A/N: Drama/anger/fighting off the port bow! xDDDD

WARNING: This chapter features arguments and very brief mild language.

But…it's something we've been waiting for…

Hint, hint.

Enjoy!

Sam was lying on her side, staring at the curtain that hung over her bedroom window. Rain tapped on the glass in a constant rhythm, lightning tearing through the night sky like knives. A clap of thunder sounded, causing the troubled Sam to curl up even tighter.

The truth of the matter was that she couldn't sleep. The storm had started it.

It was on a stormy night like this one that her father left.

Left wasn't the right word for it; he had in the course of a single night abandoned the three female Pucketts as they slept, pushing Sam's already crumbling mom over the edge. The already existing violence, alcohol, and pure rage overflowed, trapped inside of Pam Puckett like a vast river. Her husband had been the dam, holding it inside of her as it grew more and more intense. But with him gone, the last threads of happiness and love in Pam's heart were drowned in hatred and rage.

And Sam became the recipient, because if you have two girls, one who's perfect and one who's not, the hate goes to the flawed one.

That's how life goes.

Sam screwed her eyes up for a moment, trying to shake off the burning sensation. But she couldn't deny it; the fear that she'd loose Freddie overnight, just like her father, had been there at the very back of her mind for a while now. Locked in a place she didn't like to visit…a web of small but ever-present fears.

She waited for a moment for her emotion to subside, and then she spoke.

"Freddie?" Sam was surprised to hear the catch in her voice, something that defiantly should not have been there.

Freddie blinked, returning to wakefulness quickly. He heard a particularly loud crash of thunder and wordlessly put an arm around his wife and pulled her over so her back was against him. He understood the fear of storms that Sam had; it was the only thing that really seemed to touch a nerve with her.

"We have to tell her." Sam said, and she was relieved to hear that her voice had returned to normal.

"Today."

Freddie nodded.

"It's for the best, Sam. You know that…don't you?"

"Yes…"

A very long silence passed, filled only by the sounds of the passing storm.

"Are you still there?" Sam whispered.

"Of course." Freddie whispered back.

A brilliant stroke of lightning lit up the room. Sam gave a quiet little gasp and turned herself over to bury her face against Freddie's chest as an explosive crash shook the room. The rainfall drilled on harder still.

"Sam?"

"Mhm?" As she mumbled it, she turned back over so her back was to Freddie.

"What made you decide that this was the right time to tell your mom?"

Sam thought about it. "I guess…I guess I just decided I was ready."

Freddie nodded.

"You should get some rest…you're going to need it."

It took her awhile, but Sam was finally able to fall into a light and troubled sleep. Unaware, at least for now, of the even more terrifying storm she'd be caught in tomorrow.

The next day

Sam was seated at the kitchen table again, waiting impatiently by the door for Freddie, who was still dressing to meet with Sam's mom. Sam wore one of her better tops and long dark jeans-an uncomfortable fit now that she had gone up several sizes-but Freddie seemed to be dressing as if they were meeting the president.

"Freddie, get down here!" Sam shouted irritably.

"I'm almost ready!" Freddie shouted back.

Sam rubbed her forehead. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

She had no idea if her mom still lived in the same house—but then again, she probably couldn't have afforded to move. She didn't know if her mom would be home, or-Sam shuddered at the thought-there'd be a man living there with her. Would her mom remember her? After all, Sam didn't look nearly the same way she did as an 18 year old. For one thing, she was considerably larger-but she blamed her baby for that-her hair was a little longer, and her rough attitude had been slightly calmed so that the fierce look in her eyes was slowly fading off.

Not to mention, she was a lot happier than she had been back then.

But she would recognize Melanie. Mel had taken the time to keep in touch with their mother, and though Pam rarely saw Melanie's son Tyler, she was at least aware of his existence.

So it was probably for the best that she learned about Sam's child, too.

"FREDDIE!"

"I'm coming!"

The car ride to Sam's mother's house was long and silent. Not a single word passed between Sam and Freddie until they pulled into the grubby looking neighborhood where Sam's mom lived.

"Freddie?"

"Yeah, Sam?"

"I'm…kind of…scared…"

Freddie smiled at her, putting his hand over hers.

"You? Scared? It's hard to imagine."

Sam gave a small smile, turning her hand over to tightly grip his.

"Sam, listen. I know you're scared, and I am, too. But we're in this together, all the way. If your mom wants to get mad and take it out on us, well, we can walk out."

"Or we could smash a hideous vase or three." Sam said, her smile growing larger.

"What, do you want her to hate us?" Freddie said with a small laugh.

"She doesn't deserve us anyway." Sam said, casting Freddie a fond look.

Freddie pulled into the driveway, and saw a rusty old 1980 convertible in the driveway. He and Sam smiled as they glanced at it, recalling the time when that very car smashed through the wall of Ridgeway High School and destroyed locker 239. As they arrived at the front door, Sam reached out and gripped Freddie's hand tightly before she rang the doorbell.

Thirty brutally long seconds passed before the door was swung open by Pam Puckett, who was wearing a pajama tank top that was far too short and pajama bottoms that were far too long.

"What, what do you want?" she grumbled irritably. "Who are you people anyway, the repomen? I paid that bill last week, so get your asses off my porch."

"Mom…it's me." Sam said, her voice tinged with apprehension.

"…Samantha?"

Sam nodded weakly.

"Well, haven't seen you in a while." Pam said, and Freddie gripped Sam's hand tighter when he heard the complete lack of enthusiasm from Sam's mother.

"I thought you dropped off the face of the earth! And what happened to you, you're all fat now! You've really let yourself go, haven't you? Not that I expected better."

Sam felt a hard lump form in the back of her throat, and she focused on ignoring the enormous pain of her mother's words.

"Mom…can we come in?"

"Yeah, sure, fine, whatever." Pam said grudgingly, and Sam and Freddie followed her into the family room. Sam's mom took a seat on a wooden chair that Sam remembered as being the chair she sat in when she misbehaved. Sam and Freddie took a seat on the torn, overstuffed couch with pea green fabric.

"Mom…do you remember Freddie Benson?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, sure, that nerd with brown hair you were always running your mouth about."

"OK, well…uh…"

"Freddie Benson would be me." Freddie said, a slight amount of anger in his voice.

"Yes…yes, that's Freddie…"

"And why'd you bring him here?"

"Well…cause…cause we don't hate eachother anymore, we-"

"Good to know." Pam interrupted sarcastically. Sam ignored her.

"We never hated eachother." Freddie added. Sam nodded.

"And?" Pam asked roughly.

"And…well…when we were 17…we started dating." Sam said slowly. When her mother did not reply, she continued on with much greater confidence.

"We dated for almost six years. It was a day-by-day kind of deal…we took it slow. But nine months ago, we got engaged-" And finally, Sam's mom showed a sign of reaction. Her eyes grew and she blinked a few times.

"What?"

"…And we got married six months ago." Sam concluded.

Pam cast Freddie a glare. "And you decided to tell me this because…"

"Because she's pregnant, you dolt." Freddie snapped angrily.

"You're what?" Pam cried. There was absolutely no happiness in her voice. "You are too young, too reckless, too irresponsible…"

Freddie stood up. Sam looked up at him, confused.

"Freddie, what's-"

"I mean, come on! She's your daughter, and you act like Sam doesn't exist! I mean, for God's sake, she's having a baby. You could at least say something nice to her instead of treating her like gum on the bottom of your shoe."

Pam stood up too.

"You doubt the way I treat my child?"

"Yeah, I do!" Freddie said boldly. Even he was surprised by his own anger.

"Pfft. You're exactly how I imagined the man my daughter would choose…stupid."

Her eyes fell to her daughter. "Why did you stay away from me?"
Sam stood up, her hand returning to its spot in Freddie's. "Because...I guess just because I wanted to."

Pam blinked. "Well, young Puck—Benson," she corrected herself, casting Freddie a second glare. "It's too late to change that. Next time, toughen up and tell me sooner. Boy or girl?"

"Girl." Freddie told her.

Pam nodded. "Well, Lord help that child…" she spat.

Sam moved towards her mother. "I'm sorry…"

"For what, staying out of my life? Pssh, I needed the vacation."

"We're leaving." Freddie said suddenly, catching the pained look crossing over his wife's face.

Without waiting for Sam's mom to respond, he led Sam out of the house.

Once they got out to the car, Sam moved forth and was crushed in a hug by Freddie.

"Sam…I'm so sorry…"

"It's not your fault…" They looked up…and down…into each other's eyes. Both were wet.

"It's OK…you don't need her."

"No…I think I do."
"Well, yeah, everyone needs a mom, I guess. But just because she was a jerk to you back there doesn't mean that you're going to suck as a mother like she did."

Sam buried her face into Freddie's shoulder. "I'm sorry I'm all upset like this…I'm not used to feeling so upset…"

Neither was Freddie. He had never seen his wife more broken than she was now, with her face against his body as she gave way to the hot tears in her eyes.

That whole night, Sam sat beside Freddie on their couch, eating all the pistachios they owned. Freddie let her lean on him for support, and never once moved unless Sam asked him to.

She'd never admit it to him, not in a million years, but she had never appreciated Freddie's company more than she did tonight.

A/N: That wraps up month five. I realize it was pretty sad…don't worry. The depressing part's over. And sorry about Sam's mom being so…evil-ish; I wanted to make her seem mad at Sam for shunning her and for getting pregnant. So, why did this upset Sam so much? She was truly convinced that her mother would accept her pregnancy and be willing to move on, but of course, that didn't happen. And why was Freddie so angry? Cause Pam was bangin' on Sam! And no one messes with Freddie's wife except Freddie. :D

Hope you enjoyed!