Trifecta

Disclaimer: I don't own iCarly

A/N:

Chapter 19 (All in Due Time)

Freddie sat beside Sam at the hospital where they kept her overnight for observation. This was about three days. There they tended to his injuries as well. Sam's hands folded over the top of the hospital blanket and held it up to her chin. Her eyes were open and watching Freddie as he ran his hand through her hair. "Hey Freddie?" Her voice was soft and quiet, to the point he had to lean forward to hear her. "You know I was in a state of shock after I got out of that tube?"

"Yes."

"I may have said some things." He chuckled to himself as Sam's eyes darted away. "Anyway, thank you for being here and for being there. I-" She paused, breathing in sharply and clenching her eyes shut. "I'm sorry about your mom. I can't, I couldn't sleep last night…every time I close my eyes, I see them-and I see her." Sam's forehead folded and creased as she shook her head.

"It's okay." He brushed his fingers along her forehead and watched as she relaxed and opened halfway. Marissa was missed, but Freddie felt good knowing that she was still with them in spirit and that Sam was alive. "I'm glad you're here, I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."

"Your mom didn't deserve it. It wasn't right, it wasn't fair." She was taking it hard, almost as hard as he was. It was understandable given the circumstances. A tear ran down the side of her face as she breathed in through her nostrils. "Why did they do it? Your mom, my mother?"

Pam had caught trouble with her probation officer for having called Sam. Despite that she had a hand in saving her daughter's life, she would have to have a hearing before the judge to discuss the terms of her violation. "I guess they wanted the best for their children?" It was difficult for him to understand the sacrifice each mother made, and while he was thankful, he hated what it led to.

For him, Marissa was right in the sense it would easier for him to cope with her loss than Sam's. She had one foot in the grave as it had been, and Sam had her entire life ahead of her.

"I guess one way to look at it is that she's with Dad now and happier for it. Her last wish was that I get you out of there, she said she'd be happy just knowing we both survived. So maybe…maybe she is with us right now."

"If you believe in spirits." Sam looked to the right and brought her hand up to rub her nose. Freddie smiled sadly as her shoulders and chest fell. "I don't know if it was a dream or if it was real, but I saw her. Your dad too, I think…"

"What do you mean?"

"When you were performing CPR, I guess." Her eyes drifted to him and her expression grew heavy. "I was dead." He knew that much, there was no doubt in his mind that she was gone, and that was something he wanted to forget. "I saw your mom, your dad, standing together. They told me I couldn't die yet, and I woke up. I don't know if it was a dream or not…"

"Maybe it was a dream, maybe it wasn't. The important thing is you're here, you're alive, and I'm not going to let anything like that happen to you again if I can help it." Sam's lips curved into a smile and she reached for his hand, grasping it gently and squeezing.

"You said Nora wanted to use us for ransom?"

"Yeah. Spencer, your dad, and apparently mom's boss. They wanted to force them to help aid and launch the revival of Seattle's mafia. Gibby…died trying to fight Nora, and Nevel killed her. She turned on them, so they turned on her." Sam swallowed and glanced away.

"It all seems so surreal, like one big nightmare."

"I know." He gave her hand a squeeze and smiled as her eyes drifted back to his. "You never told me your dad was a congressman in DC."

"Right." She scoffed and shifted her body to the left. "He abandoned us and wouldn't even pay child support. When mom went to ask him for help, we were just girls at the time, he turned us away like we were some penniless beggar."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. He's too good and too proud to acknowledge me, so I try not to acknowledge him. I only wonder what he'd say about his daughter going through all this." She uncurled her fingers from his hand and pulled her hand away. "I don't want his pity, and I don't want his money. He can take his mansion in the hills and his pompous ass family and he can shove them up his ass."

"Why didn't he ever want to accept you?"

"Melanie and I are the children of a former stripper. He and mom married for a short period of time before he dumped her and left us. Once he went into politics, of course having us in his life would be too bad for his image."

"Sounds like a terrible father to have." Thinking about it made his stomach spin with bile. A change in subject sounded to be a great idea for him. "I hope you know I'd never do that to you."

"It's easy to say that."

"What do you want me to do to show you that I'm sincere?"

"I don't know." She shrugged and slowly sat up. He put a hand to her back for support and helped her lean against the headboard. "Just be here for me, there's nothing else you can do." Her shoulders sank and her eyes drifted to the sides. "Forgive me for not falling madly in love with you just because you saved my life."

He laughed, remembering what happened with Carly. It was a terrible feeling knowing that it had only been a case of hero worship, so he was thankful for Sam's remark. "Oh don't be. I prefer it this way, actually. It feels more-"

"Real?" Her eyes darted over to him, then to the door in front of her. She folded her arms over her stomach and winced. "God, why am I still in so much pain? It's been like what? Two? Three days?"

"You know they had to take out your appendix."

"Yeah." She rolled her eyes and groaned. "Fuck you Gibby. Thanks for trying to stop Nora, but thanks for nothing. Your damn fault I was stuck there. May you enjoy it in Hell." Freddie frowned as she swept her hand through her hair and sighed heavily. "I know I shouldn't say things like that-"

"You're hurting and you're healing, you're entitled to be angry." Her lips turned up and she looked towards him for a minute before swaying into him. "How are you?" Sam put her head to his shoulder and sighed.

"Don't ask stupid questions, you know how I'm doing and it's not well." He nodded with understanding, watching Sam as she took slow and easy breaths. "At this point I wish it was just a truck you pulled me out of the way of."

He furrowed his brow and pondered why she was hung up on the time he kept Carly from getting injured. "That was a long time ago, Sam."

"Forgive me." She lifted her hand and dropped it on her side. "I happen to hate being a damsel in distress type, so I thought maybe if I could think about someone else that was one, it wouldn't feel so bad."

"Just because you were beaten one time doesn't make you a damsel nor does it make you weak." Her eyebrows rose and she turned her head to gaze at him.

"Really?"

"Of course. You're the strongest woman I know." He looked into her trembling eyes and lifted his hand, tucking a finger just beneath her chin. "Everyone has an off day, and you had yours. It doesn't mean you're weak or a damsel."

"I guess I shouldn't be so hard on myself."

"Not at all."

"Yeah…" She turned her head onto her side and closed her eyes. "Maybe…after I've calmed down a little from all this, we can grab a drink or something. Go on a date?"

"You sure you want that?"

"I want to, and this is just me talking-not the person whose life you just saved." He rolled his eyes and smiled at her.

"Good, because that's the person I want to take out." Sam's arms wrapped around his and she leaned further into him, relaxing herself with a gentle sigh. He let her remain there and drifted his gaze to the door, waiting as silence overtook them. "I think I'll do that…"

"Do what?"

"Go to the University of California in LA. What do you think?"

Sam's shoulders rose and fell while her eyes remained close. "If you do, can you get in sooner? I really am uneasy with long distance relationships." The closest he would be able to would be the summer.

"I've already been accepted, but if I moved onto campus in the summer, I'd have to take a class."

"I'm fine with that." Her eyes opened and she teased him with a smirk. "If you really wanted, you could move in with Robbie." Freddie's eyes widened and he leaned back, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Tell me you're joking."

"I'm joking." She nestled her head back into the crook of his neck. "Though that girl in the witness protection-Trina, I hear her boyfriend's putting out flyers for a roommate."

"Her boyfriend?"

"Sinjin or something. Probably be cheaper than the campus apartments and he's already graduated so he's working on getting a master's and needs a roommate. I think the campus housing requires you to have a class in order to remain there."

"It is something to consider." If it meant being closer to her when she needed him, then he would consider it greatly. Nobody was immune to traumas, and that meant that even Sam would likely suffer from PTSD and nightmares. He already was, half the time he woke up in the middle of night afraid that Sam hadn't survived.

"If you can give me this Sinjin's number, I'd love to talk to the guy and see if his offer would be better than campus housing."

"I'll call Cat when I get a chance, see if she can get Tori or Trina to give her the guy's number." She paused and lifted her head. "Wait, is it safe for me to say her name? Nora's dead, so I guess there's no danger. I wish we could do something for her, but there's nothing to do."

"You realize that if she is in witness protection, that's probably not even her real name. Who knows if the girl has extended family somewhere, it's not really important to worry about. I'm just glad you're safe."

"Yeah. I'm glad you're okay too." Sam smiled at him, then dropped her eyes to his chest. "One thing, though. Whenever you come down and meet my roommate. Again."

"Yes?" He hesitated as Sam paused for an extended period. It hadn't quite crossed his mind about whether or not there'd be any resentments or hostility left in regards to Cat.

"Well. She trusts you less than I do, so don't be shocked if you see her and she doesn't talk to you. She'll come around eventually-if what you say is true and you are genuine, she'll see it."

"Well. I hope more that you'll see it, but that's all in time, I imagine. For now, let's just rest." She sank back into her bed and folded her hands over her waist, nodding slowly.

"I can agree to that. Still want to get the hell out of this hospital…" She looked to the metal tray beside her and scowled at the plate on it. "I might love food, but hospital food tastes like shit."

The next chapter is the last. There could be a potential sequel in the works, but it'll likely be some time. I need to finish other stories.