A/N: Okay, here is the next chapter! I'd like to dedicate my very first post of 2013 to vicTORIousfan6 (GUEST), RebelGirl13, Invader Johnny, pancake2, and x3BeforexThexStormx3, my top reviewers of 2012. I really appreciate you taking the time to give me your feedback. Thank you!

Disclaimer: iCarly is property of Dan Schneider & Nickelodeon.

Chapter 11: Misery Loves Company

March 11th

The ceremony was more than I could've hoped for. The reception...it was a night to remember. As I look back on yesterday, it made me realize that I was giving up way to easily. I really want to be out on the front porch fifty years from now with Freddie. I just don't care what the doctors say anymore. Leukemia has taken so many lives, but I'm not gonna let it take mine.

-Sam

I put the journal away beside my hospital bed. Freddie and I had decided that we'd hold off on the honeymoon until after I got better. Carly had been so happy with how the day before had went. This incredible feeling filled the air and I wanted more than anything for it to stay. It was the best I had felt, everyone had felt in a long time.

The door suddenly made a squeaky sound and Dr. Reynolds appeared, snapping me out of my thoughts, "I brought someone for ya." I figured it was Carly or Freddie; I hadn't see either one of them since the reception. So, I told them to come in.

To be honest, my mouth almost dropped when I saw who walked through the door. It was not who I thought it'd be. Dr. Reynolds looked at both of us and then said, "I'll let you two talk amongst yourselves." He left, closing the door behind him.

She walked over and sat in a chair beside my hospital bed, "How are you doing, Sam?"

"I'm fine," My eyes studied hers, and she didn't look like she usually did. The weirdest thing was that it wasn't weird at all. She wasn't angry or crazy. It was the first time I saw her that way.

Mrs. Benson.

"I just came by to check on you; make sure you're okay," It looked like she wanted to say more, but was hesitant. I could see it written on her face, and just when I thought she wouldn't continue, she did, "and I'm sorry."

"For?" Of course she had been crazy and a pain at times, but she had never done anything wrong. So why did she feel the need to apologize?

"Not giving you a chance. I always thought that you were just an awful person, and horrible to be around. The way you treated Freddie..." I swallowed hard, knowing that I couldn't blame her. If I was her, I would've felt the same way, "but now, I know so much more about you. Freddie talks about you so much, and he always notes the good things."

She breathed deeply before saying more, "He smiles when you're in his life, Sam," That made me smile, "and I know you're special, I know you must be a good person at heart because I haven't seen him this happy since his dad was still around," She was holding back tears, trying not to remember. He had talked about it before, and I could feel their pain. The worst part was that I could relate to it...a dad gone forever, "so thank you."

We actually hugged, and I knew she was still going to be crazy, but she accepted who I was and that I was in love with her son.

"So, is that why you said yes?" I questioned, "To our marriage?"

"Yes," She simply stated, her smile big.

It struck me then: I had forgotten about something. The feeling turned from light-hearted to seriousness.

"Can you do something for me?" I asked her. My hand reached over to grab a tape.

"What exactly?" She looked at the tape, curious of what I was getting at.

"I'm going to try to live through this, but if I lose this fight," I handed her the tape, "Give this to Freddie and Carly for me."

"I will," A tear drifted down her cheek, hoping that she wouldn't have to give it to him. After a moment she wiped the tear away and asked me a question, changing the subject, "Where's your mom?"

"She's been coming in at night. She sneaks in the hospital and picks the lock to my room," She smiled at me, "but Melanie, my sister, she hasn't been in. My mom told her, but she didn't come. She didn't even come to the wedding."

"Freddie told me about that," She proceeded to tell me about the dinner conversation about the whole thing. He was trying to figure out everything, if Melanie was real or if I was just messing with him and he wouldn't stop trying, until I told him that lie; that it was me, "She'll be here."

"She knows," I explained, trying to get her to understand, "she would've been here by now. I just wanted to apologize. After everything with my dad happened, him leaving, I took it out on Melanie," I started to cry and she looked at the floor. It was so hard to remember what happened with my dad. I tried to block it out, but it was permanently etched in my brain, every detail of that day, "but she's like Freddie," Mrs. Benson looked up, confused when I said that, "Even when I'm a pain, she sticks around through thick and thin."

"Well, this is thick," I laughed at that, and she did a little bit too. It was funny, I'd never seen Mrs. Benson joke around before. It was a really nice side of her. I'm glad I got to see it, "She'll be here."

"Thank you," we hugged again, and even though Melanie hadn't come and I still hoped she would, I was truly happy.

Riiiiiiiiiiing! Riiiiiiiiiiiiing! I reached over to grab the phone and held it up to my ear, "Hello?"

"Sam?" I couldn't believe it, Mrs. Benson was right. After I'd given up all hope of hearing from her, it was good to be proven wrong for once.

"Melanie? Is that you?" My tone expressed how shocked I was. As much as I tried, I couldn't contain it.

"Yeah, I was calling to ask you if it was okay if..." She paused for a moment, as if trying to find the words to finish the sentence, "maybe...I come to see you?"

I told her yes and before I knew it my door opened, "Good because I'm almost out of minutes." There my sister was standing at the door and I instantly hung up the phone.

Melanie hung up her cell phone and came over to hug me.

"Why didn't you come to the wedding?" I asked her the burning question, that's what upset me the most. My other burning question was 'Why haven't you come to see me at all?', but I figured that I should ask the one that bothered me the most.

"I did. I was in the back. You're always seem angry when I'm around, I didn't want you to be angry on your wedding day or on any other day for that matter." I smiled at her and explain why I'd been mean to her all these years, and she understood. That's what sisters are for after all, to stick by you.

We talked for hours about the whole thing with Freddie and some memories from when we were little. She finally left and said she'd come by again the next day.

I was about to go to sleep when...knock knock! So much for sleeping...

"Come in!" My tone came across as angry, but I was just tired. Okay, maybe just a little angry, but that's only because I was ticked that Freddie hadn't come to see me. We just got married! You'd think he'd at least stop by.

When I saw who it was I realized something: things were finally going my way.

"Care for some company?" He gave his goofy grin, which made me smile.

"You're such a dork," Freddie walked over and kissed me. When we separated, he said, "I love you too."

He laid next to me and held me. It was almost as perfect as the wedding day. I thought back to the previous visits from Mrs. Benson and Melanie, "Hey, Freddie?"

"What?" He asked, as we looked at each other.

"Can I ask you something?" His face became concerned and worried. It wasn't like it was anything serious though. He gestured for me to continue, "Well, do you remember that date you had with Melanie?"

"Why are you bringing that up now?" It was almost like he was laughing at how random the question was. I gave him a serious look and he nodded.

"Why did you let her kiss you?" He looked confused, so I tried to explain, "Melanie told me about it when she came earlier."

"She was here?" Of course he was shocked, but I had told him what happened and I told him about his mom too. My judgment's not the greatest, but I think you could say he was genuinely happy we were getting along.

"I let her because," He started, he looked at me and smiled, "I thought she was you."

After that, he kissed my cheek. We sat in silence for a few moments, and then he asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Weak, but you know," I paused for a second and then continued, "misery loves company."

An hour later, visiting hours were over. He left and I tried to go to sleep, but I was too happy.

It was only a second later when it happened. After the most perfect day...

...came the worst.