Against All Odds

Disclaimer: I don't own iCarly

A/N:

Chapter 27 (Romantic Date)

This iCarly would be something of amazement, something Spencer had asked Carly and the others to do for him. He and Sasha were going on a date, by some miracle Sasha trusted James and Juanita with babysitting Blake, which showed she was growing somewhat, a very impressive feat in his eyes. Of course, Sasha did seem a little confused about his choice of location for the 'date', and also why the date was taking place during iCarly, something so crucial to his sister.

As for the date, it was at a small karaoke bar, one that Spencer managed to persuade the bartender to let it be their night. It was only forty dollars to clear out the bar, which seemed like a lot for one night, but it was worth it. Spencer parked next to the front doors and looked over to Sasha, who was eyeing the brown building with the green neon sign curiously. Vinnie's, the name of the bar. "Honestly, I get a date in a nice calm restaurant, even like the cheesecake factory…though we don't have the money for that…but, not to sound picky, what kind of man takes a girl to a bar for a date?"

"You're not worried about drunk men hitting on you, are you?" He smirked teasingly as he clicked the gear into park. Sasha stared at him with wide eyes. Her lips parted, but no words came out. She looked down at the purple v-neck dress she was wearing and slowly traced her fingers along the lower portion. The dress flowed out just past her knees and it matched the purple heels that once belonged to her mother many years before. "Don't worry, any guy hits on you and I promise we'll leave. I don't think that'll be a problem though, trust me. Also, not all bars are smoke filled, noisy environments filled with drunkards who smell of whiskey. I'd think this one's pretty clean, and the primary thing is not the bar itself. However, I wouldn't mind seeing you a bit tipsy." She chuckled nervously and lifted her finger to his lips.

"I don't drink enough for that. A glass of wine with my meal, that's about as much as I care to drink." He wagged his eyebrows and held his playful smirk. He had the song Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off running wild through his mind. He could just imagine her dancing on that table, drunk on tequila, and tearing off that purple dress.

"So you mean I don't get to see you drunk?"

"No."

"Damn." He felt a bit of a rise come from his imagination and quickly pushed it away. Sasha lowered her hand and looked over at the front door. He followed her gaze and saw Carly standing at the doorway. She had on a pink dress flowing down to her ankles. She wore a pearl necklace and had her hair swaying gently against her back. Freddie and Gibby were walking towards the car, both dressed in formalwear. Spencer smiled when he made eye contact with the trio, but Sasha remained stunned.

"What are they doing at a bar? Aren't they a bit young? You know…too young to be at a bar?" She was forgetting that in the instance of adult supervision, children were allowed in bars as long as they stayed with their adult. They were usually given soda pop.

"Well, we are the adult supervision."

"Oh god tell me they have permission from their parents to even be here…"

"You're worrying too much. Relax." He put his hand over hers and smiled reassuringly as she moved her eyes to his. "This is our night." She was so tense, he wanted to let her know that everything would be fine. After all, this entire night was planned for her, but if she was constantly worrying about things, she wouldn't enjoy the night. She inhaled slowly and closed her eyes.

"Right, sorry…it's just, you know I worry about things. You know stress pretty well when it's all you have growing up, Spencer." Their current environment certainly didn't help matters either, but he didn't want to think about all that was going on. He smiled and leaned forward, kissing her forehead. She slowly opened her eyes and exhaled once he brought his hand to her cheek. He had a pretty good feeling she wouldn't be thinking about anything bad for the rest of the night. He knew she hated bars, had every right to hate bars with the life she grew up, but he did want to let her know that they weren't always such a bad place.

"I promise you, you will have the time of your life tonight. Probably the best night of your life. You think I can do that?" She smirked back at him and turned away, looking out in time to see Gibby standing beside her door. Spencer looked out his side window and gave Freddie a brisk nod. Freddie smiled and opened the door for Spencer just as Gibby opened his door. Sasha raised an eyebrow and was helped out of the car. Spencer walked around the front and met Sasha in front of the hood. Freddie and Gibby maintained their place directly behind them.

"So, when are you going to tell me what's going on?" He remained silent, still grinning as he interlocked his arm with hers. She raised an eyebrow and let her eyes fall to his shoulder. She brushed his shoulder with a great determination, confusing him. "Sorry, you had some lint…"

"Sasha. Breathe…"

"It's a bar, and for some reason, your little sister is at a bar. She's not even twenty-one, not even eighteen! How long has she been here? I hope she hasn't been inside very long, I don't even want to think about the patrons in there right now…"

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that dear. The bar is ours tonight." She paused and met his gaze once more. Her beautiful brown eyes were so filled with trust, but concern as well. He wanted to avoid letting her mind travel back to her childhood and teenage memories, so he gently tapped Freddie's leg with his foot. Freddie gave a nod to Carly, who opened the doors of the bar.

No sooner than those doors opened, did Elvis Presley's I Can't Help Falling in Love with You fill their ears. Sasha immediately relaxed, her eyes growing wide. She turned her head towards Carly and smiled as the girl motioned them inside. With a slow haste, Spencer slowly led her into the building. To his satisfaction, he heard Sasha gasp delightedly.

In front of them several feet, and right in the middle of the large square room, was a stage with a microphone stand and a DJ sitting next to it with a computer and amplifiers. To their far right was the bartender behind a small rectangular bar, he was cleaning glasses with a white rag and smiling at the couple. He was a kindred man with small tufts of brown hair framing his round, but bald head. To their left, and behind the stage, were several tables and booths for dining. The only people in sight, besides Carly, Freddie, and Gibby, were the employees of the bar.

The hostess, a nice young woman, stepped in front of them, holding two menus and smiling cheerfully. "Hi! I'm Ally, would you like a booth, table, or the bar?" Spencer turned to Sasha to let her make the decision, and to his joy, her eyes already appeared wet. She stammered for words, but eventually made out the word 'booth, please'. "Okay! Follow me."

After they were at their table, Spencer and Sasha were cuddled up in their booth and watching the cleared out area where they came in. Freddie was using his mobile computer stand while holding his camera towards Carly and Gibby. Carly's smile did not give away any hint of prior troubles, only the joy of the night.

"I'm Carly Shay, as you know, and next to me is Gibby. The reason Sam's not here is…" The sadness flashed in her eyes for a split second, then she instantly shook it off. "Sam is no longer able to do the show, for her own reasons, but…we're not here to talk about that. What we are here for, is my good brother Spencer and his fiancé, Sasha! This was all planned by his great mind. Freddie, turn the camera to our happy couple!"

Sasha blushed furiously as Freddie turned the camera upon them. Spencer put his hands over hers and smiled as he guided her to lean back against his chest. "Y-You planned this, Spencer?" He leaned down and whispered in her ear, grinning as he felt her shiver in response to his voice.

"Every bit of it. All for you. Just wait, they're going to change from the computer generated singing to actual karaoke. Did you know Gibby can actually sing? It's amazing really, whenever it was that Sam and Freddie started dating, they broke up and got back together, and he sang them a song." She lifted her eyebrows and chuckled softly as Gibby started moving towards the karaoke stand.

He waited as Elvis's song came to an end, and a new song began. I Do, by 98 Degrees. Sasha moved her hand to her chest and opened her mouth slightly as Gibby began singing to the song. He was doing a pretty good job. "I love this song…"

"And guess who chose the song." She quickly looked to him and her lips rose into a smile. The waiter swung by with their food, already having been cooking once the couple got there. Spencer had given them the heads up. It was a romantic dinner consisting of fresh salmon, Sasha's favorite fish, a baked potato, and rice. Sasha stared in awe at the food and looked over to Spencer's plate, he had the same thing. The salmon was covered in a tasty ginger sauce and came with a small bowl of tarter sauce on the side. "I think you said recently, you were craving salmon, right?"

"I-I guess, I wasn't expecting…wow…" She slowly looked up to him, her eyes full of admiration. "You really pulled out the stops…how much did this cost you?"'

"Only forty bucks for everything, the bartender's niece is a fan of iCarly."

"Amazing…"

As they ate dinner, Carly and her friends alternated between singing romantic karaoke songs, all songs selected by Spencer. He was expecting to go out with one final bang, though. When they finished their meal, Sasha had her head on his shoulder and he held his arm around her waist. "Have I ever told you how glad I am that you're in my life, Sasha?"

"Every day you do." She moved her head and rested her chin on his shoulder, grinning into his eyes. "And I'm glad you're in mine…I love you. More than…" Her cheeks started to burn and her eyes dropped. He lifted his hand and caressed her cheek, watching as she leaned in towards his touch. How had he ever managed to get her to bring her walls down? Not just since she'd been back, but all through her life she tried so hard to avoid emotions. He understood why, because she'd always seen her mom end up with guys who either only wanted sex or didn't even bother to stick around for longer than a day, at best. "I feel like I can trust you, Spencer. I mean, I think you're…you're a good man."

"Look at you." She lifted her eyebrows as he flashed a subtle smirk, which melted into a gentle smile. She was full of innocence, so eager to love him, but did he detect a hint of fear in her tone? He just had to remind her, he'd never leave her. "You are trying so hard not to say something…what is it?" Was it a desire to be with him forever? Was that it? Was it a desire to make that 'fiancé' title official? Hopefully? Gibby's voice sang, not as well, but close, to Frank Sinatra's hit The Way You Look Tonight. Sasha breathed in sharply and turned her quivering eyes to the stage. Her luscious brown hair swept her shoulders and her body entered into a state of total relaxation.

"This song…"

He closed his eyes and breathed in her sweet lilac perfume. How he longed to hold her close. "Sasha, would you like to dance?" He hardly had time to finish his question before she took his wrist and pulled him from the booth. His lips curled into a bright grin as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body up against his. He wrapped his arms around her waist and gazed into her loving eyes. "You are truly beautiful…I'll always love you."

"Thank you…for tonight." He slowly nodded his head and let his eyes fall to her plump lips. His heart slammed against his chest as she quickly nipped her lower lip with her front teeth. Those lips, those delicious lips, they were begging to be kissed. He moved his gaze back to her bright, wide eyes. He just simply couldn't wait any longer. He knew what he wanted, he knew who he loved, and he knew where he stood in her world.

He pulled her closer, strengthening his embrace around her. Her eyes shut like the blinds on a window as he leaned forward, embracing her lips with a mad, but gentle passion, a longing like no other. He let her lean back slightly and felt her hair beat against his hand on her waist. Her leg slowly started to rise as the fire inside grew fierce. Her hands moved along his shoulders, stopping just at the edges. Her moan enticed him, pulled him like a siren's call. He knew they needed to stop now, but he didn't want to end it. Yet, as the song began to come to a close, he was fully aware the night had yet to end.

He slowly leaned back up and pulled his lips away, hearing her soft gasp as her eyes shot open and gazed back at him, full of hunger. "There's something I have to do." She opened her mouth to reply, but she couldn't muster a single word. Her cheeks were painted red and every breath came out in rapid pants. He released her and slowly made his way to the stage, taking the microphone from Gibby. "Thank you, Gibby. I'll take it from here."

Sasha turned to face him, tangling her fingers at her waist as she made eye contact. He moved his hand through his hair and slowly breathed in as he moved the microphone towards his lips. Carly, Freddie, and Gibby arced behind Sasha as the Bartender and the staff stopped moving and watched with full smiles. Sasha couldn't tear her gaze from him to look, but he could see she was curious.

"Sasha, I want you to know, the moment you came into my life, everything changed. You came back, and everything changed again, but for the better. You make me feel more like a man, and you give me the chance to be one. You've given me the gift of being a father to Blake, given me the gift of a family, and you stand by me even though I make mistakes along the way. I don't know any woman that would do that for me." She chuckled as a joyous tear ran along her face. He gazed upon her for a moment, taking in her beauty to its fullest. "God you are beautiful, tonight and every night. I love you, I will always love you, and if I'm right, you feel the same way that I do, though you'd never admit to it." A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips and Sasha's eyebrows lifted slightly. "I know you are the one for me, the only one for me. There could never be another." She gasped and cupped her hands over her mouth, now she was positive of what was coming. "And so, without further ado, I have one last request to end this night…"

He motioned to the DJ, who began playing the song Marry Me, by Train. He shut his eyes and sang the song with great passion, he didn't need a projector to tell him the words. He knew this song by heart.

Forever can never be long enough for me
To feel like I've had long enough with you
Forget the world now we won't let them see
But there's one thing left to do

Now that the weight has lifted
Love has surely shifted my way
Marry Me
Today and every day
Marry Me
If I ever get the nerve to say "Hello" in this cafe
Say you will
Mm-hmm
Say you will
Mm-hmm

Together can never be close enough for me
Feel like I am close enough to you
You wear white and I'll wear out the words I love you
And you're beautiful
Now that the wait is over
And love and has finally shown her my way
Marry me
Today and every day
Marry me
If I ever get the nerve to say "Hello" in this cafe
Say you will
Mm-hmm
Say you will
Mm-hmm

Promise me
You'll always be
Happy by my side
I promise to
Sing to you
When all the music dies

And marry me
Today and everyday
Marry me
If I ever get the nerve to say "Hello" in this cafe
Say you will
Mm-hmm
Say you will
Marry me
Mm-hmm

When the song ended, Spencer slowly opened his eyes, sweat drenched his forehead and his chest slowly rose and fell. He met Sasha's tear-filled gaze with a smile. "Maybe I can't afford a ring right now, maybe I can't afford a ceremony yet, but I can promise you…everything." What would she say? Would she turn him down? God he hoped not, but he felt so certain that she wouldn't do that. He could never be sure. He stepped off the stage and made his way towards her, stopping within inches of her.

"S-Spencer, I-I don't know what to say." Without further word, she moved her arms around his neck and reached up, kissing his lips passionately. He was stunned, but quickly bounced back, moving his arms around her waist and meeting her kiss. He pulled her in closer, earning a muffled yelp. After a second, she pulled away and moved her head to his chest. "Yes…I will." His heart leapt to his throat, he had to fight to keep from cheering. He'd waited so long to hear those words. "Should we wait, until your family can be here?"

"We have plenty of time to plan that." He knew his mother would probably start trying to get involved and plan this wedding the minute she knew of the proposal. Which, given her track record of watching every iCarly, she would probably be calling them with a great excitement by tomorrow.

"I love you Spencer. Always and Forever."

"I love you too, more than you'll ever know." There was nothing that could bring him down, not now.

Let me know what you thought, was it sweet enough for you? ^_^