Wound
"-And next on iCarly," Sam grinned as her and Carly held up a large bag of flower petals.
"We're going to try and grow our own Gibby Blossom!" Carly said.
"I picked the name!" Gibby, who was sitting in a large tub of fertilizer, said proudly.
"Special shout-out to our nubby tech-producer, Fredwardo, for going to the gardening store with him mom as he does every weekend to pick up the supplies for this skit," Sam added.
"I do not go to the gardening store with my mom every weekend," Freddie said, turning the camera onto himself. "Carly and Sam made me get the supplies and my mom happened to have a coupon, so I went with her this one time!"
"And it was the highlight of his whole weekend," Sam smirked.
"Don't let their constant, pointless fighting confuse you," Carly sighed, pointing the camera at herself. "They really still are a happy couple. Believe me. I have to walk in on them making out at least once a day."
"Well learn to knock," Sam mumbled.
"It's my house!" Carly said, amused. "Anyway, onto our Gibby Blossom! First, we need to-"
Suddenly, Sam's phone began to ring loudly in her pocket.
"You were supposed to turn your phone off, baby," Freddie sighed.
"Yeah, like I'll ever do that," Sam said.
"Um…are you really answering your phone in the middle of our show?" Carly asked, still smiling at the camera.
"Just a sec," Sam said, putting her Pearphone up to her ear. "Hello? Yeah…wait. What?"
Sam quickly headed out of the studio, leaving a very confused Carly, Freddie and Gibby behind.
"Um, well it looks like I've been abandoned," Carly said brightly.
"Sam's meat shipment probably arrived," Freddie chuckled.
"But no worries," Carly said. "You'll still get to see what Gibby would look like as a flower!"
"Um, guys? Can we hurry this up?" Gibby asked. "I'm starting to get dirt in places dirt should never be."
…..
Sam didn't return to the show. When Carly finally ended it on her own, nearly half-an-hour had passed.
"Where the heck did she go?" Carly asked, slightly annoyed. "She knows she can't just run out in the middle of a show! Where'd she go?"
"How should I know?" Freddie asked.
"You're her boyfriend!" Carly snapped. "It's your job to know."
"Come on, you know Sam," Freddie smiled. "She probably wound up falling asleep downstairs on your couch."
"Then let's go down and wake her up so I can yell at her properly," Carly said, though Freddie could tell she wasn't really mad.
"You coming, Gib?" Freddie asked.
"Nah, I have to finish shaking the dirt out of my underwear," Gibby said, unbuckling his belt.
"Whoa! Wait till we leave!" Carly exclaimed.
"Prudes," Gibby mumbled.
Carly and Freddie stepped out of the studio. They were surprised, though, to see Spencer leaning against the wall in the hallway outside.
"Hey," Carly said to her brother. "What are you doing? You know you could've come in and watched us do the show if you wanted to."
"Is Sam downstairs?" Freddie asked. "She ran off in the middle of one of our skits."
"Um, guys?" Spencer said in a serious tone that he so rarely took. "Is Sam okay?"
"Huh?" Carly frowned. "What do you mean? Of course she's okay."
"Why?" Freddie asked, concerned.
"Because," Spencer replied. "She-She seemed upset about something a little while ago. I was downstairs working on a sculpture when she came down, talking on her phone, and she just rushed out. I-I think she was crying."
"What?" Freddie demanded. "What-What was she crying for?"
"I don't know, I thought you guys would know what was up," Spencer said.
"Well where'd she go?" Carly asked.
Spencer shook his head. "I-I don't know. I called after her but she just ignored me."
"Come on," Freddie said. "We've got to find her."
"Let's go," Carly nodded as the two teens hurried downstairs.
…..
Carly and Freddie searched all around for Sam. She wasn't at the Groovy Smoothie, Tub of Chicken or El Guapo Taco.
Finally, the two decided to try Sam's house. She didn't go there often, but as they had run out of restaurants to search for her…
"I'm worried," Freddie said as him and Carly walked up Sam's driveway. "Why won't she answer her phone? What could've happened?"
He wanted nothing more at the moment to hold his girlfriend and fix whatever it was that was hurting her at the moment. He still couldn't believe that Spencer had said she was crying…
"I don't know," Carly said, knocking on Sam's door. "But I really hope she's okay."
Freddie knocked on the door as well. Harder. "Sam!" he called. "Sam, it's us! If you're in there, please open up!"
"Oh…where else would she be?" Carly moaned. "Do you think maybe you could track her phone again?"
"I could," Freddie nodded. "But we'd have to go back to your place to do it. I have to do it from an actual computer. I just wish she'd answer her phone so we'd at least know if she was okay."
"Hey!" a voice said from behind them suddenly. "Who are you?"
Carly and Freddie spun around to see a dark haired girl coming up the driveway.
"Who are you?" the girl repeated. "You cops?"
"Um, no," Freddie said. "We're looking for the girl who lives here. Sam Puckett."
"Hey, wait a minute," Carly said, staring at the girl. "I've met you before! You're Sam's cousin, aren't you? Um…Chloe?"
The girl nodded. "Yeah…oh, right. You're Sam's friend, aren't you?"
"Yes," Carly said. "And this is her boyfriend, Freddie. Freddie, I met Chloe a few years ago when Sam invited me to her Uncle's parole party."
"Hi," Freddie said quickly. "Listen, do you know where Sam is? Apparently she's really upset about something and we just want to find her to make sure she's okay."
Chloe frowned. "You don't know?"
"Know what?" Carly asked.
"I guess that's not too surprising," Chloe continued. "It just happened…I only found out from my mom a few minutes ago and I just wanted to make sure Sam was doing okay…which she probably isn't."
"What happened?" Freddie asked urgently.
Chloe sighed. "Her mom just died."
Freddie and Carly's jaw dropped.
"W-What?" Carly whispered.
"Apparently she was in a pretty bad car crash," Chloe explained. "And, well…she didn't make it.
"Oh my God…" Freddie mumbled. He pounded on the front door harder. He needed to see Sam now.
"Don't break down the door," Chloe said, pushing Freddie out of the way. "I'll pick the lock for you. You guys can go in before me. Sam probably needs you guys more than me right now anyway."
Chloe kneeled down by the lock and in such a manner that only a Puckett could manage, she had the door unlocked in a matter of seconds.
Freddie didn't even pause to thank her. The second the door was open, Freddie bolted into the house, Carly at his feet. He headed straight to Sam's room. The door was closed, but he could hear muffled cries coming from within.
Slowly, he pushed open the door.
Sam was siting on her bed, her face completely tearstained. She was hugging an old pillow and didn't even look up when Freddie and Carly entered her room.
"Sam…" was all Freddie could muster before he rushed over to her bed and wrapped his arms around her.
Sam didn't question how he had gotten into the house or if he knew what had happened. She just continued to cry as he held her.
Carly stood by the door. She wanted to comfort her best friend as well, but right now she knew that Sam needed Freddie more than her. So Carly waited patiently as she watched Freddie work his magic.
…..
Carly and Freddie stayed the night at Sam's house. Sam barely spoke to them, though. She kept getting calls from family members, asking her where she was or if they needed them to come over. She said no. She wanted to be left alone right now.
Sam cried herself to sleep around ten o'clock. Freddie and Carly grabbed a few pillows and blanket from the couch downstairs and each set themselves up a bed in her room.
Freddie was awoken a few hours later, and when he opened his eyes, he saw Sam stepping over Carly and heading out of the room.
Without even thinking, Freddie got up and followed her.
She went down to the kitchen and sat down at the table, not even bothering to turn on the light.
"Sam?" Freddie said softly, getting her attention.
She turned around and looked at him.
"Did I wake you up?" Sam asked softly, her voice cracking.
"No," Freddie said, sitting down next to her. "How are you feeling?"
Sam shrugged.
"Do you want me to make you something to eat?"
"I'm not hungry," Sam mumbled. "Besides, there's nothing to eat here…she never goes to the store."
She looked down at her lap. "Or I guess…she never went to the store."
And with that she broke down again and Freddie pulled her closer to him.
"It's okay," Freddie said, rubbing her back.
"It's not okay!" Sam snapped. "My mom's dead, Freddie! What am I even supposed to do now?"
Freddie didn't answer.
"What do I do?" Sam asked again, her voice softer. "I'm all alone now."
"You're not alone, Sam," Freddie told her. "You have me. And Carly. And the rest of your family. They'll be here for you. We all will."
"It's not going to be the same."
"No," Freddie agreed heavily. "It's-It's not. Things will be different, baby. But like I said, you'll have us to get you through them."
"I just want her back," Sam whispered. "I know I always complained about her and we got into stupid fights at least once a week…but she-"
"She's your mom," Freddie finished for her. "And she'll always be your mom. Just remember that."
"I just hate this," Sam mumbled, pulling her legs up to her chest. "I hate feeling all sad…She used to always say Puckett's never ever cry, and I'm here acting like some pathetic wimp bawling my eyes out."
"You're not a pathetic wimp," Freddie said firmly. "No one expects you to be a stone. Anyone in your position right now would feel the same way. This is a big loss for you; it's normal to cry. I'd be worried if you didn't cry."
Sam didn't reply, but Freddie could see a few tears falling onto her old hoodie she was wearing.
So for the second time that night, Freddie held her tight against him, wishing he could do more as he watched his girlfriend shake with cries.
…..
Pam's funeral was three days later. Freddie never realized just how large Sam's family was. Sure, he'd always hear stories about an uncle or a cousin, but the funeral home seemed to be jam packed with Pucketts.
Freddie didn't want to leave Sam's side at all, but he knew that she needed time to be with her family as well.
Melanie had flown in from her boarding school two days earlier and he saw that her and Sam were huddled together in a corner, talking amongst themselves.
"Hey," Carly said, coming over to Freddie. "There sure are a ton of Pucketts."
"Yeah," Freddie nodded.
"Where's Sam?"
"Over there, with Melanie," Freddie replied. "I didn't want to intrude on them."
"They need each other right now," Carly agreed. "Anyway…Spencer and I were talking last night and-and he agreed that if Sam's willing…she should come live with us. I mean, I-I don't know if she has anywhere else to go. I'm sure she could go stay with one of her relatives, but most of them had to work out special arrangements with their prisons to come here today. And then a lot of them live out of state, so Sam would have to move away, and I don't want that."
"Me neither," Freddie said at once.
"And Melanie has her boarding school to go back to," Carly continued. "And…Sam kind of lives at my place now anyway. Besides, we only have a few months of high school left."
"I think she'll really appreciate that, Carls," Freddie smiled. He looked back over towards the corner where Melanie and Sam were still standing.
"You want to go over, don't you?" Carly asked knowingly.
Freddie nodded. Sam just looked so…empty. All he wanted to do was rush over to her and comfort her.
"Come on," Carly said gently.
The two walked over to the twins.
"How are you guys doing?" Carly asked when they reached them.
Melanie managed a small smile. "We're okay."
Sam didn't reply.
"I think it's great that your whole family was able to come," Freddie said.
"Yeah, funerals are great gathering places," Sam said dryly.
"I didn't mean-"
"It's fine," she mumbled.
"Um, I-I'm gonna go see if our grandmother got everything sorted out with her lawyer before coming here," Melanie said. She turned to Sam. "I'll be back in a sec, okay?"
"Okay," Sam nodded.
Once Melanie left, Freddie put an arm around Sam. "You two seem like you're getting along pretty well."
Sam shrugged. "I guess...Hey, um, do you guys want to go outside for a little bit? I'm sort of sick of everyone coming up to me and telling me how sorry they are."
"Sure," Carly replied.
The trio quickly snuck out a nearby exit that led to the parking lot. Not even caring that she was wearing a brand new dress, Sam sat right down on the asphalt. Freddie and Carly sat down on either side of her.
"I want this to be over," Sam sighed. "The only funeral I've ever been to was that one we crashed to try and get that coconut cream pie recipe…they really suck."
"It's almost done," Freddie told her, squeezing her hand. "Just another hour."
Sam looked down at the ground. "Carly?"
"Yeah?"
"What's it like?"
Carly gave her best friend a confused look. "What's what like?"
"Not having a mom," Sam whispered. "Your mom died too…so does it always feel this awful?"
"Sam, I-I don't really know," Carly answered honestly. "I don't really remember that. I was only two. I never got a chance to really know her."
"Oh," Sam said. "Right…"
"But you know what?" Carly told her. "At least you got that chance. I mean, I guess in some ways it was easier for me, not remembering anything about my mom, but it's also really sad. I have no memories of her. You have seventeen years of memories of you and your mom, Sam. I know it must hurt so much right now, but years from now, you'll still have those memories to look back on."
Sam looked up and gave Carly the first genuine smile she had shown in days. "Thanks, Carls."
Carly gave her a hug. "Of course."
Sam let out a deep breath. "Well…I guess I should go back in there. Melanie's probably looking for me."
"I'll go find her," Carly said, getting to her feet. "Why don't you take a few more minutes out here?"
"Okay," Sam agreed.
Carly dusted off her dress as she headed back into the funeral home, leaving Freddie and Sam alone.
Sam began to trace small circles on the back of Freddie's palm. Freddie kissed the top of her head.
"She's right you know," Freddie said. "This pain you're feeling right now…it's not going to last forever. It may come once in awhile, but eventually when you think of your mom, you won't think about today, at her funeral. You'll think about all the times you two stayed up late watching the surgery channel together or your 'shopping trips' or the time when she packed you a 'C' battery for lunch."
Sam rested her head on his shoulder. "How long you think that's going to take?"
"I don't know," Freddie replied truthfully. "But you'll get there baby…You'll get there. And I'll be here for you the whole way."
