Chapter 1
ME NEED SPAGHETTI TACOS
December 26, 2019
Seattle International Airport
12:50 A.M
After a much-delayed arrival, an international plane from Italy finally lands on the airport's large driveway. Inside the stuffed plane, a couple sits near each other. One of them, a 25-year-old lady, leans her head on her boyfriend's shoulder with shut eyes.
"Carls. We've landed" a 25-year-old Freddie Benson tells her.
Carly Shay cracks open her heavy eyes and sits upright. She unapologetically cracks her neck and knuckles. Suddenly, the seatbelt light turned off. Carly springs up to stretch and grab her suitcase from the overhead bin.
"Spencer's in the parking lot!" she replies, noticing a new message on her PearPhone X.
"You mean the cab lot?" Freddie asks, confused.
"No. He just bought a car" Carly clarifies as both of them dash towards the parking lot.
Parking Lot, Seattle International Airport
1:10 A.M
Carly notices her now 38-year-old brother, now with a grizzly and exhausted appearance, waving at them near his SUV.
"How's my little Carly?" Spencer asks as he tightly hugs the now 25-year-old.
"Come on. I'm 25" she reminds him before Spencer releases from the hug and embraces a third-wheeling Freddie.
"Sorry there, Fred. Didn't mean to third wheel you" Spencer apologizes.
"Hey, Carly third-wheeled with Sam and I all the time. It's not that bad"
The Road
1:20 A.M
"You got some hot wheels" Freddie admits.
"I couldn't afford it without my new job!" Spencer admits.
"What's your job again?" Freddie asks.
"I create art sculptures for the Seattle Center of Modern Art (SCOMA)" he answers and changes the topic. "Enough about me. How's Italy for you two?"
"Oh, we love it!" Carly exclaims. "No offense to America. But it's awesome there!"
"We've taken a few steps back as a country. But some things have changed for the better, personally: Me earning the big bucks as an artist, you are working for a talent agency, Freddie interning at iCrosoft, and Socko opening a factory"
"What does Socko's factory make?" Freddie asks
"3-paired socks!" he states the foregone conclusion.
"Why 3-paired socks?" Carly asks.
"Just in case you lose one of them" Spencer answers and surfs through the exposition radio:
"Coming Up on iSeattle Radio: The latest song from Spin City Record's newcomer, Cat Valentine. As a special deal, we're selling her concert tickets to our first 10 callers. For free.
GIBAY! has been renewed for a milestone 10th season. The sketch-comedy will feature the old iCarly gang to commemorate the season premiere."
"I'm so excited for this reunion!" Carly exclaims. "7 years. Can you believe it?"
"I know right" Freddie agrees before the car swerves from an incoming car driving towards them.
"Ugh. Stupid drivers. Stupid challenge" an enraged Spencer yells.
"The Owl Box Challenge?" Carly asks for clarification. Freddie nods as she calms down.
"You're right. America's common sense has taken a hit" she agrees.
"Hey, we also acted stupid as kids" Freddie reminds her.
"Boy. If you weren't stupid, then we wouldn't have ended up together"
"True"
"Carls. The three of you did some wacky things as teenagers"
"Right...the three of us: Me, Freddie, and...um, her"
The Shay Apartment
1:10 A.M
The trio approaches the front door.
"Spencer, do you mind if I spend the night?" Freddie asks. "My mom doesn't live here anymore. And I have no place to stay-"
"-No, of course" he agrees and unlocks the door. "Can't believe it took so long to admit her"
"Huh?" a confused Carly sighs.
"My mom's admitted at a psychiatric ward. Doctors are trying to calm down her overprotective nature"
Spencer opens the door and enters the monster truck of a living room: Liquid glue splattered on the rug, client notes on the table, fresh shipping boxes sitting on the old couch, and Gibby searching through the fridge.
"Gibby?!" a surprised Spencer asks. "You were supposed to hide and surprise them!"
"GIBBY HUNGRY!" he exclaims. "ME NEED SPAGHETTI TACOS!"
"ME CAN'T EAT SPAGHETTI TACOS!" Spencer plays along. "ME GET HEARTBURN NOW"
"ME DEMAND SPAGHETTI TACOS!" Gibby insists, teasingly.
"ME DEMAND A HUG!" Carly interrupts and embraces the TV star.
"How you been, Carls?" he asks and hugs tighter.
"So great" she answers, sounding reluctant.
"Spencer. Can you whip up some spaghetti tacos?" even Freddie insists.
"How about I make us some salads?" a more health-conscious Spencer asks.
The Shay Apartment, Kitchen
1:30 A.M
The four protagonists' sit at the kitchen table and chow on some Cobb salad.
"Spencer, you know what'd complement this Cobb salad?" Carly asks, testing the waters with her overprotective brother. "How about some Beaujolais?"
"Nope. That Beaujolais in the fridge is for me only" Spencer denies her access to the French wine.
"Come on. I'm 25 now!" Carly begs.
"So, what time do we arrive on set tomorrow?" Freddie asks Gibby in a desperate attempt to change the topic.
"Early morning. So you two better finish up and head to bed soon" Gibby advises them and eats the salad. "And, thank you, guys"
"Gibby. You earned this show with your own efforts" Carly insists.
"No. They found me on iCarly and contacted me for my own show" Gibby explains them. "I owe it all to you three"
"Aw thanks" Carly replies and then compliments her older brother:
"Spencer. This salad turned out great, even without that awesome wine"
"Thanks, little sis. Honestly, salads are much healthier than fast-food. Those have so much grease and butter"
"They have so much buttersock?" a confused Carly asks.
"Buttersock?" Spencer asks, confused. "I just mentioned butter; no buttersock"
"Don't ever talk about buttersocks ever again!" Carly angrily demands.
"Alright, fine. I won't" a confused Spencer agrees.
"Why not?" a confused Gibby asks. "What's going on?"
"Sam and Carly aren't on speaking terms anymore" Freddie explains. "She changed her number and went rogue on her social media"
"She never responded to my iVite for this reunion" Gibby agrees.
Conveniently, Gibby's smartwatch receives a new text message; it reads:
"PRODUCER: MIGHT NEED TO CANCEL THE REUNION; CHECK THE NEWS"
"Spencer, can you turn the news channel on?"
"Um. Sure"
The Shay Apartment, Living Room
1:35 A.M
"Breaking News: Samantha Puckett, better known as the iCarly co-host, has been arrested for a breaking and entering incident at Spin City Records in Los Angeles. Security caught her illegally accessing records of her former roommate, now-megastar Cat Valentine. Ms. Valentine has pressed charges against the former iCarly star for invading her privacy"
Jaws drop across the living room, particularly Carly as she stared at the TV in absolute shock. Neither had spoken in years. But this rose several questions as to what happened.
"Carly. It's gonna be ok?" Freddie calms the young lady down, rubbing her back.
"We can visit her in jail tomorrow and ask what happened" Spencer suggests. "I can drive us there"
"I don't know if I'm prepared for that" a conflicted Carly admits, grabs her suitcase, and heads up to her old room.
"Let me talk to her" Spencer pauses the rest and heads up the stairs.
TO BE CONTINUED
(Authors Note: I plan to update this story over my week-long break from college AKA Spring Break. In the meantime, anybody interested in following this fanfic can hit Follow.
And I don't consider this a crossover fic since Cat Valentine won't be in much of the story
And like always, reviews are appreciated!)