"Fine!" Vicki was not one to back down from a challenge. Timmy just held her stare, which almost faltered before she threw herself whole heartedly into her glare.

Timmy could see that she certainly had not been expecting that. It made him wonder if anyone had really been able to get close to Vicki in the past 12 years. It made him kind of upset, though he didn't know why. For all the headache she had caused, Vicki was a wonderful person when it came down to it. She had proven that thoroughly. And she did care about other people. You could tell that just by her being here. She was trying to help others find love.

"Why would you want that if I can't do it?" Timmy brought his attention back when he heard her voice. It seemed small. Not the same confidant Vicki he had always known. Not even the same confidant one he had met just last night. Timmy decided he should help her relax, so he looked into her eyes and smiled.

"That shall be my little secret for now, Victoria." He grinned at her confusion before deciding to put things back in her court. "For now, though, shouldn't we be trying to find me a date?" He saw the new determination appear in her eyes.

"Yes we should!" She jumped to her feet, picking up her purse on her way. Timmy noted that she had redressed, but her shoes were still off. He also noticed that while she had tried to fix her hair, it still had its own wild look to it. It really seemed to suit her.

As she reached the door, Vicki turned back to face him.

"Timothy." He looked up and their eyes met. "You are the first musician I have agreed to help since….Well, Chase said you were a good guy so I agreed to try." Timmy watched. She seemed to be struggling a bit with what she wanted to say, so he just gave her his gentle smile. She took a breath and let out a long sigh before continuing. "Just…thank you for being such a good guy." She pulled her purse higher on her shoulder and swung open the door. As she stepped out, she called back over her shoulder.

"I'll text you the details for your first date. Be ready tomorrow!"

Timmy shook his head in amusement as she walked out the door. He had been upset when she left. He had not really cared about anyone since then. Chase was the closest thing he had to a real friend. Well, sort of. He'd made a few friends with some of the folks around who were not so well off during his travels and he still took every chance he had to stop and see them and when he could manage it, to share his wealth. Not all of those friends were keen on this, but he did what they would allow.

But Timmy had not cared about anyone, not really, since Vicki had walked out of his life. He had asked Chase to help with this because he wanted to feel something again. The lack of emotions was messing with his music, and Timmy did love his music. He had written all about pain and loss and suffering. He had written the tear jerkers about losing things and the inequality in the world. He had written most of what he knew. But since it was now out, he wasn't sure what was left in him to write. And he wanted to feel again, so he had asked Chase.

And the moment she had walked in, Timmy wanted to think he would be able to feel again. When she curled up against him, Timmy wanted that sensation to last.

And when she had made that bet, Timmy desperately wanted to win.

VXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXXV

Timmy woke the next afternoon to a knock at his door. The knock was followed by pounding and Chase calling through the door.

"Tee, open up man!"

Timmy pulled himself up. He had fallen asleep in his music room. After the past day and a half of emotions and thoughts, he had sat down and managed to write out two songs he was actually happy with. Neither were the melody he had written and been working on before. He still didn't feel he could write that one yet. But these felt good and right.

And Timmy had gotten lost in the songs, as he typically did, and fallen asleep at the desk in the room. Not the most comfortable sleeping arrangement, but the bed always felt so large and empty. Timmy generally fell asleep on the couch to music or in the music room. It just seemed more natural to be there.

When there was another knock and shout, Timmy pulled himself to his feet. He straightened his ruffled clothes and made his way to the door. As he got there, he called out to Chase.

"Calm down, calm down. I'm coming!"

As he swung the door open, he was met by a very excited Chase.

"So?"

"So what?" Timmy asked, feeling incredibly confused.

"So what?! So are you ready for date number one?"

Timmy looked up at Chase. Then he grinned and ran over to grab his phone which was still lying on the coffee table. As he did, he heard Chase smack his own forehead.

"You haven't checked your phone, have you?"

"Nope, sorry. Been busy writing." That caught Chase's attention.

"Writing, eh?"

"Sure enough."

"Can I hear?" Timmy smiled. He checked his phone and noted the details which had been texted to him by Vicki before turning back to face Chase, a large grin plastered on his face.

"Not sure I should let you after waking me up so rudely." Chase grinned right back, not to be deterred.

"Consider it a favor you owe me since I am getting Victoria to set you up." Timmy let out a laugh and led Chase over to the music room. As he slung on his guitar, Chase kept asking questions.

"So what did you and Victoria do after I left?"

"Nothing much. Drank, talked about life. She passed out, so I did what I usually do. Seemed to impress her."

"And then?"

"And then what? She got up the next day and told me to be ready for a date tonight."

"You sure?"

"Yes Chase, why?" Timmy looked over. He was starting to wonder if Chase knew. He wasn't sure he wanted Chase to know about the bet. It might make things more complicated. But the grin appearing on Chase's face suggested that Timmy's manager already knew the details.

"I might have overheard Miss Valentine talking about a bet she made. Just wondering what that was about." Timmy let out a sigh and turned to face the older man.

"Sure, we made a bet. She seemed incredibly confidant that she could find someone for me. I don't think she can do it."

"And…?"

"And if she wins, I have to dedicate a song on this next album to her." Chase's grin just grew larger.

"And…?"

Timmy hesitated. He really didn't want to go down this road. Chase was far too excited about this for anyone's good, and it concerned Timmy. He desperately wanted not to tell anymore, wondering just how much Chase would get out of him. Finally, letting out a sigh, Timmy gave in.

"And, if I win, she has to be my date to the Midnight Gala in three weeks."

"Odd, she mentioned it being a show." Timmy blushed at that.

"Well there will be a show…just not perhaps in the typical manner." Chase's face suddenly got a serious look on his face. He looked at Timmy, but couldn't keep the seriousness as he spoke.

"Well good. At least you seem open about things. Now play me this song."

So Timmy jumped to it. His fingers began lighting up the strings in a way only he could do. It was almost mystical the way Timmy made a guitar sing. After a moment, Timmy cleared his voice and jumped into the song. He was really getting into the music, eyes shut as he let the emotions flow over him. When he came to the chorus, he chanced a glance at Chase and watched as Chase's happy look suddenly became incredibly serious. Timmy just let the emotion flow as he sang.

The sweetest thing was to dream of dreams

That once upon a time were memories

To look into your eyes and hear you say

Everything is gonna be ok.

As the final notes and words rang out. Timmy relaxed. He didn't realize how tense the song made him. It felt good to have the music capture him so much, but it always made performing a tough thing. It took a great deal of energy and time. Finally, Timmy took the guitar off and faced Chase. The serious look was still on his manager's face.

"Good song."

"Oh?"

"Who is it about?"

"What do you mean?"

"Timmy, don't play with me. We've been doing this long enough and that song, those emotions, I have never seen them in you before." The look on Chase's face said this was not going to drop. Letting out a sigh, Timmy stood and asked Chase to follow him to the living room. As they settled down to face one another, Timmy began.

"Chase, I need you to first promise me you won't tell anyone about this…at least not till I tell you it is ok." Chase gave him his stern glare before slowly nodding his agreement. Letting out one more sigh, Timmy began. He recaptured the loss of his parents and his babysitter. He talked about the way his babysitter, who had always been so cruel, had taken care of him and was actually so nice. He told Chase how he had loved his babysitter, even after she left. Then Timmy paused. It was now or never.

"Chase, I wondered if I would ever see her again. I didn't think I would, not until you showed up with the match maker. My babysitter's name is Victoria Valentine, but I called her Vicki."

"And you are now in love with her." Chase finished what Timmy couldn't say out loud. As Timmy's silence noted his agreement, Chase let out his own sigh and stood up. He stood to his full height and came over to stand over Timmy. Timmy was a big guy in his own right, and very fit, but there was a reason Chase had been a body guard. Chase stood about 6'5" and weighed in around 300. At one time it had all been muscle and Chase still kept incredibly fit. There were probably full size refrigerators that were smaller than Chase. As Chase stood over him, Timmy felt he needed to cower. But he also knew his convictions in what he had just admitted so instead he stood up.

"So you love her."

"Yes."

"Timmy, don't mess with her. She has been hurt enough."

"No messing Chase. But I don't know if she loves me." Here Timmy collapsed back on the couch. He was going to admit what he had never told anyone, why Vicki's leaving had bothered him so much. "Chase, I loved her then, though I wasn't in love with her. And she left me. The only person who had ever really been there for me in one way or another and she left. She cares about people, but I thought she didn't care about me. I was too needy, too useless, too much of a pain. I don't want to be that and come crawling back to beg my babysitter for a date." As he said this, Chase turned to smile at him.

"So instead you bet her to get one?" Timmy let out a small laugh.

"Yeah, I did."

Chase got serious once more.

"Timmy, I am trying to help. I brought her in because she is the best I know. She can find you love, I have no doubt. I can't promise it will be with her. Please don't make me regret setting this up."

"I promise Chase." Timmy' head fell a bit as he said it. Then he felt Chase's hand on his shoulder.

"And if you do win the bet, please promise me you will treat her even better than you treat those women that manage to sneak into your room." Timmy looked up to see Chase smiling at him over this one. Timmy felt his own face curl up into a smile in return.

"I promise."