And I'd Do It Again

What's Your Truth?

Mike waited for Quinn to answer her phone. He knew it was late in Connecticut but it was the only time he had free until eleven the next morning. After a few more rings, he heard her tinkling tones.

"Q-Card?"

"Mike&Ike? Hey!"

"Thank goodness you answered! I need some advice."

"Is it about Mercy?"

"How'd you know?" Mike was surprised.

"Just a hunch. So you want tips on how to get her to see you as a guy instead of little Mikey?"

Surprise turned to amazement. "You are psychic!"

She laughed. "No, I just know about the crush. I figured it might have grown. Thanksgiving proved that."

"She told you." It wasn't a question.

"She did. Days after your fight."

"She told you that, too."

"Yup." A beat. "Michael Chang, have you lost your mind?!"

Mike flinched. "What'd I do?"

"You should have talked to me! I could have prepared you! By the time she came to see you, you would have had answers for every excuse she threw up. It's like you've forgotten the past fifteen years!"

He hung his head. "I know. I just lost my temper when she started talking about Sam and T. Then when she brought up Puck, I lost my mind. I can't believe she was with him!"

"Are you jealous?" Quinn's voice was filled with mirth.

"Yes!" He blew out a breath. "I just don't understand how she can have a relationship with Puck that borders on marriage but she can't even think about dating me!"

He could hear Quinn bite back something. "To be fair, it's Puck. They have a history like the three of us do but it's different because of how he is. It's sexual but it's also genuine friendship. I don't think they'll go much further than whatever they have. Whenever she gets married, her husband is going to have to deal with their particular brand of friendship but that's all it is. A friendship. Just like he'd have to deal with our friendship. Unless the guy is you."

He blinked at the speech. "Me?"

Quinn laughed. "I'm joking!"

"Oh?"

"Oh? Why "oh?"? Do you think about being her husband?"

He gave a nervous laugh. "Yesterday this couple thought we were together."

"And it got you to thinking about marriage?" Quinn sounded confused.

"At first no." He frowned. "Then the guy said something about once I marry her, things would be different. And the woman said we'd have cute kids. Actually she said great looking."

Quinn laughed. "So you put yourself in the role of husband and saw your future kids?"

"Kinda." He ran a hand over the back of his neck. "I finally see what Sam was talking about all those times."

He could hear her roll her eyes. "Sam has commitment issues. As in he always wants to commit! Don't align yourself with him."

"I'm not! I swear! After what he did to Mercy, he's barely a bud."

"I'm no longer talking to him. I refuse to acknowledge him after finding out about him and Brittany. I mean Brittany?!" She scoffed. "He just seems to have lost his mind this year!"

"He's not the only one!" Mike bit off. "T and Artie are off the deep end, too."

"I guess being in high school keeps you immature." She sighed. "So I think you should have a game plan with Merce."

"I'm in. What do I do?"

M&MC

"How are things with Mr. Abtastic?" Santana asked.

Mercedes turned from smoothing out her dress for Ms. Pillsbury and Mr. Shue's wedding. "Really great. It's strange though."

"How so?" Santana looked over her shoulder.

"Looking for Rachel and Kurt?" Mercedes raised an eyebrow. "How's living with those two?"

"Hell!" Santana made a face. "But don't change the subject!"

Mercedes smirked. "Sometimes I feel like we're dating. I have to stop myself from kissing him a lot. I dream about him even."

"So why aren't you two together?!"

"Just because a man and a woman are friends doesn't mean it should be more."

Santana sighed heavily. "I know that, heifa! But you and Chang could really have something. Don't be afraid to try because you think you'll miss up the friendship."

Mercedes scratched her head. "Do you really think I should try?"

"I do."

"I guess I need to talk to him then." She sat in her desk chair. "If he still wants me..."

"I will reach through this computer screen..."

Mercedes blinked then huffed. "You don't know! He could have taken no for an answer. He's not a creeper like Sam!"

"That's because he's a better man than Samantha! I'll admit, Trouty made me proud last year. I thought he was the one for you. But whatever is his deal this year cancels that out. You and Chang make sense! Don't pretend that when we sang back home, he didn't have himself wrapped around you as much as he could."

"I couldn't tell." Mercedes quipped. "There was a Latina hanging off me."

There was no shame in Santana's game. "And I had to fight for it and wasn't giving it up!"

Mercedes laughed. "I'll talk to Mikey at the wedding. Klaine will be my date so in case he says no..."

"He will not!"

"In case he says no, I won't look crazy." Mercedes finished with a lifted eyebrow.

"As long as you two end up making blasian babies, I could care less!" Santana swore.

"Okay shut up and listen to my song. Mr. Shue actually wants me to sing. Weird, right?"

M&MC

"Hey, Mercy!" Mike waved. "You look great."

"Thanks, Mike&Ike. You look pretty fantastic yourself." Mercedes smiled shyly as he leaned over the chair next to her.

"Your song was really pretty. I didn't know you could sing opera." He joked.

She shrugged. "I haven't really seen you today."

"I guess not." He sat beside her. "Can you believe she split?"

She shook her head slowly, her almond colored eyes wide. "No."

"I think it's because she didn't say what was in her heart. The truth." He looked in her eyes and she felt her soul quiver.

"Really?"

"Really."

Her mouth parted. "What's in your heart? What's your truth?"

"I'm glad you asked." He leaned forward quickly, capturing her lips. He licked, nipped and sucked at her mouth, only stopping when she moaned. "You are in my heart. You are my truth."

"Mike." Her eyes, darkened with desire, searched his. She must have seen what she was looking for because she'd pulled him up seconds later and led him from the festivities.

Mike kissed her all the way to his Buick. He kissed her all the way to her house. He kissed her all the way to her room. He kissed her all the way to paradise.