Author's Note: After months of lurking here reading and reviewing other people's work, I thought it was about time I posted something of my own. Thanks to Janie, Rachel, and especially Hayden for your support.

Riding home in the car, Carly sulked silently in the back seat next to Sam. Freddie, sitting in the front seat, was too engrossed in Spencer's somewhat sensationalized recount of his epic battle with Aspartamay to even notice that the girls were quiet – too quiet. Sam noticed, though. She knew exactly why Carly was mad, and she knew she should apologize, but stubbornness was a Puckett trait, and even with her best friend, apologies were hard for her.

Arriving on the 8th floor of Bushwell Plaza, Freddie bid his friends goodbye. Sam had tweeted about his "adventure" with the fangirls when they arrived at Webicon, so he knew his mother, who followed iCarly, would be making plans to check him over for ticks, girl-cooties, injuries, or whatever else her overprotective imagination came up with. Freddie also knew that delaying the inevitable only made it worse, so better to get the humiliation over with now, rather than suffer more later.

When they got inside, Sam immediately headed for the fridge. She knew Carly would want to talk, but eating Spencer's leftover chicken from last night would buy her at least a few more minutes to think of a good excuse, or maybe figure out an escape plan. Telling Carly the whole truth wasn't really an option.

"This 'stume is kind of itchy, I'm going to go take a bath and change," Spencer announced.

"Okay, Aruthor," Carly replied sarcastically, "we'll be upstairs. Shave your toes!" They both ignored Spencer's whine of protest.

"Sam," Carly began in that tone, "upstairs, now!"

"But I'm eating!" Sam mumbled around the chicken leg she was shoving into her mouth.

"Bring it with you, we have to talk," Carly replied, annoyed. The two friends made their way up to Carly's room. Once inside, Sam plopped down on the couch with the container of chicken, while Carly locked the door and walked over to stand above Sam, her hands firmly on her hips. The look in Carly's chocolate brown eyes told Sam that she had run out of time. Her face fell and she swallowed hard, bracing herself for what was coming.

"Just one question, Why?" Carly squealed. "You knew I really liked Adam! Why would you do that to me? I helped you when you liked Pete. I hated Jonah, but I put up with him for you, at least until he tried to kiss me. The point is, I've been supportive when you liked someone. But you, you have to tie Adam up and let him get mauled by obsessed Creddie fans, after doing the best you could to ruin my chances with him. Why?"

Sam had racked her brain on the way home, and on the way up here. For someone who could usually lie and con her way out of anything, she couldn't believe she was at a total loss now. Maybe Carly was like Kryptonite to her, or maybe it was just time to tell her the truth. Now, how to bring it up…

"I noticed a Cam fan in the back raising her hand, and I wanted to head her off before she got a chance to talk," she started. "That would have hit a little too close to home."

"Cam?" Carly questioned, but then Sam saw the dawning in her eyes as she figured out the acronym. "Ohhh… Wait! What do you mean 'too close to home'?"

"The truth is, Carly, that I didn't like your crush on Adam because…" her voice faltered. The chizz was going to hit the fan now. "Because I have a crush on you." The words came out quickly, in a single breath. Sam stared down at her toes, waiting for the blowout from her friend. When it didn't come immediately, she looked up at Carly, only to see her totally speechless, mouth agape. "Carly?" she ventured.

That seemed to snap Carly back to the real world again. "You… You… You're gay, Sam?" she stuttered.

"I don't think so, Carls. I think it's just you. Like, Wendy's a close friend too, but I've never noticed how cute she looks in a pair of skinny jeans, or gotten lost in her eyes. On the other hand, I never felt that way about Pete or Jonah, either. Sure, I've checked out some hot guys, but I honestly think you're the only person I feel this way about, period. I'm not even sure it's a crush. I think I'm in love with you." Sam's confidence was returning, and her tone reflected that.

"Wow," Carly said as she released the breath she didn't realize she was holding. "Sam, I need some time to process this. I'm seeing some things in a whole new light, and I'm not sure how I feel about them." Carly sighed heavily before continuing, "I… I think it would be best if you went home tonight."

Sam was crestfallen. "Carly, I…" she started before the other girl cut her off.

"Sam, I'm not upset, " Carly stated calmly, "and I'm not throwing you out of my house, or anything like that. I just need some time alone to think things over, okay? You're my best friend. I just never considered… that. Or maybe I did all along and just didn't notice." Astonished by what she'd just admitted to herself as much as Sam, Carly went silent. When she spoke again, her voice was a little more commanding. "Sam, please, just go."

"Okay," Sam mumbled as she walked out of Carly's room. She was slightly disappointed that Carly didn't walk her out, but she knew she'd just dropped a major bomb on her friend. She just hoped the damage wasn't fatal to their friendship.

Walking downstairs, she spied Spencer sitting on the couch, dressed normally in a penny tee and jeans. He looked up from Celebrities Underwater. "Hey kiddo, I thought you were spending the night?"

Sam smiled at him. Spencer was such a loveable goofball. "My mother called and needs me to get her some… uhm… ointment."

Spencer could tell she was lying, but the look on her face said not to press the issue. "Oh, in that case, see ya tomorrow."

"Yeah," Sam said, not at all confident of that. She walked out of the loft. As the door closed behind her, she sighed heavily. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes, and she fought to maintain her Puckett composure. Carly had given her a glimmer of hope, and she chose to cling to that, like a castaway to a piece of driftwood. It was going to be a long night. Walking to the elevator, she glanced back at the door to 8C wistfully. A very long night for both of them…