Their night continued on like that, one thing after another. They watched three horror films, to which they made fun of the entire time. Sam occasionally yelled at the characters and threw popcorn at the screen, scattering it all over the living room. Freddie, not caring that he would be the one to clean it up, actually joined in on this. After the movies, they made pancakes at three in the morning, and ate them out on the fire escape under the summer moon.

When they finished, the two stood looking out over the balcony, forearms brushing.

"You can see all of Seattle," Sam said, gazing at all the lights, "Man, it really is a boring city." She glanced at him.

"I don't know," Freddie argued, "It kind of looks like Paris at night."

Sam snickered. "You've clearly never seen Paris."

"Yes I have! It's my screensaver!"

"I think you might be the chick in this relationship…"

"There's nothing wrong with having Paris as a screen saver! I want to go sometime. Maybe even with you." He playfully poked her ribs.

"Good luck with that. I would hate Paris."

"Because of the French people?"

"Exactly."

"They eat snails there, you know."

"Ehh, been there, eaten that." She paused. "But you're right. This city does look better in the dark."

Freddie grinned. "You just like it because there's no people"

"True. Except you." She smirked.

"You must really like me."

"Well, with you, I've learned to take the good with the bad."

He cocked his head. "Gee, thanks."

They stood in silence for a few more moments, just contemplating this unfamiliar scenario they found themselves in. Finally, Sam spoke up.

"So, what now Freddo?"

"How about sleep?"

She stole another glance at him. "I thought you were going to suggest we read the dictionary." She said , cracking up.

"Ha, Ha…"

"And we can highlight words we don't understand for further reading!" She laughed, her smile radiating.

"Will you let that go?" He struggled not to smile. But it was difficult. How could he not be smiling, standing on a balcony in the middle of the night with the girl he loved?

He shook his head in amusement, grumbling under his breath as she continued on. "It's just so weird," She said, almost to herself.

"I've seen you do weirder things than—"

"No, I'm off that! I meant…it's just that I would normally go for guys more like…not you. You know, tattooed, on parole…the usual."

"And I would normally like girls that are polite, sweet, girly…not you."

She gave her best fake, sweet smile. "That's why you love me." As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them. Neither of them had ever said that four letter word to each other. She wasn't sure if she wanted to claim Freddie's love for her, before he had even confirmed it. Though her words surprised him too, he wasn't a loss for words. He just touched her cheek, and murmured, "You got that right." And not for the first time that night, he leaned down until his lips met hers. She met his with equal enthusiasm, and wrapped her arms around his neck, as he gently squeezed her waist. They relaxed into the embrace, and as they often did, felt each other smile through the kiss. When it was over, Sam pulled back but kept her grip on him.

"So…does that mean…" She trailed off, waiting for him to finish his sentence.

"That I love you?"

"Uh huh…"

"I suppose it does." He smiled.

She nodded, "Well, okay. I, uh…love you too. I love you." She warmly nudged him with her hip.

He widened his grin. "So I guess we love each other?"

"It would seem so," She said, her hands gently caressing the back of his neck.

"Hmm…sweet."

At half past four, Freddie felt his eyes become heavy. "Are you sleeping?" Sam whispered, peeling open one of his upper eye lids.

"That's usually what happens at night," He murmured sleepily, and shifted on the concrete floor of fire escape, where he had laid a blanket out. She groaned, but could not deny the tiredness of her own. "You'll have to go over to Carly's before my mom gets home, anyway. Wouldn't want her to walk in on this."

"Mmhmm…" Sam mumbled, before drifting off into sleep.

He had a smile on his face, even after he had dozed off. There was no telling of what would happen in the next few weeks, or even the next day with Sam, but Freddie was the happiest he had even been in his life.