"iMiss You"
Each member of the iCarly gang has spent time reflecting on being alone. Sam and Freddie debate internationally about whether they should talk, but are too stubborn, and too afraid to make the next move. Carly wants to get the gang back together, and looks to Gibby for help.
AN: Hey folks. This is the first of my prompts. I will be working to get what I have so far as fast as I can. Also my August chapter for Jori 2024 will go up on Saturday. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Sam is at home in front of the TV, eating a bag of M&Ms, and flipping through the channels. Occasionally she looks at her phone, staring at Freddie's number, but somehow she can't bring herself to call him. Sabotaging Freddie's application was a long time ago, before the two of them started dating, and back then Sam wasn't worried about getting caught. As soon as she was outed, Sam couldn't stop thinking about that day, replaying Freddie's words in her head. 'Why would you do this to me?', along with the hurt look Freddie gave his girlfriend who betrayed him. Sam kept telling herself that Freddie was being dramatic, and that he just couldn't see the sense of humor in the situation, but the more she thought about it the more her heart sank, and Sam knew that this time she stepped too far. Sam once again opened her contacts, and searched for Freddie's number, but still she couldn't bring herself to call, and make things right.
Meanwhile Carly is sitting in the studio on the bean bag chair, rewatching their movie that she was mostly edited out of. This was by far the worst part of Sam and Freddie getting together. The two of them would often go out without her, which didn't bother her so much; they were a couple after all. Carly's biggest issue was that with all of the alone time her friends were spending together, it didn't leave room for the social life they had before.
Yet as much as Carly missed the way things used to be, she is even more sad to see Sam and Freddie in pain. The one or two times Carly has spoken to Sam, she confirmed that she and Freddie haven't spoken since the incident after their last iCarly episode. Sam says she hasn't heard from Freddie, and Freddie doesn't want to talk about it at all. If Carly wanted things to change she would first have to get Sam and Freddie willing to be in the same room together, let alone speak to one another.
After rewatching the movie for the tenth time, Carly gets a text from Gibby.
"Hey, what are you up to?"
"Nothing really. Just sitting around, watching TV." Carly responded.
"Me too. Have you heard from Freddie or Sam?" Gibby asked.
"Maybe once or twice. Nobody's really talking to anyone."
"Oh. Do you maybe want to hang out and get some pizza?"
"Sure, come on over." Carly told him."
Carly gives up on replaying the movie, and goes downstairs to meet Gibby. Maybe his company will take her mind off of this whole messy situation.
In the Benson home, Freddie is at home staring at his computer while Marissa is cooking dinner. The smell of his mother's roast pulled him away for a little bit, before Freddie's attention was brought back to old clips of iCarly. The clip he currently had on was their latest rendition of "The Cowboy and The Idiot Farm Girl Who Thinks His Mustache Is A Squirrel." This has always been theirs, and a fan favorite bit that the iCarly gang have always enjoyed performing. Freddie loved coming up with the bits with the girls, and he loved seeing the finished product once it was edited together. They made a great team, and Freddie missed that team. He was starting to doubt if they would ever come together like they once were.
"Freddie, dinner is almost ready. Will you set the table for me?"
"Sure, Mom." Freddie sighs, as he closes out the video, and gets up to set the table.
Freddie gathers two sets of plates and silverware, coming back to put them on the placemats. While bringing the vegetables to the table, Marissa can't help but notice her son's dejected expression.
"Freddie, what's got you down?"
Freddie sighs. "I just don't really feel like smiling lately."
"Are you still upset about breaking up with Sam? Even after she ruined your chances at getting into that camp?"
"Believe me, I'm still really angry about that, but…I don't know, I still kind of miss her." Freddie explained.
Marissa comes to the other side of the table, taking her son's shoulders.
"Look at me Freddie." She says and he looks up at her. "You may not see it now, but you're better off without her. You deserve to be with someone who supports your dreams, and won't get in the way of them."
"I don't know that Sam doesn't support my dreams, I just don't know why she would do what she did."
"Because she's cruel and selfish. The sooner you see that, the better." Marissa said.
Freddie sighs, shaking his head before sitting down to dinner with his mother. He tried to have dinner, and forget about it, but Freddie knew he would be thinking about this for as long as he avoided talking about it.
Carly is sitting in her living room before being greeted by Gibby and a pizza. He sets the pizza down on the coffee table, then he picks up the other glass of lemonade Carly poured for him.
"So, do you want to watch a movie or something?" Gibby asked.
"No, I kinda want to talk to you about something."
"What about?"
"About Sam and Freddie."
"Ahh." Gibby said, taking a slice of pizza. "What about them?"
"Well, I can't stop thinking about what happened, and I was wondering if you wanted to help _"
"Oh no, I'm not helping you get them back together."
"Oh come on, Gibby. Why not?"
Gibby stands up, walking around the couch.
"I'm not going back to Sam beating up on me, because she's dating Freddie." Gibby protested.
"Maybe it could be different this time, ya know if we talked to them."
"How can you be so sure?"
"I'm not; not really. Look I don't want things to be completely the way they were before. I didn't like them editing me out of our skits, but…" Carly sighs. "...but as much as I didn't like them leaving me out of things, I hate seeing them so sad."
Gibby sat back on the couch, resting his elbows on his knees. He sighed heavily before looking back at Carly.
"Have you talked to Sam or Freddie?"
"Not much, maybe once or twice. I just think that if we could get them in the same room together, maybe they'd have to talk about it."
Gibby nods, turning to Carly. "What do you have in mind?"
"So far all I've got is you invite Freddie to the Groovy Smoothie, and I'll invite Sam, and hope for the best." Carly said.
"I suppose we could try." Gibby replied.
The two then decided to put on a movie, and enjoy their pizza as they mentally prepare for the Groovy Smoothie tomorrow.
Carly sat at a table with Sam, each of them enjoying peach mango smoothies and a soft pretzel. Things started out awkward having not hung out in awhile, but soon they fell back into a routine with Sam telling Carly about a video she watched where a guy hid his bearded dragon in the shower, and his roommate went in not realizing the little guy was there. He was washing the soap out of his hair before he noticed, and he hopped out screaming, while running around the apartment. Laughing with Sam again was nice, and Carly hoped after today, they'd get to do more of that. It wasn't long before Gibby entered with Freddie, and Sam just stared at the door. Carly looked nervously between her two friends, while both of them were quiet so far. Gibby went up to the counter to place their orders, leaving Freddie to stand awkwardly with the girls.
"Hey Freddie, how ya doin?" Carly asked.
"Okay." Freddie nodded, while staring at the floor.
"Do you want to sit with us?" Carly asked.
Freddie sighed. "Sure." He said, before he sat down next to Carly.
Nobody knew what to say next. Sam looked over at Freddie wondering if she should talk first or if she should let him start. She glanced over at Carly's hopeful look before looking at Freddie who finally met her eyes.
"Hey."
"Hi." Freddie replied.
Gibby soon came back with his and Freddie's smoothies as he placed Freddie's on the table, and opted to stand while Sam talked to him.
"How have you been?" Sam asked him.
"Good." Freddie nodded, while taking a long sip. "How about you?"
"Yeah, I'm good too." Sam nodded.
Carly interjected hoping to get a conversation started.
"Hey Sam, did you show Freddie the video of the guy with a bearded dragon in his shower?"
Sam looks at Freddie, while he offers a half-hearted smile.
"Yeah, I think I saw that one." Freddie answered.
They all continue sipping their smoothies, Carly takes many nervous bites of her pretzel, before Sam finally speaks up.
"Freddie, I'm sorry."
"Are you?" Freddie asked.
"Yeah, I really am so sorry. I never wanted to hurt your chances at getting into that program."
"So why did you do it? Are you even really sorry or do you just want to smooth things over?"
"I really am sorry, Freddie. I haven't been able to stop thinking about how much I hurt you, and how I wish I could take it all back. I really miss you." Sam pleaded.
Freddie smoothed out his hair, and closed his eyes before looking back at her. He didn't want to keep feeling like this, and he didn't want to fight anymore. For the first time in a long time, he was able to look at Sam with a smile.
"I miss you, too." Freddie said, reaching out to take Sam's hand.
Carly and Gibby both breathed a sigh of relief as they could start to get back to normal. They half expected Freddie to walk out as soon as he saw Sam, but luckily he sat down, and was willing to be around her. Freddie picked up Sam's hand kissing the back of it, while Sam squeezed his hand back.
"I promise to treat you with more respect. You deserve to know how much I love you." Sam told him.
"I love you, too." Freddie said, leaning over to kiss her lips.
Carly squealed with excitement, touching her friends shoulders.
"Yeay, so are we good?"
"Yeah, we're good." Freddie said.
The group turned to see Gibby still standing there, rocking on his heels, before Freddie beckoned to him.
"Hey Gibby, you want to join us?"
"Sure." Gibby said, sitting at the table.
Freddie turned to Carly resting his hand on her wrist.
"And I'm also sorry about editing you out of stuff. It wasn't right."
"I'm also sorry we kept going out without you. We just wanted to spend some more time together." Sam added.
"Oh don't worry about it. As long as I'm in the movie too from now on, everything's cool with me." Carly reassured them.
Suddenly they hear Gibby clear his throat, and his friends turn to him.
"Hey is there also going to be less beating up on me. Ya know, it would be nice."
Sam raised a fist like she was going to hit him, but only gave him a light pat.
"Sure Gib, I'll tone it down." Sam said.
This is a conversation that the four of them have been thinking about all day, but once they finally met, and they got to say their peace, the stress was all over. Now they could work on being more continuous in their actions, and listen to each other, because these people mattered more to each other than could ever be imagined. It would be good to get back to iCarly, and get to laugh together again.