I don't own these characters; Disney does. Except for Cali, Charlie Darrow, and cousin Francesca, who are mine.
2: Sociology 101 — How to Make Enemies and Friends
"Duchess, you sure you don't want to just stay home? You can create some excuse or something for not going," Shego commented from her space on the couch. Kim was on top of her, soundly asleep. Cali was knocked out on Kim's back. Usually, Bonnie was common filling in their living sandwich, but she had other affairs to tend to.
"I can't just stay home, Shego, you know that. I can't make up some excuse either. I mean, of course I'd love to be knocked out on the couch like Kimmie, but I have to do this," Bonnie huffed as she moved through the house like a madwoman. She was fixing her shirt while trying to find important papers she needed. Why the hell was nothing ever where she first put it down? Cali keeps moving stuff! When she got the time, she would scold the cat about it.
"Like I said, you could make an excuse. I used to do it all the time!" Shego declared loudly, a little too loudly. Kim and Cali groaned in their sleep. She turned her attention to them for a moment, taking a few seconds to rub their backs and calm them down. They both made little mewing noises as they settled and she turned her attention back to her Duchess.
"Sweetie, you used to steal things for a living. It's not like you were working a regular nine to five," Bonnie pointed out.
"It's not like you're working a regular nine to five either if you have to rush off on a Saturday… again. Do you want me and Kimmie to just go straighten this chick out? We all know she keeps meeting with you on Saturday because she's trying to get you to go on a date with her, but this is the closest you'll go," Shego countered.
"No, I don't want you or my baby going anywhere near Heather. I don't want either of you ending up in jail or doing anything wrong. She's not harming me in any way. She's just annoying and she doesn't take 'no' for an answer for the most part. Besides, I need her as a client to keep my job," Bonnie reminded her lover. Well, that was not entirely true, but Heather was her biggest client and it probably would not look good for her to lose her, even though she tried sometimes really hard to do so.
Emerald eyes rolled. "You don't need to work, you know," she felt it necessary to point out.
"And neither do you, yet you do. I like my job, sweetheart. I enjoy doing it. Let me do it, okay?" Bonnie requested, still moving about the house to gather what she needed for her meeting, even though doubted she truly needed anything. Meeting with Heather was never what she expected, after all.
Shego shrugged. "I guess it's good to have a lawyer in the family," she conceded. She just wished Bonnie did not stress so much over her job.
Knowing that was the end of the discussion, Bonnie focused on finding everything she would need for her meeting. She collected her papers, sorted them as much as she could, shoved them into her briefcase, and then went on the hunt for her shoes. While searching, she silently cursed Cali, who liked moving shoes more than anything else in the house, even when they told her not to.
"Shego, do you know where that chubby tabby moved my sling-back shoes?" Bonnie inquired, standing by the entrance to the living room.
"Why are you wearing your sling-backs? Those are way too sexy. They'll send the wrong idea."
Bonnie snorted. "They're comfortable and I own much sexier shoes, not that it matters. Do you know where Cali hid them?"
"She's gotten into the habit of collecting stuff and hiding them in her 'secret place,'" Shego answered.
"Under the bathroom sink?" It was where they used to find any and everything that went missing. Cali collected anything that could fit in her mouth for some odd reason that even the cat herself could not explain.
"No, she's got a new secret place after she figured out we all know where that one is. Her new secret place funny enough is in the closet, underneath the shoe rack," Shego informed her lover.
Bonnie chuckled and shook her head. She retrieved her shoes and left the apartment, wishing she could just stay and relax with her lovers. But, duty called, and she needed to see what new thing Heather was making up.
-8-8-8-8-
Bonnie sighed as she waited for the big movie star — Heather. It was not uncommon for Heather to invite her out for "business" only to keep her waiting forever and a day. She was not sure if Heather was trying to tease her, punish her, or if it was some weird way of playing hard to get. Either way, Bonnie was not impressed by it and was getting closer and closer to the end of her rope with the superstar.
"Oh, Bonnie, I'm sorry to keep you waiting," Heather declared as she marched into the restaurant, spotting Bonnie at the bar.
"It's fine," Bonnie lied. She was sick of it, really, but she could not say that to Heather. Because the movie star wanted her as a lawyer was probably the main thing keeping her employed. She hated being on such a short leash, even now, but it had to be expected. The only reason she had a job, after all, was because she was sleeping with one of the firm's most important clients. Not to mention, her lover's parents probably threatened the firm in several ways, some of them probably not even legal.
"Come on, let's get a booth and something to eat. I wanted to talk to you about my latest contract," Heather stated as she took Bonnie by the arm. She entwined their limbs in a manner that made Bonnie frown.
"I figured as much," Bonnie replied, pulling her arm away. The unnecessary touching had gotten really old really fast, but Heather still insisted on doing it. It's almost like a game, Bonnie thought. It was like Heather wanted to see how far she could go, despite knowing Bonnie was uninterested and also in a relationship.
Heather glanced down at her, but did not say anything about the attorney tugging away from her. They sat down and Bonnie pulled out the papers from her briefcase. She was ready to talk shop, but Heather had other ideas.
"I'm totally starving. We should eat and then talk," Heather stated with a bright smile on her face.
Bonnie sighed, but she did not argue. She really just wanted this "meeting" to be over already. She could tell they were not going to do discuss the contract as Heather claimed and she had just wasted her time. Maybe she could get back home at a decent time and take her place on the couch with her lovers and relaxing for just a little while. She was going to have to see if Heather was in a merciful mood.
"The shrimp salad here is supposedly to die for," Heather said, obviously trying to drum up conversation from her surly captive and, yes, Bonnie reviewed herself as a prisoner.
The lawyer was quiet and let Heather order. Heather ordered for herself and for Bonnie, which was somewhat amusing. The only person to ever order for Bonnie with her say-so was Kim. Shego did not even dare to do it or she would find herself embarrassed in front of the waiter. Heather got a pass for now.
Bonnie made sure to move her documents out of the way as drinks were brought to the table and the food followed shortly. Heather tried to draw Bonnie into a conversation, but Bonnie was not interested. Her mind was on getting the contract out of the way and then returning home to relax with her girlfriends. It seemed like it had been ages since she was able to relax with them.
"Bonnie, you know, I'm starting to think this was not the best place for us to meet," Heather commented lightly.
An umber eyebrow arched. "Oh? What makes you say that?" she asked. She dared to hope Heather would say something professional, but the feeling in her gut told her that she was not going to like where things were headed.
"Because you seem so distracted. Maybe if it were a less busy place, it would be better. How about you come to my house tonight? I'll make dinner for you and we can get to work right after," Heather proposed, having the nerve to look oh-so innocent.
It took a lot of willpower for Bonnie to remain calm. By some miracle, she even kept her jaw from tensing and managed to get out some rather collected words in response. "No, Heather, you don't need to do that."
"But, I want to do it," Heather insisted.
"Heather, do I need to remind you that I'm in a relationship?" Bonnie inquired. She was in a relationship with two insane and possessive (even if Kim would deny it) women. Hell, Heather had a run in with Shego and it was not very pleasant for the movie star. She would hate to think what her girlfriends would do if they knew Heather wanted to cook her dinner. Needless to say, she was certain Heather would only be able to get work in horror movies afterwards.
Heather waved the question off. "I know, I know. This is just a business meeting, Bonnie. Nothing more than that," she insisted, even though the twinkle in her eyes said otherwise.
"Heather, we can conduct a business meeting during working hours on business days, then," Bonnie pointed out as politely as she could. She had to watch what she said and she was certain that Heather knew that. All of Heather's actions led Bonnie to believe that Heather knew she had Bonnie by the balls, so to speak.
Heather leaned forward a little, mischief and control dancing in her eyes. "I'm much more comfortable in a relaxed environment and I know we won't be disturbed. So, you can come by my condo."
Bonnie almost frowned, but she caught it. "You own a condo in Middleton?" It often amazed her about how popular the quaint town was.
"Up in the mountains. The skiing in Middleton is quite excellent," Heather reminded her.
Bonnie could not argue that. She packed up her things and it was agreed that she would go to Heather's home for a dinner meeting. Heather then paid the bill with her credit card, as if trying to show off. She even glanced up, like she was trying to see Bonnie's reaction. Bonnie was unimpressed, of course.
"I'll see you at your house then," Bonnie said in as normal a voice as she could muster. She was more than ready to leave. Her patience had run its course the moment the credit card and sly look showed up.
"We could go now," Heather offered.
"And then I could help you cook? Maybe I could scrub your dishes, too, and vacuum," Bonnie snapped mildly. She was so tempted to just curse Heather out to the best of her ability, which was pretty good thanks to life with Shego and constant calls from Isabel, but she thought the better of it. She liked her job, she reminded herself, and Heather helped her keep that job by remaining a client.
Heather blinded hard, not expecting that response. "No, I wouldn't ask you to do that. I have a chef, you know."
Blue-green eyes rolled. "I'm sure you do. So, I'm guessing your chef will be cooking for us."
Heather bristled and appeared as if she turned into knots. "What? No, like I said, I'll cook for you. But, you will come tonight, won't you?" She put on her best begging eyes, as if she was actually conning Bonnie. Bonnie could do the begging eyes with the best of them and nothing short of the puppy-dog pout really moved her anymore.
"I have to talk about this contract with you," Bonnie answered. She was expected to keep Heather happy. Her bosses had told her so. In fact, when she complained about how Heather acted toward her, one of the senior partners actually told her to take whatever the actress did and be grateful that someone was willing to put faith in her. Bonnie hated it because it made her feel almost like a whore instead of a lawyer, but damn it, she loved her job.
"Then I'll see you then. Around seven o'clock?" the movie star proposed, having the nerve to smile at her.
Bonnie nodded and was gone before Heather could comprehend what just happened. The lawyer rushed back home, glad to be away from Heather. She found her girlfriends and their pet in the same space as she left them.
"Duchess, you're back already?" Shego called, sounding quite perplexed by that. Heather typically kept Bonnie out for hours.
"I am," Bonnie answered with an exhausted sigh.
"That is not a happy sound. What did she do this time? You sure you don't want me and Kimmie to go… talk to her," Shego offered as Bonnie stood in the doorway of the living room.
"No, I don't want you to talk to her because that's going to lead to threats and maybe some hitting. I don't want you and Kimmie in jail again," Bonnie replied, stepping next to the sofa and trying to figure out how she was going to fit in. "I can't believe my baby is still asleep," she commented, staring at Kim.
The hero was knocked out, mouth open and lower lip resting right on Shego's breast. Of course, Shego would not complain. In fact, Shego had a hand on the back of Kim's head, lightly scratching her scalp.
"I think she doesn't realize she's not sixteen anymore and she doesn't bounce back from multiple missions like she used to," Shego said, absently stroking down Kim's back briefly before her hand went back to Kim's scalp. "You could probably fall on top of her and she won't even make a sound," she added since it was apparent that Bonnie was attempting to work her way to her usual resting spot on top of Kim.
"I'm not going to try it. I don't want her to wake up." Bonnie flopped down to their underused armchair. They probably would not even remember the living room had armchairs if it were not for times like this.
"So, how did lunch go with the she-beast?" Shego asked.
"Horribly. I think it was all just a ploy to invite me to dinner at her house," Bonnie replied. It certainly played out like a ploy and she would not put anything past Heather now.
"Invite you to dinner at her house? Kimmie, wake up!" Shego shook the sleeping redhead.
"No! Don't wake her up!" Bonnie begged, moving to reach the couch, even though she was too aware she would not make it in time. She fell back into her chair when she noticed Kim moving.
"What? What's going on?" Kim asked in a dazed tone, not bothering to open her eyes. She put her head up, though, and it sort of reminded Bonnie of a meerkat poking its head up from underground.
"That crazy movie star invited the Duchess to dinner at her house!" Shego declared.
"Huh?" Kim sat up a bit more and rubbed her eyes. She blinked several times, but could only open her eyes halfway. "Invited Bonnie to dinner?" Olive eyes drifted to Bonnie and Kim shook her head. "Wait, wait, wait, Heather invited you to dinner at her house?" she asked to be sure. It was slightly possible that she dreamed that, she considered. In fact, she hoped she was having a weird dream.
"Yes, she did," Bonnie confirmed.
"You want us to go with you?" the redhead suggested… or hoped. They needed to get Heather to realize Bonnie was not on the market and there was nothing Heather could do that would change that.
"No, I don't want you two going there and causing all types of trouble. This is my job we're talking about," Bonnie replied.
"You know, being your own boss is pretty sweet. Maybe you should try that," Shego proposed. It would save Bonnie a lot of trouble, heartache, headaches, and all around suffering.
"And just squander the great job your parents got me?" Bonnie inquired incredulously. She was surprised her mouth was not on the floor thanks to her shock. Besides, she needed to make more of a name for herself before she just tried to open her own practice.
"It would get on Mommy's nerves," Shego mused with a devilish smirk on her face.
"Yes, but your father would be heartbroken as it would seem like Bonnie didn't want his gift," Kim pointed out.
"Damn," Shego hissed, frowning and making a fist for a moment.
"Look, I will handle this. You two don't have to worry," Bonnie declared, shaking her head slightly.
"I'm sure we don't. One movie start versus the two of us? She doesn't even have a chance in being a wet dream for you!" Shego proclaimed with her usual confidence and a rather lewd, but arousing grin.
"As crudely as that was put, you're right," Bonnie agreed.
"I guess having two girlfriends is a good way to insure no wandering eye," Kim remarked, chuckling a bit.
"Yeah, unfortunately, I also have to deal with twice the jealous insanity," Bonnie teased the pair.
"We're not jealous!" Kim argued.
"Nor are we insane. We're very secure in who we are. We're not very secure in everyone else around you, though," Shego explained, making a little circular motion with her index finger.
"Twice the jealous insanity," Bonnie chirped with a huge smile.
Kim and Shego decided not to argue and let the subject drop since they were not in the mood to hear about Bonnie going to have dinner with Heather. It was a bit bothersome knowing that in a couple of hours Bonnie would be going off to have dinner with another woman. A woman who she was practically being forced to see because of the job that she loved.
"You sure you want to be a lawyer, Bonnie?" Shego inquired, giving the attorney a sidelong glance. "Didn't you want to be a dancer or some such bullshit when you were in school?"
"Thank you for bringing up my confused past, sweetheart. Wonderful way to help me forget how fucked up my life can be," Bonnie remarked with a scowl.
Kim put up her hands, indicating that both of them needed to cease. "Okay, before this leads into an argument, let's not even go there," she begged. She did not have the patience or the energy for it today.
Shego sighed and cast her gaze over at Bonnie. "Sorry, Duchess," she actually apologized without sound flippant or anything. She was quite sincere. She knew what type of emotional scars some things could leave and was very aware — thanks to being in a healthy relationship — it was wrong to use those things to try to win an argument.
"I'm sorry, too. I don't want my job to come between us. You two mean the world to me, you know that, right?" Bonnie got up and went to the pair. She embraced both of them and held them tight for a moment, wanting them to feel how much she loved them.
"We know, baby," Kim replied as she sat up for a proper hug. Shego did the same while Kim made sure their still sleeping cat did not plummet to the living room floor. They then engaged in a family hug… not that Cali was aware she was involved in a family hug.
"I don't want to argue over my job either," Bonnie said.
Shego sighed, starting to feel like a heel. "Again, Duchess, I'm sorry. I know your job means a lot to you and you're actually really good at being a lawyer. I just don't like this bitch trying to take advantage of you. I don't think you should have to put up with it either."
"I'll think of something to get her off my back," Bonnie vowed. She was not going to have Heather causing arguments between her and her lovers. She would not stand for it. No job was worth that.
"So, there's nothing we can do?" Shego asked, pointing to Kim and then back to herself.
Kim smiled. "Bonnie, baby, I think what Shego's trying to say, but isn't doing a very good job of, is there any way that we can protect you from Heather? Is there anything we can do to try to help your situation out?"
Bonnie smiled, too. "No, there's nothing you can do. I have to handle this myself. I want to handle this myself. I'm not with you two for you to protect me from everything, after all."
"Hey, you've protected us just as much, so don't try to downplay yourself, baby," the hero pointed out, reaching out to caress Bonnie's cheek.
Bonnie nodded and figured she needed to think of something between now and dinnertime. There had to be someway to get Heather to back down. She was not sure what she was going to do, though.
-8-8-8-8-
Bonnie sighed and rested her head against her steering wheel after parking her car in front of Heather's skiing villa. Absently, she wondered if Shego's mother had a villa in the rather prestigious area. After all, Isabel had a house in Middleton just for the skiing, but that would probably make a villa redundant. Although, she suspected Isabel lied about having the Middleton house for skiing and probably purchased it to be close to Shego. Knowing Shego, the ex-thief would pitch a fit if her mother ever admitted to buying a home to be close to her, even though she was certain Shego liked having her mother close by. Hell, she was certain Shego liked her mother point blank, despite all of the whining and bickering.
"I'm not ready to deal with this woman," Bonnie said, but found herself opening her door anyway and walking to the front of the modern-looking home. Ringing the doorbell, she waited for a response.
"Coming!" Heather called.
"I wish I were going," Bonnie muttered to herself. The door opened before she made an escape or could even think of an excuse.
"Welcome to my winter home, Bonnie," Heather said, motioning for her to enter.
"Thanks for having me," Bonnie said, as graciously as she could muster. It sounded like someone was forcing her to say the words at knifepoint. It was just there were other places she would rather be — like at her own dinner table with her girlfriends, smiling and laughing with them. Right now, crawling through broken glass even had a charm to it that Heather could not match.
"Oh, trust me, it was no trouble at all. Can I get you a drink?" Heather offered with a delighted smile. The smile of Satan, Bonnie assumed. She had seen it several times on many different people before.
"No, thank you. I do have to drive back home," the lawyer pointed out.
"Not really," Heather purred as she slid up behind Bonnie. She pressed herself to the younger woman's back. "I have a spare bedroom," she said, even though it was clear that was not what she wanted to say.
"Thank you, but I don't need it," Bonnie said crisply as she pulled away from the star. Suppressing a shudder, she turned to face Heather. "I would much rather get to this contract with you." She would much rather do her job in her office, but that was not up for discussion unfortunately.
"You're so forward and business-minded, Bonnie. Relax a little for tonight. I want you to be able to relax when you're with me. So, how about we start with a glass of wine?" Heather proposed.
"I just told you I have to drive back home," Bonnie stated.
"And one glass of wine now will impede your ability to drive later?" Heather asked in a rather mocking fashion, going so far as to make an exaggerated surprise face.
"I'm not going to take that risk." With her luck, the wine would be drugged and she would pass out right in the house. Of course, that could be said of just about anything she ingested or touched while in Heather's home. Great, now I'm just as paranoid as my girlfriends.
"You don't have to. As I said, I have a spare bedroom. If you get lonely at night, well, then, I have a master bedroom," Heather remarked with undisguised lust in her eyes. It was in that moment that the camel felt the final straw.
Bonnie frowned and glared at the taller woman. "Listen to me, Heather, I don't know who the hell you think you are or you think I am, but I'd never sleep with you. You know I'm already in a committed relationship and I have no interest in you. So, how about we stop playing stupid games and get down to business?" she demanded through gritted teeth and fire in her eyes.
Heather had the nerve to look insulted by the words. "Bonnie dear, I think you don't know who the hell you are. You have a lot of nerve speaking to me that way."
Bonnie held up a hand. "At this point, I really don't care."
"Oh? So, you don't care if I suddenly dropped you? You know without me, that law firm will dismiss you faster than you thought was possible."
"So what?" Bonnie screamed, finally at her full and complete limit. "I don't give a damn! That fucking firm isn't worth my relationship and neither are you! You're not that great, Heather. You think flashing some cash and showing me your winter home is enough to get me in bed? Ha! I'm not a whore and if I want something, I have people to take care of that, so I don't need your shit!" she proclaimed as loudly as she possibly could. Thankfully, there was not an avalanche after she was done.
Heather glared at the attorney. "You think you can just talk to me any old way you want, Bonnie? I could buy and sell your sorry ass! You're not even a good lawyer! I just wanted to get you in bed!"
"Fuck you, Heather, and the horse you rode in on! I know I'm good at my job and you're just a fucking spoiled brat who doesn't know how to handle not having things her way all the time!" Bonnie could almost appreciate the irony of her calling someone else a spoiled brat.
Bonnie stormed out before things got any worse and drove back home, ignoring her cell phone the whole time, knowing it was Heather calling. She practically slammed the door when she got back in and kicked off her shoes without much care as to what she hit. Cali yelped as she almost took a high-heel to the forehead. The yowl from the cat and the angry muttering from Bonnie attracted the two resident martial artists.
"Baby, what's wrong? Why do you look so upset?" Kim asked with concern as she rushed over to Bonnie. Shego was right behind her.
"What did that bitch do this time?" Shego demanded, ready for blood already.
"She didn't do anything. It was all me," Bonnie answered, rubbing her forehead in an attempt to fight off a major headache.
"Don't play this martyr B.S, Duchess. What the hell happened?" Shego inquired. Her question was made more potent by the fact that Kim had a look in her eyes demanding the same thing.
Bonnie sighed and ducked her head. "Can we sit down? I'll tell you what happened," she conceded, not in the mood to fight anymore.
Nodding, the pair led Bonnie into the living room. Kim then rushed off and returned with Bonnie's favorite snack, hoping the Fig Newtons would lift Bonnie's spirits. Shego silently took Bonnie's feet into her lap and started giving her a message. Bonnie offered them both small smiles of thanks before going into what happened not long ago at Heather's humble abode.
"So, I'm probably going to be without a job come Monday," Bonnie ended her tale with a long sigh and a depressed expression.
"We'll think of something, Duchess. There are plenty of other law firms," Shego pointed out, not doing a very good job of reassuring Bonnie.
"Baby, maybe we should talk to Mister Darrow again. He was very understanding the last time you went to see him," Kim reminded Bonnie.
Bonnie made a noise that did not seem like an agreement or a disagreement. She thought on the last time she went to see the senior partner. He had been very understanding of her side of the matter and fired her coworker, who had been at the firm much longer than she had. But, this was after he attempted to rape her. Well, she took it as an attempted rape while her coworker tried to downplay it. Charles Darrow, the partner, had taken her side, going so far as to promise legal action against her coworker. Unfortunately, they had not been able to locate him to prosecute him. Her lovers had been oddly calm about that news, so much so that she suspected they were the reason he vanished.
"Maybe I'll go see him," Bonnie figured.
"I can call him. I have his cell and his home phone number," Shego offered. Hey, he was her lawyer and she often got in trouble, needing to get in contact with him as soon as possible.
"That's all right. I'll go to him on Monday. I want to gauge how much trouble I'm in before I do anything," Bonnie explained.
"You shouldn't have to put up with crap like that just for a client. Your morals and conscience should not cost you your job," Kim argued.
Bonnie laughed and turned a bit to rub Kim's head, pulling the hero closer to her. "Welcome to the real world, Kimmie. Sometimes, the job wants your immortal soul." She then leaned over and kissed Kim's cheek.
"That's not fair," the redhead stated with a little pout.
"No, it's not. I'm going to fight and everything, but I'm not too sure how this will turn out in the end," Bonnie said with a pout of her own. She was not looking forward to being unemployed again, but she knew from the past that it was best to brace herself for that.
"However it turns out, you know we're here for you, baby. We're always here," Kim declared and Shego nodded her agreement.
Bonnie smiled. "I know. Same here."
-8-8-8-8-
Bonnie went into work on the following Monday and was surprised she was called to Charlie Darrow's office almost immediately. She figured one of the other senior partners would see her and discuss why she was not working out. Darrow had not even really been involved in talking to her about having Heather as a client when it was decided she needed to do everything in her power to keep the movie star happy and with the firm. So, she could only wonder why he was the one that was going to fire her.
"You wanted to see me, sir?" Bonnie said as she stepped into the older attorney's office.
"Prompt as always, Bonnie. Please, come in and sit down," her boss replied, motioning to one of the plush chairs in front of his large desk.
"I know how annoying it can be to be kept waiting," Bonnie replied, sliding into the chair directly in front of him. "I am a little surprised that you wanted to see me," she added.
"Trust me, that makes two of us. I haven't been listening out for how things are going around here as well as I should. I've only just learned about how the partners view your handling of the rather mundane movie star, Heather," he commented dryly, going so far as to roll his eyes.
A slight laugh escaped her. "You don't care for her movies?"
"Not particularly. My daughters love her, though. I figure I must just be too old to get it. But, I've been getting a lot of conflicting and confusing information on what happened and why," he informed her.
Bonnie's face scrunched up. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, first some of the other partners called me and started talking about how you lost Heather. Then, Heather herself got in touch with me, basically contradicting what I had already been told. The partners then called back with some other things and then Heather suddenly called back angry over something that you had done and it was all just a big headache," he remarked, shaking his head.
"I can imagine," Bonnie scoffed. At this point in her life, hearing the name Heather was starting to bring on headaches.
"So, Bonnie, I've learned that you will suffer in silence for the sake of this job, but I also know you to be earnest when asked. So, what is going on?" Charlie inquired, folding his hands in front of him to appear patient and understanding.
"It's quite simple, sir. I decided to stop acting like the firm whore and told Heather just what I think of her. She didn't take it too kindly and promised to have me fired. She claims the only reason she hired me was because she wanted to sleep with me," Bonnie explained as briefly as possible.
Charlie grunted a bit and had to lean back for a little longer before going back to his original position. "Hmm… That's a bit distressing." His brow wrinkled a little. "What do you mean by the firm whore?"
"Some of the other partners were telling me to give Heather anything she wanted to make sure we kept her business. I, like a fool, did this as best I could without actually sleeping with the woman. Over the weekend, she invited me to her home for dinner and that was sort of the breaking point for me. Her constant badgering is wrecking my relationship, as is suffering in silence for this job."
Charlie nodded. "Well, I'm glad you did break. I'm going to guess you said some things that the movie star didn't appreciate," he commented with a slight laugh.
"That's putting it mildly. She was rather unhappy I wouldn't sleep with her. Did she request another lawyer or something like that?"
"The second and fourth time she called, yes, but the first, third, fifth, and sixth times were different. She seemed to be apologizing in one and begging to keep you on in another. As I said, it was confusing."
"So, I'm not fired?" Wow, there was good news to be had apparently.
Charlie shook his head. "Bonnie, I'm not in the habit of firing people for standing up for themselves or speaking their mind. I also feel like I should let you know that by now most of us know you're competent and very good at what you do. Whoever treats you otherwise is just trying to take advantage of you because they know you really want to stay on at this firm. This situation with Heather is just weird, though."
Boy was he pretending to the choir! "Can't we just get her another lawyer?" she asked, somewhat begged. Anything to keep Heather away from her… far, far away.
"She seems to want you to stay on."
And the headache just arrived. What the hell is wrong with this woman? "But, I don't want to deal with her trying to get me into bed. If she keeps pushing, I'm not going to be able to stop Shego from doing something stupid," Bonnie reported.
"Ah, Shego. Well, actually, Shego might be able to come in handy for you," Charlie commented, as it seemed like a thought just occurred to him.
A well-groomed eyebrow craned upward. "How so? I'm not going to use her to scare Heather. I don't want her to get into any trouble."
He chuckled. "That makes two of us. It's never a dull moment when that family starts trouble. No, I mean she might be able to introduce Heather around to other women. I know Shego knows enough beautiful women, as I've had to deal with so many lawsuits. Maybe that would get her off your back."
Bonnie looked skeptical and decided to ignore the fact that Shego seemed to have a hidden brothel or something similar. Thinking about Shego's past girlfriends was never a pleasant notion, especially after meeting Medea. She especially did not want to consider why Shego's lawyer would have met with any of these past girlfriends.
"Sir, Heather's a big time movie star. I don't think she has a hard time meeting beautiful women," she pointed out.
"Maybe not meeting women, but meeting interesting women. I have to say Bonnie, you have to be one interesting woman to keep Shego's attention. You should use that to your advantage."
Bonnie was quiet for a moment. That actually sounded logical enough to her. I must be desperate. Maybe what Heather really needed was to meet some attractive, interesting, and single women. But, she thought she would have talk to Heather first, especially since the woman seemed very confused. Maybe I should've answered her calls this weekend. Her head throbbed at the thought, though.
"Do you think Heather would be inclined to talk with me?" Bonnie asked.
"I suppose it would depend on which of her personalities answers the phone or the door. She's been that perplexing to me these past two days," he answered earnestly.
"How many times has she called you?"
He scratched his chin and thought on it for a moment. "I think a dozen."
"And she sounded upset in half of them?"
Chuckling, he shook his head. "No, she sounded upset in all of them. It was just anger in some, remorse in others, shame in some, and all sorts of emotions. I think you'll be fine if you catch her at the right moment. And, please, don't worry about her getting you fired. I'm not going to let them get rid of you from something like this."
Bonnie nodded. "Thank you, sir."
Charlie nodded in return and Bonnie took her leave. She went to her office and wondered if she should wait for Heather to call her or if she should call Heather. She was not sure what sort of signals it would give Heather if she called, but she felt like Heather would be angry with her if she waited. When her phone rang, she noticed it was Heather and found herself answering.
"Bonnie Rockwaller," she answered the phone.
"Bonnie, I've been trying to call you this whole weekend and you've been ignoring me! What if I really needed you? There could've been an emergency!" Heather hollered into the phone, hurting Bonnie's ears. Once more, her head throbbed.
"Or it could've been you calling to scream at me, as you are doing now," Bonnie pointed out with false patience.
Heather let out a loud sigh. "You're right, but it still could've been an emergency," she admitted in a tired, controlled tone.
"Yes, it could've been, but since you've blurred the lines between professional and private, it's hard to tell when I should answer a call from you," came the blunt reply.
"I suppose I deserve that."
"Probably more," Bonnie grunted.
"Look, I'm not calling to be abused by you and I'll do my best to return the favor. I'm sorry about the other night. I don't know what came over me," Heather said.
"The same thing that comes over you every single time we're next to each other. You seem to think because I'm trying to do my job means I will literally behind over backwards for you. I'm telling you right now, I won't. I'm in a committed relationship and that's that."
"Yes, I understand—" Heather was cut off.
"No, I don't think you do. I've told you a number of times about my relationship and yet you still like to pretend our meetings are dates and now you're trying to threaten me to get me to sleep with you. You're a damn movie star. If you need to get laid that badly, I'm sure it's not a problem," Bonnie declared.
Heather was quiet for a moment. "You're right about that, but that just means there's something more to you than me wanting to get laid," she pointed out.
It was now Bonnie who was dumbstruck. "What do you mean?" she managed to ask.
"I'm not entirely sure. I suppose it's just the way you keep me at a distance, but also pull me just a little close. I know both have to deal with you actually working while I'm mostly taking it as playing. But, there's something about you. I think I like the way you don't just bow to me because I'm Heather, Hollywood royalty. You don't act like I'm some goddess."
"I'm sure there are other women who wouldn't bow to you because you're Heather," Bonnie stated. She knew two of them, but of course they were just as unavailable as she was.
"Not many and I haven't met one, aside from you anyway. Look, Bonnie, I think between being angry and hurt, I've been trying to apologize to you. I'm not as horrible or spoiled as I've been acting. It's just as I said, you're the one woman I've met that doesn't just bow to me. It doesn't hurt that you're damned sexy," the redhead remarked.
"So, you'll keep me on as your attorney?" Or so Bonnie hoped.
"I'm not sure if that's a good idea. I'm not sure if my behavior's going to improve. I'm really drawn to you and I doubt that feeling's just going to disappear."
Bonnie frowned. She was not looking to lose the one client that made her valuable to the firm. Besides, she was certain this was a problem that she could fix.
"Heather, how about you not make that decision just yet? Give it a few days," Bonnie requested, making sure to sound polite and pleasant to make the actress more agreeable.
"A few days?" Heather echoed.
"Yes, a few days. I think I might have a solution to your problem. You just don't move in the right circles. You stay surrounded by yes-men or other Hollywood types. You need to broaden your horizons," Bonnie proclaimed. She could only hope that was possible, but she was going to use her boss' suggestion.
"How so?"
"As I said, just give it a few days. I'll call you with details. Okay?"
Heather was silent for a few second, probably thinking it over. "I'll give you those few days."
"Good. I promise to call you and, hopefully, I'll have good news."
Heather agreed and the call was disconnected. As soon as Bonnie was off of the phone with the movie star, she called Shego. Shego did not answer and Bonnie realized she was probably in the middle of teaching a class. Her question and request would have to wait until lunch. Until then, she got to work.
As soon as she could, Bonnie rushed out to get to lunch with her lovers, wanting to run her idea by Shego and possibly by Kim. After all, Kim had met plenty of interesting people during her life.
Bonnie was at the café, first as always. Kim and Shego marched in a few minutes later, still damp from their usual afternoon shower. They slid into the booth, sandwiching Bonnie, smiling as they did so.
"Hey, there, gorgeous. Your date stand you up?" Shego remarked, leaning in closer to Bonnie.
"She must be some kind of fool," Kim chimed in with a bright smile.
"We should be able to show you a good time, though," Shego commented, motioning between herself and Kim.
"You two are in good spirits," Bonnie noted with a smile of her own.
"Shego and Yori had a random class clash and Shego's just happy that her class won," Kim remarked.
"Class clash?" Bonnie echoed. This was something new.
"Shego and Yori have taken to randomly invading each other's spaces with their whole classes and having like a mini-war," Kim explained, waving her hand as if to mock the whole thing.
Bonnie arched an eyebrow and turned to Shego. The ex-thief smirked and shrugged. Bonnie was not going to accept that as an answer and gently swatted the older woman to get a proper response. Before Shego got into what happened, the waiter came over and took their orders.
"It's something we just started. One day last week I was really bored and the class wasn't that big, so I just figured I'd see if my class could take Yori's class since it's usually smaller than mine. We probably had the same amount of students that day, so I told my crew we were gonna 'invade' Yori's room. We came, we saw, we conquered," Shego boasted, making a fist.
"Yeah, and then a couple of days after that Yori's class went complete ninja on them. When I came downstairs, Shego and her whole class were tied to the walls," Kim added with a teasing grin.
Shego groaned and put her hand over her face. "You didn't have to tell her that part, Pumpkin," she muttered.
"It's always an adventure with you two," Bonnie commented with a fond expression on her face.
"Don't act like we're the only ones. How did things at work? How fired are you on a scale of one to ten?" Shego asked.
"I'd guess I'm a zero. I wasn't fired and Mister Darrow seemed to understand my position pretty well," Bonnie answered.
"Yeah, Charlie ain't half bad a lot of the time. What happened with Heather, though? Has she found out you're not fired?" Shego inquired.
"She knows I wasn't fired, but she was talking about letting me go as her lawyer. She did apologize for her behavior, but figured it wouldn't stop if I stayed on as her attorney. I asked her to give me a few days before she made any real decision and she agreed. It's a good thing, too, because I have an idea on how I can get her off my back, but keep her as a client," Bonnie informed them.
"What's this idea?" Kim asked curiously.
"I hope it's something absolutely wicked, demon child," Shego remarked with a twisted grin, folding her hands in front of her.
Bonnie shook her head and held up her hand. "Nothing of the sort, sweetness. I'm sorry. I just need you two to think of some very interesting women to introduce Heather to. She said she was so attracted to me because I was interesting and I didn't treat her like Hollywood royalty," she explained.
"Oh!" Kim nodded. "I get it. I don't know if she'd like any of the women I know. They're mostly intellectuals who take themselves too seriously and kinda boring unless you want to talk about their field of expertise." Her lovers gave her skeptical looks, but let it slide because they knew Kim's perception of just about everything was different from the rest of the world.
"Well, don't you know a lot of women who are like you, minus the hero thing anyway?" Bonnie asked.
Kim rubbed her chin and thought on it for a few seconds. "A few. Do you think Heather wants a woman that likes to play in dirt? I mean, the women I know who are interesting like to go down into pyramids or train tigers or space walk for fun and stuff like that."
Bonnie sighed. "I'm not sure she meant that interesting. What about you, Shego?"
Shego snorted, turning her nose up to the whole idea. "I'm not a dating service and I'm not trying to help Heather either."
"Idiot, you'd be helping Bonnie," Kim pointed out with a laugh.
"How so?" Shego inquired with an arched eyebrow.
"You'd be getting Heather off of her back," the redhead stated the obvious. The waiter hustled back with their orders and put everything down before vanishing again.
"I don't know that for sure. For all I know, she told the Duchess that just to put her at ease. I don't trust her," Shego declared, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Well, can we give it a chance before you disregard it? I mean, what if she's telling the truth? This could be my chance to keep a good client and not get stressed out every single time I hear the word 'actor' or the name 'Heather,'" Bonnie argued while stealing a fry from Kim's plate.
Shego sighed. "Sorry, Duchess. I'm naturally suspicious, especially when it comes to sob stories. I know plenty of interesting women, though. Not as interesting as the ones Kimmie knows apparently," she quipped, also stealing a fry from Kim's plate.
"Hey, I'm the one that knew you two first," the hero countered.
"You'd probably know more interesting women, then. You should know more women like our little Bon-Bon anyway," Shego teased.
"Watch it, firefly," Bonnie growled.
"Let's stay focused," Kim said, staving off an argument as she usually did. "Now, Shego, you probably know some rather sophisticated women. I mean, your father's a count and everything. I'm sure you real royalty that could easily impress Hollywood royalty."
Shego shrugged. "I know some. Hell, I'm related to some," she replied as if that was nothing. She bit into her fish sandwich.
"Would you mind introducing them to Heather?" Bonnie asked before starting in on her own food.
"Are you sure you want that? I mean, I'm related to these people!" Shego remarked with a smile.
"Yeah, but on your father's side. Kane isn't as crazy as Isabel," Bonnie joked. Well, Kane was at least a different kind of crazy.
Shego laughed. "You might think that!"
"Seriously, though, sweetheart, can you help me out?" Bonnie inquired.
A scoff came before the response. "I could, but it means I'd have to call my father, who would then put me on the phone with my mother, who would make me want to strangle her through the phone."
Bonnie took her lover's hand and gave her a pleading expression. "Please, sweetheart, can you do this for me? I would make it worth your wile," she promised with a licentious glint in her eye. Kim could not help chuckling from the look and knowing that the eldest of the their trio would cave.
"I guess I could…" Shego groaned. "Like I said, I'll have to call Daddy…"
"Why?" Bonnie asked, pulling away from Shego to continue on eating her chicken salad.
"I don't keep up with much of my family. Besides, Daddy'll know when the next big blue-blood get together is. There's usually a lot of them, as these guys need to keep busy and find places to brag to each other, but you have to know where to look. This way, we can just show up with Heather. Hell, my father might even be able to arrange a get together," Shego explained.
"Anything to get Heather hooked up with somebody," Bonnie declared.
"Okay, but I totally expect a favor in return," the former thief stated.
"You mean like I won't tell my baby that it was you who turned off her Kimmunicator last weekend and then hid it," Bonnie said with a devilish smile.
Kim growled. "You told me Cali hid it!" She glared at Shego. "Damn it, Shego, you were screaming at Cali all day last week for something she didn't even do!"
Shego shrugged. "You needed a day off," she replied nonchalantly. That did not stop the glaring. But, to be fair, the glaring would not stop her from doing it again the next time she felt Kim needed a day off. Of course, she might need to find someone new to pin it on. That would teach Bonnie to rat her out.
-8-8-8-8-
"Wow, Shego, you threw this together rather fast," Kim commented, staring around the semi-crowded art gallery.
Everyone in attendance was dressed formally and looked as if they had just stepped out of a movie. Kim was no different. She was dressed in a formal, teal-colored dress with her hair done up with a diamond studded tiara and matching earrings. Shego wanted her to look like a real princess for the night, insisting she wear the tiara and hold her head up high.
"I didn't. I told you there's always one of these going on somewhere. You just need to know where. I don't keep up with them since I try not to make it a habit to rob my family," Shego remarked, sporting her own sexy black and green dress. Compared to the other gowns, hers looked a little risque, but it was somewhat expected of her.
"Because you'll get in trouble?" Kim guessed, giving her lover a teasing smile.
"Shut up, Princess," Shego replied. Of course, that was the exact reason she did not rob family members. Her parents would be on her back and never get off. She did not want that burden.
"I hope Bonnie's able to get Heather here," Kim said, looking around the gala. She doubted she had ever seen so much expensive art, jewelry, and wine all in the same place. Monique would probably faint if she could see these clothes, Kim thought.
"I'm sure that wasn't a problem. Kimmie, keep an eye out for my parents. They might pop up and I want a heads' up."
"They don't come to these things often?" the hero asked. She could imagine Isabel in the setting, but oddly enough had problems picturing Kane being some place like this. She could not figure out how Kane had come from this world after seeing him in what had to be his element, which was just goofing off with his children.
"Not really. It's not my dad's thing, but he does come to some of the ones at art galleries. He loves art," Shego replied with a slight shrug.
"And that's where you get it from," Kim stated with an impish smile.
"Don't get cute, Princess. I know where you sleep, after all," the former thief playfully threatened her girlfriend.
Kim smiled and then looked around. "How about you introduce me to some of your family while we wait for Bonnie?"
"I suppose. Don't worry either. They're not a stuffy bunch. I mean, they accept my mother, even though she's not European nobility," Shego said.
"Is your mother even European?" Kim teased.
"I think at this point, my mother, like me and my brothers, just considers herself an Earthling," Shego remarked. Her mother's side of the family was pretty much every ethnic group under the sun.
Shego and Kim drifted through the crowded gathering. Shego's family was very polite as they met Kim. Some of them had even heard of the hero and happily chatted her up. Shego did not seem to mind, which surprised Kim. Usually, Shego was just antagonistic about everything, but she smiled through this and stood a little taller with each interaction. Kim wondered if Shego was pleased that her family accepted their relationship.
"Your family is very accepting," Kim noted.
"You have no idea. Believe it or not, my father told them that I'm seeing two women at the same time. While you've been talking to one, someone else is asking me where's the other woman," Shego commented.
Her father's side of the family accepting all that was weird and crazy always astonished her. She was not sure why they were so accepting, but she was glad for it. But, then again, it might just be that nothing surprised them anymore after dealing with Kane and Isabel. There was also the fact that they had to deal with Kane and his kids having super powers and being hunted by the government. Then, they had to deal with her becoming a criminal and wanted pretty much all around the globe. She supposed anything that did not involve jail time was fine by her family now.
"I think they're a nice group," Kim commented with a kind smile.
"They're all right," Shego said conservatively.
"I figure since it's your father's side, you'd be all right with admitting you like them. I've already seen you with them, after all," Kim pointed out.
"Again, they're all right. I could've done worse as far as families go," Shego conceded somewhat.
Kim decided not to press the issue, especially since Shego was in a good mood. "Have they always been like this?"
"Pretty much from what I remember. When we first met them, my dad was nervous. He didn't think they'd accept his family, but he was pretty wrong. They teased my dad and everything, but they were generally nice to us."
"To the point where you have relatives that you'll have extended conversations with and they'll invite you to their homes and things like that?" Kim asked.
Shego nodded. "Yes, to that point. Like a regular family," she admitted, trying her best to sound annoyed and failing miserably.
The conversation was cut short as Bonnie appeared by their sides. Shego wrapped an arm around Bonnie as soon as she was standing there. She then whistled as a joke when she noticed what Bonnie had on.
"You look fucking beautiful, Duchess," Shego commented, eyes wandering her tanned lover's petite form.
"What she said," Kim concurred with a nod. Her own eyes could not stay off of Bonnie.
"Thank you, loves. You two look beautiful, too. This is a rather impressive event, too," Bonnie said, scanning the gallery.
"Where's the guest of honor?" Shego asked.
"Already mingling. When we walked in, someone recognized her and they started talking. She walked off with the woman," Bonnie explained, waving through it to gesture that Heather was gone.
"So, is your work here done already?" Kim inquired.
"I hope so. I'm going to try to keep an eye on her, just to make sure."
Shego and Kim agreed with that. The trio drifted through the party, watching Heather. Shego even sent a few of her relatives Heather's way, knowing they might interest the movie star and be interested in return. It seemed to be working out quite well until they overheard one conversation.
"You mean you came here with Bonnie? I could've sworn that was Shego's other girlfriend," one of the relatives said, speaking to Heather. The trio inched a little closer, but remained out of Heather's sight.
"Other girlfriend? I know Bonnie's in a relationship, but what do you mean by other?" Heather asked curiously. It was at this point the trio realized a glaring flaw in their plan.
Shego shot her cousin, a regal woman by the name of Francesca, a signal, slicing her hand across her neck, showing she needed to cut the conversation. The cousin nodded and Shego sighed in relief. Thankfully, her fathers' side of the family was kind and just change the conversation. Her mother's side of the family would have used that as a prime moment to let the torment begin.
"I'm sorry, sometimes my English is little poor. I meant to just say Shego's girlfriend. Bonnie is Shego's girlfriend," the cousin recovered, smiling gracefully through the whole lie to sell it.
Heather nodded. "I did arrive with Bonnie, but I'm not with her or anything. She escorted me to the event to make sure I found my way."
"That was rather brilliant of her. I must remember to thank her for doing me such a favor. It is not often that I get to engage in the presence of such a beautiful… no, excuse me, a radiant woman," the cousin said with a charming smile as she eased up closer to Heather.
"Shego, I see where your dad gets it from now," Kim commented, referring to the line used by Shego's cousin.
"Believe it or not, it wasn't until I came out that my cousins started acting that way with the same sex. Before, they liked to pretend that none of them were gay, even though quite a few of them actually are," Shego informed her lovers.
"Really? As open as your family is, no one was out of the closet until you?" Bonnie asked in disbelief. She could not fathom a family that seemed to not even care that Shego was dating two women could have ever cared if someone was gay.
"No one knew they were this accepting. I mean, yes, they accepted my mom, even though she wasn't nobility or European, but then again, my dad's father wasn't either. My mother was cruder than my grandfather, I'm sure, but it wasn't that out of the ordinary. Plus, they think of my dad as a weird little guy. He's the black sheep… or was, until I came along," Shego tried to explain.
"But, still, why would they be scared to come out? I mean, if Kane wasn't ostracized for being a 'weird little guy' then, shouldn't someone think it's safe to be out?" Kim wondered.
"I think some of it has to do with my father's family is private. Sure, they go to elaborate parties, flash around like other rich people do, and everything, but for the most part, they keep to themselves. So, it might not have really been about hiding in the closet, but just wanting to keep their personal life personal," Shego explained as best she could.
She was not entirely sure why her gay family members did not start to show themselves until she came out. It was obvious no one of any importance would shun them for their sexuality. Funny enough, most of her family members that were out were ones that no one would know was gay, even now unless they spent a lot of time with the family. Even her cousin who was chatting up Heather was only pouring it on because she asked her to do.
"Thanks for this, Francesca," Shego said to her cousin in a low voice. Her cousin was tall and pale with waves of curly black hair flowing down her back. She had a face that one might expect to see on a Roman statue, but there was a slight hardness in her fierce blue-green eyes that warned against bullshit. Her stance was something like that of a warrior and Shego was certain that if Francesca parents knew how she would look as an adult they would have named her Minerva.
"It's nothing. She is quite attractive and so far our conversations have been graced with wit and intelligence on her part. I am enjoying myself," her cousin replied with a smile, all the while keeping an eye on Heather as a few other relatives came to speak to her.
"Doesn't hurt that you like her movies, huh?" Shego teased with a smirk.
"Only her recent work. Her early movies are too juvenile for my taste. She's wonderful now, but I would like to find out about the woman behind the mask."
"And when you see that snobby Beatrice, you can tell her you're dating Hollywood royalty while she's still trying to find a discreet rehab faculty for that model bitch she left you for, eh?" Shego said.
Aqua eyes rolled. "Please, Beatrice is not even a thought in my mind. I may see her or I may not, but that doesn't mean I will not pursue Heather. She is available, correct?"
"Very. She wants a woman that'll treat her like a regular person… and be a little bit mean to her, too, from what I can tell." Shego glanced over at Bonnie. "Don't be scared to tell her no and make sure you always call her on any bullshit."
"Trust me, I will not be spoiling her until I know she's worth it. But, I will enjoy seeing if she is worth it. Now, let me get back to her because Marco's hands are wandering far too much for my liking," Francesca remarked, practically gliding away from Shego.
Shego watched as Francesca moved to Heather's side as if she belonged there, knocking their cousin Marco away like a pest. It was obvious to her that Heather was in good hands. She might have to convince her lovers of that… as soon as she could find them. Moving along, she mingled for a while before retrieving her girlfriends.
"So, what do you think?" Bonnie asked Shego.
"My cousin Francesca was quite taken with Heather. I think if all goes well, we won't have to worry about her anymore. Francesca doesn't bow to anyone, even though she likes Heather's movies. She also doesn't let people push her around, but she likes being able to spoil her girlfriends once she's sure she likes them enough for a committed relationship. I'm sure she'll be able to keep Heather good and interested. As long as Heather plays it cool and doesn't try anything with Francesca, things will be fine," Shego assured them.
"So, as long as Heather's looking for a real relationship, Francesca will provide that?" Kim clarified.
Shego nodded. "Exactly. Francesca… well, she's the marrying type. Unfortunately, her previous two girlfriends weren't. Her first love… well… The whole point is Francesca will take care of Heather if Heather lets her and if Heather does the same in return."
The trio stuck around for a little while, just observing Francesca and Heather. Neither woman seemed to want to show too much interest in the other, so Francesca would let Heather wander away for a few minutes, but always made her way back to the redhead. Heather tried her best to engage others in conversation, but she always ended up turning back to Francesca and talking to her.
By the end of the night, Heather looked genuinely happy, especially with Francesca's arm around her waist. Bonnie went over to Heather, wanting the movie star to know she was leaving. Heather seemed disappointed.
"You want to leave already?" Heather asked, glancing up at Francesca, even though the question was directed at Bonnie.
"I have work tomorrow, so I need to leave now. You don't have to leave if you don't want to, but you obviously will need a ride home," Bonnie pointed out, also glancing at Francesca.
"Well, if the lady wishes to stay a bit longer, I could provide transport," Francesca offered.
"Would you?" Heather asked, eyes shining in a way that Bonnie had never seen before. It was quite clear the big movie star was taken with true nobility.
"It would be my sincere honor and guilty pleasure," Francesca remarked with a charming smile.
"Then it's settled," Bonnie said with a smile and she was about to walk away, but she needed to know. "Francesca, how closely related to Kane, are you?" she asked.
"His mother and my father were siblings," Francesca replied. "Yes, the personality is from this end," she added with a small smile and a wink.
"I thought as much. Goodnight, you two," the lawyer said. As soon as she was far enough away, she sighed in relief. It seemed like everything would be okay.
"So, are we in the clear?" Shego inquired as Bonnie returned to her and Kim.
"I think everything went perfect. We can actually leave now if you both want to," Bonnie reported.
"It might be best. It's a school night," Kim quipped, earning an amused smile from the other martial artist.
The trio decided to count the night as a victory and returned home. Cali bounced around their feet when they stepped into the apartment, happy that her humans were back. They showered and fell into bed, cuddling into each other.
"I think we've actually gotten one monkey off of our backs," Bonnie commented, pressing herself against Kim's side.
"Great, now only two dozen or so to go," Shego quipped before yawning.
"Let's just revel in the good news for once. We can sleep easy knowing that tomorrow only Shego's students will be trying to hit on us," Kim remarked.
Shego and Bonnie chuckled a bit before the trio eased into a pleasant sleep. Cali made her way near the room when she was certain nothing was going on and that the door was still open. She made herself comfortable on Kim's side. The trio noticed the cat, but left her where she was. Later on that week, Shego received a call from Francesca, a thanks for introducing her to such a wonderful woman.
-8-8-8-8-
Next time: Kim gets into serious trouble.
