Disclaimer: The only thing that belongs to me is the plot line. Everything else goes to Dan S.
Sam yawned and slowly opened her eyes. The little sun that was out cast golden rectangles on the floor and walls. Though it made the room look beautiful, Sam just wanted to drift back to sleep. Knowing she wouldn't sleep if there was any light, she firmly closed the curtains and slipped between the sheets.
She snuggled back into bed, silently willing sleep to come. After fifteen minutes of silence, she gave up. Glancing at her clock, she saw it was 6:08, and way to early for any sane human to be awake. 'Damn. I guess I'm up for good. Coffee. I need coffee.' She thought, throwing off the covers and hurrying to the kitchen.
She quickly heated the water, needing a serious pick-me-up. She may not be tried enough to fall asleep, but it was 6 in the morning. She certainly wasn't awake. After the coffee was done, she quickly drank at least half the cup. Refilling her glass, she realized it was early enough that she could watch the rest of the sunrise if she wanted to.
Energized by the caffeine, she ran through the apartment and threw back the curtains that she had closed only moments before. The sun was not yet all the way up. Climbing out onto the fire escape, she giggled. Ever since she was fifteen, she adored sunrises. She loved the way they made the clouds look pink, gold, red and purple.
"Why did I ever stop watching these?" She wondered aloud. Gripping the cool, dark metal, she breathed in the morning air. The mixture of rain and ocean spray reminded how much she loved Seattle. How much she loved fire escapes, how much she loved sunrises, and most importantly, how much she loved... him.
9 years before…
Sam was out on a fire escape, her hands gripping the cool, smooth metal. Leaning against the ladder, she took the bag off her shoulder and dropped it onto the ground. The early morning drizzle had stopped, leaving a beautiful, wet sunrise just begging her to watch. The air smelled clean and fresh, and she loved the way the light ocean air felt against her skin.
"Sam?" A voice cut through her thoughts, making her jump. "What are you doing?"
"Watching the sunrise, Freddork. What are YOU doing?" She answered, refusing to take my eyes off the beautiful scene that was unfolding in front of her.
"Well, I live here, unlike some people. How'd you get up here, anyway?" Freddie dropped next to her, but not before glancing over the ledge. It had to be a good 8 stories from the ground, maybe more.
"I climbed. Some of us have the upper-body strength that allows us to do that." Sam countered, still refusing to take her eyes off the rising sun.
"Okay, that makes sense. But watching the sunrise? I don't buy that for a minute. You were trying to pull some something on me, weren't you?" Sam could feel Freddie's eyes boring into the side of her head, but the sunrise was so beautiful that she didn't take her eyes off it to look at him.
"No, Fredlumps. I wasn't. I actually came here for this." Sam gestured to the array of colors the sky had become. "I think it's beautiful. The way the colors mix together… it's just prefect. In fact…" Her voice trailed off as she reached into her bag and withdrew the supplies – a drawing pad, oil pastels, tissues and a camera. Aiming for the skyline, and Sam took a few a shots.
"Now what are doing?" Freddie grabbed the pad off her lap and started flipping through. "And can't you just do this at your place?"
She ripped the notebook out of his hands. "I don't get into your tech stuff, you don't get into Mama's art stuff, got it? And all the windows face away from the sun at my place. I can never get a really good shot." She shot him her signature glare, removing her eyes from the sunrise for the first all morning. She'd been expecting to see, well, nothing special. But… the sunrise had nothing on him. The way the light hit his face, how he looked so relaxed, he seemed… cute, almost. Her breath caught in her chest, and her heart skipped a beat.
"Sam, getting into my stuff is all you do." He said, grabbing back the pad. She reached for it, but Freddie held it out of her reach. She hated how he was taller than her now, even though puberty had been kind to him in every other sense.
"Yeah, well. You don't get into MY stuff, got it, Fredweird Benson?" Sam jumped, trying to get her pad out of Freddie's hands, but it was no use. He had already started to flip through them.
"Sam." Something about his tone made Sam stop jumping and stare at him. She couldn't help but notice how his eyes didn't look like dirt anymore. They seemed warm, like melting chocolate. "Sam, these are… these are amazing."
"What?" Sam's eyes scanned his face for a sign that told her he wasn't being serious. She found none.
He leaned against the wall. "You've got serious talent."
"W-What? No, they're just doodles. Something to keep me busy while I wait for my ham. " She felt herself blushing. She'd never shown anyone her work before, and if she ever started, she absolutely didn't want Fredfreak to be the first to see it. Somehow, though, it didn't seem like the worse thing that happened.
"Really, really good doodles!" Freddie flipped through them. "Princess Puckett, who knew you could draw like this?"
Sam shifted uncomfortably. "Thanks, Benson." She shoulder-checked him, not really knowing what else to do.
Freddie glanced at her, and his eyes searching her face. He blushed, and dropped his gaze back to the pad, turning the page.
"Sam," A smile played on his lips, his eyes amused. "What's this?" He turned the pad so that Sam could see the drawing he was looking at. It was a charcoal sketch, and one of the firsts Sam had ever done.
"Oh. Yeah, I drew that after… after…my…our kiss." It showed a portrait of them, which was split down the middle, and the uneven edges were put back together.
She'd been feeling like they didn't fit together, and would never fit together, but somehow they still made a beautiful picture. Not that she'd tell him that. "It was a stupid drawing, and I meant to thro-"
Her rambling was cut off by a pair of lips bring pressed against hers. His lips were soft, and his kiss tender and slow. Her hand somehow found there way into his soft, dark hair. She ran her fingers through it, enjoying every second.
He slowly broke away, and gazed into her ocean eyes. "I'm glad you didn't throw it away. I like it."
Sam didn't need anymore encouragement. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she brought her lips to his - not slowly and tenderly, as he had, but passionate and uncontrolled. Freddie wrapped his arms around her waist, deepening the kiss.
Sam hadn't realized how much she wanted this, wanted him, until everything came together.
"Hey, the sun's up." Freddie spoke, breaking their kiss.
"You're on my fire escape, watching the sunrise? What are you, fifteen?" Someone breathed the words into her ear, kissing her neck.
"Your fire escape? I'm pretty sure it's OUR fire escape," Sam turned herself into his embrace, "Mr. Benson."
"Well, you haven't moved into the apartment, officially, so it's technically still my fire escape, Mrs. Benson." Freddie smiled down at her, leaning in for a kiss.
Seeing him get closer to me, Sam turned back to the rising sun. "Nope. Nothing for you, Fredward."
"What? Sam, you're… you're not mad at me, are you?" Freddie looked panicked, and slightly confused.
"No, I'm fine." Sam sipped her coffee, "Uhhmmm. That is so warm and so so good." She moaned.
"Yes, you are." Freddie said, pulling her close. "Now, about that kiss…" He leaned down, and pressed her lips to his. Sam refused to respond.
"I thought you weren't mad at me." Freddie pulled away, looking hurt. "Sam, what did I do?"
Sam glared at him. "You called her Mrs. Benson. That's your mothers name, not mine. I am not going to become Mrs. Benson." Her voice got sarcastic near the end of her sentence.
"Sam, you're not going to turn into my mother. My mom… she's crazy." He kissed her forehead, and wrapped her in a hug.
"No shit." She turned back to the sunrise. "Don't ever call me Mrs. Benson again, okay?"
"Whatever you want, Mrs. Puckett." He pulled her into a kiss, wrapping his arms around her. Sam's fingers wound themselves into Freddie's hair, pulling him closer. Eventually, the broke apart, panting.
"That's what I like to hear." Sam whispered into his ear. "Now go get me some food, Benson."
Freddie smiled, and started to climb through window and back into the apartment.
"You're still my wife, though." Freddie told her, before slipping inside.
"Only on paper!" Sam scrambled after him, only stopping to glance at the charcoal drawing that huge in the bedroom.
What'd you think? Reviews are greatly appreciated! Even if you totally hated it, tell me what made it suck so badly. I can't get better if I don't know what I'm not good at. I sorta feel Sam spent part of the story way out of character. What do you think? Anyway, thanks a bunch for reading! :)