Author: LoveB

Story Title: iCarly Rewind: Sam and Freddie Oneshots

Oneshot Number One: iWatch Hey Arnold!

Time Frame: Before iOMG

Genre: Friendship/Humor

Disclaimer: Don't own anything iCarly or iCarly related…except this story.

Chapter Summary: The iCarly gang sits down for a marathon of Hey Arnold! and Sam can't help, but relate to Helga.

It was two o'clock in the afternoon on Saturday April19th when Carly realized she needed to find something to entertain herself with before she went absolutely crazy. With Spencer out Christmas shopping for their Christmas in April celebration, Freddie and Ms. Benson at Saturday bible study, and Sam serving a Saturday detention, she didn't have anything to do or anyone to talk to. Standing up from the couch in frustration, she went over to her computer and started searching through random video files on SplashFace. After wasting thirty minutes watching video of cute little babies dancing to 'All the Single Girls' by Beyonca, she stumbled across a fan-made video about one of her favorite childhood shows, Hey Arnold. The video was titled, 'Harnold Versus Larnold' You Decide'.

Carly snorted shortly, "No contest. I haven't seen the show in a while, but Arnold clearly belonged with Helga."

She rapidly clicked on the link, bringing up the video. She watched the three minute long video, nodding her head in triumph. She was right. The video clearly made the case for Helga and Arnold over Lila and Arnold. Scrolling down the page to read some of the comments on the video, it looked like a lot of other people agreed with her. Inspired for some reason, Carly found herself watching Hey Arnold fan videos one right after the other until she heard the apartment door being opened behind her. Not looking away from the computer screen she was greeted by Spencer.

"Hey kiddo! Mind giving me a hand?" Spencer asked as he dragged in four large bags and a large rectangular box.

Carly spared him a quick glance before whining and pressing pause on the video. She jumped out of the bench seat and ran over to Spencer to help him with the bags.

"I finally buckled and bought a fake Christmas tree for our Christmas in April celebration—you can thank me whenever you feel like it," said Spencer, grunting as he let the large box fall onto the floor. "You wanna put it up now or later?"

"Later!" yelled Carly as she dropped the bags on the couch and ran back to the computer. She pressed play on the video and continued watching the fan video.

Spencer crept up behind and looked over her shoulder. "Hey Arnold? Didn't that cartoon end years ago?"

"Uhhmmm," she said, nodding. "Shhhhh."

Spencer pursed his lips together and shook his head. When Carly was little, she was completely obsessed with Hey Arnold. There were many times in the past where he found himself sitting next to Carly on the couch watching episode after episode of Hey Arnold. He could tell by the focused look in Carly's eyes that she'd be watching the show all day.

"That's not even an episode," said Spencer, confused. After a while, he understood, "A fan video—really?"

Carly nodded her head. "They don't have full episodes…some moron made the subscribers take them all down. The only way I'll be able to watch the actual show is if I buy the DVD box sets."

"Why don't you get the box sets?" Spencer asked.

"I've already spent all my money buying presents for our Christmas in April celebration," explained Carly.

Spencer thought about this for a moment. "I'll get them for you—after all; I do kind of owe you for that whole Thanksgiving fire incident."

Carly turned around slowly in her chair with a look of awe on her face. "You'd do that?"

"Sure," Spencer said, pulling out his wallet. "Take my credit card—you download the seasons to your Pearpod."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," said Carly, doing a little dance.

Spencer smiled, happy to see Carly in such a great mood.

It was Sunday morning April 20th when Sam and Freddie noticed something strange going on with Carly. She had not answered any of their calls the night before or this morning. This made Sam really upset. Seeing that Carly wasn't available for mindless conversation that night after her detention, she had to spend the night talking to nub about how Mr. Howard made everyone in detention take turns singing Christmas carols. After their long talk, Sam and Freddie decided to go over to the Shay apartment to find out what exactly was going on with their best friend. Sam met up with Freddie in the hallway and they both entered apartment 8C.

Immediately they knew the sight that greeted them would stay etched in their minds forever. Sam's jaw dropped as she turned to look at Freddie. He stood as shocked as she was by the sight and looked as if he didn't know how to proceed with the situation.

Said situation was currently sitting on the couch with a bowl of cheese puffs in her lap, some cheese puffs in her hair, her bloodshot eyes staring at the TV screen.

"Carly?" Freddie said slowly as to not frighten her. "Are you alright?"

Carly's head whipped in their direction, quickly.

Seeing her straight on Freddie almost took a step back out of fear. He'd never seen Carly look so unkempt before. She almost resembled the little girl the crawled out of the TV screen in that movie, 'The Earring'.

"Dude—you look like something that got caught in a drain," said Sam, walking towards her. "What are you doing? And why haven't you been answering your phone?"

"Look—it's Hey Arnold," said Freddie, plopping down next to Carly on the couch. "I used to love this show."

Sam turned to the TV, slightly horrified. Freddie didn't know any better, but she did. When it came to Hey Arnold, Carly was obsessed. She reached down and picked the cheese puff out of Carly's hair about to throw it away before thinking better about it and shoving it in her mouth.

"You guys want to go down to the Groovie Smoothie?" Sam asked, stepping in front of the TV to get their attention.

Carly yelled, "No!" before pulling Sam to sit beside her, moving her out of the way.

Sam rolled her eyes as she looked on at the TV screen. Having been forced to watch the show when they were kids, Sam knew what episode it was that was currently being played. It was the episode when Helga had to go to a shrink for her anger and aggression issues. She heaved sigh, looking over at Carly, and now Freddie, who was deeply engrossed in the program. She snatched the bucket of cheese puffs from off Carly's lap and sat back, preparing herself for a long haul.

"Isn't this episode great?" Carly asked, finally speaking more than one word to them.

"Yeah," said Freddie, smiling. "I think it's funny how Arnold never knew Helga was in love with him." He shook his head. "I mean she picked on him all the time."

Unbeknownst to neither Carly nor Freddie, Sam turned to examine Freddie at his statement. She looked at him for a long while before reluctantly turning back to the TV screen. She groaned once she did so. She'd take watching the nub all day over watching Hey Arnold; that's how much she hated the show. It's not that it was a bad cartoon. It definitely had its moments, but when you're eight and your Carly's best friend, it was all they would ever do some days.

"Ahhhh! This is one of those long episodes," Sam whined.

Carly shifted in her seat and smiled, "I know—isn't it great?"

"How can you not like Hey Arnold?" asked Freddie, confused.

"I've seen every episode like a bazillion times," said Sam, shoving some cheese puffs in her mouth. "And Arnold is such a nub."

"What?" yelled Carly. Freddie just rolled his eyes. "How dare you call Arnold a nub?"

"He is a nub," defended Sam. "He was so obsessed with that prissy Lila to even notice Helga—I mean how can someone possibly be so blind?"

Carly just shook her head. "That's the drama of the whole thing! We all know Helga is in love with Arnold and obviously they are meant to be, but we keep watching waiting for ARNOLD to realize it."

"Yeah—if Arnold ever did find out about how Helga felt, he probably wouldn't believe her anyway…or worse—he might reject her," added Freddie.

Sam frowned at this, knowing they were right.

Carly nodded her head in agreement. "Yep—she'd have to show him her gentle, kind side before telling him how she feels. You know—make him care about her before dropping the bomb."

"But Helga is the way she is," argued Sam. "She shouldn't have to change herself to get a guy to like her. He should just like her for who she is."

"True," said Carly, "But you forget—Arnold's into the good girl type. I don't think he'd go for Helga if she didn't lighten up just a little."

Freddie shook his head. "I don't think so. I mean—he might be a little shocked at first, but after he gets over that, I think he'd give her a shot—that is, if she let up with the bullying."

"You're such a nub Fredly," said Sam, reaching behind Carly to punch him in the shoulder.

Freddie winced and grabbed his shoulder. "Oww! What was that for?"

"If you haven't noticed, I tend to hit you when I find you annoying…and seeing that I find you annoying 24/7, well…you know the rest," Sam said, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Quiet Sam," said Carly, reaching into the bowl of cheese puffs and stuffing some into Sam's mouth.

The three sat in quiet for a few minutes watching the episode before Freddie was hit on the side of his head with a cheese puff.

"Puckett!" he yelled. He picked up the cheese puff and threw it back at her. This started a pretty intense cheese puff war before Carly stood up and shouted.

"YOU GUYS!"

Sam and Freddie immediately stopped throwing cheese puffs and looked back towards the TV screen. Great…another episode was coming on. Sam laughed, now this one was funny.

"School Play—yes! This is one of my favorites," said Carly, smiling and sitting back down.

"Mine too," said Freddie and Sam at the same time. At this they turned to look at each other before Sam quickly threw one last cheese puff at Freddie, who picked it up and tossed it back at her upset when she managed to catch it in her mouth. Sam chewed loudly, mocking Freddie.

Carly nudged them in the arm, causing them to stop their antics and watch the show.

As the episode progressed, they watched as Helga offed every girl slotted to play Juliet so she'd have a chance to kiss Arnold in the class rendition of Romeo and Juliet. Sam laughed loudly as Helga got rid of each and every girl before finally reaching the hardest one to get pass, Lila.

Sam groaned. "Uggghhh—I HATE LILA!"

"Come on, she's sweet," said Carly, who had finally noticed her appearance and was attempting to brush her hair into some semblance of control.

"I'm with Sam on this one," said Freddie.

At this Sam stopped eating, "Alert the media! The apocalypse is officially coming!"

Freddie gave a short laugh before continuing, "Lila was kind of annoying—she never gave Arnold a chance. They could've been great together—the perfect girl and the perfect guy. What could be more…?" He trailed off.

"Perfect?" finished Sam.

Freddie nodded his head. "Yeah—perfect."

This earned Freddie another punch in the shoulder from Sam and a, "You're such a nub, Benson."

As if lightning had struck her, Carly looked away from the screen and at Sam for a moment. After a while she turned to look at Freddie…and then back at Sam.

"Dude—what's up with you?" Sam asked, getting annoyed.

Carly shook herself out of her musings, "Nothing—I was just thinking about something." She laughed. "Never mind—it's probably a crazy idea anyway." She turned her attention back to the TV screen and continued watching the episode. Before they knew it, another intense debate started between Sam and Freddie about Helga and Arnold versus Lila and Arnold.

"First of all—how boring would Lila and Arnold be as a couple?" Sam scoffed. "I'll tell you—so boring that people would've stopped watching the show before it ended."

Freddie rolled his eyes. "As opposed to what? Helga tormenting him all day, every day?"

Sam groaned loudly. "Don't you see? She's just bullying him because that's her way of dealing with her feelings for him. My god—you say you're a Hey Arnold fan and you can't even pick up on that!"

Freddie held up his hands. "Hey—I picked up on it. I just don't think it's the best way to go about it that's all."

"What do you know about being girl who's in love with a boy that she can't have?" shouted Sam, clenching her fists.

"What do YOU know about it?" replied Freddie. "Besides—what I meant is, she should…I don't know, try being nice for a change. You can tell that she's a nice person—on the inside—so it wouldn't be her changing, it'd be her finally letting him see the real her."

Sam's fists unclenched and her face relaxed. She looked down for a second, taking what he'd said in and processing it. "So…you think she'd actually have a chance if she showed Arnold that she was actually…you know…nice…helpful…," she gulped before saying the next one, "and considerate to him?"

Freddie grinned, realizing he had won the debate. "Yes…I actually think she'd have a chance with him, if she showed him her good side."

Sam pushed her hair out of her face, self-consciously, realizing that Freddie was still looking at her. He turned back to the TV screen, but Sam still stared at him. She bit her lip, thinking over their conversation.

You want nice, helpful, and considerate, huh. Then that's what you're gonna get….

Thank you all so much for the reviews on this chapter...I really appreciate it!