Disclaimer: iCarly still remains Dan Schneider's.

A/N: Okay so I never did leave to be a carney. I got screwed over with that. But I haven't been working on this story either, and I apologize greatly for making you wait. I want to thank you for your reviews/faves/alerts and your patience. It means a lot.

This is a sort of short chapter. Thanks for reading.

Chapter 2

"Take your time, Benson."

Sam isn't one for patience. After all of the years that we've been friends, she has to be possibly the most impatient, aggressive person I know, but here she is, telling me to take my time. If the situation wasn't such, I would have thought she was planning my doom or something. Fortunately, this isn't the case, and I know it isn't going to be easy from here on out. What if she loses interest while waiting for me to make up my mind? Why do I doubt myself when it comes to Sam?

I sigh and roll onto my side, staring at the red numbers on my clock. It's nearly dawn and I haven't slept at all. I groan and wonder if she's awake. If she is, maybe she'll meet me on the roof if I text her. I sit up and reach for my phone, noticing something in the corner of my eye. Lying next to me in my bed is a person, more specifically the one I was about to text. She's smirking up at me, almost teasingly, and I scoot away from her, falling off of my bed in the process.

She laughs. "You're such a nerd, Benson."

How long has she been in my bed? No, better yet, how did she get in my bed without me noticing her? I haven't slept for even one minute. "Sam, how are you here?" I ask, prepared for some snide remark.

She smirks. "Well, when I got here, at first I thought you saw me, but it looked like you were so deep in thought you wouldn't have even noticed if the apartment was on fire, so I just got into bed with you and figured I'd make sure the place didn't burn down while you weren't paying attention. Oh, that and I was waiting for you to finally figure out I was here so you'd fall off the bed and ask me that ridiculous question." I roll my eyes and she helps me to my feet. "So are you going to feed me or what? It's breakfast time."

"It's not even dawn! Since when are you awake this early?"

She shrugs. "Since I decided to come and get something to eat. Is that a crime?" I shake my head. "Good, now please go make me some breakfast and I promise I won't hurt you." She pauses. "Unless you like pain?" She laughs at her own joke and leaves my bedroom, making her way to the kitchen. I follow and open the door to the fridge. "Jeez, do you have anything that isn't gross?" she mutters, and I glance at her, thinking. There should be the stash of fat cakes that I hid from my mom… "Yo, nub, are you in there?"

I nod. "I was just thinking of whether or not I have anything for you. Wait here." I return to my room and pull out my desk, reaching into the hole in the wall that I "accidentally" kicked when I was grounded for two weeks. Don't even ask why. Apparently my mom will ground me for anything that isn't "what a respectable boy should do." My hand found the handle of the plastic grocery bag and I remove it from its hiding space. I only have ten left, but I'll just buy more later.

Sam's face lights up like a Christmas tree when she sees the bag in my hand. I set it down on the table in front of her and pour a glass of orange juice, handing it to her as well. Pouring my own glass, I watch her as she devours all ten of the snacks and washes them down with the juice. "How in the hell do you have these when you live with a psychopath who I swear is out to destroy all of the good things in life?"

I smirk at her description. "I have ways. By the way, that was all I have, but I'll get more. Just don't make it a habit to sneak into my room…wait, aren't you supposed to be at Carly's?"

She shrugs. "Well, I was, but then Carly started having this dream and…she got kicky. So I came here." She narrows her eyes at me. "Why weren't you asleep, by the way? Or do you always get up this early?" I shake my head. "Benson, it's been three days. You can't still be thinking about what I said…"

I nod. "Sam, look, I know it was easy for you to just say you have feelings for me, but…"

"I never said it was easy, Fredward. I humiliated myself at your birthday party and ran away from you just so I could try to stop feeling this way. I completely understand if you don't feel the same, and I'll just get over it. I mean, how hard could it be?" She sighs. "I'll just go back to Carly's…"

I grab her arm, my grip less than gentle. She needs to understand. "Sam, just listen to me. You didn't humiliate yourself. And I don't care what you say about getting over your feelings. I never gave you an answer and it's my own fault. I really don't want to rush into anything and tell you that I made the mistake of doing so. It's been three days, and I have made a decision, just not the one you're really going to want to hear." She bows her head sadly, and I cup her chin, raising her face so her eyes will meet mine. "Sam, go on a date with me. You pick the day and time and place and whatever else you want."

"Freddie…"

I shake my head. "I mean it. Just one date. Please. Just don't put yourself down and don't push me into something I might not be ready for." She hesitates and then nods. "Are you tired or anything? Do you want to go to sleep?"

"Isn't it a bit early to be sleeping in your bed?" She laughs and I blush. "Oh come on, Benson, I'm just kidding. I could use some sleep." She disappears into my bedroom and I sigh, wondering if I'm even going to be able to sleep with her in my bed. I glance toward my bedroom to find Sam standing in the doorway, arms crossed. "Are you coming?" she asks. I nod slowly and follow her into the room, crawling between the sheets. Sam slides in next to me and rests her head on my chest, her arm around my waist. I wrap my arm around her and close my eyes. "Goodnight, Benson," she murmurs and she's asleep.

"Goodnight, Sam."

A/N: Freddie wants to go on a date with Sam, but how will it turn out? Will Freddie ultimately choose to have Sam as his girlfriend or will they just stay friends?