Disclaimer: I don't own iCarly or anything affiliated with it.

iOwe You My Life

Prologue

Carly's POV

I walked out of Bushwell Plaza between my two best friends. They were hurling insults at each other, as usual, and I was caught in the crossfire. Even though their constant bickering sometimes irritated me, I had to give them credit for their wit. Most people couldn't give comebacks like that without a script or something. Today, however, their banter was hitting too close to home.

It all started with Sam asking me who I hoped would ask me to the Valentine's Day dance at school. I shrugged and mumbled something that didn't quite pass for a reply while my head was filled with images of Freddie's eyes as I stepped into his arms. My skin tingled with the memory of his hands pressing into the small of my back. My heart beat a little faster as I recalled the warmth and strength of his arms holding me tight against his chest.

I sent Freddie a sidelong glance and saw him staring intently at the ground. I wondered if he was remembering that night, too. He started to look up and almost caught me watching him, but I jerked my gaze away in the nick of time. His sigh was soft, but I heard it anyway. When I was brave enough to sneak another peek at him, his stare had returned to his feet. Then Sam spoke up, "Of course we all know who Fredweird is going to ask." She paused, "Like there's any hope," she added with a sneer.

"Shut up, Sam!" Freddie said with a glare in her direction.

"You know it's true Freddifer. We've seen it a thousand times. You'll beg Carly to go with you with those puppy-dog eyes like always, and she'll have to be all nice and let you down easy. Then you'll mope around for a while hoping she'll change her mind, but she won't. By then, all the plan-B girls will be taken, too," she teased. When Freddie didn't reply, she kept pushing, "Aww, but don't worry. It will work out better for you that way."

Freddie and I both raised our heads to look at her wondering where she was going with this. "How do you figure?" Freddie asked hesitantly.

"Well you'll probably end up having another 'magical' night with Malika," Sam said with a smirk.

"Ugh! Just leave it alone, Sam!" Freddie replied with a roll of his eyes.

"Yep, that's what will happen to you all right, Freddo," Sam taunted. "You're gonna be left alone. All ALONE. While Carly's out dancing with…."

"SAM!" I shouted, turning to give her my best angry face.

"Whoa, Carls!" she said softly, taking a half step back and raising both hands. The angry face always worked. "I was just jokin' around."

"Well stop it," I snapped. I turned to Freddie, who looked at me with the most pitiful expression I had ever seen on his face. It was defeat mixed with sorrow and covered in resignation. It made me want to throw my arms around him and promise him anything, anything at all, if he would just smile for me.

Did I do that? Did I rush over to him and pull him into my embrace? Did I squeeze him tight and whisper in his ear that I would never leave him alone, ever again? No, of course not! That just wouldn't be the Carly way. Instead, I offered him a timid smile and said, "Coming, Freddie?" as I started to turn back toward the street.

"Nah," he said, "suddenly I'm not in the mood for smoothies. You and Sam go ahead. I'm going back home." He and I stood watching each other's eyes for one long moment before slowly turning away from each other.

I was lost in my own head, thinking about the scene that had just unfolded. What if I had given in to my urge? What if I had run to Freddie and thrown myself into his arms? What would I have said to him? Would I have been able to offer him anything besides a lame apology for Sam's rudeness? I know he wants my heart, but I don't want to give it to him. Do I? Ever since we shared that dance, things have been so confusing. He's just supposed to be my best friend, yet when I was in his arms, I felt so safe, so loved. There was definitely a spark between us that night, but there's still a part of me that can't see him as anything other than the sweet, slightly geeky boy with a crush on me. If that part of me could just see him as a man…

"CARLY, LOOK OUT!" I heard Sam scream as I stepped off the curb into the street. I looked up to see a truck on my left headed straight for me. It all seemed to happen in slow motion. I screamed and threw my arms up to cover my face, but my feet remained rooted to the spot. Then I felt something solid crash into me. I was thrown a couple of feet and landed on my side. I slowly opened my eyes, afraid of what I would see. I looked to where I had been standing moments before and saw the taco truck stopped, turned slightly toward the sidewalk where Sam was still standing. Sam's face was horror stricken. I thought the driver must be badly injured to scare her like that, but then the driver appeared at her side without a scratch on him.

"She must not see me over here," I thought. "She thinks I'm hurt." I raised myself to my feet to show her that I was okay, but her face didn't change. Her eyes didn't move from the ground. I traced the line of her vision, and that's when I saw him. He lay on his left side directly in front of the truck. He was facing away from the truck, and his head was mere inches away from the driver's side tire.

"FREDDIE!" I screamed as I raced toward him. I slid to my knees beside him. "Freddie, are you okay?"

"Carly," he whispered. He struggled to open his eyes and looked up at me. I reached out to take his right hand. He screamed in pain when I touched his wrist, and I drew back my hand.

"Oh, God, Freddie," I sobbed. Tears blurred my vision as I looked down at him. He had a cut on his forehead, and blood was running down over his face. I was hesitant to touch him for fear of hurting him more.

"Carly," he said again as he started trying to sit up.

"Don't move, Freddie!" I said as I placed my hand on his chest and tried to push him back down. He kept struggling to sit up, so I scooted closer to him and placed my arms around him as best I could. He relaxed in my arms and let his weight rest on my lap. He looked up at me again and smiled weakly. "You're…ok," he said through ragged breaths.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Freddie. Thanks to you," I said through my tears. "I should go call for help," I said and started to move.

"No," he gasped, "don't leave me alone, Carly, please."

"I won't, Freddie. I promise I won't leave you alone, ever again." I cried.

"Had to…save you," he mumbled. "Love you."

Then his eyes fluttered shut, and he went limp in my arms.