Ok, so this thing might be longer than I thought I'm still not sure of where we're going to end up yet. I have a vague idea but nothing set in stone. This is one of those 'bridge' chapters so the lack of 'action' is probably going to annoy some of you...don't worry...it's coming yet.

Thanks for all the reviews so far!

Chapter Four - A Helping Hand

"Are you sure this is OK....really I don't want to intrude and all."

"Quit being modest Stoppable. I will throw you back out on the street if you keep it up."

"You don't really need to do this you know, a shelter was fine...I'm not exactly the type of person you want..."

Ron halfheartedly protested again but cut himself off as the green skinned woman threw him a harsh look. One that very much reminded him of when Kim used to get peeved with something he was doing.

He looked around the room for a moment as Shego dropped the bag she had been carrying on the small bench at the foot of the bed and left for a moment.

It was a grand room compared to anything he had seen in the last four years. Contained within was a double bed with soft looking sheets and pillows. A bedside table with a lamp, a dresser with a mirror, a small bench at the end of the bed for putting on ones shoes, and a small closet in a corner. The room, as well as the whole apartment had black-stained hardwood floors and crisp white walls with green accented artwork. The bed sheets were even a rich forest green. Much of the furniture he had seen was either black-stained wood or stainless steel and glass; but this room seemed to be an exception. The furniture was a rich deep brown but it was only barely noticeable in the warm light from the overhead lamp above.

After he had completed telling her what had happened to him over the last four years Shego had suggested he come and let her buy him something to eat. Reluctantly he had accepted; if only because he was hungry and cold. Ron had never had much in the way of personal pride but over the last year he had learned that the poorer you are the more uneasy of taking handouts you become; yet at the same time you are also more appreciative. At least that held true for him. He'd take a helping hand if offered genuinely but it made his stomach turn when he would just rather them give him a job than a free sub sandwich. He was thankful, but his pride would suffer less if he could provide for himself.

After they had left the diner they had made their way to a close by 'Urban Smarty-Mart'; something Ron understood to be a recent addition to their line of stores.

Ron had tired to get a job at the store soon after he had arrived in go city, but even with his connection to Martin Smarty things had not gone well. Martin had gotten directly involved and told Ron in brief phone conversation that, while he was sympathetic to Ron's situation, with his record of mental illness he just couldn't afford to risk hiring him. The information about his 'incarceration' may have not made the papers but someone had made sure everybody important in Ron's life had been made aware.

At the store Shego had drug him around and held up clothes to him. He knew what she was doing but a preemptive look from her was enough to to keep him silent. They had gotten quite the faces from several patrons, probably because of Ron's appearance added to the fact that a green woman was literally dragging him around, but stares weren't new to either of them.

Eventually Shego led them to the checkout counter where Ron's stomach curled as he watched her pay for three sets of clothes, some bathroom essentials, and a new set of dark green towels.

Ron had assumed she might find him a hotel room for the night and leave him be, having 'done her good deed', but she had continued walking allot further than the nearest cheap hotel. A couple of blocks away from the park they arrived at her three-bedroom apartment. And now here he stood.

"Stoppable, hand me out those old clothes so I can burn them!" Shego called trough the closed bathroom door.

On her orders Ron had been in there for nearly an hour before she heard the shower stop and she assumed he stepped out.

The door slipped open a crack and out came his old cloths, wrapped in a plastic bag she had given him for the purpose. Despite the bag she still wrinkled her nose before stuffing them in another plastic bag and putting them with the other garbage that she would have Ron take to the trash chute down the hall a little later.

She still didn't know why she was doing this. At first she had only intended to take him to dinner and then give him a few bucks for a stay in a motel; if only to assuage her, admittedly small, conscience. A conscience which was one of several traits she had seemed to re-develop over the past few years. She didn't understand why but maybe it was age, or perhaps she was just tired of living the 'evil' life; in any case she just seemed to get mad a little less easily and a be a little more compassionate these days. A a result Ron Stoppable was here and for some reason she had resolved to let him stay at her apartment while he looked for a job.

"Shego...uh, Shego." Ron asked, startling her out of her musings as her entered the kitchen to find her standing there over the trash pile.

"Oh...take your trash down the hall to the trash chute. It's to the right about half-way down." She bit out towards Ron while waving dismissively at the bags, watching as Ron hefted the three bags and headed out the door.

The change wasn't too dramatic but he was better than a few hours ago. Less pale from a full meal and clean shaven he looked closer to how she remembered him. His shaggy hair still needed a good trim and his face and body were still on the thin side, but many of the other changes she could see had nothing to do with being homeless but more with age and hardship.

Gone were the soft curves of youth in his face and his features had taken on the more angular look of a grown man. He was taller than he used to be, maybe six foot. He had several light scars on his face and his eyes had a darker, more guarded presence than ever before.

On the whole Shego mused he wouldn't be a too bad looking guy once he filled out again, but she wondered what he hadn't told her about in his time at that 'hospital'...and maybe if it wasn't a mistake to bring him back here.