Wat up KL21 here.

I know. I'm late. One thing and then Imma let you go.

I re-did the ending of chapter six, Deadly Ground, so if you were as unhappy with the ending as I was then you can go back and read the ending. It's not necessary tho bcuz i didn't change the content of the chapter I just wanted the end to flow a little better. I think it does.

Please read, enjoy, and review. Thank you.

A Turn for the Worse

Sam's POV

I saw him when he gave them orders. I saw him when the jocks placed the rake behind him. I saw him when Lance and his posse stuffed him the trash can. He just got up and ignored all of it. How long could he continue? How long do I have to wait before he breaks? How long will it be before he, finally, comes crawlin' back to mama?

I'm keeping my distance but I do have my eye on him. I want a front row seat when his little plan, whatever it is, blows up in his face. I want to watch him squirm beneath the pressure of being without me. I want to document every moment of his defeat and then "mysteriously" appear when he's ready to give in. I will relish in the moment forever. I'll hold that moment over his head and beat him down with it every chance I get. Why won't he give up, already?

"Hey Sam." Great, Carly's here. I can't hold this conversation for too long. I have to keep tabs on the nub, "I see you're still watching Freddie." How observant.

"Yeah, is there some point to this? Not to be rude or anything but it's hard to converse and watch Freddie at the same time."

"Yes, there is a point. Why don't you stop this?"

"Why should I? This is what he wanted."

"I know, but how much of a choice did you leave him?"

"He's and adult… technically… so he can make his own decisions." I know what I did and I will make no apologies for it. He knew what type of girl she was… I can't believe he would even try to go out with a girl like that.

"Sam I know you don't like losing an argument… or anything, to Freddie, but right now you're risking losing him altogether." Why is she trying to rain on my parade?

" Carly, everything will turn out fine. He'll break and apologize and then we'll all be friends again." She isn't satisfied… and I can't blame her. Something about what's been going on has me a little shaken but I'm sure it's no big deal.

"Ok, then I'm gonna go mingle."

"Mingle?"

"I can talk fancy if I wanna." She smiles and I can't help but smile back. It's just so darned infectious… maybe even contagious.

Now, back to… Aww Chiz… where'd he go? Ah, there he is up by the DJ booth. It looks like he's set up over there for the moment. All the better for me. It'll be easier to watch him.

The party is going on, more or less, without a hitch. A couple of skanks are trying to give Freddie their numbers. Skank number one is Tanya Samuels. Even Freddie knows to stay away from her. She has been caught in the boy's locker room three times since we've started goin there. It's her third… that's right… third year as a senior. I know Freddie will turn her down. Skank number two is Lisa Preston. I don't really have any info on her but I got a feelin'. I'll have to talk to Wendy and see what I can get on her. Wendy is very well connected to the goings on of the school. Don't know how she does it but she does and she does it well.

Why is Freddie attracting all of these skanks. First, there was Kayla, and now, there's Tanya and Lisa. We can't forget about Valerie and Shannon. Well Shannon wasn't a skank she was just really weird. Well it's not only skanks… Wendy was on a date with him… Maybe I shouldn't talk to Wendy just yet. I guess everybody likes Freddie. He can get every girl except for the one he wants… every girl except for the one he needs... I definitely shouldn't talk to Wendy yet.

"Yo Yo Yo! You havin a good time tonight!?!" Gibby must be introducing the band. "Good good… that's good to hear. I wanna take this time to thank you all for coming out tonight. As promised… I've got the newest band here to sing a few songs from they're upcoming album, 'Burn It to the Ground,'" the crowd roars. I'm a little indifferent. Their music is ok but they have got to find a new drummer. "Make sure you buy their album when it comes out in two weeks on March 9th, I give you Sonic Sha-Boom!"

Freddie has moved to the platform on the other side, right above the mud pit. How can Gibby afford all this? I mean really, a mud pit? Gibby's got more issues than the ones I caused. That's for sure.

Well, well, well. The jocks have returned, I see. And it seems they come bearing water balloons. This may get out of hand, however, I know where those balloons are headed. Poor, disillusioned, nubby, Freddie. He has no idea. Normally I would stop this, but my curiosity has gotten the better of me, as well as my quest for vengeance. Here comes the wind up… and the pitch. His aim is awful. How'd this guy become a jock? They try again, this time releasing a volley of balloons. Freddie is now soaked. I think one of the jocks is missing… I wonder where he went. The other jocks are still hurling balloons.

Look at him… trying to protect his precious camera. Wait… that jock is… Oh my God. I push towards the mud pit but the thud of a body hitting the mud has already been heard and the circle has already been formed. Freddie and his camera have both disappeared form the platform leaving behind a jock raising his arms in triumph. I finally make it to the crowd. They're all laughing.

Finally, here comes the surrender that I've been waiting for. Then, we can be friends again and I can beat the crap out of those jocks. He looks so pathetic… down there crouching as if he was having a nervous breakdown.

He's starting to get up. Come on dork… give mama what she wants. Now it's time for my mysterious appearance. We've made eye contact, now all he has to do is… Why is he just standing there? Crap here comes Carly. Well I can't stay here now… he'll never apologize in front of her. "Sam!!" Awww, please, not now. "Sam, come back. We have to help Freddie." She continues to follow me, despite my failure to respond. "Sam!!" Maybe she's following me because of my failure to respond.

"Look, Shay. This is what he wanted. Remember? We're complete strangers…" the memory is still a little painful, "… Co-workers… and Classmates…" She flinches as my words are coming out through clinched teeth now. "…and nothing more"

"But, Sam…"

"Nothing… more." She turns and looks towards the platform.

"Look at him Sam… It looks like he's crying." Her pleas continue. "He doesn't want this anymore." I didn't want it at all.

Still if he's crying then it won't be long. I look up to the platform… "He's not crying, he's wiping his forehead." Well, time to make my exit. I ahven't gained any ground in this thing at all. What was that noise and what's with all the gasps. Ah, forget it. It's all the way back there and I ain't walkin back. I'm sure I'll hear about it at school on Monday.

"Sam…" She won't let it go. Tenacity is usually considered a good trait. One person's virtue is another person's vice, I suppose. "… please think about what you're doing."

"I am! Try talkin to him!" My outburst seems to have startled her. "You would have an easier time tryin to sway him than I would." She has no reply. I have no patience. It might be time to up the difficulty of this game.

The Next Day

We have to do iCarly today. I wonder how it will go.

Alright Sammy, think. What's the worst that could he could do to you? You're holdin' all the cards. He's the one that needs you, not the other way around. He'll break soon… You'll see. Man… the more I say it, the more it sounds like I'm just tryin' to convince myself. Look at the time, "I gotta get to Carly's."

Ever since an incident, involving a hobo, some spare change, Gibby's toenail, and ten… I repeat ten minutes of dead space during the show, Carly makes us do run-throughs before every show. I mean… it wasn't that bad. The doctor said that Gibby's toe nail might grow back. Oh well, I'm still gonna improvise where I see fit. "What up Carls?"

"Oh… hey Sam." That's not the greeting I was expecting. It's about time to start. Someone's missing.

"Where's Freddie?" he's usually here before we do anything.

"He set up yesterday, after he left Gibby's party." What… when… how did he… "After that whole mess with the water ballons, he stopped by here. Spencer let him in." Why does she sound so depressed?

"Wow. The boy's gone to a new level of stalking…" not even a chuckle, " I mean first, it was lookin' through his peep hole to if you were home. And now, he's actually waiting in your house." Still nothin'.

"No. Spencer said he had all his wires and cables." Alright. Enough of this.

"So, what's the deal?" She sort of looked confused, "Why are you so down today?"

"I just miss the way things used to be… I guess." She sounds like she's about to meddle, "But I'm still staying out of it." This isn't getting any easier. "Don't worry. I'll be ready by show time." There goes that darned smile again. Just when I want her to meddle… she decides that she wants to keep her nose out of it. Very frustrating.

Show Time

"Where's Freddie?" She has been pacing the studio for the last three minutes yelling that out every now and then. It's starting to get on my nerves.

"Carl, calm down…" She glares over at me. I keep forgetting that she doesn't like to be told to calm down. Even so… "He said he would be here."

"He better be, else I'm holdin' you responsible."

Is she serious? "How am I responsible?" I mean really. He's the one who…

"Need I remind you how your fight started?" Stupid logic.

"Listen, Catly…"

"Sorry I'm late, Carly." Speakin' of nubs… were we speakin of nubs? I think so?

"'Bout time." He looks over at me and… nods… he just nods. Then, he goes over to start screwing around with his laptop. WHAT WAS THAT?

"Ok… all set… ready Carly?"

"Yep." Why is he…

"In 5… 4… 3…" Did he just, "2…" he points and the show is under way. The show progresses normally at first. There is only one thing that is different. Freddie isn't laughing. He just films the show and stares at me. I say at me because when he looks at Carly he smiles at her… at her jokes and funny sayings and what have you. When the camera is on me, he doesn't smile… his mouth doesn't even twitch.

We've reached the midway point in the show. We're showing some video. I don't have the energy to even care about whose video it is. Don't get me wrong I care about our viewers; it's just that after doing the show I'm drained. If you're wondering why I pick on Freddie during the show, it's not just to be mean… that's just added bonus, and it's not because I secretly harbor some sort of emotion for him… I don't care what you all say. I have no feelings and you can't make me admit them… I dare you to try. Anyways, I pick on him because it gives me a rush. It gives me a charge… he's like a new set of batteries… for me. I pick on him, he tries, in futility, to fight back, I win and I have a new drive to finish the show.

Why didn't I think of this sooner? I just insult Freddie and he'll fight back… and everything will be back to normal. I couldn't do it earlier because he was avoiding me. But now he's here and he's stuck here til we finish the show. The video's over now. Time to put my plan into action. "Next up on iCarly we're gonna show you something that we thought was a little strange." There's the set up its now or never.

"Is Freddie gonna put his face…" I look into his eyes. My mind goes blank, "Is Freddie gonna…" There's no spark… he won't bite… I can't finish… he just…

"O…k…" he just… "It seems that Sam has suddenly come down with... something, so were gonna end the show a little early today." He… "Tune in next week at the original time," … just… "I carly and this is Sam." … beat me. "This was iCarly."

"We're clear." The show's over but that isn't important. Since the time we met on that playground when we were five (AN – 1), Freddie has never beaten me. He got me one time when he cuffed me to Gibby… who is way worse than a dead fish; I don't care what his mom says… but I got him back. I won't go into details but, we ended up calling it a tie. But… he never…beat me. Just saying it gives me a bad taste in my mouth, with the turning of my stomach to match.

I play to win. I don't play, not to lose, and I certainly don't play for ties… that one time being the exception. I can't lose… it's not in my vocabulary. It's never happened to me… I've always had the last laugh… and this time will be no different.

I'm a winner, I always have been. If I don't win then that means I lose. If I lose… who am I then?

Well there you have it. Now for the wrap up.

AN – 1: For that story you can check out my story, "Seddie Story Shuffle." The entire shuffle will not apply just the first song.

I'm so sorry for taking so long. You can blame me for that, I will go ahead and place the blame on my history class. I've also reached a conclusion on why I am having problems with this fic.

The first reason is that this fic is outside of my writing style. I like to focus on what/how the characters think and feel about certain things (See any of my one shots or The Mind of Seddie), this fic focuses on what the characters are doing. So please bear with me.

The second reason is that this fic, being outside of my normal realm of writing, requires the full spectrum of my thought. That being said, I don't know if I'll be able to update before the summer. I will be able to update, The Mind of Seddie, so I won't disappear completely but if I do update this before summer, it will be late March after my spring break.

The break will, however, give you guys a chance to help me out little bit. All ideas are considered and appreciated.

To axel100, thank you for your suggestions and ideas. I will use as many of them as I can, they will show up somewhere in the next couple of chapters. Thanks for your help.

That'll do for now. Thank you guys for reading, review if you'd like (I hope you do) otherwise, thank you for reading my story, I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Until next time,
Deuces
KL21

P.S. – I've made a New Year's resolution to respond to every one of my reviews, good or bad, flame or not, constructive or deconstructive, large or small, it doesn't matter. You write a review and you will hear from me.