ILoveChristmas

Ok so I took absolutely ages writing this but I've been so busy with things but here is the next chapter. :D

Chapter 2: A Place to Stay and Toaster Explosions

Albert got off the plane with Freddie. He had a great flight since he was in first class.

"Well.... I better go check the time my transfer flight leaves at," Freddie told him. "But it was nice meeting you Albert."

Freddie stuck his hand out and Albert shook it.

"You too, Freddie. You're a nice guy," he smiled. "I'll maybe bump into you again one day."

Freddie nodded and the two said their goodbyes. Albert went to get his cases and once he had them he went in search for Sam and Sophie. He was sitting on a bench near the front door waiting for them when someone sat down beside him.

Albert turned to see Freddie.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for your next flight?" Albert asked and Freddie shook his head.

"Nope," he said. "The snow is too bad. I'm snowed in and the next flight is full so even if that one could go, which I highly doubt it will be able to, I can't get on it. They think it could be a couple of days 'til I can go."

Albert felt sorry for him. After all, he had helped him get on the right plane, got him of first class and over the flight the two had become friends and now he'd be stuck at the airport until the snow cleared which could be ages.

At that moment the airport doors opened and Sam and Sophie entered. They saw him and smiled.

"Grandad!" Sophie exclaimed and ran over and hugged him.

"Hey kiddo," he smiled as he lifted her up onto his knee. "Have you been good this year?"

Sophie nodded and Sam arrived in front of him.

"Hey Dad," she gave him a kiss on the cheek. Albert put Sophie down and pulled Sam to the side.

"I need a favour," he said and Sam rolled her eyes.

"What is it?" she moaned.

Albert grinned at her and threw his arm round her neck.

"You see that boy over there," he asked gesturing with his head to where Freddie was. "His transfer flight was cancelled because of snow and he won't be able to leave for a few days and I don't want him staying at the airport so I was wondering. If it wasn't too much trouble... can he stay at yours until he can go?"

Sam didn't even need to think about it.

"Absolutely not!" she said and Albert frowned. "I'm not letting some random guy you know nothing about stay at ours."

"Please!" Albert begged. "It's Christmas have a little compassion. Besides I know him. His name is Freddie Benson and he's a good guy really. He helped me get on the plane and he got me into first class. Can you believe it! First class!"

Sam rolled her eyes and her dad gave her puppy dog eyes.

"Dad, really?" she asked with another eye roll. Albert continued to make the face. "Is this what it's come to? You acting so immature!"

Albert didn't change his face and Sam sighed.

"Alright!" she gave in and Albert cheered. He turned around to see Freddie sitting on the bench playing with his phone.

"Hey Freddie!" he called. "You wanna stay at ours for a few nights?"

Freddie smiled and Albert and ran over.

"Sure, thanks!" he grinned. "I'm Freddie Benson."

He stuck his hand out and Sam shook it.

"Sam Puckett and this is my daughter Sophie. It's nice to meet you," she said politely.

"Yeah, thanks for letting me stay at your house for a few nights," Freddie smiled. "I really appreciate it."

Sam only nodded and the four got into the car. Sam driving, Albert in the passenger seat and Freddie and Sophie in the back. The whole way there Sophie blabbered on about things that Sam and Albert didn't really pay attention too but Freddie sat intrigued by the youngster's words. It was as if places had been switched, like Sophie was the adult telling Freddie who was only young about some amazing adventure she had been on. Except it wasn't that way at all and the 'amazing adventure' was things about school and how a group of boys had said Santa wasn't real.

"You know what I think," Freddie told Sophie when she finished her story. "I think that those boys won't get any presents on Christmas if they don't start believing."

Sophie simply smiled at him and nodded. She agreed with him. After all, she was only young and she wanted so much to believe that there was a big, fat man who could get round everyone in the world in one night and deliver presents for them. She wanted to believe so much that there was such a thing as magic and that Santa was just that. Magic!

"We're here!" Sam exclaimed as they pulled up outside the house.

Everyone got out and Sam unlocked the door. As she did the large holly wreath hung on the door fell.

"You should get a smaller one," Albert advised her but she simply shook her head in disagreement.

"It's not too big," she told him. "The hook just isn't big enough for it."

She picked it up and opened the door. The other three went inside and just as Sam was about to do the same her, annoying neighbour Cindy Laughland ran out of her own house.

Cindy was the neighbour from hell. She was a few years older than Sam and had long brown hair which was always tied up in the perfect ponytail with not a hair out of place. She was a complete control freak and Sam suspected she had OCD.

"Sam!" Cindy smiled. "I noticed you have all your decorations up except for your lights."

Sam looked at her house and then back at Cindy.

"Yeah, the light guy still hasn't come," Sam said. "Who did yours?"

Cindy looked surprised that Sam even had to ask.

"Well by husband, of course," she said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Anyway I just wanted to remind you that it's white lights only! Remember I was telling you a while ago about the whole street with white lights. So we can have a white Christmas and besides, you don't want to be the only..."

"Dark house on Christmas," Sam finished off Cindy's sentence as she said it all the time.

"Well I better get inside," Cindy said gesturing to your house. "I have cookies baking, would you like to come over and have some?"

Sam racked her brains for ways to get out of an afternoon with her neighbour.

"I'm sorry, Cindy but I can't," Sam said.

"Oh, why not?" Cindy asked being the nosy neighbour as usual.

Before Sam could answer, Freddie's head popped out the front door.

"Sam, I think you better get in here. Your dad has just blown up the toaster," he said with a cheeky grin on his face.

"Sorry Cindy, I have to go," Sam said quickly and ran in shutting the door leaving a confused Cindy outside.

In the house Sam ran into the kitchen with Freddie behind her. She saw Albert frantically waving a towel at the fire alarm that was beeping. Sophie was sitting on the chair laughing at his useless attempts. The toaster was broken and sparks flew out of it.

"Dad!" Sam exclaimed. "What happened?"

Albert turned to her finally getting the alarm off.

"Well you know how I like my toast burnt. Well when I put it in first time it didn't burn so I tried again with the heat away up and then well it exploded," Albert explained simply.

"Of course it can't burn," Sam said putting her hands on her hips. "Nigel got me it for our five month anniversary. It doesn't ever burn food."

"A toaster that never burns things, I don't think they really exist," Freddie commented. "And why do you guys celebrate being together for five months? I though you celebrated years not months."

Sam shot him a glare but Freddie ignored it.

"Besides a toaster, it's not exactly romantic is it," he carried on and Sam gave him a smack on the arm.

"It was the thought that counts," she told him irritated. "It was sweet of him to get me something."

"Yeah so what did you get him?" Freddie asked cheekily. "A coffee maker?"

Sophie let out a giggle and Sam sighed.

"Whatever, everybody out," She ordered. "I'm going to get rid of this toaster, oh and dad could you do me favour, I need my lights put up since the light guy never showed you could do it for me couldn't you?"

Albert always being the lazy guy clutched his back and faked a pained expression.

"Oh Sam you know I would," he said. "But my back is killing me. I think I'll go lie down on the couch."

He entered the living room and flopped down onto the couch and turned on the TV.

"I could do your lights for you," Freddie offered. "You know as a thank you to you letting me stay here."

Sam turned to him and smiled graciously.

"Thank you, it's also the least you could do after sassing me about toaster and my boyfriend," she said and left the kitchen.

Freddie turned to Sophie and she grinned at him.

"Is your mum always so uptight?" he wondered and Sophie giggled but nodded.

"I HEARD THAT!" Sam yelled from in the living room.

"YOU'RE NOT DENYING IT!" Freddie shouted back jokingly. "DO YOU AGREE WITH ME?"

"NO!" Sam shouted. "GO DO THE LIGHTS!"

Freddie chuckled and made his way outside to set up the lights for her.

So tell me what you think?

And I know there really isn't such a thing as a toaster that never burns food but I just wanted to add it in there so Freddie could make a smart comment and to show how high-class Nigel was.

Also all the giggling and smiling Sophie does is too show that she likes Freddie from when she firsts meets him.