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Tori Vega: All set for closing night of our show.

Mood: Melancholic.

The audience applauded wildly as we took our final bow at the end of the last performance in the run. The curtain came down for the last time and I gave a huge embrace to each of my co-stars: Beck, Jade, Cat, Robbie… André bounced down from the gantry to join the group hugs and bonding. One person was sadly absent – Freddie had been asked to do a double shift at work so he had been unable to attend. He had, of course, already seen us perform last week but I would have loved for him to be in the auditorium again: just knowing he was around always raises my spirits.

Mom and dad WERE in attendance, having missed opening night due to their weekend away and they had been busy at work during the week for the other shows. Trina was also there and the three of them came behind the curtain as we were leaving the stage.

"Sweetie, we're taking you out for a congratulatory dinner!" Dad announced. Awesome.

"You wanna invite Freddie?" asked Trina, emphasising my guy's name. I looked to my parents to gauge their reaction to her question. Neither looked scandalised at the thought so I asked

"Can I?"

"Sure" said mom, "we'll swing by campus and pick him up on the way."

I called him, he was just leaving work, and he happily accepted the invitation. I headed backstage to shower and change then met up with the rest of the Vega clan.

I directed my dad to Freddie's dorm on the UCLA campus. He was waiting in the doorway, complete with his gorgeous, boyish smile, and walked to the car, getting in as I scooted to the middle of the back seat. He greeted me with a peck on the cheek and said a polite, if slightly nervous, hello to my parents and a more jovial one to Trina.

His nervousness surprised me slightly: he's met my parents a couple of times before after all, though I guess dating (and sleeping with) a cop's teenage daughter can cause any boy to be a little unnerved by what his reaction might be.

We travelled the short distance to BLVD 16 and were soon seated (my dad had had the foresight to call ahead and make a reservation while I was getting ready). We ordered, ate, drank and chit-chatted then, after we ordered dessert, dad turned to Freddie.

"So" he began, "Tori tells me you're staying in LA for Thanksgiving."

"Yes sir" he confirmed "I have to work on Black Friday so I can't go back north for the weekend. My mom's flying down though."

"Along with Carly and Sam?" dad prompted. Freddie nodded in response.

"Yeah, we're doing an iCarly special that night" he explained.

"How do you feel about that?" asked Trina curiously. "You know, seeing them again after… everything."

All eyes turned to Freddie at my sister's question. He hesitated for a couple of seconds before responding

"I'm looking forward to doing the show with them. After what they broadcast when the show ended, it's going to be nice to have the record set straight. And…" he paused momentarily before continuing "it'll be nice to see them again. We've chatted on-line a bit but to actually see them and do the show with them, well it's been too long since that happened. Apart from Graduation Day I've not really spent any time with them since I got accepted to UCLA. After being almost inseparable from them for four years that was a huge change."

"You miss them, even after everything that happened?" mom asked, surprised.

"I do, yes" he conceded thoughtfully. "We were around each other for so long it became normal to be with them – then suddenly they weren't around. How they reacted to me getting into school here and then later seeing what they put on-line hurt, obviously, but didn't just wipe away the memories. No, it's going to be nice to see them in person again."

We finished our meal, dad paid the check (refusing Freddie's attempt to pay his share) and we left the restaurant.

"What are your plans kids?" mom asked Freddie and me. "Is Freddie coming home with us or are we taking him back to campus?"

My boyfriend and I looked at one another, communicating non-verbally. I gave him my best smile, willing him to not want the night to end just yet.

"Uh sure" he said, "I can go back to yours if that's ok Mrs Vega. Tori can take me home later."

Mom smiled and we got in the car for the drive home. We spent the ride in comfortable silence, Freddie's hand was on my thigh, mine on top of it, our fingers interlaced. There seemed a hint of a jealous look on Trina's face whenever she turned her attention to us but I was more focussed on the boy to my other side. I leaned over to give him a swift peck on the cheek, then caught sight of dad rolling his eyes slightly in the rear-view mirror. I flashed my dad a quick smile and he returned it.

As soon as we stepped through the door Trina turned the TV on, some trashy soap that she likes was having an all-day and night marathon. I had no interest in watching it so I took Freddie's hand again and started leading him upstairs.

"If you're going to your room, leave the door open" mom called after us.

"And remember" dad was looking directly at Freddie as we'd turned to them at mom's words "I'm a cop."

"Yes sir" Freddie nodded, not quite smiling, and we continued our journey to my room.

"Sorry about them" I said as we sat on my bed.

"Hey" he smiled, "don't worry about it. You're their little girl, they want to protect you, make sure no-one takes advantage of you. And believe me, they're calm and rational compared to what my mom would have been like if we'd walked into our place at Bushwell Plaza."

"I can't wait to meet her on Thanksgiving" I declared, with just a hint of trepidation in my voice.

Freddie laughed.

"You'll be fine" he told me.

"Promise?" I asked.

"Promise" he said and sealed it with a kiss.

I leaned into his shoulders as we kissed, pushing him gently onto his back and positioning myself on top of him. My bedroom door was still open, my parents were downstairs so this was as good as it would get tonight and I was determined to enjoy every last bit of it that I could. Judging by the passion and energy in his kisses, strong but not too forceful, so too was Freddie.

"Are they letting you stay here for Thanksgiving?" he asked me when we paused for breath. I nodded.

"Yes, they were a little unsure about leaving the two of us alone but with your mom, Carly and Sam they reckon it should be ok."

I grinned mischievously, Freddie matched my look. The thought of a weekend without my parents was appealing. There would be Mrs Benson to worry about but Freddie didn't seem overly concerned (not least because he no longer lives at home).

We talked a bit more – and made out a lot more: mindful of the open door and the cop downstairs Freddie kept his cool, eventually turning us onto our sides and retreating to an arm's length away as things threatened to go too far. I took a steadying breath before wriggling closer and back into his arms, he slid a few inches up my bed, cuddling me and resting his chin on top of my head. Moments later mom looked in and suggested that it was time for me to take Freddie home. I groaned but struggled off the bed, took Freddie's hand and pulled him up. Mom was smiling as I led him out of my room and downstairs, Freddie wishing her goodnight as he passed. We said our goodnights to Trina and dad before leaving the house, getting in my car and driving to UCLA. I parked up at his dorm before leaning over to kiss him again.

"Want to come in for a bit?" he asked.

"Yes" I replied without hesitating and we entered his dorm. It was deserted (it was Saturday night after all) so we walked into his room and flopped on his bed.

"We've been here before" he teased before planting a quick kiss on my nose.

"You want company for the night?" I asked in my most seductive voice.

"Yes" he said, "but if you're not home in an hour your dad will probably send a SWAT team here."

I groaned in agreement and got up.

"See you tomorrow?" I asked.

"I'll be here" he replied, "text or something when you want to come over."

One more lingering kiss and I made my reluctant exit.