Trifecta

Disclaimer: I don't own iCarly

A/N:

Chapter 18 (Splitting Hearts)

"You boys really are pathetic, aren't you?" Nora chuckled darkly and turned to Gibby, sweeping her hand sensually along his jaw. "Don't worry, I still plan the ransoms. Even after Sam's death, we'll just tell her father she's alive and force him to play along. As long as he believes his family is in our custody, he's no choice to provide funding for as long as I have control."

"So you lied to us?"

"Lied?" Nora looked into Gibby's eyes and leaned close, standing on her toes and slicking her tongue along her lips. "I never lied, I remained in control. I used you. Whatever means necessary to an end, Gibson. Or did you really think I forgave you for your first interference on my plans?" Gibby's eyes widened as Nora pulled away from him. "If not for you, the Seattle Mafia would already be reborn."

"You mean…"

"That's right. You fucked up my plans, but I needed someone that the iCarly kids could trust." Nevel took a step back, trembling as Nora and Gibby stared each other down. "So I came to you, played with your tiny mind and told you I could get Sam for you. Just like I told Nevel that he'd have payback as Carly's entire world was shattered."

"But you're still doing that," Nevel muttered, "You're still going after her right?"

"Oh of course. You'll always have a place in the mafia, Nevel." Nora pressed up against Gibby's chest and trailed her fingers up along his body. "But for Gibby? My use for you is over-Freddie was correct."

"What?" Gibby's voice lowered to a whisper and his eyebrows slid inwards. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that now that I have Sam right where I want her, as well as Freddie, I can get Carly without you. Your usage has expired, so with that said, you will die as your old friends will."

"Bitch!" Gibby shoved her forward, forcing her to the ground. Nora threw her head up as he charged her, his loud yell startled Freddie. "I'll kill you myself."

"Oh you're going to betray me now? Is that truly wise?" Nora planted her palms on the ground and kicked her leg out, striking Gibby's ankle and forcing him to the ground.

She began to push herself up, but Gibby grabbed her by the hair and yanked her down to the ground. He slammed his fist down and she swept her knee up into his groin.

As the fight continued, Freddie was doing battle internally. The water had risen to the point that the top of Sam's head was at the top of the cylinder. She was making an attempt to slow the water pressure by putting her head in the water's entrance, but it kept pushing her back.

"Survive, we have to survive." His heart sank as the newest code failed him. "How the fuck do I do this!" His voice broke as yet another code failed. Nevel hurried beside him and he looked up, flaring his nostrils. "If you try to stop me, I swear to fuck I will pull that gun out of the drawer and put a bullet in your brain for this!"

"Relax, I'm helping you." He paused for a split second as Nevel turned to look at the fight. "She turned on Gibby, she'd do the same to me if we ever got Carly I'm sure. Helping her isn't worth it, I was wrong."

There was a sincerity in Nevel's eyes, one he never thought he'd see. "Fine then. What do I do?" He looked back to the tube and screamed when he saw Sam beneath the water. Her arms and legs were moving slowly and her cheeks were puffed up as her eyes gazed out at him. "Sam, no! God!"

"Move aside!" Nevel pushed him back and struck the button to lower the flap, which caused the water to pour out.

Seeing this, Nora let out a violent scream and started to rush towards them. Gibby rose up behind him and grabbed the back of her shirt. "I don't think so." He started pulling her to the pit, preparing to throw her into the grinder. Nora sucked in the air through her teeth and swung her arm around, bringing it crashing down onto Gibby's wrist.

"You die now," she hissed. His eyes widened as she kicked his chest. Falling back, he grabbed her ankle and pulled her with him.

Freddie winced upon hearing the grinder below crunching down on Gibby's bones. His former best friend's scream echoed and shook the walls of the foundation. "Freddie, focus," Nevel muttered. "You saw the failsafe in my notes didn't you?"

"What?"

"Goddamn it." Nevel moved to the monitor and began typing. Freddie recognized the number now that he saw it. Once Nevel struck the enter key, the water stopped flowing.

Behind him he heard someone grunt. He started to pale when he turned and saw two hands hanging onto the edge of the pit. "N-No…" Nora slowly pulled herself up, her eyes were filled with fire and her mouth was twisted into a murderous scowl.

"I'll tear you apart for this, Nevel! You and Freddie both!"

"Helping you was a mistake!" Nevel shouted while striking another button. Freddie darted for the tube as it opened. Sam fell out with the water and Freddie reached forward, catching her before she hit the ground.

He dropped to his knees and looked over to see Nora advancing upon Nevel. Freddie held his breath as Nevel grabbed the gun from the drawer and aimed it at her. She stopped in place and laughed. "Go ahead Nevel. Shoot if you're going to. Or, you could just turn that gun onto Freddie over there…Kill him, and I'll forgive you for this little bit of treachery."

"Oh?" Nevel's eyes narrowed and the corners of his lips fell into a frown. "Like you 'forgave' Gibby?"

"He didn't commit treason. I had no use for him-you now that. But you? Your brilliant mind, I need that. Together, we can revive the mafia and make it stronger than ever before. Nobody can ever tear down the mafia with my leadership and your intelligence."

"Is that so?" Nevel tilted his head to the right and started to chuckle. "You expect me to believe that?"

Nora spread her arms out and a smile stretched across her face. "Would I truly dispose of someone so useful as you?" Nevel's eyebrow rose and he looked over to Freddie.

Freddie glanced at Sam while running his hand through her hair. "Come on Sam." She was pale, her eyes were closed and her chest wasn't rising. "Please." Seeing the danger, he laid her down on her back and started to administer CPR. It was the one thing that his mother taught him which he actually paid attention to.

"Shoot him now," Nora remarked, "Shoot him now and let the Seattle Mafia rise once more."

"Gibby was useful." Nevel turned back to Nora and sneered. She lowered her arms and sighed heavily. "And you betrayed him. So no, I don't think you wouldn't do the same to me. Unlike Gibby, I have some smarts."

"Come on, Nev-" A gunshot echoed in the room and Freddie quickly glanced over while counting the chest compressions in his mind.

Nora stumbled backwards, her hand covered a wound above her heart. "I…" She continued to back up and stopped on the edge of the pit to look down at the blood seeping between her fingers. "Well. Shit."

She tilted her head back and dropped her hands to her sides. Nevel fired another shot, hitting her in the center of her forehead. Her body fell back, and once more, the air filled with the sickening sound of bones being crushed in the grinder's teeth below.

Doing his best to ignore the disgust inside, he leaned down to give two more rescue breaths to Sam. The color looked to be fading fast from her body. Tears drenched his cheeks as he counted out thirty more chest compressions. "Come on Sam, please. Don't leave me now."

Two more rescue breaths. He watched to see if her chest would rise from the breaths, then went to continue the compressions.

"I'll do anything. I'm sorry, I'm sorry that I ever hurt you. I'm sorry that I made you feel less than you are. I can't lose you, I can't." He felt Nevel's hand on his shoulder, then collapsed onto Sam's chest, folding his arms over underneath his face and weeping bitterly. "I…I was too late."

"I'm sorry," Nevel whispered, "Truly." There was no further energy left for anger or hatred, only the grief and guilt that now overtook him. "If I only knew…she played us all for fools."

"I wish." He turned his eyes to Sam's face and scrunched his forehead. "I wish Nora had killed me instead." His chest ached and throbbed as he caressed the girl's cheek.

"I know. I'm truly sorry for my part in all this."

"It doesn't matter now. Nothing matters. I can't…I can't feel anything right now." He leaned forward, gazing down at Sam's tender face and lips. Even in this state, she looked warm. "I've done nothing but let her down over the years-her and Carly both, but still…"

"Did she know you loved her?"

"I don't know if she wanted to believe that, or if she could bring herself to trust it. I wanted to show her-I'm a different man than I was. I do love her, I always will." His tears fell onto Sam's plump lips and he closed his eyes, lowering himself to kiss her one last time.

"Freddie?" He felt a movement as Nevel watched Sam's chest jump. His eyes opened as water splashed onto him and Sam opened her eyes, coughing violently. He leaned back, astonished as she sat up.

"Sam!" Tears filled her eyes as she looked over to him, relieving him of his grief. Her eyes softened and she fell forward into his chest. Her arms moved around him, clutching him tight as she wept. Her body against his brought a feeling he hadn't felt in so long, and it ignited his heartbeat once more.

"So cold," she whimpered, "I'm so cold." He held her shivering body close to him and looked up as the police finally entered the warehouse with the paramedics. One of paramedics spotted the two and called outside for a blanket. "Freddie?"

"Yes, Sam?"

"I…love you too. Don't let me go, please. Please don't."

"I won't."

"Don't leave me."

"I won't. I'm right here." She nestled close to him as the paramedics draped a heavy blanket around their bodies. He turned his head to his mother's tube and curled his eyebrows together as Nevel helped the paramedics open the container. The woman's eyes were still open, but gazing at Freddie and Sam with a strange joy. Her lips still held a proud smile. He turned back to Sam and kissed the top of her head. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise you that, and you can hold me to it."

Gibby and Nevel truly gave a fight. There's a couple chapters left, but the danger is over.