OOC: Thanks for the reviews! I hope you are enjoying this story :) And sorry for any errors you may find.
They arrived at the bus station just in time. They paid for their tickets to Yakima then boarded the bus. They found a seat and thankfully the bus wasn't too crowded. As the bus began pulling away from the station, Sam let out a long sigh, leaning back against the seat. It had been a long day, and it wasn't quite noon yet.
Freddie was sitting next to Sam and hoping that things would be okay for them. He reached over to take Sam's hand into his while vowing to himself he would do everything to keep her safe and happy.
Sam took Freddie's hand, raising it to her lips to gently kiss it. "Freddie, do you have anything to eat in your backpack?" she asked. "Momma's starved." Sam smiled at him; no matter what the circumstance, Sam was always starved.
Freddie chuckled. "I packed a few things," he said.
"But I dunno if you'll like it," he said as he reached for his bag.
He sifted through the contents until he located some meat sticks and beef jerky. "I know it's not the real stuff, but it's still pretty good," he said as he offered her both.
Sam's grin widened when she saw the food Freddie had stashed in his backpack. "Ooooo Meat..." she said excitedly.
"I love you, Freddie," Sam said excitedly as she grabbed the big meat stick and began ripping into the package.
Freddie chuckled. "Well, I do know how much you love it," he told her. He was glad to see her happy as she tore into the food.
"It's delicious," said Sam as she was nibbling on the spicy meat stick and looking out the window. "I am glad Carly was able to help us... and Melanie, too... but I'm really gonna miss Frothy. I hope my mom doesn't forget to feed him."
"I'm sorry you had to leave him behind," Freddie said. "I know you'll miss him. You could always send Carly a message when we get there; maybe she'll look out for Frothy for you."
"Yeah, I've had him since he was a baby kitten and he followed me home from school that day," Sam said, speaking of Frothy. "I know he acts rabid half the time, but that's only cuz he drank some of my mom's alcohol once when he was only a kitten."
"You're right. I will ask Carly to check on him. I just don't want my mom to try to force our location out of Carly, ya know," said Sam as she continued to nibble on the yummy meat product.
Freddie laughed. "A drunk kitten? That's kindda funny, yet disturbing," he said.
"Yeah true, but maybe Carly can go over when she knows your mom won't be there when she checks on Frothy," he pointed out.
"Yes, she could. She knows where we hide the spare key. Frothy will be glad to see her. He really likes Carly," said Sam. She couldn't help but smile a little when she remembered the night that Frothy had knocked over her mom's bottle of whiskey and had drank some. "Well, it was sort of funny. He ran around the room after drinking whiskey, chasing his tail for nearly an hour. He then passed out on the floor," Sam explained. "I thought maybe he had died... but he got up the next day. He never was quite 'right' out after that. I think it fried too many of his brain cells."
"That's okay though. I still loved him... no matter if he was a little weird," spoke Sam. She finished off the last of the meat stick, then reached for the package of beef jerky in Freddie's hand.
"Sorry, I don't mean to scarf all your snacks... but I was too upset and nauseated to eat any breakfast... and now it's past lunch time... and I have never gone this long without food," Sam told Freddie.
Freddie laughed. "That musta been something to see," he said of the cat. Then he smiled. "It's okay; I knew you'd be hungry at some point, so I don't mind," he said to Sam honestly.
"Do you think the bus driver would make a nice pitstop at Inside-Out Burger, if I asked nicely enough? I am hungry for a Fish Sandwich, Nuggets, a big Inside-Out Burger, and a chocolate shake. Doesn't that sound good?" asked Sam as she was now busy wolfing down the beef jerky.
Freddie chuckled. "Hmmm ... I dunno, Sam. I dont think he'd stop plus we should save the money we do have right now," he pointed out. "We need to get to your sister and see about finding a place to stay, and what to do about money."
"I know we should save the majority of our money, but we're still going to eat, aren't we? If I don't eat, our baby will starve," Sam pointed out. It seemed so weird once she had said that. "Our baby." It hadn't seemed much like a reality till then, just something that had turned their whole world upside down.
"Freddie, I gotta ask you something... something about- the baby," Sam said slowly. "You're not mad at me, are you? Cuz- cuz I got pregnant? I didn't REALLY mean to... you know, we didn't use any protection..."
"But I have to admit, I was sort of wishing I would ... you know, get pregnant... because I hated my home life so much," Sam said, drawing in her breath sharply and then letting out a big sigh. "My house is nothing like yours. I don't have a mom who makes me cucumber cups or asks me if I have homework... or anything at all like that."
"She drinks ALL the time and has yucky men over. And there were times those guys made passes at me. I was scared... and I think I just saw a pregnancy as a way out of a bad situation..."
"I never thought ahead. I never thought it would lead to this..." Sam spoke. "Me and you on the run. No where to really go... nothing to eat. And now a baby coming, too."
"I'm so sorry, Freddie..." Sam said sadly as she hung her head and stared down at her hands.
"I didn't expect this to happen, Sam," Freddie said honestly as he took her hand into his. "I'm not mad; I'm scared. We're not really ready for this, being parents, and I just hope we can make it work."
"I should have stopped to think about protection, but I just wasn't thinking, I guess. I'm sorry," he admitted.
"Neither of us thought about using protection... we had other things on our mind that night," said Sam as she gently squeezed Freddie's hand. "Now we have to deal with the consequences. And we are in this together. It just doesn't seem quite real yet. But I suppose it won't be long till I start showing. Do you think I will get as fat as a cow?"
"Well, you will get bigger, but I don't know how fat a cow really is so I can't say," Freddie said. "But I don't think you should worry about that. Just worry about taking care of yourself and the baby."
"Do you think my breasts are gonna get bigger, too?" asked Sam as she cupped them and looked at Freddie. "I really hope they do get a little bigger... I could stand to have a bit bigger breasts."
And old lady in a nearby seat looked over and heard Sam talking and turned her head away in disgust. "Young whippersnappers today!" she said in a snooty voice to her companion.
Freddie blushed a little. "Uhhhh ... I dont know," he said.
"I dont know much about a girl's uhhhh ... and what all... ummmm - I guess I'm the wrong person to ask," he said finally.
Sam thought it was cute how Freddie got all embarrassed and tongue-tied when she had asked him about her breasts growing so she reached out and kissed him softly on the cheek. She then turned and looked over at the old hag who had made the rude comment. She stuck her tongue out at the mean, hateful woman. She then giggled and rested her head against Freddie's chest. "I don't like old people much," she said with another giggle. "They smell funny and they always say things like, 'Now when I was your age, I used to have to walk three miles in a snow storm, just to blah, blah, blah..." Sam dissolved into another fit of giggles while resting her cheek against Freddie's chest.
Freddie hugged Sam but he almost started to laugh, so instead he just chuckled softly. "Yeah, they are like that," he agreed. He held Sam close as she snuggled against his chest; glad to be with her.
It was late afternoon when they arrived in Yakima, the city where Melanie attended boarding school. Sam got excited when they arrived at the bus station. "Melanie!" she gasped, seeing her twin standing outside waiting for them. The bus stopped and everyone started getting off. At the station, Sam and Freddie got off with the others and Sam ran to her twin, hugging her tight.
Melanie hugged Sam, then smiled at Freddie. "Hey there, Freddie. How about a kiss?" she said to him teasingly in reference to their date and the kisses they had shared.
Sam raised an eyebrow, looking at her twin then at Freddie.
"Ummmmm ... I can't do that sorry," he said, becoming all flustered. "I'm with Sam so yeah, I'll only be kissing her from now on." He wished Melanie hadn't said anything about a kiss.
"Freddie's right, Sis. We are together..." Sam said to her twin's surprise.
"But you said he was a nerd and he made you nauseated!" gasped Melanie as she remembered all the past not-so-nice remarks her twin sister had made about iCarly's tech producer, Freddie Benson.
"Yeah, I said all those things, but I never REALLY meant them. Freddie and I fought a lot at first... but I just did all that to get him to notice me. Once I figured out how I truly felt about him, things changed... actually things have changed A LOT," Sam explained. "You see, Melanie, that's why we are here..."
"Freddie and I have ran away together... and we need you to help us find a place to stay," spoke Sam.
"Wow, I can't believe it... you and Freddie. Sam, you are so lucky," said Melanie as she stood there in a state of shock. "I'll help all I can, I promise."
"And no matter what happens, no matter what she says or does, you can't tell Mom we are here. You can't tell her you have even heard from us..." Sam insisted.
"But why not?" Melanie asked.
"Because I'm pregnant," responded Sam.
Melanie gasped. "P- pregnant!" she cried out. "OMG... how- how did this happen?"
Sam sighed and glanced at Freddie. "Why does everyone always ask us that?"
She then looked at Melanie and gave her an exhasperated look. "Sis, you don't really need me to explain the birds and the bees to you, do you?"
"No... no... I just meant... Wow, you and Freddie," Melanie continued to marvel. "You're so lucky, Sam. So lucky."
"Yeah, I know," Sam said as she reached over and hugged Freddie and gave him a very soft kiss on the lips.
"Ya know, I don't know why everyone asks us that like they don't know," Freddie said with a shrug. He smiled when Sam kissed him and he wrapped her up in his arms.
Then he looked at Melanie. "Thank you, Melanie," he said. "I am glad there is someone who can help us. We really didn't know what we'd do."
Melanie gave Freddie a bright smile. "I'll always be there for my little sister," said Melanie. "That's right... I'm the older twin. So Sam is the baby."
"I'm NOT a baby," Sam protested.
"Shhhh, Sis, he needs to know these things," Melanie said as she lead Sam and Freddie away from the bus station. "Don't you worry. I have lots of friends here. And my friends and I will find you a place to stay."
"Thanks, Melanie. I knew you could help. But first... I'm hungry..." Sam began.
"Sam! When are you not hungry?" exclaimed Melanie.
Melanie then laughed, leading Sam and Freddie to her dormitory. It was an all girl's school, so when Freddie walked in, all the girl's kept staring at him and whispering. "Melanie, I don't like all those girls looking at MY man," said Sam when they had made it to her dorm room and closed the door behind them.
Melanie just laughed. "We don't see many guys around here to tell you the truth," said Melanie. "Freddie, I'd be careful if I were you ... you might get attacked."
"If any girl even tries to touch him, I will beat her to a pulp," Sam said possessively as she went to raid Melanie's mini fridge. She was disappointed, finding it stocked with fruits, vegetables, and other nutritious foods.
"Sis, why do you have to eat like a rabbit?" asked Sam as she held up a large carrot. "Really, Sis ... Where is the meat?"
"Freddie, how do you put up with her?" Melanie asked him jokingly.
"It wouldn't be normal for her to be any other way; if she wasn't like this I would worry," Freddie said.
"I love her just the way that she is," he said with a smile.
Sam returned Freddie's smile. She was very happy that he accepted her, even with her unusual eating habits. She and Melanie may LOOK identical, but that's about as far as it went. They were as alike as day and night. "You two make such a cute couple," Melanie observed. "I'm going out for a bit... and I'll bring back some food, I promise. You two just make yourselves at home. I will talk to my friends... and see about getting you a place to stay."
After Melanie left, Sam began raiding the nearby closet, looking for something... anything to eat. She was starving. "Freddie, will you please do something to take my mind off food?" Sam asked him.
Freddie laughed, sitting down in Melanie's desk chair. "Come here," he said, holding out his arms to her. "We need to consider some names for our little him or her."
Sam walked across the dorm room and sat down in Freddie's lap, facing him. She smiled as she gazed into his chocolate-brown eyes. She ran her fingers through his dark, thick hair. "I got an idea... if it's a boy, I wanna call him Fredward," spoke Sam as her fingers came around to massage the flesh of Freddie's neck lightly. "You think of some ideas, too."
"You really want two Freds running around?" Freddie asked with a laugh. "Hmm ... if it's a girl, how about Sami, after her mother?" he asked, grinning at Sam. He kissed her softly as he held her in his arms.
Sam laughed softly. "You're Fredward I and he will be Fredward II or Little Fredward. Yeah, we could call her Sami, if we have a little girl. But I think it might be a boy," said Sam as she moved forward, lightly kissing Freddie on the lips. "I hope he has your eyes... and your hair. Ohhh myyyy, I just thought of something, what if he has MY appetite?"
Freddie chuckled. "Well, then we'll definitely know that he has his mom's personality if he has your appetite," he teased. "I do think we'll need to keep four times the amount of food around though."
Sam laughed softly, thinking of all the food they would certainly need if the baby was born having her tremendous appetite. She was still sitting on Freddie's lap gazing into his eyes when Melanie came back into the room, carrying a sack full of food. "Hey, you two," Melanie said with a grin. "It's a good thing I found you guys a place to stay, 'cause it really looks like you need a room, if ya know what I mean..."
Sam couldn't help but giggle. "Freddie is such an animal!" she said with a smirk. She then climbed off Freddie's lap and grabbed the bag of food her sister was carrying. "Food!" she exclaimed.
"Yeah, I got you some burgers and fries from Inside-Out Burger. Not exactly a feast, but I knew you'd like it anyway," Melanie said as Sam started raiding the bag. Sam was busy dividing up the food.
"So, where are Freddie and I going to stay?" asked Sam as she took a seat on the edge of Melanie's bed and began munching on her fries.
"My friends have a small apartment. Their lease wasn't quite up, but they went off to college. You can stay there and help pay on the lease. The rent will be 300 dollars a month, but it includes utilities. If you guys want cable TV and a phone, you will have to pay for that extra," explained Melanie. "The apartment is really small, but at least it's already furnished. There is a bed and other furnishings. I don't think you'll find anything else..."
"It's perfect. We'll take it!" Sam exclaimed. "Thanks, Sis!"
"You're welcome," replied Melanie. "You should go over there after dinner and get settled. Then tomorrow, you can start looking for some jobs."
Freddie nodded. "Thank you, Melanie," he said with a friendly smile.
"First thing tomorrow - job hunting," he said to Sam. He was so glad that they had now a place to stay as he started in on his food.
After their yummy meal of Inside-Out Burgers and fries, Melanie showed them to their new apartment building. Luckily it was only about three blocks from Melanie's dorm which wasn't all that far. "You two are in luck, there's a grocery store just across the street," Melanie pointed out. She knew how Sam could be when it came to food. Melanie then took them up to the second story of the apartment building to the small apartment her friends Drake and Josh had been leasing before they had gone away to college. It wasn't much, but it would do.
There was a small bedroom with a bed and and a dresser, a kitchen/dining area with pots, pans, dishes, and silverware, plus a small table and chairs. And there was also a bathroom with the usual bathroom items and a living room containing a couch, a chair, a small stereo and a TV set.
"I know this is small, but at least the price is reasonable," said Melanie as she showed them around the little apartment.
"Yeah, it's great," replied Sam. "Thanks so much, Melanie... you're a life-saver."
"Glad I could help, Sis," said Melanie, giving Sam a soft kiss on the cheek. She then turned to Freddie and gave him a warm hug.
"Take good care of my sister," Melanie said to Freddie.
Before Sam could protest, Melanie was pressing some cash into her hand. "I was saving up money to come visit you in Seattle this summer. But now that you are here, there is no need to save it any longer, is there?" Melanie said with a little laugh. "I want you and Freddie to have it. You'll need it ... with a baby on the way."
"Ohhh Mel, you have already done so much for us," Sam gasped.
Melanie then looked at Sam, her eyes zereoed in on Sam's flat tummy. "I just can't believe it; I'm going to be an aunt," she said with excitement. "If you guys need anything, you know where to reach me." After giving Sam and Freddie one last hug, Melanie left.
"Wow, Freddie... we have our own place now," said Sam as she went to take a seat on the couch. "I know it isn't all that fancy... but it's ours... and there are no parents to tell us what to do. You don't have to take those icky tick baths anymore... and I don't have to walk in on my mom 'entertaining' her nasty lovers."
"It's just you and me," Sam added, then looked down at her flat belly, thinking of the little one. "And eventually baby will make three."
Freddie settled down with Sam on the couch and smiled as he listened to her talking. "Wow, the three of us," he said. "It'll be so different."
"But I think it'll be good, and I'll do the best that I can," he promised her with a smile.
"Yeah, it will be... Wayyy different," said Sam as she thought of the baby. "But that's a long time away... I'm not even showing yet."
"I'll do the best I can, too," promised Sam. "Starting with finding a job in the morning. Remember that one and only job I had... at Chili My Bowl? Boy, that was a disaster... but this time things will be different. I have a job idea in mind already. But it's a secret." She gave him a mysterious look, then curled up in his arms. Sam was sleepy after such an eventful day.
Freddie held her while smiling. "I'll look for one too, but for now, we need some sleep." Due to all the excitement of the day, they were both exhausted.
"Good idea," Sam agreed, yawning softly. She carefully got up off the couch and took Freddie's hand into hers, leading him into the bedroom. She crawled into bed and lay down against the pillow. She waited for Freddie to hold her again so they could sleep.
Freddie crawled in beside her, laying down as he wrapped his arms around her. Soon he had drifted off into a sound and peaceful sleep.