Vicky got out of the tub and wrapped herself in a towel, then drained the tub, still full of bubbles and pink water, the last physical evidence that Ricky had ever existed drained down into the Dimmsdale sewers.

She looked at her underwear, still bloody, and decided to simply throw it into the waste basket, rather than the laundry basket. She opened the bathroom door and the steam flowed out into the hall, she walked down the hall and into Timmy's room, she was leaving wet footprints and was still dripping wet, but it didn't really matter.

She entered the room and closed the door behind her, immediately she was hit with a cold blast of air, making goosebumps appear on her damp skin. She noticed Timmy, apparently asleep on the bed, and crept over to it, getting in and straddling him, she leaned her head over his face and watched as droplets of water dripped onto his face, he shifted slightly in his sleep, before cracking his eyes open.

"Oh, hey Vi-" he paused, realizing their positions, and Vicky's state of relative undress. "-cky... What's up...?" he was rapidly turning red.

"Nothing." she spoke in that sultry tone she reserved for flirting with him.

"Well you uh... ready for... bed?" Timmy was extremely nervous now, here was his girlfriend, on top of him, with only a few layers of fabric between them, and he was beginning to suspect her intentions.

She leaned down and rested her forehead on his, just staring into his eyes.

"Yeah, I'm pretty tired I guess..." Timmy noticed the towel's grip slacken ever so slightly on Vicky.

Vicky got off Timmy and walked out of view, he moved to see where she went when he was suddenly hit in the face with the towel she had been wearing. He froze for a few seconds, wondering whether he should move the towel or not, when he finally did, Vicky stood before him in her regular sleep wear, her hand on her hip.

"If you were expecting a free show, I'm sorry to disappoint, but I'm far too tired, as I said."

"Wha- no! I'm not-"

"Don't get so flustered, I'm just messing around..."

"Yeah, I should be used to it by now..."

"Maybe if you're lucky, I'll feel up to really messing around tomorrow."

Timmy threw the towel back at Vicky, which she effortlessly side-stepped.

"You're a tease!"

"It doesn't have to be teasing..." she grinned at Timmy now.

Timmy contemplated the offer, there was no doubt in his mind that while Vicky playfully flirted with him frequently, she was likely serious in her most recent offer, possibly even some of the ones before.

"I... don't know if I'm quite ready for that, Vicky..."

"Well, standing offer, just so you know..." she was somewhat disappointed, she felt she was ready for that, but maybe she was still just feeling the adrenaline from almost dying and it was clouding her judgment, still, she wasn't about to force him into it, he'd be ready when he was ready, the summer was still young, and there wasn't anything that was going to stop them from seeing each other, Timmy's parents hardly cared about him, and the same could be said for her parents, the only difficulties would be with Timmy's friends, they would likely question his sanity should they find out, and Tootie, who Vicky really wasn't sure about. Would Tootie think that Vicky stole Timmy away from her? Vicky was snapped out of her thoughts by her phone alerting her she had an email.

Vicky grabbed the phone and checked her email.

"Oh, him..."

V, Dealt with your problem? I dealt with Crocker, he won't be bothering you or your friend. Shouldn't have to worry about anyone from the Department coming down either, so you're both in the clear. The bones at the site were, in fact, human, the missing boy and Francis, the rest were likely the animals that disappeared. The fire has been ruled an accident, I've notified Francis' relatives, they seemed relieved, to be honest. Finally, try to stay out of trouble girl! This covering your ass is getting harder and harder, and I'm not getting any younger... -W

"Wolfe?" Vicky had put two and two together and realized her hired assassin was the police officer who periodically looked out for her. "That sneaky bastard!"

"What's the matter?" Timmy queried at her outburst.

"Nothing, just an old friend..." she suddenly received another email and checked it.

It's Wolfe by the way, in case you hadn't figured it out.

Vicky sent an email of her own.

Fuck you. And yeah the issue has been dealt with, thanks. -V

"Everything okay?"

"Oh... it's fine. Francis is dead, like I thought, and Crocker is likely to soon be rotting in prison."

"Well... you gonna come to bed?"

"You're not questioning any of this?"

"Well we both kinda figured that Francis was dead. And Crocker... well really I'm pretty happy about that, he would have been another problem for us, and you didn't kill him."

"I could still kill him..."

"No that's fine, I think I'd prefer to lay low for a day or two... or a week."

"Meh... you're no fun..."

"You coming to bed or what?" he returned to his position laying down in the bed.

After a minute Vicky joined him and rested her head on his chest, she could feel his heartbeat quicken slightly. "So I have this effect on you, huh?"

"Yep, that's love, apparently."

They both drifted off to sleep after a few moments.

Meanwhile...

"Look Crocker, I would eventually like to go home and get some sleep, so just tell me where your father in law is."

"I told you already! He's at my van!"

"We impounded the van, he wasn't there. Now tell me the one about the sultry argonian maid."

Crocker was blackened with soot, he had resisted more upon arriving at the Dimmsdale Police Department, and was met with several more tasings.

"Then I don't know where he is! And he isn't my father in law!"

"Crocker, I'm just looking for an excuse to tase you again, so I suggest you watch your tone." Wolfe stood up now. "I'm going to go talk to the chief, don't go anywhere cupcake." Crocker deadpanned at him. He was wrapped in chains bound to the chair he sat in, and handcuffed by every limb. "Oh right, well sit tight."

Wolfe walked over to the door to the chief's office and let himself in.

"Don't knock or anything." the chief sat at his desk eying some police reports.

"It would be a shame if I walked in on you sitting at your desk or something... Oh! Look at that!"

"Whaddya want Wolfe?...try saying that five times fast."

"Crocker is vehemently denying any involvement in the disappearances, also he smells like burnt flesh, and is stinking up the building. Granted that's my fault, but still."

"Why don't you just kill him?"

"Chief, we both know I can't technically do that..."

"Hmph. I suppose you're right... Are you sure he's behind this?"

"No. There isn't enough evidence to prove my suspicions."

"But you think he did it?"

"It really doesn't matter what I think, without evidence..."

"Then lie. With him, we have someone to pin all of this on."

"And I have your permission to do this?"

"It'll be our little... secret. I don't trust the man, he's a danger to himself and definitely others, and who knows? Maybe he is guilty, just do what you want, I know you have a personal stake in this, Wolfe."

"Fine. I'm calling that place tomorrow then."

"What place? You mean...?"

"Yeah."

"You still have friends up there?"

"Yeah, though whether they are still... all there shall we say, is open to debate."

"Look Wolfe, you go ahead and do what you think you need to, but I don't want to hear about this case, or that place, ever again. I want nothing, I mean nothing, to do with this now."

"Fair enough." Wolfe walked out of the office, not noticing the chief reach into his desk and produce a flask and take a swig from it.

"Damn psycho, how he survived a place like that intact I'll never know... then again, maybe he didn't."

Wolfe returned to where Crocker sat, fidgeting with impatience. "Well Crocker, chief says I can do what I want with you, and I have something very special in mind."

The look of fear on Crocker's face was priceless, Wolfe almost lost his composure and burst out laughing, but held it in.

"What exactly is going on here?! What will you do?!"

"My friends on the east coast are going to take care of you, no one here can stand you. Look at the bright side, I was gonna kill you, but I had a change of heart."

Wolfe unlocked the chains on Crocker and released him from the cuffs, then led him to an empty cell.

"You're being transferred tomorrow, I hope you like Maine, I hear the horrific abominations are nice this time of year."

Crocker had been drifting off, but was snapped back to reality by something Wolfe said.

"What?! What did you say?! Maine?!"

"Nothing, have a nice night, I'm going home."

Wolfe walked out of the station and towards his car, lighting a cigarette as he did. He took a puff and grimaced at the lit cigarette before spitting it out.

"Why do I even bother?" he tossed the rest of the pack in the dumpster and got in his car, then drove home.

The next morning...

"Atchoo!" Timmy awoke to the sound of a sneeze and realized that his nose was stuffed up and his throat, sore.

"Bless you... I told you that you'd get sick from being out in the rain... and then you spent all day in wet clothes!" Timmy spoke, sniffling occasionally.

"Heh... so did you... and you're paying for it now..." Vicky's eyes were red and watery.

"You told me to come out with you!"

"You didn't have to..."

"We both know that wasn't an option for me."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"The bright side is that we don't have to worry about getting each other sick from being so close."

"That isn't much consolation."

"Did you even open your gift yet?"

"No, it's downstairs, I'm too tired to go get it. You wanna go get it for me?"

"No, maybe later..." Timmy blew his nose. "This. Sucks."

"Well it could be worse..." Vicky pulled him back down next to her on the bed. "And you said you wanted to stay in for a while, now's a good time, I'd say."

"This isn't what I had in mind..."

"What did you have in mind?" She tried to sound sexy, but it mostly sounded like she was just congested.

"Are... are you coming on to me like that while we're like... this?" Timmy gestured back and forth between them.

"Well... kinda."

"Go to sleep Vicky."

"Nope, we just slept for over twelve hours, I'm gonna do something productive." she released him and got out of bed, walking over and plopping down in the couch.

"But... I'm cold Vicky!"

"Then come sit with me, I'm not too sick to play video games, so you shouldn't be either."

Timmy got up from the bed dramatically slowly and shuffled like a walking corpse over to the couch, plopping down next to Vicky and resting his head on her lap.

"I don't feel like playing, you go ahead..."

"Jeez, having a girlfriend has made you boring..."

"No, being sick makes me boring." he stated matter-of-factly.

"Wait! Why don't we just wish ourselves better?"

"... Because then the... author couldn't write a chapter... about... us... being sick..." he sounded very groggy as he spoke.

"What?"

"...nuthin'..."

"Right. Whatever." Vicky turned on the game station and put Timmy's mad ramblings behind her. "You know what might be fun? Since we have magic at our disposal... one of these days we could wish ourselves into the games we play, could be fun."

"I dunno... about that. My wishes have a habit of blowing up... in my face."

"Maybe you just have to be very specific when wishing... achoo!"

"Bless you... maybe... maybe you're right."

"Alright fine Timmy, go to sleep, I'll wake you up if anything interesting happens." she was then almost immediately absorbed in her gaming.

Timmy drifted away into dream land.

BANG BANG BANG

Three gunshots, three popped feral ghoul heads.

"C'mon Vicky! I'm beating you here! Pretty bad too!" he reloaded his repeater and took aim again.

"Yeah really fair, Twerp, you have your rifle, and VATS, I have a sword, I can never get near the enemies!"

"Not my fault you'd be more at home on some ancient battlefield than post apocalyptia."

It usually went this way, Timmy had always focused on guns in the vault, Vicky on melee. She figured that there wouldn't be much ammunition in the wasteland, but it seemed she was incorrect, everywhere they went, they found forgotten ammo boxes and abandoned firearms. Timmy delighted in picking off enemies from a distance, most never landed a hit on him or Vicky.

"I couldn't have known there would be so much ammunition laying around! I figured things were as bad as the vault P.A. system said, endless radioactive wasteland, horrible mutants, no technology! But instead we got two out of three!"

"Well that's why we left, isn't it? They lied to us, wanted to keep us docile, our minds muddled, never knowing what life was truly like."

"You call this life? It's not great, Timmy. Raiders at every turn, radiation everywhere, and the mutants trying to eat us on a daily basis."

"Eh... it's better than growing old and gray in a vault..."

"I guess..."

"Cheer up, we have a nice house to live in at least. And things are looking up, that guy from vault 101 activated the purifier, and the brotherhood are patrolling the city, eradicating the mutants."

"Hmph."

"Don't be like that Vicky..." she didn't meet his gaze. "This is about me getting more kills than you, isn't it?"

"... No."

"Can't fool me, we grew up together, I know you."

"Fine, I am slightly annoyed..."

"Why?"

"Because I want to kill things too!"

"I'm just looking out for you, would you prefer to get hurt, or worse?"

"I don't need protecting... I can take care of myself!"

"I'm sure you could... I just..." he stopped and thought for a moment. "I just don't want you taking any unnecessary risks..." his voice cracked when he spoke.

"Pfft. It almost sounds like you like me or something..." she spoke in a dismissive tone.

There was no response from Timmy. When she looked over at him she saw he was looking at his feet.

"Timmy?"

Still no response.

"You..."

"I... I've had a crush on you for a while, Vicky..."

"You never said anything..."

"What could I say? I was afraid of what you'd say..."

"So... how long?"

"About as long as we've known each other... I never said anything because I was afraid it would change things between us, that you'd turn me down and it would strain our friendship. Eventually we'd stop being friends and go our separate ways... And in this world we live in? I was afraid you would be hurt, even killed, and I could never live with myself if that happened..."

"You're an idiot."

"Well that's not the response I expected... though I suppose it's kinda true."

"You wanted to watch out for me? And this whole time, you liked me, and didn't even tell me?"

"Er... yeah..." Timmy's voice was suddenly smaller than it had ever been.

Vicky quickly walked toward Timmy and stopped right in front of him.

"Vicky?"

She stood on her toes and planted a quick kiss on Timmy's lips. Both stood there in silence for several seconds, simply looking at each other. Timmy then raised his hand and rubbed at the back of his head.

"So..."

"Let's get going." Vicky walked past Timmy and toward the ruins of some city whose name was lost to the marches of time, after a second, Timmy quickly followed after her.

Timmy was awakened from his dream by an explosion coming from the TV.

"Argh... do you have to make the TV so loud?" he was surprised to find that the nap had made him feel significantly better, weird as his dream had been.

"Yeah, I really do. Makes me feel like I'm right there in the action. How do you feel?"

"Good actually, really good, I don't think I'm even sick anymore." he no longer had a sore throat, or a heavily congested nose, and his eyes no longer felt puffy.

Vicky however, did not look better at all, her face had become rather pale, her eyes were still puffy, and her nose was red and irritated from being blown constantly.

"I'm not doing so hot, unfortunately... I think I have a fever..." she sounded pathetic, it seemed mean to say, but it was the closest thing that described how she sounded when she spoke. Timmy put his hand over her forehead to see if she was right.

"Yep. You're burning up, no more games, lie down in bed."

"But I haven't saved yet... let me finish the level..."

Timmy walked over to the game and turned it off. "I wasn't asking."

"Hey! That's my line..." Vicky pouted at Timmy for a few seconds before getting up off the couch and staggering to the bed and falling into it. "Now what? Are you gonna take care of me like a good boyfriend?" her voice was muffled from her head being buried in the pillow, but he understood her.

"Depends on if you're gonna be a good patient or not."

"Insert flirtatious dialogue here." apparently she really was sick, she couldn't think of a flirty comeback.

"Well you know me, I can't turn down helping a pretty girl."

"That's a weakness, pretty girls can take advantage of you letting your guard down..."

"It's a weakness I can live with."

"Well... I guess it's okay, long as you're referring to me."

"I don't see any other beautiful women in distress around here."

"Flattery will get you everywhere."

"See? You're already getting better. I'm gonna go make you some soup, anything else you want?"

"Orange Juice."

"Orange Juice?"

"Yeah. All of it."

"The... whole bottle?"

"Both bottles."

"'Kay, I'll be back in a few." Timmy rubbed at his nose, it still felt congested now and then, and then it would pass suddenly.

"Hurry back."

Timmy left his room and went into the bathroom, checking the medicine closet for anything he could give to Vicky. He found nothing, unfortunately. The cold medicine was all used up, there were only pain pills and birth control pills left, along with some general toiletry items. "Great. Mom and Dad probably used it all up, knowing them they probably were just hoping to get high..."

He headed downstairs and cooked some chicken noodle soup for Vicky, wondering what magical property caused it to make you better when you're sick. Then grabbed the orange juice and carefully brought it all upstairs. Upon entering his room, he was met with an amorphous blanket wrapped shape on the bed, a tuft of hair poking out of a small opening, the hair covering a pink eye watching him.

"So are you some kind of blanket monster or...?"

"I'm freezing!"

"I turned off the AC, you're just getting chills from being sick." He placed the soup and juice down in front of her.

"Thanks." her hands slithered out of the blanket and grabbed the bottle of orange juice, it was mostly full, they had only had a glass or two from it. Vicky immediately downed the entire bottle and threw it into the trash basket.

"Thirsty?"

"A little." she had now moved on to the soup and was much more slowly eating it.

"Anything else I can get you?"

"Hmm... You know what? There is! Come here real quick." she had now finished the soup and had mostly retreated back into the blanket, her eye and hair being all that was visible again.

Timmy approached the bed and leaned down under the top bunk toward Vicky. She stuck out her arm and beckoned him closer with her finger while moving backward on the bed.

"Vicky, what are you..." he had suspicions as to her current game, but decided to play along anyway, perhaps the last vestiges of sickness were clouding his judgment somewhat. He moved onto the bed and crawled over to her. "What is it?"

The blanket Vicky wrapped herself in then sprang forward and opened up, revealing Vicky with a predatory smile on her face. The blanket looked like a creature about to swallow him whole now, and he didn't react quickly enough to get away. He was plunged into darkness and tackled onto the bed by Vicky, she once again straddling him, her face hovering inches over his.

"We must stop meeting like this, Vicky." though it was dark, his eyes quickly adjusted to it and he was able to see her, the darkness marred her features and he couldn't tell if she was looking any better after having eaten, but she seemed to be getting back to her old self.

"Nah, I don't think so. I quite enjoy our little meetings... and I think you do too."

"... Ya got me there, I do."

Vicky leaned down and planted a quick kiss on his lips, then pulled back and waited for his reaction. He seemed to lay there in shock for a few seconds before he leaned up and kissed her back, shocking her slightly, then pulled away himself.

"That's more like it!" she was surprised that he was brave enough to kiss her so soon after their first kiss, nevertheless, she was excited and happy as well.

Timmy was glad they were in the darkness of the blanket, his face was likely beet-red. "I hope we have the same sickness, otherwise I'll probably get sick again after that."

"I think you'll be just fine..." she thought back to a few hours earlier.

"Hey, Wanda, come here real quick, please?"

"What's the matter, Vicky?"

"I wish Timmy's cold was gone."

Wanda raised her wand and the wish was done.

"Do you want to heal yourself too?"

"No, that's fine, it's kinda my fault he got sick, so I just wanted him to get better."

"Vicky, you don't have to punish yourself all the time, Cosmo, Timmy, and I all forgive you for what you did..."

"I know, it's just..."

"You want someone to take care of you... because you're family never really did?"

"That's too good for a guess... am I being selfish?"

"Well... a little, but I don't think Timmy would mind, plus you wished for him to be better, that isn't selfish, not by itself anyway.

"Maybe... thanks Wanda. You know for the wish, and the talk."

"Anytime Vicky."

"Vicky?"

Vicky was brought out of her thoughts by Timmy calling her name.

"Sorry, I was drifting off there." she leaned down and rested her forehead on his.

"Well your fever isn't as bad as it was... but it's definitely still there."

"Good thing I've got such a dedicated doctor here to watch over me..."

"Well, I try."

Vicky slumped down next to him, wrapping her arm around his waist and draping her leg over his.

"You mind staying here like this and keeping me warm?"

"You make it sound like I have a choice."

"Well... you do have a choice, if you don't want to..."

Now she was turning it around on him?

"Vicky, you know there's nowhere I'd rather be." he moved the blanket so both of their heads were poking out from under it. "But I need to be able to breathe." They laid there for a few minutes before Vicky threw the blanket off of herself, she was now drenched in sweat.

"Grr... Now I'm hot as hell!"

"Singing your own praises now?"

"What?"

"Well I know how hot you are, you're the most beautiful girl I know."

"Wha- No, I mean I'm hot, temperature-wise."

"I know, I'm just messing with you. Your body is trying to sweat out the sickness."

"Well my body needs to make up its mind!" Vicky began shivering again. "Damnit!"

Timmy threw the blanket on to Vicky and pulled her over to him. "Just relax, this is the best way to get better... I think."

"There's no medicine?"

"No, my parents used it all..."

"Great."

"Yeah that was my reaction too."

Vicky grabbed the other bottle of orange juice and began drinking it. "You want some?"

"Sure." he took it from her and drank some as well.

"I heard orange juice is good for when you're sick."

"Technically I think it's more of a preventative measure than a curative one..."

"Whatever, it's delicious when I feel sick."

Timmy's phone began ringing.

"Argh... what now?" he got up from the bed, much as he wanted to stay in bed with Vicky, the call might be important.

"Hello?"

"Hey man, how's it going?" it was AJ.

"Fine." he was hoping to end the call quickly and return to Vicky.

"Vicky hasn't killed you yet, I see."

"No she hasn't. She isn't that bad anymore AJ..."

"Sounds like she's brainwashed you, Timmy. I told you not to let your guard down."

This conversation was obviously not going very far, judging by AJ's response.

"Maybe she has..."

"Wish I could help you out, but we just made it to Cape Cod, and my family has no intentions of leaving anytime soon. Sorry."

"Well have fun, AJ. And think about what I said, Vicky isn't as bad as I used to say she was."

"You think about what I said, she has her claws in you man, you're obviously not thinking straight. I'll call you later."

"Alright bye." Timmy hung up the phone and placed it on his end table.

"Who was it?"

"AJ, he seems to think you've brainwashed me cause I said you weren't so bad."

"Well I can't really blame him. I guess most people aren't as forgiving as you are."

"Whatever. I don't care what he thinks. Nobody is gonna tell me who I can or can't see. Nor who I can or can't love, not my friends, not my parents, not anyone."

He returned to lying in bed with Vicky and crawled next to her under the covers. He was beginning to feel sleepy when his phone rang again.

"Does this remind you of anything, Timmy?"

"Reminds me that I should turn my phone off so people stop interrupting me while I'm trying to cuddle with my girlfriend."

Timmy got out of bed, again. And answered his phone.

"What?!"

"Whoa, dude, calm down! It's Chester, you alright?"

"I'm fine, just busy is all."

"Well AJ just called and said that Vicky brainwashed you, so I thought I'd call and ask what's up."

"Like I said, I'm fine."

"You don't sound fine... you sound angry, like Vicky."

"I told AJ this, and now I'll tell you, Vicky isn't that bad."

"She really did brainwash you!"

"I really don't have time for this..."

"You better make time, I'm worried about you dude! We both are! I'm calling Tootie!"

"Wait! Don't-!"

The line went dead.

"Shit."

"What's up?"

"Chester's gonna call Tootie, apparently all my friends think that you have effectively brainwashed and enslaved me."

"Pfft. If only they knew the truth."

"It might scare them all to death."

"That could be fun..."

"I don't want my friends to die, I don't dislike them that much yet, and I don't think you dislike Tootie that much."

"So either we come up with an elaborate lie... or we tell them the truth and hope for the best."