Park

"I still don't understand why we're doing this," Sam said, rolling her eyes as her and Freddie trudged through the small park. "We've been out here for six hours!"

"It's only been two," Freddie said, playing with the lens of his camera as he looked around the park. "And I told you, I need to get some good footage of squirrels for the video project I'm working on for AV club."

"I can't believe you're doing a nature documentary," Sam scoffed.

"Hey, say what you will, but the judges at the video competition we're going to next week love them," Freddie said. "And this is my last year submitting a video to them, so I really want to try and win. Besides, I like filming nature. It's strangely relaxing."

"More like boring," Sam mumbled.

"Well you could've stayed back at Carly's and hung out there," Freddie pointed out. "I warned you that you'd probably get bored."

"Well excuse me for trying to get involved in your interests," Sam snapped. "I thought that's what you wanted."

"No, it is, and baby I am glad you're out here with me," Freddie said. "But, well, it's really not going to get any more exciting. I think I should be finishing up soon, though. I just need a few more shots…once I'm done we can go get smoothies and-"

Suddenly there was a flash of lightning followed by a loud roll of thunder.

"Aw chiz," Freddie moaned, looking up at the dark sky. "It looks like it's going to rain. That must be why I wasn't able to find that many squirrels; I bet they could sense it."

"Well you may still have a few minutes," Sam reasoned. "The thunder just started. So maybe if you-"

She was interrupted, though, as sheets of rain began to pour from the sky.

"Ugh, Seattle!" Sam moaned angrily.

"Come on, there's a gazebo over there!" Freddie said, grabbing Sam's hand and pulling her towards the covered area. Once they were safely under the shelter, Freddie wiped the raindrops off of his still dripping face. "Dang it! I knew I should've checked the weather forecast for today!"

"Dude, it's Seattle, it could say it's going to be sunny all day and still turn out like this," Sam said. "How's your camera, though. Did the rain hurt it?"
"Nah, I never take it outside without its waterproof case," Freddie grinned. "Like you said; it's Seattle."

"Good, because listening to you complain about your poor camera would've gotten real annoying," Sam said, ringing out her hair. "How long do you think until the storm passes?"

Another clasp of thunder seemed to answer her question.

"Probably awhile," Freddie said, sitting down at the small picnic table. "Sorry for making you get stuck out here, Sam."

"Eh, I wanted to come," Sam shrugged, sitting down next to him. "I've always liked it when I get to watch you make your little videos. You look all cute when you're concentrating."

"You think?" Freddie laughed. "Huh, is that why you were extra affectionate towards me yesterday after we finished shooting those iCarly pieces?"

"Maybe," Sam said. "Or maybe it was the fact that you had just eaten that chocolate pudding cup and had some left on the corner of your mouth…"

There was another clasp of thunder.

"Jeez, it's really coming down," Sam commented.

"Yeah, I don't think I'm going to get the rest of my shots in today," Freddie sighed. "Oh well, I'll just have to come back out tomorrow."

"Well what are we supposed to do here until this rain lets up?" Sam asked.

"I dunno, sit and talk?" Freddie shrugged.

"Talk?" Sam frowned.

"Yeah, it will be fun!" Freddie nodded.

"Or," Sam said. "The two of us can just sit here and make out."

"Baby, come on, we just got back together a few weeks ago," Freddie said. "And I think one of the major things that hurt our relationship last time was our lack of communication. And well, it was pretty miserable after we broke up that time and I-I just want to do everything we can to avoid having to go through that again."

Sam looked down at her lap. "Alright. She agreed. But what do we even talk about?"

"I dunno," Freddie said. "How about…do you think we're doing better now than we did the first time we went out?"

Sam thought about this for a moment. "I-I guess so," she finally said. "We haven't fought nearly as much…I guess…well, the first time we tried out this whole couple thing, we basically just made out all the time. And that was definitely fun, but, I dunno, I guess we didn't do too much else. We went out on a few dates here and there, sure, but I think we were a little too focused on the physical stuff."

"Yeah, I see what you mean," Freddie chuckled. "We definitely did a lot more kissing than actual couple stuff. Course I'm going to chalk that up to the fact that you were my first real girlfriend and I was just excited about that."
"I was not your first girlfriend," Sam smirked. "What about Carly?"

"I said first real girlfriend," Freddie said. "I've told you, I never felt anything with Carly for that week we went out. It was…awkward."

"Ah," Sam smiled, though looking slightly satisfied. "Well, I guess that makes sense…you were my first real boyfriend too."

"What about Jonah and Pete?"

"First of all, don't ever mention Jonah's name to me again," Sam said firmly. "He does not get the honor of being labeled one of Mama's boyfriends. He was a…fling. He didn't count for anything."

"Well that's always nice to hear," Freddie chuckled.

"And Pete…I dunno, I guess I don't really count him either," Sam shrugged. "He wasn't as big a jerk as Jonah, that's for sure, but he was just kind of…boring. Plus I know he said he was okay with me being tougher than him, but I don't think he ever was."

"His loss," Freddie said, putting an arm around her.

"But, hey, I think we're doing better with the couple stuff," Sam said. "We don't just sit around and make out anymore. Well, as much. Last week we just sat on your fire escape and looked at the stars. I think we went a whole hour without groping each other; we just sat there, holding hands, and making up our own constellations."

"That was fun," Freddie nodded.

"Plus, to be honest, I would've never spent the afternoon with you filming squirrels back then either," Sam smiled. "I would've told you it was lame and let you go on your own."

"Well it really does mean a lot to me that you came with me," Freddie said. "And it was pretty fun, wasn't it? We saw that jogger fall into the pond."

"I love it when joggers fall," Sam chuckled. "Serves them right for trying to be healthier than everybody else." She looked out at the rain, which was still pouring down. "Anyway, for what it's worth, I think we're doing a lot better this time around. I think…I think we can actually handle it now."

"Good," Freddie said softly, taking Sam's hand in his. "Because I really don't want to mess this up this time."

"Me neither," Sam smiled, giving his hand a gentle squeeze."

Freddie glanced up at the rain. "Hey…" he said, getting to his feet. "Wanna play in the rain?"

"What?"

"I was just thinking," Freddie said. "Back when we were first dating, I probably would've sat here and grumbled and complained about the rain ruining the day."

"Yeah, you did complain a lot back then," Sam grinned.

"Well, instead of doing that, and letting a perfectly good opportunity to have some fun with my girlfriend pass me by, I want to do something that we'll enjoy," Freddie said. "And I know you love playing in the rain. You told me you used to do it all the time when you were a kid."

"But we'll get all wet," Sam pointed out.

"We've already gotten rained on; we're already soaked!" Freddie laughed.

"But…I figured you wouldn't want to risk getting a cold," Sam said. "I know your mom becomes even more unbearable when you're sick."

"I don't care about that," Freddie said, leading Sam out of the gazebo. "I don't care about any of that. What I care about is doing…this!"

He reached down and grabbed a handful of mud and flung it at Sam, hitting her square in the face.

"What the-" Sam sputtered, though a huge grin appeared on her face. "Benson! Okay, you are so dead now!"

She quickly bent down and grabbed another handful of mud and tossed it right at her boyfriend's chest.

Freddie laughed as he grabbed Sam around her waist and pulled her close to him. As he did so, though, he lost his balance and both of them went tumbling down into a large puddle.

"You alright?" Freddie asked Sam.

"Yeah," Sam nodded, her hair now caked with mud. She leaned up and kissed him. "I love you."

Freddie smiled as he kissed her back. "Love you too, Sam."