Author's Note: Happy Friday. I hope you all have a wonderful day and enjoy this next installment. Thank you to all that have read and favorite it so far.
Just to correct something because of formatting issues, the actually title of the story is: iGet My (Second) Chance. The parentheses are important.
Season premiere of iCarly tomorrow night, iLost My Mind. It should be interesting.
Also, all my prayers and thoughts to Miranda, her mother, the tour bus driver and the rest. Please spare a thought or prayer to whatever Deity you may worship for all their speedy recovery.
Chapter 7
Shay Apartment
Seattle, WA
September 2011
Shay was sitting on a stool in the living room trying to loosen a bolt on the torso of the Metalbot.
"So when did Carly and Freddie start dating?" Granddad asked as he watched his son and grandson take apart the robot.
"Tuesday," Shay answered as he finished loosening the last bolt. "Do you have the other side done?" he asked Spencer as his son was doing the same on the other side.
"Yeah dad, I just finished," Spencer asked as he sat down his socket wrench and grabbed the bottom of the torso.
Shay did the same and instructed, "Okay, on three we'll lift: one, two, three." The pair lifted off the top half of the armless robot then gently sat it on the floor.
Granddad gave a nod and contemplated for a moment before asking, "So was this the 'something' that you said came up?"
Shay sat back down and started on the left knee and answered, "Yes."
"Do you approve of him?"
Shay looked over his shoulder, "Yes I do."
"Why? I mean why him?"
Shay grinned as he replied, "Because he was a better man than I was at his age and he loves her."
"That's not much of a standard," Granddad found himself saying out loud.
"Maybe not, but it's not like I could have used you as a standard," Shay replied then snorted out a breath.
Spencer just kept his head down as he took apart the knee joint on his side of the robot. The artist or Carly had never watched their father and granddad argue in front of them, so Spencer was not sure what to expect, but he had enough sense to stay out of it.
Granddad's mouth turned into a thin line and narrowed his gaze on his son. "That was uncalled for Steven."
"And your last smartass remark wasn't?"
"I just want Carly to be with someone that is good enough for her."
"So do I," Shay replied with a shake of his head.
Granddad released a breath then replied, "I just have my doubts about this young man since the last time I really saw him instead of just in passing did not give me much confidence in him. He groveled at her feet for Heaven sakes."
"I think Freddie is quite good for her and she's very fortunate to realize he's a good match for her. What do you want in a guy for her?"
"Someone that will love her and will be able to take care of her," the eldest Shay replied firmly.
Shay grinned and chuckled as he replied, "He loves her and they will take care of each other. Wow, we actually agree on something for once; I think mom would have been happy with that."
Granddad set his jaw tight and stared at his son for a moment. "Why is it always a fight with you Steven?"
Shay stood up and turned to face his father. "Because you've second guessed ever damn decision I've ever made in my life and now you have the nerve to start it up with my children."
"How?"
"You tried to blackmail my son to go back to law school when you knew he didn't want to go. You tried to get Carly to live with you in Yakama."
Granddad frowned and looked squarely at his son. "What's wrong with law school? What's wrong with living in Yakama?"
Shay slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand and let out an annoyed breath. "Spencer didn't want to go to law school and Carly didn't want to live with you. What? You thought that if I found out Spencer didn't go I would just go off on him? And what made you think I would let Carly live with you? Were you just hoping I wouldn't say anything when I found out?"
"Carly was nearly impaled with a hammer to her head by one of his silly sculptures."
"I know, I watched the video, but that didn't give you the grounds to try and take Carly," Shay replied with a gruff voice.
"I thought we had an understanding—"
"We did, but I expected you not to abuse it. You were to look after her in case something happened to Spencer until I could get back not take the first opportunity as an excuse for her to live with you."
He pointed to Spencer. "You know how irresponsible he can be even on his best days. I thought it was the best decision to make at the time."
Shay laughed for a few moments. The Colonel caught his breath and looked hard at his father. "You're just jealous he's a better parent than you were."
Granddad Shay blinked in response to that accusation.
Shay took a step and pointed a finger right into his father's face. "Let's get something straight old man: she would have never lived with you. If neither I nor Spencer were here, she would live with Barry, not you."
Granddad scoffed, "A Dorfman?"
"Yes, a Dorfman. That was Taylor's wish if anything happened to Spencer or me: Carly would be with Barry. The one person she knew with absolute certainty to trust to love and take care of her daughter."
"It's been ten years Steven. Maybe you should be more concern about Carly's well being more than her wishes and maybe you should finally take off your wedding band," Granddad finished pointing at his son's left hand.
Shay clenched his jaw tight and his left fist. The former flyer was about to reply when the door opened. "Hey, I'm back," Sam shouted as she entered the apartment. "Where's my sandwich?"
"Refrigerator with plastic wrap," Spencer called out still hiding behind the half dismantled sculpture.
The gray/white haired man looked to the blonde with a concern look on his face and asked, "Where's Carly?"
She looked up to the grandfather with a questioning look before looked to Shay. The Colonel nodded his head and the blonde answered, "Her and Freddie went to Occidental Park. They should be back in an hour."
"Now she's running off somewhere with him without telling you," Granddad Shay commented dryly.
"She did tell me," Shay replied with clear annoyance in his voice and pointed to Sam. "Samantha just told me where they are going."
"Fine," he waved off.
"Good, because Spencer and I are busy. You can either help or sit down and watch some Girly Cow," Shay indicated to the half disassembled sculpture then to the couch.
Granddad looked perplexed, "What's Girly Cow?"
Shay shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. "I still have no idea and I've watched hours of it."
Occidental Square
"This is an interesting choice for an impromptu date," Carly commented as she walked arm in arm with Freddie through Occidental Park. The yellow, red and orange leaves were beginning to dot the trees and the cool breeze signaled the approaching fall weather. Carly thought it was a beautiful site and perfect for an afternoon walk.
Freddie shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I really didn't think you thought my tech stuff was 'cuky' again yet, so the PearStore is out and I can't exactly take you to Build-a-Bra. I never been too keen on hanging out with you and Sam there before and now I don't think your dad would appreciate if I went with you now. I thought maybe a nice walk in the park would nice."
Carly giggled. "I think you're right, dad might not like you helping me pick out and build a bra." She then looked to him with a smile, "but I think I could learn to love that cuky side again." She then kissed him on the cheek. "Just don't get too technical too quickly on me."
"Oh I'll hold your hand when you're ready," he replied with a grin then laughed himself.
She poked him in the side with a finger, "Thanks, I'll need it."
Freddie leaned over and kissed her temple. "Don't count yourself out too quickly Shay. After seeing your dad in action, I know there has to be a little techie in you."
Carly broke into a laugh. "I don't know about that, but I still have trouble drawing a bunny, so I don't think I got any of my mom's art skills."
"Maybe you're just a late bloomer?" Freddie offered with a warm smile.
"It's fall," she pointed out with a raised eyebrow.
He leaned in closer to whisper in her ear. "There's always next spring Carls."
"Maybe," she replied just as conspiratorially.
The pair walked for a few more minutes in peaceful silence until they decided to have a seat on one of the park benches. Carly decided to rest her head on his shoulder as Freddie wrap an arm around her and rest his right hand on her hip.
They sat there for a moment to watch the light breeze move and sway through the various colored leaves. Freddie broke the silence by asking, "So, how do you think our first day as publicly being 'Creddie' turned out?"
She smiled to him. "It was a little rough, but I have this wonderful and understanding boyfriend that is full of surprises to make my day great."
"Now you're just flattering me," Freddie replied with a roll of his eyes.
"Doesn't make it any less true."
Freddie let out a breath and chuckled before whispering, "It's only because I have a wonderful girlfriend that understands how much I love her."
She leaned in and whispered, "I'm going to have to remember to thank her for that." She then gave him a quick peck on the lips. "I think tomorrow is going to be better."
"I'm going to try my best to make it one."
The brunette web-hostess rested her head back on Freddie's shoulder. After a few minutes of just enjoying each other's company, Carly commented idly, "Don't you think it is a little weird that we have a blended name? Like we're some big time celebrities or something."
"You are a celebrity," he replied with a grin.
"You know what I mean," she replied with a hint of a smile and bumped into his side with her shoulder.
"Okay, I'll admit it is a little intimidating being the lesser half of a supercouple."
"Now who's flattering who? And you're important too."
"If you say so, but do I need permission to flatter you now? That would be a real bummer if I needed that while I'm your boyfriend when I didn't when I was single."
Carly rolled her eyes, "No, you don't need my permission."
"Good, because I don't want to have to ask you every time I wanted to tell you that you're beautiful."
She looked down and towards his chest as her cheeks began to blush.
"Like right at this moment."
She just rested her forehead on his shoulder trying to hide her face and smile. Freddie pressed his lips on the top of her head. It took about a minute or so before Carly would lift her head up look at Freddie as he watched people go about their business.
"I just wonder what they expect from us," Freddie commented casually as he watched a few birds fly by and rest on some tree branches.
"Who?"
"Our fans; our Creddie fans."
"If they really support us, I expect that they would want us to be happy," Carly offered with a slight nod of her head. "What more could they expect?"
"I guess you're right." Freddie swallowed nervously before hesitantly asking, "Do you think it would be weird if we joined our on fan forum?"
Carly suddenly found the need to clear her throat, "I ah… don't know…"
"You've joined already haven't you?"
Carly looked up and noticed a blue bird fly past. "What a pretty bird," she commented a little too eagerly.
Freddie started chuckling.
The brunette teenager looked down embarrassed. "I was just curious about what they were saying about us."
Freddie grinned and whispered, "Can I tell you a secret?"
Carly tilted her head to the side to look at him. "You've always been able to tell me secrets."
Freddie bit his lip for a moment and looked away from his companion. "I mean this is one where I'm sharing with my girlfriend. The ones where we don't tell Sam."
"Oh… oh, I guess that's another thing that's changed," Carly realized distractedly from the rest of the world.
"Yeah," Freddie replied hesitantly.
"Sam will understand… About you and Sam—"
The lighthearted tone that Freddie had been carrying as the pair walked through the park was replaced with one of quiet seriousness, "Is between me and Sam; we'll… we'll deal with it, okay?"
Carly nodded and replied in a soft tone, "Sam said the same thing."
Freddie let out a breath and shook his head. "I guess we agree on something, but don't tell her that."
Carly looked directly into his eyes. "I won't."
"Okay," he replied with a nod.
Carly back to a lighthearted and carefree tone asked, "So, what secret did you want to tell me?"
"I've—" Freddie cleared his throat, "—already joined too."
"You didn't?" She asked in mock horror.
He shrugged his shoulders as he held her. "I was just as curious. They're pretty nice for the most part, there are a few overzealous ones, but then again there are about ten thousand of them. Can't judge all by a few now can I?"
She shook her head, "Nope."
"But, can I post to them about any dates we'll have in the future?" he asked with a grin plastered on his face.
"Absolutely not Fredward Karl Benson," she replied in stern tone which Freddie found adorable.
He chuckled before asking, "Is using my full name going to be your way of telling me I'm in trouble with my girlfriend now?"
Carly gave him a mischievous grin. "Maybe," she whispered then leaned in for a full kiss in which Freddie eagerly returned.
May 1980
The release bell for the day rang a few minutes ago as Steven headed for the art room. The same as yesterday he stopped at the door and leaned against a door frame with one shoulder, but this time the ache in his hands were considerable less than the previous day. He found Taylor there again and just took a moment to look at her: Taylor was wearing a red bandana today around her head with her brown dirty smock. There was a large lump of clay plotted down in front of her at one of the work desks.
"Hey," Steven whispered as he watched her began to mold the clay on the table. He couldn't help but smile as he watched her smile softly and light up her face and reach her soft brown eyes. He saw she still wore a white bandage on her cheek, but this time there was a strawberry sticker on it.
She looked up at him and to his surprise her smile got bigger.
Steven shrugged his free shoulder. "I said I'd see you around, so I thought I'd come around to make sure I saw you."
She nodded in response as she started softening the clay.
Steven walked inside and towards the front of the table she was working. "So what are you going to make?"
Her mouth upturned towards her left cheek then tapped her left temple with a clay coated finger.
"Oh, so it's a surprise?" he asked with a half smile.
She nodded with a grin.
"Then it looks like I get a front row seat at seeing a master at work… again, if you don't mind?"
She shook her head as she started molding the clay first into a roughly oval shape.
As she continued to soften and mold the clay, he glanced over to the portrait of Taylor's mother still hanging on one of the easels. He brushed some of his hair behind his ear and smiled. He commented casually, "I think your mother's going to like the picture very much."
When he looked back he immediately noticed that her face suddenly turned into one of a neutral expression. He blinked as the gears quickly turned in his processing the possible meaning of her expression and quickly coming up with an answer. "Your mother's no longer with you?" he asked in a quiet voice.
She shook her head as she focused on the dark brown clay. Her expression was now one of sadness and she started putting more energy into molding the clay. He thought for a moment that she would just start beating on it.
Steven let out a breath, "I'm sorry to bring it up." He looked down to the ground for a moment before continuing, "I lost my mother about a year ago." He wiped a hand over his mouth and down his chin. He looked down at the floor and whispered, "She was killed in a car accident. So I know how much it can hurt." He didn't know how long he just stared at the floor thinking back to last year and how different life was then or how different he was and what he use to be. His eyes caught brief movement, but before he could react he realized that the brunette girl had walked around the work table and hugged him.
It took him a moment to realize what she was doing, but then wrapped his arms around her and patted her back. He took a deep breath and assaulted by a variety of different smells: dry paint, the odor of the clay she was molding, the sterile bandage on her cheek and the scented strawberry sticker, and finally her sweet natural scent he had trouble figuring out what possibly could be compare to it.
After a few moments she pulled away she just stared into his eyes and patted his left shoulder. He tried to speak as he looked at her peaceful face, but didn't know what to say. She then leaned forward and pressed her lips to his forehead and held them there for a few moments. She stood back up and gave him a gentle smile while he looked back not knowing how to respond.
She then turned and went back to work on her clay. The brunette started extended some of the clay into a bent rod structure at one end of the vaguely oval shape. She then reached into an open space under the desk to pull out a small bag and set it beside the clay. She opened it up and pulled out clay wiring tool to start making indentations on each side of the oval.
Steven sat there for about half an hour just watching her mold the clay into exactly what she wanted it. It was almost hypnotic to the young man watching her mold and sliced and pressed the clay to form something that was only in her head. She would occasionally looked up and give him a smile.
Once she was finished molding, Steven spoke, "Wow… that's amazing." He stood up from his seat and walked around the table to stand beside her to look at her work. Taylor had sculptured a swan as if it was sitting in the water with its graceful neck raised so the head would look out to the viewer of the piece.
She blinked and gave him an embarrassed smile.
"So, are you going to bake it then paint it?"
She gave him a slight nod.
Steven took a quick glance at the wall clock for the classroom. "I'm assuming tomorrow?" Steven asked with a raised eyebrow.
Again a nod was her answer.
Steven narrowed his eyes for a moment and lifted up a corner of his mouth. "Did you like your ride yesterday?"
She really gave him a grin this time and nodded happily.
Steven looked away for a moment and towards all the various works of art before looking back to her and asking, "Would you like me to give you a ride home again?"
The brunette reached for his hand and gave a squeeze. He squeezed her hand back, not minding the feeling of the sticky warm clay on her hand. Taylor went on about moving the swan to a safer place then to wash up. Steven walked over to the sink as well and washed his hand off from the clay stuck to his hand. She looked over as she was rinsing her hands and smirked at him.
"I can't exactly drive with a sticky hand now can I?"
She let out a slight laugh then went to dry her hands off with some brown paper towels. The artist then went over to the hanging portrait of her mother and careful began to store it in her backpack. She pulled the old military bag on both shoulders and turned to look at the taller teenager.
"So, we ready to go?"
She smiled to him as an answer.
Ruby had been waiting for the last hour after the release bell for the day in an out of the way corner of the school to watch the back parking lot. There were several cars still there she assumed were students that were still there for band practice or some after school club. However, one vehicle had kept her attention the entire time: a black '77 Harley Davidson Sportster.
Her patients had paid off as she watched the owner of the bike exit the building with a shorter brunette girl with a red bandana around her head. She snorted out a laugh at watching Steven put a helmet on the girl's head then watched as he got on his bike and the teenager without hesitation climb on back and wrap her arms around Steven's waist. Ruby grinned as she watched the pair ride off together. The raven haired teenager whispered to herself, "So you have snared his attention. Well, this should be quite interesting."