"You have a visitor," the guard said flatly, his expression bored.

She wondered who could be visiting her. After all, the only person who bothered to care about her since she'd gone to prison was dead.

A fresh wave of grief ripped through her chest, but she pushed herself through the cell door anyway, turning toward the visitation area.

"Actually, it's this way," the guard said, and she let him push the wheelchair... toward the warden's office?

She wondered what she did wrong this time. She didn't care... solitary wasn't a punishment for her. It was a blessing. She could suffer alone, and no one would be around to remind her that she was completely desolate on this planet now. She'd wondered a couple times over the past two weeks if she should use up her ticket out of here... death. Maybe she would today, if they put her in the hole.

"Shego."

She raised an eyebrow. She hadn't heard that name in ages. It was her code name in GJ. When not on a mission everyone just called her Sherri. "What do you want, Dr. Director?" she snapped.

"Shego—"

"My name is Sherri. Shego is a name I used in a job I don't have anymore. If you came here just to rub that in my face I think I'm going back to my cell now."

"Wait... Sherri, I'm sorry."

Sorry? She raised an eyebrow again. Betty Director never apologized. Ever.

"I came to talk to you about Kim."

Sherri shook her head. "I don't want to talk about her. Take me back to my cell, please."

"Sherri, she's alive. They found her and her classmate... they were rushed to the hospital."

Her vision blurred and her mind whirled. Betty was lying. It was a cruel joke, a punishment for the lives she took. Kim was dead, she read it in the paper. Kim was dead. She was gone forever. It wasn't true.

"Sherri, it's not a lie," the director said gently.

Sherri looked up into the older woman's face, and she felt a glimmer of hope rise in her chest. She crushed it instantly. "I don't believe you."

"Suit yourself," she shrugged. "I spoke with her mother today. She is in intensive care... she had a severe case of pneumonia and had to be intubated. But she is awake and they removed the tubes today. She seems to be doing well. If she can handle being without it they will transfer her out of ICU at the end of the week."

She stared blankly at the director. "Are you... sure?"

She nodded.

"I... need to see... please. I don't care if you lock me up and I never see the light of day again. I don't care if I have to wear chains and a god-awful orange jumpsuit... just let me see her."

The warden cleared his throat. "The transport is being arranged now."

"Huh?" She didn't think it would be this easy.

Betty smiled. "Kim noticed on one of her visits that you did not have any next of kin listed, and she let us know that if it was okay with you, she'd sign on. All you have to do is sign the dotted line stating that she's your next of kin..."

She picked up the pen and scribbled on the line before the older woman was even done speaking. She would get to see Kim... that was what mattered.


Kim stared at the ceiling. Unfortunately her parents had to work now, their leaves had ended. Ron had been released from the hospital on Sunday, but he had a life and could only visit a few hours in the afternoon. Nana had been here... she visited plenty, but she'd had to fly home to Florida again, so she was alone for the time being. Her throat and entire upper body felt like they were on fire. Each time she coughed, it caused searing pain all over. She hated it. She couldn't even speak enough to ask for something for the pain.

A physical therapist and a surgeon had started to come in, checking up on her leg and trying to start her moving it around. It was painful, and she gritted her teeth as tears leaked from her eyes. She couldn't even tell them to stop.

"Oh God," a voice whispered from the doorway.

She looked toward it and her eyes widened. "Sherri!" she squeaked, her throat protesting.

"Fuck sake, Princess, you can be quiet and let me do the talking for a change."

They both chuckled softly as an armed man pushed her wheelchair into the room and turned to stand guard outside.

Kim looked her over. 'You look like hell,' she mouthed.

Sherri shrugged. "I learned something these past couple weeks."

'Oh?'

"Be careful what you wish for... 'cause you just might get it." Her shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry, Princess. I know I... what I did was... but you still cared about me. And I still wanted you to just go the fuck away. And then you were dead... and I couldn't believe I pushed away the only person that really—"

"Stop," Kim ordered, trying not to wince as her throat screamed in pain.

"Shut the fuck up and let me talk, Possible."

'It's not your fault I got in an accident. It was bound to happen.' She lifted her good shoulder. 'You know me. I'll be back on the slopes this winter.'

Sherri chuckled. "I have no doubt." She squeezed Kim's hand gently. "You're... the closest friend I've ever had. Thank you."

Kim smiled at her, squeezing her hand back. 'I'll come visit as soon as I can. And I'll bring Ron... you have to meet him.'

"You'll bring who, now?"

'Ron,' Kim repeated. 'He's... he's...'

Sherri smirked. "Oh, he's a new boy toy?"

'More than that,' she said earnestly. 'He saved my life.'

"Then I do have to meet him," she murmured. "I'll let you rest now, okay?"

'Stay,' Kim pleaded. 'This place is boring as hell!'

Sherri laughed at that. "I know the feeling."

They chatted for a while before Sherri let out a sigh. "This is my cue, Princess."

Kim's eyes watered a little. 'Thank you for coming here... I know that wasn't easy to swing.'

Sherri shrugged. "Take care of yourself and fuck sake, stay out of trouble."

Kim laughed, coughing. 'I will,' she choked out.

They squeezed hands tightly, each of them wishing they could hug the other. Then Sherri wheeled herself toward the door, and the armed guards took her away.


"Hey, KP," Ron breathed the next day. He was relieved to see that she was in fairly good spirits, all things considered. She waved, smiling as he kissed her forehead. He sat next to her, rubbing circles on her hand with his thumb. "How do you feel, Sweetheart?"

She lifted a shoulder. 'Mostly bored. In pain. But alive.'

"Coughed a lot today?" he asked, noting that she wasn't trying to speak.

'Throat ferociously sore,' she complained in response. 'Respiratory therapists don't let me sleep.'

His eyebrows wrinkled in sympathy. "I'm sorry."

She shrugged again, but then she brightened. 'Hana?'

"Brilliant," he answered happily. Josh did bring her around to the hospital the day before he was released, and he sat with her for a long time, reading to her and such. "I hear they're moving you into the extended stay wing soon."

She stared out the window. 'Joy.'

"KP... you're going to get better, you know."

'I know.'

"Then why aren't you happy about this?"

She glowered at her hand. 'I miss the sun. I want real food. I miss talking to my friends whenever I want... I miss having things to do. I miss the air... it's so stuffy in here,and I always feel like I'm choking. I feel like I'm in prison.' She let out a defeated and frustrated huff, which ended in a coughing fit.

He sighed. It wasn't the first time she expressed that kind of frustration. It made him sad to see her like this.

'The therapists come now, to help my leg get strong.' She scoffed. 'They are irritating and the therapy is fucking painful, and I can't even speak to tell them to go the fuck away.' Tears spilled from her eyes. 'I don't want an extended stay. I want to go home.'

"They are just trying to help, Sweetheart."

She sighed. 'I know.'

He wanted to hug her, but he knew that would just cause her pain. He kissed her hand instead. "Look at me."

She did.

"These next weeks are going to suck. They are going to give you treatments for your breathing, for your leg... it could be months until you're on your own two feet again."

She gritted her teeth. 'You think I don't know that?'

"I know you know that. I also know that you want to go home. Look at me," he all but growled when she looked away, disinterested. "You aren't giving up. You're going to push yourself until it's over. You won't stop pushing until you're home, fully recovered and ready to move on. You're Kim Possible. You can do this. You can and you will."

She glared at him for a long time, and he glared right back. Eventually she looked away. "Don't leave me," she croaked.

He smiled crookedly. "We're in this together KP. I'm not going anywhere. Now I have a surprise for you... but it's a secret. The doctor said he wanted you to start trying to eat some stuff..."

'They brought me Jell-o today,' she complained. 'Awful, sugar-free hospital Jell-o."

He tsked. "No, you need real food, remember?" He reached into his back pack and pulled out a container of mashed potatoes. "Hungry?"

Her eyes widened, and he swore he saw her tongue dart out of her mouth to keep it from watering. He chuckled. "Don't get too hasty. It's just half a scoop to see how it settles in your stomach. And your throat hurts, and this might still be thick to swallow. If it doesn't work tomorrow I'll bring you soup."

She didn't care. She was hungry. And he had food. Warm mashed potatoes that were still steamy they were so fresh. Her mouth watered again.

He slowly fed her tiny spoonfuls until she ate it all. She was grateful he knew how to make it so that the bites weren't so big they hurt to swallow. And it was delicious. It was so delicious. She savored every bite as if it were her last, and then when it really was her last, she almost cried.

Ron shook his head. "I'll bring more later on, okay?" She smiled brilliantly in response and he smiled. "I'm glad I made you happy today."

She reached for his hand, squeezing it. 'Thank you.'

"Always, Sweetheart. Always."


The next day, she waved goodbye to the ICU nurses as they wheeled her down the hall to an elevator. She got a bit dizzy in the elevator, but thankfully it dinged and opened, revealing a hallway that seemed endless. They pushed her through it to another hallway, and then she finally reached the extended stay ward. The room was spacious, with two couches and a large flat-screen television. It had shelves for her clothes and make-up, and the bathroom was stocked with a toothbrush, toothpaste, facial wash, shampoo and conditioner, and other things she would need. She definitely felt less trapped here.

She was also told that the couches folded out into beds, and that the visitation hours weren't limited here like they were in ICU. She could have as many people as she wanted, whenever she wanted. Extended stay might not be that bad, after all.

She turned on the television, absently flipping through channels until an aghast Ron burst into her room. "KP! Oh God, I thought something happened... you weren't in your room and they didn't tell even your parents that they moved you..." he pulled out his phone. "I guess I'd better let them know where you are. I'm glad you're okay..."

She reached for him with her good arm, and he went happily into her embrace. "Feeling good today?"

She nodded but then she pouted. "Got any more mashed potatoes?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "Your voice sounds better today." Her voice sounded raw and kind of manly, but at least she was speaking.

"I doesn't hurt so bad... when I'm not coughing anyway."

"How's your leg?"

"Sore."

He squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry."

She let out a half-cough, half-chuckle, wincing at the soreness in her chest and throat. "Why do you keep apologizing to me?"

"I'm not apologizing... I just hate seeing you in pain."

She tugged him down, kissing his cheek. "I'm okay."

His smile lit up the room. His gaze was so warm that it made heat rise in her cheeks. She remembered kissing him in the hole in the snow, and how she suddenly felt—

"You okay, Sweetheart?"

She shook her head to dispel her thoughts, smiling up at him.

"Kim?"

They both looked up to the door to find a young woman, dressed in comfy looking scrub pants and a tee shirt. Kim's expression went from shyly happy to two hairs short of murderous.

Ron looked confused. "Um.. hi. You are...?"

"Oh my name is Mary, I'm Kim's physical therapist."

"Oh," he mumbled, reading Kim's expression. "Can we have a minute first?"

"Sure," Mary smiled, also reading the redhead's face. "Whenever you're ready, I'll be outside."

"Thanks."

Kim glared daggers at the door, and Ron watched her sympathetically. "KP?"

She turned her fiery gaze on him.

He leaned down, brushing her hair behind her ear. "You can do this, remember?"

She nodded, shivering as the action caused his lips to brush the shell of her ear.

"She isn't the enemy here," he said gently, pulling back to look into her eyes. He gave her a crooked grin. "Besides, I might have something for you to eat tomorrow if you don't scare the nice lady." She beamed at that, and he chuckled. "That's my girl. I'll be here with you, okay?"

Apprehension shadowed her features as Mary reentered the room. "How do you feel today, sweetheart?"

"Kim," she corrected, her voice irritated. "I'm sore," she added, staring at her hand.

"Okay... well it looks like you're healing well from your knee surgery," she said, gently examining Kim's leg. "Your hip is looking great too. Lets see if we can't run through some exercises to get your strength up in that leg, okay? We want you to be up and about as soon as possible," she said lightly.

Kim gritted her teeth as the therapist began talking her through a series of movements designed, in her opinion, to inflict the maximum amount of pain in the most efficient manner.

Ron never said a word, he simply held her hand, or helped her shift or lean into him when she needed to rest or start a new exercise. After what seemed like an eternity, but was really only twenty minutes, Mary congratulated Kim on a job well done and quietly let herself out.

"Sweetheart?"

She didn't unclench her jaw.

"KP, it's over now."

"No... it's not. It hurts."

He tentatively reached out and lightly massaged her injured leg until he felt her relax. "Better?"

She nodded. "Thank you," she whispered.

He kept rubbing her leg soothingly, being careful not to hurt her stitches or move her leg, which would cause her more pain. "You must be tired. I know it took a lot out of you."

"It always does."

"You can do it," he reminded her.

"I know," she said softly.

He kissed her forehead. "You're so strong," he said softly.

She huffed, and tears leaked from her eyes. "I don't feel strong."

"You are," he said, lifting her chin with his finger. "You're strong enough to do this. You're the strongest person I know."

She smiled through her tears at him.

He grabbed a tissue and gently dried her tears. "Want to watch a movie?"

She shrugged, looking out the window. "It's raining," she said quietly.

He looked out too. "It will be sleet tonight, probably."

"I've always wondered what it would be like..." she mumbled to herself, staring vacantly at the gloom outside.

"What what would be like?"

She flushed, looking at him sheepishly. "Nothing I just—"

"Tell me," he interrupted, an intrigued smile on his face. What had caused her to blush like that?

"It's silly," she mumbled, her face turning a deeper red.

"I won't laugh, I promise."

She looked out the window again. "Kiss in the rain," she said quietly. "I always wondered how it would feel to kiss in the rain."

Ron watched her look out the window. One day I'll show you, he thought to himself.


She was just wrapping up with the respiratory therapist when Lilith walked into the room. "Hey."

"Hi," she smiled. Another week had passed, and her voice was mostly back to normal even though she still coughed a lot.

"Paige and Monique are coming in too."

"Huh?"

Lilith grinned. "It's December twenty-third. We're having a Christmas party tonight. It's tradition."

Tears sprung to Kim's eyes as Lilith put a tiny Christmas tree on the window sill and hung a string of multicolored Christmas lights.

Lilith placed a small box next to the tiny tree.

"I don't have anything for you guys," Kim whispered.

Lilith's blue eyes studied her friend. She gently lowered herself onto the edge of the bed, taking Kim's hand in both of hers. "You are here," she said, quietly, her voice full of emotion. "That is more than enough for us."

"Heyy," Monique called as she bustled in, carrying several bags. One of them was a gift bag, and she dropped it near the tree on the ground and added a tiny little box to the window sill. Paige, quiet as usual, slipped into the room and deposited her presents before sending Kim a friendly smile.

Kim watched them chatter as they set up food and presents and decorations. She was enjoying the atmosphere. It made her feel normal.

"Okay, tradition time. Presents and movies. I have the regulars. Nightmare Before Christmas, Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and It's a Wonderful Life." Lilith reached into her bag and pulled out two DVDs. Then she reached back into her bag. "Oh, Ron sent this, too. Oh, and your folks, they sent two, one from them and one from your Nana."

"So did Wade!" Monique piped up, reaching into her bag as well. They deposited more boxes with pretty bows near the tree.

"All of those are for me?"

"Of course," Paige said quietly, sitting close to her friend.

"Yeah, Duh, Possible. Who else would they be for?"

She rolled her eyes. "You guys didn't get anything for each other?"

"That's not for you to worry about. It's a party, damn it."

"Okay, okay. We're partying," Kim chuckled. "I miss you guys," she said quietly.

They all wrapped her in a group hug that, although painful for her hip, was comforting.

"Now stop being so sappy," Lilith chided her. "We're here, and you're here, and this wouldn't be a party without you Possible, so get your Christmas freak on."

She laughed, and the girls chatted and munched on treats, giggling until after dark. They each took turns in the bathroom changing into their pajamas.

"Wait..."

"Tradition," Paige smirked, pulling out the folding bed in the couch.

Kim just shook her head.

At around nine, Ron dropped in. "Wow, you guys are partying with out me?" he looked around before kissing Kim's forehead affectionately.

She giggled. "Girls only, sorry."

"Alright, I can take a hint," Ron chuckled. "I'm happy you're happy, Sweetheart," he said softly. "I hope you like your present."

She looked over to the tree, where the size of the presents dwarfed the small fake plant. "We haven't gotten around to opening them yet. We were talking and watching movies and such."

"Painting nails and waxing eyebrows too?" He said with an expression that made the girls laugh. "I'm so out of here," he muttered. "Catch you later, KP." He brushed her cheek tenderly, and she smiled up at him.

"Take care," she whispered.

"You too," he answered. With a wave at the other three girls, he was gone.

"He's so sweet," Lilith said.

Paige just smiled warmly in the direction he'd gone.

Monique watched her friend for a minute. "You into him too, ain't you?"

"I don't want to have this conversation," Kim mumbled. "Can we just open the presents?"

Paige smiled knowingly and stood, grabbing several boxes and placing them on Kim's bed. She handed her one. "From Wade. Open it first."

She needed help with it, since her left arm was in a cast, but she grinned triumphantly when a sleek, shiny, teal-blue device was revealed. A logo with her initials was engraved onto the back of it, as well as the top right corner of the screen. There were arrow buttons on the bottom left and a circular one in the center of them, and two buttons on the bottom right. One was red, and the other was white. She pressed the white button, and the logo with her initial appeared on the screen. Then there was a menu. She scrolled though it, loving how easy it was to use. A list of contacts appeared, and she scrolled though it, too.

"Wade?"

"Hey Kim," he smiled. "I see you got your Christmas present."

"I love it," she grinned. "I missed it."

"I'm sorry it took so long. I had to upgrade and update some programs... you know the drill. This Kimmunicator is a bit different. First, as you can see, it's a lot thinner and more modern-looking. Also, your menu options are a bit clearer. Tomorrow I'll call you and get your voice print loaded into it... it's voice activated too, so you can tell it call people or whatever. It'll also recognize a safe word in case you can't reach the panic button, and we'll program that tomorrow too. Also, I put out an app for the Kimmunicator. Most of your friends and your family have downloaded it already. You can video-chat with them a lot easier now. They are all in your contacts."

She beamed.

"Of course, I'll also run through all the gadgets and plug ins with you tomorrow."

"Have I told you that you rock?"

He winked. "Not today."

She laughed. "Thank you."

"Enjoy it, Kim. Oh, and one more thing... hey Lilith, have you given it to her yet?"

"No!" she jumped up and grabbed a box along with a series of tiny boxes. "Here," she handed Kim a teal-blue box with a candy-cane stripe ribbon. "This is from all of us. Open the big one first."

She did as she was told, and revealed a small silver chain. "What is it?" she asked, puzzled.

"A bracelet."

Kim reached for the tiny box being handed to her. It matched the larger one. In it was a tiny silver disk charm with her logo engraved on it. The back of the disk was... a computer chip?

"It's a GPS chip," Wade explained. "When your Kimmunicator got smashed in the avalanche, I couldn't get your coordinates. I figured I should have insurance for the next time I lose contact with you."

She rolled her eyes but smiled, clipping the little charm onto the bracelet as he signed off with a chuckle.

The next tiny box was from Paige, colored a deep wine with a gold ribbon. It was a silver megaphone that read 'All Star' in the school colors. She clipped it onto the bracelet too.

The next one, a tiny black box with a heart-and-crossbone ribbon contained a half heart that read 'Friends.' Frowning in confusion, she looked up at Lilith. She simply held up a chord around her neck. On it was the other half, and it read 'Best'. Kim's eyes misted.

Monique's little pink box contained a little high heel. She had to laugh at that as she added it on to the bracelet.

"Your parents sent these," Lilith explained as she handed Kim two more little charm boxes. The first one contained a bright silver phoenix, with its wings spread. The second contained a silver star.

"Ron," Paige said quietly, handing her the last box.

Kim opened it and her eyes widened. There were two charms in this box. The first was a bright green Swarovski crystal, in the shape of a heart. The second one had two mini pastel hearts that she recognized as conversation hearts. One said 'sweet' and the other said 'heart' and she smiled widely as she clipped Ron's charms onto her bracelet.

She smiled, adding those to her bracelet.

"He really likes you, girl."

Her cheeks tinged pink, but she said nothing.

Lilith smirked. "You're totally into him, aren't you? He's cute, too."

"Alright, fine. I like him a lot, okay? And I already know how he feels... And this topic is closed for discussion!"

Paige smiled her all knowing smile.

"He is perfect for you," Monique insisted.

"Closed. For discussion," she hissed.

"Alright, alright," Lilith chuckled. "But he is cute though."

"Ugh!"


quick note! don't forget to vote for your favorites on my profile. there are a lot of suggestions up there, you guys can pick your top three. the winning phrase will be the title of the story and the person who suggested it (not myself or Levi) will get teasers from the second and third installments of the series.

happy voting :)