Trifecta

Disclaimer: I don't own iCarly

A/N: Because it was originally a oneshot, this was part 2. I'll give it to you so you can gain an idea of the investigative portion.

Chapter 2 (Depraved Minds)

Freddie walked out of his bedroom and found his mother lounging on the couch, her eyes were half lidded and her television held a dull glow as the morning news played. "How was graveyard shift at the hospital, Mom?" He grabbed the remote and flipped off the television, causing Marissa's eyes to shoot open.

"What? I was watching that." She shook her head and pat her cheek multiple times.

"Let's go ahead and get you to bed." He didn't have to take care of her, but they were all each other had. "I've got some stuff to do today, if you don't mind." She sat upright and moved her eyes towards him and a deep frown grew on her face.

"What are your plans, Freddie?"

"Oh you know, just hanging with Gibby for a bit, then heading over to the Groovy Smoothie." He did want to ask Gibby what happened with Nora when she ended up finding him, they really hadn't discussed it. The man might not have ever been too bright, but he was no idiot, and only an idiot would have given Nora Sam's direct address in LA. "Now come on, let's get you to rest."

Marissa stood up and yawned loudly, then followed up with a groan. "I wish I could choose my hours, all this working is driving me insane." He chuckled softly and guided her to her bedroom. Contrary to what she may have felt, he found it beneficial that she was working the graveyard shift at the hospital, it got her out of his hair for a while.

"Yeah well, maybe they'll loosen up on the hours a bit. Anyway, I need to hit the gym later as well. Got to work the arms today."

"My son, growing up to be a man." She smiled at him and walked at a slow pace to her bed. Her eyes were puffy and red from exhaustion, and her hair seemed to conceal whatever pride was in her dull eyes. "Just like your father. He'd be proud of you."

"Thanks mom."

At the Groovy Smoothie, Freddie sat across from Gibby and his newest arm candy. He watched uncomfortably as Gibby put his arm around the blonde's shoulders and ordered her to cuddle against him. "Ah that's better," Gibby said as he squeezed the girl and looked to Freddie. "We really need to find another hangout spot, the smoothie shop's getting a little old."

"It's sentimental." Freddie leaned back and lifted his drink to his lips. To his amazement, Gibby picked up his drink and handed it to the girl while telling her to get him a refill. The sight sickened him, but part of him was used to seeing his friend act in this manner. "Hey Gibby?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are you so controlling with women?" Gibby's eyebrow rose and he hunched forward slightly while folding his hands on the table. There was a flicker of insanity in his eyes, but a frightening as it was, it was a fleeting sense. "Ever since, what was it junior high, you've had this thing about being controlling and forcing them to be submissive." Not to mention, most of the women were blonde.

"It's just the way it is, Freddie."

"And why blonde? I mean, I guess if you're attracted to blondes that's one thing-"

"Some blondes are easier to control." Gibby leaned back and lifted his hand, flicking out a finger as he counted off his points. "They're either easy, or they're pleasantly oblivious to anything around them." Freddie's stomach twisted some more and his hand moved down to his abdomen. "They also will do anything to make you happy, so I use that to my advantage."

"I guess." He swallowed a burning lump in his throat and shook his head. "Sam's nothing like that, though." Gibby's face tightened for a second, then a smile formed.

"For all the hustle she had when younger, she's really toned down hasn't she? Although, she has her moments." Freddie glanced up and watched the man tap his fingers on the table and study him closely. "You'll hear it from me. A woman like that needs a man, not a boy that can't make up his mind."

He narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. "What's that supposed to mean?" There was a powerful urge to punch Gibby in the jaw for such a backhanded statement, but he was able to control himself. "For someone who spends most of his time controlling women like they're simple objects, you're one to talk."

"Come on!" Gibby opened his palms and laughed. "I mean one minute you're into Carly, the next you're into some hot chick, then you're into Sam, and when you get her you dump her..." The words struck him like a punch to the gut and he looked away as Gibby swept his hand through his hair. "Then you're back on Carly like she's a bitch in heat, and when she moves away, you want Sam back. Playing the girls like they're not best friends who would tell each other everything, including that their best guy friend is going between the two of them."

"I-I'm past that now."

"I'm just saying, don't call me on my tendency to be controlling-which I know I do-and not admit to your own bullshit depravity. You're not perfect, none of us are." He shook himself and folded his forearms in his lap.

"I know that." The girl returned to the table and handed Gibby his drink, then sat down beside him. Freddie rolled his eyes and drew out a slow exhale as the man put his arm around the woman's shoulders. "I wanted to ask something else. What happened when Nora found you that time?"

Gibby's eyes drifted over and his lips parted momentarily. "What?" The response was slow as it dripped from Gibby's mouth. His forehead creased over as his large hand began to close. "Why bring up that woman?"

"Well it's just, I know she's in prison and all, and Sam tells me not to worry about it. I just want to know why she didn't go after you when you were the whole reason we got away from her the first time." At this point he didn't feel like bringing up the fact that Gibby handed Nora the address for Sam, but he had a feeling that he wouldn't like the answer if he asked.

"Nothing happened. She showed up at a movie theatre, asked me for information, and I gave it." Gibby's eyes slanted and his head rolled to the right. "I was in fear of my life. I'll be honest, I'd rather her go after Sam than me anyway." Freddie raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth to speak, but no response came to mind. "Sam's a big girl, she can take care of herself."

"You…don't like her much, do you?"

"Can you blame me?" He shrugged and turned to the blonde hanging on his arm. The girl was kissing his neck and shoulders and didn't seem to be stopping for a breath. "Hey babe, here's a twenty." Gibby pulled some money from his pocket and handed it to the girl. "Go down to the mall and buy yourself something nice."

Freddie took his drink and watched as the blonde danced out of the building. The moment she was gone, he felt the energy surrounding the table grow incredibly tense. His chest began to ache as his eyes moved slowly to Gibby.

His friend now had his palms on top of each other and planted firmly on the table. Gibby's shoulders were hunched and his mouth was twisted into a scowl. "You've known my opinion of her for years, Freddie. Why bother me with it now?"

"Because you've always acted like her friend. You've been her friend and Carly's as well."

"Friends by association. Do you know what that means?" Gibby sat back and perched his right elbow over the back of his seat. "It means because I was your friend, I was their friend, and I was obligated to be nice to Sam despite all the shit she put me through growing up. My junior high career was hell because of people who stepped on me, and she was just one of the many."

"She's not like that anymore. She's toned down, getting better about being a better person to people."

Gibby rolled his arm off the chair and moved his hand to his chest, chuckling at him. "I know that, and you know that." Freddie's breath stuck in his throat, and his body tensed under Gibby's new, icy glare. His hands started to sweat around the smoothie cup and a startling sensation swept through his spine. "Still." Gibby tore his hand away and shrugged. "That doesn't mean I have to give a shit."

"So I guess when you gave Nora her address, you didn't care?"

"Freddie. Some women, like Sam, deserve to be smacked around a bit." His eyes widened as Gibby rose from the table and grabbed his own drink. "She's too wild, too out there…maybe she'll find a guy one day who can control her. Be honest, haven't you ever wanted to slap her around a couple times? Just saying, we all have…"

"What has gotten into you?" He trembled as a fearful sensation shot up and pierced his heart. Words like these he'd never expected to hear from Gibby. "I thought you were over all the juvenile shit. Gibby, we were kids, doing as kids did."

"Whatever. You know Sam was hard on you too, and yet you're the one that wants to bend her over and slip it to her from behind." Freddie closed his eyes as Gibby's deep chuckle throttled him. Anger lapped at him like a great flame and he slowly clenched his fists, still resisting the impulse to lash out at this person who was his best friend. "Who knows, maybe a good fuck is what that broad needs."

His teeth clenched as Gibby moved for the doors. Before he had a chance to exit, Freddie turned around and called out to him. "She says she heard you in the background when she was contacted by Nevel after Nora was taken in." Gibby stopped, his hand rested firmly on the door latch and his eyes seemed to fixate on his limb. "Nevel somehow got himself out of prison and met up with you? Is that true?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I'm just curious as to why you would be hanging out with Nevel-of all people."

"He reached out to me that day. Nothing more. Haven't seen him since." Gibby pushed open the door and left without another word. Freddie shivered and leaned over the table as he raised his hand up and swept it through his hair. A breath left his lips with in small shudders while tiny beads of sweat began to form on his forehead.

Would Gibby truly give Sam's address away just so Nora wouldn't attack him? No, it was too absurd a thought. For all the malice that Gibby just spewed, he wasn't cruel enough to do that to anyone, even Sam.

"Still, something isn't right." He turned his eyes up to the television behind T-Bo's counter. As the logo for the local news popped up on the screen, he rose from the table and turned away with a dejected sigh. "Why he can't have something other than news on the television, I'll never know."

We're going to hope Sam remains in LA for this, and Carly in Italy. Will that occur? Maybe, maybe not. Oh, and what of Ms. Benson? She's important as well. Enjoy!