"So..." Mercedes begins playing with Sam's hand. Her back is to him and his arms almost encase her nude body. "You really built this."
Sam laughs deeply in her ear. "Why is that so hard to believe?"
"Because it's still standing" she laughs happily. "All I keep thinking of is that bird house you tried to make when we were kids."
Sam laughs even harder thinking of the memory. As a present his dad bought him a little bird and set it in a cage. When Sam found out that birds could live in houses he wanted to build one for the bird. That bird house was a death trap, and as soon as the tiny bird sat on the perch of the little house, the creation collapsed and the bird flew away never to be seen again.
"Mr. Puckerman must've helped you a lot" Mercedes says craning her neck to glance around the room. "This place is just so...perfect, like one of God's mornings" she smiles as he squeezes her closer.
He kisses her cheek allowing his blonde hair to tickle her face. "I'm not sure whether to be insulted or extremely flattered."
She smiles even bigger. "So this is what you were working on for all those weeks?"
"And you thought I was with Quinn Fabray-"
"Well when mama told me that you two were taking a trip together" Mercedes says defending herself. "What am I supposed to think? You kept ignoring me."
"I'm sorry-"
"I waited for you, for two weeks I waited for you in our spot...you never came" Mercedes says turning to make a face at him.
"I didn't mean to ignore you" he says stroking her face. "I was tryin' to keep this a surprise! And I know I was actin' weird at dinner but I was just so tired, and I wanted this place to look nice."
"Why didn't you just say that Sam?"
"Say what?"
"That you were working on a surprise, and it requires a lot of attention from me" she says nuzzling closer to him. "Even though I'd rather be spending that time with you" she smiles on the last part.
Sam closes his eyes, feels himself growing weak sinking to the feel of her. "Y-You see, that's why I couldn't meet you." Mercedes laughs long and hard as she pulls back. "A couple more seconds of that, I would've told you just about anything...I wanted to keep this a surprise."
Mercedes laughs again before pulling on his face to make him look at her. "Don't do it again...you know how I jump to the worst, next time just tell me."
They lie together studying each others features, relishing in their shared happiness. It's clear more than ever that this is how simple and wonderful life should be. No hassles...no worries...just carefree bliss. Sam watches her eyes roam off of him to another wall of the room.
"What?" He asks.
She gives him another smile. "Nothing...just wondering why you built it?" He goes to answer but she interrupts him before he can. "Like I understand that you built this for us, but-"
"But what?"
Her forehead crinkles trying to find the words to ask. "Why'd you have to build it? Why not pay to have it done?"
"Oh" he thinks. "She wants the real reason..."
"I wanted to see if I could, and now that I can it gives us another option."
Mercedes eye-brows raise. "What do you mean, another option?"
Sam lets her go to sit up. He reaches around him until he finds a map, bringing the lamp closer to them so he can read it to her. After unraveling and following the coordinates he points to a blank area in the middle of a random state.
"What's this?"
"It's a property in Colorado...Noah and I are gonna go out and start a ranch there."
Sam was prepared for her awe, her praise, maybe even an overwhelming sense of elation...what he isn't prepared to hear is her laughter. Mercedes laughter is inaudible, and that's because she's laughing so hard she's having trouble breathing.
"You..." She laughs. "On...A...Ranch! With...Animals!"
"Why are you laughing?" He says shocked but joining in on her smiles.
"Sam!" Mercedes shrieks. "Be serious!"
"I am serious" he says with his eyes stretched in a grin. "I'm gonna be a rancher!"
This brings on a whole new wave of laughter, she can't control herself. He's looking at her surprised; this shouldn't be that funny.
"Why is this so funny?"
"Because you barely know how to ride," Mercedes cackles. "And I'm picturing you trying to herd cattle, and I find it funny!"
Sam looks at her lovingly as she slowly comes down from her laughing fit. "I'm a pretty decent rider, and besides Noah's gonna...show me the ropes" Sam says letting his drawl become more noticeable.
"Oh okay" Mercedes rolls her eyes still smiling. "He's completely lost it" she thinks.
"I can do it Merce" He says looking at her. "This was once an old rotted out shed, and I fixed it. If I could rebuild this than I can build anything, especially when it's for you."
"Wait what?"
Sam looks at her smirking. "I want you come with me."
"Wh-What?"
"Picture it" Sam says looking at her almost pleading. "We'd be together, too far away for anyone to stop us. It would be like it is right now, or when we go to our spot. Nothing but open fields and freedom...we'd never be separated."
Mercedes is thinking allowing her mind to imagine. She can picture a nice small house, a cabin perhaps where she and Sam can live happily together. She imagines herself watching Sam play with there caramel skinned curly haired kids, all having an equal share of their features; running in the openness of the fields feeling light and carefree.
"I can make a life for you" Sam promises. "I can't guarantee it won't be hard...but at least we'll be together."
Mercedes can't stop smiling, before she wraps her arms around Sam's body. She begins attacking his face with her mouth, planting kisses on every inch of him.
"Does that mean you'll come?" Sam laughs.
"The fact that you're even askin' me, is enough of a reason for me to go" Mercedes lets him go still grinning. "Besides, you don't know the first thing about running a farm-"
"A ranch" Sam corrects with a smirk. "And you do?" He says tauntingly.
"More than you" Mercedes says wrinkling her nose at him. "At least I can run the house...maybe raise a few chickens so we'll have something to eat."
"Aww man, I gotta learn how to hunt" Sam says with a groan.
"I can always learn how to shoot" Mercedes says eager, like she's caught in a dream.
Sam gives her a look capturing her face in his loving hands. "No wife of mine, is learning to shoot."
"I think it's necessary in order to move to the west" Mercedes giggles. "What if our land get's attacked by bandits?!"
"Then I take you and we both run like hell together" Sam laughs. "This ranch is Noah's dream, not mine."
"Then why are we going?"
"Because this is the only way I can think of to keep us together" Sam says stroking her face. "I love you y'know."
"I love you too" she says leaning her forehead in to touch his. "So it's safe to say this is a secret?"
Sam nods. "We'll tell our parents, when we're getting ready to go."
Mercedes nods without an argument. This surprises Sam.
"What?" Mercedes asks.
"I'm just surprised that you're not asking to tell you mom."
"Are you kidding?" Mercedes shrieks before laughing. "She's probably fussing right now to your dad about us being together now."
"How can she say anything? If anything she should be on our side."
Mercedes shrugs her shoulders with a sigh. "Doesn't matter, she won't hear a thing from me...I'm just gonna miss her, I love her so much."
Sam hadn't even thought that far ahead. He was going to miss his home, it was the only place he had ever lived. Not to mention his extremely close relationship with his father...and even Del. She was just like a mother to him, the only person that ever came to his mind when he had to picture what a mother was supposed to look like.
"Who knows, maybe when we get settled they can come see us" Mercedes offers trying to lighten the mood.
"Yeah, maybe" Sam says leaning in to kiss her.
Next Day...
"Miss Quinn" May says surprised as she opens the front door to the Evans Estate. She steps aside as Quinn practically barges her way into the house. "The Evans aren't home at the moment-"
"Doesn't matter" Quinn says turning her nose up fixing her petticoat. "I'll wait."
"Of course ma'm" May nods. "Right this way."
After closing the door, May shows Quinn to the parlor showing her where to sit. She walks over to the table supporting the lemonade pitcher and begins to pour Quinn a glass.
"Where's the usual girl, Mercedes?" Quinn asks sitting down.
May's heart stops for a second, but she takes in a deep breath to collect herself and begins talking.
"She was needed in the fields today Miss. Quinn" May lies smoothly.
"I see" Quinn says looking over May's appearance. She's admiring her honey gold coloring, and her long black hair that coils down in loose ringlets. Her features are soft and fit her slightly angular face. Her brown doe-like eyes and eye lashes curl upwards in a sweep, and her lips are somewhat full but still beautiful.
"If you need anything, don't be shy to ask Miss Quinn" May says giving a small reluctant smile.
"Wait" Quinn says as the girl turns around to leave; May silently curses herself...she thought she was in the clear. "Step into the light."
May gives an annoyed sigh, before turning back around to face Quinn. She gives her an annoyed smile before slowly walking to the window to stand in the light. As Quinn looks at her more closely, as if she were going to make an offer to buy her; May is becoming more offended.
"Would you like me to turn around?" May asks heavily sarcastic.
"That won't be necessary" Quinn smirks noticing the slight tone in May's voice. She's never heard it from someone of May's status before...she finds it quite amusing. "I was just admiring..."
May sighs again; she doesn't have to prompt Quinn, she already knows there's more to this conversation. She's heard Mercedes talk about the many taunts Quinn has made about the clothes they wear or how dark or sweaty they are because of the work they do. Not to mention she's heard the rumors about the frequent punishments given out to the workers on the Fabray Plantation. It's for these very reasons, May doesn't like her. She only gives Quinn enough respect to seem polite, but anyone paying enough attention can tell it's forced.
"You're quite pretty y'know" Quinn smiles.
May straightens herself up a little bit accepting a compliment she's heard so many times. "Thank you ma'm."
"So it's true?"
"What's true ma'm?"
"You think you're pretty as well?"
"Honestly?" May smiles. "I do."
"I see" Quinn says starting to circle her. "And is this of you're own opinion or did someone tell you this?"
"It's a little of both I guess" May chuckles a little thinking of the countless people who've told her so.
"Does Sam tell you this?" Quinn says with a pause.
"Why should he ma'm, we don't talk-"
"He's not, friendly with you?" Quinn says raising her eyebrows.
May shrugs shaking her head. "No more than he is with anyone else-"
"Well, who is he more friendlier with?" Quinn says stopping in front of her.
"Like-" May frowns before understanding where Quinn is heading. "Miss Quinn, how am I supposed to know that" May says with a slight laugh. "I'm just a servant!"
"Exactly!" Quinn says looking at May intently. "You're a servant, of the house no less! Which means you are one of the many eyes and ears of this place-"
"I still don't know about that sort of stuff" May lies easily.
Quinn watches her carefully judging her reaction; she smirks thinking she's found an answer.
"It's you isn't it."
May smiles a little darkly. "I think you've got it wrong Miss Quinn,"
"Don't lie to me" Quinn says quick. "Are you her?"
"Who are you talking about?" May says looking confused. "There is no girl."
"I'm not stupid, there is someone else!" Quinn says starting to get upset.
"There is no one else."
"Then it's you-"
"I told you before it's not me" May's tone rises a little. "It may surprise you, but us slave girls don't go daydream 'bout sleeping with the master's son."
Quinn slaps May hard across her face leaving a red mark on her cheek. May glares at her coldly touching her face. Just when May thought she wasn't going to get any help, Sam walks into the parlor.
"What's going on?" He asks noticing the high tension in the room.
Quinn turns around frightened stepping away from May who's still holding her cheek.
"May and I were just talkin'" Quinn smiles trying to ease the situation. "Just us girls..."
Sam steps even closer to May and cups his hand tenderly underneath her chin. He brushes her hand away so he can see the fresh handprint left on her face.
"Go to the kitchen and tell them to cut you off a piece of ice" Sam says squeezing her shoulder before letting her go.
May gives Quinn a final glare before she nods towards Sam turning to leave the room.
"Now Quinn," Sam begins folding his arms; he sounds just like his father. "I don't know how y'all run things down at the Fabray Plantation...but here at the Evans, we don't treat people like that."
"I'm sorry Sam" Quinn apologizes immediately. "It's just she wasn't answering my questions...I could tell that I didn't have her respect from the way she was talkin' to me...and-and that's just not acceptable when I'm going to be the Lady of this house."
Sam pinches the bridge of his nose before grabbing her hand to take her to his father's office.
"Didn't Noah talk to you?" Sam says quieter.
"Noah?" Quinn says innocently. "Noah who?"
"Puckerman, Noah Puckerman" Sam says reminding her. "The man you've been sleeping with for the past-"
"Samuel Dwight Evans" Quinn says shocked. "How dare you say such things! Everyone knows I'm saving-"
The look Sam is giving her stops her from continuing her lie. She takes a deep breath before trying a new angle.
"I guess you could call it practice for our honeymoon-"
"Stop Quinn!" Sam says getting frustrated. "Look, why doom ourselves to a marriage none of us really want! I don't love you Quinn."
"So what do you expect me to do?" Quinn says laying all of her cards on the table. "I can't just pickup and go-
"Why not?!" Sam challenges. "Wouldn't you be happier? Aren't you miserable now? Don't you want better for yourself?"
"What about you?" Quinn says not answering.
Sam's quiet for a moment, thinking over the question. "I think I'm gonna go either way...it's my chance to be happy."
"That girl!" May cries out entirely upset. "OOOOOO...she better be glad she's who she is, cause if she wasn't..."
May strangles the air with her bare hands and makes a fierce growl from her mouth. Mercedes laughs chipping away a piece from the block of ice.
"I'd like to tie her to the ground and yank out all of her hair!" May says burying her fingers in her own. "Or strap her to the big oak in the woods and pour honey on her and let the bears get her"
Mercedes laughs passing the ice and a cloth to her friend. "Nah, I'd just like to beat her with the kitchen broom a few times...just a few good swats and I swear she'd be a whole lot nicer."
"Why can't we just put frog eggs in the lemonade the next time she visits?" May laughs.
"Or make her brownies made from the pig-pen on the farm" Mercedes giggles even harder. She takes her friends hand and squeezes it tightly. She gives her friend a long and grateful look, thanking her for keeping her secret. It says it all without giving too much away, especially if anyone's listening.
May squeezes her hand back and tries to smile but her cheek is still sore, so it comes out more like a wince.
May groans getting upset again. "That Quinn is an awful, heartless, horrible excuse of a woman and I hope every time she-"
"Whoa" Noah Puckerman laughs entering the kitchen; scarring the two girls almost half to death. "That's a lot to say about a person."
Both girls look fearful, but May is already thinking I've already been hit once today what else do I have to loose.
"It is sir" May grumbles. "But I'm not takin' it back!"
"No ones asking you too" Noah chuckles stepping closer to the table where Mercedes and May are sitting. "Trust me, I know what a real piece of work Quinn Fabray can be."
May nods putting the ice away from her face. "Is there something we can do for you sir?"
"Well, I hate to trouble you for a glass of Frog-Egg Lemonade" he smiles as the two girls giggle. "But the way you go on about, it just sounds so delicious."
A/N: okay...this is just another little part, more is coming. i thought i could fit all the drama in this one chapter, but i can't so i'll drag it out a little bit; hopefully this isn't too much of a cliff hanger lol and for those of you ragging on Puckerman...maybe (okay he most likely) should've known not to go blabbing but he really didn't see the danger...like he thought that by telling Quinn that Sam was with someone else it would free her from whatever guilt she had about leaving...and when he's talking to May and Mercedes, he's not trying to be a spy for Quinn or anything like that, he's just genuinely being nice okay? so stop picking on Noah, he's gonna have it hard enough in the story lol
THANK YOU FOR READING as always...much love...pce!