Here's the set-up: Cat left Venice and the babysitting business to pursue her singing career after she graduated from high school. Sam tried to handle the babysitting on her own, but after eight months of struggling to try to do it all and make ends meet, she ended up moving back to Seattle. Shortly after that, her mom got remarried, sold their old house and moved to Louisiana. Sam is now renting Carly's old room from Spencer.
Freddie is going to college in Seattle, but still lives with his mom at Bushwell since she insisted living in a "filthy dorm room where all the students think about is drinking and sex" was no place for her little Freddikins.
The two been hanging out just like old times, minus Carly of course, and are actually getting along better than ever. Though it's been nearly a year since she moved back to Seattle, neither have been brave enough to breach the subject of them dating again; however neither of them have been dating anyone else either. Everyone around them, including Spencer and even Mrs. Benson, realize that they are only delaying the inevitable.
Freddie's POV
Friday afternoon, Dec. 11th
My phone's ringing. The caller id says KSTR radio. "Hello"
"Conngrratulaaationsss, Freddie Benson, you're the grand prize winner in KSTR's Christmas Vacation sweepstakes. You've just won a 10 day, all expenses paid trip for two to Lake Tahoe ski resort." Some way too energetic D.J. says.
"Um, wow, cool, uh, ten days? I've always wanted to learn to ski." I respond, dumbfounded.
"So who are you going to take with you on your vacation?" The guy asks.
"Oh, I uh, I don't really know, I'll have to think about that." When did even enter this thing?
"Well, you'd better decide soon, because you leave in just ten days."
Oh chiz, ten days, that's the 21st. And I'll be gone over Christmas, my mom's gonna have a kitten. "Yeah, thanks, I'll really give it some thought."
"Allllriiiight, Freddie, now tell everyone which radio station just paid for your Christmas vacation."
"KSTR." I say before asking for directions to pick up the tickets.
OK, that was officially weird, I don't even remember entering a radio contest. Jeez, who should I take, who do I know who even likes to ski? Before I can give it any more thought, the front door opens to reveal Sam Puckett holding a big baggie of her favorite snack, bacon.
"Hey Fredlump. Is Crazy at work?" She says before plopping down on the couch and flipping on the TV.
"Yeah she is. Not that I'm not happy to see you, but what are you doing here, Sam?"
"Spencer and his buddy Socko are over there building some, meh, I don't really know what it is, I just don't want to be a witness."
"Ah, I understand completely. Want something to drink?"
"Silly boy. Do you need to ask?"
I swear if I didn't love her. "Do you ever buy any of your own food?"
"You'd better be nice or Momma won't get you a Christmas present."
"You're actually buying Christmas presents?"
"Yep, got my Christmas bonus today." Sam pulled a check from her pocket and waved it toward me. "Check this sucker out, five hundred bucks." She said kissing the check.
"Whoa. And you've only worked there for less than six months." I've gotta admit, I'm impressed she's stuck with this job. I know she hates it, but she's really trying because she needs the money.
"And I get two weeks off for Christmas. Just one week to go and then I'm on vacation until the new year. Man, I just wish I had a little more saved up, I could get a ticket to Italy and visit Carly." Sam says with some sadness in her voice.
She'd never say so, because she's not a touchy-feely kind of girl, but I know she misses Carly like crazy. After Cat abandoned her like she did, then Pam moved clear across the country, she has to feel like everyone in her life always runs out on her. I think that's why she's never mentioned anything about us getting together again. Deep down inside she's afraid if we get too close, I'll leave her, too.
I know she doesn't like to talk about feelings and stuff but here goes. "I miss her too, Sam." I sat down beside her in an attempt to comfort her and handed her a bottle of soda.
"Yeah, but I miss her as a best friend, not as someone I'm in lust with." She smirks and pokes me on the shoulder.
"Not cool, Sam. I told you when I visited you in L.A. that I am totally over Carly. I love her like a sister and nothing more, she's just not my type."
"So that's why you spent five years drooling over her." She just can't leave this go. I told her all this several times, I don't have feelings for Carly any more. I wish I had the guts to tell her who I do have feelings for, but I don't want to mess up what we have.
"My type has changed, Sam." 'You're my type, you have been since we dated in high school' I think to myself. Time to change the subject before this stirs up an argument. "Hey, I didn't tell you what happened a while ago. It was so weird. I got this call from KSTR saying I won some radio contest, a ten day ski vacation or something. I don't even remember entering any contest."
"That's because I entered you. They would only let each person enter once."
"Well, at least it's nice to know I'm not going crazy." This clears up a lot.
"You will some day, they say it's hereditary." Sam smirks at me with an elbow to the ribs, she won't ever let me live down my mom's special brand of nuttiness.
"So what did you want with a ski vacation? You don't know how to ski."
"I was going to give the tickets to Spencer so he could take Megan, but since they broke up . . . "
"Please tell me you're not thinking of taking Spencer are you?" Wait, that didn't sound jealous, did it. I just can't see the whole Spam thing. I'm trying hard to repress a shiver at the thought.
"What? No! I mean, Eww! First off, he's like what, twelve years older than us and he's my best friend's brother."
"That didn't stop you from having a crush on him in the past."
"I was in junior high, you stubrag! Plus he's my landlord, that's like a quadruple yuck." We both were silent after she said that for a moment.
"What's the fourth thing? Quad means four."
"I know that smartass. The fourth thing is he's a man slut."
"Sam!" I nearly choked on my soda. Even though she said what I was thinking it still shocked me to hear it out loud.
"Oh c'mon, you mean you've never thought it was weird how he's always seeing a different girl?. Don't get me wrong, I think of him like a brother, but he's just a big ol' man slut. Tell you what, you keep the tickets, you said one time you've always wanted to learn to ski."
"I don't want to go alone but I don't know who I could take. I guess I could call Gibby. No wait, he's afraid of snow ever since that little incident senior year. And Spencer's going to Yakima for Christmas to visit his grandfather. Hey, I've got an idea, since you entered the contest in the first place, why don't you come along?" I ask, hoping to not seem too bold. Being alone at a ski chalet for ten days might just be the thing to rekindle our relationship or it could totally ruin our friendship if things get too weird.
"I don't know how to ski." Sam replies. Skiing isn't the point, it's who you're there with.
"Neither do I, but those places have instructors and trails for beginners."
"Well, I do have a two week vacation coming." She says tapping her finger on her chin in thought. God, but she's cute when she does that. "And I would like to do something exciting for a change. All I've done is work lately and hang out with some nub. You know what, Freducchini, you're on. So when do we leave?"
"I think the guy said the 21st."
"Guess we'd better do some shopping then. We'll have to get ski outfits and I'm sure you don't have anything to wear beside polo shirts, so you'll want a couple of sweaters." I've never heard Sam actually plan a shopping trip, much less sound like she's actually looking forward to it.
"My aunt made me a sweater for Christmas last year."
"Like I said, you'll need to get a sweater or two. I've seen the thing you're talking about."
"Point taken." I guess that sweater is pretty hideous.
Next day, at the mall, Sam's POV
"OK, we've got our ski clothes, sweaters and you got a new pear phone case, like you really needed that for the trip." I say to Freddie. "What else do we need to look for."
"I can't think of anything." He says, holding all the bags, looking like a pack mule.
"Oh, wait I just remembered I need to stop at build a bra." That should get rid of him, I need some space to look around the mall for his Christmas present. It's gotta be something good, too. Something that says how I feel about him and maybe gives him a nudge to ask me out.
"Then I'll meet you at the car." Freddie turns and heads for the parking garage like he's been shot at, I guess he still hates to go to build a bra as much as he did in high school.
I still don't know what to get for Freddie. I don't really understand all that technical chiz he's always going on about and that seems to be all he ever obsesses over and I refuse to get him anything Galaxy Wars related. I've walked the length of this whole stinkin' mall and I can't think of a darn thing. I look into the window of build a bra and see a mannequin dressed in one of those sexy lingerie naughty Mrs. Santa outfits. The thing's kinda got my figure, and it gives me an idea. A deliciously, sexy idea.
'This would be perfect, then he could unwrap me for Christmas.' Oh, God. Did I just sound like Carly in my own head. I hope this doesn't seem too forward with Freddie, but it's not like he's had the balls to ask me out on his own, other than asking me to go on the ski trip. I wonder if he thinks this might be our chance to get back together. I sure hope so, considering what I'm getting him for Christmas.
After purchasing Freddie's 'special' Christmas present and a couple of new bras, I make my way to the parking garage. Just as I'm passing the jewelry store, I glance in to see a guy who kind of looks like Freddie talking to the sales lady. He turns so I can see his profile and it is him. I don't know what he's up to, but I sure hope he's getting something for me. No one's ever got me jewelry before, heck, no guy's ever even bought me a Christmas present except for Freddie.
I get back to the car and I'm barely in the passenger seat when Freddie opens his door and sits down behind the wheel. He's not carrying any bags, but I can't act all disappointed and let on like I saw where he was. "Didn't you by anything?"
"Oh, um, no. I just had to find a bathroom that's all. Hey you wanna stop for Chinese on the way home?" He quickly changed the subject. Oh yeah, he's definitely up to something and he's distracting me with food.
"Momma's always good with Chinese, Fredinand."
Fast Forward to the day they arrive at the ski chalet.
3rd party POV
"Did you see the size of that buffet? We're dropping our bags in the room and getting back down there right away!" Sam says when they step off the elevator onto the fourth floor of the resort they're staying at.
"You realize 'all you can eat buffet' is not a personal challenge, right?" Freddie says with a smirk.
"Speak for yourself, Fredwad." Sam rebuts and sticks her tongue out at him.
They open the door to their room and step inside. The walls are all finished in natural colored knotty pine and there's a nice big bathroom off to the left with a huge shower stall and a jacuzzi. They have their own fireplace with two big comfy chairs in front of it and a gigantic flat screen TV above it. In the middle of the far wall there's a king size bed with lots of fluffy comforters and about a dozen pillows.
"Man, check this place out!" Freddie exclaims.
"I know, I've never seen anything like it." Sam says, placing her small bag on the dressing table and not offering to help Freddie with the two he's carrying (one of hers and one of his own).
"I'm going to change into my new sweater before dinner." Sam says and opens up her suitcase, digging around for the new sweater she bought just a couple of weeks ago.
Out of the corner of his eye, Freddie catches sight of something that looks like lingerie, but she quickly slips it underneath the other clothes before he can get a closer look to verify his suspicion.
The two go back downstairs and after eating at the dinner buffet, they stop by the front desk to sign up for ski lessons in the morning. They then spend the evening lounging in their room watching movies on the big screen TV in front of the fireplace. They turn in to the big bed, both a little uncomfortable sharing the space. It's not like they've never shared a bed before, but this feels completely different than when they were younger.
In the morning, they wake up snuggled together in the middle of the bed, despite starting the night on opposite sides. "Uh, morning, Sam." Freddie starts, a bit shocked at how they gravitated toward each other in their sleep.
Sam unwraps herself from his prone form and slides out of the bed. "Time's a wastin', Frednub. Let's get down to the dining room and see what's for breakfast."
"Don't you want to freshen up?"
"Meh, I'm fresh enough to eat." Sam says, grabbing her clothes and starting to peel off the t-shirt she slept in. "You mind, I'm trying to get dressed here." She cracks, noticing him watching her.
"Oh, um, sorry. I'm going to go in here and, uh, shave." Freddie responds, pointing to the bathroom.
After their breakfast and changing into their ski clothes, they go outside to meet their instructor. Within a couple of hours of practice, they're both comfortable enough to try the beginner's slope. By evening, they're both tired and ready to crash into their bed, but not before stopping for a hearty dinner at Sam's insistence.
When they get up to the room, they take turns at the shower and turn in for a good night's sleep. After getting into the bed, both lie there in silence for few minutes before Sam speaks up. "That was the best day of my life." She says, turning onto her side to face Freddie. "I've never had so much fun."
He feels her turn onto her side and does the same. "I know, I had a blast, too. I can't wait to get back out there tomorrow. This is gonna be the best vacation ever!"
"Yeah, but I want to make sure and hit the brunch buffet tomorrow, they're supposed to have five different kinds of Canadian bacon and real imported Belgium waffles." Sam says sounding excited.
"Sounds like a good idea. Good night, Sam." Freddie replies, leaning forward toward her. They share a quick peck on the lips for the first time since he visited her in L.A. and ended up in the hospital.
"Goodnight, Freddie." Sam says, not using some twisted version of his name, which is unusual for her.
The next morning, after a big breakfast and some time checking out the gift shop, the two are again on the ski slope. Sam, uncharacteristically sticks to the beginner's course, but Freddie is feeling brave and decides to try one of the more tame downhill slopes. They decide to meet back at the room and go to dinner at 6:00.
That evening, the two have a nice dinner, that could even be considered romantic if they were a couple. Again, they retire to their room for a good night's sleep.
As they settle into bed, tonight they have no problem being close to one another. They keep ending up cuddled up anyway by morning, as if subconsciously they know that's the way they are meant to be. Sam snuggles up to Freddie, who's nearly fallen asleep before she was ready for bed. She's still in her flannel pajama pants and penny t-shirt, not the sexy lingerie. She plants a small kiss on his lips and whispers "Good night, Freddie."
"Mmm, night, Sammy." He replies before they both drift off to sleep.
Christmas eve, the two decided to do something different and signed up for 'couples massages' in the afternoon. Sam had her suspicions of what this meant, but Freddie was blissfully unaware that this would involve the two of them lying on massage tables, beside each other, with no clothes on. He blushed several shades of red, seeing a side view of Sam's naked form from his table. He had caught glimpses of her in various states of undress over the years, but never anything like this. He certainly didn't mind the view. In fact, it was all he could do to not completely stare at the bare parts of her curvy body he could see.
That evening, after dinner, they again hung out in the room, relaxing by the fireplace each with a cup of hot chocolate and Sam had a big plate of peanut brittle on her lap. Surprisingly, she even let Freddie have a few bits of it. Freddie had Sam's Christmas present tucked into his suitcase and, unbeknownst to him, she had his present on under the fluffy robe that she put on after her shower.
"So, do you want your Christmas present tonight or would you rather wait until morning?" He asks.
"I was, uh, sort of hoping to give you yours this evening." Sam stammered, very nervous and now unsure of her choice in what she got for him. Maybe she should have just gotten him a gift card to the Pear store. Then again, they have been comfortable sharing a bed the past few nights and there was no man on the face of the earth she'd sooner be sharing this experience with, not to mention giving herself to.
Freddie got up and went to his bag. He returned with a small, wrapped box with a cute, little red bow. He handed it to Sam, gave her a quick peck on the lips and returned to his own chair. She was shocked to see what was clearly a jewelry box since he had returned from the jewelry store empty handed. The poor girl thought she was going to end up with a subscription to the bacon of the month club. Not that it would be a bad thing, but jewelry was most surely preferred for this occasion.
Sam cautiously opened the box and revealed a silver charm bracelet. It had various charms, one with her birthstone, there was the space needle and a tuna fish, one was even a pig (for her love of all things pork related) and as she turned it in her hand and examined each one, she noticed one with an S and an F fused together which made her smile.
"Do you like it?" Freddie asked, not sure how she would feel, since he had never given her jewelry before.
"I love it, it's so sweet, Freddie." She said, standing up and moving over to him. "Would you put it on for me?" She asked, holding her wrist out to him.
Freddie attached the bracelet around her wrist and she smiled down at him, bent down and placed a small kiss on his lips. "So you said something about giving me my gift today?" He inquired.
Sam was trying not to show how much she was shaking inside at the thoughts of removing her robe to reveal his present. Before she could change her mind, she untied the belt of the robe, slid it off her shoulders and let it drop to the floor.
"Merry Christmas." She said, revealing the skimpy Santa outfit and sitting on his lap.
Freddie began to grin from ear to ear. "Sam, um, are you saying you're my Christmas present."
"Yeah, I guess. I hope you like it." Sam wasn't sure how he was going to react but was soon relieved to hear the next words from his mouth.
"Aww, Sammy. How'd you know, it's what I've wanted for a long time."
With that, she leaned her face to his and as their lips met in a heated kiss. "Me too, Freddie, me too."
After a long winter's night (with not much sleep), Sam slipped out of the bed to go to the bathroom just after daybreak. She saw her phone blinking and picked it up to see a text from Carly, who was unaware Sam and Freddie were spending the holiday at the ski resort, much less what Sam got him for Christmas. It was after noon in Italy and Carly was anxious to hear about her BFF's holiday.
What did u get for xmas Carly inquired.
Sam typed a short response to her brunette friend before going back to the bed where Freddie was beginning to stir and would be waiting for her.
A beautiful charm bracelet and a boyfriend named FREDDIE! Sam replied, hoping Carly would at lest give them time for another round before calling to get the details.
I hope everyone likes the story. This is an idea I just came up with about a week ago but I wanted to hurry it along and get it up for Christmas.