A/N: Here it is! The start of my new fic. I realize this chapter is very short, but I believe the other chapters will be a lot bigger. Think of this one as a prolouge.

All things must change to something new, something strange.

--Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

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"How many viewers this time, Freddie?" asked Carly anxiously. She leaned closer trying to get a better view of the screen.

Freddie slowly let out his breath. "Not many." he said grimly. "A few thousand less than last episode."

"Aw man." said Carly. The room was silent for a second. Then, she spoke again. "I don't think there's anything we can do, I mean…"

"of course there's something we can do!" cried out Sam as she stood up at the other end of the couch. "We've won the iWeb Awards, we've saved our show from countless attacks from Nevel, and so much other stuff and you want to just give up now?"

"Sam… Our ratings have been going down for months now. What's the point of it if no one is watching? And besides. I think it might be time we move on to other things…"

"So you think we're too old for it?"

Carly took a little while in answering. "Well… Yeah. Maybe. Maybe it's just time to give it up. It was fun while it lasted."

"I can't believe this." said Sam. "You'll change your mind tomorrow. I know it. Bye." Then she walked out, slamming the door rather firmly behind her. Freddie watched her go. Next to him, Carly sighed.

"What do you think we should do?" asked Carly hopelessly.

"The ratings have been down, but I see Sam's point. It's hard to let go." said Freddie as he shut his laptop.

"You like her don't you?" asked Carly suddenly.

Carly was only just speaking upon her suspicions. She had seen the subtle changes between her friends. There was a lot less fighting, which between any other two people would probably be a good thing. Sam was just trying to be same old Sam, calling Freddie names and making fun of him. But when he stopped defending himself, Sam was confused. For a few weeks, Sam bullied him worse than ever, trying to get a rise out of him. But when Sam figured out he wasn't going to do anything she stopped. Now the two couldn't be alone together without silence consuming the room.
Carly had seen how Freddie looked at Sam, almost the same way he used to gaze at her. He'd look at her until she'd look back in an annoyed way. Then he peered back down at his homework.
A few times Carly was sure that Freddie was trying to tell Sam how he felt, but was too scared to say it, He still felt that strange mixture of care for and fear of Sam. Perhaps both feelings had grown stronger.

"Yeah." said Freddie quietly. "I could never lie to you, Carly."

"Why do you like her?" asked Carly out of curiosity.

"I don't know." said Freddie truthfully. "I just like being around her."

"You're kidding, right?" asked Carly shaking her head in disbelief.

"I don't get it either." said Freddie.