Over the next couple of weeks the growing tension in the Turner household was reaching a critical point. No explanation had been given as to why the older woman picked a fight with the blonde nor was he ever told what was whispered to the blonde. Ryan told him it was nothing but would no longer come over to his house. They were still friends, well somewhere between friends and being a couple, but it was obvious the encounter with the ex-babysitter had bothered her. What was stranger was the sudden change in behavior of his roommate if that's what you call it. Really it was Vicky reverting back to her old self a bit. Three days after scaring off his date the redhead came downstairs to find him, his friends, and her sister in the living room playing video games. Instead of going back to her room she'd commandeered the sofa, taken out her phone, and quietly sat there, occasionally glancing up at the television.

At first the group of ex-victims had nervously fidgeted not knowing what to do. Instinct told them to vacate the premises immediately but seeing their bucktoothed friend glare at the she-devil eased their fears some. Chester was the first to recover, returning his attention to the game. Soon enough the blonde was once again cursing at his character, cheering when he was successful, and being his normal goofy self. That helped the other boys relax and return to the game. Well, Elmer was explaining it to his girlfriend and her friend. Veronica wasn't paying attention, too busy moping since her boyfriend hadn't been able to come. Only one person wasn't avoiding all eye contact with the woman on the sofa, her little sister.

Why the raven haired girl had decided to come over rather than join her boyfriend for an all day shopping spree was a mystery. Now she was sending hateful looks to her sibling, waiting for any excuse to snap at her. A difficult task considering Vicky hadn't acknowledged the presence of the group since taking the sofa. All her attention was focused on the device in her hands broken only by the occasional explosion from the game. That seemed to only annoy her younger sister more.

Seeing Tootie's rage building, Trixie suggested they go to the movies to see some new horror film. It was a movie several of them wanted to see, Tootie included, but the raven haired girl dismissed the suggestion as stupid. There was some lame excuse about waiting until everyone could go together, not that she really cared if Francis or Remy missed out.

"But, like, don't you want to see it?" Veronica asked.

"Of course I do but not without my boyfriend."

"That's not what you said last week when we went to watch that action movie he's been dying to see." Chester mumbled never looking away from the screen.

He hadn't meant for her to hear him but she did. Angry, the girl stood up with her hands on her hips. "The only reason you guys want to leave is to get away from that."

Pointing to her sister, who was still calmly messing with her phone, Tootie crossed her arms when she got no reaction from the redhead. Were they seriously trying to see who'd snap at the other first? Yes, yes they were, and Tootie was losing.

"Tootie that's not –"

"Yes it is! Elmer and Sanjay look like they're about to wet themselves, A.J.'s gone into robot mode, and everyone else is uncomfortable with her being here. This is Timmy's house; none of us should have to leave just because she's here."

Timmy gave his controller to Elmer, got up, and dragged his ex into the kitchen. "Whether you like it or not she lives here too. I know you'd love to bitch her out but not here. Pick a fight with her somewhere else but not in my house. You can either come with us to the movies or you can take your sorry ass home."

"I can't believe you're defending her!"

"I'm not. I'm pissed off at her too but at the end of the day I still have to live with her. All I want is for you to quit trying to pick a fight."

There was a brief standoff as the pair waited to see who would back down first. Luckily angry Tootie was impatient; upset the girl left the house, slamming the door shut behind her.

And that was when tensions began to flare up as one by one his friends were scared out of the house by his roommate in under a week. Three days after Tootie stormed out the group came back to the house to find her sharpening a double headed battle axe in the kitchen. He hadn't heard from Sanjay or Elmer since but Trixie told him they were okay. Speaking of which the two popular girls stopped coming around too, more because Elmer wasn't than Vicky being scary. That left A.J. and Chester as the only people out of all of his friends willing to set foot in his home. Not that the young genius lasted much longer. All it took was him hearing maniacal laughter upstairs before he rushed out of the house.

For three days the blonde continued to visit his best friend. Then the inevitable happened, his best friend gave him an apologetic look before leaving. Timmy had gone upstairs to grab a game in his room to find the redhead smirking on the couch while his friend stood with his back against the wall looking terrified. He'd tried asking what had happened but didn't receive a response. Chester would tell him what happened later when he'd calmed down.

Catching the smug smirk on her face, the brunette felt his blood boil. Everything he'd done to keep her from being kicked out by his dad and she terrorizes all of his friends. If he hadn't lied to his dad she'd be out on the street and that's when it hit him. The stupid bitch had played him, he knew she was a master manipulator yet he'd still fallen for her act. Nothing bad had happened to her since she'd left, she'd seen that he was broken and used it to her advantage. Sometimes it sucks being willing to forgive people.

"Something the matter Twerp?"

Cocky brat.

"What the hell is your problem?"

Her face fell, his voice was creepy calm despite how pissed off he looked. People that do that need to be handled very carefully.

"Just having a bit of fun."

"You think it's fun to scare my friends? After what you did to us for most of our childhoods?"

"Didn't mean anythin' by it."

"You stupid, manipulative bitch!" Some part of him purred in satisfaction at seeing her jump as he began to shout at her, "Do you have to make everyone around you miserable?! I kept my dad from throwing your sorry self out, is it really too much to ask that you try to act like a decent human being while you stay here?"

Vicky looked nervous, he kept getting louder and someone was bound to hear. Mr. Turner would kick her out for real this time.

"Oh now you're sorry? Worried my dad's gonna hear?"

"I –"

"Shut up! For once you're going to shut your trap and listen got it?" He glared until she nodded. "Good. Because if you keep playing me with this bogus sob story I won't hesitate to have my dad throw you out. My friends shouldn't have to be afraid to come over, keep terrorizing them and my dad finds out Tootie was telling the truth."

Unaccustomed to being threatened, the redhead rose up her own anger flaring up. "Don't you threaten me Turner, I've still got some dirt on you."

"And who are you going to tell? My dad won't believe you and my mother won't give a damn. So go right ahead."

Well this was a surprising bit of information, when was the last time she met someone she couldn't keep in line with a few threats? This wasn't the Twerp she remembered.

"Oh there are always plenty of people to make your life miserable with the right information."

"Go ahead! My life's already hell thanks to my mother and your sister. So why not let you make it worse, hell go right ahead! Can't imagine how you can make it worse than it already is. Here I was thinking Tootie was worse than you ever were but you've proved me wrong. Even after all you've done I never thought you'd sink so low as to make the one person in the town trying to help you miserable. You've got a pretty poor way of showing gratitude Vicky."

Something about what he said seemed to strike a nerve. Her anger disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared. Sitting back on the couch, the older woman held her head in her hands, taking a few deep breaths before looking at him. She looked tired and…a little vulnerable? No it was just part of the act, it had to be. With a sigh she sat up and motioned for him to sit too. Since his own rage was quickly subsiding he decided to humor her for a moment and sat on the other end. They faced each other for a moment before the redhead started speaking.

"…I don't do this often so listen up. I'm…sorry, for the scaring the misfits off. Not sorry for my sister storming off though, little brat was getting on my nerves. Also not sorry for making Miss Priss run off, believe me you'll be glad I did later."

He stared at her for a few seconds then one corner of his mouth tugged up in a tiny smile, "that was the worst apology I have ever heard."

"Haven't had much practice."

"I wonder why."

"So life sucks for you worse than before? Welcome to the club Twerp."

"What do you mean?"

She laughed. "Like I haven't been hearing all the rumors you brats have been spreading since I left. Most of it false but a few are close or spot on."

Confused he asked her what she meant.

"Ever wonder why I only had a few boxes and my car? Damn ex left me with nothing, even took money from my private account. Came home to find all the locks changed and had to leave a few things behind."

"You were…..married?" The thought seemed ridiculous, who would willingly marry her?

"Yup, wasn't a good time in my life but it's all behind me now."

There was silence for a while before she spoke again. "Look, I don't terrorize your band of misfit friends or the shitty girlfriend and you don't tell anyone I apologized, deal?"

"No more sharpening objects with blades?"

"Only in the privacy of my own room."

"…Guess that's as good a deal as I can get from you."

"Deals with the devil, never the best but better than nothing."

Maybe adding a bit of insurance on that to be safe, "Mess with them and you're out of here."

"Probably doesn't mean much to ya, but you have my word Turner." She held out her hand and they shook on it. "My sister's fair game though."

Groaning he got up to head back upstairs, "Don't tear my house apart when you two finally go at it."

"No promises. Twerp?"

He stopped to look at her.

"Sorry to hear you life's gone to shit too."