"I'm home!" Carly shouted as she entered her apartment, followed closely by Sam, who wasted no time making a beeline for the fridge. "Finally, something to eat!" she exclaimed with enthusiasm.

"Jeez, Sam, help yourself why don't you," Carly replied, playfully rolling her eyes. She had grown accustomed to Sam's voracious appetite and tendency to devour their food, sometimes without even Spencer and her knowing.

As Carly casually placed her school bag on the sofa, she couldn't help but notice that Spencer hadn't greeted her as he usually did. A tinge of curiosity washed over her, wondering if he was occupied in his room. Just as she was about to call out Spencer's name, her attention was diverted by a note placed neatly on the living room table.

"I was making something, it caught on fire, got burned but I took care of the fire. Decided to go to the hospital but I'm fine, don't worry. PS, I left $30 under the mouse of the computer, use it to buy pizza if you guys want to have an early dinner. Also, thank you in advance for cleaning the mess in the kitchen"

"Mess in the kitchen?" Carly muttered to herself, her eyes shifting toward the oven where she noticed the remnants of foam from a fire extinguisher scattered on the floor.

"Yo, this place is a disaster," Sam remarked nonchalantly, munching on a plate of cold pasta she had retrieved from the fridge.

Seeing this, Carly let out a sigh, resigned to the fact that she would have to clean up after her brother's mishap. She grabbed a mop and began the task of restoring order to their kitchen.

MEANWHILE AT GIBBY'S HOUSE:

"Hey, I'll be at a friend's house. Don't worry, they promised to take me home later in the night," Lucas texted Meredith, his fingers swiftly typing on his phone. Despite their ongoing sibling fight, if you could even call it that, Lucas still felt it was important to keep Meredith informed about his whereabouts. He didn't want to add fuel to the fire of his older sister's anger or annoyance.

"Those songs you sang yesterday were incredible, Lucas. What inspired you to create them?" Charlotte Gibson, also known as Gibby's mom, asked. Lucas found himself seated in the backseat of her car, with Gibby by his side. After school ended, Gibby had eagerly sought him out, leading him to his mother, who had arrived early to pick them up.

"Those songs just came to me. It's like they flowed out of nowhere," Lucas offered, his words carefully chosen to conceal the truth. He couldn't possibly explain to Charlotte that he had access to a vast musical library containing popular songs from his past life. She might think he's crazy, and that could further fuel Meredith's eagerness to push him to go to therapy once again.

"Oh, teens with their secrets, I see," Charlotte replied with a smile on her face. "Gibby was so enthralled by your performance that he stated he wanted to learn how to play a musical instrument. It's the first time he's shown any desire to pursue anything music-related, so I decided to fully support him. I went ahead and bought him a beginner set of drums, thinking it would be the easiest instrument for him to learn. We're lucky that you're willing to teach him. Thank you for that," Charlotte added as she parked her car in her house's parking lot.

"No worries, Mrs. Gibson. Besides, Gibby is a friend, and he's fun to be around," Lucas replied, gaining insight into the special bond between Gibby and his mom. He couldn't help but admire Charlotte's wholehearted support for her child's interests—a rarity among parents.

Before Charlotte could even finish parking the car, Gibby excitedly unbuckled Lucas's seatbelt and tugged him out of the vehicle. His enthusiasm was palpable as he exclaimed, "Let's go, Lucas! I can't wait to see my new drums!"

Lucas chuckled as he allowed himself to be dragged out of the car by Gibby. The moment Gibby opened the door to their house, Lucas immediately noticed a grumpy-looking old man with a toddler seated beside him, both of whom had their eyes focused on the TV in front of them. These two individuals were iconic side characters from the iCarly TV show, aside from Gibby himself.

"That's my grandpa, and that toddler is my brother, Guppy," Gibby quickly mentioned as he continued to drag Lucas towards his room. Unbeknownst to Lucas, if he had only stayed a few seconds, he would have found what was being shown on the TV screen extremely interesting.

"So, Lieutenant LaGuerta," the reporter began, "There are rumors circulating that, due to the severity of the case, the federal authorities would personally handle the investigation into these killings. What is your perspective on this matter?"

Lieutenant LaGuerta replied with caution, "I am unable to divulge much about the ongoing investigation. However, here at the Seattle Police Department, we are always open to receiving assistance when dealing with such a complex and significant case such as this."

Pressing further, the reporter inquired, "Considering the grotesque nature of the crimes, do you believe that only one individual could be responsible? Can you confirm the presence of a serial killer in Seattle?"

LaGuerta exuded an air of calmness as she carefully selected her words, her composure unwavering. "We are currently in the midst of an extensive investigation, diligently working to gather all available information and unravel the intricate details surrounding these abhorrent acts. Given the gravity of the situation, it would be premature and inappropriate for me to provide specific comments or confirm any theories at this juncture."

As a seasoned police officer, LaGuerta understood the importance of maintaining a delicate balance between transparency and preventing undue panic among the people of Seattle. While the media and online speculations continued to circulate, she recognized that an official confirmation from the police department would only serve to intensify fear and anxiety.

Instead, her strategic approach aimed to reassure the public by emphasizing the police department's unwavering dedication to resolving the case swiftly and efficiently. LaGuerta's measured response, devoid of confirmation or denial, allowed the investigation to progress while minimizing the potential for unnecessary alarm.

Without uttering a courteous farewell, the lieutenant abruptly concluded the conversation, leaving the reporter momentarily baffled and alone. Shaking off the surprise, the reporter gathered herself and continued to piece together the available information for her report, relying on the details circulating in the media.

With an indignant outburst, Gibby's grandfather raised his voice and expressed his frustrations at the TV screen. "This wouldn't happen if the government still allowed teachers to discipline their students! This new generation is too coddled and weak! There's no discipline at all! I bet whoever committed these killings was never disciplined with a belt!"

In the midst of the passionate tirade, Guppy, the energetic toddler, couldn't resist chiming in with his usual exclamation, with an adorable smile on his face, "Happy Birthday!". It was a phrase that had become his repeated mantra over the past few days, much to the amusement of those around him.

Caught off guard by Guppy's remark, his grandfather looked at his grandson, confusion evident on his face. "It's not my birthday," he stated grumpily, perplexed. "What are you talking about?"

Unfazed by the correction, Guppy persisted with his enthusiastic proclamation, "Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday!".

This left the grandfather utterly bewildered, prompting him to mutter, "Whose birthday is it?"

In the Gibson household, this recurring scene unfolded when the grandfather cared for his grandson for a brief period. Due to the grandfather's age and the grandson's youth, both individuals displayed forgetfulness, leading to the repetition of the same conversation on numerous occasions.

But before the conversation could continue for an unknown length of time, Charlotte entered the living room. "Hi, guys," she greeted, as she made her way towards her youngest son and pinched his cheek.

Upon seeing his daughter, the old man promptly expressed his hunger with a demanding tone. "I'm hungry! I want chicken soup!" he exclaimed.