Dangerous Journey

Disclaimer: Don't own iCarly

A/N: I am so sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. I thought I still had some work left on it and still had work with other chapters still in wait.

Chapter 15 (Reversal of Roles)

"So." Sam looked around the four hardwood walls of the apartment living room. Her nose wrinkled as the scent of potpourri wafted to her. "This is your dad's place? Assistant Chief, and he certainly doesn't want for much."

It was a simple apartment, not as large as the Shay apartment by first glance. It was shaped differently, and there was only one story, but the first floor was larger than the first floor of Spencer's place.

The living room was separated from the kitchen by a wall with an open window for viewing. There was a three cushion couch just under the window, a recliner to the right with a footrest in front of it, and both faced a large flat screen television.

On the left side of the room, past the kitchen, was a hallway that led to a master bedroom and a guest bedroom. Freddie mentioned his father had a third room that was part office and part workout area.

"He never believed in spending money on things that he didn't need." Freddie walked to the couch and took a seat on the rightmost cushion. Sam sat beside him and swayed her hips on the cushion to get comfortable. "Granted, he does buy the things he wants, he's just a stickler for saving money."

"Not stingy, is he?"

"Nah. There's a difference." She admired the man for having the willpower to live so simply on the income he earned. "Do you like the place?"

"Yeah. It's simple. Nothing too extravagant, and not too boring." She wondered if he was planning on moving in with his father, but she didn't want to ask. Part of her hoped he might return to Seattle when she did, but if he didn't want to stay with his mother anymore, it was his choice.

She glanced sideways at him, taking in a deep breath while watching his arms slide out across the top back of the couch. "You know, Freddie, dating again is pretty nice." He looked back at her and flashed a smile her way.

"It is. I'm really glad you gave me a second chance."

Sam rubbed her neck and raised up her shoulders. "I'm not planning on making a permanent residence here in LA or anything, but-"

"Neither am I." Her eyebrows rose and her lips separated abruptly, but she wasn't getting any words out before him. "I just wanted to be here for you. I'm actually working on finding a place somewhere in Seattle, but I haven't found one." He bent his elbows and brought his right ankle over his left knee, sighing at the process.

"A couple weeks ago, you were shouting for me to go home. There's more excitement to be had here at the moment." He smirked at her and closed his hands slowly. "I'd rather be near you than my mother right now."

Marissa had to have meant well; but seeing how tense he became when discussing the woman, Sam wasn't about to antagonize him by making it seem that she was coming to the woman's defense.

"You haven't run into Carly yet, have you?" Her hands folded into her lap and she eyed Freddie with a particular grace. He knew they were waiting on her to swing by his father's house, but Sam wasn't sure how the two might react to one another.

Part of her was terrified the two might kill each other-given how much she complained to Carly about her interpretation of his actions. On another hand she was nervous that his old obsession would rise up, which was why she suggested their meeting up at his father's home.

Given how much she looked up to John, she considered this to be neutral ground.

She heard a grunt and raised an eyebrow as Freddie pulled his arms across his chest. "No," he responded gruffly. "I haven't heard from her since the day she called us to let us know how she was holding up in Italy that first month."

"Oh…" She remembered the call; Carly held a conference call over the phone to tell them that she was settling in. "So she hasn't even contacted you since?"

His shoulders rose and his nostrils spread apart. Sam watched his chest expand, then sink with a loud huff. "Pretty sure the words 'I'm done with you' means what it sounds like." She dropped her gaze for the moment, remembering the harsh words like they were yesterday.

She took a deep breath and turned her eyes back to him. "Freddie." Carly spoke those words out of frustration when Sam informed her how Freddie suddenly asked her out after she'd left. Just one emotional blow after he went right back to obsessing over her when they broke up. "I'm sorry."

"What's done is done. She was just looking out for you."

"But if I hadn't said anything-"

"No use in dredging up old wounds." She paused, dropping her hand to her lap and sighing. Freddie uncrossed his arms and looked to her with a subtle, yet reassuring smile. "Look I've agreed to this. If she's okay with it, then maybe we can all start over again."

"I hope so."

She knew better than to think things were going to go right back to the way things were, especially not with what was going on now, but they had to try. Carly needed her friends during this time, and that included Freddie as far as she was concerned.

He moved his hands behind his hand, lacing his fingers together. "I'll bet she never expected you to have to make the condition of 'playing nice'." He flashed a smirk and the blood inside her rushed to the cheeks.

"I just think-" She was interrupted by a heavy knock on the front door. "That must be her now." Wasting no time, Sam hurried to the door and met Carly with a cheerful gasp. "Carly, it's about time you showed up!"

Carly hugged her tight, then pulled away. "So. This is Freddie's dad's place, huh?" The girl's hands fell to her hips and she clicked her tongue while looking about the room. "Not what I was expecting from the Assistant Chief of Police."

"That's what I thought. Turns out Mr. Benson is heavy on saving money and not spending recklessly."

"Admirable." Freddie stood up and waved. To Sam's surprise, Carly merely frowned. "So. Sam tells me the two of you started dating again."

"Carly-"

"Nope." Carly shook her head and approached Freddie slowly. "I know you said not to say anything Sam, but I need to make sure he's genuine." Her shoulders sank and she watched in silence as Carly's glare burned into Freddie's astonished eyes. "Do you know what will happen if you hurt her again?"

"I do." He crossed his arms once more and leaned back a bit. "But I'm serious this time."

Carly tossed her head back and laughed once in disbelief. "You said you were serious when I asked you about it the first time."

Sam rushed to Carly's side, putting her hand to the girl's tense shoulder. "Carly, you know I wouldn't have given him another chance if I didn't think he was serious." Carly was only stressed out, and she knew that. If it wasn't for everything that was happening in the girl's life right now with her family, she would be more rational minded than she'd been as of late.

"You can't tell me you don't have doubts, Sam."

She turned towards Freddie and her heart sank. When he looked into her eyes, she averted her gaze. "I do." His hands closed up and Carly pressed her lips together so tight that lines stretched from them like streaks of lightning. "But I have to give him a chance. He says he cares, he's still here, and I have to think that means something. Right?"

"It could mean he's playing you again." Carly's face tightened and her chest puffed out. Freddie turned his head away with a scoff and Sam's hand dropped from the girl's shoulder. "Even if he's truly over me, who's to say there isn't some other girl he can't make up his mind about? God knows the boy's indecisive as ever."

"What?" Freddie's eyes snapped over and his voice rose. "How is it so damn difficult for you to believe I'm being sincere?"

"Because I haven't seen anything that would allude to it."

"Why in the hell would I even be here if I were doing that? Why would I put her through that again?"

"I don't know, Freddie. You tell me." She could feel the tension growing heavier and the room was heating up. Try as she might, she couldn't find a good spot to interrupt and calm the fire. "As much as you two fought when we were younger, maybe you just hate her enough to make sure she stays unhappy."

"Oh very nice." He sneered and spread his lips away from his clenched teeth. "I've known her longer than you, I was her friend first." He put his thumb to his chest and narrowed his eyes. "I know things about her that she's never even brought up with you, so don't try to tell me I want to cause her more grief."

Her eyes widened a nd she turned her attention sharply towards Carly. "I'm sorry." Carly moved her hands up to her chest and raised her eyebrows. "Where were you in three in the morning when she was crying her eyes out over a boy? Oh that's right, you were the boy!"

"Is this why you came here? Trying to protect her from me without even giving me a chance?"

"Maybe."

Seeing no end to the senseless banter, Sam rushed into the kitchen. Her heart was racing a mile a minute as she struggled to think of how to end this fight. The only way that was coming to mind was an old memory on how Carly used to break up her fights with Freddie.

She turned on the faucet, grabbed the spray nozzle and aimed it out the open section in the wall. "Both of you…" Her teeth clenched as she watched the two. Freddie threw his hands into the air as he struggled to raise his voice above Carly's.

With a deep breath, Sam shouted above the both of them. "Calm the hell down!" Her hand compressed around the trigger of the nozzle, spraying water out on the two. Carly and Freddie proceeded to curse and jump out of the path.

When she released the spray, Carly and Freddie looked like they'd just been dumped into a lake. They glared at her, both breathing heavily, but saying nothing.

"Jesus." She returned to the living room, glaring back at the two of them. "I never thought I'd have to stop a fight between you two." She looked over at Carly and pulled her lips back into a frown. "Carly, I know you're just concerned, but you have more important things to worry about. This isn't you…"

"Sam, I just don't want to see you hurting again."

"I'm not going to hurt her," Freddie replied calmly. Sam held her breath and waited as Carly shook off the water. "I made a mistake before. I know I screwed things up with her before, I know I don't deserve another chance, but I'm not trying to play with her emotions. You've got to trust that."

"Trust it?" Carly squeezed out her hair and Freddie stared down at the wet puddle on his father's hardwood floor. "She told me you've been fickle with her for most of the time you've known her. That the minute something better comes along, you dump her like yesterday's meat."

"The point," Sam growled, "Is I didn't bring you two together to fight-and do not make me go back to the water spray." Their heads jolted back and Carly started to laugh. Sam raised her eyebrows at the girl and dropped her hands to her waist. "What the hell is so funny?"

"Just…I remember when that was my job." Carly ran her fingers across her lower eyelids and dropped her hands with a sigh.

"Well. I wouldn't have had to if you two just tried to be civil." Sam crossed her arms and turned her eyes towards the door. "You're going through a tough time right now, Carly. I know you're stressed out, so I just thought you'd like to have your friends here to support you. I hoped maybe you and Freddie could work things out. Guess I was mistaken."

Freddie exhaled and Carly glanced back at him for a split second. "Well…I appreciate it." Carly turned to face him. "It is good to see you again, Freddie. I'm sorry for yelling at you, I've been stressed out already with the whole thing regarding my sister…so just the thought that Sam was getting back together with you when it seemed like you had just dumped her-I should just trust her instincts."

"Well if he hurts me again, it will be the last time." Freddie's eyebrows rose and a sly grin spread across Sam's face. "I think he knows it too."

Finally the tension in the air was subsiding, though she could only hope whatever pleasantries came remained.

"Believe it or not I am concerned," Freddie replied in a calm voice. Carly raised an eyebrow as he mustered a strong smile. "I am still a friend, or at least I hope so. Whatever the case, I am sorry for everything you are going through right now, Carly. Sam and I are here for you, and none of us should be fighting."

Carly smiled back and her body visibly relaxed. "Thank you, Freddie." The trio moved for the couch, but only Sam sat down. When she looked up, Freddie and Carly appeared uncertain whether or not to sit down. "Your dad's not going to mind the water, will he?"

"Eh, it's just water. It will dry."

Just as they sat on either side of her, the door opened and John entered. His strong face was long and his brow seemed heavy. "Ah Sam." She looked up to the man and rose up from the couch, concerned something wasn't right. "I do need to discuss something with you. I'm sure my son won't mind if I borrow you for a moment?"

Freddie chuckled and shrugged. "I need to grab something to eat. I hope everything's alright."

"Yes." John's eyes dropped to the water on the ground and he furrowed his brow. "Why don't you mop this mess up while I discuss something with Samantha. It pertains to Katrina."

Her heartbeat stopped for a moment and she wasted little time following Mr. Benson into the next room. When in the room, she closed the door and leaned up against the wall as he sat down at a desk.

"Is something wrong?"

"You know that as an officer, I have a sworn duty to notify family in certain instances, but in this case I find it would be best for you to tell her what we have found." Her lips spread apart, but she said nothing in nervous anticipation. "For one, officers are only to notify immediate relatives, not significant others."

"Significant others? What are you saying, that you found Jason?"

John pushed his elbow against the desk and brought his fingers to his forehead with a sigh. They rubbed circles into his skin. "I had some of my officers follow up on that lead you gave, suggesting maybe Jason took the same route that the Ross kid did a couple years back…"

"And?"

She could feel her heart beating against her ribs, each with greater profane than the last. "Have you ever seen one of those Ford 150s? Good vehicles, can survive one hell of a beating."

"I'm not exactly a truck person, Mr. Benson." She had to admit, they were good sized vehicles and she'd heard quite a few survivor horror stories regarding people that might have died in accidents while driving a different vehicle. "What does this have to do with anything?"

"It's the vehicle owned by Mr. Tyler, apparently." She furrowed her brow and watched the man lean back slowly in his chair. "It was found off the highway just a few miles out of Seattle. Going towards the city." Her hands moved over her mouth and her heart sank into the bile of her stomach.

"What about him?"

"Turns out his truck was pushed off a bridge and rolled into an obscure section that no one spotted. Evidently, it looks like he was able to get out-we matched him with an unidentified John Doe in a comatose state at Seattle's main hospital."

She couldn't decide if this was good news or bad news. Her eyes squinted and her lips pursed. "So what you're saying is Jason is alive, but comatose?"

"Right. Evidently he was found without any identification on him and in pretty bad shape, but doctors say it's a matter of time before he wakes. I have to notify his uncle, but you might consider an act of grace by letting Trina know Jason has been located…"

"But…in Seattle…"

This indicated Jason was on his way to trying to find Trina's birth family when someone got in the way. She had to play her cards just right when telling Trina about Jason's survival, especially with the risk of David learning about it.

"An investigation on David Vega will be launched, probably. You should be prepared for that. I've got people looking at Spencer's claims, Trina's background, and the allegation you made that he may have had something to do with the death of Samuel Ross."

John crossed his arms and breathed in slowly. "Given the similarity between his death and Jason's accident, both within the vicinity of the town where Trina's family lives…There's more than just a presumptive guess that the two incidents are somehow linked."

"Then, if an investigation is launched-"

"We first have to find evidence to support the claims and allegations. Until then, please be careful."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you."

So Trina's lover may be alive and in Seattle. How nice. Things are closing in there. What are your thoughts about everything? What do you think about Carly and Freddie? Can they work on that friendship of theirs? Sam's got a lot on her plate, so she likely can't deal with her two friends at war.