Mercedes is spinning. Her head feels light and whispy as if she could be blown over by a loving whisper. She can't stop smiling, everything just seems so jovial. Her laugh is loud and it rings through the night blending in with the atmosphere of people surrounding her. Everything is in constant motion; people whizzing by her…faces she knows along with complete strangers. Everyone seems happy, or in love. Couples upon couples are pressed against the buildings of the street spilling kisses like a fountain down to the people above and below. Moments of lustful passion engulf the crowd causing moans of pleasure and eroticism to mix in with the happy tone. Masks still conceal the faces providing a bright and vibrant life to the event.

Mercedes head rolls from side to side with a lighthearted grin. "I have to keep dancing."

She says this to no one in particular. She can't seem to spot anyone from her group. Kurt and Blaine took off hours ago, leaving her in the care of Artie and Finn. Artie disappeared with a woman not long after arriving with them in street-party. Finn tried to stay with Mercedes but the two eventually got separated by the crowd…but she isn't worried. The liquid in her system mixed in with the sweet smokey aromas that fill the sky are enough to keep her relaxed and happy.

Mercedes feels herself stumble to one side…its a wall. Her fingers run over the texture; its stone. A golden tanned hand reaches up and places it over hers covering her fingers. The touch feels familiar and nice. She smiles turning her head slowly to look at the figure. Its a man wearing a half of a mask. Full pouty pink lips poke out underneath before spreading into a wide grin. His deep green eyes beckon to her, freely giving her these intensely loving gazes. The curves in his face, his broad stature and frame-

Mercedes swallows hard feeling her heart almost swell…she'd recognize those features anywhere.

"Sam-"

He bends down to kiss her quickly and she moans slightly at the touch. Its been so long since she's felt the feel of him; her heart aches kissing him back full on. The man pulls her closer wrapping his hands around her neck, trapping her face to keep from moving. He sucks hard on her lips giving her a low grunt. His hands bury themselves in her dark curly hair, gently yanking at the strands.

"RAPHAEL!"

They break apart. Another man comes out of nowhere cutting in between them.

"Raphael! Andiamo!" He whines running off. "Andiamo ora!"

Raphael looks back at Mercedes stealing another quick kiss before running off to join his friends.

Mercedes still entranced by the kiss, takes a moment before understanding that Sam is leaving. She shakes her head trying to run after him to follow.

"Sam?" She calls out weak. "Sam!" A little louder. "SAM!"

She finds herself pushing against the members of the crowd. She can't understand why he's leaving her! How could he after she found him again! How can he just go without her!

"SAM!"

She continues to run away from the party.

"SAM STOP!"

The lights of the party disappear in the distance and yet she's still following what she thinks she hears is the ghostly chuckle of her beloved's laugh.

"PLEASE!" She cries. "PLEASE WAIT"

She trips and falls near a fountain. She leans on the stone rime of the fountain feeling angry, hurt and rejected.

"WHYYYYYYYY" she moans into the darkness.

The hard cobblestone underneath her body is her only support. She slumps down the side of the fountain to eventually end up face down on the cool stone. She ends up crying herself to sleep.

Evans Plantation...

"You're sure you still want to do this?" Noah says holding the lit torch in his hands.

Sam is standing in front of the little cabin-shed filled with nothing but memories and his love for Mercedes. He walks up to the door stepping inside to take one final look. He strokes the door frame and the windows. He stares at the middle of the floor, remembering...

(FLASHBACK)

Mercedes hums a tune tracing different shapes into Sam's golden toned skin. She lies face down on the floor with her back exposed, resting on Sam's arm. She feels light and weightless in pure happiness as they share their first night together. She feels Sam lean over ducking his head to make a trail of kisses along her back. Mercedes smiles feeling a tingling sensation with each soft kiss. Sam trails slowly up and nuzzles his nose around the nape of her neck. She lets out a weak sigh relishing in this simple pleasure.

"I love you" she admits quietly. "I really do love you."

Mercedes feels herself tear up realizing how heavy those words are to say, but she means every single one of them.

His strong arms curl around her and she rests in his hold.

"I love you too" he whispers. "I always will, no matter what happens. I will forever love only you."

(END OF FLASHBACK)

Sam steps out of the house waving his torch in the air signaling the others to set the plantation a blaze. He walks his torch around to different corners of the house starting the fire before tossing his torch inside.

Sam isn't sure how he feels. Like on the one hand he's devastated that he's just had to set his home burning to the ground, but another part of him is elated. Overjoyed and pumping with adrenaline. This was a heavy burden placed upon him and now…its slowly but surely becoming a distant memory. He can't tell if he wants to cry or shout…but either way a huge smile is starting to spread across his face.

Mercedes is awoken once again by the high level of comfort she feels supporting her underneath. She attempts to shift to the side but is unable to do so because her entire body feels heavy and slow. She looks around her surroundings and takes notice of the coral colored walls with a simple white trim tracing out the room. The window on the left side of the room is open and she takes a moment watching the lace curtain float back and forth in the breeze.

She tries to remember the night before. Everything seems fuzzy and unreal. The last thing she remembers is crying by a fountain, and for the life of her she can't remember how she ended up in this comfortable position.

The door handle begins to turn slowly and Mercedes frowns awaiting her visitor. She tries to prop herself up but she's too tired.

The visitor steps inside and turns around. Its Finn.

"You're finally up."

Mercedes frowns even more. "How long was I sleep?"

"Most of the day…you had a rough night" he says taking the chair against the wall and bringing it to her bedside. "Care to talk about it?"

She waits a moment trying to sort it out herself. "I-I think I drank too much."

"Yeah, I think its pretty safe to say that" Finn smiles widely…but then it starts to fade. "Do you remember anything else?"

Mercedes frowns trying to think…and before her thoughts could even fully develop an immense feeling of sadness washes over her. She closes her eyes and is immediately haunted by her memories of her vision of Sam.

Finn watches as these big fat tears start to roll down her cheek and his stomach knots in guilt.

"Oh Mercedes I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry, I was just-"

She lets out a long sniffle.

"I didn't know bringing Sam up would have this deep of an effect on you-"

"Why not?" She glares through watery eyes.

"Oh c'mon Mercedes don't make me say it, please? I don't like seeing you this upset."

"You didn't think my love for him would effect me so much because I was his slave?"

Finn stares at her a long time trying his hardest to understand…he can't.

"Well yeah" he says honestly pulling up a chair to sit by her bedside. "You were nothing. He didn't see you as anything besides something he owned. He doesn't see you like I see you."

Mercedes wipes her eyes with the back of her hand. "No disrespect Mr. Finn, but you couldn't be more wrong. Sam saw me as his everything."

"You're foolin' yourself Mercedes" Finn shakes his head with a laugh. "He couldn't have cared about you. He owned you-"

"No" she says strongly. "He didn't own me."

Finn looks at her pitifully. "But he did Mercedes, you were under his dominion."

"Legally and physically he owned me," Mercedes swallows before giving him her full explanation. "There are countless stories of slaves being taken by their masters. Boys, girls, it doesn't matter to them when their lust takes over. I've lived with that fear all my life…constantly checking over my shoulder scared that some farmhand would see me and take me because he could. Singing to myself to try and drown out the screams of the others who weren't as lucky or looked out for as I was since I worked in the house, a privilege for some dark nigger like me…but Sam? Sam was different."

Finn suppresses the urge to roll his eyes but Mercedes can sense his skepticism so she decides to explain a little further.

"Sam asked for me. He gave me a choice…he earned my friendship and saw my worth when no one else could see it, not even myself" Mercedes feels full talking about him. "He waited for me and cherished me in every way…he loves me. And because of that love; a stronger love than I could ever imagine, I am forever changed and forever effected by Sam Evans."

Finn remains quiet unsure of how to even move the conversation forward or if he should change the subject all together. Mercedes doesn't let him, talking about Sam is like a dam that's been kept back for years but suddenly has found a leak. A way to pour out everything.

"Sometimes I wish I weren't…it'd be easier if I wasn't so attached to him. I could move on if I didn't love him so, but I can't. Its like I'm stuck in a quicksand that's full of every bittersweet memory I left back on that plantation. He haunts my thoughts and curses my dreams every time I close my eyes. I see him and he seems so real until I wake up and realize that I'm just as lonely and forgotten as before except now I can't even be in the same room as him."

Mercedes thinks over her past years without him and her heartache starts to mix with her anger.

"I didn't know it at the time but he was punishing me when he sent me here…I couldn't get back to myself quick enough after mama died. He banished me here and I went willingly seeing it as my only chance to escape, when really? It was another form of enslavement. And the worse part of it all? I gave him my heart…I gave it to him."

Her eyes start spilling tears.

"I wanted him to have it. To keep it. Keep a piece of me with him…and what does he give me instead? A life without him. Full of broken promises and dreams and loneliness."

Mercedes seems to be lost in her own thoughts and sentences, barely even noticing Finn's existence. Her eyes flicker to his and he's got the most strained look on his face.

"Why do you look so Mr. Finn?" She asks curiously.

"Because" he replies. "Because I'd kill to have someone talk about me the way you go on about Sam, and I don't…and that makes me real sad Mercedes, it really does."

Finn reaches down and takes her hand.

"He doesn't even appreciate how you're suffering…but he will."

Mercedes takes the back of her hand to wipe her eyes again. "I don't understand Mr. Finn."

"I'm gonna find him and bring him to you" Finn promises getting excited. "I hate seeing you like this, and as my-my friend, you're happiness means a great deal to me."

"You'll never be able to reach him Mr. Finn. Not with the war going on like it is-"

"You leave that to me" Finn promises kissing her hand. "I'll take care of everything."

A/N: sorry again its so short, but its like i said i'm trying to update more frequently. this is heading in a semi new direction (no pun intended lol) so you can expect a samcedes reunion fairly soon. sorry again for the long wait and the short chapter but more is coming i promise.

thank you so much for sticking with this story! much love…pce!