"How's the sleeping arrangement supposed to work?" Karen asked Mercedes as they cleaned their room for Mike's arrival. They'd finally completed their midterms & were looking forward to some fun.

"I don't know." Mercedes stopped. "Puck already sleeps with me."

"Don't I know it!" Karen said cheekily.

"Stop that!" Mercedes blushed.

"I know he touches you in the night. I know you don't make him stop. I know that when I'm gone, you get it on something fierce!" Karen folded her clothes.

Mercedes hung her head & bit back a smile. "How do you know?!"

"It still smells like sex so strongly!" Karen explained. "Unless you can be in two places at once, you got it on heavy & it stayed in the air."

Mercedes knew Karen was referring to her busy schedule. "Okay, I'm caught. We have sex but only cuz I'm too busy to find a boyfriend & I don't really want one anyway. I have work & school & I have my friends & family. I don't need a man. & he's a pervert who's trying to stay away from other men's wives."

"He's also a good friend." Karen noted nonchalantly. "I see the way you look at him. Like he's your son & you want to protect him from the world."

"I guess I like him a little." Mercedes conceded. "But only a little."

Karen scoffed. "If he ran in here with a scrape, you'd kiss the wound!"

"Shut up!" Mercedes threw a pillow at her friend & roommate. "I would not!"

"You so baby him!" Karen laughed. "I'm surprised you can even have sex!"

"We've always been intimate." Mercedes admitted to the redhead. "After we broke up, we stayed tight. When we needed each other, we were there."

"So you dated?" Karen paused. She didn't know that. "How long have you known each other?"

"Since high school." Mercedes folded Puck's jeans. "When we were freshman, we didn't really interact but we joined the glee club as sophomores. We dated but only for a minute. He was going through something after that so we got closer & that's when we started having sex. He got other girlfriends & I had boyfriends but we always had our special connection. I'll always have his back."

"Wow." Karen was amazed. Their bond was deep. She was glad she agreed to the unorthodox arrangement. "What's your story with Mike? You seem unnaturally close to him, too."

Mercedes shrugged. "I've known him most of my life. He & my friend, Quinn & I grew up together. Since we were three. Things were complicated in high school but we stayed really close, too."

"Was Puck your first?"

Most people wouldn't answer that question but Mercedes wasn't ashamed. "No. Mike was. Well, he & Quinn. We decided to get that kind of stuff out of the way & with friends so it wouldn't be a bad experience. So we started out doing small stuff like making out after sixth grade but by eighth grade had sex. It was a big relief. I wouldn't trade those memories for anything. It's why I'm okay with sex in the first place. My first time was with someone I loved & loved me back."

"So you had threesomes?" Karen laughed. "You're cooler than I thought, Jones!"

"Forget you!" Mercedes threw a pair of socks at the girl. "We did that until our sophomore year. Mike started feeling this girl who I was cool with so I helped him get with her. Quinn had a boyfriend but she cheated on him with his best friend & got pregnant."

Karen's eyes widened. "You liar!"

"Nope." Mercedes shook her head. "It was Puck. They had a little girl but they gave her to a friend of ours' mother. They're in constant contact with her."

"That's some soap opera crap right there!" Karen said in hushed tones. "What about you? Are Puck & Mike the only guys you've been with?"

Mercedes shook her head. "I had a boyfriend. Sam. He dated Quinn & Santana before me but I was his first. He would have been my last if he didn't move the summer before senior year. So I got another boyfriend."

"I want your life!" Karen knew about Santana so she didn't ask about the Latina.

"You can have it!" Mercedes laughed. "Sam came back right before Christmas & messed up my whole thought process. He even helped me cheat on my boyfriend which threw me into a tizzy. I broke up with both yet me & Sam had something… intangible. We couldn't quite stay away from each other. We had some fun this past summer but when I came out here, I was single."

Karen caught the wistful undertones. "You didn't want to be?"

"Not really. I wanted to be sure of some things & I ran out of time. Then school started & Puck showed up here. When Mike & I went back home to help with the play, Sam had a girlfriend. A friend of mine. A good friend. A friend who's Santana's ex. Extremely recent ex."

"Do you just keep it in the family? Does anyone date outside the circle?!"

"I did. I dated Shane after Sam left. He was a football player. Really nice guy. I still talk to him."

"Like I said; soap opera!"

"Anyway! I sleep with Puck to take the edge off. Since I started eight grade I didn't have a break until junior year. That was hell! Then at the end of that year was Sam so that made up for it. I didn't sleep with Shane but that was alright. I wasn't ready. Then I did end up sleeping with Sam before senior year even ended. That continued all summer. Then I had a three week dry spell before Puck showed up."

"You have entirely too much sex!" Karen moaned. "Where can I get some of that?!"

"Ask Puck!" Mercedes laughed. "He has no problems lending a hand!"

"You wouldn't mind sharing?" Karen was actually interested.

"He's not my boyfriend." Mercedes put away her & Puck's clothes. "He likes sex. You want some. Are you-?"

Karen nodded. "Will he not do it then?"

"He will. He'll just take extra care."

Karen relaxed. "That's really nice."

"Puck's really nice. People just don't give him a chance." Mercedes came over to her bed & made sure it was military perfect. "He's a really good guy."

Karen bit her lip. "So have you slept with Santana? I mean you've slept with every friend you have."

Mercedes laughed until she fell onto the bed. "I did not! I have a ton of friends but these four are the friends I can call at any time & know they'll answer. But no, I didn't sleep with Santana. Quinn's the only girl I've had sex with."

"Oh. Cuz I'm kinda nervous to ask Puck." Karen picked at her comforter. "& I don't think I could do that alone."

"If you're not ready, you shouldn't do it." Mercedes sat beside her & rubbed her shoulders.

"I'm ready. Believe me, I'm ready but he's the sex shark & I'm just Karen Watson. I'm more than a little freaked out to do that. I like the way you described your first time."

"Are you asking me to have sex with you?!" Mercedes joked until she saw Karen was serious. "Oh. Well you'll have to make sure you're totally okay with it. I don't mind. Puck sure won't!"

Karen giggled. What a load off my mind! "So sleeping arrangements?"

"Maybe Puck can sleep with you? That way you can get used to octopus arms. Mike can sleep with me."

"Okay. I'll ask about the other stuff after Mike leaves though."

"Good idea. Once Puck gets the green light, he wants to go!" Mercedes laughed. "Okay, the fridge is stocked, the room is clean. Anything else?"

"He's bringing stuff, right? To clean himself with? It's a good thing we live on a coed floor with so many boys in our room!" Karen put away her clothes.

"I just can't believe my dad is ecstatic about it. He feels Puck being here will stop boys from coming in." Mercedes rolled her eyes. "Puck has to call him every week & tell him how many guys have tried to get close."

"Your dad sounds amazing!"

"Amazingly crazy!" The girls shared a laugh.

The door opened & Puck threw out his arms. "Welcome to my harem, bro!"

"If you don't stop saying such stupid crap.…!" Mercedes snapped before remembering Puck was picking up Mike. "Move, boy!"

Puck came inside fully to reveal Mike behind him. She ran & jumped on her friend. "I don't get that kind of greeting!"

"Maybe she doesn't like you." Karen quipped.

Puck blew her a kiss. "Not as much as you do, huh?"

She colored. "You're a pig, Puckerman."

"Oink! Oink!"

Mercedes pulled away from Mike to slap Puck upside his head. "Leave her alone!"

"Ow!" He rubbed his head. "You're so mean, Mama!"

"& he calls you Mama!" Karen threw her hands up.

Mercedes laughed & pulled Mike inside. "Don't start! Karen, this is Mike Chang. Mike&Ike, this is Karen Watson."

Mike smiled & stretched out his hand. "Hey."

Karen giggled. Her roommate had the best looking friends! & she had sex with them! Karen was so jealous. "Hi."

"So Mikey, you'll be sleeping with me." Mercedes told him.

"Hey!" Puck swung his gaze on her. "That's my spot! Where am I supposed to sleep?!"

"The floor?" Karen suggested.

Puck scowled as Mike laughed.

"Stop messing with him before he cries!" Mercedes swatted Karen. "You're sleeping with Karen."

"Score!" Puck nodded.

"Don't touch her." Mercedes warned him.

"Why? Jealous?"

"Please!" Mercedes raised a hand. "I don't know what you got!"

Mike wiped tears from his eyes. "I've missed you guys."

Mercedes hugged him again. "I've missed you too, Mike&Ike! Chicago is too far away!"

"I'm actually coming out here next semester." Mike set his stuff down & sat on a bed that he figured was Mercedes's. "It's this program for Joffery. I'll end up taking classes at UCLA."

"That's so boss!" Mercedes squealed. "Maybe you can get into this dorm."

"Is it coed?" Mike asked. "The one I'm in now is only for guys. Bummed me out."

Puck laughed & high-fived him. "I couldn't live there!"

Mercedes sat beside Mike & wrapped her arms around him. "Like you could attend school anyway. You have to go to your classes in college."

Puck stuck his tongue out. "Nobody asked you!"

Mike laughed. "Guys! Just show me around Cali!"

"That's a great idea!" Karen clapped. "I come from Washington so when I got here, I was such a tourist!"

"I took today off so I could show you to the best bars." Puck told him.

"& I asked my label if I could bring you in. They said yes!" Mercedes squeezed him.

"I guess I'm getting the tourist treatment!"

M&MC

"I'll see you after break!" Karen waved the trio off.

With their bags in the back of Puck's truck, the three were driving to Lima for Thanksgiving break. Mike waved from his seat by the window. "Nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you, too!" Karen smiled.

"See you in a couple days!" Mercedes peeked around Mike.

"Bye!"

Puck pulled from the parking lot of their dorm. "You got the map, Mike?"

"Yup." He waved it. "You can drive about a hundred miles before we switch. There's this dive along this road that boasts great food so we can eat there before I drive."

"Cool."

"When will I drive?" Mercedes asked.

The boys eyed each other & said in unison, "Never."

"Hey!" She slapped both of them. "I can drive!" They snorted. "I hate you both!"

M&MC

"I missed you, Cedes!" Santana couldn't let go of Mercedes.

"Me too!" Quinn wrapped her arms around her, too.

"Hug her tighter." Puck whispered.

Mercedes reached out & slapped his arm. "Dirty!"

Finn laughed. "I really missed you guys!" Since he was the only senior to stay in Lima, sometimes he felt alone & held back. Being around them made him feel whole again.

"We missed you, too buddy!" Mike clapped his shoulder.

"I get to sit by Mercy!" Quinn announced.

"No way!" Santana shouted.

"What about me?" Puck wanted to know.

"You & Mike&Ike sat beside her the whole way here!" Quinn pouted.

"I'll sit by Cedes!" Finn pulled the girl from her trap of friends & hugged her himself. "I haven't been able to get close at all & that's not fair."

They all laughed at the tall boy.

"Come on guys!" Mercedes hugged Finn back. "Let's go to Breadstix. I wonder if they'll remember us."

M&MC

Mike & Mercedes walked out of Breadstix for a break from their loud friends. "So what are we going to do tomorrow?"

"What do you mean?" Mercedes had forgotten there was nowhere to sit outside the restaurant so she sat on the stoop leading inside. "We're teaching the newbies."

"No, I meant about Sam & Tina." He sat beside her. "I feel like I'm finally getting over her. How's it going to feel to see her again?"

She leaned against him & patted his hand. "You could avoid her. Or you could speak to her as if she were just a friend. Or you could do what your heart tells you to do."

"What are you going to do?" He rested his head against hers & closed his eyes. He cherished times like this.

"I'm going to play it by ear. If he talks to me, fine. I'll take it from there. But if he ignores me again; I'm through." Mercedes bit her lip. "I don't understand him! He bugged me all year. But now he won't even look at me. I can't go through a bunch of drama like last year. I'm a grown woman."

Mike nodded, her hair tickling his cheek. "I feel like Tina is spiraling. She's been acting so weird."

"What do you mean?"

"She keeps in contact with Kurt, Santana & Rachel. She gives them details about McKinley. Santana tells me what she says. I truly think something's wrong."

"Maybe you should talk to her." Mercedes didn't know all that. Tina always sounded chipper on the phone. "Or ask Artie."

"I'll try." He looked up at the door. "Wanna head back in?"

"Sure."

M&MC

Mercedes lay on Mike's bed. "Your bed is so awesome! Why does it smell like spices?"

"You know why." He turned to look at her before returning his attention to his computer.

"We were like eleven, Mike&Ike. Why would you still do that as a grown man?!" She laughed.

He shrugged. "I like the smell. & so do the ladies." He wiggled his eyebrows.

"I saw that, Chang!" She rolled onto her back. "How did today go for you with Ryder?"

"It was okay. The kid can dance but he's not the best. I could have sworn Jake was better. I wonder what's up with him."

"I don't know. My day was awesome. Unique is my baby! We barely needed to rehearse."

"What about Sam?" Mike crawled onto his bed & laid his head on her stomach.

"Still haven't talked to me. Barely looks at me. We haven't been alone in the same room at all. So I officially don't care anymore. He's just an old classmate from now on."

"That sounds bitter."

"What about Tina? How did that conversation go?"

"Nice segue, Mercy." He felt her slap his abs. "She ignored me. Pointedly. I asked Artie & he said he didn't know anything. That he didn't see anything wrong with her."

"He seems out of it, too." Mercedes was worried about her friends. They've all changed so much since the seniors went off to college. "What's wrong with everyone?! Brittany is the only sane one!"

"& that's scary." Mike shuddered. "It's kinda depressing coming back so often. I feel like I'm not living my life."

"I know. Like every time I come back, I get stuck in between being a kid again but not fitting in because I'm an adult."

He nodded before turning over. "I think I'm only going to come back when needed."

"Me too. I don't need to look up & see Bram for no damn reason."

When Mike laughed, his chin made her stomach move. "Is that their ship name? That's so bad!"

"Like Samcedes was all of that?" Her face twisted as she thought of the name their friends had "blessed" them with last year.

"What would our name be? Merke? Mikecedes?"

"I guess. But we're Minke!" He raised an eyebrow. "The "m" from Mercedes. The "in" from Quinn. & the "ke" from Mike. M-I-N-K-E. Don't look at me like that!"

Mike bit his lip. "Like what?"

"I know that face! That's the judging face! I invented that face!" Mercedes pointed to her own face.

He broke out into laughter. "Fine. We just sound like a coat."

"Want to know our last name?"

"What could it be?"

"Fabanges!"

Mike closed his eyes as his intense laughter ripped through his chest. "What?!"

"The first three letters of Quinn's name. The last three of yours. & the last two of mine. F-A-B-A-N-G-E-S. Minke Fabanges."

"You think entirely too much!"

"Says the guy who overanalyzes everything!"

He rose to his knees & straddled her. "Take that back."

"Make me!" She stuck out her tongue. "Oh my greatness, I've been around Puck too long!"

"You have." Mike agreed as he gathered her hands in one of his & held them above her head. He raised a finger of his free hand. "Take it back."

"Or what?!"

He pressed the finger into her side. "Take it back."

Mercedes laughed. "No!"

"Take it back!" He wiggled his finger.

"No!" She started crying as the laughter overcame her. Damn him! Mike knew she was extremely ticklish!

"Take it back!" He added his other fingers.

"Okay! Okay!" Mercedes wiggled & bucked as she tried to break free. "I take it back! I take it back! Just stop tickling me!"

He let her go with a smirk. He rested his hands on his thighs.

"I hate you!" She eyed him balefully. He raised his hands again. "Okay! I don't!"

He put his hands down. "You're so easy!"

She bucked again, affronted. "Take that back."

"I'm sorry. You're not easy." She smiled, satisfied. "You're extremely difficult!"

Her jaw dropped. "You did not!" He laughed. She bucked in his moment of diversion & flipped him onto his back. Her thighs pressed into his sides as she poked him in the chest. "You're going down, Chang!"

"I'm already down, you diva!" She really needed to get off him.

She leaned in close to his face. "I got you!"

She really needed to move before things got awkward. He tried to say as much telepathically but apparently magic was still pretend. "Get off me."

"Make me!" She sang.

"I'm serious. Move."

She wiggled. "Nope. I'm comfortable right here."

"Mercedes!"

She looked down, eyes wide. Mike never yelled at her. "What's wrong, Mike&Ike?"

"Nothing's wrong." He nearly begged. "You just gotta get off me."

"Am I too heavy?"

She made to move but he held her still. Too late. "You're fine."

She frowned. "Mike?"

"Yeah." His voice was hoarse & his eyes were closed.

"Are you-?"

"Yeah." He began to move his hips slightly.

"Is it because of me?" She whispered & pressed down.

"Yeah."

"Are we going to stop?" She wished she hadn't asked that!

He stopped & looked at her, brown eyes smoldering. "No." He moved again.

"Good." She leaned over & kissed him. He groaned into her mouth & she shuddered.