Disclaimer: I don't own Kim Possible.
Kim crept into the creepiest part of Lowerton in search of Aerona. She made sure she had her Kimmunicator as even Kim didn't feel too safe in these parts. It was scary to think that she only lived thirty five minutes away from this. She had seen numerous drug dealers, some prostitutes, and a few gang fights. She kept a low profile and she was able to sneak by unnoticed. But she wished Ron had been informed even though he was stuck studying at home. He had been taking summer courses and had a big test coming up in a math class, and he really needed to study or else he'd fail the next morning. Perhaps she'd tell him about it later. But what good would that do?
And then Kim saw her. Aerona stood there before her. She wore the clothes Wade described- tight fitting black shirt and pants, a dark belt rested on her hips. And most importantly, she wore a white mask over her face. Her eyes couldn't be seen, but the mask gave it the effect that she didn't have any and they were just dark holes of nothingness. Her mask ended just below her nose, her exposed skin painted white. Her lips were a blood red, making Kim shudder in disgust. "Kim Possible I presume?" she questioned, her voice not giving away her age. She was small, and Kim began to wonder how old she really was. She lacked curves and had more of a boyish frame, similar to what Kim had when she was younger.
"Yes I am," she replied clearly, masking her terror. At any moment, this girl could strike out at her and end her life. Kim had never fought against a murderer before, especially one who was well known and couldn't be caught.
"So you're here to arrest me, is that right?" Kim didn't respond, confused at the whole situation. "Don't just stand there stupidly," she sighed. Kim watched her red lips as she spoke, wondering if it was lipstick or the blood of the ones she had killed. She shook her head, clearing that thought from her mind. "You can arrest me," she stated, holding her wrists out.
"There has to be a catch," Kim said, getting into a fighting stance.
"Well, of course there is," she said, licking her lips. "I have something to tell, and I need you to listen," she replied. "It's urgent that you know what I know."
"What do I need to know?" Kim asked as the girl lowered her wrists and took out her knife. She threw it on the ground, showing that she was now weaponless. Aerona pressed her lips together for a moment. "I don't think there's anything that I need to know about you that I already didn't know."
"Well, what do you know about me?" she asked, surrendering to the redhead effortlessly. She let Kim cuff her hands behind her back. The metal clicked in place, and she was surprised her throat hadn't been slit or something.
"I know that you've ended innocent lives."
"Is that all you need to know about someone to arrest them?" Aerona questioned her.
"So you admit you did it?"
"Well, half, really. I ended lives, but they were far from innocent."
"What does that mean?" Kim asked her. "And why are you telling me all of this?"
"Because you're my only hope."
"Somebody misses his bed buddy," Drakken said as he placed Commodore Puddles on Shego's hospital bed. The poodle sniffed her hesitantly, then happily let out a little bark before licking her face. As much as she said she hated that dog, she loved him. They always slept together at night, the little poodle cuddling up to her for warmth. She smiled and tried to sit up a little more, but she couldn't do it by herself. She was too weak. "Here, let me help you," Drakken offered as he carefully sat her up and fluffed her pillows.
"They let Puddles in the hospital?" she questioned him. "I thought animals weren't allowed." She pet the dog and Puddles settled down on her lap, noticing that she was hurt. He wasn't the smartest dog, but he knew she wasn't at her best.
"They make exceptions for people who saved the world from aliens," he smiled, then it fell into a frown. "I leave for three days and you haven't been tended to, have you?"
"It's all right," Shego said, keeping her eyes on the dog. "I'm going to die anyway. They should take care of the patients that have more of a chance of living."
"Don't you dare speak that way," Drakken said sternly. "You're going to pull through, just like last time."
"I'm lucky I'm still alive," Shego said and avoided looking at her small hand. She closed her eyes, as she was tired, but she didn't want to sleep. She didn't want to die in her sleep, actually. She wanted to feel her body shutting down, her organs failing. She wanted to know what it felt like to die, as morbid as that sounded even to her. But she loved these thoughts that went through her mind because it made her feel alive. "I mean, why am I still alive? Why did my brothers die?"
"Probably because of how horrible the hospital tended to them," Drakken said. He had voiced this before, so it wasn't shocking to hear her say that. He had an odd hatred towards hospitals, and she didn't blame him. She hated them, too. He left for a moment, but returned quickly with a cloth, a basin, and a bucket of water. Shego sighed and let him wash her hair, arms, and legs. He didn't look as he washed the rest of her body. At least he gave her some dignity unlike the nurses who looked at everything. It had been awkward at first, but she now preferred him washing her. Drakken wasn't as rough and she just knew he didn't scan her body. He was quick and efficient, and she felt so much better when she was clean.
She was glad that he didn't mention it and he didn't talk to it; he just did it. Shego leaned against the pillows after her hair was towel dried and she wore a fresh hospital gown. "Now, I bet you're hungry," Drakken said. He took out some donuts he bought on the way over. She smiled happily and took one from the box. She should stop being so negative. Maybe she should be happy she was alive and someone was there who actually cared about her. "I'm sorry," she said in her foreign voice.
"For what?" he questioned her, confused.
"For being so negative all the time. You're doing so much for me and all I do is mope around and complain. I'm acting exactly how my mother would, and I don't want to be like her. I never did."
"You're nothing like her," he assured her.
"You'd be surprised. We're like the same person. But not anymore. I won't break anymore mirrors out of self-pity and I sure as hell won't be cutting myself again."
"You're starting to sound more like yourself," Drakken said gently. She must have looked weak and pathetic, just like last time, but she didn't seem to care as much this time. Unwillingly, she fell asleep before she could respond to the man that took care of her as if she was his own daughter.
