A/N: Thanks to everyone for all of the reviews. I really appreciate all of the positive reviews for my first iCarly story. This is the end of the story and I hope everyone enjoyed it.
The first time Freddie realizes what's going on with you and Sam he mostly figures it out himself.
"How'd you know?" You question quietly sitting on the floor of the mostly empty hallway with the cool metal of the lockers at your back and Freddie warm against your side.
"It's was the little things. The way you looked at her even when she's doing the most disgusting things. The way she tries to do anything you ask her. I mean, you guys have always been close but it just changed." Freddie sort of laughs, fiddling with the zipper on his back pack where it sits in his lap and you feel bad.
It had been your decision to wait to tell Freddie because you wanted to break it to him gently. You'd planned on telling him. You did.
"I'm sorry for not telling you." you whisper tilting your head back into the locker with a metallic thunk and Freddie shrugs and doesn't meet your eyes.
"I'm sure it would be hard to just tell someone that." Freddie says slowly like he's trying to understand and be a good friend and he is.
"Yeah."
"So does, like, everyone know?" Freddie asks and you shake your head.
"No. Just my family and you." You admit and Freddie turns to glance at you.
"Sam's mom doesn't know?" He asks and you shake your head with a weak laugh.
"Nope."
There's a swollen beat of silence and then Freddie is sort of chuckling to himself and you give him a curious look.
"What?" You grin, his laughter contagious.
"So I guess this is why you've always rebuked my attempts to court you, huh." Freddie smiles at you and you just nod.
"Yeah, that's it."
"How am I supposed to hide this from my mom?" Sam asks yanking down the collar of her shirt unnecessarily because the hickey you left on her neck is high enough to be seen without assistance.
"Wear a turtleneck?" You suggest helpfully and Sam turns away from the mirror over your bureau to glare at you.
"It's the middle of summer." Sam says and you smile back completely unapologetic and truthfully the purpling mark on Sam's neck makes you a little pompous.
"Wear your hair down?" You suggest again and this time Sam turns all the way around.
"Only if I wear my hair as a scarf." Sam groans touching the mark at the front of her throat.
"How about make up?" You propose and Sam shakes her head.
"There isn't enough make up in the world to conceal this." Sam laughs and you watch her drop onto the bed beside you, falling back on the mattress dramatically.
"It's shaped like Oklahoma." You laugh and Sam just covers her eyes and groans.
"My mom is going to kill me because you have vampire like tendencies."
"Will your mom really be that mad?" You ask peering down at Sam and she nods, uncovering her eyes to look up at you.
"You know my mom is psycho."
"Well, what would happened if you told her about us?" you asks tentatively and Sam rolls her eyes.
"She'd go berserk. Probably kill me."
And she says it so easily that your heart leaps up into your throat.
"By kill do you mean get angry and ground you but let you continue breathing?" you asks hopefully and Sam just sits up suddenly, almost knocking foreheads with you.
"Lets just say, I don't plan on telling her anytime soon if I can help it." Sam grumbles and you want to push the subject further but before you can even form the next question Sam is standing and rubbing the mark on her neck absently. "Lets go get something to eat. I'm starving."
And you know a subject change when you hear one so you let Sam drag you to your feet. "But you just ate like two hours ago." you complain and Sam looks at you like you're crazy.
"I'm lucky to still be alive."
"So maybe if you talk to your mom about it she won't even think it's so bad." You whisper suddenly and Sam looks at you quickly from her spot on the floor in front of the couch before glancing back at the television.
"What're you talking about?" She asks confused and you shift on the couch above her, studying the golden strands of her hair.
"Telling your mom about us." You say and Sam rolls her eyes and you know your frustrating her because you've brought this subject up about a thousand times in the last couple of days but you feel as though you should be able to be with Sam without having to hide anything from anyone.
"Look, Carly, I love that you're all out and proud but you saw what happened with your grandfather. That's how my mom would be except like a trillion times worse." She explains raising an eyebrow at you and you nod.
"And you're okay with us being together and no one knowing?" You ask because you don't see how she could be.
"It's better than the alternative, isn't it?" She says, her forehead scrunching up and you can't argue with that.
"Yeah. You're right." You sigh stretching out on the couch and Sam studies you over her shoulder and you track her eyes flickering over your mouth, your chest and then your mouth again before she just turns around and continues to watch TV like she didn't just check you out. And that look is enough to make your insides warm.
"I like when you do that." You whisper fingering a curl of Sam's hair.
"Do what?"
"When you look at me like that." You clarify and Sam raises her eyebrows playfully.
"Like you're crazy?" Sam asks and you laugh but shake your head.
"Like you wish we were alone." you whisper and Sam grins widely at you before turning back to the television.
"That's because usually I do."
"I'll do it if you want me to." You close your locker door to reveal Sam and you must look bewildered because she clarifies. "My mom, I'll tell my mom if you want me to."
Sam shifts her back pack on her shoulder while she watches you expectantly.
"I-I don't…It's your decision Sam. It's your choice." You say carefully and Sam hitches up her back pack again.
"But it would make you happy? If I did that?" She asks and you shrug a little.
"I mean, of course, but if you don't want to you don't have to."
"Okay." Sam smiles at you and then her eyes flick over your shoulder and you turn to see Gibby bending over to tie his shoes.
"I must go give Gibby a wedgie. It's like he's asking for it." Sam mutters, her face lighting up and with that she brushes past you and you turn away from the wedgie process. Your stomach can't handle seeing another Texas wedgie.
"You don't have to." You whisper and Sam gives you a smile that's all phony bravado and you know that she's nervous. "You don't."
"But you said…" She begins peering up at you where you stand at the top of the steps outside of the iCarly studio.
"I know what I said, Sam." you whisper. "But if you don't want to do this. If you just want to keep things the way they are I'm okay with it."
And its so weird that your telling her this even though earlier you were the one pushing her to tell her mom but now…you're not sure.
"Don't worry, Carls." Sam says with a small smile but you can't help it. "I'll call you after?"
"Yeah okay." You reply watching as she turns and walks out down the rest of the stairs.
It hours later and Sam still hasn't called.
You're trying not to panic but its after 2 in the morning and you're imagining the worst case scenario of Sam telling her crazy mom about you guys and it makes your stomach hurt.
So you call Sam's phone for what very may be the hundredth time and she doesn't answer and your heart crawls further into your throat.
God this was a bad idea.
You decide to just go over to Sam's house even though it's the middle of the night and you're downstairs looking for your right shoe under the sofa when there's the soft, distinct sound of the lock being picked.
Relief floods you at the sound and you turn to greet Sam only to stop short.
"Oh my God." you croak and you stare at her blackened eye and split lip.
"I told her." Sam whispers and her eyes are so red that you figure that she must've been crying for hours.
"She did this?" You ask, so angry, even though you know the answer.
"I didn't tell her it was you." Sam croaks and you step closer to her, noticing how she backs away a little.
"What?"
"I just told her that I liked a girl and she hit me. That lady really missed her calling in boxing." And the way Sam sort of laughs scares you.
"Sam." You try and she shakes her head quickly.
"She asked me if it was you and I told her it wasn't." She whispers touching her fingertips to her discolored eye.
"She can't do this. I'll talk to Spencer. Call the police." you blurt because Sam's mom cannot just abuse Sam like this. She's her mother, she should be taking care of her.
"No!" Sam cries suddenly. "She's my mom, Carly."
And you blink at her because God, how can she protect that woman.
"You need to put some ice on your eye." You blurt and you run to the kitchen, getting an ice pack before coming back and pressing it to Sam's eye.
"Sorry." You whisper when she winces but she just shakes her head.
"I love you, Carly." Sam whispers suddenly and she's staring at you with the eye not covered by the blue ice pack and there's something in that look that makes your stomach lurch hard but then she's leaning in and kissing you deep and overwhelming until you have to pull back and breathe.
"I love you too." You respond honestly but then Sam is stepping back, away from you and the ice pack and towards the door. Too close for your liking.
"Sam?" You breathe and she swallows hard like its painful, her eyes dropping to the ground.
"I think we should…" She begins and you can tell just from the sound of her voice, the way she won't look at you, what she's about to say. You don't want to hear it.
"No." You cry, "We're not breaking up."
"I think maybe we should just be friends." Sam chokes out suddenly, looking up at you and she's crying and you're crying and you've never had your heart ripped out but you're sure this is what it feels like.
"Sam." You sob but she's walking away from you, through the door.
You watch her go with the ice pack freezing your fingers and for the first time your heart is broken.
THE END...