A/N: Heyo, this has been swimming around in my brain for a minute. Any and all mistakes are mine. Hope you enjoy!
A/N 2: There is some slight Jori in there, but I don't consider it a crossover thus why it was not previously stated.
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"Wait, so you're just letting some random schmo live in your Nona's house with you while she yucks it up at old people haven?" Jade demands after Cat is finished telling them about her new roommate.
"Jade…" Tori admonishes lightly at Cat's crestfallen expression and Jade's dubious one.
"No Tori, I'm seriously just trying to understand here."
"She is not a random schmo. Her name is Sam Puckell and she saved my life and she's nice! To me… Most of the time.." Cat's brows furrow slightly then smooth out. "She kind of reminds me of you." Jade scoffs at that then proceeds to invite herself and Tori over for a 'girl's night' not leaving Cat room to protest. Her excited clap and cheer suggests she wasn't about to.
Sam is less thrilled but she sees it for what it is and is glad Cat's actually got people looking out for her. Her grandma is cool and all, if not completely nutty, but the lady left her 17 year old granddaughter to her own devices with a complete stranger. Add to the fact that Cat is probably the most altruistic person Sam's ever met and seems to trust every damn one and it's Los Angeles… Well let's just say Sam wasn't terribly impressed with the decision but it definitely worked out in her favor because there was no way she would have been able to live with the old ding bat.
The one time Sam had asked Cat about her parents, Cat's features turned dark, her forehead wrinkling and her lips dipping into a frown Sam couldn't have imagined on her. Sam told her she understood if she didn't want to talk about it to Cat's relief. And anyway, Sam could totally understand parent woes. She didn't plan to let it go forever, but long enough for Cat to trust her enough to talk about it. Sam's former shrink had told her it didn't do anybody any good to keep all that junk inside and she appreciates Cat's effervescent demeanor even if she pretends she doesn't.
Cat is in the kitchen baking smiley face cookies (and a special one for Sam) when the doorbell rings.
"Ding dong! Can you get it Sam?" Cat calls from half inside the oven. Sam drags herself off the couch and opens the door to two brunettes, one surly and the other smiling pleasantly. The surly one doesn't wait to be invited in and strides past Sam while the pleasant one beams at her.
"Hey! You must be Cat's new roommate. I'm Tori Vega."
"Sam Puckett." Sam replies, raising a brow at Tori's proffered hand.
"I thought it was puckell!" Cat shouts from the kitchen. Jade casts Sam a suspicious glare.
"And I keep telling you it's Puckett." Sam rolls her eyes good-naturedly and swings the door shut behind Tori. "That must make the surly one Jade West." Sam remarks, flopping back on the couch.
"Excuse me?" Jade starts moving toward Sam.
"Jade I think she's just… referring to your, intenseness." Tori offers gently, moving closer to her.
"Yeah, lighten up; aren't girl's nights supposed to be fun or whatever?" Sam lolls her head looking bored.
"I don't know, are they?" Jade asks acerbically. Sam shrugs.
"Wouldn't know, never been to one. Unless you count eating my friend Carly out of house and home. Look dude." Sam hops up and stalks over to Jade, "Before this gets all out of hand and junk, I get where you're coming from here. Cat's kooky grandma moves out and in her place is this total stranger but I have no intentions of screwing Cat over in any way and I find myself inexplicably fond of her-"
"What does inexplicably mean?" Cat interrupts, caught up in the tension between Sam and Jade, her heart pounding as they invade each other's personal space.
"It's called a dictionary Cat." Jade barks off-handedly.
"Hey." Sam growls testily, her body tensing as she steps almost nose to nose with Jade. "Don't talk to her like that."
Long moments of silence stretch by as Jade and Sam size one another up. Cat is certain her heartbeat can be heard by everyone in the room and Tori looks on apprehensively just behind Jade.
Finally, finally Jade's expression cracks and she turns away from Sam and walks over to Cat.
"It means you're the sun and she likes you." Jade offers the most disarming smile she can manage and sniffs the air. "Smells good, whatcha baking?"
Sam watches, half bemused half completely unsurprised and turns to Tori who can only offer a shrug and a small smile. Sam rolls her eyes and sinks into the couch once more while Cat brings out cookies and puts in The Lion King. She sits close to Sam on the couch, offering up her specially made cookie.
Sam feels warmth in her body at the intricately decorated treat that is smirking back up at her. She looks to Cat who is already gazing at her and smiles genuinely. Cat smiles back at her like sunshine.
She had pondered it of course. It was more than just saving a girl from getting smushed by a trash compacter. As soon as she had interacted with Cat, she had felt an inexorable magnetism. And since then, they'd been good for each other. Where Sam was unruly and tactless and rebellious, Cat was mindful, empathetic and calm. And for the first time since Carly, Sam felt comfortable around someone. Cat accepted her for all of her flaws and even at times found them endearing and she trusted Sam to do the same for her.
Sam finds herself feeling absurd amounts of affection for this girl even when she is doing numbskull things that would have driven Sam up the wall had it been anyone else. She finds herself watching her now, as Cat's whole body reacts to the movie Sam mostly had forgotten they were even watching. Feels her heart pull and tighten in her chest as Cat's eyes begin to brim with tears and a small hand clutches at Sam's leg as Simba tries to wake Mufasa. Sam's heart hammers in her chest as her feelings towards Cat really start to sink in.
And no. Just no. There is no way she is attracted to this girl. No way is this going to become another Carly situation. Another Freddie situation. Cat deserves better than some damaged girl who doesn't even really know how to love. Sam wonders, her heart sinking in her chest, if she will always be doomed to fall for people who deserve more than she could ever offer.
She pulls away from Cat, so they're not touching, the red head's skin suddenly scorching her own. Cat looks to Sam questioningly, eyebrows raised in confusion.
"You guys want anything to drink?" Sam asks hopping up, cursing the words as soon as they spill out. There's no need to make people think she's particularly accommodating. After the negative hums of response, Sam escapes to the kitchen and takes a deep breath as she yanks open the fridge. Keep yourself together Puckett.