Veronica stood in front of Trixie as she held a piece of paper in the air triumphantly.
"This is it! This is exactly what we needed! Their relationship is as good as dead!"
"Yeah, nice job Trixie!" Veronica cheered. "Wait. Why am I cheering for her? I don't want this..."
She suddenly found herself in front of Timmy and Vicky; Trixie was to her left. "The jig is up you two!" Trixie exclaimed. "We know about your secret relationship! A babysitter and the kid she was supposed to take care of? And instead she takes advantage of him?!" Trixie giggled evilly. "Wait until the authorities hear about this!"
Veronica watched as the two people before her began to fall, Timmy dropped to his knees in despair, while Vicky defiantly held onto him, trying to keep him standing. The sadness etched on her face tore at Veronica's heart, despite the fact that she was excited about the prospect(for some reason) a short while earlier.
"Trixie... maybe we shouldn't do this; I-"
"You?"
Veronica turned her attention to Timmy, who was now looking at her with disbelief and... something else...
"You did this?! You helped her?!"
"No I-"
"You did, didn't you?!" Timmy stood up now, the disbelief replaced by hatred. His hands were balled into fists and the look he gave her burned into her soul. "Why? I would never do this to you!"
"Timmy, I-"
"Don't bother with these two, Veronica. I'm your only real friend, don't forget that."
Veronica turned to Trixie. "You- you're my friend...?"
"Yep. Always have been." Trixie winked at her.
"You broke into my house? And Vicky's house too?!"
"How does he know that?" "I- I had to! Trixie forced me to-"
"Oh, so you were just following orders?!" Vicky stepped forward now. "Following your orders?!" Vicky turned to glare at Trixie.
"Hey, this was all her idea. Don't look at me, she has the crush on your boyfriend." Trixie pointed at Veronica.
"Trixie?!"
"Yep, I wasn't even really involved." Trixie walked away, whistling nonchalantly.
"I- I- I'm sorry..." Veronica could feel herself beginning to tear up.
"Sorry isn't good enough! You tried to pull Vicky and I apart! You think she'll just let that go?!"
Veronica turned to look at Vicky through her teary eyes and suddenly felt fear. Primal fear. Vicky's hair was no longer just red, it was literally on fire, her eyes changed into black, soulless orbs as her face split in half, revealing a huge, bifurcated maw filled with razor sharp teeth. Long spidery arms unfolded from behind her and reached for Veronica, who jumped back and landed on her rear-end. A voice spoke to her from within that sounded oddly like her own. "Veronica... Run!"
Veronica scrambled to her feet and began running from whatever this thing was that was chasing her. She had to get away! Nevermind making things right, she was going to die if she didn't escape! She looked back at Timmy; who gave her a sorrowful look, then at Vicky; who released an inhuman screech and began running at her using the spider legs.
"Someone... anyone?! Help! Trixie? Timmy?!" she could feel herself slowing down as if she were running through thick mud. As she slowed, she could hear skittering behind her that was quickly growing ever louder. Veronica dropped to her hands and knees to try to at least crawl faster, but was suddenly shifted to the right and turned over.
The monster that was formerly known as Vicky stared down at her; saliva dripping down and landing near her head, melting the ground next to her. There was no escape; Vicky's human arms held her roughly to the ground as her face lowered in front of Veronica's and screeched into it. She then reared back and lunged forward, the maw opening as much as her twisted bone structure would allow. Just as she was about to clamp down-
"AAHHH!" Veronica sat up and looked around. It was nighttime. She looked at her phone and saw that it was three in the morning. A cold shiver ran though her and she rubbed her arms to find that she was soaking with sweat. "Yuck..." she spoke and couldn't keep the fearful shudder out of her voice.
That had been the third nightmare tonight and she was quickly losing her sanity. The other two weren't nearly that bad. The first had just been her and Trixie exposing them and the cops coming to take Vicky away. She felt nothing when she saw the anguish on Timmy and Vicky's faces. She was just glad that she hadn't been found out.
The second one was worse. It played out the same as the first, but Timmy had somehow found out about Trixie and Veronica breaking into his house. The look he gave her tore into her heart like a knife. She felt so disgusted with herself afterward...
But that last one... She had looked up information about Vicky herself after they had broken into their houses. Everyone who had ever been babysat by her left comments about how she was evil; monstrous even. The weapons she used, the nightmares she caused...
Veronica shuddered again and wrapped the her blanket around herself. She had never felt fear like she did in her dream. She rubbed her eyes and realized she had been crying. But when? "I- I have to get to them before she does... I have to..." She laid back down in her bed and tried to get to sleep, hoping that the nightmares would give her a break this time.
The next morning...
"Veronica~"
Someone was saying her voice with a sing-song quality... Someone like Trixie.
Veronica pulled the covers down from over her head and looked at Trixie disdainfully. "What?" she snapped at her.
"Hey! Is that any way to treat your best friend who just brought you breakfast?" Trixie held out a tray of eggs and bacon, along with toast and a cup of orange juice.
"Go away..." Veronica remarked pathetically and covered herself with her blanket again, then turned to face the wall.
Trixie felt a twitch in her eye from being ignored, but suppressed the urge to freak out. "C'mon..."
"This 'sugar and rainbows' thing she's doing is creepy..." Veronica turned over and again pulled the blanket down from over her head. "How did you even get in here?"
"Oh, your mom let me in. She said you seemed... 'out of sorts' yesterday and she wanted to make you breakfast in bed. I happened to come over and offered to bring it up to you! Aren't I a great friend?"
"Thanks. Now go away." Veronica began absently chewing on a piece of toast.
"The Hell's your problem?"
"I'm not doing this today." Veronica sipped her orange juice. "Have you read about Vicky?"
"Who?"
"The red-head? Timmy's girlfriend?"
"Who's Timmy?"
"Are you doing that on purpose? The person we've been tailing? The guy that you want groveling at your feet again?! Timmy!"
"Oh... right... No, I haven't read that much about her, why?"
"How can you be so-?! Urgh..." Veronica felt a wave of nausea hit her. "She's bad news, okay? We're getting in over our heads..."
"Oh come on! You make her sound like some kind of urban legend! Can she teleport too? Cameras never get her picture? Makes little kids disappear in the night?" Trixie rolled her eyes. "Get real."
"I'm not saying she's some supernatural creature... I'm just saying that... all those kids who left messages about her... They can't all be lying!"
"Like what?"
"That she tortures the kids she babysits, that she has a bunch of weapons to threaten them with, she lies to their parents when she breaks stuff and says it was the kids who did it... the list goes on!"
"Whatever. Even if it is true, she doesn't scare me! There's no power in this world stronger than money and I have plenty of that!" Trixie crossed her arms defiantly and looked at Veronica.
"What about love?" Veronica questioned nervously.
"Pfft! What about it?"
"Those two really seem to care for each other... why can't we just leave them be?"
"Because that would mean admitting defeat to that girl! I refuse to accept it!" Trixie stomped her foot like an angry child who wasn't getting their way. "Don't start with all this lovey-dovey bull! Do I need to remind you of the fact that I can ruin your reputation with a snap of my fingers?! I know you used to steal! I know you fake that California girl accent! And I know you like Timmy! How do you think he'd feel about all this?!"
She was right. Trixie had built up her hand perfectly. Talking to Timmy and acting like she wanted to be his friend, getting Veronica to pick the locks on their doors... If Trixie told Timmy that Veronica had a crush on him... It would be so easy for her to put all the blame on her.
"...Go ahead and tell him. He already knows..." Veronica bluffed, but kept the sad look on her face. She didn't know that he actually knew already. "He found out when I let it slip last year... I didn't know he was around, but he heard me... So go ahead, tell him I like him. It won't be news to him."
"And- and he... he didn't like you back?" the previously hard edge in Trixie's voice disappeared. Making way for an almost sympathetic tone.
"Obviously not..." She had to stop this. She told herself that she was over Timmy; that there was no need to revisit her unrequited feelings and open old wounds. But this new ploy by Trixie to break Timmy and Vicky up was straining her more than she would've thought. Not only was she opening old wounds, Trixie was rubbing salt in them by constantly pushing Veronica to be involved with the plan. "I just want to move on..."
"M-move on?!" Trixie sat down on the bed in front of Veronica. "This girl stole away the guy you like! Nevermind what I said about wanting his attention, don't you want a chance with him?" Trixie took Veronica's hands in her own. "This is your chance to-"
Veronica yanked her hands away and looked at Trixie coldly. "He was never mine to begin with. It doesn't matter how I feel about him, I don't want to break them up. And all you want to do is break them up so you can get yet another boy to fawn over you!"
"I-"
"And then, as if that wasn't bad enough, you threaten to ruin my life when I don't want to help you?!"
"Veronica-"
"You think I liked having to steal and lie to survive? You think I like being mean to the other kids because they're unpopular? Do you really think I like constantly living in your shadow while you hold my past mistakes over my head?!" Veronica was yelling now, finally finding the courage to speak up against Trixie. "Trixie, I don't know what you think a friendship is, but this... whatever it is that we have? We're not friends. Friends don't dread seeing each other. Friends don't threaten each other. And friends don't- What are you doing?" Veronica stopped her rant and questioned Trixie as Trixie leaned in and hugged her.
"I'm sorry!" Trixie shook with a sob. "I've been a terrible friend!"
Veronica sat in her bed completely still. Was Trixie attempting to show some humility? Some sorrow for what she had done? "Um... Trixie..."
"Can you ever forgive me?" Trixie's sobs continued as Veronica felt her shoulder become more and more soaked with tears.
"Not likely..." "Trixie... you can't just expect me to forgive you that easily... Forgiveness takes time and you've done so many things..."
Trixie suddenly pulled away and wiped her eyes. "Darn, I thought that'd work. I guess those acting classes didn't pay off as well as I'd hoped..."
"You- that was an act?!"
"Yeah, duh. You think I'd really break down and start crying like that? Puh-lease. Now, are you gonna help me break those two up or not?"
"But you- you seemed so... like you felt bad about me liking Timmy and him not liking me..."
"Boo-hoo, Timmy doesn't like you. Get over it. You never had a chance with him anyway... Hell, that nerdy girl... Tootie? She had a better chance than you did."
"You-" Veronica fell silent and looked at her hands, which were balling up into fists. "Get out." it was barely more than a whisper.
"What'd you say? Did you forget who you're-"
"Get. Out! I can't believe I thought you might have some shred of humanity in you! Some small sign that you might deep down be a good person! We're done. I don't care what you do to me, or my family, or anyone else!"
"Fine! I'd tell you you're gonna regret this, but that head of yours is too empty to comprehend it!" Trixie stormed out of Veronica's room and slammed the door.
Veronica waited until Trixie's limo left before releasing her held breath and speaking. "Shit! Why did I do that?!" she immediately descended into her nervous habit of biting her index finger; a habit she thought long forgotten. "I need! Oh... what do I need?! A plan, yes. I need to figure out a plan before she ruins everything!"
Veronica took out her phone and looked at her contacts. "Damn! Timmy's number isn't in here... If only he had called me! Just once..." Veronica groaned. "Okay! Trixie will want to wait until she can get the maximum amount of people around to trash-talk me in front of... So she'll probably wait until school starts..."
"Veronica? Honey?" Veronica's mother entered her room. "Is everything okay? I heard yelling, then I saw Trixie leave in a huff... Are you two okay?"
"No mom. I don't think we are..."
"Oh? Lover's quarrel?"
"No I- ...What?! Lover's quarrel? What are you talking about?"
"Oh it's okay sweetie. I know you and Trixie are... like that."
"Like what?!"
"Y'know... more than just friends?"
"You think I'm...? No!"
"But you two spend so much time together and you follow her like a lost puppy... I just thought-"
"No. NO. Nope. ...no. I thought we were friends... but I was mistaken. She found out about our... past lives... she wants to tell everyone!"
Veronica's mother's face paled considerably. "You mean... when we had to... scrape to get by?"
"Yes... I- I don't know what to do... You could go to jail... I'd end up in foster care or some juvenile detention center... What are we gonna do?!" Veronica's eyes were tearing up again.
"We'll... think of something, don't you worry about a thing." Veronica's mother pulled her into a tight hug.
"There's... something else... I've been helping her try and break up... a boy I know and his girlfriend... I- I screwed up big time... but I can still make it right! I just need to figure out where they live! Do you still have any of your old... contacts?"
"Hm... let me check." Veronica's mother stood up from her daughter's bed and left the room, heading for her own room.
She returned after a few minutes with a business card that was slightly folded and charred in some spots. "This guy... he's kinda weird; but he's the best at what he does. Send him an email detailing what you need from him and you'll get it. Ask him... ask him if he remembers stargazing in Zion. He'll know what it means." Her mother had a sad look on her face.
"Um... thanks mom."
"Hm? Did you say something, sweetie?"
"I said thanks."
"Oh! Don't worry about it, I'm helping both of us after all!" her mother quickly and... nervously? Left her room and went down the hall before disappearing around the corner.
Veronica took out her computer and began typing up the email.
Hi! I'm... I probably shouldn't tell you. That's how these sort of things work, right? Um... anyway... I need the address of either Timmy Turner or Vicky... I don't know her last name... Used to babysit around the Dimmsdale area? I um... it's urgent. If you can get back to me ASAP I'd really appreciate it... Oh! My mom said to ask you if you remember 'Stargazing in Zion'. That's um.. that's it.
Veronica sent the email to the address on the card and waited. "Might as well watch some funny cat videos while I wait..." She opened her internet browser.
Meanwhile...
"Grr... I can't believe her! After all I've done!" Trixie fidgeted angrily in her limo. "She's gonna regret this... Max! To city hall! They should have records of recent property purchases and the people who purchased them."
"Of course Ms. Tang."
The limo was currently passing through the main city area of Dimmsdale and it passed by a certain apartment building just as a certain red-head and a certain buck-toothed brunet exited it, though Trixie was too busy fuming in anger to notice them.
"Wow. You don't see too many limos anymore, must be someone rich and famous." Vicky nodded to the limo that sped by.
"Probably Trixie or Remy. Displaying their wealth to us common folk is a favorite pastime of theirs'." Timmy slipped his hand into Vicky's.
"You're awfully clingy today. First in bed, then in the shower, now out here. What's up?"
"Not much. I just don't want anyone getting any ideas after what happened with Heather."
Vicky thought back to that night a few days ago and blushed. It had been a stupid mistake on everyone's part... except maybe Tootie, she hadn't really been made privy to the idea hatched by Heather and Timmy. "Well maybe we should've stayed in bed another day to further cement our relationship?"
"Hm... a tempting offer... Very tempting, but we need to go grocery shopping. We can't survive on ramen and pink lemonade forever."
Vicky laughed. "Says you."
"Okay, I can't survive on ramen and pink lemonade forever."
"Wait until you start college kid, you'll think of all sorts of interesting ways to prepare ramen."
"How's that going by the way?"
"What? College? It's online. I barely have to do anything with the internet at my disposal. They might as well give me a master's degree and call it a day. Although... with you distracting me... I might start to fall behind." she smiled at him.
"Pah! You love when I distract you."
Vicky leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. "You're not wrong..."
"Hey!" the two of them looked up to see Heather staring at them from her apartment window. "Mind getting me a few things too?"
"Like what?" Vicky questioned.
"Just... um... whatever you get times two! That should work."
"We're not a food delivery service! Why not get it yourself? And who's gonna pay for all this? I'm still unemployed, and Vicky isn't made of money!"
"Yeah I am-"
"Sh! She doesn't need to know that!"
SMACK
Timmy and Vicky looked at their feet to find that Heather had apparently dropped her wallet down to them. "That should cover it! Thanks, guys!"
Vicky picked up the wallet and looked at it. "What are you gonna be doing while we're shopping?"
"Your sister!" Heather laughed and shut the window.
"Y'know... that's normally a pretty good insult for people to throw at you in online games... but she might actually be serious..." Timmy looked away from the window and at Vicky.
"Might? I'm sure they've done... it... at least once by now."
"And you're okay with that?"
"Seeing as how Tootie hasn't come running up to our place screaming that she was molested, I'd say that she is consenting to their relationship. Where it goes and what they do behind closed doors doesn't interest me. I-"
BUZZ
Vicky was interrupted by her phone vibrating, indicating she had a text message. "One sec." she opened her phone and looked at the message.
Just thought you should know, I was passing through your old neighborhood and I noticed a black limo parked in front of your house. A couple of girls got out and sent the limo away, then broke in... I think it was a couple of lesbians or something. -W
Vicky rolled her eyes and typed up a response.
And you didn't stop them because...?
The reply came a few seconds later.
It was my day off! Besides, they didn't take anything. Oh. They broke into your boy-toy's house too. Again, didn't take anything.
"Ugh... police officers these days..." Vicky put her phone away.
"Wolfe?"
"Who else? It's nothing to worry about though."
"If you say so." Timmy got into Vicky's car. Into the driver's seat.
"What are you doing?" Vicky asked with an amused tone of voice. "You don't have a license..."
"Do you mind if I drive?"
Vicky hummed and got into the passenger seat. "Long as we don't get pulled over."
Vicky watched Timmy carefully out of the corner of her eye while pretending to stare out the window. She was impressed. He stopped at every stop sign and red light, didn't speed, and followed all the rules of the road as if her had been driving all his life.
"Alright. Since when do you know how to drive?"
"Hm? I'm very observant. "You think I just drift off into my own little world when you drive us around? ...Also I may have asked Wanda to make me good at driving..." Timmy glanced over at Vicky and grinned.
"Wha?! Cheater!" Vicky began to laugh and shoved Timmy's shoulder.
"Hey, if you have magic at your disposal, why not cheat?"
"Fair enough. But why didn't we just wish for the cabinets and fridge to be stocked with food?"
"...Because... that would... be like, taking advantage...? I didn't think of it at the time. Besides, Wanda would've probably said something about abusing her and Cosmo's powers or something."
"Ugh... good point. I've gotten three of those lectures in the past two days..."
Timmy pulled the car into the parking lot of the Dimmsdale supermarket. "Feels like forever since we were last here..."
"Last time we were here was when Francis was still around. I warned you about him looking for you."
"Ah... memories..."
"Oh! Pull in over there!" Vicky pointed to a spot that was a good distance from the store.
"Why? The parking lot is pretty much empty, why not just-"
"Just do it!"
"Alright..." Timmy pulled in to the spot that Vicky specified. "There. You want exercise or something?"
"You could say that..." Vicky climbed over onto Timmy's lap. "You thinking... what I'm thinking?"
"I am now... but in the parking lot? Really?"
"Good thing I've got tinted windows, huh?"
"Oh, well in that case..." Timmy pulled the lever on the side of the seat, causing it to recline backward.
Back at Veronica's house...
PING
Veronica's computer alerted her to the fact that her email got a reply.
You'll find Vicky living at 666 Perth street. Her and Timmy share an apartment together. And tell your mom... I remember...
"Huh. That was easy..." Veronica shut down her computer, got out of bed, grabbed her clothes and went into her bathroom.
Things were going remarkably well. She just might beat Trixie to Vicky and Timmy's house after all.
Getting out of the shower and dressing herself, she looked at her phone. It was only a little after ten. "Mom? You still around?"
"Yeah, I'm still here." Veronica's mother called up from downstairs. "What's up?"
"You mind giving me a ride to... Perth street?" Veronica made her way downstairs to the kitchen.
"Oh? So my friend came though for you?"
"Yeah... Do you um... know him well?"
"Hm..." a sad look came over her mother's face. "You could say that... I'll... I'll tell you on the way..."
Veronica followed her mom out to her car.
At the Dimmsdale Police Department...
"Hmm..." Wolfe facepalmed and shook his head. "Did I just let them? What am I supposed to do on my day off?" he looked at his computer, the email he received still onscreen. "Do I remember stargazing in Zion? It was only... fifteen years ago? How could I forget?"
A/N: Wanna know how out of touch I am with things? I just found out that this frickin' show is still going! The fact that's it's still going isn't a bad thing, but the fact that I didn't realize it kind of is. I really need to get around to re-watching it, since I stopped around season 5 or something... Of course that's also why I write Vicky as more Tsundere and less Sociopath. But as long as you guys don't mind, I'll go ahead and keep writing her as such.