Archive of Our Own

"Huh, what?" Mercedes answered distracted.

"I asked you if you thought this scarf was too much." Kurt said modelling his scarf.

"Sweetie you look fabulous, like always." Mercedes assured him.

"Thanks Cedes. Now what is going on with you?" Kurt questioned.

"Nothing." Mercedes said quickly.

"Don't tell me nothing. You've been like this since Prom." Kurt informed her.

"What are you talking about? We haven't been around each other that much lately. You couldn't possibly notice how I've been since Prom." Mercedes said changing the subject to the distance in their friendship.

"Starting a fight with me will not deter me from figuring out what is going on with you." Kurt told her determination shining in his eyes.

"Kurt, I gotta go. I have to be home early." Mercedes said gathering her things.

"OK. See you tomorrow at Lima Bean." Kurt agreed even though he didn't believe she needed to leave.

Mercedes had to admit if only to herself that Kurt was right she had been distracted since Prom. She wanted to tell Kurt but she didn't know what he would say. She thought he would tell her to be careful and not to read to much into it. That he didn't want her to be to disappointed if it didn't work out. Her phone went off before she opened her front door. It was text from her new friend and prom date.

"I rly nd hlp w/my Spnsh hmwrk. Any chnc u cld hlp?" The message from Sam Evans read.

"Sure. When?" she texted back.

"Idk. Tmrw morning." He answered.

Mercedes hesitated she was supposed to meet Kurt and Blaine tomorrow for coffee and shopping. Where she would inevitably end up the third wheel. After a few minutes she answered the text.

"Mt me lbry. 11." She answered.

"Thnx. C u thn!" Sam ended the message.

The next morning standing in line at Lima Bean Mercedes was surprised to see Kurt without Blaine.

"Where's Blaine?" Mercedes asked looking around for the dreamy boy.

"Oh, he's going to meet us at the mall." Kurt answered.

"He didn't want coffee." Mercedes questioned.

"It's not that. I wanted quality alone time with you before he joined us." Kurt expalined.

"Kurt, that's sweet but not necessary. I like Blaine. He's good for you and he makes you happy. I'm all for anything that makes you happy." Mercedes explained but she was touched that Kurt was making an effort.

"I'm glad you like him. I did have something I wanted to talk to you about though." Kurt said gratefully and then promptly changing the subject.

"What?" Mercedes asked curious.

"Sam." Kurt said emphatically.

"What about him? Nothing horrible about his family situation I hope." Mercedes said shocked but also concerned.

"No, nothing like that. It's just I noticed something that I think you should know." "Kurt said conspiratorially.

"Before you start I am so tired of the Finn, Quinn, Rachel, Sam drama. With Nationals coming up we have so much more to worry about." Mercedes said not really wanting to discuss Sam.

"I agree, that's not what it's about." Kurt assured her.

"Then what?" Mercedes asked confused.

"I think Sam is finally over Quinn." Kurt stated.

"Good for him! What makes you say that?" Mercedes said pleased but not for the reasons Kurt thought.

"I saw him watching somebody with a goofy lovestruck look the other day and Quinn was no where to be found." Kurt told her.

"He was probably looking at Santana." Mercedes said trying to hide her disappointment.

"No I think he's had his fill of Satan." Kurt said shaking his head.

"Then who was it?" Mercedes asked not daring to hope.

"I'm not sure. But I'm going to find out. That boy needs some love and happiness in his life considering his current situation." Kurt said .

"Kurt, don't meddle." Mercedes warned.

"Darling, of course I'm going to meddle and you're going to help." Kurt informed her.

"What? Why me?" Mercedes asked panic seeping into her voice.

"We are the dynamic duo and between the two of us there isn't anything we can't find out." Kurt said, hands on his hips in amock super hero pose.

"Kurt, I don't know." Mercedes said unsure.

"Don't you think Sam should be with somebody who is not using him?" Kurt questioned.

"Of course, but we've got so much else going on. Can't Operation Find Sam's Dream Girl wait." Mercedes said trying to reason with her friend.

"The code name needs work and no I don't think it can wait. It'll be fun." Kurt assured her.

"If you say so." Mercedes said resigned.

"I do, now lets hit the mall." Kurt said enthusiactically.

"That's what I wanted to tell you. I can't go to the mall with you and Blaine. I have to tutor." Mercedes told him.

"Tutor? In what class?" Kurt asked

"Spanish." She said

"Well, if you must. But come over later and we'll plan how we're going to help Sam." Kurt implored.

"Kurt, maybe we should mind our business." Mrecedes tried again.

"Diva, you don't mean that!" Kurt said shocked.

"Good-bye sweetie I'll see you later." Mercedes said taking her cofee and leaving the coffee house.

Mercedes did not want to hook Sam up with some girl. Ever since prom her feelings for him had changed. She was so grateful to him for giving her the perfect prom night. She had kept her feelings to herself because she didn't want to create another relationship in her head. She didn't want to experience that embarrassment again. She thought maybe he liked her but only as a friend and occasional tutor. Once in the parking lot she text Sam and told him she was on her way to the library. She saw Sam waiting on the steps with those super sexy lips. She shook her head to clear it she would never be able to get through this homework with thoughts like that going through her head.

"Hey, Mercedes. Thanks for coming." Sam said smiling widely.

"No problem. You actually saved me from being a third wheel again." Mercedes said shrugging.

"Kurt and Blaine." Sam said knowingly.

"Yeah, even though Blaine would have been the tag a long in this situation I would've still been the third wheel. That's mean. I don't mean to sound bitter." Mercedes said trying to shake the bitterness from her voice.

"You don't. You just miss the time you and Kurt spent together." Sam said sympathectically.

"I really do but I am so happy for Kurt. He deserves to have somebody look at him like Blaine looks at him. He deserves love." Mercedes said her happines for Kurt outweighing everything else.

"What about you?" Sam asked boldly.

"What about me?" She asked confused.

"Don't you deserve love?" He asked looking into her eyes.

"What? Why would you ask me that?" Mercedes said confused about where the conversation was headed.

"No reason. It just seems like you care more about making other people happy than making yourself happy." Sam said telling her his honest observations.

"You're wrong. We didn't come here to talk about me, we came here to do some Spanish." Mercedes said quickly changing the subject.

"OK. Let's get started." Sam said as he held the library door open for Mercedes to enter.

After about an hour Sam stood up and stretched. As he raised his arms his shirt came up and Mercedes caught a glimpse of his amazing abs. She tried not to stare but she couldn't help it, his body was beautiful. When he sat back down she averted her eyes. Sam smiled at Mercedes from across the table. She returned his smiled shyly.

"Thanks so much for your help. You made this really easy." Sam said thankfully.

"It was no trouble. I knew you could speak Spanish if you tried." Mercedes smiled.

"How did you know that?" Sam asked confused.

"You speak Na'vi and it's made up so I knew you could speak a real language." Mercedes said smiling.

"How did you know I speak Na'vi?" Sam said surprised.

"Santana told me." Mercedes told him

"Oh, I guess she also told you how lame I am." Sam said hanging his his in shame.

"She said a bunch of stuff about you. I've learned how to understand her. With Santana it's all about power. How much she has in a relationship determines how happy she is." Mercedes told him.

"She should've been really happy with me because she had all the control." Sam said sadly.

"She thought she did but I think she learned that for her its about the battle for control and when you broke up with her when she sang 'Trouty Mouth' she found out you weren't a pushover." Mercedes explained to him.

"I guess. I gotta get going I gotta babysit Stacy and Stevie tonight." Sam said not exactly convinced.

"Oh well tell Quinn hello from me." Mercedes said standing to leave.

"Quinn's not going to be there. But you can I mean only if you want to." Sam said and then quickly added the last bit, he didn't want to scare her away.

"Sure. I would love to help you babysit." Mercedes said smiling widely.

Mercedes was giddy inside. She was really surprised that he asked her to help him babysit. Outside the library she told him that she had to pick up a few things and she would meet him at the motel. He hugged her an went across the street to his car. When she pulled up in front of the motel she had everything she needed to make the night unforgettable for the Evan kids. Sam came outside to help Mercedes carry her things inside.

"Glad you could make it." Sam said openening her car door.

"I'm happy to be here," Mercedes said openening her back door and gathering her things.

"What's all this stuff?" Sam said taking the bag from her.

"Fun in a bag!" Mercedes said smiling.

"Meaning?" sam said confused.

"Wait and see." Mercedes said mischieviously

"OK. Stacey, Stevie this is Mercedes she's going to be helping out tonight." Sam said once he and Mercedes were inside the small motel room.

"Hi, are you Sam's new girlfriend?" Stacey said.

"Stacey, Mercedes is my friend from glee club." Sam said embarassed.

"So that means no right?" Stevie piped up.

"Yes Stevie it means no." Sam said blushing

"Good! Mercedes, since my brother isn't smart enough do you wanna be my girlfriend?" Stevie said taking Mercedes hand.

"You'd be a step up from Puckerman! But I think I would feel bad if I kept you from girls your own age." Mercedes said sweetly trying not to laugh.

"Have it your way." Stevie said shrugging.

After Stevie went back to watching TV, Mercedes started to unpack the bag she had brought along. Inside it were feather boas, sparkling gowns, tuxedo jackets, microphones and a video camera.

"What is all this stuff Mercedes?" Sam asked confused.

"We're going to put on a show and tape it so you can show your parents later." Mercedes said taking inventory to make sure she had everything.

"We're going to put on a show?" Sam asked surprised.

"Yeah! It'll be fun. I used to do this when I was a kid. I was always a Diva in training!" Mercedes said striking a pse and laughing.

"OK, Diva. Show us what to do." Sam said laughing with her.

After much laughter and fun the tape was ready to show Mr. and Mrs. Evans. Mercedes helped Sam put the kids to bed. Mercedes was suddenly nervous. She didn't know what to do without the buffer of Stacy and Stevie. It seemed Sam didn't either. He was leaning against the sink with a peculiar look on his face. She didn't know what to say to him and just when she had decided to say goodnight her phone rang.

"Hello." She answered.

"Diva, I thought you were coming over." Kurt said over the phone.

"Oh, Kurt I forgot! I'm sorry." Mercedes apologized.

"It's OK. We can discuss it over the phone." Kurt said.

"Kurt, I can't" Mercedes said quickly. The last thing she was going to do was discuss Sam Evan's love life in front of Sam Evans.

"Nonsense. OK process of elimination. It has to be a glee girl because those boys have a freakish way of only dating in the circle." Kurt said ignoring her protest.

"Kurt. I really can't. Rachel.." Mercedes said hoping that by giving him a name he would let up.

"OK so we know it's not Rachel because well let's face it it's Rachel. He's already been down the Quinn slide. He tried Satan. He wouldn't think of Tina that way. So that just leaves.." Kurt prattled on.

"Kurt! I! Can't! Talk! Now!" Mercedes said annoyed.

"You don't have to be rude. Goodbye!" Kurt said hanging up the phone.

"Damn it!" Mercedes said in frustration

"What was that about?" Sam asked.

"Nothing." She said quickly.

"It didn't sound like nothing." Sam pointed out.

"I don't think he'd want me to tell you." Mercedes said honestly.

"Oh is it personal, about his love life?" Sam said understanding dawning on his face.

"No, you're love life actually." Mercedes said quietly.

"Mine?" Sam said surprised.

"Yeah, he said he thinks you are finally over Quinn." Mercedes said.

"I am, but how did he know?" Sam asked.

"He said he saw you with this lovestruck look on you face and Quinn wasn't around." Mrecedes told Sam what Kurt had said earlier.

"Did he say who he thought I was looking at?" Sam asked.

"No, but he was going to figure it out and set you up with her and he wanted me to help him." Mercedes finished. She didn't want to be having this conversation. She just wanted to get out of the motel.

"Oh and are you going to help him?" Sam asked her with an indecipherable look on his face.

"Who you date isn't any of my business." Mercedes said not looking at him.

"It kind of is." He said lowly.

"Just because we're in glee together doesn't mean I get a say in your love life." Mercedes said. Kurt thinking that way is what led her to be having this particular conversation that she would give anything to not be having.

"No, you're right about that but that's not what I meant." Sam said moving a little closer to her.

"What did you mean?" Mercedes asked looking up at him.

"I meant that unless Kurt put you at the top of the list he's wasting his time." He said honestly.

"Sam, what are you saying?" Mercedes said sure she'd misheard him.

"I'm saying that I really like you Mercedes Jones and you've been on my mind since prom." Sam said with a smile.

Mercedes didn't know what to say. Of all the things Sam could've said she never thought he would say he liked her. She realized in that moment how much she had wanted him to say he liked her.

"Are you sure?" she asked tentatively

"More than I have been of anything in my life." Sam said with confidence.

"Wow!" Mercedes said a little overwhelmed.

"You haven't said how you feel about me." Sam said unsure but hopeful.

"I thought it was obvious, I like you to Sam." Mercedes answered, she really had thought she'd been giving herself away and was surprised he needed reassurance.

"Good. I'm glad to hear it." Sam said with a crooked grin.

Sam crossed the room and took Mercedes in his arms. He kissed her gently. She put her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss.

"So what do you think of trouty mouth?" He asked as he pulled away.

"I don't know you might have to kiss me a couple more times." Mercedes said with a giggle.

"My pleasure." Sam said kissing her again.

When they finally came up for air Mercedes asked Sam the question that had been bothering her.

"What about Glee Club?" She asked.

"You mean do we tell anybody?" Sam clarified.

"Yeah." She nodded.

"I don't know. Maybe we should wait until after Nationals and everything calms down? I don't want anything to come between us." Sam said thoughtful. He didn't want the New Directions to wreck what they were just figuring out themselves.

"Me either. So it's a deal? We keep us a secret until after Nationals." Mercedes said.

"Deal." Sam agreed.

Then Mercedes and her dream boyfriend sealed their deal with a another soul searing kiss.