A/N: Twenty chapters I can't believe it. I'm nervous about this chapter guys, not gonna lie. I've had a few comments wondering about Teddi's past relationships, so here it is! We're unlocking a piece of Teddi's backstory that's sure to have an affect on things in the future. Enjoy!

xxx

If it was one thing that Teddi had learned while living with Billy, it was that he went stir crazy very quickly. She knew that it was something that had developed from living with Neil. The longer Billy stayed home, the bigger the chance that Neil would find something to get mad at him over. Teddi noticed that when she was at work Billy would often bring Max to the arcade to hang out. If they were home on weekends he would suggest going out to the movies or really anything to get out of the apartment. She couldn't blame him, she was the same way. It was going to be a tough habit for him to break, But Teddi wanted him to know that they were in a space now that he didn't have to avoid. It was safe.

While he was suspended for the week he didn't really have much to do or anywhere to go. The pool was only open on weekends during the winter, so mostly he sat around on the couch and waited for Teddi to come home. And being stuck indoors made him easily irritated.

It had never really been pointed in her direction until now. Teddi had come home from school to see that Billy had moved their coffee table out of the way and was lifting weights while MTV played in the background. He had a cigarette clamped hard between his lips, puffs of smoke escaping each time he grunted. Teddi dropped her books onto the kitchen counter, making her way around the couch and plopping down. She shamelessly watched Billy continue to lift his weights until he spoke.

"Welcome home, Princess." he said sarcastically as he set the weight down, pinching the cigarette between his fingers and blowing a cloud of smoke in Teddi's direction.

Teddi ignored the comment. "Is this what you've been doing all day?" she asked, moving her legs so Billy could sit next to her. He pulled her legs into his lap, offering his cigarette to her. She shook her head.

"What else am I supposed to do? I'm not allowed at school and you're gone all day. I drove around for like three hours this morning. This place fucking sucks." he said, sulking. Teddi couldn't argue there. There wasn't much to do in town to begin with. There was even less to do on a weekday morning.

Teddi let out a small laugh, knocking her foot against his chest. "I'm pretty sure that's the point of suspension. You're kinda supposed to suffer." she teased.

Billy rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

Teddi tilted her head, watching Billy carefully. "Well, what do you expect? No one forced you to knock the shit out of Tommy-"

That had done it. Billy glared over at her. Teddi let out a sigh. "You think I don't know that?" he asked, his lips curled up in a snarl. "I know I fucked up, Teddi. What happened to telling me it was just a slip up?"

Teddi sat up, running a hand over her face. "It was a slip up. But you also almost put Tommy in the hospital. You scared a lot of people, Billy. You scared me. Acting like this comes with consequences-"

Billy let out a dry laugh. "Thanks, mom."

Teddi scoffed, getting up from the couch. "I don't have time for this. I have to change and go to work." she walked towards her room. Billy followed her.

He stood in her doorway, his hands on his hips. "You don't have time for what exactly?" he asked.

"I don't have time to deal with you acting like a child who can't understand that he did something wrong. I haven't done anything to you. I'm trying to be supportive. I don't want to come home every day and have you lash out at me because you're bored." she pulled the sweater she had worn to school over her head, tossing it into the closet and putting on her Family Video shirt.

"I'm not taking anything out on you-" he clenched his jaw tightly. He knew that he was. Teddi had only been trying to joke around with him. He turned around, stomping over to where his denim jacket was thrown over the back of the couch. "I'm going out." he announced.

Teddi sighed. "Going where? You're gonna freeze!"

Billy snatched his keys off of the counter. "I don't know, Teddi! Get off my case!" he spat, slamming the door behind him.

Teddi hid her face in her hands, letting out a frustrated groan. This wasn't anything new. They had both fought plenty of times before. But this was the first time they had fought since they had become...whatever it was that they had become. Teddi was just going to have to be patient with him. As hard as that was going to be. Sometimes she just wanted to slap him and tell him to stop being such an asshole.

She'd go to work and let him blow off some steam. In a few hours Billy would probably waltz into the video store with Max in tow acting like nothing had happened. She felt a pang of annoyance at that. It was still rare that he apologized. Teddi hated it. If the two of them were going to live together and be together things were going to have to change.

Keith was behind the counter when she got to the video store. Teddi hadn't seen him since the news had broken at school that she and Billy had moved in together. Keith leaned over the counter a little, looking Teddi up and down slowly. "...You don't look pregnant." he decided.

Teddi rolled her eyes. "I'm not pregnant. Do you believe everything you hear at school?"

"...Not everything. Did you move in with Billy?"

"That's...shut up, Keith. Shouldn't you be over at the arcade?" she huffed, slipping behind the counter and stowing her back in a cabinet.

Keith watched her carefully, like he was studying her. "You're not a very good liar."

Teddi let out an irritated huff. "I'm not lying." she argued.

"You're avoiding the truth. Same thing," suddenly he looked bored with her. He jabbed his thumb towards the back of the store. "Heather Holloway's here. She's been waiting for you. I'll be next door." Teddi glared at Keith as he headed out of the video store. Sometimes she wished she could slap him too.

Teddi let out a sigh, rubbing at her forehead. She was starting to get a headache. Heather was back by the drama section. She smiled when she saw Teddi. "Hey!" she greeted, her smile fading into a frown when she saw Teddi's expression. "Jeez, you look like hell. Is everything okay?"

Teddi smiled thinly. "Oh you know...men. What's up?"

Heather looked around to make sure no one was listening in. She shrugged, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "I just wanted to check in after yesterday. Are you okay? I heard you hurt your wrist."

"I'm fine. I've had way worse happen before," she waved a hand at Heather. "Have you heard how Tommy's doing?"

"Carol said he's fine. I think he's just embarrassed because he looks like shit and Billy like totally showed him up in front of all his friends," she rolled her eyes. That was a relief to hear. No permanent damage. Well, maybe aside from Tommy's ego. "Is Billy okay? It's totally unfair that he's the only one getting punished."

It was, but Teddi figured that Tommy would weasel his way out of a suspension somehow. "He's...okay," she lied. "He's mostly bored," Heather looked at Teddi carefully, like she wanted to ask something but was too afraid to. Teddi laughed. "What is it, Heather?"

Heather flashed her a sheepish smile. "What's the deal with you two? You can tell me, Teddi. It's not like I'll tell anyone." Teddi knew that she wouldn't. Heather was a good friend. Loyal. And Teddi sort of liked having someone to talk to about Billy that was her own age.

"We're...I don't know," she sighed. "We're together but we're not...together. Does that make sense?"

Heather scrunched up her nose. "Not really." she confessed with a laugh.

Teddi laughed, leaning against one of the shelves. "I told him I wanted to take things slow. I told myself I wasn't even going to date until after I graduated and now I live with the guy." sometimes Teddi didn't even realize what a total 180 her life had done since meeting Billy.

"No dating until graduation? God, why?" Heather asked.

"I don't know...I've never had much luck with relationships," she explained. That was sort of an understatement. "I like Billy. He's an asshole, but…"

"But you don't wanna mess things up with him?" Heather finished for her.

Teddi nodded. "Exactly. So I definitely can't let my hormones take control," the two girls laughed. "Besides, he's being sort of a dick right now anyways." she muttered.

Heather rolled her eyes. "Boys."

"Boys." Teddi agreed.

"So...wait, did you two actually hook up at that Christmas party?"

The Christmas party. That felt like it had been years ago. "No. God no. I was wasted so he took me to his place and I slept in his sister's room."

Heather raised an eyebrow, still not totally convinced. "Billy? Seriously? That sounds so...nice."

Teddi smiled and shrugged. "He's not like everyone at school thinks he is. He can be sweet...when he wants to be." she said with a small laugh.

Heather smiled, leaning in like she had a secret. "Are you guys like in love?"

"In love?" Teddi asked with a laugh. "No. No way." she made a face, shaking her head.

"But you moved in together," Heather argued before rolling her eyes. "I mean, I know it's for some reason you don't wanna tell me yet, but you don't just move in with a new boyfriend unless you're in like...a lifetime movie."

Teddi honestly considered it for a moment. Were they in love? Maybe. Teddi shook her head. If she was in love there would be no maybe involved, would there? "...Definitely not, Heather. We've got a long way to go still."

Heather only shrugged. "If you say so. I should get going, I'll see you tomorrow at school?" Teddi nodded. "Maybe we can do something this weekend. Billy can come too if he wants. We can see the Breakfast Club!"

"Definitely. He'll be dying to get out of the apartment. I'll ask him."

"Awesome. See ya later, Ted." Heather bumped her hip against Teddi's before heading out.

Teddi's shift went by much faster than she would've liked. She hated how she was dreading going back to the apartment. Things were supposed to be different when she'd moved in with Billy. It was supposed to be a safe place for the both of them, not a place Teddi had to avoid because he was upset with her.

When she got back to the apartment building, she sat in her van for a few minutes. The light inside their apartment was on. The Camaro as sitting next to her van. Billy was up waiting for her. Teddi let out a sigh, finally climbing out of the van and heading upstairs. Billy was sitting on the couch. He'd moved the coffee table back and had showered. Now he was in a pair of sleep shorts and nervously turning the remote in his hands.

"...Hey." he said, not quite meeting her eyes.

Teddi dropped her keys onto the counter, hanging her puffy coat up by the door. "Hi...what're you watching?"

Billy rubbed the back of his neck. "That movie you like with John Travolta and the mechanical bull."

"Urban Cowboy."

"Yeah, that one…" he turned the remote in his hands a few more times. Teddi disappeared into her room before she allowed herself to join Billy on the couch to finish the movie. She changed into her pajamas, walking out to the bathroom. She could sense Billy casting a glance or two her way while she brushed her teeth. Teddi ignored him.

She headed back to her room, closing the door over and shutting her light off before she got into bed. A few moments passed before she heard the TV shut off. Billy was in her doorway now, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot. Teddi rolled over, her back to him.

Billy sighed. "I'm sorry...about earlier. I was a dick," Teddi was surprised to hear him apologize. Just when she thought she had Billy figured out he would surprise her. She didn't say anything back. Teddi only lifted her comforter. Billy slid into bed next to her, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close to his chest. "This mean you forgive me?"

"As long as you don't do it again."

"...I can't make any promises," he said honestly. "I know what I did was fucked up. I just…"

"You get embarrassed." Teddi finished for him.

"Yeah." he huffed.

Teddi placed one of her hands over Billy's, her nails scratching at his skin softly. "I know. All you can do is move on from this and try to steer yourself in the right direction from there," she said. Billy only hummed in response. Teddi's mind drifted to the conversation she'd had with Heather earlier that day. "...Billy? Have you ever been in love?"

"In love?" he asked. Teddi could hear the smile in his voice. "Definitely not. Where's this coming from?"

Teddi shrugged. "I don't know. Heather was asking me questions today about you and I and she asked why I was so opposed to dating."

Billy was quiet for a moment. "Have you ever been in love?"

Teddi chewed on her bottom lip. "...That is a complicated question."

"Well I'm not going anywhere. You wanna explain?"

Teddi thought it over. This was something she hadn't told anyone before. Teddi wriggled in Billy's arms, turning over to face him. "...There was this guy named Chris. He was this really punk guy with a green mohawk...although I'm pretty sure I was more in love with his tongue ring rather than him," she smiled when Billy let out a snort. Teddi bit her lip, taking in a deep breath. "There was also Hannah." she said finally.

Billy looked at her expectantly, like he was waiting for her to continue when what Teddi said had sunk in. His eyebrows shot up in surprise before he pulled away from her a little. "Hannah," he repeated. "...I'm pretty sure you told me you weren't a lesbian."

Teddi rolled her eyes. "Obviously I'm not a lesbian."

"Fine, then I was half right," Billy scoffed. "...Is she the one in that picture you had in your room? With the pink hair?" he felt a pang of jealousy. Teddi definitely wouldn't have been too happy if Billy had a picture of him and Cheryl hanging up in his room after they had broken up.

"She doesn't look like that anymore," she shook her head. "We were sixteen. I had just gotten the van and we went camping at the lake with some friends. And we weren't...together. Not technically. She was my best friend, and we…" Teddi sighed. "She wanted to date other people so people wouldn't get the wrong idea about us. So that's what I did. Hannah dated and I slept around and then I always felt like shit after. And it went on like that for like...four years."

Teddi's eyes were glossed over with the threat of tears. Billy ran his fingers up and down her spine slowly. "What happened then?" he asked.

Teddi was quiet for a long while. "...I was sleeping over at her house. I did it all the time. Her parents never thought anything of it and they never bothered us so we…" Teddi sighed. "Her mom walked in on us and totally freaked out. She kicked me out and told me I was never allowed to see Hannah again. And then she called my dad," she laughed dryly. "I'm sure you can imagine how that went over. I didn't talk to Hannah for awhile after. I figured I would just wait for it to all blow over and we would just be more careful," she sniffed, shaking her head. "She wouldn't speak to me anymore after that. It was like I didn't exist anymore. Like everything between us had just never happened,"

She let out a soft sob, rubbing her eyes roughly with the back of her hand. "And everyone found out. Her mom told everyone. Sometimes I think that's why we moved here. Like my dad was so embarrassed of me that he had to run out of town. And he won't even acknowledge it now. I just whore around with boys instead of both." she let out another short laugh.

Billy didn't know what to say. This was such a big thing that Teddi was sharing with him. And it definitely wasn't something he'd been expecting. He'd expected her to tell him about some asshole back in New York that maybe cheated on her. He definitely hadn't imagined Teddi going out with someone who was ashamed of her. How was that even possible?

"...Fuck Hannah," he finally said. Teddi laughed. "Seriously, Ted. That's…"

"Super shitty?"

"Super shitty." he agreed.

"It was just really fresh when I moved here, and I didn't want to feel like I was with someone who was just using me again. I don't wanna be that girl anymore. I hated being that girl." she said quietly.

Billy felt guilty. It made so much sense now. Why she wanted him to stop messing around with Cheryl and why she kept him at arms length. He had been doing to Cheryl what Hannah had done to her. Why should she expect anything different from him? He realized there wasn't anything for him to say. He couldn't promise her that he'd never hurt her. And Teddi knew that. She was willing to take that chance again with him. He felt like he didn't deserve that.

"...You know, Mercury and Bowie are into both too." was all he said. You're a fucking moron, Hargrove, he scolded himself.

Teddi let out another small laugh. "What are you doing, Billy?"

"Nothing. I'm just saying…" there was a somewhat awkward silence that fell between them.

Teddi smiled up at him, rolling her eyes. "Out with it."

Billy shifted, rolling onto his back. "Are there any girls here...?" his eyes flickered over in her direction quickly before staring up at the little glow in the dark stars on the ceiling.

Teddi rolled onto her back next to him. She looked like she'd been expecting that question. "You wouldn't ask me if there were any guys I was attracted to." she argued.

"Humor me."

Teddi was silent for a long moment. "...I mean, she's a bitch, but Cheryl."

Billy let out a snort. "Trust me, I get it."

Teddi laughed. Her lips pursed. "There's also Nanc-"

Billy sat up. "Nancy Wheeler?"

He knew that Teddi's cheeks were blushing deeply. She hid her face in her hands. "Don't judge me, Hargrove. I have a thing for a strong jaw and a commanding personality."

Billy groaned, laying back down. "If you ever leave me for Nancy Wheeler please put me out of my misery."

"You know, sometimes you're even more dramatic than I am." Teddi teased.

He scoffed, crossing his arms. "...If I talk to Cheryl-"

"Billy."

"I'm just asking."

Teddi laughed, looking over at Billy who was grinning at her. He reached out, linking his fingers with her. "So, you're not…?" she asked shyly.

Billy raised an eyebrow. "Not what?"

"I don't know...mad? Creeped out? Grossed out? Anything?"

Billy pulled his hand from Teddi, leaning up on his elbows and looking at her. "What?'" he asked with a snort. "Teddi...you and Cheryl together has been a favorite fantasy of mine on many lonely nights since I moved here."

He knew she was blushing again. Teddi smiled, covering her face with her hands. "You're so-"

Billy cut her off by leaning in to kiss her. "Don't ruin this for me, Larsson." their eyes met. Teddi's green eyes, looking almost black in the dark room, were still glossed over with tears. Billy felt relieved when he didn't see fear there anymore.

Teddi bit her lip, running her fingers through his curls before she kissed him. "Sweet dreams, Hargrove." she teased.

Maybe she did love Billy...maybe it was okay that there was a maybe involved.