Hey there.

This is my first ICarly fic and one of my first stories in a very long time (think years, I recently had to create an entirely new profile because of how long it has been). I just recently started writing again and I forgot how much I enjoyed it. Please do not be afraid to leave your critiques. I am always aiming to improve my writing.

The ride from the airport to his old apartment at Bushwell Plaza was not exactly as exciting as Freddie's 18-year-old self would have imagined it. Back when he graduated high school, Freddie imagined his homecoming so much different. He would arrive with job offers out the wazoo from across the country, his best friends would pick him up from the airport, they would reminisce on old times and party till dawn.

Instead, he was catching an Uber back to the apartment he shared with his mother (who couldn't even bother getting off work due to the amazing new trainee she had), the only job offer he had was at the hospital she worked at as an entry level IT, and the only friends he still had in Seattle were Spencer and Gibby who were both tied down with other things.

Carly had left to go live with her Dad and Italy before their senior year of high school. What was only supposed to be until college started turned into I want to try college in Italy for a bit. That turned into, well I met someone. Though they chatted often via the phone, text, and email, the last time Freddie had seen Carly was when they had both come home for Christmas during their sophomore year of college. He missed his friend.

Then there was Sam. That in itself was complicated. Sam took off for Los Angeles after Carly moved to Italy. They had lost contact with each other for a bit until her roommate, Cat, tricked Freddie into coming to LA thinking Sam was hurt. In reality Cat was only trying to make Sam jealous. And boy did it work. What started off as an awkward (and painful) trip ended with a few blissful days locked away in Sam's room, wearing as little clothes as possible and only coming out for food and to switch out DVDs.

They never put a label on what was going on between the two, but it was comfortable, and it was them. Freddie graduated from high school not long after that trip. The summer before he left for MIT, he went to visit Sam again. His freshman and sophomore years he would split time off from school between his Mom and Sam. It was that Christmas Sam gave him some amazing news. Sam decided she wanted to go to school.

She had enrolled in the local state college in LA to start her basic pre-requisite courses. She wasn't sure what exactly she wanted to major in, but she knew she wanted to do something with kids. Her babysitting business with Cat showed her just how good with kids she was and she wanted to build on that. It was amazing to see Sam having a goal set in place for her future. Unfortunately for Freddie, that was when the change happened.

Sam became so focused on school. Daily conversations were cut short, then became text messages every few days, that turned into weekly, and then monthly email. Soon enough, he barely heard from her at all. Now, he was lucky to get a quick text wishing him a happy holiday or birthday. He wasn't mad at her. In fact, he was proud that the Sam Puckett could get so focused on school. He just missed that blonde-headed demon so much. He wasn't even sure if she was still in LA.

"Here we are, my man."

The Uber driver had pulled in front of the familiar complex and popped the trunk. Freddie thanked the driver, got out and grabbed his suitcases out of the back. The driver took off almost immediately as Freddie closed the trunk. Freddie sighed, he picked up his stuff and started up the stairs into Bushwell Plaza.

The little ring of a bell above the door got the attention of Lewbert. The doorman looked up from his desk, took one look at Freddie bringing his stuff into the entranceway and threw his paperwork in the air.

"That's it, I quit! I put up with you all for long enough. I'm not doing it again, I thought I was done!" screamed Lewbert as he made his way to the back room and slammed the door.

"Nice to see you too, Lube!" he called to the crazy man. Freddie couldn't imagine why his presence would send Lewbert into such a fit. He always had the least amount of involvement in his friend's crazy shenanigans growing up.

He made his way into the elevator and took it up to the eighth floor. He got his keys out as he walked to apartment 8=D but noticed some movement coming from behind the door. He opened the door and saw his mom rushing around the kitchen still wearing her blue hospital scrubs. Something very unusual for his mom, as she normally would shower at the hospital, as she was paranoid about bringing something home from the hospital. She looked up from the meal she was preparing.

"Oh my Freddikins, my boy! You are home! My grown, college-educated boy! Let me look at you!" she yelled, tears of happiness almost coming out of her eyes. She rushes over and pulls Freddie into the biggest hug.

"Mom, I thought you had to work a few more hours?" he asked as he wrapped his arms around his mother.

"Oh the girl I am training, she is just fantastic and I was able to convince management that she could handle herself on her own for just a few hours so I could make you a nice home cooked meal. In fact, shift should be ending any time now and no emergency call backs, so we are in the clear."

Marissa let go of her son, stood back and took a good look at him. Freddie could only imagine what was going through her head at the moment. She probably thought he was too he was too skinny, needed to shave, and probably had some kind of thoughts about the clothes he was wearing. But she didn't voice it. More than anything, Marissa was just glad to have her boy under her roof again.

"Go sit down, I made you meat loaf and mashed potatoes. Your favorite!" she told him and pushed him towards the kitchen. She got him a plate and they ate together. They talked about graduation (which his mom couldn't make it to, due to her training), how the trip home was, what he thought about the job offer he was given at the hospital.

"I don't know, Mom. Sure I know I will do fine in the position, but it's not exactly what I was looking for, I mean, I wanted to design software, not tell people what buttons they are pressing incorrectly," he tells her as he finishes up his mashed potatoes.

"Honey, no one says you have to stay in that position forever, but it is still paid experience in the field. Today you are telling people what icon to click in the charting software, tomorrow you are designing a new program for us to use!" she tells him. Freddie shrugs his shoulders.

"I guess your right."

Freddie's mom takes his plate as she begins to clear the table. He stands to help her but hears a knock at the door.

"Freddie, go ahead and grab the door, darling, I've got this," she tells him. Freddie goes to the door, the person on the other side continuing to knock. He almost wonders if it is Lewbert coming to complain to his mother about his arrival. What he finds on the other side shocks him.

Standing there in the same blue scrubs his mother was wearing, stood the blonde-headed demon herself, Sam Puckett. She was standing there holding what he recognized as his mother's "lucky" stethoscope. She gave him a small smile.

"Hey there, Nub."

Thank you for reading!