I'm sorry that I haven't updated this in forever, but here you go. I hope you love it even though it is somewhat short. Don't hate me lol. I do not own Glee nor would I want to.

Chapter 4: Something is Missing

1 Year Later

Pregnancy suited Mercedes well. She had a beautiful glow about her and her ever increasing baby bump. Her new friends though had to put up with all of her crazy mood swings and different cravings throughout the day and night. During one of her mood swings, she finally revealed who the baby's daddy was and how she left him, but she wouldn't say a last name or any more on the subject. She also told them that she was considering giving her baby away, but she didn't think that she could really.

Brittany and Santana tried to persuade her to keep the baby and had surprised her with a painted nursery and some baby items occupying it with this cute zoo animals theme that could work for a boy or a girl. She yelled at them for doing that, but she loved the room so much she couldn't really object too much.

The restaurant was closed one night for a private event so Mercedes thought that she would be able to go out and get some shopping done. Santana, Brittany and Artie though had other plans. They forced her into a blindfold and then drove her around for a bit. As soon as they thought she had no clue where they were going, they pulled up at the diner. Guiding her inside with the blindfold still across her eyes, she jumped at the yell of surprise and the light hitting her eyes from being free of the constraint. It was a surprise baby shower that her roommates threw for her, inviting some of their other coworkers as well as a couple of customers that grew to love Mercedes.

Presents were piled high on one of the booths. Santana had brought her camera and was shooting various people throughout the shower. After some fun baby shower games that Brittany came up with, it was time for presents. The soon to be mother was granted with pretty much everything that a new mom could need. Santana and Brittany had gone all out and bought the crib as well as the changing station with some clothes thrown in too. Mercedes told them that she was going to pay for all of the stuff they bought because they didn't need to pay for the big stuff. Santana said that it was a gift and if she tried to give them any money for it then she would beat her senseless. After much arguing, the soon to be mother finally agreed to accept their gift. She made sure to make extra delicious meals though and have the apartment spotless.

Mercedes didn't want to know the sex of her baby because she wanted it to be a surprise. She had a feeling though that it was a boy.

She signed up for a lamaze class when she was around five months around. Santana went with her for the first class and her yelling in Spanish and English while they did all of the exercises was not helpful. As much as she had grown to love the latina, she asked Brittany to come to lamaze with her instead of her. Brittany was very sweet and helpful during the classes, but as much as she loved the blonde, she wished that Sam was there. If she hadn't screwed things up, he would be there, but this was the way it was. This was what she thought she wanted and she had to stick to it.

A month before the baby was due, Mercedes took her pregnancy leave and was urged by her doctor to stay in bed as much as she could and not do any strenous activities.

In the middle of the night three days before her baby's due date, Mercedes woke up in a sweat with a wetness covering her side of the bed. Yelling manically to her roommates that the baby was coming, a frenzy descended upon them as they all rushed to get everything ready to go to the hospital. After ten hours of labor, hundred of curses, two broken hands and five pushes, Sam and Mercedes baby was brought into the world. After the nurses did all the necessary duties, the new mom finally gazed upon her beautiful baby girl. So her suspicion about it being a boy was totally wrong.

Her baby looked so much like him. Like Sam. The baby had his mouth and eyes. Those piercing green eyes. Looking into those hues, Mercedes knew that she couldn't give her away and she was happy with her decision to keep her because she wouldn't have it any other way. It was a funny thing how with most people, love had to be earned, but looking at her beautiful creation the love just grew. Mercedes had never known unconditional love until that moment.

Mercedes had such a hard time in the hospital deciding on a name. She considered calling her Samantha after her father, but she just couldn't. The reminder was too much, so she decided Samantha would be her middle name which is always less used, but then her baby would have a little part of her father with her.

Then came the first name and that was the toughest. In the end, she decided that she wanted a good strong name for her daughter. A name that meant something. Artie had brought over a book of girl's names for her and Mercedes looked through it as she stayed in the hospital, unable to leave until she had a name.

So that was how Mercedes came up with her daughter's name, Gabriella Samantha Jones or Ella for short. Mercedes had told the hospital that the dad wasn't around, so her baby could take her last name. Once she was clear to leave the hospital and had the car seat in hand, she brought Ella back to her apartment which was now home.

The first two months of her baby's birth were challenging. Mercedes wouldn't go back to work until later and she wanted to adjust to having a baby at home. It was tough at first because of the lack of sleep and trying to stick to an eating and sleeping schedule. Mercedes eventually grew accustomed to the arrangement and having some help from Artie, Santana, and Brittany helped.

She looked into good daycares near where they lived, but she was picky about everything and couldn't decide on one for her baby so she could eventually go back to work.

She finally decided on a day care that was run by this nice gay couple Sebastian and Hunter. They both took to Ella right away and it was nice to have her in such good hands. Both of them had degrees in child development and family studies and were so natural with children. Once Mercedes met them, there was no other choice to make.

She finally went back to work and couldn't be more happy, but there was always something missing. Something that she just couldn't grasp.

It was a couple of months after Ella's birth. Her baby was sick with an ear infection, so she couldn't bring her into daycare. She reluctantly brought her daughter in her car seat along to work because she didn't want to call in sick. She went up to her boss to quickly explain. Artie was cool with it and he could watch over her when she was with customers.

Sam walked into the restaurant, hoping that this was the right place from the photo he had seen. He was constantly looking for them, but so far no luck.

His eyes scanned the establishment and stopped at a small chocolate drop that was near the counter, holding onto a car seat. Is that her? His heart hoped and prayed that it was.

He didn't even know that he went closer to her until he was a few feet behind her, watching as she talked with a man in a wheelchair.

"Mercedes." Her name fell from his lips in a whisper, like he was saying a prayer.

Tension grew in her posture as he watched her. Stiffly, she slowly turned towards him with her eyes wide in shock.

"Sam." She ushered that one word like it was a blessing and a curse all wrapped up into one.

He cleared his throat before speaking her name once more. His eyes held hers, unwilling to look away in case he was dreaming. Two more steps forward and she was in his arms again. "I've missed you so much." He held her dearly, crushing her body into his. Tears sprang to his eyes as her familiar scent washed over his nostrils. "It's really you. I can't believe it. When I saw that photo of you, I looked up any place that could look like this and I found it. I found you."

"Wait..." Mercedes leaned her head back so that she could look at Sam. "What photo? How did you find me?"

"All in due time Mercedes. I will tell you all in due time. Right now I just want to hold you." He squeezed her even more closer to him. He held her for moments that seemed like forever and was only broken when a voice cleared.

Sam seemed to gain his bearings and noticed the guy in the wheelchair staring at them.

"Sam, this is Artie. Artie meet Sam." Mercedes gestured in between both of them for her introductions with the one hand that she wasn't carrying a sleeping Ella in.

"Hi, nice to meet you." Sam smiled skeptically at the other man, shaking his hand. He wondered who this guy was. Was he Mercedes boyfriend? No, he couldn't be. She wouldn't do that to him, at least he thought so.

When the blond was preoccupied with her roommate, the mother thought it was a good decision to run as she held tightly onto Ella's car seat and high tailed it out there.

The trucker noticed movement in his eyesight and waiting as she retreated from him again, carrying a car seat.

His daughter! He remembered, the shock of actually finding Mercedes making him forget.

"Mercedes, wait." Sam yelled as he ran after her and what appeared to be their daughter. A daughter that looked a little like him from the one glance that he saw. "Mercedes is that my daughter?"

So what did you think?

Love,

Caryn