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Chapter 16

Stevie looked at his brother, frowning. "I don't know if we should go into this blind."

Sam shifted, looking at Hunter laying there lifeless. "He wasn't lying, she's at the quarry. I went there before… it's shady and dangerous but if we stay here for too long she will get away and the threat will still be there."

His brother sighed. "We don't have any weapons and that place is huge."

Sam nodded. "But we have bait, she wants me and she wants me alone so maybe we can surround her and take her in somewhat peacefully."

"Ha! Her family knows this is about to all come crumbling down, they won't let her go easily." Mike chimed in on the earpiece. "I can meet you down there but Sam is right, we have to go now."

Stevie nodded. "Alright, I'll take the back and get the word out to everyone else. We only have one shot so you better not fuck it up, Mike take the vantage point in case it goes bad."

"Copy, when I get sight of her I'll let you know," Mike said before the radio went silent.

"Alright little bro, I'll see you on the other side," Sam said before running off toward the quarry.

Quinn screamed in frustration. "You need to send a helicopter and get me out of here dad, now!"

"No one told you to go rogue Quinn, I told you that your temper was going to get you in trouble."

"Let me make myself clear, GET ME THE FUCK OUT OF HERE DAD! NOW!"

"Calm down I have someone coming just sit tight for a little bit longer."

"Where the hell else am I gonna go? I can't believe Sam showed up. I was so close to taking everything from him." She fumed.

"What are you gonna do now? Go into hiding?"

"No. I am going to stay right here until I get what I came for. I deserve my revenge." She heard a car pulling up and peeked out the window. "Did you send a car for me?"

"No, I am sending a helicopter. Like you asked. Don't move, help will be there soon."

Quinn watched as Sam stepped out of the car. "It's Sam…he must have remembered what this place means to us. I am going to call you back dad."

She hung up before he could protest and watched as Sam walked into the building.

"We both know you are here, come out from your hiding spot Quinn." Rang out and she sighed.

Walking towards the main floor of the building she stood against the wall to the far right. "I didn't think you remembered we had our first time here." She said softly.

He sighed, walking inside and looking around. "You always ran here when you felt like you couldn't breathe… you know we have to end this now, right?"

"Then end it, come with me and we can end this right here right now. You came here, you know me better than anyone else. You want this to end, walk away from that whore and be with me." She said, clinging to the delusion that he still felt something for her.

Sam frowned. "That's not what I meant and refrain from calling Mercedes anything outside of her name. You and your family are done, the case against you all is sky high and you went after a Jones… there's no escaping this now." He replied, slowly inching towards her.

"I can see her." Mike said into his earpiece. "I have a clear shot… I get her down."

"What do you see in her? Sam, I am smart, beautiful and a force as my subordinates would call me. I am the ideal match for you, she's a teacher." Quinn spat.

"She's everything you will never be and that's why I love her. This has to end, Quinn. Come on, if they let me take you out then it won't have to get bad." Sam said pleadingly. He didn't want to hurt her but she was still his assignment and she was still a threat.

Quinn glared at him. "You'll feel differently once she and that child she's carrying are out of the picture. I will make sure you forget all about her. One way or another."

Sam bawled up his fist. "That child she's carrying is mine and you will not harm her or our child." He warned, stepping closer to her.

"Sam, I have the shot. Do you want me to take it?" Mike asked.

"Oh I will." She growled. "Sam I promise you I won't stop. You can try to take me in but I will make bail and disappear and the moment you think you are safe, you won't be. I'll grab her, keep her from you until I can rip that child from her and then after she suffers a painful death I will raise your child, a child you will never see again. Dead girl and missing child, you will die never knowing the truth if your child is really gone or alive and well."

"Quinn…" Sam warned, quickly grabbing her by the neck. "If you even think of coming near my family that would be the end for you and anyone you ever thought about loving." He threatened

"Sam." She choked out. "I knew you liked it rough." She said struggling to breathe. "I won't stop. Ever,"

He squeezed tighter. "Don't make me do this Quinn, you know I could snap you like nothing. Say you'll leave her alone!"

Quin smiled through the struggle. "I'll watch the life leave her body and enjoy it…the way you can't. You won't kill me. You love me."

Sam slammed her head against the wall several times. "I can't have you lingering, I can't let you live knowing you'd try to hurt the woman I love and our child. I CAN'T!"

"SAM, STOP YOU CAN'T TAKE HER OUT THIS WAY!" Mike shouted. "Stevie call everyone in, he's snapping1"

Quinn clawed at his hands. "Sam!" She wheezed. "Sam…"

"NO! You said it yourself, you won't stop so I can't… I have to protect her!" He yelled, squeezing tighter until he felt his thumbs meet. "I'm so sorry…"

Quinn blinked back tears as her clawing slowed the life being forced out of her body. "Sam." The last word she spoke before her body went lifeless in his hands.

Sam let out a breath that was followed by a shallow sob as he slowly opened his hands and Quinn's body slumped down. "I'm sorry." He muttered, looking down at his shaking hands and backing away from her.

"SAM! What… Sam, we had the shot!" Stevie shouted, running inside the building and seeing his brother visibly shaking.

Sam shook his head. "She wasn't going to stop… she threatened Mercedes and the baby. I kn-knew her and she would've taken them both…" He said, still looking down at his hands. He'd killed plenty of people before but not for personal reasons and not that intimately ever.

Stevie frowned. "Sam…I am sorry you had to do that. I get it and I am sure they will understand too. It's okay."

Mike came running in and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Bro, you good?"

Sam shook his head. "I'm done… I can't do it anymore. I have a family to think about now."

Stevie reached over and hugged his brother. "How about we get you back to that family? We can let the team handle all this."

Sam accepted the hug from his brother before taking one final look at Quinn. "I need to talk to mom, make sure she's handled properly… she wasn't wrong. A piece of me did have a love for her but I just wasn't in love."

Stevie nodded. "Go ahead, we got it from here."

Mary stepped out of the car, looking around for her sons. She glanced around at the agents searching the perimeter for any other people around. "I want this Quarry cleaned within the hour. Everyone is to be debriefed in my office at 0800 hours tomorrow."

"Yes ma'am." One of her agents said.

Mary walked past him and walked into the building seeing Sam and Stevie standing above Quinn's body.

"Boys. I don't see any blood, can I assume she is unconscious?" Mary said standing next to them.

"No, she's dead." Stevie answered. "Sam had no choice… she threatened Mercedes and their baby."

Mary nodded. "I see. Well let's get you back so you can give your statement, she left you no choice, Sam. It's fine."

Sam looked at his mother, frowning. "You are the reason why all of this happened!" He snapped. "You just had to use Mercedes… I had to kill Quinn because she wasn't going to stop, just like you!"

"Samuel I don't know what kind of meltdown you are having but you will not do it here. Furthermore, you will not act as if I had a hand in any of this. I most certainly did not tell you to kill the woman."

"YOU LEFT ME NO CHOICE!" He shouted. "You won't stand here and try to justify your fucked up actions because you don't want to be wrong. I quit and if you value whatever relationship we have left, you will make things right with Mercedes and her parents because as of now you will not be present for the birth of your grandchild or involved in their life."

Mary stepped back as if Sam had slapped her. "Samuel…Sam you can't…" She stuttered remembering how he cut her off all those years ago. "I just wanted to end this, and involving Mercedes was necessary. You have to believe that. Now I can grant a few months leave for you to get yourself together. Paid of course."

Sam moved close, looking down at his mother. "I said I quit, you no longer have any control over my life. You used the woman I loved as bait, you knew she was pregnant and still put her and my child in harm's way. I am done and you better pray she's okay."

"Sam I was doing my job! We put other people's loved one at risk all the time! Just because she is yours doesn't give you the right to up and quit. Its the job. And it worked out we just took down the biggest drug ring around." Mary said, shaking her head. "I know you are upset, I will give you that, but let's be rational. You are a great asset we can't lose you."

Sam shook his head. "Wrong answer, goodbye Mary." He said walking away before stopping and looking at his mother. "Do not reach out to me, don't show up to my house and do not impose on my life. You had a choice and you chose wrong, you risked your own grandchild for the sake of your record. You might've taken down the biggest drug ring but at the cost of what?"

Mary moved in front of him. "Sam I can not apologize for doing what I did. Only because it was my job, she isn't the first pregnant love of someone's life. But I can say sorry that she was yours. As for everything else I don't want to lose you Sam, hard as it for you and your siblings to believe I do love you."

"Tough." He replied, moving around her and heading towards the exit.

"Sam, I am trying here!"

Sam shrugged his shoulders as he continued outside. "Little too late." He said, getting into one of the waiting cars and driving off. His focus was now on making things right with Mercedes and that meant not entertaining anything his mother had to say.

She was aware that Mercedes was expecting and she knew how vital the first months of pregnancy were and still put her in danger. Regardless of the mission, he knew she was doing that because she knew she could but he needed to set a firm boundary and enforce it.

Mercedes lay in her mother's arms, half crying and half asleep. The last few months playing in her head on a loop. Sam showing up to her classroom, making love to him over and over, learning more about him, falling in love. It was like a romance story with a horrible ending, because she was devastated at the events of the last few days. How Mary could get her kidnapped and Sam make it seem like she had a choice, pissed her off.

"Merce you need to get some sleep, all this crying isn't doing you any good sweetheart."

"It hurt mom, all of it."

"I know baby but you are here and you are safe. We won't let anything happen to you ever again."

Mercedes sniffled. "How could he just… say that like I thought I was being helpful! I didn't know she was going to do that!"

"He's a man, they say stupid things, and he was worried. That man would have burnt down the world if it meant he could save you Merce. He loves you."

"That's not love… he was being judgmental! He hurt me and he didn't even think to bring me here himself."

Diane caressed her hair again. "I know and I am sorry, just when he shows up, and we both know he will, at least talk to him. You don't have to take him back but you have to be cordial for the child."

She sat up looking at her mother. "I don't have to be anything, his mother did this and yeah I willingly slept with him but that does not mean I have to do anything to appease him!" She snapped.

Diane smiled internally, she was definitely her daughter that was for sure. "Okay, baby. How about I make you some hot chocolate? Will that make you feel better? You haven't eaten since you've been back. I can make a sandwich or cookies."

"Cookies." She answered pouting.

Diane kissed her forehead before standing. "I know you have your own life Mercedes, I know you like your space, but having you here again…knowing you are pregnant. Please consider sticking close to home. Regardless of what you think, we love you and miss you every day. We just never wanted to pressure you to be here."

"I'll consider it." She said, biting her lip. "Do you really think Sam is going to show up here?"

Diane gave her a knowing smile. "I really do. He loves you, that man is probably out buying you flowers or something you want to try and ease you into forgiveness and then he's going to explain what happened, he is one of the good ones baby, I know that."

Mercedes nodded. "He is… stupid jerk."

Diane laughed. "Your father was and still has his stupid jerk moments, doesn't mean I love him any less."

"Love is stupid…"

"And painful and sad, and amazing, and beautiful. Love is hard work, but baby you and I both know you have never been one to shy away from hard work." Diane stated.

"I would fall in love with my protector… probably have Stockholm syndrome." She retorted, shaking her head.

Diane chuckled. "Girl what do you think marriage is? We all have a bit of Stockholm in us to be with these men."

"Or I'm dickmatized." Mercedes mumbled under her breath.

"Aren't we all." Diane laughed as she walked towards the kitchen. "Aren't we all."

Mercedes laughed. "That's gross, mommy!"

Sam stood outside of the Jones house, nervously, hoping Mercedes would see him. He needed her, needed her now more than ever. His mind went back to seeing Quinn's lifeless body and he shook it off. Knocking on the door, he waited patiently hoping she would accept him back.

Diane walked over to the door, seeing Sam standing there and smirked as she opened it. "Right on time." She said opening the door. "Here take this, you're gonna need it."

Sam quickly took the tray she shoved into his arms. "Why… you expected me?"

Diane nodded. "Mhm and you're smart you'll grovel. A lot and if you every make my child cry I will beat the brakes off of you."

"Yes ma'am." Sam said, holding the tray. "And I promise, should she forgive me and take me back, I will spend the rest of my life making it up to the both of them, and the next."

Diane moved to the side. "She's in the living room. Go on before I change my mind."

Sam shot her a grateful smile before walking to the living room and seeing her cuddled with a pillow. He had every intention of standing there begging for forgiveness but the moment he saw her he put the tray down and practically jumped to her holding her close as the tear flew. He hadn't realized how much he needed her to hold him until that moment as he waited with baited breath on what she was going to do, hug him or push him away.

"You are a stupid jerk and I am very mad at you!" Mercedes said, sinking into his embrace.

Sam held her closer. "I know I am, I am very sorry. I am so sorry." He said softly.

Mercedes could feel Sam shaking in her arms and sighed holding him tighter. "Sam, what happened?"

"It's over." He said moving so that they could comfortably hold each other.

"What do you mean?"

Sam sniffed. "I mean, it's over. All of it. No more Quinn, no more Mary, no more drug gangs, it's all just over. And it's you and me. That's it."

"You did what you had to do and you don't have to tell me everything right now but I am here… Do you want to go upstairs? We can just lay together and be."

Sam nodded against her shoulder. "Okay…but you have to eat so we are +taking the tray."

Mercedes smiled. "Oh that tray was coming regardless, I'm starving."

Sam offered a small smile as he let her go and grabbed the tray. As they made their way up to the room, Mercedes sat on the bed and Sam looked over to her with a smile.

"What?" She asked, staring at him.

"I am just really grateful you are here. I know that we left your pregnancy in the air but I want you to make no mistake. I am really happy that you are carrying my child Mercedes."

She huffed. "According to your brother, you didn't give me any choice." She quipped, eating a cookie.

Sam smirked. "I knew you would have them anyway, might as well start now." He replied, sitting behind her and pulling her close. "Besides, you could've stopped me each time."

"I could have but…well the sex was really good." She teased.

Sam ran his hand over her shoulders and started to massage them. "How are you feeling? Really?"

She let out a soft groan. "I'm tired, hungry, and horny. Oh, and pissed because my baby daddy is an asshole."

Sam reached around her and held her close, putting his hand on her stomach. "I am an asshole. I am a lot of things." He sighed sadly. "I can only hope you can forgive me for…for everything Mercedes."

She sighed, resting in his embrace. "I do forgive you but I don't forgive your mother… not right now at least and you were partially right. I did have a choice but I just wanted it to all be over… I didn't think it through and I'm sorry for that."

Sam lifted her face to his turning it so she could see him. "You don't have to worry about my mother. She will not be around us or our child right now. If ever. What I did tonight…" He shook his head trying to shake off the feeling he had. He still couldn't believe he killed Quinn.

She looked at him, seeing the hurt in his eyes. "Where do we go from here?"

He ran his thumb along her cheek. "Forward… I suppose."

Until next time xoxo!