Hey hey guys. KL21 here.

I know (re: hope) you guys are probably anxious to get to this chapter so I'll step outta your way and let you guys enjoy.

I give you Chapter 11 of War Games, "Set Up." Please, read and enjoy.


Set Up

Sam's POV

"Hey Sam… what's up?"

How could she even ask that? "You know what's up, Carls."

"Sam, I think you should be sure about it before you jump to conclusions."

"Who else could it have been? You saw it."

"I know that Sam but… something feels off about it."

"Yeah whatever…"

"…"

"…"

I wonder what she's thinking. It could be anything. She could be thinking about that text I got. It was a very weird text. It shook me more than it should… something about it did seem off but I can't put my finger on it. She could be thinking about her hair. It's to be expected after what happened to Spencer. Though, I still think she's overreacting. She could be thinking about Freddie.

I just found out, from our talk in the park, that he got accepted to three different colleges: Stanford, UCLA, and UC Berkeley. You know what those three schools have in common? All of them are in California. You know what that means? They're not in Seattle, or even in the state of Washington. You want to know what else these schools have in common? I don't have a snowball's chance of getting in to any of those colleges. That's right. He's leaving… for good… leaving us… leaving me… for good… and this is how he's going to end it all.

Why he'd want to end it this way, is far beyond me, but I suppose there's nothing I can do about that. I just wish that… I don't really know what I wish. I want him to succeed… but at the cost of our friendship? Could I really give it up? Could I really give him up? Ugh… I'm thinking too much. Is Carly still on the phone?

"Hello?"

"Yeah, I'm here."

"Ok…" still, nothing to say.

She must be thinking about her role in my plan. To be honest I was gonna have her help me with a prank… but she refused to be a part of anything that would hurt him… stupid conscious and morals. The worst part about it was that it was already out there so I couldn't just take the request back. Now I have to figure out a role that she could play.

"Sam?" why does she sound so uncertain?

"Yeah?"

"…" why is she so quiet?

Maybe if I put a little more force behind it, "Yeah?"

"…"

She did say something, right? Am I losing my mind? I can't be losing my mind. If I'm going up against the nub then I have to be at my best.

"Carly? Did you call me?"

"Yeah..." phew… at least I'm not going crazy.

"What's on your mind, kid?"

"…" not again. "It's nothing."

"What?"

"Did Washington or Washington State respond?" what a crappy subject change.

Why would she bring this up after what we talked about? "Nothing from State… but I got wait listed to Washington."

"Well that technically a yes." way to rub it in, Shay, "If enough people don't respond or decide to go elsewhere then they'll accept you."

I should be grateful, even for that. At the beginning of this year any university accepting me was absolutely out of the question. Come to think of it, I was a long shot, to get into a two year school. But I won't show any gratitude… I won't be grateful for getting considered for Washington, because then, I'd have to be grateful to him... grateful for… him.

"Sam?"

"Yeah."

"I'm proud of you." how could I continue to brood after that?

"Thanks kid." Ok back to business. I guess I could have her play the guilt card. She's good for it, even when she doesn't mean to be. I could only imagine how effective it is when she's using it on purpose. "Hey… wanna know your part in my plan?"

"I already told you that I wouldn't be involved in any violence against our friend."

"I know, I know. This is a strictly non-violent role."

"I'm listening." Atta girl.

"All I need you to do is make Freddie feel guilty. Make him second guess himself… make him hesitate… That'll give me all the time I need."

"Time? What time? Time for what? What exactly are you planning to do?"

Oh Carly, ever the worry wart, "Don't you worry your pretty head about that."

"Sam, I already told you that I wouldn't help you if your plan involved hurting Freddie."

"Well, technically, you said that you wouldn't help me hurt Freddie, but your part isn't hurting Freddie your part is making him feel guilty." That's right Shay, loopholes are awesome.

"But Saaaam…" Whining won't work this time.

"Nope, you already agreed to help me… but if you want to back out now, and break your promise, thus, throwing away ANY hope you had of me apologizing to Freddie… then go ahead." Come on Carls… you know you can't play hardball with the big boys…

try as you might… "Fine." You'll fold every time.

"Awesome, you'll start tomorrow when you see him at school."

"Fine, I gotta run, I'll talk to ya later."

"Ok see ya."

There, that settles that part. With Freddie being distracted by Carly and his guilt, he won't possibly be able to fight with me.

Now… I need a patsy… a 'fall' guy… Who's it gonna be? I could get Gibby, but he's been busy lately, and he's developed some sense of dignity. I don't know how he did that but I'll beat it out of him later… for now… he's useless to me. And most of the dependable AV nerds already work with Freddie. So who does that leave? Man… I wish Rodney wasn't in Juvie. Oh well… I need someone… who's got nothin' to lose. Someone smart enough to handle menial tasks, but dumb enough to follow me unquestioningly… someone's who will make the perfect pawn…. I got it!

Come on, pick up. "Hello?"

"Hey. It's Sam."

"Sam!" he seems excited, "Well, feed a kangaroo with two blueberry pies." What? "How are the socks hangin' on the…" Enough of this nonsense.

"Hey do us both a favor here. Don't talk, just listen, and answer with a yes or no." This is gonna save us a lot of time and frustration. "Do you… understand?"

"Well of… I mean, yes." Good.

"Good… now, as you know, I pick an unlucky target for the end of the year prank."

"Ye-"

"Not finished." What an idiot. "Anyway… Since I'm graduating, this one is gonna be big. The enormity of this prank requires some assistance." Good he isn't saying anything… he'll make a perfect lackey. "So, would you like to help me?"

"Of course."

"Good… meet me in the hallway when the lunch bell rings. I'll instruct you further there."

"Ok."

"Oh… before I forget. Bring a jar of mayonnaise, a bottle of honey, and some super glue."

"Ok."

"And now that you are, for all intents and purposes, working for me; I'll need you to refer to me as ma'am.

"Yes ma'am."

"That's a good boy, now get to it."

Good. I've got my lackey/fall guy. I've got my distraction. Now all that's left is to… Who's calling me now? Why is he calling me?

"What?"

"Well hello to you too, Sam."

The nerve of this guy, "NO! My friends call me Sam! My enemy's and future victims call me Samantha! We're not anything anymore, remember?"

"Yeah…" listen to him, trying to sound all pitiful. "Yeah I remember well enough, that's what I wanted to talk about."

"I already told you… there's nothing left to talk about!" How dare he even remember the number to this phone, and call me. "I heard what you have to say, loud and clear!"

"But…"

"Save your buts for the toilet seat!" yeah… that shut him up. "Listen to me Fredward. It's bad enough that you said what you said. But to call up hoping to end anything, while you pretend nothing happened… That's insulting… it's infuriating… it's demeaning… and I will not put up with it!"

"Sam, I swear. I have no idea what you're talking about." Ugh… fine if you're gonna play that way…

"You know what? I don't have time for this. How about you call me when you have an idea and an apology."

"Sam wa-" waste of my time.

He thinks he can just call up here, sounding all pathetic? What? That's supposed to make me forgive him? Sorry bub… it ain't that easy.

Not after what he said…

"Are you done laughing yet, Sam?" I couldn't help it. There was a light at the end of the tunnel. Even better, it was a light that had me standing victorioius.

"Awww, you're no fun."

"Joke all you want, but if this doesn't get fixed before the year is over you may run out of time."

"What do you mean?"

"Well… "

"What?"

"I don't know if I shou-"

"Tell me!"

"Freddie got accepted to some pretty good schools."

"So? What does that have to do wi-"

"They're all in California!"

"WHAT!"

"Yeah, he was gonna tell you but you weren't around when he got the acceptance letters. Besides that, when he told me that he was accepted, he also told me that he was probably gonna go to UW just so we could all remain close."

"…" I was speechless. Would he really do that?

"I haven't heard where he's gonna go now."

"Now?"

"Well yeah. With this whole rift between you two, I find it hard to imagine that he'll stay here."

"Well, what schools in California did he get accepted to?"

"Stanford, UCLA, and UC Berkley."

"What's UC Berkley?"

"Seriously?"

"…" What does she want from me? I've never heard of the place.

"It's Cal, Sam."

"No chizz!"

"SAM!"

"Sorry, sorry, relax, relax." Well, to be fair, nobody actually calls it UC Berkley. Freddie doesn't even use the name, UC Berkley.

"…"

"Besides, even if he and I are still fighting, do you think he would leave you behind too?"

"Well…"

"I mean… we're a trio, shouldn't his friendship with you be enough to keep him in Seattle? Shouldn't iCarly be enough to, at least, stall his decision?"

"You still don't get it, do you?"

"Get what?"

"I know you're not dumb, so I'm gonna assume that you're just ignoring the past three years."

"Wha- What are you talkin' about, three years?"

"When Freddie won the School at Sea thing, what did you think would happen to iCarly?"

"Well…"

"Did you think that Freddie would, somehow, film us while he was in some random location on the planet? Did you think that we would just plug in some random guy and show him the ropes, and everything would go along just fine, as if he were never there? Did you forget that we tried that once before with, less than satisfactory, results?"

"Well, that's why he decided to stay." I wasn't stupid. I knew all of that… I still do.

"Really, Sam? Really? Are you gonna stand there and tell me that you believed that crock?"

"Crock?"

"Yes… crock."

"Well it's the truth. You said it yourself. We can't do the show without him. It's the perfect reason."

"That's just it, Sam. If he knew the show couldn't run without him then why would he sign up in the first place? If he knew he would be leaving us behind why would he sign up at all?"

I should have known where this was going.

"You know as well as I know, that it wasn't until you went to him, that he reconsidered going. He believed you, even when I didn't… and he gave his trip up for you."

"…" Speechless yet again. I couldn't believe it. I still can't believe it. For me? Yeah right.

"iCarly wasn't enough... I wasn't enough… You were… I'm not sure how long, but since then… it's always been you."

"I won't promise an apology… but I will try to work it out… but he has to contact me… I do have an image to maintain, after all."

And that's when it happened,,, When the whole game changed. That's when I got a text that would change the fabric of this fight.

Sam
I've had enough
you pushed me
too far I've made
my decision and it
doesn't involve
you. Have a nice
life

"Who's it from, Sam?"

"Freddie." I was right all along.

"Sam? What's wrong? What's it say?" I handed the phone to her in a hollow victory.

"Looks like you were wrong, Shay."

"What?" I watched as she read it. "There's gotta be somethin' wrong. That doesn't sound like…" Apparently he wasn't done, because Carly soon got a text of her own.

Hi Carly
I've got a date on
Tuesday nite. I was
wondering if you
could help me get
ready for it. Thanks.

"This… this can't be right."

"Lemme see."

"Sam wait…" I snatched the phone, searching for a confirmation of what I was already certain of.

Sure enough, it was from him, and it was all the confirmation I needed. "Well I suppose that's what the case is."

"Sam, Freddie wouldn't say those things. Freddie wouldn't just…"

"Read the phones Carly! Read those words! They say what they say! It's not speculation! It's not word of mouth! It's not hearsay! It's comin' straight from the horse's mouth!"

"Sam…"

"No, Carly! I don't wanna hear it anymore! However, he used to feel, it's obvious that he doesn't feel that way anymore!"

"Sam… let me talk to him and find out what's going on!"

"Do what you want… but it won't change what he said. You were wrong Carls."

She was wrong. She is wrong. Freddie, apparently, has moved on. Which is fine, I suppose… It was bound to happen sooner or later. But to end it the way he did… that was just… unthinkable. Not even I would have ended it like that.

Friends for five years… well… three years… but that's still a long time. To end our friendship via text message, that's gutless… that's spineless… that's… it's heartless.

"and he gave his trip up for you."

I can't believe that I thought that it was actually for me.

"iCarly wasn't enough…"

I can't believe that I wanted it to be.

"… I wasn't enough… You were…"

I can't believe how wrong Carly was… how wrong we both were.

"… it's always been you."

I can't believe that I wish she was right.


Well there you have it. The long awaited return of this fic.

Big thanks to pigwiz, The Earl of Sandwich, and axel100… for their encouragement in the completion of this chapter. It is due to them that this chapter exists at all. So a big thanks to them.

Thanks to all of you who still want to read this fic and haven't given up on it. Please tell me what ya think. Even if you decide not to review… thank you guys for reading. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

If you want to read other fantastic stuff from the Cabal, then shoot on over to their pages and check them out:

aussiemma… axel100… BaalRules… BoxOfTrinkets… boxofpiglets… Coyote Laughs… ItalianBabexo8… iCabal… iCarlyangst… iLuvNathanKrEsS… JamesTheGreater… KingxLeon21… Myjumpingsocks… ober22… pairababes… Pieequals36… pigwiz… Tech-Man… The Earl of Sandwich… xXACCEBXx

I promise you won't be disappointed.

Well that about wraps it up for me… so…
Until next time
Deuces
KL21