Notes from the drawing table: Well...here I go. My first attempt to post a multi-chapter fic. [I would prefer to stick with one-shots or just make a chapter 1 for my other ideas then leave it at that!] Oh well. I have a few chapters of this one roughed out. Here's to seeing it thru.

Oh yeah - I hate the title. I consulted with my favorite 2b pencil for 15 minutes and it refused to help me. I even said "pretty please."

Disclaimer: [bleccccch!]

The Summer Between

1. Reggae in the park

"You know what's weird, Freddie"?

"Yeah - Them. Look at 'em."

Carly glanced over at the packed, sundrenched dance floor and smiled. Loud reggae music played by a colorfully dressed live band blared out of speakers piled high on the cement stage. Seattle's most famous landmark, The Space Needle, rose majestically in the background, dwarfing the band and the end-to-end glass mosaic mural that served as the stage's backdrop.

At the edge of the pulsating mass of dancers, were two of Carly and Freddie's best friends, Sam and Gibby.

Sam, long blonde hair spilling out of a red, yellow, and green knit hat, eyes closed and arms high, swayed and undulated slowly to an internal rhythm only she could feel, oblivious to the world around her.

Gibby, shirtless, sweaty and easily a foot taller than his diminutive dance partner, was doing his best 'Gibby' version of Reggae dancing. He wore a huge smile, occasionally clapping his hands in front of his shirtless body, oddly in time with the unusual beat of the music. He and Sam made quite the pair.

"Well, yeah . . . they are weird in their own way. But I'm not talking about that."

"Well then, what's so weird"?

"Me and you, Freddie, that's what's so weird."

"Us…? You and I are the two most normal people we know."

"Maybe we're too normal, Freddie. You know – too boring"?

"I don't understand Carly. What are you getting at"?

"We have the next two months off. It's Memorial Day weekend. It is a perfect, clear sunny day in Seattle, one of the most beautiful cities in America. We are in a nice park right next to one of the most impressive man-made structures ever. We are with two of our best friends, and all we are doing is sitting here getting sunburned."

"We put on sunblock, Carly. We'll be fine."

"You're such a boy," Carly said as she reached over and gave Freddie a playful shove on the shoulder.

"I meant that we are just sitting here, dorkyboy – for two hours. We should be out there dancing like they are."

"Oh . . . well, I guess. I don't know. It's hard for me to dance to this music. It's kind of embarrassing. There are so many people. You know I'm not really a good dancer."

"Freddie, you've random danced on iCarly a million times. In front of millions on the internet. How can dancing here be embarrassing"?

"I don't know. It's just not the same. That's in the studio. There are only a few of us. I never really think about the viewers watching. This is a public park full of strangers. Anyway, it was not a million times, Carly. I've only danced on camera a few times."

"They aren't embarrassed," Carly said, pointing back to Gibby and Sam.

"Carly, Sam is never embarrassed. You know that. She could care less who is watching."

"What about Gib, Freddie? He looks like he is having a great time and he's not exactly Usher."

Gibby must have felt their eyes on him because he smiled the waved them over to join in the dancing fun. Carly weakly waved back.

"Oh C'mon, Carly . . . he's a bigger showoff than Sam is. Remember the time he started dancing in the frozen aisle at the supermarket"?

"Oh-my-God – that was so funny," she replied. "Remember he said, 'because this song speaks to me'."

"It was muzak, Carly! That stuff doesn't speak to anybody."

"It was funny, Freddie. We were cracking up in the car the whole way back. You were, too."

"He didn't have to take his shirt off. People were running out of the aisle. Sometimes I think he does this stuff on purpose just to cause a scene and scare everyone. He is worse than Sam in some ways, ya know. Maybe there really is something wrong with him."

"Freddie, you know that isn't true. Be nice to Gibby. He's our friend."

"I know, but look at him. Look at . . . them."

A smiling Carly turned her attention to her friends dancing carefree, just as a song ended. Gibby leaned and grabbed Sam under both arms. He Effortlessly lifted her high above his six-foot six frame and shouted; "We . . . are . . . AWESOME"! Sam squirmed and thrashed like a fish on a hook, bright yellow converse flashing about dangerously.

"Put me down right now, you oversizedmeatball or I'm gonna . . ."

The rest of the threat went unheard as the music kicked back on. Not that it mattered anyway. Gone were the days when Sam could manhandle Gibby. His growth spurt had taken care of that.

Carly and Freddie broke into fits of laughter as they watched the brief, but comical, encounter. They laughed even harder as the enormous fisherman plopped his wriggling catch back to her feet, all the while being beaten over the head by Sam's soft, crocheted hat. Frustrated, she yanked the hat back on almost to her eyes, then hauled off and punched her tormenter in the stomach with all the gusto she could muster. Gibby just laughed it off. Satisfied, Sam fixed her multicolored tam and then they went back to dancing as if the whole thing never happened.

Freddie and Carly, wiping away hysterical tears, gathered themselves.

"See . . . you need to loosen up, mister. Be more like they are. Do you want to be known as the most uptight college freshman ever? We've got two months to have fun before school starts. That's exactly what I want to do."

"Me? What about you? You're not exactly wild and crazy, young lady."

"I know. Maybe I can . . . maybe we can, change that a bit this summer. You know – cut loose some"?

Freddie ran his hand through his thick, brown hair and pushed himself from his elbow to a seated position.

"Ok, Miss Shay – let's cut loose as you say. Do you really wanna go out there and dance with ole soft shoe Benson"?

Carly turned and watched the sea of dancers for a moment before speaking.

"Um, maybe you're right. It is super crowded out there. Maybe later, when it thins out"?

"Hah," Freddie replied pointing to Carly. "It's a lot different out here in a park full of strangers, isn't it? That's cool, though. We can leave the dancing to them, for now."

"Ok, Freddie. Yeah – cool for now," Carly agreed, sounding distant.

"Hey Shay, I'm almost out of water anyway. Wanna walk with me to get more"?

"And Freddie," she began, ignoring the question, "I wouldn't call Gibby a showoff. He's just being himself. He's just . . . ya know . . . Gibby . . ."

Carly's voice trailed off, eyes fixed on her offbeat friend Gibby, who continued to dance and clap, oblivious to her stare.

Freddie, bottle of water frozen to his lips, followed Carly's distracted gaze over to the dance floor. He glanced back and forth between his two friends a few times before settling his eyes on Carly. She had a smile on her face and seemed completely enraptured with Gibby's every movement.

"No WAY . . ." he quietly gasped.

Under the table: Ok. I guess that's a start. I planned this to be "Gibbycentric" but now I guess I'll attempt to follow the four of them for the summer. That could make for a looooonnng story.

Per usual, feedback much appreciated.

DTaC.