Author's Note: This is the only chapter that would have featured an iCarly webcast. I choice not to do anything with the webcast for the simple reason that I believe that both the writers of iCarly, and the talented duo of Miranda Cosgrove and Jeanette McCurdy are just to awesome for me to even remotely copy their talents. They rock, and I wouldn't do them justice. The webcast doesn't have anything to do with the story anyway. Hope you enjoy the chapter though – kwags74

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the rights to iCarly, but it would be freakin' awesome if one of us did!

Chapter 8

"Guys, we're on in two minutes!" Freddie yelled from the iCarly studio as he was making some final preparations for the webcast.

"Keep your pants on Freddork, we're coming." Sam answered from the lower floor as her and Carly had each grabbed a Peppy Cola out of the fridge and climbed into the elevator.

"Omigosh," Carly said excitedly, "my actual first date with Danny is tomorrow night, and I don't think I can wait a minute more!"

"Hooray," Sam replied somewhat sarcastically; then she frowned. Oh great, like I really want to hear about Mr. Wonderful yet again.

As Carly was rambling on about Danny, Sam began reminiscing about the past couple of days. She and Carly had finally talked about the locker incident the previous day, and finally Carly understood why Sam had gotten upset on Wednesday. They made up as expected, and she told Sam that she would talk to Danny about the incident. Sam really didn't care if Carly talked to him or not, because Sam wasn't gonna like Danny anymore anyway.

Danny had felt terrible about the misunderstanding at the locker, and tried to apologize to Sam yesterday, but Sam merely shrugged off his apology. She later told Carly that she would tolerate Danny, but she was never gonna be friends with him. And now, Sam has had to listen to Carly constantly talk about him for the last couple of days.

The elevator door finally opened (much to Sam's relief), and they both got out of the elevator. They set their colas down on the table behind Freddie's tech equipment, and made their way in front of the camera.

Freddie was making one final inspection of the equipment when Sam hollered, "Good Lord, aren't you ready yet?"

"Hey," he shot back, "I always make sure that the equipment is in good running order before we start." Freddie walked up to his position in front of the girls with camera.

"Aren't you going to be sure the cover is off the lens before you start rolling?" Sam asked. Shocked, Freddie turned his camera around to find out if it was still on. "Made you look!" Sam laughed.

Freddie, annoyed, turned the camera back on the girls, "Gee Sam, that was real funny," he remarked.

So much for that peaceful afternoon a couple of days ago, he thought. Sam was right back to her old self Thursday after her and Carly cleared the air. He was still taking abuse from her, although it hasn't been quite as harsh as he's use to getting from her.

Freddie held up his right hand and spoke to the girls, "Here we go, in 5, 4, 3, 2…" Freddie had brought his hand down and pointed to the girls to start the webcast…

XxXxXxXxXx

"…and we're clear." Freddie hollered as the webcast came to an end. He smiled at them, "Another great show!"

The girls were about to thank him, when they heard Spencer's voice shout from the lower floor. "You guys rocked, tonight!"

"Thanks!" The girls hollered back down the stairs.

"Man, I'm hungry," Sam stated as she grabbed her Peppy cola and started down the stairs. Her friends grabbed their sodas and followed her down the steps.

Spencer was busy picking up the apartment and doing a little fall cleaning. He had taken a break from his cleaning to watch the webcast, and now he began to pick up from where he left off. Now that the web show was over, he could make all the noise he wanted. So he started singing, which Carly and her friends thought was really "just noise".

Sam had reached the fridge and was pulling out the bread and some left over ham. She quickly made herself a sandwich, and began chowing it down. Carly came to join her in the kitchen, and watched her eat. Carly could only smile and shake her head as she watched her friend go to town on the sandwich.

Freddie took a seat outside the kitchen, and was sitting at the computer deciding to go through the comment boards they received of their broadcast. He had just begun reading one, when Spencer hollered for him.

"Yo, Freddo," Spencer hollered from the living room. He was standing at the television, and was about to water some flowers that he put up there when something was stuck in the flowers.

Freddie got up from his chair and walked over to Spencer, "Yeah, what is it?" He asked.

Spencer turned to him, "Were you aware that you had one of your little web cameras were hiding in my flowers?" He asked suspiciously.

Sam looked up from her sandwich, and began to turn white. Oh, no, she thought, I forgot to get that camera and put it away.

"You found what in your flowers?" Freddie asked puzzled.

Carly intervened, "I didn't realize you had flowers in the apartment, Spence."

"Oh yeah," Spencer chirped happily, "they're for the ladies…when I have ladies over."

"When was the last time you had a lady over?" Carly asked grinning.

"Yeah…well…anyway, here you go, Freddie." Spencer squeaked as he handed Freddie the web camera.

"I wonder how long that's been there." Freddie asked to nobody in particular, "I know I had it with my stuff during last Friday's web show…"

"Yeah, you'd lose your brain if it weren't attached to that goofy head of yours." Sam chipped in as she was finishing her sandwich.

"Oh yeah Sam, let me know when you actually get a brain!" Freddie shot back; then he took the camera and ran back up the stairs to the studio.

Sam got down off her chair and decided to chase him up the stairs, "Quit stealing my lines, and come up with something original, you big dork!" She hollered. She disappeared up the stairs.

"Spencer?" Carly asked as she grabbed a pitcher to fill with water so that she could help water the flowers, "will those two ever get along?"

"In time, little sis," he replied as he was straightening the flowers, "in due time."

XxXxXxXxXx

Freddie was bending down putting his web camera back in its case in the studio, when Sam caught up with him.

"Didn't your mom ever teach you to put your toys away when you were through playing with them?" She asked slightly out of breath.

Freddie looked up and said plainly, "Well, didn't your mom teach you that it's not nice to take other people's things without asking them first?"

Sam narrowed her gaze, "What are you talking about?" She asked defensively.

"Oh come on, Sam," Freddie replied rolling his eyes, "Don't try to tell me that you didn't take out my webcam. You're always getting into my stuff, for who knows what reason." He shut the camera case back up and he stood up to put it where it belonged. "Probably just to annoy me," he finished.

I hope he doesn't ask me why I used the camera, Sam thought as she watched him put it away. "You know me," she stated a little sarcastically, "I just love to do things to you to watch you squirm."

Freddie began to walk back across the room toward Sam, he looked at her sadly as he walked and passed by her to have a seat on a beanbag chair.

Sam didn't understand the way Freddie looked at her, so she turned to him and asked, "What's the matter with you?"

Freddie looked up at her from the beanbag chair, "I thought that maybe after the day we had Wednesday, and the way we opened up and talked so well, that maybe I might still see that side of you now." He said with a hint of disappointment.

Sam sighed, then went over to the other beanbag chair in the room and sat down next to Freddie. "Freddie, I wasn't having a very good day that day. You know that." She said calmly.

He replied to her just as calmly, "So you're two different people when you're having two different kinds of days?"

She darkened her brows, "And you don't react the same way? You act like the same person when you're having a bad day versus having a good day?"

Freddie shook his head no. He just sighed, "I just thought that maybe we could try to be nicer to each other."

Sam quipped, "What fun is that for me?" She was trying to get Freddie to smile and go along with this, but wasn't getting a response from him.

"I wasn't saying that we couldn't tease each other, but I thought we could quit being so mean to one another." He replied rather blandly.

"Yeah, this is all great and dandy for you," Sam pushed forward raising her voice a bit, "but what do I get in return?"

"What do you want?" Freddie asked simply. He figured he was gonna have to compromise with his friend.

"Well…" she started, then stopped. Her expression changed, she became a little nervous of the request she wanted from him. She stood back up from the beanbag chair and began to slowly walk across the room to Freddie's equipment.

Alarmed by the fact that Sam was headed for his equipment, Freddie got up from his seat and followed her across the room, "Sam, what is it? What's the matter?" He asked interestedly.

Sam kept her back to Freddie, "I was called in to see my school consuelor today," she started quietly, "she said that I'm barely passing in my classes with an overall D- average. I guess she sent a note home to my mom earlier this week that my mom was supposed to sign and for me to bring back to school, and of course she didn't sign it." She started kicking at the floor, and she was holding her head down. "I was told today that since it appeared that I or my mom didn't care that I was doing so poorly, that I might get held back and not graduate on time."

"Sam," Freddie chimed in, "this is only the middle of September, are things that bad already?"

She nodded still looking down. "She told me that my lack of work is probably going to lead to me wanting to drop out of school," she paused for a second; then looked up and continued, "but she also told me that I still had time to get things right."

Freddie was looking down sadly as Sam spoke, but he looked to see that Sam had turned around to face him.

"Freddie…will you help me get my grades up?" Sam asked hoping for the right answer.

Freddie looked at her in surprise; then he smiled faintly, "You want to know if you and I can have study dates to try to save your education?"

Sam looked at him even more depressed, "Ugh! Do you have to put it that way? Dates! That's what you and Carly had."

"Okay, Okay," his smile broadening, "Sam, of course I'll help you! What kind of friend would I be if I refused you when you needed me the most?"

Sam finally brightened her face, "I thought maybe we could study for an hour or so every night, if that's okay with you?" She asked.

He nodded, "Sure."

Sam finally smiled, "Wow Fredward, you've come through for me twice this week; I think that's a record for you."

Freddie looked at her awkwardly but playfully, "What are you talking about? I come through for you on a daily basis."

Sam giggled. She then walked over to him, "Thanks Freddie." She said as she went to give him a hug.

Wow, another hug? He thought as he went to hug her back. I guess we are finally breaking some ground on our friendship. "Ugh!" He cried as Sam gave him a wedgie before she backed off.

"I told you that you got lucky the other day, didn't I?" She smiled at him with a gleaming in her eyes.

Freddie quickly adjusted his pants and stared at Sam with a twinkle in his eye. He held up his hands, wiggled his fingers and said to Sam, "Revenge!"

Sam's eyes widen and she saw what Freddie was up to. She squealed, "Don't you dare, Freddie." But it was too late.

He began to chase her around the room. Sam squealed from excitement as she ran to the stairs. Freddie was laughing at her, and followed her down.

A/N: I'd like to again thank everyone who has been sending reviews. A few of these chapters I'm on right now aren't going to be as dynamic as the last couple of chapters have been, but I hope you keep reading. I still have a ways to go yet.