Disclaimer: I'm just playing around with these characters. Don't own them at all.

Chapter One

Heart to Heart * Welcome Home

Unexpected Dinner Guests

"Hey baby. I'm sorry it's been a while, but I just couldn't come. Work's been a real pain, and Izzy, well, Izzy, she's growing up real fast." The man halted his speech, his words caught in his throat. "And I just find it kind of hard to come down here, to see you..." He looked away briefly. "It still hurts. A day doesn't go by when I don't think about you or about your smile. Or what you meant to our little family." He began to tear up. "Dammit, I told myself I wasn't going to cry. That I was going to be strong." Falling to his knees, his head in his hands, he sobbed quietly to himself. "I can't... I can't..." He breathed in deeply. "I have to... for Izzy. She has your hair, and your smile. My eyes though. But I always see you in her..."

He looked back behind him and saw a little girl standing with another woman. Looking forward, he laughed softly to himself. "You know what she told me the other day. She said 'Daddy, don't be sad. Mommy will always be with us.' She then touched my heart and said, 'Because she'll always be there, right Poppa? Cause that's what Mommy told me...' And she looked at me with her big brown eyes. I lost it there. Totally broke down." He chuckled softly. "You would've called me a big baby..."

The man ran his fingers through tousled brown hair. Taking a deep breathe, he began again. "I just wanted to come and tell you, we're moving. I'm taking Izzy to Seattle. I... I just can't live here anymore. Everywhere I go, I constantly think of things that we've done. I can't travel down one street of Vancouver and not think of you instantly... and... and it's taking it's toll on me. So I have to... for me. But I know you'll understand. You always did know me better than I knew myself."

He looked back again. "Carly's here. She's been such a big help. With everything. I know I couldn't have made it through everything without here. She's watching Izzy right now." He smiles softly. "Izzy's rather taken with her. Of course, it helps that she IS a pop star. We got lucky when Carly became our friend."

"I've got to go baby. I want to get to Seattle before rush hour traffic. And I promise, I'll come every month to visit you." He looked down at the ground. "I love you so much baby. It still hurts so bad..." He sighed deeply as his hand touches the gravestone. "I'll love you, til the day I die, I promise..."

He stood slowly, his hand still on the stone. "I love you," he whispered to the stone. Turning, he stumbled the first few feet because of the tears in his eyes, but quickly caught himself.

"Poppa," the little girl yelled and hurtled herself into his legs. Looking up, she smiled, several gaps showing in her front teeth. "Did you have a good talk with Mommy?"

"Yes I did Izzy. I told her that we're moving..."

"Can I go talk to her now?"

He nodded, "Yes you can, little one..." He watched his daughter run over the gravestone and give it a big hug. Izzy sat and talked happily with the gravestone, telling it everything and anything. Looking at his silent companion, he quietly said, "yes?"

"Freddie, I know it's only been a year since, but I'm glad you're moving. Seattle will be good for you and Isabelle. And I can spend more time with my favorite god-daughter."

He laughed wryly. "You're only god-daughter."

Carly grinned back at him. "Still my favorite..."

They both pause and watched Izzy run back to them. Freddie smiled softly down at his six year old daughter, "Well little one, are you ready to go?"

She nodded solemnly back at her dad. "Yes Poppa, I am..." She looked back at the gravestone. "Is it okay for us to leave?"

Freddie touched her on her heart. "What did you tell me the other day? That Mommy will always be in our heart. She'll always be with us, little one."

He took one long, last look back, tears glistening in his eyes. "Always little one." The trio stepped into the SUV as the clouds parted slightly and fingers of light played across ground. One shone on the gravestone that had just recently been visited, spotlighting the lettering on it. "Always..."

Wendy Anne Benson

Blessed Friend, Devoted Mother and

Beloved Wife

Freddie opened the door to his new house. Turning to his daughter, he said, "Welcome home, little one..." He watched as as she took everything in. "I know it doesn't look like much, but we'll work on it, and soon, it'll be home..."

Isabelle turned to her dad. "Oh, it's great Poppa! We're right on the water, and there's even a fenced yard! So can I have a dog? Please Poppa, please?"

He grinned down at her. "Okay, okay, but not until we're settled down, okay little one?"

She squealed loudly. "Thanks Poppa, thanks a whole lot. I can't wait!" She ran up the stairs, looking from room to room. "I want this one," she yelled down the stairs.

Not much had to be done to the house. Freddie had gotten a home improvement specialist to fix up the inside of the house. New wooden floors were put in, new paint was on the wall, and all new appliances were placed into the kitchen. The movers had efficiently placed all the boxes in their respective rooms. All that had to be done was to take all the things out of the boxes.

Izzy was quickly done with her room. She stepped back. Tons of stuffed animals were on her bed. All her clothes were in the proper place. She was too much like her mother to leave clothes strewn about. The posters of cute animals and various music groups were hung on her wall with her favorite, a personalized poster of Carly, hung in a place of prominence. Smiling to herself, she walked out of her room and down the stairs to see what her dad was doing. He was seated on the floor in the middle of the den/office, boxes stacked around him. Quietly walking up closer to him, she could tell he was looking down at something. Then she saw the tears. "Oh Poppa," she softly cried out, her tiny heart breaking to see her father crying. She hugged him tight, and he hugged her back.

"I miss your mom..." was all he said.

"I miss her too." And they sat, weeping together in the middle of the den long into the middle of the night.

Later, as Izzy lay in bed, she thought about what her mom would say or do to make her Poppa happy again. She also thought about all the movies she watched without her dad's permission. And then she knew. She'd find her dad a new girlfriend.

The Canlis Restaurant was one of the finest dining establishments in Seattle. It was known to cater to the rich and famous, and reservations were always recommended, for the wait list was always at least an hour. So Freddie wondered what the hell he was doing there, dragging his seven year daughter along. Oh yeah, he thought, Carly would fit into that rich and famous category. The maitre d' sneered arrogantly at them, "Yes?"

Freddie grinned and looked at the man. "We're here with Carly Shay. We should be on the list, Freddie Benson and her god-daughter, Isabelle." Chew on that, you arrogant little man. He watched as the maitre d's eyes widen.

Freddie had to give it to the man; he recovered pretty quickly. "This way sir. And young miss." He lead them into a private dining area. "I hope you enjoy your dinner here, and if you need anything else, don't hesitate to ask for me, my name is Pierre."

Not minutes later after they were seated, Carly walked in. She kissed Freddie on the cheek and gave Izzy a big bear hug. "How do you like Seattle so far, Izzy?"

"I love it so far, but I didn't realize that any place could rain more than Vancouver." The grown-ups all laughed. "And Poppa promised to get me a dog too!" She grinned happily at her dad, while all he could do was roll his eyes.

"Yeah, she caught me in a moment of weakness," was all he could say in his defense.

"When are you not in a moment of weakness," Carly playfully asked.

"Uggh," Freddie moaned. "Can we please have a civil dinner?" The two girls began to laugh, and Freddie quickly joined in.

The dinner proceeded apace, with only one small incident of any note. Freddie had gone outside to take an overseas business call, and Izzy and Carly were left all alone. Izzy turned to Carly and softly stated, "I think my dad needs a girlfriend. Will you be it?"

Carly nearly choked on her coffee. "W-what?"

Izzy said, "Will you be my dad's girlfriend?"

Carly shook her head, "I can't Izzy. Me and your dad, well, we work better as best friends. We tried dating once, but it was just weird. It was like, ummm, dating my own brother." Carly's body shook a bit. "It was just... ewww..."

"Well, ok..." was all Izzy said. She looked a bit crest fallen.

Carly looked thoughtfully at Izzy. "But I might have an idea...," she grinned. "Just give me a couple of days, okay Izzy?"

"Okay, Aunt Carly..." said Izzy, grinning back.

Freddie walked in and looked at the two females grinning at each other. "Uh-oh. I'm going back outside, where it's safe..."

Dessert was soon served, and the evening wound down to a close. The trio stepped out of the restaurant and instantly were bombarded by flashes of light.

"Carly, Carly, how long have you been seeing Freddie," asked one reporter.

"Freddie, was Wendy just a replacement for Carly," asked another.

"Carly, when are you two getting married," yet another asked.

"Where's Sam in all of this Freddie? Will you two get back together?" another reporter asked.

Freddie turned to the reported that asked the first question of him. "What did you say," he asked dangerously. The night turned silent as all eyes turned to watch the upcoming confrontation. "What did you say," Freddie asked again. His fists clenched and unclenched as he glared at the frightened reporter.

Finding something of a spine, the reporter asked, "I asked if it was true that Wendy might have been just a stand-in for Carly all these years."

Freddie glared at the reporter. "Do you know me?" He then roughly pushed the reporter way. "Do you know how it feels to lose your love?" Another shove. "To watch the mother of your only daughter die in your arms? Do you? Well do you?" Freddie grabbed the camera away and threw it on the ground, smashing it to pieces.

"Hey, that's my camera... you'll pay for that..."

Freddie turned his attention back to the reporter. A red mist descended upon him and the next thing he knew, the reporter was on the ground, a hand clutching at his bloody nose. "You, my wife's name will never ever leave your lips again. You got it?" The down reporter nodded mutely up at Freddie. "The rest of you jackals get out of my way..." With that, Freddie took his daughter's hand and made his way into Carly's limo, to the snap and pop of camera flashes.

Author's Note: Please read the Cabal's writings. They're so much better than I am...

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