Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews and the favorite story notifications. It means a lot to me since I am so new to the fandom. You guys are awesome.

So, there isn't going to be much talking about what happened in the past in this chapter. It just doesn't feel right for them to actually discuss anything. They seem to just let it bubble under the surface. I assure you that it will be addressed in the future.

Disclaimer: I do not own iCarly nor am I profiting from this work.

Traveling by bus from Boston to New York the day before Thanksgiving was hell. Despite the cold outside, the bus was hot and cramped making it impossible for Freddie to study. And he kept regretting his choice to travel to New York. What would he say to her? What would she say to him? What if she hurt him? Doubts continued to plague him as he made his way to the small club Sam was performing in.

The club was small and intentionally decorated to look like a dive bar from the 1950s. Except dive bars in the 1950s didn't offer fourteen-dollar martinis and ten-dollar beer. It was filled with trendy hipsters who all seemed to want to be anywhere else. He didn't actually recognize any of the beers on the list, his drinking was limited to the odd keg party, and so he picked the cheapest one available, not cheap enough for his tastes. He smiled when he realized he still used the fake ID Sam had given him in High School. She had made them for all three of them when they wanted to get into a twenty one and over concert.

"Holy shit. I am going to see Sam tonight. Holy shit." Was a constant refrain in his mind.

"I don't even know why they bother with these things. The comedy scene in New York is so over. It is like no one is really real for real you know?"

"I was thinking the same exact thing."

Freddie settled into the back of the club and listened to the two people next to him and wondered why anyone would go to an event they seemed to have such disdain for. Listening to the various shades of douchebag that surrounded him kept him entertained until the lights dimmed and someone took the stage. It was a skinny young comedian who performed joke after joke with no context. Freddie thought some of his stuff was hilarious but the crowd just seemed to grow more convinced that the comedy scene was dead in New York.

And then Sam came on. Just Sam. And it all came back. Over the past two years he had thought about certain aspects of her constantly. On days when he hated her for leaving he remembered an evil bully. On days when he missed her by his side he remembered an affectionate girlfriend. On days when he felt he couldn't do anything to keep up with his work he remembered a lazy slob who always seemed to get by on a fraction of the effort. They very rarely coalesced into one complete human being in his mind. But there she was. She was a complete complex human person who actually existed. What the hell did he have to say to this real human being? He considered leaving until she started to speak and then he couldn't have left if he wanted to.

"So, here is the deal. My improv group, Awkward Compliment, is performing. This guy Chet was supposed to open for us but his girlfriend caught him hooking up with some guy and now he is in the hospital. You guys would have hated him and I know how much you all enjoy hating. So, I am sorry you will miss that. But I am going to stand here and talk for about fifteen minutes. And you will laugh because I am funny. And because you are all here the night before Thanksgiving because you don't have families that love you. So you need to feel better about your selves for a little while. Then my group will perform. And you will laugh more."

With that speech, Sam began to talk. She didn't really tell jokes or put any effort into making people laugh. She just talked. She told stories about her mother's boyfriends and unsuccessful beauty regimens. Stories about her uncles and cousins and their difficult relationships with the police. She told stories about this guy she dated in high school who had an insane mother, which made him smile broadly. She told a story about this guy she dated after high school who wore women's underwear, which made him want to blow his brains out. Mostly it was like an afternoon in Carly's living room. Except he had to share her with fifty people all transfixed. They laughed because she was funny. But, more than that, they loved her. They loved her for not caring whether or not they loved her. They loved her for just being honest. They loved her for her beauty and… and maybe he was transferring some of his feelings onto the crowd.

But in that moment he got how Sam turned her abnormality into her greatest strength. It is what fueled her humor, her outlook, her ability to captivate people. He had known he was in love with her since long before she kissed him in that lock-in. He had never known why until that moment. He had been an idiot.

She talked for about twenty-five minutes and then her improv group came on. There were three guys of varying sizes and Sam. All of them were very funny and he enjoyed it very much. The crowd enjoyed it, too. But it wasn't as magical as Sam speaking to the crowd. Not for him anyway. Towards the end of the set, Sam was taking suggestions from the crowd to work into their routine as she scanned the room for usable suggestions her eyes locked with his. Freddie's heart stopped in that moment but he managed to give a half wave and smile. Sam quickly shrugged it off and went back to her set.

After the show was over Freddie rushed outside to the exit. He didn't want to miss Sam if she tried to run away from him. He needn't have worried. Somehow she was out there waiting for him with a smirk.

"That club can get some pretty lame customers but none have been this bad." Sam said by way of greeting.

"Uh… yeah… we are on a lame convention tour… for… uh… lame people." Freddie was a bit out of bantering practice.

"Is that where you learned that joke?" She asked but she opened her arms wide for a hug. Freddie didn't hesitate before pulling him into his arms and lifting her slightly off the ground.

"Sam. I can't believe it is you." He whispered into her hair before letting go.

"In the flesh, Fredward. Hey, these are my friends." Sam turned around to introduce him to her companions "Jake, Matt, and Fat Matt. Guys, this is Fredward Benson."

"Sup, man. Me and Fat Matt loved iCarly. Matt never heard of it." Jake said shaking his hand. "Coming to the bar with us?"

"Oh, I don't think."

"Freddie and I are going to go catch up. I will drink you guys under the table after dinner tomorrow." Sam answered. "Later." And with that Sam grabbed Freddie's hand and pulled him away from the club.

"Those guys are like Jewish grandmothers trapped in the bodies of thirteen year old girls. They gossip like it is their job. I figured we shouldn't be around them." Sam explained. "You want to grab a bite to eat? Or do you have to head back to school?"

"I don't have to be anywhere, at all. I would love to get some food or something." The butterflies in his stomach would make it impossible for him to eat. But he didn't want to let her out of his sight. Plus, if she suddenly remembered she hated him it would be better if she had food to keep her calm. "God, Sam, it is really good to see you. Like, really good."

"Yeah. People always enjoy seeing me. I get that a lot. Look, the night before Thanksgiving is kind of nuts around this area. College kids before a break, you know? Do you want to just come back to my place and order in?"

"YES. Uh… yeah. That sounds good. I guess."

He followed obediently to the subway and onto a car. The train wasn't too full but she stayed close to him as they chatted casually about very safe topics. What Freddie was studying in school, how long Sam had been doing comedy, how disappointing the Community finale had been. Sam led him off the train and onto another one. This second train was packed and smelled vaguely of urine. Sam was pressed tightly against him the entire time. As the train continued on its journey more and more people exited the train making seats available and Sam sure did love to sit. But she stayed pressed up against him. That moment in the crowded smelly subway car was the best moment he had had in two years.

Sam led him off the train and up into what looked like an industrial area. He assumed they weren't in Manhattan, anymore, but he had no idea where he was or really how they had gotten there. He had a vague notion that Sam might just abandon him there with no way to get home as revenge for kissing Carly those years ago. But she just led him up to what looked like a big factory. She ushered him into the front lobby where a sleep security guard gave her half a nod and then into an elevator.

As the elevator doors closed Sam shocked him by reaching up and pressing her lips against his. Freddie was startled and confused but he knew from past experience that failing to react to a kiss from Sam had disastrous consequences. So he wrapped his arms around her, pressed her against the side of the elevator and attacked her lips with his own. Sam gave a grunt of surprise at his escalation before nibbling his lips with her teeth and darting her tongue between his lips teasingly. Their sudden make out session was brought to an end by the elevator doors opening. They disentangled and Sam dragged him toward what he assumed was the door to her apartment.

"Welcome to my place." Sam whispered before giving him a peck on the lips and leading him into a large loft apartment.

"Sam, maybe we should talk about…"
"Freddie, since when has talking ever lead us anywhere good?"

"Never." He responded.

"Exactly." Sam responded before pulling him into another scalding kiss.

Freddie still wasn't convinced this wasn't an elaborate revenge scheme that would leave him naked and abandoned in a random building. But he would be damned if he wasn't going to take that risk.