Enjoy!

WDYKH: Part Three

Mercedes stood outside Sam's brownstone, willing herself to knock on the door. She didn't want to go back home and she couldn't stay with Noah… he'd offered to let her stay in the house he'd bought for them but she told him she'd be okay. She packed her things and hopped on the first plane to New York.

After giving herself a pep talk she raised her hand but before it could make contact the door flew open and she was met by Sam's intense eyes.

"What took you so long to knock?" He asked.

Mercedes sighed. "I… can we talk?" She asked nervously. Sam looked at her before noticing her bags and furrowing his brows.

"I don't do sleepovers with married women." He said and she flinched at his words.

She shook her head, letting out a sad laugh. "I shouldn't have come here…I…" She stammered before looking up at him. "I'm not married but I got the hint. Sorry for coming here."

Sam looked at her shocked and grabbed her arm before she could walk away. "Did he do something to you? Are you hurt?" He asked, looking her over.

Mercedes shook her head. "No, I couldn't… so we got an annulment."

Sam didn't say anything as he grabbed her bags and led her inside, he placed her things in the spare room while she sat anxiously on his couch.

"How long?" Sam asked, carrying a glass of water.

"A month." She answered, accepting the water. "I kinda went into hiding after that."

"Mhm, that's why I got several angry texts from Santana. So what brought you here?"

She looked away, focusing on the FunkoPops lining his bookshelf. "I wanted to feel safe again." She admitted.

"And you couldn't feel that way at your parents? Have you even spoken to them?"

She shook her head. "I told them I was fine and not to worry and for a while I was fine… I was managing but then Puck moved on so quickly and I don't know."

Sam was completely out of the loop, all this time he thought they were just living marital bliss and had every intention of flying back to California to at least see her but his stubbornness wouldn't let him go. He threw himself into his work and managed to land a huge contract which led to him producing several successful graphic novels.

"What do you need?" He asked and she shot him a shocked look.

"I… I don't know. I just wanted to be around someone who gives me peace. I need to get out of my own head."

Sam rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I have to leave for a few hours but you know your way around here so… just make yourself comfortable and we can talk about everything later."

"Thank you." She said feeling the urge to break down and cry.

Sam nodded before checking his watch again, he had a meeting in thirty minutes that would last for several hours. He looked at her and felt a slight pang in his chest because he could tell she was hurting.

"There's some of everything in the fridge and plenty of snacks in the pantry… if you want I can pick up some dinner on my way back."

She nodded looking at him. "That sounds really good…" She let out trying her best to not cry until Sam was gone, but the way he was looking through her, like he saw her soul, was making matters worse. "Go." she nodded barely above a whisper.

Sam sighed, turning to the door but stopped. He walked over to her and pulled her into his arms, feeling complete for the first time since he basically walked out of her life.

Mercedes hesitated for a moment before wrapping her arms around him and holding him close, tears falling from her eyes. They didn't need to say anything, the hug said it all. She knew he had a meeting but being in his arms felt right, so right she had to hold on for just a little while longer.

Finally, knowing Sam wasn't going to let go until she did, she let go of him. He pulled back, wiping the tears from her eyes, staring at her as they were in a silent agreement that he would return and they would talk. Kissing her forehead, Sam gathered his things and walked out the door.

Mercedes watched Sam leave, before she grabbed her bags and took them towards where the guest room was. Sam hadn't changed anything since the last time she was there. Placing the bags on the bed she walked into the guest bath but frowned, she never did like it.

Grabbing her toiletries, she walked into Sam's room, the last time she was there… she shook it off, not wanting to think about that. Jumping into his shower, she stayed there longer than she probably should have, needing to scrub her life off of her. Once done, she sat on Sam's bed, drying off, putting on her lotion, and going to his drawer, grabbing one of his shirts and putting it on, before feeling the weight of the last year and laying down finally falling into a peaceful sleep.

By the time Sam got home, he was tired. The meeting, thankfully, ended an hour earlier than he anticipated. Grabbing himself and Mercedes some Chinese he sighed. Mercedes. He didn't even know what was going on in her life, some friend he was.

Walking into the kitchen he placed the food on the counter, calling out for Mercedes. When she didn't answer, he headed to the guest room. Her bags were there but she wasn't. He sighed knowing exactly where she was. Walking into his room, he found her sleeping in his shirt, on his bed. Placing a blanket over her, he kissed her forehead. "What am I gonna do with you Mercy?"

Moving away from her, he made his way to his office, he had work to do, they could eat when she woke up.

Mercedes awoke forgetting for a moment where she was, but the familiar settings calmed her spirit. She was at Sam's. The place she had been working the courage to go to since she and Puck broke up. Walking out of the room, she ran her hands through her hair, wondering if Sam was home. But walking past his office door, she heard him on the phone and knocked before entering.

"How the hell am I supposed to know that?" Sam said, looking at Mercedes as she opened the door. He sighed. "Look, just tell them she's fine. When she is ready to talk to y'all she will. I gotta go." He said hanging up and looking at her.

He swallowed hard taking her in, still as beautiful as ever. And wearing his shirt, with her hair all messy, it was the sexiest thing to him. "Hey sleepy head."

She gave him a weak smile. "Hey."

"Come on in, that was Blaine, color me surprised when I found out that you haven't spoken to him or San in months."

She stood there nervously. "I didn't know what to say to them…to you."

Sam nodded. "Well I have some chinese warming in the kitchen, we can eat and talk."

She sighed. "Okay."

Sam led her to the kitchen and after five minutes they were set up in his living room, she was settled in the love seat, pulling her feet under her as she grabbed some rice and General Tso's. "You remembered?"

Sam laughed gently, tossing her a pork eggroll. "That when you are down you like Chinese? You are still my friend no matter how long we've gone without talking."

She nodded but didn't say anything. The tension was there but Sam knew he had to ask the question that had been on her mind. "Merce, why didn't you come find me sooner?"

She looked at him then down to her food. "Sam…you said you weren't going to help me pick up the pieces, so I had to do it myself."

"Merce I didn't mean that! Just…what happened?"

She shrugged. "I married him and I just felt sick to my stomach every time he wanted to…" She shook her head. "If I am being honest it felt wrong, like I was cheating or something. And he was understanding, he was willing to wait but it wasn't fair to him. And we filed for an annulment. But it seemed the moment the papers were filed, he was with someone else. And then I realized that I had screwed up my life. I couldn't go home, couldn't come to you, and as cool as he said he was about me staying I couldn't stay with Puck."

"So what did you do?" Sam asked.

"I did something I always wanted to do. I moved to Vegas, and auditioned to be a background singer for Planet Hollywood. Then during a tribute to Aretha performance the lead got sick and they asked me to fill in. After that I starred in my own show, made my own money and survived."

Sam's eyes widened. "You started singing again?"

She nodded. "I did."

Sam couldn't help smiling. "That's great, Merce! Shit we haven't heard you sing in so long!"

She blushed. "Well, I had a bit of a breakdown and things have been spirling since."

"What happened to you?" He asked, looking at her concerned.

She looked down at her hands. "My heart broke and I don't know how to fix it." She answered looking up at him sadly. Sam moved next to her and pulled her close.

"Damn it Cedes… why didn't you just come here sooner?" Sam said, shaking his head.

She pulled away and looked at him. "Sam, you walked out of my life and never returned any of my calls… you just… disappeared! I wanted to come, I wanted to come that night but I remembered trying to tell you that I wanted to be with you and you not listening."

"What did you just say?" He said standing from the chair.

"That night, my party… you slammed the door in my face before I could tell you that I wanted you. I've always only wanted you but just wouldn't let me speak. It stung watching you leave, I tried to go after you but my parents were there and Puck…" She responded.

Sam ran his hands through his hair shaking his head. "Well shit." She loved him, she was going to choose him? He stared at her, all that wasted time, all those nights without her, and why? Because he was so scared she was going to let him down easily.

Moving closer to her, he wiped her tears away. "Mercy…"

She shook her head. "Don't pity me Sam, I know that it's in the past I just needed to explain myself."

Sam looked at her dejected. "So you don't feel that way anymore?" He asked, taking a step back.

"What does it matter?" She said, looking away from him.

Sam let out a mirthless laugh. "I see. I have some work that I need to do, stay as long as you need." He said walking out of the room and straight to his office, slamming the door behind him.

Mercedes jumped at the slam, was he angry? She stood up walking to his office, opening the door and looking at him. "If you didn't want me here, all you had to do was say so!"

Sam turned and looked at her furiously. "Excuse me? Y-you think I don't want you here?" He asked, breathing heavily.

She folded her arms across her chest. "You never answered my calls, and I just showed up so yeah I do."

Sam shook his head in disbelief. "Has the thought ever crossed your mind what I've been doing this past year?" He asked, walking to his desk, grabbing a book and tossing it at her.

Nah cause what he toss at her? Why they TRIPPING? JUST SAY YOU LOVE EACH OTHER DAMNIT!