DISCLAIMER:I DO NOT OWN GLEE.

ENJOY :)

Maverick walked up the stairs and stood outside of Mercedes room. He knocked softly, "Mom.." He sighed when he didn't get any answer. He placed his hand on the door knob and twisted it open. His heart broke when saw her laying in fetal position on the bed crying quietly. He took off his shoes and got into the bed with her, wrapping his arms around her into in a big hug, "I'm sorry."

Mercedes sniffled as she wiped her eyes, "No you were right. I did promise you that I always be there for you and I failed that. I failed at being a mom." She whispered brokenly.

"Don't say that." He said sternly, "You did not fail at being a mom. I overreacted. I know you have to work and a part of me was just being selfish. You're very important to me, you're all I have."

Mercedes wiped her face with the back of her hand as she turned to him, "I'm sorry."

He shook his head, "No I'm sorry. I shouldn't have talk you the way I just did downstairs, no matter how mad I got."

Mercedes nodded as she hugged him, "I love you."

"I love you too." He gave her a long hug, never wanting to her hurt again, "Are you still going to cook because I'm really hungry?"

Mercedes smiled at him, "Yeah."

"Good." Maverick sat in the bed with her for a little while longer until she gleams ready to go back downstairs.

Sam walked happily in his kitchen with his daughter in tow. After what happened last night, he called his lawyer this morning and ask her if she could help him out with this situation. He had enough of Nicole over the years and now it was time to put a stop to it. He smiled at Madison, who was clad in her long sleeved polka dot pajamas. He picked her up and sat her on the stool, "What do you want for breakfast m'lady?"

Madison giggled at him shrugging, "Whatever you make daddy."

"Mhm, how about some yummy strawberry and banana pancakes?" He smirked knowing that was her favorite.

"Yes." She said happily as she bounced in her seat. She watched him intently as he got out the ingredients, "Daddy?"

"Yes sweetheart?"

"I'm glad I'm here with you." She smiled at him.

"Me too baby." Sam looked at her, "Did mommy ever do anything else to you sweetie?"

She sat her elbows on the counter, placing her small hands under her chin, "No but I don't like her and I don't want to go back. She's mean and she says mean things about you and Grammy."

Sam felt himself getting angry but he pushed it aside not wanting to scare her. Taking a deep breath as he poured the batter in the awaiting pan,"Well baby, you don't have to go back if you don't want too."

Madison smiled, "Thank you daddy."

"You're welcome muffin."

"Can you tell me the story of why you call me that." She smiled at him, spinning the stool from side to side.

Sam smirked at her as he flip the pancake. He know he have told her the story hundreds of times but he would never get tired of it, "Well it all started off two years ago when I took my four year old daughter to the grocery store with me." He leaned over and tapped her nose, "Papa told me to go buy some bread so I went and I let you walk beside me. I stopped the basket to pick up a loaf of bread but when I turned back around you were gone and I started to panic, that is until I saw you at the end of the aisle. When I approach you, your back was turned so I picked you up and faced you towards me and I saw the most adorable thing." He placed the pancakes on the plate, drowning it in syrup.

"...I had opened a pack of mini blueberry muffins and stuffed a lot of them in my mouth." She finished the story with a loud laugh.

"Yes you did. It was the cutest thing I have ever seen." He sliced up the pancakes and handed them to her.

"Thank you." She said sweetly as she picked up her fork, stuffing the delicious food in her mouth.

Sam smiled at her, "I'll be right back." He walked across to the living room and pulled out his phone.

Mercedes had just finished making breakfast when she heard her phone ring, "Hello?" She answered softly.

"Hey Ms. Jones."

"Hey Sam." She smiled as she sat the plate down on the table, ignoring the questionable look her son was giving her.

"What no Mr. Evans today? I'm shocked."

"Well.." She opened the door to her backyard, closing it behind her, "I think were passed formality after what happen last night." Biting down on lip, "I want to thank you for helping me."

"And like I said it was no problem." He said quietly.

Mercedes smiled, "So what are you doing on this lovely Saturday?"

"Actually I am spending time with my daughter."

"Really? How exciting."

"It is." Sam rubbed the back of his neck, "I'm going to ask you something and feel free to say no if you want to."

"Okay.." Mercedes said slowly, scared of what was going to come out of his mouth.

"Do you want to come over for dinner? I mean you don't have to if you don't want to. My daughter will be here and I know it may seem like it's a little to early to meet her, but I've met your son and I..." He rambled out, not sure if he was even making sense.

Mercedes couldn't help but let a giggle escape her mouth, "Sam..stop rambling."

"...And I'm not sure if you-Huh? Oh, I'm sorry." He felt his neck and cheeks instantly start to heat up.

"I would love to come over for dinner and I would love to meet your daughter. It may seem a little fast for other people but it's perfectly okay for us." Mercedes has never felt more comfortable with a person since Mav's dad.

Sam smile grew wider as he listened to her talk. Sure they've only know each other for two weeks but Sam felt like they've know each other for years. He had never felt more comfortable with a girl..ever, not even with Nicole. He always thought he had to hide parts of himself with her but now..it didn't feel like that at all, "So I'll see you at eight?"

"Of course, just text me the address."

"Okay, see you later Mercedes."

"Bye Sam." Biting down on her lip as she click the phone, "That man is going to be the death of me."

Mercedes pulled into Sam's driveway around seven fifty. She turned off her engine and looked down at her outfit. After she had for off the phone with him, he texted her his address and told her to wear something comfy so decided on some jeans and a nice floral blouse. She walked up the steps to the house, knocking on the door three times.

Sam as just finished watching Madison brush her teeth when he heard knocking on the door. He walked out of her room and headed to the door swinging it open with a smile, "Hey." He leaned over and gave her hug, taking her in he notice something about her, "You look different."

Mercedes lifted her sandal covered foot, "No heels." She smiled at him.

"You are really short." He smirked playfully, moving aside so that she could come in.

Mercedes rolled her eyes at him as she walked passed him. She took a moment to scan through the front of the house and was impressed, "You know I thought with you being a male your place would be a mess but I'm actually impressed."

"All men are not dirty." He said as he closed the door.

Mercedes laughed at him, she was about to speak until she saw a little girl peeking around the corner. She walked over to her, "Hi."

Madison looked at Mercedes with a small smile, "Hi."

Mercedes squatted down to her level, "What's your name?"

"Madison." The young girl said.

"What a beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

"Thank you." Madison eyes searched Mercedes brown ones, "You're really pretty, isn't she daddy?"

"Yes she is muffin. Very pretty." Sam said looking Mercedes dead in her eyes.

Mercedes felt herself blush under his intense gaze, "Thank you but you're way prettier." She pinched the little girl's cheek before she stood up.

"Alright muffin, tell Ms. Mercedes goodnight." Sam said as he picked her up.

"Goodnight." She smiled at the older woman, laying her head on Sam's shoulder.

"Goodnight sweetheart." Mercedes waved at her.

"I'll be right back." Sam said over his shoulder as he opened the door Madison's room, laying her down in her bed, "You get some sleep okay?"

"Okay." She hummed as she closed her eyes, "Daddy?"

Sam turned around when he got to the door, "Yes baby?"

"You should marry her." She said right before she drifted off to sleep.

Sam smiled softly at her shaking his head. He turned off the light and left a crack in the door. Walking back to the front he saw Mercedes still standing there.

Mercedes smiled up at him, "She's adorable."

"Thank you." He smiled as he grabbed her hand leading her to the kitchen, "So I made one of my favorite." He pulled the chair out waiting for her to sit, "With a little help from my helper, I present to you the famous Evans Triple Cheese Pizza topped with fresh Spinach and sliced Basil Tomatoes."

"Look delicious." She smiled when he seated across from her. She watched as he poured her a glass of Pinot Noir.

"So have you decided what you're going to do about the case?" He asked as he slid her drink to her.

Mercedes nibbled on her lip as she grabbed a slice of pizza, "Um..I think I am going to take it. Your words struck something in me last night and it helped me out a lot."

"Glad I could help." Sam gave her a lopsided grin.

Mercedes ducked her head down trying to hide the smile that was tugging on her lips. She bit into the pizza and instantly moaned when she taste it, "This is really good."

"Thank you." He said as he bit into his own slice.

Mercedes nodded as she wiped her mouth with the napkin, taking a sip of her wine, "So..are you going to tell me what was bothering you last night?"

Sam cleared his throat a little, "Well..like you said last night, I don't want to burden you with my problems."

"And like you said last night, you're not burdening me." She looked at him with care shining in her eyes.

Sam laughed a little, "Okay then." He sat up in his chair, "It's a really long story..."

"I have nothing but time." She reached over and grabbed his hand.

Sam sighed, feeling the warmth of her. Blowing out a shallow breath, "My ex and I met at a college party my senior year, I should've seen the red flag there. She approached me and ask for a dance, which I did and after that we just started to talk. We dating for three years on and off." He started to fidgeted in seat, "Um, I didn't find out she was pregnant until.." He voice started to break off.

Mercedes grip his hand tighter, letting him know that it was okay.

He cleared his throat and tried to keep his tears in, "I didn't find out until a year later."

What a bitch. What kind of woman would keep something like that from a man? The thoughts were swarming through Mercedes head.

"..And to make things worst, she said she cheated on me around the same time she was pregnant."

Mercedes let out a quiet gasp.

"I-I umm, of course I was pissed so I went over to her place and I saw him sitting there, so I blacked out." He sighed rubbing his hands over his face, "I spent the night in jail which was all messed up because I put my career on the line. I went to court the next day and the judge gave me a warning and promised that she wasn't going to put that on my file. So when I left I ask Nicole for paternity test, which it came out that Madison was mine, I thought everything was going to be okay but it wasn't. She took me to court saying that I shouldn't be around my kid because I have a temper, so like a fool the judge believed her and gave her custody. So after two more years, with very few visit with my child, she decided to take my daughter and moved out here. I was of course livid but I couldn't do anything because she had the right to do it, so I just stayed in Nashville and worked at my uncle's firm until I had enough money to move out here." Sam let out breath that he didn't know he was holding in.

Mercedes sat there still processing everything he said. She thought she had it rough. She didn't even know this Nicole chick and she hated her. She hated too she did this to a kind, sweet man like Sam, "Wow..Sam, you've been through a lot."

He looked up at her and nodded, "Yeah.."

"I'm not really good with words like you are but I know that everything is going to be okay. Your past is your past, the only thing you can do now is live in the present and work towards your future. I don't even know if what I said made sense but I hope you know that you can always come to me if you ever want to talk more about or just vent period."

Sam looked at her, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She gave him a genuine smiled as she weaved her fingers through his, loving the way they fitted perfectly.

Sam looked at their hands, "You know Mercedes..I really do like you and I promise I don't want to overstep if it too soon but.."

"Yeah.." She had an idea of what he was going to ask next but wanted to be sure.

Sam rubbed the back of his neck, "I want to ask you if you want to be my girlfriend?" He groaned, "God I sound like some preteen."

Mercedes chuckled at him, "It wasn't that bad at least you didn't ask for sex."

"Oh god no. I would never ask you that. I have more respect for you than that."

"Well half of Puck's friends need to take pointers from you." She laughed, "But to answer you question..yes Sam, I would love to be your girlfriend."

"They have no hope. They're all ass-Wait did you just say yes?" Sam couldn't hold back his excitement when he saw her nod in conformation. He got up from the chair and went over to her, picking her up out of her seat and swung her around.

Mercedes squealed when he picked her up, "Oh my god Sam! Put me down." She laughed at how giddy he was.

Sam smiled down at her when he sat her on feet. He leaned to and kissed her with all the passion he could muster.

Mercedes wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on her tippy toes to deepen the kiss. Pulling back she gave him small pecks.

Sam smiled at her, "Perfect way to end the night."

"Perfect." She kissed the corner of his mouth, "Now I would love to finished the delicious meal you made."

In all his excitement, Sam forgot all about the food, "Oh sorry." He kissed her one last to before he sat back down.

Mercedes felt her phone vibrate in her pocket indicating she had a text. She pulled it out and looked at it.

Staying with Brent and Aiden tonight. Be back tomorrow afternoon. Love you.

"Well looks like you have me for awhile." Mercedes said as she sat her phone down, she picked up her glad and sipped the last of the last of her wine.

Sam just smiled at her. He was happy that he had her in his life.

A/N. Would love to hear your thoughts :)