, "So are you going to tell us anything about New York or are we going to have to drag it out of you?"

Sam smiled as he made sure Stacy was buckled in properly at the back. "New York was fantastic. Everything about it was amazing."

"Did you see the statue of liberty?"

"Did you go to Central Park?"

"Did you ride the subway?"

Sam laughed at his siblings. "Yes and yes and yes! And if you're really good, when we get back I'll show you the presents I got you!"

"Oooh! Presents! Yayy!" He looked up and caught the smiling eyes of his mother in the rearview mirror. The five dollars in his jeans must have been a mistake because he had found the twenty and the letter from his mom wishing him luck as he'd pulled out the black shirt he'd worn for the National's performance.

When they reached the motel Sam reached over to wake his father.

"I wouldn't bother." His mom's bitter tone had returned, "He can come in when he wakes up."

Sam didn't know what to say. "I take it he's not got any work today?"

His mother said nothing as she opened the door to the motel room and ushered the kids inside.

Mercedes was sat at her kitchen counter trying hard to avoid the gaze of her mom buy focusing hard on the glass of root beer in her hand.

"I have say, you're handling coming 12th far better than I expected!" Really must stop smiling so much...

"Believe me mom. I cried like a baby for hours after I found out. We all did. Apart from Santana!" She then launched into the whole story of how she'd gone Lima Heights Adjacent on Rachel and how that had taken the wind out of everyone else's sails.

Mrs Jones smiled. "Well I'm glad it was Santana that did it and not you. I worry that with you it wouldn't have just been verbal!"

Mercedes laughed. "It was only verbal because she was being held back by two guys and a girl! Santana's been known to take on Lauren who's bigger and taller than me and in the girl's wrestling team!" She fingered her glass. "But we were bummed not to make it through. And to think it was all over a stupid kiss between Finn and Rachel. You have no idea how hard it was for us having to listen to that deafening silence after their song ended wondering what on earth was going on. But we had to keep our backs turned to the audience until the music started so it was down to Jesse St Creep to break the news of what had actually happened." She could feel her voice rising and her calmness receding as she related the experience. Taking another sip of the drink calmed her and she continued to speak about different things they had done on the trip while carefully avoiding any mention of Sam.

But her luck didn't to last for long.

"How was Sam? You know, the Evans kid."

Mercedes could have sworn someone had just sucked all of the air out of the room. If there had been drink in her mouth it would have been sprayed all across the room. She looked at her mother, confused. What the hell did she know about Sam? "Fine I guess."

Luckily her mom didn't seem to notice. "That's good. While you were away I met his mom, Mary, and we really hit it off. They'll be coming to our church on Sunday then they're coming back for lunch afterwards."

Mercedes didn't trust herself to speak just yet. It was a lot to suddenly take in.

"You know she speaks really highly of you Mercy. And she says the kids love you. Apparently you've been babysitting more than you let on to us!"

Her mom had to have been able to tell she was blushing and she really hoped that she'd put it down to the complement that she'd just been given. "Well, it's the Christian thing to do. I don't have money of my own to give them but I do have time so I just help in my own way."

Her mom pulled her in a huge hug. "Mercy, I'm so proud that we've been able to bring you up right and that you can make great decisions all by yourself."

Just like with prom, it felt like an age before she was finally able to escape and be alone in her room. Laying her bag on her bed she sat down and sighed. While they were in New York her mom had made friends with Sam's mom? How the hell did that happen? And he was coming to their house on Sunday! If Sam had a phone she would have been straight on it to him. But now she had the agonizing task of waiting until she saw him tomorrow at school.

She unzipped her bag and started to unpack.

As she went through her carryon she spotted a small brown paper package that was unfamiliar. It wasn't wrapped in special paper. It was just the kind of paper bag that you get when you buy something in a gift shop but taped down to make a very small parcel. Confused she sat back on the bed and opened it slowly. Inside was a small keychain. Nothing else.

But the keychain was in the shape of a snow cone. And the fake ice was painted red.

Mercedes stared at it for the longest time, basking in the memories that it brought back.

Then, clutching it carefully in her hand she walked calmly over to her door and made sure that it was shut before leaping onto her bed, burying her face deep into her pillows and letting out a massive squeal, excitedly kicking her legs against the bed like the typical crazy teenage girl that she was!

…

Mercedes waited an agonizing two days before finally working up the courage to ask the question that had been burning her since they got back.

Her mother had been looking in the fridge and was putting together a shopping list for the weekend.

She tried to make her voice sound as casual as possible. "So how come Sam's family are coming to church and dinner on Sunday? I saw you talking to his mom at the airport but I didn't realize you already knew each other!"

Her mom's head didn't even turn. "Actually, she'd called the home phone looking for you and I answered it."

"Oh. Okay..."

"She'd had a mini mind melt forgetting that you were away on the same trip as Sam and wanted to ask if you to babysit for a bit. Apparently the kids ask for you a lot! Anyway, she told me how brilliant you've been with them and how I should be really proud of you. Obviously I'm going to listen when somebody says wonderful things about my amazing daughter!"

Mercedes smiled and shook her head. She was getting the feeling that this was going to turn out to be embarrassing so she stayed silent and waited for her mom to continue.

"The strange thing was, after you told me about their situation I'd been thinking about what I could do for them. Obviously they wouldn't accept if we offered money but I got to thinking that they never get to do anything nice. My gym's only a couple of minutes from their motel and this month I've been given a bunch of promotional gift passes and massage vouchers. As a woman who loves her 'me time' I can't imagine what it must be like for Mary. No space and no time to relax and clear your head. I'd been waiting for you to come back to take them over for her. As it was, she was reluctant to accept at first but I could tell she was struggling to resist the offer of a free massage. Who wouldn't? Anyway, to cut a long story short, she was nervous to walk in the gym alone and pick up the vouchers herself so I offered to meet her there on my afternoon off so that I could introduce her and show her round. I'm always there on my free afternoon anyway."

"I bet she would love to have a massage or a jacuzzi. She always looks so tired and stressed." Mercedes was thrilled that her mother had come up with such a thoughtful idea which still left the woman with her dignity.

"She's such an amazing woman Mercy. Did you know she actually started going to law school but had to quit after a few months because she fell pregnant with Sam?"

Mercedes' eyes widened. She had no idea!

"Anyway, we had a really long chat. The poor woman's going through so much with-" her mother clearly caught herself, not wanting to reveal too much, "Anyway, we hit it off and somehow she tells me you invited Sam to church and the rest followed on from there!"

She would never have worked any of that out on her own. She wondered how much of this story Sam knew from his mom.

"How about you make your cherry pie on Sunday?"

Mercedes nodded. She knew how much the Evans' loved her baking. "Sure mom."

She turned to head back up to her room. She didn't want to make this into too long a conversation and needed to go back upstairs to process it.

"Oh and Mercy!"

"Yes mom?"

"Don't think I didn't notice all those lemons disappear last week..."

This was written before Sam's parents were given names on the show, but as they are going to feature a little in this fic I decided to change them over to the cannon names to prevent confusion.