Mercedes stared at Sam, as he intently listened to the 13 tracks and 2 bonus Christmas songs. She was supposed to be looking over his new Comic, and she was, though more times than not she found herself staring at him to see what he thought. Sam smiled internally, trying his best not to give away his reaction. He knew she would spend her time staring at him, so he made sure to either look motionless or bored, which was very hard because her album was moving and inspiring and wonderful.

She caught him looking at her and she went back down to his comic. The book alone was hilarious, but the delicate art work that Sam had created was amazing. His art had never been better, she was proud of him and impressed at his work, though he seemed thoroughly unimpressed about her work. She sighed trying her best to not let his now sour look, distract her. When she finished the book she bit her lip waiting for him to say something.

They had been in LA for three years now. After leaving the hospital, Mercedes was sure she and Sam were not getting engaged.

3 ½ years ago.

"I love you too. So marry me."

Sam smiled pulling her closer. "I don't know. I don't see a ring, and you didn't get down on one knee or anything."

Mercedes smiled pushing him away from her. "Fine if you don't want to be my husband I can ask someone else."

Sam grabbed her hand and smiled. "I have wanted to marry you since the day I met you baby."

Mercedes beamed. "So we are getting married?"

"Don't you want a big wedding?"

"Sam I just want to be your wife. We can go to the justice of the peace for all I are. So are we getting married?"

Sam shook his head. "No, I want you to be sure. I want you to not let fear make this choice for you. Give it a couple of days and tell me how you feel after that?"

Mercedes felt her heart break a little that Sam pretty much rejected her. After he was released she noticed a change in him. He was quiet and withdrawn, when they would talk she could tell something was weighing on his mind. She was all but certain this was the end of their relationship. The not talking and missed conversations, but she deserved for him to tell her and not just ignore her. She called him three days after his release and he told her that he had to leave for a mandatory shoot in LA. She was sad that he had to leave so close to graduation but happy for his opportunity, and he was due back for finals. He had been gone a week and already things were strained. She called him and he didn't answer, or couldn't she wasn't sure which she believed. Her parents didn't seem to understand the seriousness of Sam avoiding her and his family seemed nervous every time she called or stopped by. The final week of high school came and she saw him briefly, then they were both swamped with finals that she didn't allow his sudden change to affect her.

After her final, Final, Sam still had two to take. Kurt and Santana dragged her to the mall where they wandered around talking and Mercedes mind really was taken off of the end of her impending relationship. Maybe they could be friends or maybe they could just not talk and be in a weird, silent but committed relationship. Mercedes was taken deep out of her thoughts as they walked past a bridal shop. Since Kurt was into fashion design it wasn't a weird place for them to stop by. Besides the managers loved them, well they loved Kurt most of all.

"Come on Cedes let's check out the dresses." Kurt said pulling her into the store. Honestly the last thing she wanted to be doing was checking out some dresses. However it always seemed to perk up her mood. Smiling at some of the new displays, Kurt walked to the manager whose name was Wendy, and whispered something in her ear before she eyes Mercedes and went to the back. Kurt walked back over to them and smiled.

"So she said we can try on some of the wedding gear."

"What are you talking about? We always look but never touch."

Kurt smiled at Mercedes. "Well today is different. Now who will be the bride and who will be the wedding party? I got it since I want to see one of you in a wedding dress, Santana pick heads or tails."

Santana shook her head and nodded. "Tails."

Kurt flipped a coin and squealed. "Ok Diva looks like you are the bride to be!"

Mercedes shook her head, "No I am good."

Santana grabbed her arm. "Come on Cedes, if we don't do this you know he will hold it over our heads forever."

Mercedes sighed allowing them to pull her to the back. She knew Tana was right, Kurt held a mean grudge. The manager came over with five gorgeous dresses all in Mercedes size and she gave Kurt the side eye. "What the hell is going on here?"

"I gave her both of your sizes and on the way in 0pointed to you as the winner. Now start trying on dresses while we look for Maid of Honor and Best man attire. And before you say anything, you have both because you will never be able to pick me over Santana or her over me."

Mercedes shook her head as she walked into the dressing room. She pulled on a dress and stuck her head out of the dressing room when she heard her mom.

"Kurt I thought that was you, what are you guys doing here?"

Kurt smiled widely. "The managers is a friend of Carol's and mines, she is letting us try on dresses. Mercedes gets to be the bride."

Her mother glanced over at her and shook her head. "How did you get her to try on a dress?"

Kurt shrugged. "I politely and kindle threatened her. Come out Diva we want to see the dress."

Mercedes opened the curtain and sighed she hated everything about this first dress and now her mom could share in her humiliation. Her mom laughed.

"Mercy baby please take that off. You can't do ruffles."

Mercedes folded her arms. "Let me guess you are staying to bask in my humiliation?"

She nodded. "Yep!"

Four dresses and a headache Later Mercedes stepped out in "The" dress. It was a long creamy white A-line style with a purple satin and lace in an upside down "V" going down the back of the dress. The empire waist was laced with Swarovski crystals. The V-neck finished the gorgeous dress that complemented every single one of Mercedes curves. She twirled in the dress and smiled widely. "What do you guys think?"

Mercedes stared at the shocked faces and wondered if she didn't look at good as she thought.

"What wrong? Am I hideous?"

Her mother stood with tears in her eyes. "Baby, you look beautiful."

Santana stood next to her in a purple floor length spaghetti strapped dress. "Cedes you look amazing."

"My gaga this is it. It's the dress."

Mercedes tried to hide her blushing face. "Stop, this is just pretend right?"

"Yeah well pretend or not, you look amazing." Kurt said smiling.

The rest of the time was spend picking pretend accessories and Mercedes checking her phone. Sam still hadn't called her.

By the time she got home she was so tired that she just fell out.

Graduation day approached and she read her good morning text from Sam. It didn't have the same love she always felt when he texted her. The ceremony was great and really made her emotional. That was it. No more high school. She was so happy to see all of her McKinley friends there, they supported her like she supported them the day before. Sam kissed her and began talking to her dad leaving her with her mom and friends to keep her company. She really hated the way things were between them and was going to talk to him about it soon.

When she arrived home after graduation Mercedes was too tired to think of her and Sam. It had been a hard road and she finished. Now she could head to LA and start her music career. Now it was up to Sam if he was coming with her. At this point she didn't care.

Mercedes awoke from her nap cranky. Glancing around the room at her clock. It was 2pm. She didn't mean to sleep that long. She rose from the bed and hopped into the shower, hoping it would make her mood better. She walked into her room as something hit her window again. Looking out the window she exhaled loudly seeing Sam.

"What are you doing here and why didn't you just ring the doorbell?"

"No one is home and I assumed you were sleep."

"What do you want Sam?"

"To talk to you. Can you come down or are you gonna make me climb up there?"

"Give me a minute I have to throw something on." Mercedes rolled her eyes as she shut her window. She fluffed out her hair as she went down stairs to the front door. She hated the smile that left her lips as she saw Sam. He seemed to get sexier every time she saw him, but she was mad at him.

"Ok I am here what do you want?"

"I want you to come take a ride with me?"

He reached for her hand and pulled away. "No, if you are gonna leave me then do it here. I am not getting dressed to go for a ride just for you to dump me!"

Sam shook his head. Kurt was right she thought he was leaving her. "Baby you don't have to change all you have to do is get into the car. I swear I will explain everything."

Mercedes hesitated as she put her flip flops on and followed him to his car. After driving for what seemed like e45 minutes they arrived at this castle looking place. It looked like a picture out of a fairy tale.

"Sam where are we?"

Parking the car, Sam walked over to her side and pulled her out. He led her inside and up the stairs to a balcony. "I found this place one day when I was just driving, trying to figure out how I was going to get you back. The owner was nice enough to let me check out the castle and it took my breath away. I knew I wanted to marry you here."

Sam got on one knee pulling out a ring box. "I know at the hospital I gave you mixed signals. It's just getting engaged at the hospital where some psycho chick poisoned me was not the memory I wanted. I wanted to give you everything you deserve, such as romance and love. So Mercedes Jones, please marry me. I know I have been a little distant. But I didn't want to ruin the surprise and you know I can't keep anything from you."

Mercedes glanced at him with tears in her eyes. "Yes Sam. I love you." She pulled him to her and kissed him passionately. He smiled pulling away and turned her to see both their parents and friends standing there. Sam smiled and whispered in her ear.

"Today. I want to marry you today."

She turned towards him and before she could speak he smiled. "Dress shopping with your mom, Kurt and Tana. Picking out dances and food."

Mercedes cut her eyes lovingly at them. "I thought they were just being weird."

"Nope. You planned your whole wedding and now all you have to do is go with your mom and Santana to get dressed and get your hair and makeup done."

Mercedes couldn't believe what was happening. After being torn apart from Sam because she jumped him out of pure joy, she was lead to hair and makeup, the dress she tried on fit even better this time around. They shared a simple ceremony and reception with their family and friends. But Sam wasn't done with her. On top of the wedding, he LA shoot, provided him an excuse to find them the perfect starter home and buy it. After honeymooning in London, her parent's gift to them, she was surprised their return flight was to LA. While they were gone both sets of parents, set up the house Sam bought. Mercedes couldn't believe that they went through all this trouble for her. She felt like the luckiest woman in the world. She had the most amazing people on her side.

Sam smiled shaking his head. "You can stop pretending to read it I know you have read the same page like 33 times."

Mercedes hopped up and sat on Sam's lap. "Tell me what you think then, your faces are killing me!"

Sam pulled her closer and placed one of the ear buds into her ear connecting them. The song playing was "Forever in love".

"This song should be your first single. Give the world a taste of not only your range, but the song is beautiful. This whole album is amazing. I am so proud of you."

"I did read your comic thank you very much. It's great, you should be proud of what you accomplished. Three years and our dreams are right here for us to grab."

Sam leaned in and kissed her pulled her back to him so they could get comfortable. "I love you so much Mrs. Evans."

"You better, because you know how much I love you Mr. Evans."