"Sam! Sam, hurry up! Come on! We need to get going! We'll be late!
"Uggghh! Mel! Shut up now! I know that! It's those shoes! How am I supposed to run with those things?" The blonde complained to her twin sister, running after her as best as she could, with her high heels and without messing up her hair or dress.
"It's your own fault! Why did you have to celebrate so long!"
"Excuse me?! Because we just won the championship?! How could I not celebrate?"
"Samantha Puckett! Don't play dumb! You know exactly why! Spencer's wedding starts in 30 minutes and we still have to drive to the other end of town! I'm happy for you, but you don't want to miss this, do you?" Melanie turned and gave her a look, as she opened the cab-door for her sister.
"Yeah, yeah, I know, I hate it that you always have to be right." Sam grumbled as she got in.
"I know." Melanie smiled and got in after her, then she urged the cabdriver to hurry up, while she was frequently checking her watch.
Sam looked into the little mirror, Melanie had put into her purse. Melanie had pinned her still slightly wet hair up with bobbypins with little pearls on them, she had furthermore dragged her into her dress for the wedding, a bordeaux colored almost knee-long dress with heartshaped decoltée and a nice little band of pearls under her chest. Even Sam thought it was pretty, although it was a rather girly dress. Her make-up was fitting, but decent, Melanie had done well.
"Mel, relax, we'll be in time."
"Pah! In time!" Melanie snapped back. "We have only 20 minutes left and still a very long way to go!"
"Woaah, okay, Mel." Sam rather mumbled to herself than said to her sister and turned to look out the window. It was a sunny day in june and the sun was shining down on the twins in their cab. Sam had been shocked and highly depressed, when she had been informed, that their championship game was on Saturday, June 16th, the same day as Spencer's and Chelseas's wedding. Sam had tought that her team would have to play without her, although she knew that their chances of winning would decrease when she wouldn't be able to play. Now she knew, that they would've lost without her, because even with her playing it had been a terribly hard fight. But then, Melanie had stepped in and made her world spin again. Melanie had told her, that she didn't need to worry, she herself would come to her game to watch her and her team win, while Carly and all the others couldn't be there with her. She told her, that she would take care of Sam's hair, make-up and dress and that they'd still be in time for the wedding. Sam had spontaneously hugged her, she had never loved Melanie more than in this moment. She had burried her in "thank you"s and "you're the best"s and had even kissed her cheek, before Melanie had shoved her away, telling her that she was being creepy and should turn back to normal.
Sam grinned at the memory from a few weeks ago. It had been pure coincidence that Melanie had been there on that specific day.
"Come on come on come on," seemed to have become Melanie's mantra during their ride. Sam sighed and decided to give her sister some of the kindness back.
She grabbed Melanie's hand and squeezed it gently to calm her sister. Melanie's eyes widened in shock and she looked at Sam questioningly.
"It's going to be okay, Mel, I promise. They won't start without us." Sam smiled at Melanie and after a moent, Melanie smiled back and relaxed a little.
"Thanks, Sam." Melanie squeezed her hand back and leaned back in her seat.
30 minutes later, they turned up at the church where the wedding was held in. Melanie payed the cabdriver and they sprinted up the stairs to the entrance and burst through the doors.
Inside it was cool and quiet. They almost crashed together with the bride and her father who were just walking into the entrance-area from a little cabin to the side.
"Sam! Melanie!" Chelsea exclaimed, rushing over and hugging the twins. "You made it! I'm so happy!"
"Chelsea!" Melanie cried in shock.
"Yeah, we did it, but we thought you'd have started already! What happened?!" Sam asked as Chelsea released them
"I wanted to wait for you two, so I waited until the last second, but we really have to get going now!" The bride answered with a bright smile.
"You look beautiful, Chelsea." Melanie smiled at her and Sam nodded.
Chelsea grinned. "You look creepy when you stand beneath each other like that and put your 3000 watt smiles on."
Melanie and Sam stopped smiling immediately and looked at each other. Chelsea laughed heartily at them.
"We have to start now, honey." Chelsea's father reminded her and she nodded.
"See you when you're newly-weds." Sam grinned and took Melanies hand to take her with her.
They hurriedly tippled down the sideline of the church on Spencer's side and sat beneath Carly, her granddad, Colonel Shay and Gibby in the front row, who welcomed them with wide smiles and warm hellos. Sam looked through the church. It was beautiful. Chelsea and Spencer had eventually come to terms in the case of decorations and decided on white lilies, sprinkled with colour - not by Spencer - at the aisle-facing side of each bench.
She saw Freddie and Brad stand beneath Spencer, all three looking towards her and Melanie. The twins waved and smiled at the boys and they could see Spencer give a sigh of relieve.
"Your game?" Brad, and shortly after Freddie, mouthed. Sam gave a thumbs up and both boys broke into proud grins. Melanie giggled at that.
"They're so weird."
"And why's that, Mel?"
"They're protective like hell and are proud of you. It's almost like you're the gay couple's daughter."
Sam burst into laughter as the music began to play.
"You're weird yourself. Since when do you express yourself so urban?" She whispered to her sister as they turned to watch Chelsea glide down the aisle in her beautiful white dress.
"Since you came more attached to talking to me." Melanie grinned back over her shoulder, but Sam could see that there were already tears in her eyes. She was still such a girl.
Of course, Carly was in tears, too, even Colonel Shay looked a little watery around the eye-area.
Spencer had his goofy grin on his face and didn't lift his eyes for a splitsecond from his bride. Freddie and Brad had their cameras put into action, they were the official fotographers and video-tapers of the wedding-ceremony.
Chelsea was already crying as her father handed her over to Spencer, who was still grinning like a madman.
The priest started his speech and Sam had to confess, that it was actually touching. When Spencer and Chelsea spoke their vows the whole church was in tears, even herself. She could see Freddie and Brad desperately clutching at their eyes, so they wouldn't drop onto their camera-lenses. She smiled. Stupid geeks.
"I hereby pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride now." The priest said to the pair and Spencer didn't need to be told twice. He threw his arms around Chelsea and dipped her deep down, kissing her passionately.
The church errupted into cheers and clapping. The priest jumped at the sudden outburst, for this was not likely at all, but smiled at the happiness in the audience' faces.
The newly wed pair made their way down the aisle, cheers and whistles from every side. Slowly, Sam, Carly and the others followed them with everyone else.
Freddie and Brad sat in the white carriage that Spencer had arranged to Chelsea's surprise to bring them to their next destination, they taped everything and took the most beautiful photos of the pair.
Sam and Melanie rode with the remaining Shay's and Gibby in Colonel Shay's big Hummer to the little chateau where the wedding party would be held. Carly and Melanie were gushing at Chelsea's dress - although they had been with her to pick it out - and the decorations and the ceremony and everything else that girls would talk about. Sam was meanwhile in a heated debate with Gibby, if everything would go as they had planned. Colonel Shay and grandpa Shay were rather quiet during the long drive through the outskirts of Seattle. They might still couldn't believe, that Spencer of all people, was finally married. Actually, they all coudln't really believe it. Spencer, their manchild, the most chaotic artist anyone could know, was married. He was about to be a dad. He had to grow up eventually, Sam had sad, which earned her a clap to the back of her head from Carly - the girl was lucky she was her best friend.
They arrived at the wide green lands of the chateau and parked their car several hundred metres away from it. The carriage was still nowhere in sight, just as Carly and Chelsea's sister Blair had planned it. The guests were to arrive first - which was not that complicated, considering that it was a 20 minute drive and that the carriage was pulled by four horses - and would welcome the pair with roses, music and sparkling wine. And the best of it - they had no idea. Spencer had wanted the carriage to surprise Chelsea, but everything else was in the hands of mainly Carly and Blair who knew their siblings best. They walked into the great hall of the chateau where the members of the Gibby's-crew were putting up the first part of the catering-utensils. Sam and Gibby excused theirselves and ran off to help put everything to perfection.
"Sam! Sam!" Melanie ran after her sister.
"What?!"
"Here, take aprons, you two, you can't get your robes dirty!" She handed them aprons out of her purse.
"Wha- How- Melanie! Did you steal Hermione's purse?!" Sam exclaimed as Melanie bound Sam's apron together at her back.
"Maybe." She smiled before turning to help Gibby.
"Thanks, Mel." Gibby smiled and then ran off with Sam.
Melanie stood still and smiled. The two of them had been cooking for weeks and weeks in advance. Trying different tastes, shapes and completely different dishes that Carly, Blair, Freddie, Brad and herself had to taste and give frequent improvement tipps and votings from 0 to 20. Brad had offered to help, but Sam and Gibby had silenced him, that this was their contribution to the wedding, he would already be handling photographs and videos. Two weeks ago Sam and Gibby had started to drill their crew-members' teamwork to perfection and two days ago, Sam had started on the wedding cake. Melanie had no idea what there could still be left to do, but she could already see Sam and Gibby run from side to side, from edge to edge, looking into bowls and tasting things, sending some of the people off again to improve the food.
Melanie shook her head. She liked the way that Sam had changed in the past two years. She was kinder due to her tremendous training where her aggressions were mostly extinguished. Now they had gotten more and more like actual sisters and Melanie enjoyed having the long lost bound with her sister back. It was great how passionate she was with her sport, but also with Gibby's which could hold a golden future for her, a future nothing like their mother's, and she was happy for her, very happy. Sam had finally found the strength to believe in herself, a strength that her friends in Seattle had given her. Not their mother, not Melanie, no, it had been Carly, Freddie, Brad and even Gibby that had given her that strength. Melanie was beyond thankful for that, but she was also a little sad that it couldn't be her who gave her the strenght to believe in herself, she was her twin sister after all. Of course Sam didn't know any of this. She would laugh at her - she was still not a girly girl after all - and punch her or something - and Melanie couldn't use a bruised arm on a day like this.
"Melanie! Melanie!" Carly screeched from the huge winged glass doors that led out to the green lands.
"What? Sorry Carly, I wasn't paying attention. Can you repeat that?" Melanie shook her thoughts of her twin sister off and turned to her friend.
"I said could you check if the roses are all here and start handing them out to everyone? Freddie texted me, they'll be here soon!"
The blonde nodded. "Sure!"
Fifteen minutes later, Sam barked her last commands at her crew and was then almost stripped out of her apron and carried away by Gibby. He knew, Carly would kill them if they weren't in the front row of the welcoming-comit
for Spencer and Chelsea, roses in hand, their speeches prepared in the back of their minds.
They were just on time, barely two minutes passed when they could see Freddie's back and Brad's brown hair approaching side by side, Spencer and Chelsea walking behind them, admiring the chateau.
When the pair set eyes on all their friends and family all ligned up, awaiting them with wide smiles, all roses in hands they stopped dead. Chelsea's hand flew to her mouth due to the side before her. The smiles that spread on their faces were gigantic.
Carly and Blair stepped forward to welcome and congratulate the newly weds and hand over their roses. So it went on and on until the last rose was handed back to Carly and Blair, because Chelsea and Spencer couldn't hold a hundred roses and still hug people properly. Then Sam and Gibby - who had snuck back inside to take care of the last finishing touches on the catering - announced it would be time for the guests and the VIP's of the day to walk through the glassdoors and take their seats. Carly and Blair led Spencer and Chelsea to their seats at the front of the hall. The other guests were shown to their seats by Melanie and Freddie, Blair and Carly while Sam and Gibby had jumped back to the kitchens and Brad was taking pictures all around.
When everyone was seated Gibby stepped up onto the podest where today's VIPs sat and whispered to Spencer:
"Spence, if you want to say something before we serve the food, now would be the perfect time. Otherwise, we'll be ready in about five to ten minutes to serve the first course."
"Sure, thanks Gib. Could you tell Carly to hand over a microphone or something?"
"Sure, no prob." Gibby answered and walked off towards Carly's desk.
In a matter of minutes a microphone was handed to Spencer and he stood up, gaining everyone's attention in a split second.
"Well... This is awkward." Began the new husband.
"You're awkward!" A yell could be heard from behind the kitchen doors that would most likely belong to Sam. The audience laughed and Spencer pulled a face.
"Great, thanks Sam." He said sarcastically.
"No prob, Spence!" She yelled again, earning more laughter.
"Okay, apart from this little comedic skit, I wanted to tell everyone who's here that we are more than thankful and delighted that each and every one of you is here today to celebrate this special day with me and my beautiful bride. We love you very much and we'd most like to thank our sisters. Carly, Blair, come up here!"
Carly and Blair stood awkwardly and walked up to Spencer and Chelsea.
"Thank you so much for planning this whole wedding. It's not half over and we're already in a state of absolute bliss. Thank you so much. You're the best." He smiled at them and hugged the two young women.
"And we can't forget our other helpers that have already and will continue to make this day the most beautiful for us." Chelsea continued for her husband who was lost in a hug with his sister.
"Sam and Gibby, I know you can hear us back there in the kitchens, we know your food will be amazing, thank you so much for cooking. Everyone, if you want a great restaurant, nice waitors, and definitely great catering - Gibby's should be your place of attention." She began clapping and the audience joined her directly.
"Furthermore, big thank yous to Melanie for your good taste in decoration that had saved me more than one time from Spencer's weird ideas-" Spencer gaped at his wife in fake-shock. "- and to Brad and Freddie who are our photographers today. We expect perfect photos and videos, boys!" She grinned at them broadly.
Sam appeared in the kitchen doors, a sign for Chelsea.
"Well, if that isn't good timing. The first course is ready, everyone, I hope you're hungry!" she smiled and put the microphone off.
Sam opened the doors and a flood of waitors streamed out the doors followed by Sam and Gibby who were serving the weddingpair in their aprons themselves.
"Aren't you going to eat?" Spencer asked Sam as she put his plate of small crab-eclairs, beautifully shaped tomatoes with mozzarella, melon and a pumpkin-aubergine-pastry in front of him.
"We're eating in the kitchens, if we have the time." Sam answered him.
"But Sam, Gibby, you're our guests, too, not just our caterers." Chelsea complained.
"It's okay, Chelsea," Gibby said. "This is our first big caterer-job. We have to make sure everything is perfect, if we want to establish this part of our business. Eating is not that interesting."
"Well... let's say we don't miss anything." Sam grinned at him.
"Are you sure this is okay?" Spencer asked with a worried look at Sam. He knew she was under high pressure for at least two weeks now.
"Sure, Spencer. Has Sam Puckett ever backed down from anything?"
"No." Spencer grinned at her. Sam turned and walked down towards the kitchens.
"Look out for her." Chelsea whispered to Gibby and Spencer nodded to her.
"Don't worry guys, she knows what she's doing. You just enjoy your wedding and don't worry about us." He smiled and hurried off after Sam
Three hours later, the third course was long finished and Sam was satisfied with their performance. She sent her waitors off to prepare cake-plates and cutlery while she set the finishing touches on the wedding cake that would soon be rolled in.
"It looks great." Said a voice from behind her and made her almost jump, if she hadn't awaited one of them to come find her. Well, not her, the cake rather.
"I know, Fredward, thank you."
She could hear him snort at her comment.
"Will you be ready soon?"
"I'm almost finished..." She said distractedly.
"Alright. I'll film the cake when you and Gibby shove it in, Brad will film Spencer's and Chelsea's faces." She could imagine his slightly evil grin.
"Alright... That's it. I'm ready." She said, stepping back to admire her work one last time and slowly pulling off her apron.
"Beautiful."
"I told you, I know that." She said, turning around to him, but to her surprise his eyes weren't on the cake, but to her. She felt her cheeks become hot.
"Dumbass." That seemed to snap him out of his staring.
"So you won the championship?" He quickly changed the subject.
"Of course. Did you expect any less?" She grinned at him, resting her hands on her hips.
"Not really. I'm just sorry we couldn't be there to support you."
"It's okay, the wedding was more important. Championships are every year." She waved him off, but he wouldn't let the topic die.
"Sam, really, I'm sorry. I would've loved to be there." He said, looking her directly in the eyes.
"Thanks, Fredward." She slightly smiled back at him.
Gibby opened the door and looked in.
"Sam? Can we go? Oh, hey Freddie, you're ready?"
"Sure."
"Yeah."
"Good." Gibby smiled, stepping beneath Sam, who was standing behind the cart with the cake on top.
Freddie set his camera into motion.
"You ready?" The two nodded and started walking.
The guests were amazed by Sam's cake. It was a perfect mixture of girlyness and boyishness, of order and creative art, simply, a perfect mixture of Chelsea and Spencer. The newlyweds had big eyes as the cart approached them.
"Sam! We can't cut this cake! This is perfect!" Chelsea exclaimed and hugged her tightly.
"You have to! I haven't spent hours to create it so it would rot somewhere!"
"But Sam-"
"Don't discuss with me, Mrs. Shay!" Sam grinned at her and crossed her arms under her chest.
Chelsea sighed and Gibby handed her and Spencer the cutting knife.
"I love you." Spencer whispered in Chelsea's ear before they cut the cake.
"I love you, too." She beamed back and gave him a quick peck, before they cut.
Everyone was stuffed to the fullest and the remnants of the cake had been just enough for Gibby and Sam to share a piece, when they set out with their waitors for one last time that day. The snacks for the night were placed in the gigantic fridge in the kitchens, only the cake-plates needed to be gathered and put into the also gigantic dish washer.
But that didn't mean, that the two could relax from now on.
Carly's plan was starting right now. Throughout the hall, one by one, people would stand up, walk over next to Spencer and Chelsea and say a few words to the audience and the pair itself. Carly herself would start off, followed by Blair, their parents and grandparents and then Sam and Melanie before the boys and everyone else.
Sam was glad that she was one of the first people to hold her speech, and furthermore she was glad to have Melanie by her side. She was exhausted and who knew what would come out of an exhausted Samantha Puckett when she was holding an emotional speech? Probably not too much, but she was sure to try to express her feelings.
Carly stepped up to her brother and her sister-in-law and clicked the microphone on.
"Hello everyone. I'm Carly, as you might remember." She laughed a shaky laugh. Sam knew that she didn't like to start this, but she'd have to and if her heart was in it, the peppy brunette would do a good Job
"Spencer, you're the most awkward and chaotic big brother that anyone could think of, you know that."
"Everyone knows that." Sam mumbled and earned giggles from Melanie to her left and a snort from Gibby to her right.
"But you're also the best big brother I could wish for and you know I love you beyond belief." Spencer smiled her teary smile back at her.
"And I'm so, so, so happy for you, that you've found Chelsea. She's perfect for you, you're perfect for each other and I can't think of a pair that compliments each other better."
Spencer and Chelsea both gave her a look with raised eyebrows, which she ignored.
"Chelsea," She turned to the redhead. "I love you very much too. In those past years you've become my advisor if I needed a woman or even just an adult" she shot Spencer a sharp look and Sam snorted, "to talk to. You've been there for me when I needed you, but never tried to be more to me than my friend and I want to thank you for that. You're not a crazy maniac, you're not weird or creepy like some of our neighbours-" Sam, Melanie, Spencer, Gibby and Chelsea (and Sam was sure Brad nearly dropped his camera to the right of the podest) burst out laughing. "-You're just amazing. Kind, loveable, caring and you don't set everything you touch on fire."
"ALMOST!" Spencer yelled as he jumped up. "ALMOST EVERYTHING!"
Carly laughed at her brother.
"Thank you, for everything you've done for me, you two. I love you so, so much." She finished with a thick voice and then quickly went to hug the newlyweds.
The audience started clapping and some aunts and grandmothers wiped their eyes.
Next up was Blair, Chelsea's little sister. She was a few years older than Carly and Sam, but her speech was just as joyful and emotional as Carly's. She was followed by Socko, Spencer's best man. He made his speech the opposite of quick, talking about their camping trips with his grandmother, the socks and his various cousins. But eventually he ended and Sam was only half-asleep.
Chelsea's parents followed him and next was Colonel Shay who held his speech short, but was talking about how proud he was of what a man his son had become and that his and Carly's mom would've been so very proud of him.
"And she must be smiling in heaven upon you and your beautiful bride you picked for yourself. Chelsea, my wife would've loved you like her own daughter, you're just like her in so many ways. Please treat Spencer with the same respect and love that my wife has treated me and make him as happy as she had made me." That was it. Even Sam was tipped over the edge by the Colone's words and had to hurriedly search for a handkerchief in her purse to wipe her eyes and blow her nose.
After Chelsea's best friends and Grandpa Shay, it was finally Sam's and Melanie's turn. They looked like a perfect match - that of course was Melanie's work. Sam's bordeaux dress with the beige pearls on the belt under her chest and in her hear were reviewed on Melanie's dress' belt and hair. Melanie's dress was the same beige as Sam's pearls and Melanie's pearls were the same shade of bordeaux as Sam's dress. They looked simply perfect, up to the identical golden jewellery.
Sam and Melanie stood in front of all those people, each a microphone in hand. Melanie took a step closer to Sam, took her hand and squeezed it for a quick moment. She was nervous, Sam knew, it was up to her as the elder sister to make her feel at least a litte more comfortable. So she squeezed Melanie's hand back, shot her a quick smile, took a deep breath and started their speech
"Spencer and Chelsea. I think you know just how much we love you and how thankful we are for everything you've done for us. Spencer, you're like a big brother to us, I've spent more time in my life with you, at your house and mostly - in your fridge." The guests laughed and Spencer was smiling so bright his face might split into two.
"I know, I don't show it that much, but I'm grateful for everything you did for me - for us." She looked at Melanie who nodded.
"Yes." She picked up. "Spence, every time I came home from boarding school and even before that. Every time our mom wasn't around you welcomed us at your place, sharing your food, your love, even your bed, when I had nightmares. I don't know what we would've done without you."
"Although, I gotta say," Sam interrupted her sister. "I never thought you'd find the one who was crazy enough to marry you. You know I love you and everything, but you're chaotic! And as Carly said, you set everything on fire spont-"
"ALMOST!"
"YES, almost everything on fire spontaneously..." The audience was quiet, maybe even a little shocked over Sam's rough words. "But you did it. Chelsea, I don't know what's wrong with you that you want to spent your whole life with this chaotic man, but I'm grateful that this something is wrong with you, because apart from all that weirdness and chaos, Spencer's an awesome guy. But I don't need to tell you this." She smiled at Chelsea and she smiled back.
"Chelsea, we love you, too. You're none like Spencer's other weird girlfriends. They were all pretty-"
"More or less." Sam interjected. Melanie elbowed her.
"They were all pretty." A little pause. "But they were all maniacs. I don't know where Spencer found them, but there was a quote of 90% rising steadily that were maniacs. But you, you're different. We've known each other for several years now, Sam's spent even more time with you and if even her worst comment about you is 'sickeningly nice and caring', then you must be the one that fits in our little family perfectly." Melanie smiled at her.
"Thank you for joining us." Sam smiled and the twins strode over to hug them.
"You two are amazing." Spencer grinned at them."Yeah, that was a speech that I want in my wedding-tape!" Chelsea smiled and hugged them tightly.
"Thanks." The twins smiled and eventually handed their microphones over at some friends of Chelsea's who were awaiting them.
After that, Fredide, Gibby and Brad entered the little stage.
"Spencer and Chelsea." Freddie began. "We don't want to come up with old stories-"
"- But since there are so extraordinary many, we can't spare you." Brad continued, a boyish smirk on his features.
"We are very sorry." Gibby grinned.
Sam was crying from laughter as the boys told a few stories from the last few years. How Spencer had introduced Chelsea to them and Chelsea had asked if they were all his siblings or how Chelsea had cooked for them and told Spencer to stay out of the kitchen and the whole stove was suddenly on fire, just because Spencer had salted the food. They told the story how amazingly stupid the intern before Brad, Cort, had been and that Chelsea's only move had been to call him a "Todo" all the time, which had confused him grately. They also explained the circumstances how Chelsea came to ride a bull and carry a half unconscious Spencer on her back, while Gibby was running around them, throwing flowers into the air, while Sam was on the floor, having a laughing fit. All that was portrayed by photos which made it even funnier
"Enough with the stories now, boys." Brad said and wiped an imaginary tear from his eye, turning towards the pair beside them.
"Yeah, let's get down to business." Freddie turned towards Spencer and Chelsea.
"Gibbbaaaaayyy." Gibby said, making the other two boys' heads turn towards him in unison. Sam didn't know if it was planned or not, but it earned them another wave of laughter.
"Okaaay." Freddie and Brad turned back towards their former destination.
"Spencer, you mean so much to us. We're three boys without fathers and the 'man-time' we had was amazing." Freddie started off.
"You were a big help in those past few years, if we needed advice on girls -" Brad said.
"Although it often contained the use of cheese in several ways." Gibby interjected.
"That is true." Brad grinned as he saw Chelsea turn to Spencer with a confused, but amused look on her face.
"You were always there and told us what we needed to hear." Said Freddie.
"Although we didn't always want to hear it." Added Brad.
"We owe you big time, man." Gibby smiled sympathically at him.
"And Chelsea. You were always the rather sane one." Brad started off.
"We owe you, too!" Gibby grinned.
"Yeah, because if Spencer would give us an advice concerning the use of cheese in any way-" Brad laughed.
"We could always rely on you, to give us sane advice from another point of view." Freddie grinned.
"And we want to thank you for that." Brad smiled.
"Both of you contributed a big part to the persons we are today." Freddie smiled.
"Personally, I think they did a good job." Gibby said.
"Yeah."
"Yea, me too." The boys agreed grinning at each other.
"Therefore, we would like to present you our wedding-present, live and in motion!" They shouted. "Carly! Roll down the screen!"
A giant white screen rolled down behind them.
"Turn on the projector, Socko!"
And on the screen started a fifteen minutes long video, showing special and casual days in the last three years, together with short greetings and congratulations from famous people, that had already been on or that watched iCarly. For example OneDirection, the Plain White T's, Jackson Colt and many others.
Melanie and Sam had identical smiles plastered across their faces. It was a beautiful present. They were a little jealous, they had to at least admit that.
The queue of people who wanted to say something to the pair seemed to take no end. But eventually it did. Sam was glad. It was almost 10:30 PM now and everywhere on the green had been lampions enlightened, creating a little dancefloor, where Spencer led his bride proudly for their first dance as husband and wife. It was beautiful, even to Sam. She still stood there, just watching them from the sidelines as everyone else was already dancing along with them.
"Hey honeypie." Said a voice. She didn't have to turn to know who it was.
"Hey fudgeboy." She threw him a half smile over her shoulder.
"How are you feeling?" He stepped next to her, their shoulder touching slightly.
"Tired. Terribly tired." She sighed and let herself sink into him. He immediately steadied his stand and put an arm around her.
"I tought so. Do you want to lay down somewhere? My car's just around the corner."
"Nah, thanks. I think I just have to stay until the bride and the groom leave."
"Hm. You sure?" The light brunette looked down at her worriedly.
"Yeah, I can do it, no worries, Brad." She managed a smile, that was soon swallowed by a yawn.
Brad laughed at that.
"All right, I see that. How about we hit the dancefloor for a little, to make sure you don't fall asleep standing here?"
"Good idea, I guess." She smiled and took his hand.
Brad led her onto the dancefloor where everyone was currently rocking to Bon Jovi. They danced right between Freddie and Melanie, Gibby and Chelsea and Spencer and Carly, who welcomed them with broad grins.
"Would you mind switching?" Freddie asked Brad after some time. Brad shook his hand and the boys exchanged the twins in a twirl.
"Hello there." Freddie grinned down at Sam as she collided with his chest and looked up at him a little confused.
"Huh? Where'd Brad go?" Sam looked around confused, only to catch Melanie's gaze that was as confused at her own as she stood in Brad's arms.
"We changed dance partners. You got a problem with that?" He asked mockingly.
"Ohhhhh... welll..." Sam acted as if she was thinking, but a slight clap on the arm made her drop the act and she laughed. "Of course not, Nub."
"Good choice, Puckett."
"Why?"
"Because if you'd said anything else, you would be spinning around and around and around until you didn't know your own name anymore." He grinned evilly, something he had learned from her.
"Oh is that so, Benson?"
"Yes, yes, Puckett. But you made the right choice, you're lucky."
Sam raised her eyebrows at him before she snorted and started dancing again.
"Are you done shooting for tonight?" Sam yelled over the music after a few moments.
"No, we still have to film their departure." Freddie yelled back over the loud bass of Metallica's Enter Sandman (It was Spencer's wedding after all, they didn't really wonder about the music anymore).
"I see."
"Why?"
"Oh, just wondering."
"Why?"
"Because the moon's pink, nub. I was just making conversation."
"I see."
Sam rolled her eyes at him. He was sooo weird sometimes.
It took three and a half more hours until Spencer and Chelsea decided to make their leave to their honeymoon sweet. A large stretch limo pulled up in the driveway of the chateau, that would bring the pair to a nice five star hotel on the other side of Seattle. The next day they would leave for their honeymoon on the bahamas. Everyone was jealous, they hadn't even covered it up.
Spencer and Chelsea said goodbye to everyone and eventually ran through the path that their friends and families were forming for them, while they threw rice and flowers at them.
But the party didn't end with that. Chelsea's family was a very talkative one and so it went on with dancing and talking and eating the snacks from Gibby's for one and a half more hours. Sam and Gibby had gotten many compliments and handed out many of their freshly printed cards during the evening, so at 3 AM, Sam called it quits. She took off her high heels - she was amazed that she had been able to walk in them for that long, but now her legs were shaking from the day's events and the exhaustion that had naturally come with them. She went to look for Carly and Melanie but didn't find any of them, so she walked back into the great hall, leaned against a wall on the opposite of the doors, slowly drifting to sleep.
She was almost asleep, when she heard tapping noises approach her. She opened a sleepy eye and saw that it was Melanie, who had also put her shoes off. Melanie said nothing, she just curled into a ball on Sam's right, resting her head on her twin's legs.
"'Night, Sammy." She mumbled, Sam could only groan.
The next time Sam woke, was when Melanie lifted her head from her legs. Again, Sam opened a sleepy eye and saw Carly approach the
"Good, I found you." The brunette sighed, then she sat down on Sam's left, leaning her head against a pillar next to her
Sam leaned her head against Carly's shoulder and felt Melanie snuggle back into her lap as she did so, before she went off to sleep again, this time hopefully without further disturbances
"Freddie!" Brad yelled over the chateau's green from the winged doors that led into the great hall.
"Yeah?"
"I found them!"
"Oh, thank god, I'll get Gibby." iCarly's tech producer said and ran to fetch the restaurant owner.
"Where are they?" Gibby asked as he and Freddie approached Brad about five minutes later.
Brad stopped them in front of the winged doors and motioned for them to be quiet and follow him inside.
Freddie and Gibby saw nothing at first, but when they had crossed the room, they could eventually see them.
Brad looked at his two friends and saw the same soft smile spread on their faces that had materialized on his face mere minutes ago.
Before them were Sam, Melanie and Carly, cuddled together under a tablecloth that one of them must have ripped off the nearest table. Melanie had rested her head in Sam's lap, an arm stretched out over Carly's legs, Sam had a protective arm resting on her waist. She was leaning against Carly, using her head as a pillow. The brunette had her head leaned against Sam's head and her hand rested on Melanies arm that was covered by the blanket. They looked adorable. Their faces were angelic and peaceful, which was no surprise with Melanie and Carly. But now you could see that Sam and Melanie looked really identical. Usually, when awake, their expressions and behaviour were so different, you didn't notice the exact similarities. Although Brad had recognized one difference. The dark fleck that Sam had on her left cheek, was on Melanie's right cheek.
"Are we supposed to... you know, wake them up?" Gibby asked eventually after a quite awkward long time of staring.
"No." Freddie said. "Let them sleep. We're three strong boys, right? Let's just pick them up and bring them home."
"Sounds good." Brad said.
Gibby nodded and stepped forward to pick Melanie up. It was easy for him as if lifting a bottle of water - at least it looked that easy. Freddie and Brad stepped forward, gladly taking their secret crushes in their arms.
Sam woke - again. She groaned into Freddie's shoulder.
"Shh, Sam. Go back to sleep."
"Nub?" She mumbled sleepily.
"Yeah, it's me. Don't worry, go back to sleep."
"Whaddaya doin'?" She slurred as if she were drunk.
"We're getting you girls home."
"What about the chada- chata- the castle?"
Freddie laughed at that. "Colonel Shay and Grandpa Shay are locking it up."
"Oh, okay..." She mumbled and snuggled back into his shoulder.
"Hmm... Freddie?"
"Yeah?"
"You smell nice." She pressed her nose into his chest.
"I do?"
"Yes."
"Like what? Bacon?" He couldn't help but laugh and throw a sarcastic comment back at her.
"Dun be stupid. You smell like Freddie."
"Alright Sammy." He chuckled. "Just go back to sleep, I'll get you to Carly's."
"Whaddabout Carly and Mel?" Her head jerked up a bit at the thought.
"Brad and Gibby are just behind us carrying them. You can rest now."
"Hm okay." She mumbled and let her head sink again.
"'Night Sammy." He mumbled into her head and even dared to kiss the top of her head.
"'Night, 'eddie." Sam slurred before she fell back asleep.
Freddie smiled goofily. He smelled like 'Freddie'. And that smelled 'nice'. That was a good sign, wasn't it? But on the other hand, she wasn't the Sam from a few years back. She was still a riddle to him.
'Great, Freddie, you confused yourself again.' He thought as he put Sam in the backseat of Brad's car. Gibby and Brad followed ensuite.
"I'm so glad you got your grandma's big VW bus, dude." Gibby said as he climbed after the girls to fasten their seatbelts and sit in front of them.
"Yeah, who knew Carly wouldn't be able to drive home herself." Freddie said and shook his head as he climbed into the passenger seat.
"Yeah. Woah, dude, you have no idea how much I'm looking forward to my bed." Brad yawned.
"You don't need to tell me. I feel like I could sleep on the spot!" Gibby said.
"Don't do it!" Freddie laughed. "We couldn't carry the girls and you!"
"I'll do my best." Gibby said grinning.
They had propped up Carly's room with a hilarious amount of pillows and mattrasses. Every last inch was covered up by something comfortable. The boys put the girls down only a few steps away from the door and covered them in blankets. They just wanted to leave the room and go sleep in the iCarly studio, as Sam's voice could be heard.
"Don't go."
They turned, in confusion. Was she talking in her sleep? No, Sam's head was up, her blue eyes sparkling in the light from the corridor.
"Are you sure?" Freddie asked quietly.
"Yes, now come here. I need a proper pillow, Benson." She demanded.
Freddie looked at Brad and Gibby who seemingly were as confused as he was, but then Gibby shrugged and lay down beneath the girls. Brad and Freddie exchanged a last look, before shrugging themselves. Freddie went over to Sam and lay down next to her. She immediately snuggled up to him and put her head on his chest, while he put his arm around her awkwardly. He looked over to Brad who had a big grin on his face.
"Good night, Quarterback. Don't try anything funny with my little girl." He winked at him.
"Sure, Brad." He grinned back. He couldn't help it. He was still confused on the whole Sam-and-Brad-relationship, but right now, he couldn't be happier. A heavily breathing Sam in his arms and finally, finally the permission to drift off to sleep. He couldn't be happier.