Out Here On My Own
There's this saying what's done in the dark will be exposed in the light
"Hurry up" Mercy ran around the bedroom grabbing her shawl and shoes, taking one last look in the mirror before making for the door "We're hosting, we can't be late" she turned to look at him taking his time with patting his semi-visible beard down "It's fine, come on" her leg went up to put her shoe on "The limo's on the drive"
"Woman" Sam turned to look at her "You can't rush perfection" he turned to look in the mirror again
"Babe" she put her other shoe on and walked back over to where he was standing "Perfection is rushing you, now come on" she tugged at his jacket sleeve giggling
"I guess you got me on that one" he laughed following his sleeve
"No flirting" she warned, he smiled, that was her way of telling him he looked good
"Cases in the limo?" he asked Sue; the housekeeper, as they left the house
"Everything's set Sir, Mrs Evans" she nodded as they walked past her
They were on their way to their annual fundraiser, they'd started the foundation along with Finn and Rachel Hudson five years ago, trying to stamp out hunger in Los Angeles but since then it had grown bigger than any to them had intended, they had some major sponsors now. The annual dinner for ten they had that first year, most of them family, had turned into the Grand Palace Hotel for well over a thousand seated, each paying 2K per seat for a fundraiser that was reaching out to all parts of America
"Looking good" Finn smiled at them, stubbing his cigarette out as they walked towards the limo
"Get down boy, that's my wife you're talking to" Sam laughed at him
"Not looking at all bad yourself Sam" Rachel raised a teasing eyebrow at him "Mercy you better watch him tonight"
"You better be sitting on your man's lap" Mercy grinned at Finn, flicking his tie before getting into the limo
"No need" Rachel laughed "I didn't see her name on the list last night" Sam and Finn looked at each other relieved before getting in the limo
Santana had been an old flame for both of them and back then maybe things got a bit more, should we call it personal, than any of them had ever let on to their wives. As far as their wives were concerned there was lots of first base stuff, and it was all over before anything could start for either of them.
The reality of the story was that for Finn, Santana and he had slept together several times, and one of those happened to be when he was with Rachel, right at the beginning of their relationship. He hadn't told her about it because at the time it seemed like a deal breaker, he was just getting to really like her, and so foolishly he begged Santana never to say anything. He hadn't bargained on Santana never letting things go, every opportunity she got she rubbed Rachel up the wrong way she took it, and there had been plenty of times he knew the woman was fit for blabbing, to date that hadn't happened.
Sam's brush with Satan was more of a one night stand thing when they met in college, he was the new guy to the group, and although Mercy caught his eye that first day he still, for reasons he still didn't understand had one night with Santana. It didn't turn into anything else because Finn had a word and put him right off, she was trouble, but it wasn't until Finn's stag night Sam learned that all that Finn had tapped it a few nights earlier back then.
He finally approached Mercy and asked her out, she was shy, quiet, and possessive about him anyway, and because of the way she was the link up with Santana sort of faded into the background, until they realised they were all going to be in Los Angeles together. By that time, they were passed serious about their relationship, sex had happened because they were supposedly both virgins, they'd been talking about marriage, and he just couldn't risk it, so of course he begged Santana to keep things to herself.
The Fundraiser
"You ladies have outdone yourselves tonight" Finn looked at the building they were about to enter decorated with lights and red carpets, as he held his hand out to grab Rachel
"We're going straight down to the cabin after this right?" Rachel asked as she got out the limo
"Straight after" Finn confirmed, smiling at the cheering crowd
They'd spent nearly five months, between the day jobs, setting this night up, the guys had been tasked with bringing in the money, while the girls had been left to sort out all the fine details, things just always seemed to work better that way. Finn and Sam's task for the night was to get all the female attention, because while the wives were focusing on their husbands, their husbands were throwing money at their well-deserved charity, and everyone went home happy. Their reward was this well-deserved one night escape, they'd given themselves as a pat on the back for all their hard work
"Could we get a photo Mr Hudson?" one of the reporters asked
"Sure" Finn grabbed Rachel round the waist ready for the pose, looking over at Sam and Mercy stood answering questions
"I guess they'll catch up" Rachel smiled draping herself over her husband ready for the shot
"Could we got a couple of the four of you?" the photographer asked
"Sure" Mercy pulled Sam into the pose, and smiled her usual smile, they were all celebrities in their own right, they knew the drill
Rachel and Mercy's nemesis Santana, over the years had taken to copying their songs in all sorts of genre, mainly to piss them off, and most of the time she got the desired reaction, but they couldn't deny she was a brilliant singer, but you'd have been hard pushed to get them to actually admit it to her face, so their paths crossed regularly.
The last time the three women had met up it was at an untelevised event in Hollywood, just by a stroke of luck, but the evening had ended up in a slanging match where Santana was defending the fact that she'd followed Finn into the men's room, taken a picture of him doing his business at the urinary and sent it to Mercy's phone. Amongst the threats of violence Rachel actually turned on Mercy wanting to know why Santana had sent it to her, Sam and Finn quickly got involved and they all agreed to stay away from her socially in the future, hence the invite not being sent.
"Thank you, have a great evening" the photographer smiled as they walked way
"Thank you" Sam smiled at they all stepped into the venue
"The place is better than the pictures" Finn looked at Sam smiling
"Much better" Sam agreed, they worked the room while making their way to their table up the front, there was a lot of money in the room, they had work to do. The compare started the evening getting the celebrities up on stage to announce their pledges, then dinner, followed by some entertainment and more pledges.
It was coming to the end of very successful night, they'd doubled the contributions from the previous year, and were up on stage congratulating their guests and talking about the causes they'd help with the last pot of money, along with some of the things they'd got planned for the coming year.
"Evening" Santana rubbed her hand up Finn's shirt whispering in his ear, as they left the stage, Rachel could do nothing but smile all eyes were on them
"Evening" Finn smiled brushing her hand off, Rachel quickly dragged him away with her
"What the hell is she doing here?" Mercy asked Rachel as they made their way to their table
"I thought you said she wasn't on the list" Finn asked Rachel
"She wasn't" Rachel slammed herself down on her chair
"Hi friends" Santana quickly sat in Sam's seat "It's been a while"
"By choice" Mercy hissed at her "Look Santana, we don't want any trouble, not tonight"
"So why did you forget to send my invite?"
"We didn't forget" Rachel hissed at her
"So, you did it on purpose?" Santana sat rolling her bracelet around her wrist
"We didn't want the mess" Mercy told her "You always cause trouble"
"Well Mercedes Evans" she sat forward and cross her legs rocking with what could only be termed as excitement "You husband wasn't calling me a mess when he was in my bed"
"Santana" Sam snapped at her
"You're lying" Mercy's eyes narrowed at her, she wanted to jump across the table at her, but there was too much to lose
"I'm lying?" she looked at Sam "Am I lying?"
"Santana" Sam rolled his eyes
"Is she lying?" Mercy looked at her husband
"No" he closed his eyes, too angry to look at her
"Fuck" Mercy hissed trying to keep her composure
"Sorry" he touched her shoulder
"Don't" she snapped at him shrugging her shoulder to get his hand off her
"And here's another truth" Santana looked at Finn "That I thought I'd forgotten" she looked at Rachel "I fucked your husband a few times, I think you might have even been there one of the times" she laughed
"Fuck you Santana" Rachel stood up, enough was enough "I'm ready" she looked at Mercy "Let's get out of here" she snapped
"We're going to have to say something to people on the way out" Sam reminded Mercy
"You say whatever the fuck you want" Mercy snapped at him grabbing her purse and walking out, Rachel followed her through the crowd
"Thanks Santana" Finn laughed relieved "I've been holding my breath for years for that" he held his hands up "We're done" he sighed at finally being free of her
"Finish your song and we're done" Sam told her "You just fucked yourself up" he smiled before walking off
They caught up with their wives waiting at the cloakroom, there was no conversation, even when they got in the car, nothing, an hour in Rachel finally looked up at Finn "You sleep with her?" she shook her head
"Yeah" Finn admitted, their sat staring at each other taking in the hurt, Sam was avoiding Mercy's stare, he knew this was far from over, it hadn't even started yet, all he could think was that his marriage was over because of a stupid truth he'd hidden nearly 11 years ago.
The Cabin
Another forty minutes of silence and they were at the cabin, Sam and Finn jumped out the limo unable to stand the silence anymore, Sam holding his hand out to help his wife out the limo as an olive branch "Fuck off" she hissed at him pulling her dress up to step out herself, Rachel quickly followed her out
"How do you think this is going to play out?" Sam asked Finn as they watched their wives enter the cabin
"Rough, they both dropped the F bomb" Finn shook his head watching the driver take out their cases "We're staying an extra hour, so make that 3pm" he told the driver
"Do you think that's wise?" Sam asked him
"It might force them to talk to us"
"Is this a theory from one of your scripts?" Sam shook his head at Finn's plan "We're better if they're separated"
"I was thinking that" Finn agreed as they went into the cabin and closed the door waiting for the explosion "Rach can we…"
"Joke right, at this point all you can come up with is a damn joke" she shouted at him Finn, looked at Sam
"Babe c…" Sam got out
"I don't think so" Mercy cut him off "Coming?" she looked at Rachel both grabbing their coats to make their dramatic exit
"Where are you going?" Finn asked Rachel
"You're not going out there it's dark" Sam told Mercy, she stood looking at him for a few seconds before she stepped off towards the patio doors leading out into the woods behind the house
"Let them go" Finn pulled him back
Mercy & Rachel
"Now he wants to dictate what I do and don't do" Mercy rolled her eyes at his orders, both women walking off fast
"That bitch" Rachel huffed "Fuck" she shouted through clenched teeth "I'm so damn mad at them"
"You and me both" Mercy hissed
"Did you hear her?"
"I don't know if I'm mad at her or him for not being the first to tell me" she admitted
"I don't think I'm mad at Finn for not having the guts, but he's not getting off light" Rachel looked at her questioningly "Do you think this is the end for you and Sam?"
"No" Mercy looked at her "I mean all they've done is not admit to something we've always known about, hurting me that's big for him" she grabbed Rachel's arm as the night got closer "What about Finn?"
"I think I need the facts from him, I've lived with my theory on this for so long" she growled "I hate that girl I have since day one"
"You don't hate her that's strong, maybe dislike"
"Are you defending her?"
"She slept with my husband, what do you think?" Mercy asked "I'm just saying people don't act like she acts for nothing"
"You might as well say all men run after girls like her, which leaves us where?"
"I'm not looking for an argument" Mercy snapped at her "Just give me some space" she walked off in another direction
"Mercy" Rachel called after her "We shouldn't split up" one minute she could see her silhouette the next minute it was total darkness "Mercy" she stood calling after her, turning to make her way back to find there was no light in the distance in any direction "Mercy"
"Rachel" Mercy called back when she realised she didn't know where she was
"Mercy"
"Rachel"
"I can hear you, follow my voice"
"There's fog everywhere" Mercy shouted
Sam & Finn
"I'm not happy about her being out there" Sam pulled his arm away from Finn
"Dude, they'll need time to think, I'd rather Rachel get mad on a damn tree than at me"
"Regardless of if it's now or later, it will be the same from Mercy, I'd rather not sleep on it"
"You've got one drunken tumble to explain, I've got well… a few times" he walked over to the fridge and took two beers out
"I'll give her till we finish these then I'm going to find her"
"Do you think she's going to leave me?" Finn asked, Sam turned hearing scared in his friends voice for the first time
"Dude" he rolled his eyes "I have to be honest" he looked at him "I wish I had some words of wisdom to tell you right now" he looked at the patio doors "I know unless there's some sort of miracle performed tonight Mercy and I are done, I don't have space in my head for your relationship right now, I'm trying to find the words to save mine"
"I hear you" Finn sighed
"How could we have been so fucking stupid; this is Santana we're talking about" Sam huffed
"She's held us over a damn barrel since day one"
"We let that happen" Sam raked his hand through his hair "If we'd have just come clean back then"
"Easy to say in hindsight"
"It's hard to say actually" he put his can down "Come on it's been nearly ten minutes; I don't like her being out there alone"
"You worry too much"
"Tell me that in an hour when my whole fucking world changes" Sam opened the patio doors, tied some string to it and went into the forest "God it's dark"
"It's scary" Finn looked around "It's pitch dark"
"You still reckon they're alright?"
"I don't know, sing they'll hear us"
"You don't think they'll run?" Sam asked
"Dude if I'm scared she's scared, trust me"
Both: I remember years ago, someone told me I should take, caution when it comes to love, I did
And you were strong, and I was not, my illusion, my mistake, I was careless, I forgot, I did
"Do you think they can hear us?"
And now when all is done, there is nothing to say, you have gone, and so effortlessly, you have won
You can go ahead tell them… 'Impossible' by James Arthur
Mercy & Rachel
"Mercy"
"God Rachel" she gasped as they grabbed hold of each other
"The thought of being out here on my own" Rachel hugged her tight "Wait, can you hear that?" she smiled at hearing their husbands voices
"Yeah I hear them" Mercy frowned "Should we reply?"
"If we don't we'll be out here for the night?"
"We can barely see our handing in front of our faces" they both jerked at a sound that wasn't familiar "Okay" Mercy grabbed hold of Rachel's hand "Just don't give in too easy"
"Not a chance"
Falling out of love is hard, falling for betrayal is worse, broken trust and broken hearts, I know I know
Thinking all you need is there, building faith on love and words, empty promises will wear, I know, I know
And now when all is gone, there is nothing to say, and if you're done with embarrassing me
On your own you can go ahead tell them. 'Impossible' by Shontelle
Finn, Sam, Rachel & Mercy
"Bad song choice" Sam commented listening to them singing back to them, as they followed the voices
Suddenly they were stood in front of each other "You alright?" Sam asked Mercy, he wanted to hug her she looked so cold, she wasn't looking at him with love in her eyes, he just turned to make his way back
"Just get us back" Rachel snapped at Finn
"Grab my coat or something" Sam turned to tell his wife, making the quiet journey back home, the cabin wasn't that far away but the darkness, had sort of thrown them off course.
Finn & Rachel
"Rachel" Finn followed her through the main room and across the hall to the bedroom "Just let me explain"
"I'm waiting" she sat on the bed and crossed her legs waiting for his sorry excuse
"It wasn't anything to write home about, I mean…"
"Where you with her when you were with me?"
"Once yes, right at the beginning of us, but…"
"Bastard" she picked a pillow up and flung it at him "Is this relationship all a joke to you?"
"No" he gasped "Of course not, you're my wife"
"And until today I thought I know everything there was to know about my husband"
"You do"
"Not until it was forces out of you Finn" she slapped him with another pillow "What else don't I know?"
"Nothing, that's the only thing"
"How am I supposed to believe that after this?" she looked at him "We need honesty, how do you expect us to get past this?"
"You can trust me, since I'm committed to you, I've never…"
"Except conspire with Santana to keep this from me?" she reminded him "This is big Finn, I don't know if we can get past this, I'm being honest"
"I'll earn your trust back"
"You know once it's gone, it's gone?"
"Babe" he knelt in front of her "I'll do whatever I need to do to get your trust back, just don't say this is it for us"
"I need time to think" she got up leaving him kneeling there "Sleep on the couch" she went into the bathroom and locked the door
Sam & Mercy
"I know what you're thinking" he looked across the room at her
"What am I thinking Sam?" she turned to look at him
"That you don't think there's any way forward from this"
"You're wrong" she half smiled at the irony "I know there's no way back, you've built us on a lie, the one thing I asked you not to do, you knew what this meant for us, and you went ahead and did it anyway" she hissed at him "I gave you everything" she yelled at him "I fucking hate you for doing this to me"
"I hate myself" he shouted back "I thought I was keeping this a secret for both our sakes" he walked towards her "It was before we got together, I didn't even know what she was like, I was drunk for god sake"
"And that supposed to cover 10 years of lies?" she looked at him pissed at his stupid excuses "You told me you were a virgin"
"To put your mind at ease" he huffed "You know how you were, you near begged me to give reassurances before we got round to doing anything"
"And you lied"
"You don't even understand the pressure I was under" he stepped closer to her "And I'm not excusing the lie, but after 6 months of being backed up, I'd have said I was Jesus to get some"
"I'm not alright with this Sam, I'm never going to be alright with this, I think we should…"
"Hey" he grabbed hold of her so forcefully it stopped her talking "You have the right to be mad at me, for 10 years if you want, but we" he pulled her to him "Are never.." he hissed through clenched teeth "I don't want to hear any stupid shit about breaks, separations, or even divorce, it's not happening"
"Sam" she tried to pull away from him
"Mercy" he looked at her, his eyes weren't joking "You're my world, I love you and that's all that matters to me"
"Let me go" she tried to get away from him again, but he'd frozen, his eyes were glazed over, she just stood staring up at him, until he came back, his eyes glistening with tears
"I'll never let you go Mercy" he quickly let her go "So don't ask me to" he turned and walked out the room
"You know you're on the couch" was all she could find to shout after him
Sam & Finn
"Dude" Finn walked out onto the patio to Sam sitting with his head in his hands "How did it go?"
"Not good" he turned to look at Finn "I blacked out and grabbed her, she looked like she was fucking scared of me man, it was horrible"
"Rachel wants time to think, which means she could work herself up into all sorts" he sat down "I'm on the couch"
"That's fine, I'd rather be out here on my own" he looked up at Finn "Lots to think about"
"Me too" Finn got up to find a space to search his soul
Mercy & Rachel
"How did it go?" Mercy popped her head round Rachel's bedroom door asking
"I think we should let them brew for a couple hours" Rachel grinned
"I think I pushed it too far with him, he went somewhere I've never seen before, he was scared" she sat down on the bed wide eyes "Half an hour maybe"
"Finn begged, and I felt bad for like a second" she smiled "This is all on Santana" Rachel frowned
"Well, I'm guessing she's lost the contract with Sam, so two birds one stone" Mercy laughed
"Mission accomplished" Rachel knocked fists with Mercy giggling
"Ten years in the making, they really didn't want to hurt us"
"I thought Sam would have followed me out though, me wondering off into the dark?"
"Finn probably stopped him"
"True" Mercy nodded "Maybe fifteen minutes" she suggested "I needs my man"
"I have no intention of wasting the night, and Finn's make up sex" she rolled her eyes "Delicious"
Fifteen Minutes Later
"Dude" Finn opened the patio door "Rachel's messaged me to come to bed" he smiled
"Good for you" Sam turned to smiled at him weakly "Sort your business" he knocked fists with him and watched him close the door and walk across the room, thinking what he wouldn't do for that to be him
"Hey" he heard Mercy's voice a few minutes later at the door
"Hey" he turned to hear what she had to say
"Did you mean it when you said you'd never let me go?"
"Under any circumstances" he confirmed "I'm sorry about earlier, I.. I got scared I guess, the thought…"
"So" she sat next to him "I have a confession of my own" he looked into her eyes wondering if he should feel hurt or happy about that "I knew about Santana, I have since a few days after our first time"
"So why…?" he looked into her eyes, happy and confused "Did you let me go through 10 years of guilt?"
"I wanted you to tell me" she smiled
"Sorry, I was just too ashamed" he looked into her eyes "We made such a big deal of our first time, I wished it had been you"
"Me too" she smiled "But it was pretty special anyway"
"It felt like the first time for me too"
"Dude" Finn came onto the patio laughing "She knew" he held his head "I've been so stressed, and she knew"
"Why did you two do that?" Sam asked his wife watching Rachel come outside, the two women looking at each other mischievously
Rachel & Mercy: I remember years ago, someone told me I should take
Sam, Finn, Mercy & Rachel: caution when it comes to love, I did
"Girls talk, we heard" Mercy told him
"Boys talk too" Rachel laughed "Especially when they want in"
"I'm sorry I lied" Sam told Mercy
"Yeah me too" Finn hugged Rachel
"Do you really want to make that up to me?" Mercy asked him
"What now?"
"Right now," Mercy giggled
"You're not mad at me?" Finn asked as Rachel pulled him inside
"Been a while since we had make up sex" Mercy sat on Sam's lap
"What out here?" he laughed
"You not up for that?" she made to get up
"Oh" he pulled her back down "I'm up"