This is set right after iHire an Idiot ends.

Disclaimer: I do not own iCarly in anyway.

SAM POV

"This is an elevator," our former intern Cort said with a realizing look on his face. I must admit even though Cort is super hot he is definitely a few fat cakes short of a full box. I look over at Freddie who looks like he just can't take it anymore and mutters an 'I'm going home' and then leaves the studio.

"Aww, here Cort I'll bring you down to the lobby" Carly says as she heads over to the elevator. Cort looked at her with a huge smile on his face. "Thanks Carly, you're so pretty."

"Oh Cort…" Carly said with a small smile playing on her lips, "be right back Sam." I gave a nod as the elevator door closed and I was left alone with my thoughts.

Of course Cort thought Carly was pretty, he even wrote that she looked hot on Freddie's pear pad with permanent marker. He never did that for me. No boy ever did, and if they did it was because they were trying to get to Carly. Example, Jonah, Pete, all boys like her better and why shouldn't they? She was smart, fun, pretty, nice…always clean, everything I'm not. Guys always flocked to her, especially a certain tech producer that I have been crushing on for a while now. Yes it's true, I like Freddie Benson, I'm not exactly sure when it happened, but as we got older he became more appealing to me. He does what no other boy ever does when they get to know me, he stays around. Of course that's just because he loves Carly and just puts up with me, but it's still nice either way. I can't deny the fact that we have become better friends over the years, our fighting has gone from hate to playful, but that's all he will ever see me as….a friend. I can't even be nicer to him or hang with him more because he would know something is up and I don't want to ruin what we already have or even iCarly because of some stupid crush.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts from the sound of the studio door opening and a voice, but not just any voice, his voice. "Hey guys I just came to get my phone I left on the-" he stops when he looks up at me just standing there, "-umm Sam, you ok?" Freddie said giving me a puzzled look. "I'm fine nub," I say just a little too quickly. "You sure? Because you're just standing in the middle of the studio with a blank expression on your face."

"I was just…thinking," I say slowly realizing how crazy it must sound to him hearing that Sam Puckett was actually deep in thought.

Freddie looked a little taken back and raised his eyebrow at me. "You were thinking?" he said before walking over and putting his hand on my forehead. I do my very best to hide the small blush forming on my face from his touch…geez when did I become such a girl.

"You don't feel like you have a fever."

"Very funny Frednub," I say and smack his hand away from my head, I couldn't let myself get caught up in this crush. "Didn't you come to get your phone?" I say with a stern look on my face, he just nods and holds his phone up.

"Well you have it so why don't you go back home before crazy calls the police again to find you." I can't help but smirk at his face when I make fun of his mother.

Freddie lets out a small laugh. "Now there's the old Sam we all know and love-" he turns towards the door to the studio saying over his shoulder "-ill see ya tomorrow at school."

I don't know what came over me at that moment, maybe it was what Cort said or what other boys have said and done, or maybe I was sick but before I could stop myself I called out to him.

"Freddie wait." He turned around slowly, probably from the shock of me using his real name and not some nickname.

"What is it Sam?"

"Can I ask you a sorta serious question?"

Freddie looked hesitant like he wasn't sure how to respond to me, I couldn't blame him though this is not something I do on a regular basis. But for some reason I felt like I needed to at this moment.

"Umm, I suppose."

I could see the confusing in his eyes but I have already come this far so I might as well keep going.

I started slowly looking at the floor playing with the fabric of my shirt. "Why is it always Carly?" He was definitely taken back by my question.

"What do you mean why is it always Carly?"

"What do you mean what do I mean Fredweird?" I said clenching my fists getting angry at my own question which caused Freddie to back up a little.

"It's just that she's so perfect and everyone loves right away while I normally scare people off. She's everything I'm not and not to mention she has guys that would do anything for her at any given time, even use people to get to her." I looked up at Freddie and could tell he knew exactly what I meant. I took a deep breath to calm down. "Don't get me wrong I love Carly, I really do, she's my best friend and I don't know what I would do without her but it would be nice to get a little recognition once and a while…especially from you." I said the last part under my breath so he wouldn't hear; it felt so good to say all of that, to just get off my chest what I have been feeling.

I was looking away until I felt two strong hands on my shoulders. I looked Freddie straight in the eye and was surprised to see so much compassion and hurt in them. I thought I would have scared him off with such a question.

Freddie still has his arms on my shoulders. "Sam, do you think Carly is better then you?"

Did he not just listen to my rant; of course Carly is better than me, that's obvious. "Well looking at all the evidence it's safe to say that-" I didn't even get to finish my sentence before I was being pulled to Freddie's chest and felt his arms on my back. He was hugging me, Freddie Benson was actually hugging me. I know I should have done the Sam thing and pushed him off and broke every bone in his body, but just this once I let myself melt into it. I know it was just a friendly hug but I couldn't help my heart beating faster, this was nice.

"Sam," he said quietly, almost a whisper but loud enough for me to hear.

"Don't you ever think that, Carly is not perfect, no one is and you two are just different but that doesn't make you inadequate. Those jerks that hurt you didn't know what an awesome girl they had and they were stupid to let you go." Freddie pulled back to look at me and I immediately missed his warmth. I couldn't believe he said that to me, the girl that's constantly causing him both mental and physical pain.

"Do you really mean that?" I said with a small smile I just couldn't hold back.

"Of course I do Sam," he said with a smirk on his face. "Now no more thinking that way, deal?"

"Deal…and thanks." I said before punching his arm, not hard but more playfully, "nub."

"Ouch, what was that for Sam," Freddie said while rubbing the spot where I punched him, I could tell he wasn't mad by the way he was still smiling.

"Didn't want you thinking I was getting soft and you could just hug me whenever you wanted Benson."

He gave a light chuckle. "Wouldn't dream of it Puckett, later." And with that he was out the door leaving me alone and to my thoughts once again. This time I didn't even get a chance to think when suddenly the elevator dinged and Carly stepped out.

"Hey Sam sorry that took so long, Cort told his dad to go to the wrong place and then he couldn't remember what the car looked like it was just a real…hey Sam are you even listening to me?" Carly said sounding a little ticked.

"Uh what, oh yea Cort he's something else alright." I said still in a daze.

"Are you ok Sam? You seem different…happier." Carly sounded confused but I wasn't about to explain what just happened it would only end with Carly making a huge deal out of it and I didn't want that.

"Oh I'm fine I was just thinking," I said half lying and half telling the truth with just some parts left out.

"What are you thinking about that would make you look so happy?"

"Oh just about how much food I'm going to eat out of your fridge," and with that I was out the door and heading downstairs. I could hear Carly mutter something like 'of course' as I headed down. Maybe this crush of mine wasn't the worse thing in the world, I just need to find a way to be nicer and hang with Freddie without it seeming suspicious. There has to be a way and I will find it and then maybe for once it won't always be Carly.

The End. And of course Sam uses Brad as her way. Well that was my first attempt at fanfiction since a friend of mine told me to give it a try, let me know what ya think.