Disclaimer: I do NOT own iCarly, in any sense. Many thanks to Dan Schneider for a wonderful show that inspired this story. Enjoy!

Carly Shay discreetly opened the sliding glass door leading to Gibby's backyard and slipped out to escape the growing noise of the overcrowded party. She gently closed the door and walked towards the wooden deck, removing the silly New Year's party hat and setting it on the ground. She looked at her watch. There were only 27 minutes remaining of 2011. Walking up the steps leading to the deck, Carly resolved to return to the mayhem closer to the countdown, but for now, she just wanted to enjoy the peaceful calm of this beautiful Seattle night.

She reached the deck banister directly across from the steps and gently leaned against it, tightening the light purple pea coat over her plum purple and green polka dot cocktail dress. Looking up at the glittering stars, Carly felt a wave of contentment wash over her. 2011 had truly been great to her: the web show has reached unimaginable heights in popularity, her acceptance letter into the University of Washington for next fall arrived in the mail two days ago, and she managed to figure out a career path to pursue (clothing design – thanks, in large part, to the iCarly team's short-lived Penny Tee business) that she could truly love. The 17-year-old knew there were people 10 years her senior who weren't as accomplished as her, so she couldn't help but feel truly blessed.

Not to mention, 2011 had brought her true love in the form of a certain handsome, sensitive, funny tech producer and best friend.

At that thought, Carly closed her eyes and smiled like a fool in love. Well, for all intents and purposes, she was. Carly Shay was ridiculously in love with Fredward Benson and she could not thank this year enough for bringing her such an incredible gift. In the month-and-a-half they had been together, things between them had progressed so naturally. Carly still couldn't figure out how so much could change and yet, simultaneously, not change much at all. Freddie was her boyfriend, clearly…but they still felt like the same best friends they've always been. Their teasing of each other didn't cease, but their jokes were now closely followed by light kisses and soft caresses. They weren't the couple to alienate everyone with gratuitous PDA, but when they were alone they barely left each other's arms while they talked about everything and nothing in particular. She thought of other couples, like Jake and Stephanie, who were constantly making out by lockers or, in the case of this very party, against coat racks; always fawning over each other with nauseatingly cutesy nicknames and never quite managing to sever that attachment their hips seemed to have. It was cute at times, but Carly didn't desire that type of public relationship with Freddie. She hated to make assumptions about other people, but she couldn't help but feel like couples chose to carry on like that in an effort to convince others of how great of a pair they were.

She and Freddie didn't need that. Their love was for them to understand, not for everyone else.

Carly was so caught up in her own thoughts and the beautiful stars that she didn't hear the sliding glass door re-open or the soft creaking of the deck's wooden steps. She almost jumped at the feeling of strong hand settling her left hip while another hand collected her bone-straight raven locks and swept them over her right shoulder, leaving her creamy alabaster neck exposed for warm, feather soft kisses. Her heart fluttered as pair of arms protectively wrapped themselves around her slender waist and the smile that manifested on her face was unstoppable.

"Hiding?" a slightly husky voice inquired in her ear. The warm breath sent a shiver down her spine and left her feeling a bit lightheaded. She was thankful to be leaning against a seemingly broad chest, in fear that she may faint. Only one person can make her swoon like a love-struck moron.

"Not well, apparently," Carly answered with a giggle. She felt, rather than saw Freddie's low chuckle rumble against her back. She swiftly turned around in his arms and brought her hands up to his shoulders. She could not get over how fetching he looked in his daffodil yellow dress shirt, which lay un-tucked over his dark denim jeans, and charcoal gray blazer. His hair was being swept slightly by the wind and boyish grin played on his lips. Hey had grown a few inches over the past year or two and while she wouldn't go as far as to call him muscular, he had impressively grown into his body. This was definitely a young man who stood before her. She rose on her toes slightly to place a soft (yet all too brief, by Freddie's standards) kiss on his lips, then settled back on her feet with a smile. Freddie gave a quick glance back at the house then turned back to his girlfriend.

"Party too rockin' back there for you?" he asked with a slight nod back to the glass door.

"Yeah, a little. I just wanted to get away from the noise for a second before midnight arrived. Did I miss anything?"

"Well, Sam is trying to teach Gibby's mom the Sleeper Hold. Jake and Stephanie managed to break up and get back together in a record-breaking four minutes! The scene was riveting, really. I'm sorry you missed it!" Both teenagers laughed uproariously, then Freddie continued. "Gibby has chosen to unbutton one button every couple minutes until he is eventually shirtless for the arrival of 2012. So no, you missed absolutely nothing." Carly laughed again. She turned back around to face the open sky. Freddie pulled her against him a little closer as he tucked her head under his chin. Carly clasped her hands over his, which were resting on her abdomen, and felt the calming night envelop them in silence. Freddie had told her once that some of his favorite moments with her were the ones where they didn't feel the need to say anything at all, and she had to agree. This moment, under the stars and in the arms of the young man she loved, felt like such a picturesque moment. She suddenly wished they were by themselves, instead of attending a crowded party. She felt Freddie place a quick kiss in her hair.

"Don't you kind of wish we had decided to ring in the new year by ourselves?" Freddie asked.

'Wow. Creepy,' Carly thought to herself. 'That's what I get for dating the one person in this world who knows me better than myself sometimes.' Still, she loved the fact that they were on the same page.

"I was just thinking the same thing," she answered as she continued to gaze at the stars. "So, my love, what, pray tell, is your resolution for the New Year?" Carly didn't know whether or not it was bad luck to share your resolutions aloud, but she was curious.

"I don't really believe in New Year's Resolutions that much anymore, baby," Freddie replied. Carly tilted her head upward so that she could see his face.

"And why not?" she asked indignantly. "It's a simple resolution; a goal. It's not some intangible idea, like Santa, or something."

Freddie let out an exaggerated gasp and cried "Santa isn't real?"

Carly rolled her eyes and playfully swiped at his hands as he chuckled and kissed her forehead.

"I'm serious!" she exclaimed, although she couldn't prevent the soft giggle from bubbling over. "Why don't you believe in New Year's resolutions?"

"Well," Freddie began, "it's not that I don't believe in them, per say. I know they're real and, for some, they do help people change for the better. I just don't see a point in practicing them myself." Carly looked forward as she continued to listen to Freddie's logic. "My thing is this: if you want to change something or go after something, then just do it. Right then and there. What's the use in delaying it and waiting for a new year to officially arrive? If you really want it, then go after it."

Carly could definitely see his point, but she wasn't prepared to give him a victory that easily. "Well, doesn't that kind of zap the fun out of bringing in the New Year?" she asked. "It's supposed to be about a fresh start; a new beginning, you know? What's the harm in setting a goal for yourself?"

Freddie gave her waist a slight squeeze. "I'm not against making small resolutions, like resolving to clean out your car every Wednesday, or buying fewer shoes, which is a resolution that I'm sure a certain gorgeous, brunette web show host could stand to make for the upcoming year!" Freddie couldn't resist a bit of teasing, even in a genuine conversation. Carly laughed good-naturedly, knowing that she did have a bit of an out-of-control shoe shopping habit. Freddie continued. "However, the big changes in your life, like love and your health, shouldn't have to wait for a countdown or ball drop. You should take control of the important stuff as soon as possible."

Carly nodded. "Oh, I get it. Freddie Benson is a New Year's Scrooge. It all makes sense now." Carly felt Freddie's hands come to her hips to spin her around so that she was facing a mock-offended Freddie. She stared up at him defiantly with a look that challenged him to deny it.

"I'll have you know, Carly Shay, that you are a MAJOR reason why I feel the way I do about this subject!"

Carly took a grand step back out of Freddie's grasp with her hands on her hips and a look of shock on her face. "Really, Fredward Benson? And how is that?" Carly straightened her back and folded her arms over her chest, taken aback by this new revelation.

"I never told you this," Freddie began with a small smile, "but for the past five years, I've had the same New Year's Resolution: to finally get you to love me back."

Carly felt like she had received a blow to the chest. She wasn't expecting an answer like that, especially within such a playful conversation. She looked at his face, which was so serene and still held that small boyish smile. He didn't show a trace of nerves or anxiety. She was speechless.

"It's true," the young man confirmed with a nod. "Every New Year's Eve after I met you, I resolved to find a way to lay out all of my feelings for you and make you realize that what I felt for you was more than a silly crush. I'd watch the New Year arrive and think 'This is it. This'll be the year.' Then I'd spend the entire year coming up with one excuse after the other as to why I couldn't do it. I would have done it again this year, too, but for some reason I had a lot of trouble sleeping this November." He took a step closer to Carly. "Every time my head would hit the pillow, I'd see your incredibly beautiful brown eyes…" He took another step closer, "…and your sexy pouty lips…" Another step, "…and I would imagine what it would feel like to run your fingers through your hair…" He stepped forward and gently raked his hand into her soft hair, "…or just hold you," he admitted as he wrapped his arms around her waist, "and I knew that I had to tell you right then how I felt. If I truly loved you as much as I believed I did, I knew I couldn't wait a second longer. I'm so glad that I didn't wait until now or next week to tell you because the past month-and-a-half has been the happiest I'd ever experienced. I love you like crazy, Carls."

Carly wrapped her arms around Freddie's neck and touched her forehead to his. "I love you more than you know, Freddie!" She could feel her love for him grow stronger at his admission and she just knew that she had to be the luckiest girl alive. They stood in that position for a solid minute before Freddie stood a little straighter and looked down at the giddy girl in his arms.

"There is still one New Year's tradition I firmly believe in, though," he divulged with a sly grin.

"And what would that be, babe?" Carly entertained him, although she had an idea.

"The Midnight Kiss, of course," he revealed, with a cheeky wag of his eyebrows.

"Ahhhhh, of course!" Carly giggled as she pressed herself a little closer against him. As if on cue, the party, which they had long forgotten, began to count down excitedly.

"Thirteen! … Twelve!… Eleven!..."

Suddenly, with great force, Carly's lips collided with Freddie's in a heart-stopping, almost bruising kiss. Freddie's mind was wiped blank of any thought as he felt a soft hand run through his hair. His arms crushed her body to his, hands travelling up and down her back while taking in her unique scent of strawberry Lip Smoochers lip gloss and peppermint shampoo. Carly felt his tongue gently graze her bottom lip, and her legs suddenly felt like jelly. She lightly touched her tongue to his, as if to give him permission of sorts, and a small moan escaped his lips as he tilted his head slightly to the right and deepened their kiss. Neither could tell who finally pulled back, but the need for air was evident, as they were both panting heavily. Of all the kisses they had shared since November, none of them have ever been this intense. They stood together, embracing and swaying slightly while regaining their composure. Carly's head laid perfectly against his shoulder while he rested his cheek against the top of her head and continued to stroke her back.

'How did I get so damn lucky?' Freddie thought to himself. They stood in companionable silence while the party continued to roar in the background.

"You jumped the gun a bit, sweetie. We missed the countdown," Freddie pointed out in amusement, his voice barely above a whisper.

Carly lifted her head and gazed into his eyes with a look of sincere love and complete devotion.

"No more waiting in 2012, baby," she smiled.

Freddie returned the smile with a gigantic one of his own. "No more waiting in 2012, my love."

A/N: Thanks SO MUCH for taking the time to read my story. This was supposed to be a companion piece to "i'M Not Obligated," so if you haven't had a chance to read that one, I suggest that you do. :o)

This was a story that literally came to me this morning, as I was trying to work out the mechanics of another plot I was toying with. I hope you all enjoyed it.

To those who read and reviewed my last story and took additional time to read this one: thank you so much! You all actually inspired me to continue writing!

I hope you all have an amazing New Year! Be safe, party responsibly, and make it count. :o)

Hollaatchyagirl,

Phunky