The Greatest Secret

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own iCarly

A/N: As you know, thoughts are in italics and speech is in regular font.

Chapter 123 (Important News)

They made their way to Carly's door and entered the apartment. Sitting on the couch was Spencer, Robert, and Emily. Sasha was in the kitchen. Carly was confused to see Emily. She knew that Emily was hanging around a bit more, but she did wonder why her father's news was so important and yet Emily was there. "Hey I'm here…what's Mrs. Benson doing here?" She also knew that Emily and Robert lived together. She just did not know why. Spencer sighed and slowly stood up. He smiled and hugged Carly.

"Hey baby sis, have a seat." Carly pulled up a chair and sat down. Spencer walked over to Sasha and placed his hand on the small of her back. She smiled and kissed him on the cheek, melting him as she always seemed to do. Carly was thankful for Sasha, since she made her brother happy. She was glad when she saw a couple like them, when both could make the other happy. "Carly, Sasha and I…we want to start a family. We don't have the money yet to afford a bigger house, so we need to stay in the apartment." Spencer frowned and Carly remained silent, she could see where this was going. She felt a little confused, since she didn't seem to have any trouble with the idea of living with her father, if that's what he wanted her to do.

"So what are you saying? You want me to move in with Daddy?" She would be thrilled to do it, but she would miss Spencer. Of course, she couldn't live with him forever, she knew that. Spencer closed his eyes and slowly exhaled, it was tough for him, but it had to be done. He felt like he was kicking his sister out, though he wasn't. He didn't like to feel that way, but there wasn't any choice in the matter.

"We need to use your room for a nursery whenever we do start a family." Carly could accept that, but she still had to know why Emily was here. Spencer didn't want her to feel like she was being abandoned, and she wasn't, but he felt a little guilty about leaving her behind like this. It was only fair, he couldn't take care of her all the time, and Robert did want to take care of her, just like Morris and Maggie wanted to care for Sam. Carly stood up and walked over to him, she hugged him to let him know that she was okay with it.

"I don't mind, I'd love to move in with dad." Robert smiled, he was happy that his daughter wanted to move in with him. Spencer was happy to see Carly so accepting of the idea, but it wasn't his news that he was afraid of.

"There's something else as well, Carly." Carly raised her eyebrow as Spencer brushed his nose. "You are getting a stepmother." Carly froze for a moment, unsure of what she had just heard.

"What?" She quickly turned to her father and saw something that shocked her quite a bit, he was holding hands with Emily. "What! Dad? You and…Ms. Benson are getting…married?"

"Yes Carly, we are," Robert said with a cautious tone of voice. He wasn't sure exactly how Carly would take the news, but she was taking it better than he had thought she would. Of course, there was still the other news that he wasn't going to mention just yet, as he wasn't sure how. How do you mention to a girl that cares so much for her grandfather that the man took apart a couple so very much in love? "Carly, I love Emily with all my heart, she's the greatest woman that I have ever been with."

"Well…what about mom?" Robert's eyebrows rose as Carly gave him a questioning look. She never knew her mother, Spencer never talked about the woman. Robert wasn't about to tell Carly that her mother didn't want her, but he didn't want to lie to his daughter either. "You did love her, right? You never talk about her though…Why doesn't Spencer ever talk about her?"

"Carly…your mother was…she was not a very good woman." Carly blinked and sat down on the couch, she didn't quite understand what her father meant by that. How was her mom not a good woman? "Your mother was a woman named Linda Peeloff…" Carly's eyes widened with surprise and she quickly jumped from her seat, she recognized the woman as the headmaster of that private school so long ago.

"I know her! Maybe I can meet her!" Spencer frowned and moved over to Carly, he placed his hand on her shoulder and shook his head. Linda wouldn't want to see her, that much was clear.

"Trust me sis, you don't want to see her," Spencer replied in a quiet tone of voice. He was protecting Carly, he didn't want her to get hurt. Carly didn't want that though, she wanted to meet the woman she never knew.

"Spencer, she's your mom too!"

"Carly." Carly turned to Spencer and her voice began to rise, but not with anger, rather with anticipation and a desire to do something that was very important to her.

"I mean wouldn't you want to know about your mother?"

"Yes but…"

"Well she's your mom too, so you shouldn't have any problem letting-"

"Carly, she's not my mother." Carly's jaw dropped and Sam's eyes widened. Spencer let that one slip, but he hadn't meant to. Even still, Carly would have needed to know. She had no clue what he meant by this though. If Linda wasn't his mother, then who was? Spencer ran his hand through his hair and took a deep breath, watching as Carly fell back into her seat. Her eyes were wide and shocked, she was just too confused to understand what was going on.

"Then who is she? Who is your real mother? Do you even know her?" Spencer slowly looked over at Emily and frowned, he wasn't sure if he should say it. If he did, Carly would want to know what happened, and she probably wouldn't be so willing to believe that her grandfather orchestrated everything.

"Yes, I know who she is…I found out not too long ago." Carly nodded and slowly closed her hands. Spencer should know how she felt then, to want to meet a woman who he had never known. "In fact, I believed Linda to be my mother for so long that when I found out she wasn't my mom…I couldn't tell you exactly how I felt."

"I bet…I bet you wanted to find your real mom. I bet you wanted to know what happened, why she didn't want you and all of that…" Spencer slowly glanced to the side and pressed his teeth together. He had already known why. His mother had wanted him, but Carly's didn't. Carly slowly rose up and took her brother's shirt in her hands. "Then you should know how I feel Spencer! You should know!"

"Carly…I'm trying to protect you!"

"Protect me from what?! From knowing who my real mother is? How is that protecting me?!" Spencer opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He just couldn't explain it to her. Sam could see that she had a real point, and so could Emily. Emily slowly stood up and smiled at Spencer. She thought Carly deserved to know a little about her mother, but she was going to need some support. Carly turned around and Spencer glanced over at Emily, they were wondering what she was going to say.

"Let me take her to see her mother, I'm sure I know where the woman is," Emily said in a gentle voice. Carly didn't know how to respond, all she knew was if Emily was offering to take her to see her mom, then she should take that offer. Emily looked over at Spencer and slowly exhaled. "There are some things in life that a child needs to know. A girl who has grown up without her mother should see the woman at least once if she's still alive. Think of all the questions that Carly must have for her. I'm sure you know how that feels, Spencer." Emily put on her best 'mom' look when Spencer glanced her way, it was always an easy way to get kids to do what she needed them to do. When he looked at her, he was already defeated. He knew she was right, he had no right to hold Carly back from this, no matter how much it scared him.

"Okay Carly, just try to relax when you do see her," Spencer responded. Carly's smile widened and she quickly hugged Spencer, she couldn't believe that she was actually being allowed to see her birth mom. She had so many questions, so many things that she wanted to know.

"Thank you so much!" Carly said with a quick laugh. She moved over to Emily and hugged her. "Thank you Ms. Benson!" Emily smiled sadly and hugged Carly. She was going to be there for her when they were done with Linda, she knew very well that Carly would need her.

The next chapter you shall enjoy. I hope you liked this chapter, please leave a review. Oh, and go check out my other story, JESSICA'S DARK PAST, I'd really like some reviews there.