I do not own any Disney character named herein, and am only writing a nonprofit story for entertainment purposes only.

Kim Possible: Lost

By LJ58

VII

Shego stepped out of the prison just three months after she went in wearing the dark green dress Kim had sent for her to wear when she got out. The size was perfect, as were the matching shoes. All she had to do was look up and she found the lean, smiling redhead standing at the curb next to purple atrocity of a car she couldn't help but recognize. She realized the redhead was wearing a more modest light gray pants suit, and gloves. On both hands.

"Nice work," she nodded at the very realistic hand in that left glove.

"Wade's work," she said, holding up the hand, and flexing it as easily as her own lost hand.

"I've said it before. It's nice to have a genius on your payroll."

"Isn't it?"

"But did you have to pick me up in the barfmobile," she asked teasingly as they met, and hugged lightly, well aware that the guards were watching, and a legion of press were just across the street, loathe to trespass with GJ guards watching the area for the official release of the newly paroled Shego.

"What's wrong with my car?"

"Are you kidding me? Look at the color?"

"Oh, if that's all it is," she grinned as they climbed into the car. "How about this shade," she asked, and Shego shook her head as the paint seemed to shimmer, and turn a dark green. "Better?"

"Only you," Shego grinned as some of the press snapped pictures of the car changing colors. The smile gave Kim hope because she was certain it meant Shego really was happy to be with her, and hadn't just told her that for whatever her reasons.

"Adaptive camo-paint. The tweebs invented it."

"Of course," she said, and leaned back in the seat, and turned to smile at her. "So, what's the plan, Princess?"

"Tonight, a celebratory meal at my house."

"You're kidding?"

"Nope. Mom insists. And I think she wants to get to know you better."

"And your dad?"

"Is just glad you're not a boy."

Shego shot her a cynical expression.

"I'm not kidding. Dad's always had a thing about me and boys. I'm not sure why."

"That explains Stoppable….. Hey, I'm sorry," she said in the same breath before Kim could say a word.

"It's all right."

"No. No, it's not," she said shaking her head. "Ron….. Ronald really helped me through a bad time after you…disappeared. I probably wouldn't even be here if it hadn't been for him. He's….a much better man than I…..expected."

Kim only nodded.

"Have you talked to him?"

"He's still….away," Kim replied quietly.

"I know where. It's where he took me. So…..You still care about him," she asked leadingly.

"Yeah. But he's still just a friend. Which I'm telling him the moment I see him again," she stressed as she started the car, and Shego's eyes rounded at the dull thrum of the powerful turbines under the hood.

"Just what is under there?"

"Let me put it this way, I could go suborbital if I had to in this baby," she grinned, and put the car in gear.

Shego, to her surprise, grabbled both sides of her seat, and exclaimed, "Just don't do it now," with a worried gaze in her green eyes.

"I thought you liked…..?"

"The right ship for the right job. And this is not a…..a…..jet. Or anything close."

"Actually….."

"Princess…..!"

Her howl of outrage had Kim laughing as she speed-shifted from ground to air, and the car suddenly rose on powerful thrusters as the airfoils extended, and lifted the car high into the air before the former thief could blink.

"Put this thing down," she hissed, still clinging to her seat.

"Oh, come on. It's fun!"

"It's one accident away from a recall," she protested.

"Shego. Seriously. It's been completely refitted from the ground up. Really, the only thing left that is original is the frame. The rest is all modern, upgraded, and augmented tech from Wade and my brothers' work."

"Doesn't their stuff explode?"

"They've gotten better."

"Prove it."

"You want proof," she grinned, and glanced at the navigation console.

"Pumpkin…"

Shego howled again as the car rose almost vertically, crested, and screamed back down so fast Shego was sure she was about to die before it suddenly leveled off, and settled smoothly onto the road into Middleton. They had just crossed three hundred miles in just a few minutes.

"Impressed?"

"Nauseous," Shego told her. "Don't ever do that again."

"But….."

"Kimmie."

"I thought you liked flying," Kim pouted.

"Exactly. I like flying. I like being in control. In a jet. A real aircraft. Not a tin and glass coffin that should have been recalled decades ago."

"My Sloth is better than any jet," Kim pouted as they turned off the interstate, and headed toward her family's house. "For one, it has full stealth, it's practically indestructible, and those windows are rocket-proof. And it did just get us away from all the media before they could even try to follow us," she pointed out.

Shego slowly released her seat, but glanced around uneasily as larger, faster trucks and cars sped past them.

"And its slow on the ground?"

"Please. Don't you remember me catching you and Ed that time you were using the Keppler?"

"In this? You were driving this?"

"An earlier version, but the same car."

Shego sighed.

"I do like the paint," she relented. "How did they do that?"

"It's a special multilayered paint that reacts to special frequencies created by sending an electric surge through the body. You just hit the right frequency associated with a certain color, and you can shift through the whole spectrum."

Shego shook her head. "You know, if Dr. D had been really smart, he would have just kidnapped your family, and made you work for him."

"As if."

"I'm just saying. I mean, he once built a three-story machine to open a jar of pickles."

"He did not," Kim exclaimed in bright laughter as they pulled into her parent's drive.

"I swear. And then, when it failed, I opened it for him, and he swore he loosened it first."

"Definitely a guy thing," Kim nodded.

"Oh, for certain. So….." She looked down at her hands, still astonished she was finally paroled into Kim's custody. "Do you think your family really don't mind that we, ah, that we're…..together?"

"Mom is holding her breath. Dad? Well, he's clueless. So don't expect much. He's still worried a boy might be involved somewhere."

"Your family is nuts, Kimmie."

Kim shot her a telling expression as she shut off the car, and the paint shifted back to its default maroon base. Shego grimaced at it as they climbed out, caught her expressions, and said, "Okay, okay. I'm one to talk. I mean, you have met my brothers. I'm pretty sure they take the cake, the pie, and the whole bakery."

Kim chuckled. "They aren't that bad."

"You have talked to Hego?"

"Okay, you've got me there. He does sound like he's quoting comic books a lot of the time."

"Trust me, he is," Shego sniggered. "So, what's for dinner?"

"Vegetarian lasagna. Hope you don't mind, but I still have issues with meat after my, ah, jungle vacation," she said grimly.

Shego, who had the story already during the trip home, didn't complain. "Just remember to work off those calories," she teased. "I like my Princess lean and fit, not soft and pudgy."

"Soft," Kim sputtered as they paused at the door. "Tomorrow. GJ's workout room. We'll see who's soft," she growled.

Shego grinned, more than happy to see Kimmie had not lost her competitive streak.

"Hey, Kim," stereo voices shouted as the twins looked up from the managed mass of electronics in front of them on the floor as they simultaneously watched television as their father read his paper as if oblivious to their doings. "Neat getaway. You had those reporters whining like babies that you wouldn't stop and give them a comment," Jim went on.

"But they got a great shot of you smoooooooching," Tim cooed, making kissing noises.

"Boys," growled the man behind his paper. "There will be no teasing your sister over her public displays of affection. Although," Dr. Possible drawled as peered over the edge of said paper, "In my day….."

"I know, dad," she quickly cut him off with a kiss on the cheek. "Is mom in the kitchen?"

"Making the bread, Kimmie-cub. She thought you might like some homemade garlic bread since you decided to cut meat out of your diet for a while."

Shego tried not to laugh at the way he commented as if he were somehow accusing her of something.

"Sorry, dad," Kim told him as if understanding. "But you know it's probably best if you cut it out of your own diet. Or at least cut down."

His snort told her exactly what he thought of that idea as Kim led Shego into the kitchen where a tantalizing mixture of odors filled the air as Ann bustled around getting the evening meal ready as if she had not already spent a full day in the hospital before returning home.

"Kim. And, Shego," she smiled at her. "You're just in time, dear. The garlic bread is about to come out of the oven, and everything else is ready. If you want to help me set the table, we'll be ready to eat."

"Sure, mom," she smiled, and headed for the cabinets. "Oh, what are the tweebs working on this time," she asked, having been away at GJ all day doing the final session with Dr. Spot that had finally freed her to return to 'active' duty even though she was only a provisional agent while she finished her college degree.

"Some kind of electronic signal amplifier, if I understood them right. They got the idea that if they could amp certain signals remotely, they could switch off media cameras so they couldn't film the house without permission."

"So, that's why you let them turn the living room into a workshop?"

"Well, I am getting tired of having to ask to get to my own drive, dear. If they can get rid of a few of them by shutting down their cameras, or remote feeds, I won't mind a bit."

"And we all know they deserve to be annoyed for once," Shego sniggered.

"Exactly," Ann agreed. "I won't say the media can't be helpful," she allowed. "But they do take things too far at times."

"Oh, yeah," Kim agreed, having heard one rumor that she, Shego, and Ron were planning a three-way honeymoon now that she was back. It made her almost glad Ron had yet to return, although she had stopped by to visit his parents, and explain things to them firsthand. His dad was the usual sympathetic and understanding sort. His mother only sighed, and shook her head.

Hana, being Hana, simply hugged her, happy to see her friend home and safe.

It made her dream of her own children, but she realized that just now that was unlikely considering her choices in love.

"Go ahead and sit down, Shego," Ann told her. "You might remember that we're pretty informal around here."

"Uh, yeah," the woman drawled, and took a seat as she recalled her last stay in the Possible household. It made her wonder why she willingly came back.

Then she watched Kimmie as she interacted with her mother as they got the table ready, and had to smile. Her own family had never been so close. Especially after the comet. Her father and brothers looked on her as the black sheep even before she had 'crossed over.' They had certainly never been so welcoming and tolerant. Her mother had been her one source of love, and…..

She cut off that thought, and forced her attention on Kim again.

"I hope you don't mind vegan lasagna, Shego. Kim's preferences aside, I am trying to get James to cut back on meat. He had a scare last year, and his doctor told me he was ignoring his warnings about his diet."

"What kind of scare," Kim asked, having heard nothing of that until now.

"The kind where my daughter didn't come home," James drawled as he walked into the kitchen just then. "But I'm fine. Your mother just worries too much. You know how these medical doctors are," he added with a grin. "Let me tell you, in my day…"

"Honey. Shut up," Ann told him affectionately, and the rocket scientist sighed, but took no offense in his wife's words as he sat down, and only smiled at her.

"Boys," Ann called as she set the pan of steaming lasagna on the table after she slicked up the freshly buttered bread to serve on a platter next to the pan. "Supper's on the table. Move it, or lose it."

"Better grab it while you can," Kim advised as she reached for her own slice of bread as Ann poured fresh tea for all of them before taking her own seat.

Shego didn't doubt her. She had seen the twins eat once. She doubted they had changed that much from what she had seen.

KP

Ron paused in the strip mall as he picked up a newsmagazine, and saw a familiar image on the most unlikely of sources. EXPOSED magazine had an image of Kim and Shego kissing, the banner declaring "Kim Possible: Back, and Out!" The lurid suggestions in the taglines were the usual fare, and it made Ron sigh.

Still, seeing the familiar face back in the press was almost…..a relief. Until he noticed her hands. Why was KP wearing gloves?

Then he remembered the hand.

"Ron-San," Yori asked.

"Look," he told her as he held up the magazine for his companion as she approached. "It would seem Shego's quest was more than I realized."

"Do you wish to return now," she asked, eyeing her lover who had finally welcomed her to his bed. After she twisted his arm just a little. Several times.

He smiled. "If only to settle things. I think it's plain we've both moved on," he told her.

"Hey, buddy," the clerk of the book store drawled in thick English. "You reading' or buyin', cause this is no library," he demanded with a thick, Southern accent in spite of his obviously Japanese appearance.

"Buying," Ron said, and fished out the two thousand yen he felt far too much for the rag. But he had to read the story, if only to know what was being said. He had not even heard Kim was alive. Let alone that she was now public with her once covert relationship with Shego.

Shego.

That brought up a lot of complications in itself, as he knew she was still a wanted felon. Wasn't she?

The man rang up his purchase, and he simply folded the magazine and shoved it into his back pocket. While they were in casual civilian clothes today, he and Yori were on the clock. A gang of thugs had been hitting stores all around Tokyo lately, and the local law had finally begged Sensei's help since some of them were better than average martial artists.

They had been hanging around all day, window shopping, sipping cold drinks, and passing themselves off as a couple with nothing better to do but waste time. They had even been run out of a few shops when the owners or managers realized they weren't buying, just browsing.

"I don't suppose you spotted anything suspicious yet," Ron asked as he left the shop with Yori at his side, not seeing anything else with Kim's distinctive features on any of the colorful magazines or papers around him.

"Only the poor reproductions of what they are trying to pass off as ninja gear," she admitted.

"Yeah, I saw that," he told her, knowing what she meant. The mall obviously catered to tourists because it was full of English papers and magazine, as well as all kind of martial art reproductions, and silly faux weapons. Then again, Japan had a large Americanized section of youth that likely drooled over the stuff as much as any tourist. "Well, back to work," he said, and sauntered through the crowded mall once again.

Yori followed without comment, genuinely astonished that Kim Possible was still alive. She just hoped this did not shatter her own dreams again.

Still, the image on that magazine had been suggestive. Very suggestive.

It made Shego-San's earlier grief far more understandable.

Only it also confused her, since she was still certain Kimberly-San had been dating Ronald.

She sighed, wishing she understood Americans better, and simply followed Ron.

KP

Shego realized Kim still had problems when they reached the apartment the redhead had rented for the pair of them until they could make other plans. With her degree virtually finished, Kim decided to do some online study before pursuing her graduate work just to give herself a break, and it just made sense to her to stay in Middleton again in case she needed her family. With Shego paroled in her 'custody,' that made renting an apartment for the two of them easier than staying at home.

Not that it mattered with most of the world having heard of their relationship by now.

What troubled Shego was Kim's reaction when they reached the apartment just around ten after leaving her parent's house. They parked to one side of the apartment complex, and started toward the side stairwell when a low growling made Kim freeze as she spun around and saw gleaming, green eyes peering out of the darkness at her.

Shego made out the tomcat instantly. She dismissed it just as fast.

Kim, however, gave a ragged cry, and shrieked as she literally leapt up the first flight of steps, and slammed against herself against the side of the building, eyes wide and staring as she fumbled for the door behind her which she couldn't seem to open.

Shego started to tease her, until she looked up and saw the look of genuine terror in her eyes as she spotted the cat sauntering from under the stairs toward Shego. Kim actually screamed before ripping open the apparently locked or jammed door with her powerful prosthetic, and fleeing inside.

"Kimmie," Shego shouted, and followed her without bothering with the stairs herself. She ran down the hall, found a door that had been literally shoved open, splintering the frame, and went in to find Kim huddled in a corner of the small, but homey living room behind an overstuffed chair.

"Kimmie," she knelt in front of her, the redhead looking up from behind her knees with her arms wrapped tightly around her legs. "Are you all right?"

"I….. I feel…..stupid," she said with a ragged laugh. "I just….. I saw those eyes, and…"

"You're entitled," Shego told her, carefully and gently lifting her to her feet. "Considering all that happened, you're more than entitled.

"But it was just a…..a stupid…..c-c-cat," she shuddered. "A….little one!"

"I could go fry him for you," she suggested with a faint smile.

"No," Kim gasped, and gave a watery laugh. "I'm fine. I just…..I was startled, and….. I'm fine now."

"Kimmie, you're not fine. Fear like that? That's not fine. It's not good. You need help."

"I can deal," Kim protested. "I'm…dealing with it. I'm good at dealing. I'm….."

"Princess, even heroes need help sometimes," she said, and led her to one of the bedrooms after easing her from behind the chair. "Now, why don't you call your brainy buddy, because we're going to need someone to fix some doors. Even I'm not going to try sleeping with our doors wide open."

"Sorry," Kim murmured as she sat on the end of the bed in what she had decided would make Shego's room. "I….."

"Kim. You don't have to apologize. Trust me, we all have our fears and phobias."

"I never did….."

"You never faced hungry predators trying to make you a snack, either."

Kim looked down at her left hand, and shuddered. "I can't believe….."

"It's all right. But you do need to get help. Even I can see that."

Kim sighed, and nodded absently.

"You all right now?"

"Yeah. I…..I should go to…..my room….."

"You can stay," Shego told her as Kim made no move to rise from the bed in Shego's room.

Separate rooms was just their way of giving one another privacy as they tried to move slow this time, and regain the time they had lost.

"Besides, we do have to get someone to fix those doors. Remember?"

"Oh. Right," Kim murmured, hands clenched in the quilt as she sat there. "There goes the deposit," she sighed.

"You call your friend. I'll go see about rigging the doors so they at least stay closed until the locksmith gets here."

"All right," she murmured as Shego walked out of the bedroom, and grabbed her cell from her jacket before she walked back down the hall to check the outer door.

Kim had really plowed through it, and that hand of hers was stronger than she let on if she went through that reinforced safety door complete with deadbolt without even stopping.

"Ann," she murmured as she stepped outside onto the landing, seeing the dark gray tom down on the parking lot that had started the whole dilemma. "It's Shego. We have a problem," she told her without preamble.

KP

"What do you mean I'm still off duty," Kim protested when she returned to the local GJ offices the next day.

"Wade told me he had to replace two security doors, and an apartment door last night," Betty Director told her bluntly. "When questioned, Shego admitted that you went ballistic last night when an alley cat jumped out at you."

"It didn't jump at me," she protested weakly. "It…"

"Yes," Dr. Director asked coolly as Kim sputtered and flushed.

"I was just startled."

"Kimberly, when you are startled you jump. Or curse. You even punch someone at times. You do not bolt, tearing off reinforced security doors to hide in your own apartment."

"She told you all of that," Kim grimaced as she looked away from Betty's level and accusing stare.

"Dr. Spot is waiting on you. This time, try to be more forthcoming. She is here to help."

"Talking about things isn't going to help me," she protested. "I just need to get back….."

"And if someone uses your fear against you in the field? Because we both know it's possible, Kimberly. No pun intended. What then?"

"I can handle it."

"Excuse me if I don't feel you can. Even Shego is worried about you."

"But….."

"You either see Dr. Spot again, or you can consider yourself on indefinite leave," Betty cut her off.

"Perhaps I could help," a low, masculine tone suggested.

They both looked to find Ron standing in the now open door they had not even heard open.

"Ninja," Betty sighed. "Could you try to make a little more noise."

"I heard the shouts, and was worried you might be in trouble. I came in to make sure you weren't."

"Ron," Kim stared at him, then saw the willowy shadow just behind him. "Yori?"

"Hai, Possible-San. We were very glad to hear you have survived."

"But she's still having trouble facing what happened to her."

"As I said, perhaps I could help," Ron suggested.

"How," Betty asked. "She already duped our staff headshrinker, and then ran off to commit random acts of violence fleeing an alley cat."

"Wade briefed me on the way in," Ron cut her off as Kim blushed crimson. "As to how I can help? I thought you might like to come and see Sensei again," he told Kim.

"That might be a good idea," Betty nodded before the redhead could reply.

"Shego has to come with me," Kim sputtered. "Remember, she's…."

"Shego is always welcome at Yamnouchi," Ron told her. "She knows that."

"What about…her parole."

"As she will still be with you, I don't foresee any problems."

"I'll make the arrangements," Ron told them. "We'll talk before we leave," he added, nodding at Kim. "And, I really am glad you're back safe, Kim," he told her with a warm smile.

"Uh, thanks. I guess…..we do need to talk."

"Whenever you're ready," the surprisingly mature young man she almost didn't recognize now told her. "I'll leave you two to finish yelling at one another."

"We were not yelling," Kim sputtered, glaring at the senior agent. "Well, I wasn't," she huffed, and turned back to Ron.

Who was gone.

"Ninja," Betty sighed, not admitting that Stoppable actually kind of creeped her out these days with the way he came and went.

"Yeah," Kim grumbled. "But I wasn't yelling."

Dr. Director just shot her a quelling glare.

"Go pack, Possible. You're going on vacation."

"Fine. But I'm considering it paid leave!"

Betty said nothing to that.

"And I want back pay for that missing year, since you said I was still officially employed," she added before she stormed out of the office.

Betty only sighed.

"She's definitely been learning things from Shego," she muttered.

To Be Continued…..