AN- This oneshot is a loose sequel to ch 602, where Freddie and Sam go looking for Sam's dad. Enjoy!
…
Genetics
"So my mom's new plan for this wedding is to have the reception at the community center," Freddie announced as he walked into his and Sam's shared apartment. "The community center. Can you believe it? I tried to talk her out of it, but apparently it's the only space in Seattle that will let her bring her own sanitizing materials."
"Yeah…that's not gonna happen," Sam said, looking up from the envelopes she was addressing. "Or rather, Carly's not gonna let that happen. I say we just leave this to her to solve. It can be her first test as Maid of Honor."
"Huh, wedding-crazed Carly versus my always crazy mother," Freddie chuckled, sitting down next to his fiancée. "Now that's an interesting mix. So, how are you going with the invitations?"
"I'm almost done, actually," Sam said. "I almost quit after I spilled gravy on a bunch about an hour ago, but then I realized the stains all kind of looked like little brown hearts, so I just went with it. We'll send those to my family; they'll love it."
"I'm sure," Freddie said, picking up some envelopes and looking through them. "You need any help?"
"Nah, I just got three more," Sam said. "Then I'm done with wedding stuff for a week, I don't care how many dress catalogues Carly throws at me."
"Wow, these came out pretty nice," Freddie smiled. "Although did we really need to make actual invitations for people like Gibby and Spencer? Can't we just tell them when the date is? It's not like we don't see them every day. Besides, we know they're coming. What's the point of having them RSVP?"
"Thank you!" Sam exclaimed. "That's what I said! But apparently it's proper to send invitations to everybody, no matter how often you see them in person."
"Ah," Freddie nodded. "Carly?"
"Duh."
"Well, I guess it's not a huge deal," Freddie shrugged as he continued to flip through the envelopes. "Hey, Wendy's living in Canada now?"
"Yeah, she got a job at some news station up there," Sam nodded. "Hopefully she brings back some Canadian Fat Cakes though."
"That's illegal."
"Wendy's smart," Sam smirked. "She'll find a way."
"Aw, look at this," Freddie grinned, holding up another envelope. "You spelled my great aunt's name right; no jokes or anything!"
"I know, it was really hard though," Sam said. "I mean with a name like Lamettea Buttswola, you're just begging to be made fun of. Where's it even from anyway?"
"I dunno, I think it's French," Freddie shrugged.
"But you're not French," Sam pointed out.
"Do you want to try and get into the logic behind my family?" Freddie asked, rolling his eyes. He went back to the envelopes. "Hey…is this one of your invites?"
He held up an envelope with an unfamiliar name and address on it. "Martin Puckett? Have I ever met him? The name kind of sounds familiar but-"
"No," Sam mumbled, quickly grabbing the envelope from him. "You-You haven't. Not-Not really, at least. You remember a few years back…you-you went with me to go find my dad?"
Freddie frowned. "That-That's right…That's where I heard the name…"
"Yeah," Sam said softly. She looked down at the invitation. "You know…I didn't actually keep his last name when he left."
"Huh?"
"Oh I'm a Puckett," Sam said at once. "See, him and my mom had the same last name. Different families and all, but, apparently it's more common than you'd think. It was some big conversation starter between the two of them when the first met. My mom said that's the one good thing about him; once he left she didn't have to go through all these processes to change her name and mine and Melanie's. So all the Pucketts that I've met and like are from my mom's side. I've never met anybody from his side, which is just as well, seeing as I've barely met him."
"Yeah, I-I wondered about that, back then when I-I first heard his name," Freddie nodded. He looked over at her. "But…why-why did you make him an invitation?"
Sam shrugged. "I-I thought I'd send him one. It-It's my wedding day, after all. I figure maybe this is a big enough deal for him to-to stop by."
"Sam," Freddie said gently. "When we went to go find this guy back then, he-he completely blew you off. He-He didn't even recognize you were his daughter. It was horrible, and I-I know it was devastating for you. I just…baby, what-what makes you think that this will be any different?"
"I never even told him my name back then," Sam said. "He-He didn't know who I was. I mean he hadn't seen me since I was a toddler; I looked different! If-If he had known, maybe he would've acted differently."
Freddie thought back to that night; how cold and empty the man who was Sam's father looked. Freddie didn't think whether him knowing Sam was his daughter or not that night would've made any difference in what happened.
"Sam…he-he's had years to reach out to you," Freddie said softly. "And-And he hasn't. I'm sorry, I-I don't mean for this to sound so harsh but-but I really don't think it's a good idea for you to invite him. I think you're just going to get hurt again."
"You don't know that," Sam snapped. "Maybe-Maybe he'll come."
Freddie reached for her hand. "Sam, you never talk about your dad. You haven't mentioned him once since we drove to Oregon that night to find him. And you've been just fine without him. I don't understand…why-why do you suddenly have this desire to reach out to him again? I thought you had your closure."
"This isn't about closure!" Sam said loudly, yanking her hand away from him. "Is-Is it so wrong to want my dad to be at my wedding?"
"But you don't need him there!" Freddie said. "Why should he get to share this special day with you? He hasn't done one thing to deserve to be there!"
"You don't get it," Sam said softly. She turned away from him. "A girl's supposed to have her dad there for her wedding…You-You know what I have to see during all this wedding planning? In all the magazines and Internet articles? A father walking his daughter down the aisle. Him giving her away. The two of them sharing a father-daughter dance."
Freddie could see her eyes were red from trying to hold tears back.
"I'll never get that…" Sam whispered. "I'll never get that if-if he doesn't come to the wedding."
"Sam…" Freddie said, moving closer to her and wrapping his arms around her.
"I know, I know, it's stupid," Sam mumbled. "That stuff…that's not what really matters at a wedding. And-And girls get married without their fathers all the time, it's-it's not like I'm the first one this is happening to. But I just…I just want…God, I-I don't even know what I want with this anymore. It's dumb…I-I don't know why I even had the idea…"
"Sam, wanting your dad there to walk you down the aisle isn't stupid," Freddie told her, kissing her temple. "Really, it isn't. But…think about it, Sam. This man, he-he's nothing more than a stranger to you. Genetically, yes, he-he shares half your DNA, but-but that's pretty much where the relationship stops. Would you really want to have someone who doesn't even know your favorite color walk you down the aisle? Do you want someone who literally hasn't been there for you at all during your life to give you away? Do you want to have a father-daughter dance with someone who could never be bothered to even pick up the phone and call you to see how you were?"
Sam didn't reply.
"A father is someone who's been there for you," Freddie continued. "Someone who would do anything to protect you. Someone who has helped you become the person you are today. He's not someone who just supplies DNA."
Sam looked down at the envelope in her hands. "I-I doubt he'd come. I-I bet if he got this invitation he's just toss it in the trash."
Freddie leaned down and kissed her again.
"You deserve so much more than what he gave you," Freddie said, hugging her tightly. "You really do, Sam. And-And I'm sorry. I wish this could be a happy ending for you. It sucks that things won't turn out differently."
Sam nodded, looking back down at the invitation. She took a deep breath and slowly ripped it in half.
"I'm sorry," Freddie said again.
Sam shook her head as she tossed into the trashcan.
"You know what?" she said. "I'm not."
…
"Hey, hey," Spencer said a few days later, letting himself into Sam and Freddie's apartment. "What goes on?"
"Hey," Sam smiled, looking up from the sandwich she was making. "What are you doing here?"
"I was making spaghetti tacos earlier and I thought I'd drop some off for you and Freddie," Spencer said, handing her a container. "I know how much you two love them."
"Awesome!" Sam said excitedly. "Freddie's mom's taking us out for dinner tonight, so at least now I'll know there's real food here for me to come home to. Oh! I'm glad you're here, actually. I can give you your wedding invitation. If Carly asks, just say you got it in the mail. Sorry, I know it'd make more sense to just send you a text with the time and place, but, well, you know your sister."
"Eh, I'm actually glad to get one of these," Spencer shrugged as Sam handed him an envelope. "It'd be nice to save. It's sentimental. Hey, why's it so cold in here?"
"Oh, the thermostat is busted," Sam replied. "And Freddie and I don't know how to fix it."
"Well I can take a look at it for you," Spencer offered.
"Er…you-you sure?" Sam said slowly. "You're not really good with electrical stuff."
"Relax," Spencer said, stepping over to the device on the wall. "I'm not going to touch any wires. But sometimes the knob on these things just get jammed…Yup! Here you go, all I have to do is twist this like this…there! All fixed, it should warm up a little now."
"You are a lifesaver," Sam smiled. "My hot chocolates were getting un-hot after like, ten minutes with this temperature."
"No problem," Spencer said. "You know I'm always glad to do that stuff for you."
"Yeah…" Sam said slowly. "You-You are."
"I was actually thinking when I came in here too, you should really start locking that door when you're in here by yourself," Spencer said. "I know, I know, you can fight anybody who tried to break in or something, but better safe than sorry, right? I'd hate to see you get hurt, kid."
"Oh, um…okay," Sam nodded. "Yeah, I-I'll try to remember that. Hey…Spencer? Can-Can I ask you something?"
"Sure," Spencer nodded. "Wait…you don't need money, do you?"
"No," Sam chuckled.
"Financial advice?"
"From a guy whose dad still pays his bills? I think I'm good," Sam grinned.
"Okay, then shoot," Spencer said.
"Well…" Sam said, taking a deep breath. "Just-Just know, you can totally say no to this. Don't feel obligated or anything. It's no big deal if you don't want to. But, um, see, with most weddings, a bride gets walked down the aisle by her father and-and he gives her away. It's kind of a lame tradition, if you think about it, but, well…it-it does have a certain charm to it. And, um, my-my actual dad he-well, he won't be there. And-And even if he was, he-he really isn't someone I'd want walking me down the aisle. So, um, I-I was thinking, maybe-maybe if you wouldn't mind, you-you could do it?"
"Me?" Spencer said, his eyes widening. "You-You want me to walk you down the aisle and give you away?"
"You don't have to if you don't want to," Sam said quickly. "Like I said, it's really not a huge deal. I can walk down the aisle myself and-"
"No, no Sam, it's not that," Spencer said at once. "I just…wow, that-that's a huge honor. I-Yes, I-I'd love to walk you down the aisle."
"You would?" Sam said softly.
"Of course!" Spencer nodded. "You mean a lot to me, Sam. And-And I'm just so happy you'd want me to do something so special at your wedding."
Sam smiled. "Thanks, Spencer."
Spencer smiled back, holding out his arms to hug her.
"Hey, this means I get to give Freddie that menacing look when I hand you off to him!" Spencer said excitedly. "Oh man, that's gonna be the best! He's gonna freak out when he sees how intimidating I can look!"
"I bet," Sam grinned just as the front door opened and Freddie walked in.
"Hey," Freddie said, spotting the two still hugging. "What's going on here?"
"Guess what?" Sam beamed as she stepped out of Spencer's embrace. "Spencer's walking me down the aisle."
"He is?" Freddie said. "Wow, that's great!"
"I know, isn't it?" Sam said excitedly.
"I'm gonna go work on my glares!" Spencer said happily. "Don't worry, Freddie, I'll try not to make it too scary for you. I don't want you that freaked out on your special day. Later, you two!"
