DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN GLEE BUT THIS STORY I DO!

ENJOY :)

Sam was sitting on the floor as he unzipped his jacket, taking it off, which left him bare skinned. He nodded his head to the music that was flowing to his ears from his headphones as he took his shoes off. He had been back in the Jones' gym for a month now, Henry doing his training in preparation for his first fight in three weeks.

Mercedes had came into the front, spotting the man on the floor. She went over to him and tapped his shoulder, watching as he looked up and took his earphones out, "Dad had an appointment, so I'm filling in."

Sam nodded his head as he tied his shoes up, watching as she walked up the steps and went in between the ropes. He got up and moved his bag to the chair, going up and meeting her in the ring. Things with Mercedes had still been the same. The two just tolerated one another when in each other's presence, but Sam was hoping that it would change. Yeah, you heard that right. He was trying to better himself and by doing so, he had to make sure to have clean slate with everyone, "Can we just cut all the animosity out and call a truce?"

"There is none."

Sam let out a sarcastic laugh as he folded his arms, "Yeah, okay."

"It is what it is. You left us high and dry when you got what you needed. I don't know why my father let you back up in this gym after that." She admitted honestly, "But knowing him, he let bygones be bygones and never holds a grudge."

"Guess you're not his little prodigy after all."

"Guess not. He's a hella better person than I am."

Sam now knew where all the passive aggressiveness and animosity was coming from. He had an idea, but now she just confirmed it, and he understood. Sighing, he dropped his arms to his side, "Look..."

"I don't want an apology from you, I'm not the one who needs it." Mercedes told him as she wrapped her own hands up with tape, softening just a tad bit, her eyes never meeting his as she spoke,, "Just...let's get started."

Its just been a few weeks since Sam had started the program and he had to admit that it was nothing like he expected. He thought that he would get straight into boxing, but that wasn't the case. The first two weeks was spent studying learning all about the sport, talk about why they were here in the first place and what they planned to get out of it. Once that was established, they then began to practice.

Sam was having a problem. He couldn't hit right in the gloves, prompting him to get frustrated.

Darryl sat the board down, looking down at from his spot in the practice ring, "It takes practice. You're so use to fighting with your bare hands, they're not use to the restriction of the gloves."

Henry was leaned back against the desk as he looked at the clipboard, speaking out, "Found a nickname for him yet?

Mercedes glanced up from her book, glancing over at her father when he spoke,"Cream Cheese."

Sam looked at the girl confusedly, "What?"

"It's soft and white and his hits are soft and he's white. That's perfect."

"Mercedes."

Mercedes stared at her father and shrugged, "Well, you don't want me to call him White Boy, do you?"

"Or you could just call me by my actual name?"

"Everyone has a nickname 'round here." Mercedes rolled her eyes when she noticed the tone of his voiced changed, "It's nothing to take offense of, really."

"Would you like it if I called you Chipmunk? Because that's what you sound like and what your cheeks look like."

Mercedes frowned when he laughed, throwing down her book as she got up and stalked over to him.

"Woah." Darryl hopped down quickly, getting between the two, "Both of you calm it."

"She started it."

"And I'll finish it." She glared at him, crossing her arms over her chest, "In the ring. Box me."

"I'm not boxing no girl."

Mercedes smirked, knowing her next words were going to get under his skin, "Why? You scared? You scared your hits want be hard enough and connect?"

Sam glared back at her as his face turned red, "Fine."

Thirteen year old Santana sat on the table beside Henry, looking over at the older man, "Both of them have egos the size of California. This isn't going to end well, Daddy Hen."

"It's not and hopefully this will teach them both a lesson."

Mercedes' other cousin, nineteen year old Perry, known as Pebbles, stared at the preteen and teen in the ring, "You're going to let them do this, Unc?"

"Yep."

Sam and Mercedes stared each other down intensely in anger, Sam thinking to himself this was going to be easy. He had the height and age advantage over her, but boy was her wrong.

Sam looked at his phone to check the time, cursing underneath his breath as he opened the door to the bar, giving the hostess a small nod of his head before passing by when he spotted who he was looking for, "Sorry man, lost track of time."

"It's cool, I just got here too." The man chuckled just as the bartender came back with his drink, then asked for Sam's order.

Sam sat in the chair, turning to look at him, "I feel like I haven't seen you in forever, Mike. What's going on?"

Mike Chang has been Sam's best friend since high school. The boxer and the architect both became friends in the most craziest situation. Giving Sam another reason to hate and find a way to pick a fight with him, one of Sam's enemies had purposefully bumped into Mike and knocked his books down, resulting in Sam beating his ass and getting suspended for the stranger.

"That's on you, kid. Me and Tina was getting worried when you didn't respond to any of our texts and calls."

"Sorry." Sam scratched the back of his neck, "Its just been a lot going on. I moved into a new space and finally got a new trainer."

"Really? Who?"

Sam grabbed the beer once it came and took a long sip, sighing at the refreshing taste, "Henry Jones."

"Woah." Mike's eyes went wide in surprise, all too familiar of what happened in the past, "You went back? Hell, he let you back?"

"Yes and yes. It was the only option I had and I'm just as surprised as you are that he did take me back." Sam commented as flashes from the past came back, the waitress came over to take their orders. Ordering himself some wings and fries, he looked up at the screen briefly to watch the baseball game, "But the kicker is, he isn't the one I'm training with, well for the time being , Mercedes is."

"Well then..." Mike chuckled, remembering the little spitfire as he took another sip from his glass, "How is she?"

"She's Mercedes. Slick at the mouth, mean as hell for no reason and annoying."

"So basically, a female version of you still."

Sam rolled his eyes at that, feeling his phone buzzed, he pulled it from his pocket and looked at him.

"Let me guess, the ice princess wants you home, right?"

"Ally and I are good right now." Sam told his friend as he text his girlfriend back, letting her know that he would be home a little late, "We have our good and bad days."

"Yeah, no. You have more bad days with that chick than anything. Why don't you just cut her loose man?" It's no secret that Mike didn't like his best friend's girlfriend. She was too clingy and he, along with his wife, felt that she was with their friend for the wrong reasons.

"Mike."

"I'm serious. You deserve better than her. Not that my words ever get through that stubborn skull of yours, but just hear that one good time again. She's no good." Mike told him just as their food came out, turning in his chair to fest on his Quesadillas, "Anyways, since the warden has loosen her chain on you, I got word on the location of the underground fighting tonight. We should hit it up."

"I do need a night out to watch others fight. I'm in."

After they finished their dinner and did some much needed catching up, the best friends headed out to the Chinatown part of Oakland. Once the secret location was found from the coordinates, they headed in, finding it to be extremely packed. They ultimately just stayed at the top, leaning against the railings as they watched on.

"I could've sworn this was the route you were going to take if you didn't get your act together." Mike told him over the loudness of the crowd, "But I'm glad you didn't."

Sam snorted as he shook his head. He was honestly proud of where he was at the point of his life too because he didn't know where he would've ended up being.

As it came around to the fourth fight, which lasted one round because of a knockout, Sam eyes squinted for a moment as he looked at the girl before his eyes went wide, her face becoming clear as day once the other girl fell to the ground and didn't get back up.

"Holy shit, Sam. Isn't that Mercedes?

"Mike, I'll catch you later." He responded as he started to make his way down the stairs. He put a little pep in his step to make sure he caught her as he rounded the ring, "Mercedes." He watched as she turned to him in shock, seeing blood gushing from the side of her face from the one connect the other girl did get off, "What in the hell were you thinking?"

Before she could open her mouth, she felt her body being pulled into the direction of the hallway, leading into the backroom. He dropped his hand and went over to the table in search for a first aid kit, prompting her to speak for the first time when he found it, "I'm capable of cleaning myself."

Sam ignored her as he grabbed some alcohol wipes, antibiotic cream and a bandaid, "Your father know you're doing underground?"

"No and if he so happens to find out..." She started, her face mere centimeters from his when he came back to her, glaring, "You're going to wish you never walked back in that gym."

"I don't think you're in no position to be making threats." He cleaned her cheek off with the alcohol, watching as she winced at the stinging, "How long?"

"Four months."

"Record?"

"I've won all four. Tonight's the first time I've had visible evidence." She shared, watching as his eyes shifted to her, "I grew up boxing."

"I'm fully aware of that." He said as he tossed the now soaked bloody wipes in the trash, "I kept up with the women too, so I saw how you were doing."

"Then you know about my last fight." She mentioned as he rubbed the antibiotic cream on her, "Damaged me physically and mentally. I don't want to go out like that. I want another chance."

"Sometimes it's not worth it." He said as placed the bandaid on her face, "You need to figure out how you're going to explain that gash to your Pops."

Mercedes sighed as she got up from the bench, going over to grab her bag, placing it on her shoulder while she placed the envelope of her prize money in there. She tried to walk pass Sam, only for him to take ahold of her arm.

"I'm taking you home."

"I can..."

"Shut up and come on. I'd be damn if something else happens to you on my watch." He pulled her along with him as they exited out the back, walking down the steps and sidewalk until he got to his truck, letting go of her.

"Well if it isn't my sorry excuse of a son. Knew I'd find you here."

Sam's hand froze on his door handle, taking a deep breath as he turned to the side, glaring at him, "What the hell do you want?"

"Is that anyway to talk to your father?"

The man snarled as he moved forward, "I need money."

Mercedes scoffed at him, her mood started to shift back to the unpleasant one that she had.

The man looked at her and turned his nose up, "Can't believe you're around this bitch."

Before Sam could even react, Mercedes snapped. She grabbed the man by his arm and flipped him onto his back, pressing her foot against his throat, "With the mood I'm in, I'll break your fucking neck, you lowlife piece of shit."

"Mercedes." Sam called calmly as he moved her away, going to the other side of his truck to put her in, the man getting up from the ground holding his head neck before walking away.

"You'll regret that. You both will."

Sam got Mercedes in the truck, walking back around to his side, making sure the man was gone before getting in. He was over this night.

The relationship with Sam and his father was one that caused all of this anger as young boy and it was a big reason to why he never wanted kids. The thoughts about the lowlife came to a halt the next day as he sat in the ring. Hearing the whole gym fall silent, he looked up to see what was going on, only to find Mercedes walking in. A lot of them knew what she had been doing and not a soul said a word. He turned around when he heard the door from upstairs open, followed by the sounds of an angry father.

"GET UP HERE NOW!"

Mercedes sat her bag down on the desk before heading up, entering his office, she closed the door behind her. He didn't say a word to her for quite awhile, when he did, it immediately was starting to get ugly.

"You really thought it wasn't going to get back to me?"

"I was hoping it didn't."

"What the hell is wrong with you? Huh? You're that bullheaded that you'll go out and do this shit."

"I just wanted a second chance, Dad."

"TO DIE?"

Mercedes closed her mouth when he yelled, the memories of the night coming back to her full fledge before they disappeared.

"Stay away from this, Mercedes. I'm not playing because I don't want to come close to losing you again." He said seriously before shaking his head, "You're suspended."

"Dad..."

"No, enough is enough. One week. Get out of my sight."

Mercedes sighed as she walked out of his office without another word, hurriedly going down the steps, grabbing her bag from the desk. She tossed it over her shoulder and made her way to the front door.

Sam watched as she pushed the door open harshly before storming out. He turned back when he heard his name being called, seeing that it was Henry getting into the ring, indicating that they were about to train.

A/N. Take that in because a whole lot happened in this chapter. I forgot to note that this story is set in the Bay Area aka Oakland. First, yes Sam and Mercedes have history and I'm going to go ahead and burst y'all bubble now, it wasn't romantic at all. Y'all are going to know the reason why Sam left soon and why Mercedes is mad because of it. And y'all see where Cream Cheese came from lmao. Secondly, yes Sam and Mike are besties. Sam do have a girlfriend and y'all will be meeting her soon *yikes*. Mercedes' past is slowly being brought out too. She did boxed at one point then moved to underground fighting, the reasons for that will be revealed down the line. Yeah, Sam's Dad, y'all are going to hate him, and what Mercedes did was what he deserved. Lastly, do you think Henry had a right to be upset & suspend his daughter?Let me know your thoughts on everything! Oh, and the final chapter of First Daughter went up last night!