iFight for a Reason
First attempt at an iCarly fanfic that talks about the iCarly gang when they're adults, and working out in the world.
Disclaimer: iCarly is the property of Nicolodeon this story is a non-profit piece of work. Please support the official release.
Summary: Tired of facing the hidden ridicule of Freddie's mom, because she has yet to find a job to help support herself and her new husband. Sam decides to go to the one place where she can do what she excels most at, fighting, and signs up for the Marines. Even though Freddie and Carly are strongly against it. Seems like a good move until she winds up being deployed into the Afghan front.
Chapter 1: You Did What?
I skimmed through the Marines website only reading the parts that gave me some concrete facts about what the lifestyle was like. When I found the phone number to the nearest recruitment office I quickly scribbled it down so I could call tomorrow after Freddie went to work. I glanced at the clock which read eleven-thirty; Freddie was pulling another late shift at the Pear Company. We hadn't left Seattle since Freddie graduated from college he applied for a job at the Pear Company, and was now working as a programmer. Though he had his sights set on being the head programmer of the company, and that's why he had been pulling all this over time. He had moved out of his mom's apartment, thank God, and had moved the two of us into a two bedroom apartment close the ocean. Our living room had a big window that had a nice view of the ocean, and it was furnished with a couch, and loveseat with a flat-screen T.V. As for our two bedrooms one had a bathroom attached to it, so that was where the two of us slept, and the other one served as Freddie's study, which I was currently using.
All in all Freddie was doing well for himself, both of us in fact, as for me I barely passed high-school, and didn't apply for college. Instead I started drifting between jobs which I got fired from because of my 'charm' as Freddie and Carly called it. It was at that time shortly after Freddie graduated from college he proposed to me, and after a small wedding that had only family and friends I was now Sam Benson. That was probably the best moment for me in recent history everyone we knew was there Carly was my maid of honor, and Spencer was Freddie's best man. Gibby, my sister Mel, Brad, Freddie's mom, even my mom showed up. Carly's dad also came finding time to leave his post for the wedding. Of course that was all in the past we were now married for six months, and even though they were some of the happiest months of my life I still couldn't shake the feeling of uselessness. Freddie was doing all the work, and even though I still didn't much care for work this was the real world now, so I had to find some way to contribute. Plus Mrs. Benson made it clear that she wasn't going to allow her Freddie to be married to a dead beat wife. I felt like snapping back at that moment, but held my tongue since I knew she was right.
The opening and closing of a door jarred me from my thoughts followed by a, "I'm home…Sam?" I quickly closed the website and turned off the computer, before shoving the piece of paper with the phone number in my pocket. I went out and saw Freddie hanging his coat up. He walked to me and kissed me tenderly before asking, "Hey how was your day?"
"Job hunt's still going," I replied, "though I may have found something."
"Really where?" Freddie asked excited for me.
"Let me see if it's what I'm looking for before I tell you," I said. I couldn't tell him what I was going to do, not yet he'd do everything he could to stop me, so would Carly if she found out too. Which she would since she would be the first person Freddie told, and she would drop everything she was doing with her job in a fashion department just to fly back here to try and stop me. She would probably be the one to ultimately stop me if told her before joining, by pulling the 'I worry enough about my dad,' card.
"Okay," he said, "ready for bed?"
"Yeah," I replied feeling a sense of guilt for lying to him, but stuffed it down knowing it had to be done.
After Freddie left for work I dialed the number to the recruitment office and was answered with a deep voice, "this is Gunnery Sergeant Jonathan Malcolm."
"Hello," I replied a bit of apprehension in my voice that I was desperately trying to hide, "this is Samantha Benson I was wanting to schedule an appointment to talk about signing up."
"I see well what would be a good time for you?" Malcolm asked kindly now.
"Sometime today if possible," I replied, "I did a bit of research on the website, but I wanted get some hard facts so I have an idea of what I'm getting into."
"Well would two 'o clock this afternoon be convenient?" he asked.
I looked at the clock and saw it was about ten so I had some time to burn, and maybe talk to someone first, "that sounds great," I said finally.
"Excellent I look forward to speaking with Miss Benson," he said before hanging up. I put the phone back and made my way to the door of our apartment while grabbing my wallet, and headed to the one person I knew would at least keep my secret until I told everyone, Spencer.
When Spencer opened the door and saw me on the other side he gave me that always goofy infectious smile he always had before ushering me inside.
"Sam long time no see how have you and Freddie been?" he asked.
"Great he's at work right now, and I'm going to see about a job that I might be able to make stick," I replied.
"You landed an interview?" he asked.
"Of sorts," I said sitting down on the couch while he sat down in the chair.
"What do you mean 'of sorts'," he said making the air quotations when he repeated what I said.
"Before I tell you promise me you won't tell Freddie or Carly until I do," I said putting as much conviction behind the words as I could muster.
"Sam what's this about?" Spencer asked concern ringing in his voice now.
"Just promise," I snapped some of my aggression seeping out.
"Okay, okay I promise," he replied putting his hands up in mock surrender.
I breathed a small sigh of relief before I told or blurted out, "I'm thinking about joining the Marines."
Spencer's mouth opened and closed a couple times before he finally found his voice, "you…want to join the military?"
"I thought you would understand," I said my voice getting angry.
"No, it's not that if that's what you want I won't stop you, but why?" he asked.
"Because I'm not good enough at anything else to land a decent job," I said in exasperation, "Freddie's doing all the work, and I'm just the dead beat wife. The only thing I'm really good at is fighting, so I figured why not go to the one place where that'll be my main profession."
"There's more to it than that…"
"I know that okay," I cut him off, "I'll have to learn how to take orders, be disciplined, and all that other stuff a soldier has to be. But damn it I'm out of options Spence and I want to help Freddie support us. Yes, I also know that there's a chance I may get sent off to fight in the war going on in the Middle East."
Spencer was quite for awhile as he found the floor rather interesting while he thought, "Yeah there's all of that, but have you thought of how Carly and Freddie will take this. Freddie for obvious reasons that you already know, and Carly for our dad she may not show it, but there's not a day that goes by when she calls to check up on me from New York, and she asks is dad is still safe. She worries about him every second of everyday despite how many times he's told her that where he's stationed is completely safe."
"He's lying about the safe part isn't he," I said lowering my head into my hands.
"Yeah," was all Spencer could say.
"I know what you mean I've thought about that ever since I started considering this a month ago," I said, "I haven't just decided this spontaneously."
Spencer squeezed my shoulder giving me smile, "just watch yourself when you do this kid, it would kill us all if something happened to you."
I smiled back, "stop worrying weirdo," with that I left his apartment to meet this recruitment officer, and see if the Marines was for me.
It was a little difficult to find even with the map I printed out, but I eventually found with ten minutes to spare. Figuring that arriving early would set a good impression I walked inside and found it to be simple white room with a grey carpet. The walls had several posters depicting Marines in combat, in uniform, and some simply had their symbol, but had that iconic 'the few the proud,' slogan somewhere on it, with other various sayings like 'for honor, for country.'
Jonathan Malcolm sat at a simple metal desk with more poster hanging off the front, and the top was covered with neatly stacked papers, and in the middle was his computer that he was typing away on. He had the same shade of skin as me, black hair cut in a flat top, and even through pristine black uniform I could see that he was easily twice the physique of Freddie, and three times mine. His uniform was adorned with service ribbons, two purple hearts, and another silver medal I didn't know anything about. He looked up and saw me standing at the entrance with his brown eyes and gave a friendly smile before getting up and walking towards me his hand outstretched.
I met him halfway and we shared a brief handshake before he spoke, "Miss Benson good to finally see you in person you're early I like that in potential recruits." He gestured to the chair in front of his desk, and I sat down while retook his place behind his desk.
"Thank you for seeing me," I said I felt awkward saying that to someone other than people I knew well, but I wanted to keep up my good impression.
"The pleasure is all mine," he replied, "let's get to the reason why you're here shall we, you said you were thinking about signing up, but it sounded as if you had some apprehensions."
"I just wanted to have an idea of what is expected of me, and what I'm walking into," I replied, "I don't want to walk into this blindly."
He nodded his head before he spoke, "well to answer you first question there's a lot to be expected of you in the Marines. We expect you to be disciplined, professional, skilled, and ready to act whenever your services are required. As for the second question I will not lie the training is very difficult, and we won't take just anyone that like the Army, our people are the best of the best nothing less."
I mulled over his words in my head the training would be hard I figured that much, discipline would be a hurdle I'd have to really work through. Skilled well I was good at fighting so I had that going for, sure a soldier had be able to do more, but at least I had something going in. Professional would be just as difficult as discipline, but something in the back of my mind told me I could do this. Then there was the whole 'call of duty,' thing, but that I would worry about if it happened.
"Okay, what do I need to fill out?" I asked. He handed me a piece of paper asking for general information, like my name, address, whether or not I was married, and my spouse's name. Afterward he gave me other papers to sign that explained everything I would be doing as soldier of the U.S Military.
When it was all done I stood and so did Malcolm and shook my hand again, "well Mrs. Benson I let me be the first to welcome you to the U.S.M.C."
"Thank you," I said.
"We'll call you once everything's in order, and tell you where to go so you can be shipped off to basic," he explained before I nodded and left the place to walk back home and think of a way to break this to Freddie.
When Freddie's voice rang through the apartment I was pacing around our bedroom still thinking of how to tell him I was now a recruit in the Marines. His arms wrapped around my waist from behind, and leaned my head back on his shoulder out of a reaction. I knew that for however long the training was, and until I got my first leave I wouldn't feel any of this.
"Hey so is this job what you were looking for?" he asked I knew that was coming. In response I turned around in his arms, and stepped out of them.
"It was," I replied I had to be decisive about this the slightest bit of hesitation would make this fall completely apart, "I actually spent a month considering this career."
"So, what is it?" he asked giving me a half smile.
"The Marines," I said simply with no hesitation or fear. His face went from affectionate to surprise, to confusion, and finally settling on terror.
"THE MARINES?" he yelled, "SAM ARE YOU INSANE PEOPLE DIE IN THE MARINES!"
"I know," I said keeping my voice level knowing that yelling back would only make this worse.
"AND YOU STILL JOINED WHY?" he yelled.
"Because I'm good at fighting, and in the Marines I can use that," I explained.
"THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU APPLY TO BE KARATE TEACHER, OR A SELF DEFENSE INSTRUCTER, ANYONE OF THOSE WOULD'VE ALLOWED YOU THE SAME FREEDOM!" he kept screaming.
"None of those would've worked with just diploma they would've just shoved me aside," I said, "I know what I'm doing Freddie I spent a month thinking about this."
"Why didn't you just tell me?" he asked he was starting to calm down, "I could've helped you find a job."
"You had enough to worry about," I said quietly.
"You just added to it by doing this," he said rubbing his forehead, "besides you've been arrested before."
"Only minor infractions," I replied surprising him about how much I knew, "it's only a problem for a federal offense."
"How…"
"Like said I've been going over this for the past month, and if I didn't think I would be accepted I wouldn't have done it."
"I don't like this, and you know Carly's going to lose it," Freddie replied, "what if the send you off to fight in that war going on right now."
"I'm aware of the risks, but I'm tired of your mother looking at like I'm nothing," I said.
"Since when did you start caring what people thought?" he asked crossing his arms.
"You haven't been on the receiving end of her ridicule," I said, "if this shuts her up about me it's worth the risk."
"It's not…look is there any way to resign before they ship you off to who knows where for training?" He asked.
"I'm not resigning Freddie, and nothing you or Carly say will stop me," I said, "this was my choice, and I made it."
"Sam please think about what you're doing."
"I have thought about it now please, what's done is done," I said trying to stop this argument before I lost my nerve, "I refuse to prove your mom and everyone else that was against our marriage right."
He just stared back at me his expression now unreadable before he finally spoke, "you want me to tell Carly or do you?"
"I'll do it this going to make her scream and shout, and I'd much prefer it directed towards me," I said, "and before you ask Spencer already knows I told him about it earlier today."
"What did he say?"
"He said it's my choice and to be careful," I replied.
"That's what everyone will be saying," he said, "if they send you off to fight and something were to happen…"
I kissed him to cut him off and when we broke apart I said, "I know, and nothing will happen to me I was a Puckett before I became a Benson."
"This won't be like those fights you had in high school," he said holding me close.
"Just trust me that's all I want," I said.
"Alright I still don't like this, but I trust you enough to let you do this," he said before kissing me again.
"I'll tell Carly tomorrow," I said when we broke apart.
"Let's just go to sleep," he said and I nodded.
That's chapter1 the next one will be entitled 'Telling Carly,' which is self explanatory. Also in that chapter Sam get's her first orders on where to go for training, and boot camp begins. Hope you guys will enjoy this story.
