A/N: Well guys this is it the last chapter of Checking In. It has been a long time a little over two years. It has been a wonderful journey; thanks so much for coming with me. I will forever be grateful to those that read my stories. For those that have reviewed, thank you from the bottom of my heart, they make my day. Reviews equal love, and I will always write for you guys ;) A special thank you with a cyber-hug goes out to those that inbox me; you guys have kept me going with this story and others. Now without further adieu the last chapter of Checking In.

The Best Is Still Unwritten by Yinx1

She was pregnant. Again. Santana was right; she was just so damn fertile that she seemed to pop out "pretty ass babies" every couple of years. Well, not every couple of years but it always seemed like it. She'd admit as much as her previous pregnancy pains, worries, and drama got to her, Mercedes Evans loved being pregnant. Her husband was her rock; being able to count on him for anything at any time was more than she could ever ask for.

Mercedes had often though of what her life or future self would be doing. Never, she'd thought she would be so happy. This happy.

They both had jobs that they loved and were a part of them so it never felt like work. Sam never had to worry to be thrown out on the street, not with the monies he had put aside from his football contract. The house, the cars, Mercedes' boutique, were all paid in full. No one was going to take it away. His high school worries far behind.

The successful couple had four beautiful children. Agreeing after the twins were born they were done having children, but when it's written in the stars that the Evans family have five children. The Evans family will have five children no matter what.

Though she often wondered how she got pregnant. They were careful all of the time...most of the time...some of the time. There might have been a few weeks where she'd forgotten her pill. Sam had dropped the condoms act for nothing more than he missed the feel of being inside her. And Mercedes would admit she missed him as well.

They had mastered the art of "married with four kids" sex. It never took much to get either of them going. The high school horniness never wore off with them. A simple glance and they would end up in the bedroom for at least half an hour. Though if planned right they would occupy all four children and hightail it to the closest lockable room.

She was sitting on a bench in the laundry room stacks of folded clothes piled around her feet as she grabbed another shirt from the never ending basket. Mercedes watched a drama show on her iPad to help pass the time. Sam had passed her a few times trying to get her engrossed attention; finally he just sat next to her.

"What did they do now," Mercedes asked not breaking her folding speed or tearing her eyes away from the show.

Sam glanced back down the hall toward the family area. He heard yelling but no screams sniffing the air, nothing was burning, the house sounded normal.

"Nothing," he replied a sly grin spread across his full lips. "And it doesn't sound like someone is being tortured so all is right for now."

Mercedes tore her attention away from the iPad to her husband. She matched his sly smile. Sam grabbed her hand pulling his wife to her feet then headed down the opposite hallway from the yelling toward the guest quarters of their dream home.

Grinning from ear to ear, Sam pulled her into the downstairs' guest bathroom. After locking the door, he attacked his wife's plump lips walking her over and pinning her against the far wall. Cupping his cheeks and standing on her toes, Mercedes brought him down into a deeper kiss. Nibbling on his bottom lip groaning Sam opened his mouth to her, and Mercedes' tongue found his.

She licked the roof of his mouth making his manhood jump. Backing out of the kiss Sam's wife went of his belt as he took off his T-shirt. He was back at her lips as his hands roamed over her backside; pulling up her maxi dress.

Turning her around Sam squatted down licking his lips staring at the pantie-less nether region. "Can it be wash day everyday?" He asked standing glancing at her face before he pulled the maxi dress off; his wife standing naked before him.

Mercedes chuckled pushing down his jeans and underwear over his butt. "It can but we would be so sore; not as young as we once were, baby." She playfully pinched his right butt cheek grinning slyly up at him.

"So right, my woman," Sam's lips went to refreshing his mark behind her ear as he lifted her up to straddle his thighs. Entering her, his lips wandered back to hers. Cupping the sides of her face, he thumbed the apples of her cheeks. "I love you, Mercedes," he gazed into her amber eyes.

Mercedes felt him start to thrust inside her. She ran small fingers through his blond locks; a moan caught in her throat. "Love you more," she whispered back, watching his honeydew colored eyes glaze over with passion. Her lips crashed into his the next instant both swallowing the others moans.

Mercedes couldn't help but grin stupidly as she thought back to a quickie they had done in the guest bathroom. It must have been that time when she conceived, because after that she had been very consistent with her birth control. Sam coming twice inside her had started her to worry about what would happen if she had gotten pregnant again. How it would make Sam feel?

He had made a point of the twins being the last and a few weeks after the bathroom tryst, Sam, going against her wishes, had a vasectomy putting the argument to rest at last. Well until she started to have stomach pains and cramps while in Paris, pains that weren't from her period, which she hadn't had in some time. She thought the lack of a monthly flow was due to the stress of the fashion show plus having the twins with her. Mercedes was on her fifth home pregnancy test when she came to the conclusion that she was pregnant again.

Continuing to look through the InStyle magazine, a smile came to her lips. She came across a picture of her in a grocery store with the twins. She had mistakenly taken all four children to the store with her. That will never happen again. The pic was of her trying to pull one twin from climbing up the milk freezer case. Shane's excuse; he wanted to see what was behind the shelves. The two older boys had filled the basket with chips, cookies, soda, Lunchables, and an assortment of candy.

Her eyes rolled but a small smile came to her lips. She had text Sam about his kids' shenanigans at the store and when they got home, their father was waiting. She'd never seen the babies so miserable when they were under punishment...their daddy's punishment. Sam was a lot harder on them than she was, so she only called on him if it was really out of hand and needed backup. They were outnumbered four soon to be five to two. If the children ever got a smidgen of smart they could stage a coo if need be. She hoped that day would never come.

Mercedes sat back in the chair in the office she shared with Santana. Tossing the magazine into her tote so she could show Sam when she returned home that night. She turned on her computer to do the numbers for this week and getting ready for the employees paychecks. Mercedes looked up when a knock came to the door.

"You don't have to knock, Cari," she called out going back to the computer, "Just come in."

"Hello, Ishq."

Her mouth went dry as panic rose within her; her fingers stilled on keyboard. Raising her eyes slowly from the screen to see Raul's coal black ones gazing down at her; her hands immediately went for her phone to call Sam.

Raul held up his hands in defensively, "I just want to talk," he stated coolly, sitting down in one of the chairs opposite the desk.

Mercedes couldn't take her eyes off him watching every bodily and facial twitch he made. "You have a restraining order. Twenty feet remember."

Raul gave her a calming smile that wasn't well received, "It expired."

Mercedes placed her hands over belly. "Look, Raul, I don't want any trouble; please, I'm pregnant."

"I can see that. Congratulations. What number is this... three?"

"Five. I...I had twins about five years ago." She paused at the sadness entering his eyes then a looming shadow. She had seen that shadow before many times color drain from her face.

"What do you want?" She repeated.

"Ease down. I don't want any trouble, I promise, Ishq. Like I said I just want to talk." The shadow had disappeared.

He sighed gazing at her longingly. "My probation is over and I'm going back to Milan. I guess I wanted to see you before I head off."

Mercedes watched him nervously; they held each other's eyes.

After a few minutes he spoke again, "I like what you've done with the place. It's beautiful...reflects you a lot."

"Thank you," Mercedes replied nervously. "Santana reflected here too-"

"Yeah I've seen her...influence," Raul interrupted. "Is she still…vocal?"

"If you mean she speaks her mind...yes that's Santana and will always be Santana."

"Some things never change," he chuckled. "Her brashness, your exquisite looks, I-"

Mercedes interrupted him, "Can you please just tell me what you want?" She wasn't up for this trip down memory lane especially when the memories weren't as pretty as he remembered.

She swallowed hard as the shadow came across his face once more. He never liked when she reprimanded him. Mercedes wrapped her arms tighter around her abdomen, waiting for the backlash.

Raul admittedly saw red. Here he was trying to be nice and all she could do was treat him like an attacker. He digressed, letting her rude remarks go.

"I guess there are a few things on my mind. You were always so...observant." There was a long pause that made chillbumps appear on her arms and a shiver ran down Mercedes' spine.

Raul continued. "If I had treated you differently would we be together."

"If you hadn't abused me then maybe...yes." Mercedes looked away choosing her words wisely. "I loved you, Raul, not because you jumped started my career. I will always be grateful to you for that. You were a good man when you weren't on a tirade."

Glancing back at him, Mercedes continued, "But Sam is the love of my life, even if I was with you there would always be a part of me that belongs to him." She said genuinely.

"You should have a person that can be that for you. I'm not that person, Raul. I'm sorry."

They sat in silence.

"Thank you, Mercedes, for letting me see you," he stood coming around the desk.

Mercedes stood quickly her hands over her belly protecting her unborn child. She shook slightly.

"I'm sorry," leaning down, he cupped her right cheek kissing the apple. He stroked it with his thumb. He eyed the faint scar that would forever mark her lovely features. "Maybe in another life, we would be very happy together?" Raul asked hopefully.

Swallowing hard she nodded "Maybe," Mercedes tried her best to smile up at him.

Raul left her a few minutes later, and shaky hands began to finish up the books.

Mercedes was still lost in her thoughts as she brushed her teeth that night. She jumped when her husband whispered in her ear.

"I'm going to keep you preggers, Cede, your ass is like...DAMN."

"Shut up, Sam."

"Only if you let me bite it," he smirked at her through the mirror lifting the back of her nightshirt and playfully smacking her right butt cheek. Sam wrapped his arms around her waist.

Rolling her eyes at his lame attempt at a joke, "You bite it all the time," Mercedes said trying to shrug him off but he just held on tighter almost straddling her and placing his chin on the crown of her head. She gave up in a huff.

"Guess I don't have to shut up then." His hands pulled up her nightshirt tenderly rubbing her belly, lovingly nuzzle her neck with his nose. Sam licked his mark behind her ear on his way to refreshing it.

"Remember this...," she playfully pinched his hand that was slipping into the front of her underwear. "...is what got us five kids."

"Right." Sam quickly removed hands and back away as if she was a pariah. "We're done at five, right?"

"Right...but doesn't mean we can't play," she smiled winking at her husband reflection as she finished up with her teeth. Sitting herself on the counter she watched him prepare to brush his.

"I had a visitor at the store today," she said quietly.

Sam raised a dark blond eyebrow, "Santana?"

"No," Mercedes rolled her eyes. "Tana is getting better at coming in. Brittany just had their third child, you can't blame her."

Sam snorted, mimicking his wife's eye roll as he brushed his molars.

"This coming from the man that would have breast fed the twins if he could." She crossed her arms setting them on her three in a half month belly.

Sam kissed her cheek getting toothpaste foam on it. "Can't blame me; I had my reasons, Woman." He chuckled at her disgruntled face as she wiped of the foam with her hands. "And you best believe I would have if I lactated. Don't know why men have nipples; like what's the point." He looked down at his bare chest. "I think they maybe be crooked."

Mercedes laughed her nose and eyes crinkled watching him, the toothbrush hang out of his mouth as he squeezed his pecs.

"I love your crooked nipples, Samwise," Mercedes cooed.

Sam beamed at her. Making her laugh was always the best thing he could ask for. Most of his antics in high school were to see if he could put a smile on her face.

Sam rinsed his mouth and finish up with his teeth. He placed a hand on either side of her thighs lowering his head to hers. Eskimo kissing then pecking her scrunched up nose, he asked, "Who visited you?" Sam grew concerned when the smile he gave her vanished before his eyes.

"Yawne," he whispered gently; her whole demeanor changed to a frighten five year old that had just seen the Boogeyman.

Mercedes lowered her eyes, "Raul came by the store today."

She felt him leave her cursing loudly but was back. His platter size hands on each side of her face lifting it to his, his honeydew eyes searching her body for any harm Raul might have done.

"Are you okay? Did he hurt you? Did he touch you? How did he get there; I thought we had a restraining order?" Sam's questions all ran together.

"It expired. And I'm fine Raul didn't hurt me just scared the living daylights out of me. He kissed my cheek before leaving though."

Sam's hands dropped to his side fisting and un-fisting; he's eyes narrowed in disbelief. "He kissed you?!" His insecurities of her being with another flooded back in heavy waves.

"On the cheek, only on the cheek, Sam." She moved off the counter taking his hands in hers intertwining their fingers then bringing them to her chest.

Her simple touch calmed Sam to a simmer.

"His probation was over and he wanted to say goodbye before leaving for Milan," Mercedes explained.

"Has he left?!"

She shook her head, "I'm not sure, why?"

"We should call the police tell them he has harassed you again." Sam left the bathroom.

Mercedes went after him, "Sam, no," she came around him placing her hands on his bare chest holding him at bay from their charging mobiles.

"No, what?!" He snapped at her.

"I don't want the police involved, Sam," she folded her arms.

"Why the hell not; he could of attacked you!"

"But he didn't," she replied quietly.

Sam was fuming, "He could of attacked the baby, Mercedes."

"Sam, stop it." Mercedes glared, "I think he...he is beginning to understand what happened between us. What went wrong, you know."

"What does he want?"

"Nothing, I mean he wanted to say goodbye and that's what he did. He left right after. I can't fault him for doing that."

Sam's nostrils flared, "What about the other shit he has done, Mercedes?" His eyes flickered to the faint scar right under the mole on her cheek. "He gets a pass with that?! Why...why do you stay defending him, huh, after everything?! WHY ARE YOU STILL PROTECTING HIM?!"

Mercedes glanced away, hugging herself, knowing he was right, "I can't fault him, Sam." She said in barely a whisper. "If that is what it took to get him out of our lives for good then so be it."

Sam looked at his phone then at his wife who was trembling slightly. He embraced her holding her tightly to him. "I'll call up the detective that was over our case; he can shadow him and make sure he leaves." He pulled back so he could gaze at her face. "I would feel better about this whole thing if I could guarantee he is out of our lives for good."

Mercedes nodded, "I don't want to cause trouble, Sam, if Raul is gone on his own way. Just let it be, please."

"I can't do that, Mercedes. You are too important to me." He let her go heading toward the door. "Going to check the doors."

Coming back he found Mercedes dressed and packing a small suitcase. "What's this?"

"I have to go see mom," Mercedes said taking a few handfuls of underwear out if her drawer.

Concern read on his face, "Why? Is something wrong with her?"

"No, it's me, I just need to ask her something."

Sam took her hand leading her to their small sitting area of their bedroom. "And a phone call wouldn't do?" He sat down on the couch in front of their bed pulling her onto his lap. "What is this about, Mercedes, truth."

"I need to ask her advice on this and sometimes, Sam, even as grown as I am, sometimes a girl just needs her parents." She saw his shoulders sink. "Will you be okay with the kids; you can send them to your parents if you get overwhelmed."

"I can handle my own children, Mercedes," Sam said curtly, running a hand over his face. "What I can't seem to handle is my wife leaving in the middle of the night. I told you I will protect you."

"I know you will, baby, I know, but I need my mom." Mercedes moved off him.

Sam was right after her, "Then call her and tell her to come here."

Mercedes scoffed, "Sam-"

"I said No, Mercedes," he interrupted her. "I don't want you going anywhere."

"I can take care of-"

"We aren't having that conversation again." Sam began taking her clothes out if the suitcases only for them to be snatched out of his hand by his petite wife.

"You need to stop treating me like I don't know what I'm doing." She hissed.

"I'm all for mom coming here to see you. What I don't want is you leaving not with what is going on."

"Why?"

"I just said-"

"No," Mercedes held up her hand in his face before pointing a tiny finger at him. "I heard that shitfaced lie before, Samuel Evans, why can't I go to see my mom? Why does she have to come here?"

"The time before last you traveled alone is when you got that scar, Mercedes. And I'll be damn if that happens again."

"Raul-"

"Sorry but you don't get to tell me not to worry about him. Not with the shit he has pulled. Not with the shit he is capable of pulling again. You will stay here and it finale." Taking the clothes back and putting them in her drawer. He heard their door slam.

Sam woke up the next morning groggy and grumpy. Mercedes had left him to sleep by himself after locking and taking the key inside the guest bedroom with her. He never slept well without her. Groaning, he maneuvered his way out of bed, adjusting his morning wood in his boxer briefs. Mercedes would have taken care of his situation.

Sam relieved himself; washing his hands, he began to brush his teeth. He hoped Mercedes was in a better mood this morning but remembering their fight in high school Mercedes could stew for days. It was too bad; he wasn't going to budge not this time.

All he knew is Raul could be watching her, the house, and waiting for them to slip up. Raul could snatch her and leave for Milan and he would never see his wife again. Sam scoffed as if that was even capable in this day in age; though he wondered if Raul would have the audacity to try something like that. He had already come to her job. What is stopping him from anything else. What is he capable of?

A lot. His inner voice answered. Sighing, he did a first rinse of his mouth before continuing to brush; Mercedes can look after herself.

"No you have to be strong, Sam. Don't cave. The safety of your wife and unborn child depends on it," he muttered to himself with a mouth full of foam.

Sam had spoken to the detective last night after he was denied entry into the guest room. The detective was on the case and would report back if he found anything.

Rinsing out his mouth, Sam washed his face, dressing in soft flannel pajama bottoms, his wife always took the tops, and t-shirt. Wandering into the kitchen, he found his family getting ready for a hearty breakfast, his wife was cooking, manning a six burner gas stove. Walking over, he bent his head to kiss her temple. He felt the tension radiate off her.

"You being angry isn't good for the baby," he whispered in her ear.

Mercedes didn't response as she slowly stirred the soft scrambled eggs.

Sam greeted the rest of his family and sat down at the nook table. His eyes wandering back to his wife.

"What did you do?" Simeon asked.

"What?" Sam raised an eyebrow.

"Mom was fine 'til you came in..." the teen remarked the situation, "...what did you do?"

"That's between your mom and I, Noseybutt,"

"But mom slept in the guest room, she never does that." The eldest son pressed.

"I snore." Sam lied.

Simeon rolled his dark grey eyes, looking most like his mother when he did. "Really, Dad."

"Look, I don't want you involved-"

Sam's son pressed on, "But you made me, I'm as much as involved as you can get."

"Listen, smartass-" Sam stopped when he plate landed in front of him.

"You both need to stop," Mercedes told them in a dangerously quiet voice. She placed a plate in front of Simeon eyeing them both.

The two sat back quietly and began to eat. Sam watched through the corner of his eye, his wife serve the other children before making herself at breakfast sandwich.

"You're not joining us?" He asked nonchalantly.

Mercedes shook her head. "No, I have to get to the store to open it…well make sure Cari opened it properly." She started for the exit of the kitchen only to feel Sam's hand at the small of her back as they walked back to their bedroom.

"I'll drive you."

Mercedes held her tongue, not wanting to cause a scene in front of the children. But once inside their room she advanced on him.

"I can drive myself. I don't need a chaperone."

Sam ignored her for the most part, going to the closet to get dressed. "I know that. I haven't been to store in a while wanted to see what's new."

"You were there just two weeks ago."

"Yeah but a lot can happen in two weeks…how does Klum put it. "One day you're in the next day you're out". I could have missed a lot in fashion time." Sam heard a low growl. He was pushing buttons, he had to thread carefully.

"Maybe we can pick up some lunch and go shopping for the kids during lunchtime?" He started on a lighter note.

Mercedes didn't answer him.

Back on the silent treatment he sighed. He hated the silent treatment.

Mercedes watched her husband as she manned the cash register; the store extra busy due to her husband standing outside attracting people, mostly women and a few men, inside. She would admit she'd liked having him here besides bringing in more business but also just with here for nothing less than being her rock. And if Raul came back well Sam had a mean right hook if she remembered correctly.

Mercedes was still angry at him. After telling him she was skipping lunch to work on the books, Sam took it upon himself to carry her like a sack of potatoes through her store. Needless to say lunch was a miss in rekindling their relationship.

Sam tried his hardest to get his wife to talk to him but it all went in vain. Nothing he said or did received a response from her. At the end she paid the check and he was still in the dog house. So in turn, Sam stayed outside and ushered potential customers inside in hope he will at least be able earn himself in to sleep on the couch in their bedroom.

Sam came in just before closing sitting in the sitting area the men sat at while waiting for their wives and girlfriends. He watched Mercedes ring up customer after customer with a genuine smile on her face. He missed it when it was reflected his way.

"You should stop starin' so hard; she's married."

Sam looked up to see to see a blue haired later in life woman leaning on a craved maple cane. He stood up offering her his seat which she promptly blew off.

"I'm sorry I didn't catch that?" Sam asked sitting back down.

"The pretty thing behind the counter you're going googly-eyes over." She pointed with her cane. "She's married; I saw the ring, and a nice ring at that. She won't be leaving that sort for the likes of you."

Sam snorted quietly. "Ma'am, I'm sorry if I was staring too hard at my-"

"At another man's wife. How rude is that?" She scolded. "Would you like it if it was done to your wife?" Her dark hazel eyes flickered to the wedding band he wore.

"Actually it does happen to my wife." Sam moved over and insisted the old woman to sit beside him. "My wife," his eyes darted over to Mercedes, "is the most beautiful person I ever laid eyes on. She has a smile that can light up a room. Unfortunately, I won't be seeing that smile for a while." He sighed.

"In the dog house are we."

"Yeah. Any advice?"

The old woman thought for minute or so. "Say you're sorry."

"What if I'm right?"

"When you're married you're always wrong." She smiled standing. "Marriage isn't about right and wrong. It's about who apologizes first..." She started slowly away. "And the makeup sex that comes after." She winked at him.

Children are a blessing in many ways. One to keep a household from a long awkward silence like the car ride home was. Screaming twins made their way to table; dinner was ready.

"Spat-getti," Shane grinned the two front teeth gone.

Sam began dishing out the dinner passing each child a plate. He watched Mercedes dig into a salad.

"You need some protein," he spoke to her over the table chatter.

"I have chicken on my salad." She replied simply.

Sam loaded a saucer of the chunky meat sauce, "Pass this to your mother." He handed the plate to Micah, who passed it to Simeon, who sat next to Mercedes.

Mercedes turned her eyes from her salad to her eldest; warning him silently glowering.

Simeon gulped, looking nervously from his mom to the plate to his dad. "Mom, doesn't want it...I'll take it," he scraped the extra sauce on his plate.

"Mercedes..." Sam began.

His wife's fork clattered to her plate. The table froze even the twins who had more sauce on them than in their bellies fell silent. The children looked between their parents.

Rubbing her temples, "What now, Sam?"

"I'm sorry." Sam apologized. He watched as she stopped massaging her head and look up at him.

"What," Mercedes asked confused.

Sam cleared his throat, "I'm sorry about last night. I still don't want you to go but if it will make you feel safer then go."

Mercedes blinked rapidly taken aback. "Where is this coming from, Sam?"

"What do you mean?"

"You apologizing. Telling me to go see mom-"

"I want to see Grandmother," Shade piped up.

"Eat your dinner," Mercedes snapped not taking her eyes off her husband. "Sam?"

"Look, I want you to be happy, and not angry with me. You know I don't like the silent treatment, Mercedes." His green eyes pleaded with her. Sam watched her eyes soften.

"Can we at least call a truce? I can't sleep by myself tonight."

"Gross," Simeon muttered taking a bite of pea salad.

"No one asked your opinion." Mercedes told him with a slight smile.

"Dad, do you have a nightlight too," Micah snickered.

"No comments from the peanut gallery," Sam chuckled flicking Micah's ear. "You'll understand when you get your first girlfriend."

"Nuh-huh, I don't want any teen baby mamas." Mercedes warned. "I will not help you. You will be homeless if you get a girl pregnant." She eyed the older two.

"Correction." Sam added, "You'll understand when you're married...and have a job...and your own place. I don't want reruns of The Cosby Show being reenacted in my home."

"Well that's one way to have the talk," Simeon sighed. His parents snorted.

"What are you watching?" Sam asked coming in their bedroom later that evening. The household was just starting to settle down for the night. The screaming was just under a jackhammer on the Decibel Level chart.

"Dancing With The Stars. It's a pretty good line up this season. I'm rooting for Amber," Mercedes answered as she lay cuddled in a ball on the sofa.

Sam watched a few frames before heading to the bathroom to change. He returned sitting down beside her, moving to lay down using her bottom as a pillow.

"I have gas, Sam," Mercedes confessed.

"We've been married for almost thirteen years, there's nothing new under the sun." He squeezed and played with her bottom as if fluffing a pillow. Sam settled back down.

"You good?"

"Never better, Yawne."

They finished watching the show. Mercedes' fave having received a twenty-seven.

"You voted for her yet?" Sam asked sitting up. He saw her nod then start flipping the channels. Biting the inside of his lower lip, Sam glance her way. "You want me to help you pack?" He asked softly.

"No. I'm staying." Mercedes sighed chancing him a look. "I figured you probably do know and want what's best for this situation...and you just want to protect me because you couldn't last time." She looked up at him.

"It still hurts that you couldn't, doesn't it, Sam," Mercedes asked watching him look away.

She sat up sitting close to him, linking his arm in hers. Mercedes laid her head on his shoulder hearing him sniff and waiting for him to speak.

"I know its primitive, Mercedes," Sam spoke some minutes later. "But yeah, it hurts that someone was able to hurt you in that way. I wasn't there to take care of you."

"I just...I need Raul to be permanently out of our lives. I need that reassurance. I won't be satisfied unless I know he's gone for good this time."

Mercedes waited until she was sure he was done talking. She felt him relax. "Okay, Sam," she moved so she could make eye contact. "I'm with you on this."

Sam leaned over placing his head against hers, "Thank you, Yawne, for understanding."

Mercedes cupped his cheek and pecked his full lips. "I'll always try to, Sam. Even if it doesn't make sense at first."

Mercedes' husband secured a hand on her nap bringing her lips back to his. Wrapping his other arm around her waist, he leaned back so she fit on top of him perfectly. A makeout makeup session was in full swing that was until the twins barged in ready for bed.

Sighing, the couple separated as Shane and Shade launched themselves on their parents' bed.

"Where's the remote?" Shane inquired.

Mercedes got up handing over the device on her way to the bathroom. Shade switched the TV from the nightly news to the DVR, searching for their bedtime shows.

"You two know you have rooms with beds in them." Sam said grumpily.

Shane nodded. "Yeah but we sleep with mommy like in Milan."

"But you aren't in Milan so take your tushes up stairs." Sam jerked his thumb to the door.

Shade shook her head, " Mommy says-"

Sam cut her off as he got up. "This is Mommy and Daddy's room." He grabbed both twins under their stomachs carrying them to the door. "Thing 1 and Thing 2's name isn't anywhere near here."

Shade stuck out her bottom lip and began to wail. Mercedes came out of the bathroom dressed for bed.

"What's going on?!"

Sam turned to face her, "I am taking Things too their room." He adjusted suddenly calmed Shade in his arm and she wiggled reaching for her mother.

Mercedes tried to take her daughter but Sam moved away, "Why?"

"Because they need to learn to sleep in their own room, Cede. I don't share my bed...except for you." He aside when Mercedes' eyebrow quirked as her arms crossed.

"They haven't even watched their bedtime show." Mercedes told him.

"And?"

"Don't "and?" me you're not on my level where you can "and?" and get away with it." Mercedes pointed to the ground for him to put the kids down, which he slowly did. "They are going to watch their show then they are going upstairs to sleep." She warned as the children scrambled out if their father's arms and over to theirs parents bed.

"They are going to pretend to be sleep you know that."

"Yeah but they don't mean anything by this Sam. Besides, you were the one that started this tradition of lulling our babies to sleep through Batman: The Animated Series and Justice League."

Sam bent down kissing her lips. "You just love being right don't you," he teased.

"Actually, I love being wrong; the spankings are a perk," she winked at him before joining the twins on the bed.

Thirty minutes later just as Sam predicted, Thing 1 and Thing 2 tried with all their might to pretend to be asleep.

"Come on you two you're going to get Mommy in trouble with Daddy. You promised him." Mercedes smiled, "Give Daddy a good night hug and tell him thank you for letting you watch your show."

Shane gave his father a hug and whispered a meek thank you. Shade on the other hand hugged and gave Sam a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you Daddy for letting me watch Batman but not for letting me stay." Shade pouted.

"You know what, Smartbutt..." Sam tossed her over to the other side of the bed. "get out."

Mercedes snorted laughing at Sam's disgruntled face. She held out her hands taking the children to their rooms. She was back in twenty minutes. Slipping into the bed she was immediately pinned on her back and kissed heatedly.

Breaking the kiss, Sam gazed down at her. "I don't like it when we fight, Mercedes."

"I don't either."

"I also don't like when you make me sleep by myself."

"Sam-"

"I'm serious. Fighting is already punishing enough because you're angry with me or I you. Then making me sleep by myself." He sighed, "That was the last time you do that...I'll break the door down."

"Sam you can't give me an ultimatum."

"It's not an ultin-ultimatum, Mercedes; I'm telling you-"

Mercedes' dark topaz eyes narrowed, "Excuse you, you mean asking me-"

Sam shook his head, "No, I'm telling you it's the last time."

"Let me up."

Sam moved off her. "Mercedes-"

Moving away she turned off her light basking them in darkness, "Night, Sam."

"Nope," Sam moved to turn on his side table light, "This discussion isn't over."

"Says the child." Mercedes mumbled from under the covers.

"So funny," Sam rolled his eyes. "We are going to have this out. Now promise me you won't do it again."

"Sam-"

"Promise me." He deadpanned.

Mercedes sat up; frustrated at Sam persistence. "I'm not going to do that. Sometimes I need space to calm down and I may still be upset by bedtime. So no I can't promise you that."

Sullenly, Sam stared at her before shaking his head. "I ask for one thing and you can't give me it. It's not like I'm asking for makeup sex-"

"You are a cuddler, Sam, and if I'm angry with you the last thing I want is you touching me."

"I'm not that bad!" Sam cried.

Mercedes scoffed rolling her eyes, "I wake up hot as hell sometimes because there is a human blanket on me not to mention the drool on my face that isn't mine."

"That was one time with the drool!"

Smacking her lips, Mercedes' eyes narrowed, "Don't even play."

"Twice then."

Mercedes chuckled, "We have been married over twelve years, Sam. I have collected more drool from you than with all four kids."

"Fine, would it be better if you drooled on me?" He asked.

"Ewe no. I don't wish warm mouth liquid on anyone."

The two eyed each other for a good minute before bursting into laughter.

"I still don't want to be separated, Cede, please," Sam made his laurel eyes turn into sad pleading puppy eyes.

"Okay, no guest room but you will be sleeping on the couch." She pointed to the sitting area as a compromise.

"Deal." Sam stuck out his hand. Once Mercedes took it he yanked her playfully forward capturing her mouth.

The pack didn't work out well. Mercedes still woke up with a human blanket covering her. She just let it go as a lost battle.

Two years later

Saturday mornings were busy. The whole family was up before ten the twins up at six for vintage Saturday morning cartoons and giant bowls of cereal. Simeon, Micah and the twins all played in the neighborhood soccer league. Simeon and Micah being only two years apart were on the same team, along with Simeon's best friend since birth Mykal. The two were practically inseparable. It was pretty clear to the parents: Mercedes, Sam, Brittany, and Santana, that each child had a crush on the other but was too afraid to test the water.

Mercedes sat on the bleachers with six year old Shade, who had game later that day. A row up sat Brittany with five year old Horace and three year old Remy. They all watched Shane's team play.

"Santana says they are up by one." Brittany informed her friend.

"Great," Mercedes smiled. "If they win that game they go to county."

"Yeah that would be amazing."

Mercedes glanced over at Shade who was playing on the family iPad. "That better be homework, missy. I saw your grade in history."

"Sleepy Hollow, takes place during the Revolutionary War, Mom. It's a historical show."

"Don't let me text your father." Mercedes warned. "I want to see you do well."

Shade nodded changing the screen to the history textbook app.

Mercedes smiled, "Study for ten more minutes and if you can get my history questions right you can watch the rest of the show." Her daughter beamed up at her and started to buckle down engrossing herself in the lesson.

A cross the way on another set of bleachers sat Sam Evans busting a gut as Santana Lopez the coach for his sons and her daughter soccer team was given another warning of foul language. He wiped tears from his eyes before bouncing two year old Mahalia on his lap. Sam stopped the video on his phone from recording.

"Let's send this to Mommy, Lia," he kissed his daughter's golden curls.

Mahalia was the spitting image of her father though her skin was tanner. She had his green eyes and blonde locks even his full lips. Both his girls were the best of both worlds; Shade looked exactly like her mother and Mahalia looked like a female version of her father, though Mahalia could pass for a lion cub when her hair was full and free.

Sam sent the text message and a few minutes later received an answer. Brittany says you need to put it on YouTube.

Santana will kill all of us you know that.

True. Send it to Finn, Kurt and Tina. They will get a kick out of it.

Sounds like a plan. Sam beamed at the icon of his wife blowing a kiss at him. He sent the video clip to their friends and started to thumb through old pictures of them coming across ones from high school. "Lia, look at Mommy from high school…damn we were young." He continued looking up ever so often to watch and cheer on his sons. Before long the games were over and the two groups met up at the cars.

"We are going to county!" Micah exclaimed running up and hugging his mother.

"AWESOME!" Mercedes high-fived him, then Simeon and Mykal. "Shane's team lost but we will get them next time," she drew the disgruntled six year old to her side.

"Hey, winning isn't everything," Simeon said. "Unless you're a winner-OUCH!" he cried rubbing the back of his head.

"That's just rude, Simeon," Mykal scolded.

The parents exchanged knowing looks.

"He's your brother that just lost you're supposed to cheer him up."

"Shane knows I was playing with him," the fourteen year old countered. "You know I was playin', Shane."

Shane shook his head.

Mykal's blue eyes soften, "You need to apologize, Simeon."

"Ugh I hated when you do this, woman." He groaned practically stomping his feet in protest. "Sorry, kid. You'll to better next time." He patted his brother on the shoulder. "You happy now," he asked Mykal before getting into the Lopez-Pierce SUV.

"Maybe." Mykal answered.

"That was highly entertaining," Santana snorted as the rest giggled quietly as to not to draw attention to the budding couple.

"Mercedes, look." Sam's phone shown bright in the pitch black of their bedroom.

Mercedes opened her eyes to see herself at eighteen standing with Sam at prom. "What about it, Sam…it's been a long day."

"Yeah, I know, but look…" Sam moved closer resting his head beside hers. "Look at how young we were."

Rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand, Mercedes looked at the picture clearly. "Are you trying to make me feel old?"

"You are old…Ooofff." Sam grunted taking an elbow to the stomach. "But you look the same," he whimpered then cleared his throat. Thumbing the picture it went to him, Mercedes, Finn and Rachel, singing on stage. "You remember that song."

"Yeah…it was our first duet, sort of, if Rachel and Finn weren't singing with us." Mercedes thumbed another picture that was just a close up of the two singing to each other as if they were the only ones in the room. "It's like catching lightening; the chances of findingsomeone like you…" she whispered the melody.

"It's one in a million, the chances of feeling the way we do." Sam sang back.

"And with every step together, we just keep on getting better." They sang together, then giggled that they had both remembered the lyrics of a song so long ago.

"I guess that should have been our theme song." Mercedes smiled turning to face her husband. "It all started when you asked me to dance, Sam. Thank you for seeing me."

Sam nodded. "I always saw you, Yawne, just getting the courage was my thing." He brushed his lips across hers. "Glad I found it; wouldn't have much of nothing without you in my life. I'm very grateful to you for it."

"You would have been fine."

"Yeah but not happy." Sam smiled at her in the soft glow of his mobile light. "I love you, my woman."

Mercedes snorted, "Ditto, Samwise," she hugged him tight. "forever and ever after."

A/N: Not much of a ending Author's Note, since I have tears in my eyes writing the last bit. Just to know that I love this version of SamCedes they hold a special place in my heart being my first fanfic and all. But I close this chapter, for now. Who knows years from now there may be an update with these two in rocking chairs. LOL. Thank you all again for reading and coming on this journey with me. TWMA (Til we meet again)

Note: Can I Have This Dance HSM3