author's note: hello everyone. so recently, i have fallen head-over-heels in love with the pairing or sam/rory. flanevans. flevans. whatever, can we please decide on a ship name? i have so many ideas concerning them, and about fifty million oneshots left to complete. this is just the first one i actually managed to finish. please read and review, let me know what you think!

disclaimer: i don't own anything that you recognize. so, basically, absolutely nothing.

i've got to find my way back,
retrace my steps
so i can prove to you that
i'm alive.

The terminal is crowded, and Sam can't stand still. He fidgets with the bottom of his coat until a warm hand covers his own. Sam glances up to see bright blue eyes staring at him. Rory offers a half-smile and lifts Sam's hand up to thread their fingers together. "It'll be okay," he says, and God, Sam's going to miss that accent.

"I know," Sam says, but he doesn't.

Rory squeezes his hand and then lets go. He shifts from foot to foot, like maybe he wants to get closer to Sam but doesn't know how. Sam thinks it's funny, because they've been together for almost five months and Rory still isn't used to it. It would be cute in any other situation, but right now Sam just really wants to hug him. "I'm not too good at goodbyes," Rory admits, and he rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. Sam shrugs.

"It's not a goodbye," he says, and Rory looks confused, "It's more of a…see you later." Sam laughs when Rory does.

"If you say so, Sam," Rory says, and he sounds like he does when he wants to roll his eyes but doesn't want Sam to get upset with him. Not that Sam ever would, but Rory is the most awkward person Sam's ever met. It's one of Sam's favorite things about him.

Sam puts both of his hands on Rory's shoulders and looks him straight in the eyes. "No, I'm being serious, Ror," he tells him, "I'm not giving up on you, okay? There's…there's cell phones, and Facebook, and emails. Hell, I'd write to you if I had to," Sam gives him a lopsided smile, "We could totally do the whole long-distance relationship thing."

Rory opens his mouth to say something, closes it, and then pulls Sam into the tightest hug he's ever gotten. Sam squeezes his eyes shut and tries to pretend that, just for one second, they're saying goodbye after a date. That Rory's not going back to Ireland for who knows how long. It wouldn't be fair if Sam asked him to stay, or even to come back—Rory's got a life there, and a family. But damnit, Sam wants to be a selfish teenager and he wants Rory here. He hugs him a little just a little tighter and buries his head in Rory's hair. He feels Rory take a deep breath just as a lady over the intercom announces, "Flight to Derry is leaving in fifteen minutes."

Rory sighs and pulls back. "That's me," he says quietly, his face just inches from Sam's. Sam nods, and swallows the lump in his throat.

"Yeah," he says, but neither of them moves. Finally, Rory extracts himself from Sam's grip and starts to back away.

"I've gotta go," Rory whispers, and Sam nods again.

With a final wave, Rory turns around and starts to walk away, hands stuffed in his pockets. Sam stares after him, and there's this ache in his chest that Sam just knows is not going away until he sees Rory again. Sometimes, Sam doesn't really think before he says things. Before he knows it, he's blurting out, "Rory!" Rory freezes, his back as straight as a pole. Sam swallows and takes a deep breath. He cups his hands around his mouth—for dramatic effect, because isn't that what they do in the romantic comedies?—and calls, "I love you. Like, a lot."

Rory doesn't move for a moment, and there's a spilt-second thought in the back of Sam's head that says you idiot, it's too soon. But then Rory's whipping around and running towards him and throwing himself into Sam's arms. Sam tucks his chin against Rory's shoulder and closes his eyes, one hand fisted in Rory's shirt and the other in his hair. Rory's arms are around his neck. "I love you too," he whispers. Sam pulls back just far enough to kiss him full on the mouth.

If Sam was able to register anything other than Rory at the moment, he'd notice the little girl staring and smiling at them. He'd notice the soldier that was hugging his wife and looking at them with tears in his eyes. Maybe he'd even notice the gay couple a few yards away, clapping for them. But he doesn't, because all he can notice right now is that he loves Rory. And Rory loves him back.

Rory pulls away and smiles brilliantly. "I love you," he repeats, like he's still in shock.

Sam lets out a slightly hysterical laugh. He rests his forehead against Rory and rocks him back and forth, says, "I love you too. I really do."

There's a ten-minute warning from the intercom, and Rory's smile fades. "I really have to go, Sam."

Sam huffs out a breath. "You do," he says, resigned. "Don't forget about me, okay?" he asks, and he offers a half-smile.

Rory laughs shortly. "Not possible, Sam Evans."

Sam kisses his forehead and lets go. With a final wave, Rory turns and disappears into the crowd. Sam watches him go. When he can't see him anymore, Sam sighs, stuffs his hands in his pockets and leaves.

two years later

It's not like Sam didn't expect it. Eventually, the phone calls went from hours to minutes, texts were few and far between, and the letters that Sam promised stopped altogether. They're kids, what do they really know about love? Sam only just graduated last year, and Rory, well. Rory just graduated today. Sam logs onto Facebook to write on his wall. Congrats. I love you, he writes. He erases the I love you and posts it with a heavy heart. He sighs and shuts down his computer. He'd moved out of his house soon after graduation, and he's got his own small house about half an hour outside of Lima. It's not much, but it's enough.

He's sitting on his couch flipping through channels when there's a knock on the door. Sam almost doesn't get up. If it's Quinn—which it probably is, because she's his best friend and she likes to annoy him—then Sam just wants to ignore her. There's another knock and Sam sighs, heaving himself up off the couch. "I'm coming, gosh," he yells, and he grabs his keys off the mantle. He swings the door open and leans against the door frame, asking, "What do you want?"

"Thanks for such a warm welcome."

Sam's eyes snap open. Rory's standing on his porch, with a wide smile and sparkling eyes. He looks exactly like Sam remembers, only older and with a little scruff on his chin. Sam stares, and Rory raises his eyebrows. "Gonna let me in?"

Sam kisses him.

Rory makes a surprised noise, before responding enthusiastically. Sam presses closer, and the kiss becomes more desperate. Rory smiles into it, and Sam pulls back quickly. "Was that okay?" He asks, frantic. "Because I didn't even stop to ask if you were like, seeing someone. Cause if you are, God, I'm sorry."

"Sam," Rory cuts him off, and Sam shuts up because he really just wants to hear Rory talk. "If I was seeing someone else, would I run off after graduation, hop on a plane and fly to a different country just to see you?" Sam opens his mouth, but Rory stops him. "Let me finish. I went to your old house, only to have your mother tell me you moved and I almost had a panic attack because what if you moved to like, Florida? But she gave me directions and promised not to tell you. I've been driving for five hours, Sam, not including the hour and a half it took me to get Stacy to detach herself from my leg. Did you know she hasn't gotten over her crush on me yet?"

"Yeah," Sam says weakly, "Asked about you everyday."

Rory raises both eyebrows. "What about you?"

Sam holds his gaze steadily and says, "There was not a second of the day that I didn't think about you."

Rory grins. "You know, I still love you."

"Good," Sam says, and the ache, it's finally gone. "Because it would really suck if I was the only one." Rory just leans up to kiss him again. Sam pulls back and Rory makes an annoyed noise. "Ror, how long are you here for?" he asks nervously, because Sam doesn't think he'll be able to take Rory leaving again."

Rory's hands are fisted in Sam's shirt, and Sam's arms are wrapped around his waist. "As long as you'll have me," he says evenly.

Sam grins. "So, forever, then?"

Rory laughs. "Sounds great," he says, and Sam pulls him inside.