CHAPTER SEVEN

Leah was due in about a month and she hadn't talked to Spencer since she broke up with him. Of course it was hard on both of them. Spencer once again played phone commando by calling her every second of everyday. He left message after message on her phone. But as always, they went on answered. So he gave up and decided to distract himself with work. Carly wondered why Leah wasn't around anymore. Spencer explained to her without hesitation. Carly comforted Spencer "I can try and use iCarly to win her back for you. Would you want that?"

Spencer declined. If he was going to get her back, he'd have to do it himself and prove he was worthy enough for her.

It was hard on Leah as well. She went to appointments with Danica and even though she didn't want it to show, she missed Spencer a lot. She missed his artistic commentary on things, his goofiness, his smile, afternoons at the Shay loft just pigging out on Fladoodles and being in his arms while watching Extreme Housewives.

Today, the issue of Washington Socialite that Spencer was featured in came out. He and Carly had bought ten copies. He didn't know why but he just wanted ten issues. The magazine hailed him "one of Seattle's emerging talents" and "a genuine sculptor reminiscent of Harry Joyner's best years." After that, the work came pouring in. Businesses and socialites came calling, demanding one of a kind pieces from him and Spencer frequented his visits to the junk yard again. During one of those junk yard trips, Spencer wondered if Leah read the magazine.

In fact, she did. While accompanying Danica to the fancy pants grocery store, Leah stumbled upon the issue in the newsstands. She flipped through it and it made her cry. She thought that right now, they could be celebrating this. But instead, she bought two copies to support him.

One day, Spencer got a call that could change his life forever. The Pear computers company called asking if he would be able to make them a sculpture that would grace the front of their building. They offered to pay him half a million dollars and get him some good press. "Hold on a sec" Spencer told them as he held the phone away from his face and delivered such a high pitched scream, Carly came downstairs to check on him "What's going on? Did you glue yourself to the kitchen counter again?"

"I'll explain in a minute." He went back to the phone "Yes, I will do it! Alright, take care! Bye!" he put down the phone and ran up to Carly to hug her.

"Whoa, what's gotten into you?" Carly wondered.

"That was the Pear Computers company. They're going to pay me half a million dollars to make them a sculpture!" Spencer beamed.

"Oh my god, that's great!"

Spencer went straight to work on it. He told just about everyone. Granddad, Dad, Socko, Jeff, Sam, Freddie, Mrs. Benson, and even Lewbert. He told random tenants when he ran out of people to tell. The one person who he wanted to tell the most was the person who should have been one of the first to know. But he figured Leah still didn't want to talk to him so he just occupied himself with work.

For two weeks, Spencer worked long and hard. He had given up eating and sleeping and completely devoted himself to this project. It had to be right. It had to blow their minds away. By the end of the grueling two weeks, Carly woke up one morning to find Spencer asleep on the kitchen table with a giant ceramic colorful pear that had a another pear at the center of it that was glowing.

"Oh my god!" Carly's jaw dropped. She went to Spencer and woke him up "Spencer, this is amazing!"

Spencer slowly popped up "Is it?" he said weakly and then turned to be amazed by his own creation "This is fantastic! Like nothing I've never seen!"

"Yeah, you kinda made it…"

"I should lose sleep and stop eating often" he got up from the table "Well, I've gotta shower and take a nap. The Pear guys want this thing tonight…"

"Good luck! Hey, can I use the dry erase board tonight? We're doing crazy hangman tonight on iCarly."

"What's crazy hangman?"

"We're gonna put up a sentence and kids are gonna call the show and guess letters."

"What's so crazy about it?"

"Come on, it's like playing hangman with the whole country. That's pretty crazy."

In the evening, Spencer and Socko took the sculpture down to the Pear Computers building. Carly, Freddie and Sam were back at home getting ready for the show. Carly was upstairs getting ready and Sam was raiding the fridge. Freddie came through the door with some of his supplies when he saw Sam digging into a bowl of chili.

"What are you looking at?" she spat.

Freddie didn't say anything else. He rushed upstairs to continue setting up for the show.

Meanwhile, Leah sat at home doing some work on her laptop. Midway into typing, she felt a pain in her stomach. "Ow, ow, ow" she took a deep breath.

Back at the Shay loft, Carly and Sam readied themselves by dancing a little bit and drinking some water.

"And we're on the air!" Freddie held his camera and pointed at the girls.

"Hellooo people of earth and Florida! I'm Carly!" Carly introduced.

"And I'm Sam!" Sam chimed in.

"And you're tuning into iCarly!" the girls said in unison. "Today on iCarly, we're going to be playing a game of CRAZY HANGMAN!!"

"With the permission of your parents, call our number here and get your hangman on!"

Back with Leah, the pains in her stomach only meant one thing. The baby was coming. She packed her things and called next door. Danica and the family were out of town. "Shit" she muttered. She then dialed Spencer. All she got was his voicemail. She called several more times and then called his place.

"Looks like we've got another caller!" Carly said "Hey! You're on iCarly!"

"Carly? It's Leah…"

"Leah! Hi! What's up?"

"Are you up for some CRAZY HANGMAN?" Sam asked.

"Not right now. Um, is your brother home? I've been trying to reach him…"

"He went to drop his sculpture off at the Pear computers company. Did you try his cell?"

"I did. I got nothing." Leah sounded like she was in pain "Ow, ow, ow…"

"Are you okay?" Carly asked.

"The baby is coming!" Leah moaned with pain.

"The baby is coming!" Carly panicked "Okay Leah, um, hold on. I'll try and get someone alright?"

"Okay. Just, hurry!"

Freddie turned off the phone line. "Okay, iCarly viewers! We're ending the show early tonight so um-"

"Go out and run a mile!" Sam added. And after that, Freddie took the show offline. The three ran downstairs.

"Okay, Freddie, you go and ask your Mom if she can get Leah to the hospital, Sam you call Leah back and Zaplock her address, I'll keep calling Spencer…" Carly said and everyone went their separate ways.

Meanwhile, Spencer and Socko are talking with the Pear people. His phone is out of range where the building is at. He is talking and getting great feedback on his work and yet still unaware of the madness back at home.

A few minutes later, Mrs. Benson and the kids are pulled up in front of Leah's building. Carly, Sam, and Freddie run to her door and ring the doorbell.

"Hey guys!" she greets and Carly escorts her towards the car "Did you reach your brother yet?"

"Still trying. He WILL be there. Mrs. Benson will get you to the hospital."

Leah got inside the car as Sam and Freddie followed behind with her suitcase. They arrived at St. Schneider's as two nurses got Leah into a wheelchair.

"Where's the father?" one of the nurses asked.

"Not here. Yet." Carly answered.

Spencer and Socko said goodbye to the Pear guys and were heading back to the car. Spencer was feeling like he was on top of the world with a hefty paycheck in his hands. As they got on to the freeway, his phone started getting reception and was beeping "Five voicemails…" he said as he checked.

"Spence, its Leah. Um, the baby is coming. I would appreciate that you call me back ASAP…"

Spencer was quietly taken aback. He checked the other messages before saying anything.

The voicemails that followed were two more from Leah and two from Carly. The latest one informing him that they were at St. Schneider's.

"You have to get me to St. Schneider's" Spencer demanded to Socko.

"What happened?"

"Leah's having the baby…"

And just like that, Socko stepped on it and hightailed to the hospital. Spencer called Carly.

Carly was sitting in the room with Leah who was in pain while Dr. Stone was trying to turn the baby. Carly's cell rang and she answered it "Spencer where are you??"

"I just got the messages and I'm getting there right now. How is she?"

"Well, she's four centimeters dilated. Right now, the doctor is trying to turn the baby so its head doesn't get stuck with the cord. You have to get here now!"

"Is that Spencer?" Leah asked groaning with pain.

"Yeah."

"Let me talk to him."

Carly handed the phone to her "Where are you Spence?"

"Leah! Hi! Um, I'm on my way and I'm thinking of stopping home before getting there so I can get the camera and-"

"NO! FUCK THAT! THE DOCTOR HAS HIS HAND UP MY VAGINA AND IT HURTS LIKE SHIT! AND THAT'S NOT EVEN THE BAD PART YET! GET HERE RIGHT NOW! I'M NOT FUCKING AROUND!" she then hung up the phone and took a deep breath.

"Touché" Carly said.

A few minutes later, Spencer was at the hospital and was coming up the elevator seeing Mrs. Benson, Freddie, and Sam in the waiting room.

"Hey guys!" he said running towards them.

"They're right in that room over there. Good luck!" Mrs. Benson said as he left.

The turning was done and Leah laid back with her eyes closed. Carly was sitting with her when they heard they door open.

"Hey" Spencer came in.

"Hey!" Carly hugged her brother. Spencer hugged her back and then looked back at Leah who looked glad to see him.

"How are we doing?" he asked smiling.

"We're doing fine. Just not out of the woods, yet." Leah replied holding his hand.

Back at the waiting room, Mrs. Benson went to get coffee as Sam sat there eating a bag of chips from the vending machine. Freddie watched her. He watched her anxiously. The last time he got personal with her, he got burned. But this time, he hoped all the new courage he had developed would help him this time.

"Hey" he said as he sat next to her.

"Ugh" she groaned disgusted at him as she turned her back towards him.

"Pretty crazy that we're all here because Spencer and Leah are having a baby you know? Cuz like, that baby brought them together and stuff…" Freddie tried making small talk.

"Did I ask you to speak to me?" Sam spat turning back to him.

"No, I'm just saying, you know? It kinda reminds me of this one time…like in Home Ec…"

Remembering it sent a bolt through Sam. She slowly stopped eating and tried to avoid it by going to the vending machine for more food. Freddie followed behind her.

"You remember Home Ec, right? If you don't, let me refresh your memory…" he went to his backpack and brought out the baby doll they used for the project.

Sam's eyes boggled seeing the plastic doll in his hands. Freddie was saving it for after they did the show to tell her. "I hated that thing!"

"Oh, yeah? Why don't you tell it to its face?" he shoved the doll in her face.

Sam viciously grabbed the doll and shoved its head into the vending machine opening. Freddie's jaw dropped at Sam's rotten move "How could you?"

"It's a doll! Get over it!" Sam went to go back to her seat.

Freddie sighed and went up to her "Okay, you know what? I'm not sure I want to be in a relationship with you anymore! You know why? You are a cold hearted witch, Samantha Puckett! You are an Ice Queen! You make guys wonder why they waste their time on you when they could be with someone genuine and sweet. You will be alone forever!" he went back to his seat and looked away from her.

Sam sat there totally taken aback. She sadly looked down rudely awakened by Freddie. Mrs. Benson came back with a cup of coffee in hand and looked at Freddie who looked like he had all the steam blown out of him. "Honey, you look sick" she felt his head.

Meanwhile, Leah was pushing and pushing screaming every curse word in the world. She was breaking out a sweat as Spencer was holding her hand and encouraging her.

"Shit, shit, fucking shit! Give me the drugs!" she cried.

"I think you should give her the drugs" Spencer added.

"We can't do that right now. The cervix is fully dilated." Dr. Stone said.

Leah panted and pushed "Please, please just give them the drugs. Spencer, make them give me the drugs!"

"I can't. It's up to them."

"Okay Leah, you ready? Here comes another contraction. Okay now, push!"

Leah pushed and screamed and cursed once again. Spencer took a deep breath watching her and left the room. Carly saw him and followed him "Where are you going?" she asked finding him in the hallway breathing heavy and hard.

"I can't believe this is happening" he paced "I'm only twenty six and I'm about to be a father! I haven't even gone backpacking through Europe yet or lived in India for a year or lived on a boat for a month and now I'm going to be a father?"

"Spencer!" Carly made him stand still "I know you're in panic mode right now but believe it or not, it's happening! And it may not be what you planned but this just might be the greatest moment of your life! Leah needs you right now so go back in there and support her!"

He looked into Carly's eyes. He then hugged her "What would I do without you?" he then pulled away "Come on!" he went back inside the room as Carly followed behind him.

Leah was crowning when Spencer and Carly came back inside the room. "Where did you go?" Leah cried "Don't leave me, please!" she screamed some more.

"I went out to take a breath but I'm back right now." He caressed her forehead and kissed her.

In the waiting room, Mrs. Benson, Freddie and Sam heard her screams. Freddie and Sam looked panicked. "Relax, she's only crowning." Mrs. Benson said.

Socko came up the elevator with a camera in his hand "Is she done? Did she have the baby yet? Where are they?" Mrs. Benson pointed towards the room and Socko ran inside. He went into the room and Leah was screaming, sweating and pushing. She saw Socko.

"GET OUT!" she growled. Socko quickly ducked out and went back to the waiting room.

Sam had been sitting there watching Freddie miserably. No one had ever told her off like that before. She walked towards him "Hey Fredward…"

"What do you want?" he spat. The tables had turned.

Sam sighed struggling with her words "Okay, you were right. I am a cold hearted with and an Ice Queen. And I didn't…" she sighed again "I really did like spending time with you. I didn't mean anything I said…"

"Gee, Sam, that means a lot to me…" he rolled his eyes.

"No, really, Freddie. It's just…you're too nice to me. And that's something I can't handle yet. But I'm willing to learn…" she smiled.

Freddie melted into her smile "Do you mean this?"

"Do you wanna find somewhere private and make out?"

"Yes!" and the two ran off. Sam paused and then went back to the vending machine to grab the doll.

Back in the room, Leah pushed and pushed and screamed and cursed. She held Spencer's hand so tight she was hurting him.

"One, two, three, push! You're past the shoulders. I want one more big push!" Dr. Stone advised.

Leah pushed harder and let out the mother of all screams. Spencer's life flashed before his eyes as Leah squeezed his hand tighter more painful than the last. Dr. Stone was between Leah's legs pulling out a little being. And there it was. A baby boy. A crying baby boy covered in placenta. Spencer's bewilderment turned into happiness "Leah, you did it!"

"I did it!" she beamed and sighed of relief.

Dr. Stone handed the baby to her. Spencer looked down at the little person "Oh my god" he smiled "He's gorgeous!"

Leah cradled the baby in her arms and smiled. She looked up at Spencer and smiled wider "I love you, Spencer."

"I love you, too" he kissed her forehead "Carls, come see the baby!"

Carly went towards them and looked at the little bundle of joy "Oh my god, he's so cute!" she smiled hugging Leah.

Leah kissed her on the cheek. Carly then hugged Spencer. "Thank you for being there for me" Spencer whispered in her ear.

"Its no problem" Carly replied. Spencer then kissed Leah "You did great!"

All of them took breaths of relief as Carly and Spencer went out into the waiting room to tell everyone.

"It's a boy!" Spencer beamed. Mrs. Benson and Socko went to congratulate him. Carly looked around and Sam and Freddie were nowhere to be found. "Uh, Mrs. Benson, where did Sam and Freddie go?" she asked.

"They ran into that corner." Mrs. Benson replied.

Carly went in that direction. Nothing. She heard giggling and sighing in the janitor's closet and opened it to find Sam and Freddie in an embrace. The two looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"Hi!" Sam said lightly.

"We can explain…" Freddie backed.

Carly shrugged it off "Explain later. Come on! Leah just had the baby! And it's a boy!" and the three ran into the birth room.

Carly, Sam, and Freddie walked into the room to see Mrs. Benson and Socko crowding around Spencer, Leah, and the baby.

"Come see the baby!" Leah smiled.

Sam and Freddie went towards her and watched the baby "He's just the cutest!" Sam smiled "Oh, and look! He's got Spencer's nose!" Freddie added.

"Yup!" Carly looked at the baby "That's a Shay nose!"

Sam and Freddie hugged and congratulated Spencer and Leah. After everyone had gone home, Spencer held the baby in his arms sitting by the bed. Carly was asleep at the foot of the bed and Leah woke up from her nap.

"Hey" she said.

"Get back to sleep, you" Spencer replied.

"Listen, Spence…I'm sorry I broke up with you. These hormones were driving me over the edge. And when I saw you with that other girl, I just completely lost it…that and I was afraid of my boobs looking like crap. You still love me, right?"

"Of course I do, Leah. All of this was crazy for me, too. I should have not let your sister bring my spirit down, you know?"

"You're going to be the greatest father, Spence."

Spencer kissed Leah and then two looked at their son. "Oh look, Spence! He does have your nose!"

"He has your eyes, too!"

Three Days Later

Carly grabbed a cake from the fridge and settled it on the table as Granddad pulled the chicken tetrazini out of the oven. Granddad had been watching Carly while Spencer spent time with Leah and the baby at the hospital. Today was the day they came home with the baby and the Shay loft was full of friends and family awaiting their arrival.

"Hello, hello!" Mrs. Benson came through the door holding a casserole "I brought Benson Beef Casserole!"

"Just put it on the table" Carly replied.

"Oh, and I knitted some booties for the baby!" she grabbed two booties from her bag "I used to knit booties for Freddie when he was baby…speaking of, Carly, have you seen Freddie?"

"He was just here…with Sam…maybe they're upstairs. I'll go check." Carly made her way upstairs and towards the studio to find Freddie and Sam making out on the bean bag chairs.

"Okay, I think you guys need to explain to me now…"

Hearing Carly's voice startled the two. "Well, um…" Sam started.

"We kinda sorta like each other…" Freddie trembled "It all started when we got paired up for Home Ec. And then Sam and I would-"

"Okay, that's enough. Well, come on, Spencer and Leah will be here soon." The three marched downstairs. Granddad, Mrs. Benson, Socko, Jeff, Tyler, Danica, Joey, and their kids were all gathered around. Carly got a call from Spencer letting her know that they were coming up.

"They're here!" Carly announced.

Everyone watched the elevator with anticipation. The front door opened and Spencer and Leah and the baby came in finding everyone watching the elevator "What's everyone looking at?"

Everyone turned around and crowded them wanting to see the baby and congratulated them. Every one took turns holding the baby and complimenting him. Most said he looked like Spencer with a touch of Leah.

"Have you guys decided on a name?" Carly asked.

"We did" Leah replied "Noah James Shay."

"She got to pick the first name and I got to pick the middle name." Spencer added.

The party went on as Spencer and Leah talked to everyone and Granddad held baby Noah. While Spencer talked with friends, Danica went up to him "Hey Spencer, do you mind if I speak with you?"

Spencer was a bit hesitant "Danica, if you're here to criticize me and tell me I'm not good enough for your sister, I don't want to hear it."

"No. I just want to tell you that I'm sorry. That was pretty bitchy of me. I read the Washington Socialite feature on you and you're not a bad guy. You're going to be a great father. I think I actually like you! Be good to Leah, alright?" she hugged him.

"You have my guarantee" he replied surprised that he was hugging her back.

In the evening, Leah put Noah to sleep in his crib near the bed. Carly said goodnight to Noah a few minutes ago and went off to bed. After that, Leah crawled into bed with Spencer.

"So Mrs. Benson gave me a few parenting books." Leah said as she snuggled against Spencer "And I don't know if it was intentional but one of them was a marriage book…"

"I don't know…what do you think?" Spencer asked holding her.

"I think it can wait. But when that time comes, I want you to marry me."

"Oh, so you're purposing to me? Don't you think that's a little untraditional?"

"We had this baby untraditionally…we can do a lot of things differently."

"I love you" Spencer kissed her.

Leah smiled and kissed him back "I love you, too." And they drifted off to sleep.

FIN.