A/N: Once again, thank you thank you thank you for all the reviews of this story. It's still amazing to see people still following this story after many years. So actually after my last update while I was working on this chapter I watched a Samcedes Glee scene compilation on Youtube and I was really surprised I had forgotten so many scenes. The first half was so cute but of course it reminded me how they messed it all up towards the end. But on the other hand it did remind me how much Sam really did love her and was still in love with her no matter what happened. I'm glad that my story diverged pretty early on from canon so it gives me much more room creatively. But still it's fun to just squeeze in a few canon moments from the show that didn't make it to my story's universe. I'm sure you'll find those little Easter eggs. Enjoy!

In the library, Sam hummed along to the music playing in his headphones as he twirled his mechanical pencil in his hands. He had two notebooks in front of him. An old worn notebook he was using for his random doodles, a gift he got from Stacey, and his composition notebook he used for his own writing. It was the beginning of the next chapter of his manuscript. He knew he had to get started on his British Literature paper, but he had some ideas that had gotten into his head that he couldn't let go of until he got them out on paper.

It really was a surprise to some that Sam had chosen English as his major. But on the other hand, most people didn't pay much attention to anyone's major if they were a successful athlete. To many it just completed a requirement to stay in the program. But to Sam this was a journey in itself. Growing up with dyslexia, he had always struggled with reading and writing, but with the help of his friends in Glee, particularly Mercedes and Mike, he managed to get through. It wasn't until he took a required humanities course his freshman year that a professor saw his initiative and told him to cultivate his "disadvantage" into an advantage. One day Dr. Goldey gave him an article called "Dyslexia Is A Writer's Superpower". Thanks to his love of comic books and all things sci-fi he had a pretty wild imagination. And once he learned his dyslexia wasn't something that would hold him back, he felt a whole new world open up to him. For his next semester, he decided to take a creative writing class and the rest was history. It wasn't easy but with some resources and help from the English department, he practically took to it like a fish to water.

He was just about to finish writing a new line when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around and took off his headphones to find a guy with thick rimmed square glasses standing behind him.

"Hi Sam!" The guy thrust a hand practically at his face. "John. John Haverton. Sports Media."

Sam leaned back and awkwardly took his hand to shake. "Hey… what's up?"

John swiftly took a seat across from him without invitation. "I'm writing an article for the Richter Rabble about our athletes, their hopes for next year, and their plan for the off-season."

"Okay…" Sam sighed warily. "Shoot."

This was one of the more annoying parts to being an athlete of a successful college team. Everyone was always in your business wanting to know about everything, every play, every plan, every practice. While he was really proud of his team, it got old really quickly especially when it was always his opinion that they wanted and not those of his fellow team members who were just as responsible for their success as he was.

Sam answered the generic questions, the ones he heard practically time and time again. It was so predictable he almost knew the next question before John could ask him.

And here it comes… Sam internally rolled his eyes.

"So… I'm sure you're already hearing from execs in the NFL, how are–"

"Oh hey! Would you look at the time, I've got to get to the Goldtones meeting! I'm running late!" Sam flew up out of his chair and quickly threw all of his things into his backpack.

"Wait, what about the Goldtones? What are you t–"

"See ya!" Sam was out the door before John could get another word in. He didn't slow down until he got to the music building and to the practice room where the Goldtones held their meetings. There actually wasn't another practice until tomorrow, but it was a place where he knew he'd get some peace. It was just like his high school days. The Glee club room was that safe space where people didn't care if you were a jock or a geek. You were just you. Sure, there was a fair share of drama but it wasn't based on all of these expectations imposed upon you from people you didn't even know. They were a family– a crazy dysfunctional family but a family nonetheless. If he really thought about it maybe that was one of the reasons why he decided to join the Goldtones.

He took his guitar propped up in the corner from where he left it after the last rehearsal and sat down on the piano bench. Any time he felt a little out of sorts, he could always trust his guitar to get him through.

He sang softly as he leisurely played the chords in a toned down version of the song that came to his mind.

Well I've been around, yeah I've done a little livin'

Seen my fair share of heroes and villains

I've been burned and I learned to take the bad with the good

I've bounced at the bottom and I've fallen from the top

I've sifted the rubble when the bubble got popped and I've

Stood in a hall where all of the legends have stood

Behind him he heard a melodic voice join in. Sam's smile slowly grew as he instantly recognized the voice.

It left me with high hopes and low expectations

A little of both to keep my sanity

Her voice harmonized with him as he continued.

They've seen me through some messed up situations

High hopes, low expectations…

Sam chuckled, "You still remember that song, huh? Have you ever admitted to anyone that Miss Mercedes Jones knows country songs?" He slowly turned around to find her leaning against the door frame.

Mercedes gave a shrug, "How can you call yourself an artist without a little versatility?"

Sam continued playing through some chords to the song, "Exactly… so… what are your plans after college?"

"Songwriting. Performing. I want to learn the ins and outs of the music industry." Mercedes sat down at a chair by the door.

"And become the star you were born to be…" Sam crescendoed with a chord progression.

Mercedes laughed softly. "I mean… of course that would be amazing but honestly anything to do with music I would be happy."

"You're going to get a big recording contract, go Platinum, get a Grammy, trend on Twitter…" Sam suddenly started playing something more upbeat. "Hashtag…." He wrinkled his nose in thought. "MercedesSmellsGood." He ended on a bright chord.

Mercedes gave him a confused look but burst out laughing, "Boy, WHAT?"

Sam gave her a big shrug. "I don't know, you can get anything trending on Twitter AND you actually do smell really good. You always have."

"Thanks." Mercedes blushed a little.

"Anytime, if you need a hype man I'm here." Sam winked.

Mercedes blushed a little deeper. There was a small silence before Sam started playing again. Mercedes knew this song too. Another country song.

You got your hands up

You're rocking in my truck

You got the radio on

You're singing every song

I'm set on cruise control

I'm slowly losing hold of everything I've got

You're looking so damn hot

And I don't know what road we're on or where we've been

From staring at you girl

All I know is that I know

I don't want this night to end

They both were taken back to those warm summer nights in Sam's dad's old beat up truck playing every song under the sun. Oldies, hip hop, rap, pop, country– introducing each other to songs the other didn't know.

"Just admit it. You like this song now!" Sam reached over and squeezed her knee.

Mercedes rolled her eyes, "Like is a strong word… but I won't deny Luke Bryan is kinda cute."

Sam gave her a funny glare. Mercedes stuck her tongue out. "Jealous?"

"I can sing better than Luke Bryan AND I'm hotter than him."

"Okay, keep telling yourself that." Mercedes reached over to pat his face. Sam turned his face in an attempt to bite her finger. She quickly withdrew and laughed loudly. "Quit that! And pay attention to the road! I want to get back to Stevie and Stacey in one piece please!"

"You started it!"

"I did not!"

"Yuh huh!" Sam gave her best Stacey impression.

"Nuh uh!" Mercedes shot back in the same tone. And they burst out in laughter.

Sam sang as the line played again. "I don't know what road we're on or where we've been from staring at you girl." He winked at her.

Mercedes sang along as she reached out and took his hand. "All I know is I don't want this night to end."

Sam brought himself back to the present as he finished the last chord. He could feel a little dull ache in his chest wishing with his entire being that he could bring back those nights again, drive her somewhere far away, and let her worries fly out out the window of his truck.

At his desk in his dorm room, Sam sighed as he continued doodling in his notebook. "For the tenth time, I'm not dyeing my hair– wait no, this is like the hundredth time because you used to ask me this in high school." He pointed his pen at the laptop camera.

"But like how do you get your hair that tone? It has gotten less yellow and darker since high school but like in a nice way…" From the computer screen Kurt could be seen leaning into his own laptop as if he could see Sam's hair better that way. "Do you use purple shampoo?"

"Purple shampoo? What's that?"

"Well you use it for– nevermind." Kurt threw his hands up. "Either way I want that color. I'll ask my hair stylist for that color for my next appointment." He picked up his phone and started scrolling through it. "I think Mercedes sent me a pic of you somewhere."

Sam straightened in his chair. "A picture of me? Like recently?"

Kurt smirked smugly. "Ah and that brings us to the real reason for this video call…"

"What? Can't I just call you?" Sam blushed lightly.

Kurt rolled his eyes, "Sam Sam Sam, I love you like family but let's be real if you really just wanted to call for funsies, you would have called me a long time ago. It's okay, I totally understand, if an ex of mine suddenly came back into my life I wouldn't be above these kinds of methods."

"Ooooh so if an ex came back into your life you would–"

"Stop right there! This is about you, not me." Kurt quickly held a finger up to stop him. "Did Mercy tell you that?" He squinted at him.

Sam shrugged. "Maybe? But hey I still talk to Blaine sometimes, you know…"

Kurt made a face like he was about to say something but paused.

"Okay in all seriousness…" Sam spun his pen in his hands. "I know Mercedes has been through a lot in the past couple of years and I want to be there for her. I hate that I wasn't there for her back then…"

"Life took us all in different directions. You can't change the direction your life took you…"

"I know… but... I never wanted to leave her…" Sam mumbled in a low voice.

Sam realized that he hadn't let himself dwell on the end of that summer. The moment that he learned that his family was going to move away again because his dad finally found a job that would turn things around was a complicated feeling. He was so happy for his dad and for his family as a whole but that didn't make it hurt any less knowing he was leaving Mercedes. He had gone through so many different scenarios in his head. Maybe they could maintain their relationship? But then how could he visit her without a car? Could he stay in Lima? But then how would his family manage, especially Stevie and Stacey who needed him?

In the end Mercedes was the realist. They were sitting in darkness at the Jones' front porch when he broke the news. With tears in her eyes and a sad smile on her face, she told him how happy she was for him and that he needed to move forward and not look back. Sam didn't want to accept it at all, not when she was finally that ray of sunshine that broke through the storm that he had gone through.

He suddenly could vividly remember that night in her car when he held on tightly to her for hours not wanting to let go as Mercedes ran her fingers through his hair and hummed a gentle tune, her lips pressed against his head. He recalled how it rained and he let it drench him to the bone as he watched her car drive away from the motel.

He could feel that ache in his chest again…

"Sam…" Kurt's voice softly broke him away from the memory. Sam lifted his head slightly to acknowledge him again. "To be perfectly honest back then I really didn't even know how much it meant to you… to you both. It was over before Mercedes would even open up to me about it. She brushed it off as a summer fling and moved on with Shane."

Sam could feel the ache bloom in his chest more strongly.

"But in retrospect, I know Mercedes was downplaying it just to save herself from the heartache of you leaving. She's a strong woman, you know, she never wanted to show her weaknesses."

Sam smiled slightly and nodded his head in agreement.

"She went on to college and met… this guy… Everything seemed great, amazing actually. She seemed so into him and the feeling felt mutual. It wasn't apparent at first… and… I… really hate myself up for not realizing it sooner." Kurt's voice broke slightly.

Sam leaned in. "Kurt… don't be hard on yourself. You couldn't possibly have known…"

Kurt shook his head as if to shake the thought away. "I know, I know… but anyway, there were small signs. Mercedes canceling plans on us, even our little video call dates. Then you could just sense there was a shift in her mood. Like she was on edge. And it started affecting everything. School, her friendships, her family life… I will never forget that night she called me and Quinn and just… told us everything." The tears in his eyes were apparent even through the computer screen and Sam wished that he could give his friend a hug but he could only grip tightly at a baseball he had at his bedside table to keep his emotions in check.

"I'm so happy that she moved and started completely new in this new school. It really looks like she is truly thriving in every way possible. And, Sam…. I say this whole heartedly that I am so happy you are back in her life. She needs someone there to remind her that she's safe and free to be herself. It's like you were meant to be reunited. I truly believe it."

Sam didn't realize he had tears in eyes too until that moment. He ran a hand over his face in a weak attempt to mask it. "Me too." He said softly.

"Now I'm not sure exactly how to proceed. I know Mercedes is still healing… but she has come so far. Sam, I trust you. I think you'll find the right time and place for everything to come together."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

Sam blew out a deep breath that he didn't know he was holding. "Thank you so much, Kurt…"

"Of course… anytime." Kurt gave him a warm smile. "Now, if you're going to make it up to me, I fully expect you and Mercedes to name your first born after me."

Sam blushed violently. "Wait WHAT? Where the hell is this even coming from?"

"And having a girl isn't even an excuse. There are so many kids with gender neutral names and I totally can see Kurt as a gender neutral name. It would be so unique and I'm sure Mercedes would be on board with this. Kurtis would be a cute girl's name!" Kurt rambled on.

"KURT, STOP."

A/N:

A little disclaimer: The two country songs (High Hopes Low Expectations by Zane Williams/ I Don't Want This Night To End by Luke Bryan) were released around the time I actually started this story 10 years ago so if we're being truly accurate those songs wouldn't have technically been released around the time they were high schoolers but I thought they fit in the context of the story. I have always envisioned the Luke Bryan song as a Samcedes moment.

Hope you enjoyed this update, let me know in the reviews!