iSeddie Valentine
It might be a few weeks late, but here's a Valentine's Day Seddie one shot.
I usually make Freddie seem like the hapless, loner sitting around 'waiting' for Sam, but in this one, she's the one who's wishing for someone to spend Valentine's Day with. That is until her little red haired room mate steps in. I know this one got a little long, but I just couldn't find a good place to split it.
Sunday afternoon, February 8-Valentines Day t-minus 6 days
Sam sat on a bar stool eating some leftover fried chicken from Saturday night's dinner. Her room mate was at the table finishing up some homework before their baby sitting jobs began to arrive. Cat's phone signaled a text message, she looked at the screen.
"Oooh, it's from Robbie." She squeaked and looked at the message. Sam just rolled her eyes. 'How could Cat fall for a dweeb like Robbie?' She thought to herself. 'Then again, how could I be in love with a nub like Freddie?'
"Saaaa-aam." Cat started. "Do you think you could, pretty please watch the Williams kids by yourself Friday night? Please, please, please, please!"
Sam swallowed her bite of chicken and left out a small sigh. "Why?"
"Because my dear, sweet Robbie wants to take me out for Valentine's Day." Cat was now across the bar from Sam with her hands folded together. "Please, Sam. I promise I'll make you a huge batch of Nona's secret recipe meatballs." She begged.
"You do know Valentine's day isn't until Saturday, right?" Sam lifted an eyebrow.
"He's doing his ventriloquist act on Saturday for the arts club's fundraiser. Please say you can let me have the night off Friday night. Pretty please with sugar an-and barbeque sauce."
"Uhhhh, alright. Enough begging! I don't really know what the big deal is anyway. It's just another stupid, commercial made up holiday. Who cares."
"How can you say that, Sam?" Cat gasped. "Valentine's Day is the most romantic day of the year."
"Yah, maybe if you have someone to be romantic with. Me, I'll spend Valentine's Day the way I always do, with a big pot of chili and some french fries."
"What's so special about that? That's what you did for Halloween." Cat said so innocently.
"Nope. I have french fries with my chili for V-Day, that's the romantic part." Sam smirked.
Cat sent a text back to Robbie that she could go out with him Friday night and Sam got up to toss her chicken bones in the trash can.
Monday afternoon, Cat came skipping in the door from school holding a pink rose. "Look what Robbie left in my locker." She squealed, waving the flower under Sam's nose.
Sam stifled a sneeze. "Yay!"
"Did you get any Valentines yet?" Cat asked.
"What do you think I check the mailbox a hundred times a day like Charlie Brown or something? And who the heck would send me a Valentine?" Sam frowned.
"What about Freddie?"
"Psh, I doubt that Freddie's sending me a Valentine."
Deep down inside, Sam really wished this wasn't the case. She wanted nothing more than for Freddie to call her up out of the blue and profess his undying love for her. She had called him to do just that more than once, but chickened out and just talked to him about random stuff.
After he got out of the hospital last summer, following the tuna incident, they had been on a few dates before he had to leave to go back to Seattle and get packed to leave for college but they never made any kind of official commitment to each other. Sam now realizes that was a gigantic mistake on her part because she misses him like crazy and has never found any other guy to compare to him.
Sure they talked at least once a week since then and sent texts and emails almost every day, and Freddie never made any reference to dating anyone else but he wouldn't be likely to say anything about it in the first place. Probably for fear Sam would make fun of him for dating a girl she found to be nerdy or had some other slight fault.
Sam certainly hadn't been dating anyone. She had made it no secret that she wasn't interested in dating ever since Freddie left from his visit and despite her naivety to most things, Cat picked up on this fact and verified it by attempting to set Sam up with a guy from her school. When Sam flat out refused to even talk to the guy, Cat knew what she was dealing with. Sam kept saying she was perfectly happy without a man in her life.
Cat was determined that she was not going to let her friend be so sullen on a day that was meant for romance, but what could she do about it? This would take some serious planning and possibly a few little fibs. Maybe no fibs, that came back to bite her in the buttocks last time.
The next day, Sam slept in and tried to forget all about what Cat had said about Freddie. Despite her tough exterior, it was eating her alive that she hadn't seen him in months, except to video chat, even though they weren't officially a couple, he was still the only boy she ever loved. 'Why should this year be any different than last year.' The blonde said to herself as she flipped channels waiting for Cat to get home from school and make her the meatballs she had promised. 'I'll just eat my chili and go to sleep, when I wake up, it will all be over and I'll have 364 days before I have to avoid it all again.'
Later that afternoon, as Cat was rolling the meatballs, Sam came back from the post office with a handful of mail. She tossed two cards to Cat and opened one herself. She was excited to see her name on the red envelope at first, maybe someone was thinking about her, that is until she saw the postmark. The card was mailed from Venice, not Massachusetts. She smiled at the card with two skunks kissing. It was signed by Dice. It was kind of cute how the kid still had a crush on her. Of course, he was crushing on Cat, too and God only knows how many other girls his own age.
Cat opened her first card, it was from Robbie. Sam make gagging sounds as Cat gushed and fawned over how sweet it was and how he had written a poem in it just for her.
"Well who's yours from?" Cat asked.
"Just Dice." Sam sighed.
"Well maybe you could do something with him for Valentine's Day." Cat suggested.
"What kind of perv do you think I am? He's thirteen! I'm like, six years older than him. I'm not thinking of him in a romantic way."
"But he likes you." Cat batted her eyelashes. "I'm sure he'd be a perfect gentleman."
"It's a stupid crush, Cat. I had a crush on my best friend's older brother when I was his age, but it doesn't make it any less pervy for the older person to act on it. I don't want to end up in jail, like I said he's thirteen."
"I guess you're right. I just hate to see you so disappointed and lonely."
Sam couldn't take it anymore and suddenly blurted out. "Well, it's not like the guy I really want is going to just show up on my doorstep. Freddie's going to MIT, he's probably made lots of dorky friends and met up with some nerd girl and is living in his own personal version of the Big Bang Theory." She grabbed a bottle of soda from the fridge before going out to the patio for some fresh air.
Just then, Cat's brain hatched a scheme. She could get Freddie to come to L.A., show up on Sam's doorstep and her friend would be happy again. After all, Sam just said that's what she wanted. Cat put the last of the meatballs into the pot of sauce to simmer, before she grabbed her phone and sent Freddie a text message.
Cat Valentine: Hi Freddie, it's Cat, Sam's friend.
Benson, Freddie: I know Cat, the text says who's texting.
Cat Valentine: I need to talk to you about something. Can you call me?
Benson, Freddie: OK, give me an hour, I'm in a study group.
A little while later, Sam was digging into her meatballs when Cat's phone rang. The younger girl squeaked with excitement and ran toward the bedroom to answer it.
'Must be Robbie.' Sam thought with a shudder. 'What does she see in him?'
"Hi, Freddie." Cat answered quietly, closing the bedroom door.
"Hey, Cat. What's up."
"Freddie can you come to L.A.?"
"You're not going to try to convince me that Sam got hurt or something again are you?"
"No. She's fine. Well, physically she's fine. Emotionally, she's kind of a wreck."
"What do you mean?"
"She misses you, Freddie and she wants to see you."
"She has a funny way of saying it. We talked A few days ago and she didn't mention anything to me."
"That's because I just got her to admit it, silly. Now, how soon can you get here?"
"Cat! I'm in college. In New England, I can't just drop everything and jet off to Los Angeles at a moments notice." He said, although he wished he could see Sam.
"Oooh, did you meet the queen, yet?" Cat chirped.
"What? What the heck does that have to do with anything?"
"Well, you said you were in England, I figured you might have met the queen. It's funny though, I thought you were going to some school for baseball players, that sweatshirt you sent Sam says mit on it." Cat was, as usual, confused by the simplest of things.
"It's M.I.T., Cat. Massachusetts Institute of Technology and it's in America, not England."
"So you didn't meet the queen then?" She said with disappointment. "How about that cute Prince with the red hair?"
Freddie left out a sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose, this conversation was giving him a severe headache and he just wanted to get it over with.
"Tell you what, Cat. How about I call Sam and talk to her?"
"NO!" Cat yelled. "You can't say anything about us talking or she'll do something mean to me like put my bras in the freezer again."
"I promise I won't say anything about talking to you. I haven't spoken to her in a few days anyway. But I'll have to call her tomorrow, my room mate and I still need to study for a physics test this evening."
The next day, Freddie took some time after his day's classes and called Sam. He knew better than to call before three. Because of the time difference, he'd risk waking her if he called earlier.
"Hey, Princess Puckett, what's up?"
"Oh, hey Fredbag. Not much. I just straightened up the apartment. I have some time before I've got a little girl to baby sit so her dad can go to work."
"So-um, I guess Valentine's Day's coming up." Freddie said before chastising himself 'Real smooth, Benson.'
"Yep. That happens this time of year." Sam cracked, even though she wanted to ask him where her stinkin' card was.
"Have any special plans?"
"Yep. Gonna eat my traditional big bowl of chili and french fries and take a nap."
"You mean no one asked you out?" Again he said before he could think.
"Why Freddie Benson are you all worried that some guy might have taken a fancy to me?" Sam replied in a fake southern accent.
"Oh, uh, no. I just wondered. You know, I figured Cat would be trying to set you up so you wouldn't be alone on Valentine's Day." He stammered for a response since Sam hit the nail on the head about his previous statement.
"She has a date with Robbie, but Mama's spending V-Day alone."
"Ugh, Robbie." Freddie could still remember the young man's tone-deaf ministrations from when he was stuck in a hospital room with him for 2 days.
"So what about you. Any hot nerd girls have you on their radar."
"Why Miss Puckett, are you concerned that some girl might have taken a liking to me?" Freddie responded, trying to mock Sam, but failing miserably.
"Could care less, nub. I just thought you probably had some kind of lame, fellow Galaxy Wars nerd-chick that you'd be hanging with, practicing your wedding vows in nug-nug-ese or some chiz."
"Um, no. To tell you the truth, I haven't really met any girls here that interest me." He replied. 'Not as much as you do.' He thought to himself.
After a half hour conversation, they hung up so Sam could make something to eat, promising to talk to him again on Saturday.
Freddie had no sooner put his phone away when it rang. Cat was now calling. She was in the bedroom listening to Sam's side of their whole conversation and as soon as her blonde room mate hung up, she wanted to talk to him, too.
"Hi, Cat." He sighed, knowing exactly what she wanted.
"So. Do you see what I mean, she's all lonely and depressed."
"Actually, Sam seems perfectly normal to me." Freddie informed her. "In fact, she even told me about -"
"Uggh. God, you're stupid. No offense." Cat moaned. "She's putting up a strong front for you, of course she doesn't want to act all girly and stuff in front of someone but I'm telling you she wants you here with her."
"Well, she did verify that I haven't met any girls I like at school." In the conversation he had with Sam, there were a few moments when she sort of sounded like she was a little tiny bit sad that they wouldn't be together but he shrugged it off because Sam is really good at hiding her true feelings.
"See. She's all worried that you found some other girl to love."
"Cat, are you sure. I mean, she really said that what she wanted was for me to come to L.A., show up at your front door and surprise her for Valentine's Day." There was no doubt that talking to Sam had stirred up some feelings deep within him and the whole subject now had him feeling a little sad that he didn't have anyone special to share the day with, either.
"YES! No get your nubby butt on an airplane and get to Los Angeles." Cat screeched at him.
Freddie was already on his computer, researching flights as he spoke to Cat. He still wasn't sure if this was the best idea. After all, it was basically Cat's idea and her mental state was questionable in his book at best. And Sam was never known for liking surprises, this could end up with him getting a gigantic wedgie or something. However, he missed Sam like crazy and if this was his chance, a free pass so to speak, to do something romantic for her and not possibly get beat up in the process, maybe he'd better take to opportunity and go through with it.
"I've gotta go, she's coming." Cat yipped and hung up as she tossed the phone on her bed.
"Dinner's ready, Cat." Sam said from the doorway. "Get it now before I eat if for you."
Cat had such a guilty look on her face, Sam couldn't help but think she was up to something.
"What are you up to?" The blonde asked, hands on her hips.
"Oh, um, nothing." Cat was too quick to answer.
"Were you on the phone with dork-boy again?"
"Yes." Cat replied sheepishly, but it wasn't her dork-boy she had been talking to.
"Then why do you look so guilty. Wait. Oh my God, were you having phone s . . ., you know what, I don't even want to know." Sam turned and walked away, sure she had almost walked in on Cat having an intimate conversation with her boyfriend.
"Saa-am. It's not like that." Cat followed her out the hallway, somehow she knew what Sam was thinking, despite her usual innocence.
"Naa-aaa. Don't wanna hear it."
"But I wasn't." Cat protested.
"Naa-aaa. I don't want to know. I just ate."
Freddie did his research and found a really good deal on a flight to L.A. leaving Boston first thing Saturday morning. He sent Cat a text telling him what time he got in, just so she'd quit calling and bugging him about it. She had been texting every few hours and he really couldn't take her pestering much more.
It would be afternoon when he got in, but it would still give them the biggest part of two days together. As soon as his classes finished on Friday, Freddie packed a bag and early Saturday morning, he called a cab to take him to the airport.
Cat and Sam woke up Saturday and Sam spent the morning lazying around the apartment. Cat kept trying to find excuses to persuade Sam to take a shower and look presentable, but the blonde was content to lounge around in sweat pants and an old, baggy t-shirt that she slept in. Her hair was messy and she had no make up on.
"Don't you think you'll feel more alive if you take a shower and wash your hair?" Cat asked.
"For the third time, I don't feel like getting a shower. Do I stink or something?" Sam sniffed at her own pit.
"You just look so, um, messy." Cat had on a pink skirt and a white top with red hearts all over it and was fully made up like she was expecting to go on a date.
"Thanks." Sam replied with a pout, flipping channels. "Hey, Mama's hungry, make some bacon."
"Only if you promise to clean yourself up."
"Ugh, fine." Sam would do anything for bacon and there was nothing good on TV right now anyway. She trudged herself into the bathroom, splashed some water on her face and ran a brush through her hair.
She emerged from the bathroom and cat began to scold her for not changing her clothes. "Sam, didn't you see the outfit I had laying on your bed?" Cat had went to great lengths to put together something she thought Sam would look good in but not throw up on because it was too girly looking.
"No offense, kid, but I wouldn't wear that get up to a dog fight. I'm comfortable in my sweats, anyway." Without coming out and ruining the surprise, Cat couldn't find any reason to persuade Sam into changing out of the sweats and t-shirt. "Now, where's my bacon, I washed my face and brushed my hair."
Cat sighed and set the plate of bacon in front of Sam. The younger girl stole away to come up with a new plan to make Sam look nice for her surprise date.
By lunch time, Sam was hungry again and was in the kitchen searching for food, still looking like she was home from school sick. Cat was driving herself crazy trying to force Sam to get cleaned up. Finally, she came up with a plan but she knew executing it could end in her getting hurt physically. She had to hurry, Freddie's flight had surely landed by now and Cat knew she had a very short time to pull it off before he would be at the door. Sam had started to boil water for some spaghetti and Cat offered to finish up the cooking and let Sam relax.
When their lunch was done, Cat served up a big plate for Sam, complete with lots of nice, runny sauce. As Sam took a seat at the table, Cat carried the plate over to her and 'accidentally' spilled the whole thing down Sam's shirt and into her lap.
"CAAAAAT!" Sam yelled. "What the . . ."
As the little red-head ran out the patio door in fear of her life, she knew Sam would have to change now, at least she'd found a way to get her out of those sweats. As Cat slammed the door after her, the doorbell rang.
"Get the door, you little klutz. And then you can go to Tubba Chicken and get me something to eat." Sam was now gathering up spilled pasta from the floor after brushing the remains of it off her clothes.
It was too late for Cat to hear her, though. She had left the back yard and was going to visit Nona and let Sam cool off. Sam groaned as she wiped at her shirt with a dish cloth and the doorbell rang again. "Guess I'll get it myself, then." She yelled toward the back door, even though Cat was long gone.
She dabbed at her neon green sweat pants, now stained with pasta sauce as it rang a third time. "I'm coming. Give me a minute, for chiz sake."
She opened the door to find the boy she's been dying to see who wasted no time in wrapping his arms around her and kissing her full on the lips. As she stood there, surprised at who was kissing her, she remembered she was wearing a food stained t shirt and sweats and hadn't showered in two days.
"Freddie, wh-what the heck are you doing here?"
"I came to see my Princess Puckett for V-Day." He proudly announced, pulling a big box of chocolate covered bacon out of his backpack for her.
"I guess I don't look very princess like, right now." She said with embarrassment. Clearly Cat was in on this and had been trying to get her to get cleaned up for this very reason. "I think I'm gonna have to kill Cat, though."
"Don't be too hard on the kid, Sam. She called me because she was worried about you." Freddie said. "Say, you mind of I come in?"
Sam stepped aside and let him into the apartment. "Um, you probably are wondering what's up with my look? I was just about to eat lunch and I ended up wearing a plate full of spaghetti thanks to a certain clumsy little girl."
"Actually, I hadn't noticed. I was too concerned with your lips." Freddie blushed.
"Well, if that's the case." Sam smirked and snaked her arms around his neck. "Maybe we should quit talking and go back to that." She missed kissing him more than anything.
After a few minutes of kissing, which evolved into making out on the couch, the couple came up for breath.
"So, did you maybe want to go out for Valentine's Day?" He asked. "I was thinking maybe that place we went after i got out of the hospital that had the rib buffet."
"Dude, you really know how to get to me." Sam smiled and went in for another kiss. "But I think I'd better get cleaned up a little."
As Sam went to get a shower, Freddie sent Cat a message that he had smoothed things out with Sam for her and she didn't have to worry about getting beat up when she came home.
Sam emerged from the hallway, dressed up in the outfit Cat had suggested, ready to go out for dinner. "Ready to head out, Freducchini?"
"Wow, Sam you look, um, wow." He stammered, as his eyes ran down her body taking in all the shapes he loved so much.
"Well, I figured you came clear across the country to see me, might as well give you something to look at." She replied putting her arms around his neck and kissing him.
Freddie wasted no time in running his arms around her waist and kissing her passionately. From a standing position, they again wound up on the couch in another heated make out session.
"Um, we better slow down, Fredbuns or we're not gonna get any dinner."
Freddie frowned and agreed. "Maybe we can pick up where we left off after we eat." He suggested.
"Wouldn't have it any other way." Sam smirked with a kiss.
After their dinner, they returned to the apartment, which they had all to themselves. Cat had returned while they were gone and packed a bag to stay at her Nona's house for the night to give them some alone time.
She sent Sam a text telling her where she would be while the couple were eating and Sam smirked to herself after reading it. She knew then and there what her 'new' Valentine's Day tradition would be and it didn't involve chili or french fries.