I love the response this story is getting! Sorry it took me a while to update, but I've had some pre-pneumonia pseudo-swine flu crap, and whenever I wasn't in school, I was pretty much dead. Okay, that's not completely true. I did write a oneshot, but that's it I swear. Anyway, I really hope you like this. Once again, Freddie's POV.

iGo To A Wedding

Chapter Three: Limos and Late-Nights

I stared across the dark car at her, remembering the last time I'd ridden in a limo. Back then, Carly had been conspiring against us, rather that for us. But I couldn't. I couldn't go through that again.

But as I looked over at her, glancing out the window absently, her face dancing in the passing streetlights, I couldn't help but want her.

Could I turn my back on everything I'd once felt for her, still felt for her? She looked down and straightened her skirt and she had one of those rare vulnerable moments. Her knee was bobbing nervously and I reached over to stop it. She caught my eyes and smiled, and I knew I couldn't do that to either one of us.

I tried to forget how much pain those first months of college had caused me. At the last minute, I almost transferred so we could be closer, but she wouldn't hear of it. I was at my east coast dream school, and she was at her west coast haven. We might have thrown it all away, but it was only one summer. We both thought we'd fall in love again, with someone else, somewhere else, but neither of us had, and I had to wonder if it meant something.

But it couldn't. I was still an east coast workaholic, and she was still a west coast climber. The way she made it sound, she was close to being a partner, and I was almost head producer. It would be impossible to start where we'd left off and not get hurt.

I shook the thoughts out of my head. If I was going to get through tonight, I was going to have to forget about those gnawing feelings in my gut. I was going to enjoy myself, even if it killed me.

When we pulled up to the restaurant and I couldn't pronounce the name of it, I knew we were in trouble. I could tell that Carly was already used to these places, but Sam looked just as disgusted as I did. This looked like the kind of place they served fish eggs and octopus. If I knew Sam, she wouldn't have any of it.

When Parker gave his name to the hostess, she smiled conspiratorially. I looked over at Carly, and she was trying her best to look innocent.

"I'm sorry Mr. Emerson, we're overbooked tonight. I'm afraid you won't be able to sit together. Do you mind?"

Sam and I looked at each other and rolled our eyes when Carly asked, "Oh, that sucks! Do you guys mind?"

"Of course not," we both answered, and I saw a flicker of deviousness flash across Carly's eyes.

"Oh, great! It's funny how these things work out," she said transparently. Even Parker rolled his eyes.

I grabbed Sam's elbow and pulled her back a little so we were out of earshot as the hostess led Carly and Parker to their table, "Do you think we'll have to put up with this all week?"

She covered my hand with hers, "No, I'm sure we'll have to put up with this all week. But there are worse people to be thrown together with."

"Your seventh grade self would kill you if she heard that," I said jokingly.

"No," she said as the hostess came back for us. "She'd be too busy killing you."

I laughed as we released each other and followed her to our table. Once again, the Emerson fortune was at work, because I could see that it was just far enough from Carly's table that we would think we were alone, but close enough that she could see everything.

I helped her into her chair and sat down, sitting up straight to try and block Carly's view of us, "I feel like we're in a fish bowl."

She nodded before opening her menu, "Do you know French? Or…Italian? Spanglish?"

"Why?"

"Because the entire menu is in one of those languages, or you know, another one I don't know."

I opened my own menu and gave up after only being able to make out the word 'chicken,' and trust me, it was a lone reference. I looked over my shoulder to see if Carly was watching before I conspiratorially leaned toward Sam.

"Do you want to get out of here?" her eyes popped open and she smiled.

She leaned around me to make sure Carly wasn't looking, adding, "You know she'll kill us right?"

"No, she'll think we eloped. Come on, don't you want a big greasy hamburger rather than…" I attempted to read something off the menu but failed horribly, and she laughed.

"I guess I haven't changed that much, have I?" she said, slowly raising her purse over her arm while I checked one more time to check to see if Carly was watching, before I took her hand and we made a break for it.

I could hear her giggling as we got out of earshot, darting between tables. Once we got out the door, she collapsed against the brick wall laughing. I leaned against the wall for support as I laughed too. I looked at her, blushing pink from laughing, and her eyes caught mine. The laughter suddenly died away.

In a moment, I remembered every feeling I'd ever had for her. From hatred to the deepest love I've ever felt, I saw in her eyes. I started to lean toward her, and her lips parted hopefully, but I jerked backward. I couldn't. I couldn't do this again.

It hurt to see the dejected look on her face, but I knew it was the right thing to do. I couldn't lead her on if I knew we wouldn't work out.

I tried to take her hand but she crossed her arms and stormed off. I followed, but every time I almost caught her she shrugged me off. This was not going well. I had to think of something to make her pause, even for just a second.

"You know, I still can't listen to that song!"

-

I spun around. Mr. Mixed-Signals was only a step behind me, and he caught me in his arms as I almost lost my balance. I thought to jerk myself away, but couldn't find the strength to do so.

"What song?" I asked breathlessly. Damn my voice. It and its friend 'blushing cheeks' should be hung for treachery.

"Our song," he said smirking, as if I'd really forgotten.

"It was a good song, wasn't it?" I said, breaking into a half smile, wishing I could have him back, but knowing I couldn't. I missed it. I missed that whole summer…

"Sam! Give me my pants!" he screamed at me. I was already halfway to my car, clutching his jeans in my left hand, my keys in my right.

"I knew you were still in love with her! I knew it!" I screamed, not bothering to turn around. If I turned around he would see my tears.

"Sam," he screamed, as I angrily tried to shove my keys in the door. "Just wait a second! You're overreacting."

I got in the car but didn't start it. I was afraid he would jump in front of it, and I really didn't want to waste a life term on him at this point.

"Sam, I just said her new haircut looked nice. Really, it's not that big of a deal," he said, trying to wiggle his fingers through my window, opened a crack for ventilation. Maybe it wouldn't have been a big deal if he hadn't said it right after he kissed me.

To be completely honest, I was still hung up on the fact he'd been in love with Carly all those years. I knew I was falling for him hard, and I didn't want to be his substitute.

I glared at him through the window and he sighed, "I love you Sam. Why can't you believe that?"

When I didn't answer him, he instructed me, "Okay Sam, take my PearPod out of my jeans pocket and hook it up to your car stereo."

Reluctantly, I reached into his pocket and took out his iPod. I turned my car on and plugged it in and he added, "My most played song, put it on."

I looked at the screen. "If I Fell" by The Beatles. I knew I heard it before, but I couldn't remember it. I listened to the words.

If I fell in love with you,
Would you promise to be true
And help me understand?

'Cause I've been in love before
And I found that love was more
Than just holdin' hands.

If I give my heart
To you,
I must be sure
From the very start
That you
Would love me more than her.

If I trust in you
Oh, please,
Don't run and hide.
If I love you too
Oh, please,
Don't hurt my pride like her

'Cause I couldn't stand the pain
And I
Would be sad if our new love
Was in vain.

I looked up at him, staring at me, hoping I would get the message. I couldn't help but smile and I unlocked the door. He pulled me out and pulled me into his arms, swaying to the music.

He started to whisper the lyrics in my ear.


So I hope you see
That I
Would love to love you
And that she
Will cry
When she learns we are two.

'Cause I couldn't stand the pain
And I
Would be sad if our new love
Was in vain.

So I hope you see
That I
Would love to love you
And that she
Will cry
When she learns we are two.
If I fell in love with you

As the song ended, we pulled back, and I started apologizing, but he simply covered my lips with his and I knew I was forgiven.

"Ugh," I said as we pulled away, a smile on my lips. "You know what that means? We have a song. How cheesy is that?"

He leaned in to kiss me again and whispered, "I'm starting to like cheesy."

I blinked, trying to bring myself back to the dimly lit Seattle street and away from my old driveway. I looked at Freddie and he was smiling.

"You okay?"

"Sorry, just a little flashback," I said, letting him take my hand again.

"You too?" he said, and I laughed. He did too, and I realized how much I'd missed this too. After torturing him through most of our adolescence, we were shockingly chill after Prom. It was nice to find I still loved spending time with him.

"Do you think the Groovy Smoothie is open? Maybe we could actually buy something from T-Bo for once."

"I think the Groovy Smoothie is always open. I'm pretty sure T-Bo lives under the counter and just pops out whenever he's needed."

I laughed as we headed toward our old hangout, feeling seventeen all over again.

Sadly, it was closed, but after a few minutes of pounding on the door, T-Bo opened and shoved us a few smoothies and corn dogs…for the right price of course. The man was an extortionist, but I was hungry. And Freddie was smart enough not to argue with my stomach.

We ate as we walked, not really sure where we were going until we were there. When we looked up, we were standing at the doors of Bushwell Apartments.

"It wouldn't be a stroll down memory lane without it," he said, nudging me. I smiled and nodded.

We tried to buzz in Spencer's apartment, but he must not have been home because he wasn't answering. Instead, I shouldered the door until Lewbert came to see what was going on. When he opened the door, we burst through and skittered toward the freight elevator, taking it up to the Shay's old apartment.

I remember Carly telling me that Spencer had gotten married, but I guess I didn't believe it until I saw his apartment. It was too clean. All of his sculptures looked too simple. I was comforted by the fact the bottle robot was still in the corner, but it looked like most of the other sculptures had been moved. Freddie looked almost as disheartened as I did.

"Should we go up and see the studio?"

"I don't know. Who knows what he's done to it by now?" I shrugged, but took one look up the stairs and took them two at a time. If I was going to get caught breaking and entering, it wouldn't be for nothing.

I sighed in relief when we got to the studio. Though some of it was being used as sculpture storage, most of it looked the same as it always had. I walked over to the car and let my hand drift over the front bumper. I looked up to see Freddie next to his now empty cart. Our eyes connected.

"So many memories…" I started, looking around, wishing we could back to when we were here. When we were kids and loving him was so simple.

"Yeah," he answered, his finger drifting over an invisible keyboard. "Hey, you know, I still have that video somewhere on my computer."

"What video?" I asked, looking up at him as he blushed. "Oh THAT video. You didn't put it on the internet or something did you?"

I was kidding, but at the same time, I hoped he hadn't. That video was quite…incriminating.

"Do I really seem like the kind of guy who would post…something like that…on the internet?" he asked, his eyes wandering to the bean bags. Oh yes. We did.

"Freddo, you didn't seem like the kind of guy who would make…something like that…until you hit record."

He chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his neck, "I even surprised myself on that one."

"That makes two of us," I said, smiling as I crossed the room and nudged him. "You know where we have to go now right?"

He smiled as he picked me up in his arms and carried me toward the fire escape, while I muttered, "You are such a freak Fredward."

He set me down to help me through the window before climbing through. He leaned over the railing to stare at the taxis below, and his face was lit up in the moonlight. There was a scruffy beard forming on his chin, and the hints of laugh lines around his eyes, but he was still my Freddie. And that's what made this all so hard.

He looked up and I caught his brown eyes staring into mine, before he turned away and shook something out of his mind. So he did feel the same way!

I looked over the side of the railing at the surrounding buildings, "You know, I forgot how beautiful everything was."

He turned and stared at me, taking a step toward me before whispering, "I didn't."

I could have sworn he was about to kiss me, but he was becoming predictable in his unpredictability, and sure enough he pulled away, but this time I was ready for it.

I turned away and sighed, "Maybe we should go back to the hotel."

He nodded, and I tried not to look angry and I went back through the window.

-

Damn it Fredward. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it.

I punched my pillow with the pretense of fluffing it, trying to release some of the tension that I could feel was brewing everywhere. Damn her and her soft lips, her soft everything…

I heard the door creak open behind me as she tried to hide most of her body behind the door. She must have brought some very revealing pajamas, considering she had expected her own room. Maybe this wouldn't be all bad.

"You comfortable?" she asked and I nodded, adjusting the blanket to show her that the couch would do no permanent damage. "Alright then, goodnight."

I heard her close the door, and I smiled. I wondered…

I tucked myself in under the covers and pretended to be asleep, just quietly waiting. Ten minutes later, like clockwork, I heard the door open.

"Freddie?" I made sure my breathing was shallow, and held back the answer.

I heard her creep over and sit on the edge of the couch. I felt her sweep her fingernails along my jaw and I did my best not to cover her hand with my own. She used to do this all the time when we were together, watch me as I slept. I sort of missed it.

I felt her lean down and sweep her lips over my forehead before I heard her whisper, "I missed you."

I couldn't help myself anymore, and I smiled, "I missed you too Sam. Now go to sleep. We have wedding planning to do in the morning."

She gasped before she jumped up and crept out of the room. I opened one eye to watch her figure retreat back into the bedroom, before I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.

I missed you too Sam. I missed you too.

Haha, I'm such a dirty rotten tease aren't I? But there was quite a bit of development in this chapter wasn't there? I liked the bit in the studio, where my mind was stuck in the gutter. And I'm so sorry for the lack of updates, but if it makes you feel better, I didn't have any free time whatsoever. Okay, so I doubt that makes you feel better, but please don't hate me. On the contrary, I think you should review. Wink wink nudge nudge. Luvz ya!