I haven't had a chance to respond to the recent reviews, it was finals time, but I plan on doing that during winter break. I know this story is an angsty ride...I warned that before...maybe angstier than other Glee fics, but I believe in pushing characters to their limits and exploring how they handle the pressure/pain/stress. A shift will be coming though where those in denial will find clarity, truths will be brought to light, and breaking points will be reached. I am going to post a number of chapters in a row to get us to the end of Tailspin2. Then I will start Tailspin3 right in this thread since they flow directly from each other. I appreciate everyone who is reading and holding on for the ride...I promise there will be a shift in the story soon. T3 is about Sam finding out all the truth about what happened to Beth.

Chapter 43

Slumped down, heads resting together, hands tightly clasped, Sam and Quinn spoke in hushed tones in the backseat of Mike's car. The dark interior, only occasionally invaded by a too bright street light or a passing car, made it seem like they were in their own little world, back in the tent. Her hair fell over his shoulder, smelling of fruit, light and citrusy, it tickled his cheek each time she moved. He wanted to turn and bury himself in it, lose himself in the golden, thick softness, let it cover him completely. Instead he exercised restraint, only shifting his head slightly to let even more of her hair permeate his space.

"I can't get used to your hair this short," she said reaching up and touching his cropped dirty blonde hair. He hadn't even realized she was looking at him, so lost in her closeness.

"I can't get used to it either. I don't think I had it this short since the Army." He paused frowning a bit. "Did I have it this short before, during the time I can't remember?"

"No," Quinn said as she held his hand tighter. "You had started to let it grow. I miss it. I liked the way it fell in your face."

"I'll let it grow again," he caught her eyes and remained, captured by the intense green. "For you," he said when he finally spoke again. "I'll let it grow for you."

"Well only if you want to." She looked down at her lap, a smile on her face. "Don't do it if you don't like it that way."

"Did you play in it?"

"What?" she asked with a confused chuckle.

"My hair. Did you like to play in it? Is that why you liked it long?"

"Oh." She sat up abruptly, letting go of his hand.

"What's wrong?" asked Sam still staring down at his hand she just left empty. He could still feel her soft skin on his like a phantom of her touch.

"Nothing," she shook her head, causing her hair flutter around him, a halo of Quinn. This time he touched it, giving up his battle for control.

He smoothed his hands down the sides of her head, letting his hands follow the long trail of her silky hair. "Just tell me."

"Your wife, used to play in it," she said quickly averting her eyes.

"Mercedes?" His mind flashed to the hospital, his head on Mercedes' shoulder, her hands stroking his hair.

"Yeah. I've seen her do it a number of times, while you were in the coma, and before." Quinn looked uncomfortable, as if she'd jump out the car now if she could.

"She's the one that cut it," he said not letting the subject drop as he should have, that vision of Mercedes still lingering in his head.

"I think she probably had to. It had gotten so long, past your shoulders."

"What are you two whispering about back there?" asked Mike loudly from the driver's seat.

"Just catching up," Sam said casually.

"You two are being rude. Kali and I can't hear your conversation."

"Just leave them alone Mike," said Kali from next to him in the passenger seat.

"No way. My brother drags me all the way up here, on some desperate mission to see Quinn, then surprises me with a refugee to take back to Lima."

"I didn't know exactly how things would go once we got here, that's why I didn't tell you that Quinn might be coming back with us," said Sam.

When they first left Lima Sam hadn't been sure if he could do it, take his father's offer in exchange for Quinn's freedom. He had still been working out alternative possibilities in his head but seeing her in that place, looking so lost and sad, Sam knew there were no other options. He had to get her out tonight. He'd just have to continue planning ways to help Quinn while pretending to be going along with his father.

"A little head's up would've been appreciated. I don't like feeling in the dark or blindsided. You can understand that right Quinn?" asked Mike.

"Yeah," said Quinn coldly. Sam noticed a flash of something dark cross her face, something like anger.

"What's wrong?" Sam whispered in her ear. If Mike was making her uncomfortable, Sam wanted to know so he could shut his brother up.

"I'm not sure this was such a good idea. Have you really thought this through?" asked Quinn in a lowered voice.

All he did was think these days, about his past, about his future, about the really uncertain present, but one sure thing never changed. Quinn had to come home.

"What's not a good idea? Bringing you home?"

He wanted to make a joke of it all, because he couldn't believe how serious Quinn had suddenly become. Sam thought bringing her back to Lima, to Beth, would make her happy. Instead a dark cloud seemed to have settled over her. Maybe he had been wrong in his assumptions, and Quinn really wasn't ready to leave the hospital.

"I don't really have a home Sam," said Quinn staring down at her lap.

"Yes you do," he said lifting her chin and turning her face toward him. "Your home is wherever Beth and I are."

A small smile spread on her face and the color of her eyes seemed to intensify as she continued to stare at him, searching his face for some unknown truth, for something to hold on to. Sam let his hand fall from her chin to pick up her hand, once again enclosing it with his own.

"Aww that's sweet," said Mike in an almost sing-song voice.

"Shut up Mike," warned Sam mildly irritated. His brother was disrupting the wonderful peace he and Quinn had found in the backseat.

"The car is only so big, if you wanted absolute privacy you should've asked your driver to bring you up here. Now there's a question. Why didn't you ask your driver?"

"Daley was otherwise engaged."

"Busy manhandling another doctor somewhere?" Kali asked.

Mike snickered at Kali's comment. Sam was not amused.

"Kali, you know why I did what I did," Sam reminded her.

"I do. Next time you make an appointment like everyone else."

Sam didn't need to see Kali's face to know the expression he'd find there. The woman had a persistent case of bad attitude.

"There won't be a next time. Still fired remember?" Best decision he'd made to date, kicking Kali to the curb. He didn't need to pay someone to judge and abuse him. He got that free of charge from his parents.

"You fired her?" asked Quinn, looking at him in surprise.

"We weren't a good fit," said Sam.

"But don't you still need to see someone, about your memory?" Quinn asked sounding very concerned.

"I'm just taking it as it comes. Today was all about coming to get you."

His memory problems didn't seem like such a big deal when he examined the rest of his life. Sam had an infant to care for, and Quinn needed him to help her get back on her feet. Those two things took precedence over a few forgotten years. He remembered what was important, Quinn, Beth, his family. Everything else could wait.

"He means forcing me to come and get you," said Mike from the front seat.

"Mike what's with the attitude?" asked Sam detecting the nasty clip that had been in his brother's tone since they had left the hospital.

"I want to know why you needed me for this trip?"

"I needed you to drive. I'm not cleared to drive a car yet." Sam technically wasn't even cleared to walk without a cane. If his doctors had their way he'd still be on bed rest.

"And Daley?"

"Damn Mike. What's your point? He couldn't come up here, if Mercedes had to work and she would need him." What was with the interrogation?

"Oh so the driver was being used by your wife," said Mike, emphasizing the word 'wife'. "Did you hear that Quinn? His wife needed to get to work, so he left her the car and driver."

"I can hear just fine Mike. He's sitting right next to me," Quinn replied sharply.

Sam was a bit surprised by the tone of Quinn's response. She must be getting as annoyed by Mike as he was.

"Just making sure you understand," added Mike.

"Okay, so how about some music?" Kali switched on the radio and started searching for a station.

"Mike what's going on? Why are you making such a big deal about my driver?"

"I'm just making things clear. Quinn's been away for a bit, she might have forgotten the lay of the land. Like Daley is the driver now, since Tonio left."

"I remember Tonio moved to Florida, Mike thank you," said Quinn curtly.

"I don't even know Tonio, but thanks for the update. What happened to Raul?" asked Sam.

"Promotion I think, something at D&E," said Mike.

"I'll have to check with dad. Anything else you want to share with us. I've been away for awhile too, not just Quinn."

It had been days since he even thought about D&E, the stuff with Quinn consuming much of his time, but soon he wanted to get on top of that and find out just what changed while he was away. Most importantly he wanted to find out how he seemed to have gone from CEO of D&E to a consultant. Nothing made less sense than that.

"Very true. Nine months is a stretch, even longer if you count those years you've blocked. You've missed some real doozies. Didn't he Quinn? They'd blow his mind right?" Mike laughed but it sounded fake, like it was a cover for something darker.

"How do we feel about country?" asked Kali. "Nothing is coming in clear."

"If I had known I was going for such a long ride this evening I would've come prepared, brought my Ipod. I've got the best of Willie Nelson on there Kali, you would've loved it."

"Wow. Really?" Kali asked Mike, amusement in her voice.

"Don't like Willie? He's a pure storyteller." Mike started humming a few notes of some random tune. Sam assumed it was by Willie Nelson.

Sam tried to focus on the conversation between Mike and Kali so he could ignore the fact that Quinn had dropped his hand and moved away from him, practically hugging the door on her side.

"Remember that time Quinn, when you sang 'Always On My Mind' at that karaoke bar in Vegas?" asked Mike.

"You guys were in Vegas together?" Sam asked Quinn.

She squirmed uncomfortably, twisting her fingers one by one. "See what had happened…"

"Sam Evans. I didn't know you were a Beyonce fan," said Kali loudly from the front seat, drawing his attention away from Quinn.

"Huh? Oh, well," he stammered not sure he wanted to cop to this particular truth. "Mike did you just tell her that?"

"Yep. She was ragging on me about Willie, I had to let her know you were far worse."

"I don't mind Beyonce," said Kali. "She's got some good dance moves."

"I think she's hot." He looked over at Quinn to see how she would respond to that, but she wasn't looking his direction, her head turned away, as she stared out her window.

"Sam does seem to have a thing for women with thick lower halves," commented Mike.

"Since when?" asked Sam snapping his focus back to Mike.

"Do you like Rihanna too Sam?" asked Kali. "She and Beyonce have similar shapes."

"Why are we even talking about this?" Quinn said finally speaking up.

"He said Beyonce was hot, I was just commenting how she fits his type. Wouldn't you agree Quinn? Still bouncing quarters off your ass?"

Mike did his fake laughing thing again, unnerving Sam even more. There was this strange subtext permeating everything Mike said, like some inside joke that Sam was supposed to get, only he didn't know the punch line. Something was going on and he had no idea what it could be.

"I don't have a type. Let's talk about your type Mike. Brunette, mouthy, with a tendency for emotional displays. Sound about right?" If he wanted to start on him about women, Sam had just as much ammo to throw back at his brother.

"I can't say I have a type either. I think the only thing all my girlfriends had in common was a problem with being faithful."

Sam watched Quinn fold herself into the seat, pulling her legs up under her, crossing her arms over her chest, her hair falling over her face, hiding its features from his view.

"They all were brunette though."

"Not all of them."

"Santana, Bree, Tina who's not a brunette?" asked Sam.

"You dated Santana? I didn't know that," said Kali.

Mike nodded. "Briefly. I try to forget it ever happened. Actually I'm not really interested in reliving any of my four relationships right now."

"Four? Don't tell me you and Tina got back together again."

Not that it would be a complete shock, Mike and Tina were always in and out of love, or pretending to be. Sam suspected that Mike and Tina felt more than they let on. Other people didn't really change who they were to each other. It was how Sam hoped things were between him and Quinn.

"Not quite, but why sound so surprised. How many times did mom try to marry your dad?"

"Don't remind me. That was the running theme of my childhood, when will dad make an honest woman of mom, and what means of blackmail would she use to make that happen?" Sam tried to think if there ever was a time when he had seen his parents happy and committed, his biggest wish as a kid. Nothing came to mind. His parents seemed to get along best when they weren't together. He guessed for some friendship was a better fit than romance.

"Isn't it funny how her last attempt at marrying him was almost the one that stuck?" asked Mike with a hint of laughter.

"Last attempt?" Sam was confused. He had been told his parents weren't back together. Had that somehow reunited in the time he had lost?

"Oh," said Mike sounding like he just stepped into something really bad.

"Mike!" hissed Kalina. "What did I say about enclosed spaces?"

"It just slipped."

"What are you not telling me about mom?" asked Sam, his heart starting to pound.

Mike let out a big breath. "Here it goes..."

"Mike don't," said Quinn kicking his seat.

"I'm telling my brother the truth, so you two can just stop."

"What truth?" The dread was rising inside Sam, especially as he watched Quinn grow more uncomfortable.

"Mom almost remarried your dad," Mike said quickly.

"Really? After all these years?" He knew his mom had always wanted to be with his father, but things kept going wrong for them. Maybe they had finally gotten it right. "So you said almost. What happened that they aren't still together now?"

"Maybe I shouldn't be getting into this with you now."

"Don't play games with me. Just say it." Sam was completely annoyed now. Why couldn't anyone just play it straight with him? He had to jump through hoops to ever find out anything.

"It was a set up."

"What was a set up?"

"The whole mom marrying your dad thing. She was using him to get access to D&E corporate secrets. She led him on for months, got him to fall in love with her again."

"My dad would never allow himself to be played like that. You must have it all wrong. Mike are you high? Did you fall off the wagon?"

"Uh not this week. I'm completely sober and completely serious. Our mother double crossed your father and got away with it. She got her hands on sensitive documents, bought up tons of D&E stock. She wanted to get control of your father's company."

In the rearview mirror, Sam caught Mike's eyes, what he saw was unmistakable, his brother was telling the truth. Their mom had tried to steal D&E.

"Why the hell would she do something like that? D&E is my company just as much as my dad's. Did something happen that she needed money? Was she being blackmailed?" Had to be some sort of manipulation, his mother would never do anything that would deliberately hurt him.

"Um, well, you need to ask her about all that. You would know better than I would, well you used to know better before. You were the one that exposed her scheme right in the middle of their wedding," said Mike.

"After all the things my dad has done for her, he gave her the funds to start her own company, why would she go after him like that?" Sam ran his hands through his hair roughly, filled with disbelief and disgust. How could his mom have sunk so low?

"Again you need to talk to her. But hey, at least you're taking it better this go around. First time you found out, you sort of lost it."

"Trust me I'm starting to lose it now. Just thinking about mom betraying my dad like that makes me ill."

"Those were hard times for you back then, caught in the middle of your dad and mom. I was glad you had a good friend to support you through all of that. Wasn't Mercedes a godsend for Sam back then Quinn? She was the only one that managed to help him cope. Right Quinn?"

"Yeah," Quinn mumbled from behind a curtain of hair. She was so far away from him now, she might as well have been outside the car.

"Now that Sam knows the truth about that, I think we should just relax for a bit, listen to music. We don't need any more big reveals tonight, especially not in the car," said Kali.

"How long ago did all this happen?" asked Sam not quite ready to let it go.

"Not too long, I would say a year and a half. It all came to a head before your wedding. You and mom were barely on speaking terms. It was pretty priceless at your wedding ceremony, mom and Dwight sitting next to each other, trying not to claw each others eyes out."

"Sounds like good times," he groaned, picturing the awful scene.

"And it only got better. I was your best man, your ex-fiancé was a bridesmaid, Mercedes was like an hour late. It was an eventful day. At least you and I managed to stay civil Quinn. That was a good thing right?"

"Yeah." Quinn answered quietly.

Sam wondered what happened between Mike and Quinn that they had to try to be civil. There clearly was something more going on than he realized. He was starting to think Mike had joined their mother in the Quinn hater camp, he was being so harsh toward her.

"Wow the memories. You'll have to show Sam his wedding video one day," said Kali. "I'm sure it was a lovely ceremony, but now I really must insist we change the subject. Quinn and Sam need time to adjust to the here and now, and not look back at the past tonight."

"What was mom's almost wedding like? Were you there?" Sam imagined shotguns and armed goons nudging his father down the aisle. He felt like he could be sick.

"Hell no!" Mike said hitting the steering wheel with his fist. "Mom's lucky I even speak to her still. That woman was out of control."

"So you just sat back and let her con my dad? You didn't try to stop her."

"She's a grown woman. When have I ever been able to convince mom of anything? Besides, she had you coming after her. You took care of it."

"Mom never said anything to me. All the times she's been to see me since I woke up not a word."

Everyone had called her Mrs. Evans, Sam had just figured the hospital staff assumed his parents were married. Now it dawned on him that the Mrs. Evans they were referring to was not his mom, but his wife. Mercedes was Mrs. Evans. His head was starting to spin. He looked over at Quinn hoping to find some comfort from her, but she was turned away, still staring out her window. She probably was just as disgusted by this all of this talk as he was.

"You had pretty much disowned her at one point. I doubt she wanted to risk your wrath again so soon."

"All of this is making my head hurt. I can't believe my mother would do such a thing. She taught us better."

"I think this is exactly something your mom would do," said Quinn, almost under her breath.

"What? Why would you say that?" asked Sam looking at her. "My mother might be ruthless in the boardroom but she would never take it to a personal level and hurt someone she loved. She would never plot against family."

Quinn stared down at her lap. "Your mom didn't seem to mind when she was sabotaging my career, but then again I wasn't family so I guess that made it okay."

"Quinn, I am really going to recommend that you depart this subject now," warned Kali, turning around in her seat to look at Quinn.

"Right. Sorry. I didn't mean anything Sam. You know your mom and I have always had our issues." Quinn quickly patted his knee.

"I know that my mom can be a bit overbearing, but she's just protective. Her heart's in the right place."

His mother had a bad rep, but no one knew her like he did. They couldn't see her heart that she hid under her hardened exterior. His mom was cold and calculating to make it in the male dominated business world and to protect her family from harm, but she wasn't a bad person, not like everyone thought. The very idea that she would try to raid D&E was unbelievable.

Quinn smiled as she rubbed Sam's cheek. "Sue's lucky to have such a loving and loyal son. I hope Beth loves me that much one day."

"How could she not? You're her mom." Sam took her hand that was still on his face and placed a soft kiss on her palm.

"Parental relationships can be complicated. You never know how things will turn out."

Sam could see Quinn's eyes shining with tears even the near darkness of the car. She was retreating somewhere dark, probably thinking about all that had happened with Beth.

"I know. Beth is going to grow up adoring you." He tried to reassure her. "She'll have the most kind, loving, beautiful and talented mother in the world."

She shook her head attempting to dispute his words. Sam lifted her head, hand on each side of her face, making her look at him. Sam smiled hoping he could get her to give him one in return. His beautiful Quinn, usually so full of light and love was now dimmed just a dull glow where her fire used to be. Sam wanted to give her that fire back, to restore her spirit, to make her shine again. He was sure he could do it, being locked away had started to take its toll, but Sam knew he could love her through the darkness.

"You guys are doing that whispery thing again. How am I supposed to listen and comment if you keep doing that?" asked Mike loudly breaking the spell from the front seat.

"What's going on with you and Mike?" Sam asked Quinn lowering his voice even more. Quinn looked miserable every time Mike spoke.

"I don't know what you mean," replied Quinn moving away from him again.

Sam stopped her retreat, grasping her by the shoulders and turning her back to face him. "The weirdness. I feel like I am missing something. Is there something I should know?"

"Yeah there is," she said her voice cracking. "I just don't know if I should get into it now." Quinn's eyes darted about the car nervously, looking everywhere but at him.

"I'm stronger than I look. I can take it," he said lightly.

"I'm not sure I can. There's just so much Sam." She finally looked at him, her eyes filled with unshed tears. Sam's heart clinched. She almost seemed scared, her lips were trembling and she kept folding and unfolding her hands in her lap.

"You know what? Let's just drop it for now. We've got plenty of time right? I just want to focus on us tonight. How's that sound?" His suggestion was more for himself than her. Sam couldn't take much more of Quinn looking so pained.

"That sounds perfect." She smiled relaxing slightly.

Forgetting where they were, blocking it all out, the streetlights dimmed and the backseat became their own little enclave, just the two of them. He let his forehead fall onto hers, gently touching, only the sounds of their breathing echoing in his ears.

"I've missed you so much Quinn," he whispered staring into her face. Her eyes were closed, dark lashes fringing her upper cheeks, and those perfect lips curved into a smile. Sam could no longer resist. "Come here," he said putting his hand behind her neck and pulling her closer. His eyes slid half closed, small slits of light beneath his lashes as his lips brushed hers, tentatively at first giving her a chance to back away, though Sam prayed she wouldn't. And she didn't.

Opening her mouth slightly, a subtle invitation for Sam to do what he had wanted since the moment he had saw her at the hospital, before then. Their lips met, and Sam let himself get lost in the sweetness of her mouth, familiar and new all at once. He kissed her, deeper, closer, fists full of her long hair, swallowing her moans as she raked her nails up and down the back of his neck.

"I missed you too," she said against his lips when they finally broke for air, the vibration from her words tickling him.

"We don't have to miss each other anymore." He kissed her softly again, his lips fully capturing hers. "We're together."

"Yeah." She grinned pulling away from him a bit. "Finally."

So light, her lips ghosted over his, the warmth of her breath the strongest sensation between them. A smile so real he felt it in his stomach, she was with him, touching him, letting him kiss her. His lips curved up in anticipation of what was to come, she was right there waiting, holding steady for his next move, right where he wanted her, so close but barely touching. Then she bridged the gap, pressing her lips against his, pulling him closer as her hands clasped around his neck, his hands folded into her hair, their bodies straining against the seatbelts. Suddenly her lips weren't enough, he needed more, wanted more of her. Sam swept his tongue across her lips lightly, testing and teasing, with a low moan Quinn opened her mouth, drawing him in, urging him to kiss her harder and deeper. And he did, tilting his head to the side to gain better access.

A pair of hands on his shoulders, dragging him back out of the car, barely giving him a chance to unhook his seatbelt, Sam looked up and saw his brother behind him. "Mike what's your problem?"

Sam hadn't even realized the car had stopped. He looked around to see they were parked in an empty parking lot of a strip mall.

"You're really going to ask that? Quinn is in my backseat," said Mike gesturing toward the car door he had just slammed shut.

Sam raised his shoulders in question. "And?"

"You just sprung that on me, no warning, no notice. You made me your accomplice."

"Accomplice? You act like it is some crime I'm committing. I told you what my dad set up." Mike was being an ass for no reason. He knew what they were up against with his dad.

"Yes you did, after we got to the hospital. A little advanced warning would've been appreciated, before I made this drive."

"I thought you said you were on my side."

"I am on your side, but I'm not going to sit back and watch you cheat on your wife."

"Then don't look," said Sam raising his voice.

"You're in my car!" Mike yelled.

"I'm not cheating," Sam said trying to take things down a notch.

"How would Mercedes feel about you kissing another woman?" asked Mike, lowering his voice so they wouldn't be overheard.

Sam slumped against the trunk of the car. "I don't feel married to her. I'm not trying to hurt her, but things have changed."

He couldn't let his pre-existing condition, this marriage, ruin his future. Sam didn't like that Mercedes would be hurt but he had to take his shot with Quinn. Life was way too short to waste, and as much as he hated that Mercedes was stuck in the middle of this, he had to take this chance with Quinn.

"Pretty convenient, don't you think? You're using your amnesia as an excuse to cheat."

"Damn Mike can you stop saying I'm cheating? Quinn and I are just catching up. Old friends." Despite that kiss, that really amazing kiss in the back of the car, Sam still had no clue where things stood for him and Quinn. Their friendship was intact, that was all he could confirm at this point.

"I saw tongue."

"Mike!"

"How are you going to keep up this deal for 9 months when you can't even keep your hands off Quinn for one three hour car ride? You are so screwed man."

"I know how fucked I am. Trust me, that's all I think about lately, but Quinn and I are finally able to see each other, after all this time. I know if we just had some time alone to talk all this extra stuff with Mercedes would just disappear."

Mike raised an eyebrow. "What extra stuff with Mercedes?"

"It's nothing. I just got confused at the hospital, but now that Quinn's here, everything it is clear."

"You do realize that's bullshit right?" asked Mike. "You're not clear about a damn thing."

"Mike I'm being real. It's supposed to be me and Quinn." With an open palm Mike slapped Sam across the back of his head, leaving his scalp stinging from the blow. "What the hell was that for?" Sam asked rubbing his head.

"Shut your mouth for once and listen. You're being a dick right now."

"What did I do?"

"I said shut the hell up Sam. I don't want to hear another word about Quinn and your damn spiritual endless love until I'm done." Sam opened his mouth to speak but closed it when he saw the dangerous look Mike shot his way. "You do not want Quinn. I don't care about your memory issues or your recovery from a coma. You didn't want her before you accident and you don't want her now."

"If this is about Mercedes then...Ow!" Sam yelled after Mike slapped the back of his head again.

"What the fuck Sam. Don't make me beat your ass in this street. And you know I will. I've done it before. Not another damn word until I'm done and yes I'm about to bring up Mercedes because she's what all of this about. The accident, the coma, your memory stuff too I bet, ever since the day that girl showed up in Lima, she's fucked you up. In the beginning you were all pretending to be a hero trying to give a down on her luck teen a job. Nevermind that she had no work experience in an office environment, somehow she was qualified to be your personal assistant. Trust me we all saw through that move. You just wanted to find a way to keep your underage obsession close. If Mercedes were older you would have been all over her from day one."

"What about Rachel?" Sam dared to ask, leaning out of Mike's reach.

"What about Rachel? You were dating her, didn't change the fact you wanted Mercedes though. I remember that time I came up to the D&E offices, we were supposed to go shoot some hoops over an extended lunch, and I caught the two of you together."

"Me and who?"

"Mercedes. Keep up Sam. You were in your office and had her up against your desk, tongue halfway down her throat. Definitely not appropriate workplace behavior." Mike shook his head, laughing lightly. "Rachel certainly didn't appreciate it when she found out. I still don't know what you had to do to convince her to stick with your ass."

"OK so back then I wanted her. What does that have to do with now? Things have changed."

"Nothing has changed man. You are still the same horny dick that lowkey wants your underage piece of ass. She may be twenty now and your wife, but you're trying to make her your dirty little secret all over again, only this time you're using Quinn as your front instead of Rachel."

"None of this makes sense to me. I get I might have done that in the past, but now I am only about Quinn."

"Did you know that you keep rubbing your chest periodically? Right in the spot where your wedding band is hanging. And before we got Quinn, you actually pulled the chain out of your shirt and held the ring in your hands from time to time. So don't come at me with some bullshit about things having changed. You want that girl, but you're bound and determined to not let it happen. History is repeating little brother, and this time I hate to break it to you but, things aren't going to turn out so good. Mercedes is going to leave for real this time."

Sam sighed. Everyone in his life was so convinced he was meant to be with Mercedes. But what if life had been altered when his car crashed? What if this was now the way things were meant to be. "I just want to spend some time with her. It feels like forever since I've seen Quinn. We just need this one night to work things out. Tomorrow I will face the music and try to live with the choices I made. Just give us tonight."

Pleading wasn't his style. Sam made deals, demands, threats, but for Quinn he wasn't too proud to beg. He had to figure things out with her and he didn't need Mike or anyone else standing in the way of that.

Mike bowed his head and slumped his shoulders, clearly disappointed in Sam. "I'm out of it. Just stop doing it in my car. I can't witness that stuff. If Mercedes asks me anything I can't lie to her. She's been through too much with you for that," said Mike relenting.

"Can you please not mention any of this to Mercedes? The last thing I need is for her to get pissed and leave me. Quinn would be screwed. My dad would have her locked up so fast. I just need some more time." Quinn trapped in that place again was the last thing he wanted. He'd take Beth and Quinn out of the country before he would let that happen. A life on the run was better than Quinn enduring that cold hospital again.

"Like I said, I got your back, but you better think this through, you've got the feelings of two women in your hands."

"I know you're right and I will be thinking about it all, but Mike you don't understand how this feels. I woke up hearing her voice, in my mind she's the brightest, most vivid thing, then I find out we have a child. I just need to be with her, hold her, talk to her, she feels like everything to me Mike."

Sam was starting to get choked up just talking about it. He had never felt so strongly about anything or anyone in his life. That had to account for something, had to be a sign this was meant to be.

"Sounds intense," Mike said watching him intently.

"It is, for both of us. She can feel it too, I'm sure of it."

"Can't ignore something like that. Right or wrong," said Mike as he took a seat on top of the trunk next to where Sam was leaning.

"No I can't," Sam said softly, looking down at his shoes.

"I'm going to give you a gift, an early birthday present."

"Bringing me up here was enough. I really appreciate it."

"I'm going to give you something better. One night."

"One night?" asked Sam.

"One night alone with Quinn. You deserve at least that before the world comes crashing in."

"You'd do that for us?"

"For you. I'm doing it for you. If Quinn is who you need right now, I'm not getting in the way of that. I'm on your side." He put his hand on Sam's shoulder, squeezing it lightly. "Always brother. But remember to use your head Sam, and I'm not talking about the one in your pants."

Sam smiled at his brother. "I'll remember. Thanks Mike. I don't know what to say. If there's any way I can return the favor, please let me know."

"Glad you mentioned that. I do have something in mind," said Mike grinning as he jumped down from his seat on the trunk of the car to stand in front of Sam.

"What's that?"

"How about putting in a good word for me with Kali? She's pretty cute."