(iCarly)
-iMight Love You After All-
Disclaimer: I don't own iCarly.
The rays of morning sunlight beamed through the windows of the Shay's apartment as jingling keys unlocked the front door. The handle turned and the door opened as Carly entered with her back to the couch dragging her rolling suitcase and trying to keep a duffle bag from falling off her shoulder.
Carly dropped her heavy luggage and was about to hit the light switch when she gazed over at the couch and saw her two best friends asleep with their arms wrapped around each other. Carly gasped in surprise and quickly covered her mouth making sure she didn't wake them.
A few seconds later, Spencer walked in with his bags. "Hey kiddo what's-." Before he could finish Carly slapped her hand over his mouth and made the shush gesture with her finger. She leaned up and whispered in his ear while motioning to the couch.
Spencer's eyes widened as he looked over and saw Freddie and Sam sleeping peacefully. A quiet muffled "Aww" escaped from under Carly's palm. She whispered some more in Spencer's ear and pointed to the lamp on the end table. Spencer nodded and smiled as she removed her hand from his mouth. He went back and quietly shut the front door as Carly was silently making her way toward the edge of the couch with Spencer quickly joining her.
They leaned over the sleeping couple and yelled in unison.
"RANPU!"
The lamp switched on by command startling them awake so fast that the first words out of Sam's mouth were "I'll have the fried chicken!" followed by Freddie's "Pollo frito!"
As their eyes adjusted to the light, the couple looked up to see Spencer and Carly staring down at them waving and grinning ear to ear. Sam and Freddie looked back at each other realizing the position they were in and rapidly scrambled to get off the couch and to their feet almost tripping over each other.
"Carls, what are you guys doing here?" Sam asked as she was frantically trying to comb her "Fred head" hair, which she got from sleeping on Freddie's chest all night with her hand.
"Uh, we live here!" Carly answered with a mock serious tone placing her hands on her hips. "You weren't supposed to be back till later tonight," Freddie chimed in.
"We caught an earlier train. Now which one of you is going to tell us what you guys are doing here?" Carly frowned still faking anger as Spencer turned on the house lights.
"I had to drop off a couple cables for the computer in the studio, and time just got away from us," Freddie answered.
"Did Sam pick the lock?" she asked as the guilty party just stood there silently. Carly turned to Spencer who was walking toward the door. "Did she pick the lock?" Spencer examined the deadbolt. "She picked the lock," he answered in his deadpan voice.
Carly spun back around and looked at Sam. "You picked the lock?" "Freddie made me do it," Sam pointed a finger at the tech boy in front of her. Freddie spun around to face her. "Sam!" he muttered through gritted teeth while making the "zip it" gesture with his hand. He spun back around facing Carly and chuckled nervously, becoming serious a second later pointing to Spencer.
"Spencer knew I was gonna stop by, but forgot to give me the key," he accused.
Carly turned back to Spencer who had a guilty sad look on his face. "My bad."
"If it makes you feel any better, I didn't want to do it." Sam revealed while putting on a fake smile. Carly gazed at Sam and walked up to Freddie putting both hands on his shoulders.
"Do you know what this means?" she asked him as he shook his head and gulped. "She's corrupted you." Carly leans in closer. "You belong to her now." Freddie looked over his shoulder at Sam who had a worried look on her face. After a few seconds, both Spencer and Carly cracked up laughing.
Freddie backed up next to Sam as they were trying to figure out what was going on.
"It took you guys long enough," Carly chuckled as their laughter subsided.
"What are you talking about?" Sam asked. "It was only a matter of time before you guys realized your true feelings and got together." Carly answered.
"But, we're not-," Sam started only to be cut off by Freddie. "The only way to Sam Puckett's heart is through her stomach." Sam looked at Freddie and shrugged in agreement. "What can I say? The nerd knows me, but we're not together," she finished.
Carly just stared at the two of them. "Come on you guys it's so obvious you care about each other." "How so?" Sam asked with her arms crossed. "You finish each others sentences," Spencer stated in the background. "You speak at the same time when you agree on something," Carly added.
"No we don't!" Freddie and Sam spoke simultaneously. They looked at each other and the words that followed were spoken by both of them at the same time.
"Are you kidding me?"
"Cut it out!"
"Stop it damn it!"
"Shut the hell up!"
"Okay, this is getting annoying!"
"Knock it off!"
Finally getting tired of the back and forth banter, Sam smacked Freddie across the jaw.
"Okay, I'm done," he grumbled as he rubbed the sore spot. Carly just looked at them smirking. "See?" she grinned.
"That still doesn't mean anything, we always do that," Sam replied as she smacked Freddie in the arm. "Go ahead Fredweird, tell them we're not together." Freddie was silent for a minute still rubbing his jaw, then looked at Carly and back at Sam before lowering his head in a deep sigh. "Why not Sam?" he muttered under his breath.
"What?" she asked in a quiet tone. "What are you afraid of Sam?" he questioned while turning to face her. "Why are you afraid to admit that you have feelings for me?" Sam was surprised by the question. "Freddie, don't do this," she begged. "Why? You can be all flirty and intimate when we're alone, but as soon as we have an audience you get all defensive? No wonder you're still single," he snapped.
"You are too. Besides, I've had boyfriends," she shot back. "And where are they now? Oh, I know…not with you!" he countered. Carly stepped forward to interject herself between the arguing couple only to be pulled back by Spencer who was shaking his head. She looked at him and understood that this was between them and only them.
"I'm not afraid of anything!" Sam yelled. "Then prove it! Tell me how you feel!" Freddie screamed back. Sam clenched her fists as her face started turning red. "You wanna hear it? Fine! You want to know why my relationships didn't last?" Sam asked furiously. "Why is that?" he asked intensely.
Sam yelled at the top of her lungs. "BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T YOU!"
Total silence filled the room for about thirty seconds only to be broken by Spencer as he grasped Carly's shoulders and whispered. "This chizz just got real."
Sam and Freddie were still staring at each other trying to figure out what to say next. He ran his hand though his hair and she was like a deer caught in headlights not knowing which way to run. Carly walked up behind Freddie and whispered to him trying to break the tension. "You didn't feed her Bolivian bacon did you?" she asked with a small nervous smile.
Freddie turned to her. "Not since last night. Plus it would be out of her system by now."
"They should throw that stuff in a blender and market it as a love potion," Spencer added as he walked over to the two joining them in a little huddle. They just stared back at him.
"I'll just keep it in the idea box for later," he smiled as he knocked on his head.
"Anyway," Freddie continued. "I looked into her eyes, I think she actually meant what she said," he finished. "Well, why don't you just ask her?" Carly questioned. Freddie gave a small nod as all three of them turned around to face Sam…who wasn't there.
They looked around and noticed the back door in the kitchen was wide open. Freddie eyed the couch and the coffee table noticing that both his jacket and the picture he had taken out of her hand the night before were missing. The trio ran to the back door calling her name, but she was long gone.
Freddie groaned as he walked back over to the kitchen table and slammed his fists down on it before slumping back in one of the dining chairs. "I think I screwed up guys."
Carly and Spencer walked over and sat beside him. "You didn't screw up Freddie," she assured him. "Yeah, just give her some time to cool off. She'll be back," Spencer added.
"It's my fault, I pushed her too hard and she ran," Freddie grumbled.
"Freddie, it'll be okay. Sam's just not very good at expressing her feelings, unless it's by force." Carly joked trying to cheer him up. Freddie got up and ran to the front door. "I'm going to find her," he said with determination.
"Wait, we'll come with you," Carly called after him as she and Spencer got up to follow. Freddie turned and put up his hand to stop them. "No, it'll be better if I do this myself. If I find her, I'll call you."
Freddie turned back and opened the door...to find the young blonde standing there with her hand up ready to knock and wearing different clothes. Freddie stood there for a minute staring at her until Spencer blurted out "You found her." The three of them glared at Spencer who dropped his head in shame. "Sorry."
Freddie turned back to the blonde in the hallway before rushing forward and embracing her with a kiss. At first she was shocked, but soon relaxed and put her arms around him. They broke the kiss and Freddie smiled and put his hands on her cheeks. "I'm so sorry," he apologized.
"Sorry for what?" she asked. Freddie looked at her puzzled. "You don't remember? We had a fight and you ran out," he told her. "Freddie, I just got here. I know I haven't seen you in a while, but you sure know how to make a girl feel welcome," she smiled back.
Freddie pulled his hands away and backed up a step. "How have you not seen me in a while? You just left five minutes ago." He looked her up and down. "And how did you change your clothes so-." Then it finally hit him like a lightning bolt as he stared back into her eyes. "You're not Sam are you?" She smiled and shook her head. Freddie raised an eyebrow and in a nervous voice muttered "Melanie?"
"Hey," she answered in her girly voice as she gave him a small wave. Freddie groaned and smacked his hand over his eyes as he backed up and plopped down on the couch as Carly and Spencer walked over.
"Hey Melanie, what are you doing here?" she asked escorting her inside. Melanie gave Spencer a quick hug along the way. "Well, I was in town for a few days and Mom told me Sam would most likely be here even if you guys weren't." The siblings looked at each other and spoke deadpan in unison. "She was right."
"Where is Sam anyway?" Melanie asked the trio. "Gone. She ran out after she admitted she had feelings for me," Freddie answered as he got up to join them. "Well of course she does. She's had feelings for you ever since you guys kissed on the fire escape a couple years ago," she admitted with a chuckle.
"WHAT!" the three of them screamed in unison. "Yeah, she admitted it to me after we got back home from the mall the night after our date," she said motioning to Freddie. "She made me promise not to tell anyone, even Carly," Melanie placed her hand on Carly's shoulder.
"Don't worry, I already found out about the kiss. Sam told me about it when she was high on whacky gas at the dentist," Carly revealed as she looked at Freddie. "I was about to find out if they liked it before Spencer came in to get his banjo to impress a girl while we were clearly duct-taped to chairs," she growled as she glared at Spencer.
Spencer lowered his head and slowly backed up. "I'll be in my room," he muttered in a defeated tone as he walked away. "The dentist huh? Did she bite him?" Melanie asked. "Four times," they answered simultaneously.
"Have you tried calling her?" Melanie asked as she pulled her Pear phone out of her pocket and dialed Sam's number. "Put it on speaker please," Freddie groaned as he mentally slapped himself for not thinking of it. After a few rings the voice mail picked up.
This is Sam Puckett. If you're not bringing me a bucket of chicken, don't even bother leaving a message. BEEP.
"Sam, it's Freddie. I just wanted to apologize for putting you on the spot like that and I never meant to hurt you," he sighed as he looked at Carly and Melanie and then, back at the phone. "Sam…I love-," BEEP. Freddie quietly groaned as the voice mail cut off.
"Wow, you really do love her don't you?" Carly asked as she put a concerned arm around him.
"Yeah I do. Are you mad?" he asked. "Why would I be mad? I think it's sweet," she answered. "Me too," Melanie agreed. Freddie gave a small smile to both of them as he started back toward the front door. "I'm gonna go find her, but I got to go home and change first."
"You sure you don't want us to come with you?" Carly asked. "Nah, I'll text you if I need you," he assured her. "Good luck," Melanie smiled. "Thanks Mel," he winked at her as he walked out the door.
Freddie crossed the hall to his door, unlocked it and walked in. He made his way back to his bedroom and pulled a penny tee out of his dresser drawer while taking off his kung fu uniform top and throwing it on the bed.
The young techie pulled the tee, which said "CHIZZ HAPPENS" over his head as he walked to the kitchen finding a message on the counter from his Mom. She was at another Aggressive Parenting Seminar and that there was a plate of cucumber melon balls in the fridge if he wanted them and she would be home tomorrow.
Freddie pulled a plate out of the dish rack in the sink and pulled a few melon balls out of the fridge chewing on one as he rushed back to his room. He put the plate on his desk and walked over to his bed to pick up his uniform top to hang it up when he noticed that under it was the picture of him and Sam that she was holding onto the other night.
He turned the picture over and written on the back was a message from Sam. Freddie, if you truly hate me…you know where to find me. Freddie thought for a minute, grabbed a melon ball and ran out of the room. He knew where she was.
Sam sat on a fold out chair on the fire escape outside the Benson's window staring out at the beautiful Seattle skyline lost in her thoughts. Freddie appeared at the window looking out at Sam as her hair blew in the breeze of the morning air noticing that she was wearing his jacket.
He lightly knocked on the glass to get her attention. Turning her head slightly without making eye contact, she gestured to invite him out on the balcony with her. Freddie took a seat on the window ledge as Sam got up out of the chair and leaned up with her back against the railing still not looking at him.
"Que pasa?" he asked. "Not much," she muttered back. "My jacket looks good on you Sammy," he complemented forcing a small smile and chuckle from her as she walked over and sat on the metal stairwell.
"Cucumber melon ball?" Freddie extended his hand offering the snack to Sam. "Nah, I'm not hungry," she answered causing Freddie to look concerned. "Alright, who are you and what have you done with Sam?" he joked as he tossed the melon ball out to the birds.
Freddie slid closer to Sam. "Did you mean what you said earlier?" he questioned. "Did you?" she asked back. "What do you mean?" he looked puzzled. Sam pulled out her Pear phone and hit a button to replay his voice mail to her. "Sam…I love-," BEEP.
"Yeah, I did," he said with a slight smile. "But I asked you first." Sam hesitated in answering him, but eventually gave in. "Before I tell you, I just want to say you were right." Freddie leaned in closer. "About what?" he queried. "About still being single and scaring all my potential boyfriends off," she admitted. "Most of them were assholes anyway…especially Jonah," Freddie added.
Sam chuckled. "Were you jealous Benson?" she teased. "Jealous? Me? No, not at all," he defended as he nervously shook his head. Sam just glared at him with a smile mentally trying to get him to admit the truth. He looked back at her and sighed. "Well, maybe a little."
"It just seems that I can never land a steady boyfriend. Besides, a guy would have to be crazy to get in a relationship with me," she sighed as she lowered her head. Freddie stuck out his hand and lightly cupped her chin with his fingers and raised her head back up to his eye level.
"Sam, you're one of the strongest women I know. Plus, you've been driving me crazy for years…so I'm pretty much already there," he smiled as she started to tear up. "Also, I'm pretty good at withstanding your beatings," he joked as he wiped a tear from her cheek.
"What about your everlasting crush on Carly?" Sam sniffled. Freddie took her hand in his and lightly kissed it causing her to blush a little. "As much as I love Carly, it's just as a friend now. When we kissed out here for the first time…I liked it. Over the years I started falling in love with you, even through the slaps and constant name calling," he chuckled.
Sam gave a little smile. "I liked it too. You kiss pretty good for a nub," she laughed as she playfully punched him in the chest. "And, I gotta admit you're buffing up there pretty good Freduccini," she laughed as Freddie looked at her with a deadpan expression.
"You were watching me change, weren't you?" he asked as she grinned raising a flirty eyebrow and slowly nodded her head.
Freddie got up off the window ledge. "Well, I better go tell the others that I found you so they don't worry." He stepped one leg though the window and looked back. "You coming?" Sam looked up at him. "In a sec," she told him as he nodded and continued back in through the window.
"Hey," she called after him as he turned to face her. "I love you," she smiled in a sweet tone. Freddie gives a small chuckle and smiled back at her. "Love you too," he laughs as he holds out his arms. Sam jumps up from the stairwell and leaps over the window ledge into Freddie's waiting grasp and plants a deep passionate kiss on him. After they break the kiss, he slightly cocks his head to the side studying her facial features.
"What?" Sam asked with a small laugh.
"Melanie?" he wondered out loud as a hard slap flew across his face jerking it to the side. He grinned happily as he rubbed his cheek turning back to her. "Just checking," he winked as Sam grabbed the collar of his shirt and gave an evil smile.
"Shut up and lean," she breathed in a flirty tone. "Como desee, Momma," he flirted back as he caressed her cheek with his hand and leaned in to meet her lips in the most passionate kiss either of them had ever attempted.
Back in the corner of the room so as not to be seen by the kissing couple stood Carly, Spencer and Melanie watching the true romance blossom in front of them.
"This reminds me of one of those cheesy teen romance movies," Spencer joked only to be lightly hit in the arm by Carly. "Be quiet," she whispered to him as she looked at her watch. Spencer looked at her. "What are you doing?" he questioned. She smiled at her watch then looked up at him.
"They beat the eight second mark…it's officially true love," she grinned as she put her arms around her brother and the blonde twin.
"Should we tell them we're here?" Melanie asked the siblings.
Spencer silently shook his head with a smile and Carly looked over at Sam and Freddie who were still in their passionate embrace. "No, let's let them have their moment," she said silently. "They've earned it."
With that said, the trio quietly tiptoed out of the apartment. After a few seconds Carly snuck back in and snapped a picture of the lip locked teens on her Pear phone.
"Seddie for the win," she whispered as she quietly walked back out of the Benson apartment closing the door behind her.
The End
A/N: Well here it is after long last, the official third chapter of my Seddie One-Shot Trilogy. Sorry I took so long with it, I just wanted the final chapter to be special. After getting writer's block a couple times, I watched a few episodes of the show just to get some ideas pumping again.
Well, it worked and here is the finished product for you to enjoy. Thanks to everybody in advance. I hope it meets all your expectations. Read and review and let me know what you think.