iNeed to Grow Up
Chapter 2 of my iCarly story, enjoy :)
Reviews
Boris Yeltsin: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it.
Jeremy Shane: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it, here you go :)
Now onto the story.
Disclaimer: iCarly belongs to Dan Schneider.
iAdopt
Carly smiled, it was July and a perfect summer day, the sun shone brightly and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. She was looking forward to spending more time with Freddie, Sam and Bobby. They had plenty of free time now as it was the Summer Vacation. Once dressed she headed downstairs; wondering what she and the others could do today. However it was then something happened which changed everything forever. The phone rang; Carly was surprised, she wasn't expecting any call; she answered it quickly.
"Hello?" She asked cautiously.
It took her a few moments to recognize the small broken voice that answered. "Carly…"
"Paige?" She gasped. Paige Summers was a nine year old girl Carly had befriended after rescuing Paige's younger sister Rachel, a baby of only a few months at the time; from a kidnapping.
Carly was surprised; she knew Paige to be bright, cheerful and energetic nearly all the time; it was strange to hear her like this, she wondered what was going on.
"Is…Is something wrong?" Carly asked.
Paige stammered a few times before finally replying. "Mom and dad, they…they went out for their anniversary and…and, there was a car accident and they didn't…they…"
Paige broke into tears and that confirmed what Carly feared; Paige and Rachel's parents, John and Annie Summers; had died in the car accident.
"Oh Paige." She choked out; sorrow choking her words. "Did…Was Rachel…?"
"Rach is with me…We're at the social services office, please, I need your help Carly; please."
She was surprised by this; wondering why Paige sounded so desperate; still she agreed and they finally hung up. Carly quickly called Spencer and told him what happened and how she needed a lift to social services, Spencer agreed and they hurried there.
Carly almost didn't wait for Spencer to stop the car when they arrived at the social services building. Once they arrived she hurried inside, Spencer just behind her. They approached the desk and Carly spoke to the woman sitting there.
"I'm here to see Paige and Rachel Summers." She said desperately.
The woman looked at her, slightly suspicious. "Are you a relative?"
Carly shook her head. "Not quite; but Paige called me and asked me to come."
The woman's eye's widened in recognition.
"Oh, you must be Carly Shay; they're with Miss Henson; down the corridor, last room on the left."
Carly thanked the woman and hurried down the corridor, Spencer at her heels. She stopped at the last door on the left; she looked through the glass pane in the door. She saw Paige and her heart broke for the poor girl. She sat huddled in her chair; her shoulder length blonde hair was tangled and looked lifeless, her brown eyes filled with tears and she cradled Rachel; who had brown hair and eyes. Paige desperately clung to her sister, the last lifeline to her old family. Sitting opposite Paige a woman of medium height with shoulder length black hair and eyes; dressed in a business suit. Carly knocked on the door and entered. The woman looked up.
"Yes?" She asked; curious at their arrival. "Can I help you?"
"Carly." Paige gasped as she stood up; Carly slowly approached the young girl.
Rachel then smiled and reached for Carly. "Cawly-mama!"
Carly took the girl and cradled her; turning to the woman.
The woman observed Carly carefully.
"You must be Carly Shay." She commented. "Paige said you would be coming…You would be?"
She turned to Spencer as she asked the last question. Spencer introduced himself and the woman nodded.
"I see, I'm Miss Henson; Paige and Rachel's social worker." She explained. "Well Mr. Shay, I think we should give them a moment alone."
Spencer agreed and Miss Henson nodded and they both left the room. Once alone Carly shifted Rachel to her right arm and hugged Paige with her left; Paige burst into tears.
"I want my mom and dad." The young girl sobbed; Carly did her best to comfort her.
Finally, once Paige calmed down, her cries reducing to dry sobs. Finally Carly decided it was time to get to the point.
"Paige, why did you call me here, what's so important?" She asked.
Paige let out a shuddering breath. "With mom and dad…gone, there's, we only have one living relative, but it's my uncle Josh." She then became panicked. "But I can't go with him Carly, please, I can't…"
Carly was shocked at this. "What, Paige, he's your uncle, you can't…Why wouldn't you want to go to him?"
Paige began to tremble and Carly felt she was about to be told something really terrible.
Finally Paige seemed to gather her courage and spoke; her voice shaking.
"I…it happened when, when I was staying with Uncle Josh when Rachel was born…He, he came to my room during the night and…and…he put his hand under my shirt and…he…"
She choked and burst into tears again. Carly hugged her, horrified.
Rachel looked sadly at her sister. "Paige sad."
Carly did her best to reassure both girls; still horrified by this; she couldn't believe it, Paige had been molested by her uncle, based on the way she was speaking that was only the first time, there had been more.
However Carly knew there was one serious problem. "Paige, I want to help but…without any proof, there's not much I can do."
Paige pulled away from Carly and smiled grimly, a bit too grim for a nine year old girl. She then produced something from her bag, a video camera.
"I've got proof." She said. "It's on that. I was staying with him when mom and dad…When it happened. I set it up to catch him in the act; he never noticed."
Carly let Paige hold Rachel again as she turned the video camera on and watched the footage it had captured. She watched horrified as it showed Josh clearly trying to molest Paige; when Paige resisted Josh punched her in the stomach. Carly gently pulled Paige's T-shirt up and saw the bruise. She continued to watch until the footage ended; showing Josh leaving only when the phone call that was undoubtedly about John and Annie's death came.
Carly swallowed and then shut the camera and put it in her bag, she turned to Paige.
"Okay, Paige listen, I'll help you, this video will be a great help, Freddie can prove it's real…I need you to try and ensure, no matter what happens, your uncle can't finish the adoption process yet, just try to delay until I return, okay."
Paige nodded and Carly hugged her and Rachel before leaving and returning to the apartment with Spencer. When she arrived she found Sam, Freddie and Bobby waiting for her.
"Carls, where have you been?" Sam asked, confused.
Carly fought hard to keep calm as she explained about everything that had happened. The news of John and Annie's death saddened all of them, yet they were confused about Carly's vehemence of not letting Paige and Rachel go to their uncle. As proof of why it was a bad idea, she showed them the video. She then spoke to the others about her plan. They all agreed it was their best option and immediately got to work trying to ensure that everything would hopefully work out. Finally, once they had everything prepared, Carly and Freddie rode with Spencer back to the social service's office. Carly prayed they weren't too late.
When they entered however the woman at the desk told them that Mr. Summers had arrived and was in the process of finalizing the adoption process. They hurried through and Carly saw Josh Summers sitting there; a tall man with short black hair, black eyes and a black beard and moustache, muscular with a slight beer belly. He was scowling as he looked through the paperwork in his hands; Paige sat nearby, cradling Rachel, looking smug. Carly realized what Paige had done; she had hidden a crucial form, to severely delay Josh's attempts to adopt them. Carly hurried into the office.
"Stop!" She cried.
They all looked up, Josh glared, Paige looked relieved and Miss Henson narrowed her eyes.
"Miss Shay, I understand you care for the girls, but we're busy, Mr. Summers is trying to find a missing form…"
Carly cut across her; desperate to get her point across. "You can't let him take them, he's sexually abusive, he's molested Paige at least twice already."
Miss Henson looked shocked now as Josh glared deeper.
"That's a dangerous accusation Miss Shay, you better have proof…"
"Here." Carly stated, handing Miss Henson the video camera. "That should be all the proof you need."
Miss Henson took the camera and watched the footage; Josh looked outraged when he recognized the camera. Miss Henson's eyes widened as she watched the footage. When it finished she turned her gaze to Josh and glared.
Finally she spoke, her voice severe.
"So, this is why you wanted to adopt the girls."
Josh shook his head. "It's obviously fake…"
Freddie cut across him angrily. "It's not, I've checked it, it's real…there's no odd background noises; no unusual speech patterns, lighting problems. It's as fake as Carly is ugly, not at all."
Carly blushed at that but her anger grew as she glared at Josh.
"You did that to your niece, your nine year old niece."
Josh finally turned his glare at Paige.
"That's the video camera I got you for Christmas." He growled. "You set me up, you ungrateful bitch!"
With that he attempted to attack Paige. Carly screamed and pulled Paige into her arms, blocking her from Josh; not caring about getting hurt, only caring about protecting Paige and Rachel. Miss Henson screamed as Carly heard the sound of a fist hitting flesh, but she felt no pain. She turned and gaped at what she saw. Freddie had knocked out a full grown man in one punch; even he seemed surprised. After Josh was taken away by security Carly sat bouncing a giggling Rachel on her knee while Freddie consoled a shaken Paige. Miss Henson returned to the office and took her seat; both teenagers looked at her carefully.
Miss Henson sighed sadly.
"Well, this has been most dramatic; but, without Mr. Summers to adopt them, I'm afraid the girls will have to go to an orphanage."
At that Paige burst into tears and, sensing her sister's distress, Rachel cried too. That was enough to make Carly's decision for her. She cleared her throat.
"Miss Henson." She said softly. "I know I'm not eighteen yet and can't officially adopt, but I was wondering if I can claim guardianship of the girls until I'm eighteen and then officially adopt them."
Miss Henson pondered for a moment and then finally spoke again. "It is unusual but, so long as I can guarantee they're going to a stable home…I don't see any reason to refuse. There's already a bond between the two of you and the girls and I know you are trustworthy. Rachel confirmed that when she saw you, she already sees you as a mother and a baby's judgement is the most honest you'll find sometimes."
Carly and Freddie explained about how they had already secured jobs and also about how Carly owned a watch with a diamond encrusted bezel that belonged to her great-grandmother and was worth $82,000. Miss Henson seemed to accept this and while the paperwork would take some time she allowed Carly and Freddie to take the girls home with them tonight so they would have somewhere secure to sleep tonight. Carly agreed and turned to Paige.
"Does that sound okay to you Paige?" She asked.
Paige nodded, smiling. "Yeah, I think…I think mom and dad would like that."
Satisfied with that Carly swore she would do what she could to ensure Paige and Rachel had a safe and secure home to live in now, following their great loss.
End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.