DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN GLEE.
CHRIS-J.R. RAMIREZ
LAURA-KELLI GIDDISH
NICOLE-MIRIAM MCDONALD
Lindsey watched as Mercedes threw her purse down on the table when they entered the large conference room. She carefully went and sat beside her, careful of not to say anything because she knew she was pissed.
"Where's Chris?" Mercedes asked as she sat in the chair.
"I'm right here." He stated angrily as he came and plopped down in the chair, "Thanks to Laura, I'm going to be sleeping on the couch for the rest of the weekend."
"Well, you're not the only one who somebody's going to be pissed at." Mercedes mumbled.
Laura walked in and sighed when she saw the look on their faces, "I'm sorry y'all but this couldn't wait." She said as she slid them the case file, "Adam White, he lawyered up and guess who so gratefully volunteered his services?"
"Michael Andrews." Chris grunted as he leaned back in his seat.
"You are correct, that asshole is pushing it." Laura said.
Mercedes sighed as she read the file. She immediately closed it when something about it caught her eye, "I can't take this case."
"What?" Laura looked at her, "Mercedes you are the best damn prosecutor I have, if you don't take it there's a chance that he is going to walk free."
"I know that but look at the chances we have if we do go against Andrews. I could screw up or something." Mercedes stressed.
"He's a damn good lawyer, I'll give him that but you're better." Chris said looking at Mercedes, "This isn't your first time going against him, I know you can beat him."
"You can do it, Mercedes." Lindsey said quietly as she looked at her. She knew exactly why she didn't want to take it but she also knew Mercedes was strong and that she could overcome it.
Mercedes looked at them letting out a long sigh. Picking the folder back up, she scanned through it attempting to make a decision.
Sam threw out his cigarette as he walked up the steps the house. He raked his fingers through dirty blonde locks as he rung the doorbell. Stepping back when he heard someone coming. When the door opened he frowned, "Where is she?"
"Well, hello to you to Samuel." The girl bit out opening her door wider, "She's in her room. You can't stay long."
Sam rolled his eyes at her and walked through the house. Going down the long hallway, he smiled softly when he saw the pink door cracked. Peeking in, he saw his daughter looking out the window humming. He cleared his throat loudly to get her attention.
She turned around quick at the sound. Smiling hard as she ran over to his awaiting arms, "Daddy!"
Sam picked her up and swung her around in a circle, "Muffin." He kissed her forehead, taking one of his hands to tickle her.
She threw her head back squealing when he ticked her side. Sam smiled when he heard the angelic sound of her laughter filling the room, "I miss you so much." She leaned back up in his arms.
"I know baby girl." He sat down on her bed and shifted her in his lap, "I'm sorry I missed your birthday."
She shrugged, "It's okay. Papa told me that you were super busy putting bad guys away."
Sam nodded his head, "I was and I promise I will make it up to you." He tapped her nose.
Madison scrunched her nose up as she laid her head on his shoulder, "Can I come live with you?"
He rubbed her back gently, "Muffin.." He started but was interrupted.
"I don't like it here with mommy." She whispered.
Sam cocked a brow at her, "Why not baby?"
"She yells at me when I do something wrong and she spanked me the other day because I wasted milk on the floor. I promise I didn't mean to do it daddy." She let out a small sniffle.
Sam felt the muscles in his jaw tighten, How fucking dare she? He looked down at his daughter, "I know you didn't sweetheart." He smooth down her messy blonde locks thinking hard, "How about this? I'm going to come get you tomorrow and you can stay with me for awhile."
Madison let a huge grin, "Okay." She hugged him around his neck, letting out a small yawn.
Sam smiled at her. Standing with her safely in his arms, he walked over to the front of her pulling the covers back and laid her down, "I love you muffin."
"I love you too daddy." She laid her head down on the pillow and drifted off to sleep.
Sam closed her door quietly and walked back to the living room, "You have some fucking nerves hitting my daughter."
Nicole rolled her eyes at him, "Whatever Sam..it's call discipline, she needs to know right from wrong. If you keep babying her, then she'll never know."
"Are you fucking blind? She is the most respectful kid I know." He shook his head at her, "I can't believe I actually dated you."
"Sometimes I wonder why we were even together in the first place." She scoffed.
Sam gave her a cold hard stare, "I'm coming to get her tomorrow and I'm filing for full custody." He swung the door open and walked out the house.
"You cannot take my daughter away from me." She yelled after him.
"Watch me." He hopped in his car and pulled out of the driveway.
Mercedes was in the bar nursing on her fourth bottle of beer. Her nerves were wreck because of this stupid case. It was a reason she didn't want to do but agreed to it anyways. She knocked on the counter signaling for another one.
"Rough night Jones?" The bartender asked handed her another beer.
"You have no idea, Al." She pressed the bottle to her lips, taking in the rich bubbly taste. Sitting it down on the counter, she pulled out her phone and notice Maverick haven't called her, "He's pissed." Tossing the phone in her purse, she picked up her bottle and gulped the rest of it down.
Sam walked into the bar pissed off. He couldn't believe Nicole would do some shit like that, well yes he did after what she did to him in the past. He walked up the bar and sat on the stool not paying attention to his surroundings, "Bourbon straight and keep them coming please."
Al nodded and went and fixed his drink.
Sam held his face in his hands, grunting lowly.
Mercedes heard someone beside her and turned to looked. She let her lips form into a smirk, "Having a bad night Evans?"
Sam head snapped up when he heard her voice, giving her a small smile, "You could say that." He looked over to all the empty beer bottles in front of her, "Are you?"
She lifted her bottle up to him, "You could say that."
Sam thanked the man, press the rim of the glass to his lips throwing back the drink. He hissed when he felt the burning sensation in the back of his throat. Turning to Mercedes, "Want to talk about it?"
Mercedes let out a humorless laugh, "I don't want to burden you with my problems."
Sam shrugged, "You're not burdening me."
Mercedes sighed turning to him, "My boss called me in from Maverick's game with a case she wanted me to take."
"Let me guess..Adam White?"
"Yeah, how did you know?"
"Well as you know I do work at the same firm with Michael Andrews and I was handed the case first to defend him but I turned it down." Sam took the second of liquor, quickly downing it.
"Why?" Mercedes asked curiously.
"He's guilty." Sam said simply. Seeing her play with the rim of her bottle, he immediately knew something was bothering her about it, "Why wouldn't you take it?"
Mercedes blinked back her tears, "I just didn't want to, okay?" She got up from the stool wobbling, "I should go." She stumbled as she tried to walked towards the entrance.
Sam pulled some money out of his wallet and threw on the bar, hopping off the stool he followed behind her, "Mercedes, I can't let you leave like this. Let me drive you home."
"No, I'm fine." She pushed the door open letting the cool wind from the night hit her face.
Sam sighed as he followed her, grabbing her wrist, "Please let me take you home."
Mercedes looked at him frowning, "Fine."
Sam smiled at her, intertwining their hands together. He wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her balanced. Finally making it to his car, he opened the passenger door and helped her in. Making sure she was strapped in, he closed the door and ran over to the driver's side and got into the car.
Sam pulled up into her driveway and turned off his engine. Looking over at Mercedes he smiled a little. She had fallen asleep as soon as they left the bar. He gently shook her, "Mercedes..."
Mercedes grumbled something softly, opening her eyes sighing, "I'm sorry."
"For what? You didn't do anything."
She just stared at her front door, "There's reason I didn't want to take it.." She let out a shaky breath, "I didn't want to take it because that's how Maverick's father died."
Sam looked at her sadly. Now it made sense why she was acting the way she was. He grabbed her hand, squeezing it for her to continue.
"He was hit by a drunk driver when he was coming over to see us after his night shift." She wiped a few stray tears that manage to come out, "I was broken and I thought that it would be some kind of justice for him but..they only gave the driver two years of rehabilitation and four years probation." She spatted out angrily, "And I'm scared that I might not be able to give this family the closure they need. The man who killed their daughter could walk because I didn't try hard enough. I could fuck this up and I will not be able to live with that. I have lost cases before but this one hits too close to home."
"You're not going to screw up." Sam rubbed her hand, "From what I've have see, you're a damn good prosecutor."
"I lost to you." She gave him a knowing look.
"You didn't lose, we came to a mutual agreement." He smirked at her.
Mercedes let out a watery laugh, "Yeah."
"And I know this case may be hard for you but I know you can do it. Whatever the outcome is, that family will know that you tried you damn hardest. They will know that Mercedes Jones did try her hardest." He smiled at her, "You can do it Jones. I have faith in you."
Mercedes looked at him and could tell he was being sincere. This made her like him ten times more, "Thank you."
"No problem."
She wiped the remaining tears that fell away, "Do you want to tell me what's wrong with you?"
Sam shook his head, "Maybe tomorrow. I still have a second date to plan." He moved her hair from out of her face.
Mercedes leaned over and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips, "I guess I'll talk to you tomorrow." She whispered against his lips.
"Of course." He kiss her again before he pulled away, "Night Ms. Jones."
Mercedes bit her lip as she opened the door, "Night." She got out of the car, thanking the heavens that the nap sober her up a bit. She walked up to her door, fumbling to get the correct key out. Once she found, she put it in the lock and opened the door. Closing and locking it behind her, she took off her shoes and sat them by the door. She notice that all the lights were off in the house. She walked through the living room and down the hall to Maverick's room. Opening his door, she saw him sprawled across his bed sleeping. She smiled as she walked over to him. Taking the covers, she pulled them over up to him and bend down to kiss his cheek, "I love you Mav." She ran her hand over his hair and quietly walked out, heading to her own bed for some much needed sleep.
Mercedes woke up early the next morning with a slight headache. She went to her bathroom and grabbed some aspirins out of her medicine cabinet and gulped them down with some tap water. She walked down the stairs to start on breakfast. Putting on a pot of coffee she turned around and grabbed the pancake mix, pouring it into a large mixing bowl. She walked over to the refrigerator and grabbed the bacon, setting the strips in the frying pan. Looking up when she heard footsteps coming towards the kitchen, she sighed when she saw Maverick walk pass her, "Good morning."
"Morning." He said in a short tone, throwing on his hoodie.
"I'm making your favorite." She tried to smile but was failing miserably when he turned away.
"I'm not hungry." He sat down in the chair as he put on his shoes.
Mercedes huffed, "I'm sorry Mav..I had to leave."
He rolled his eyes at her, "Whatever. I'll be back later." He stood up to leave.
Mercedes grabbed him by his arm, "Listen I said I was sorry okay but I'll be damn if I let you stand here and disrespect me." She stared at him.
"I'm sorry." He gritted through his teeth, "But you know how important it is to me that you are there."
"And I know that Mav and I ALWAYS make time for you. You know that." She let go of his arm, running her fingers through her tangled locks, "God, I'm trying here." She didn't know why but she felt her eyes filling up with tears. Shaking her head, she turned to stove and turned it off. She walked to the living room and headed up the stairs.
"Mom." Maverick called after her, wincing when he heard the door slam. He didn't mean to make her cry, that was the last thing he wanted to do. He felt like a grade A asshole for even acting that way towards her. He knew that she wouldn't miss his game unless it was really important and he didn't even ask her what happen, he just jump to conclusions.
A/N. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was kind of sad but it needed to be written. A lot of you thought it was going to be Rachel or Penny, that is NEVER going happen in any of my fics, NEVER lol. Nicole is something else but she did something really cruel to Sam in the past and you guys will find out what it is soon. Now we know what happened to Maverick's dad and we will learn more about him in future chapters. Madison is adorable, we will get to know her more in the next chapter and we will find out why Sam calls her 'Muffin' :)