Dont own glee

"Life is like an elevator: on your way up, sometimes, you have to stop and let some people off."

March

Sam watched the last five years of his life flash before his eyes. She was talking as she paced, her arms swinging wildly around her. He couldn't hear her, not really anyway. It was almost like he was underwater and she was above him, talking in circles. He could see the tears falling from her gentle blue eyes and the way she was fiddling with her engagement ring. His life continued to run through his mind. Their first date was at her favorite restaurant. Their first kiss on the roof of her apartment. The first time he ever said those three fated words after they'd danced at his best friend's wedding. When he proposed on their fourth anniversary. And it paused on now, the week before his wedding and all he could remember was her mentioning bumping into her ex. Sam had heard about him before and how tumultuous their relationship had been. High highs and rock bottom lows. He never thought he'd have to compete with an old flame but he knew now, he should have been prepared. It was almost as if there were warning signs, all throughout their relationship. He always felt more invested or a bit more in love than she was with him. When they were planning their wedding, he picked out the date and when they were looking to move in together, it was like he was making all the plans. She was always lax with her decisions while Sam was determined and certain. He slowly realized that that was the problem. Darcy wasn't certain. She was never going to be certain at least not with him.

"Sam..." she stopped pacing now and met his eyes. "Are you listening?"

He was listening. Barely. But he was mostly thinking about his friends and family and how he was going to explain all of this to them. They were supposed to be across town at one of their final rehearsals yet here they were, her crying and him, numb.

"You slept with him?" he asked, his brows furrowed and his lips slightly parted.

His question made her break down even more, her long auburn locks veiling her face. He always loved her hair. It was something about it that always made him run his fingers through it. Whenever she laughed, it moved or if she turned her head too fast, it would wave across her pale face like thistles of brown straw. And he'd brush it away lovingly, kiss her gently and sing some cheesy song he'd been humming all day. But now, he wouldn't get to do that because she was too busy breaking his heart to realize that strands of hair were sticking to her gloss covered lips.

"I'm so so sorry," she wept loudly. "I don't know what came over me. I thought it was the wine or something but... I wasn't that drunk. I should have gone back to my parent's house like I wanted to but... I'm sorry."

Her parents. They were another story. How would they react? Would they be happy their daughter wasn't marrying a guy like him? His family wasn't nearly as wealthy as Darcy's but he was doing well for himself and he knew he'd be able to afford a life for them. A life that now was never to be.

"Are you leaving me?" he asked next. He just wanted it over with. One rip and it's done like a band-aid.

"You were always too good for me. I don't deserve you. He and I have history and... I have no excuse. You must hate me. I hate me for hurting you. You were too good."

Sam gulped, still numb to the pain that he was sure was going to smack him in the face as soon as she left the room. Did he hate her? He didn't know. He still loved her that much he was positive about. He felt like he should be standing, cursing, shouting, maybe even threatening to go kick her ex's ass. But instead it was as if he couldn't move.

"I can tell our families. I know your mom was so excited about the wedding."

His mom. That thought made him wince. She was so happy when Sam had told her about the engagement and had practically planned the wedding out before they even left the house that day.

"Sam... You deserve to be happy with someone who loves you and only you. I wish it could have been me. I wish I still wasn't in love with Harvey..." Harvey. Finally there was a name put to the image in Sam's head. The name conjured images of professors who only wore tweed coats with the dark patches on the elbows. "...But you know what they say about things happening for a reason. We weren't meant to be."

He licked his lips, trying to ask his next question. "Was it something I did?" his voice was bland and monotone. Would he ever be cheery again? He was pretty sure he was dying or at least close to it.

"No?" she shook her head quickly. "Of course not. It was nothing you did. It was just little things that didn't match up for us. Little things that did match up for Harvey."

He could have sworn for the past five years that they were totally in sync and fit perfectly together like ying and yang. Obviously he was wrong.

"Sam, I'm so-"

He stood abruptly, not sure he could hear her apologize anymore and walked out of the apartment. He pressed the elevator button and waited patiently until the doors parted before getting on. He wasn't sure where he was going so he stood in the center of the elevator, not bothering to push a floor. He could feel the tear in his heart and he knew that once this fully hit him, and he realized that this was his new reality, he was going to break. Sam looked up as a small hand parted the elevator doors just as they were about to shut. He scooted to the side, letting the sobbing girl on and glanced at her as she slammed her hand onto the button for the ground floor. He felt a bit concerned at the sounds she was making. She sounded like she was dying and for a minute, Sam thought that might be the case. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, dangling it in front of her face. She paused her sobbing and reached for it, staring at him and then the handkerchief.

"Thank you," she said with a cracked voice and dabbed at her eyes. She held open the handkerchief and read the intricate threading that spelled out his name. "Sam Evans."

Sam nodded and faced the closed doors of the elevator as it went down.

"I'm such an idiot," the woman said, breaking into his thoughts. He eyed her and for some odd reason, wanted to pat her back or at least assure her that she wasn't an idiot, even though he didn't know her. She was beautiful and Sam was sure that anyone that pretty, couldn't be an idiot. Then again brains and beauty didn't always go hand in hand. She straightened out, and wiped her eyes angrily.

"I should have known, ya know. He was too good-looking. Too nice. Too rich. Treated me too well. Drove a nice car. God, he was even good with kids."

"Do you have kids?" Sam asked. He'd found his voice and it was only brought forth by sheer curiosity about this woman who wouldn't stop crying.

"No," she said with an eye roll. "But it's a quality you'd like in a guy, ya know. I should have known he'd cheat. I should have seen it."

Sam had found a kindred spirit and he took a step closer to her. "My fiancée cheated on me last night with her ex boyfriend. And our wedding is next week. Well, was."

He'd meant to say it as a way to cheer her up, maybe even let her know that things could be worse but it only made him realize just how messed up everything had become.

The woman stopped crying and faced Sam. "Well jeez, maybe you need this more than I do," she said, gesturing towards the handkerchief.

He chuckled lightly and it made him feel odd. He shouldn't be laughing. Not when his life was flipped upside down. Not when he'd just walked away from the only woman he'd ever loved.

"Did you do something wrong?" she asked, still looking at him.

Sam shrugged and shook his head. "I don't think so. I thought I did everything right."

"Well you seem like a nice guy, but what do I know? I was dating a guy who ended up cheating on me...You live in this building?" she questioned.

"Yeah. You?"

She nodded. "I just moved in yesterday. Oddly enough because it was closer to my boyfriend's job. What a waste."

"It's a good building," Sam offered, his tone gentle.

She chuckled dryly and rolled her eyes. "It's the heartbreak building." She brushed her bangs out of her eyes and blinked a few times as the elevator dinged and the doors opened.

"Thanks Sam," she said, holding up her hand to wave. He held up his own hand in response and realized only after the doors shut that she still had his handkerchief and he hadn't gotten her name.

A/N: I know, I know, I shouldnt be writing a new story. I have like 4 others that need finishing but for some odd reason, this gem was a total plot bunny that wouldnt leave me the hell alone until I wrote it. I'm almost mad at myself for still writing glee fanfiction lol. But here it is. It's not gonna be terribly angsty but it will be pretty damn cute and funny. So I hope you liked it. I have no idea when I'll update next but let me know if I should just hide this story in my vault of things that should never be seen again. Or let me know if you love it.