(Timmy's PoV)
The last two weeks were full of paperwork, and a court hearing. Not that he was in trouble... no. Mostly it was the transfer of assets, and to legally make him an adult. It was decided that since he was now sixteen, that he'd be treated like an adult, verses putting him in a foster home for two years. The money his parents had left him, along with insurance... he'd be able to support himself. Still he didn't pay much attention to that. He was still in shock of their passing, but deep down he wondered... what difference did it make? He never saw them... hell he couldn't remember the last time he had actually seen them. But he did want them back, at least on a trip he knew they were alright... knew that they'd be back sometime.
He hadn't really wished that he still had friends in a long time. A.J. And Chester were not the best of friends, but he really wished that he had someone to talk to. Of course during the last two weeks Tootie had called many times, if he wasn't so angry at her still he'd have talked to her. Now that he was back home, and all the court and paperwork crap was over he was back where he was when this all started, sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. Today he had decided to let Tootie come over, really what could she do to him, or say to him that could be worse than what had happened? But he'd doubled up on his anxiety medication today, he knew that he'd need it. He sighed as a knock came to the door, he pushed himself off the couch then went to open the door letting Tootie in.
It started out with a barrage of questions; 'Where had he been?', 'Why hadn't he answered his phone, or door?', several others of the like. He answered them mostly truthful, he hadn't told her about his parents yet. He wondered if she'd still go through with her little plan after she found out.
"Timmy, whats wrong?" She obviously noticed that he was answering with basic information, that he was hardly paying attention to her questions and not putting much effort in answering them.
"Well..." he started out how crappy that day had started to turn out, about the mall... then about sitting at home. The officer, the courts, paper work... everything. When he was finished, he just stood before her, waiting for the laugh, waiting for the damning words. He didn't... almost didn't expect the tears... when she fell to her knees in front of him crying he took a few steps back. This wasn't going like he expected it to at all. He didn't want to talk about his parents right now... right now he wanted to know what all this was about... the reason he invited her over... the distraction... The only thing he could ask at the moment without breaking down. "What were you doing with Chester and A.J.?"
"Chester and A.J.? I was... I was trying to figure out what I should get you, so I asked..." she stopped as her voice started breaking, she shook her head, "But your parents... What'll happen to you? Are you going to be taken away?"
"I..." he didn't know what to say... he had gotten her here to start a fight... something to vent the stress and frustration, he wanted to yell and scream... but there was no plan against him. With no other stress reliever he too crumbled to his knees and sobbed. This was the first time since he had heard the news about his parents that he cried. It wasn't long before he was being held by Tootie, and he wasn't sure how long he had knelt on the floor. Before she helped him up to the couch... from there he over heard her talking to someone on her phone, he wasn't sure who. But she seemed a little more calm when she returned.
"That was Vicki, I... well I told her what happened and she said that... well that shes coming over." At that he sat straight up, he didn't' want Vicki back here. "No, no Timmy. It's okay, she's... well she's become somewhat nicer. I swear, I promise. Even if she was the same, she wouldn't do anything to upset you... not after this." He slumped back onto the couch... wasn't much he could do anyways. Vicki was going to come over... Tootie sounded truthful about Vicki having changed, but he wasn't sure... he guessed he'd know soon if she had really changed.
Nothing was said as she sat on the couch waiting for Vicki to arrive. Tootie had went into the kitchen... he kinda wished that she hadn't, he hadn't cleaned much in the past two weeks... hadn't done much at all really. He hadn't felt like doing anything, he hadn't eaten much so it shouldn't be THAT messy. Honestly he couldn't even remember the last time that he has went into the kitchen. By the time he had finally started to calm down, the first time that he had calmed down since the night the storm prevented Tootie from going home, someone knocked at the door. And that could only mean one person was there, Vicki... He felt his insides knot again...
As he walked to the door his mind prepared him for what was on the other side, and he was glad that he doubled up on his medication today... maybe he'd still get a fight... maybe he could still get rid of this stress, he thought as he opened the door. There she was, almost the same as she had been a few years ago. Red hair, only it was down past her shoulders and not in a pony tail. The same pinkish eyes, only they didn't look the same this time. Slowly his mind registered things like hips, and bust which had been generous to the older teen.
"Twer... I mean Timmy. I'm..." that's when he realized why her eyes looked different, there wasn't anger and hate... no spite, or bitterness. There was compassion... which seemed to unnerve him even more than if she had been cruel. Cruel he was expecting... hoping for... he wanted a fight, though lacked the will to just start one. She hugged him, the moment her arms touched his back, his entire body tensed up... his parents hadn't even given him a hug in years... no one but Tootie had even touched him in years. "I'm so sorry..."
Timmy knew he should say something, anything to get her to stop. It was well beyond weird for her to be hugging him, being nice to him... wait did she say she was 'sorry'. He was sitting on the couch again, he hadn't realized that he had been lead there. Where did his mind go during that time? Vicki and Tootie were in the kitchen, he could hear them moving around...
"...Yeah he's pretty out of it," that was Vicki... her voice a blend of sarcasm and compassion, maybe being nice was as weird to her as it was for the rest of us.
"He lost his parents... he's going to be here alone, Vicki... I'm worried something might happen." Tootie's voice was soft, an obvious attempt at trying to be quiet, but he could hear them... Like he didn't know he would be here alone for the rest of his life. He didn't need to be reminded of that, it would be almost like before... his parents money paying for everything, while he sat here alone. Only this time... it wasn't when his parents would come home... or even if his parents came home. He knew they'd never come home, they always ignored him, and really sucked at being parents. But they were his... and he wanted them back. When his mind finally stopped thinking about that, after having realized he was trying to listen to Tootie and Vicki, they had move onto another topic.
(Tootie's PoV Short)
Alone in the kitchen with Vicki things were quiet... Vicki even seemed worried about how Timmy had just shut down when she came over. And seeing her older sister worried frightened her. She had cleaned up the kitchen before Vicki had arrived and they were figuring out what to make, considering the stuff Timmy had. Seemed that Timmy wasn't the kind of person to shop in advance, well she'd talk to him about that.
"Um Vicki... do you think that Timmy will be alright?" Tootie asked looking back towards the door that lead to were Timmy sat alone on the couch.
"I'm not sure," Vicki followed Tootie's gaze and just continued to stare at the doorway for a while. "I've done a lot of mean stuff to him, but I've never seen him like this. I can't even imagine what's going through his mind."
"I don't even know if he knows we are in here anymore."
"Yeah he's pretty out of it," Vicki said as she put the tray of food into the oven.
"He lost his parents... he's going to be here alone, Vicki... I'm worried something might happen." Tootie wondered if she knew what she was about to ask Vicki... She was sure the answer would be no, but she wanted to ask anyways, because this was important... "Vicki... do you think I could stay with him a while?"
(Vicki's PoV Short)
Vicki just stared at her sister... had those words really come out of her mouth? Of course she knew Tootie had been crushing on this boy for... years and years, even though she was still young. Vicki had always assumed it was more like puppy love. But no, Tootie was asking if she could stay with him a while to help him stay safe... When someone loses everything, well they might start thinking things, bad things.
"Please... I don't want anything bad to happen to him." Tootie had tears in her eyes, and Vicki sighed. There wasn't much she could say... if it had been any other boy on the planet, her answer would have instantly been 'No'. Timmy on the other hand, had always been honest, kind and caring. Though she didn't know how much of that boy was left after these last three years.
"There are rules..." Vicki started, hoping by giving rules she wasn't going to put ideas into her sister's head. "You both still have school, well... maybe after a couple of days until Timmy is feeling better, but I will be picking up your class work, and you will do it. No staying up late," she almost laughed when she said it, Tootie didn't stay up late often. She started getting tired early. She didn't have to cover parties, because well, as much as she didn't want to admit it. Due to her, Tootie didn't have friends, no one wanted to befriend the little sister of the meanest babysitter in the world. And Timmy, well he had Tootie.
"Okay that I can do." Tootie hugged her sister... one of the few rare hugs that she had gotten from Tootie. Yes she had been trying to be nicer since their parents had abandoned Tootie like they had done her. But that didn't mean they were all touchy feely.
(Tootie's PoV)
They sat at the table eating, her and Vicki talked about various things. School, Vicki's new job and how it was going. She kept glancing over at Timmy from time to time, hoping that he'd say something. If he didn't have anything to contribute he could causally change the topic. But he didn't, after they finished eating Timmy did clear the table, though it seemed more like an automatic response verses him doing it. Kind of like he was just on autopilot.
Vicki told Tootie that she had to leave, and she walked her sister to the door. They said their goodbyes, and Vicki hugged her, something new to them both still. She sighed as she watched her sister walk to her car then went back inside and closed the door behind her. Then turned her attention back to something else that would be new. She'd envisioned spending the night with Timmy a couple times since the night of the storm. This isn't what she imagined as she looked at Timmy who sat on the couch with his head in his hands.
"So... um," she started but wasn't sure what she should say. She continued over to the couch to sit next to him. "So how did you like dinner?"
"It was okay, thanks. I should have thanked you sooner." His voice was hollow, and sounded rough. It had sounded rough before too, but she was so focused on the fact that his parents had died, and him crying that she hadn't realized.
"It was really no problem..." He still looked pretty distracted, then she thought of something that might take his mind off of it for a while. "So... Vicki being nice, weird right?"
"You're telling me," That seemed to get his attention, she noticed as he turned towards him. "How long had that been going on?"
"Well a couple of years, but I'm still not used to it." she moved a bit closer, and leaned against him. His body tensed, and hesitated a moment before relaxing. She had assumed after the night they spent together, that he would react different, but then again he was Timmy.
"Tootie..." his voice was still rough sounding, but it was a lot softer... and worried. She looked up at him, and waited until he could form the words that he wanted. "So... this isn't some kind of joke right?"
"What do you mean?" Of all the things he could have said, she doubted that unless he spoke complete gibberish that anything would have confused her more.
"I mean... you know..." he raised his arms as if to indicate everything around him, "All of this... I mean liking me still. This isn't just some cruel joke?"
She just stared at him. He was alone in the world, family wise, his parents had just died. And this... THIS was bothering him? If she liked him... how could he even ask that? She had liked him since he was ten, and she was nine. How could he have thought that any of this would be a joke. Then her mind recalled what he had asked her about Chester and A.J.. He was worried that they could have been planning something.
"No Timmy, it's not just some cruel joke. I really like you still," she said, her cheeked reddening some. It was one thing to know she liked him... that she loved him. But it was another to just say it out loud. She should have been insulted that he would think that about her. Maybe he's just worried about someone else leaving him, she thought then leaning up towards him and letting her lips brush against his.