"What are you still doing here?" Sam asked, giving Freddie a strange look after he had given her and Carly a ride to the shop.
"I can't stand being alone at home." he replied smugly as he toyed with the display flower on top of the counter. "Besides, I'm used to Carly following me around all day and being a big pain in my neck." he smirked as he remembered the happy times he and Carly shared before they had decided to take life seriously. She was always there wherever he went and he wouldn't have it any other way.
"I heard that!" Carly snapped at him from the storage room. "And what are you complaining about? The shop's just been opened for three days!"
"Yeah. And for three days, you've been here bugging us!" Sam cried as she swatted his hand away from the flowers. "And stop touching that!"
He rolled his eyes. "At least I'm well-behaved. It's like I'm not even here!"
Carly skipped towards him and raised her eyebrow. "Well-behaved?"
"Yes!" he replied sincerely. "Please, let me stay."
"Only employees and customers are allowed to stay here. Last time I checked, you're not an employee and you never bought anything. You just stand there all day, driving away all those cute guys who want to go out with Carly." Sam stated annoyingly.
"That is not true!" he exclaimed at Sam.
"So that means I can entertain those cute guys next time and you're not going to stop me?" Carly suddenly asked playfully as she crossed her arms against her chest.
Honestly, she really didn't care about any of them. Even Sam experienced something like it but one deathly look from her always scared them away. Carly was aware that most of them were going inside their shop to get something for their girls but ended up asking her out instead. But she wasn't complaining because whenever that happens, Freddie would hold her hand or put his arm around her shoulder protectively.
Freddie knew from the start that keeping Carly away from guys was a tough job. He thought it would be easier if he'd just wear a shirt saying 'Back off. Carly's mine!' but Carly's reactions always fascinated him. She would smile and thank him and she never told him to take a step or two away from her ever again.
"No!" he retorted angrily, causing everyone to look at him including Gibby and Wendy who were busy interacting with the customers.
"That's it! No yelling inside the store!" Sam cried, stepping away from the counter and standing behind Freddie. She started to push him towards the door as Carly shook her head. Freddie, no matter how displeased he was, let Sam have her way. He knew he could take her anytime but still, he considered Sam as a girl no matter how unladylike she may act sometimes.
"Carly!" he whined instead, understanding that Carly reprimanding Sam was his last hope. She was the only person who could get inside Sam's head.
"Sam..." Carly called out to no avail. She could see Freddie's unfathomable look through the glass doors as Sam made her way back to her working station. "Do you really need to push him out?" she asked in disbelief, raising her eyebrows and placing both her hands on her hips.
Sam just shrugged and pretended to continue her work, not noticing that Freddie already made his way back inside.
"You're crazy!" he yelled at her.
Sam looked up to him coolly. "Still not an employee, still not a customer. Out!"
"Fine!" he roared.
"Wait!" Carly called out when she realized he was going to leave. "Please don't go." she requested sweetly, knowing Freddie could never resist her pleas.
He smiled at her. "I'm not going. She wants a customer, she'll get one!"
"Ugh!" Sam groaned. "So what do you want, yada yada yada?" Sam asked him impatiently.
"Sam!" Carly smirked. "What's rule number one?"
She sighed before reciting the first rule Carly told her before they even started the business. "Always treat the customers nicely."
"Just give me something... anything. I don't mind." Freddie stated.
"Sorry, we're out of that."
"Sam!" Carly snapped again.
"Okay, okay!" she finally surrendered before making her way towards Wendy. As she passed by Freddie, she stuck her tongue out and bumped him hard on the shoulder. Sam hated it whenever Carly would scold her because of Freddie. Even she was aware that Freddie could take her anytime but he was too smart to always use Carly because he knew she was the only person Sam would listen to.
"Can you believe her?" Freddie asked Carly as soon as Sam was out of sight.
"Yes." she answered instantly causing Freddie to chuckle.
Sam returned after giving her instructions to Wendy about Freddie's order. She told her to feel free about doing whatever she wanted with the flowers and she couldn't care less. Sam knew that Wendy was an excellent florist. She and Carly had witnessed her work and they thought hiring her was one of the best decisions they ever made.
"Where is it?" Freddie asked her.
"What? You think flower arrangements grow on trees?" Sam retorted as she rolled her eyes at him.
Freddie ignored her and just continued watching Carly as she made sure some of the flowers were still in perfect condition. She looked like an ordinary girl admiring the flowers as she inhaled their scents beautifully, closing her eyes and giggling as the tips touched her nose. But to Freddie, she wasn't just an ordinary girl. She was beyond amazing.
"She really is something, isn't she?" Freddie heard Sam whisper suddenly.
He could only nod as they both watched their long time best friend who clearly had no idea that she was being admired all the while.
"If I were you, I'd tell her right away." Sam stated seriously and for the first time after a long time, Freddie broke his stare from Carly to face his other best friend.
"What do you mean?"
"Really? Are you blind? She's not gonna be available all her life, Freddie. Let's face it. Carly's the most perfect girl we've ever seen. Okay, maybe not that perfect because we know she can really get crazy when being put under pressure." Freddie smiled as a picture of Carly smashing a fake space shuttle's window flashed through his mind. "Sooner or later, someone would sweep her off her feet and take her away from you until all you can do is sit on a corner of your room while rocking back and forth and telling yourself over and over that it should have been you."
Freddie's expression changed instantly. He knew she was right and yet, he pretended that Sam's words didn't get him. "Who are you and what did you do to Sam Puckett?"
Sam was about to grab a fist full of Freddie's hair when Wendy interrupted them with the bouquet in her hand. It was a mixture of pink and lavender roses, lilies, carnations, and daisy poms, accentuated with pink and white baby's breath. It was perfect.
"Here you go." She handed it to Freddie, who couldn't help admiring what Wendy had done.
Sam, on the other hand, had a satisfied look on her face. She could have told Wendy to give him the most terrible arrangement she could make but since she knew what he would do to them, she made sure he'd get the best. After all, Sam knew how much Carly adored flowers.
Freddie was so excited that he started to walk towards Carly immediately. When he realized he still hadn't thanked Wendy, he turned around, yanked a stem of pink rose, and tossed it to her. Wendy caught it and winked at him in return. Freddie took out another stem, lavender this time, and tossed it to Sam unexpectedly who caught it like a ninja. It was his way of thanking her for what she said earlier. Sam smiled at him and gave him a playful salute.
He then focused his eyes on Carly who had her back to him all this time. He took a deep breath before he closed the distance between them.
Carly literally jumped when he placed a hand on her shoulder. When she turned around and saw Freddie holding flowers, she smiled at him. To her, Freddie looked like a five-year old boy standing in front of his first crush with his eyes all smiling and sparkling. She thought it was cute and adorable.
"Are you just gonna stand there? Or are you gonna give me the flowers?" she teased.
Freddie rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand as he bashfully handed the bouquet to her. "For you."
She smiled her sweetest smile as she took it from him, letting her fingers brush against his for a brief moment. "Thank you." She let the scent flood her nostrils before looking up to him. "I'll put them in the office. I'll be right back."
"Sure." he replied as he watched her leave.
"Hey Benson!" Sam yelled at him again when she noticed Carly had gone.
Freddie went back to her. "What? You can't make me leave if that's what you're thinking. I bought something and that means I'm a customer now. You have to treat me nicely or else I'll call your manager and have you fired from your job immediately." he blabbed.
"Excuse me? In case you've forgotten, I own this place!" she screamed again.
Freddie narrowed his eyes at her. "So what are you saying?"
"Pay up unless you want bad things to happen." Sam threatened him.
"Oh. Right." Freddie took out his wallet without any hesitation. He was definitely in a good mood to start bickering with Sam once more. "How much?"
"Hundred bucks." Sam stated.
"What the?" Freddie cried. "Hundred? Don't you have some discount for friends? Best friends? Come on, Sam! There's no way that costs a hundred bucks!"
Wendy overheard what Sam and Freddie were arguing about and being the honest girl that she was, she decided to join in their conversation.
"It's $29.95, Freddie."
Upon hearing that, Freddie dropped a fifty on the counter before crossing his arms stiffly against his chest and raising his eyebrows at Sam, who didn't notice his reaction because she was busy shooting daggers at Wendy that moment. Freddie thought she looked way too scary.
"You are so fired!" Sam yelled at her.
"Sam! What are you doing?" Carly came back just in time to scold her best friend.
"Nothing!" Sam said defensively before turning to Wendy. "Okay, Wendy. You're unfired."
Wendy could only giggle as she returned to work.
"What did I say about firing employees?"
Sam sighed. "Firing employees is bad and..."
Before Sam could finish, Spencer barged in through the door and everybody inside switched their attention from Sam to him. Spencer was pushing baby Nattie's stroller with a large baby bag strapped around his shoulder. Carly was delighted to see her niece again and judging by the looks on their faces, Sam and Freddie were ecstatic about the little one's visit too.
"Carly! Carly, I need your help." Spencer said as he gasped for air.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Carly asked.
"Can you babysit Natasha for me today. Please? The art convention's today and I promised Socko I'd be there. Sasha's supposed to take care of baby Nattie but she's taking her dad to the hospital. Listen, I know you're busy with the shop and everything but I really need you to do this for me..." he explained quickly, looking at his watch once in a while.
"Spencer, you know I'd do it anytime." Carly replied calmly. "You don't have to ask."
Spencer's face lit up. "Great! I knew I can count on you!" He removed the over-sized bag from his shoulder and shoved it to Freddie who was standing beside him.
"Dude!" he complained. "What's in here? Baby Nattie's crib?"
"No." Spencer replied seriously. "It wouldn't fit. Silly Freddo. Anyway, I gotta go. Thanks Carls. I'll pick her up tonight! Bye!" And with that, he ran towards his car outside and vanished.
Carly unstrapped her niece from the stroller and picked her up, causing the baby to giggle. Sam was making goofy faces beside Carly while Freddie was just watching the three girls in front of him. He thought Carly and baby Nattie looked adorable especially with their obvious resemblance. And maybe he thought Sam was adorable too if she wasn't being mean to him.
"Hey baby..." Carly baby-talked cutely which made the baby smile. "Do you wanna go somewhere?"
"You know Carls, that's a great idea! Why don't you go and take baby Nattie out? You should take Freddie with you!" Sam suggested.
Carly looked at Freddie who was smiling at that moment before turning back to Sam. She liked Sam's idea but she was having second thoughts. "I don't know Sam. I can't just leave you here."
"Go on." Sam replied. "I can manage the shop. Besides, Wendy's here. I just unfired the chick, remember?" Sam chuckled which made Carly roll her eyes.
"Will you go with me Freddie?" Carly turned to him and asked sweetly.
"Of course." Freddie responded coolly. He tried to sound so calm and easy when in fact, he was so excited about taking Carly and the baby out. He thought it was the perfect opportunity to show Carly that he was a family man and maybe, just maybe, she'd think that he's also a husband material.
"Great! So I guess, we'll just see you at home Sammy." Carly said happily as she started to walk outside with the baby in her arms. "Come on, Freddie!"
Freddie giggled but before he followed Carly, he whispered to Sam. "Thanks. I owe you one."
"Uh, no you don't."
"Wha- really? You just suggested that to Carly for no reason? You do realize that you just got me a date with Carly Shay, right? I'm actually touched, Puckett." he teased.
"Well... You're not getting your change for the bouquet so I figured I might do something nice for 'ya." she smirked.
"I knew it!" he exclaimed when he realized he was duped. "You are so-"
"Freddie! Are you coming or not?" Carly yelled from the outside before he could even say something nasty to Sam.
"Your wife's looking for you! Hurry along, Benson. You can't keep her waiting for your date unless you want to sleep on the couch tonight." She grinned at him again.
Freddie narrowed his eyes at her but he broke his stare when Carly called him again for the nth time. He was fully aware that the girl never had that much patience. He suddenly wondered if she'd stay like that when they get married someday. All he knew was that even though Carly Shay was impatient, stubborn, hard-headed, crazy, and obnoxious sometimes, one thing's for sure. He'd never ever get tired of her.
"Fredward!" she yelled again and Sam snickered behind him.
It was a long day for Carly, Freddie, and baby Nattie. They brought her to the park and let her crawl on the blanket Freddie laid out for them. They watched her play with the toys Spencer put inside the bag, and Carly was so impressed that Freddie was the one who made her milk. He said his mom taught him a lot of things and she didn't have a hard time believing that.
People who passed by them would say they were such a lovely young couple blessed with a lovely child. Though uncomfortable at first, Carly and Freddie never dismissed their assumptions. Instead, they'd just smile and thank them. They thought they should probably get used to those kind of statements because even before when they were still making iCarly, lots of their fans would e-mail them and tell them that they looked really good together. Freddie would blush every time and after some time, Carly started turning pink too.
After the sun had set, they've decided to go back to Bushwell and rest. Sam was still out, probably hanging out with Wendy and Gibby after closing the shop. Carly was inside the kitchen, washing the dishes while Freddie was playing with Natasha in the living room.
"Hey Nattie..." he started talking to her even though she was busy playing with her toys as she sat on his lap. "Do you know I'm your Uncle Freddie? Well, not technically because I'm not related to you yet or anything. But someday, for sure." He smiled before he continued whispering. "Do you see that pretty girl inside the kitchen, washing the dishes? Yup! She's beautiful isn't she? Well, someday, I'm going to marry that woman."
As if she understood what he was saying, Nattie looked at him and giggled.
"You like that, huh?" Freddie said with amusement. "Well, don't worry. Uncle Freddie's going to make Aunt Carly very happy someday."
Little did he know that Carly was already done with the dishes and she was already leaning against the counter, watching two of the most precious people in the world to her have fun. "What are you telling her?" she teased as she crossed her arms against her chest.
"Hey!" he chuckled nervously. "How long have you been there?"
"Long enough to hear about Uncle Freddie making Aunt Carly very happy someday." she giggled before walking towards them. "Hey, I'm just gonna go buy some supplies. Sam would freak out if she finds out there's no ham left inside the fridge. Will you be okay here?"
"Yeah. I got it all under control."
Carly smiled before she grabbed her purse and bid the two of them goodbye by kissing baby Nattie on her cheek and ruffling Freddie's hair.
"Hey, what about me?" Freddie complained when he realized he wasn't getting any Carly-kissing.
"If you're lucky, you'll get yours tonight!" she chuckled. "See you later!"
Freddie smiled as he watched Carly leave. He knew what he had to do and that was to make sure he was still wide awake when she returns. It would be a great challenge considering he was so tired from all their baby activities and from the looks of it, baby Nattie was ready to close her little eyes too.
After about an hour, Carly returned from the grocery store only to find out that Freddie had fallen asleep on the couch and the baby was on top of him, sleeping against his chest like an angel too. His arm was on her back, making sure she wouldn't fall off.
Carly smiled and shook her head before going into the kitchen to stuff the ham inside the chiller.
She was heading back to the living room when she heard someone knock on the door. When she opened it, she saw her brother standing outside.
"Hey." he greeted.
"Shhh." she smiled and let him come inside. "They're sleeping."
"Oh. Well, it looks like Nattie drained Freddie's energy." he chuckled. "Well, I better take her home. Her mom misses her already."
"She's a sweetheart. I had fun today." Carly smiled at her big brother before she lifted Nattie from Freddie's chest, making sure she and Freddie wouldn't stir in their sleep. She carefully placed her in her stroller before putting the toys inside the baby bag.
"Thanks, Carly. I really appreciate it. Say thank you to Freddie for me too, would you?" he whispered.
"Sure, Spence! I'll see you soon."
After walking her brother and her niece to the elevator, Carly immediately grabbed a blanket from Sam's room and spread it over Freddie. She sat on the little space by his feet and stared at him for a while, loving how peaceful he looked as he sleeps. Without realizing she was doing it, she stroked his cheek with her finger.
"Too bad you're not awake for your kiss." she giggled before she leaned towards him to give him a little kiss on his cheek. "Sleep tight, Freddie."
A/N:
First of all, I'm so sorry if there are any typos and grammatical errors in this chapter. I'll go over them again some time today or tomorrow. I just had to post it up because I know you guys have waited long enough to read the next installment. Sorry for not updating soon. I've been very busy and it's making me crazy! :-(
I love writing this story as much as I love reading your reviews so I'll try my best to update as soon as I can.
Thank you so much for loving this story! If I could give each and everyone of you a hug, I'd do it! :)
-purpleheart10
PS: Thanks to iCarlyFanFreek825 for suggesting Natasha's nickname! It rocks! :D
And sorry if the story's boring some of you! I know there are hardly significant events in this chapter and the previous ones. I just want to show the development of Carly and Freddie's romantic(?) relationship. But don't worry. Another complication (next to Brad) is on his/her way! He/She comes out in the next chapter. :D