[AN: Because I love their friendship and I wholly believe that Carly's not the priss everyone thinks she is. I own nothing. I hope you like it!]

Carly almost didn't have anyone to stand with her at her wedding. She ended up calling Sam at the last minute because it didn't make sense not to. The two hour drive took Sam a little over an hour but when she got there she wasn't frantic and didn't try to talk Carly out of it. Instead, she brushed her hair and told her she looked pretty and teased her fiancé of four and a half hours.

"Why Carls?" she asked with genuine curiosity 20 minutes before their names were called.

Carly didn't answer immediately. Because he was still there. Because he was a solid presence, because he fights with her and for her. Because Spencer and Freddie didn't trust him and because she was sick of being predictable and wanted to do something crazy. Because he drove Sam to the hospital on the night no one would talk about. Because when Carly ran into the room Sam's snot and tears were drying on his collar even though there were tissues beside the door; because he held Freddie when he'd come in broken too. Because he'd never asked her for anything he didn't believe she couldn't do and because he believed she could do everything.

"Because it's a beautiful night for a wedding," she said. Sam read between the lines and squeezed her hand.

"It is isn't it?"

[&&&]

Sam left their apartment while Carly was still on the phone and Freddie was trying to ask her what was wrong. He'd followed her from the bedroom to the door and only stopped talking when she turned to kiss him goodbye. When she saw Carly waiting in the parking lot, she sent him a text (don't wait up) and turned off the phone. Carly smiled and hugged her like she hadn't seen her in months.

"I can't believe you're wearing white," she teased and Carly's laughter reassured her. The soon-to-be Mr. Carly Shay hovered quietly in the background as Sam dolled Carly up, only speaking when asked a direct question and looking for all the world like he was waiting for Carly to come to her senses and run. Sam caught his gaze in the mirror more than once and grinned each time. He had nothing to worry about. He came up to kiss Carly just before Sam handed her the lipstick and then he stood and placed his hand on the crown of Sam's head. He looked like he was going to thank her and Sam prepared to say that she wouldn't have missed it but he surprised her. He always surprised her.

"You should try again," was what he said instead. And Sam was reminded of why she liked him so much. He didn't avoid taboo topics or mince words. The next day he'd boxed up everything she and Carly had bought and shoved it into her closet, behind the boots she'd stolen from Carly years ago. Sam had stayed silent as he'd kissed her head where his hand laid now and left. If she nudged the toe of the left boot she could see the box. Sometimes it made her sad, other times scared but mostly, it made her thoughtful. And sometimes a little hopeful too.

She tugged his collar until his face was at the level of hers and kissed his cheek. "For luck," she said, sealing it with a gentle slap. She didn't clarify who the luck was for, but figured they'd work it out.

[&&&]

They walked to his favorite Chinese restaurant to celebrate and they laughed when he jumped up to run to the bakery across the street before it closed. Carly watched as he jaywalked and pulled his jacket more securely around her shoulders. She wanted to ask Sam what would happen if she woke up the next morning and regretted it all. She stabbed a piece of Sam's pork for herself and chewed it thoughtfully instead.

"I like Freddie," she finally declared.

Sam looked up. "Okay?"

"Freddie and Spencer won't be happy," Carly said. "But you like him. You always have."

Sam shrugged. "He's still taller than you when you wear heels," she offered as a reason.

"I love Freddie, but I wasn't sure," Carly confessed. "I wanted to be but…" She trailed off and looked at their reflections in the window. "I loved him, but I wasn't sure he loved you enough. I wanted you to be okay." She finished lamely. She looked at Sam who had abandoned eating for playing idly with her fork. She slid out of her side of the booth and slid in next to Sam. "He's had chances to run. They both have. But they didn't."

"He still might." Behind them the door swung open and the breeze pushed Sam's hair into her face. Carly tucked it back behind her ear and kissed her cheek.

"Not everyone is Jaspar," she reminded her. She smiled as he slid in across from them and opened the box to reveal three cupcakes and half a dozen éclairs.

"The cupcakes were free. As a congratulations." His grin threatened to split his face and Carly found herself unable to resist returning it. "How did you know?" she asked Sam as she selected a cupcake.

Because she'd ignored him at first. Because he was patient, but also unwilling to burn his ass on Carly's back burner. Because he never made Carly sacrifice a part of herself to be with him. Because he smiled every time he touched her and because he'd been the eye of every Carly-storm since they met. Because when he smiled at her like that, Carly radiated joy and contentment and love from every pore.

Sam reached out and plucked an éclair from the box. "Call it intuition," she said. She pulled her pinkie through the icing on top and tasted it before looking up and winking at Sam.

"And because maybe now I can finally convince you to name your first kid Sam Jr."