SPOV

"You'll never get away from me, Little Girl!" Adam screamed at me. Then he lunged at me, again, and shoved me into the wall. My head banged the wall and an intense pain shot throw my entire body.

"Ahh! Stop! Please, I never did anything to you!" I cried as I clutched my head in my hands.

"Shut up! I will kill you!" He yelled again. Just then he pulled a gun from his pocket and aimed it at me.

"FREDDIE! Help! AHHHH…"

"Ahhhhh!" I screamed as I shot up in my bed. MY BED! What was that? Adam, my mom's ex-boyfriend hasn't been around in years. He died in a car crash! But, man, that was terrifying. It felt so real…

The tears poured down my cheeks, like small rivers. I hugged my knees close to my chest and reached under my bed for it.

It was an old sweatshirt of Freddie's I had "borrowed" while we were dating. We had broken up about 2 months ago. I kept it for times like these. When these horrible nightmares happened and I needed immediate comfort. But, an old hoodie isn't enough right now. I guess I could call Carly. She knows the story of Adam. But, she isn't exactly my favorite person right now. I am just tired of always being second best to her.

So, out of desperate need of comfort, I picked up my phone and hit the number 3; Freddie's speeds dial. God, please don't let him be mad. Please make him answer. Please let this work. Please, I need…

"Hello?" I groggy voice asked.

"Freddie…?" I asked in a shaky voice.

"Sam, it's almost two in the morning! What do you need?" At least he only sounded slightly irritated.

"I… I had a nightmare." I told him quietly.

"Are you okay?" He asked me with a twinge of worry laced in there somewhere.

"I… I…. no!" I started crying then.

"Shh… Sam! Listen to me, alright? I am on my way over okay? Unlock your door. I will be there in ten okay?" He told me.

"Okay…" I whispered. Then the line went dead.

Quietly, I snuck out of my room and into the living room. I went to unlock our door and waited next to it. Knowing Freddie, he would silently try to walk right in. And I was right. Exactly ten minutes later Freddie quietly opened the door and stepped through the threshold. He was so beautiful, I thought silently to myself. And such a good person.

I knew he couldn't see me so I, very quietly, whispered his name.

"Freddie…" I murmured into the darkness. He kneeled down right in front of me and reached his hand out. It was cold from the outside air, but he placed it lightly on my knee anyways. Gingerly, I reached out and touched his fingers.

"Is your mom here?" He asked.

"Yeah. She's probably drunk though…" I whispered. I was desperately trying to hold back tears, but when he placed his other hand on my cheek, I lost the battle. The tears started pouring again.

"Shh, I'm here, Sam. You're safe." He whispered. He reached forward suddenly and pulled my body against his. My arms went around his neck and his around my torso. I sobbed into his shoulder loudly. He stood up then, with me still in his arms, and began walking towards my room. My legs locked themselves around his muscular waist, as he turned.

Once we got to my room, he deposited me onto my bed. I curled back into my little ball and watched his movements. He removed his shoes and jacket, and placed them by my door. He turned back to me and stared at me intently. Slowly, he approached my bed and sat down on the edge of it, and placed a hand on my arm.

"You want to talk about it?" He asked softly. Instead of answering him, I sat up and throw myself back into his arms. He slid his arm under my legs and pulled them over his body, so that I was now sitting on his lap, with my head buried in his neck. Through my sobs, I inhaled his intoxicating scent… mint, cinnamon, Freddie. Perfection.

"It was about Adam. He was my mom's boyfriend a few years back. He… He died in a car crash. But, before he died, He hit me. And mom. One night he pulled a gun on me and threatened to kill me. He didn't, obviously, but it kinda left a lasting impression…" I trailed off. My sobs quieted, but I knew they weren't completely done for the night.

"And in your nightmare, you were reliving it?" He asked.

"Mm hmm." I mumbled. My fists clutched his shirt between them. One of his arms supported my body against him while the other stroked my hair.

"It was just a dream, you know? He's dead." He whispered in my ear.

"I know but, it's just scary. I can actually feel him hitting me again. I… I don't want to ever experience that again!" I told him honestly.

"You won't." He said simply.

"You don't know that…" I said.

"I do too. Sam, I… I love you, you, know that. And, that man is dead, and completely sick. Maybe you don't feel that way anymore, but, I do promise that no one will do that to you again. Spencer, Brad, Gibby… Me, we won't let anyone. I swear…"He said as he held me a little closer.

"I trust you…" I whispered. Trusting men has always been a hard place for me. Ever sense my dad left and Adam hurt me. But, trusting Freddie was easy. I knew he would never sabotage me like nearly all other men have.

"Good." He said. He pressed his face into my hair and exhaled, causing goose bumps to rise all over my body. He scooted back on my bed so that he was now leaning against my headboard. I stayed put in his lap though, to terrified to move.

Time passed fairly quickly. I didn't cry anymore, but I refused to move. He continued to hold me tightly and rub my hair and back. We didn't speak though. We kept quiet, afraid to pop our little safe bubble. At some point I decided to look at my clock. The time read 3:37.

"Do you need to leave?" I asked him quietly.

"Trying to get rid of me now, Puckett?" He teased.

"No! I just… your mom? Won't she kill you?" I asked.

"Nah, she is taking care of my Aunt Jennifer. She's ill. I'm all alone until Monday." He told me.

"Can you… you know, well…" I wanted to ask him to stay over, but was too nervous.

"Want me to stay?" He asked. The boy could read me like a book, which wasn't entirely bad.

"Please…" I begged quietly. I clung to him a little tighter, praying he wouldn't leave me. I was still so afraid of Adam, and my nightmare.

He didn't reply. But, he did slide me off his lap. As he did so, I whimpered. Was he really going to leave?

"Please stay…" Tears started falling all over again. 'I really can't stand being alone right now! I… I'll be nice! I promise! I… Just please don't go! I need…" I was cut off by Freddie gently pressing his mouth to mine, and kissing me softly.

"I'm not going anywhere." He whispered after he pulled away from my mouth. He pulled the blankets down my bed a little more so he could slide in. Then he motioned for me to join him. I did, and I quickly snuggled close to him. He wrapped both of his arms back around me and held me close.

"I'll always be right here, Sam." He promised me.

"I know." I replied. I buried my face in the crook of his neck and let out a deep sigh. On instinct, his hand started rubbing my back.

"I love you, Sammy."

"I love you too, Freddie." I told him honestly. Because, I did love him. With all of my heart! He was everything to me.

I felt him softly press his lips too my forehead. I sighted, once again, and completely relaxed against him. In his arms I felt so safe. In his arms, I knew no harm could come to me. And it was all because he I loved him.

At any point, he could completely shatter me, but he wouldn't. Because Freddie is too good. He loves everybody and would never intentionally hurt someone. I was horrible to him for years, and yet, here he is, in my bedroom, comforting me after probably the worst nightmare of my entire life.

"Freddie?" I whispered into the darkness.

"Hmm?" He replied.

"Thank you…" I told him.

"Anytime, Princess Puckett. I love you." He kissed my temple and tightened his hold around me.

"Love you too…" I said while yawning. The exhaustion was really catching up on me.

"Go to sleep, Sam. I WILL be here when you wake up. I promise." He said.

With those comforting words fresh in my head, I finally fell asleep in the arms of the one and only Freddie Benson. MY Freddie Benson.

The love of my life…