Author's Note at the bottom.

Silence.

Save for the sounds of the engines, the interior of the airplane was filled with an oppressive silence.

Ron Stoppable sat across from his best friend and partner in crime fighting, Kim Possible, trying his best to find something to say to help her. They had been best friends since pre-K and he was at a total loss as to what to say or do for her.

Kim, for her part, sat stock still in her seat. Biting her lip. Clenching her fist. Nearly drawing blood on both counts. Now was not the time for tears. Now was the time to get into mission mode. Now was the time to unleash the full fury of her Kimness. But the look in her eyes showed that not only could she not hope to begin that fight, but was doing everything she could to fight back the tears. Crying would change nothing. She hadn't lost this fight yet, and she refused to do so now.

-Flashback: Early that morning-

Kim lay in bed. Staring at the same spot on her ceiling that she had been memorizing for the entire night. One hand clutching at her sheets, the other squeezing the ever dependable Pandaroo until a couple of his seams were literally bursting.

Finally, her alarm clock sounded at the same time it sounded everyday. As though late yesterday Kim's world hadn't shattered. But the alarm was enough to break the trance her ceiling had on her, so she sat up and turned it off while rubbing away the tears she refused to let fall.

She was KIM POSSIBLE, she was stronger than this. She had responsibilities. So much more so than any other teenager. More than even some adults. She refused to be brought down by anything. Even her world breaking.

So she got up. She didn't remember getting into, taking, or getting out of the shower, but her wet hair signalled that she had.

As she came downstairs, she passed the Tweebs room. They had locked themselves in there yesterday after the news had come, and hadn't come out since.

But Kim was stronger than that. She had to be.

She made it all the way to the kitchen. Where her parents were busying themselves with paperwork, and planning. Each supporting the other and keeping themselves from cracking.

This refilled Kim with purpose. If her parents could continue on, and do what needed to be done without crying like a baby, she could too. She of course hadn't heard both her parents weeping the night before.

As she grabbed her breakfast (a single piece of toast) and her backpack, her mother finally registered her presence.

"Kim, honey, where are you going?"

"School, mom. I still have school today. I can't miss class or fall behind," Kim answered on her way out of the kitchen. However both her tone and stride lacked her usual conviction.

"Honey, I already called them and told them you wouldn't be in today. Stay home, its alright," her mother tried to get through to her stubborn daughter.

"See you after school, mom," Kim said, ignoring her mother's protests and opening the front door. Only to run into Ron. "Oh, good. You're here. Come on Ron, we can't be late."

"Hey KP….where are you going?" Asked the confused blond as he followed his weirdly behaving girlfriend.

"School, Ron. We still have school today," she answered back, climbing into the sloth. She turned on the engine without even waiting for him.

"Uhhh, you sure school is the best idea, KP?" Ron continued to press her. Although he did still climb into the passenger seat.

She ignored him as they drove in oppressing silence to their place of learning.

-End Flashback-

So she just sat there, ignoring everything around her. Especially Ron. She knew he only wanted to help, that he was always there for her. But she couldn't deal with him right now. She knew he didn't think this was a good idea, and had asked one too many times if she was sure she didn't want GJ to handle this mission.

-New Flashback: Just after lunch-

It was from sheer muscle memory that Kim had been navigating her way to her classes that day. No one had expected her to come in, and were surprised and somewhat impressed that she came and held it together as well as she had. In fact, it was downright scary. The cold detachment that she had exhibited was off-putting to the entire student body. Even Barkin had kept his hollering down to a minimum.

Bonnie had almost said something, but the look in Kim's eyes had made even her offer a brief apology and scurry off.

Kim was standing at her locker. Staring at the inside of her locker door. She was supposed to be getting her books. She knew that. But her limbs weren't listening.

"Hey Ron," Kim addressed her friend in an almost dead-monotone before he managed to put his hand on her shoulder. Whether to try to comfort her again, or try to shake her out of it, she neither knew nor cared. As long as he didn't say "sorry" or "it will be alright" one more time.

"Hey Kim, look I-"

Beep-B

Kim thanked whatever powers there were (she was having trouble believing in a God at the moment) and answered her in locker computer before the second beep of her famous ringtone could sound.

"What's the sitch Wade?" Kim asked, still not taking her eyes from her locker door.

"Hey Kim," the tech genius and Kim's webmaster greeted her, "I just wanted to say I-"

"WHAT'S the sitch, WADE?" Kim asked again. Closing her eyes to try and keep her emotions at bay. Anger. Sadness. Regret. She couldn't decide which, but she knew she couldn't take another apology, from anyone.

"Well, I know you said not to take down the site or anything despite the fact that I think you...should," Wade withered a bit, what with the way Kim was still emptily staring at her locker, but continued anyway, "Well we got a hit on the site. It looks like Drakken and Shego are up to their old tricks." The faintest smile ghosted across Kim's lips, which was all the encouragement Wade needed. "Shego boosted some tech and they're staying in a timeshare lair. I'll have a ride ready by the time you get outside."

"Thanks Wade….You rock." Kim said, cutting the connection. The ghost of a smile still on her lips.

With the connection cut, Kim reached in and grabbed her mission bag from deeper in her locker. Finally tearing her eyes away to shut it and turn to her long time best friend.

"Come on Ron. We've got work to do," she stated, finally with some emotion in her voice, as she turned to leave.

"Uh, KP, you sure we- ...that a mission is a good idea right now?" The blond questioned as he followed the redhead. Quickly grabbing his own mission bag as they breifly stopped at his locker. "I mean, its okay for you to take the day off, I mean your-"

"Its FINE Ron. I'm fine. I understand what you're saying. I really do. But we're needed."

"I mean, its just that GJ could-"

"They could never handle Shego. Let's go." She commanded, steel in her voice as they got into the ride that would bring them to the airport.

-End Flashback-

Ron would try talking her out of it five more times. Eventually Kim just started ignoring him.

"We've arrived at the jump zone," reported the captain.

"Come on Ron," Kim deadpanned as she pulled on her parachute.

"Look Kim, we really don't have to do this, we could still-" But Kim had already jumped from the plane. A little more forcefully than was really necessary, in his opinion. But his opinion clearly didn't matter right now, so he just sighed and followed the clearly distraught redhead into free fall.

Two hours of silent jungle navigation and vent crawling later, Kim and Ron could hear Drakken's cackling through the grate they were behind.

Not usually waiting for the usual opening in his monologuing, Kim kicked the grate out as hard as she could, sending it flying and clattering to the ground with a loud clatter.

Both Drakken and Shego started as the now deformed piece of metal came crashing down between them and turned to look as Kim dropped to the ground and started scanning the room.

"Kim Possib-" Drakken started to cry in his usual manner, but stopped mid-way. Because as soon as Kim's eyes had located Shego she had begun charging, ignoring the usual song-and-dance.

Drakken was dumbfounded. Shego, on the other hand, knew something was wrong. She could see it in Kim's eyes. She could see it as she fell from her chair to dodge a vicious flying kick aimed straight for her head.

"Oi!" Shego shouted as she ducked and rolled to her feet, assuming her fighting stance. "What the Hell is wrong with you Pumpkin?" The thief demanded as Kim used her momentum from her missed kick to land facing her opponent, then immediately charged at her again. This time with a very telegraphed right hook.

The only answer Shego got was a cry of rage as Kim closed in and missed once again, Shego back pedalling a couple steps.

It was not lost on Shego, as she ducked and dodged Kim's very deadly, albeit very sloppy, onslaught that the usual fire was gone from Kim's eyes.

Something was clearly very wrong. Something looked broken in her. Since she was obviously getting no answers out of Pumpkin, she turned her attention to Ron, who just stood next to a still dumbfounded Drakken.

"Hey Buffoon, what the shit is eating Cupcake here?" the thief asked as she ducked another way too obvious kick.

"SHUT UP!" the exclamation snapping Shego's attention back to Kim, "You don't get to ask! You don't get to demand answers! This is all YOUR fault! All you get is the beating I'm about to give you!"

"Whoa, what the Hell did I do, Princess?" Shego said, clearly confused as to what she was being blamed for. And the tears starting to form in Kimmie's eyes. "Me and Drakken haven't done any-"

"Yes you did! Its your fault!" Kim cried. The tears finally starting to fall as she stomped her foot. "She was too old! And-and… *sniff* and you two got her all twisted up in your stupid scheme. And she *sniffle* she- *sob* she just- and those devices you used- and she couldn't-" She didn't finish. She couldn't finish as she finally brought her hands to her face to wipe away the tears.

Shego, to her credit, put the pieces together rather quickly. And quickly strode over to the weeping heroine.

Ron started after her, but stopped midway as Shego simply pulled Kim into a hug.

"Shhhh, Kimmie," Shego said as she started rocking the very distraught teen.

"*sniffle* No! No no no no no no…." the teen continued crying. Trying to beat Shego away with weak swats. But eventually, when Shego refused to let go, she just gave up and hugged back, letting loose all the tears into the older woman's chest.

"Its not….not fair!" Kim eventually managed to work out between her sobs.

"Wha...what happened?" Drakken asked with an uncharacteristic level of sympathy.

"Kim's Nana Possible passed away yesterday," Ron explained since his best friend obviously could not. He was just happy that she was finally crying. "She had been fighting cancer the past month or so," he finished explaining as he and Drakken watched as Kim sank to the floor, still crying; Shego still holding her, running her hands up and down her back. Petting her hair. Whispering soothing "Shhhh's" and comforting nothings to the redhead the whole time. Strangely, and thankfully to Kim, the only things Shego never said "I'm sorry" and "It will be okay".

And there they stayed while the great Kim Possible finally let all the pain and hurt from her loss come out.

In loving memory to my own Nana, who just passed. I know you're in Heaven watching over us. I love you so much and will miss you. Rest in peace.

-A/N:

So...yeah. Believe it or not, I've been working on re-working The Last Straw. But after today, I just needed to write this and put it out there. Writing this was very theraputic, so there will probably be more to it over the next couple days. Doubt it will be very long.

But, as I said: more to Last Straw is being worked on, and when I start posting (I make no promises when that will be), I'll get more into it. I just really needed this. Thank you for reading (assuming you got this far lol)