Season

"Spencer!" Carly said as she cringed at a small puddle of green goo on the living room carpet. "Spencer, what is this?"

"That?" Spencer said, looking up from the sculpture he was working on. "Oh, that's just something I found at the junkyard this morning with Socko. See, we had found this umbrella stand that I figured would be perfect for this sculpture I'm making for that new cupcake shop, Cup, Cup, and a Cupcake. Only when I went to pick up the umbrella stand, we realized there was actually a wasps nest inside and-"

"The goo, Spencer!" Carly snapped. "Where does the goo come in?"

"I ran into a puddle of the stuff when I was running from the wasps," Spencer said. "I guess I tracked it up here."

"So why didn't you just say that?" Carly asked.

"Well sorry for thinking my little sister would be interested in my near-death experience today!" Spencer scoffed.

"Sorry, it's just you've had three already this week," Carly sighed, sitting down on the sofa. "All at the junkyard too. Maybe you should stop going to that place."
"No way, the junkyard is awesome!" Spencer said. "I found a new lawn chair and got a date for tomorrow night. You have to see her, she will look great in the living room."
"Your date?" Carly frowned.

"No, my lawn chair!" Spencer said. "I named her Bertha. Aw man, I think I left her down in lobby. I'll go grab her so you can see!"

"No, that's okay, I really don't want-" Carly started, but Spencer had already hurried out the door.

"Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have a normal sibling," Carly said, shaking her head.

Just then the front door opened and Sam walked in.

"Hey, Carls," she sighed. She spotted the puddle of goo. "Spencer?"
"Uh-huh," Carly nodded. "What's up?"

"Nothing," Sam said heavily, flopping down next to the brunette.

Carly could tell that something was really weighing on her though.

"Come on, talk," Carly urged her. "Something's bugging you."

"No, I'm fine."
"Then how come you've been here for a full minute without even checking the fridge?" Carly asked, raising an eyebrow. "There's bacon in there and everything."
"I-Alright, I-I guess something is bugging me," Sam admitted.

"Well what is it?" Carly asked. "Is it your mom again?"

"Nah, she's in Puerto Rico until next Monday," Sam replied.

"Is it school?"
"No."
"Well then is it you and Freddie?" Carly asked gently.

"I-Yeah," Sam nodded.

"Oh no," Carly said, putting a sympathetic arm around the blonde. "Did something happen between you two? Did you have a fight?"

"No!" Sam moaned. "We-We've been great!"

Carly blinked, confused. "You've been great?"

"Yeah," Sam sighed.

"Okay…am I missing something here?" Carly frowned. "Since when is it a problem when things are going great between you and your boyfriend?"

"Because!" Sam said. "Do you know what we've done these past two weeks?"

"Er, do I want to know?" Carly asked.

"Last night I took him to the museum of science and history!" Sam told her. "The night before that, Freddie baked me a lasagna from scratch! And before that the two of us camped out in the park and stargazed and before that we spent the day proving this stupid myth we read online wrong."

"Stupid myth?"

"Yeah, we were goofing around on the web and we found this thing that said it's impossible to kiss someone for more than twenty minutes without stopping," Sam said. "And boy were they wrong."

"I'm still not seeing the issue here," Carly said. "So you've been having a lot of fun with Freddie. You know what I would do to finally find a guy who I'd have that much fun with?"

"But do you know how long its been since I messed with him?" Sam exclaimed. "Two weeks! Normally I can pull something at least five times a week. It's like…It's like dating the nub has suddenly made me soft! Instead of thinking of new ways to prank him, I'm thinking of which movie he'd like better for us to see!"

"Well, Sam," Carly chuckled. "Don't you think that maybe you not pranking Freddie as often is a sign of maturity and could mean that your relationship with him is really strengthening and-"

"What? No!" Sam scoffed. "It means Fredwad has gotten inside my head!"

"Okay, this is insane!" Carly said. "What? Are you going to break up with Freddie because you haven't had the urge to prank him in two weeks?"
"Of course not, I wouldn't break up with him," Sam said. "I love him. I just have to find the perfect way to get two weeks of torment into the perfect prank that will cause him just the right amounts of humiliation and annoyance. Want to help me brainstorm?"

"No!" Carly said firmly. "I will not help you think up ways for you to torture your boyfriend!"

"Oh come on, I'd do it for you," Sam said.

"Well I don't have a boyfriend, so ha!" Carly retorted.

"Ugh, fine!" Sam said, getting to her feet and heading to the fridge. "I'll think of something myself. Hey, does Spencer still have those fireworks in your storage unit?"

"No! No fireworks!" Carly said. "We're not going to have another Groundhog's Day incident!"

"You're no fun," Sam said, rolling her eyes. "Maybe it's a good thing you're not brainstorming with me."
She grabbed the pack of bacon from the fridge. "Anyway, I'll be up in the studio if you need me. I have to leave by seven, though. Freddie and I are going to see a play tonight."

"Hey," Freddie said later that evening, letting himself into the Shay's apartment.

"Hey," Carly said, looking up from her homework she was working on.

"Cool lawn chair," Freddie commented, looking at the lawn chair positioned in the middle of the living room.

"Spencer got it from the junkyard," Carly told him. "Its name is Bertha."
"Why did he name-"

"I don't know," Carly said, shaking her head. "But next time Spencer comes home with furniture from the trash, I'm confiscating his membership to that place."
"You need a membership for the junkyard?" Freddie frowned.

"Oh yeah, apparently it's a real exclusive place," Carly nodded.

"Huh…" Freddie said. "Well, anyway, is Sam here? She told me to meet her hear at seven so we could get to our play. We're seeing this show about a man who marries a computer. It's got weirdness for her and technology for me; it's the perfect scenario!"

"Yeah, she's upstairs," Carly said. "She's been working on this stupid plan for hours on how to-"

"Hey, baby!" Sam said, hurrying downstairs and cutting Carly off.

"Hey," Freddie grinned as Sam reached him and gave him a quick kiss. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah, let me just get my purse," Sam said. She stepped over to the counter where her purse was sitting. But before she took it, she quickly grabbed Carly's wrist.

"Guess what?" she whispered. "I did it! I just put the final touches on my best prank of Freddie ever!"

"Sam, is this really necessary?" Carly sighed. "Can't you just go enjoy a nice play with him like a normal couple?"

"We will enjoy the play," Sam said. "Right after I pull the prank of the century."

"Just don't hurt Freddie," Carly said.
"When have any of my pranks ever hurt him?"
"Let's see," Carly said. "We have the water park incident, the hot sauce fiasco, the scarecrow-"

"Hey! That scarecrow thing was his own fault!" Sam defended. "Everybody knows you don't try to take a scarecrow's hat off in the middle of crow season."

"Nobody knows that!"

"Sam?" Freddie called from the front door, where he was waiting. "You coming? The play starts in half-an-hour and we need to leave now if you want to have time to hit the snack bar."

"Coming!" Sam said, taking her purse and slinging it over her shoulder.

"You know," Carly sighed as the front door slammed shut behind the couple. "My brother's crazy, my best friends have the most dysfunctional relationship in the world…how the heck did I turn out normal?"

….

"I've never been to a play before," Freddie grinned as him and Sam entered the lobby of the theatre.

"Really?" Sam said.

"Nah, I was always more into actual movies," Freddie said. "You know, with the special effects and cool camera tricks."

"Well you're gonna love this," Sam smiled, giving him a short kiss. "With plays, if someone screws up, you get to see it actually happen!"

"How fun," Freddie chuckled. "Anyway, I think I see the concession stand over there. We should go get in line and-"

"Hey!" Sam said suddenly. "Is that Neville over there?"

"Neville?" Freddie frowned, spinning around in the direction Sam had just pointed. "Where?"

While his back was to her, Sam quickly reached into her purse and pulled out a live, black snake. She carefully reached over to Freddie's jacket pocket and skillfully slipped the reptile inside.

"Oh, um, my bad," Sam said quickly. "That was just some other dude."

"Good," Freddie said, taking her hand. "Because I'd hate to have Neville ruin this night for us."

He leaned down, giving her another kiss.

"I'll go grab us some popcorn," Freddie said. "You figure out where we enter for our seats."

"Sure thing," Sam nodded.

As she watched her boyfriend head off to the snack counter, Sam couldn't help but beam in pride. It had been a lot of work, but in the span of less than four hours she had managed to get ahold of a snake and teach it how to slither down a pair of pants. It was perfect. Freddie hated snakes! This would totally freak him out!

Mama's back in the pranking business, Sam thought happily to herself as Freddie returned with a large tub of popcorn and two sodas.

"Thanks," Sam said, taking the food.

"So where are our seats?" Freddie asked.

"Right over there," Sam nodded. "You have the tickets, right?"

"Yup," Freddie said as they started towards the theatre entrance, reaching into his pocket. "Here they are right-ah!"

Freddie pulled his hand out of his pocket to reveal the snake wrapped around his wrist.

"What-What the-snake!" Freddie yelled in fright, waving his arm frantically as he tried to get the creature off. "Snake! Get it off! Get it off!"

He began jumping around, not paying any attention to his surroundings.

"Aw man!" Sam laughed, dropping her popcorn. "This is hilarious! That thing was supposed to slither down your pant leg, but this is pretty funny too! This is-"

Just then Freddie, who was still causing a giant commotion trying to free himself of the snake, suddenly backed over towards the stairs near one of the theatre entrances that led to the pit seating.

Sam quickly stopped laughing. "Freddie!" she yelled. "Freddie, watch out!"
But it was too late.

Before Sam could do anything Freddie had lost his balance and began tumbling down the flight of stairs.

"Freddie!" Sam gasped, pushing everybody out of her way as she raced down the stairs after him.

He was laying at the bottom, wincing in pain.

"Freddie!" Sam exclaimed, dropping to his side. "Baby, are-are you okay!"

"No!" Freddie moaned. "My-My ankle!"

Sam looked down at his leg and felt her stomach dropped when she saw the angle of his leg.

…..

Carly was right, Sam thought sadly as she paced back and forth in the hospital waiting room. I shouldn't have done that prank. I should've just sat through the play and had a good time with Freddie like any sane person. What if he's really hurt and it's all my fault? What if he hates me after this? I mean he fell down stairs because of me! I'd hate me! What if-

"Sam!"

Sam spun around to see Carly and Spencer racing over to her.

"I got your text!" Carly said, catching her breath. "What happened? Why's Freddie in the-Oh Sam…please tell me you didn't-"

"It was an accident," Sam said softly. "I-I didn't mean for him to get hurt. I-I was just joking around. Like-Like I've always done."

Spencer put a comforting arm around her as Sam stared intently at the floor.

"Well is-is he okay?" Carly asked, lowering her voice.

"I-I don't know," Sam said. "I think his ankle is broken and he was bleeding a little behind his ear so I think he hit his head…God, this all my fault!"
"Look," Carly sighed. "You-You should blame yourself right now. Let's just focus on Freddie and-"

"Is Freddie Benson's party here?" a nurse asked, stepping into the waiting room.

"Here!" Sam said at once, hurrying over to the nurse. "How is he? Is he okay?"
"Mr. Benson will be just fine," the nurse smiled. "He suffered a slight sprain in his ankle and had to get three stitches, but he'll be clear to leave within the hour."
Sam let out a long breath of relief. "Well can I see him?" she asked. "Where is he?"

"He's in room 476," the nurse said. "I can take you up if you'd-"

But Sam had already pushed past her.

When she reached the fourth floor, she quickly scanned the hall for room 476, spotting it by a water fountain.

She stood outside the room for a moment, bracing herself for the worse before she slowly entered.

Freddie was sitting on a white hospital bed, already changed out of his hospital gown. Sam looked down and saw that he had a heavy, tan bandage wrapped around his left ankle.

"H-Hey," she said, giving him a small smile.

Freddie looked up. "Hey," he replied.

"So, um…the-the nurse told me your ankle isn't broken," Sam said.

"Oh yeah, it's just a sprain," Freddie nodded. He picked up a pair of crutches from his side. "Still got to use these for a few weeks, though. At least I'll get out of that mile run in gym class."

Sam sat down on the chair next to his bed. "Um…Freddie? That-That snake that was in your pocket…I-I was the one-"

"You put it there, didn't you?" Freddie finished for her.

Sam nodded, looking down at her lap.

"Well, I guess I should be relieved that there aren't wild snakes just sneaking their way into my pockets on their own then," Freddie said, giving a small chuckle.

"I didn't mean for you to wind up in the hospital with a busted ankle," Sam told him.

"Yeah, I know," Freddie said.

"I just-I just wanted to mess with you," Sam said. "You know, like-like I've done for years."
"Especially since you've gotten in kind of a rut these past couple of weeks, huh?"
"Yeah," Sam sighed. "You've noticed?"

"Of course I have," Freddie smirked. "And I got to say…I kind of missed it."

Sam looked up. "Why aren't you mad? I mean…you fell down a flight of stairs because of me."

"Because," Freddie said, patting the space on the bed next to him for her to come sit with him. "When we became friends a long time ago, I kind of accepted that hanging around you could come with some risks at time. But you know what? Those risks are kind of worth it for you."

"Unbelievable…" Sam said, shaking her head. "I caused you real, physical damage, and you're still being insanely cheesy-sweet."

"Look," Freddie said. "I know you would never pull a prank intentionally meaning to hurt me. This was just an accident; a fluke. I'm not going to get mad over it."

"You're not?" Sam asked, hardly daring to believe it.

"I told you a long time ago," Freddie said, his eyes sparking. "My life would be too weird if you didn't pull pranks on me."

He leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on her lips. "Just promise me one thing? Never do anything with snakes again. I hate those things."
Sam laughed. "I think I can manage that."

"Oh," Freddie added. "Of course I am going to need some extra help getting around while I'm on these crutches. You know, carrying my books to class, holding my lunch tray-"

"Don't push it, nub," Sam smirked. "But…I guess I can help you out a little. You're on your own with that lunch tray thing though. You know I have to use both hands to carry my own trays."