Here begins Tailspin3. It follows directly from where T2 left off and it takes place over a weekend. It is Sam's birthday and all the truths will be revealed Thanks for reading!

Chapter 1

Beth gurgled happily on Sam's lap, sticking her plump baby fingers into her mouth, soaking them with drool, her green eyes darting all over the room, as if she were trying to see everything around her. Sam silently watched his daughter, in quiet wonder, amazed at the little life he somehow helped to create. Beth twisted in Sam's lap attempting to see over her shoulder. Sam kept his hand on the baby's back, steadying her, but every now and then Beth would pull away from Sam's hand, balancing herself on her own, sitting up under her own power for a few minutes, before collapsing back into the safety of her father's hand again. Such a simple act filled Sam with pride, his daughter was growing every day, learning new tasks, like sitting up, soon she would have teeth, then she would walk and talk. Sam couldn't wait to experience each step. He was so grateful that he would be allowed the chance, things could have gone so much worse for him, and he might never have known Beth. If he were a more religious man he might have prayed at that moment, thanked God for the gift of his baby, the gift of his own life, but he wasn't a man of faith, so he kept all those grateful feelings to himself, while silently vowing to live up to the miracles he had been granted.

He kissed Beth on her soft blond head as he rose from his chair and walked around the nursery. This was the room Will's twins Stevie and Stacy used to sleep in when they were at the mansion. It had been redecorated, in more girl appropriate colors of pinks and yellows. The large wooden crib remained, the same as Sam had remembered, an antique from Ireland. It was odd that his father had chosen to send the Evans family crib to Shannon Beiste's house and not put it in this room instead. He would have thought his father would have wanted Beth's heritage to be firmly entrenched in this house and not scattered across town in some suburban colonial.

Nothing his father seemed to be doing these days made sense to Sam, starting with that ridiculous deal. Sam of course realized his father hated Quinn and would do anything to keep her out of his life, but this deal went further than that, it shut out Quinn while bringing in Mercedes. That was something new. Dwight Evans rarely let anyone into the fold, especially not a woman, but while Sam was out of commission, his father had done just that, twice. He'd embraced his daughter in law Mercedes and started some sort of love affair with Shannon Beiste. His father never got involved with a woman unless he could use it to his advantage or get some financial gain from the connection, as far as Sam could tell Beiste's sole enterprise was her restaurant, BreadStix, and Mercedes, she had even less than that. What could his father possibly have to gain by allying himself with either of these women?

Perhaps he was over thinking things, maybe his father simply saw Mercedes as the lesser of two evils, a better option than having Quinn as part of the family. He guessed it didn't really matter what his father's motives were, Sam had made his choice and had released Quinn from the hospital, by accepting the deal he was just as culpable as his father in this mess. He might as well have come up with the plan along with the old man. Sam could blame his father for the next nine months, but the truth of the matter was that now every move he made, every choice, each decision, was all on him.

If only Quinn had stuck by him on this, seen things his way, and tried to find a way for them to work things to their benefit, to have this deal and each other. He had never expected Quinn to turn her back on him this way. Suddenly he felt like he was in this alone, when he had done it all for her. Not that he would ever change anything, Quinn needed to be free from that horrible place, she needed a chance to put her life back together. The very least he could do for her was give her that, but still he had imagined that they would be doing this together, rebuilding both their lives as a team, deal or no deal they would have each other's back, but when Quinn had told him to go home to Mercedes that pretty much put an end to Sam's dream of going through it all together. Quinn clearly wanted to do things on her own.

Maybe Quinn was right. Maybe spending tons of time together would have been a hindrance to their goals. Without the distraction of romance, he could bond with his child, figure out his place in this new life, and she could do whatever she needed to do to get back her rights to Beth. Then at the end of nine months, they could return their focus to each other and start building a life together. Now that he'd had a chance to let the hurt of rejection fade, Sam could see Quinn's point more clearly, and in some ways he could see how right she had been. They shouldn't do anything to jeopardize things, the consequences of violating the terms of his father's agreement were unbearable. Quinn being shipped back upstate was not an option. There was no way he could live with that. The mother of his child should not be caged like some wild animal. He'd die before he let that happen to her again, he loved her too much.

Sam looked down at the baby in his arms and smiled. His daughter, he could hardly believe he was actually holding his own child in his arms, a child that was undeniably, indisputably his. After Brittany rejected his idea of starting a family, and ultimately rejected him too, he was starting to doubt that he'd ever get the chance to be a parent, yet now by some unexpected miracle he actually was one.

"I need to stop staring at you, I'm going to give you a complex," said Sam easing back into the upholstered wing back chair in the room, settling Beth in his lap.

"It is just so hard to hold you and not think of your mother. I've missed her so much, and I know you must have too, but I have a little secret to share. Just between you and me, your mommy's coming back to us. She's back in Lima and she's going to be coming home to you very soon. I promise you that." Sam smiled, his spirit lifting slightly, now that he was one step closer to setting things right for his baby, and for Quinn. He'd got her back in town, now all he had to do was reunite Quinn with their daughter. Sam wasn't sure exactly what it would take to make that happen. He had a feeling that a difficult road was before them, and maybe for once his Evans name might not be enough to make it all disappear.

"I know it must have been hard here without either of us to love you and take care of you, but that's all going to change now. Your mommy and I are going to make sure you have the best life and we are going to be such a happy family. One day."

Beth looked up at Sam's face, reaching toward his mouth with her little hand. Sam playfully nipped at the baby's fingertips with his lips, making Beth smile, all gums and drool.

"I wish your mother were here to see that smile. Has she ever seen you smile before? From what I've been told you two have been separated for a long time. That must have been hard. You must have been wondering where she was all this time. Or did you even notice? Maybe you're too young. Do you think Mercedes is your mommy because she is always with you?"

Sam's heart lurched as he pondered the possibility that Beth didn't even really know Quinn, that she might not even associate her as her mother. Babies her age were just learning to form attachments, with Quinn upstate, Beth probably only was attached to Mercedes now. Again Sam felt the knife twisting guilt surface within him, he should have been conscious and taking care of his baby, helping Quinn, so Beth wouldn't be living her life with a stranger. Stranger wasn't the right word, Mercedes had been in Beth's life since birth, but she wasn't family, not really, and his daughter deserved to be raised by her parents. Sam couldn't help but feel like he had let his child down. Beth was almost six months old and she and Quinn had already managed to cause so much upheaval in her young life. That had to end.

"From now on little girl, it will be you and me, together. I'll never leave you again." Sam held Beth up in front of him, letting her chubby little body dangle above his lap, looking into her green eyes that were so much like Quinn's. "I promise to put you first in everything I do. I'm not going to be like my father and place business and money above family, I'm going to protect you and take care of you, keep you safe."

Putting Beth on his shoulder, rubbing her back softly, Sam lowered his voice, speaking in a hushed tone, soothing like a lullaby. "I love you more than I ever thought I was capable and everyday I'm with you it grows. I may not be perfect, nowhere near it. I know I will make a ton of mistakes. I tend to be an impulsive screw up at times. Your grandfather will tell you I screw up all the time, but I will try my best not to screw up with you. We haven't known each other for very long, and you are probably thinking who is this semi old guy blathering on, but you better get used to it, because I can talk a lot sometimes, when it matters. And you matter so much to me and I promise I will be the best dad I can be. I swear my life on it. I got your mother out of the hospital and now I'm going to get her back home to you, because I know having her will be the best thing for you. For us. Just give me a little time, baby girl, and I promise you will have a family, a happy and loving home, like I never really had."

Sam closed his eyes, his thoughts wandering to Quinn. He wondered what she was doing right now. Was she alone in the hotel suite thinking of them too? Sam was so tempted to bundle Beth up and go over to the Beacon to see her, so they could spend some time together, the three of them, as a family. Nothing was stopping him, Daley could have him downtown in fifteen minutes, but Sam didn't move from his seat as he continued to rub Beth's back.

It was that house, that mural, that room. There was something he was missing, Sam could feel it. His gut had been gnawing at him for days, even longer if he were honest with himself. Why did his daughter have little more than a guest room in the Evans family home while she had a meticulously decorated nursery across town in the suburbs? How did a suicide attempt cause Quinn to lose all rights to their child? Was there some secret pact between his father and Mercedes? Did they concoct a way of getting revenge on a woman they both hated? Did they get Beth torn away from Quinn? And why did Mercedes have a strange look on her face when Sam mentioned the idea of Quinn getting out of the hospital? Was it just her jealousy because of the affair, or was it something more that made her react that way?

Enough with all the questions, Sam was ready for some answers. It was time for him to be filled in on all that he missed, completely.

Beth squealed kicking her little legs out, her face reddening in what Sam could only assume was anger.

"I know it sucks little girl, but don't take it out on me. This is what Mercedes packed for you to wear," said Sam as he captured one of Beth's feet and wrestled it into a thick white sock.

The past ten minutes Beth had squirmed and whined on the bed as Sam tried to change her clothes. Why his daughter needed to put on a new outfit at precisely this hour when she had been already wearing a perfectly good one was beyond Sam's comprehension. He was just following the orders outlined on the long list Mercedes had given him earlier. Sam's first instinct was to shove that list right back in her face, he didn't need an instruction manual for caring for his own child, but Mercedes seemed to anticipate his protest and went into a protracted ramble about the idiosyncrasies of Beth Evans. He finally took the list primarily to shut her up.

Sam let out a satisfied sigh as he finally managed to get the other sock on Beth's foot. Mercedes had not been exaggerating when she warned him earlier that Beth didn't like her feet covered, just putting socks on her had been an ordeal. Sam lifted Beth from the bed and held her out in front of him, examining his handy work. Beth in all red, soft fabric, almost like felt, with some fur trim it would sort of be like Santa, if it weren't for the large brown puppy embroidered on the front of the romper.

"Why do they keep dressing you up in clothes with animal faces? Nobody wants to be seen in something like that. I'm going to have to get you some new clothes, maybe a suit like your grandma Sue?" Beth poked her lip out as if in response. "Okay no suit. Yet. But a nice Cavs jersey or jeans. No more baby chicks or puppies. I promise."

He sat Beth on his lap, holding her with one arm, while he zipped up the pink and brown dotted baby bag with his free hand. Mercedes had packed enough supplies for a week, even though Beth wasn't even staying with him overnight. The plan was that Mercedes would come back and get Beth after she returned from her evening out. Marcel had been initially enlisted to watch Beth for the night, but he had an unexpected emergency and he had to leave. Kurt had spilled all of this information, hand over eyes, from the bedroom doorway at Mercedes' house earlier. Apparently he had let himself in with the spare key when no one responded to his knocks on the door. Sam had never been so relieved to see anyone in his life. He had been wadding in pretty dangerous waters before Kurt interrupted them.

Physical interaction with Mercedes was completely unnecessary, when the plan was to take things slow with her. Letting the wrong head make decisions was going to be his downfall if he wasn't careful. Any attraction that he might feel for Mercedes could not be allowed to get in the way of his ultimate goal, to build a life with Quinn. He just needed to keep his hormones and the annoying pangs in his heart under control. Thankfully Kurt had saved the day, and Sam had dodged that bullet. Mercedes had seemed almost relieved as he did, popping up off his lap when she saw Kurt at the door. Her mood shifted after that, gone were the tears, she fell into a more authoritative mode, throwing out orders disguised as ideas.

Mercedes had been the one to send Sam to the mansion to be with Beth enlisting Kurt as his chauffeur, while she waited for Finn Hudson to pick her up and take her to wherever she was going for the night. Sam wasn't exactly pleased with the arrangements, taking care of Beth was fine, he relished the chance to spend more time with his daughter, but Mercedes out with some guy? That part didn't sit well with him. He had planned to tell Mercedes just that, but she never let him get a word in, she just talked faster and faster as she packed a bag for Beth, wrote up a list of instructions, and literally shoved both he and Kurt out the kitchen door. Sam almost felt like she was trying to get rid of him, like maybe she was hiding something, or maybe she didn't want him around when Finn arrived at the house. She was up to something. Sam could sense it.

Even more worrisome was the fact that he hadn't actually told Mercedes that Quinn was back in Lima. He had planned to reveal it after he was certain Mercedes was willing to give him a shot at being a husband. They had spent a few hours together, got some things out in the open, but still Sam wasn't certain about anything. He probably could assume Mercedes would be on board with any attempts at reviving their relationship, but Sam preferred to deal in the concrete, in the verified, relying on a hunch when Quinn's freedom hung in the balance wasn't a smart move at all. He needed a little more time, one more go at her, a chance to convince her that he wanted a fresh start, then he could tell her about Quinn. And it needed to happen soon, like tonight, before Mercedes could find out Quinn was back in Lima from some other source.

If only there was a way to do it without actually seeing her, because Sam wasn't sure if he could handle another encounter with Mercedes so soon. Every time he was around her his emotions flared up and he started running his mouth revealing things that he never wanted to admit out loud. It was unbelievable how much he seemed to talk around Mercedes. Right from the moment he was able to in the hospital, he had been sharing his innermost thoughts with her, even when he didn't know her, even when he didn't trust, he kept talking. Why?

Marcel appeared in the open doorway, his bald head almost grazing the door frame, his blue scrub top hanging loosely from his thin torso. He was wearing jeans, unusual for him. Sam had never seen him in anything other than his work attire.

"Marcel I thought you had already left."

"Almost. I needed to give you these bottles for the baby," he said entering the room and putting three bottles of formula into the mini refrigerator against the wall.

"I could have gotten those things myself, you didn't have to come all the way back here." Sam adjusted Beth on his lap, putting some distance between the baby and the buttons on his shirt.

Marcel shook his head. "You are still recuperating sir. You should not be going up and down stairs too frequently."

"I'm fine. I've recovered faster than my doctors thought I would."

Beth whined now that the buttons were out of his reach. Sam grabbed a stuffed yellow star from the bed and held it in front of Beth's face. The baby's eyes lit when she heard the jingle of the bells from within the toy.

Another item on Mercedes' list, a stuffed star, his daughter's favorite toy apparently combining it with food and infomercials kept Beth very content. A story and the song from the snowglobe before bedtime were two other critical elements of Beth's daily routine. The snowglobe was still back in the nursery at Mercedes' house, but she had noted that a CD version of the song was in Beth's room at the mansion. The list had itemized it all, easy reference in the front pocket of the diaper bag, not that Sam needed to refer to the piece of paper, he had already committed its contents to memory. Mercedes had thought of everything and put it on that list. It was annoying and comforting all at once.

"Very speedy. Just like your little girl. Let me show you something," said Marcel reaching out to take Beth from Sam's arms. He placed the baby on top of the beige covered bed between them, on her stomach and sat beside her. "Do you see this?" Beth lifted up her head and looked toward her father. "Her head and neck control is superb, far beyond what a baby her age normally has. And watch her little derriere. See the little wiggle, wiggle?"

"Yeah I see her moving."

"This baby will crawl soon. She wants to go. She's very advanced, especially since she was premature."

"She's an Evans. We're always ahead of the curve," said Sam beaming proudly. "You're really good with her Marcel."

Marcel picked Beth up off the bed and handed her back to Sam. "She's a little joy, such a good baby."

"Mercedes told me you worked in pediatrics."

"Oui."

"Did you spend much time with Beth while I was in a coma?"

"Non. I was busy with you, but sometimes I would look after Beth if Mrs. Evans needed to tend to something else, but usually she was the one with baby. She is very attached to the girl."

"It's sad that Beth's mother can't spend more time with her." A matter that Sam planned to fix as soon as possible. What was the point of all the money and power if he couldn't use it to put things right? He just had to figure out a way to outsmart his father, then the rest would fall into place.

Marcel paused, tilting his head to the side. "Beautiful girl, her eyes so remarkable."

Sam looked at him in surprise. "Do you know Quinn?"

"Non, but she used to come see you at the hospital, very late. Always creep creeping. Usually she'd come during my break. I'd wait until I saw her coming before I left, so no one would catch her."

"Did Quinn come and visit me often? Did you ever overhear anything she said?" Knowing that Quinn used to sneak to see him stirred something within Sam, building his hopes up for the future. If Quinn were willing to take the risk to see him then, there was a chance she would take risks now and throw caution aside and be with him.

"You need the tapes," said Marcel over his shoulder as he pulled something out of the closet.

"What tapes?"

Marcel popped open a baby seat in front of Sam. It looked like a cross between a swing and a car seat, but it was designed to look like a spaceship.

"Mr. Dwight and Mrs. Evans recorded your room at the hospital all the time. Every minute is there," said Marcel as he continued to set up the chair.

"Why would they do that?"

There was actual video of him in a coma. Sam wasn't sure how he felt about that. It would be strange to see himself so quiet and still, but on the other hand, it could give him some insight into what his family went through these past months, help him understand their current state of rampant overprotectiveness.

"Mr. Dwight wanted to keep you safe, keep track of who came and went. Mrs. Evans wanted proof that she could show the doctors that you moved or responded. From what I hear your father has copies of all the recordings on his computer. If you want to find Miss Quinn, she will be there." Marcel whisked Beth from Sam's arms, sweeping her up in the air with flourish, making the baby giggle, before settling her in the chair he had just set up. "She likes this. Watch."

Primary colored stars dangled above her in the seat, which Beth immediately reached for, hitting them and watching them sway. Sam watched his daughter happily play in her seat, Beth's little feet kicking in excitement each time she managed to make a star move.

"Did Mercedes buy her this?" asked Sam stroking her fuzzy swatch of hair.

"Non. I think your mother. Mrs. Evans prefers to hold her and not use the seat. It is her way."

Sam raised his eyebrows. "You sound like you don't approve."

"It is not for me to say."

"I'm asking your opinion." Sam pressed.

Marcel pursed his lips thoughtfully before responding. "I think Mrs. Evans holds too tight. She's afraid to let her go."

"Mothers can be overprotective." It hurt but Sam could admit that Mercedes was the main mother figure in his child's life. She treated her like her own.

"Oui especially when they go through an ordeal."

"What ordeal? Quinn's the one that can't see her baby," said Sam, his tension level rising.

He didn't mean to jump all over Marcel, he had asked the man for his opinion after all, but it just unnerved him how everyone around him seemed to be so focused on Mercedes when Quinn was the one going through so much turmoil.

"I'm sorry if I offended you sir."

"You didn't Marcel. I am just concerned about my daughter's mother. Can you tell me more about her visits with me at the hospital? Did anyone else know she was coming to see me?" asked Sam feeling very anxious about Marcel's response. If his father had video, maybe he knew that Quinn had visited him and that's why he had her locked up.

"I don't think so. I never said a word. A little secret, she didn't even know I saw her. I would never tell Mr. Dwight and Mrs. Evans would be very angry."

"They don't like Quinn very much."

The idea of his father and Mercedes united against Quinn made Sam ill. Quinn must have felt outnumbered and alone dealing with those two and the rest of his family. If only he could have been there to protect her somehow, to be the buffer between them and her.

"Non. And Mrs. Evans is very scared. I can't blame her considering things."

A chill ran through Sam's body. There was something ominous in Marcel's words.

"Why was she scared of Quinn coming to see me? It doesn't make sense."

"Not of that. Mrs. Evans is scared for the baby."

Sam tried to shake himself out of the uneasy feelings that were filling his mind, but an image of Beth, blue and floating in the river persisted, taunting him, wanting him to accept it as more than just an illusion.

"What did Quinn do to make Mrs. Evans scared for Beth? Nothing happened to Beth at the river. She was safe."

"Not the river," he said lowering his voice and leaning closer, glancing behind him to the open door before he continued. "The snow."

"I don't understand."

Marcel shook his head three times and moved closer to the door. "You must ask Mrs. Evans. I cannot say anymore."

The man was holding back. Sam could tell he wanted to reveal more. Someone must have directed him not to talk about this subject.

"Please tell me what you know. This is about my child," Sam pleaded. That knot that had been in the pit of his stomach for the past few weeks was growing. He was beginning to feel like he was close to some hidden truth, something that no one wanted him to know about. Right now Marcel seemed like the only person he could trust. "What about the snow? Was it snowing the night they were at the river?"

"Beth wasn't at the river," Marcel stated, his dark eyes peering sharply at Sam.

"Yes she was. Quinn left her on the dock before she…" Sam swallowed the lump lodged in his throat unable to say the words. "And then Puck saved her and Beth."

"Non. Mr. Puckerman only saved the one."

"But Beth's fine."

Puck had been there. He got Quinn out of the water and Beth was never in any danger. His father had told him so. Although, when he thought back on it, his father actually hadn't said much. Sam had filled in the blanks on his own. Had he somehow gotten things wrong?

"Ask them about the snow. I can say no more."

"Did something happen to my daughter?" Sam asked his voice shaking. There was something about their conversation that had him completely unnerved.

"You must understand. Something was broken inside of her," said Marcel. He spoke with more emotion than Sam had ever heard him use, as if were urging him to believe the words. "She didn't mean –"

"Marcel, what are you still doing here?" asked Kurt as he came into the room, a garment bag in his hand, and a serious look on his usually pleasant face. There was no mistaking the alarm in his cousin's voice, Kurt must have overheard what Marcel had told him and for some reason didn't like it.

Marcel went stiff, what little emotion his face had displayed, disappeared behind his usual mask of blankness.

"He brought me some bottles up Kurt." His cousin had the worst timing. He was so close to getting some answers.

Marcel was suddenly eager to bolt now that Kurt had arrived, he was already halfway out of the door.

"Oui. Now I must be leaving," said Marcel practically from the hallway.

"Marcel wait – "Sam wasn't ready for the man to leave, he had more questions.

"Bon soir," Marcel said curtly, bowing his head, before disappearing into the darkened hall.

"Later, Marcel," said Kurt shutting the door fast on the nurse's heels. Sam eyed Kurt suspiciously. He was acting strangely.

Something definitely was going on here. Just what were the people in his life hiding from him about his daughter?