DISCLAIMER: On First Chapter.

Enjoy! This is one of my favorite chapters so far! :D


May 13, 2011 (Saturday)

The InterContinental Hotel - Lobby

New York City, New York

8:47AM

Sam couldn't believe that this was it.

Sure, they had arrived a couple of days before, but it wasn't the same. It was like a slap upside the head to realize New Directions had fucking made it—they were about to compete at a National Show Choir competition. The disbelief and pride Sam felt about being a part of something so incredible nearly overwhelmed him.

He could vaguely hear Kurt and Rachel's excited voices talking about how well they were going to perform, but Sam couldn't for the life of him get past the fact that he was actually here—and wearing a pressed black button down shirt, a black vest, black pants, and a white tie that Mr. Schue had bought him.

He would have to thank him for that again later.

But right now, Sam was surrounded by his closest friends—some he'd even call family—and he was standing at the doors leading into a room filled to the brim with mingling people. Not only that, but in a few short hours—he'd be on that stage, under the bright spotlights and singing his heart out.

Was it egotistical of him to really want to win?

To prove to Jacob Ben Israel and all those people who had constantly put them down for the last few months that they were awesome. He would love to shove a trophy in their faces and say, "Look at me now, bitch!"

The satisfaction would be worth any sort of punishment he received.

He could hear all of the chatter going on around him and it finally clicked for him. He was doing what he loved, and despite all of the confusion and heartache this last year had caused him—he couldn't bring himself to regret the choices he'd made.

Mercedes' laughter brought him out of his thoughts. He couldn't help but smile as he spotted her out of the corner of his eye. She was standing with Tina and Mike—the three of them laughing hysterically. Her smile nearly blinded him.

She was so beautiful. Her brown eyes, her hair, her heart—it was all breathtaking and the fact that she was dating him of all people just blew him away. He stood there for a moment—the happiness he felt lightened his worries—and Sam knew he should stop staring, but she was just so pretty.

That halter dress with the black and sparkly beads, and her black ankle boots that cut off at the base of her calves—Sam just wanted to pull her in his arms and kiss her, but not only would Mercedes kill him for busting their secret wide open—he would be ashamed of such an inappropriate display. His momma had taught him better than that—even if he could hardly stand the thought of her right now.

He watched her laugh again—her head tossed back and her hair falling over her shoulders.

"You need to stop, Mike," she joked through her laughter, "The last thing we need is for someone to overhear you trash talking."

It was strange to date someone so independent. Mercedes didn't need him—she had made that very clear before they even started dating, but she wanted to be with him. It was so different from what he was used to with girls like Quinn—who seemed to flounder if they didn't have a boyfriend to latch onto.

Mercedes hated being victimized, but she also hated being crowded. And he liked that she didn't need him to be her boyfriend. There was just something wonderful about being desired and not just a necessity. He didn't feel like an obligation and Sam was pretty damn sure that he could get spoiled if he felt like this forever.

Sam felt a grin sliding onto his face just as his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. He jumped a little—it wasn't like he was expecting anyone to call him. He heard Mercedes, Tina, and Mike break out into peals of laughter again just as he fished his phone out of his pants pocket.

When he saw Lynn's name flashing across the screen—he beamed and quickly answered. Lynn had become a close confidant. She was hilarious and honest and caring. His gratitude knew no bounds—and he loved that Stacey and Stevie liked her just as much as he did. She had helped him get together with Mercedes, after all—and that was something he would never be able to repay.

"Hey Lynn," he greeted cheerfully as he walked away from the rest of the glee club. Sam didn't go far, but he found a quiet corner to stand in that was out of sight of his friends and away from the blather of the crowds moving through the entryway. He stood in front of a wall made out of windows and stared out at the city.

It was like watching a movie with no sound. People wearing all kinds of clothing passed each other without a second glance. Cabs drove past and buses puttered around street corners. Women with shopping bags in one hand and the other clutching an oversized bag—or a child—moved past.

"Hi Sam," Lynn replied—he could hear the exhaustion in her voice and it made him frown a bit. Lynn had never sounded tired or anything when he was there. Was something wrong?

"Lynn, are you okay?" he asked and Lynn chuckled on the other end.

"I'm quite alright, darlin'," she told him, "Don't you worry about me. I've just got some things to work out over here, but everything is okay."

"Are you sure?" Sam questioned warily—if anything happened to her or his family, Sam didn't know what to do. Lynn meant so much to him already. "Are you sick? Are Stevie and Stacey sick? Is my dad okay?"

His panic was building the more he thought about everything that could possibly be wrong, but Lynn snapped him out of it quickly.

"Samuel, stop and listen to me," she ordered—and even through the phone the sharp authority in her voice demanded his respect and complete attention. "No one is sick and I promise that I'm okay. It was just a long night—we'll talk more when you get home, but for right now, I don't want you to spend another second of your trip to New York worrying about me. Okay young man?"

Sam let out an explosive sigh, but he grudgingly agreed.

Lynn sounded happy about that when she spoke next. "So how's your trip going? Your competition is today, right? How's everything with your songs? Anything exciting happen? Are you safe? Eating your vegetables every day?"

Sam laughed at the role reversal—he knew exactly what she was trying to weasel out of him, but he wasn't giving in that easily.

"The trip has been amazing," Sam told her honestly, "I've been to places that I've only dreamed of going. I played hockey on an official arena. I've sang in Times Square. It's like a dream come true. Oh, and the food here is amazing. Mr. Schue took us to a sushi restaurant last night and it was delicious!"

Lynn laughed on the other end of the line. "New York does have its' niches—sushi being one of them."

"And yeah, our competition is today," Sam said, "To tell you the truth—I'm scared to death of getting on that stage and tripping over my own two feet. I'm not the most graceful dancer. And what if I forget the lyrics or the dance moves—"

"Sam, stop psyching yourself out," Lynn responded directly to his growing anxiety. He didn't understand how he always ended up showing his insecurities around her. "You're going to perform like the amazing star that you are, and you're going to rock those dance moves."

Sam laughed. "I'm pretty sure I've told you about how awful my dancing skills are."

"Yes, you have," Lynn replied, "but Mercedes didn't seem to mind those dance moves at prom."

And there she was—hedging again. The barely contained curiosity in her voice was incredibly amusing. He knew what she was eagerly poking at without saying, but teasing her was so much fun.

"I guess," Sam agreed, completely ignoring the blatant invitation to tell her about him and Mercedes. "But we just finished writing the songs yesterday and choreographing everything—I just hope I have everything down."

"Darlin', you're going to be amazing," she told him, "Just have faith in yourself and get on that stage with nothing but love of singing in your heart. It'll take you further than you think."

Once again with the good advice—Sam didn't know what he would do without these constant spouts of wisdom in his life. "What's going on over there? Stacey's recital is next weekend, right?"

"Yeah," Lynn answered, "She's crazy excited about it. I'm sure she'll tell you all about it when she comes back inside. The twins and your father are giving Marley a bath right now—and I'm inside watching as Jeff tries to hold the dog in place while they scrub her. I find it hilarious that your father is genius when it comes to architecture and math, but he hasn't figured out that he could leash Marley to the tree and put her in the tub."

Sam couldn't stop laughing for a minute or two. Lynn was giggling by the time he stopped chortling. "Is she driving you crazy with rehearsing?" Sam questioned.

"Not yet," Lynn said, "She always says that 'Sammy will help me more when he gets back', but she has taken to singing with me every day while I'm cooking dinner. And she asked me to show her some notes on the piano, but she's young and she's obsessed with taking care of Marley. She's the first one ready to take her out for a walk in the evenings."

"Sounds like my sister," Sam replied—he couldn't mask the fondness for his little sister. He missed those kids. "How's Stevie?"

"Wonderful," Lynn told him, "His math teacher told him about this kids forensics camp that they have in Pennsylvania over the summer—so he's been trying to recruit me to his side before asking his dad. Like I can convince your father to let his eight year old go study the basics of homicide for two weeks in another state."

Lynn sounded amused and fondly exasperated. Sam laughed. "Do you know how long it took me to stop him from marching back into that airport and taking you back home?" she said, "And you're eighteen years old. There's not a chance in hell that he's going to let Stevie out of his sight for that long at eight years old."

That sounded like his dad. Jeffrey Evans was a wonderful father—but that also meant he was protective. He would probably let Stevie go, but only after some serious convincing. Sam was a bit sketchy on the idea too—he understood why it would be a good opportunity, but Stevie being away for that long and so far away? Sam wasn't sure if he could handle his little brother going on that trip.

"We'll have to see on that one," Sam responded and Lynn suddenly groaned.

"Okay," she said, "Are you gonna tell me or not?"

Sam smirked. "Tell you what?" he asked innocently.

"Tell me how everything went?" Lynn replied.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Lynn," Sam retorted with an amused quirk of the lips.

"Samuel Evans!" Lynn exclaimed in mock-anger. Sam laughed at her impatience. He finally decided to put her out of her misery. She had helped him after all.

"Everything was," Sam took a moment to search for words, but nothing fit. That first date with Mercedes was a thing of dreams, the moments that only happen in the movies—it sounded like a fairytale. "Everything was indescribable." That word seemed to partially explain how he felt.

"She loved every minute of it," Sam said softly, "She looked beautiful. We laughed, we ate, and it felt like we were right where we were meant to be. It was the best night of my life." Sam heard Lynn sigh happily on the other end of the line.

Images of Mercedes from that night were burned into his brain—he wanted to relive that night over and over again, but he also wanted to move forward, because moments even more amazing awaited them—he just knew it.

Sam glanced around himself to make sure that he was alone, before saying, "I asked her to be my girlfriend." The smile that spread over his face was sappy as fuck. Just seeing his reflection on the glass made him disgusted, but he liked it. "And she said yes."

Lynn's squeal made his smile widen. His cheeks almost started hurting. But then he remembered that Mercedes hadn't really wanted anyone to know just yet. "Can you keep it quiet for a little bit?" he asked, "Cedes didn't really want anyone to know about us just yet."

"Of course, darlin'," Lynn agreed immediately, "but you do plan on telling your dad soon right? I'm happy for you and I think you and Mercedes will be fantastic together, but I don't want to overstep my bounds in anything like this—your father is my friend too."

"I know," Sam replied—he could respect that, "I don't think we're going to keep it secret for long—just until we get comfortable with the relationship ourselves."

"I'm so happy for you, Sam!" Lynn said exuberantly. Her excitement made him smile. "I'd love to talk more, but your siblings are heading inside, so I'm gonna let you talk to them, okay?"

"Sure thing," Sam replied, "I'm always up for talking with the munchkins."

Sam heard the faint sound of a door opening and then loud voices and laughter. Lynn's voice was muffled as she spoke for a moment, but then there was the sound of two joyous cries and he was sucked into a conversation with his little brother and sister.

Talking to them one at a time was like controlling a hyperactive squirrel, but both of them was a nightmare. Somehow he managed to hold a conversation with both of them for about ten minutes when he heard someone call his name.

"Hey guys, hold on one second, okay?" he said into the phone, before he turned to look over his shoulder. He blinked when he saw Mercedes standing there with a slight smile on her face.

"Cedes, hey," he greeted, but that was a mistake because there was an explosion of noise in his ear.

Sam winced as he pulled the phone away. Stacey's loud scream of "Mercy!" was way louder than he'd been expecting. "Stacey wants to talk to you," Sam said—still rubbing his ear.

Mercedes looked confused for a moment, before she laughed as she moved to his side and took the phone out of his hand. Sam watched as her eyes lit up after she'd said hello. Mercedes started grinning almost immediately, and Sam was mesmerized. He listened as she talked her way through a phone conversation with both of his siblings like a pro.

It had taken him years of experience to master that skill and Mercedes was doing it like it was easy. He smiled down at her in amazement. It warmed his heart to know that his siblings liked her so much, and he loved that she was so close to them already.

Sam spared the empty area around them a quick glance, before he stepped behind Mercedes and placed his hands on her bare shoulders. She looked at him askance for a moment, but Sam just grinned at her. Her skin was so soft and smooth and he loved the feeling as he ran his hands lightly down her arms until her reached her elbows.

Without hesitating, he tugged her lightly until she stood against his chest and then he wrapped his arms around her waist—listening to her talk. He placed his chin down on her shoulder and turned his head until his head was basically buried in the junction of her neck and shoulder.

Sam placed a soft kiss there and then he placed another just behind her ear. The pride he felt couldn't be tamed as he heard the momentary hitch in her breath. She stumbled over a couple of words, but recovered brilliantly.

Sam felt like a BAMF. He made Mercedes stutter. There was no greater feeling.

She smelled like lilies and cinnamon and he loved it. Sam placed his chin atop her head and just let the conversation flow over him. It wasn't until speaker phone was turned on that he had to pay attention to something besides how wonderful Mercedes felt in his embrace—that he spoke.

They talked for almost half an hour—the four of them plus Lynn and his dad occasionally. It was bittersweet when the conversation had to end. Sam and Mercedes needed to rejoin the group in a few minutes. Stacey and Stevie sounded so upset that they wouldn't get to see the performance, but Sam promised to make it up to them somehow.

When Mercedes finally pressed the end button, Sam missed his family more than ever, but his homesickness was pushed to the back of his mind as Mercedes slowly turned around in his arms. She looked up at him with those big brown eyes of hers and Sam couldn't resist leaning his forehead against hers.

"Are you ready for this?" he asked quietly and Mercedes smiled.

"I've been ready for this my whole life," she sassed and Sam chuckled as her arms went around his neck. When he felt her fingers comb through the hairs on the back of his head, he smiled.

"Is it bad that I want to compete, but I really don't want to let you go so we can walk over there?" he questioned. Mercedes gave him a fond look.

"Stop being a sap and let's go kick some show choir ass," she said before she took her fingers from his hair and gently stepped out of his embrace. Sam grabbed her before she could walk even two steps.

"Not before I do this, though," he told her. Mercedes didn't even have time to form a confused expression before Sam had attached his lips to hers. And by golly did she taste as amazing and felt as soft as she did before. Mercedes didn't fight him at all.

Their lips moved together—slowly but surely and Sam didn't want to stop, but they really did have to go. He pulled away with one more soft peck to those lips of hers. Mercedes' eyes were glazed slightly and she didn't say anything, but the smile on her face told him everything he needed to know.


May 13, 2011 (Saturday)

Lynn's House

Lima, Ohio

9:46AM

As soon as Lynn hung up the phone, Jeff clapped his hands and said, "Upstairs kiddos! You both need to shower and put on clean clothes. Then it's time for chores—so make sure you put the clothes in the dirty laundry basket before you bring them downstairs."

They both looked on the verge of whining, but Jeff made sure to nip that one in the bud. He gave them a stern look that had both of their mouths snapping shut without a word of complaint coming out.

"Okay daddy," Stacey said, before she grabbed her brother's hand and tugged him towards the stairs. Lynn wanted to laugh really hard when she saw Jeff melt into a puddle of goo at his daughter's words.

She waited until the two were out of sight before saying, "Is it daddy's girl or girl's daddy?"

The quip made Jeff laugh. "I'm not even sure anymore," he replied, "That kid has me wrapped around her finger."

"More like she has you hog-tied and put in a frilly basket," Lynn cracked and Jeff gasped in mock-anger.

"You're gonna get it for that one," he said and Lynn laughed.

"I'm so scared," she cried, "Jeffrey's gonna come after me with his bows and lace."

"No," he replied, "I'm gonna come after you with my dirty doggy water soaked shirt and dog hair covered pants."

"Don't you dare!" Lynn stated as she backed away from the blonde man—just now realizing that he was covered head to toe in dog hair and dirty water soaked his shirt through. Jeff just shot her a playful smirk.

She took off running when Jeff reached out to grab her. She dodged his hands and he chased after her.

"You better not even think about it, Jeff!" she told him as she ran around the kitchen counter. Jeff halted on the opposite side and tried to circle around to get her, but Lynn went the other way.

"I'm not thinking, Lynn," he told her with a devious grin, "It's totally going to happen." He sprinted around the counter, but Lynn made it to the other side without him catching her.

"You are not touching me with those clothes on, Jeffrey Evans!" she whisper-yelled at him.

"Can I touch you without them?" he joked and Lynn couldn't keep her jaw from dropping as she burst out laughing. Her face was warmer than the morning sun, and she thanked God that she was black, because she would've been bright red otherwise.

"Was that a sincere offer?" Lynn asked—knowing that she was totally crossing into flirting territory, but she wasn't about to shut him down. It's not like she hadn't considered the fact that Jeffrey Evans was an extremely attractive man.

"Were you going to say yes?" Jeff retorted.

"What if I did?" she said.

"Then hell yeah I was offering," Jeff quipped and Lynn couldn't stop laughing. Jeff was blushing too, but he had a playful grin on his face.

"You're gonna have to catch me first," she shot back, before Lynn darted out of the room past a gaping Jeff. She heard him chase after her only moments later, but he wasn't quick enough to stop her from sprinting outside into the backyard.

The two of them ran circles around each other. Lynn made Jeff chase her back and forth across the backyard—neither of them giving up. They trash talked the whole time—both of them breaking out into fits of laughter every few minutes.

"Damn woman," Jeff exclaimed about twenty minutes later as he slowed down to a stop. He wiped the sweat off his face with the bottom of his t-shirt, but then he cringed when the foul smell of the dirty water got into his nose. Lynn was practically in tears of hilarity after seeing his expression. "You run like a freakin' gazelle."

"I ran track for years, Jeffrey," Lynn told him, "And I run in the mornings—how do you think I stay in shape?"

The perverted grin he shot her made her laugh. She really didn't want to know what his first thought had been. But she let out a short squeal when he suddenly rushed towards her; Lynn darted to the left, but Jeff blocked her path.

And before she knew what was happening she was swept up into his arms—Lynn let out a groan of dismay and then giggled when he spun them around in circles. He only collapsed when they were both dizzy as hell. Lynn found herself sprawled on top of Jeff—her back to his chest.

She would be lying to herself if she said that Jeff didn't feel muscular and toned and sexy. Eventually she made herself roll off of him and she landed on her stomach right next to him. He gave her a sparkling grin that made her roll her eyes.

"Now we both have to shower!" she complained playfully.

"I do smell kind of awful, don't I?" he questioned.

"Yes!" Lynn replied, "You need a shower—with extra scrub."

"It's your dog's fault!" Jeff responded, "Marley is one hyperactive puppy, and don't think I didn't see you sitting on the couch laughing at me earlier."

Lynn laughed again. "Yeah, that's because you didn't even think to leash the dog to the tree and then put her in the tub."

Jeff silently gaped at her for a moment; before he let his head fall back in the grass and facepalmed. "I'm an idiot," he admitted—Lynn chuckled—"How did I not even think of that?"

Lynn laughed again and Jeff joined in sheepishly. A few seconds later, Lynn hefted herself off the ground and offered Jeff a hand. "I need to shower and you definitely need to shower. Stacey and Stevie are probably done with their baths by now and chores will take them forty-minutes max. So up and at 'em!"

Jeff groaned but he accepted the help up.

They walked inside together in a comfortable silence. The flirting from earlier hadn't been forgotten, but Lynn didn't know how to bring it up yet—not saying anything was probably wise because she had no idea what she was doing with Jeff.

He didn't speak until she was about to step inside her room—which was down the hall from his. "Oh, and Lynn," he called to her. She glanced over at him and he gave her a kind smile. "I have a surprise for you later tonight—so don't make any evening plans, alright?"

Then he walked inside the room and closed the door before she could even gather her obliterated thoughts. Lynn gaped at the empty hallway for a moment—filled with wonder and curiosity, but eventually she walked into her room to shower. She'd get some answers later—when she didn't smell like wet dog.


May 13, 2011 (Saturday)

The InterContinental Hotel – Room Four

New York City, New York

10:33AM

Rachel and Finn are going on in twelve minutes. And Sam's emotions kept switching between heel-clicking excitement and knee-weakening terror. The confidence boost from talking with his family had all but disappeared as soon as he and Mercedes had been sucked into the bubble of Glee members once more.

Puck was constantly telling himself that he was a bad ass and nothing was more bad ass than him. Lauren was watching him with a raised eyebrow—nothing she'd said had worked so far to calm him down. Quinn was sitting in a corner by herself; and she looked really conflicted. He didn't know what was wrong, but that wasn't his problem at the moment.

Artie and Mr. Schue were talking about something. He couldn't hear from his position on the other side of the room, but they were both really animated.

Rachel and Kurt were going over scales. Tina, Mike, and Finn were going over dance moves again. Sam had no idea what Santana was whispering in Brittany's ear, but the blonde would giggle every few seconds.

And Mercedes was laid down on the couch—her eyes were closed and her hands rested on her stomach. She looked relaxed and Sam found himself moving towards her. He lowered himself to the ground and plopped down right by her chest. Mercedes' eyes opened and she looked surprised but happy to see him so close.

"Hey boyfriend," she whispered and just hearing her say that made him happy.

"Hi girlfriend," Sam replied just as quietly. Sam met her eyes and Mercedes gave him a twinkling gaze in return.

"I meant to tell you earlier," Mercedes said, "but someone distracted me." The pointed look she gave him made him laugh softly. "Anyway, I think you look smokin'. All black and that white tie—you're looking mighty fine."

Sam felt the blush flare across his face before he could even attempt to fight down the embarrassment. He would be lying if he didn't sit up a little straighter after that though. He liked knowing that Mercedes found him attractive—especially when he had trouble taking his eyes off of her.

"Well, I think you look stunning," he replied and Mercedes shot him a grin.

"Thanks Blondie," she responded.

"No problem, Nala," he said, before facing forward again. Sam leaned his head back until it fell against the edge of the couch. He twitched when he felt a hand carding through his hair.

"Isn't this risky?" Sam asked—he didn't care if anyone knew about them, but he knew that Mercedes did. And her practically petting him in a room full of their friends probably wasn't a good decision if they wanted to keep this a secret.

"No one's paying attention," Mercedes told him as she gently scratched his scalp. God, if that didn't feel good. Sam let his eyes fall closed and he just enjoyed the sweetness of the moment.

"You're much nicer about hair than Kurt is," Sam blurted and he heard Mercedes laugh quietly.

"What are you talking about?"

"Finn asked Kurt for help with his hair this morning, and they were having this really loud argument the whole time," Sam told her before he reenacted the whole conversation. Finn with a deep voice and Kurt with a high pitched one. Mercedes was dying of laughter by the time he finished.

"That sounds exactly like them arguing," Mercedes choked out between giggles. "They're ridiculous!"

"At least I'm not the only one who thinks so," Sam stated with a wide grin. He watched her roll around in the couch cushions and he couldn't help but smile.

"Speaking of ridiculous," Mercedes said once she'd finished laughing. "I met Emma Watson yesterday."

"YOU WHAT?" Sam exclaimed. He was pretty sure that he'd almost given himself whiplash when he snapped to attention that quickly. He could feel his eyes bugging out of his head as he stared at a chuckling Mercedes.

She wouldn't tease him with something like this. "Did you really meet Emma?" Sam asked and when Mercedes nodded—Sam felt his inner fanboy swelling to the surface. She had met Emma Watson who played Hermione Granger. Mercedes had practically met the smartest witch of her time.

Sam didn't know what to do with himself. Mercedes' snorting brought him out of his wonderland. "Sam, you look like you have stars in your eyes."

"You met Emma Watson," Sam said reverently, "What happened? Were you singing? I bet you were singing. Your song is like a siren—it just attracts people. Did she talk to you?"

Mercedes was smiling, but she happily explained everything that went down. Sam was so flustered by the time that she finished that he didn't know what to do or say anymore. They probably would've talked more, but the stage hand came back to let them know that they were performing in three minutes.

Sam hefted himself off the floor and then he helped Mercedes off the couch. Everyone else started filing out of the room; Sam and Mercedes at the back. Before they walked through the doorway—Sam brushed his fingers against hers and that was enough for them.


May 13, 2011 (Saturday)

The InterContinental Hotel – Main Stage

New York City, New York

10:48AM

Mercedes was still in disbelief of the giant cluster fuck that had gone down onstage not thirty seconds ago. She couldn't believe Finn and Rachel—and while she was all for them being together and being in love—she was not happy that they decided to have their dramatic moment on the Nationals stage. The only thing she could do was perform her heart out and make up for what could potentially cost them the trophy.

So when the music started, Mercedes made sure to focus on what made her happy—her family, her friends, her boyfriend—and the zing of energy she felt race up her spine couldn't be dismissed. She glanced over at Sam for a brief moment—taken aback by the smile that spread over her features when she saw him gazing back. He winked at her, before he settled into position.

Mercedes thought he looked sexy in everything he wore, but she would have to get her man in form-fitting black clothes more often.

Full of joy, she couldn't resist getting into the music as soon as the opening notes started playing.

Her hips moved to the beat as she stomped her foot. Sam gave her a dorky grin as she spun past him. She couldn't help but be amused by how hard he was dancing. He looked like he was having a great time. She moved with her friends back and forth across that stage like a true diva. She could tell that they all had a great time. And the satisfaction she got from the audience's reaction was overwhelming.

The performance felt far too short for Mercedes' liking. When they ended on a dramatic note—the excitement was still surging through her veins—and her fist was still thrown in the air. The screams of the audience had her laughing and yelling along. Nothing had ever felt more right.

It was only made better when she was blindsided by Sam. He hefted her in the air and Mercedes let out a surprised laugh, but she hugged him back. Sam pulled away after a few seconds—the audience still cheering around them and their fellow Glee members exchanging hugs. His hand stayed on her waist as she stared up at him.

His green eyes were shining—they didn't carry the burden of poverty or concern that was usually there. He seemed happy—truly happy and Mercedes could barely breathe because of how wonderful that made her feel. She loved making him smile, but the fact that Sam could feel like this without her help—Jesus, it did things to her heart and stomach.

She could tell by the way he kept glancing down at her lips that he wanted to kiss her. And she would be lying if she said she didn't want him to do so, but now was not the time or place. She gave him a smile and the loving grin she got back in return made her heart swell.

Sam gently brushed her hair behind her ear, but his fingers traced down her cheek and across her bottom lip. It only took about four seconds, but it felt like forever before he dropped his hands and stepped away from Mercedes.

This whole not-jumping Sam thing was going to be way harder than she'd first thought.

Blondie had some intense game, and the fact that he didn't even realize it made him even sexier. She stared after him as he trekked across the stage and wrapped Puck in a quick hug. She was distracted by a giddy Tina only a few seconds later.

She didn't notice a suspicious and shocked Quinn watching the whole time.


May 13, 2011 (Saturday)

Lynn's House

Lima, Ohio

6:05PM

"Are you going to tell me what this surprise is or not?" Lynn demanded as Jeff finished tossing his sheets into the washing machine. She had been trying to get the truth out of him all day, but Jeff just laughed it off.

Him and his son—they were too much alike. Lynn pouted when Jeff didn't answer her. She stood there waiting patiently as he glanced down at his watch and said, "Yep."

She blinked in surprise as Jeff gently steered her out of the laundry room. "Stevie! Stacey! Grab your bags and come downstairs!" he called to them. Lynn's brows furrowed as she heard the two of them thundering out of the living room where they had been watching cartoons and both of them raced upstairs.

"What's going on?" she asked, completely bewildered. Jeff gave her a sly smile as he snatched his keys off the hook by the door and grabbed his wallet—stuffing it into his pocket.

"You're going to go upstairs and get all dressed up and I'll be back," he told her.

Lynn stared at him.

Her confusion only increased when Stacey and Stevie slid past her—backpacks thrown over their shoulders. "Dressed up? What do you mean? And where are you going?" Lynn asked slowly.

Jeff shot her a wink. "Trust me, okay?"

Lynn studied him for a few moments before she nodded hesitantly and Jeff beamed. He ushered the kids out of the door saying, "Be ready in forty five minutes!" Lynn was gob smacked to say the least, but there wasn't anything she could do.

She had no idea what was going on here, but it had been awhile since she got all dressed up for anything. Might as well go with the flow. She headed upstairs—already debating outfits in her mind.


May 13, 2011 (Saturday)

Lynn's House

Lima, Ohio

6:56PM

Jeff burst through the door—excitement building in his chest. He was wearing a brand new suit that was black with white pinstripes and a cerulean blue dress shirt and shiny black shoes. He looked pretty darn good if he said so himself.

He hoped Lynn liked her surprise. It had been last minute to say the least, but he was grateful that it had all worked out in his favor. Jeff checked himself over in the mirror one last time—before he walked to the bottom of the stairs and called, "Hey Lynn, you ready?"

"I'll be down in a second, Jeffrey!" she replied and he couldn't stop the huge grin from spreading across his face.

Jeff hadn't done anything like this before. He and Elizabeth had a very calm, very easy relationship, but Lynn meant so much to him already and he'd learned so much about her. She was very different from his soon to be ex-wife, but she had become his best friend.

And he loved that they were such good friends. She deserved a night to just relax and be happy. And Jeff hoped that this would be it for her.

He was ripped from his thoughts by the sound of her footsteps coming down the stairs. Jeff's jaw dropped when he saw her. He'd always found Lynn cute and adorable. He knew she was attractive, but he'd never called her sexy out loud or in his mind.

The Lynn he was looking at right now was sexy as hell.

She was wearing three inch black heels that had black satiny ribbons threaded all the way up her calves. Her dress stopped a little past mid thigh. She was wearing a black dress with a halter top that had straps wrapping around her back and criss-crossing in the back. The whole dress looked like it was made of lace with a solid black fabric beneath. It was form fitting and Lynn's figure was heart stopping.

Jeff wasn't a pervert, but the sweet heart neckline put Lynn's chest on display in a very elegant way, and damn.

She curled her hair again and it looked amazing.

"Sweet baby Jesus and my momma's grits," Jeff muttered—he was still gaping and he knew he looked like an idiot.

Lynn laughed and Jeff stared at her mouth which was glossed in this soft pink lipstick that he wanted to kiss. And holy crab cakes, where was all this coming from?

He hadn't had sex in a looonnnnnggggggg time. He and Elizabeth stopped being together when things started going downhill in Tennessee, but he wasn't a douche-bag. He wasn't even going to attempt to be with Lynn unless there were some serious feelings there. She meant too much to him and his family.

But at the rate they'd been going—he wouldn't be surprised if it did happen.

"You look incredible," he told her honestly and Lynn beamed. Her hazel eyes were sparkling and Jeff couldn't help but blush.

"You look mighty spiffy yourself, Mr. Evans," she replied. Jeff blushed even harder, but he extended his elbow to her. She shyly took it with a bright smile.

"Thank you," he said, "Shall we go?"

"It'd be my pleasure, kind sir," Lynn responded, "Are you going to tell me where we're going?"

"Nice try," he said with a laugh, "but not yet."

The pout Lynn gave him had him grinning smugly at her. She hit him with her clutch purse and he laughed as he escorted her out of the door and to his truck.


May 13, 2011 (Saturday)

Vanilla Almond Restaurant

Lima, Ohio

7:27PM

When they walked into the restaurant, Lynn's face lit up. Vanilla Almond was on the outskirts of Lima, but it had a great reputation. It had decent pricing, and was rated five stars by restaurant critics all over the world.

The entire inside was soft white and lacy and there was a live band playing in the corner—mostly old tunes, but they were really good. Lynn was already dancing as she glanced around at everything. Jeff congratulated himself for choosing a good place to take her for the evening.

The host walked over with a kind smile. "May I help you?"

"Oh," Jeff said suddenly. He blushed as Lynn gave him an amused smile. "Yeah, I have reservations for two under Evans."

The host beckoned them over to the podium and he flipped through a leather bound book. He said, "Ah, here you are sir." Then he pulled two brown leather menus from under the podium and said, "I'll escort you to your table."

Lynn was still staring around at everything as they were led to their table. She brightened even further when she saw that their table was right next to the dance floor and pretty close to the band, but not so close that they couldn't talk to each other.

When they were seated, Lynn smiled at Jeff. "This place is beautiful!" she said happily, "But how did you find it? And where on Earth are the kids?"

"They're at David and Delia's house," Jeff admitted and Lynn blinked. He laughed at the nonplussed expression on her face. "I called David earlier this morning and asked him to help me out. I told him that you needed a break and they were like of course she does—she works too hard. So we schemed and I decided that a night of good food—that you didn't cook—and music was what you needed."

Lynn stared at him for a moment, before she said, "Thank you, Jeffrey."

"It's no problem," he replied, "You've done so much for me and you're such a wonderful addition to my family that I wanted to show you that it's not one sided."

Lynn looked both moved and completely speechless, but the smile she gave him after a moment of silence made his heart beat faster. They were interrupted by their water coming over and asking them what they'd like to drink.

Dinner passed in a flurry of conversation and wonderful dining. Lynn ordered Athenian pasta with shrimp and Jeff had a sirloin and mashed potatoes. Lynn ended up stealing food off his plate though and he had to bat her sneaky fork away from his steak more than once.

She got him back though when he tried a bite of her pasta and it was freaking delicious. And she wouldn't let him have anymore. They only had one glass of wine because they had to drive home, but the one they did have was delicious.

It was a meal full of laughter and joking and just plain ridiculousness. Lynn shared stories about her college years and Jeff told her some stories about his children. Sam would hate him for all the potential blackmail he'd given Lynn, but he didn't care. Jeff hadn't had such a good time in a long while.

It was only when the live band started playing "Fly Me to the Moon" by Frank Sinatra that the two of them stopped talking. Lynn's eyes lit up and Jeff smiled. He was a bit bemused to see her dab her mouth with her napkin, before she stood up.

Lynn walked around the table—looking even more amazing than she did when she'd first walked down those stairs—and offered him a hand. "Jeffrey Evans, will you do me the honor of being my dance partner?"

Jeff stared for a moment. "Is it okay if I suck?"

She laughed. "I won't judge," she replied, "I promise."

And with that, Jeff took her hand and stood up. The two walked onto the dance floor and with a rush of bravado, he swung her into his arms. She looked surprised, but happy. The dance was cheesy to the max, but Lynn just laughed it off as she sang the song.

It wasn't perfect—Jeff stumbled a couple of times, but Lynn just beamed at him and they kept going. He even managed to spin her a couple of times which got her to laugh. They danced for almost an hour—the band going into Diana Ross renditions and even some Whitney Houston.

Jeff couldn't remember ever having so much fun on a dance floor. Lynn could dance circles around him and he knew that her swiveling hips had caught the eye of more than one man in the room, but she paid them no attention.

The laugh she let out when Jeff bust into the sprinkler was glorious—her head was thrown back and her smile was blinding. When she looked at him again, her short curls fell across her forehead and her hazel eyes were dancing. Jeff's breath caught in his throat just looking at her. And when she did the mashed potato and then the tootsie roll—Jeff knew he was in trouble.

Lynn swung her hips from side to side and danced around him in a tight circle. She was beautiful and funny and captivating and he never wanted to stop making her laugh or smile.

Jeff was pretty damn sure that what he was feeling was way more than friendship or at least the beginning of more. He hadn't felt anything like this when he'd married Elizabeth. He'd been happy and he loved her, but this—these feelings were something he'd never experienced.

Jeff felt like he was high every time she laughed at his antics or grinned at something he said.

Lynnette Orchid, even her name sounded beautiful in his head—he had no idea what he was doing, but he didn't plan on stopping now.


May 13, 2011 (Saturday)

The InterContinental Hotel

New York City, New York

8:11PM

Almost all of New Directions had gone out for dinner with Mr. Schue—however; Rachel had sequestered herself into the bathroom out of shame and probably, fear.

Santana was still seething, but at least she had come down from full Spanish to switching between English and Spanish. Trying to claw Rachel's face off had made her hungry apparently. Mercedes had been relaxing in the empty room—all of the other girls having gone downstairs to eat a late dinner.

Soon enough though she'd gotten bored and went to find Sam in the boys' room down the hall. She raised her hand to knock, but the door swung open. She and Finn blinked at each other in surprise.

"Hey Mercedes," he said quietly, "Are you hear to cuss me out too?"

Poor kid had practically gotten whiplash when Santana turned her sharp tongue on him. The Latina had done a number on his confidence; that was for sure.

Mercedes had even winced at some of the things that were said. It had all been put to an end though when Rachel burst into tears—or when Santana had leapt at Rachel and the boys had to hold her back from attacking.

She felt kind of bad that she had been enraptured by Sam's biceps as he held onto the girl kicking at Rachel, but she was honest with herself—she was pissed about the loss too.

"No," Mercedes told him finally. The tall boy looked relieved. "I'm sure you've been yelled at enough already."

Finn gave her a helpless shrug. "I screwed up," he admitted, "I deserve it."

"So what are you going to do next time we're on a competition stage?" Mercedes asked. And Finn blushed.

"Stay far away from Rachel's lips," he replied with a laugh. Mercedes winked at him.

"Look at that—learning from your mistakes already," she stated, "No need for yelling from me."

Finn smiled. "I'm heading down to grab some dinner. You want to come with?"

"Nah," she replied with a shake of her head, "I'm not hungry. I'll just head back to my room."

"Oh," Finn responded, "Well, Sam's inside if you're bored. He wasn't too hungry either."

Sam was in the boys' room after all. Score for Mercedes!

"Thanks Finn," she told him as he opened the door wider to let her in.

Not giving herself a chance to second guess anything—she wrapped the tall boy into a warm hug. She wasn't surprised when he hugged her back.

"Everything will cool down," she said with a smile after stepping away. She couldn't be mad at him anymore—especially not when she could clearly see how guilty he felt. Finn was a sweet guy. He didn't make the best choices all the time, but he did care. He just needed to learn some tact.

"For now though, I suggest you give Santana at least five hundred feet. And don't trust anything she gives you. She'll calm down soon enough," Mercedes advised and Finn nodded in reply.

"Thanks Mercedes," he responded.

"No problem, Finn."

She watched him walk out of the room and then she gently closed the door. Mercedes turned around and walked into the actual bedroom—where she saw duffel bags and clothes everywhere. But she didn't see Sam anywhere until she glanced at the double doors that led to the balcony and spotted his tall form leaning against the railing.

Mercedes slipped off her shoes and walked to the door wearing her patterned socks. She had showered and changed clothes not soon after everyone had left. She was wearing a gray cotton dress with a comfy white sweater. She had left her hair down and straight, but she still brushed it out with her fingers.

It was slightly ridiculous to worry about what she looked like, but Sam was her boyfriend and she liked looking good for him. She walked outside after double checking her appearance in the mirror one more time.

She could tell he heard the door open because he tensed, but Sam didn't turn around. "I already said I wasn't hungry, Finn," he said—his voice was slightly exasperated. Mercedes smiled.

"I'm sure I would care if I was Finn," she teased and Sam's head snapped around.

"Cede, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"I got bored sitting all by my lonesome in the girls' room," she replied as she closed the glass door behind her and walked over to him. He looked happy to see her.

"Isn't Rachel still in hiding?" he inquired with a laugh as he stretched a hand out to her. Mercedes took it with a soft grin. Sam entwined their fingers and tugged her closer.

"She is," Mercedes agreed as she was gently brought into Sam's personal space, "She's locked herself into the bathroom. It took me forever to convince her to come out so I could shower, but then she went right back in."

Sam shook his head in amusement. "Well, I'm glad that you came here," he said causing Mercedes to beam at him. The things this boy did to her heart should be illegal. "I actually thought about calling you, but Finn was in the room still and I really don't think I would've been able to resist epic cuddling time with you."

Mercedes laughed. "We've never cuddled before!" she said.

Sam shrugged. "So?"

"So how do you know that it will be epic cuddling time if we've never cuddled before?"

"Because everything with you is epic," Sam said absentmindedly, "Talking is epic. Eating is epic. Even doing homework is epic." Mercedes gave him a sarcastic quirk of the lips that had Sam laughing as he grabbed her free hand in his other one and tangled their fingers together. "Hand holding is epic. Hugging is epic. Laughing is epic."

He swung their locked hands a couple of times before lifting them both to his face and kissing the back of each of her hands. Mercedes' heart was pounding.

Sam held their hands in the air as he leaned forward. "Kissing is epic."

"Is it really?" she breathed.

"Oh, yes," Sam agreed, "Your soft, sweet kisses drive me crazy."

"I don't know," she whispered as she looked up at him from beneath her lashes, "I think I'm going to need more proof than hearsay."

Sam smiled and Mercedes blushed like crazy. She couldn't believe that she was flirting this hard, but Sam was responding and Mercedes didn't regret anything.

"I'm all for gathering more evidence," Sam said, before he lowered his mouth to hers. The kiss was slow and sweet and sensual. Mercedes felt Sam place her hands on his shoulders before he released her fingers and dropped his hands to her waist. He pulled her closer to his body and Mercedes felt heat travel from her mouth and spread through her entire body.

Everything was kissing Sam Evans and nothing hurt.

Her whole body was tingling as he kissed her—his lips moving in sync with hers; his tongue sweeping across her bottom lip and the soft nips of teeth he threw in every few seconds. She felt like she was going to explode. They would release, breathe and go straight back to kissing. Was this making out?

Was she supposed to feel electrified and hypersensitive everywhere his hands touched? Her brain was a mess of hormones and she felt like something short-circuited when his lips trailed down the side of her neck.

He kissed her again and Mercedes felt something deep in her body burn white hot and she let out a gasp of shock. Sam stopped kissing her abruptly and looked at her in concern.

"Are you okay?" he asked breathlessly. Mercedes found herself significantly aroused by the sight of his mussed hair and the bright redness of his lips. Fuck all if her boyfriend wasn't sexy.

"Yeah," she practically hummed, "I just think we should—slow our roll a bit."

Sam looked slightly sheepish at that. "We were getting pretty intense, huh?"

"A little," Mercedes replied. She was embarrassed to admit that while she was horny as hell at the moment—the fact that her body was responding so intensely scared the shit out of her. She nibbled on her bottom lip a bit and looked down—unable to meet Sam's eyes.

"Hey," he said immediately, "Don't clam up, Nala. Talk to me."

He already knew about her significant lack of experience, but it was still humiliating to talk about this aloud. She promised herself that she would be mature about this though, and mature people who were ready for relationships talked about this kind of thing.

"I just wasn't expecting it to be so extreme," Mercedes said with a sigh. And Sam nodded. "I'm so not used to any of this stuff and it kind of took me by surprise how good it feels." She was blushing by this point and Sam was giving her a grin.

He leaned his forehead against hers and said, "And it scared the shit out of you, didn't it?"

"Yes," she responded and Sam kissed her forehead as he pulled her into his chest. Mercedes laid her head down onto his left shoulder and relaxed into his hold.

"That's normal," he told her, "And I'm glad you told me. We'll go slow on everything and if you ever want to stop, just tell me, okay?"

Mercedes nodded into the side of his neck. "Thanks Blondie," she whispered and she felt him kiss the top of her head. She smiled.

"Why were you out here by yourself anyway?" she asked after a few moments of silence. Sam gently turned her around until her back was to his chest.

"Look at the view," he said quietly and Mercedes glanced out. Her breath was taken away. It was beyond beautiful—almost as amazing as the view they'd had on their tour. New York looked like a wonderland with all of its twinkling lights and skyscrapers. "It reminded me that just because we lost the competition doesn't mean that we lost completely."

Sam wrapped his arms around her from behind and Mercedes leaned her head against his when he placed his buried his face in her shoulder. "We would never see anything like this in Lima and to know that we've come so far in the past year—it just showed me that we won. I got the experience of a lifetime. I finally stopped being an idiot and now I'm in a relationship with a spectacular woman," Sam told her and Mercedes couldn't help but turn her head an place a kiss on the side of his head. She felt him grin into her shoulder before she turned back to look out at the view again.

Her head fell against his once more. "I'm disappointed that we didn't win, but I'm happy Mercedes," he confessed, "I'm really happy."

Those words lifted her heart. She was so happy for him. He deserved to be happy and she was glad that she was a part of making him that way. Sam and Mercedes stood there for a long time—talking quietly about what they were going to do when they got back to Lima. They only split apart when Sam's watch said ten minutes after nine and they expected the others to start showing up.

Sam walked Mercedes to the door and helped her put on her shoes. They shared a soft kiss goodbye before he opened the door and watched her walk down the hall. He only closed it when she'd vanished into her room after shooting him a bright smile and a cute wave.


REVIEW! I'd love to hear your thoughts! Until next time! :D