"Alright, I need a job." Timmy talked to mostly himself, though he knew Wanda would soon voice her opinion on the matter.

As if on cue, she poofed out of her fishbowl, along with Cosmo. "What's this about a job?"

"The allowance I get from my parents isn't enough anymore, I need a job."

"Oh Timmy! I'm so proud of you, you're finally taking some of what I told you to heart. Though I have to ask, why do you suddenly want a job? You're parents are more than generous, what could you possibly be spending all your money on?"

"Trixie."

"Oh." Wanda, along with most of Dimmsdale, knew of Timmy's crush on resident popular princess, Trixie Tang. She wished he realized that after so many years of chasing after her that things wouldn't ever work out between them. He was nice, normal, middle class. She was haughty, rich, and possibly insane, or at least manipulative. "Well, either way, having a job will certainly teach you about responsibility."

"And put money in my pocket."

"That too. Any idea where to start?"

"Probably the newspaper."

"Oh? Not gonna wish for it?"

"No. Nearly everytime I wish for something, it ends up backfiring in some way. If I wish for a job, you guys will probably just give me something I hate, like sewer maintenance, or slaughterhouse worker, or mascot for the baseball team, I want something I'll like, or at least not hate."

"Y'know Timmy, not everyone does the job they like, part of life is having to do things you don't necessarily want to..."

"Then I guess it's a good thing I'm not being pressured into getting a job, that way I have all the time in the world to find something I like, huh?"

"Long as you remember, the chances of you finding something you like are pretty slim."

"Eh, perseverance is key."

"That's a good outlook Timmy."

"Wish me luck!" Timmy left his room and headed down the stairs to the living room.

He stopped as he passed the couch. On it lay the sleeping form of his nemesis-turned-friend Vicky. Well, perhaps friend was too strong a word, at least for her. He counted her as a friend now, though not quite in the same light as Tootie and the others. Vicky was nicer to him, definitely, but she still teased him regularly, it just wasn't as spiteful as it used to be. She likely wouldn't agree with the 'friend' title, he was more of an acquaintance to her.

She had apparently fallen asleep with the TV on, her arm was draped over her eyes as she breathed steadily and quietly. Her lips were parted very slightly.

At times like these, when she was peaceful and unaware, Timmy occasionally found himself admiring her. In the seven years since they had first met, age had been mercifully kind to Vicky, her hair had become fuller and somehow redder, her cream-colored skin was light and free of blemishes, save for a dusting of freckles on her cheeks, her eyes seemed so much more vibrant than before, though he rarely saw those for long, fearing she would catch him staring, but when he did see them, if only for a moment, he committed them to memory, no one had eyes like her, not even Trixie.

"Jeez, listen to me wax poetic about her..." he wasn't sure what he felt for the girl he once knew as a red-headed witch. At times, she felt like an older sister to him, at others... well, it didn't matter what he felt. He knew the age difference, he knew she wouldn't want him, even if there wasn't an age difference, so whatever it was that he felt towards her, it was locked away beneath his feelings for Trixie, at least those feelings made sense to him.

He leaned down towards her, his face a foot away. He began to unconsciously reach out toward her face, he didn't even realize his hand was moving toward her until he had almost touched her, just as his fingertips hit, he pulled away like he was burned and shook his head to clear it. "I need help..." he grabbed for the remote instead and shut off the TV, only to turn around and see that Vicky was looking at him with sleepy eyes.

"Hey..." her voice was addled with sleep and her words slurred slightly. "I was watching that..."

"You were sleeping." he grinned at her.

"Perhaps, but the noise was keeping me asleep and content, which now, I am not."

"Sorry. Here." he returned the remote to her and made for the kitchen. Sitting down at the table and grabbing the newspaper, he briefly wondered why he didn't use his computer to look for a job, rather than the paper.

Amazingly enough, he didn't find anyone who was willing to hire a fifteen year old with no experience, not at the Dimmsdale Zoo, not at the Dimmsdale Space Center, not even at Wall 2 Wall Mart. "Ugh... how can I get experience if no one will hire me?! I can't get a job because I have no experience, I can't get experience because I can't get a job! It's a vicious circle!"

"Hey... I'm trying to sleep in here. Could you keep it down?"

"Sorry!"

That was definitely out of character for the both of them, usually Vicky would've yelled that request and filled it with venom, and Timmy would've responded with dry wit, or at least a snappy comeback. Just now though...She had asked him to keep it down. But there was no edge to her voice, it was more of a simple request. And him, apologizing to her? Beyond weird.

Timmy returned his attention to the paper in front of him. There was one place he hadn't tried yet, a daycare center that seemed to be fairly new, it had pushed out the learnatorium, though he had no idea how. Dialing the number, he heard the phone ring several times before a sleepy-sounding voice answered.

"...Hello?"

"Hi, is this... The Dimmsdale Daycare Center?"

"No... this is the owner, who you just woke up from a comfortable nap..."

He wasn't sure at first, but once she began speaking, then mentioned the nap, he was able to put the pieces together pretty fast. "Sorry about that. I was just wondering if the position you advertised in the paper is still available?" Just because he knew it was Vicky, didn't mean he was going to tell her it was him, she could figure it out on her own, in the mean time, he would have just a little fun.

He heard Vicky sigh on the other end of the phone. "Yeah, I need a new assistant, on account of the last one being fired. Out of a cannon."

"May I ask why?"

"Kept flirting with me, making advances, grabbing my ass. I told him, no fraternization at the workplace, he didn't listen. Fired him out of a cannon. Need a new assistant, interested or not?"

Timmy contemplated her offer, he wasn't entirely sure if he wanted to work for Vicky after what she had just told him. He didn't plan on making any moves on her, being rebuffed by Trixie was bad enough, he didn't want to ruin the delicate friendship that he and Vicky had. But what if she killed him for something as simple as not getting her coffee exactly right? What if she outright denied him a job on the spot?

"Clock's ticking..."

"Oh! Sorry about that. I... uh... yeah, I'll take the job... I mean! Um... you probably want to interview me first... uh... sorry, I've never had a job before, I'm kinda nervous..."

"Well-" Vicky cut herself off as she yawned. "Lucky for you, I don't bother with interviews, you call for the job, you get the job, you screw up, no one finds the body. Simple."

"..."

"I'm not joking. See you bright and early tomorrow!"

CLICK

"I've made a terrible mistake." Timmy facedesked.

The next day... Saturday? Sure.

Timmy stood in front of The Dimmsdale Daycare Center, as he had been doing for the past half hour, trying to get up the resolve to enter and begin his job. He wondered if Vicky might treat him similarly as to how she did back when she still babysat him.

Well, technically she did still babysit him, but it was mostly because he convinced his parents that he still needed her to babysit him. He did, but not for the reasons they thought, he needed her so he could keep his fairies and because, when he thought of life without Vicky around, he felt... something... depressed maybe? There was a sense of impending loss when he thought about it that he couldn't quite place.

"Alright, I have to do this. No backing down." He slowly walked forward, each step filled with purpose and uncertainty at the same time.

Walking through the large double doors, he looked around to see a girl behind the front desk, short and blonde, and rather attractive, though not familiar. She smiled and waved at him.

Timmy approached the desk and began speaking. "Um... Hey, I'm here for... the job, I guess? Assistant to the director?"

The blonde girl's face paled and her smile faded. "Oh. I'm terribly sorry. Vicky's office is right through there. I was Jenna by the way, it was nice meeting you, hopefully you'll have better luck in the next life..."

"I can only guess that she assumes I'll be leaving here in a body bag..." "It was nice meeting you too, but I'll be okay."

"Doubtful." Jenna returned her attention to her computer, though she seemed to be looking at funny pictures of cats, rather than working.

Heading in the direction that Jenna directed him to, Timmy stepped up to the door marked 'Director' below which read 'Vicky'. Her last name appeared to have been there once, but it was now scratched out, leaving only her first. He knocked hesitantly and waited, but received no response.

"Oh, you can just go in, if I know the director, she's probably sleeping at this hour."

"Sleeping? Well, it makes sense, Vicky isn't a morning person..." "Er... thanks."

Jenna smiled sympathetically at him and returned to her cat pictures.

Timmy slowly, very slowly, turned the knob and entered, shutting the door behind him. The office wasn't small, nor was it extravagant. Though it had far more than a normal office would. It contained a fridge, hot plate for cooking, a bed, and two couches, along with a large flat screen TV. In the back-center of the room was a large desk, behind which sat Vicky, slumped over her desk, sleeping peacefully, using her arms as a pillow.

Deciding that it would be better to get started, he walked over to the desk and nudged her shoulder with his hand. "Vicky?"

Her response was an incoherent mumble, but she didn't wake up.

"Vicky." he nudged with a bit more force, causing her to stir.

She lifted her head up and looked at him sleepily. "Twerp?"

Timmy could feel those odd thoughts returning. "God she's cute when she first wakes up... No! Focus! She's your babysitter and friend, just... stop thinking like that! It took you forever to get this far!" "Um... good morning."

"Morning? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in school?"

"Vicky, it's Saturday."

"Oh. Shouldn't you be at home? Playing video games... or... whatever it is fifteen year old boys do?"

"I thought I'd come by to visit you."

Vicky yawned and stretched. "Not to say I don't like the gesture, but I have someone coming in today for a job, I need to give them my full attention, y'know, make sure they don't steal anything, screw up, things like that."

"So you want me to leave?" Timmy added a hint of sadness to his voice and gave Vicky an equally sad look.

"Oh come on... don't give me that-" Vicky looked to see that Timmy was still giving her that puppy dog stare of his. "Fine. You can stay. As long as you keep outta my and the new guy's way, got it?"

"Yeah, thanks Vicky!"

She didn't know when that look began to influence her, but it did, and he knew it. A fact that she found very irritating, she was the deceiver, the trickster, the grifter, but he had found a way to influence her. Maybe it was all the time they spent together, who knows? But she felt comfortable enough around this boy that she didn't bother to address it. "You're just lucky you're my favorite Twerp."

"I'm almost your height!"

"And yet, you're still a Twerp." Vicky laughed.

"Hmph." Timmy set about organizing her papers on her desk.

"What're you doing? Leave that for the newbie."

"I'm just helping. Your office is a mess, do you live here or something?"

"Some nights."

"Really?!"

"Yeah, sometimes work keeps me busy, then I'm too tired to drive home, so I sleep here, hence the bed."

"Wow... I dunno if I could live and sleep in the same place I work..."

"I did it for the past seven years on and off while babysitting you... Anyway, hopefully this new guy will let me finish things here so I don't have to live here..."

"One can hope..." having finished organizing her desk, Timmy began cleaning myriad stains off of where he assumed she prepared her food.

Vicky eyed him curiously from her desk, her eyelids beginning to droop now and then, causing her to occasionally snap her head up and look around, only to begin falling asleep again. "Hey... c'mon... leave something for the new guy..."

"Sorry, I just wanna keep myself busy." Timmy looked up from his cleaning.

"Then play something on the 360... you shouldn't have to clean up after me." Vicky yawned loudly, covering her mouth as she did.

"Really, I don't mind. It's kinda like old times..."

Vicky laid her head down on her arms again. "You mean when I babysat and tortured you on a daily basis?"

"Yeah, nostalgia and junk..."

"You almost sound like you miss it..."

"Nah, not really. Things were simpler back then though. I didn't have to worry about any of the stuff I do now... But I like how far we've come, you and I, me and Tootie, Chester, AJ..."

"You and I?"

"Well..." He was hoping she would ignore that comment. "I'm glad we're... cool, y'know? We've had our differences, but we're past all that now, I'd like to think we're friends..."

"We are... friends..." she began to trail off as sleep regained its hold on her.

"Vicky?"

Vicky sat up and looked around. "I'm awake! Is he here?"

Timmy giggled at her. " No, still just me. Why don't you lay down? Sleeping in that position can't be good for your back..."

"I wish I could... but I have to stay awake..."

"Vicky. I'll keep watch, if he shows up, I'll get you up. Get some rest."

Vicky tried thinking about what he said, but quickly began falling asleep again. "Ugh... alright, you've convinced me..." she got up from her desk and lied down on the twin-size bed. "Oh... what about Jenna? If someone shows up, she'll just send them right in... I can't have people walking in and seeing me asleep..."

Timmy walked over to the office door and locked it, then walked over to the bed and pulled a blanket over Vicky. "There, now you can rest easy."

Vicky felt her eyelids becoming heavier, but pressed on to try and stay awake. "Why are you being so nice to me? I certainly don't deserve it..."

"Eh, don't beat yourself up over what you did to me in the past, it's bad for you. You know I'm the 'forgive and forget' type, so don't worry about it."

"Huh... I'm glad we're friends... Twerp..."

Timmy found himself to be a bit too shocked to say anything, and Vicky had already drifted off to sleep anyway. "Me too..."

Several hours later...

Vicky awoke in her office, it was dark. From what she could tell, it had to be around six at night. "Great... I overslept..." getting out of bed, she stretched and fumbled around for the light switch. "C'mon... Ah! There it is!" flipping it illuminated the room and revealed that it was not only spotless, but organized as well. "Wow..." Vicky walked over to the table that was flanked by the two couches and saw there was a laptop on it.

"I remember you!" Vicky picked up the laptop. "I thought someone stole you!"

It was at this point that Vicky noticed soft breathing coming from her desk. Looking over revealed Timmy sitting in her chair, his legs propped up on the desk and his arms behind his head, the barest hints of a content smile on his face. "Hm. Very cute." she walked over and shook him lightly. "Hey, Twerp?"

"Mmph... not now Trixie, need to sleep, too tired."

"I'm not Trixie. I like to think I have a more interesting personality than that girl you've been fawning over for..." Vicky counted on her fingers. "Seven years now?"

Timmy groaned and stretched. "Meh... I shouldn't have slept in this chair..."

"You shouldn't have slept at all! I thought I asked you to stay awake in case that newbie came?!"

"Hey, I stayed up until four, and I asked Jenna to take care of anyone who came to the door, you didn't lose any business, and that guy never showed up."

"He didn't?"

Timmy felt like telling her, but this would be a good opportunity to see what Vicky thought of the work he had done. "Nope, a few parents showed up to pick up their kids, but that's it."

"Ugh... what a pain. And I can't even kill him for not showing up..."

"Y'know... his phone number might still be in your phone..."

"Nah, I checked this morning, just a few calls from your parents, Tootie, my parents, and a few from you. When did you get my number anyway?"

"Got it from my parents, they gave it to me in case I ever needed to contact you in an emergency and they weren't around."

"I dunno then, I must've deleted it without thinking..."

"Huh. Oh well."

"Did- did you clean my office?"

"I didn't exactly have anything better to do..."

"You uh... you did a nice job... you even found my laptop..."

"I did have lots of practice, thanks to you."

"Um..."

"Yeah?"

"I don't know if that guy who called will ever show up, so... would you be interested in being my assistant?"

"What does being your assistant entail?"

"Pretty much what you did here today, maybe get me lunch, coffee... You wouldn't have to deal with the children... well, not too often, just their parents, who are usually pretty tame... And there's the added benefit for me, I know you, and I know you aren't dumb enough to try and steal from me. You also already know everything I like, and how I want things done... so if you want the job, it's yours."

"So... you trust me?"

"Don't make this weird..." Vicky whined.

"Oh! Sorry! Um... yeah, sure. I'll take the job." He still didn't want to risk his friendship with Vicky; somehow, asking her if she trusted him made it feel like he took a big risk, somehow jeopardizing the understanding the two shared.

"Good, since we live so close together, I'll pick you up every day after school and bring you here on the week days, and every morning at seven on the weekends, sound like a plan?"

"Sure! Thanks Vicky, I figured I'd have to take the bus here..."

"What're friends for? But I expect you to work hard and do your job, at least until you don't have anything to do, then you can feel free to do whatever."

"Got it."

"Great, you need a ride home?"

"You sure you don't mind? I mean, you're already really helping me out here..."

"How about you answer a question of mine?"

"Alright..."

"Why do you want this job?"

"Er..."

"I know your parents give you plenty for an allowance, so why do you want a job too? Getting greedy? Maybe just a little?"

"Um... you know how I still like Trixie?"

"Yep, you follow her around like a love sick puppy."

"Well... I've been trying to win her over with gifts... and I need money for me, so..."

"With a job, you'll be able to get gifts for Trixie, and fuel your video game addiction."

"Yeah, exactly!"

"Jeez Twerp, sometimes I wonder if you're a lost cause..."

"I'm free to love whoever I want."

"That you are. C'mon, let's go."

As Timmy followed Vicky out the door of her office, he briefly wondered if she was right, if he really didn't have a chance with Trixie. But if not Trixie, then who? He may be young, but he didn't want to spend the rest of his life alone. Tootie wasn't an option, she was just too... Tootie, that and AJ had told him that he had the hots for her, what kind of friend would he be if he suddenly did an about-face and started wooing Tootie? A shitty one, that's what kind.

And he had talked to Veronica recently about her affections, he briefly, very briefly, tried a relationship with her, but she was too... Crazy. And once they were together, it seemed like she didn't care anymore, like she had what she wanted, but didn't care to work on keeping it. Thankfully, he was able to have Cosmo and Wanda undo that little wrinkle, so he was able to tell Veronica that a friendship was easier, to which she(thankfully) agreed.

Finally... there was her. A relationship he knew could never be. A relationship that only existed in his head, at the fringes of his mind, where it belonged. On some rare nights, when Trixie wasn't on his mind, Vicky was. He didn't even know why, she had treated him slightly better than garbage, yet his thoughts somehow found their way to her. Maybe it was because of how unattainable she seemed, a goal he secretly strove for, yet would never achieve. Maybe he had developed some sort of off-shoot form of Stockholm's Syndrome and was mentally drawn toward her. Maybe-

"Are you gonna stare into space all day Twerp? C'mon, I have to lock up."

"Oh! Right, sorry Vicky, I'm coming!"

"Jeez, you space out a lot..."