Disclaimer: I do not own iCarly or any of the other characters on it.

"Do you ever think that maybe they can understand us?" Freddie asked as he and Sam stared down at a stray dog outside of the apartments. They were huddled together, staring down at it, as they waited for Carly to come out to meet them.

"I doubt it. Watch this," Sam said, taking a small step closer to the friendly dog. Freddie rolled his eyes as she said, "Hey idiot! Loser! Look at me, come here!" and the dog jumped up on her.

"I think its better to be nicer to animals, though," he made a face, and she shrugged and picked up the dog, setting it on the bench next to Freddie so they could both pet it.

They stroked it for a moment before Sam chimed in, "Aren't you being nice to it in even talking to it, though? Sometimes, maybe, someone craves attention from certain people enough that they wouldn't care if the other person was taunting it. Maybe it thinks that something, even insults, is better than nothing!"

Her face was bright red by the time she finished, and she covered it with her hair as she pet the dog. Freddie's hand brushed against her's as he continued petting it. He watched Sam carefully- with her hair in her face, she never got to see the grin he gave her.

"Maybe it does understand me, then," he said softly, and Sam shot him a quick grin before Carly came running out of the apartment doors.

My heart was pounding as Jason made a slightly disturbed face. He was wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase, which he dropped immediately when I came at him.

I half expected him to hit me, but realization flooded his face suddenly and he reached an arm out to catch me. "Samantha?" he asked at the same time I screamed, "I need to talk to Freddie!"

I had never heard a more beautiful thing than Freddie's voice on the phone as he said, "Sam?" in that panicked scream.

I had never heard a more tragic thing when Jason dropped the phone and the click sounded when it hung up.

"Samantha...why are you here? When did you get here? How did you get here? Is that...is that my ex wife in the car?" Jason asked in a voice that was beyond alarmed as he crouched down and stared at the figures in the car- they had all woken up, their eyes huge.

"I want to call Freddie! I need to talk to him!" I said in the old Sam voice. It was amazing, how feeling so close to Freddie's voice could make me feel on top of the world again. Jacob was at my side in a second, sitting on the same side of the car, and Carly jumped around to meet me, arriving at the same time as Mrs.- or should I say Ms now?- Benson.

Carly patted my shoulder, realizing that Freddie wasn't here. Her eyes were filled with pity- I hated her. I hated her for a fraction of a second, just because of that pity. That brought me back down to the shell of Sam instantly, horror the only thing able to fill my frame.

She never noticed the changing emotions on my face.

Jacob and Ms. Benson seemed to see, but Ms. Benson more than anything else. She put both of her arms around me, but I was already reaching out for the phone. It was awkward to not only the old Sam but the shell of Sam to have them all crowding around me. I wasn't used to all of this...understanding.

"Sam, maybe it's best if you don't call Freddie," Jason said stiffly, struggling hard to keep his eyes focused on either me or his nephew, and never his ex wife. I grimaced, shaking my head.

"I need to talk to him. You don't know how much I've done to get here!" I bellowed, and Jason leapt back. I thought I heard Carly make a near hissing noise at his rudeness, but when I looked at her the only thing hinting towards that was the narrowed eyes.

Then- I got me some luck of the Irish, I swear! - the phone rings. I dive at the same time Jason tries to pull it back, and I'm across the street pushing the answer button by the time he realizes the phone isn't in his hands anymore. Carly, Jacob and Ms. Benson all grinned at me as they 'accidentally' stood in a straight line in front of Jason and craned their ears.

"Hello, this is Sam Puckett," I said into the phone as businesslike as possible. Okay, so Jason had treated me kind of rudely so far, but I wouldn't screw up his business if this wasn't Freddie on the phone. Why, you ask? I don't know why. The old Sam would've answered, "House of losers, would you like me to pass you onto one?"

At least my voice was still a little sarcastic when I said it.

"Sam," Freddie whispered, not a question as most people would say. His voice seemed to knock the wind out of me- I fell lightly onto the grass of the house across the street immediately.

"Sam!" Freddie called to his friend when he saw her walking across the street. He smiled a tiny bit at the way she stopped in the middle of it, not caring if traffic came- even if the street was totally empty- and then looked automatically up to his window.

"It's eleven o' clock- what are you doing?" he asked, cocking his head to the side as she walked over to stand beneath his window. A fire escape ran along it, and she climbed onto it like it was a playground, pulling herself all the way off of the ground and up to where she could get her footing and then climb the rest of the way. She bypassed the stairs completely.

Freddie watched her with mingled respect, surprise, and worry.

"Oh, just strolling down the street. Climbing up fire escapes," she smirked as she stood in front of his window on the very edge of the top of the fire escape. He watched her nervously, locking his hands on the wrists she had on the windowsill.

"You're going to kill yourself," he said, as a faint blush circled on both of their cheeks.

Each mistook the other's blush for a reaction to the cold.

"You worry too much, Fredward. One of these days, your face is just gonna lock up like that," Sam snickered a bit at the indent between his eyebrows. Freddie rubbed his face on his sleeve, embarrassed, but still grinning as he watched her and held her pinned to the window.

"So why are you out this late?" he demanded, and Sam just shrugged.

"Carly was telling me something earlier and it just...it really bugged me. I didn't want to hang out over there." She clamped her mouth shut as soon as she said it, realizing she had said too much.

Freddie was shocked. "Well, what did she say?" he demanded. He couldn't remember very many times that Sam ever got offended at something Carly had said.

Sam wanted to tell him then, of course. She wanted to say, "Because she told me she just might like you! And I like you, and I can't even tell my best friend! I can't even tell you!"

But all she did was say, "I've gotta go, Freddork. Let go of my wrists." And Freddie obediently let go of her wrists.

"SAM!" he screamed when she tottered backwards, seemingly making no effort to stop herself. A hand on his chest shoved him back into the window.

"You're hanging on the fire escape!" he whisper-screamed when he saw Sam clinging with both hands to the edge, smirking.

"Really?" Sam mocked shock as she grinned at him for a moment, watching him with her head tilted to one side.

Freddie watched back, confused. He was back to leaning out of the window, terrified she would let go. It was a strange thing, he thought, to be so paranoid over Sam Puckett's possible demise.

"Have a nice night, Freddie," Sam said finally, and then she let herself drop.

The sound of feet thudding against the pavement drowned out Freddie's, "Be careful!"

Carly was there in a second, crouching next to me. She stayed silent, her eyes huge. She had never realized, I guess, the weight of how much I liked him. It seemed to come crashing down on her now.

"Freddie," I responded softly, because it was the only thing I could think to say. And then, I felt tears slide down my face, and I covered the phone to groan. I was crying now. Crying! I never cried!

"I hope he's happy," I muttered, and Carly smiled at me. It was another pity smile, but I didn't say anything. I didn't want to start blubbering.

Ugh.

"Sam, why...why are you with my dad?" he asked suddenly, confused. I should've expected that.

"Actually, I'm with Carly, Jacob and your mom. I'm only near your dad," I said, smirking a tiny bit. I could imagine him on the other line! Shocked, gasping, confused. His hair that shiny brown due to the gel, his eyebrows furrowed, that little indent forming between them...

"Jacob? Why...why are you like...what...whoa." he whispered in broken sentences, and then I found myself crying harder. It was an out of body experience, crying. Well, for me it was. It was strange. I didn't even feel the tears streaming down my face, but Carly was swiping at them with a tissue she had magically produced; only the tears just kept coming.

"Are you crying?" Freddie asked quietly, his voice astounded.

"I don't cry," I said in a muffled tone, and it was so pitiful both of us laughed.

"Tell him!" Carly mouthed, and I nodded obediently, preparing myself. I like you, Freddie! No. Why would I go traipsing around the USA just because I liked him? I love you Freddie! No, too scary. The last time I had talked to him we were arguing.

Hadn't I freaking thought of this? My tears bubbled up angrier now. I could feel myself crying. I could feel all of my emotions running out. I could feel my heart pounding, and I could feel every little tingle running down my body. I could feel every individual hair standing on end, and I could feel every goosebump forming. I could feel the sudden shift of my own temperature, and I could feel my cheeks heating up from frustration.

For the first time in so many weeks, I was so in control. I was going to say it! To tell him! To tell him how I felt!

I opened my mouth to speak.

"Can you...can you come over and talk to me?" Freddie asked slowly, interrupting me. His voice was so strong with confusion. His voice was so profound. His voice was everything for a moment, every goosebump, every hair, every patch of heat and every patch of cold, and every heartbeat. Just for a moment.

All of my will power died as I agreed.

Author's Note: I really enjoyed writing this chapter, actually. I love the flashbacks, and I love the way Sam gets so frustrated, because I can totally see it all in my head. xD Not being cocky, just amazed I could transfer such a vivid picture into words. Anyways, sorry for the long delays, I'll start working on those requests soon, thanks to the reviewers, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :D Oh, by the way, I'm also thinking that I might turn all of these chapters into songfics after I've finished...probably just for my own benefit, but if you have any song ideas I would be grateful. :D