ATTENTION: The chapters of this fic are reupdated for a few errors and discrepancies.

Disclaimer: I don't own iCarly and its characters (and for this chapter, even the dialogues!) With that in mind, I guess it's not anymore necessary to mention which iCarly episode this mini-fic is based from. :D

Chapter 1

iF I Fell

Mrs. Benson led the teenage girl holding a tray of multicolored cupcakes inside her son's bedroom. They stood in the middle of the spacious sanctuary filled with various computers and collectibles of her son.

Carly looked around the room and cheerfully asked, "Where is he?"

The woman replied coldly, "In the shower. His first cleansing since the accident you caused." Her eyes wide for emphasis, she gestured to the door behind her where a gentle sprinkling sound emanated.

The girl sighed, "Mrs. Benson..." but the woman quickly retorted with a grunt and extended an open palm just an inch from Carly's face, an indication that she doesn't want any argument.

Mrs. Benson resumed, "I have to go to the pharmacy to take his medicine."

She called back towards the bathroom, "Freddie, I'll be back in thirty-six minutes." before she headed towards the door.

Relief should have taken over Carly but she went wide-eyed as Mrs. Benson bent over her shoulder with a dangerous hiss. "It should have been yooouuu..."

The lass froze in place, still open-eyed at Mrs. Benson's taunt. Though her motherly antics usually crossed the line called lunacy, she and Carly usually went along well despite Carly's usual rejections over her son. Aware that she's involved in Freddie's current condition, Carly rather understood this disdainful treatment given to her by his mom.

Looking back to see Mrs. Benson fully leave the apartment, Carly made her silent sigh of relief. It seemed she and Freddie will have some alone time now. After she placed the tray of cupcakes on a nearby table, Carly began to roam in the room, skimming through the techie gadgets of her geeky friend. She tried out one of his handheld games of Galaxy Wars, and then she looked around the bunch of action figures atop a huge dresser. Freddie's quite fond of such space marines and soldiers as well as those weird structures seen in the films. Carly made a silent giggle when she noticed Freddie's white jewelry box and his dresser's drawers are correspondingly labeled.

Still pacing across the room, she decided to check out on his set of computers by the window, but somehow she had reached for the door of the nearby closet instead. She turned it open and saw a row of Freddie's ironed shirts, but what caught her attention was the inner side of the door. Tacked on the wood is a huge close-up poster of Carly herself, probably printed out by Freddie. Carly blinked with a smile as she stared on the portrait almost the same size as her and felt a warm flush of crimson on her cheeks.

Her smile faded when she heard a splash of water and Freddie's groan from the bathroom. "Freddie!" She quickly shut the closet and sprinted towards the bathroom.

Freddie called out, "Mom?"

Glad that Freddie is not harmed again, Carly replied, "No, it's Carly. Your mom left. What happened?"

"I fell."

"Are you OK?"

"Yeah, but I don't think I can get up."

"Alright, I'll come get you." Carly offered, stepping forward to enter the bathroom.

"NO!" Freddie's voice was alarmed, reminiscent of his pre-puberty accent. "Don't come in here!"

Carly retreated, "Why not?"

"Cause..." Freddie's voice became even more high-pitched, "I'm in the shower!"

Carly tried to think fast as she heard another groan from Freddie. "Well, you just can't lie in the shower floor for thirty-six minutes!"

In a slight state of panic, she looked around the room and yelled, "Just a sec!"

She quickly ran back towards Freddie's dresser and took the scuba goggles beside the action figures. Not minding the labels, she pulled open his drawers for some sort of cover on her eyes. She opened the closest drawer and pulled out one of his anti-bac briefs ("Aaaah!", she shrieked) She quickly threw back the underwear into the drawer and shut it, then opened another one with some fresh anti-bac socks and picked up a pair.

She called out, "Hang on!" Stuffing the socks below the visor, she pulled the goggles over her eyes.

Carly walked tentatively blind as she headed back towards the bathroom, her arms outstretched. "Alright Freddie, I can't see anything. I'm coming in – ugh!" She tripped against the room's curb, falling face down and knocking the wind out of her. Frantically, she stood back up and held her arms forward again as she took more steps, not minding the pain of her stubbed toes.

"Where are you?" She called once again as she moved her way to the bathroom.

Freddie had slipped onto the floor, but fortunately he didn't suffer a head concussion. He spoke, "Down here. Can you turn off the water?"

Her sleeve sprayed with water, Carly blindly reached for wall and shut the water knob off. "Yeah, here."

She felt Freddie's bandaged arm with her fingers as she helped him stand up with the other arm. "Ow, easy."

"Just move slowly."

Freddie gasped, "OK, wait let me get my robe."

After he had donned the garment, Carly instructed, "Put your arm up here." She felt Freddie's weight as she slung his damp uninjured arm around her shoulders.

Carly resumed walking blindly out of the bathroom. "Are we walking the right way?"

"Just keep going."

Carly felt Freddie's discomfort when they stepped down the room's curb. "It hurt?"

"Well, it doesn't feel good!" he grunted.

"Where's your bed?"

Freddie patted his bed at arm's reach. "It's right here. I'll sit first."

Carly said, "Get into the cover." She heard Freddie moan as he moved under the blankets.

He replied, "Yeah, I'm doing it." followed by more groans of discomfort over his injured arm and leg.

"You got it?"

"OK, you take off the goggles." Freddie assured her.

She complied and chucked the sock-stuffed goggles on the bed. Carly muttered an audible whew, combing her damp hair with her fingers.

"That was scary..." With a gesture on her entire left sleeve, she added, "...and wet."

Freddie smiled, "Yeah, thanks for helping me." while he pulled off the plastic covers from his bandaged arm and leg cast.

She scoffed, "Ugh, don't say things."

"Why shouldn't I?"

Carly's voice broke and answered guiltily, "If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't need my help."

Freddie sensed the sudden change of her voice, but he tried to keep the mood cheery. "Would you stop saying that?"

The girl looked at him and spoke sadly, "You know, everyone at school's saying you're a hero."

"That's dumb."

"You are!" Carly insisted. It seemed to her that Freddie was not taking her seriously.

"No, I'm not."

Carly interrupted with a raised voice, "You almost got killed saving my life!" She was shocked at her sudden outburst, yet she clutched her chest and calmed. "...and that makes you a hero."

Freddie was surprised at how upset Carly was now. Sure, he saw her become like this numerous times, but not this time. Feeling a sense of guilt, he wiped off his smile and shrugged, "I don't feel like a hero."

Carly smiled, stepping towards his bed. "Well, you are one..."

She sat beside his prone body with a wider but still sad smile.

"...to me."

Freddie saw that lack of sparkle and gloom in her eyes. But never did he expect what would happen next. He held his own eyes wide but blinked just to make sure he's not dreaming. Check. He's definitely not dreaming. Is this really happening?

Carly's forearm pressed lightly across his chest and laid her small hand on the Galaxy Wars pillow just beside his head. Her face slowly leaned down towards him. In a split second, the gaze of two pairs of dark brown eyes mutually met.

Those pairs of eyes closed the moment Carly's and Freddie's lips had found contact with each other.

Author's Note: OK, I'm aware all the exchanges in this scene are taken from the episode itself, which is why I'm making it like a prologue so I'll have the next chapter in a few days. I want an attempt for some lighthearted Creddie humor after that first fic I wrote.

Besides, I'm glad how iBeat the Heat turned out not to be a shippy episode at all (besides that eye-raising countertop scene) and how Griffin still prioritizes his plush toys. And as of the Victorious episode, seriously, iCarly must not be deprived of a beach episode like that. ^_^

I know I'm rambling now. Nothing beats a hot summer day with a glass of iced tea... with lemon. Comments and critiques are gladly appreciated. Later. :)