A/N: Well, everyone, this is the end of this story. I thank everyone so much for reading it and for staying with it and me until the very end. You guys are so very awesome.
Chapter 10 - Loose Ends and New Strings
Kim strolled down the hospital corridors scanning the room numbers for the one they had told her that Ron was in. Technically, it wasn't visiting hours yet, but most of the hospital staff knew her and so they let her prowl the hallway without comment. Room 535 appeared on her left, and this being the right number, she turned and went in, carefully opening the closed door as not to disturb any of the occupants that might be sleeping. She looked around and saw Ron in a bed by the window. He was in there all by himself and Kim was glad he had been given a private room.
Well, almost private, she mused, smiling as she saw Rufus sound asleep and sprawled on Ron's chest. Ron was already awake, and broke out into a wide grin at the sight of Kim. "Morning, KP!" he said enthusiastically. His enthusiasm and accompanying loud voice was not appreciated by Rufus, who woke up and glared at Ron for interrupting his sleep.
"Hey Ron," Kim replied, grabbing a chair and plopping into it next to his bed. "How's your head feeling?"
"Eh, it hurts, but not as badly as it did last night," Ron said. "So, enough with the pleasantries, KP. How'd I end up here anyway? Did I knock myself out or something? I kinda remember hitting my head on the pipe and making it into a room, but nothing after that. The next thing I remember is waking up here."
"You didn't knock you out," Kim said truthfully. "Shego did that for you."
"SG conked me on the head?" Ron asked, puzzled. "But why? Was it an accident or something?"
"Um, no, it wasn't an accident," Kim replied hesitantly. She sighed; apparently the amnesia component of the chip had worked just fine and Ron didn't remember a thing. She didn't know whether she should tell him what had happened or just let it go.
"Kim, why did SG whack me on the head?" Ron asked suspiciously, breaking into her thoughts and signaling that she had already probably told him too much if she was trying to keep it a secret.
"It is a long story, Ron," she answered. "And I am not sure you want to hear it."
"What, did I turn evil or something?" Ron joked. Kim didn't answer but looked at Rufus, who looked back at her before they both looked at Ron. "I did turn evil," Ron realized, his eyes widening. "But I don't remember being evil. What happened?"
"You were kidnapped a while back and implanted with a chip," Kim told him. "That chip is what Mom took out of your head last night."
"Who put it there? Drakken?" Ron questioned, but then shook his head. "It wasn't Drakken; the person who met me in the chamber knew my name, so it couldn't have been Drakken."
"Except it was Drakken, kind of," Kim said, shrugging. "It was actually his mother, Sue Lipsky. She wanted revenge on all of us for what we had done to her family, and you were supposed to help her in that revenge. The chip could futz with your emotions and your good/evil status. And it also had a mind control element in case making you evil and jealous didn't work and you still refused to work with her."
"Did she make me do anything bad?" Ron asked plaintively.
"Define 'bad'," Kim requested, hedging.
"Did I hurt any of you?" Ron clarified. "Did I try to hurt any of you?"
"No, you never did anything physical to try to hurt us," Kim assured him. "But you were talking some trash about me and it really made Shego mad. Like really, really mad. She almost, um, kinda killed you, but instead she didn't and just whacked you on the head instead."
"SG almost killed me?" Ron asked, freaked out. "What in the world did I say?"
"Um, some not so nice stuff about me," Kim answered vaguely. She forestalled his next question. "But don't ask me to repeat it because I am not going to."
"Wow, it must've been really bad," Ron concluded. "So what happened after that? Did you guys kick her butt?"
"Yeah, we did," Kim said proudly. "Shego and I fought through a bunch of henchman; Rufus fought a mecha-molerat…"
"You fought a mecha-molerat?" Ron interrupted. Rufus nodded. "That's awesome, buddy! Did you win?"
"Yeah," Rufus said modestly.
"Boo-yah," Ron congratulated him, giving him a high five. "So what happened after that?"
Kim related the rest of the story. "Well, after we defeated everybody, Sue tried to blow your head off, but Rufus prevented it. We called GJ to clean up the mess, brought Bev back to Yi and brought you here to the hospital," she told him.
Ron had only heard one thing. "I almost died again?" he yelped.
"Um, yeah," Kim admitted. "the chip had a self destruct mechanism. But Rufus took the battery out of the remote," she said brightly, trying to move past the fact that Ron had almost died twice.
"Dude. I am glad I was out cold," Ron said, still slightly wigged out. "Wow, I can't believe I was evil. Was I really Zorpox?"
"Uh-uh. Yup," Kim and Rufus said at the same time.
Ron thought about that for a few moments and then blanched. "But if I did actually turn into Zorpox, was I involved at the stables? Was I the one that actually killed Sherman?" he asked, horrified.
And thus came the question that Kim herself had pondered and the one she really didn't know how to answer. "Sue didn't say if you had actually been involved in the crime, Ron," Kim said. "So I don't really know one way or the other." She thought briefly, realized something and acted on it, firing up the wrist Kimmunicator that Wade had given her only this morning. She impatiently waited for a few moments as the person on the other end failed to pick up, but at last, Shego's sleepy face appeared on her wrist.
"What is it with you, Princess? Do we have to have the I-don't-get-up-early conversation again?" Shego complained, yawning.
"You have class in a couple of hours, so you would've had to get up anyway," Kim retorted, dismissing her complaint with a grin. "Do you still have the note that Zorpox left at the Stables over at the Mansion?"
"I guess?" Shego replied. "I haven't moved it, so it should still be in the parlor." Kim could hear the sheets rustling as Shego got out of bed. Some floorboard creaking and under the breath mumbling later, Shego's face popped back up on the screen. "Yeah, it's here," she said.
"Scan it with the kimmunicator and send it over," Kim requested.
"Will you leave me alone then?" Shego shot back.
"Yes," Kim agreed.
"All right. Here you go, Pumpkin," Shego said, scanning it and sending it over. "Later, Pink," she said, abruptly signing off when it was done.
Kim shook her head. "Bye, Shego," she said to the empty air. She called up the file, but the screen was too small and she couldn't read it. So, she used the Kimmunicator's wireless function to send it to the nearest printer. "Be right back, Ron," she said, disappearing. She reappeared shortly. "Well, I don't know for sure if you were there or not, but I do know that you didn't write this note," she stated. She handed Ron the piece of paper so he could look at it.
Ron broke out into a smile because Kim was right. "This isn't my handwriting," he confirmed.
"Well, since this was the only piece of evidence we had at that crime scene and it doesn't look like you wrote it, my vote is that you were not involved," Kim decided, knowing that the evidence was circumstantial at best, but figuring if Ron had an out, he should take it,
He gladly took it. "Yeah, I don't think I could hurt an animal, and if I was under mind control, it wasn't even me," he decided.
"And Sue did say that she had to use the mind control to make you hate Shego and I," Kim mentioned. "You didn't hate us even after she made you evil and jealous, so I doubt you would hurt an animal even if she played with your emotions."
Ron thought that over for a couple of seconds and a look of relief settled over his features. "Thanks, KP," he said gratefully.
"Never a problem, Ron," she said, hopping up off her chair and hugging him. He hugged her back.
When they parted, Kim glanced at the clock on the wall. "I gotta go, Ron," she said regretfully. "Otherwise, I am going to be late for school."
"That's cool, KP," Ron replied. "Your mom says that I will be out this afternoon anyway."
"Indeed he will," Mrs. Dr. Possible confirmed having appeared in the doorway.
"Hey Mom," Kim greeted her. "I was just leaving for school."
"So I heard," her mom replied, looking at her strangely. Kim didn't like that look. "I know you have school, Kim, but could you wait for me in my office? I want to look at Ron, but I want to talk to you before you leave."
"Uh-oh," Kim thought. "Um, sure, Mom," she said out loud.
"I'll be there in a few minutes," Mrs. Dr. Possible promised. "Now HIPAA says you have to scoot."
Kim did as she was told, but with a sense of reluctant dread. She had no idea what her mom wanted to talk about, but her ideas of a topic were running the gamut from she needed Kim to pick up the tweebs after school to she knew that Shego had cracked Ron in the head and Kim was now forbidden to hang out with such a dangerous individual.
Mrs. Dr. Possible was true to her word and Kim only had a few minutes to stew in her apprehension before her mom came strolling into her office. "So what's up, Mom?" Kim asked, trying to effect an air of nonchalance.
"Well, honey, to be completely honest, I am a little worried about you," her mom admitted. "You've been acting strangely lately, and there were two nights this week that you never came home. I know one of those nights you were on a mission, but you never told me why you were gone that other night."
So apparently her mom had, like Bonnie, Monique and Ron, picked up on her weird behavior before she did. "I needed to figure some stuff out, Mom," Kim confessed. "And I just had to get out of my room for a while." She wanted to add "because I knew there was one person who would understand," but she knew that her Mom was proud of her role as Kim's confidante and Kim didn't want to make her feel bad.
"Is everything working out all right with you and Ron?" her mom asked unexpectedly, not really believing her story even though it was true.
"Um, sure," Kim lied, knowing her mom was talking about their coupledom and not about their friendship, but answering for the friendship anyway.
"You really shouldn't lie if you do it so poorly," her mom said wryly. "Were you at Ron's Monday night? Is that how he knew to come get your backpack?"
Kim shook her head vigorously. "I wasn't at Ron's Monday night," she stated firmly.
Mrs. Dr. Possible was still skeptical. "It is all right if you were, honey," she assured Kim. "But if you are taking your relationship to that level, we should probably think about getting you on some birth control."
"Oh boy," Kim thought. She didn't say anything for a good minute. Embarrassment at the topic, amusement at the irony and hesitancy about telling her mother the truth all swirled around in her mind, and she found herself unable to talk until she got her thoughts under control. "Um, I don't need any birth control, Mom," she said at last. "And, um, if things keep going like they're going, I might not need birth control ever."
"But I thought you said you and Ron were fine," her mom reminded her.
"We are fine; well, at least our friendship is," Kim clarified. "We did break up this week."
"Oh, honey, I am so sorry," Mrs. Dr. Possible said sympathetically.
"It is no big, Mom," Kim said hastily. "It was my fault we broke up."
Her mom raised an eyebrow. "And what could you possibly do to Ron to make him break up with you?" she asked quizzically. "He has followed you around like a puppy dog since he was four years old."
"I kind of broke up with him," Kim explained. Her mother said nothing but looked at speculatively. Kim knew that look and knew it would continue until she spilled her guts. "I um, kind of, fell in love with -well, maybe that's a bit strong- um, have a crush on someone else," Kim told her, her apprehension causing the words to come out in a jumble.
Mrs. Dr. Possible chuckled. "Ah. So is that why I saw the tail end of a very warm kiss in my hospital corridor last night?" she asked, a teasing grin on her face.
Kim turned bright red. Neither she nor Shego had thought anyone had been around. "Um, yeah, that would probably be why," she muttered. She glared at her still-chuckling mother. "But if you knew, why did you ask me about Ron and birth control and everything?" she challenged.
"I didn't want to force you out of the closet, Kimmie," her mom replied affectionately. "I wanted to coax you out of it. And I wanted to make sure that you weren't doing all of this behind Ron's back, because frankly, I reared you better than that."
"He knows and he is okay with it," Kim assured her. "Are you okay with it?" she asked meekly.
Mrs. Dr. Possible got up and circled around her desk to sit in the chair next to Kim. "There is nothing in this world that would make me love you any less, Kim," she said firmly, taking Kim's hands as she did so. "And while I might have preferred that you not choose a convicted criminal as your first girlfriend…"
"She's pardoned," Kim interjected brightly.
Her mother rolled her eyes. "So she is. But please be careful with her, Kimmie," she gently pleaded. "I like her a lot and she did save your life, but I would just like you to be careful."
"I will, Mom," Kim promised. "And, um, speaking of that, I have a date with Shego tonight."
"Non-mission curfew is midnight," her mother reminded her.
"Aw, Mom," Kim whined.
"12:00 AM, Bubble Butt," Mrs. Dr. Possible said firmly. "And I think you need to get to school now."
Kim sighed, "All right," she answered to both orders. She hugged her Mom tightly. "Love you, Mom."
"I love you too, Kim," her mom replied. They broke apart, and Kim smiled, turning around and left, dashing off to school to avoid being tardy.
The Middleton Mansion – Around 5:00 PM
It was a damn good thing that the midterm had been on Wednesday, Shego mused as she stood in front of the mirror putting on her makeup. If it had been today, there would have been no way in hell that she would have written any kind of coherent essay with the way her distracted mind wads racing back and forth. The whole thing with Sue was still bothering her; she really couldn't fathom that Sue would have gone through all of that trouble just for revenge. And if that really was her excuse, why had she waited until now?
Then there was also the rapidly approaching date with Kimmie. For whatever reason she was nervous about it, and that nervousness was freaking her out more than a little. She never got nervous about anything, and here she was worrying about a first date with a chick that she already knew dug her. That was usually the anxiety associated with a first date, wasn't it? It wasn't the date itself, it was the uncertainty of not knowing how your date really felt about you and whether she would want a second date. Shego knew all that already and she was still nervous. Damn, but this sucked.
It had even taken her forever to pick out an outfit for tonight. She had gone through most of her closet, trying on (and discarding) choice after choice. At last she stumbled on a combination that she liked, a tailored ¾ sleeve v-necked black sweater with emerald green slacks. She vacillated for a while about whether to wear heels or sandals, and at last chose black sandals, knowing that they were going to be doing a bit of walking this evening. Now, with her clothes picked out, she had turned her attention to her makeup.
"How enchanting you look this evening, Junior," Mim said unexpectedly, cutting into Shego's already nervous thoughts and completely freaking her out.
"Gaa!" Shego exclaimed, nearly poking her eye out with the eyeliner pencil. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself before turning to glare at the apparition in her bathroom. "It is a good thing I love you and you are already dead, Nana Mim," Shego informed her, shaking her head.
Mim laughed unrepentantly. "I know it is scampish of me, Junior, but it is ever so much fun," she said with a twinkle in her eye. "So, for what occasion are you dressed in a frilly frock?"
"It's not that frilly," Shego countered. "And I have a date with Kimmie tonight." She shivered as the room suddenly grew frigid.
"I do say that it is about time," Sheila said triumphantly.
"Well, she ambushed me on the beach, kissed me and asked me out," Shego related. "There really wasn't a way for me to say 'no.'"
"As if you wanted to," Sheila said wryly.
"No, I didn't," Shego agreed. "But I didn't really have a choice because somebody," – here she looked at Mim – "told Kimmie what the amulet was all about and she took it to mean that I was maybe interested in being more than friends."
Mim blushed, but otherwise remained defiant. "The night you were gone, Kimmie-Ann came calling here to discuss some things," Mim explained. "She had an idea of how she felt about you, but she needed some assurance that her affections could possibly be returned. I gave her that assurance, because if there was a way I could spare the two of you some of the romantic machinations that Sheila and I had to go through, then I would gladly do so."
Shego mulled that over. She knew that it had taken her Nanas a while to actually become a couple and that they almost hadn't due to circumstances. It figured that Nana Mim would want to spare her some of that. She was the type of person to give a gentle nudge in order to keep things in line and make it better for everyone. That thought brought Shego to another point she had wanted to bring up with her Nana when she saw her. "So what was the deal with popping into my head to prevent me from killing Stoppable?" she asked accusingly. "Is that going to happen often?"
"That was my idea," Sheila cut in. "So she is blameless for that intrusion."
"But it was Nana Mim's voice in my head, " Shego insisted.
"Well, yes, she decided to go because she passes more easily through the planes than do I, and you always listened to her more attentively than you ever listened to me," Sheila said, her eyebrow quirking in a teasing gesture.
"Did not," Shego shot back instantly, even though she knew Nana Sheila was right.
"Oh, but you did," Sheila disagreed cheerfully. "But it wasn't an accusation, Junior. She was the only one I would listen to, too. Although now I suspect that there may be another redhead that can get you to behave."
"Maybe," Shego acknowledged wryly, and then decided to see if her Nanas might be able to help her with another problem. "Did you guys know a Sue Lipsky?" she asked.
"Of course," Sheila said promptly. "She was Bartholomew's granddaughter."
"She is also your former employer's mother, unless I have my family trees wrong," Mim added.
"No, she's Drakken's mother, all right," Shego confirmed. "Did you guys have any run-ins with her?"
"Not her, per se," Sheila answered. "Unless I am not remembering something?" she asked questioningly, looking at Mim.
"No, you are correct," Mim agreed. "We had multiple incidents involving her grandfather, and we did have the chance to meet her during one of his capers, but she was but a child then. Why do you ask, Junior?"
"Because it turns out it was Sue Lipsky that was behind our latest mission, not Drew Lipsky," Shego responded. "She said she was doing it for revenge, but that just seems like an inordinate amount of hate to hang on to for so long."
"Well, villains are rarely logical," Mim pointed out wryly. "But, if I had wager a guess, I would say what prompted her plan of revenge at this late stage of the proceedings was that her initial plan of revenge had completely and utterly failed."
"But this is the first time she has tried anything against Kimmie and me," Shego said, a little confused.
"But I wager she wasn't hoping for revenge on the two of you; she was and still is seeking revenge on us, the ones that destroyed her grandfather's life," Sheila hypothesized. "When her first plan of retribution failed, she found herself forced to devise and execute a second."
"What first plan?" Shego asked in exasperation, feeling about five steps behind her Nanas' deductive reasoning.
"Forgive us, Junior; we forget that you are not privy to the information that being dead has afforded us," Mim apologized. "Do you remember when you started working for Lipsky?"
"Sure," Shego answered slowly. "He placed an ad in the evil classifieds and I answered it."
"Except that he never placed an ad," Mim said. "Sue had exactly one copy of that paper printed up and delivered to you."
"Then how come he knew I was applying for a job if he never placed an ad?" Shego questioned.
"Oh, he thought he had placed an ad, but his mother cancelled the order before it went to print," Sheila answered. "She delivered the one and only copy to you in the hopes that you would answer it. For, if you were to answer it, you, being the only applicant, would be hired by Drew. And in this way, she would have her revenge, because the great-grandniece that we both adored would not have only turned evil, she would be employed by a Lipsky."
"But when I left Drakken and joined Kimmie…" Shego began.
"…that plan fell to ruin and she was forced to start anew," Mim finished for her.
"Wow," Shego murmured. "She is batshit crazy but she knows how to plan."
"Indeed," Sheila agreed. "But she couldn't plan for everything and that ultimately was her downfall."
"Speaking of downfalls, it is nearly 5:40PM," Mim mentioned. "When exactly were you supposed to pick up Kimmie-Ann?"
"Shit," Shego cursed. "I am supposed to pick her up at her house at six." She hastily finished putting on her makeup and took one more look at herself in the mirror.
"You look lovely, Junior," Mim complimented her.
"Thanks, Nana Mim," Shego replied shyly. Mim smiled at her and disappeared from sight.
"If you have time, buy Mim-jay some flowers," Sheila advised. "Possible women are suckers for roses." She winked at Shego and vanished, following her beloved back to the other side. Shego chuckled to herself and shook her head. They were pains in her ass, but she was so glad to have them back in her life.
"Roses, gotcha, Nana Sheila," Shego murmured as she headed downstairs, grabbed her purse and ran out the door.
The Possible Residence - 6:00PM
Kim checked her reflection in the mirror, satisfied with the way she looked. She was wearing her pilfered green sweater, figuring if she had to get it dry cleaned and give it back, she might as well get another use out of it. She was also wearing the same pink floral skirt that she had worn when she had gone to Chicago with Shego. Kim smiled. It had only been a month ago, but it seemed way longer than that. She shook her head, bringing herself back to the present and glanced at her shoes. Shego had given no hint as to where they were going, so Kim decided to be safe and wear mary-janes in case heels might somehow be inappropriate.
"Night out, Kimmie-cub?" her father asked as he glanced up from his paper. "Is Ron picking you up soon?"
"Um, no, not really," Kim answered hesitantly. "Shego and I are going out tonight."
"Really?" Mr. Dr. Possible said interestedly. "That's nice. Where are you ladies headed?"
"We are going to dinner and then I don't know, but Shego has some plans that she won't tell me about," Kim replied, figuring the third degree was on its way now that her father realized it was a date date.
But apparently she hadn't said as much as she thought because her dad just smiled. "That sounds like fun. What time are you planning to come home?"
"Um, Mom said my curfew is midnight," Kim told him.
"But that's only for dates," her father said dismissively. "This is a girls' night out."
"Uh, yeah," Kim mumbled, but was spared from saying more by the ring of the doorbell. She answered it, smiling when she saw who was standing there. Of course she knew who it was going to be, but it made her smile anyway. "Hey Shego," she greeted her.
"Hey Princess," Shego answered with a grin of her own. "You look nice. The sweater is especially fetching."
"I thought so," Kim replied saucily. "You look very nice too."
"Thanks," Shego replied. "I brought you something," she added, holding out a single pink rose.
Kim took it but said nothing; instead, she glanced over at her father who was looking at them with friendly interest. "We'll see you later, Dad," she said, opening the door.
"Have a good time, you two," Dr. Dr. Possible answered genially as he turned back to his paper.
Shego raised an eyebrow as Kimmie pushed her out onto the front porch and closed the door. The other eyebrow joined it when Kim kissed her. When they parted, Kim smiled at her. "Thank you, Shego," she said. "It was very sweet of you."
"Well, if I get that reaction every time, you will have more flowers than you can handle, Pumpkin," Shego chuckled, looking at Kim with a gently teasing grin. Mentally, she was giving Nana Sheila props for her awesome advice.
Kim grinned at her. "Yeah, I'm a sucker for the flowers," she admitted. "But don't think I can always be bought off that easily," she warned.
"Noted," Shego said crisply. "Dinner?"
"Sounds good," Kim replied. She looked around. "Where's your car?" she asked.
"I thought we could walk," Shego offered. "It is a nice night." She held out her hand tentatively and Kim reached for it immediately, capturing it without the slightest hesitation.
"A walk sounds nice," she replied, and hand in hand they strolled through Middleton to the restaurant that Shego had picked out. It was once of the nicer places in town, but even as they walked in the door, Kim didn't get the whiff of snoot that she had gotten from some of the places that she had been with Ron. Everyone was very laid back, even though the prices on the menu predicated a certain type of clientele, and the food itself, though pricey, was an eclectic mix of American comfort food, Thai specialties and Italian cuisine that would have been at home in any roadside stand. Kim couldn't also help but notice that opposite-sex couples seemed to be pretty rare, yet everyone appeared to be on a date.
They were escorted to their table and they sat down, after which the waiter came over promptly and they ordered their drinks. Those came and they ordered their food allowing the waiter to both take their menus and leave them alone, thus giving them the opportunity to commence with the flirty inconsequential small talk that typified a first date.
"So do you like the place, Pink?" Shego asked.
"It has been very nice so far," Kim replied. "And I am really interested in seeing what the mozzarella egg rolls taste like."
"They're awesome," Shego said instantly.
"Really and you know this because?" Kim teased. "Maybe because you bring dates here often?"
"I haven't dated anyone since high school," Shego shrugged. "And that was in Go City, so no."
"Did you date girls in high school?" Kim asked before she realized it was a stupid question. "Of course you did, doy. What girls did you date in high school?"
Shego smirked. "Captain of the cheerleading squad," she replied truthfully.
"Get out," Kim ordered good-naturedly. "Really?"
"Yup," Shego confirmed.
"I never would have pegged you as a serial cheerleader dater," Kim said, amused. Shego arched an eyebrow and gave her the onceover. "Yes, I know I am a cheerleader, but there was also the rival/arch foe thing between us and thought that was the attraction. I never figured cheerleaders were your type."
"Well, if cheerleaders are my type, what's yours?" Shego flirted.
"Bad girls, apparently," Kim flirted back. "Speaking of which, where are you taking me after this?"
"Won't know until you get there, Princess," Shego taunted.
Kim was about to launch into full-scale puppy dog pout when their food arrived. "Don't think this is over," she warned Shego.
"Bring it on, Pink," Shego retorted smirking and so Kim did for the rest of the meal. Shego refused to budge, however, and Kim still found herself clueless as to where they were going even as they left the restaurant and made their way there.
"Um, the Middleton Wildlife Refuge?" Kim asked skeptically as they stood before the front gates. She could see the point in coming during the day; in fact it seemed like a good idea for a date, but at night when it was closed seemed a little odd. "This is what the plans were: to come to a closed animal refuge?"
"It's not closed if you know the right people," Shego said smugly. "and I hate fighting through the crowds."
"Ms. Goshen?" a voice inquired politely from the other side of the bars. They both blinked and looked at the park ranger who had suddenly appeared.
"That's me," Shego confirmed.
"May I please see some ID?" the ranger asked politely.
"Sure," Shego replied, digging through her wallet and producing her driver's license.
"Very nice to meet you, ma'am," the ranger said respectfully as she returned the license. She opened the gate and allowed them to enter. "Here are your visitors' passes," she said, handing each of them a badge. "I have been informed that you know your way around and are allowed access to everything, so I will leave you here."
"Thanks for letting us in," Kim said, speaking for the first time.
"Thank her for keeping this place in existence," the ranger said wryly and promptly disappeared.
Kim looked at Shego and Shego shrugged. "Nana Mim and Nana Sheila really loved this place and I couldn't break with tradition," she said nonchalantly. "Besides, it allows for these cozy after-hours visits." She smiled at Kim. "Come on, Princess. Let me show you around." Kim smiled and offered her hand, which Shego readily took. As they walked, they went by the wall o' donors, and sure enough, Mim and Sheila's names were on the top of the list. Kim also noted that Sheila Miriam Goshen was no slouch either.
As they made their way to the back of the refuge, Shego pointed out several interesting animals, explaining details about this and that to Kim. They kept up a lively conversation about the animals until they found themselves in the very back standing in front of a very large enclosure. Shego grinned widely. "Stay right here, Pumpkin," she told Kim. "I'll be right back."
"Shego, what are you doing?" Kim asked, curious. Shego didn't answer. Instead, she just winked and started climbing the fence in front of them. Kim watched dumbfounded as Shego made it to the top and then promptly jumped down into the middle of the enclosure. "Um, Shego, do you think that is safe?" Kim asked.
"Perfectly safe, Pink," Shego promised. "Come on, I know you are in here."
"Shego! Watch out!" Kim called out having seen a pair of glowing eyes trained on Shego, eyes that were above her and looking ready to pounce.
Shego whipped around and saw what time had seen. Her grin got wider. "Here kitty, kitty, kitty," she taunted. The cat snarled and pounced. Shego laughed and flipped backwards, making him miss his strike. When she landed, she laughed mockingly at him, but instead of charging again, the spotted cat merely glared at her. "You're getting slow, old timer," she teased. He rolled his eyes and sighed, but as soon as Shego crouched down in the grass, he came right over to her and started nuzzling her. "I've missed you too, boy," Shego said affectionately. "Come on, I've got someone I want you to meet." He quirked an eyebrow, but followed her to the gate.
Kim smiled. There was really only one being this could be. "Hi Rama, I'm Kim," she introduced herself as Shego opened the door and she came into the enclosure. "Is it okay if I pet him?" she asked Shego.
"He is usually a little shy around strangers, so you should probably be a little careful," Shego advised.
Kim offered her hand to Rama to sniff, which he did. He cocked his head as if he were thinking and sniffed again. He raised his head to look at Kim, his eyes growing visibly warmer as he looked her over. He rubbed her hand with his head and started purring. Figuring that was a good sign, Kim knelt down, and Rama responded by nuzzling her face and purring harder. "Is this typical?" Kim asked between head butts.
"No, it's not," Shego admitted, a bit perplexed. "It's as if he already knows you." Rama looked up and gave her a "well, duh, of course I know her" look. Shego's eyes widened. "He does know you," she realized. She searched her brain for when they possibly could have met before and she winced when she realized when it had to be. "You're kidding me, right?" she asked Rama. "That wasn't her." Rama, having stopped the rubbing to sit beside Kim, looked at Kim and nodded his head.
Kim couldn't help but notice the interplay. "I sense a story," she said.
"Um, yeah, there is one," Shego confirmed. "But it's a long one and I think its best left for later."
"Okay," Kim agreed. "but you are going to tell me eventually."
"Promise," Shego promised. "I would just like to make it out of this evening with my dignity still intact."
With an admission like that, Kim was more than intrigued, but she let the matter drop. "So now we have seen the main attraction, can we see the rest of the Refuge?" she requested while rubbing the top of Rama's head.
"Sure," Shego replied. "I can show you some of the animals that Nana Mim and Nana Sheila donated to the place. Wanna come with, Rama?" Rama did his best imitation of a shrug and nodded. Shego opened the gate and Kim came through. Shego followed her and then held the door for Rama. Rama at first came towards them but then stopped and turned away from them back toward the sleeping area of the enclosure. Before Shego could ask him what he was doing, he let out a soft growl.
The growl was answered by a high pitched squeak, and as Kim and Shego watched, a toddler version of Rama toddled out of the bushes. Seeing Rama, she ungainly scampered to him, squeaking all of the way. Rama nuzzled the cub and walked toward Kim and Shego so he could make introductions. The cub eyed them warily but followed after Rama.
The first human she encountered was Shego, but as Shego crouched down to say hello, the cub hissed at her and retreated farther under Rama. Rama tried Kim next, and though still cautious, the cub was bolder, coming out from beneath the larger cat. Kim knelt down slowly to get to her level. The cub regarded her, her little ears pricking up here and there as it observed her. Sensing Kim was a friend, the cub crept closer and closer, sniffing as she went, until she was right next to Kim. Kim cautiously reached a hand out and the cub swatted at it, but it was obviously a gesture of play rather than one of malice. Kim wiggled her fingers and the cub continued to swat at then. When the cub grew tired of the game, Kim gently picked her up, brought the cub up to cuddle in her arms and the cub started to purr. Kim beamed.
"I just lost my almost girlfriend, didn't I?" Shego wryly asked Rama as they watched. Rama nodded.
"So who are you are anyway?" Kim asked the purring cub in her arms.
"That's Anna," an amused voice told them. "She is Rama's great-granddaughter and she doesn't get along with many people. " The keeper walked into the enclosure and extended a hand. "I'm Pierre and I take care of these two."
"We were just going to take Rama" – here both Kim and Anna glared at her – "Um, Rama and Anna out for a bit to see the Refuge."
"Sure, just put them back when you are done," Pierre replied. "Normally, I wouldn't allow it, but Rama belongs to you, and Anna doesn't really look like she wants to stay."
"Um, no, she doesn't," Shego agreed, sighing as she saw that Kim had Anna upside down and was tickling her tummy.
"Have fun," Pierre requested as he opened the door for all of them to get through. Once realizing she was outside, Anna squeaked at Kim. Kim laughed and put her down and Anna ambled over to stand beside Rama. Shego took Kim's hand and together the four of them started to make their way around the complex.
It was obvious that Shego knew this place very well and that she liked being here. Her face lit up every time she saw a particular animal that she wanted Kim to see and she would gently drag Kim over to take a look. Kim hadn't seen much of this side of Shego and she thought it was adorable. Even more revealing was the way she interacted with Rama. When Kim watched them, she could get a glimpse of what Shego must have been like as a kid and how that had shaped her into the adult that Kim now knew. An adult, Kim freely admitted to herself, she was falling for more and more.
Shego laughed as Kim went clambering up a tree in pursuit of a wayward Anna. She was having a really good time, she admitted readily. She realized she had been nervous for most of the day because she wasn't sure how Kim would react to this place. And this place was such a significant part of her life that it would really suck if Kim didn't like it. But since Kimmie was busy jumping out of a tree with a big grin while she was cuddling a clouded leopard cub, well, Shego figured Kim liked it pretty well. And she found herself drifting that much closer to actually admitting she was in love.
After the climbing incident, they figured they had better put Anna back into her enclosure. Luckily for them, they had almost completed the circuit and thus had only a couple more animals to look at. They stopped and looked briefly, but still kept up a good pace so that they rounded the corner leading up to the clouded leopard habitat within a few minutes. They put the cats back and shut the door only to be glared and pouted at.
"Don't look at me that way, Rama," Shego grumbled. "I know I am back in Middleton now, but you can't come live with me." Rama glared at her even more. "Okay fine. We'll start with weekly visits and if after a few months busting you out of this place makes sense, you can come back to the Mansion with me," Shego acquiesced. Rama's ears came up and he nodded. He came to the fence and nuzzled her before turning around and heading towards his sleeping quarters.
Kim knelt down to Anna's level and smiled. If Anna had been a human kid, that lower lip would have been out about four feet. "I'll come back when she does, Anna, I promise," Kim told her. "And we can play as much as you like." Anna pouted some more, but then sighed, squeaked a farewell to Kim and headed off after her great-grandfather.
"She likes you," Shego commented with a smirk.
"Well, the feeling is mutual," Kim cheerfully admitted. "She is adorable."
Shego chuckled. "So are you," she teased.
Kim blushed. "Well, you are no slacker in that department either," she countered, trying to make her blush calm down.
Shego thought about protesting, because, after all, "adorable" didn't fit the image. But, hey, if it was Kimmie who thought she was adorable, that she could live with. "Thanks, Princess," she said sardonically. She stretched and looked at her wrist, only to find she had forgotten her watch. "Not that I want to, but is it time to take you home?" she asked.
Kim checked her watch, which told her it was 11:30PM. "Yeah, you probably should," she said reluctantly.
"I just got on their good side, Pumpkin; I don't want to piss them off this quickly," Shego said and Kim had to agree. They walked from the Refuge to the Possible house and slowly as they could without looking stupid, but even this pace was fairly quick and they soon arrived on Kim's front porch. They both became suddenly shy and neither one wanted to start anything, even though neither had shown any hesitancy to start something in the three days previous. Finally it was Shego who couldn't take anymore. She put her arms around Kim's waist and drew her close, kissing her gently on the lips as she did so. Kim responded in kind and put her arms around Shego's waist, bringing their bodies even closer than Shego had. The kiss deepened and they both forgot where they were.
That was until the porch light suddenly came on. They were too involved with one another to act immediately, but they did separate slightly, succeeding only in making themselves look like they were trying not to get caught rather than preventing themselves from getting caught. "Evening, ladies," Mr. Dr. Possible intoned, looking at Shego warily now that he knew what her true intentions towards Kim were.
"Hi, Dad," Kim replied cheerfully, trying to completely ignore the fact that she was standing on the front porch with her arms around another woman.
"Um, hey, Mr. Dr. P," Shego coughed.
"So this was a date date then?" he clarified.
"Uh, yeah," Kim admitted.
"Then you are past your curfew," he admonished her. He turned to Shego with an eyebrow raised. "If you are dating Kimmie, I have no problem with that; in fact, I prefer it because you are not a boy. But, if you hurt her, I am going to forget the fact that you are a girl and I will have the rocket warmed up," he warned her.
"Duly noted, sir," Shego said respectfully, her face serious. She wanted to smile; Mr. Dr. P liking her dating Kimmie because she was a girl was a really amusing take on things. But she knew he was serious, and she respected the gravity of his words, so her face remained carefully neutral.
Mr. Dr. Possible glanced at them both. "You have five minutes and then I expect you inside," he told Kim, not unkindly but with definite authority.
"Okay, Dad," Kim answered and he closed the front door.
"Well, I guess this is goodnight, Princess," Shego decided.
"I guess it is," Kim acknowledged and they leaned in for one last goodnight kiss.
"I knew it!" Bonnie crowed. "I knew you were going to dump Stoppable for that green-glowing freak!"
Kim buried her head in Shego's chest and could not find the strength to lift it up. "Please tell me that is not Bonnie," she pleaded.
"Uh, well, how about if I kill her, it will no longer be Bonnie," Shego offered hopefully.
"Don't," Kim forestalled her. "We just got you pardoned." She raised her head and turned to Bonnie. "Bonnie, why in the world are you prowling my street at midnight?"
"I was studying at a friend's," Bonnie replied, fairly jumping up and down because she was so stoked by what she had seen.
"None of your friends live on this street," Kim retorted.
"None that you know about," Bonnie shot back. "Well, tootles, girls; I have some phone calls to make," she concluded with a smirk and proceeded to flounce her way towards her car.
"She is going to broadcast this all over school," Kim said resignedly. "I just wanted a week before I had to come out of the closet. Even a second date would've been nice."
"The offer of murder still stands, Pumpkin," Shego reminded her and she was not really joking about it.
"Thank you. It's tempting, but no," Kim refused politely. "It was going to happen sometime. I just wish we could have had a little more time together before we had to face the inevitable inquisition."
"I know, sweetie; I would have too," Shego said sympathetically. "But I am okay with everyone knowing. Are you?"
"Please don't be offensive on the first date, Shego," Kim scolded with a grin. "It is so not the way to get a second date. But to answer your question, of course I am okay with it."
Shego let out a breath of apprehension that she hadn't even been aware she was holding. "I am going to leave now before the press shows up," she joked. She made an exaggerated show of looking around before she kissed Kim once more. Kim kissed her back and it was only after several long moments that they reluctantly separated, their arms slowly coming to rest at their sides. "You're going to get in trouble, Pink," Shego said. "So I'll say goodnight."
Kim sighed. "You're right. Goodnight, Shego, " Kim pouted. She reached for the front door and opened it, giving Shego a small smile as she disappeared inside.
Shego watched Kim with a smile on her face until Kim was out of sight. When Shego was absolutely sure she was gone, she turned and walked back toward the Mansion, thinking all the while. Life was going to change now; it had to. But if having Kimmie in her life was one of those changes, she could live with changes. "Now, Miss Rockwaller, what kind of maniacal retribution can I dream up for you?" she wondered, chuckling evilly as she made her way home.
The End