The three walked from their rental car to the front door. Sam hesitated and Carly pushed her forward. The blonde rang the bell and they waited for a response. The door opened and both girls recognized the teen who answered.
"Hello?" Tori asked. Her eyes widened as she saw who it was. "Oh my God! Please come in. I can't believe you're here. Why are you here?"
"We thought we'd visit Freddie," Carly said. "It's nice to actually meet you, Tori." She hugged the surprised brunette.
"Yeah, real good. Where's the nub?"
"Oh, well... he's not here. He's not staying here anymore."
"What do you mean?" Carly asked. "He's supposed to be staying here."
"Things got... well... awkward. Freddie moved in with my friend Andre's grandmother."
"So we go to granny's and get the nub," Sam said. "Where's she?"
"It doesn't matter. He's not there anymore. It didn't work out."
"Didn't work out? Where is he?"
"He moved in with my friend Beck."
"Where's Beck?"
"He's not there anymore either."
Sam visibly didn't like the direction this was going. Carly placed her hand on her friend's arm to try and defuse the building anger.
"Can you just tell us where he is?"
"He's staying with my friend Cat. Don't worry, she's the nicest person I know."
"Does she look anything like you?" Sam asked.
"No, but she's really attractive," Tori answered, suddenly on alert about the blonde visitor.
"Let's go see him there, then."
The group, now expanded by one, moved on to another house.
. . . . .
"Freddie's upstairs," Cat said after inviting everyone in.
Sam motioned with her arm and the redhead led them up. She knocked on and then opened a door. He was seated at a desk, facing away from them, and stood as Cat entered. Sam grabbed Carly and pulled her back before he could see her, forcing Tori and Spencer back also. Freddie could see only Cat.
"Well?" Cat asked.
"Well what?"
"Aren't you excited to see your friends?"
"What friends?"
Cat turned around and was shocked by her aloneness.
"They were just here."
"Who?"
"Us!" Carly and Sam said, jumping into the room.
Freddie cried out and ran to them, wrapping his arms around the girls.
"I can't believe this," he said. "I missed you so much."
"Yeah, we know you missed Carly," Sam said, pushing off his arm.
Freddie removed his arm from Carly and hugged Sam.
"I missed you too, Demon," quietly adding "I missed you a lot."
Her arms tentatively moved around his waist as she nervously settled into contact with him.
"I guess this means I shouldn't even bother trying," Cat whispered to Carly.
"Yeah, I don't think so," Carly whispered back. And then loudly, "you two comfy?"
They broke apart, both looking embarassed.
"Can we come in?" Tori asked as she and Spencer did that.
"Spencer!" Freddie greeted his friend.
"We thought we'd drop in on you and see what California's like," he said.
"It's great, everyone's been wonderful to me."
"Oh," Sam said. "So you're staying?"
"I... I don't..."
"It's okay. If you want to stay, I mean."
"He doesn't have to decide now," Carly said.
"Let's go downstairs," Cat said. "We can eat and talk in the living room."
Everyone filed out and down the stairs, Cat and Carly moving on to the kitchen after the others were seated.
"We had a time finding Freddie, he seems to have moved around a lot."
"I know, it was wild. I never thought my friends were so crazy, but it was like nothing could go right for him. I was sure he would leave, like, every day. This can't have been what he wanted it to be, but he never let it get to him. I couldn't have done it."
Cat passed numerous food containers from the fridge to Carly, who transferred them to serving trays. The two made several trips to the other room, and in no time all were enjoying an odd mix of fruits, nuts, and sushi.
"No, really, they're okay with Beck in the trailer, but not me," Freddie explained to disbelieving laughter.
"And your parents came to the rescue?" Spencer asked Cat.
"They were happy to, they love helping out," she answered.
The doorbell rang and she jumped up to get it. The whole group of school friends came in, Cat running to the front.
"Tori," she said. "Help me put out more snacks."
They went to the kitchen, Tori going to the fridge. Cat waved for her to come back to the doorway.
"What?"
"Shh, I want to see how Freddie introduces everyone."
"Why, Cat?"
"Maybe we can tell if he's staying or going, based on how he does."
They listened for clues but ended up shrugging their shoulders in confusion.
"Well, it was a good idea, Cat. We just aren't good spys."
The two returned to the living room, bearing more food.
"One of your friends had a great idea," Spencer said. "Since Freddie, Carly, and Sam are all here, they should do tomorrow's iCarly from here."
"That would be amazing," Cat said. "But I think it's too crowded."
"You could do it from my house, it's got more room," Tori said.
Carly and Sam looked to their tech producer, he nodded.
"That would work. There's space enough, and good lighting."
"And we have a piano. If you want music, Andre can play," Tori added.
"We could have you guys do a couple songs, since we don't have our studio setup for a regular show," Carly thought aloud.
"Then it's set, let's start planning out a show."
