Flame
"I don't get it," Sam said, laying on her back on her boyfriend's couch, flipping through channels. "How can there be nothing good on all day?"
"I dunno, it's weird," Carly shrugged. "Usually we can at least find a decent movie or something."
"Well," Sam sighed, turning the television off. "Looks like T.V. has finally let me down. So what do you want to do?"
"I don't care," Carly said. "Hey, where's Freddie? This is his place, after all. The three of us can go get something to eat."
"Who knows," Sam said.
"Is he at work?" Carly asked.
"Nah, his office is closed today," Sam said. "It's the creator of the Pearpad's birthday or something."
"So you just broke into his apartment today without even knowing where he is?" Carly frowned.
"Hey, I'm his girlfriend," Sam defended. "I'm allowed! Besides, I asked him what he was doing today, and all I got was a vague 'I'm busy'. He's been being weird like this for the past week…if he was any more attractive, I'd be worried he was cheating on me or something."
"What do you mean he's been acting weird?" Carly said.
"He's just been being super secretive," Sam explained. "He stays late at work, he's always on his computer doing some 'project', and he's been taking these weird phone calls during the day that he leaves the room for and…oh my God! He is cheating on me!"
"What?" Carly scoffed. "No he is not. Freddie wouldn't do that, he loves you."
"Well it all makes sense!" Sam said, getting to her feet.
"Come on, you just said you're not worried about Freddie cheating on you," Carly said, rolling her eyes. "You said he's not even attractive enough-"
"Oh who am I kidding, he's plenty hot!" Sam snapped.
"Look, I'm sure there's a perfectly logical explanation as to why Freddie's been acting weird," Carly said.
"Such as?"
"Well, um…maybe he's…writing a book?" Carly suggested lamely.
"Writing a book?" Sam repeated, raising an eyebrow.
Just then the apartment door opened and Freddie himself walked in.
"Oh, hey!" he greeted the girls pleasantly. "I'm glad you're here, actually."
"Oh are you?" Sam sneered.
"Huh?" Freddie frowned, confused.
"Um, well…I'm gonna be going!" Carly said quickly, grabbing her bag and heading to the door.
"Er…am I in trouble?" Freddie asked slowly, looking over at his girlfriend.
"I don't know," Sam said simply. "Are you?"
"I-I don't-"
"Do you think I'm an idiot?" Sam snapped. "You really thought I wouldn't figure it out?"
"You-Wait, you-you know?" Freddie frowned. "How?"
"Who cares how?" Sam yelled.
"Man," Freddie mumbled. "I-I was really hoping to surprise you."
"Surprise me?" Sam exclaimed. "What? Were you going to bring this side chick over for dinner?"
"Um, side chick?" Freddie said. "Wait, Sam, what are you-"
"Who is she?" Sam demanded. "Do I know her? Is she from your office? Oh! I bet it's your idiot secretary! Or-"
"Sam, Sam, baby, hold on," Freddie said quickly. "Do you…Do you think I'm cheating on you?"
"Well aren't you?"
"No!" Freddie said at once. "Why on earth would I cheat on you? I love you!"
Sam's expression softened slightly, but she still continued to glare at her boyfriend. "Well then what have you been doing, huh? If you're not messing around with some other girl behind my back, why have you been all secretive and weird lately?"
"I-I've been planning something," Freddie started slowly.
"What?"
"Well," Freddie said. "You-You know how a couple of months ago the two of us were talking?"
"Oh, hold on while I go though the catalogue of our conversations that I keep in my purse," Sam snapped. "Talking about what, nub?"
"It was right after I got hit by that biker at the park and I broke my leg," Freddie said. "And you were upset that no one told you what had happened until hours after."
"Oh…right," Sam nodded. "They called your mom because she was your emergency contact, and of course she took her sweet time calling me."
"Uh-huh," Freddie said. "But then the next day you and I both went down to the hospital and we put each other as our emergency contacts so if anything ever happened to one of us, God forbid, we'd be the first ones to know. We did that because we both agreed that we were really serious about our relationship with each other. And that got me thinking…we have been dating for awhile and we are super serious about our relationship. But you know, we haven't really done anything big yet."
"Big?" Sam repeated. "What do you mean big?"
"Like one insane, crazy, romantic adventure together," Freddie said. "We kind of just chill at one of our apartments and watch T.V. most nights. Occasionally we'll go to Pini's or something like that, but-"
"So you think we're boring?"
"No," Freddie said instantly. "I just think that we're not taking advantage of this time in our lives. We're young, we're in love…we should be being spontaneous and-"
"Okay, did you watch another chick flick?" Sam groaned. "Is that what this is about?"
"No," Freddie defended.
Sam raised an eyebrow.
"Alright, I-I might've watched one at Carly's place when I was over there fixing her computer for her," Freddie admitted. "But it was good!"
"Dork," Sam smirked.
"Will you just let me get to my surprise?" Freddie sighed. "Please?"
"Fine," Sam chuckled. "What's the surprise?"
"Well," Freddie said, stepping towards her and lacing his arms around her. "The reason I've been being so secretive lately is because I've been planning something real special for us. Something that we'll be able to look back on for the rest of our lives. Sam, tomorrow you and I are leaving for two weeks on our very first trip together as a couple to explore the beautiful European countryside."
"Whoa, are-are you-no way!" Sam exclaimed, her face lighting up. "Europe! Like the place?"
"Uh-huh," Freddie beamed. "I have it all planed out, baby. We're going to go to England, France, Germany, Norway, and Italy! We're gonna get to see all these amazing, beautiful sights, experience all these different cultures…get to eat tons of delicious foods."
"I-I can't believe this!" Sam said, still shocked. "You-You planed a trip to Europe for us? What kind of a boyfriend does that?"
"A pretty good one?" Freddie grinned.
"Good doesn't even begin to describe it," Sam laughed, pulling Freddie's neck down so she could reach his lips. "Freddie…thank you. This trip is going to be incredible."
"I can't wait," Freddie said, kissing her back.
"I-I have to tell Carly, she's not gonna believe this!" Sam said. "Oh! And I have to pack! What am I supposed to bring to Europe? And speaking of packing, do you think I can get my Butter Sock past the airport security?"
"Er, probably not-"
"Eh, I'm sure it will be fine," Sam said. "They're not that strict with that stuff, right?"
…..
"This gelato is amazing," Sam said as her and Freddie walked along the cobbled streets of Italy, hand-in-hand. "I've had six cones of the stuff and I'm still just as impressed."
"Well save room for lunch," Freddie chuckled. "We have reservations at that nice place by the hotel. I head their steak gorgonzola is to die for."
"Um, you've dated me for three years," Sam said, looking up at him. "When have I ever not been able to save room for more food?"
"Fair point," Freddie chuckled, kissing her. "Hey, you know what I just realized? The Trevi fountain isn't too far from us right now. That's the place your family always goes on and on about, right?"
"Yeah," Sam nodded. "They say if you through a coin in the fountain and make a wish, it comes true. When they come here, they usually wish for someone to make parole or for someone they hate to 'disappear'."
"Uh-huh…" Freddie said slowly.
"I can't believe this is our last day of this trip," Sam sighed as the couple continued to walk. "I don't want to go back home…"
"Me neither," Freddie agreed. "This trip has been perfect."
"It really has," Sam nodded, squeezing his hand. "We got to see the Berlin Wall in Germany. We visited old Viking battle sites in Norway…man those guys could fight!"
"We visited the Louvre in Paris and got to see the Mona Lisa," Freddie added. "And we toured all those old castles in England."
"Yes, it wouldn't have been a Freddie Benson-led trip without throwing some education in there," Sam chuckled.
"You had fun, admit it," Freddie smirked.
"Fine," Sam conceded. "Even though I was forced to learn at times…all of this has been more than I could've ever imagined. Seriously, Freddie, thanks for doing all this. I-I know I don't always show it, but…I really appreciate you doing stuff like this for me."
"Aw…is Sam Puckett getting all mushy on me?" Freddie smirked.
"Shut up," Sam said, rolling her eyes. "Even though those jerks at the airport confiscated my Butter Sock doesn't mean I still won't teach you a lesson."
"Well, just know," Freddie said. "I wouldn't do all this for just anyone. I'd only do it for the girl I love. I'd only do it for you."
Sam smiled up at him and the couple shared one last, long kiss.
"The fountain is right up there," Freddie told her once they broke apart. "Come on."
The two hurried up the street to the large, majestic fountain, surrounded by other visitors like themselves.
"Whoa, it's even cooler than in the pictures!" Sam said. "Hey, you know once when he was a teenager, my Uncle Carmine got into a lot of trouble for releasing piranhas in here. He's still banned from coming here…"
"Why would he release piranhas into one of Italy's most beautiful cultural sites?" Freddie frowned.
"Well he had this bet going that-"
"I don't want to know," Freddie said quickly. He reached into his pocket and pulled out two coins. "Here. You know what to do?"
"I just throw this in and make a wish," Sam shrugged, taking one of the coins.
"Well you have to close your eyes," Freddie added. "And you have to stand backwards and toss the coin in over your shoulder. Otherwise your wish won't come true."
"Oh since when do you believe in all that stuff anyway?" Sam scoffed.
"Come on, just do it," Freddie said. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience."
"Alright, alright," Sam said. She closed her eyes and turned her back to the fountain.
Okay, what to wish for…Sam thought to herself. Lifetime supply of ham? Nah, too simple. A giant Fat Cake? No, I can just buy one of those myself. This wish has to be good…something that is really worth it…
As she contemplated her wish, she found herself looking back on this entire trip with Freddie. It really had been a memorable one; it had been perfect.
A small smile crept onto her face. But really…it wasn't even the fact that they were in Europe that had made the past two weeks so wonderful (though it was a nice bonus). It was just the fact that she was here with Freddie.
Even if they were at home in Seattle she knew as long as the two of them had been with one another, they would've had just as good of a time.
And just like that, Sam suddenly knew what she wanted to wish for.
I wish for me and Freddie to stay together forever, she thought to herself. And with that, she tossed the coin over her shoulder into the fountain.
She slowly opened her eyes and looked around for her boyfriend.
"Freddie?" she frowned, not seeing him. "Freddie, where'd you-"
But her sentence fell short as she finally spotted him. He was kneeling down beside her on one knee holding a tiny velvet box that was opened up to reveal the most beautiful diamond engagement ring that she had ever seen in her life.
"Freddie…" Sam said again, this time her voice coming out barely as a whisper. "What-What are you-"
"Sam, I love you," Freddie told her. "Whether we're here in Italy or back home in Seattle or…wherever. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I'm so glad I've had you in my life to share these past three years and I-I want to spend every other year for the rest of our lives with you too because I-I just can't imagine spending them with anybody else. I want to create so many new memories with you. So…Samantha Puckett? Will you marry me?"
Sam could barely feel her legs as she stared down at Freddie. It was as if the most amazing sensation had washed over her. She was still in such shock that it was almost a full minute before she was finally able to regain control over her senses to nod her head.
"Yes," she said tearfully. So much for her no-crying policy. "Yes, you nub, I'll marry you!"
Freddie's face broke out into a huge grin and he quickly scrambled to slide the ring onto Sam's finger before her stood up and kissed her senseless.
"I love you," he said breathlessly when they pulled apart.
"I love you too," Sam whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him again. "But hey…don't you want to make a wish now too?"
"Don't need to," Freddie said at once. "What more can I possibly ask for?"
