Remembering Sam
Freddie's POV
I ended up getting released around 2PM, and I was to stay home and rest for the remainder of the week. I was in Carly's room when the doctor told me; he then told her that she would most likely be released the following day. She seemed happy about being released, but looked scared that I wouldn't be there. I reassured her that nothing would happen, Missy and her gang were in jail and there was at least one police officer outside at all times. I told her that I would be back later and would pick her up tomorrow. She seemed to relax a little; those guys really messed her up.
It's just me and Carly; Melanie left to get our schoolwork and head home. 'Girlie Cow' was on, but we weren't really watching it.
"Freddie?"
"Yeah." She swiped one of my onion rings. I smile because she's eating again.
She has a tear on her cheek; I reach to wipe it away. "Thank you Freddie." She smiles at me. "Why are you helping me so much? I mean being friends with me got you beat up."
"Because, I wouldn't have it any other way. If I have to get beat up everyday, so be it."
"When you go home, put a message up on 'iCarly', there's gonna be a special webcast Friday night at 8."
"But they'll see your casts and everything." I didn't want the world to see her like this.
Carly looks at me, her eyes pleading more than her words. "Please, just post it and be ready to broadcast on Friday."
I don't understand, but I agree.
The District Attorney showed up the next day; I was helping Carly with her bag.
"I have good news, there won't be any trials."
Carly looked surprised. "You're letting them go!"
"No, they all took deals. Tara is doing six months, the Carr sisters are getting…" Carly waved her hand to stop him.
"I really don't care. I just wanna put this behind me and move on." She looked older, like these past few days had sucked the life from her. "I'm sorry, it's just," She ran her hands through her hair; there was a patch missing above her one ear. The doctors had to shave it to stitch up the cut. "I don't know."
I hug her, trying to make everything better. I know I can't fix her, but I can let her know that she's not alone. I find my voice, "In six months or a year or whenever they get out; they're done. For Carly, this will never be done; she has a life sentence. Prison isn't just a building." He looks at Carly and understands what I said.
He leaves without saying anything else.
She looks at me, "Thank you. Why am I such a mess?"
"You got beaten up by your 'best friend'" I do the air quotes, "Less than a week after you found out that your real best friend killed herself. For everything you've had to deal with, I'd say you're handling it pretty well."
She's silent for a moment; "Can you show me how to make a PowerPoint slide show?"
"You wanna make something like, maybe a memorial montage?" I inquire; I've been secretly working on one. She nods, "You ready to let her go?"
"Friday is for the 'iCarly viewers. Monday is for me." Carly is starting to look stronger, despite her injuries. I open my laptop and show her what I started.
Friday night arrives and I'm setting up for the webcast. Carly has skipped her make-up and is pacing.
"You sure you wanna do this?"
She nods, "Count it down."
"In 5-4-3-2…" I point to her.
"Hi there, I'm Carly and this is 'iCarly'. This is the last webcast for a while. The show will be on indefinite hiatus; I need to heal both physically from the beating Missy gave me." She holds up her broken wrist. "And emotionally from finding out my best friend in the whole world, Sam Puckett, is gone." She takes a deep breath; if she calls it off it'll be now. "Sam died on May 16th of a self-inflicted gun shot to the head."
I want to drop this stupid camera and comfort her, but I know she needs to do this.
"I want to say something deep and meaningful, but I think this is better. Roll the clip Freddie."
I start the PowerPoint show. There were a few pictures of Carly and Sam as kids, some of the three of us, some of just Sam. I had set the whole thing to Sam's song, Concrete Angel. As it wound down, I had put some text in the frames; One was her and Melanie-Sister, the three of us at the iWeb awards-Best Friend, a screen capture of Jonah on the wedgie bounce, Blonde-headed Demon. We still laugh about that. The final frame is a picture of Sam, she's smiling and I don't even remember taking it, but it was perfect. You will be missed.
Carly looked at the camera again. "Freddie and I put some links on 'iCarly', so if you're thinking about suicide, talk to someone first. Remember that your friends have to pick up the pieces. Thank you." She walks outta frame; I kill the feed.
I finish the tech stuff; the e-mail box is getting slammed and there are posts on the message board asking for more information about Sam. After posting a link to Sam's obituary, I look for Carly; she's in her room. I knock on the doorframe.
"Hi Freddie." She waves me in. "Thanks for everything. I…I miss her so much." I walk over and hug her.
"Hey, I saw 'iCarly' tonight. That was a great montage." We turn around to see Sam sitting on the bed. "Carly, I'm sorry that I killed myself. I don't handle rejection very well."
"As seen by the three hour wedgie bounce." I joke, the girls laugh.
"But seriously, I want you to forgive yourself, Carly."
"I will, Monday. I have some work to do." I turn to leave, but spot something under the corner of her pillow.
"What the Hell is this?" I pick up the gun. One thing my aunt taught me was how to handle a gun. I drop the clip out, empty. Turning the gun sideways, I pull the slide back and eject the round. "What are you doing with a gun and only one bullet?"
Sam looks horrified, "You better not have been thinking about shooting yourself!"
Spencer came upstairs; the shouting brought him. "What's going on? Hi Sam, whatcha think of the montage?" He saw the gun, "What is that doing up here?"
"You know about this gun?"
"Yeah, it's mine. Socko's cousin Gunthar gave it to me a few years ago."
"Carly had it under her pillow, and it only had one round in it." I nearly yell.
Spencer looks at her, "What were you planning on doing?"
Carly looks like she's going to cry; "I took that from your room after we got back from the cemetery. I forgot it was there. Please take it away."
"Can you give that thing to your aunt?" Spencer asks me. "I don't want it anymore."
"Sure." I take the slide off and put the pieces on Carly's desk. "You know that I'll always be here for you. No matter what, you'll always have Freddie."
"I know. It's just so hard without Sam. She knows me better than anyone else." I wrap my arms around her; she returns the hug, this is new.
"Carly, I know you miss me, but in time, it will get easier."
"I don't want it to get easier, I want my friend!"
Sam looks at the floor, "I'm sorry I took your friend from you."
"It's…not okay, but I understand why you did what you did." Carly breaks our hug and wipes her eyes. "Monday, you're going home Sam."
"Are you gonna be alright?" I ask, wondering what else she has hidden in her room.
She must of seen me looking around, "Yes, and don't worry. I don't have any more guns or knives in here. Like I said before, I want to live."
I didn't spend much time at Carly's this weekend, mostly because mom made me stay home and finish my schoolwork. The times I did manage to make it over, I found her writing in her journal. It's nice not having to worry about Missy and Shane. I asked Spencer how Carly was doing.
"She's getting better. Last night though, she woke up from a nightmare. I don't think she knows I heard her. I faked a case of sleep walking and stumbled in on her."
"And?"
"She said it was about dad. I think she was telling the truth." Spencer looks at the flag folded up in the display case on the table. "She misses him more than I do." He starts to break down. I reach over and put a hand on his shoulder. "I know I should miss him, but I barely knew him. He made sure that Carly got her share of his love, but I got left out."
I just sit there letting Spencer vent. After a few minutes Spencer looks at me, "How you doing?"
"Okay, ribs are still a little sore. Otherwise, I'm fine."
"You know what fine means, don't you?"
Shaking my head, "No."
"Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic, and Emotional."
"Sounds like every other high school student." We laugh at that. Carly walks downstairs.
"What's so funny?" She grabs a peppie cola and joins us at the table.
"Spencer's definition of Fine." I tell her.
"Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic, and Emotional." She repeats.
"Yeah, that one." We continue laughing.
"You ready for tomorrow?" I ask Carly.
"I'm just wondering how many people will be mad at me for Missy going to jail?"
"Who knows, who cares?" I respond, "Missy made her choices. You can only control what Carly does. If anyone doesn't like it, that's their problem."
She looks at me and smiles, "Thank you Freddie. You've been a wonderful friend. I wouldn't have been able to handle all this without you."
"You're welcome." Spencer had gotten up from the table and was working in the kitchen.
"You guys up for some Spaghetti tacos?"
"Do you really need to ask?" Carly answers.
Me and Carly were getting our books out for class when some of the basketball team surrounded us.
"Shay! You cost us a chance at the City League Championship!" Mike Pendel roared. "I otta beat your skank ass for that."
Carly looks up at the 6'6" player, while he towers over her; she looks like a bear out for blood. "What will that prove? That you can beat up a Girl that's a foot short and a hundred pounds lighter than you are. You basketball players are real tough guys."
I can see him getting ready to swing; I step between them. "If you wanna beat her up, you gotta go through me."
"Fine by me."
Gibby, all 6'4" and 280 pounds of all-state defensive end steps up. "And me." A few more of the football players join him; they have no love for the basketball players.
Melanie joins our side of the crowd, "Me too." More and more kids join us, everyone that these jocks made fun of one-on-one. At some point, the players realize they're badly outnumbered.
Mike looks at his teammates; the one shakes his head. "Okay, you nerds win this round, let's go." They walk away.
Carly looks at me, "Would you have really fought him?"
"Like I said, if I have to get beaten up every day to be your friend, so be it." She hugs me.
"Thank you Freddie Benson." She lets go and pulls a homemade flier from her backpack. I can't see what it says until she hangs it on the wall by the stairs.
Today 4 PM at the Lake View Cemetery, a memorial for Sam Puckett. Bring Ham.
"You ready for that?" Melanie asks, reading the sign.
"Yeah, I am."
Carly's POV
Melanie, Freddie, Spencer, and me had changed into dressier clothes after school. We arrive at the cemetery around 3:30 and noticed Gibby and Tasha are already there.
"Hi guys." Tasha greets us. "How you doing?"
"A little scared." I answer. I have a few sheets of paper in my hand. As 4 o'clock approaches, more and more kids show up. I see a few teachers and even Principal Franklin is in the crowd. As Freddie's watch beeps on the hour, I step up next to Sam's grave.
"I wanna thank you for coming today. I've never really planned a memorial so, does anyone wanna say anything about Sam?"
Pete steps out of the crowd; "I dated her for a while. She was a great person, only one I knew who could finish a whole Cheesecake Warehouse salad and still be hungry. The Sam I dated wasn't the one we saw in school everyday. She was sweet and kind, like she was a different person. Dude, I'm gonna miss you." He returned to his spot in the group.
Gibby stepped up next to me, and surprisingly kept his shirt on. "Sam, she was one of a kind. Never seemed to care what anyone thought about her, but wasn't afraid to tell you what she was thinking. But she did have a caring side; Her and the rest of these guys set up that whole dating game thing so that I could go out with Shannon, lets not go there. She had to endure an evening with Ruben. Sam, I wish you woulda asked for a little help, I woulda been there."
A few more people stepped up, and then Principal Franklin spoke. "I knew Sam from the first day she was at Ridgeway, she waterbombed the cheerleaders." We chuckle at the memory of eight soaking wet girls. Whatever she did, she did with great passion. Right or wrong, once she decided to do something, that was it. For as much trouble as she caused, I'll honestly miss it."
Jonah walks up next to her headstone, and turns his back to me and Freddie. This could get ugly. "I dated her too, dumb blonde. This bitch wedgie bounced me for 3 hours; I was using my boxers as dental floss. I'm glad she's dead, so I don't have to look at her anymore." He sees Melanie barely holding together. "Oh, hi. Sorry you look like her. Worst dates I've ever been on. She couldn't even suck a dick right."
"Oh, that's it!" Sam roars. She had been standing next to us.
Melanie motions for her to wait, "Let Freddie handle this. He's got some 'special' skills."
We watch as Freddie steps behind him and grab hold where his shoulder and neck meet. Jonah stops talking as the pain overwhelms him. Having a nurse for a mom does have its advantages. I know Freddie has read most of his mom's medical books. Freddie turns him around and walks him outta the crowd.
He shoved him down the hill a little. "I ever see you here again, I'll kill you." He reads Freddie's face and knows he can back that up.
As Freddie comes back, It's my turn to speak. Here goes everything.
"I just wanna thank you for showing up today and sharing your memories of Sam. She was the greatest best friend anyone could ever want. I found that out too late." I touch the angel on top of the headstone. "I forgive you Sam, and I'm sorry I wasn't there for you." I apologize. Then I say it, barely more than a whisper. "I forgive you Carly, for abandoning your friend when she needed you the most."
I look up and notice a break in the clouds; a ray of sunshine lands on Sam's grave.
"I'll miss you." I wipe the tears from my cheeks. I take the sandwich from Melanie; "So raise you're ham." I wait for everyone to get theirs out. "To Sam." I can't think of anything better to say.
"To Sam." The crowd repeats as they hold up their various hams and follows my lead of taking a bite. Freddie places a foot-long Black Forest sub in front of Sam's headstone.
The group slowly dissipates; some come up to us, some stop at the grave, others simply walk away. After the last person leaves, I stand next to Sam's grave, "I hope you're enjoying the buffet up in Heaven." I start to cry softly. Freddie wraps me in a hug; he's been doing that a lot lately.
"You did really great today." He whispers.
I hear an unexpected voice, "That was a beautiful service Carly."
"What?" I look at Sam. "Did I do something wrong? Why are you still here?"
"I just want to tell you guys something before I moved on." She turns to Spencer, "You're gonna make a great lawyer, but don't give up on your art. Melanie, I never really got to know you, but we did have some good times when we were younger."
"We sure did." Melanie is almost crying.
"Freddie, that dream you have, don't give up on it yet." Finally, she turns to me. "Carly, I loved you like no one else on Earth. I'm sorry for putting you through this pain."
"I love you too Sam." We watch as she steps into the sunbeam. Sam's rising up, like she's on an escalator.
She shouts to us, "Carly, if you stop looking, you'll find it." Then she disappears into forever.
"You okay?" Spencer asks. I told him about Sam being gay and about our kiss.
I look up. "Yeah, for the first time in a while I am."
Freddie looks at me; "You wanna go get a smoothie?"
I take his hand, "Why not?"
As we sit at the Groovie Smoothie, I lean over and give Freddie a quick kiss on the cheek. He looks confused. "That's for you winning that bet, Missy is off 'iCarly' and you get a kiss."
"I didn't expect you to ever pay up on that stupid bet." I cut him off with another kiss. I can hear some of the other people clapping. Most of Ridgeway knew Freddie had a crush on me.
"That was just for being you. Thank you Freddie."
"You're welcome." He still can't believe I kissed him.
"What did Melanie mean today about you having special skills?"
"I've read a bunch of books on pressure points and massage therapy. She hurt her ankle over the summer and I rubbed it for her and she…um…had a…very enjoyable experience."
"She had an orgasm just by you rubbing her foot?"
He shrugged, "It's no big deal. You see there's a pressure point on the foot that's linked to the pleasure…" I cut him off, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the door. Spencer is out with his friends tonight.
"Don't tell me, show me."
He did more than rub my feet that night.
Epilogue, 10 years later, Third Person POV
"I can't breath." Carly pants, she's been pushing for the last 45 minutes. The nurse places the oxygen mask on her face.
The doctor looks at the monitors, "Mrs. Benson, you're past the point of a C-section, you have to deliver this baby. Or both of you could die."
Freddie looks at his wife; "You can do this."
"I can't." She's nearly exhausted, "I got nothing left."
You never gave up before; You will NOT start now! Carly looked around for the mystery voice.
Carly takes a deep breath and bears down again. She feels the baby shift a little and move some. As the contraction ends, Carly is almost passed out.
"Why…won't…this end?"
Come on, momma needs to be born! Where was that voice coming from?
"Alright, the head is crowning, if you can push it out enough I can get a grip and pull."
Carly takes some more breaths; Freddie wipes the sweat from her forehead. She can feel the contraction build and braces for one more push. As the baby's head slowly moves out of her, the doctor grabs hold and gently pulls the rest of its body out of Carly.
Freddie looks over at the team of doctors working on the baby. They haven't heard its birth cry yet. Melanie slipped to the edge of the group and peaks in on the infant.
"Is she…?" Freddie asks.
"Yeah, she's beautiful."
Carly, who was barely conscious, asks; "Melanie, would it be okay…"
"Yeah, she would want that." The nurse brought the swaddled baby over to meet her parents.
"Here you go mom." Carly looked at her baby girl.
"Hi there, rough first minute Huh?" Freddie brushed her cheek. A lock of blonde hair could be seen slipping out from under the tiny knit hat.
"How you doing, Samantha?" The baby started to cry. "Daddy's sorry, he forgot you hate that name, Sam."
Melanie looks at her Goddaughter, "Looks like the Blonde-Headed demon is back."
A\N: This concluded my tale, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. Reviews still welcome.