Chapter Twelve (As If By Fate)

Sorry the last chapter took so long, just like to make sure things make sense. Thanks for all the reviews. Hope you like it. And for all of you who are waiting on Seddie to show up…it will I promise…ENJOY!

Sam, Freddie, Carly and Spencer were standing outside of the Dingo building waiting o Socko's cousin to show up, when Jennifer and her dad walked out of the front doors of the building. Jennifer saw Freddie and immediately walked over to him. Sam saw her coming first, and rolled her eyes in frustration. She didn't want see her; much less deal with her. Freddie noticed Sam looking off into the distance, and turned around to see Jennifer heading towards them. Carly and Spencer also noticed she didn't at look pleased. Freddie walked over to her before she could get to where they were. Jennifer stopped as Freddie got over to her.

"What was that all about Freddie?" Jennifer asked, clearly upset.

Sam could see that she and Freddie were going to get I and was just about to it and was going to go over and give her a piece of her mind about what she thought was a trap so Her dad and Ted could screw them out of the iCaly web show. But as she turned around and do just that, she overheard Jennifer and Freddie she heard them getting into a heated argument.

"What do you mean what was that about? I thought I was pretty clear about that." He said annoyed at how she was insinuating he had done something wrong.

"You know…calling me a liar, and then breaking up with me."

"First…you did lie. I asked you if you knew what this was all about, when in all actuality…you did! And second! There's only one thing I won't put up with…and that's lying. My dad lied all the time to me. He said he would never leave me. But he lied…he LIED Jen! And I'm sure as hell not going to put up with it from someone who supposedly cares about me!" He said angrily towards her.

"Freddie…I want us to work…I want us to be together; you're the only one who treated me the way you do." She said starting to cry.

Freddie looked at her with fire in his eyes.

"Well… I don't want to be with you…not anymore; like I said. We're through; fenito; done; over! You know…none of my friends have lied to me; not even Sam…and she's probably the best liar I know." He yelled in a harsh tone. "You want to know the difference between you and Sam?" He said waving his finger back and forth between Sam and her.

"What?" She asked.

Freddie walked over to Sam and placed his hand on Sam's shoulder.

"The difference is; even though Sam can be mean; verbally abusive, Sam never lied to me. She always told me what she thought. I never had to guess how she was feeling; she told me in her own way what she really thought. But you…you Jen, aren't the truthful person I thought you were, and I can't be around someone that's willing to lie to me." He said, turning around and heading back over to his friends.

Jennifer turned around hurt and broken, and walked back over to her dad, who was now standing by the car waiting on her. Sam couldn't believe her ears.

"He broke up with her?" She thought to herself.

Sam was confused. She had never heard him ever talk about his dad before, and never knew the reason his dad wasn't around anymore. Sam was shaken out of her thoughts by Carly.

"Freddie…did you just break up with Jennifer?" She asked.

"Don't want to talk about it." He said looking down at the ground; trying to avoid talking about it. Freddie was standing there; not realizing he still had his hand resting on her shoulder. Sam loved the feeling it gave her. It made her feel special; and she loved every second of it. But even though she loved that moment, she was still Sam.

"Watch it Nub. You can either take your hand off my shoulder, or go to the hospital and get it fixed…your choice." She said smiling. Freddie knew she didn't mean it, but chose to remove his hand anyway.

Sam stood there replaying in her mind what Freddie had said about her. She had never seen Freddie pissed like that. It was just something she hadn't seen in him before; it just wasn't who he was. He was always the guy that was there for her…anyone for that matter. He was always a caring and loving guy. Sam didn't say anything to him; she knew now was not the time. He needed his space, and she knew that.

Shortly after Jennifer and her dad left for home, Socko's cousin showed up. Everyone piled in and made their way home. Sam and Carly got into a conversation; while Freddie was silent. The events that took place were hard on him, and he just needed to go over things and figure things out. Sam would periodically look over at him, noticing his perplexed look as he watched out the car window. The things he said was something she appreciated. He acknowledged out loud in front of everyone that he respected her. Until that moment, she had no idea how exactly he felt about her. It gave her the hope she needed; the hope that maybe there was still a chance for her; a chance for them. After the long ride home, all of them were tired, and wanted nothing more than to go inside and relax; or in Sam's case, nap.

Carly was the first one in followed by Spencer. Sam walked over to the couch and plopped down and stretched her feet over onto the coffee table. Freddie followed her over and sat down next to her.

"Crazy day huh?" Freddie asked Sam as he adjusted himself so he could look at Sam.

"I believe that is an understatement; more of chaotic." She said smiling back at him.

Carly was sitting at the kitchen island watching the two converse with each other. She had a feeling that the two of them were probably going to eventually get to together; even if Sam had her doubts. That's when Carly had an idea. She remembered that she told Sam she would help her in any way; and she figured now was as good a time as any.

"Hey guys, I'm in the mood for a smoothie; anyone care to join me?" She asked smiling.

"Actually I could use a smoothie…how about you Fred Nerd?" Sam asked punching him lightly on the shoulder.

"Sure…I could go for one. I suppose I'm paying for yours as usual Princess Puckett?" He asked pointing at her.

Sam figured since he had made all those wonderful comments that she would give his wallet a break and pay for her own smoothie this time.

"Na…I still have a few buck left from my allowance; but don't get used to it." She warned with a light smile on her face.

"Well…let's get going." Carly said as she got up and headed over to the door followed by Sam and Freddie.

"Wait a minute…I left my purse in my room. You guys go ahead and I'll catch up to you in a few minutes." She said as she ran upstairs leaving them by themselves.

Sam and Freddie looked at each other; shrugged their shoulders and left; leaving Carly behind. As Sam and Freddie made their way to the Groovy Smoothie, Freddie noticed how unusually pleasant Sam was being with him. It's not that he didn't like it; because he did.

"Sam…what's up?" He asked as they crossed the street and walked over to the Groovy Smoothie.

"What do you mean Fred Bag?" She asked as Freddie opened the door for her.

"You know…this…you." He asked pointing his finger at her.

"Listen Nub; spit it out, your acting weird." She said with a confused look on her face.

"You…you're not acting your normal delinquent self; what gives?" He asked stopping before they reached the counter, with his hands in his pockets.

"Nothing's wrong Freeedie. Now get out of my way before I move you myself." She said moving towards him.

Freddie moved aside and let her pass. He stood there a second; staring and analyzing her as she walked away. Freddie walked over next to Sam, and ordered his smoothie, as T-Bo was handing Sam hers. Sam quickly walked over to a table in the far corner of the shop and sat down.

"I'm going to kill Carly the next time I see her. She did this; leaving us alone together, and now I have to be alone with him. I don't know if I can handle it." She thought to herself. Sam's thoughts were interrupted by Freddie pulling a chair up to the table and sitting across from her.

"So…where's Carly? She should have been here by now." He asked looking at the door, and watching for Carly to enter any second.

"I don't know…maybe there's a family emergency. You know how Spencer is." Sam said trying hard not to let her feelings show.

Sam looked at Freddie and peered into his eyes; his deep dark brown eyes; the eyes that always seemed to draw her in. She could feel her hands starting to sweat. Sam sat there a few moments trying to stay calm. But thinking about their day; and what he had said about her at Dingo.

Uncontrollably; Sam blurted out what it was she was thinking.

"Freddie…I just wanted to thank you." She said quietly and staring down at her smoothie.

Freddie looked at Sam; confused for a second, until he suddenly realized what she was thanking him for.

"Oh…that. Well; it's true. And I do admire how honest you are; even though I know how easy is for you to lie." He said starting to see Sam in a different light. He was watching her being something he had never seen like before. Almost shy; possibly even scared.

"Is it true…you know; what you said about your dad?" Sam asked cautiously.

"Yeah…all I can remember of him is how he would tell me and my mom one thing and doing another. Everything he said to me was a lie, and the biggest one of all was the one that hurt me the most."

"What was it?" Sam asked.

"He said he loved me. He said he would always be there. But one morning as I was getting up from bed, and walked into the living room. I saw my mom sitting on the couch crying uncontrollably; holding a piece of paper in her hand. I walked over to her and asked her why she was crying. And do you know what she told me?" He asked while gripping his cup almost to the point of crushing it.

"What?" She asked.

"Your father left us, and he's not coming back. My mom was a wreck for months. It was hard to see her like that; especially since I was a little kid. How can a dad leave his family. How can he leave his seven year old son?"

"So that's why you were so mad at Jennifer." She said understanding his anger with her.

"I don't like it when people lie to me; it just brings back bad memories; memories I don't like to relive." He said sounding a little down.

Sam didn't say anything; just sipped her smoothie. She wouldn't have known what to say anyway.

"Sam…I have a question; but you don't have to answer it if you don't want to." He said thinking back on the last time they were there alone together; and what she had said to him.

Sam started to feel a little uneasy. She wasn't sure of what he was going to ask her, but she was willing to answer. So she braced herself for his question.

"Remember when we were here last?" He asked while putting his smoothie down on the table and sliding it to the side.

"Um…ahem uh…yeah." She said nervous and realizing where this was going.

"Did you mean what you said? Do you really like me? You know…like a lot?" He asked feeling a little nervous to be asking this kind of question to Sam.

Sam sat there for several seconds; unsure if she should confirm her feelings for him; feelings she had been keeping under wraps for so long. But once again, she suddenly had an uncontrollable urge to say it; and without even thinking; she blurted it out. "Yes Freddie…I meant what I said." She said, feeling vulnerable and wanting to get up and run before he could respond.

Freddie sat there silent; with a look on his face she hadn't seen. Freddie remained silent, and picked up his smoothie and took a sip. Sam was freaking out on the inside.

"I shouldn't have said anything; this was a bad idea…now what?" She thought to herself.

Freddie set his cup back down on the table and slowly gave her smile.

"Sam…I like you too. Everything makes sense. The way we fight but aren't mad at each other. The way you always call me names; but they never really bother me." He said as he cautiously reached across the table and placed his hand on hers.

Sam's heart started racing, and she felt like it was going to jump straight out of her chest. The feeling of his hand on hers sent shivers through her whole body.

Sam had a question; a question she needed to ask, but was too afraid of asking. Sam looked down at his hand on hers and then back up at Freddie. His hand felt wonderful on hers; she started feeling more relaxed and calmer about things, knowing he liked her too. But there was still something she had to know.

"Um…Freddie; where do we go from here? I mean you just broke up with Jennifer today. Doesn't that feel a little weird to you?" She asked really wanting things to be real, and not just some dream she was going to wake up from in her room, and feeling disappointed.

Freddie smiled, and placed his other hand on hers.

"Let's just see together; you know. One day at a time." He said patting her hand and then sitting back in his chair and grabbing his smoothie.

"Hey; Nub." She said with a sly smile on her face.

"Get me another smoothie." She said holding up her empty cup and shaking it in the air.

"I thought you were paying this time?" Freddie asked with a shocked look on his face.

"I did…this one only. Now be a good little Nerd and get that smoothie." She said; still shaking her empty cup.

Freddie smiled and shook his head.

"Same old Sam." He said as got up from the table; grabbed her cup, and headed over to get her another one.

There you have it. The start of Seddie. Hope you enjoyed it. PLEEEEEASE review, it helps me keep writing the story. Always up for ideas on different ways to go with the story. And once again, review review review! And as always thanks for reading