Enjoy

Just Listen

Sam was woken up by a loud bang that was quickly followed by the sound of shattering glass, he jerked up and assessed his surroundings before remembering where he was and he quickly darted up the stairs. When he reached Mercedes's room he didn't hesitate; he went straight in and saw her sitting straight up with the covers clenched tightly to them with wide eyes.

Sam heard another crash and knew it wasn't coming from here it was somewhere downstairs, he quickly moved to her side of the bed placing a finger over his lips letting her know to be quiet. When she nodded he gestured for her to get up and when she did he couldn't fight the heavy breath he took. She had taken her robe off at some point and was wearing a tank top and some very skimpy panties.

"Where's your closet?" He whispered, she pointed in the direction and he grabbed her hand, leading her there and opening it, walking them into the spacious room and got her into a corner near her shoes.

"I'll be right back." He said and turned to walk away before she grabbed his arm, shaking her head with wide eyes.

"I need to make sure no one is in here, if I'm not back in ten minutes call the police." Sam said, shooting her a reassuring smile before leaving and closing the door behind him.

When Sam made it back downstairs he saw a very large brick thrown through her glass door and another through her downstairs window. He noticed she had an alarm but wondered why it hadn't gone off.

He walked over to her door and opened it slowly before stepping out and looking around but it was so dark that he didn't see anyone or anything, he was beginning to wonder if this was a regular thing or if she was just an unlucky causality of a prank. He started to head down the steps when he felt a hand on his back causing him to jump, he turned and saw Mercedes standing there with a worried expression.

"I thought I told you to stay and to call IF I didn't come back in ten minutes!" He said letting out a hard breath.

"Hey! It's my house and stop yelling at me!" She replied, giving him a mean look.

"You are seriously so damn difficult! Just go back up there and when I get done looking I'll come and get you!"

"No! I want to see and I'm not difficult, you just want to control everything!" She said, trying to push past him but he wouldn't budge and before they knew it they were having a battle of wills.

She kept pushing him and trying to get past him and when she would almost succeed he would just pick her up and place her back in her original spot angering her even more.

"Just. Let. Me. See!" She said struggling against him and huffing when he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder right as several red and blue lights approached.

"HA! I'm gonna tell them that it was you!" She said and Sam just rolled his eyes but he didn't put her down, instead he just took one step down before sitting and slowly moving her down so that she was on his lap.

"Is there a problem here?" One of the officers asked as they approached the two of them.

"Yes! This-" Mercedes was cut off by Sam's hand covering her mouth.

"Someone threw two bricks into her house, one through the door and another through the window over there." Sam answered calmly and the officer looked at him intensely then back at Mercedes before nodding.

"Sir, can you step away from the woman please." Mercedes let out a muffled chuckle but stopped when her eyes met Sam.

He slowly lowered his hand from her mouth and unwrapped his arm from around her waist and picked her placing her down before walking down the steps like asked.

"Is this a lovers quarrel?" The second officer asked, narrowing her eyes at the both of them before they widened and Sam knew then that she recognized them both.

"Hell no! We are not lovers…" Mercedes said, rolling her eyes.

"Then why is he here?" The male officer asked, looking at them both feeling like this was a domestic call in progress.

"I..." Mercedes started but she knew she couldn't tell them the real reason and she looked at Sam who just shrugged. She chewed on her bottom lip and was already playing out how all of this would go… Mercedes Jones cheated on estranged husband with co-star.

"We were running lines, it got late I crashed on the couch and that's when I heard one of the bricks and I went to go check on her before coming back to see what happened. I didn't know she had a silent alarm otherwise I would've waited inside." Sam answered not even looking at her but she could tell he knew how this was going to play out and she felt bad for not listening.

"So the tussle we saw as we were pulling up?" The female officer asked, eyeing Sam with dreamy eyes and Mercedes rolled hers.

"There's glass down here, she was trying to go further and I didn't want her to cut her feet… she's a little stubborn so that's why you saw me pick her up the way I did. She doesn't have any shoes on as you can see and being that we start shooting soon I kinda need her at her best… feet included."

"Okay we're going to assess the damage and get your statement." The male officer said after sometime before walking up the steps with the female officer lingering back smiling at Sam before Mercedes cleared her throat shooting the officer an unimpressed look before seeing Sam smirk making her roll her eyes.

"You two remain separated." The female officer said looking at Mercedes then back at Sam smiling to which he just nodded, she walked past Mercedes and Sam could've sworn he saw a miniature stare down happen before the officer continued inside.

"Must suck being you..." Mercedes said after a moment looking at Sam with a slightly annoyed expression.

"Ask me after the news cycle runs later… fuck!" Sam said, running his hands through his hair.

"Sam… I'm sorry I-" She stopped when he looked at her and she knew apologizing wasn't going to help.

"I can get Artie and Quinn to-" She stopped again with a flash of hurt coming to his eyes before he shook his head and she realized what Kurt said was true and worst of all Sam knew it.

"No, it's fine I'd rather face the press than have you do me a favor." He said showing his anger and hurt for a split second.

Mercedes looked at him and felt her stomach do a backflip, it wasn't the good kind either. It was the kind that let you know you really fucked up and she knew there was no going back… she looked down for a minute before looking back at him.

"Sam I really didn't know that they-"

"We're not talking about this, you said and I quote "This doesn't change anything between us." So let's just keep it that way, I wasn't given a chance to explain. It's only fair we keep whatever you have to say to yourself for now… it's not like you'd believe me if I told you anyways." He said just as the officers came out, the female officer took his statement and Mercedes was told they would be actively investigating who did the damage before handing her a card and leaving.

"Sam, do you mind..."

"We can go back to my place, you don't need to stay here until it gets fixed." He said walking passed her back inside to grab his keys and wallet he'd placed on her coffee table before dozing off. Mercedes walked in after him and quickly ran upstairs to grab a few things as well as change before heading back downstairs where Sam was already on the phone with someone.

"No just make sure nothing negative is said about her, I can take the heat but… yeah, yeah. Okay thanks Frank, sorry to call so late." Sam said before hanging up letting out a deep sigh turning around when he hear Mercedes approach.

"Ready?" He asked with a half smile that didn't reach his eyes, she just nodded and started to head towards the door before he grabbed her bag and opened the door for her.

"I can carry my-" She stopped when he gave her a tired look, so she just headed towards her car but he stopped her by grabbing her hand and leading her to his truck instead.

"Just for today let me, we don't know if your cars were messed with okay?" Sam asked, opening the door for her before walking to his side and placing her bag in the back and getting into his seat.

"Sam, I can get a room or something I don't want to inconvenience you." Mercedes said after a while of them driving in silence. He didn't say anything, just reached behind him grabbing the hat that was sitting on the seat and handing it to her, she looked at the familiar hat then back at him with a confused expression.

"Put it on, we're being followed." He said purposely turning the wrong way to his house looking in the review seeing the same car still following them making him shake his head.

"We're going to go into the back entrance of my home, don't get out until I say so." Sam firmly and could tell by her expression she wasn't about to do that at all. "Mercedes, just listen to me this time we already have enough heat coming our way… we don't need to add a secret sleepover." Sam added and this time Mercedes nodded understanding that this time it would be best to just listen to him.

Sam got out grabbing her bag before walking inside his home from what Mercedes could tell was massive but had a simple feel about it, sitting in his truck looking at his garage and how… normal it looked. She always knew he was going to keep his southern ways about him but after their first film together his career skyrocketed while she was a little slower but she put in the work and now she too had a very thriving career.

She was only out there for a few more minutes before Sam reappeared opening her door and helping her out like he used to when they were younger, he led her inside and she smiled at how much his home screamed Sam. There were posters of his favorite movies canvased on the walls, art supplies and a huge tv with what she was sure was the best movie collection ever.

"You can sleep in the guest room upstairs, I don't want you downstairs just in case we were still followed and I'll at least know you're safe." He said and she realized how close he was standing to her.

"Thank you Sam." She managed to get out looking at him.

"No problem, come on I'll show you to the room you're probably tired." He responded and guided her upstairs showing her around before they stopped at the guest room.

"This is beautiful, let me guess… Stace?" She asked, looking over her shoulder at him and laughing when he nodded yes.

"She wanted to decorate at least one room so I let her do the guest rooms, the other one is more male friendly." He said leaning against the door frame.

"Mhm… I miss that crazy girl."

"Her number's the same, just call her."

"I've been meaning to… life just happened instead." She responded honestly.

"I understand more than you know." He said sadly before pushing off the door and shooting her a small smile and walking away closing the door as he did.

Mercedes buried her head into her hands shaking her head before realizing she had no reason to feel bad but deep down she did, she felt bad about everything.

She changed into her pajamas and made herself comfortable trying to get some sleep but her mind wouldn't let her so she laid there trying to figure out why Sam would still care after learning about what she told Artie and Quinn. She saw her phone light up noticing she'd gotten a message, she was wary about opening but she saw it was from Sam.

You're thinking too loud. She couldn't help but giggle at that before she replied.

I will forever be convinced that you're so alien that reads minds.

Alien never, superhero hell yes.

Oh so you're still Superman?

Blasphemy, it's like you don't even know me anymore.

Okay Captain America I'm sorry lol but to be fair he couldn't read minds.

Lol you got me there.

Why are you awake?

Honestly?

Yes, honestly.

You're less than twenty feet away from me and I'm having a hard time not rushing into there and kissing you.

Mercedes' eyes grew wide as she reread the message, sure she knew there was still a small tether that pulled them but she wasn't sure it was that strong. She stared at it trying to figure out what to say back before hearing his feet padding across the floor and she held her breath as the door opened before it closed, her back was to the door but she could feel his eyes on her before feeling a slight dip in the bed.

"Sam…" She said keeping her back to him, feeling him move closer.

"Mercedes we really need to talk about that night..." He said before wrapping an arm around her, turning her to face him.

"There's nothing to talk about, I've relieved that night enough to know that I don't want to dwell on it any longer."

"You only know what you saw, not what really happened." He said looking at her intensely but she wasn't ready to accept that she was wrong all these years and was the sole reason she missed out having someone she really cared about in her life.

"Sam, I'm tired and I really don't think there's any reason to go back to that day." She said softly.

"I was set up by my brother and Rachel." He said ignoring her but based on the look she gave him he knew she was shocked to hear that.

"Why would Jack do that?"

"Think about that question you didn't even have to guess if I meant Stevie or Jack, Mercy you have to believe me I had every intention on making things right but Jack wouldn't but he came by and said he would tell you everything."

"Why didn't you come after me that night?" Mercedes asked and Sam shot her a confused look before sitting up and running his hands over his face.

"It doesn't matter what I say does it? Even if Jack tells you the truth, there will always be another reason why you won't forgive me… it's like you want what you saw to be real."

"I never said-"

"Don't bullshit me Mercedes, you may be this huge star but I still know you just like I knew I could come in here and lay with you just now. You don't want to be wrong and I'm too much of a damn fool to let you, goodnight Mercedes." Sam he responded looking at her for a moment before placing a gentle kiss on her cheek. She watched him get out of the bed and walk over to the door before stopping hanging his head.

"I really wanted all of this with you, you had to have know that a country boy like me would never move here permanently just for the fame. I came out here for you to prove that what they did wasn't my fault but I see now that this might have been a mistake all along and that whatever tether we have is gone." He looked up with his back still facing her opening the door and just before he was completely out he looked back at her with painful eyes.

"I can't keep waiting for you to know that you own me." Mercedes felt her eyes fill with tears wanting to say something anything but she was so damn stubborn and just nodded before hearing the door shut, she waited to hear his but never did and after waiting for so long she finally allowed herself to cry softly until she drifted off to sleep.

xoxo