Sam had first bumped into her when she had been rushing to one of her classes. They collided, and her books and his folders had fallen to the ground while they both sprawled, stunned, on the ground.

"I'm so sorry!" The blonde gushed, casting him a worried glance as she began to gather up her books.

"Uh," Sam responded, baffled. "It's alright," he assured. "It was an accident. Are you alright?" He wondered, gratefully taking a folder that she offered out to him.

The blonde nodded rapidly, her hair falling forward and covering her face. She was beautiful. "Yeah, sorry. It was my fault. I wasn't watching where I was going," she admitted. Then she let out a nervous giggle, slowly rising to her feet as he did the same. "I'm Jess – Jessica," she said, shyly.

In all his months at Stanford, Sam hadn't succeeded in making more than a small handful of friends, and none outside of his course. He was out of practice at talking to new people, especially so with such a beautiful one. "Sam," he stuttered, suddenly feeling incredibly shy himself.

"Sam," Jess repeated quietly, before she startled and glanced down at her watch. "Damn!" She cursed. She looked back up at Sam apologetically. "Sorry again, Sam. I've got to go."

Sam nodded. "Uh, yeah. Don't let me keep you. Uh, good luck in getting to class," he said, lamely.

Luckily, Jess giggled again. "You too. See you later!" She called over her shoulder as she hurried off again, flashing him a grin.

Sam found himself returning it, only to shake his head at himself and head back to his dorm room. He had another few hours before his next class. He needed to drop off his stuff and try get that essay started, not stand staring after some girl for hours.

~An Unlikely Friendship~

Sam kept his back to the wall as he watched people flock through the crowded bar. He smiled and nodded and made occasional small talk with the few people he knew, but, generally, he stayed alone and silent, until, of course, his roommate sauntered over.

"Sam," Tyson Brady whined, sauntering over to him, throwing out his arms at the many people around them. "What did you promise me?"

Sam sighed. "I promised that I'd talk to someone," he recited.

"Exactly!" Brady said, before Sam could say something in his own defence. "I have decided that it is my sworn duty to get you a girlfriend and, lucky for you, I've found a certain blue-eyed blonde lurking at this very party." He wrapped an arm around Sam's back and started propelling him towards the middle of the crowd.

Sam froze, his brain stumbling over those words before he got it together enough to struggle. "No, no, no, Brady!" He protested. "I can't just talk to her."

"Sure you can," Brady chirped. "You stole her book from her, didn't you? Just offer it back."

Sam spluttered. "I didn't steal it!" He protested. "She accidentally left it in my pile of folders."

"Well," Brady shrugged. "As a lawyer, I'm sure you'll have no problem convincing her of that."

"It's the truth," Sam argued, but he stopped protesting and allowed himself to be propelled forward toward the blonde that he could now see standing in the middle of the room.

She spotted him and smiled, flashing bright, white teeth. Sam found himself automatically smiling back. Oh God, she was gorgeous.

"Hi," he breathed when they were within hearing distance.

"Hi," she answered, grinning brighter.

"Uh, I'm Sam," he offered.

Jess nodded. "I remember."

"Yeah," Sam smiled. "I have your book. You must have dropped in it my stuff," he explained. "If… ugh… if you want…" he began to suggest coming back to his dorm, but Jess cut him off before he could even finish.

"I'd love to," she said grinning and pulling her handbag over her shoulder. "Shall we?"

~An Unlikely Friendship~

Sam woke up with a smile on his face. As soon as he opened his eyes, he was greeted by Jess' adoring expression. "Morning," he croaked.

"Morning," she hummed. She brushed a hand across his cheek. "So pretty," she murmured.

Sam chuckled. "You're perfect."

Jess blinked up at him. "Why won't you tell me anything about your family?" She wondered.

Sam tensed. He knew that, based on the growing frown on her face, she could feel him shutting down. She had accused him of doing it during many of their arguments. "I just… I don't want to talk about them. I walked out on them, and they let me go. My dad, he said…" Sam shook his head. "I'll probably never see them again. I don't even know where they are – they know where I am."

Jess sighed. "Sam," she said softly. "I don't want to start a fight, I just…" she sighed again. "It's Christmas break. I'm going to go back home to visit my parents. They'd like to meet you."

~An Unlikely Friendship~

Jack offered Sam a sympathetic smile.

"Sorry Sam," Jack shrugged. "You're on your own."

Sam would have glared at Jack. But Jessica was staring at him as though he had suggested they run barefoot in the snow.

"Sam, what are you doing?" Jess demanded, equally concerned and annoyed. She had come outside in just one of Sam's hoodies, her pyjama bottoms and Sam's boots. She looked very cold, which Sam understood perfectly. It was winter, in Minnesota.

"Um…" Sam stalled. "Nothing?" He said, making it sound like a question.

"I heard, and saw, you talking to someone," Jessica responded, crossing her arms with a huff.

"I was…" Sam glanced at Jack who just shrugged once more. "I was talking to Jack Frost." He admitted, frowning at how crazy he sounded.

Jessica glared at him. "If you don't want to go out with me you don't have to pretend to be insane!" She turned and stalked back to the house. "You could have mentioned it before meeting my parents!"

"Jess! Wait!" Sam called. He quickly caught up with her and he wrapped his arms around her to stop her from running off.

"I know it sounds crazy," Sam admitted over Jessica's loud protests. "But Jack Frost is real – you just have to believe in him to be able to see him."

"Sam, you clearly need help. There is no such thing as Jack Frost, you need to grow up. It's just your superstitious nonsense!" Jessica argued, elbowing Sam and escaping from his hold.

Sam looked helplessly at Jack. "Please, I can't lose her!" he begged the spirit quietly. "Jess!" Sam shouted at her back. "Please, I love you!"

Jessica stopped, and Sam heard her suck in a deep breath. She turned and stared back at him with an expression he couldn't decipher. "Sam?" She whispered, angry, upset and unsure.

"I do," he insisted stepping closer to Jessica. "I love you. Even if you don't believe me, I can't lose you."

"I don't want to lose you either but…" Jessica trailed off.

Snowflakes had started to swirl around them both, in Jack's attempt at a romantic setting. Jessica was staring at them with a look of awe. The snow was only around them, everywhere else was clear.

Sam smiled at her face. Something cold was suddenly shoved into his hands.

He looked over at Jack who gestured for him to give it to Jessica.

Sam held out the perfectly carved, ice heart for her.

"Oh, Sam. How…?" She wondered. She looked at the heart, then at him.

"Jack Frost," he said, simply, trying to convey how certain and real it was.

Jessica gasped and stepped back as she noticed Jack standing at his side. "Jack Frost?" She gasped.

Jack grinned. "I liked the snowmen you used to make, you know," he mentioned.

Jessica laughed, as she remembered making snowmen with her sister and asking exactly that. "You're not what I expected," she said, her eyes taking in every inch of the spirit.

Sam laughed. "Jack's not what anyone expects." Jack grinned.

"Why couldn't I see you before?" Jessica wondered.

"You have to believe," Sam reiterated.

Jack nodded. "Sam was one of the first to believe in me. You're the first girl, though," he added.

Jessica thought for a moment. "Is this why you put salt on the windows?" She asked Sam.

Sam shook his head. "No. That's a different thing."

"Then why?" Jessica asked. She smiled. "I promise I won't think you're crazy this time."

Sam laughed. "Sorry, but that's kind of a secret for a 'two year' girlfriend to know."

"So, we'll still be together in a couple of years?" Jessica wondered with a grin.

"I hope so," Sam told her.

"You know," Jack said to Jessica. "You never gave him a real response."

"Real resp…" Jessica trailed off with dawning understanding. "I love you too, Sam."