Telescope
By diav

Genre: Friendship/Romance
Rating: T
Characters: Kim Possible, Shego
Story Type: multi-chaptered
Summary: Set in flashbacks several years after the Season 4 finale.
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the Kim Possible series.

&& something took you from me

September 1,

Emmie's growing so quickly these days. I think, in the past month, she's grown another inch. It's uncanny... She'll outgrow me in no time! Every day she reminds me of her mother... She's got her eyes and, not to mention, the unmistakable fiery mane.

I miss her. But I know she's out there, watching over us.

Shego leaned back on her chair as she stretched out the kinks in her back. She saw that Emmie was huddled on the couch again fast asleep. She shut down her laptop and gently picked up the eight year-old.

Oh, and she's getting heavier too, Shego thought as she tucked Emmie into bed. She gave the child a kiss on the forehead and returned back to the living room to collect her laptop.

Pausing on her way to the bedroom, she picked up a picture frame that was placed on the table. She sighed as she looked at the familiar faces in the picture: two redheads smiling as they sandwiched a slightly younger-looking Shego.

Those were the days, the ebony-haired woman thought.

And I can't stop missing you as each day passes, Kim. I wish you were here.

"I think you've taken the phrase 'Anything's Possible for a Possible' too far, Kim."

"Dad, it's not like it's something bad. I mean, I love-"

"Kimmie-cub, we raised you to make your own choices in life, but this... This alternate lifestyle you've-"

"Being with Shego is hardly an alternate lifestyle! She's someone I can depend on, someone I care about-"

"-What Emmie needs right now is a father-"

"-Who's to say Shego and I can't raise her like every other couple out there?"

"Frankly, Kim, your mother and I don't think this is a good idea. She was a criminal-"

"-She was pardoned for her crimes after so many years! Besides, she's reformed now."

"How will she provide for you and Emmie? What will you tell Emmie? That she has no father and now you've decided to have some sordid affair with a criminal who you think has redeemed herself to society?"

"Is that what you really think of us being together?"

"What I don't see is what you like about her. She's tried to kill you several times."

"That was the past. Everyone deserves second chances."

"I wouldn't want an ex-con raising my granddaughter."

"Is that your final decision, dad? Is this what you think this is? Some affair with a woman who actually understands me? You don't think we can raise Emmie together?!"

"I don't see what benefits Shego brings to all this."

"Well, if that's how you feel... I'm sorry, I just can't accept this. I love Shego and I love Emmie. I won't let your old-fashioned ways affect how I raise my daughter with Shego. I'm sorry, Dad, but I can't fight with you about this. Either you accept it or you've just lost yourself your daughter and your granddaughter."

"Kimmie. Be reasonable! What kind of future do you expect with a former criminal?"

"I thought my happiness mattered to you, I thought wrong."

"Kimmie!"

Slam.

"And former teen hero, Kim Possible, has just signed her divorce settlement papers with her old sidekick and now ex-husband, Ron Stoppable. Such a shame. We all thought they were a match made in heaven, didn't we, Bob?"

"That's right, Lea. And who would've thought such a goofy young man would shack up with one of Kim's high school cheerleading teammates behind her back? And only less than a year into their marriage too!"

"Oh, to be young and carefree."

"Except this was an extramarital affair that has now turned into something nasty."

"Dang right it is. Who'd've thought Kim Possible, a goody two-shoes, could be so ruthless in court? Man, I wouldn't want to be in Stoppable's shoes right now."

"Rumour has it that the other woman also walked out on him."

"Tough!"

"Damn right it is. Now he's left with nothing."

"I suppose that's karma for ya."

"Mhmm."

"Emmie..."

"Yes, mom?"

"Take care of Shego, ok? Oh, honey, don't cry... Everything will be all right."

Sounds of a child sobbing could be heard in the sterile hospital room. The ebony-haired woman standing in the corner could not bear to look at the scene; instead, she was staring at the bed frame and the room's plain decorations that were devoid of any emotional attachment.

How many families have lost loved ones here, she thought. I'm about to be one of them.

"Shego."

The child was now tugging on her sleeve.

"Mom wants to talk to you." The child slipped her hand in hers as a gesture of comfort. Much-needed comfort.

"Hey Grumpy Face, don't be like that," weakly chuckled the redhead in bed.

"Kim..."

The redhead clasped a hand on the woman, a silent plead to not cause a scene in front of Emmie. The woman understood: she was legally now Emmie's guardian since Kim didn't have much time.

"Don't worry, everything'll be fine, Shego. I'll be right here." She pointed to her chest as multiple machines continued beeping. "Every day is a gift."

Shego blinked away tears that had started to form. She struggled for words as she began to see the light slowly fade. Kim took one long look and her lips moved - something Shego couldn't hear, but Emmie understood.

It was the beeping that filled Shego with dread. Because the infernal beeping noises stopped just as she whispered, "I love you too, Kim."

Flatline.

The sounds of a child's strangled sobs could be heard, and the only thing Shego could do was continue to stare at the lifeless body in the hospital bed.

She had never felt so alone. How was she supposed to raise Emmie without the redhead that had brought so much joy in her life?

"Kim?" asked Shego as she pulled off her shades. She was decked out in workout gear and was jogging through the park when she saw a familiar redhead pushing a stroller.

The redhead raised a hand to block out the sun in her eyes. "Shego?"

"Yeah, I was sure it was you. Taking a walk?"

"Yeah, the baby was being fussy, so I figured a breath of fresh air would be good for the best of us."

"I didn't realise you'd be in this part of Middleton."

"Yeah, the media is ruthless... I figured I might as well be in this area to spare my family from them."

Shego walked alongside the redhead as they made their way around the park. "How have you been? Apart from all this drama..."

"Raising a kid is tough," laughed Kim. "I'm not really getting much sleep because she's so fussy."

"Your mom can help?"

"I sort of moved out to not attract so much attention."

"In this area?"

Kim nodded.

"Strange, I haven't seen you around here."

Kim chuckled. "I actually only just moved out today. All my stuff is still in the car, but the baby started crying, so I decided to take her out for a walk."

Shego peered into the stroller. "She looks just like you." Curious emerald eyes stared right back at the older woman. "What's her name?"

"Emmie."

"How appropriate," chuckled Shego.

"How have you been?"

"Apart from being continually judged by my skin colour and criminal past, I've been good."

"Last I heard, you were in Europe..?"

"Just a rumour, Kimmie. Don't believe the tabloids," shrugged Shego. She then proceeded to stretch her arms and took a swig of water.

"And Drew?"

"Who knows what the blue fool is up to these days? I haven't heard from him since his fertiliser company took off."

"I thought you and him-"

Shego waved her water bottle in Kim's face. "Ew, no. Kimmie, you have to give me more credit than that. No way in hell."

Kim shrugged.

Just then, Emmie proceeded to cry.

"Shhh," Kim cooed. She rummaged through the stroller and found a bottle. Gently, she picked up Emmie and gave the baby the bottle as Shego watched on.

"Is it true?"

"About?"

"I heard that she's the Buffoon's kid?"

Kim shook her head. "I had put in adoption papers shortly after I got married and it was only last week that I was granted rights to be Emmie's guardian. So this all happened after the divorce settlement."

"So the Buffoon..."

"He didn't want kids," Kim said bitterly. "And there's no way in hell I'm letting him have any parental rights for Emmie."

"Oh."

"Sorry, it's just been a long day."

Emmie waved her bottle around to let the adults know she was done. Kim put the bottle away and proceeded to pat the child's back, hoping that Emmie would burp off the excess milk.

Shego watched on before choosing her words carefully. "She looks just like you, Kim. It's actually a bit hard to believe you adopted her."

Kim looked thoughtful for a second before answering. "I guess that's why I picked her. She stood out from the rest."

Shego peered at the baby again. "She's got your eyes." The baby gave her a goofy smile. "And your hair," she added.

Kim shrugged. "Coincidence, I guess."

"Yeah." Shego put her shades back on and stared out into the setting sun. The park was empty this Sunday afternoon and she hadn't completed her routine run. She decided she'd make up for it later. "You need help moving?"

Kim stared at Shego for a minute before answering. "Sure."

"What?"

"You don't have to be nice to me because you feel compelled to. I kicked you into an electrical tower for Pete's sake." Kim put Emmie back into the stroller and tucked her in.

Shego shrugged. "You look like you could use my help if the baby's going to be a handful."

"I don't want your pity about this whole sitch."

"Gosh, Kimmie, you sure are stubborn to refuse help when it's being offered." Shego crossed her arms and glared at the redhead. "I'm not doing this because I pity you about what happened with the Buffoon. It's because I genuinely want to help. How are you going to move things into your place if you're juggling a baby with one hand?"

Kim pondered that for a minute and shrugged. "You have a point."

"Where's your place? I'll swing by after I change."

"It's a small townhouse on Elm and Zenith. Number twenty-four."

"All right, I know where that is... It's just 'round the corner from my place."

"Kim?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm glad you moved into this neighbourhood."

"Me too."

"I guess reconnecting with you was a good idea. If I hadn't stopped, I would've just run past you and we wouldn't be sitting here today."

The redhead shifted in her seat. Shego had taken them for an outing near the Middleton Bluffs. Emmie was sleeping in her car seat as the two adults simply just stared out into the darkness. It was a clear night, so Shego had thought it would be a good idea to just sit around and watch the stars in her convertible. And talk.

The talk was something both women had dreaded. Something that wasn't necessary, but was needed to clarify the direction their 'friendship' was headed.

Kim hadn't been able to sleep very well for the past few days because of all the pondering of the 'what-ifs' and running through different scenarios in her head. Added to that was that Emmie was extremely fussy during the evenings: she'd cry out and hope that Kim would come by the crib to pick her up.

"So... where exactly are 'we' headed?" asked the redhead. She was sitting on her hands tonight, attempting to quash down any thoughts of trying to even hold Shego's hand.

Shego turned to look at her, gave her a smile, and shrugged. "Wherever you want 'us' to go."

"The thing is, I'm not sure where this'll take us..."

Shego fiddled with the steering wheel. "So... I guess... we'll just be friends then." She bit her lip and simply looked up, hoping that Kim wouldn't notice her disappointment.

"We've always been friends... well, started off as frenemies, I guess, but now friends."

Shego scoffed. "'Frenemies'? What are we, in high school?"

"Well, we are acting like two teens who are scared shitless about their feelings," laughed Kim.

Shego howled out in laughter. "We're emotionally constipated, yeah, that's about it."

"Shego," Kim took one of the older woman's hands, "I know you probably don't understand why I'm scared. It's just... there's too much to handle when it comes to me."

"Puh-lease, Kimmie, it can't be as bad as stuff I have to deal with. I'm green! You don't know how many people have given me weird looks-"

"-You're beautiful."

Shego sat stunned by Kim's admission.

"You are, and you should never let people's comments get to you."

Shego sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Kim, do you know how much more bad press you're going to get if whatever's happening between us gets leaked out?"

Kim bit her lip in deep thought before she shook her head. "So be it. I've learned from what happened with Ron that life isn't always fair, things happen, and we all just have to deal with it." She clasped her other hand onto Shego's occupied hand. "I like you, Shego. I don't know what's going on between us, but I've come to rely on you and enjoy your company. You make me happy and Emmie probably feels the same."

Shego blinked. And then stared. And blinked again. When Kim thought she had said the wrong thing, Shego merely hung her head and chuckled.

"What's so funny?" asked the redhead as she was still puzzled over the older woman's reaction.

"Nothing, Kimmie, it's just... how you decided to approach this," said Shego as she looked up. She took her free hand and put it over Kim's hands. "You have a strange way of admitting your feelings, Pumpkin." She turned to look at her dashboard. "And, I, uh, feel the same."

She wasn't too sure what happened next because she felt pain in her chest and was unable to breathe. The redhead had hugged the life out of her for a good five minutes before she started wheezing for air.