HELLO i wrote this before reading the feedback so i need to implement your suggestions going forward after this chap! but thank you so much for reviewing! pls let me know if there is anyone still out there in this barren seddie landscape who is still enjoying lmao :~)

"He said what?" Carly screeched, dropping the towel she had been squeezing her hair dry with.

"He said he loves me…" Sam replied, eyes as wide as Carly's. She still couldn't really believe what had just transpired on the fire escape.

"Oh my GOD!" The brunette gripped Sam by her forearms and shook her. "This is AMAZING, Sam!"

Sam shook her head in disbelief and asked, "What, you're not mad?"

"Mad? Why would I be mad?"

"Okay… you're not surprised then? You don't feel like this is a little out of the blue?"

Carly dropped her hands and shrugged. "Well, I didn't know he loved you but I could tell you guys liked each other. It's so obvious and I was just starting to wonder whether you would both stay oblivious forever. I didn't think Freddie would have the courage to tell you that though…"

Sam nodded in agreement. "I can't believe it, Carls."

"You didn't hurt him did you? His bones are all still fully intact?" Carly teased, tugging on one of Sam's curls.

"No. I did something even crazier though. I told him… I told him I like him."

"No way! That's great, Sam! It's not crazy!" Carly cheered, pulling Sam into a hug. She pulled back and asked, "So wait a minute, he told you he loves you and you told him you… like him?"

Sam groaned, "Y'all need to stop pushing me. He's lucky I didn't break his arm. Do you know how embarrassing it is for me to admit I have feelings for the dork I've tormented most my life? It makes me look so weak."

"Don't be a demon," Carly laughed, ruffling Sam's hair. "I think it's nice you and Freddie have finally admitted the truth to each other."

Sam flopped down on the bed and huffed, "Yeah, whatever, Shay."

Carly perched next to her and fiddled with Sam's loose shoelace. "So, does this mean you guys are… boyfriend and girlfriend?"

Sam raised a finger and waggled it in Carly's face. "Don't go too crazy, Carls. I'm not that nub's girlfriend."

"What are you guys then?" Carly asked, snatching Sam's finger and pulling it away jokingly.

"What is with everyone and their obsession with that question today?" Sam asked, rolling her eyes.

"So you guys have had 'the talk' then, I'm guessing," Carly giggled.

"Yup. I agreed that we would… 'See' each other. But I'm not his little girlfriend."

"But you are dating!" Carly squealed. She was genuinely so happy for the pair. Years of rising tension had led to this day, and she was starting to think it would never come. Sam and Freddie may have been denying the truth to themselves, but it was obvious to everyone around them - they were pretty much obsessed with each other.

Sam was just relieved Carly was taking this well. "Okay, okay, yes, we're dating. Are you okay with that? You won't feel all… left out?"

"You guys hang out without me all the time anyway nowadays," Carly teased. "Just make sure you don't completely abandon me and I'll be A-okay." She was still holding Sam's finger and she squeezed it reassuringly. "Who am I to get involved with matters of the heart?"

This made the blonde splutter with laughter, and she pulled her finger from Carly's grasp to poke her. "You're so dramatic, Shay. You're loving this, aren't you?"

"Yup," Carly beamed. "So, I'm guessing you guys had a little smooch?" She winked.

Sam shrugged, smiling coyly. "Maybe."

"Spill, Samantha!" Carly ordered.

"Well, he tried calling me Samantha too, but as I've told both of you many times, my name is Sam."

"Yeah yeah, just get to the good bit."

"Yes, we kissed." Sam said vaguely to wind Carly up.

"Come on, Sam! Did you like it? What kind of kiss was it? Who kissed who?"

"Stop with the third degree!"

"You owe me the juicy details, you always hear mine."

"Yeah, against my will," Sam laughed, poking her again. "But fine. Yes, I liked it. It was kind of a make out. And I kissed him first. Which if you tell anyone, there will be serious consequences."

"Awww…" Carly ignored her threat. "That is so sweet."

"And he said…" Sam chuckled but trailed off.

"He said what?"

"Well, the dork told me when I was kissing him, and… scratching his back…"

Carly's eyes grew to the size of saucers but she didn't interrupt.

"He told me that if I stopped he would die," Sam laughed awkwardly. "Such a nub. Probably the first time he's ever been touched by a girl."

"He's been touched by plenty of girls, I think he's just crazy about you," Carly said, arching her brow. "So, you guys got a little PG there, hey?"

"Maybe a little. He was very excited, if you know what I mean."

"Wow," Carly said simply. "You know, you need to tell me straight away the first time you guys sleep together."

"Shut it, ya crazy," Sam laughed, sitting up to push her softly. "Can you not be all gross?"

"You sleeping with Freddie is not gross."

"Me, Freddie and the term 'sleeping together' sound like they should never be used in the same sentence," Sam sighed.

"You want to though, don't you?' Carly asked, smiling knowingly.
"Stop looking all smug girly," Sam groaned. Her phone vibrated in her pocket and her heart leaped, which made her want to slam her head into a wall out of embarrassment. She retrieved her phone and read the new message displayed on her screen.

Benson: Hey, my mom just left to go stay at my aunt's for the weekend. Come over? Xxx

Sam felt her cheeks burning and lifted her head to ask Carly what she should do.

"Freddie?" Carly asked, smirking.

"Yup. His mom's gone to his aunt's and he's asked me to go over there. Should I?"

"Do you want to?" Carly asked.

"I mean…" Sam thought about it, heart racing. She had been in Freddie's bedroom a hundred times, but the thought of stepping in there now, with him, alone, when they were 'dating'... it made her feel like her heart was in her throat. She hated how nervous simply the idea of being alone with him in his room made her. She wanted to march over there and prove to herself that Sam Puckett was scared of nothing. "Yes?"

"Then go," Carly laughed, pushing Sam towards the edge of the bed.

Sam's phone vibrated again and she looked down to see;

Benson: Come over come over come over

And after another second;

Benson: Come over. Xxx

"Someone's impatient," Carly giggled. "Go on girl. Go smooch your boyfriend some more."

Sam rolled her eyes and got up off the bed to leave, ruffling the brunette's hair. "Watch it, Shay," she warned jokingly, and made for the door. "Later."

Sam hesitated before opening the Benson's front door. Her hand hovered just above the handle, and she took a deep breath in, before dropping her hand. She was seriously considering knocking… what the hell? Normally she'd barge in there with no hesitation, but now she was second guessing even the smallest of actions. Were things still normal between her and Freddie? Things felt all over the place suddenly.

She pushed her confusion aside and decided to do things the old fashioned way, tucking her hands in her hoodie pockets and kicking the door open with her foot - he had left it unlocked for her.

Strolling in as casually as she could muster, she saw him rising from the couch to greet her. He walked over, smiling, saying, "You came! You didn't text me back so I wasn't sure if you were coming."

"I mean, I have had to put up with you a lot already today," Sam teased, letting him pull one of her hands from her pocket and guide her to his room, "We only saw each other 15 minutes ago, who knew you were so needy - sheesh."

"Play nice," he sighed good-naturedly.

"Yes sir," she teased, and he squeezed her hand to thank her.

Walking into his room even felt weird now, and she looked around with what felt like fresh eyes. His room had grown a lot with him as he'd left his awkward phase, and it didn't look half as nubby as it used to. Most of the Galaxy Wars memorabilia was gone apart from an old poster by his TV, he had a desk full of computer and other tech equipment surrounding his Pear desktop, and sticky notes littered the screen and surrounding walls. At first glance they seemed to be simple reminders or ideas for the show he had jotted down, but when Sam walked over to inspect more closely she saw that some of them said things such as, "Sam, bday present ideas" or "call sam later abt movies".

She chuckled, and turned to him, asking, "Why didn't you just write these down in your phone?"

"I don't know, it's just a habit," he shrugged, smiling.

"You're such a dork," she smiled back, shaking her head.

Continuing to inspect his room, she noticed that he had a picture of the iCarly trio, along with Spencer and Gibby, framed on his wall. The picture had been taken of them all sitting on the Shay's couch using a self-timer on Spencer's camera, and Sam remembered being the one to set it and then running back over to the others to make the shot. In usual Sam fashion, she had decided to jump on their laps and sprawl across them without warning, and in the picture they were all laughing in surprise as Sam landed, threw her arms wide and beamed. Her head was pretty much on Freddie's lap and he was laughing down at her.

She remembered that they had taken another, less wild version of the picture afterwards where they all sat and smiled normally, with their arms around each other, and it made her stomach flutter to know he had chosen to frame the first one anyway.

"Cute picture, huh?" He asked, putting his arm around Sam's shoulder and smirking.

"Only cos' I'm the star of the show," Sam winked.

"Of course."

Sam turned away to conceal her blush and continued looking around the room. His bedspread was a dark navy blue, and he had a Cuttlefish poster above his bed. She remembered him buying that poster at the concert the trio had gone to together, and she smiled thinking back to that night.

"Hey, come sit down," Freddie asked, tugging on her hand again. She let him pull her to sit on the edge of his bed with him, and her stomach flipped like she was on a rollercoaster when he gave her his crooked, flirty smile. "What's wrong? You're being very quiet and un-Sam like."

"This is just kinda weird."

'What is?" A little concern flickered in his chocolate eyes.

"Being in here with you…"

"You've been in my room with me like a million times Sam," he chuckled.

"Yeah, but that was when I came to steal 20 bucks or your math homework, and now I'm here…" She trailed off, not wanting to admit it.

"To make out with me?" He suggested smugly, squeezing her hands.

"Ew," she retorted defensively, rolling her eyes.

"Thought you were gonna play nice, Samantha?"

"Don't call me-"

Before she could finish the sentence, he cupped her face in his hands and pulled her lips to his, kissing her softly and slowly. She realised with shock that she didn't actually mind being cut off by him if it was in the form of a kiss. Her eyes fluttered closed and she kissed him back, holding onto his shirt lightly.

He deepened the kiss and pulled her onto his lap with one hand, surprising her with his strength.

She broke away and laughed, "Wow, when did you get this confident?"

"About 15 minutes ago," he winked, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Listen dude, I know you probably invited me over here to try and jump my bones -"

He groaned and slid her off his lap. "No, Sam, I would never pressure you like that. I just wanted to see you, and maybe kiss you as much as I can," he blushed.

She snorted and ruffled his hair. "Aw, bless little Fweddie. Being all romantic and chiz. I hope you know I'm going to continue being just as abrasive as usual though."

"I genuinely wouldn't have it any other way."

"God, maybe Carly was right about you."

"Why, what did she say?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"She thinks you're crazy about me," Sam shrugged, lying back on the bed and stretching her arms behind her head.

"That obvious, is it?" Freddie laughed, lying down next to her on his stomach so he could press a kiss to her lips. "Anyway, what did you tell her?"

"What does it matter?" Sam asked, feeling annoyance creep in. There was always the worry at the back of her mind that the dork might still harbour some feelings towards Carly and Sam was just his consolation prize, but she was too proud to admit she was insecure enough to feel that way.

"I dunno, cause she's our best friend?" He replied, puzzled.

"I just told her what happened."

"And?"

"And nothing." Sam sighed, rolling her eyes.

"She didn't say anything? Wasn't surprised?" Freddie pushed.

"She said she was happy for us. Okay?" Sam snapped, closing her eyes in annoyance.

"Hey," Freddie said seriously, moving one of his hands to stroke Sam's jaw. "What's wrong, Puckett?"

"I just don't see why you want to spend one of our first times hanging out together like this, talking about Carly."

"You brought her up! I just care that she's happy for us. And that she doesn't feel like we're keeping anything from her like we did with our first kiss." He leaned down to kiss Sam softly again, as if to illustrate the memory.

Sam sighed and opened her eyes, searching his face. He had a point, and she was letting her insecurity get the better of her. "I'm sorry Benson. It's just kinda hard to accept that you don't have feelings for her anymore."

"I don't." He said firmly, looking her straight in the eyes. "Sam, trust me. You're all I think about. I miss you when you're gone. Even just, when you went over there. Knowing I can hang out with you and kiss you and hold you now, but I was just sitting here… It was driving me crazy." He laced the fingers of both of their hands together and brought one of her hands up to kiss the back of it, never tearing his eyes away from hers.

"Maybe I should have beat you more when I had the chance, you're turning too soft Benson." She rolled her eyes and turned her face away in fake annoyance so as to hide the redness rising in her cheeks. Trying to regain some control over the situation, she added, "But anyway, if you hadn't interrupted us with your begging, we would have gotten to the juicy stuff. About your little friend." She smirked mockingly.

Freddie groaned, using their entwined hands to push Sam softly on her chest. "Again with the 'little' nonsense."

"You know she told me she expects pretty much immediate notification when we sleep together?" Sam laughed, sitting up and arching her brow.

"When? Not if, but when?" Freddie teased, grinning dopily, sitting up too.

"I thought that's why you invited me over here?" Sam asked, batting her eyelashes in mock sincerity and shock.

"No you didn't," Freddie retorted, shaking his head with a chuckle. "Wait - did you really think that?"

"God, you're too easy," Sam laughed, pushing him back now. "Maybe this isn't so different from the usual."

"Yeah, you're about as cruel as usual," he joked, pulling her in for a kiss.

The kiss took Sam by surprise, but she admitted to herself that along with cutting her off, that him kissing her while chastising her was actually something she immensely enjoyed. She relaxed into the kiss and brought up a hand to stroke his chin.

"It is weird you touching me so nicely instead of bruising me," Freddie mumbled into her lips.

"I can always switch back," Sam said, looping her other arm around his neck and scratching the back of it gently and slowly.

"You know, you'd think I'd say no to that, but…" He trailed off as she dug her nails in harder, making him sit up straight and growl.

"I can't believe all the noises I can make you make," Sam laughed, kissing his cheek clumsily as he looped his arms around her waist and pulled her onto his lap again.

"I know," he agreed, kissing her slowly before asking, "is this okay?"

"I guess I'll allow it," Sam smiled, cheeks burning and her blue eyes bright with excitement.

"How kind," he said in a deep, gruff voice as she readjusted herself in his lap. He moved his lips to her ear and let them brush against it softly before whispering hoarsely, "God, Sam."

The time for teasing him was over, she knew he had her truly where he wanted. She was practically putty in his hands, and she let him kiss her as hard, soft, slow, fast as his whims dictated. For once, she followed his lead. He turned her waist in his hands so that she was properly facing him, and she raised a leg to loop over and straddle him. She was sitting squarely on top of him now, and she grabbed fistfuls of his hair as he kissed and softly bit up and down her neck. Her eyes rolled back into her head and her heart was pounding. His hands were gripping her waist, his fingers digging into her skin and making her feel even more exhilarated, because it made her realise just how much he wanted her.

She eventually used the fistfuls of his hair to pull him away from her neck, and she held him a fraction of an inch away from her face for a moment to tease him. She sat back and studied him, he was panting and his eyes were wild. His hair was messed up from her grasping at it and his lips were swollen and red. She thought it was the sexiest thing she'd ever seen. Seeing how worked up she could get him sent electricity throughout her body. He looked temporarily confused at her stopping their make out but broke into a goofy grin, asking, "Admiring me, Samantha?"

"Mmm hmm," she hummed, watching his pupils dilate.

His grin turned shy and his cheeks turned even redder. "Who are you and what did you do with Sam? You didn't even bite my head off for calling you Samantha."

"It's different when I'm all worked up," she whispered, rolling her eyes.

Freddie realised in that moment something he'd often suspected, Sam liked someone else to take control when it came to anything remotely sexual. He could tell it turned her on when he was forward with her, when he called her her full name to which she usually objected, when he was a little rough and commanding. It made a perfect kind of backwards sense that she's spent all those years with all the power and now he could take some of it back in a way.

"I've gotten you all worked up?" He teased, the goofy grin back and excitement rising in his eyes.

She readjusted herself against the hardness in his lap again to make him suffer a little instead of retorting. He groaned, she smiled.

He realised then that she wasn't going to give up all of the power, and it thrilled her to know she held a lot over him and his bodily reactions.

"You're a demon," he chuckled, eyes misty, grin of a love sick puppy.

"Sure," she shrugged, placing a slow kiss on his parted lips.

As she pulled away, he caught her bottom lip between his teeth and pulled it slowly, asserting the dominance back to himself. Sam responded by smashing her lips back onto his, kissing him fast and hard, her hands cupping his face in desperate want. His heart flipped and he fell backwards onto his back, Sam going with him, still sitting on top.

His growl was back, climbing up his throat and emitting from his mouth loudly as the blonde kissed him fiercely. He broke the kiss and said, "Wait - I really don't want to pressure you into sex Sam, I already said we can move at a pace you're comfortable with, I just let myself get so carried away -"

"Hey, maybe I came over here to jump your bones, dork," Sam laughed, pulling him back into a kiss to which he enthusiastically responded.