Twelve Days of Christmas-

Chapter Five: The Fifth Day of Christmas

The webshow the prior day held a high amount of viewers. Especially popular, was when Freddie had been pelted by snowballs. Apparently, it had been a high point of the show. Carly was reading over the comments on the webpage, and they were highly positive. The viewers did notice, however that there was some animosity during the snowball war. Carly hoped that it wasn't too obvious. Especially the reason that they were so aggressive.

She shook her head. It was impossible. There was no way that they would think that. She continued to check the forums, and it seemed as though there were some theories, but she just put that up to them seeing things that weren't there.

Cracking her neck, Carly decided to make some hot cocoa, to warm herself on the cold winter's day. As she was heating the water, she heard a knock on the front door. She went to get the door, revealing Freddie. His smile as handsome as ever, she let him in.

"Hey, Freddie." She closed the door behind him.

"What's up?" He unbuttoned his pea coat. Hooking it onto the coat rack, he stuck his gloves into the pockets.

"Nothing, much. I was just going to make some hot cocoa. You want some?" She walked past him, into the kitchen.

"Sure." He followed her into the kitchen.

Carly dumped the mix into two mugs, then poured the hot water in. she went to the silverware drawer, taking out two spoons. She handed a mug with a spoon in it to Freddie, keeping one for herself. They both mixed the power into the water, spoons making a whirring sound going around the rims of the mugs. Carly and Freddie walked into the living room, settling down on the couch. Steaming mugs of hot chocolate in their warmed hands, Carly turned on the television. Girly Cow was on, and they decided to watch it.

They drank their hot chocolate, and it warmed them thoroughly. In the midst of the show, Carly began to get sleepy. As she leant her head against Freddie's shoulder, her eyes began to slowly shut. Feeling pressure on his shoulder, Freddie turned to see a mass of brown hair. He realised what was happening, gently taking her mug out of her hands, he stretched his arm out, placing it down on the coffee table. Her breathing slowed as everything went black. Freddie leant his head on hers after taking a sip of hot cocoa. He continued to watch the television, and to watch over Carly.

Over and hour had passed, and Freddie had long since finished his cocoa, having placed his mug down on the coffee table. The show was over, and there was really nothing to watch. Carly, still on his shoulder, stirred. Her eyes flickered open, her lashes batting over brown eyes. She could feel something firm beneath her head. Looking out of the corner of her eye, she spied someone next to her. She lifted her head, her neck stiff, but well rested. She yawned, stretching her arms over her head.

"Sleep well?" a low voice asked from next to her.

She turned to the source of the familiar voice, smiling at Freddie. "I had a nice pillow."

"I'm sure you did." He chuckled. He got up to put away the mugs.

"Wait," Carly said, picking up her mug. She took a sip, then pouted. "It's cold."

Freddie chuckled again. "Well, you did fall asleep for over an hour."

She handed the mug to him, and he took them to the kitchen. He soon returned, plopping down on the couch, alongside Carly. He sighed, a little bored.

"So, what do you want to do?"

"I don't know," Carly answered, propping her feet up on the table.

"You want to call Sam?" Freddie asked.

"Oh, um, well, she's probably still sleeping." Carly sort of wanted to have a little alone time with Freddie.

"It's noon, she should be awake by now."

"She'll be over if she's awake," Carly reasoned. "She'll just let herself in."

"I guess."

"Let's watch a movie."

"What movie?"

"How about The Kiss?"

"Oh, come on, that's a chick flick."

"But, it's so romantic," Carly pleaded.

"Can't we watch Galaxy Wars?" Freddie gave her his best smile.

Carly gave him her puppy dog eyes, lip trembling. "Please?"

His smile disappeared. "Not the look, that's not fair."

She tilted her head to the side. "For me?"

Sighing, he rolled his eyes. "Fine."

"Yay!"

Freddie go up, going over to the DVDs, he selected The Kiss: Limited Edition. Carly's, of course. Sliding it onto the player tray, he sat back on the couch, hitting the play button on the remote.

The film started, and Carly tossed a blanket over both her and Freddie. Getting under the blanket, she slyly snuggled up to Freddie, shoulder to shoulder. They watched the movie, and Carly was enraptured by it. The scene, the characters, the plot. She loved it. When the movie got to the romantic parts, Freddie watched with boredom, as Carly bawled her eyes out. Freddie handed her a handkerchief. With which, she promptly blew her nose.

She leant her head onto Freddie's shoulder once again. "It's so romantic!"

Freddie sighed, yet smiled, for the contact. He wouldn't mind the movie if it meant that he could be close to Carly. He settled in, as the movie was merely half over.

Neither noticed the door opening quietly, and a blonde head poking in through the doorway.

Sam saw the two watching a movie on the couch. She recognised it as The Kiss. The summer's romantic blockbuster. Even though she would never admit it, even she liked the film. It took a while for it to grow on her, but it did. The only thing she was having a problem with were the two on the couch. She could tell that Carly was resting her head on Freddie's shoulder. It was a big problem, considering that Carly and she were fighting over him. She crept into the room, quietly shutting the door. Bucket of chicken in hand, she gently placed it down on the floor. She moved towards the couch, arms raised at the ready. Grabbing them by their outermost shoulders, she pried them apart, frightening them in the process.

"What'cha guys doing?" she asked, sticking her head between theirs. They both turned to look at her.

"Sam, what the chiz?" Freddie was white in the face.

"You scared us!" cried Carly.

"Sorry, guys. You watching a movie?" She came over to the front of the couch, and settled herself between the two brunettes, much to the dismay of Carly.

"We were, until you came in and scared the stuffing out of us."

"Sorry, Carls. I was in the neighbourhood, and figured that I'd drop by."

"In the neighbourhood?" Freddie raised an eyebrow.

"Yup." She placed her arms around her two best friends. "What are we watching?"

"The Kiss," answered Carly, handkerchief still in hand.

"Uhg," Sam groaned.

"Hey, you said that you liked it, too," accused Carly.

"Still, there's only so much mush that I can handle." Truthfully, she wasn't speaking of the film.

"Well," Freddie said, "we might as well finish it. Watch with us."

"Fine. If you want to, Carls."

"Sure." She pouted slightly at their interruption.

Sam placed her feet up on the coffee table, sitting between Carly and Freddie. Essentially, putting up a blonde barrier to romance. Sam felt a little guilty budging into their precious moment, but then she looked over to Freddie, who was watching the film. Her feelings of guilt soon faded, as she herself hoped for a moment of her own. It was war. She had to fight for him.

As they watched the The Kiss, Sam began to get swept up in the story. Freddie noticed a change in her demeanour as they sat there. When the climactic part approached, in which the male lead, Freddie didn't bother to learn their names, plead for the girl to come back with him, to choose him, Sam was visibly shaking. It was subtle, yet he could tell. He slid his hand over to Sam's, in her lap, and squeezed gently. Carly was too caught up in the film to notice, but Sam, of course, did. She felt his warm hand encompass hers, and she settled down a bit. Her cheeks flushed, she didn't dare turn towards Freddie, lest he be smiling at her with his soft smile. Which, he was.

When the film proceeded to the end, where the lead confessed his love for the girl, and vowed to be with her forever, both Sam and Carly were crying. Carly was bawling her eyes out, and a few tears trickled down Sam's cheek, her jaw quivering. Freddie squeezed Sam's hand in support, then took the handkerchief from Carly's grasp, dabbing the brunette's damp eyes. Girls. He sat back, shaking his head. The film ended, a happy ending. Freddie stopped the DVD, then sat around on the coffee table to face the girls.

"You girls are so emotional." He took a girl's face in each of his hands, wiping away tears with his thumbs.

"You just don't get it, Freddie." Carly wiped the rest of her tears with Freddie's handkerchief.

Sam wiped her tears with her sleeve. "You're a guy, nub." Carly offered her the handkerchief, which she blew her nose in.

"No, I get it." He took one of their hands in each of his. "Man, I should've brought two hankies.

"That's why you're a nub," Sam said.

"Hey, how was I supposed to know that we'd be watching The Kiss?"

"Well, you should have," remarked Carly.

"Yeah," Sam added.

Rolling his eyes, he shook his head. "I'll go make us some hot cocoa. There's nothing like hot cocoa after a good cry on a winter's day."

The two girls watched him walk away, smiles on their faces.

"He's a great guy," Sam said.

"The greatest," Carly agreed.

"I'm going to fight for him."

"So am I."

"May the best girl win?" Sam stuck out her hand.

Carly took it. "Agreed."

Freddie soon came back with three mugs full of hot chocolate. He set them down on the coffee table. They each took one. They clinked them together, then drank. All three let their cups down with a sigh of satisfaction.

"That's some good cocoa." Sam felt the chocolate warm her.

"Yeah, it is." Carly let it lift her spirits. "That's because Freddie made it."

Freddie smiled, proudly. "It's my special recipe."

Sam looked at Carly with a look of 'you suck up'. Carly grinned back.

Sam tuned towards Freddie. "It's just powder mix."

"Juts part of my secret recipe."

"Uh huh."

"Honest, Puckett."

"Yeah, right."

Freddie sniffed the air. "Hey, do you two smell chicken?"

"Chicken?" Carly sniffed the air.

"It's faint, but I'm sure that I can smell it."

"Oh," Sam got up on her knees on the couch, leaning over the back. Freddie couldn't help but stare at her backside as she bent over the couch. Sam got back up, bucket of chicken in her hand. "you mean, this?"

"You brought chicken?" asked Carly, sipping her cocoa.

"It got cold on the way over here, that's why you couldn't really smell it." Sam started to dig into the bucket.

"That didn't answer my question."

"I was hungry."

"Any left for the rest of us?" Freddie questioned, smug look on his face.

"Sure, here you go, Fredwart." Sam handed him the bucket.

Freddie looked inside, unimpressed. "Five small chicken wings."

"Yup, they're all yours." She patted him on the back. Grease from her hand transferring to the back of his polo. He could feel it seeping through his shirt.

"Wonderful," he said.

By the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me,

five chicken wings,

four snowballs,

three smoothies,

two mismatched socks,

and a snowman shaped like Freddie.