Author's Note: Alrighty guys, this is it! It took me a year to finish this story; but this is finally it. Holy bajezus! I just wanted to let my reviewers know that I made a total mistake (calling Colin Nate throughout chapter 11) and changed it the day after, thanks to a reviewer. I cannot believe I didn't catch it! Thanks for the tip though, lots of help. Thank you to all of my reviewers in advance, you do not have any idea how great of an influence you have had on me throughout the past year. Thank you, and i'll go ahead and say I love you all for it.

Chapter 12 - You Found Me

Freddie P.O.V. :

I've been sitting around the past couple of days in a trance. Sam's been all I could think about. I never thought she could just decide to stay at some place she never wanted to be at. She really must hate my guts.

My mom's been freaking out about the condition I'm in; "Freddie's illness", she calls it. She wants me to stay at home and recover, but all its making me do is ruminate on the situation. If I don't play my cards right around her, she's going to send me off to an institution.

Yet, I can't face going back over to Carly's all the time. Things aren't as easy as we thought they'd be after we broke up. It's all awkward, let alone the fact she's angry and confused about why Sam didn't come back with me (and why I went there alone, without consulting her first). Carly's still pretty angry about the whole Gibby ordeal, but it's mellowed down after I treated the both of them to Groovy Smoothies and Gallini's pies.

Samsamsamsamsam. Her name keeps resounding through my head, throbbing like a heartbeat. No matter what, I just can't shake the feeling of it. I did something wrong, there's no doubt about it, but the fact that I can't fix it is tough to grasp. I gave it the best shot I possibly could, and failed.

Walking into the kitchen, I pick up the bread and begin rooting through my fridge, trying to make a sandwich I know I won't eat. I've been trying to eat, honest, but no matter how twisted it sounds, my brain pairs up food and Sam together.

I pile the sandwich up as much as I can, throwing anything appetizing I find on it.

Ugh. It's a Sam-mich.

I stare at the plate for a few seconds, half admiring my handiwork, half disgusted that I've wasted all of these ingredients.

I pick up the masterpiece and begin to walk into the living room, hoping to acquire an appetite when the doorbell rings.

Carly, Spencer or Gibby. I don't even hesitate to open the door or bother to look through the peephole.

"Can I have that?" My heart leaps in my chest and I shove the sammich at her.

"And a hello to you too, Benson." Instead of the usual negative, sarcastic demeanor, she sports a brave half smile.

"Sam!" I grab her and pull her into a tight hug, carefully not shoving the sammich in the process.

We walk into my apartment, close the door.

"So what's up? How's Seattle?" She asks, gingerly, as if she's afraid I'll snap at her.

I smile sheepishly and say, "Sleepless."

She gives me the one-over, noticing my sloppy appearance.

"Yeah, sleepless doesn't seem to cover it. Chiz, Freddie. You look almost as bad as when you got ran over by the taco truck! What happened?"

"Uh, yeah, about that. My partner-in-crime got screwed over by some delusional guy, who thought he could date her best friend and get away with it, freak out towards her about his own insecurities, and pretty much ruin her life. He pretty much hates himself for it." I say, my cheeks glowing red. "Why are you here? I thought you wanted nothing to do with us? With me?"

She shrugs, looking me square in the eye and says, "You were the one who told me not to run away… So after I got kicked out of yet another home, I realized that Bushwell is the only place I belong." I kind of stare at her; aiming to process this information. "Oh, and thanks for the remote."

I kind of got all giddy at that point, hugging her again, motioning for her to put down her sammich and then I drag her by the hand across the hall. Knocking, I feel her hand squeeze mine, and I squeeze hers back, for reassurance purposes.

"Freddie?" Carly pulls open the door and begins screaming and jumping when she sees Sam.

"SAM! Spencer! Gibby! Sam's back!" She calls out, as all three of us are jumping up and down together, laughing.

Stopping to breathe, Carly looks at me and says, "Freddie, you did it! You brought her back!"

I start to laugh harder and poof.

Um, woah.

Carly grabs me and plants one on my lips, a good five seconds long, with me standing frozen in place.

I feel the warmth of Sam's hand disappear, my eyes are wide open, watching her flee up the steps to the studio, the door slamming.

Carly backs up, a horrified look on her face, mimicking mine, Gibby's and even Spencer's.

"I… I don't…But…I didn't even – and, no!" She splutters out nonsense, in her mind justifying her bizarre actions, the magnitude of what just occurred glaring onto the situation.

The puzzle pieces click. Gibby likes Carly. Sam likes me. Carly, despite what just happened, I think likes Gibby.

I hope.

And me?

My heart is beating to the pattern of Sam's name.

Once the visible shock of the state of affairs wore off, I was running up the stairs after her.

"SAM! SAAAMMM!" I'm knocking with full force on the studio door, silently begging for it to open. I'm staring all around the room searching for her, and I feel desperation, as I don't see her.

Finally, I give up and kick the doorframe, which, with much resistance, finally shudders open.

"Screw you, Benson." Her arms are wrapped around her knees, she's on the floor next to the doorway, and exactly the reason I couldn't see her.

"Sam." I sit down so I can be exactly on her level, she scooches away, refusing to look at me. "Sam, look at me."

She doesn't look at me, but she quits straining her head away from mine.

"That's why you brought me here? To show me off, to get back together with Carly?" My heart sinks, her voice sounded so small, so broken.

"NO! Don't even think that for a second! I wanted you to come over so Carly could be happy that you're back." She sinks a little bit more, "Nooo, that came out wrong. Stupid. Freddie. UGH!" I slam my fist down in defeat; she looks up at me.

"I'm sorry I'm not as pretty as her. I'm not as smart as her. I got kicked out of both of my homes. My dad didn't care to get to know me, my mom doesn't care to have me around, and my sister didn't care to stick up for me. I'm HOMELESS at seventeen! All I ever did was fall for you and look where that lead me."

Tears were falling; I could tell she was trying the hardest she could to just keep composed for my sake. I grab her and pull her into my arms as she sobs, hard and loud, into my chest.

"I'm here, Princess Puckett. I don't want to be with Carly. It was you, all along. It'll always be you. You are perfect to me. We'll get through this together." I whisper into her ear as I stroke her hair gently.

She pulls out of the embrace slowly, and I take this opportunity.

I kiss her.

This is no kiss like our scared, tentative first kiss. This is not a kiss that Carly aimed giving me, smashing her lips on mine.

No, this kiss was real. Fueled by passion, revelation, and understanding.

"Sam I'm so so-" I hear Carly, screeching, and Sam's about to pull away, so I grab the back of her head and pull her in deeper. I feel her intake of breath at this surprise of me acting so forward, but she doesn't attempt to move back.

I hear her footsteps leave quickly, "SPENCER! GET THE CAMERA." The kissing stops, and Sam and I look at each other and laugh. I hug her again; I cannot get enough of this girl.

"Soooo." I say, a smug look rising on my face; I cannot help but feel like a big weight has been lifted.

"You really mean it when you said you wanted to help?"

"Of course. I'll help you with whatever you need." She looks grateful at this, a rarity.

Before Carly comes back up the steps, I try to explain to her about Carly and Gibby.

She gets wide eyed – "Chemistry! They have 'chemistry' together!" She laughs and I can see in her eyes that it's finally clicked.

"Sam, you dropped your phone downstairs." Carly comes walking back into the room, arm covering her eyes, waving the phone wildly.

"Haha, its okay Carly, open your eyes."

"I'm so sorry." She looks mortified, and terrified.

"Quit apologizing, Shay, you're going way too soft." Finally, things begin to realign in the right order.

Sam looks at her phone, and has a sharp intake of breath. "Shit. My dad called."

I hear the voicemail; Sam's brave enough to put it on speaker for all three of us to hear.

"Listen Sam, Melanie and I had a long talk, and I realized that I was completely wrong. Cindy should have never sent you away, I am so sorry for that. I want to apologize for not being in your life – but I've known from the start that you are a strong girl who will persevere through all of life's shortcomings. I talked to your mother today, who apparently has been trying to call but she gave the last copy of our address to some "steamy hunk of high school" that was trying to reach you. She misses you too, Sam. Things are going to be different from now on; you and I will spend more time together, Melanie will no longer be attending boarding school, and I will absolutely, one hundred percent promise that your mother and you will work everything out. I love you, Sammy, call me back when you get this."

I take her hand back into mine, and squeeze it; she grabs Carly's and does the same.

"Okay guys, lets not get all sappy now." Sam sticks out her tongue at us, and we're back to our happy, carefree state...

With Sam and I finally where we belong: Together.

A/N: It's been such a long journey, but thank you, everyone, especially to those who've stuck through this from the beginning. This is my first story that I've completed on fanfiction, and the highest amount of reviews and hits - more than i've ever imagined.
Keep your eyes peeled; I'm going to continue writing stories and such!

Thank You!

- iHearU