Freddie still remembered their very first kiss.

Sitting on the ledge of that window, palms sweaty, leaning in just a fraction of an inch, her soft lips pressing against his chastely, his eyes falling slowly shut, a shooting pulse running down the length of his body. Just a few mere seconds of mouth to mouth, and when she pulled away, he remembered the immediate void he felt from her absence.

Yet that kiss….was nothing like this one.

It had a hidden passion, an unrequited depth. His fingers moved from her tear-stained cheeks, and threaded into her curled golden locks, slanting her mouth to open to his. He slipped his tongue past her lips, exploring the cavern of her luscious mouth, like a man dying of thirst. To his shock, she met his fervor with equal ferocity, her hands pulling at his tie, before polished fingers scratched at the nape of his neck, deepening the lock. Needing her as he never had before, one of his hands drifted down from her locks, to the small of her back, pulling her roughly forward into his hardened torso.

He wasn't sure how long they remained wrapped up in each other, surrounded by the glistening pool lights, night sky, and utter silence. All he did know was that it never felt long enough with her.

Sam pulled back slightly to gasp for air first, her face flushed with breathlessness and lust. He slowly opened his eyes, staring down at her wind-blown hair and swollen lips. He rested his forehead against hers, sighing in a mixture of disbelief and contentment, "Some things don't change, do they?"

Her forehead still to his, Sam's eyes remained wide open, panting heavily, unable to catch an even breath, "What does this mean?"

Freddie softly smiled, "It means…." And suddenly, he had become a man completely unraveled, his hands intertwined with hers at their sides, "….my God, Sam. I love you."

A few simple words….and it all came crashing down for Sam. She lifted her eyes to his, pulling back from his embrace a step.

But he never noticed her hesitation, "After all this time, and I do. I still do. I never stopped." He continued to hold onto her hand tightly, "Just…give us a chance."

With an aggression she hadn't shown him since they were teenagers, she ripped her hand away from his, forcing herself back a few more feet. The whirlwind of his kiss and the intensity of his words were simply too much for her to handle. She shook her head, her eyes lowering to the ground, "Freddie, it could never work."

Freddie had seen her fight this all too often. He let the shock her hand not in his wear off as he slowly took a step toward her, "Just stop. Don't think with your head. I'm talking to that sixteen year old wild child who never let logic ruin impulse." He pointed between them, "She feels this. She is why…..", her sad eye met his in sudden desperation, "….why you still look at me like that."

Sam shrugged her shoulders, the tears quickly beginning to form, "But I'm not that girl anymore." Freddie paused, his head tilting toward her in question. But Sam couldn't let his curiosity stop her, "Freddie, I don't want to ruin…"

Knowing her so incredibly well, and utterly afraid of her backtracking record, he quickly interrupted her, "You won't. You can't. Don't you get it? It was always, always you." His hand fell over his heart in absolute truth and he took another brave step forward.

"I am in love with you, Sam. Probably since that first kiss. And every moment in between."

Sam still remembered that first kiss too.

Hands clutching anything at her sides, her stomach was in knots as she put on the bravest face she could, leaning forward, his lips found hers gently, her eyes unable to close from shock and fear. It felt like years, and somehow just seconds. It was, bar none, the closest and most connected she had ever felt to someone. And when he pulled away, she realized she missed him. She'd never been more scared in her life.

And all these years later, and she still felt as stuck as that young girl.

She just….didn't know how to believe it to be true. Or worse, she didn't know how not to screw it up if it was.

Frozen in confusion, Sam continually shook her head, "I'm not good at this. You know that. I don't do this. I don't know how to really….love somebody. I always…I'm just so afraid that one wrong move and it'll all come crashing down." Her eyes lifted to his suddenly, pleading silently what she couldn't say aloud, "I will always need you in my life."

He sighed, reaching out his hand to her, "And you'll have me…", he shakily took a step forward, "…but I want more."

To her, nothing had ever sounded more frightening.

She opened her mouth to speak, but somehow couldn't find the words. Here he was, hand outstretched, heart open, and she just couldn't find the strength to make that leap. And yet, she couldn't quite get the courage to let it go completely, "Can I just…think about it? Please."

But he knew her far too well.

And all her words really said to him were …. no, it's never going to happen.

With an intense and immediate revelation, as if she had suddenly placed his hand to the fire, he retracted back. Why was he always fighting so hard for her….and her so hard against him? And he knew, like always, he could only ever fight her for so long.

She recognized his hurt, reaching out, "I'm so sorry, Freddie."

Yet, devastated and too far broken by her to deny, without a word, Freddie simply turned around and walked away.