Can you believe they sent New Directions to an amusement park and no scene at the tilt-a-whirl? Me neither so here goes.

Mercedes Jones sat on a bench at Six Flags, the unicorn on Noah's ark. As usual, her friends were paired up, two by two. Rachel and Finn, Mike and Tina, Kurt and Blaine, Puck and Sugar (since Rory stayed in school), Santana and Britt. Sam and Quinn. Wait, Quinn ditched them to hang with Artie. Well Sam and some other scrawny girl no doubt, maybe one from swim team. The hell with Sam. Didn't he remember Kevin Costner dragged Whitney off the plane at the end of that movie? No, it didn't have flying blue giants so he probably didn't notice.

The horde of them stood up, laughing and giggling, and moved on to the next ride. Mercedes stayed behind. She was bored and tired. She's not one for roller coasters and riding solo on the ferris wheel is pathetic so she looked around for a shady spot. Her plans for the rest of the afternoon involved sitting under a tree and finishing her book. She half, really less than half, expected someone to ask if she was coming along but no, they galloped away towards the Death Star, or whatever the hell they were riding next. She opened her book. Mrs. Coulter was up to no good, that's for sure, but what exactly? She looked up when a shadow fell across the page.

"What are you reading?" She looked up. She had to squint because the sun was behind him, but there was Sam bathed in sunlight. Figures.

"A book." she answered.

"Really?" He sat down next to her and stared at the carousel. "I always wondered what those things are called. They have a whole room full of them at school, did you know that?"

"Sorry, didn't mean to be a smart ass. It's called Northern Lights."

"What is it? A romance novel set in Alaska?"

"No, it's kind of an alternate universe with this girl has to rescue a bunch of little kids. Witches and gypsies and armor plated bears." He was looking at her, his green eyes smiling. Okay, maybe the bit about the bears was a bit much.

"Was her name Liza DeLacroix?"

"Lyra Belacqua." She answered. "You read it?"

"I read it to Stacey. I don't remember the title, and the book had a girl on the cover, that's why we picked it up at the library. I distinctly remember the bears." He looked at the carousel again. "You won't like it. The ending, that is the end of the third book, is sad. You like happy endings."

"I'm getting used to sad endings." She joined him in staring at the children riding on the carousel. "Why aren't you with them?"

"I didn't want to ride what they're riding next. Then I noticed we'd lost you so...here I am."

"Where are they going?"

"Tilt-a-whirl." He said looking at her, sniffling a little. Mercedes looked at his sad green eyes. "Allergies. Always happens this time of the year. Don't look at me like - that's so pitiful I broke your heart. My heart's just fine, thank you very much."

"Glad to hear it."

"Anyway, you know me and the tilt-a-whirl."

begin flashback

It was early summer, right before he found out they were leaving, and the carnival was in town. Looking back, it was the happiest day of her life. The night before they sat on her front porch and Sam told her he loved her, and for once she believed him. They sat there, holding hands, watching the fireflies. Sam was spending the night at her house. On the sofa with Stevie and Stacey, so they could get an early start to the carnival, but still. He was spending the night. The sweetest, kindest, hottest boy in Lima Ohio was in love with her.

Her father flicked the porch lights.

"I'm afraid to go to sleep." She whispered. "I'm afraid none of this is real. Will you be here when I wake up?"

"Always. That's what I want more than anything, to watch you wake up."

"My dad's not about to let that happen, not tonight."

"Then I'll have something to look forward to." He kissed her in a way that rattled her soul. "Goodnight, baby."

"Goodnight."

Bright and early her mother made pancakes. Mercedes couldn't remember the last time her mom made pancakes, with fruit smiley faces yet, but she didn't complain. Maybe it was Stevie and Stacey, it's been years since little kids lived in the house, and like little kids they trooped to the carnival with their backpacks and water bottles.

The four of them stood in front of the tilt-a-whirl.

"I'm not getting on that!" Mercedes said firmly. "Tilt-n-hurl, that's what they should call it. Oh no, not this girl!"

"But it's fun!" Stacey insisted.

"Why don't you guys get on?" Sam suggested. "Mercedes and I can watch you from here."

"No! Sammy, please!" Stevie whined. "Mercedes can watch us from here. Please, please, please?"

Just standing by the fence, watching, made Mercedes nauseated. What do people see in that she wondered. She waved when they came by but otherwise tried not to watch. She did notice Sam didn't bounce off the ride as quickly as Stacey and Stevie did.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, just a second." He clutched the fence.

Mercedes wrapped on arm around his waist, he held on to her shoulders. "Let's just sit down for a minute." She said, guiding him to the nearest bench. Sam was wondering how she managed to be so soft and so strong at the same time. She was mostly supporting his weight, half-dragging him to the bench. Damn he hated that ride. They reached the bench just before he doubled over and threw up, all over her shoes.

"Stacey, Stevie! Here, take this money and go buy a cup of ice and grab as many napkins as you can." She watched them walk away. "Hold hands!" she yelled after them. She pulled a water bottle out of Sam's bag.

"Swish and spit." She ordered. "You'll feel better."

"This is so embarrassing." He groaned. "You told me not to eat that chili-dog."

"No, I told you not to get on the tilt-a-whirl."

"Look at you shoes! This is the worst first date ever."

"Most memorable first date ever. I know I'll never forget it. You want more water?"

"Thank you." He took a sip of water and twisted the bottle in his hands. "You're not having second thoughts, are you? I know we've only been official for one night but you're not having second thoughts, are you?"

"About you, Sam Evans? Never. Also never gonna ride the tilt-a-whirl. Never."

end flashback

"You having second thoughts?" he asked, staring into her brown eyes.

"About the tilt-a-whirl? No. Never gonna do it."

"About that song you sang, you know the one I mean. I forgive you for that, just so you know." He stretched out his long legs. "No matter what you decide to do Mercy, I forgive you."

"Still not getting on the tilt-a-whirl." She said stubbornly, but with a small smile. "And thanks."

"How about the carousel?" He stood up and offered her his hand. "I promise not to hurl."

"Damn you Sam Evans, and your sweet talk." She held his hand as they walked to the carousel. "These are new shoes so I'm holding you to that promise."

"I intend to keep all of my promises, including the one to fight for you. How am I doing?" He winked at her. "Pretty smooth, huh?"

"Yeah, that was smooth." She squeezed his hand. "You've got the moves alright."

"Like Jagger! And I've got some nobody's ever seen before." He put his arm around her. "So is this the part where we kiss and make out?"

"Kiss and make up, Sam." she laughed. "It's kiss and make up."

"I think my way's better." He pulled her close and kissed her, right in the middle of the fairway, a kiss that wiped away all memories of Shane.

"How 'bout we skip the carousel and go directly to the Tunnel of Love?" Sam's idea was sounding pretty good.

The End

Silly me, I just checked and I'm thinking of how the music video ended, not the movie. If you know how "Best Little Wh*rehouse in Texas", where Dolly Parton sang this to Burt Reynolds, ended please let me know. In my mind Mercedes didn't mean it as "hit the road jack" she meant "I need time to think". Who knows what the Glee writers meant. They seem to forget that just the mention of 'titl-a-whirl' used to get them both hot and bothered.

Also the reason Sam didn't recognize the book is Phillip Pullman's book is called Northern Lights in England and The Golden Compass in America.