Summary- It happened so quickly. One moment they were laughing, he was looking into her sparkling brown eyes. The next thing he knew, he awoke to the rhythmic beeping of a heart monitor.

Creddie is the main thing, but there is a Seddie friendship moment.

He sat there, in the cemetery, staring at the round stone. Flowers lay at the foot of it, ranging from colors of pink to violet. The sixteen-year-old stared at the inscription, his mind being instinctively brought to that day…

"C'mon Carly, it's Drake Bell live," sixteen-year-old Freddie Benson persisted his best friend Carly Shay. Carly shook her head.

"Freddie, I already told you I don't think it's a good idea. The roads are still icy, you know." Carly replied. "Spencer says he doesn't want me going out tonight."

Freddie looked at his feet for a moment, before looking up with his face in the familiar "Puppy-dog pout". Carly laughed, shaking her head.

"No, no, no!" She cried, laughing. "Not the puppy-dog pout!"

"Please," Freddie begged, keeping the puppy dog pout on his face. Carly, sighed, her eyes alight with laughter.

"Fine, come back and get me at eight," she said, defeated. Freddie pumped his fists in the air.

"I'll be back in an hour," he said as he walked out the door.

The boy had tears forming on his eyes, remembering that night. If he hadn't been so… so persistent, she'd probably be with him and Sam right now. They'd be sharing a smoothie, watching old episodes of their webcast iCarly, helping Spencer with a sculpture… but that wasn't the case…

Freddie stood with his mouth agape as Carly stepped out of her apartment. She couldn't have looked more beautiful to him, her brunette hair pulled back in a pretty bun, make-up glittering across her face…

"Alright, let's go," Carly said, jolting him out of his thoughts. "Now you promise we'll be back by ten thirty?"

"Promise," Freddie said, nodding. "Now come on, I've got two front row seats with our names on them!"

Carly smiled, and the two of them ran down the hall to the elevators.

He still remembered how beautiful she looked. The last way he saw her, the last memory he had of her. The two had been like bestfriends- and Sam was with them of course. He and Sam still got into those dumb arguments, but they were an inseparable trio.

Wiping the tears away with his sleeve, his mind was brought forcefully back to that terrible night.

Carly and Freddie danced along with the crowd to the song "Makes me Happy". Freddie grabbed Carly by the waist and twirled her around, catching her as she hit the ground. The two laughed, bright lights flashing around them and people weaving their way between them.

"So why couldn't Sam come again?" Carly asked over the music. Freddie shrugged.

"She said she didn't want to, so she gave me the tickets," Freddie replied. Carly looked surprised.

"She gave you the tickets?"

"Well… she said if I wanted them you had to come too," Freddie grinned. Carly glared playfully at him. She slapped him in a friendly way.

"So that's the only reason you invited me?" Carly asked in a mock-offended voice. Freddie shrugged.

"Hey, who else would I have invited anyways?"

Now he wished he would've invited anyone else. Anyone but her. Heck, why couldn't he have taken Ms. Briggs or something? But he didn't. And that caused this whole thing. He was so selfish. If he would've just listened to her. Why did he force her to come? He knew the roads were icy. He knew they'd be slippery.

Freddie drove at 50 MPH back toward the apartment building. He looked at the clock. 9:45. They had plenty of time.

"So was it worth it?" Freddie asked. Carly smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, thanks for inviting me. Even though it was by force," She grinned playfully, swatting him in the arm. Freddie smiled. The night had been perfect. He and Carly had actually spent some alone time together- even if they still weren't exactly dating. For now, he was content to be Carly's friend.

"Freddie…"

Freddie still couldn't believe how well it had gone. They still had a half an hour before they had to get home!

"Freddie!"

"What?" Freddie asked.

"Look out!"

Freddie turned, just in time to see blinding headlights and hear a loud truck horn.

It happened so quickly. One moment they were laughing, he was looking into her sparkling brown eyes. The next thing he knew, he awoke to the rhythmic beeping of a heart monitor.

Beep… beep… beep…

Such a soothing rhythm. Freddie's brown eyes remained closed peacefully, simply listening to the sound. Beep… beep… beep…

Slowly his eyes flickered open, and he let out a soft groan. Immediately he felt something slam into him, almost like a… hug?

"Oh thank goodness you're awake!"

Freddie couldn't believe who it was hugging him. It was his other best friend, Sam. Her eyes were red-rimmed from crying, and bloodshot for staying awake so long. Her long blonde hair was a huge mess.

"Wha… what happened?" Freddie asked in a weak voice. Sam pulled back, looking Freddie in the eye.

"You and Carly… there was an accident. You were hit by a semi-truck," Sam whispered. "Your mom's out there right now, talking with one of the nurses."

Freddie nodded, still dazed however. Then it hit him.

"Carly…?" He whispered. Sam looked away, letting out a soft sob. Freddie immediately knew what had happened.

He let the tears fall down his face as well.

Now he stared at the gravestone, the words across it seeming to scream at him

Carly Shay

1994-2010

Loving daughter

Trusted sister

Loyal friend

The tears appeared on his face, just as they had the day in the hospital. They stained the ground in front of the tombstone. Three words escaped his lips in the softest whisper that was carried off by the wind.

"I'm sorry, Carly."