AN: A big thank you to those who have reviewed and left comments. I really appreciate it. Sorry for the long wait. I've been working on my other stories and another new one that I hope to have posted by Christmas. And I've just been busy in general. Don't forget to leave a comment. I love hearing from the readers. Hope you enjoy. :)
Chapter 7
A few days later, it was finally Friday, the day of Sam's first bout as an MMA fighter and Cat was super nervous. She couldn't tell if Sam was anxious or not. If she was, she was doing a good job of hiding it. Cat glanced over to Sam as they sat at their kitchen table. The blonde looked so calm and collected as she ate her lunch, while Cat felt like she, herself, had drunk about 12 energy drinks. And because Sam didn't seem nervous at all, it just made Cat worry even more. What if she goes in there and gets herself killed because she's not concerned about her own safety? Cat wondered. What happens when a suicidal person fights? Do they do better or worse, because they don't give a crap?
The past few days had been about the same, with Sam seeming fine one minute and then Cat would find her off in their room or outside on the back patio alone, crying. The blonde had been trying to hide it whenever she became emotional, not wanting to worry Cat. But the redhead had been there to support and comfort her without any judgement. Cat had still been worried about Sam's mental state. She hadn't been able to figure out if Sam was better or worse in regards to what Freddie had told her. Was Sam really suicidal and just really good at hiding it? Or was she actually better? Afterall, Freddie hadn't been around Sam in the past 11 months. So, what would he know?
Sam downed the rest of her ice water and then looked up at Cat. The poor girl was deep in thought, about to bite her fingernail right off from her worry.
"Uh, Cat?" Sam asked, staring at her in concern.
Cat looked over to her and answered, "Hmm?" without even pulling her fingernail out from between her teeth.
"You okay?" Sam asked with slight humor crossing her face. Cat never seemed this anxious.
The redhead just stared at her in confusion. "What?" she asked perplexed.
"You, uh…seem to be more interested in your nail there than your actual lunch," Sam said with a grin.
Cat paused, her eyes staring wide at Sam. She looked down at her full plate, the food untouched. Then she realized she had been chewing on her nails for the past several minutes as Sam had eaten her lunch.
"Oh, uh, right," Cat said and removed her fingernail from her mouth but still didn't touch her food. She was too on edge to eat.
Sam's features turned sympathetic, realizing Cat was nervous on her behalf. "Look, maybe you should go over to Jade's house for a while," Sam suggested, "go hang out with her and Tori to take your mind off my fight. You can even bring them with you later tonight."
The fight wasn't for a few hours and Sam was worried Cat would chew her fingers right down to the bone before it even started if she didn't get a grip soon. She was hoping her friends could distract her in the meantime.
"I'm fine," Cat replied, trying to sound nonchalant.
"Cat," Sam said, tilting her head at the redhead, "you're not fine. I know you. Look, I have to get there a couple hours early anyway. I'm not training today but Dice wants me to warm up and do light workouts every 20 minutes to stay warm and ready. Then I have to do my weigh-in. Just go hang out with your friends for a while to take your mind off it and I'll see you later tonight, okay? I want you in my corner, ready to cheer loudly." Sam grinned at her, causing Cat to calm a bit and her heart to flutter.
The redhead grinned back at her, "Okay, and I'll definitely be in your corner." She supposed Sam had a good point. And bringing Jade and Tori with her to the fight might help. They could offer her moral support if she started to get too worried about Sam.
A few minutes later, Cat grabbed her keys and was about to leave but she walked over to Sam, who was standing at the kitchen island, leaning over her laptop.
"Will I see you before you go into the octagon?" Cat asked.
Sam straightened up and turned to her, "Oh, uh, I don't know," Sam replied, "I'm not sure if you'll be allowed in the fighters' quarters or not. But I'll definitely see you ring-side. Or cage-side?" Sam wasn't sure what it was called in MMA terms.
"Oh," Cat said, sounding disappointed. "Well, if I don't get to see you before the fight…" she trailed off and then abruptly wrapped her arms around Sam in a tight hug. Sam shouldn't have been surprised. This was Cat after all. Cat hugged her for any and all reasons. But, for some reason, the hug caught her off guard and Sam's face flushed, her heart fluttering. She gently wrapped her arms around the petite redhead in return. "Please, be safe," Cat whispered in her ear, her voice full of concern. "I don't know what I'd do if something bad happened to you."
Sam's heart melted a little at Cat's worry over her. The only other person who ever cared that much about Sam had been Carly, and the blonde appreciated it. Even Sam's own mother never showed that much concern for her. They finally pulled back from the embrace and Sam smiled at her. "Don't worry, Kid," Sam said with a grin, "I promise I won't come back with too much brain damage."
"Sam, that's not funny!" Cat reprimanded her, the redhead's face contorted into fear.
"Sorry," Sam mumbled, her grin remaining though. "But seriously, Cat, you need to relax. I'll be fine."
"You'd better be," Cat said sternly, hoping Sam was right. "Or I'll…I'll beat you up myself!"
Sam chuckled and Cat gave her a grin in return.
Cat sat on Jade's front porch, fidgeting nervously. Her friends hadn't been able to distract her from her worry about Sam.
"Cat!" Jade scolded, "you're doing it again!"
Cat realized she had been chewing on her nails again and let her hand drop. She sighed, "I just can't stop worrying about Sam."
"Why? It's just a cage match, right? Sam's got this in the bag," Jade reassured.
"Yeah, from what we know about Sam, she'll be in her element," Tori agreed. "This is what Sam does. She's a fighter. And a good one too. I mean, I haven't seen her in action or anything but from the things I've heard about her-"
"I'm just worried, alright?!" Cat nearly bit Tori's head off, she and Jade looking at her alarmed.
"Cat, is there something we need to know?" Jade asked in concern. Cat gulped. She hadn't told her friends about Sam's breakdown or anything about Carly. And she felt like it wasn't her place to bring up Sam's possible suicidal plans.
"Yeah," Tori added, "you never really told us what happened with Sam after that night you were here, crying. Did everything go okay? Are you and Sam…together?"
Cat's eyes widened as she stared back at Tori. "Oh, I…uh…we…it's complicated," she finally said.
"Mm-hmm," Jade replied. "Look, we know you care about her and you're worried about the fight, but Sam can handle herself. And we'll be there with you, right Tori?"
"Right," Tori answered, "we'll be by your side the whole time. I'm sure Sam will be fine. She'll kick that other fighter's butt and win the match and everything will be fine. You said she's been training all week, right? So, I'm sure she's ready."
"But what if she gets hurt?" Cat asked, her eyebrows scrunching up with worry.
"Well, that's kind of a given with these kinds of fights," Tori replied without thinking. When she saw Cat's eyes widen even more and caught Jade glaring at her with a 'WTF?' look, she added, "I mean…small stuff. Bruises and scrapes. I'm sure nothing serious will happen. You know, like broken bones or getting knocked out or death-"
Tori cut herself off when she saw Cat about to hyperventilate and Jade staring at her wide-eyed and making motions to her behind Cat trying to tell the brunette to knock it off. The goth then patted her hand on Cat's leg comfortingly and said, "I think what Tori is trying to say is that, I'm sure Sam will be fine. It's rare that anything serious like that would happen."
"But it's possible," Cat murmured, her eyes staring straight ahead. "And probably more common than we think."
"Cat, one of the first things they teach you in fighting is how to block, dodge, and avoid a hit," Jade reminded her, trying to undo the damage Tori had caused. "It's not all just about throwing punches and kicks, and wrestling. And they always have medical care ring-side just in case of emergencies."
Cat sighed again and got her breathing under control. She knew her friends were probably right. Sam was an excellent fighter, even before she began her MMA training. But her worry didn't abate any. Cat was still concerned that Sam might not be mentally prepared.
"You nervous, Sam?" Dice asked as the blonde pulled her hair back in a ponytail. She'd just finished suiting up. "I wouldn't blame you." They had just had Sam's weigh-in and the match was scheduled to start in the next few minutes.
"Nah, I'm good," Sam said, feeling confident. Although, she knew her nerves could change any minute.
"Good," Dice replied. "I'm gonna go see how much longer."
He exited the small locker room, leaving Sam alone. As she slipped on her open-fingered gloves and tightened them with the Velcro straps, she heard a voice behind her, "Wow, I think you've put on some muscle over the past week."
Sam's heart fluttered at her words and she turned to see Cat standing in the doorway and gave her a grin. "You like?" Sam asked teasingly, but Cat just continued to stare dreamily at her. "Cat?" Sam asked, finally getting her attention.
Cat shook her head out of her daze, "Right." She grinned as she approached her roommate. Sam was wearing short blue and red athletic shorts and a matching sports bra, leaving her toned abs, biceps, and legs visible. She was barefoot and her long curly, blonde locks were pulled back in a ponytail. Outside of her bikini, Cat had never seen her look sexier. "I just came to wish you good luck," Cat added with a warm smile. She'd put her worry on the backburner so that she didn't cause Sam any anxiety. She wanted her to be ready and confident.
"Thanks," Sam said, looking her in the eye, inching closer to Cat. Standing toe to toe, they were just a few inches away from each other now.
Neither knew what else to say and the tension was growing. Sam was more nervous about Cat standing in front of her, looking all cute and shy, than she was about the actual fight. She thought the pink dress the redhead was wearing was super cute and a blush spread across her cheeks. Cat finally pulled Sam in for a hug and the blonde readily wrapped her arms around her. The embrace went on longer than was necessary and when they finally pulled back from each other, Cat kissed Sam on the cheek. The blonde blushed even deeper.
"For good luck," Cat said, referring to the kiss. She wanted to kiss her on the lips but didn't want to do anything to psych her out or distract her before her fight. "Be safe," she added as she took both of Sam's hands in hers and looked her in the eye. Cat seemed like she wanted to say something more but just settled for, "I'll be cheering as loud as I can for you." Sam just smiled at her and then Cat turned to leave the locker room just as Dice returned.
"Hey, Cat," Dice greeted with a smile as the redhead passed him. She just gave him a smile as she exited the room. The 13-year-old turned to Sam and said, "They'll be making your introduction in just a few minutes. You ready?"
"I was born ready!" Sam said enthusiastically.
"That's what I like to hear!" Dice replied with a grin.
Cat made her way over to her friends and took a seat in between them. "So, how was Sam?" Tori asked. "She nervous?"
"No," Cat replied with a sigh. "She seems…fine."
"Well, that's good," Jade said.
"Is it?" Cat asked, sounding unsure. "Aren't you supposed to be nervous before something like this?"
"Typically, yeah," Jade answered. "But Sam seems like the confident type."
"She is, but…" Cat trailed off. She'd hid her worry from Sam well. But she couldn't shake the feeling that Sam might not be worried enough about her own wellbeing. It put Cat on edge. Jade and Tori caught the concerned look on Cat's face and the goth was about to question her about it but the announcer suddenly started speaking through his microphone and the audience quieted down.
Cat and her friends were seated in the front row, closer to Sam's side of the cage. Dice had made sure to get them the best seats in the house. The place was packed with cheering fans and everyone seemed excited but Cat was only able to focus on her nausea and she kept glancing all around, looking for the so-called medical staff that should be ring-side for emergencies. The presenter droned on but then the redhead's ears perked up at the mention of Sam's name and then she fixed her gaze on her blonde friend as she entered the arena and made her way down to the cage with Dice following close behind her. Sam looked determined and focused but she gave Cat a wink and a grin as she passed by the redhead. Cat blushed and smiled in return. The crowd cheered loudly and then the announcer introduced Sam's opponent.
A tan-skinned man slightly taller than Sam with large muscles and spikey brown hair entered through the double doors opposite from Sam's entrance and made his way down the walkway toward his side of the cage. He had yellow shorts and matching open-fingered gloves on and he looked scary and intimidating. Cat gasped. "I didn't realize Sam would be fighting a man," Cat said with concern. "I didn't think that was actually allowed for real matches. For mix-gender fights."
"I guess, as long as they both belong to the same weight class it's allowed," Tori replied.
"Yeah, don't worry," Jade said, "I'm sure Sam's ready. Has she trained with any guys?"
"Yes," Cat answered, "actually, all the trainers I've seen her with have been guys."
"See," Jade said, trying to take Cat's worry away, "I'm sure Sam will be fine."
Cat glanced over to Sam and saw her eyeing her opponent, sizing him up. She had a serious, focused look on her face but didn't seem deterred one bit. They both entered the cage and walked to the center of the octagon. They shook hands and then returned to their own sides. Cat saw Dice put a mouthguard in the blonde's mouth and then said something to Sam but couldn't hear them over the noise of the arena. Outside of the mouthguard, no other protective equipment was used and this caused Cat to worry even more. When Sam had sparred with her partners before, they always used protective padding. Both fighters took their stance and the referee then asked if they were ready. A moment later, the ref yelled, "Fight!" and the crowd cheered even louder.
Sam and her opponent began to circle each other, each looking for an opening. Cat took one of Jade and Tori's hands in each of her own, squeezing them tightly. A few moments later, the man threw a punch at Sam's head but she swiftly dodged it and kicked him in the stomach. The fighter backed up and reassessed his options. He aimed a kick at Sam's head but she blocked, only to receive a punched to her side and another to her face.
Cat's eyes widened in fear. Sam stumbled backwards but regained her footing. Cat watched in dread as punches and kicks were thrown by each fighter. Some of them were blocked. Others made direct contact with ribs and head. Sam dodged another kick and then she tackled the man, knocking them both to the padded floor. Sam had him pinned but the man was able to roll them over, reversing their positions. He straddled Sam's hips and pinned her to the floor but Sam was able to get a leg free and shoved him away. She quickly rolled to her feet just before her opponent rammed her into the wall of the cage, his shoulder shoved into her chest.
Sam kneed him in the stomach twice but he didn't budge. He had his arms wrapped around her and he lifted Sam into the air briefly, then spun them around and threw her to the floor. But before he could pin her again, Sam kicked him in the stomach from where she lay on the ground. He doubled over in pain and Sam took this as her chance to flip herself onto her feet and then grabbed him in a head lock.
Cat looked on in terror, eyes wide. She couldn't look away. She wanted to close her eyes until it was all over but she couldn't look away from her love. Her eyes were wide, riveted and focused on Sam. Each fighter had their arms locked around the other. Sam, gripping the man's head and her adversary, trying desperately to get free. Sam was finally able to slam him down onto the padded floor but before anything else could happen, the bell rang, signifying the end of round one.
Cat sighed in relief as the fighters returned to their own corners of the cage and took a seat. Dice removed the blonde's mouthpiece and gave Sam some water as he checked on her injuries. She was bleeding from a cut on the right side of her forehead but other than that, she looked okay. Her opponent looked slightly worse with a bruised, swelling eye and a split lip. After a few moments of rest, round two began and the fighters got to their feet.
"Fight!" the ref yelled.
Cat squeezed her friends' hands tighter as both fighters circled each other again. The redhead's stomach had been flopping around ever since the match started and she wasn't sure how much more she could take. "Come on, Sam," Cat murmured to herself. "You got this."
Sam waited for her rival to make the first move and dodged out of the way of an oncoming punch. She then ducked out of the way of a side kicked aimed at her head and she saw her opening. She began punching the man in the stomach over and over. Right, left, right, left; making contact with each hit, her opponent grunting out in pain with each blow. The crowd went wild and Cat stood up and began cheering as well.
"Whoooo! Go, Sam!" Cat yelled loudly. "Yeah!" Jade and Tori stood with her and cheered alongside her.
Sam kept the hits coming, switching it up and punching her opponent in the face as well as his ribs. She had backed him up against the wall of the cage and continued to punch him. Eventually, the man was able to push Sam away from him and take a breath as he made his way back to the center of the cage but only briefly as Sam came back at him with two punches to his face and a kick to his stomach. Her rival doubled over in pain and then Sam landed an uppercut right to his chin. He fell backwards and landed flat on his back. The crowd cheered even louder. He had been knocked out and the bell rang. The ref raised Sam's arm in the air and yelled, "Winner!"
Cat was so relieved the fight was over and that Sam was the victor. And the blonde appeared to be okay, overall. Cat, Jade, and Tori all cheered loudly and Sam looked over to the redhead with a huge smile. Cat caught her gaze and held it until Dice entered the cage and raised Sam's other hand into the air, cheering with the crowd. Sam then looked out to the audience, unable to hide her happiness as the crowd cheered and chanted, "Puckett, Puckett" over and over.
About 30 minutes later, Sam was seated back in the locker room, icing her injured ribs. She'd just come from the shower and was now dressed in jeans, a blue button-down shirt, and her blue Converse shoes. One of the medical staff was cleaning the cut on her forehead. Dice was standing with a couple men over near one of the tables and overseeing everything as they cut them their checks. The one in the suit walked over to Sam and shook her hand, "Sam," he said with a smile and handed the blonde her check, "good fight tonight."
"Thanks," Sam replied with a grin, stuffing the check into her pocket after checking to make sure the amount was right.
They soon left and Dice turned back to Sam, "So how you feeling, Champ?"
"Pretty sore but other than that, not too bad," Sam replied. The nurse finished cleaning the cut on her forehead and used butterfly bandages to close it up.
"Good, you did awesome tonight, Sam. You're the best fighter I've ever managed," Dice said. "But don't tell Goomer I said that."
Sam chuckled, "Yeah, because you've managed a ton of fighters in your long 13 years."
Dice smiled at her and said, "Well, the next fight isn't for a few more weeks, so you can take a break this weekend from training."
"How about food?" Sam asked as the nurse placed a regular bandage over the butterfly sutures.
"You can take a break from your training diet if you want. But just for this weekend. I don't want you getting soft on me."
They heard a knock and looked over to see Cat standing in the doorway. "Is this a bad time?" she asked hesitantly.
Sam smiled widely at her, "No, come on in." The nurse packed up his gear and left.
"I'm gonna head home," Dice said, sensing that the two of them needed some time alone, "Sam, you ice those ribs for a few more minutes and get some sleep. I'll see you on Monday." He turned to leave but stopped in the doorway and turned around. "Oh, and if you…want to take a break from that other rule we discussed too, feel free," he added with a smirk and with that he left the two of them alone. Sam gulped, realizing Dice was referring to the 'no sex' rule they'd discussed last week.
"What was that about?" Cat asked curiously.
"Nothing," Sam replied with a chuckle, "Dice is just being a dork."
A silence settled over the two of them and then Sam finally cleared her throat. "You waited for me," Sam said with a smile.
"Of course," Cat replied with a warm smile of her own.
"I just thought you'd get a ride back with Tori and Jade," Sam said, still holding the ice pack to her ribs through her shirt with one hand.
"I wanted to offer you congratulations," Cat replied and then reached out to brush Sam's bangs away from her forehead and gazed at the bandaged. She gingerly traced her fingers over the tape. "Does it hurt?"
"Not right now," Sam muttered huskily and then Cat lowered her eyes to Sam's and realized how close she was standing to her. The blonde was seated on a tall stool and Cat had stepped between her legs to inspect the cut on her forehead. She felt her face go hot and her breath hitched when she felt Sam take her hand and tug her even closer, clasping their fingers together. They were face to face now.
Cat gently touched Sam's stomach with her free hand, her fingers splayed out. "And your ribs? How are they?" she asked quietly, barely above a whisper, all the while, staring into Sam's penetrating blue eyes.
"Sore…but…" Sam trailed off as her eyes shifted briefly down to Cat's lips and then back up to her eyes.
"But what?" Cat asked, drawing closer.
"They don't seem too bad right now," Sam said, staring deeply into the redhead's large doe eyes. Their faces were mere inches apart and Sam seemed to be slowly creeping closer towards Cat. The redhead's heart sped up in anticipation. But before anything could happen, they heard voices out in the hallway and the spell had been broken.
"I think it's this way," they heard Tori say.
Just then Jade and Tori passed by the open doorway and paused. "See, I told you," the brunette said to the goth. But then they hesitated when they saw how close Cat was standing to Sam. Their fingers were still linked and one of Cat's hands was pressed against Sam's stomach.
"Are we interrupting?" Jade asked with her eyebrow raised.
Letting her hand go and taking a step back from Sam, Cat turned to her friends and said, "Uh, no. I was just…telling Sam congratulations on a good fight."
"Uh huh," the goth stated with a smirk.
"Well, we were wondering if you were ready to go," Tori said.
"I think I'm gonna get a ride with my champion here," Cat said and then grinned at Sam. The blonde grinned back.
"Oh, okay, well, congratulations, Sam," Tori said with a smile.
"Yeah, good fight, Sam," Jade commended.
"Thanks," Sam said and then stood up, tossing the ice pack onto the chair. She grabbed her bag, slung it over her shoulder and the four of them made their way out of the sports center.
As they exited the building, the cool night air felt refreshing. But no sooner had they stepped foot outside, than they were swarmed by eager fans waiting to talk to Sam. Some were kids and teens, while others were adults.
"You were so awesome!" a boy who looked to be about 10 years old said.
"Can I get your autograph?" a teenage girl asked.
Some of them had recognized Sam from iCarly and were excited to meet her. As Sam began signing autographs, Cat excused herself, "I'll just wait over there." Sam looked up just in time to see Cat pushing her way through the crowd and went to stand with Tori and Jade. Sam gave her a questioning look, as if she were asking if Cat were okay. Cat just smiled at her to let her know she was fine waiting for her. Sam smiled back and then returned to her adoring fans. Some asked her questions about iCarly and others asked about her fighting skills. Several of them asked to get pictures with her and Sam obliged.
From several feet away, Cat watched Sam and saw how happy the blonde looked. Tori and Jade chatted with her while she waited. A few minutes passed and the crowd was thinning out. Sam was in the middle of signing an autograph when she felt someone suddenly kiss her on the cheek. Irritated, she looked up and saw none other than Jenna, the flirty girl from the gym. Sam then looked surprised to see her.
"Hi, Sam! Great fight!" Jenna grinned at her. "You never called."
Cat's face fell when she saw Jenna kiss Sam on the cheek, and Tori and Jade caught her distraught look. Cat noticed that Jenna was introducing Sam to some friends of hers, all of which looked perfect, of course. She watched as they began chatting with Sam and they all seemed flirty, not just Jenna. They giggled and flipped their hair as they got pictures with Sam and then went back to flirting, casually touching Sam on her biceps. All of Sam's other admirers had left at this point, leaving just Jenna and her group of friends. Sam answered their questions with a smile but also seemed slightly uneasy. The blonde briefly glanced in Cat's direction and saw the sad look in her eye.
"Sorry, but I have to go now," Sam said to Jenna.
"Wait, before you go…" Jenna trailed off as she slipped her hand into Sam's pocket and pulled out her cell phone.
Cat gasped when she saw Jenna teasingly slip her hand into Sam's front pants pocket. The way she did it was so direct and obvious, her face just inches from Sam's and staring her right in the eye. Sam was taken aback. Jenna quickly texted herself from Sam's phone after Sam unwillingly unlocked it for her. She just wanted to get this conversation over with as quickly as possible.
"There, now I have your number so I can call you," Jenna said, slipping Sam's phone back into her pocket, making it obvious that she was feeling Sam up in the process. Sam glanced back over to Cat and saw her quickly turn and walk away towards the parking lot, Tori and Jade following behind her.
Sam pushed her way through the rest of the small group and left without saying anything else. Jenna just grinned after her as her girlfriends all giggled at the look on her face. Sam quickly caught up with Cat, Tori, and Jade just as they made it to her motorcycle.
"Uh, well, we'll see you later, Cat," Tori said awkwardly as she and Jade headed towards the goth's car.
Cat didn't say anything as her friends departed. Sam didn't know what to say. Everything was awkward now. Sam stuffed her bag into the storage compartment under the seat and said, "Uh, are you okay?" She winced at her words. She knew that was a dumb question but felt that she needed to ask.
Cat didn't meet her eyes. She simply nodded. They climbed onto the bike and strapped on their helmets. Only once Sam started up the engine, did Cat let her tears slip down her face. She didn't want to make Sam feel bad that she had been hurt by what Jenna did. Sam didn't do anything wrong. She couldn't feel upset at her. Jenna, on the other hand? She never wanted to strangle someone so bad in her entire life. But her anger was a distant second to the sadness she was feeling. Was Sam interested in Jenna but worried how Cat would take it? Would they start dating whenever Jenna inevitably called her?
Cat continued to ponder this as Sam sped down the highway. Well, I'm not giving Sam up without a fight! Cat thought with determination and then tightened her hold on the blonde from behind. Sam couldn't help but smile at the feeling of Cat cuddling close to her as they rode home. Her heart beat a little faster as she felt the redhead's hands caress her stomach and then grip her tighter. Her thoughts went back to the locker room. She had been about to kiss Cat. Again. She was finding it harder and harder to hold back lately. But they kept getting interrupted. You should just do it, Puckett, she thought to herself. Show Cat how much you care about her. Don't leave her hanging. Be brave and kiss her, for fuck's sake!
When they got home, Cat dismounted as soon as Sam shut off the engine. Sam pulled off her helmet and said, "Hey, Cat?"
The redhead stopped halfway to the patio doors and turned back to Sam. "Yeah?"
"I'm sorry about…you know, the crowd and…everything," Sam stuttered, "they kind of caught me by surprise. All of them." She hoped Cat understood what she was saying.
"It's alright, Sammy," Cat smiled warmly at her. "I understand. It's not like you did anything wrong. And it must be kind of exciting to have fans. Of course, you've had them for years now."
"Yeah, but none of them have ever been that…persistent before," Sam replied, thinking back to Jenna. She finally climbed off her bike and retrieved her duffle bag. The two of them entered their apartment.
Sam set her bag down and then unexpectedly grabbed Cat's hand, turning her to face her. They stood face to face and Cat's heart started racing in anticipation. Just do it, Puckett. Kiss her! You've been dying to for months. Show her that Jenna means nothing to you!
"Uh, t-thanks for being there for me tonight," Sam stuttered nervously over her words and then pulled the redhead in for a hug. Cat was surprised but eagerly returned it, wrapping her arms around the blonde.
"No problem," Cat replied shyly, caressing her back lovingly. The hug went on unnecessarily long and when they finally pulled back, Sam smiled at her. "Well, I'm gonna get ready for bed," Cat finally said when it was clear that the blonde wasn't going to do anything else.
"Okay, goodnight. I'll be in, in a little bit," Sam replied. After Cat had left for their bedroom, Sam shook her head and rolled her eyes. You, idiot! You chickened out!
Sam sighed and then went over to the fridge to grab a Blue Dog Soda. She took a swig after screwing the top off. What is wrong with me? I can knock a man out with one punch but I can't kiss the girl I love. She finished her soda and then headed for their bedroom.
Once she entered, she saw that the lights were turned out and Cat was in bed laying on her back, staring up at the ceiling. Sam didn't say anything as she went into the bathroom to get ready for bed. After changing into pajamas and brushing her teeth, she stepped out of the bathroom, turning off the light in the process. The bedroom was dark but she could still see a bit due to the giant "S" on the wall of her side of the room that was lit up in blue. Cat also had a few dimly lit nightlights on her side.
Sam stood in the doorway of the bathroom for a few moments, trying to screw up her courage. She took a deep breath and then walked over to Cat's bed. The redhead now had her eyes closed but Sam knew she was still awake. The blonde gently sat down on the edge of her bed and Cat opened her eyes at the movement. She stared up at Sam in confusion but also interest, her big, brown eyes looking adorable in the soft glow of the nightlights.
Sam gazed into her eyes with love and slowly leaned down. She stopped just an inch or two away from Cat's face. The redhead's heart was pounding in her chest. Please, she thought as she stared into Sam's intense blue eyes. She'd been hoping for this for a very long time. Sam slowly leaned in the rest of the way and gently pressed her lips against Cat's, closing her eyes in the process. The redhead closed her eyes and kissed back passionately. Heaven. That's the word that popped into Cat's mind. She couldn't believe Sam was finally kissing her. Her heart felt like it was going to explode. She noted that Sam's lips were so soft and inviting. Cat had kissed a few boys in her time. But it was never like this. This was perfection.
As they kissed, Sam caressed Cat's cheek with her palm and the redhead whimpered in desire. She soon felt herself aching between her legs. Her arms went around Sam's neck, pulling her closer and the blonde got situated so that she was laying on top of her comfortably, their lips never parting. The pressure of Sam's body on top of Cat's felt wonderful to the redhead and she never wanted to be separate from her ever again. They kissed for several heated moments and then Sam swiped her tongue against Cat's lips. The redhead readily greeted her tongue with her own and she moaned into Sam's mouth. Sam felt nothing but peace and happiness. Pure bliss. She was finally doing it. She was allowing herself to finally kiss Cat and it was amazing. The plumpness of Cat's lips. The wonderful little sounds of ecstasy coming from the back of her throat. The feeling of Cat's arms wrapped around her and the way her body slightly trembled in desire. The sensation of her pelvis pressed against Cat's. The sound that their lips were making together. All of it was incredible.
Sam eventually had to pulled back a few inches to breathe. They were both panting heavily, staring into each other's eyes. Cat's arms were still wrapped around Sam's neck and she pulled the blonde back down to her mouth after a few brief seconds. She kissed Sam like her life depended on it and, to her delight, Sam was kissing her just as passionately. The blonde suddenly felt Cat's hardened nipples poking her own breasts through the thin layers of their shirts and Sam moaned at the contact. Cat smiled into the kiss and then bucked her hips up into Sam's pelvis, hoping the blonde would take the hint. The redhead was throbbing in desire, her lower regions involuntarily clenching and unclenching. She hoped that Sam would be the one to cause her release, and soon.
But as they kissed, Sam suddenly got flashes in her mind. Images of Carly. She suddenly pulled back from Cat, their lips making a loud smooch sound as they pulled apart. The two of them were gasping for breath and staring into each other's eyes. Cat caressed Sam's cheek with her hand and asked, "Why'd you stop?"
"Um…I just…thought maybe we should…uh," Sam stumbled over her words. She didn't have a clue what to say. She wasn't quite ready to take it to the next level with Cat yet but didn't want to hurt the redhead's feelings. "Uh, I don't know what I'm saying," she finally said honestly.
Cat grinned at her and said, "It's okay if you're…you know, not ready yet. I understand."
"You do?" Sam asked in surprise.
"Yeah, of course," Cat replied, caressing her thumb against Sam's jawline. "I mean, this is kind of moving a little fast and I know you're probably feeling some complicated emotions about Carly."
Sam sighed in relief, glad that Cat understood, and smiled in return. "Thanks. For understanding."
"No problem," Cat replied.
Sam kissed the tip of her nose, reluctantly rolled off of Cat and then stood. The redhead felt disappointment at the sudden cold feeling as Sam's body left hers. "I better sleep in my own bed tonight," Sam said hesitantly, "you know, so I can get some proper sleep after my fight. I'm pretty exhausted."
"Okay," Cat said in understanding. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Sam replied and then leaned down to kiss Cat on her forehead. The redhead grinned up at her.
Sam then got settled in her own bed and tried to calm her raging hormones. She smiled, a big goofy looking grin. She was ecstatic about making out with Cat. Over in the other bed, Cat was grinning like an idiot and biting her lower lip. I can't believe Sam kissed me! she thought excitedly. Not just kissed, but made out! She was finding it hard to calm herself. She'd never been so turned on in her life.
Sam had to pinch the outside of her thigh in order to get the intense throbbing between her legs to calm down but it didn't help. Her arousal was raging out of control. She pinched herself again, hard, grimacing in pain but not making a sound. She tried to think about disgusting, non-sexy things to turn herself off; poopy diapers, that rotting moldy taco she'd found in her closet, Freddie. That last one did it. She stopped pinching her leg as she felt her arousal die down and she finally felt calm enough to fall asleep.
Cat, on the other hand, was failing at her attempts to turn down her desire. She'd felt herself go wet when Sam was on top of her and she knew she would have to do something about her arousal in order to get any sleep at all. Looking over to the blonde, it appeared that Sam was asleep. So, she slipped her hand into her panties and felt how wet she was. She muffled her moans as she began rubbing herself between her legs, but her breathing picked up.
Sam was just about to drift off to sleep when something stirred her. She heard Cat quietly whisper, "Sam." And she was about to whisper back to her when she heard the redhead moan softly. "Mmmm."
The blonde's eyes went wide. No, she's not doing what I think she's doing, is she? Sam thought. Then she heard other sounds coming from Cat's bed. Oh, she totally is! Fuck! This wasn't the first time she'd heard Cat pleasuring herself. The redhead wasn't as quiet as she thought. But it was the first time she'd heard Cat moaning her name while doing it. She was usually quieter than this. Maybe I misheard her. Then she heard Cat whisper again around another quiet moan, "Oh, Sam!" And there was no mistaking it. Nope, she's totally getting off to me. Holy fuck!
At the realization that Cat was masturbating to her, Sam's arousal kicked back into high gear and she felt herself going wet. Shit! Sam needed to get off but she didn't want to do it while Cat was awake. It would give herself away and then Cat would know Sam could hear her. I'll just wait until Cat goes to sleep, Sam thought. The blonde heard Cat's gasps and movements becoming faster and then a soft moan. Then the only thing she could hear was Cat's heavy panting becoming slower as she relaxed. She must have finished.
Cat sighed in relief and Sam heard Cat's bed sheets rustling and then the sound of the bathroom door closing. Sam breathed a sigh of relief herself. After a few moments, she heard the sound of the toilet flush and then the sink running as Cat washed her hands. Okay, she'll go to sleep and then I can take care of business.
Sam heard the bathroom door open and she quickly shut her eyes, pretending to still be asleep. She was waiting to hear the sound of Cat getting back into her bed but was surprised when she felt her own covers being lifted and Cat sliding up next to her. She remained still as the redhead cuddled into her side, wrapped her arm around her waist and rested her head on her shoulder. Well, fuck! Sam thought. Guess I won't be getting off tonight. Or sleeping for that matter.
Cat hummed out a happy sigh and Sam felt her tiny body relax against hers. Well, she certainly knows what she wants, the blonde thought and she smiled at that. She tried to relax enough for sleep to take her but it was difficult. The feeling of Cat's body pressed up against hers just fueled her arousal. She went back to thinking about gross things to try to turn herself off but even the thought of Freddie using the bathroom wasn't enough to dispel her desire. Luckily for Sam, her exhaustion from her fighting match earlier was enough to tire her out and about a half hour later she felt herself being tugged to the dream world. Just seconds before she drifted off however, she smiled thinking about kissing Cat earlier and how things would be different in the morning. Different in a wonderful way. She heard Cat's soft breathing and she kissed the top of her head lovingly. Yes, she thought, things will be different from now on. Amazingly different.
AN: I'm not sure when I'll have the next chapter posted but this story is far from over. Please leave comments to keep me motivated and focused on my writing. Reviews really help me stay on track and it's like a little gift when I hear from the readers.