call it what you want

13. on my teeth

When the elevator opened and Vic made her way to Rebecca's office door she was put off by a young girl sitting at the desk outside, Hand in My Pocket by Alanis Morissette playing from her laptop. Vic paused looking between the girl who hadn't noticed her yet and the closed door of her friend's office.

"Hey," She began apprehensively, "is Rebecca in?" The girl looked up, her eyes going wide.

"Oh my god, you're Victoria Adams." The girl closed her laptop quickly, almost in shock Vic was in front of her.

Vic smiled, "I am. And you are?"

Little young for an intern. Probably Keeley's idea.

"Nora Collins." The girl stood quickly shaking Vic's free hand, "I'm Flo's daughter."

Flo. Who's Flo? Girl in accounting? No, that's Florence. Ted called her Flo once and she nearly bit his head off.

Nora must have sensed the confusion on the redhead's face as she continued, "Sassy. I'm Sassy's daughter." Vic had only met Sassy a few times, the first time after the game when Ted had his panic attack, once when Rebecca took her and Keeley out to that restaurant she promised Vic for her birthday, but that was about it. When Vic first met Sassy she seemed the complete opposite of Rebecca, much like Keeley and Vic were. But every time she was with Sassy and Rebecca, Rebecca seemed more and more at ease, like she was finally letting her guard down. It made Vic and Keeley happy.

Without a second thought, Vic spoke, "Holy shit, no way." She didn't bother to censor herself, she never did, why would now be any different? Nora shrugged with a smile before looking excitedly back at Victoria.

"This may sound strange but could I maybe get your autograph?" Vic's mouth fell open slightly, shocked almost beyond belief.

She stammered as she replied, "Yes, yes of course." Nora passed her her notebook and a pen and Vic signed it carefully, looping her letters as precisely as she could, the tip of her tongue poking out from her lips as she focused before handing the notebook back to Nora. "It was really nice to meet you, Nora." Vic had never once been asked for an autograph, well once, from Emily's little brother. But this was different, having someone she didn't know at all, someone who, dare she even say, looked up to her enough to ask for her autograph. She was in shock.

Nora smiled brightly as she looked up from the notebook with Vic's signature scrawled across it, "It was awesome to meet you too." Nora replied excitedly as Vic knocked on the door of Rebecca's office before entering.

"Sassy's daughter is outside and she is lovely-" The moment she spoke her eyes found the face of the woman herself, Flo Collins looking back at her.

"Grumpy!" The nickname was given to Vic way back at the Everton game, at the time Sassy knew nothing about Vic but the one thing that stuck out to her when watching the game was the ever-present frown on her face. And thus, Grumpy was born.

"Sassy!" Sassy moved to her feet wrapping the girl in a tight hug, before leaning back to talk to the girl.

"You look stunning! Sit, sit, sit." Vic slipped onto the middle cushion of Rebecca's couch, her usual place, Rebecca on her left and usually Keeley sitting on her right, "What's new with you lovely?"

Vic smiled at the question, Sassy was an almost maternal presence for her she needed, someone who always knew what to say.

Speaking of maternal presence, "How're the boys settling in with Jamie back?" Rebecca brushed some hair that had fallen into Vic's face behind her ear as she spoke. After the conversation that Rebecca revealed she wanted Ted and them to fail, and they grew to have a strong relationship. Many days Vic would spend her lunch up in Rebecca's office, chatting about their days and occasionally Vic talking about something that was going on back home in the States and Rebecca venting about whatever stupid thing Rupert was up to.