Note:I decided that I wanted to post this story seeing as how there aren't many Carly/Freddie stories. It's a sad thing. So I wrote this because I felt like the world could really use a bit more of this couple! It's my first fanfic so constructive critisism is encouraged. It's a bit dark, but if you guys like this one I'll be sure to write some really fluffy ones in the future. Thanks!

Disclaimer:I do not own iCarly in any way.

Perfection

At that moment, it seemed as if her world was ending. Everything was so perfect leading up to that moment when pain jolted through her body and shock overcame her. Never had it crossed her mind that something like this would happen to her. After all, she was perfect. She was the most popular web show host on the Internet, a straight "A" student and she could get any guy she wanted. It just so happened that this time, she wanted the wrong guy.

She found herself running home aimlessly in the biting cold Seattle air. All of the actions from fifteen minutes ago kept playing back in her mind like a broken record. Every time her right eye pounded with pain, the memories flooded back to her and she couldn't stop them. They were invading her mind slowly but surely. She kept asking herself what she had done to him to make him react in such a rash manner. Why was she the one to become his punching bag?

It was like any other day after school at Ridgeway High School. She had stayed late for an honor society meeting and found her boyfriend of one month waiting outside for her. It had become a ritual for them to stay after almost everyone had gone home from school and just enjoy each others company. It usually meant simple kissing and hand holding, but something felt off when she spotted him leaning against a wall outside.

She ran outside the double doors of the school and couldn't help but smile at toothy grin he had plastered onto his face. Griffin. His name played out in her head over and over. It had been months since they had first broken up, but they somehow found their way back to each other. After discovering that she still had feeling for him, a second chance was definite. Despite her friends and brother's hatred towards him at first, she believed they were slowly starting to warm up to him.

"Hey, babe." His smooth sounding voice rumbled through the empty patio. It always gave her goosebumps and made her swoon a little.

"Hi Griffin." She replied back to him sounding slightly love sick. He slowing walked toward her and embraced her tightly in his arms as if protecting her from the harsh December weather. They stayed like that for a little while until her moved his face from the crook of her neck and began to kiss her lips gently.

At first, it was like any other make out session they had since they began their escapades during the after school hours. After a while, though, his kisses began to get more passionate as his lips made their way to her neck. She thought that maybe this is how it was supposed to happen. Every make out session was supposed to get more heated over time. As a matter of fact, she was actually enjoying the sensations that were happening. Then something snapped in her mind as she noticed that he had already pulled her coat off and was working on the buttons of her flannel shirt.

"Griffin," she said with her eyes wide open, "We're at school." Ignoring her concerns, he continued to unbutton the buttons. She was surprised she had barely noticed he had got that far.

"It's alright Carly," he said with a voice that was dripping in lust, "We love each other." She started to feel the icy cold air hit her stomach and she knew she couldn't let this continue.

"No! Get off me!" She yelled as she pushed him with all her might. He flew back only a few feet which gave her enough time to button her shirt back up and put on her coat. As she began to run away she felt a firm hand grasp her arm and pull her back to where she was standing a few minutes ago. She found herself inches away from Griffin's face. He looked extremely livid. She suddenly felt her knees go weak as she predicted what was about to happen next.

"Nobody says no to me." He said angrily before thrusting her into a nearby concrete pillar. She felt her whole right side go numb as she cried out in pain. Her wailing only seemed to make it worse because a few seconds later she felt his fist hit her right eye with such powerful force. She stopped crying out of complete shock and touched her eye gently before breaking out into sobs again.

Griffin instantly realized he had gone too far, but it was too late. The damage was already done. He loosened his grip on her petite arms and she instantly started to run back to her apartment. The building was only about a five minute walk from the school but her run back seemed like an eternity. Tears began to flow freely as she made her way into the lobby of the building trying to avoid the people's stares and whispers.

The stairs made more sense since there was a better chance of her running into someone on the elevator. Nobody could know that this had happened. She had to hide it. She was perfect after all.

She fumbled with her keys before making her way into the apartment. Some relief washed over her when she found that Spencer wasn't there at the moment. That would buy her time to make up an excuse for staying in her room for the rest of the evening. Slamming the door behind her, she slumped down to floor and just cried there until no more tears ran down her flushed cheeks.

A note, she decided, was the best thing to paste on the fridge to let Spencer know that she didn't want to be disturbed. She lied, though, and said she was sick. That way it would give the impression that she would be asleep for the rest of the night. She made her way back to her room, closing the door behind her. Her reflection in the mirror, she thought, said it all. Her eye had begun to bruise a deep shade of purple as well as sections of her right arm. She touched her arm gently and winced at the amount of pain that small gesture had caused. Once again, tears began forming in her eyes.

"Carly?" a familiar voice along with the slight creak of her door said gently. She hadn't even heard anyone enter. "Are you okay?" She turned around with fright and recognized the face that stood before her. His eyes began to widen with horror as he saw the deep purple tint that had invaded her usually perfect skin tone.

"Freddie…" She sobbed as he hurried to her and embraced her in his strong arms. Her sobs became more audible as he kept whispering into her ear that she was fine and that he wouldn't let anything happen to her now.

"Carly, you need to tell me what happened." He began to say in a serious tone. She slowly pulled away from him and looked him straight in the eye. A sudden jolt of pain wracked through his heart as he saw her battered form. He was supposed to protect her, but he failed. "Please tell me."

It took her a few minutes to muster up the courage, but she finally began to speak in a whisper. "He wanted to have…sex with me." Ashamed, she covered her face once more buried her head in the crook of his neck once more. Freddie could feel his blood begin to boil in his veins when he heard Carly's confession. He had never trusted Griffin for a minute and therefore was cautious of her when they began to date again. Apparently, he wasn't cautious enough and that is what killed him on the inside.

"Carly, how did this happen then?" He whispered while moving her ebony hair from her face and softly touching her wound. She winced once more.

"I told him I didn't want to." She began to mutter under her breath. "That's why he pushed me and then punched me in the face."

She then saw something that she had never witnessed before. A lone tear began to slide down from Freddie's deep brown eyes down to his cheek. Carly stared deeply into his eyes before wiping away the tear with her soft finger. She knew that he had always had a crush on her, but the state he was in before her made her realize that he was truly in love with her.

"It's okay Freddie. I'm fine now." She said to make him feel better. Even now that he knew the whole story, she was trying to pretend that she was alright. It was a lie, though, and she knew it on the inside.

"No you're not fine Carly. Look at you all battered and broken. I should have known he would try something like this. I should have stopped it." He said in a slightly louder tone of voice.

"You couldn't have known, Freddie." She said while rubbing her right arm that was slammed into the cement pillar. He noticed and took her hand into his own. "All that matters is that you're with me now."

For the rest of the night, they lay on her bed in each others arms just staring at the ceiling and exchanging minimal words with each other. To her it was comfort, but to him it was an apology. "I'll always protect you from now on." He said softly before kissing her forehead. "Always..."

"You always have…" she responded. For the first time that night, she let a small smile form on her curvy lips. It went away as soon as she heard the front door open. She looked at Freddie with a small dose of fright in her eyes. She hadn't thought about telling Spencer or anyone for that matter what had happened.

"It's alright," he said, "I'll help you through it." With that she got the confidence to stand up and walk hand in hand with him down the stairs to confront her fear.

"I love you, Freddie." She muttered softly as they descended down the apartment's staircase. He turned his eyes to face her and smiled ever so slightly to let her know that he loved her with all his heart.

End