Love Sick Fred (Drop Dead Fred Fanfiction)

Chapter One

Author's Note: This takes place right where the movie left off just after Lizzie told Natalie to give Drop Dead Fred her review. I love reviews and it encourages me to write faster. ;) *hint hint*

**Disclaimer: I don't own Drop Dead Fred, but since he's imaginary and all, I really have no control over the fact of him wanting to come make up stories about himself in my head. ;) The end.

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Drop Dead Fred anxiously paced over the drab carpeting inside the Bunce's living room. He was sure if he'd been of a corporeal nature he'd have run a charred path in his wake, ruining the lives of dust bunnies everywhere as they were smashed into their little cotton-tailed graves.

Right then, Fred wished he was one of them. He already felt like it anyway.

He had a nasty feeling in the pit of his stomach, something unusual for him. It made him as agitated as he was uneasy. This had to be some sort of a joke. He could fathom no other explanations for it and his eyes momentarily shot a glare at nothing in particular, but hoping whoever was to blame for his assignment got the message.

Unable to keep himself from looking, Fred popped over to the front window, hiding amongst its sheer curtains as he peered out at the front yard. His upper body leant to the side in an awkward pose as he did so, his left leg bending back and his nose pressing and sliding against the glass. He didn't see her anymore. Maybe she was gone?

He tapped his fingers against the window, trying to form a plan. He hadn't been expecting this so soon, and he certainly hadn't expected...that! Why had she said that!?

"Fred!"

Fred pushed himself away from the window and turned, hearing the slam of the front door and the troubled footsteps that hurried to find him. He had felt who it was even before she'd shouted his name. It was his new assigned friend, Natalie Bunce, but he didn't force much enthusiasm as he turned to her.

Natalie entered the room, breathing heavily from her sprint. "Fred, what're you doing? Why did you suddenly leave?"

Fred pretended to be uninterested. "Nothing, and no reason." He didn't notice his pacing had begun again.

Natalie's face scrunched, feeling worried about him. "Doesn't look like nothing."

"Well, how would you know what nothing looks like? You're a girl after all and we all know they have to be doing something all the time. Like being in everyone's business, and particularly, it's pissing me off!"

Fred twisted his face into a contemptible expression of annoyance as he pushed passed Natalie to plop himself down on the sofa, slouching in a manner which demonstrated an undeniable sulk.

Natalie froze. This was the first time Fred had snapped at her. If it had been anyone else she'd have snapped back, but Drop Dead Fred was her best and only friend. Plus, she didn't know how, but she could feel something was upsetting him and she wanted to find out what, but in her week of knowing him Natalie had quickly learned that asking Fred straight out what was wrong never worked. He'd only throw a bigger tantrum. She'd have to trick it out of him.

Carefully she crawled up beside him on the couch and grinned. Fred met her gaze just as Natalie tilted her head.

"You ran away right when I told you that Lizzie sent you her love. Are you mad at Lizzie, Fred?"

"No!" he shot back, squirming about in his seat. He crossed his arms. "Well, I mean, yes!" he answered after quickly thinking better of it. "She's a snotface." He rolled his eyes. He'd never been more uncomfortable and wished that Natalie would just leave him alone.

"Then, you know her?"

Fred turned his head sharply away from Natalie and tightened his arms against his chest. "Yes. Still -somehow - I shouldn't, but yes." He shifted about his seat once more, confusion now entering the picture. It hadn't occurred to him until then that he hadn't forgotten Lizzie like all the others. Why was she still in his memories? Why would he be allowed to remember her and be placed so near her? He didn't like this.

Natalie giggled, finding this side of Fred amusing. "You're not making any sense."

"Oh yeah? Well, you both should just go blow snot together and piss off on your merry-snot-go-round way!"

Fred popped away to hide in the attic before Natalie could ask him anymore questions. He slumped down upon an old dusty trunk and peered through the slats of a rounded window.

Lizzie's love. He couldn't get those words out of his head and they tortured him amidst the memories of their goodbye kiss. Why the bloody hell had he kissed her!? Fred asked himself this all the time, but the truth was he already knew the answer.

He'd expected to forget it had ever happened once all his memories were taken away from him, and he'd wanted to know what it would be like just once ... but none of it was going away and he revisited the memory all the time. Haunted not only by remembering what he'd felt but Lizzie as well.

Maybe his bosses were punishing him? How could he have been so stupid? Bet they were getting a great laugh at his expense! Fred winced.

"Uhh... I feel like I'm gonna be majorly sick," he uttered, grasping his stomach. Something felt strange inside him. Fred hunched over and shut his eyes. Why was he feeling real pain when he was mostly imaginary and why was he so tired?