June 22nd,2012

The plane touched down and a relieved Freddie Benson stepped off.

"Hello Hollywood," he said, trying to remain cheerful. He resisted the urge to take out his wallet and gaze at the picture of her, of Carly Shay. No he needed to forget, to move on. That's why he had chosen to come here, to Hollywood, to move on. He checked his phone, he'd gotten an early flight so it was early in the afternoon and he was starving since he'd skipped the airplane food.

Luckily for him there was a pizza place just down the street from the airport and so ten minutes later he found himself in line, practically drooling over the smell of Pizza. He felt an arm brush against his and he looked up to see a brunette girl in front of him.

"Sorry!" she said quickly.

It took him a moment to respond, he recognized her of course "Tori?" he asked.

"Freddie? Oh my gosh it is you!" she said, hugging him.

He felt his cheeks heat up as she embraced him, he'd forgotten how beautiful she was... How nice she was, a little too much like the one he was trying to forget. "I've been... Good." he said, "I'm going to school here actually." he said.

"Really? She asked, "College?"

He nodded, "Yeah, I'm going to UCLA."

"Me too!"

He grinned, "Great! I was afraid I'd have to start over completely... It's nice to have a friend already, What about Cat, Andre, Beck and the others?"

She smiled, "Cat and Andre are going into music, Beck is going to UCLA with me." She blushed softly at the mention of Beck.

"Someone has a boyfriend?" he teased playfully.

She nodded, "we've only been dating a couple weeks but he's really nice."

Freddie smiled, he almost felt jealous of Beck who didn't have any problems getting a girl he wanted. Why can't I be like that?" He thought bitterly.

"Everything okay?" Tori asked, sounding concerned.

"Oh I was just... Thinking about someone."

"Carly?" She asked.

"Yeah..." he said, sounding surprised. "How'd you know?"

"It was pretty obvious when I met you three you had feelings for her."

He shrugged, "It doesn't matter." he said, "I'm here to move on, no point in dwelling on the past."

Tori smiled sympathetically at him, "Come sit with me" she said, "We'll catch up!"

"That sounds fine to me." he said smiling. He ordered what he wanted, two slices of supreme, but Tori paid for it.

"I insist." she said when he tried to protest , "Come on, tell me how you've been lately."

They sat down in the back and Freddie, knowing he was supposed to catch her up on the events in Seattle, began to speak. "We did our final iCarly about three days ago; it still seems so unreal it's over... It was such a big part of my, well all of our, lives and now it's just..."

"Over?" Tori suggested.

He nodded, "Exactly."

"When it came time for us to graduate Hollywood arts... It was just, I got in there by accident but I loved that school... And now I'm moving on in life."

He nodded, "iCarly was just... It was an idea born from wanting to rebel, I suppose looking back any kid that age want's to, and so we did...And I suppose it makes sense that when you grow up that rebelling stops..."

Tori laughed, "You are such a geek, it's simple as this... You had a webshow, a good webshow, but nothing lasts forever."

He smiled at that, an almost bitter smile, "Sometimes I wish that were true." Before she could reply he changed topics "What're you going to school for?"

She laughed, "Nice way to change topics." she teased, "I'm going for a music degree; I want to be able to produce as well as record my own music."

"You're gonna be a singer huh?"

"You know, I didn't want to there for a while but... Going to Hollywood Arts, it made me realize that yes, I do wanna sing."

He nodded, "You're pretty good at it, if I remember right."

"Aww, thanks." the brunette girl said happily. "What are you going to school for?"

"I wanna be a special effects guy... But not just for movies you know, I wanna do concerts and stuff."

She nodded, "Maybe you can do special effects for some of my shows, when I graduate I mean."

He nodded, "I'd like that."

She looked down at her watch, "Oh shoot, I have to go, I'm supposed to meet Beck."

"Alright, I'll see you soon then." he said, "Take care Tori."

"You too Freddie!"

He watched her leave before digging into his pizza, Tori's right He thought, This Pizza is amazing.

September 24th, 2012

UCLA was a huge place; huge enough to make Freddie wonder what the hell he'd been thinking when he'd decided to go here. Looking at his schedule he sighed, he had decided to take four classes this semester: Math, English, and a couple of classes on computers, not that he needed them.

A group of students were gathered in a circle so Freddie, naturally, went to see what was the commotion. "Hey you." came a voice behind him, "Tori!" he said grinning, "I was hoping I'd find you, this place is insane."

She nodded, "Yeah, Beck's around here somewhere."

"So what classes are you taking?" he asked.

"Oh, some general courses mostly, and a telecommunications class... I think that's what it's called."

"Sweet, maybe we'll be in some classes together." he said, almost hopefully.

"That'd be awesome!" she said grinning, "Now, what do you have first?"

"Um... Math 135." He said.

"Me too!" she said happily.

"Walk you to class?" He offered.

"Sure! But Beck should be here soon."

"We'll wait then, there's a table over there."

They walked over and sat down, "What have you been up to since I last saw you?" Tori asked curiously

"Nothing really, I got a job, The local pear store hired me in spite of me being fired at the Seattle one I worked at."

"Why'd you get fired?"

His face darkened, "Sam. She got me fired...It's a long story."

She gave him a sympathetic look "I'm sorry, She seemed so nice.."

He laughed bitterly, "She seems like it to some people, but she's... She's a demon, that's all I can tell you."

She nodded, "Well, you're here now, and you'll have plenty of friends that will treat you right."

That brought out a smile, "Thanks Tori..."

"So, meet any special girls?" She teased.

"Nah I... I don't really want a girl right now."

She didn't say anything for a moment, and he wondered if he was coming across to bitter "sorry.." he muttered, "I'm just kind of.."

"It takes a while." She said, "To adjust to things."

He nodded and smiled, "Exactly."

"Come on, We're gonna be late to class."

"Alright." Thankful to have a friend he followed her to class, and for the first time in awhile Seattle and Carly were not on his mind.

December 25th , 2012

A knock on the door at Midnight rose Freddie from his chair where he'd been watching a late night movie on TV. "Who is it?"

"Merry Christmas!" came Tori's voice, but she didn't sound her usual cheery self. He opened the door and noticed her eyes were red, like she'd been crying.

"What's wrong Tori?" He asked, concern obvious in his voice.

"I-It's nothing.."

"Obviously something is, you look like you've been crying your eyes out."

She shook her head and stood there for a moment, "It's Beck.."

"What about him?"

"We had a fight... I think it might be over."

"What? But you guys were so happy together! What happened?"

'"I don't know... He's been growing distant lately, never wants to spend time with me, so I asked him about it and he blew up and told me it was over."

Freddie winced, this was all too familiar... "Come in." he said, "I was gonna make a turkey sandwich, want one?"

She nodded, "That's fine."

When he was sure she couldn't see his face he sighed, this was all too familiar, why was it always him the pretty brunette's came to when they were hurting? Granted Tori wasn't Carly and he didn't feel that way... Did he?

He shook his head, they were just friends and that's all they would ever be, he wasn't going to set himself up for more heartbreak, he would never set himself for that kind of heartbreak again.

He came back out with two turkey sandwiches and they ate in silence. After the sandwiches are done Tori looked up at him, "Don't you have a family you were supposed to spend Christmas with?"

"I'm not really ready to go back to Seattle yet." he admitted, "I can't face her... Not yet."

She nodded understandingly, "I think I understand now... You love someone like that and it just... It hurts to be around them, I don't think I'll ever be able to go around Beck for a while"

"Trust me, it gets easier." he said, a bitter smile on his face, "You learn to deal with it, to be there when they need you... It's what I did." Granted I ended up running away from her to Hollywood, but there's no point in bringing that up is there? "Want a cup of coffee?"

"No thanks... Oh! I did bring you this!" She said and handed him a card that had been in her hand, he had totally missed it

"Oh thanks, I got you one too," he replied.

They exchanged cards and smiled at each other, "Merry Christmas." He said.

"Merry Christmas!" she responded happily.

They spent the next hour or two watching a movie, neither of them were sure what it was but it was entertaining, until they both ended up falling asleep.

When Freddie woke up he smelled coffee, and saw a brunette busy in the kitchen, "What time is it?" he asked groggily.

"11" she replied, her cheerful tone back, "We must have fell asleep watching that movie."

"Oh."

She turned to look at him, "You like bacon?"

"Yeah, I didn't know I had any bacon..?"

"You didn't, I went out and got some, I got some eggs too, I was hungry."

"Oh okay, smells good."

"Yeah, I'm not the world's best cook but It should be edible."

"I lived with a maniac who made me eat fruit mashed with a mallet." He said, "I'll eat anything."

"Fruit... With a mallet?" she asked confused.

"Long story." he said, "You're better off not knowing."

"Try me" she challenged as she served them both plates of the breakfast she had cooked for them.

He sighed and looked at her, as if contemplating if he should tell her or not, "My mom was really, really paranoid." he finally said, "She was afraid of everything, she regularly made sure I had.." he shivered at the thought, "Tick baths." He stopped for a moment, waiting for her to laugh.

She shook her head, "That is just... wrong on so many levels."

He glanced at her, "Not going to laugh?"

She looked confused, "Why would I laugh?"

"Never mind." he said quickly, sighing in relief. "Anyway, it was just... It was bad, and the older I got the worse it got, I was relieved to be getting out of Seattle and coming here."

"Wow that's, have you considered getting her help?" Tori asked, trying to be helpful.

He laughed at that, "Many times, but I figure I'm out of there... She can live how she wants."

"Fair enough, now eat!" the brunette girl insisted, "So I can show you around town."

"Don't you have a family to spend Christmas with?"

"They went on Vacation this year; It was my Mom's Christmas gift from Dad."

"They sound like nice people."

"They are, I mean... They support us no matter our dreams or... Talent."

"Talent?"

Tori brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes, "You've met my sister, Trina, she doesn't have a lick of talent... But we support her anyway and she acts like she's queen of the world."

"Oh.. Egos."

"Ego's and sometimes lack of brains," she chuckled.

Freddie couldn't help but laugh, "That's the worst combo." he agreed.

They finished eating and soon the young computer genius found himself being dragged to his Brunette friend's car and they were off to sight see in Los Angeles.

Their first stop was Nozu, "This is the best Sushi place in Los Angeles."

He looked at her strangely, "Sushi?" he asked her, "That's gross."

"You have to try it sometime!" she insisted.

He rolled his eyes and looked at her, "Fine... You can take me there tomorrow if you like."

"How about tonight?"

Seeing as Freddie had nothing better to do he nodded, "Alright, but if I don't like it you're buying me a hamburger" he teased.

"You've got a deal."

Their next stop was Tori's old school, Hollywood Arts, "This is where I went to school." she explained, "And discovered I could actually sing."

He looked at the building, "It must be special," he commented.

"It is..." Tori looked at the building fondly, "A lot of memories, good and bad, are in that building."

"I know what you mean." he said, thoughts of Bushwell Plaza invading his mind.

They spent the rest of the day visiting various important places in Hollywood, including a memorable trip to the Hollywood Sign, and by the time they pulled into Nozu's again it was getting dark, "Ready to finally try some Sushi?" Tori teased.

The dark haired young man beside her didn't reply for a moment, before finally nodding and letting her lead him in. Tori ordered for both of them, since he had no idea what was what, and when the food came he looked at it nervously.

"Do I really have to eat this?"

"Try it!" she insisted, grabbing her chopsticks and sliding a piece of her sushi in her mouth.

He picked up his chopsticks and mimicked her, picking up one of the pieces of sushi and lifting it towards his mouth, only to drop it.

She giggled and took his hand, showing him how to hold the chop sticks.

What is she doing? He thought, heat rising in his cheeks as she helped him grab a piece of sushi and lead it to his lips so he could eat it.

"Got it?" she asked.

He nodded, eating it "It's.. Okay." he said, bringing his chopsticks back down.

After they ate she drove him back to his apartment "I had fun today." She said.

"I did too... Most fun I've had since then I got here."

"See you later?" She asked.

"You know it."

Freddie climbed out of the car and watched her drive off, this had been the first day in months he hadn't missed Carly and the life he'd left behind in Seattle, things were starting to look up for him.

He climbed the steps to his apartment and headed straight for his bedroom, he was exhausted. The young computer genius kicked his shoes off and collapsed into bed, eager for sleep and tomorrow to come.

Note: If you haven't ready And All that Could have Been I'd suggest reading It, this is a companion/prequel/ maybe sequel. Depends on how far I go, I don't own icarly or Victorious, this is just an idea discussed with my beta, whom I thank. Please Read and review!