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part i - the first week

"Sometimes when I'm sleeping, I wonder if it's true. I'm afraid they'll come and take away this precious dream with you"

thank you, bonnie raitt

Carly woke up feeling warm and content, feelings she was very familiar with. She'd had them most mornings, waking up from dreams where Freddie had shown up at her door and told her that he loved her before sweeping her up in his arms and kissing her.

She felt herself deflate a little bit, wondering if the night before had only been another one of those dreams that felt real but really hadn't happened. Reality always dawned on her, Freddie was with Pearl and she was all alone.

She paused for a second, waiting to get her bearings and to remember she was still on her own when someone stirred beside her, and the hazy dreamlike sequence in her mind floated away. Last night had really happened and she and Freddie were really together. A feeling of giddiness swept through her and she practically threw herself at him.

"You're really here!" she whispered, even though she was sure he wasn't anywhere near awake yet.

"Hmm?" Freddie murmured without opening his eyes.

"You're really here," she repeated, throwing her arms around him and kissing him.

"This is a nice way to wake up," he said, smiling at her sleepily.

"I thought last night was just a dream!" Carly confessed. "The last few weeks, I've dreamed about you so many times and I woke up thinking that you wouldn't be here—"

Freddie cut her off by kissing her again, "Me too, I've been lying here with my eyes closed just in case I dreamed it because I've dreamed this would happen so many times before."

Carly almost laughed in relief and kissed him again, thinking she could get used to it. Mornings in bed with Freddie, being woken up by him kissing her.

Her stomach grumbled, interrupting them and she remembered she hadn't really eaten anything in 48 hours. She'd been too upset, too worried that her relationship with Freddie was over forever… and now, she was starving.

Freddie pulled away. "Are you hungry?" he asked, looking slightly concerned.

"A little," Carly admitted as her stomach growled again, loudly this time.

"That doesn't sound like you're a little hungry," Freddie said, sitting up, his own stomach making a similar noise.

Carly smirked. "Are you hungry too?"

"I haven't eaten that much the last couple of days," Freddie said.

"Me either." Carly sat up too and stretched. "Want to go and get some breakfast?"

"Sure," Freddie answered. "But I probably should go shower and get changed first."

"Alright," she agreed as she got up and went over to her dresser to get a change of clothes. "But don't take too long."

"Don't worry, I'll be back soon!" Freddie assured her.

About an hour later, the two of them were seated across from each other in a secluded booth with menus in front of them.

"What looks good to you?" Carly asked, scanning the menu.

"Everything," Freddie answered. "What about you?"

"I'm thinking about chocolate chip waffles," Carly replied, taking a sip of her latte. "And maybe homefries and scrambled… no fried eggs."

"That sounds good," he said.

"If you order the strawberry waffles, you can have half of my chocolate chip waffles," Carly bargained.

"Sounds like a fair trade," Freddie agreed. "Do you want bacon too?"

Carly nodded and closed her menu. "Sure."

She sat back and watched Freddie while he still studied the menu. He felt his eyes on her and looked up.

"What is it?" he asked.

Carly blushed. "Nothing… I mean…" she trailed off and looked away.

He smiled at her and put the menu down, taking her hand. "What's going on? Do you still feel like you're dreaming?"

"No, not really. I just like looking at you," Carly replied, which was true. She had always liked looking at him even when they were kids. And especially when he was talking about something he was passionate about. "You're cute."

It was Freddie's turn to blush. "Well, you're not so—"

"Are you two ready to order?"

"Uh… yes," Freddie answered awkwardly. "I'll have strawberry waffles, scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast."

"And I'll have chocolate chip waffles, fried eggs, and homefries," Carly added.

"With more coffee," Freddie said. "And fruit bowls, it's been a while since we've eaten."

"Coming right up," their waitress said, jotting down their order and taking away their menus.

"Thank you, Rhonda," Carly said, quickly reading her name tag because she hadn't caught her name when she'd come to give them their menus and take their drink orders.

"As I was saying," Freddie continued when they were alone again. "You're not so bad yourself."

Carly blushed again despite herself. "You don't have to say that," she replied.

"I'm just getting started," Freddie said, picking up her hand and kissing her palm. "I have years and years of things that I've always wanted to say and haven't."

Carly's stomach tightened and she swallowed hard. "I'd like that," she finally said.

"Good," Freddie replied.

Rhonda returned and set down the fruit bowls Freddie had ordered for them, along with more coffee.

Carly picked up her fork and stabbed a piece of kiwi with it, chewing it slowly and swallowing, grateful that Freddie had thought about getting her food as soon as possible. "So, does this count as our first date?" she asked between bites.

"I can't say I imagined our first date being starving and sleep deprived after fighting with you," Freddie answered.

"You've thought about our first date?"

"You know I have," Freddie replied. "Almost all of my life, I always saw us going out somewhere really nice with tablecloths and candles… and music. We'd both be dressed up—"

"We were both dressed up last night," Carly reminded him. "But go on."

"I would ask you to be my girlfriend," Freddie continued. "Because at that point, I would have only managed to get you to come out to dinner with me—"

"In case I wasn't clear last night, the answer is yes. Yes, I will be your girlfriend," Carly told him. "I mean, if you're asking."

Freddie smiled at her. "Yeah, I think that we already established that last night when you said you wanted to be with me. So, I think I'm cutting out the part where I ask you to be my girlfriend since I know you do."

"You don't have to worry about the first date being at a fancy restaurant either," Carly said as she let go of his hand and got up to slip into the seat next to him. "You've already impressed me."

She went to kiss him when Rhonda cleared her throat to get their attention, setting their breakfasts down in front of them. "Waffles and eggs?"

"Could we have a couple of extra plates?" Carly requested. "We're going to share."

"Sure. Be right back."

Carly stole a piece of bacon. "I'm so hungry," she said.

"I'll make sure you always eat from now on," Freddie promised as Rhonda returned with plates.

"Thank you," Carly said to Rhonda as she started to divide the food between her and Freddie.

They both started to eat waffles at the same time.

"Oh my gosh," Freddie said.

"You need to try these!" he and Carly said at the same time.

Carly forgot that she had already given Freddie half of her waffle and stabbed a piece with her fork before sticking it in his mouth at the same time he fed her some from his plate.

"Wow! That is really good," Freddie agreed after he had chewed and swallowed. "What about you? Do you like the strawberry waffles?"

Carly nodded. "It's very good. Thank you for ordering it to share with me."

"Any time," Freddie said.

They finished eating and lingered over third lattes, Carly's head rested on his shoulder while they just sat in the most comfortable silence they'd ever shared. Rhonda finally came and told them that unless they were planning on ordering lunch, she needed the table.

Freddie paid the bill and together, they slipped out into the rainy afternoon.

Carly waited for Freddie to open his umbrella before taking his arm and starting back for their apartment building together.

"You know, I'm suddenly really tired," she said, looking up at him. "Like really tired. I didn't really sleep the last couple of days. I did a little last night—"

"We can go home and take a nap," Freddie replied.

"Together?" Carly asked, knowing she probably sounded desperately needy but she didn't really want to leave him for a second.

Freddie smiled. "If that's what you want."

"Is that even a question?" Carly asked, not telling him that she really just wanted him to stay forever.

When they got home, she pulled him off the elevator and to her apartment (just in case anyone was at the Benson's). She still wanted to be alone with him for as long as possible. She sat on the edge of her bed and pulled her boots off while he watched her, removed her bulky sweater.

"This isn't about sex," she told him. "I really am tired."

"I didn't think it was about sex. We don't have to rush anything," Freddie assured her.

Carly took off her skirt and tossed it aside, grabbing a pair of loose linen pants that she had worn almost all through lockdown because they had been so comfortable. "Take off your shoes," she instructed.

Freddie complied and Carly flopped down on her back, turning on her side while she waited for him to join her. "I just realized that you sleep on the right side of the bed," he mumbled like he was just realizing it as he crawled in beside her. "I mean the side of the bed that I don't."

Carly face hurt from smiling so much, she didn't think she was ever going to stop. "More proof we belong together," she replied as his arms wrapped around her.

"Even if you didn't, I'd change my side for you."

All the exhaustion Carly had been feeling was really washing over her in waves and she closed her eyes. "That's nice," she murmured, taking his hand before drifting off to sleep.

She woke up all alone, with late afternoon sun filtering in through her curtains and for a second, she thought maybe she'd finally fallen asleep after worrying her friendship with Freddie was over for two days straight. She shook her head, knowing she was being ridiculous.

She picked up her phone to check the time and noticed that there was a text from Freddie.

F: Had to go get Millicent from school. You were sleeping so peacefully, didn't want to disturb you. I'll see you soon!

Carly breathed a sigh of relief and sat up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes before typing her reply.

C: Ok! I'm looking forward to you coming back!

He returned a few minutes later with Millicent in tow and two large iced coffee from Skybucks.

"You should have woken me up," she told him as she accepted the drink gratefully.

Millicent eyed them wearily, saw the adoring looks on their faces, and huffed. "Can I watch TV, please?"

Usually, Freddie would have reminded her to do homework first but he just nodded and waved his hand in way of saying yes.

"Are you hungry?" Carly asked.

Millicent held up her blended coffee and chocolate scone. "I'm fine. Uh, but thank you."

"I had to go and get her," Freddie explained as he followed her over to the table. "It was my turn and I was going to ask you to come with me but you were sleeping so peacefully and you looked so beautiful, I couldn't bear to wake you up."

"You said that in your text," Carly replied. "Next time we can go together. Or maybe I can even take a turn and pick her up, you know when your mom or you can't go."

"You don't have to do that," Freddie told her.

"But I want to," Carly replied.

Freddie looked over his shoulder to see what Millicent was doing and when he was sure she was engrossed in a rerun of SpongeBob, he kissed Carly. Carly sighed into his mouth, she didn't think she'd ever get tired of this no matter how many times he kissed her.

"You're honestly amazing," he told her.

Carly absolutely felt like she was glowing as she kissed him again.

.

"We have to do iCarly," Freddie told her, it was Tuesday and they were holed up in the studio just the two of them, they were supposed to have been going over questions for her weekly Q&A but they had started to kiss instead.

"We don't have to," Carly answered. "I could just get my phone out and post a little message on Instagram that there's not going to be a show today."

"What about your laundry?"

"That can wait until next week too," Carly said. "Or I'll just fold it later, I'll always have laundry for next week's Q&A."

(There was no way she would be folding any laundry. Not even though she had the best intentions to do it. But Freddie was so distracting, she forgot all about it and she didn't really care.)

She unwrapped herself from Freddie's arms and got her phone out, pulling up Instagram. She quickly typed up a message and sent it to her story. It was a half-baked apology about not being able to do iCarly (she wasn't really sorry though and she didn't really give them a valid excuse as to why she wasn't doing it either).

"Do you want me to help you fold laundry?" Freddie asked.

"No," Carly answered as she threw her arms around him again. "I'm fine just like this."

TBC…

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Author's Note:

So I'm not going to touch on every single event from the first 5 weeks. Just stuff I would have personally liked to see happen between them if the show had longer seasons than just 10 episodes. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that you'll tell me what you think. I have some fun ideas for this story and I can't wait to write something longer. It's been a hot minute (the last time was "Getting Your Best Friends Back Together For Dummies" for the Stranger Things fandom in 2019).

Anyway! Drop a review or some kudos.

Until next time!