A few months later...

Quinn sits in her large boudoir staring at her reflection while brushing her long golden hair. She takes her time creating long strokes, releasing the tangles allowing her mind to wander freely. When she's done she powders her face and dresses herself before gliding out of the room and down the steps to greet her parents. She's the first to arrive at the lavish dining room for breakfast, so she sits in her usual spot to wait for everyone else. Quinn hates to wait; she hates wasting time. She could be doing something more valuable or important with the time she's wasted. Minutes later her mother is the next person to arrive. She looks tired and frustrated as she sits down at the table across from Quinn; she barely even notices Quinn sitting there. Mrs. Fabray takes the large kettle and pours hot coffee into her tea cup before searching the table for something else to add.

"Mama" Quinn begins. "Its the morning."

Mrs. Fabray laughs darkly getting up from the table to retrieve the whisky from the liquor cabinet. "I'm remembering our Irish heritage."

Quinn looks at her disappointed as she watches her mother drink the mixture.

"Stop looking at me like that" Mrs. Fabray snaps. "I needed something to-"

"You always need something" Quinn sneers. "I can't remember a time when you didn't!"

Ms. Fabray chuckles even darker; pouring another helping...minus the coffee. "Well, you can thank your father for that." She drinks and pours another raising her glass high. "Why don't we make a toast?"

"You've had enough-"

"A toast to the most miserable, greed-stricken, selfish son of a bastard!" She laughs even harder.

"Christine!" Mr. Fabray says cutting through her amusement. "That's enough"

Mrs. Fabray smirks shooting back her drink as Mr. Fabray fully enters the room. He walks to her and grabs her by the arm forcing her to stand up.

"I think it would be best" he says in a slow southern drawl. "If you went upstairs and got yourself together" he says giving her arm a firm squeeze. Mrs. Fabray gives him a nasty smile.

"I'm afraid it's going to take a little more than a pinch to intimidate me" Mrs. Fabray smiles bigger. "You're backhands are becoming a little weak."

She slings her arm away from his grip and sits down unaffected as Mr. Fabray gives her another promising glare. He closes his eyes and gathers himself together before dealing with the bigger situation...Quinn.

"Now sweetheart?" Mr. Fabray says overly sweet, sarcasm dripping off every word. "You promised us that you had a handle on the Evans situation-"

"I do" Quinn cuts in. "Can I go now?"

Mr. Fabray closes his eyes again before giving her a tight smirk. "You see Quinn, I'm not quite convinced."

Quinn rolls her eyes and folds her arms preparing for another interrogation.

"It's been more than two months and that boy hasn't given you the time of day" Mr. Fabray says. "You told me you were engaged."

"We are" Quinn growls.

"So when is the wedding?" Mr. Fabray asks getting louder. "And don't give me anymore of this chicken shit about a secret engagement!"

"But that's what he said!" Quinn almost laughs.

"Has he found someone else?" Mr. Fabray asks quick.

"No but-"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes but-"

"The Lopez Family is our biggest threat-"

"I highly doubt Sam would go for her, she doesn't speak a word of English-"

"He should" Mrs. Fabray laughs wickedly pouring another drink. "She's more pleasant than you and she's beautiful in a mysterious and exotic sort of way."

"Enough!" Mr. Fabray shouts. "You will marry that Evans boy if it's the last thing I do, do you understand me?"

"How?!" Quinn yells. "I can't force him to marry me-"

"Wrong!" Mr. Fabray says even louder. "That's exactly what you must do! Eliminate the competition, remind him how beneficial you would be to him. Do I have to remind you how important this match is to our family!"

"I know! I know!" Quinn fires back; she's heard this speech so much she feels like she's going to explode. "This union could possibly launch South Carolina into another agricultural revolution! I know! The town knows it! The fucking country knows it!"

"What you know is a lie!" Mrs. Fabray cackles. "You're father's broke!"

"B-Broke?" Quinn chokes out. "You mean-"

"Bankrupt. Penniless. Doomed." Mrs. Fabray finishes. "Does that change your perspective dear?"

Quinn isn't really sure what to say. How is it even possible? Their family has come from nothing but long lines of old money that just seemed to increase even more with the help of the Slave Trade.

"How can that be?" Quinn asks.

"Well, you thank your father and his immense gambling debt for that one...right dear?"

Mr. Fabray closes his eyes tight, resisting the great urge to hit his wife in front of their daughter...she is making it rather difficult.

"Now you listen to me" Mrs. Fabray says very sternly getting up from her seat. "You will marry Sam Evans and you will cut every loose end to make it happen...starting with the one in the barn."

Quinn's eyes freeze as she realizes who her mother is talking about. "Yes ma'm."

Quinn walks out of the room, then out of the house to the barn. That's where she sees him...Noah, the handsome stable boy. He comes from the mid-west, and is looking to make as much money as possible so he can go further west and start up a ranch. He's not a simpleton but he's not a genius...he's a nice sweet mix of the two. He's pretty to look at, and his goals are ambitious, realistic and genuine. Whenever they are together all he can seem to talk about is his dream of owning a good stretch of land to herd cattle. It's a simple dream, and when he talks of it he puts Quinn right beside him. Normally when Quinn hears about manual labor she finds it repulsive, she'd rather talk about something prettier...but when Noah talks about it? The way his deep voice and comforting laugh paint a majestic picture of a life on a prairie...it just sounds so doable and happy. Never having to deal with social climbing or business...just open skies and the open air...

"Ms. Quinn" Noah says hesitant, but the way he's smiling let's her know that he's really happy to see her...and not because he thinks he's going to get lucky...he's genuinely happy to see her.

"I need to talk to you" Quinn says seriously.

Noah studies her face seeing it contorted in what can only be described as pain. Her lips are tight and her eyes are watery and she looks like she's going to start hyperventilating at any moment. He walks over to her and tries to grab her hands but she steps away.

"This can't continue" she says strained and Noah smiles a little.

How many times has he heard this before? How many times was he able to change her mind? She was scared; it just her small fear of them being caught. It's what added the excitement to their romance...the danger of being discovered. He's been able to comfort her through much worse; this small insecurity will be no problem for him. He steps even closer to her with open arms, but she moves away again giving him a cold stare.

"I'm serious Noah" Quinn says firm. "We need to stop."

He changes his stance; he doesn't understand how her voice can even speak these words in anything but a playful tone. It's not making sense.

"What's changed?" He asks.

"I'm engaged" she answers. "I've been for awhile...I've just finally come to my senses."

"Who is it?"

"Doesn't matter."

"Karofsky?"

"It's irrelevant."

"No that's not it," Noah says more to himself than to her. "He's more pathetic than I am...he just happens to have a bigger wallet. You need someone like...like Hudson?"

"It won't change my mind."

"But he's over in Europe, so it can't be him."

"Will you stop asking? It's not going to change anything"

"Is it Evans?" Noah asks in a joke but the look on her face gives it away. "It is Evans...isn't it?"

"Like I've tried to tell you before" Quinn says bitter. "I've decided-"

"Bullshit" Noah spits at her starting to get upset. "You and I both know this idea came from somewhere else...you're not bold enough to do what you want!"

"That is not true!" Quinn argues.

"It is!" Noah charges back. "You never just do what you want! You're always worrying about what someone might say."

"Don't make it seem like you know me so well" Quinn glares at him. "We've only been foolin' around for a few months"

"Yeah but I've been watching you Ms. Quinn for a lot longer than that" Noah says seriously. "Ever since I came here to work in the stables last year, and I know you...better than anybody else on this earth."

"You know nothing!" Quinn shrieks.

"I know you're ashamed to admit your feelings for me" Noah says confident. "And it's because of your foolish pride and meddling parents that you're afraid to tell everyone that you're in love with a poor stable-hand."

"I don't love you-"

"Of course you do" Noah says cutting her off. "We wouldn't be fightin' like this if you didn't-"

"That's not it!"

"Then what is?"

"You, won't take no for an answer" she laughs frustrated. "I'm trying to tell you that what we had is over and you're refusin' to let it go."

"You're right!" Noah almost shouts. "I love you Quinn...I'm the only person who really does. Everyone else is out to use you and-"

"Stop it!" She shouts high-pitched. "We're done...It's over." And just like that Quinn walks out of the barn.

Noah begins arguing with himself. Sam Evans? That pretty boy? He wouldn't know a hard days work if it jumped up and bit him in the ass. He wouldn't know what to do with a girl like Quinn...especially if he ever got to really know her? Some days she could be a real piece of work. On somedays her words could be as sweet as honey or as venomous as a rattlesnake. Her smile could light up a room, but her glare could freeze water because it was so cold...and piercing! But every now and then, he would catch a glimpse of her tenderness...her mothering nature...her soft side and that made up for everything else.

"I'll fix it" Noah says determined. "I don't care if I have to end it permanently...this isn't over."

Later on that night...

Sam looks dashing in his dark three piece suit as he's entering his house. He's just gotten back from a party at one of his friend's house celebrating his birthday. The party was lavish and the girls were plentiful and pretty, but Sam couldn't concentrate. He wanted to be back home so badly; hopefully to find Mercedes waiting for him in the kitchen or the parlor. He doesn't find her anywhere in the house, she's probably gone home...who could blame her it's really late. Sam climbs up the steps entirely exhausted, he enters his room to find Mercedes sleeping in a chair. Sam's eyes widen and he's entirely pleasantly surprised. Sam shuts the door in what he thinks is quiet but the small sound is enough to stir her a little. She flutters her eyes awake and gives him a sleepy smile.

She yawns cutely. "Hi."

"Hey" he answers with a smile. "I thought you'd be home by now; it's so late."

She shakes her head no stretching a little before getting up. She walks over to him wrapping her arms around his torso.

"I missed you today" she says softly into his shirt.

"Me too" he says stroking her back. "I couldn't come home fast enough."

She smiles a little. "You didn't have fun?"

"Not really. Austin Fuller drank too much and got sick, so it really wasn't fun for anyone."

"How're you feelin'?" Mercedes says pulling back to see his face.

"Me?" Sam asks. "I'm fine...just glad I could see you."

He sits on the bed and pulls her down on his lap wrapping his arms around her more tightly. He rests his head on her chest just listening to her heartbeat. It's steady and constant...just like Mercedes...he can always count on her to be there. They both are content with the comforting silence of their breaths. After a while longer, Sam speaks.

"You should be heading back" he says reluctantly.

Mercedes begins nuzzling his neck. "Do I have to?"

Sam lets out a quiet chuckle. "Yes."

"Please?" Mercedes pleads nuzzling him even more.

"I don't want you too" Sam smiles even bigger. "But how am I supposed to think straight when you keep doing that?"

Mercedes tugs on his ear with her mouth gently. "You're not" she whispers with a giggle. "You're supposed to let me stay."

"I can't" Sam says getting weak. "Think of your ma."

"My ma, is the last person I'm thinking 'bout" Mercedes pulls back smirking.

She grabs his face and kisses him hard. In his head, Sam is trying to count to keep his together but Mercedes perfectly plump body sitting wonderfully on his lap. He can already feel himself starting to go hard...and the rhythms their mouths are creating aren't making that any easier.

"Mercedes" Sam says when his mouth is finally free. "Do you hear that?"

Mercedes freezes to listen. Two distinct voices can be heard making their way up the stairs; their eyes widen as they recognize who it could be.

"It's not like her to be stayin' out this late" Delilah says worried. "Like what if somethin' happens to her-"

"Will you stop fussin'?" Mr. Evans laughs. "She's probably out with Sam, he's not back yet either."

"This is wrong" Delilah whines leaning up against a wall. "Why are we letting them spend so much time together?" Delilah says starting to become frantic. "I never should've listened to you! I should've kept her far far away from the house! Both of us should've been put in the field away from-"

"Me?" Mr. Evans sighs and Delilah looks a long time unable to answer. "That's what you meant isn't it?"

Delilah looks at his eyes and sees nothing but hurt; but she can't exactly take back what she means. Letting her daughter continue this short-lived romance is just going to become more difficult as time goes on.

After a drawn out pause, Mr. Evans suggests something no one expects. "What if I send her away?"

Mercedes eyes fill with fear. Away? How far is away? In the field? Another plantation? Being sold? How would she survive somewhere else...this was her home. She grew up here, her mother was here, not to mention a part of her grows cold thinking of being separated from Sam.

On the other-hand Sam's mind is racing as he squeezes her even tighter. Mercedes is going nowhere...she can't be sold off...he was hers. And even though Sam never saw himself as Mercedes owner, she could technically belong to him...and therefore, was not for sale. There was absolutely no way Sam would allow this.

"Where will you send us?" Delilah asks hurriedly.

"Us?"

"I'm goin' to of course" she says urgent. "You promised we'd stay together, the first day I came here! So where will you send us?"

"You wouldn't stay with-"

"You promised" Delilah says cutting him off. "You think I could live if I let you sell her somewhere else? Never to see her again?"

"It wouldn't be like that" Dwight tries to explain. "It would only be for a while...until this situation dies down."

"You promised" Delilah says again. "Either we both go-"

"Then you both are staying" Dwight says in his commanding tone. "I'm not letting you go anywhere."

Delilah scoffs loudly calling him a few names in French heading for the steps.

"I'm selfish!" Dwight yells after her. "I'm happy! My life is exactly the way I want it! And it's because of you!"

Delilah rolls her eyes into a glare. "This isn't right!"

"I don't care!" Dwight says final. "I'd be a hypocrite if I asked Sam to leave Mercedes alone when I'm in the exact same boat...he's young and so is she! This will pass! Besides as of now it's harmless."

"For now!" Delilah shrieks. "But someone is bound to get hurt! This is dangerous!"

"Then let me take care of it" Dwight pleads as much as his pride will allow.

They hear the floorboards of the house creak, allowing Sam and Mercedes to hear Mr. Evans step even closer.

"Let me take care of you..."

They are still as statues as they listen to Mr. Evans lovingly make promises to Delilah. Soon all words stop as Sam and Mercedes listen to their parents passionately kiss in the hallway of the upstairs of the house. Moments later, Mr. Evans' bedroom door is heard opening and then closing before passion takes over.

Sam looks at Mercedes unsure of what to say, and the same shock shows on her face as she looks back at him. An awkward silence passes between them until Sam grabs her hand before making an attempt to sneak down the steps of the house. Mercedes follows closely behind hearing the rising sounds of pleasure coming from the bedroom. She covers her mouth and rushes down the steps right behind Sam until they are both outside of the house.

"Oh my Lord" Mercedes draws out. "Can you believe what we just heard?"

"No" Sam says still shocked; his answers and movements are mechanical...he has no idea what to make of what he's just witnessed.

Mercedes surprises them both by laughing hard. "Did you know?!"

That snaps Sam out of his trance. "No! Did you?!"

Mercedes shakes her head rapidly still surprised, still laughing. "Like she's always there to tuck me in at night and she's always there when I wake up...I had no idea!"

"What should we do?" Sam says slow.

"What can we do?" Mercedes laughs and then stops. "Can we do somethin'?"

"I don't know" Sam smiles finding the humor. "This is crazy though!"

With each laugh and joke, the two are slowly making their way back to Mercedes cabin.

"Merce?"

She stops walking to look at him.

"When my dad said that he was gonna make you leave..."

Mercedes freezes in place even more.

Sam steps closer and strokes her face. "You don't have to worry. I'd never let him do that."

"How Sam?" Mercedes asks realizing the danger for the first time. "He owns me...he could sell me if he wanted too! Only thing stopping him is Mama's promise."

"You forget that I have a say in this too?"

"Not an important one" Mercedes teases a little; her eyes are about to water though. "He could sell me in the night and there's nothing you or Mama could do-"

"Then I'd buy you back" Sam promises. "I'd find you Mercedes...no matter how long it took." He bends his head to kiss her forehead. "I belong to you, and as long as you remember that nothing can keep us apart."

They kiss sweetly and hold each other in affectionate embraces as Noah Puckerman watches the two jealously.

A/N: hey everyone...sorry for not updating in a bit but i've been struggling with writing this part and keeping you guys happy with fluff-ish stuff as well as keeping the plot moving...speaking of FLUFF...i am officially out of it lol there's not much i can write in this time period, their romance is semi-secret so it's not like they can go strolling down the park or shopping in town or whatever...they're pretty much limited to the plantation and they've been everywhere in that so...no more fluff for a while...a love scene though can be expected soon (like it came close in this chapter but i decided to go a different route)...and the action is coming =)

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING, and your REVIEWS they are wonderful to read...

except for guest05...please get out of my story lol like your comments aren't intelligent nor are they funny to read (and i'm like the first one to laugh at a good insult, even one directed to me), personally, i don't care that you don't like this story...you can shove it up your ass and toot lol but other people find your words offensive, so on behalf of them just don't comment...

EVERYONE ELSE...much love & pce!