A/N: Unfortunately I don't even have a copy of Drop Dead Fred yet, but I've seen it on YouTube. I don't usually mind any ending for films but the ending for Drop Dead Fred depressed (and slightly disappointed) me just a bit.

So in the middle of the night last night I wrote this… the time I wrote it explains why it leaves a fair bit to be desired, but I liked the ideas from some of the fanfics I've already read and thought I'd have a go for myself.

This was originally a one-shot but I decided to extend it because I wanted to get some more fun in there.

Enjoy!

Chapter One: Running Away

To Lizzie it would only be a moment or two between Fred disappearing and her waking up. To Fred it was several minutes.

The world and their embrace melted away from him and he clutched at his own body. Imaginary Friends weren't usually around for long enough to still be someone's Imaginary Friend when they were grown up, but he had. Not of his own choice, but still, he didn't regret it, although he'd done something very stupid along the way.

He'd started caring for Lizzie as though he was more than just an Imaginary Friend; and he wished, just a bit (even though he knew it was unfair and selfish), that she still needed him.

"She does."

Whether he heard the whispery, collective voices of many speaking as one, or simply understood it, Fred didn't think he would ever know. "Does what?" he asked to nothing in particular.

"Elizabeth still needs you, but in a different way now."

Fred blinked in surprise and mild confusion. "How?"

"When adults have Imaginary Friends, they sometimes become dependent on them. That is how."

Fred blinked again. "I can't exactly do anything about that anymore," he argued.

"We cannot make you wholly human," the whispery voices he either heard or understood said, "but Elizabeth needs someone who is just human enough, and that is something we can do. Although we cannot stop you from being an Imaginary Friend, we can make you visible to others. Do you wish to become real, Drop Dead Fred?"

"Yes."

There was a pause before the voice said: "Go to Elizabeth now: she is waking up."

When Lizzie came to, she was lying on the floor of her apartment, on her own. Looking around, her face fell: Fred was not there.

He was gone.

She felt as though something was missing from her but steeled herself to face Charles. You're just going to have to be your own Fred, she told herself, standing up and preparing to fetch the salad from the kitchen. Fred would have dumped it all over Charles' head: she was going to do what he would do.

As she was about to grab the salad bowl, though, she heard the doorbell ring. Charles left their bedroom and they both went to answer it, half-expecting it to be her mother at the door.

It wasn't.

Seeing Fred there, grinning, with his red hair wild as ever and his green suit relatively neat for once, she turned to Charles, expecting him to think some kids had been playing ding-dong-ditch. But instead, Charles said: "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm Fred," Drop Dead Fred answered proudly. "Lizzie's friend. And I'm taking you both out to dinner."

"We've got dinner," Charles said firmly. Lizzie was in shock and essentially unable to say anything.

"Oh yes, romantic salad, how lovely," Fred replied, sarcasm evident in his voice. "Come on. I want to make it up for you for spoiling your dinner – or do I, you useless little snot?"

"Fred!" Lizzie exclaimed, surprised. It was sinking in now: Charles could see Fred! "Charles, you can see him?"

"What are you talking about, honey? Of course I can see him! He's standing right there! Are you feeling alright, Lizzie? Do you want to lie down?"

"But – Charles – this is –"

"I'm Drop Dead Fred," Fred interjected proudly.

"No you're not," Charles said. "Drop Dead Fred is imaginary."

Lizzie and Charles glanced at each other and when they looked back, Fred wasn't there anymore.

"Thank God that weirdo's gone," Charles said. "How much did you pay that guy to do that, Lizzie?"

"I didn't pay him, Charles. That was really –"

"Boo!" In a flash of green light, Fred appeared in front of the refrigerator. Charles jumped but Lizzie was used to it.

"Shit yourself?" Fred asked, sounding amused.

"This is really Drop Dead Fred, Charles," Lizzie said.

"Yeah," Fred said. "Come on Charlie, let's have dinner. I'll get something for you!"

He began rummaging around in the fridge and Lizzie laughed. She hoped she wasn't dreaming. She hoped Fred was really here, audible and visible to Charles. And she hoped he never stopped being Fred.

"If he's Drop Dead Fred, why can I see him?" Charles asked. Lizzie shrugged and Charles said, "What's going on here, Lizzie? Have you been seeing him behind my back?"

"Speaking of which," Fred said, suddenly appearing behind the two of them and wrapping his arms around their shoulders, "I believe we've got something to give you, Charles."

"What would that be?"

"Snotface? Would you do the honours?"

"I'd love to," Lizzie smiled. Then, just like Fred always did so affectionately to her, she stuck her finger into her right nostril, dug around, and wiped the contents all over Charles' face. Before Charles had a chance to react, she ducked out of Fred's arm and grabbed her bag, running out of the apartment.

Fred appeared next to her in the parking lot and they sat on the bonnet of Charles' car together. She knew he'd try to catch them up soon but if Fred was here she'd be okay.

"I still don't believe it," she whispered. "He could see you."

"It's a new trick," Fred said back quietly. "I'm real now – not exactly human, but real."

"Why?"

"Cos They said you needed me."

"Who's They?"

"It's a tricky concept, Snotface. Some powers-that-be type of thing. If you want to go for a ride, I'll explain on the way. We could run away together like you promised, but for real this time."

Lizzie smiled. "I have to take care of a few things first."

"Then let's at least run away for tonight. Come on, Snotface. Before your useless husband catches up."

"I thought you were gone…" she whispered, her voice cracking as she forced back a sob.

"Me too."

Fred wrapped his arms around Lizzie and for a moment they sat together like that on the bonnet of Charles' car. Then they pulled apart, got in and began to drive.

Lizzie paid for a motel room that night and together they enjoyed one of the high points of Fred being real: dinner. They went down to a burger joint, trying not to spend too much money, and Fred promised to behave. On a couple of occasions he became invisible (to everyone but himself and Lizzie) and flicked snot into drinks or tripped the waiter up, but for the most part he was true to his word.

"This is really fun, Snotface," Fred said through a mouthful of food. "What's in the game plan for tomorrow?"

"I have to get my things back from the apartment and my mother's house," Lizzie answered, ticking off each point on her fingers. "And then I think I should get some divorce papers for Charles to sign. I think that's it."

"So we're finally going to defeat the Useless Husband and the evil Mega-Bitch?"

"I guess we are," Lizzie smiled. Grinning with satisfaction, Fred turned himself invisible and ran over to where some teenager was harassing a girl, pulling the teenage boy's trousers down to gleefully reveal boxers with little pink hearts all over them.

Later that night, they sat on the double-bed in the motel room, staring blankly at the television, which was switched off.

"I could sneak into the apartment and get your stuff for you tonight," Fred offered, but Lizzie suddenly threw her arms around him and rested her head on his chest. Surprised, he rubbed her back gently.

"Stay with me tonight," Lizzie begged. "I keep thinking I'm dreaming."

"Not a problem, Snotface," Fred replied, brushing some of her hair out of her face. "I won't leave if you don't want me to."

"I'm not losing you for another twenty-one years."

"You won't." Fred kissed her hair gently. "Without being a total girl, Lizzie, sometimes I think I could actually love you."

"I thought you hated love?" Lizzie asked, lifting her face to look at Fred, who shrugged.

"Not love, exactly. Romance makes me want to puke, though."

Lizzie giggled. Then she said, "Hey Fred?"

"Yeah?"

"You wanna check for cobwebs?"

Looking Lizzie dead in the eye, Fred chuckled deviously and threw the bed sheets over the pair of them, kissing Lizzie hard.

A/N: I think that's probably the most explicit I'll get in this story. It's not focused on sex but for some reason I couldn't resist writing that in. I'll write more soon but I'm satisfied with this if it was a stand-alone story, too