A.n.- I must be one of the worst updaters in the history of forever! I know I put that author's not a while back, and I'm totally sorry for not updating sooner. I've been juggling two jobs, so by the time that I have free time other stuff is kind of deemed more important. This story is not dead, I have another 6 chapters to go. It's just I'm trying to get all the pacing right, so it doesn't seemed rushed. Thanks for understanding.
Disclaimer: In the months that I have not been posting, I did not suddenly gain the rights to iCarly.
Chapter 4: Present
Freddie didn't know why, but his pace slowed as they neared the Shay apartment. It was the fact that Carly needed him that kept him going. Sam barged him to Spencer who was working on his current sculpture. He looked up and saw the two of them. Spencer's face softened.
"What are you guys doing here?" The muster that was in his voice was gone. Carly effected Spencer the most simply because of his dislike for Travis and the constant fights about him was what had filled their residence.
"We're here to see Carly." Freddie explained gently, but it was firm, partly to convince himself. Spencer's eyes glanced up to the ceiling of the loft where Carly was currently staying. He shook his hand.
"I don't think she's ready to"- Sam interrupted
"I'll talk to her." She headed up the stairs ignoring Spencer's calls after her. His shoulders shrugged down. His eyes turned to Freddie who just stood there with his hands in his pockets
"I haven't seen you around in a while." Freddie's body tensed.
"I've been around." He poorly defended, but what was he supposed to say? 'I didn't come around because your little sister and I had a huge fight and she didn't want me around.' That would sound like it was all her fault. He knew what Travis had in store for Carly; he just didn't try hard enough. He headed towards the stairs, when Sam stood in his way.
"Sam, move." At this point he needed to see her.
"Freddie, I changed my mind, don't go up there."
"What, why? I thought you said"-
"Forget what I said" Sam replied sharply which took Freddie by surprised. She was hiding something. It was at that second that decided that he was going to see Carly, no matter what. He slipped pass Sam and started to run up the stairs with Sam calling his name behind him. He stopped when he reached the door of the iCarly studio. He saw her, she looked pale, which probably wasn't healthy. She was staring out the window as the rain started to fall down. Sam came up behind him without any attempt to stop him anymore.
"Is this what you wanted to see?" Sam spat bitterly behind Freddie. It was his fault for not listening to her. Freddie ignored Sam as he did what he hadn't done in a long time, overcome whatever had happened to him and talk to Carly.
The door opened and Freddie wanted nothing more to run, especially when Carly's eyes made contact with his.
"You came." Her voice was a mixture of pure awe and brokenness. Freddie was rendered speechless; Carly took the liberty to talk once more.
"Why did you come?" This time it had a little bit of bitterness to it, Freddie didn't blame her for it though. Maybe the situation wouldn't have gotten that out of hand if he would have stayed with her.
"I don't know." He replied honestly, and started walking towards her.
"Carly, I'm sorry. None of this should have ever happened, and I don't know why I'm here, besides the fact that I want to be here." Carly looked over at him and studied his body language.
"Did you mean what you said?" She got up from her spot which to Freddie was an accomplishment in itself. Her face was tear stained with all of her past mistakes over the past couple weeks.
"You know, when you were trying to warn me?" They were face to face now, and Freddie felt as if he was looking into her soul. He simply nodded feeling at a loss for words. That was all that Carly needed. She collapsed burying her crying head into his shoulder. Just the sudden movement shocked Freddie, but he slowly wrapped his arm around her running his fingers through her hair. Muffled by his shirt, he could hear her voice whispering apologies over and over again.
Freddie cooed her as he helped their bodies sit down on the nearest bean chair. Carly removed her head from his shoulder.
"How can I ever go back "- Freddie cut her off by taking her hand in his own.
"I believe you can." He offered a smile to her. Carly shook her head back and forth, and Freddie saw a small glimmer of a smile.
"I don't deserve you Freddie Benson." She took her hand and ruffled it in his hair. In the corner of Freddie's mouth a smirk appeared.
"Neither does Sam, and yet I allow her to abuse me on a daily basis." Her smile grew even bigger still. Freddie realized that Carly was back on the road to recovery, and that made him glow.
Sam watched them through the door of the window, finding herself to be slightly bitter towards the two. Why was it Benson to first to make her smile? She moved so she was out of their line of sight. It just seemed unfair, but then again life was never fair for her. Carly was always the "perfect" one, and Freddie always loved her for that fact. Then when Carly Shay was brought down by a single guy, she didn't feel any better.
She knew that if Carly ended up dating Freddie, they wouldn't try and make her a third wheel but she felt that it would happen anyway. She would deal, just like she always would. Somehow though she knew it was different from when Carly and Freddie started dating back when he saved her life. They had the potential to make it, she was only afraid that somewhere in mix she would get left behind.
Freddie looked back and saw a glimpse of Sam's face, and felt a pull of sympathy for her. The feeling increased as he saw her figure disappear.
"Hold on" he told Carly and disappeared out the door after Sam.
"Sam." The name stopped her in her place. She didn't know why, their growing friendship had an effect on her.
"Just go back to Carly, Freddie. She needs you." She looked everywhere but him. She slightly felt like a coward, but she masked it, because she couldn't feel like that, especially not with him. It would be blurring the lines, and that was one thing she refused to do.
"I'm not going to ignore you Sam, you're my friend too." He replied bringing back a little hope through her body. She shifted her weight to the other foot.
"Things are going to change Freddie, and you know it; Carly is going to become your world."
"Sam, no matter what happens with Carly; you will always be a part of my world." He offered a smile; Sam returned it. He nodded in the direction of the room almost inviting her in. As they walked towards the door, Sam wacked him on the back of the head, he rolled his eyes. Because through the ups and downs that Sam and him shared, it was when they abused each other that their friendship worked the best.
A.n.- So this chapter came on the short side, but the next couple chapters of the present are the good stuff. :) (aka Travis gets what he deserves) The next couple chapters should come easier, so expect an update in less than a month's time. Review please. :)