"What a day..." Timmy grumbled to himself as he opened his front door. He was now in his sophomore year of high school, and things had only gotten more difficult. At least three tests a week, Crocker still pestering him about fairies, Tootie coming to him everytime she wasn't sure how things were going between her and Chester, AJ doing the same in regards to Trixie... You'd think the fifteen year old would've earned a reprieve from all the stress, considering he had played a part in saving the world(multiple times)!

"Mom? Dad? I'm..." Timmy stopped as he heard his voice echo through the house. His parents weren't home, that much was obvious. Shrugging his shoulders at their absence, Timmy ascended the stairs to his room and opened the door. A note had been left for him on the fishbowl. Setting his bag down on the bed, Timmy grabbed the note and looked at it more closely.

Dear Timmy, I had to take Cosmo and Poof to the doctor's today, seems they both have some kind of flu, we should be back by late evening... I hope. I think I heard your parents talking to someone downstairs about going out for the night, so I'd prepare yourself for a certain someone coming over. Love you, Wanda

Timmy smiled as he set the note back down. Were it not for a certain problem that he had helped Jorgen with, he was sure that he would've lost his fairies years ago, especially considering...

KNOCK

Timmy walked over to his bedroom door and opened it. "My parents didn't tell me you were coming over." he frowned as he finished, but struggled as said frown began to contort into a grin.

"And why would they?" the red-head smirked at him and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't babysit you anymore."

"Yet you still come over here almost every day. Why is that?" by now, Timmy had given up on masking the grin that formed upon seeing his ex-babysitter.

"Because you like it when I'm around."

"I-"

"And don't try to hide it." Vicky flicked his hat's visor, knocking it off his head. "That grin on your face speaks volumes."

Timmy stooped to pick up his hat and placed it back on his head. "Maybe I do."

"Ugh. I can't imagine why." Vicky shrugged and shook her head.

"I guess I must find your bitchiness to be just the slightest bit endearing."

"Bitchiness?" she raised an eyebrow at this. "Wanna try that again?"

"Nope. Bitchiness is what I meant- Ah!" Timmy suddenly found himself in a headlock as Vicky ground her knuckles into his hair, once again knocking his hat off his head.

"I'm gonna have to give you a lesson in respect again, aren't I?"

"No! I-I'm sorry! Truce! Truce!" Timmy giggled as Vicky continued her assault.

"Eh... Fine. But you're making dinner for us this time. Deal?"

"Ah! Ow! Deal!"

"Good." she at last released him and stepped away from him, only to spin him around to face her and straighten his hair back out. "You can still be such a brat, even at fourteen."

"I'm fifteen!" Timmy stomped like an indignant child.

"Sure you are." Vicky placed his hat back on his head. "I'll acknowledge your age as soon as you act it." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Said the twenty-one going on twelve year old." Timmy quipped as he walked by her.

Vicky smirked and kicked him in the ass for that remark. "Still more mature than you."

"Nothing wrong with being a child at heart." Timmy went down the stairs, closely followed by his ex-nemesis.

"Long as you can cook."

"I can cook. Taught you a thing or two, didn't I?"

"Alright, enough singing your own praises, it gets old ya know." Vicky trailed off as she passed the TV, which was apparently more interesting than the conversation she was having with the brunet.

Unfortunately for her, Timmy took notice of this and turned around to face her. "Boop!"

"Boo-Oof!" Vicky fell back onto the couch as Timmy pushed her onto it and scurried out of the living room and into the kitchen. It took her brain several seconds to realize what had just happened as she looked toward the now swinging door to the kitchen. "Hey!" not only had he pushed her; a lady, but he had caught her off guard, making her blush. Vicky shot up from the couch and sprinted into the kitchen, causing the door to swing and slam into the wall. "What was... That?"

"Hm?" Timmy turned away from the food he was preparing. "What's up?" he asked innocently.

"You... Gr..." Right, she was mad at him, he wasn't getting away with pushing her! "Listen up! Just because you- ...Argh... Nevermind! Just make me dinner!" Okay fine, maybe he was.

Timmy watched Vicky go back into the living room and snickered at her flushed face. He knew what she was about to say. Even at twenty-one, she still wasn't very fond of admitting when she made a mistake. And made a mistake was exactly what she had done when she started dating Ricky again. Why she thought giving him a second chance was a good idea was beyond Timmy's comprehension, but at least she wised up after...

Timmy thought back to the last time he had seen Ricky with Vicky...

Flashback...

"I'm coming!" Timmy quickly made his way to his front door. "Everytime she comes over, she feels the need to nearly break down the front door..." he opened the door to find his ex-babysitter-turned-friend standing on his front steps, doing her best to look menacing with a scowl on her face and her arms crossed over her chest. "Hey!" Timmy smiled warmly at the red-head, who was now struggling to keep her scowl going.

"Twerp." the scowl faded into a look of indifference. She wasn't about to admit that his smiles were infectious, no matter how true it might be.

"Oh! We're still calling him Twerp? Sweet! How's it hanging, Twerp?"

Vicky suppressed the grimace she felt coming on at her boyfriend's rudeness towards her friend. "Well, Timmy knows how Ricky can be..."

Timmy made no attempts to hide his own grimace upon realizing Vicky had brought her boyfriend. It wasn't that he was jealous, certainly not! He just... he knew she could do better than Ricky, so the exact reason as to why she had given the rude twenty-one year old another chance eluded the brunet. Still, Vicky seemed to be happier when Ricky was around, so he did his best to coexist with the man for his friend's sake. "Ricky, didn't know you'd be coming over today."

"Yeah, Red said you wouldn't mind."

God he hated the man's nickname for his friend. Why couldn't he just call her Vicky? Timmy turned to look at Vicky, who shot him a look that was just shy of apologetic. "Sure, after all; mi casa es su casa."

"...What?" Ricky looked at him in confusion.

"It's Spanish for..." he sighed as he realized that he was likely wasting his time, the red-headed man never listened to what he said anyway. "Nevermind, come on in." Timmy stepped back from the door to allow his two guests to come in. Vicky walked past him and affectionately ruffled his hair, while Ricky stopped to talk to him.

"Thanks Twerp." he knocked Timmy's hat off his head as he walked by him.

"Fantastic..." Timmy thought to himself as he picked his hat up and placed it back on his head. "So what's up?"

"Nothing much." Vicky slumped down onto the couch, and Ricky did the same, making sure to sit very close to his girlfriend. "Tootie wanted me to leave the house so she and Chester could have some 'alone time'."

"...And you listened to her? Since when do you do that?"

"Well... her birthday is coming up, and she told me that Chester's terrified to even hug her when I'm around, so I figured I'd give those two a break for once."

"And come over here to bug me."

"Why, were you busy?"

Timmy thought back to the gaming marathon he had been enjoying. "Not especially."

"Good. I'd hate to learn that I was keeping you from saving the world or something."

"Uh-huh? Well, no worries, my schedule is free and clear today, so-"

"Why don't you make yourself useful and fix me and the lady something to eat? I've heard you're quite good at cooking."

Timmy glared at Ricky. Making food for himself and Vicky? He didn't mind. Making something to eat for her crude, rude, and annoying boyfriend? Different story. "I-"

"If you don't mind?" Vicky added in sweetly.

Maybe it was sincere, or maybe it was just a leftover piece of that sweet-as-an-angel facade she used to put on, but Timmy found that telling her 'no' when she used it on him had become increasingly difficult. He found himself briefly wondering if she knew that he could no longer tell her 'no'. With a sigh, Timmy nodded. "Sure. Just don't expect anything extravagant. My parents haven't gone food shopping yet."

"That's fine. I have faith that you'll be able to throw something together!"

Knowing who it was he was talking to, Timmy figured that had been a teasing remark and went into the kitchen as Ricky started getting 'handsy'. "Really wish they wouldn't do that..." It was an odd feeling to witness his babysitter's boyfriend put his hands all over said babysitter. He knew that some part of him didn't like it, but it really wasn't his business either. Vicky was free to date whoever she wanted to. She may have once been his babysitter, but she wasn't... 'his'...

Timmy shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Just don't think about it. Think about..." he opened the fridge door and looked around inside. "Making grilled cheese. Yeah." It had taken him seven years to go from torture at Vicky's hands, to tentative respect, to... the odd friendship they now had. He wasn't about to screw it up and undo all his hard work. Vicky had a boyfriend and she was happy, so he should be happy too.

And yet...

He buttered the pan and threw on a couple of sandwiches, then looked over his shoulder towards the door that separated the kitchen from the living room. He was sure that now that he, 'the kid', 'the Twerp', was out of the room... "That piece of garbage probably has his hands all-"

Timmy stopped himself and flipped the sandwiches over with a spatula. He sighed out loud, mostly to himself. "Why does she like him?! He left her for Crocker's Mom all those years ago, and yet as soon as he comes back, she gives him another chance?" He knew better than to tell her what he thought of Ricky... what he knew about Ricky. No one ever believed him when he had said that Vicky was evil, so why would she believe him if he told her that her boyfriend was nothing but a conniving lowlife prick?

"Shoot, I forgot to ask if they wanted anything on the grilled cheeses..." he turned off the burner and walked over to the door to the living room, but stopped in front of the door as he was about to speak. They were talking...

"Because I like hanging out over here. Need I remind you that I spent most of my life as a teenager over here?" he heard Vicky speak.

"But that little moron's here... Why not kick him out so we can get to the real fun?" and that was Ricky.

"It's his house! I can't kick him out like I used to... It wouldn't be right, not after all we've been through. Kid's probably looked out for me more than my own family has, and that's saying something, considering our history."

"I don't see how it matters. Just wait until he makes us lunch, then tell him... to go hang out with your sister and her friend, doubt those two are up to anything anyway."

"I don't have that kind of authority over him anymore-"

"Almost sounds like you want him around, maybe you want him to watch? It's about all the action he'll ever get..."

"You're a pig. And watch your tone. We've had our differences, but he is my friend, and you're currently on thin ice, talking about him like that."

Timmy inwardly smirked. He had never heard Vicky openly defend him before.

"You? You're seriously friends with that little fag?"

"What the Hell did I just say? Choose your words more carefully..."

"Well he is! Kid always wears that gay hat and shirt, can't grow even an ounce of facial hair, and he can cook! He's either a girl, or he really likes dick-"

"Enough. Need I remind you that despite how we've both acted towards him in the past, he still let us both in and offered to cook for us without hesitating. There aren't a lot of people with the character to do that, so give the kid a break."

"Sorry. Didn't know you loved him so much. Want me to leave so you two can hold hands and watch the sunset together?"

"Now now, don't be a dick..." Vicky's tone had shifted to more playful an indication that she wasn't exactly taking the conversation seriously.

"I'm a dick?! Listen bitch-"

"Hey... only I get to call Vicky a bitch..." Timmy thought to himself. Deciding he might try using food to defuse the situation, Timmy opened the door and entered the living room to find Ricky standing in front of Vicky and looking none too pleased. "You two want-"

SMACK

The sound rang out through the house as Ricky's right hand collided against Vicky's cheek. Time seemed to freeze as a deadly silence fell over the living room. Timmy looked on in shock, Vicky's head was turned slightly towards Timmy from the force of the impact, and Ricky bore a rather smug expression on his own face.

"What part of that seemed like a good idea?" Vicky returned her attention to Ricky.

Timmy noticed that cold, menacing stare. It had been quite some time since he had seen it, the same one she used to use on him to chill his blood and make his spine crumble into dust.

"Please, you think you're so untouchable just because this moron-" Ricky nodded over at Timmy. "-And his piss ant friends are afraid of you, but, news flash, you aren't."

"Really now?" a twisted grin wormed it's way across Vicky's face. "You aren't afraid of me?"

"No, no one has any need to be, you're just a stuck-up bitch with a superiority complex that likes to torture kids. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not too different but-"

Timmy noticed that his hearing seemed to take on an odd, muffled quality, like he had... "What was it that AJ had called it...? Shellshock! That was it." He could no longer tell what Ricky was saying, though it was probably just a continuation of his lame attempt at insulting Vicky... Yes, Vicky. His friend.

His friend that Ricky had just slapped across the face.

Now he felt hot. Hotter than he had ever felt, and... His hands hurt? Why did they-? Ah, right. He was clenching them too hard.

Now, this is where we take pause. Most are familiar with anger and rage. You get loud, you may lose control and break things, all in an effort to quell the anger. You yell, you scream, you play loud music to destroy the eardrums of the people around you. Then there's a more quiet, reserved rage. One where you don't break things; you remain calm. Calm enough to think and plan out exactly what you're going to do to whatever or whoever set you off, and they'll never see it coming because of how calm you are. But you can feel it, the rage begins to bubble up and boil over, your body becomes hot from the anger, you may see spots, or just white-hot and intense anger.

The brunet was currently experiencing the latter.

Timmy calmly stepped forward as Vicky began to stand up from the couch and gently pressed his hands on her shoulders, bidding her to sit.

One would probably laugh at her face as her own anger fizzled out, only to be replaced by confusion. "Timmy?"

"Aw... looks like he was worried about-" Ricky was interrupted as Timmy spun around to grab his shirt collar and yank him down to eye-level.

The brunet contemplated punching Ricky in the face, but at that moment, the quiet rage dissipated and he narrowed his eyes at the red-headed man. "You know something Ricky? I don't like you." Timmy reared his head back, then brought it back forward with as much force as he could, smashing his forehead into Ricky's stupid dumb nose. The force of the impact was enough to knock Ricky backward onto the floor as Timmy released his shirt.

Timmy stumbled forward as the pain hit and shook his head back and forth. After a moment, he hissed and rubbed his forehead. "Okay... Ow..." As the pain went from sharp and throbbing to just dull and achy, Timmy looked down at recipient of his anger. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that."

Ricky didn't respond.

"Hey." Timmy kicked Ricky's leg. "You still alive?"

A low, incomprehensible mumble escaped Ricky's lips.

"Huh. Might've... overdone it..." "Agh... he's bleeding all over the floor..." Timmy rubbed at his forehead again. "Ah... Ow... Ya got a hard face, I'll give you that." he reached down and grabbed Ricky's arm, then dragged him through the living room, out the front door, and onto the front lawn. "You gonna be fine here?"

"Guh... You- fuggin' Twer- Ugh..."

"Thought so." Timmy left Ricky on the ground, feeling that's where garbage belonged, and went back into the house, shutting the door and locking it, before sitting down on the couch next to Vicky and holding his head in his hands. With the adrenaline wearing off, Timmy realized that headbutting someone's face wasn't the best strategy, considering the splitting headache he now had. "You okay?" Timmy turned his attention to Vicky, only to find that she was still giving him a wide-eyed look. "Vicky?" he watched as she snapped out of her apparent trance and stood up from the couch to walk into the kitchen. "Maybe... I could've gone about that better... Urgh..." Timmy closed his eyes and reclined back into the couch. "I take it you're probably mad at me then?"

He heard the door to the kitchen swing open, then footsteps approach him before stopping right in front of him. "Sorry about-" he suddenly felt something very cold on his forehead and cracked his right eye open to find Vicky standing in front of him, pressing an ice pack to his forehead. If Timmy were better at reading emotions on peoples' faces, he might've thought that she almost looked concerned.

Vicky tilted her head slightly and looked him in the eye. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. F-fine... Just got a bit of a headache..." he raised his arm up to take the ice pack from her, accidentally brushing his fingers against hers as he did.

Vicky didn't seem to notice this as she released the ice pack and sat back down next to him. "I should think so, after that little stunt." Vicky rubbed at her cheek now, it was a bit sore. "Did he get me good?"

Timmy leaned over to get a better look at the red-head. "Eh... it's a little red, but I think you'll live." Timmy smirked.

"Very funny." she relaxed back into the couch and rubbed at her cheek again. "You didn't have to do that y'know."

"What? Headbutt him?"

"Yeah..."

"That's where you're wrong. You're my friend... I couldn't..."

"I could've handled him."

"I know... Trust me, I know. But I wasn't about to let him get away with hitting you... I kinda lost it there."

"...You never did like him, did you?"

"It's... it's stupid."

"Like most of what you do." Vicky teased.

"Ever since I first met him and found out the two of you were going out, I didn't like him, but... He seemed to make you happy, even if the two of you made my life worse, I figured that he'd make you happy... And you had no reason to listen to me back then anyway..."

"I was different back then. We both were."

"I know... But I was so disgusted with him after I heard about what he had done to you-"

"If you think he broke my heart, you're wrong. I'm not some weak little girl who cries herself to sleep over a failed relationship."

"I wasn't suggesting that you were. But I figured that'd be the last either of us saw of him, so when you showed up here a few months back with him-"

"You were jealous."

"Wha?! No! I was... confused! I couldn't begin to fathom why you'd give him a second chance! I wasn't-!"

"Calm down Twerp. I was just messing with you."

"...I wanted to tell you that you were making a mistake-"

"Then why didn't you?"

"Because I know you. He made you happy, and I- ...I like seeing you happy." Timmy felt his cheeks heat up at this. "I didn't think you'd listen to me anyway... like last time..."

"We've come a long way since my babysitting days Timmy. I meant what I said; you are my friend, and I value your opinion, more than most others'."

"Wow. I'm actually having a deep conversation with her..." "Your boyfriend's a lying, conniving prick that only thinks of himself and how he alone can get ahead in life, no matter who he has to step on to get there... Also he hits girls, so fuck that guy." Timmy took a moment to consider what he had said, "Not... literally though."

"I get what you're saying." Vicky chuckled. "He told me he changed, turned his life around. He wanted a second chance and I... I felt sorry for him... and myself..." Vicky murmured the last part.

"Yourself? Why's that?"

"We've known each other for seven and a half years now. In that time, how many boyfriends have I had?"

"Well there was-"

"Aliens, guys who kidnapped me, and Chip Skylark don't count."

"Ah..." Timmy didn't know that Vicky remembered quite a bit more of his misadventures than he thought she did.

"That just leaves Ricky. I had a lot in common with him, so I figured that maybe... I dunno. I guess I should get used to being alone."

"I'm sure you'll find someone eventually. Someone who'll treat you right, y'know?"

"...Maybe... maybe I will. Thanks Timmy, you're a good friend to put up with all my crazy bullshit." Vicky reached over to put her arm around Timmy's shoulders and dragged him over next to her and into a hug. "Better enjoy this while it lasts, I'm not fond of giving out hugs to my own family, nevermind friends..."

Odd as it was to receive a hug from Vicky, Timmy found himself relaxing in her embrace. "Well, she did tell me to enjoy it while it lasts..."

"How's your forehead?" Vicky moved Timmy's hand away to look at the aforementioned area.

"Still sore..."

"Well, you didn't break the skin... but you might have a bit of a lump tomorrow."

"Totally worth it."

This caused Vicky to laugh out loud. "You have wanted to do that for a long time, haven't you?"

"Was it that obvious?"

Vicky didn't respond, opting instead to lean in and kiss Timmy's forehead. "Better?"

Timmy looked up at her fearfully, looking more like he had kissed her, rather than the other way around. "Y-yes?"

"Good!" Vicky released him and shoved him off the couch to his feet. "Now go finish making us lunch, I'm starving!" she kicked him in the ass to send him away.

"As you wish milady." Timmy went back into the kitchen to finish cooking...

"Oh Twerrrp!"Timmy was startled as Vicky yelled to him from the living room.

He looked around at the kitchen, he was cooking... he glanced down at the frying pan. "Grilled cheese... again."

"I can see that."

He felt slender fingers grasp his shoulders, then a weight that could only be her head come to rest on his right shoulder.

"You must like making grilled cheese, huh? Or did your parents forget to buy food again?"

Timmy sighed and flipped the sandwiches. "The second one..." for someone who was 'just his friend', Vicky sure did like to put her hands on him... Then again, this was Vicky he was talking about. She was probably just teasing him like she usually did.

"We could go over to my house, I actually buy food."

"Next time... Wait. What?" Timmy shut off the burner and turned around to face Vicky. "Isn't that... dangerously close to you asking me... out?"

"No... It's me asking you to come over my house and cook for me. Big difference. Huge."

"Hm... Alright, if you say so. Yeah, I could do that, might be nice to get a change of scenery... But only if you help! I've cooked for you for the past week and a half!" Timmy spun back around to finish cooking, feigning anger as he did.

"Ya know..."

Timmy felt Vicky return to her previous position with her hands on his shoulders, her head on his right.

"You wouldn't have to cook for me... If you weren't such a brat. That's gonna burn, just, y'know, FYI."

"Gah!" Timmy grabbed the pan and dumped the two sandwiches onto a plate, then put the pan down on an unused burner with a slam.

"Jeez. I thought it was bad to cook angry?"

Timmy didn't respond at first, opting instead to hold his right hand. "...Burned my finger. Brushed the metal of the pan..."

"Klutz. Lemme see." she turned Timmy around to face her and pulled his hand in front of her face to get a better look. "Got any burn cream?"

"Is it that bad?" Timmy tried to pull his hand away to no avail.

Vicky looked at his reddened index finger. "No. But it might ease the pain a bit."

"Oh... Well, I don't think we do."

"Guess you'll have to tough it out then." the red-head at last released his hand and stepped back.

Timmy moved over to the plate on the counter and grabbed a knife, then cut one of the sandwiches into two triangles. He handed the plate to Vicky. "Here."

"Not gonna cut the crusts off for me?"

"You- you can't be serious..."

"No." Vicky took her two halves of sandwich and went into the living room. "Just wanted to see if you would."

Timmy shook his head and grinned. "Like I said, twenty-one going on twelve."

"I'm eating your sandwich for that."

"Crap..." Timmy grabbed the pan and spatula, then brought them over to the sink and washed them, after which he made for the living room, grabbing a couple of napkins as he did.

"Hmph. Lucky you, you finished cleaning up before I could move on to your sandwich." she handed him the plate as he sat down, and he handed her a napkin.

"Don't want you wiping your hands off on your jeans. Then I'd have to do your laundry too..."

Vicky blushed as Timmy teased her about her eating habits. "Your hand okay?"

"Eh..." Timmy looked at his burnt finger. "Not as bad as when I headbutted your idiot boyfriend."

"Hah! You had a lump for a week after that!"

"Don't remind me..." Timmy could feel a headache coming on already.

Vicky slid over next to him and pinched his cheeks, then pulled them up to make it look like he was smiling. "There! Turned that frown upside-down, doesn't suit you, y'know?"

While his mouth may have been contorted into a grin, the look his eyes gave her indicated he was not amused. "Shtop?"

"Fine, be grumpy." Vicky smirked and released his cheeks. "Least I tried to help."

"You could help by figuring out a way to make my finger stop hurting..." over the few minutes since he had burned it, the pain had intensified slightly, it now came in waves, and it really did burn a little.

"Still such a kid." Vicky grabbed his hand, knocking the sandwich he was about to bite into out of it, and brought his finger to her lips, giving it a quick peck before letting go. "Better?"

"I- A-a little..."

"Good." Vicky reached over and ruffled the brunet's hair again. "Can't have my favorite cook hurt and unable to cook for me!"

"You're... weird..."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."