


iThink you need help

by Dark Avenger01



Category: iCarly
Genre: Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-09-18
Updated: 2009-09-25
Packaged: 2013-09-18 22:11:19
Rating: T
Chapters: 10
Words: 13,255
Publisher: www.fanfiction.net
Story URL: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5386000/1/
Author URL: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/865488/Dark-Avenger01
Summary: Carly, Sam and Freddie just take a short walk to Groovie Smoothie, and on the way wind up finding out a few things about themselves. Oh yeah...seddie...and rated T just to be safe.





	1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own iCarly**

"Okay…why aren't we going the way we always go to Groovie Smoothie?" Freddie merely whined. It was a brisk day in Seattle, as the trio of friends walked down the street. Carly and Freddie were dressed appropriately, while Sam just...well, she didn't seem to care. He was punched in the shoulder by the blonde headed girl next to him.

"I just wanted a smoothie! One you're gonna pay for, right Freddork?" He rubbed his shoulder. It was a common thing for her to do that to him. He grumbled and walked beside his two friends.

"I just wanted to take a different route," Carly said, with just a bit of bitterness in her voice. She was still a bit upset her two friends not telling her immediately that they kissed.

"Come on, Carly! We said we were sorry! And that there would be no more secrets between us!" Freddie replied.

"Yeah, Carls! So what's with all the anger still?" Sam added. Carly still walked forward without saying much. They walked down the street, until Freddie had paused for a moment, to look at something that had caught his eye.

"Hey guys? Isn't this that building that was condemned a few years ago?" he asked, pointing to the building. Sam and Carly walked back to him.

"I think so," Carly replied. "Huh…I didn't know they brought it up to code and rented it out again. When did that happen?"

"Well…all this talk isn't getting me a smoothie any faster," Sam then said and began to walk down the street once more. Carly called out to her.

"…If you come and explore this with us, Freddie will buy you some food as well!" Freddie turned to his best friend and gave her a look. Sam quickly darted back to the two of them.

"Really?" she asked, raising her eyebrows as she did. "All right Carls….ya got me, then."

"Wait…I never agreed to - ouch!" Freddie began to protest, until Carly slapped him on the shoulder. It didn't really hurt; it was just more of the fact that she hit him on his already sore shoulder. Carly smiled.

"Then it's settled!" She pushed open the glass door and walked into the building, her two friends in tow. The building was tiled in a black and white checkerboard pattern with brown wood paneling. At the opposite end of the hallway was a pair of wooden double doors. To the right of those doors was a reception desk, at which behind it sat a woman that was busy filing away papers. Her short, black hair swished to and fro as she put papers away. Hearing the trio approach, she stopped and smiled at them warmly. "Uh…hi….we're-"

"Oh, no need to explain!" the woman began, cutting Carly off. "You're here for your eleven-thirty appointment!" They all exchanged confused glances at one another, while the woman merely pressed a button on an intercom. "Sir?" A moment later, an electronic response came through.

"Yes?"

"Your eleven-thirty is here."

"Ah, excellent. Please send them in, Ms. Tribal." The woman then turned to the trio.

"He'll see you now," she said sweetly.

"Um…I think you have us confused with someone else," Carly began.

"Yeah…confused with people that actually care," Sam quickly added.

"Sam!" Carly quickly replied. "You'll have to forgive her; she's really not a bad person." Freddie turned his head towards Carly.

"…You're joking, right?" he asked. Sam slugged him in the shoulder again, while the receptionist shook her head.

"No," the receptionist began. "You're Carly Shay, Sam Puckett and Freddie Benson, right?" The three of them stood there, in disbelief.

"…I don't claim to be anyone without a lawyer present," Sam replied. Carly shook her head.

"Yes…that's us…but…I don't ever really remember making an appointment for…umm…what exactly is this place?" Carly went on.

"…To be honest, I'm not at liberty to say. All I know is that my husband and I have a good life and that's all that really matters," she replied with a smile. Carly smiled as well.

"Aww! That's so romantic!" Sam just stuck out her tongue. "Sam!"

"What?" the blonde-haired girl asked innocently. Freddie just rolled his eyes, as did Carly.

"Is your husband the one that we're going to see?" Carly went on.

"Oh no, my husband doesn't work here," she replied with a chuckle. "But please go on in, he's waiting for you." And together they all walked through the large doors. The office was rather nice - on both sides of the walls were pictures and portraits - many of them were not known to the trio of friends. On the right side wall, there was another door, while the left had a medium-sized window, allowing a view out to the city streets. There was a large desk at the end of the room with a few pictures sitting on top of it; behind it, a man in a blue Armani suit sat. On a hanger behind him were two things - a long, brown trench coat and a black fedora. He was an older man, possibly as old as Carly's grandfather. His goatee was trimmed and neat and his eyes held many years of wisdom behind them, much more than a person of his age should have. He sat there, his hands folded together, as they approached. He gestured to three chairs that were presented before his desk.

"Please," he began, "sit."

"Not to be rude-" Freddie began.

"Speak for yourself, Fredwina," Sam interjected. Freddie rolled his eyes.

"As I was saying, not to be rude, but why exactly are our names in an appointment book at a place we've never been to?" The old man smiled.

"Well…I feel that after Miss Puckett's revelation to Miss Shay about the kiss you two shared, I think that a…clearing of the air is in order…" Sam stood straight up, her hands clenched tightly into fists.

"What the chizz? Even this old geezer knows we kissed? Man! You get all hopped up on loopy gas and you begin to blurt things out!" Sam protested. She grabbed a hold of Carly's shoulders and began to shake them. "How many other people did I blurt that little secret out to on the way home that day? Spencer? Gibby? Dare I say…_Lewbert_?"

"Miss Puckett…relax…I am not here to judge you. I merely feel that for the sake of your friendships, the clearing of the air would do all of you some good."

"And why are you calling us Miss Puckett, and Miss Shay? My name is SAM! And this is Carly! Geez…old people…you do realize that we have names that we announce all the time on _iCarly_?"

"I am well aware of your show, _iCarly_. I find it rather humorous," he replied. "Especially 'Messing with Lewbert'. That segment always has me going." Sam shrank back down into her chair.

"Oh…" she muttered. "Umm…sorry," she mumbled. The old man grinned.

"You are forgiven. Now then….you three have been through a lot. Such as when Miss Shay and Miss Puckett, the two of you fought over Mister Benson's friend." Freddie remembered that. He wasn't too thrilled that his two friends were practically drooling over another friend of his. But especially that Sam was. He almost did give to charity that day though that Sam sat in that kissing booth…

…_Did I really just think that?_ Freddie asked himself. He shook his head quickly, dismissing such thoughts.

"Mister Benson, do you remember when you and Miss Puckett vied over a locker?"

"Yeah," he replied. Sam chuckled

"He called me Princess Puckett," she replied smugly.

"You insisted everyone call you that!" he shot back.

"Your fault," she replied to him. "If you didn't call me it in the first place, then we wouldn't be having this conversation now, would we?"

"But that makes…argh!" Freddie groaned in frustration and just sighed. The old man just watched the two of them while they bickered.

"In any event, you all have been through quite a bit in your time as friends. And I would hate to see such a tightly knit group of friends break up over something like a kiss."

"Well, Freddie I can understand not telling me," Carly began, "but Sam! We're best friends! You should have told me you and Freddie kissed!" she huffed.

"Hey, whoa here now, Shay! You told us you were cool with this! And besides, I didn't want you blowing this all out of proportion!"

"I would so not do that!"

"You are right now!"

"All right, enough!" Freddie shouted. "…Yes, we should have told you Carly, and we've already apologized to you for that! You need to calm down! It's not like it was a big deal!" At least not to Sam, he thought to himself.

"This is a VERY big deal! And don't tell me to calm down! Spencer tried that and he found out why it's a very bad idea for a guy to tell a girl to calm down!" Carly huffed. She began to breathe more rapidly, almost as if she was going to hyperventilate.

"Miss Shay! Calm yourself and take slower breaths." Carly began to do as she was instructed and her breathing returned to normal. "…Good. Why don't I start with you? Oh, and before I forget, these will be individual conversations," he added. "Miss Puckett, you can wait out in the main hall with Ms. Tribal. Mister Benson, you will go with my assistant." The side door opened, and a shorter man in a tee shirt and a pair of jeans came out. "Mister Underhill, take Mister Benson here to the break room." He then turned to the three friends and added, "Where are my manners? Would any of you care for something to drink?"

"Could I just have a water please?" Carly asked.

"Nothing for me right now," Freddie replied.

"…Have any ham?" Sam asked.

"…How does a donut sound, Miss Puckett?" Sam just nodded.

"Yeah, that'll work," she replied. His assistant brought the items requested by the iCarly cast and then gave them a moment before they were needed to leave. "…Hey Carls?" Sam began, biting the donut. "I was wondering…" Pieces of donut went spraying as she spoke.

"Okay…Sam? First off, can you please not talk with your mouth full? We've already had this discussion before. And second, what is it?" Sam swallowed the bite of the donut before she continued.

"Can we really be sure this guy isn't some sort of maniac? I mean yeah, he seems harmless…in an old person sort of way…but how do we know this won't turn out like it does in those horror movies? 'Cause let's face it, if this is going to turn into a horror movie, the girly girl dies, the cute one survives because she's cute and the tough one winds up beating the crap out of the creature."

"Don't worry, Sam. I'll protect you," Freddie said with a smirk. Sam rolled her eyes.

"What makes you think you're the tough one, nub? You're the girly girl."_ …Although_, she began to herself,_ it was sweet of him to say that…whoa, back that train up! Get those thoughts OUT of your head, Puckett!_

"Guys, relax! We'll be fine!" Carly said, reassuring her two friends…and in an effort to keep Sam from killing Freddie. Sam went outside into the main hallway, while Freddie followed the assistant through the side door. Carly walked back over to the chair she was sitting in and sat down. She took in a deep breath and then looked up at the old man. "Okay," she began, "let's start."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi...me again. By the way, did I ever mention how I'm not all that great at these things? First off, I want to thank everyone that either made this one of their favorites or left a comment. Oh...and I want to thank KeyLimePie14 for helping me make sure this story is grammatically correct and all that good stuff, as well as encouraging me to write and post it. Thanks again!  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _iCarly_, but I do own the old guy Carly, Sam and Freddie talk to. How do I know I own him? I can't say...that's a trade secret and to know that information, you'd have to be on the payroll... ;)**

**On with the story! Oh...and thanks for being patient with me! I plan on finishing this! Hell, most of it is nearly written! That's a good thing...it means I really like how it's turning out.  
**

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"Good. Now, for starters, I'm not that crazy about being called Sir," the old man began, "but to make life easier for you, I'll allow it to happen…just this once. Miss Shay, answer me honestly - when you found out, how did you feel?"

_Well,_ she thought to herself,_ Sam _was_ on loopy gas, but __still…she told me not to tell, well…myself…_ "Well, I felt…betrayed a little. Sam usually tells me these things when they happen, and Freddie, my god, Freddie wouldn't be able to stop gloating about it! So…I felt betrayed when they decided to keep it a secret from me." The old man merely nodded.

"I see…and you didn't feel…jealous?"

"Jealous? Me? Over what? The fact that Sam and Freddie kissed?" He just stared at Carly, his gaze unwavering. It was like he was trying to see into the girl's soul, ferreting out any truths she might be attempting to cover up. "I mean…don't be ridiculous! I'm not interested in Freddie in the _slightest_! That's…that's just too weird!" He continued to stare at her; he was relentless…until she finally came clean. "……All right! Maybe I _was_ jealous…just a little bit!" she finally huffed in response, crossing her arms and slumping down in my chair as she did so.

"…Miss Shay, did I ever say you had feelings for Mister Benson?" She shook her head. "Exactly. Of course you'd be jealous though; he has been in love with you since the sixth grade. So when finally, you find out that he kissed Miss Puckett, it's natural for you to be jealous."

"I…I don't understand."

"Allow me to explain. Miss Shay…you're a lovely young lady. You could have any guy you chose. Now…what I am about to say, please don't take the wrong way. A girl such as yourself likes to have someone that reminds them how desirable they are, even if you would have no desire to ever date them."

"Oh…you make me sound so…_shallow_ when you say it."

"No…that was not my intention. You see…you do it subconsciously. You truly have no desire to date Mister Benson, because of how you see him. However, you do like the attention; it's just how you are. But you always inform him that you have no desire to date him because of how you feel about him. You see…someone that _was_ shallow would string him along. You are being a good friend…"

"I…gee, I never thought about it that way," she said with a smile. He smiled as well, stood up and began to walk over to a small stereo system.

"You see? And besides, Mister Benson is over you anyway-"

"Wait, he's _what_?" she asked, jumping out of her seat in an instant. "…When did _this_ happen?" He turned back around and looked at the shocked Carly, a bit startled.

"Oh…you didn't know? …I thought he told you?"

"No, he didn't!" The old man just stood there a moment…not saying anything. Then, merely shrugged his shoulders.

"Huh…oh well. In any case, yes, he's over you."

"Umm…I have a question I want to ask. Does Freddie-"

"…Does he like Miss Puckett?" Carly stood there a moment, contemplating how to respond.

_It's not the question I was going to ask, but hey, it's a question I'd certainly like answered!_, she thought.

"…Well…given the recent trend of how he's rather over you by this point and the extent he's gone to help her-" Her face quickly became a wide-mouthed smile, that seemed to beam from her face and she jumped up and down, clapping her hands.

"He _does_ like her!" The old man sighed, shook his head and rubbed his forehead.

"In a manner of speaking…yes. However, it is not your place to inform Miss Puckett of this!"

"But…but, Sam…she...she's my best friend! And she has a right to know! If Freddie likes her, then…" she stammered.

"Miss Shay…I know you mean well, but please, it is not your place to inform her of Mister Benson's feelings, is that clear?"

"But…"

"Is that _clear_?" She just sighed and nodded. "…Good… I thank you. However, I would like for you to help me in a little demonstration."

"…What kind of demonstration?"

"Allow me to explain…" he began as they both sat back down.


	3. Chapter 3

Meanwhile….

Sam sat in the main hall, eating the chocolate covered donut that was given to her. _Mmm…this donut is tasty! I'm still hungry though. Eh, Freddork is buying me food when we get to Groovie Smoothie anyhow. …Why did I think it was sweet of him when he offered to protect me?_ "Hey lady!" Sam shouted to the receptionist. Startled, she looked up at Sam. "Ya got any fat cakes?" she asked. The receptionist just looked at her quizzically.

"What…are fat cakes?" she asked. Same just rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Never mind," she muttered, and finished her donut.

"…Excuse me, Miss?" his receptionist quietly asked. Sam looked up at her.

"Yeah?" she snarled. Sam wasn't too crazy about being disturbed while eating.

"I'm sorry…you just seemed to have a lot on your mind. I'm here to listen, if you want to talk about it?" Sam rolled her eyes at her.

"No…I'm perfectly _fine_!" she snapped back. "I'm just waiting for my friends to get done, so we can get out of this place. Hey, by the way, how did you guys get into here so quickly? This place was condemned until it could be brought back up to code?"

"I don't know anything about that, to be honest," the receptionist replied. She kept staring at the doors.

_What is taking Carly so long in there? When is she going to be done so we can get out of here? And why did he have to talk to us individually? _"…Hey, that other door in your employer's office…where does it lead to?" The secretary looked up from her file sorting.

"Huh? Oh…that leads further into our offices and the break room. Why do you ask?"

"Oh…no reason. He had his assistant take our geeky friend through there." His receptionist chuckled and smiled.

"That's cute…" she whispered and went back to filing. Sam's head snapped up to her.

"…_What's_ cute?" she asked, slightly annoyed. She had a good idea what the answer to her question was, but she still felt it necessary to ask.

"Oh…it's nothing really. I just find it cute that you're concerned for your friend Freddie." Sam began to get angry and just about jumped out of her seat, her hands clenched into fists once again.

"Hey, I do NOT care about him! He's…he's…_a nub_! And besides…he's in love with my best friend! Which is _never_ going to happen, by the way!" _…And it's always my job to remind him of that. I'd like if he'd just show a little amount of interest in me…_ "…Argh! Stop that!" she yelled out loud to herself., startling the receptionist.

"…Are you alright dear?" she asked. Sam looked flustered, her face got red, realizing that she was heard.

"Yeah…I'm good," she replied flatly. _Oh, that went well. What if you _do_ like the nub? Would that really be a bad thing? Remember how warm he was that time you fell asleep on him while watching those dance video entries?_ _How about when you and he had that bet going, about being paid for insults? Do you remember the one insult he threw at you? About him asking to kiss you? You were so flustered! We both know you would have so wanted him to right then and there! And you can't tell me you didn't like that kiss! You're only lying to yourself Sam…you wanted it to go longer…you practically had to tell the boy to lean…_

"I said stop it!" she shouted again. This time, the receptionist didn't seem to even notice her. _I swear, I know that if it gets out that I somehow like the dork…there's going to be a trail of bodies in the halls of Ridgeway._


	4. Chapter 4

**The following disclaimer applies to this and the last chapter: I do not own _iCarly_, but again, I own the old guy that Carly, Freddie and Sam talk to.  
**

**Now that _that's_ been said...I'm going to take a moment to thank everyone with their wonderful comments again. You all really know how to make a first timer feel great about something he writes. Especially for someone that normally doesn't let people read what he's written! But, I digress...enjoy this chapter! This one...may have you a little nervous by the end of it; enjoy! :D**

**And yes, I know....yet ANOTHER chapter? In the same span of the day? Well...enjoy it. It might be a day or two before I'm able to post the next one. The next few days are going to be busy for me. If I'm lucky, I might be able to put it up Thursday. If not, look for this weekend for what happens next! That...and I'll go back and read it a bunch of times, to make sure I like it to the point where I won't mess with it anymore. So....enjoy everyone!  
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After what seemed like forever, Freddie was taken back into the room. Carly wasn't there; she was escorted out in the main hall with Sam moments before Freddie got there. Over the speakers in his office, Freddie could hear music being played, although he didn't know who it was singing. Some male, with a large band it sounded like behind the singer. His assistant brought over a cart with some hot water, a cup, a spoon, some honey and tea for him. "Thank you, Mister Underhill. That will be all." His assistant nodded and darted out the room. Freddie merely watched in silence as he took one tea bag out and put it into the cup and poured some hot water. "…I hope you don't mind Sinatra," he finally spoke.

"Oh, is that who we're listening to?" he replied. The old man stirred the tea bag in the hot water a few times.

"Yes, I happen to enjoy Sinatra. And his songs always held hope for those in love. In any event, you and I need to have a little chat. And for the record, you may refer to me as Mister Dee." Freddie shifted uncomfortably in his chair, especially as Mister Dee mentioned that _love_ part of the music. "Would you care to hang your jacket on my rack as well, or would you prefer to wear it still?"

"Uh, I think I'll leave it on, if you don't mind Mister Dee?" Freddie replied. The old man shook his head, but gave Freddie a curious look.

"Mister Benson, granted, it is a bit chilly today, but why are you wearing a fleece jacket, when a simple windbreaker would do?"

"My mother-" he began, but the old man stopped him.

"Ah, say no more. Let me guess, she had you dress in layers?"

"I managed to talk her _down_ to that! She wanted me to go out in a parka!" The old man just sighed.

"Anyway, let us continue. You and Miss Puckett seem to…argue quite a bit." Freddie could feel himself blushing as his thoughts went to Sam. "…Tell me about Miss Puckett," the old man added, which seemed to make Freddie blush even more.

"Well…Sam likes to beat on me. _And_ she likes to pick on me, and call me names…oh, and she _hates_ me." He took the tea bag out of his cup, set it down in the wastebasket beside him and then poured some honey into the cup.

"Does she now?" he asked, arching an eyebrow, while stirring his spoon. "Well…from what I've been able to gather, she's rather fond of you."

"What do you mean?" his voice cracked as he asked.

"…Well, what about the time she lied to you-"

"She lies to me all the time!"

"…The time she lied to you, in order to keep you from seeing her cry?" That knocked him back a moment.

"She…she didn't want to cry in front of me?" The old man shook his head. "…That doesn't mean anything! She just doesn't want to give away her edge! Do you know what she did when we shared that locker?" The old man just sat there, drinking his tea. "She set up an entire sound/game system, had a little get-together and then when one of the teachers was getting close, she left me holding the remote for it! And _then_, on top of that, I offered her two hundred bucks to take her side of the locker, only to find out that _after_ I gave her the money, she was going to _give_ it to me anyway!" The old man chuckled.

"Yes, I know…then Miss Puckett's mother backed the car up into the school and right through the locker itself," he replied with a chuckle.

"Who's mother gets laser eye surgery and _drives_ in the same day? …Wait, how do you know that?" Freddie asked.

"I own the company that fixed the hole," he replied. Freddie just shot him a curious glance. "What?" Mister Dee asked him.

"Are you trying to tell me that _you_ were responsible for getting the hole fixed?" The old man nodded again.

"Of course; otherwise, how else would you explain how quickly it was fixed?"

"But…_no_ work crew is _that_ good!" Freddie shot back.

"…I make sure to hire _very_ thorough people, Mister Benson. That and the people I hire each bring special skills to my organization. Why, it's possible you could have met them without even knowing it." He brought the teacup up to his lips and drank some of his tea. "I must say, I've seen your technical work. With a little training from my crew here, you could be a wonderful asset," he began. Freddie just grinned at the remark.

"I'm flattered," he began, "but I couldn't leave _iCarly_," Freddie replied.

"I understand; I would never ask you to leave such a wonderful program. Shall we continue on then? There is more we still have to discuss about you and Miss Puckett."

"Wait though…how did you know it was Sam's mother that backed the car through the school?" The old man set down his tea cup and rested his left arm on his desk, as the song _I've Got You Under my Skin_ began to be heard over the speaker system.

"Mister Benson, I make it my job to know things. You'd be surprised what I know," he replied. Freddie decided to not push the question further and just shook his head.

"Look, not to be rude Sir, but I don't think anything else you can say will convince me that Sam is a good person," Freddie replied.

"I never said I was trying to convince you that Miss Puckett was a good person, Mister Benson," he replied with a grin. Freddie looked confused.

"Then…what _are_ you trying to do?" he asked. The old man chuckled.

"All in due time, Mister Benson; all in due time. Now then, how about when you had that fencing match? You do realize Miss Puckett was cheering the loudest? Even louder than Miss Shay?"

"Uhh…well…Sam likes violence," he flatly replied. It was true; Sam did like violence. But, after thinking about it, she _did_ cheer awfully loud during that match.

"And don't get me started on when your mother would say embarrassing things about you…"

"Okay…the only reason why I even _looked_ at Sam was because I know she likes to make fun of my mother! But that's _it_!" He sipped his tea, eyeing Freddie the whole time, not even saying a word. "I mean…the woman makes me take tick baths still!" The old man set down his cup, clasped his hands in front of him and looked at Freddie once more.

"…Yes, because we all know that Seattle will be overrun with mutant ticks in the near future," he replied with a roll of his eyes. "You have my sympathies, but tell me Mister Benson, if I were to present to you the option to grant you your heart's desire, would you take it?" Freddie just sat there, stunned in silence. "…Mister Benson? Did you not hear me?"

"I…ah…what?"

"I said, if I were to present to you the option to grant you your heart's desire, would you take it?"

"What does that even _mean_?" The door behind us opened, and who walked in left Freddie's jaw open. In walked Carly Shay - the girl he had been in love with for as long as he could remember.

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**Dun dun DUUUUUUUNNN! Yep...Carly is here! The girl Freddie has been head over heels for since the sitxth grade! The old man did say he would grant Freddie his heart's desire...are you nervous yet? Well...maybe you should be....because I will say this...Freddie and Carly have a special moment! Boy...I'm evil sometimes.... XD**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi all! I want to thank everyone that sent me a message about what they think will happen, or what they'd like to happen! And the poll results are as follows - 3 votes total, and all went for the option where you refused to believe that anything would happen between Carly and Freddie that would take him away from Sam! Well...let's just see what happens....**

**And thanks for being patient with me! As promised...here's the next installment! Hope everyone enjoys!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _iCarly_. But again, I do own the old guy the three of them talk to.**

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_Okay……things…just took an interesting turn. Why was Carly here?_ Freddie kept looking back and forth between Carly and the old man. She kept walking towards them - namely _Freddie_ - and she sat down in one of the chairs next to him. He looked over at her, unsure of what was going on and she smiled sweetly back at Freddie.

"Hi Freddie," she said. "So…listen, I was thinking about how you always ask me out?" He nodded, too shocked to even say anything. "And…I think that…I would love to go out with you!" She threw her arms around him in a tight hug and it was then that Freddie felt very…

…uncomfortable.

"Umm…Carly? It's…it's not that I'm not flattered, but, ah…" She pulled back and looked at him, a slightly puzzled look on her face forming.

"What are you saying, Mister Benson? Are you telling me that Miss Shay is not the one whom you want?" the old man asked.

"Oh no! Not at all! I mean, who _wouldn't_ want Carly? She's…sweet, and kind and caring…and any guy would be lucky to have her." She smiled at Freddie again as he said those words.

"I'm so sorry that I rejected you all those times before, Freddie!" she replied to him. "I want to be your girlfriend. So…what do you say?" Freddie just sat there in shock and awe. A few weeks ago, before Sam had kissed him, Freddie would have killed for this moment! But now…he no longer held those feelings for Carly…

_But this is something I had wanted for a very long time…_ he thought to himself. "Freddie? Are you going to say something?" He quickly snapped out of it and smiled at Carly - a half smile.

"Oh…well…Carly…" he stumbled and stuttered. She kept looking at him with those eyes…and her smile… "The thing is…"

"Yes?" she asked, batting her eyes at him.

"I…sure, I would be…happy….to go out with you," he replied.

She seemed shocked at first, but then added. "Oh…all right. Then…let's just kiss on this," she said with a smile.

"What?" he asked, his voice wavering slightly as he spoke that simple phrase. But she was leaning in towards him and her lips met his. _They're soft and nice…but…they're not the lips you wanted to kiss._ _No matter how much you try to imagine it, they're not the lips of a certain blonde-haired demon…Now is _not_ the time to be having this conversation!_ He broke off the kiss, knowing that he couldn't do this anymore. "Carly…I can't do this."

"Why? I thought you wanted to kiss me?" she asked, a bit confused.

"Well…yeah, I did. But…kissing you felt like…I was kissing a sister. And…I felt nothing. I'm sorry."

"W-what are you trying to say, Freddie?" she said meekly, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"Umm…well, you're still one of my best friends, Carly! And…I don't want that to ever change! But…but…I…don't want to date you."

"But…but why?" she sobbed. "Why don't you want to date me?" she cried.

"Yes, Mister Benson? Why is it that you do not wish to date Miss Shay? I thought she was the girl of your dreams? I mean, after all, you have been in love with her since the sixth grade." The old man just sat there, watching what was going on. Even though he had been honest in his feelings, Freddie still felt bad.

"Well…umm…it's not that I don't want to date Carly, because I do! It's just that…"

"Just what, Mister Benson?"

"It's……" Carly continued to cry, while the old man just looked at Freddie, curiously. It was then that Freddie knew what he had to do. "…FINE! YOU WANT ME TO ADMIT IT? I WILL! Carly! The reason why I don't want to date you is because I'm over you! I am truly sorry, but I don't have those feelings of love for you anymore in a romantic way! And you!" he said, turning to the old man, "I hope you're happy! Because of you, I was forced to admit to my best friend that I wasn't in love with her anymore, and now, I'm sure she probably thinks I'm this big jerk!" If the old man was offended or speechless, he didn't show it. He just sat there, watching Freddie for a moment, then calmly spoke.

"…And why do you think that is, Mister Benson? Why do you think you're over Miss Shay?"

"Because I really like Sam!" he blurted. "There, are you happy? You've forced me to say these things! Now that I've said it, I hope you're happy with yourself!" What happened next shocked Freddie the most. Carly was giggling! He turned around to her, seeing that her tears were fake! "…Carly?"

"You're over me, huh Freddie? Yeah, I already figured that one out!" she said with a giggle. Then she slapped his shoulder. "You promised no more secrets!" she said very angrily.

"Hey! Don't blame me! This old guy forced me to admit all that stuff!" The old man merely put up a hand.

"Mister Benson…do you ever recall me '_forcing_' you to admit _anything_? I merely asked why you were over Miss Shay." Freddie began to yell at him again, but stopped himself and thought back on the conversation they just had.

_But, I thought he had forced me to say that! …No…he didn't force me to say anything about how I was over Carly or that I had liked Sam… _he thought. His eyes went wide. "…Oh butter!" he yelled. Defeated, he sat back down. But then, he snapped his head back up. "Wait…you mean you were a part of this, Carly?" She nodded. "But…but…but I…ah, that is, umm…you were crying…and…umm…wait, what?" he rambled.

"I didn't realize we were playing babble like an idiot. If I had known, I would have brought my scoring sheet," the old man said with a grin. Freddie snapped out of it and looked over at the old man, as did Carly with a bemused smile.

"But…Carly, how could you _do_ that to me?" Freddie whined. Carly shrugged her shoulders.

"Freddie, it really was for your own good. I know you like Sam! You're just afraid to admit it!" she said.

"Mister Benson, I have another question for you; one I need an honest answer from you about. Are you certain that you just merely _like_ Miss Puckett?"

"What are you trying to say? That I happen be in _love_ with Sam?" he scoffed.

"Mister Benson, you were actually thinking to yourself how good that kiss was with her after it happened." Carly whipped her head towards Freddie once more and glared at him.

"I never kissed anyone before!" he replied defensively.

"You and Miss Puckett worked together to keep Miss Shay from going to Briarwood Academy."

"Because we didn't want her to leave!" he once again replied defensively.

"…You gave up your cruise to Missy…in order to help Miss Puckett."

"…I did it to save_ iCarly_?" he muttered sheepishly. The old man shook his head.

"While I have no doubt that you did, Mister Benson, deep down, you know that you did it because of how you feel about Miss Puckett. Look…I know where your mind is at. I've been there, believe me." Freddie sighed, knowing he had been caught. Ever since they kissed, he had found himself thinking about Sam a lot more than Carly. "And on top of all that, you haven't asked Miss Shay out since that kiss business with Miss Puckett." Freddie wanted to respond to that, but the old man was right. He hadn't asked out Carly since then.

"Not to mention he made a crack about my pajamas…and how my hair looked like crap…on a Saturday morning…while I was still sleeping, no less! That's something you never said to me before!"

"Okay," he sheepishly muttered. "Sorry…"

"Oh, and then let's not forget when I wore that cute necklace and I asked you him for an honest opinion? He said it looked…nice. But he used that look of his that indicated he was lying!" She slapped his shoulder…_again_.

"Ouch! I said I was sorry! Jeez!" Freddie griped, as he rubbed his shoulder. It was then, at that moment, he came to a very scary realization for himself. "…I like Sam," he muttered quietly, yet rather shocked at saying it out loud. Carly practically giggled after that, while the old man smiled. "But…can I ask you something?"

"Of course," the old man said with a nod.

"What's the point of all this? I mean, are you going to force me to tell Sam how I feel? Or are we going to keep it a secret?"

"That depends, Mister Benson. Do you want to?"

"What, to be forced to tell her?" The old man slapped his head, and Carly slapped Freddie's arm.

"No, to keep it a secret. Of course I mean being forced to tell her!" The old man replied. He then turned his head towards Carly and added, "…Dear god, he truly _is_ an idiot sometimes, isn't he?." Carly nodded in agreement.

"It's okay," she began and patted Freddie's shoulder. "We're still his friends."

"Gee…_thanks_," he muttered. "As for telling Sam…I don't know…"

"Miss Shay, why don't you and Mister Benson step outside to where Miss Puckett is sitting and you can help him decide what to do? In the meantime, I will see Miss Puckett while you are talking to Mister Benson." Carly got up, helping Freddie to his feet. Freddie, for the most part, was still blushing and deciding back and forth what to do about his feelings for Sam.

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**Another chapter in the books! Now that the "moment" is over, what did you guys think? As this story winds down to a close, I might just ask for thoughts an opinions about the old guy. I haven't decided yet, but I might! The next chapter will be coming soon! Until then! Oh, and thanks again to everyone that left their comments and thoughts about what would happen!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay...I must like you guys a lot! I managed to finish what I needed to get done in the span of two days! So...here's another chapter, 'cause I know you guys keep asking me for them! Oh...and we're winding down! Not many chapters left! But, now, we're up to Sam in the conversation chain!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _iCarly_; just the old guy that they talk to.**

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Sam, somehow munching on a fat cake, watched as Carly and Freddie came out of the office. "Sam, he wants to speak to you now...wait, where did you get that fat cake?" But Sam seemed to not hear her best friend, as she kept looking at Freddie. "Sam! He's waiting!" Sam turned to Carly, her fat cake half eaten.

"Let him wait then, Carly! What's wrong with Fredduccini?"

"Sam…the faster you go in there to talk to him, the faster we can get to Groovie Smoothie! And the faster you can get something to eat!" That motivated her to get in there quickly. _That donut was good, but I was starving for some food of some sort_, she thought to herself, gobbling down the remainder of her fat cake. She entered the office, and walked up to the old guy's desk. He was just sitting there, staring at a picture on his desk as she came in.

"…Ok, so Carly is good with us kissing, she and the dork are dating now and since we've covered all those bases, we're good here!" Sam turned around and began to leave.

"Miss Puckett, get back here," the old man said, turning his attention back towards her.

"What?" she asked with a huff and crossed her arms.

"…Mister Benson and Miss Shay aren't dating," he replied.

_Whew…that's a relief. Wait a second…I didn't just think that, did I? Yeah…you did…and you know why you did too…_ Sam shook her head, focusing again on what was being said to her.

"But yes, Miss Shay is all right with you and Mister Benson kissing," the old man finished.

"Good, I'll be sure to remember that after I leave here," she said and began to stand up.

"Sit back down, Miss Puckett. I'm not done yet." She sat back down and stared at him with the most menacing glare she could give. A glare that could make an entire football team wet itself. Only this guy wasn't flinching. "Miss Puckett…do you remember that trip that Miss Shay's…friend won?"

_Yeah, how could I not remember? Not only did it get Missy out of my life, but it also showed to Carly that I wasn't lying!_ "Yeah? What of it?"

"She didn't win the trip. Mister Benson had helped you out."

"…What do you mean she didn't win the trip? I was there when she was given the stupid thing!"

"That's because-" but Sam cut him off, grinning.

"That crafty dork! He fixed the contest so she would win!" The old man just shook his head.

"No…he didn't fix the contest at all…he won."

"He won? Wait, he _won_? _Seriously_? Then…why did Missy-"

"He recommended the trip go to her in order to help you. Mister Benson sacrificed the trip…for you, Miss Puckett." Her mouth hung open.

"Well," she muttered, "that doesn't mean anything."

"…The only reason why he went out with your sister is because he truly thought you were Melanie. Yes, he thought you were playing a joke on him, trying to prove how gullible he was, but he would have never asked out your sister if he didn't think it was really you." Sam shook her head, not wanting to believe what was being said.

"You're lying," she muttered.

"He hasn't asked out Miss Shay since you and he kissed…"

"You're lying," she said again, bit louder this time.

"He thinks about that kiss, you know…and you as well."

"You're lying!" she repeated once more, only this time, she yelled it at him.

"Miss Puckett, what do I have to gain by lying? Hurting your feelings? Humiliating you? I don't even _know_ you! Why on earth would I lie to you? I have nothing to gain by it, let alone any rational reason to do so!"

"Because we all know that guys want a girl like Carly! She's this…girly girl that giggles and is all mushy and weak! I mean, what guy in his right mind would not go for a girl like that?"

"Myself for one…and, if given the chance, Mister Benson. But…that's not up for me to decide," the old man said with a sigh. He buzzed his intercom again. "Ms. Tribal?"

"Yes?" came the reply over the intercom.

"Would you please send in Mister Benson and Miss Shay?" There was no reply at the other end, but the doors opened instead and in walked Carly and Freddie. Sam merely watched as the two of them slowly approached her and sat next to her. He clasped his hands together in front of him and began to speak again. "Now…all three of you have come to some real revelations today. However, I can see that by Mister Benson's body language that he isn't going to go forward with his revelations." The old man rubbed his eyes and sighed. "Very well then," he muttered, "we're going to have to do this the old fashioned way…"


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi again! So...we're done with Sam's conversation! **

**Kyleigh17 - here's more! :D**

**DANNYGRIL3 and kppm13mylife, here is the next update! lol**

**And thanks everyone that's been enjoying this story so far, as well as everyone that left reviews! We're almost done! After this, only two more chapters to go!  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _iCarly_, just the old guy...but he's so fun! ^_^**

**Oh...and KeyLime? From the old guy - "You're very welcome"....lol  
**

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"Why do we need to be put in a closet together?" Sam angrily asked. The three of them were led to a closet, where it was "suggested" that Sam and Freddie were to be locked in there for a small period of time; no more than twenty minutes. Freddie, still rather confused by his feelings, spoke up.

"It's…it's ok…" he muttered, a bit sad. "Sam doesn't need to spend that long of time in a closet with me," he said, trying to add a little chuckle to that last part, in attempts to cover up his sadness.

"Miss Puckett," the old man began, "if you agree to do this, I promise you two things, one of them being ham." Sam picked her head up at the sound of ham.

"…How big of a ham are we talking here?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him as she did so.

"About as big as your and Miss Shay's heads combined." Sam liked the sound of that.

"And the other?" she asked.

"…That when you leave that closet, you will be proven wrong in what you said to me earlier," he replied to her. "And you Mister Benson, you will still have your heart's desire." Sam just looked over at Freddie, who blushed slightly at this comment. Sam rolled her eyes.

"All right…if going in there with Freddork will get me some ham, then let's do it." And she marched into the closet, dragging Freddie behind her as she did so. Before the door was closed behind them, Sam clicked on a light that was in there with them.

"That girl would do just about anything for meat products." Carly commented. The old man nodded.

"I know," he replied with a grin. Carly's phone began to go off; she checked the caller ID, only to reveal it was Spencer. She picked up her phone, answering the call.

"Hey Spence! What's up? …Wait, slow down! …Why is the apartment covered in processed cheese? …Well, how much cheese are we talking exactly? …Oh my god, Spencer! Why on earth would you do that? I'll be right there!" She hung up the phone. "Sorry…my brother's latest sculpture exploded and now there's processed cheese all over the apartment. Sir, are Sam and Freddie going to be okay while I go help my brother?"

"Yes, Miss Shay. Go help your brother clean up the mess," he replied with a grin. "I'll make sure Miss Puckett and Mister Benson don't kill one another. Believe me…I know how that can be sometimes." She smiles and then leaves the building.

Meanwhile…

Freddie sat down on the floor of the closet, which was rather big for a closet. It was more like a small office than anything; maybe even a copy room. Sam sat next to him and an awkward silence filled the room. Freddie began to work up the nerve to tell Sam how he felt and finally, when he had it, he was about to say something when Sam said, "Well…this has been a rotten day." Freddie held his feelings about her for a moment and replied back to her.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, instead of spending my day enjoying a smoothie and hanging out with Carly, I'm stuck in this stupid closet with you, dipwad." Freddie rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Do you really think I want to be here, either?" he replied back to her. She punched his shoulder.

"This has to be better than whatever your psycho of a mother had planned for you," she snarled back at him. He wanted to yell; she could be so frustrating at times. And yet…he would look at her and her pretty blue eyes and realized how much he cared for her. Yes, she was a blonde-haired demon at times…but he still had feelings for her. He was silent, not knowing how to respond. "Yo, Freddork! You going to come back at me with one of your lame comebacks?" He didn't reply. "Hey, Freddalina! Did you hear me? I called your mother a _psycho_! A psycho that gives you tick baths! …Carly isn't going to ever be in love with you! …Oh come on! Will you say _something_ please?" Freddie remained quiet still, while Sam just shivered for a moment. "Who turned on the A.C.?" she asked. Freddie didn't notice it at first, but it did indeed just become slightly cooler in the room.

"Here," he said, offering his jacket. Sam just stared at Freddie as he did this.

"…Your mom made you dress in layers again, huh?" she asked with a smirk. Freddie rolled his eyes.

"No, actually I managed to talk her down from…wait, never mind! That's not important!" Sam giggled at the reply.

_Oh dear god…did you just giggle, Sam Puckett? Great…the dork isn't going to let me live this one down._ She sighed mentally to herself. _Argh! All I wanted was a stupid smoothie! Was that so much to ask for?_

"Will you just take the jacket?" Sam just stared at him a moment or two, then slipped on the warm jacket.

"Thanks," she muttered under her breath. _Hmmm…it smells like him_, she thought to herself.

Freddie just gave her a half smile. "You're welcome," he replied. They just sat there again, silence overtaking them both once more. _Well_, Freddie began to himself, _it's now or never. What's the worst that can happen? She says laughs at you and calls you a dork?_ He grinned to himself as he thought about that, but then his mind went to a second outcome - _What if the worst is she beats the crap out of me and kills me? No…I need to do this. I tell her once…then maybe you can be put into the witness protection program until she forgets that I told her that I liked her._ He took a small breath and then muttered, "Sam?"

"Yeah dork?"

"…I like you," hoping that maybe she wouldn't have heard him.

"…You _like_ me?" she asked in response. Freddie just looked up at her, their eyes staring into one another's, and nodded.

"Yeah…I like you Sam. I like you a lot. And…I always find myself thinking about our kiss and how I want to really do it again…"

"You…you want to kiss _again_?" She replied, looking annoyed.

"And…if you want to beat me up or kill me for it…then I can accept that," he said. He was rather pleased with himself for saying that, but once more prepared himself for Sam's response.

"You really are a dork," she replied. He was crestfallen, and looked away from her. "…But…you're _my_ dork," she added with a sigh. He looked back over at her, and she smiled. "You're my dork…no one else's." He leaned in close to her, putting his arm around her waist and pulling her close to him. She could feel his lips get close to hers, and then, they touched like before. It was just as wonderful the first time they did it, out on the fire escape, if not even better. She ran a hand through his hair and after a moment or two, they parted, looking at one another. "That…was good," she replied, breathlessly.

"Yeah," he added. There was more silence, and then he spoke up, "So…what does this mean for us, exactly?" She frowned at him for a moment and rolled her eyes.

"Are you going to ask stupid questions, or are you going to just savor this moment, Freddie?" He smiled at her.

"Sorry," he muttered sheepishly. That got another eye roll.

"And you don't need to say you're sorry. Just enjoy this right now for what it is."

"You know what? You're right!" he said, and began to pull her up onto his lap. He was warm. Probably from all those extra layers his mother made him wear, but Sam didn't really care at that moment. So there they sat, embracing one another, and she sitting on his lap. He, a dork and she, the one the dork belonged to. They kissed again, just enjoying the moment. Freddie put his hand on Sam's back, without even thinking about it and began to rub it gently.

"…Watch the hand, Benson," she whispered. He grinned at her, but he knew she was serious.

"I won't do anything like that, Sam. I promise," he whispered back to her. He kissed her again, tasting her lip gloss on his own lips.

"Why? Did your psycho of a mother make you sign a contract or something?"

"No," he said with a shake of his head. "I'm really not ready for that sort of thing. That…and I like to take it slow with you…or in our case, very slow." Sam nodded.

"Agreed, since this is something I'm going to have to get used to," she said

"So…does this mean the beatings, the wedgies, the names…are they going to stop?"

"No, that's not gonna be happening," she quickly replied

"Still didn't think so," he quickly added back. They shared another kiss and didn't seem to notice when the door opened, and a very shocked and surprised Carly came in the closet.

"Guys! You're never going to…aww!" she said upon seeing the couple. Sam broke off the kiss momentarily and without even turning to her best friend, calmly spoke to her.

"Hey Carls…can ya give me a minute or two here? I'm kinda in the middle of something right now," she asked.

"Well, I would, except…it's all gone!" she cried. Both Sam and Freddie turned to Carly.

"Whaddya mean it's all gone? What's all gone?" Sam asked her.

"The office, the receptionist, the old guy…all of it!" Sam and Freddie looked at one another, and then stood up and walked out of the closet. Instead of seeing the carpeted floor of the office, they saw a tiled floor and bare walls. There were no doors at all in the structure, and it was just sheetrock and molding. There were caution signs everywhere, as well as construction tools, paint and the like. A man wearing a dark blue jumpsuit with a nametag "Robert" written on it came over to them.

"Hey! What are you kids doing here?" he shouted at them.

"Where's the old guy?" Sam asked. Robert scratched his head.

"What old man? Why are you kids in this building?"

"We were in here since eleven-thirty," Freddie began. "We were all talking to this old guy who was here, helping us with our problems-"

"I was promised ham!" Sam shouted. Carly patted her on the shoulder.

"It'll be all right, Sam," she whispered to her friend. Freddie just squeezed Sam's hand, who squeezed back in response. "Umm…we're looking for an old man? Wears a blue Armani suit?"

"Likes to listen to Sinatra?" Freddie added.

"He promised me ham!" Sam added again. Robert shook his head.

"Look…I don't know how you kids got in here in the first place, but you need to leave. This building is going to be renovated into a new department store. We've still got quite a bit of work to do on it before we're finished." The trio was confused by this turn of events.

"…C'mon," Freddie began, "let's get out of here and get a smoothie."

"You're buying me food, Freddork," Sam added.

"But I never agreed to-" he began to whine, but Sam merely gave him a kiss on his cheek. "…Umm…" his face burned a bright crimson. "What…what was I saying again?"

"Oh, you are so the girl in this relationship, Benson!" Sam teased him.

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**Well...did they just imagine all that? The place looked like it was being redone...and what about the old guy? Was he just a figment of their imaginations? Does this mean that Sam and Freddie are together? Well...find out the answer to some of these questions in the next chapter! Until then!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Well...we're back! And from what I'm gathering, the old man was just a figment of their imagination. Well...the Sam/Freddie question will be answered...and very quickly too, might I add and of course...a few other questions will be answered as well. So...without further ado...here we go!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _iCarly_, just the old guy...who may or may not be a figment of their imaginations...lol**

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The trio of friends returned to the Shay apartment, located in _The Bushwell Plaza_ after they finished their smoothies. Freddie and Sam sat down on the couch, while Carly sat at the kitchen counter. Sam, still wearing Freddie's jacket, was finishing off the remainder of her smoothie while Freddie still had some of his left. Spencer was entering the living room, dressed in a bathrobe. His hair was wet, as he just came out of the bathroom. "Hey Spence," Carly said to her brother. "Did you finally get that cheese out of your hair?" He frowned.

"Yeah…I'm so mad! I had to use all my good conditioner!" He sat down on the couch, next to Freddie. "Oh hey, kiddo? You got a letter…all of you guys did…which was weird." Carly gave her brother a curious glance.

"Spencer, I highly doubt that Sam and Freddie…" she began, going over to the table where the mail was. But, to her surprise, there were three letters - one each addressed to Sam, Freddie and Carly. But each were addressed as _Miss Shay_, _Miss Puckett_, and _Mister Benson_.

"Who are they from, Carls?" Sam asked, as she swiped Freddie's smoothie from him.

"_Hey_!" he shouted at Sam. Sam just arched an eyebrow at him.

"What's the problem, Benson?" she asked. "Don't you realize that as _my_ dork, you're _required_ to share things with me?"

"But how is that different from before?" he asked. Sam merely sucked on his smoothie and looked at him, as if saying to him '_you know you really don't care_'. Freddie just sighed and shook his head, knowing he wasn't going to win this argument.

"…They're from that old guy," she muttered. Sam and Freddie looked up at her. So did Spencer.

"…What old guy?" Spencer asked. "Oh, you mean that guy you were talking to today supposedly?"

"Hey, he was real, Spencer!" Carly said a bit angrily.

Spencer stood up and began to head towards his room. "I'm going to get dressed and see if I can get cheese out of my clothes." Carly walked over to her two best friends, handing each of them their letters. She then sat down in the chair, turning the letter over in her hands a few times. "…Well, here goes nothing," she muttered, as she opened the envelope. She pulled out the letter and began to read aloud.

"_Dear Miss Shay; I do hope things worked out for you back at your apartment. I understand that it can be difficult to get processed cheese cleaned out of most things._"

She looked up at Sam and Freddie. "Yeah, I'm thinking it's him," she said flatly.

"_I feel that I must apologize to you for not being there when you returned. But, that is not the point of this letter. I wish to remind you of two things. One - your friends, Miss Puckett and Mister Benson have just started a new chapter in their life, and they are going to need your help and understanding on this journey. This will not ruin your friendship with them, however, as they will continue to act the same way._"

She looked up, seeing Sam finish off Freddie's smoothie, only to hand it back to him afterwards. And even though this caused her to giggle as her two friends bickered about it, she did note however, that Sam was _still_ wearing Freddie's jacket.

"_However, I didn't say there wouldn't be a _few_ slight changes. Two - you will find the one for you. It will just take some time, and your brother, Miss Puckett and Mister Benson will be there to help you with that task. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. Mister Benson has my number._"

She looks up at Freddie, who gives her a confused look. Then looks down at his own letter. "Ah," he said with a smile. "Must be in here."

"_I can guarantee we will meet again in the future. I look forward to your web casts, as usual. Finally, I wish you and your friends intelligence in the future, for luck runs out faster than many ever realize. Sincerely, Mister D._"

Carly set down the letter and looked at her two friends. "Wow," she said. "That…was interesting," she said with a smile. Freddie just rolled his eyes.

"Carly, I hardly _doubt_ that these were written by that old guy! I'm willing to bet that Spencer probably just wrote these up before we got here! I mean, you _did_ say that you told Spencer about the guy, right?"

"Well, if you're so certain of that, then just open up your letter and let's see what he says to you!" Carly replied back. Freddie gave her a smug look.

"With pleasure!" He began to open up the letter, "And after I read this, you both will see how _silly_ this all is! We probably were just…sleep deprived or something!" Freddie turned to his letter, scanning it quickly. His eyes went wide, as he read it over. This did not go unnoticed by Carly and Sam.

"…What does it say, Freddie?" Carly ask sweetly. Freddie began to stuff the letter back into the envelope.

"Oh…uh…nothing! Just…just the same thing yours does!" Sam quickly grabbed his wrists and pulled the letter free from his hands. "Hey! SAM!" he shouted. Sam leapt off the couch, reading the letter for herself. Her jaw dropped as she read it.

"Carly, listen to this!" she exclaimed. "_Mister Benson_," she began.

"_When I made you the job offer, of course I didn't mean for you to leave _iCarly_. And second, I never stated it was to be taken immediately. You will always have a job here waiting for you, as a freelance agent. Unless of course, you could convince Miss Shay and Miss Puckett to also come work here…then I'm certain we can work something out._"

Carly turned to Freddie. "He offered you a _job_?" Freddie shrugged his shoulders.

"He was impressed with my technical skills," he replied. "So…maybe Spencer _didn't_ write these letters."

"Keep reading, Sam!" Carly urged her friend.

"_If and when you decide to take me up on my offer, my number is at the bottom of this letter. I also give you one last piece of advice - Miss Puckett will always beat on you, call you names, torment you and the like. _And_ will do so in public. However, never doubt for a second how much she cares about you, for you and I both know, you feel exactly the same way._"

"Wow…crazy old guy," Sam muttered. She turned away from her two friends.

"Sam? You ok?" Carly asked as she walked up to her best friend. Sam tried to shift away, but Carly was quicker, and momentarily caught Sam with her eyes watering. "_Sam_…you _do_ like Freddie!" Sam dried her eyes with the sleeve of Freddie's jacket.

"So? You wanna make something of it, Shay?" she asked. Carly just smiled.

"What does your's say, Sam?" Freddie asked. Sam shrugged.

"I don't know…let's see." She tore open the envelope and pulled out the letter within.

"_Dear Miss Puckett. You and Mister Benson have something special. While there is nothing wrong with how the both of you have your relationship, remember that a little affection in public doesn't hurt once in a while. Plus, you can take the opportunity to beat on anyone that makes fun of you for being 'soft' or 'girly'._"

She grinned as she read that comment. "…The man definitely knows who he's talking to," she muttered.

"_Speaking of beating on people, I find it necessary to warn you now of Mister Benson and the dreaded thing known as 'male pride'. Yes, Mister Benson has gotten stronger, but there will come a point and time when someone will make fun of you and he will feel it necessary to defend your honor. While noble and something I would advise him to do anyhow, he will often find himself in way over his head._"

Freddie began to protest, but Sam continued to read.

"_And since I know he's listening to this letter, I wish to remind him that when you come to his aid, there is nothing wrong with that. After all, you are merely protecting what is yours. On a side note, my wife does the same thing. In any event, cherish your relationship with him. Do everything in your power to make it work with Mister Benson. He is a rare man of special gifts._"

Sam paused from the letter and frowned. "I want my ham!" she shouted. "I was promised ham!", she said, shaking the letter.

"Umm…Sam? There's still more," Freddie pointed out. Sam brought the letter back up to her eyes.

"_P.S. - I always keep my promises._"

"…I always keep my promises? What the heck does _that_ mean?" There was a knock at the door, which startled them for a moment. Carly walked over to the door and opened it, where a man in a tan delivery suit stood, with a box under his arm, and a clipboard in one hand.

"I'm looking for a Sam Puckett?" he asked. Sam marched right over to the door.

"That's me," she said, taking the package and the shutting the door.

"Sam!" Carly scolded her and quickly opened the door again. The delivery man scowled and handed Carly the clipboard. "Sorry about that!" Carly apologized sheepishly.

"Sign here please," he said, rather annoyed. Carly did so and then shut the door politely. Sam tore open the package, her eyes went wide.

"Holy chizz! It's my ham!" she cried, lifting out the large slab of pork. It was indeed as big as Sam's and Carly's combined heads, if not bigger. She cradled it, as if it were a infant newborn baby. Freddie and Carly just stared at her.

"…I'll just go over and get what we need to do _iCarly_, if that's ok? Freddie said after a minute or two. Carly nodded.

"Yeah, that's fine," she replied and Freddie just dashed out and across the hall. Carly then turned to Sam, who was now kissing the slab of ham.

"So…what happened while you two were in the closet?" she asked with a smirk on her face. Sam, who was too enthralled by the ham, didn't hear her. "Sam!" she shouted, startling the meat obsessed girl. "What happened while you two were in the closet?"

"Oh…um…not much. We just…kissed was all," she said said with a shrug. Carly shook her head.

"No…you were doing more than that! You were sitting on his lap! And you were enjoying it!" Sam narrowed her eyes, shooting daggers at Carly.

"You can't prove that, Shay," she whispered. Carly had that smug smile still on her face.

"Oh no? Then why are you wearing his jacket still?" she sang. Sam put the ham back down in the box and looked at the coat. Indeed she was still wearing it; she had forgotten that he gave it to her to wear while they were in the closet. Sam wasn't sure how to respond to that, but luckily, she didn't have to. Freddie had come back in with the necessary equipment to do their web cast.

"Well Carls…I'd _love_ to answer that question for you, but as you can see, the Dorkinator is here! So, it's time to do the web cast!" And before Carly could get another word in edgewise, Sam had grabbed a hold of Freddie and dragged him up to the studio. Carly just smiled and shook her head.

_This is going to be an interesting new phase in their relationship_, she thought, and followed her two best friends.

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**Yeah...turns out he wasn't! And besides...he always keeps his promises. And Sam was promised ham...and Freddie was promised his heart's desire...and he delivered both! Anyway...one last chapter to wrap it all up! Until then!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Well...here we are! The final chapter of iThink you need help! I want to take a second to thank everyone that made this story a favorite, commented or enjoyed reading it! So, as promised, here is the last chapter! Hmm...I...I'll have to try to figure out what I'd want to write next now...**

**I'm kinda sad that it's over :( I liked writing this story!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _iCarly_, just the old guy  
**

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Carly and Sam were just winding down their web cast; Sam had a wooden bat in her hands and while Carly was just smiling. "Well, that's all the time we have for this episode of _iCarly_!" Sam pressed the remote control, causing a booing sound to be heard. "Remember, I'm Carly!"

"And I'm Sam! …And if _any_ of you girly-girls out there think you can take _my_ dork from _me_…just try it!" Carly looked a bit nervous as Sam lifted up the bat and pointed it towards the camera.

"She's just kidding folks! …At least I think she is…" Behind her, Sam glared into the camera, the bat in her hands. "Anyway…we all want to give a special thanks to a very special viewer! So…Sir, wherever you are out there, thank you!" Freddie turned the camera around so he was looking into it for a moment.

"Yeah, thank you very much for everything!" he said. He then turned the camera back to the two hosts and Carly turned to Sam.

"…Sam? You have anything you want to add?"

"Oh, right! Thanks for the ham! It looks really good!" Carly elbowed Sam in the side.

"Sam!" she scolded.

"Oh all right, _fine_! …Thanks a lot…for helping me and the dork get together," she replied sheepishly.

"That's it for this _iCarly_! We'll see you all next time!" Carly said, as the two hosts danced until the web cast concluded. At his desk, the old man smiled as he watched the web cast end and then turned off his computer. There was a knocking outside his door.

"Come in," he said and in walked a man in a dark blue jumpsuit with the name 'Robert' written on it. "Ah, Robert. Has our…temporary accommodations been returned to normal?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's all taken care of, Sir. The doors got removed, as did the paintings, the desks, chairs; the whole nine yards." The old man smiled.

"Excellent," he replied. "That will be all." Robert merely left the old man, who just sat back in his chair and smiled. "Some days…it's good to be me," he whispered. He smiled and leaned back in his chair, listening to Sinatra perform _Nice 'n' Easy_. "…Yes…some days, it's _definitely_ good to be me."

Later that evening…

Carly, Freddie and Sam were sitting on the couch downstairs, watching some _Girly Cow_. Freddie just sat there, wondering why they were watching this program, while Sam just sat there, seemingly oblivious to what was going on around her. Carly stood up from the couch and turned to her friends. "I'll be right back. I'm going to go check on Spencer and see how he's doing on getting that cheese out his clothes."

"Meh," Sam merely blurted as Carly walked off.

"All right…we'll be here," Freddie added. Carly walked around the corner and as soon as she was out of sight, Sam leaned up against Freddie's chest, who put his arm around her shoulder. "This is actually nice," he whispered to her.

Sam, not even looking up at him, replied, "Freddork, if you're going to go all _girly_ on me, can you at least do it quietly?" Freddie just turned his head to her.

"How is this being _girly_?" he whined. "I was just enjoying a moment with my girlfriend!" Even though he couldn't see her, Sam smiled as he said the word _girlfriend_.

"Yeah, well…just don't make a habit of going too soft on me, Benson," she snapped back.

"How is wanting to spend a nice, close moment with you being _girly_?" he asked again. Sam sat up, as he continued his tirade. "I mean, jeez…I know you're not that comfortable yet about being like this in front of Carly, but still-" but before he could finish, Sam had kissed him. It was about as long as the kiss they first shared, except she initiated this one.

_He may be a dork…but he is right - it _is_ nice to share a moment like this now and then with him. …He called me his girlfriend! Don't be going girly on me now, Puckett!_ she thought to herself and broke off the kiss. Freddie sat there in stunned silence, grinning the entire time. Sam, despite herself, smiled as well. "…Happy now?" she asked with a smile. Freddie nodded, and put his arm back around Sam as she once more leaned up against his chest. _Yep…I get ham…_and_ the dork all in one day!_ She sighed inwardly to herself. _Aside from that night we kissed for the first time and scoring that sweet double locker…this moment ranks right up there too._ And quietly they sat there, watching TV and waiting for Carly to return.

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**Well...I couldn't end it without one last cute moment between Freddie and Sam! So...hopefully I'll be inspired for another idea and write another story in the near future! ...If anyone has any suggestions, I'm wiling to listen. Anyway, I'm rambling. Thanks again! I hope you enjoyed! :D**


	10. Author's note

**I wanted to give a quick note to everyone that has read this story! I have written a one shot that takes place during chapter seven! It shows what happens after Carly leaves!**

**So...be looking for it soon! It'll be titled iThink you need help - loose ends revealed!**

**Until then!  
**


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