Thanks again to all the faithful reviewers and followers. This was a really fun story to write, I didn't want to drag it out too long and make things boring and predictable so this is going to be it for the story. This chapter is sort of a wrap-up/epilogue so wanted to keep it light and funny. Hope it's enjoyable. Probably won't be putting anything else up until after the holidays, working lots of extra hours the next few weeks.

Chapter 14

Freddie, Sam and Stephanie returned to L.A. four days after Spencer's wedding. They were met at the airport by Melanie, who was anxious to see her niece and sister again and to finally be officially introduced to Freddie. As soon as the three stepped off the elevator at baggage claim, Mel came running up to them. Stephie wasted no time in jumping into her aunt's arms.

"Hi, Stephie. Aunt Melly missed you so much. I'm gonna be so lonely without you guys when you move back to Seattle."

Freddie and Sam were standing right behind the little girl holding hands, her pulling a rolling bag and him with his laptop case slung over his shoulder. Freddie's mouth was slightly open at the sight of Melanie, despite all the evidence to the contrary, he still was unsure she actually existed.

As soon as she put Stephanie down, Mel grabbed Sam and then finally wrapped her arms around Freddie. "Am I ever glad to see you. When Sammy said you were coming back with her, I actually jumped up and down with joy. I've been trying to get her to reconnect with you for years."

"Um, yeah. I'm glad to finally, er, meet you too Melanie."

"Well, we did actually meet a number of years ago." Mel said. "You know, we went out to that dance club, back before you and Sammy got together in high school."

"Ugh, don't remind me." Sam mumbled. "Bad enough he was almost engaged to my best friend, I don't need a reminder that he dated my sister, too."

"So that was really you. I guess I should have been able to figure it out, you know with the kiss and all. Wow, I can't believe how much you guys look alike." He stammered.

"Duh." Sam smirked before grabbing his hand again. "We're identical twins, Frednub. Emphasis on the identical part. And if I hear about you two kissing one more time, I'm punching one of you, whichever one I can get to first."

"Well, not every part is identical. She did breast-feed a baby, so her um, you know. . . " Mel nonchalantly made motion to Sam's chest.

Sam just rolled her eyes. "Jealous much, Mels."

"Hey you deserve some kind of bonus for almost a whole day in labor." Mel shivered.

"Actually, Sam had a pretty nice shape before, but now, I mean, geez." Freddie remarked.

"Alright, enough talking about my boobs. C'mon. Let's get our stuff and get back home. I don't want caught in rush-hour traffic before one the way back to Venice." Sam suggested.

"Sam, it's only three-thirty."

"I know how to read a clock, Mel. Stephie and I want to stop at the chicken hut. We can get in on the early bird special at the all you can eat wing buffet. Right, baby?" Sam turned and suggested to her daughter walking along holding her aunt's hand as the foursome walked toward the luggage carousel.

"Guess they'll lose money today." Freddie smirked.

Sam turned and glared at him. "And I guess you'll be sleeping on the couch tonight."

Melanie snickered at their banter. "Actually, I'm surprised they still let her in the place. Did she tell you she's banned from every Chinese buffet in the greater L.A. area? Was that ever a shock to me, you know since I look just like her and all. Talk about embarrassing. No wonder Ty never called me for a second date."

"Alright! First off, what kind of dude takes a girl out to a Chinese buffet for a first date and Chef Wong didn't ban me, I'm one of his favorite customers."

"Only because I worked with him to get him a loan at the bank I work at and he can't tell the difference between us." Mel argued.

"Annnd just maybe I like to wear my hair up in a ponytail once in a while, especially when I'm in the mood for sesame chicken and egg drop soup." Sam said with a smirk. "Plus he loves Stephie. Did I tell you he gave her extra fortune cookies last time we stopped there."

"I think I know where we're going for dinner tomorrow." Freddie suggested as he grabbed the last of their bags off the conveyor belt.

"C'mon, let's get out of here. Mama's starving." Sam said, grabbing Freddie's hand and pulling him along toward the exit.

After they ate and returned to the apartment, the three adults were sitting down around the table while the little girl played in the living room. Sam was on Freddie's lap as Mel sat some coffee cups down in front of them.

"So, how long can you stay, Freddie?" Melanie asked, taking a sip of her coffee. "Sam told me you have some fancy job designing software or something. And that you're already a supervisor or something."

"I'm a project leader, actually. I'm able to do most of my work remotely, thank goodness. I just have to do online conferencing with the other team members a couple of times a week for our brainstorming sessions. My boss is really cool and she said I don't actually have to go back into the office for about 5 weeks until the beta demonstration of the new MZD 4.2 format is due to the board of directors."

"I don't know what he said other than five weeks." Sam smirked. "That's all that matters."

Melanie just laughed. "Mom mentioned something about you guys taking over the house because she was going on some road-trip or life quest or something."

"Yeah. Freddie wants Stephanie to not have what he calls a normal home, you know with the white picket fence and all. I mean, we could afford our own place, his job pays pretty good. But Pam offered and she does finally have the joint paid off, although I don't know how she managed to even get four mortgages, let alone pay them off."

"I hope you know mom's head over heels that she'll get to spend some time with Stephie before she leaves."

"So's Marissa, she went right out and bought a bed for her and everything so she can stay overnight. You know, she was even civil to me and we had dinner with her twice. I think I've really impressed her with my parenting skills." Sam informed her sister. "What amazed me the most, she even left me in her house without spraying me with disinfectant."

Freddie remembered how his mother used to treat Sam when they were teenagers. "Well, I'm glad you and mom have been getting along." He replied. "But I think we'd better look into doing some work around Pam's place. I don't think your mom was ever much into maintenance."

"Psh. You said it. Starting with some new living room furniture. Man, that old sofa was shot when we were twelve."

"And I suppose I need to look into a truck or something to move your stuff up. He said.

"Yeah, funny how much chiz I collected over five and a half years. You and Stephie can take the truck and I'll drive my motorcycle."

"You still have your bike? I can't picture you strapping a baby seat to the back of it, but whatever." Freddie asked.

"We always take Mel's car when Steph goes along, but when it's just me, you know I can't resist riding my motorcycle. Besides, it's the best thing anyone ever gave me, I could never get rid of it."

"Well, I'm pretty sure you'll get awful cold riding it around Seattle next winter." He remarked.

"I guess so, but don't think I'll be spending a whole lot of time in that nerdy little car of yours. Seriously, there's hardly enough room in that back seat for this kid now, and she's only getting bigger."

"I guess you're right. I have been thinking about getting something a little newer, anyway. I was looking into the safety ratings and fuel economy and I think I might have narrowed it down to a dozen or so choices."

"Here we go." Sam rolled her eyes. "There's more to a car than air bags and fuel ratings, Fred-dull. We should be looking for something cool, maybe a convertible or . . . "

"Sam! We have a kid!" Freddie came back.

"Yeah, and we're 23, not 43." Sam replied. "So don't even start thinking mini-van."

"OK, I agree on that one."

"See, now you guys are getting some where. How about I take Stephie to the park before it gets dark so you guys can discuss this alone." Mel suggested.

"Oooorrrr, you could take her to the park, stop and get a couple of tacos on the way home and give Fredstud here and I about two hours. All. To. Ourselves." Sam wiggled her eyebrows.

"Really?" Mel questioned. "That's all yo can think about?"

"Pretty much. We were apart for almost five years." Sam replied. "And bring me back a couple of burritos and a milkshake. I always get a little picky after, um, you know."

Eight months later (Valentine's Day)

"I do." Freddie said smiling from ear to ear.

"And now by the authority given me by the state of Washington, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Freddie leaned down and kissed Sam, who was holding in tears as she kissed back.

"Ladies and Gentleman, Mr. & Mrs. Fredward Benson." The preacher announced to the applause of the small crowd.

After the reception, Carly and Melanie were sitting at their table watching the happy couple continue to dance. "I don't know whether to say this was fast or it took forever." Melanie chuckled. "It's funny, they've been in love for years and I can't keep a boyfriend for more than three months."

"Preaching to the choir, Mels!" Carly smirked. "Sad that the longest relationship I ever had ended up with him marrying my best friend. But I'm so happy for them. They're perfect together. Look at them, all lovey-dovey with each other. It's like they never even broke up in high school."

"Heh, you're telling me. I had to share an apartment with them for five weeks, remember. I can't tell you how many nights I slept on the couch to avoid hearing them all - um you know."

"Aunt Melly, when are we going to go home. I'm tired." Stephanie whined.

"Tell you what, why don't you come help Aunt Carly carry the presents out to the car." Carly suggested, trying to help the child out of her funk.

"And I'll see about getting your Mommy and Daddy to finish up their dance." Mel offered with a yawn. "I'm getting tired too."

The next morning, the newlyweds and their friends were having brunch at the Puckett house, where they were living and renovating since Pam had ran off to search for Sam and Mel's dad. "So how was your first night of being married?" Carly asked with an eyebrow wiggle.

"Um, pretty much like the last eight months." Sam smirked. "Except now I'm wearing this cool ring. Man, I never thought I'd be the one of us three to be married first." Referring to Melanie, Carly and herself.

"Yeah, well you've been in love with the same guy since since you had your first kiss with him in junior high." Melanie said with a laugh.

"The first kiss you didn't tell your best friend about as soon as it happened." Carly pretended to be hurt.

"Well I did tell you about another first, didn't I?" Sam countered.

"I thought you said I was the first person you told?" Mel asked.

"I thought it was me." Cat added. "So, other than the whole Valentine's Day chiz, why were you two in such a hurry to get married? I mean, Freddie just got that new promotion, you guys are working on your mom's old house and still fixing the place up. You should have waited until you at least got settled in right. Most of your stuff's still all packed up in boxes from the remodeling."

"Shhsh, yeah and Cat and I really had to scramble to get tickets up here on such short notice. Seriously, two weeks' is all you could give us."

"Well, we wanted to get married and have all the legal chiz out of the way before it was time to register Stephanie for school this spring and . . ." Freddie looked at Sam for approval. They had decided to keep something from their friends until after the wedding.

"Actually, I wanted to wait until the anniversary of our first kiss, but Fredstud here thought if we waited that long, I might not fit in the dress." The blonde finished his thought with an elbow to his ribs.

The others all looked puzzled until Carly suddenly put two and two together. "Oh my God! Are you serious?"

"When are you due, Sammy?" Mel screeched, hugging her sister.

"End of August." Sam said with excitement. "By the time we're all together for Thanksgiving, we'll have another Benson in the family."

"Oh my word!" Marissa exclaimed. "You need to make sure you get your rest and take all your vitamins. Have you been to see your doctor yet? Now Fredward you need to make sure Sam isn't overdoing it. You'll be doing all the laundry from now and make sure she eats properly and don't you dare let her near the cat box. Tell you what, the cat can even come stay with me if you'd like."

"Yes, I get it Mom." Freddie rolled his eyes. "Maybe I wasn't around the first time she was pregnant, but this time I promise I'll make up for it."

"Speaking of the name Benson, how's that going to work with Stephie? Is her name going to be Stephanie Benson Benson?" Cat asked in her innocent, simple way.

"No, we're changing her middle name to Puckett, she'll be Stephanie Puckett-Benson." Sam said. "It was Fredbutt's idea, I really didn't want to give the Puckett family too much credit."

"Now we just have to come up with a name for her little brother."

"Or sister." Sam added.

"Hear that, Steph? You're going to be a big sister. Just like Aunt Melly?"

"Yay!" The child responded. "When do I get to see the baby?"

"In about six months, baby. But the time will just fly by, I promise." Sam said after she hugged her daughter. "And you're like ten minutes older than me. I don't think that qualifies as being a 'big' sister."

Mel just rolled her eyes. "So are you going to find out if it's a boy or a girl, like you didn't do with Stephie?"

"Nope." Sam said. "Freddie wanted to, but I want to be surprised. We'll just pick out all neutral colored baby stuff, like I did last time."

"It's a good thing you had a girl, because everything Cat got you was a nice, bright pink." Melanie remembered.

"What's wrong with pink? I like pink." Cat said innocently.

"Well, no pink stuff, please." Freddie said. "Try to stick with yellow or pale green. Alright, Cat?"

Cat frowned. "You're going to make this one into a little tom-boy aren't you?"

"Maybe it'll be a boy in the first place." Carly suggested. "I do get to help decorate the nursery, right?"

"Wouldn't have it any other way." Sam said. "Mel, I hope you don't mind, but I'm turning your old room into the baby's room, since Stephie took over mine."

Mel shrugged and sneered. "I still don't know why she wanted that room. Mine was perfect for a little girl, all pink and everything. Your room always looked like a truck stop storage room."

"We did paint it for her." Freddie said. "And put in new carpet. It's all purple now, her favorite color."

"No pink!" Stephanie exclaimed. "It clashes with Nub." She held up her pink pig.

"Well as long as you have a good reason." Carly rubbed the child's head. "And I'm proud of you for knowing what clashes means, maybe I should take you shopping some day."

"Why, Carly Shay, you mean you actually want to be around a pre-schooler?" Marissa asked.

"Who knows, she might just change my mind about the whole having kids thing. That is, if I'm not scarred for life after I witness labor first hand."

"It's not pretty, Carly." Mel added. "We should probably both get some ear plugs just to be safe."

"Slow down there you two. I don't know if we need the whole world witnessing that part." Freddie frowned.

"Relax, Fred-dad. Of course they can be there. But you might want to do some hand exercises, because if I squeeze your hand as hard as I did Mel's last time, I know I'll break your knuckles."