A/N: This was actually part of the last chapter, but I broke it up. I haven't had this kind of burst of creativity in a while. Not knocking it, though. Let's hope it continues.

Lyrics:
I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
With a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain there is healing
In your name I find meaning
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on
I'm barely holdin' on to you – Broken, Lifehouse

Survival, Part 4:

Journey

By Melissa

It took some searching up and down the street, but they eventually found an abandoned car that had both the keys in it and some gas in the tank. It was a small foreign made car. Tossing their belongings in the back, they set about trying to get out of the city.

This was going to prove easier said than done.

The streets were hazardous, to say the least. Abandoned cars, trash, even some bodies were making their chosen path hazardous.

Trying to avoid all the obstacles was proving both time and gas consuming. Getting a little fed-up, Shego whipped the wheel and found the nearest parking lot.

"We need a new ride, Princess," she said to Kim's look.

The looked around before Shego found what she was looking for. A small SUV.

They got on the road again. "That's much better. Especially for the route we are going to have to take."

Kim looked at her quizzically, but her unspoken question was soon answered.

The roads heading out of town were hopelessly clogged with traffic that certainly wouldn't be going anywhere for a while.

They were going to have to take a very circuitous route to get to where they wanted to go.

The back roads would take time, but that was really all they had.

The SUV made slow progress. At one point, something caught Kim's eye.

"Stop the car."

"What??"

"Go back to that little road we just passed."

Shego looked at her if she had lost her mind. "Are you insane? We are supposed to be going this way."

"Just trust me. Go down that little road."

The older woman sighed and turned the vehicle around, and went down the small road. She couldn't say no to Kim when she looked at her like that.

At the end was a grocery store. Shego's eyes widened. Kim just smiled.

Parking, they went up to it. The automatic doors opened for them. It seems the grocery store still had power. This was odd, but they weren't going to knock it. Perhaps being away from the main city it had survived, in a manner of speaking.

They took a few tentative steps inside, listening carefully. Nothing could be heard, especially not the sound of any of the infected. There was nothing quiet about anything they did.

The girls grinned, each grabbing a cart, and then both broke off running.

The first section was the produce. While much of it had seen better days, there was some that was still good.

Kim bit into an apple, and moaned. Shego stopped her search nearby and faced the red head, eyes wide.

"This has to be the best thing I've ever put in my mouth."

Shego blinked once before doubling over in laughter. Kim looked at her, confused. After a few seconds, it dawned on her what she had said. Picking up another apple she threw it at Shego. It bounced off of her shoulder.

"You're a pervert, you know that?"

"You said it, Princess, not me," she said between giggles.

Kim smirked. It actually felt good to laugh. She continued to bag up some fruit.

The girls continued looking around, grabbing mostly canned items. And, just as important, a can opener. Shego also picked up a couple of bottles of premium liquor.

While rummaging around, Shego spotted something on very top of one of the aisles. She smiled.

"Hey Princess!!"

"Yeah?" Kim poked her head up, looking for the voice.

The older girl held up a portable Styrofoam cooler from way down the aisle. "It'll probably only last a day or two at most, but go grab something cold and I'll find some ice."

Kim's eyes widened in surprise and delight. She had been ecstatic over the fact that they were going to have food that was other than candy bars and soda. But to have something perishable…that was almost like being in heaven. She jogged over to the refrigerated section. She grabbed a carton of eggs and some bacon. They could have them for dinner tonight, and breakfast tomorrow. Obviously the ice would eventually melt, but she would take this as a small victory. Kim also took a small container of half and half, which hadn't reached its expiration date yet. That could go with the coffee she had seen Shego with earlier.

The girls finished their 'shopping' and loaded their food into their vehicle, before then climbed in themselves.

"Good idea, Princess."

"Thanks."

"How does it feel to be a thief?" Shego grinned at her.

Kim looked at her, mortified. "What?..I…"

"Pumpkin, calm down. I'm messing with you. I hardly think stealing to survive really counts. Diamonds, yes. Canned peaches, no."

Kim huffed slightly. She really should learn not to rise when Shego was baiting her.

They drove for a while, heading west before they could head north. Stupid non direct roads.

It was starting to get dark, when Shego looked over at her passenger. Kim had nodded off against the seat. She looked…serene. The black haired girl really didn't want to wake her.

"Hey, Kimmie, we should probably find a place to crash. It's getting dark."

Kim cracked open her eyes at the voice and nodded slowly. She sighed deeply. When the waking world was the nightmare, the only respite was the brief moments of unconsciousness.

The country road they were on took them past a lake. Shego turned off the road and onto the grass. The SUV stopped a generous distance from the edge of the lake.

"As good a place as any. At least we're by some water."

The younger girl nodded. The woods that were nearby the lake made her nervous, though. She was hoping that it didn't hold any animals that weren't of the four legged variety.

Getting out and stretching, the two unlikely companions went down to the water's edge.

The lake was quiet and serene almost. And also very cold, Kim discovered as she dipped her hand in.

"It's going to be fun bathing. Hypothermia here I come."

"Didn't you just shower at your house?"

"Hey, I don't know when will be the last time. Besides, after being in a coma for so long, I cannot feel clean enough."

Shego smirked at her. "Go and grab the bucket out of the car."

Kim did as she was told and returned about a minute later with the item in question, as well items she would need to bathe.

The green skinned woman took the bucket and filled it up at the edge of the lake. She grinned at the younger girl. Kim briefly wondered if the thief was going to throw the water on her.

She put her hands on either side of the metal bucket. As the plasma ignited around her hands, the bucket began to turn red hot where she touched it. The water soon began a rolling boil.

"Don't use it right away, as it is quite hot. I am not too keen on freezing lake water myself."

Kim looked at her in shock. Shego returned the stare.

"What?"

"You…you didn't have to do that." Was all Kim could come up with.

Shego shrugged. "Take a 'bath,' Pumpkin." She used air quotes. "You'll feel better." She turned and walked away, to give the younger girl some privacy.

The young hero placed her towels, clean clothes and soap on the bank, and once she was sure Shego was far enough away, began to strip off her clothes.

Picking up the bucket by the handle, she placed it right on the edge of the lake. Picking up her washcloth and soap, she stepped in the water up to her ankles.

She gritted her teeth at the shock. At least this was only as far as she had to go.

Kim tested the water in the bucket, it having cooled slightly. While not boiling, it was blessedly hot. Dipping her washcloth in, she began using it to moisten her body. Once that was finished, she lathered up with some soap. After that was done, she leaned over and dipped her hair into the warm water. After shampooing her hair, as best as she was able, she picked up the bucket and slowly poured its contents over her entire body. It accomplished the task mostly. She bent over and dunked her hair into the lake, to get out the remaining soap.

'Better than nothing,' she mused to herself. The hot water was certainly nice. After tying back her wet hair, the hero began to get dressed once again.

Shego had collected some wood and started a small fire. At least they didn't have to worry about matched or a lighter. While Shego didn't want to use her powers unless needed, she could muster up enough to light a fire without any dire repercussions. The same with the bucket of water. Decent food had done wonders for her energy level.

She had very carefully kept her back to the lake, so as not to even be remotely tempted to get a closer look at what was transpiring.

'I will not ogle my nemesis. I will not ogle my nemesis.' Shego chanted in her mind as she busied herself.

Kim came back to the 'camp sight' dressed and her hair wrapped in a towel. The thief cut her eyes and watched the teenager, when she was sure she wasn't paying attention.

The evening progressed, and they had a dinner of some of the items that had picked up at the store. Kim lay on some blankets that were spread out on the ground. Shego sat on a rock nearby, sharpening the claws on her gloves.

"Why don't you try and get some sleep?"

The hero looked at the thief. "Believe me, at this point I would give anything for a decent amount." She paused. "How do you manage to get any rest?"

Shego's lips quirked in a half grin. She dug around in her backpack for a moment before tossing something to Kim. The younger girl deftly caught the item.

It was a container of pills. Kim looked at Shego questioningly.

"Valium."

Kim frowned slightly. "Is it a good idea to be drugged up?"

"Just enough to take the edge off, to not care quite so much. Without those, I wouldn't get any sleep whatsoever." She paused. "Take one. Get a little bit of rest." Off of Kim's look, she continued. "I'll stay up, keep an eye out."

Kim was a little apprehensive, but she wanted to get some rest so very badly. Taking one of the pills out, she swallowed it with a mouthful of water. Lying down, she stared up at the night sky, waiting for the pill to take effect.

"You should consider yourself lucky."

"Why is that?" The red head queried.

"I usually sleep naked."

That was pretty much the last thought as Kim, with the help of the drug, fell asleep. Along with it came dreams.

She had been going on missions like always, but they all ended the same. Villains were turned into those monsters; red eyes with a pension for wanting to devour human flesh. The Seniors, Monkey Fist, DNAmy, Killigan….even Bonnie. As much as she disliked her fellow cheerleader, no one deserved this fate. They would get the drop on her in the end, always did.

In the waking world, Shego watched the fire dance about. She was fairly certain they were safe out here from the 'zombies.' But if it would let Kim get some rest, she would sacrifice some of her own.

'When was the last time you sacrificed anything for anyone?' her heart asked her. 'She must be someone special to do that.'

'Shut up,' her mind said.

'If that is all you can constantly come up with, I must be right.'

Plaintive sounds brought the raven haired girl back to the present. Kim's brow was creased as her eyes moved rapidly under closed lids. Whimpering would occasionally escape slightly parted lips.

It was obvious to the one who was awake that Kim was having a nightmare. And from the looks of it, a very, very bad one. Shego shifted closed to her charge and laid a hand on her shoulder. She gently shook the younger girl.

"Kim," Shego said softly. "You're having a bad dream."

The red head cracked her eyes open and looked up groggily, but not seeing.

"Thanks, Mom." The redhead almost immediately went back to sleep.

For the first time in her life, Shego felt her heart break a little inside.

She had never been particularly close to her family, but she knew Kim was. The poor thing had woken up to a world where monsters roamed freely and her parents were dead. That's not something Shego would have wished on many people, especially not Kim Possible.

Shego moved so she was now lying down next to Kim, continuing to keep her eyes and ears open. Nothing but the crackling of the fire could be heard.

Kim suddenly rolled on her side and curled into the warm body next to her. Shego's eyes widened as Kim's arm found its way across her midsection. She stared up at the night sky.

"Very funny," she said quietly to the Powers That Be.

The fire had died down at one point in the early morning, and Shego extricated herself from Kim to locate some wood. She grabbed her machete and the flashlight.

When she came back from her search, Kim was awake and sitting up, her arms wrapped around her torso. Shego thought she saw relief in the young girl's eyes.

"You okay, Princess?"

"I woke up and…you weren't here. It was just like waking up in the hospital again." She shook her head, feeling foolish.

Shego dropped the wood by the fire circle and then crouched down next to Kim.

"You're cold." It was more of a statement than a question.

Kim nodded. Cold…and nervous. But Shego didn't need to know about the nervous part.

"Give me your hands."

The hero did as she was instructed, though looking more than a bit wary.

Shego's hands began to softly glow with a green light. Kim's eyes widened and she tried to yank her hands away. Burning flesh was not how she had imagined becoming warm.

Shego tightened her grip, preventing escape.

"What are you doing??" Kim's voice rose in panic. Green plasma didn't exactly evoke warm, fuzzy memories.

"Calm down, Pumpkin. I'm not going to hurt you."

It seems she was telling the truth. Kim felt warmth in her hands, not the burning she was expecting.

Looks like the plasma power could be regulated.

If Shego could control the temperature of her plasma, Kim wondered exactly how hot it actually reached when they were fighting. Sure, she had seen the plasma be destructive, but part of her wondered if it stayed that way all the time.

"I thought you were only going to light up if absolutely necessary?"

Uh-oh. Kim had caught her, somewhat.

"I think surviving is a necessity." Shego was proud to have thought of that comeback. It seemed plausible.

Kim arched a thin, red eyebrow. "I hardly think cold hands are a matter of survival. Or warm water."

Shego stared at their joined hands, concentrating, refusing to look into the other girl's eyes. She was also willing herself not to blush.

Kim smirked slightly, deciding to let it go when Shego declined to answer further. The big, bad thief seemed to have a soft spot after all.

"Better?"

Kim nodded, trying not to smile further.

Shego let go of her hands.

"C'mon, Princess. Let's get going before someone sees arch enemies holding hands."

Kim blushed and Shego smirked at that. They began to break camp, packing up their belongings.

Climbing back in the vehicle, they went on their way.

They eventually arrived at their destination, 27 miles northeast of the city. They stopped the SUV and got out at an abandoned gas station to survey the area.

"Do you see anyone?" Kim asked.

Her companion looked around. "Nope." She sighed. "Perhaps the broadcast was old." She didn't voice the other thought she had, which was that the soldiers were all dead.

"Damn," the red head whispered.

The two girls didn't realize that they were being watched, from a small mirror peaking out from around the corner of the gas station building. Two soldiers looked at one another and smiled. With a nod, they left their position, weapons in their hands.

Shego saw them first and raised the machete she was carrying. She took up a defensive position in front of Kim.

"Oh thank heavens," Kim said. "We found them." She stepped out from behind the black haired girl. Shego was less relieved than Kim was, though.

The camouflaged men took one look at the two, before raising the tasers they were carrying.

"Wait!" The two girls yelled in unison.

It was for naught as probes shot from the taser guns and hit both girls. They were shocked with an amazing amount of volts of electricity, and lost consciousness quickly. Shego and Kim slumped to the ground unceremoniously.

The men moved towards their prone forms.

"Hey," one said. "That looks like Kim Possible. Last I heard she was in a coma."

"I guess she woke up. And look who she is with."

"Is that…"

The other cut him off. "It appears so. I guess it's our lucky day."

To Be Continued…

A/N: Action coming up in the next chapter or two. The infected were lacking in this chapter, but it won't stay that way. I promise. Until next time.