(A/N: I hope everyone has a very merry Christmas :)

I hope to get a scanner for myself with the money I receive from family. That way I can scan drawings, put em' on Photoshop, edit them, and then put em' on Deviant-Art.

That includes Seddie pictures. MANY Seddie pictures :3

Quick question: Do you consider Sam's hair to be curly or wavy?

Happy Holidays!)

25.) Not Alone (Sam's POV)

"You know," Sam says softly to Freddie. "This'll be one of the best Christmases I've had in a while. Since, you know, almost every year Carly's in Yakima and you're with your family."

"Yeah, I don't think I could take another year with my mom's side of the family." Freddie snickers. "Last year, I got safety scissors, which my mother took away from me."

Sam looks up. "I got a bottle of liquor. My mum said it was all mine as long as I didn't drink it all at once."

"Yes. Very responsible." Freddie mutters.

"You know how she is." Sam says, half-defending.

"I know." Freddie says. He looks at the time on his Pearphone. "Wanna get going?"

"Can I bring Bacon with us?" Sam asks, holding her puppy and blinking up at him.

"Come on; my mom hates you coming over as it is." Freddie says, exasperated. "And if any kind of animal comes into the house, she uses some kind of thing to detect the dander and then will spray the house…repeatedly."

"Okay, you win." Sam says. "Your mum is more of a freak than mine is."

"My mom's overly-responsible, and your mom is under-responsible." Freddie compromises. "Now c'mon, let's get going."

"Bye, Bacon." Sam leans down and Bacon licks her nose.

"Sometimes I think you love the dog more than you love me." Freddie teases.

Sam rolls her eyes. "Yeah, sure. Now you're being overdramatic."

"I know." Freddie smirks and kisses her mouth. "Now come on. I wanna show you what I got you!"

Sam blinks up at him. "You got me something?"

"'Course I did."

Sam tries to muffle her surprise. "Come on then. You know how impatient I can be."

They bundle into Freddie's car. "Where's your mother?" Freddie asks.

"God knows." Sam shrugs.

"She's not even home for Christmas?" Freddie echoes.

"She was last year, with some guy. I let her do what she wishes." Sam shrugs, not wanting to discuss this.

"What did you do last Christmas?" Freddie asks.

"I webcammed with both Carly and Melanie. It wasn't so bad." Sam says, trailing off.

"You could be requested to webcam with me; you know I would have talked to you." Freddie says softly. "Even if we weren't dating."

"I know. As if I wanted to see your freakish family." Sam sneaks in a smile.

Freddie rolls his eyes. "As if your family isn't full of freaks."

"We both know that." Sam chuckles.

"So, tell me." Freddie says as he starts to drive. "Besides Melanie, is there anyone who is sane in your family?"

"Well, there's my aunt Katherine." Sam shrugs. "She's the one who funds for Melanie to go to boarding school. She's fairly responsible."

"How come I've never met her?" Freddie asks.

"I never even see her myself. Well, once in a great while. She's got some kind of big business thing, never really has time for anything else." Sam says.

"If she's decently wealthy, does she ever help you and your mom out?" Freddie looks at Sam.

"Oh, yes, a lot. My mum doesn't have a steady job. She gives us money, sort of like a relief system. And she funds for Melanie's school." Sam looks away. "She offered to send me there, too, but I didn't go."

"Why?" Freddie asks. "I know this is true, but you never really explained."

"Why the hell would I want to go to boarding school?" Sam chuckles. "And I was only seven when I got the choice. I'd much rather stay somewhere where I knew the whereabouts."

"Well, I'm glad you did." Freddie moves away from the wheel and kisses the side of Sam's head.

Sam watches as they pull into the Bushwell Plaza parking-lot. "So your mum isn't home?"

"Nope." Freddie says. "With other family. Now let's go."

Sam slips out of the car. She feels something move in her jacket and she clutches it tightly. He can't see it yet.

"Look, snow." Sam says, smiling, looking around.

"I know." Freddie makes a You-Don't-Say? face. "That's what happens in the winter-time!"

Sam leans down, scoops a snowball, and throws it at his jacket.

"Nice." Freddie brushes it away. "Don't want a repeat of the other day, do we?"

"Maybe later." Sam smirks, and they walk inside. They slip up the stairs, for once not heading to the Shay Loft. They go into Freddie's apartment.

"You know," Sam says. "Your house always smells like Lysol."

"Does it?" Freddie looks around. "I can never tell."

"It does. And I like it." Sam grins. "Do you have a tree?"

"I have one in my room." Freddie says. "C'mon."

They go into Freddie's room. In the dark, Sam watches as Freddie plugs it in. Sam stares at it, her eyes wide. It's been a while since her family got her a Christmas tree.

"It's so pretty." She says.

"I know." Freddie says. "Well, who should go first? Me or you?"

Sam grips her jacket. "I think you should." She smirks. "Mine is gonna blow your underpants off."

Freddie looks at her. "That's not even a real phrase!"

"Oh, it will be." Sam says, still smiling.

"Well, here's mine." Freddie says. "But first, I gotta say a few words."

Sam groans. "Oh, here you go with the talking thing again!"

"C'mon, I'll keep it short." Freddie promises.

Sam makes an irritated noise, somewhere between a groan and a sigh.

"Okay. Sam Puckett." Freddie eyes his girlfriend up and down. "I know better than anyone that the key to your heart isn't just ham. Even though ham takes up a wide section of it."

Sam gives a little smile.

"But I also know that you aren't swindled by material goods, unless it's ham, of course. And no, I did not get you ham for Christmas."

"But that would've been good enough." Sam mutters.

"I know. But still, it had to be special." Freddie smirks. "So, here." He hands her a small box.

Sam gently rips away the thin paper and lifts the small lid of the box open. She blinks when she sees two rings inside. "Huh?"

"They're sorta like promise rings." Freddie says, taking one out and slipping it onto her finger. "Well, sorta. I-I know that it was rough for you when you where younger, Sam. And these rings are like, assuring that as long as they're connected, that we'll be okay."

Sam looks at the rings, seeing the purple gemstones entwined with the silver base. "Freddie," She begins with a smile. "This may be not only the most clique thing you've ever done, but this is also one of the sweetest."

"Aww, that's a Sammy compliment." Freddie smiles.

"Of course." Sam reaches over and kisses him. "Thanks, babe."

Freddie drops his mouth down to her ear. "Oh, and there's ham in the fridge, too."

"Now you're officially 75% cool." Sam smiles and wraps her arms around his neck.

"That's even better than 50%." Freddie chuckles.

They sit together for a bit,, just staring at the lights on the tree.

"Benson, as sweet as that is, I'm afraid that I got you something just as great." Sam smirks.

"Oh, did you, now?" Freddie smiles back.

Sam unbuttons her jacket, and slips her hand inside. She hands him the piece of paper she received earlier. "I got this a few days ago. I knew…I knew this would blow your mind."

Freddie takes the piece of paper from Sam. He slowly opens it. Sam watches as his lips move as he reads the words. His eyebrows continue to rise and rise, until his jaw drops as he reads the signature.

"W-What…!" Freddie stutters.

"My aunt Katherine is very good friends with one of the head professors at M.I.T." Sam says. "Noam Chomsky, or something like that. Anyway, since they are friends, I managed to…to get her to ask him to review your files. Like, more specially than they would someone else." She looks at the letter. "And judging by the response, they like you."

"…Are you telling me…" Freddie says in ragged breaths.

Sam looks at him.

"…That you pretty much got me into M.I.T….?" He finishes, looking at her with wide eyes.

Sam looks back at the letter. "It would appear that way, yes."

Freddie just stares, bewildered. Finally, the shock overcomes him and he literally tackles Sam to the ground.

"Hey—" She begins to say, but is interrupted when Freddie roughly kisses her. And then again. And again.

"Sam," He says in-between kisses. "This. Is. The. Best. Thing. You've. Ever. Done. For. Me."

"All I did was—" Sam begin to say, but Freddie cuts her off with his lips again.

Freddie pulls away and holds Sam's cheeks with his hands so she has to look at him. "You basically got me into my dream school. Do you have any idea how much that means to me?"

Sam looks up at him. "I figured a lot…"

"This makes up for everything you've done…times like, a million." Freddie says, kissing her over and over again.

"Come on, I need to breathe." Sam teases.

"No, you don't." Freddie dismisses it and continues to devour her face.

"So are you going to do this for the rest of the night?" Sam asks.

"Probably." He replies. He smirks. "Problem?"

"Not at all." Sam smiles and the two lean in simultaneously, their lips connecting at the exact same time.