Carly Shay was sitting on her bed in her hospital room, her knees drawn up under her chin. This had become her default comfort position when she was scared and when she had difficulty coping. Maude was looking at her from her bed on the other side of the nightstand.

"What's the matter sweetheart?" Maude asked quietly.

"I'm going to see Freddie in a little bit."

"And that scares you, huh?"

Carly nodded her head; she was trembling slightly. "The mean voices are telling me…" Carly's voice trailed off as if she couldn't finish the thought.

"What are the mean voices saying?"

"That I'm…I'm a worthless pig. That Freddie hates me."

Maude came over and sat next to Carly on the bed. "Cupcake, look at me." Carly didn't move, "Carly I said look at me," Maude repeated more forcefully. Carly finally gave in and looked up at Maude.

Maude leaned and kissed Carly on the forehead. "There is nothing, absolutely nothing, worthless about you. The voices are in your head but they are not real. They only power they have is the power YOU let them have."

Carly stopped trembling. "But Freddie…." Again Carly couldn't finish her thought.

"Freddie is going to forgive you. He is your friend and he cares about you. The voices are wrong. Got it?"

Carly nodded her head. Just then Dr. Greene and Spencer arrived at her door. Spencer spoke first, "How are you feeling kiddo? Ready?" Spencer had spent the night worrying about Carly. He had seen her the previous evening a few hours after Sam had seen her. Carly had said very little and did not seem to have any energy. On the bright side, he thought, she was wearing the new pajamas he had brought her and she had apparently showered that morning.

"Yes, I'm just nervous."

Dr. Greene replied, "That's ok Carly, perfectly understandable. You're doing well."

Carly stood up and looked back to Maude. "See you later."

"You'll do fine sweetie, I know you will." Maude waved goodbye.


Carly was walking down the hall towards Freddie's hospital room. She was flanked on either side by Spencer and Dr. Greene. She was very nervous, her hands were trembling. As she got closer she saw Mrs. Benson standing outside the room. The mean voices rose up in her head.

She hates you too. You tried to kill her son. You are so pathetic; you're just a stupid cow. Freddie is going to hate you too. God, you are so stupid.

Carly paused and clenched her fists to keep them from shaking. After a moment she started walking again. She tried to put the mean voices out of her head by ignoring them. Finally they arrived outside the room. Mrs. Benson looked down at Carly and smiled. "How are you feeling Carly?"

Carly started shaking again, "I'm sorry Mrs. Benson, I didn't…" Carly's voice trailed off.

"It's ok, I know." Mrs. Benson drew Carly into a hug. Carly had been too young when her mother died to remember what it was like to be hugged by one. What Carly was finding out at that moment is that a hug from a mother is different from a hug from a father, grandfather or even big brother. She found herself calming down. "It's ok. Freddie is inside, he's been anxious to see you. You can go right in."

Dr. Greene spoke up, "Carly, we'll be waiting right outside here. Call if you need help. I think you'll do fine though."

Carly looked to Spencer for encouragement and he nodded his head. "You'll be fine."

After pausing a moment to collect herself she pushed open the door to Freddie's room and entered. She was momentarily surprised to find it filled with Galaxy Wars toys and movie posters. She saw Freddie propped up in his bed, Sam adjusting his pillows to make him more comfortable. When they heard Carly come in Sam stopped and rushed over to greet her.

Sam gave Carly a smile. "I'm glad you're here. Freddie has missed you."

Carly tried to return Sam's smile, "I missed him too."

Freddie called out to his two friends, his voice sounding a bit rough from a lack of moisture, "You know, I'm lying right here. You can come over and talk to me directly."

Carly and Sam turned towards him and Sam smiled. Carly looked down at the floor. Sam led Carly over to her usual chair to the right of Freddie's bed. Sam had turned the chair around so that it faced Freddie. Freddie's eyes followed Carly as she sat down. Sam had spent a lot of time the last few days looking at Freddie. Even though it was not obvious she could tell he was nervous. She didn't say anything; she just moved to the other side of the bed and began to gently rub Freddie's left shoulder and neck. Once she saw he was not going to protest she continued.

Freddie spoke first, "Carly, I want you to know that I'm not mad at you. I know that you are sick right now and need to get better."

Carly looked at the foot of Freddie's bed; the sight sickened her. Freddie had so many tubes coming out of him. "What had she done," she thought to herself. The mean voices answered her.

You tried to kill your best friend, you stupid cow. You are so stupid, trying to kill your best friend. You are just pathetic, just give up and leave forever. They hate you now.

The voices kept repeating in her head. Carly closed her eyes and looked at the floor; she brought her hands to either side of her head as if that would help expel the voice in her head. "That is not true. They don't hate me." Carly looked at Freddie again. "Do you… h-hate me now?"

Freddie and Sam looked at each other. Freddie turned back to Carly, "Carls, I will never hate you. No matter what."

Carly gestured to Freddie's hospital bed, especially the equipment at the foot of the bed. "But I…I did this to you."

"It was an accident Carly. Accidents happen, it wasn't your fault. It was nobody's fault." Freddie felt Sam's hand squeeze his shoulder just a tad bit harder. The last line was for Sam's benefit as well as Carly's and Sam knew it.

Carly started to cry, "I'm so sorry Freddie. I never wanted to hurt you; I love you so much, please believe me." Carly's words were choked off by her sobbing.

Freddie turned to Sam, "Sam, can you give me and Carly some time alone?"

Sam nodded, "Sure. I'll be right outside. Don't overdo it, your abdomen is still tender, don't move around too much."

"Yes Mom."

Sam stuck her tongue out at Freddie, he returned the gesture. Carly looked at this with some amusement and actually stopped crying. Sam came over to Carly and gave her a hug. "I love you cupcake." When she pulled away she smiled at Carly and Carly actually smiled back a little bit. She then pointed at Freddie, "Don't give him anything to drink while I'm gone. He's not allowed and he might try and charm some water out of you. Don't fall for that raised eyebrow trick of his; it almost worked on a nurse here." Carly actually almost laughed and did manage to smile a bit. Sam then left; Carly and Freddie were now alone.

Carly looked at Freddie with a puzzled look. Freddie answered her unasked question, "Sam has been spending a lot of time taking care of me. I think maybe my mother is starting to rub off on her." Carly's eyes got a little wider. "I know; the idea kind of scares me too." Freddie smiled back at Carly and was glad when Carly returned it with one of her own.

Carly gazed into Freddie's eyes. The voices were trying to barge into her thoughts again, but looking at him; especially his eyes, calmed her down and seemed to help her banish the voices. "Freddie, I'll understand if you don't want anything to do with me anymore. This is so much worse than the taco truck."

"Carly, come a little closer and give me your hands. Unfortunately I'm not too mobile right now." Carly complied and Freddie took both of her hands into his own. "See this hand;" gesturing to her right hand, "this is the hand you stabbed me with." Freddie then brought the back of the hand to his lips and gave a gentle kiss.

He continued to hold both of her hands in his own. "Carly, I want you to understand something. I have loved you for so long, since even before I had any idea what love was. Even if I couldn't love you as a boyfriend, I always loved you as a friend; my best friend. That will never change Carly Shay."

Carly was on the verge of tears again, though not tears of grief. "Freddie, I am always going to be…with this condition. I am never going to be cured."

"I don't care. Carly, I will always love you and I will always be there for you. I promise you, no wait, I vow to you that I will never abandon you. I will support you, I will help you, and I will even take care of you if you'll let me. Don't let those voices ever tell you otherwise. I don't care if you have this condition or not. Carly, I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU."

"Freddie, I love you too so much. I just wish I wasn't, you know, crazy."

"You are not crazy, you're just sick. Don't worry, I am going to do everything I can to help you get better. I promise."

Carly stood up and kissed Freddie on the lips. He was surprised at first but did not resist. "You're wrong; I think I might be crazy. I should have said yes to being your girlfriend way back in the 6th grade."

Carly smiled at Freddie as she sat back down in the chair; Freddie returned her smile and they went back to holding hands. "Carly, I'm feeling pretty worn out. I haven't been sleeping as much as I should. Would it be ok if I took a nap?"

"Of course, I'll go get Sam and your mother." Carly got up to leave but Freddie stopped her.

"Actually, would you stay with me for a bit while I fall asleep?" Freddie hoped that this gesture would help convince Carly that he had forgiven her.

"Sure, if you want. I'd like that."

Freddie lowered his bed a little bit and looked up at Carly as he began to relax and fall asleep. Carly took his right hand in both of hers. After a few minutes Freddie was sleeping. Carly watched him; watched his chest rhythmically rise up and down and watched him smile in his sleep.

After an indeterminate amount of time, Sam and Mrs. Benson came into the room. Carly was still holding Freddie's hand as he slept. When she noticed them she stood up and gave Freddie a kiss on his lips, for a brief moment stealing just a little bit of his breath. She turned to the other two women, "Thank you for letting me see him. I feel a lot better now." Mrs. Benson smiled at Carly, Sam gave her a smile, but it was half-hearted at best. Carly didn't notice.

"Come on Carls," Sam said, "Dr. Greene and Spencer are ready to take you back to the psych ward."


Carly was lying in her bed back in her hospital room. It was after 10:00pm and all of the lights were out. She was talking with Maude who was in her bed.

"Maude you were so right, thanks for making me go see Freddie."

"It's nothing, cupcake, I knew Freddie wouldn't turn you away. He's way too sweet for that."

"He promised to take care of me even though I'm…"

"Carly, the word is schizophrenic. There is no shame in saying it. You shouldn't avoid it."

"Ok, I'll try."

"You'll do more than try, Ms. Shay. Say it now."

"I don't want to."

"Too bad, say it now or I'll just keep bugging you all night."

"Ok, SCHIZOPHRENIA. I'm SCHIZOPHRENIC. Happy now?"

"Actually yes I am."

"God you're crazy Maude."

"Hey, let's leave that judgment up to my therapists." Maude chuckled.

Carly laughed softly with her. "Deal. Let's get some sleep. Good night Maude."

"Good night Carly."


Spencer was feeling better than he had in some time as well. He was sitting on his couch watching TV thinking about Carly. Her visit with Freddie had gone better than anyone could have hoped. Dr. Greene told Spencer this was a great step; he admitted that he had actually expected Carly to have a hysterical reaction. He thought he might have to sedate her. Instead she was more sociable with the nurses and orderlies in the day room and seemed to express more emotion than she had at any time since being in the hospital.

Spencer's thoughts were interrupted by the telephone ringing. "Hello."

"Spencer, is that you?" The voice on the other end sounded like it was coming from far away.

"Dad?"

"It's me. Listen, I got your message. We are due to dock at Anchorage in one week. I'm going to be taking some leave then to come home and help you and Carly. How is she doing?"

"She's doing better. She had a good day today."

"That's great Spence. Look I have to go now, I'll see you a week from tomorrow most likely."

"That's great Dad. I could use some help."

"Don't worry, you're doing fine. I'm proud of you."


Author's Note. I hope the Freddie/Carly reunion didn't disappoint. This chapter is a little short, but I wanted to make their reunion the main focus. Note Sam's slight disappointment. Freddie may have more to worry about than Sam eventually turning into a teenage version of his mother.

This will be the last chapter for a little bit. I have to go out of town on Thursday through the weekend. I may be able to write some, but I won't be able to publish anything until Monday at the earliest. Hope everyone has a great weekend. Thanks again for your time reading this and please post reviews or even send me personal messages with comments if you wish.