(Tootie's PoV)

It had been about two weeks since Timmy's proposal, things went by smoothly and Tootie thought about it sitting on the couch. The living arrangement had worked out just like Tootie imagined it would. Oh there were minor problems here and there... but what family didn't have those right? Timmy still didn't talk as much and spent more time in his room than anything else. But he always ate with them. That had become a normal routine with them.

Vicki didn't have to pick up as many hours where she worked because she didn't have to pay rent... of course she still helped with the bills and food, which allowed her to resume some courses in the local college. Their parents hadn't come to see them, or even called to find out how they were doing. Though Tootie wouldn't let that bother her, because she had a new family. One that actually cared about her. It was still odd to see as Vicki being one of the people that really cared... and she thought it was the same for Timmy. Timmy had pretty much gotten it worse from Vicki when they were all younger. Because Timmy, unlike the others, felt a need to push the issue with Vicki. Felt like he had to go against what she said.

It had reminded her of the time on the playground all those years ago, when Timmy had stood up to six year old Trixie. Maybe because deep down he was defiant, and didn't take to being told what he could and couldn't do well. She looked over at Vicki who had dozed off sometime during the movie. Timmy was still in his room and hadn't come out at all, except during lunch and dinner.

"Boo." Tootie jumped as Vicki, who was obviously no longer sleeping, poked her in the side.

"Don't do that." Tootie glared, though both of them knew she wasn't really upset.

"Is he still doing whatever?" she asked looking up at the stairs. And Tootie nodded, "I'm kind of worried, I know he promised he wouldn't do anything like he did again... but..."

"But?" Tootie leaned closer to her sister, as if that would bring the answer any faster. Yeah even with this nicer version of her sister, she seemed more concerned than usual.

"But people don't normally change like that... I mean, people try to commit suicide at their lowest... if they fail normally they become more depressed... sometimes they even get better at hiding it... I'm just worried." Vicki seemed to not want to even think about it anymore, she liked it here just as much as Tootie. This lifestyle was much more preferable. And it wasn't just ability to have things. Or not having to pay as much... this was as close to a real family as they had gotten. They were not ignored here, they could be people here.

"B-But he proposed... he has to be feeling better to do that."

"Yeah... maybe he did it, to try to feel happier... I'm not saying he doesn't want to Toots, not at all. I mean it is kinda soon don't you think?" Tootie thought about it a moment, it hadn't been all that long since their first kiss... it didn't seem so short to her, because she'd loved him for a very long time. Maybe Vicki was right... but when he proposed, nothing really changed with them, is that why he stopped coming to her room at night? Why he's spent most of the time closed off in his room?

"He does love me though right?" She wondered. The night he proposed was the first time he'd ever actually said it... but now she wondered if that was pushing it. He had to love her.

(Timmy's PoV)

"What am I going to do?" He spoke aloud to himself as she watched Vicki and Tootie from the top of the stairs. Luckily they didn't hear him. These last two weeks had been trying on him. It wasn't that he didn't want to go down there and enjoy himself... to be with them. But just having meals and being near Tootie... who he proposed to... was too much. Even doubling up on his medication didn't work. He could barely spend half an hour before his heart started racing.

This was what he had been worried about in the beginning. He knew he couldn't be her boyfriend. And yet he decided to propose... he was an idiot. He sighed just watching the two thinking about how cruel fate was. At least before when he was alone, he didn't really know what he was missing. Now he had to watch the two sit, laugh and have fun together. Watch them be a family... something none of the three had been allowed to do before.

Instead of joining in, he had to watch from the sidelines... he couldn't take part in the happiness below... not without having an anxiety attack from being too close to Tootie. He knew if he talked to his doctor, he'd tell him what he should do. The doctor had been putting off telling him how to handle a situation like this... but because Timmy didn't have friends, and barely saw his own family... it just never seemed important... He wondered if his doctor tried calling him. It had been more than a month since his last visit. Maybe he could tell him what to do about the passing of his parents.

He'd really missed his parents in the beginning... enough he attempted suicide. Now it didn't seem to hurt as much... not having them here seemed almost normal. Was that why he was able to accept it so fast? The house was almost a constant reminder, but he had been able to block most of it out... he did want to bring up moving to Tootie and Vicki. Maybe to another state... or to the city. Somewhere they could all start over... all dreams though. Tootie and Vicki wouldn't move... he'd have to move on his own if he did. He had proposed to Tootie, but there was no way she'd move with him,

"Hey Timmy! Oh there you are." Timmy jumped as Vicki yelled up the stairs, then looked right at him. "Dinner's ready Twerp."

"Don't call him Twerp!" He heard Tootie call form the kitchen."

"Term of Endearment... don't either of you know what that means? Besides I knew him first... he was my Twerp, before he was your boyfriend." Vicki laughed.

"Actually I met Tootie first Vicki. When you left her at the park when you guys first moved here." Timmy said slowly coming down the stairs. Hoping that his medication had had enough time to fully kick in... how was he ever going to be married and have children... the thought of having children cause him to think of the act. When Tootie walked into the dining room carrying dinner, he cursed his imagination as his eyes scanned over her body.

His breathing became more shallow, but he could handle it... this wasn't the rough part, he thought as he continued to the table. He knew sadly that it hadn't kicked in as he made it to the chair he usually sat in and had to lean on it. He closed his eyes and counted slowly to ten. It was hard because Tootie and Vicki help interrupting him. And that concerned tone in Vicki's voice was really freaking him out right now. He wasn't used to her being nice.

"Timmy!" Tootie called, at the same time as Vicki grabbed his arm to keep him from falling. "You alright Timmy? Come on, lets get you to the couch."

These attacks have been coming more frequent, he thought. He hadn't told them, he'd always made the excuse he wasn't feeling well and went to his room, where the episode would take over. Now there was no way to hide this one, he thought as everything happened. Loss of breath... his chest clenching, clarity... then complete darkness, his ironic friend.

(Vicki's PoV)

She'd managed to get him to the couch jut before he completely collapsed... this was the second time she'd seem him so this... only this one seemed so much more... scary than the last. It made her wonder if there were getting more dangerous... that something might seriously be wrong with him

"Tootie... did that seem more... uh... more scary than the last one?" Tootie finally tore her eyes away from the boy that she loved, and looked at Vicki.

"That one... in the room when he proposed?" Vicki nodded. "Well, uh you see... he faked that one. This one is more like what happens."

"I see," she looked over at him, planning to give him a piece of her mind when he woke up... if he could even handle it. Now that she thought about it, Tootie had explained to her what it was like... she should have known from the description that she'd been given that what she saw had been much more mild compared to what she was told. She shook her head, "What do you think brought this one on?"

"I don't know..." Tootie just stared at Timmy lying on the couch... No one had been here but us two. And Timmy had come down to dinner often it should be fine... wait. The last week, after dinner Timmy had been running off to his room saying he wasn't feeling well... had this all begun and he'd managed to make it to his room before the attack started... if he was doing that... she'd flatten him. What if he didn't start breathing again... who would help him? Who would even know? Or if he didn't make it all the way up the stairs. "He's been acting strange since he proposed. Maybe he's scared... or doesn't know what to do... maybe it's too much..."

"It'll be alright Toots." Vicki picked up the phone looking for a caller... if he had one... he hasn't seen them in a month... so... ah-ha. His doctor... but would the doctor answer this time in the afternoon... would he even be in the office. She dial the number.

"Timmy, it's good to hear from you. I was getting rather worried." The male voice came over the phone... so it was a personal number and not an office number.

"I'm not Timmy, I'm... well... I'm not sure what you'd call me. There's been a lot of issues." Vicki explained everything that had happened up to that point. Timmy parents, the suicide attempt, the proposal. "And now... he is having anxiety attacks more often... actually he just had one, coming down to dinner with me and Tootie."

"Tootie?" She heard pages flipping in the background. "Ahh yes. Tootie, the girl that chased after him for years... you say he proposed to her? Interesting... but for another time I'm afraid. It could be his body has built up a tolerance to the medication. Or something is causing him stress. I know it's not my place to really ask... but are him and your sister... intimate?"

"They better not be." Vicki almost growled looking at her sister, who just squeaked. "Tootie? Are you and Timmy having sex?"

"What!? No no! I mean... I'd like..." She stopped talking when Vicki glared at her.

"No... they aren't. Nothing beyond kissing."

"I wouldn't think he'd be able to do even that much. He's improving at least." More page flipping. "I'll have a new prescription sent to the normal pharmacy. Pick it up tomorrow, and I'd like to see Timmy... but I think given the issues of late, I should come and see him personally. How about tomorr... wait I can't... day after tomorrow?"

"Well I can't vouch for him... but I think it'll be alright." Vicki hung up the phone and looked over at Tootie, who just looked back like a deer caught in the headlights. "I'm sorry I snapped at you... I just..."

"It's okay, you just want me to be careful. Well we might as well eat, even if he's out like a light."