And if I fall and crash and burn

At least we both know that I tried

And as I crawl those lessons learned

Yeah they remind me I survived

(Lifehouse – Crash And Burn)


Three weeks after the break up and things got really better between Sam and Freddie. It was like they were back to their old bickering selves, but without the physical contact. Sam was still very aware of the electricity that went through her body whenever he was close, she didn't need the drama of it all. Freddie on the other hand, missed the way she used to pummel him. Only a crazy person would miss physical abuse, but maybe after years of knowing Sam, he had become a bit crazy too.

Even when things got better, there was still that ache inside their chest, whenever they would want to hold each other's hand, or just lean against each other's shoulders. Freddie hoped they would be ready soon, and with T-Bo living in his house he would succeed on being less normal. So he could be ready for her. And he didn't mind the fact that he needed to be abnormal in many ways so they could be together, because that meant they would be together. And usually he stopped paying attention to his own thoughts after the word together.

Sam too was making some efforts of her own to try to be a bit more normal. She started to do things she wouldn't usually do, like help people, or clean up her own mess. Usually, she wouldn't do that kind of effort for any guy, but Freddie wasn't just any guy, he was THE guy. THE one. That's why when she met Brad's cousin, Will she was totally oblivious to the fact that he was flirting with her. Will was trying his best to get her attention and even impress her, but Freddie happened to be wearing that same damn shirt he was wearing the he kissed her on the meantal hospital, day they broke up… the day they made love for the first time. Sure Will was nice, and they had a few thing is common, but that damn shirt, or the boy who was wearing it, was so frigging distracting.

She couldn't take her eyes off the damn shirt, and the way it hugged his muscular chest so well. Freddie however couldn't take his eye off Will. He was, unlike Sam, very aware of what that scrawnier version of Brad was trying to do. He was trying to get it on with his girl, and Freddie Benson did not appreciate that. Luckily, Sam did not seem to notice, or didn't give much attention to Will. The thing is, they didn't really talked about moving on, or if it was okay to date someone else while they weren't ready for each other. To Freddie it all seemed pretty stupid, how can they be ready to have other relationships and not be ready for each other?

Later that day, Freddie realized he had two options. One: speak to Sam about it. Two: ask Brad for help. He went with second option. He didn't know if it was okay for him to ask Sam not to date anyone, and he surely did not want her to think he was implicating she couldn't date anyone. After the show, Freddie decided to wait until the girls were downstairs to talk to Brad. Carly and Sam always left before the boys, they implied that they didn't know anything about techy stuff, so the boys had to the work putting the props down and putting the equipment in a safe place.

"So?" Freddie started.

"So what?" Brad asked, taking off the meat that was hanging on a hook in the ceiling.

"I've been meaning to ask you a favor"

"Sure thing man" he climbed off the stairs and put the raw beef on a bowl. Sam might want that later, you never know, and he didn't want to get beaten up for throwing perfectly good meat away, that was a utter sin in her world.

"You and I are friends right?" Freddie played nervously with his tech chords "like best friends?"

"Sure we are. Why?" Brad put his tasks aside to pay better attention to his friend.

"I need a big favor Brad"

"Hit me"

"I want you to tell your cousin Will to stay away from my girl" he said more confidently.

"Your girl?" Brad chuckled "I thought you guys broke up"

"That doesn't change the fact that we're still trying to be ready for each other. And in the mean time I would like for your cousin, or any other guy, to stay away from her"

Brad smiled. He knew Freddie and Sam were both being stupid about this break up thing, but if they thought they weren't ready, who was Brad to say the opposite? Still, he found deeply amusing how they could get jealous so easily. Every girl in Ridgeway high was now aware that Freddie Benson was off limits. Just because Sam Puckett didn't have the dork, it didn't mean somebody else could, because technically, even if they weren't dating, he was her ex boyfriend, which made him hers somehow.

The only girl who ever tried to break that rule and crossed the line was Shannon. The poor girl has been in love with Freddie for such a long time, and after she heard about the break up, she decided to ask him out. Before she could make any move, the news got to Sam, and let's just say it wasn't pretty for Shannon. After that, every single girl in the whole school was afraid to even walk too close to him, they all feared what Sam Puckett could do if she thought they were hitting on him.

And now Freddie was asking him to keep Will away from Sam. It was deeply amusing in so many ways, that Brad had to laugh. He wanted to tell Freddie that Sam's been jealous too and both were being stupid, but Carly forbidden him. She said they have to find their way back to each other on their own, and this way will be so much better. Unlike Brad, Carly believed Sam and Freddie had some growing up to do, they needed to mature and work on issues of their own, only then they could work as a couple. But after many years of being friends with the pair, Carly failed to realize something Brad did in only a few months, Sam and Freddie did not work like anybody else, thereby their relationship would never work as it should. Nevertheless he decided to just go with it, and if the couple really needed some help he would step in, otherwise he would just sit and wait.

"Did you tell Sam that? That you don't want her to date anyone? Because you know, eventually she will, since she doesn't know you feel this way" Brad figured a little push wouldn't hurt.

"I can't tell her that! She'll think I'm trying to boss her, and Sam does not react well to authority"

"Yeah, but if you have a heartfelt conversation with her… maybe she'll even tell you she doesn't want you to date either"

"Do you think that? I mean, do you think she doesn't want me to date?" he asked hopefully.

"Listen dude, if you want me to ask Will to back off, I will. But I think you should have a heartfelt with Sam and maybe, only maybe she feels the same way and you both can work something out" another little push couldn't hurt.

"Maybe… I'll think about it. But can you please get rid of your cousin for me?"

"I'll do that" Brad nodded and wrapped his arm around Freddie's shoulder "now let's go downstairs, I'm hungry"

"God you sound like Sam" he chuckled.

"No, you see Sam in everywhere" Brad snorted.

That night, Freddie went to bed thinking about what Brad said. He didn't really wanted to break up and maybe neither did Sam. The truth is, when they decided to break it off, his heart sunk, but the moment they decided to postpone it, happiness hit him again. She wasn't the most normal girl in the world and they weren't the most conventional couple in the world, but that worked for them, so what was the problem? Freddie couldn't remember really why they broke up. At the time everything made sense, but thinking about it later, made him wonder. Why the hell did we break up again?

Sure, they heard Carly telling Spencer and his girlfriend that they were forcing a connection that wasn't there, that it was just weird and wrong. Both Sam and Freddie took it to the heart. However, looking back at it, Carly was telling that to Spencer, not them. Each couple it's different and works on a different system, so why should he take an advice she gave to Spencer? He had to admit the guy didn't have the most successful relationships of all. And in years of knowing the artist, he never saw Spencer share with anyone a connection like the one he had with Sam.

Because it was deeper than anything he could ever feel for anyone, Freddie thought. Once again he spent the night over analyzing everything. Since the break up, Freddie had spent many nights wondering what lead him to think breaking up with Sam was for the best. He never got an answer that made sense.

Not many miles away from him, Sam did the exact same thing. Sam Puckett was not a romantic person. She hated flowers and candlelight dinner. Chick flicks were the worst kind of torture someone could put her through and serenades were totally disgusting. She wasn't into romantic songs or any other emotional thing that every girl seemed to want. If you really stopped to analyze her, Sam Puckett was a complicated person, however her desires were very simple. Sam never wanted more than food and a good nap. That was until she started to want a certain dork. Things got complicated. And she hated complicated, which was exactly what she became because of Freddie Benson.

Kissing him in a surprise attack was something crazy to do. In normal circumstances she would've pummel him for not leaving her alone, but he was talking about feelings under the moonlight. Back then she regretted kissing him more than anything. But after the way things between them unfolded, Sam began to think that was the single smarter thing she ever done. Dating the dork was better than she expected. He wasn't too emotional and disgustingly romantic as she thought he would be. He was sweet in the right amount and slightly romantic, which was a pretty good deal for her. Freddie was also funny and nice to hang out with, not mentioning smart and interesting. Of course there were the physical aspects. He wasn't bad to look at and to be fair; the boy was very, very handsome.

Things between them happened so easy, like they were in sync. Sure, they fought, but that worked for them. So why, oh why did they break up? Did she even want to break up? No. Did he? She wasn't so sure anymore. Things made so much sense three weeks ago in that elevator, but now, thinking about it… nothing made sense. She knew that, but she wasn't going to tell Freddie about it. Sam wasn't sure of what he wanted, maybe he needed the time to be ready, but she didn't. Should she wait forever? Or just move on? The truth was, after Freddie Benson, any other guy seemed pretty disgusting to her.

The next morning, Sam decided to hang out in her own home, just relaxing and thinking about anything not related to Freddie Benson. She needed a break from that emotional bubble. But the boy was inside her head 24/7, there was no escape from that. The boy in her head did the same thing not many miles away from there. Freddie sat in his room watching TV and trying to focus on anything not related to Sam Puckett. He couldn't think about her all the time or he would go crazy with regret.

About eight pm, Freddie was finishing going through some college brochures and sites when he got the phone call that forever changed to course of his life.

"Hey Brad. What's the deal man?" he said nonchalantly, eyes on the computer screen.

"Hey Freddie. Listen, I talked to Will, but he didn't listen. In fact…" he trailed off "he's going there right now, to ask her out"

"WHAT?" Freddie jumped off his chair "what the heck is wrong with him?"

"He's pretty stubborn man. I'm sorry Freddie. I tried"

"It's okay man, thanks" after Brad hung up Freddie quickly dialed Carly's number "Carls? I need a favor!"

"Sure Freddie, is everything okay?"

"No… listen I need you to call Sam and keep her busy on the phone" he rushed to get his hoodie and car keys "can you do that?"

"Sure. Why?"

"Well it's a long story, but I'll make it short" he opened the front door and practically ran to the elevator "Brad's cousin is going to ask Sam out and I need you to keep her busy so he won't have the chance to talk to her until I can get there"

"Oh my god Freddie! You wanna go back together or something?" she squeaked.

"Yeah" he tapped his foot nervously on the elevator floor "I do"

"You're sure you're ready for this? I mean... You and Sam?"

"Honestly Carly, I never even wanted to break up" he got off the elevator and ignored Lewbert's cries, heading out to the parking lot.

"But you're sure about the…" he cut her off.

"Listen, I love her okay? I don't need to be ready, I'm ready" Freddie opened the door of his car and started the engine, buckling the seatbelt; he was a careful driver.

"If you're sure… Oh my god this is awesome! Okay! I'll call her! Good luck Freddie!" Carly squeaked and squealed before turning off the phone.

Freddie rushed to get to Sam's house before she could say yes. He couldn't lose her, not for some stranger jerk who barely knew her. He didn't know what possessed him, but when Brad said his jerkhead cousin was going to ask her out, he freaked out. Freddie never wanted the damn break up and he had to let her know that. He needed to say it, face to face. But the traffic wasn't helping. Two men were fighting in the middle of the street because of some fender bender. Freddie had to wait five precious minutes for the police to solve the commotion. Then Carly called again.

"Freddie?"

"Carly? What the hell, you should be talking to Sam not me!" he growled.

"I tried, but she said the doorbell rang and hang up on me" she explained "I called again, and she said Will was there and she would call me back. I tried to stay on the line with her, distract her… but she just hang up on me. She said she would get rid of him and called me back, but it's been almost five minutes!"

"Shit! Okay… alright… I'm not going to make it on time… I'll call her, and hopefully she'll pick up! Thanks Carls"

She had to pick up, maybe when she saw he was calling she would. Freddie dialed her number, ignoring the road. He was a careful driver anyway.

Sam was talking to Will on the living room. Well, he was doing the talking, she was just listening. The boy was a pretty boring version of Brad, and Sam had no idea why he was in her house or what he wanted, but as soon she could, she would get rid of him and call Carly.

"So Sam… what I've been trying to say…"

"And failing miserably" she said, her patience was long gone.

"Is that… I wanted to ask you out on a date" he finally, after almost five minutes, concluded what the heck he wanted to say.

Sam analyzed the boy in front of her for a second. He was blond, scrawny, with twigish arms and blue eyes. His hair was thick, and looked heavy, and his eyes were too small for his face. So unlike Freddie's, they were just the perfect shape, size… and color… brown. Sam loved brown, reminded her gravy, cupcakes, chocolate and Freddie's eyes. Will had nice skin, but Freddie had perfect skin. Will had nice lips, but Freddie had perfect lips… and the list goes on. She couldn't look at any other boy without comparing him to the dork, in other words, she was doomed. Sam knew the answer to his question right away. She wanted to be ready for the biggest, most stupid techy dork in the face of earth, and hooking up with other boys wasn't going to help her. Will was nice, but unfortunately for her there was only one guy, and it wasn't him.

But before she could answer anything, her phone rang. Again. She planned to just ignore it, and tell Will to buzz off, but she saw it wasn't Carly calling, but Freddie. She just had to answer.

"Hey dorkhead" he let out a breath her was holding at the sound of her voice.

"Hey Sam… we need to talk"

"What's going on?"

"Listen… is Will there?" he drove past the red light, but he is just such a good driver.

"Yeah… why?"

"He asked you out didn't he?" he drove in between two cars, but he was a careful driver.

"Yeah… how do you know that?"

"It doesn't matter. Just don't say yes!"

"I wasn't planning to"

"Oh…" he sighed, slowing down the speed "thank god!"

"Why?"

"Because I never wanted to break up, okay? It was stupid and I did it because I thought you wanted it, but I don't, I never did! I love you. This is stupid Sam… I wanted to tell you face to face, but... I got caught up in traffic"

She didn't say anything for a while. The girl was awestruck, this was exactly what she wanted to tell him but couldn't.

"Mama totally agrees" she smiled "you're stupid"

"Yeah… totally stupid" he laughed.

"This is stupid" she laughed.

"So stupid!" they both laughed.

Freddie laughed at stopped at the red light. He managed to get halfway to Sam's house alive, and he didn't even paid attention to where he was going. Now he was going to fix the mess they both did, and hopefully never do it again. He smiled on the phone, knowing she would be smiling on the other line.

"Get your ass in here Benson… this little conversation means nothing, we still have a lot of talking to do"

"I believe we do Miss Puckett. I believe we do…"

He kept smiling, waiting patiently for the light to turn green. Quite a story this would be, tell Sam he almost killed himself on the streets just to get to her on time. Freddie was so lost into this amazing moment he was having with her, silently on the phone, that he didn't notice the truck coming right in his direction. The light was green now. He drove.

"Get rid of him" he said "I don't wanna see his jerk face when I get there"

"You're not the boss of me Benson!" she said with a laugh "I'll do it only because I was already planning to do it"

"Fine Puckett, whatever you say"

"Hey Will…sorry I can't date you!" Sam forced the boy out of her house "Bye!" Freddie laughed, hearing the door slamming hard "pronto. But don't you think this was because of you"

"Alright Princess Puck-"

The truck hit his car, right on the driver's side. All Sam could hear on the other line was a loud crash. She thought Freddie might've dropped his phone on the floor or something. Part of her knew it was a stupid thing to think, but the other one was too frightened to think anything else. Freddie's car flipped twice. While he was hanging upside down, for nothing more that less than a few seconds, everything turned white… not black like in the movies, but white.

"Freddie? Freddie? Are you there? Talk to me! What's going on?" his resistant pear phone was lying a few meters away from his car, still working.

In the end, he was a good driver, but not a careful one. He just forgot one little thing he never should've overlooked.

The sides.


Hey guys, maybe most of you will be surprised with how things are going to unfold in this story, but I just gotta say I wanted to do something different. This fic is actually based on a dream I had, and in the story I heard from a friend. This story is about believing in things you can't see, and how strong love can be, also about the power of positive thinking, no I'm not talking about bringing the dead back to life! I hope you don't get disappointed with the plot so I hope whatever comes next you guys can enjoy it. I'll try not to make it OOC.