The Party: Part II

"Well. What a pleasant surprise."

"I'm sorry for barging in like this."

But the way Marissa walked past Spencer into the loft, she didn't seem sorry at all. Spencer closed the door behind her. For some reason, he had the premonition that Marissa would be staying here a while. Not that he minded.

"Something I can help you with?" Spencer smiled at the older woman.

"Yeah," Marissa said. When she entered, she had gone some distance into the living room. Once Spencer had closed the door, she walked back toward him, closing the gap. Marissa stared at his chest for a moment, then up at his face. "There's something you can help me with."

Spencer gulped audibly. "Hot night isn't it?" He flicked his head in the direction of the thermostat. "Want me to turn that down?" Spencer was about to go over and do just that, but a hand grabbed him by the wrist.

"You don't have to," Marissa said. Her eyes glittered with the exuberance of a woman much younger. "I like it hot."

"Hey Carly."

Carly whipped around to face whoever was calling her. It was Adam. "Hey!" Her voice hit a really high note, to stress her alleged shock and excitement. "Wow, I didn't expect to see you again."

"Yeah." Adam laughed. "I was in the hospital for a long time. You have some very enthusiastic fans."

"I'll say," Carly added. She was all smiles and shiny eyes. The thing was, she didn't mean to be, and she regretted it when she saw Adam standing there, falling for her all over again like a ton of bricks.

"So why are you sitting all alone like that?"

"Well, you know." Carly put her hands on her lap. "Gotta pace myself."

"Isn't that the truth?" Adam stuck his hands in his pockets, tilting around by the ankles. Carly knew she couldn't just turn him away.

"You wanna sit down?" She gestured at Jake's old seat.

"Sure." Adam sat down. He propped his arms over the counter and looked at Carly. He frowned when he saw that her attention was elsewhere. "Something wrong?"

"Huh?" Carly could have slapped herself on the forehead. What was she thinking, spacing out like that?

"Nothing, it's just…" Adam's eyes traveled around the room. He was trying to imitate the brunette. "You keep looking everywhere, like you're trying to find someone."

"Sorry. It's just that there's so many kids here. I'm kind of getting whiplash."

"I know," Adam said. He went silent for a moment. "You didn't come here with Benson, did you?"

The question caught Carly by surprise. She hesitated too long before responding. Her hesitation was response enough for Adam.

"See ya around Carly," Adam said. He got off his seat, prepared to leave.

"Sam and I both came with Freddie."

Adam stopped. His back faced Carly. The brunette saw his shoulders rise, then fall. He turned around. "I'm sorry," he said, and he meant. His features were screwed up in disgust, aimed at himself.

"It's okay," Carly said. "Those fans put you in a coma for…what was it, two years? I think you have a right to be slightly miffed."

Adam chuckled. He cleared his throat. "You know, this may sound kind of cheesy…"

"I like cheesy."

"But, when you wake out of a two-year coma and suddenly get a new lease on life…"

The two laughed at this. Life was absurd sometimes.

"You start thinking about what might have happened if you didn't get so lucky."

"Aww, don't say that."

Adam shook his head. "No, I don't think you get me." He stared at his shoes, laughed, and then stared back at the brunette.

"Want to play a game?" Rodney grinned at Sam. His arms were crossed over his chest, each hand buried inside his coat.

"What kind of game?"

Rodney's hands burst from his coat. In his right hand, he wielded a pack of playing cards. He waved the pack in front of Sam's nose.

"Card game. The kind where you pick one and I guess it."

Sam gave a derisive laugh. Rodney had disappointed her. "I don't think so Rods. Mama knows all the pick-a-card-any-card games there are."

"Not this one," Rodney replied. He cocked an eyebrow. "So how about it blondie?"

"How does it work?"

"I give you the pack." Rodney gave Sam the pack of cards. He then placed his hands over Sam's and guided her through the shuffling process. "You shuffle them up." Rodney removed his hands and twisted in his seat. "I give you my back. You pick a card. You put it back, in the deck. You shuffle it up, I turn around, I take the pack, and I make a guess."

"What do I get if I win?"

"Any item from the coat. Free of charge."

"And if I lose."

Sam couldn't see the smile Rodney wore. "I think you already know the answer to that."

Sam riffed through the cards, inspecting them. They seemed clean. As for Rodney…

"Take off the jacket."

The boy doffed the jacket. It was a rare sight indeed. He looked a lot thinner.

"So," Rodney said. He lifted a hand in the air. "Wanna play?"

Sam began shuffling the cards. Upon hearing this, Rodney put his hand down. When she was satisfied, Sam set the deck down on her leg. She selected a card. Five of hearts.

How appropriate. 'Five.' The number he always counted down from before the start of iCarly. And a five of hearts. Even better.

Sam inserted the card back into the deck and shuffled it a few more times.

"Done?" Rodney asked.

"What do you think?"

Rodney turned around and took the deck from Sam. He studied the deck. A card was withdrawn, held so that it's back faced Sam. Rodney peered over the top of the card and grinned at her.

"You don't have to be nervous Benson." Wendy was leaning on the wall outside Gibby's house, next to Freddie. "I know you're the shy type."

This stung Freddie's ego. "I am not the shy type." Wendy chuckled.

"Yeah you are." She moved closer to Freddie. "That's why I like you."

Freddie pinked. Never had a girl been so forward with him before. And never in such a serious manner.

"Ragged Heart Meltdown,

It'll flip you over, and, spin you around.

Ragged Heart Meltdown,

It throws you up in the air, and, back to the ground."

"Is that the new one by Cuttlefish?" Wendy asked. Through the open windows, they could hear the music coming from inside the party.

Freddie nodded. "Yeah. I don't really like it though."

"I know, right? Why are all the bands going emo?"

"Beats me."

The pair leaned against the wall in silence.

"They're saying you and Puckett might go out any day now." This brought Freddie to full attentiveness. He tried to dismiss the comment as pure gossip.

"Are you kidding me?"

"Come on, Benson." Wendy drew even closer to him. "You know what they say? Opposites attract."

"Or they repel." Freddie hoped he had remained nonchalant. Apparently he did, because now Wendy was so close, their shirtsleeves were rubbing against one another.

"She'd be crazy to leave her hands off you." Immediately after saying this, Wendy put her hand on Freddie's cheek. The exact same spot Sam pinched earlier that evening. Unlike Sam, Wendy didn't relinquish contact.

Freddie's heart began racing.

"Sweet boy." Wendy once said these words to him after he had given up a cruise. "How long has it been since a girl's kissed you? On the lips?"

"Adam, wait!"

But Adam was gone. Carly had committed one too many pauses, slip-ups, and far-away glances to keep the boy's attention any longer. She let her head hit the bar counter, feeling awful.

I didn't mean it.

"Boy trouble?"

Carly lifted her head. She smiled when she saw who it was. "Yeah, so far I've managed to tick off just about every guy who wants to talk to me."

"That could mess with your self-esteem."

Carly chuckled. "I'm more worried about their self-esteems. I feel like such a jerk." Carly quickly scanned the living room. Freddie was nowhere in sight. "At least you're here though. You're probably the one dude I can talk to without worrying you'll end up hating me."

"Don't worry about a thing ma'am. Lovin's my business. Why else wouldn't I wear shirts?"

Spencer and Marissa's lips crashed into each other, and before the two adults knew it, they were wrestling on the couch, breathing like marathoners.

"Oh my God," Spencer gasped. "This is so wrong."

"Completely."

"You're so old."

"I had to wait 'til you turned thirty."

"I've built sculptures of you out of butter."

"I love butter."

Marissa leapt to her feet. She dusted off her hands, grinning down at the young man. Spencer shook his head, unable to believe this was all happening.

"I'll be back," the older woman said.

"Where are you going?"

"To get my nursing equipment." Marissa played with a strand of her hair. "I wanna…check your vital signs."

Marissa sprinted to the door and flung it open with all her might. When she did so, Lewbert was standing on the other side of the doorway.

Disclaimer - I do not own iCarly, it's characters, nor any other shows, characters, music, and/or movies that may be referenced.