Disclaimer: Unfortunately for me, I do not own any of these people I'm writing about. I'm even borrowing the principal from Shelle. Thanks, Shelle! :)
Author's note: This is a follow-up to my story "Home at Last" and is the fifth in a series that just seems to keep going. I can't help myself, these characters just are so lovable to me. I'd like to thank all the writers out there who have inspired me to write my own and also a thank you to Shelle for being so patient with a new writer.
I know from the book that Sam planned on going to New York, but since it didn't specifically say that in the movie, I made something else up. I just couldn't write him going back to Lara.
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Josie resisted waking. She had been having the most wonderful of dreams - Sam Coulson had declared his love for her and they had shared The Kiss. It had been an amazing kiss, a kiss you would willingly wait your entire life for, just the kind of kiss she had described to Anita and Cynthia so many weeks before.
And the dream hadn't ended with The Kiss. Oh, no. There was so much more. All in all, it was the best dream she had ever had and she didn't want to let it go. So she lay there, basking in that warm place between sleeping and waking. Until she realized that the warmth came not from her dream, but rather from the long, lean, decidedly masculine form lying spooned against her back.
Josie's eyes flew open as the memory of yesterday's events came flooding back. It hadn't been a dream. It had all happened. Sam Coulson was sleeping in her bed, cradling her in his arms. She closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath, savoring the moment, reveling in the feeling, and a huge, beaming smile crossed her face.
Not too long later, she felt Sam stir against her back, so she twisted around slightly and looked over her shoulder. He opened his eyes, and that look was immediately there. That look, the one that even she, for all her inexperience in the ways of men, recognized as special. This was a look filled with love and warmth and tenderness, and it was all for her. Sam Coulson felt all these things for her.
"Good morning," he said in a sleep-roughened voice. With a gentle smile, his arms tightened around her and he snuggled closer, and his lips met hers in a leisurely morning kiss.
Josie sighed as their lips parted, and the happy smile returned to her face. "Good morning," she returned.
Sam nudged her gently until she rolled to lie on her back. He stayed on his side next to her, his head propped on his hand, and just studied her, a small smile tilting one corner of his mouth.
With a self-conscious laugh, Josie tried to smooth what she knew must be horrible bed-hair. "I - I..."
He stilled her hand with his. "You look beautiful."
Amazingly enough, she could plainly see the truth of his words in his eyes and hear it in his voice. To him, she was beautiful. And for the very first time in her life, she felt beautiful, inside and out. The glow created by his words and by the love in his eyes spread through her body and her smile grew. She lifted her hand and ran the tip of one finger down the cleft in his chin, saying, "I've always wanted to do that."
Sam dipped his head and took a playful nip at her finger. She giggled and yanked her hand back, then gasped when her eyes caught sight of the clock beyond his lowered head. "Sam! It's almost 8 o'clock! I have to go to work."
She started to jump out of bed but quickly realized that she was still naked. Somehow, she wasn't quite ready to parade around naked in front of him, so she yanked the sheet off the bed, wrapped it around herself and scurried toward the bathroom. Just before she reached it, she took a curious peek over her shoulder and grinned to see Sam stretched out on the bed, totally unselfconscious about his nudity. Frankly, she felt he had plenty to be proud of in that department.
She paused, her brow wrinkling slightly. He didn't seem to be in any hurry whatsoever, and he still needed to go home to change. "Don't you have to be at school in less than an hour?"
He winced and rolled off the bed, stooping to find his pants on the floor. "Well, no, I don't."
"You don't? Why not?"
He pulled his underwear and pants on and zipped them then sighed and looked her in the eye. "I resigned."
Her mouth fell open. "Resigned? But, why?" Holding her makeshift toga with one hand, she walked back over to stand next to the bed.
He sat on the end of the bed. Grabbing her free hand, he pulled her down to sit next to him. "After what happened at the prom, I didn't want to stay here anymore. Remember the strings I told you I pulled at Dartmouth? Well, I have a friend there who's been begging me to come work with him, so I accepted his offer and I was leaving." He shrugged, looking a little apologetic. "That's why I didn't want to go back to my apartment - it's all packed up. It's also why I didn't see your story until almost too late. I was packing all day yesterday."
She sat there, stunned to think they had come so close to losing each other, but then the rest sank in. "You were leaving? But...you love your job! You're a great teacher."
"I would still be a teacher, just a different kind of teacher."
Her hand toyed with the sheet as she thought of all the ramifications of this. She brought her eyes up to his. "What are you going to do now?"
He shook his head. "I don't know." She looked down. He dropped a kiss on her lips and gave her a reassuring smile when she looked back up. "I mean, of course I want to stay here, but I'm not sure they're going to want me back at South Glen South. I did pretty much leave them in the lurch. I'll go talk to Mr. Kerdan today, okay?"
She nodded with complete confidence. "Of course they'll take you back. You're the best teacher they had." He quirked a doubting eyebrow at her and she grinned impishly. "Well, you were my favorite teacher."
For that, she was rewarded by being most thoroughly kissed, a reward that she most definitely enjoyed until suddenly realizing how late she was. With a horrified gasp, she tore herself away from him and dashed for the bathroom, leaving him laughing on the bed.
* * *
Josie walked into the Chicago Sun Times offices and was immediately surrounded by what seemed to be the entire staff, all chattering and lobbing questions at her.
"What happened?"
"Oh, you're so lucky! That teacher was so cute!"
"That was the most romantic thing I ever saw!"
"Did you do it with him?"
That last came, of course, from Merkin and Josie just rolled her eyes, shook her head and kept walking. She finally made it to the sanctuary of her office and closed the door behind her with a sigh of relief. She hadn't even managed to sit down at her desk before Anita burst through the door.
"Josie! What happened? Did you do it with him?"
Josie laughed at the excitement and anticipation shining in Anita's eyes. "You're as bad as Merkin, Anita."
Anita bounced over, gripped Josie's hands, and begged, "Come on, tell me! I couldn't even sleep last night, I was so excited."
"Well..." Josie drew out that one syllable but relented as she saw that Anita was about to explode. She took a deep, blissful breath, smiled brilliantly, and breathed, "It was wonderful."
"Oooh!" Anita flung her arms around Josie and crushed her in a hug. "I'm so happy for you, Josie."
Josie hugged her back, glad she could share her happiness. "Anita, he really loves me." Her eyes took on a faraway look. "When he looks at me, it's like he's seeing the most beautiful, most incredible woman in the world. And that woman is me!" She and Anita smiled dreamily at each other until the door opened and Gus walked in.
"Geller! Nice of you to join us today! And congratulations! You - and I - get to keep our jobs. But, since that entitles actually working, get to it. I want a follow-up by noon!" He looked at Anita. "You get to work, too."
Josie's brows rose. Gus's voice did not have its normal bite. Her brows rose even higher as she saw the look that Gus and Anita shared before he left. Josie looked inquiringly at her friend, but Anita still stared at the door, a small smile teasing her lips.
"Anita?" Josie began to smile herself as Anita failed to respond. She waved a hand in front of the other woman. "Earth to Anita?"
Anita jumped. "What? Oh...What were you saying?"
"Okay, what's with you and Gus?" Josie watched in total astonishment as blood rushed to Anita's face. "Oh, my God! You're actually blushing! What exactly happened between you two?"
"Oh, it was nothing, really." Anita shrugged and tried to brush it off, but Josie could see she was still very flustered. "We...really, it didn't mean anything...we just kissed once, that's all."
Josie's mouth opened in a silent "Oh" and she wondered why a simple kiss would get her normally over-sexed friend so bothered. "You kissed? When?"
"At the stadium, right after Sam kissed you. Really, Josie, it was no big deal. We were just excited for you and it happened."
"And? Did you guys...?" Josie gave a meaningful wave of her hand.
"No!" Anita looked shocked at the very idea, and Josie tried her best to hide her amusement. "No, we didn't...We went to a restaurant and we ....talked." She paused, a rather bemused expression on her face. "Josie, we just talked for hours and you know what? Gus is surprisingly interesting and we really have a lot in common..." Her voice trailed off when she noticed Josie grinning at her. "What??"
"You like him!" Josie laughed in delight. "Anita, I don't think you've ever liked a guy before!"
Anita, embarrassed for once in her life, looked away but couldn't keep a smile off her lips. "Maybe. We'll see."
Josie decided she had teased her enough. "Anita, I think Gus is a great guy."
Anita's smile faded. "Yes, he is, isn't he?"
Touched by the slight anxiety she heard in Anita's voice, Josie put her hand on Anita's arm and said, "And you're a wonderful woman. Gus is very lucky to be liked by someone like you. I'm sure you'll be great together."
"You think so?"
"I know so."
The two friends stared at each other for a moment, then laughed and hugged each other. They broke apart as Gus bellowed again.
"Geller! Anita! Get to work!"
With one last hug and giggle, they did just that.
* * *
Sam arrived at South Glen South and immediately noticed the looks and whispering directed his way. He figured he was due after the show he and Josie had given the school the night before, so he ignored it as best he could and went directly to the school offices. The two secretaries were both on the phone, but one saw him and immediately waved him over.
"We've been trying to call you all morning. You can go right in. He wants to see you." She pointed towards the principal's office.
"Okay, thank you." He rapped once on the door and entered at the principal's command. "Mr. Kerdan. You wanted to see me?"
The principal rose to his feet. "Mr. Coulson. Come in. Take a seat."
Sam sat and Mr. Kerdan followed suit. Sam decided his best course lay in seeing what the principal had to say first. He didn't have long to wait.
"Mr. Coulson, I'm sure you're aware of the furor caused by this "Never Been Kissed" article."
Sam smiled with a slight grimace. "I did see the students talking as I came in, but I'm sure it will die down soon."
"Yes, yes, I'm sure it will, but unfortunately, right now, we have quite a few parents who are seriously concerned about this. And it may very well affect your future as a teacher."
Sam's mouth fell open, but no words emerged. As the principal went on, Sam felt his stomach clench, and a good part of his happy glow from the night before began to bleed away.
* * * *
To Be Continued
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