A/N: I have had this chapter written for weeks now. I don't know why it doesn't feel right but I've decided to post it. Please, do tell me what you think. Also, a very special thank you to those who take the time to give me an in-depth review. It helps a lot with writing. Feel free to point out which particular things you liked/disliked.


They took Shego's car after much insistence from the other woman. Complicated and heavy car seats were strapped in securely and Shego adjusted the rear view mirror to peek at her small passengers. Riley grinned at her while Bailey bashfully ducked behind his chubby hands.

"Ready?" she asked everyone before she started the vehicle. They barely set off to their destination when Shego noticed that Riley and Bailey Possible were softly snoring in the backseat.

"Guess the excitement wore them out, huh?" Shego asked the redheaded sitting next to her.

"Happens all the time," Kim said, "Hopefully, the short nap will make them less fussy later." She glanced at her babies, making sure they were comfortable. She tried to reach over to move Riley's head a little, she knew if she tried to sleep that way, she'd have a stiff neck.

"How old are they?" Shego asked softly.

Kim fiddled with the radio, adjusting to a station that played mellow music before settling down with an audible sigh. "They're less likely to get startled by noise this way," she explained, fidgeting with her seatbelt. "They're one and a half. Bailey is older by 11 minutes."

"They're clearly identical," Shego commented. "It's very easy to tell them apart, though. Their personalities are contrasting."

Kim nodded. "Yup. Most people still get confused, though."

"Most people didn't grow up with identical twins for brothers," Shego shrugged. "They're special."

Kim smiled and took another glance at the backseat. "They are."

There was a pause and Shego tensed inwardly. She knew she owed Kim and explanation but it was too early to share everything she felt, or why she even felt that way. Maybe they could talk about it all somebody but knew she wouldn't, couldn't, tell Kim everything yet.

"Shego, what made you change your mind?" Kim asked in a low quiet voice.

"I don't know," Shego said carefully but honestly. "But I knew I had to see you today." She paused, "I'm not sure about tomorrow or next week... but I'm sure that I want to be here.. with you... right now."

She turned her dark green eyes to Kim's briefly. "Is that... is that alright?"

Kim found that she had trouble swallowing the lump lodged in her throat as she nodded. Finally, she croaked hoarsely, "For now."


All the zoo animals kept the boys entertained. The more traditional zoo animals like the lions, giraffes, and the elephants were a big hit while the flamingos and parrots in the aviary captured the children's attention with their colorful feathers. They also enjoyed shaking hands with a friendly orangutan, much to Kim's mild anxiety.

However, after a while, Riley and Bailey began to fuss in their stroller. Offerings of milk were summarily rejected (a similar attempt with warm apple juice rendered the same response) and a quick nappy check revealed no surprises. Soon, Bailey's face began to turn red as a tantrum began. His brother, not wanting to be outdone, was already screaming his lungs out and kicking in his seat.

"They're probably feeling hot," Kim said apologetically to Shego as she wiped their brows with her handkerchief. "Can you watch them? I'll just wet a towel and get them some water to drink."

"Uh," Shego stuttered, "Sure." She looked at her crying charges. They weren't full on screaming anymore but tears leaked down their cheeks, matching chins quivering.

"Be right back," Kim said, already looking around for a bathroom or a drinking fountain. The boys' crying increased again as they asked to be picked up, reaching towards Kim.

A blood-curdling "Nooo!" was screamed out in stereo.

"Shh," Shego tried, kneeling in front of them and wiping away some of the snot and tears. They looked at her, weeping as if all was wrong with the world. "Shh, Mommy's coming back, okay?"

They kept on crying no matter in spite of what she said. Shego felt embarrassed as people around them looked in their direction, no doubt due to the boys' vocal protests. They were both kicking in their seats, fists clenched tightly. The woman felt helpless in calming them.

Finally, they settled down a little after she moved them under a shady tree near a vacant bench. Lasting hiccups and sighs to remind her that they had been crying over the injustices they suffered primarily because they couldn't exactly say what was bothering them to begin with.

Shego sat down on the bench with a sigh. Turning the stroller to face her, she regarded Kim's mini-me's. She found a thin composition notebook in her bag and proceeded to fan them which they seemed to appreciate as they fell back on their stroller, less fussy. The heat really had affected them.

"What am I doing here?" she asked them, their large green eyes looked at her as if they could understand the loaded question.

"Am I doing the right thing?" she asked softly as her gaze swept past those walking around the zoo.

"No," one of them said enthusiastically, calling her thoughts back to earth. She wasn't sure which one of them said it, though. They both looked at her with the same eerie expression.

"You're pulling my leg, aren't you?" she had to chuckle.

Bailey cooed in reply as if to answer her. Riley clapped a hand to his mouth, sucking his chubby fingers. It was almost easy to forget that moments earlier they made her want to pull her hair out.

Almost.

Their moment was interrupted by Shego's ringtone. Kim was calling.

"Hello? Where are you? Wait- never mind, I see you."

Kim walked up to them carrying two snow cones and a plastic bag which the boys eagerly reached for. Instead of handing it to them, however, she asked Shego to hold them. She took a cold bottle of water from the plastic and used it to wet a small baby towel.

Shego watched as Kim efficiently stripped one baby, wiped him with the cool cloth and dressed him with a cleaner shirt. Kim proceeded to fish out another towel and do the same for the other baby. She slathered a liberal amount of sunscreen on their noses and ignored their grimaces as she thoroughly rubbed the lotion all over their chubby faces. When she was done, she handed them snow cones for being sports about it. They happily stained their new shirts with melted ice and food coloring.

"Thanks," Kim puffed a little, breathless. She took the bag from Shego and dug out food. "I got you a soda and a sandwich."

"What, no snow cone?" the other woman teased.

"Did you want one? Sorry, I'll go get you one." she turned to run back to the snow cone vendor.

A hand wrapped around her slim wrist stopped her.

"Kimmie," Shego said, "Kim, I was kidding." She tugged gently, "Sit."

"You alright?" Shego took her cold soda and pressed it on the back of Kim's neck. The redhead sighed and sagged on the bench, "I think the heat got to me, too."

"Just relax for a minute," Shego breathed against her flushed cheek. Kim closed her eyes.

And felt something cool on her cheek.

She cracked an eye open. Shego was putting sunblock on her.

"I have a feeling that you don't tan, " the woman commented.

"Yeah," Kim agreed. "Lobster red then sunburn."

"Why don't we visit the aquariums? I bet it'll be much cooler," the teacher suggested.

The penguins at the penguin exhibit all faced away from the glass knowing from past experience that people on the other side took pictures with bright flashes even though they really were not supposed to. The manatees were friendly enough to come close to the glass so the boys were able to marvel at how large they were. The clown fish at one tank got enough excited babbling and cooing. Shego was familiar enough with Finding Nemo to understand what the fuss was about.

An shark jaw display was a prime picture-taking location but the children were more excited when they saw the tank of a live one.

They showed Shego their "sharp" teeth as their crinkled their faces in what was supposed to be fierce sneers, imitating the shark's deadly grin. They tried to bite at her playfully.

In response, Shego taught them a silly song about baby sharks, mommy sharks, and daddy sharks. "Baby shark, doot-doo-doot-doo-doodoo..." she sang, moving her fingers like a small snapping jaw. They couldn't sing along but enjoyed trying to imitate the actions of the song as it progressed. Their favorite part was when the swimmer in the song got eaten and Shego had them hopping around on one foot.

Kim secretly took a picture of their goofy smiles.


Riley fell on his pull-up padded bum when the goat nudged him for the food in his hand.

Shego made a noise of concern and was about to come to comfort the boy but Kim placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't show him that you're afraid for him," Kim told her. "It'll only make him cry," she murmured. It was then that Shego noticed that the boy was indeed gaging at her reaction and was not even close to tears like she expected.

"He's alright," Kim said a little louder, a little brighter with a smile on her face. "Aren't you, Riley?" The boy nodded as Kim approached him.

"That mean old goat was pushy, wasn't he?" Kim continued as he got back on his feet.

"C'mere," she dusted off the straw from his pants. "Can Mommy have a hug?" This time, Riley smiled and gave Kim a good squeeze. "How about giving the goat more food? He still looks hungry."

"No," he replied but Kim was sure he didn't mean it. Riley looked at the goat dubiously but approached it anyway, feeding it the greens that Kim handed him.

"Wow," Shego said as Riley resumed feeding the goat, even giggling as it tried a nibble of his shirt.

"What?" Kim asked, dusting off hay from her jeans.

"I thought he'd be too reluctant to be anywhere near the goat," Shego said.

"Most times, I think kids cry because the people around them panic and scare them when they're not really hurt," Kim said. "He's fine as long as he doesn't sense any negative feelings from anyone else. Inside, yes, I'm worried but I don't think it's worth scaring him. He'll let me know when he feels there's something wrong."

"Sounds insightful of you," Shego smirked.

"Eh, believe me, I'd probably be a lot worse if I didn't call my mom for advice," Kim laughed, leaning a hand against the small of Shego's back.

"You're doing a pretty good job so far," Shego said. She watched as Bailey tried to pick up a large turtle, nearly sitting on the poor creature's hard shell. Kim had to take a picture before looking back at Shego.

"Thanks," Kim replied, "But I know they need a lot more than me, especially when they get older. I'm doing the best that I can and I hope that's enough... for now."

"My!" Bailey squealed out to his mother as he fully sat on the turtle that decided to make an escape. A zoo keeper was grinning at him but was also watchful of the turtle. It was an old, strong turtle that could carry loads heavier than a toddler so it was moving along just fine without any help.

It was still pretty slow, though.

"Me! Me!" Riley exclaimed, wanting a ride, too. Shego picked him up and sat him carefully next to his brother but the boys' enthusiasm was too much for the turtle who snuck back inside it's home.

"Aw, that's too bad," Kim said, missing the Kodak moment. "How about we leave the poor turtle alone and go visit the baby gator?"

Excited baby talk was her answer.

The boys were giggling and squealing in fear as a gator half their size was half-placed on their lap. The handler, of course, was not going to risk both animal and babies and kept a guiding hand on the gator.

"Careful," their mommy warned. Shego helpfully snapped a picture of the boys stretching out their arms, simultaneously wanting to touch the reptile but also wanting to get away from it.


Hours later, Kim had one snoring twin in her arms while Shego carried the other as she jiggled the keys in the front door lock.

Getting the boys to their shared room, Kim repeated her wet towel procedure on both boys, cleaning the zoo off of them as best as she could until they took their baths the next day. Waking them up, if she even could, would have been unwise and would have ended in another long, loud tantrum.

Shego deftly helped Kim put on their Buzz Lightyear footies before the boys were tucked into their cribs with a full bottle of milk each.

Kim kissed them goodnight as Shego stood by the doorway waiting for her. Turning on a small night light, they left the door open about an inch.

"Would you like a drink?" the redhead asked her guest as they walked back to the living room.

"No, thanks," Shego declined. At Kim's small frown, she added, "Rain check? I really should head home. I need to prepare lessons for tomorrow to make up for missing class today."

Kim nodded, "I'll walk you out." Not with a little reluctance did she see Shego out the door. She stood on her porch watching the other woman walk away. Again.

Before she was halfway to her car, Shego paused and turned, "You know... I still have the car seats." She asked softly, "What time can I come over tomorrow?"

Kim's bright smile let her know she said the right thing.