Her name was Gabrielle.

He loved her.

He wanted her.

He needed her.

Sam got her.

He fucked her and a week later he kicked her to the curb.

He joked with Matt the next day about what a good lay she was.

He didn't love her.

He didn't need her.

He had forgotten about her by the end of the week.

Matt never forgot her.

As Matt glanced over at Mercedes sitting next to him in the passenger seat he felt a momentary pain of guilt. She was a nice woman and certainly didn't deserve to be used. He almost wished that Sam would have fallen for one of those vapid blondes he usually gravitated to, it would have made this whole revenge thing a whole lot easier.

Unfortunately for Mercedes, Sam didn't fall for a vapid blonde. He fell for her and he fell hard. Even though Sam wouldn't admit it Matt could tell, he could tell because he felt the same way about Gabrielle all those years ago. Sam had become so closed off and hard-hearted after what happened with Quinn that he was incapable of noticing the signs but Matt saw them all. He was crazy about Mercedes and it would only be a matter of time before he was completely in love with her. Matt hoped by the time that happened he would have already had Mercedes in his bed.

He couldn't wait to see the look on Sam's face when he realized that Matt had the one thing he wanted most in the world.

He couldn't wait to see the look on Sam's face when Matt told him what a good lay Mercedes was.

Matt wanted Sam to know the pain that he knew. He wanted Sam to feel the anguish when he realized the woman that he loved desperately didn't love him back.

Matt had hated Sam Evans for 6 years and he couldn't wait to get his revenge.

He wished that Mercedes didn't have to be collateral damage but at the end of the day his need to punish Sam outweighed the growing soft spot he had for Mercedes. He tried to assuage his guilty conscience but trying to convince himself that he was doing Mercedes a favor. She could do a lot better than Sam and once the humiliation passed she would realize that. He was doing her favor and he hoped one day she would see that. The last thing she needed in her life was Sam's emotionally stunted ass.

As Matt pulled up to Mercedes' apartment he decided against his initial plan of trying to go up. After hearing about Sam and Quinn's engagement she had been strangely subdued. Not upset, per say, but it was clear she was affected. He didn't really know what to make of the whole thing so he decided it was best to give her space. Trying to come up to her place was the expected thing to do and unlike his idiot ex-friend he didn't like to be predictable. He decided to give her space for a few days while he conducted some business and then come back on Friday and ask her out on a real date. He figured by the time the week was up the news of Sam's engagement and the reappearance of his fiancé would finally sink in and subdued Mercedes would be long gone. He witnessed bits of pieces of Mercedes persona and he knew she was not a woman to be messed around with.

He was sure that she was going to hate him when the dust cleared and he truly regretted that. Maybe in another time or place they could have been…something. Maybe if he had met her first all of the pain and heartache would have never happened and he wouldn't be the bitter man he is today.

Matt knew he could 'what if' all day but it wouldn't change anything. The damage was done. The damage that Sam Evans had inflicted had left its undeniable mark.

He had to pay.

Matt glanced over at Mercedes, "hey, we're here."

She blinked as if she was in a trance and then looked around at her surroundings.

"Oh, I hadn't realized, I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine…it's just…a lot has happened today."

"Yeah…look, if you want to talk about it…?" Matt let the question linger.

"NO! I mean, no. I just want to go upstairs and put on some comfortable clothes and sleep the rest of this day away."

"I hear that," he chuckled.

"Thank you for lunch and for the ride."

"It was my pleasure. Now go and get some rest."

Mercedes smiled softly before getting out of the car. Once she got up to her apartment she gave him a small wave before disappearing inside.

She really was a nice woman.

It was such a shame that she had to pay too.