A/N:
I have a confession to make. I almost abandoned this piece. I completely lost inspiration, and I had no idea what to write. But, I waited a few weeks, and tried again. I've decided to continue this piece, but my updates won't be as frequent as they once were. I need time to figure out what I'm doing.
Read, Review, Enjoy.
-Flame
"So, where exactly are we going?" Kim asked, watching as the ground quickly disappeared from underneath them.
"Salem." Shego replied, inputting the coordinates into the autopilot.
"Which is?"
"Virginia. Deep in the woods of Virginia." She looked over at the red-head, smiling apologetically. "Can't tell you the name of the town...don't really remember it."
"I see..." Kim murmured, sitting back in her seat. "Sara..."
"Yeah?"
"Are you going to be okay?"
Shego frowned. "What?"
"I asked...are you going to be okay? I mean...whoever this guy is...he's obviously trying to fuck with you. It's affecting you, and you can't deny that..."
"No, I can't." Shego replied, her eyebrows arching. "But, I don't feel like discussing it."
"You can't hide from it forever..."
"No, but I can for now." She sighed, looking at Kim. "Tell you what. Once we get out of this stupid thing, I will let you take me to a fucking therapist if you want to. Just drop it for now."
"Fine. But, I'm going to hold you on that therapist thing."
"Figured you would..." Shego muttered, settling back into her chair. "Might as well take a nap. We've got a bit of a ride."
"Didn't we just take one?" Kim asked.
Shego shook her head. "Nope. Doesn't count. We didn't do much sleeping, anyway." She looked over at Kim, flashing a sly grin. "Am I right?"
Kim rolled her eyes. "Sure. I'm not tired though..."
"So what do you want to do?"
Kim shrugged. "Talk?"
"About?"
"Anything..."
Shego thought for a moment. "Why did you date the buffoon?"
"Are you really asking that?"
Shego nodded, grinning. "Of course I am."
Kim sighed, irritated. "Why did I date Ron? Well, looking back, I don't know. I regret it, because all it did was drive us apart. At the time though...well, I thought I loved him. He was my best friend, and he obviously was crushing on me hard for years...so, I decided to give it a try." She laughed coldly. "It failed miserably. Went fine at first...he tried the hardest he could to make me happy. I think that's what I hated the most, though. He gave up his own happiness in order to make me happy. I never wanted that. So...instead of being grateful, I got cranky. We fought all the time, and eventually, it ended. He moved to Japan to be with his ninja girlfriend, and I started doing my missions solo. The end." She looked at Shego, waiting.
"So...basically...you got cranky because he doted on you too much?"
Kim nodded, biting her lip. "Yup."
Shego rolled her eyes. "That's kind of stupid."
"I'm an independent woman, Sara. He...compromised that."
"Am I going to compromise that too?" Shego asked softly, looking away from the younger woman.
Kim hesitated, unsure of what to say. "I...uhm..."
"Yeah...that's what I figured." Shego muttered, staring out the window.
"Sara..."
"Let's just focus on finding William, okay?"
Kim sighed softly, turning her head. "Yeah..."
"I don't know what this guy may have done to him. I know William is a big boy now and everything, but he's my brother. If he is hurt, I am going to kill the man who took him." She looked at Kim pointedly. "Don't get in my way if I decide to do that."
"But...I can't let you just kill someone..." Kim said, looking away from her.
"You can, and you will." Shego retorted, her fingers curling into her palms. "I'm tired of this fucker messing with me and my family. If he hurt William, I will kill him. It's as simple as that."
"It's not that simple!" Kim exclaimed, throwing a hand into the air. "You can't kill people! It's wrong, and illegal, and...you just can't do it!"
"I've done it before, and I'll do it again." Shego whispered, her eyes burning.
Kim froze. "What?"
"You heard me."
"Sara...you've killed people?"
Shego turned her head, her eyes gazing into Kim's. "I was a professional villain for how many years, Kim? You don't go that long without having some collateral damage."
Kim stared at her, horrified. "Collateral damage?"
"People die, Kim. It happens."
"But most people aren't murdered!" Kim stood up, angry. "I can't believe you...that you..." She threw up her hands. "You fucking killed people!"
"Oh, and what? You haven't?" Shego stood up as well, glaring at the angered redhead. "I know how you fight, Kim! You almost killed me, and I'm practically indestructible! What about the people you fought who weren't me? Haven't you ever wondered if you hurt them? Because I know you did!"
Kim froze. "What?"
"Duff? Monkeyfist? Haven't you ever wondered why they suddenly stopped coming up with evil schemes? It's because you beat them half to death!" Shego shook her head, angry. "They're scared that next time, you'll end up killing them! So get off your high and mighty horse, Princess, because you're not as innocent as you think!"
Kim's hand found her chair, and she sat down, shaking. "No...no, it's not true..."
"Dammit Kim, open your eyes! You know it's true!" Shego grabbed her shoulder, shaking her.
Kim stared down at the floor, in shock. "I...I couldn't..."
Shego growled, and sat down across from her. "Yes, you could. We're a lot alike, Kimmie, and I think that it's about time that you realize that."
"I am...nothing like you." Kim replied through gritted teeth.
Shego reached over, taking Kim's hand. Kim attempted to pull away, but Shego held on tight.
"You're a hero, Kim." Shego began, trying to choose her words carefully. "But, sometimes, heroes have to make tough choices. I made my choice when I left Team Go. You made yours when you answered my letter. But those choices don't define who we are. Yes, I've done horrible things in my past. So have you. I fought for the side of villainy, you fought against me and my employers. You fought for what you deemed good and right. That's a respectable thing, Kimmie, don't forget that. We never made it easy for you. We fought back. You...just fought harder. And because of that, the world is a lot safer. So don't get all depressed and full of angst because of a few realizations. Just accept it, and move on. If you don't, you'll just destroy yourself."
"Personal experience?" Kim said after a few moments.
"Let's just say, I have a lot of shit to atone for."
Kim looked up at Shego, her eyes shining. "Apparently, so do I."
Shego shrugged. "If you say so."
Kim shook her head, biting her lip. "This changes so much."
"No. It doesn't. It only does if you let it. So, don't let it."
"It's not that easy."
Shego laughed softly, shaking her head. "It really is. Trust me." She cocked her head questioningly. "You do trust me, right?"
Kim hesitated, unsure of herself. "I...think so."
"Well, I guess that's good enough for now." Shego sat up, looking at the dashboard. "Looks like we still have another hour to go...want some distraction?"
Kim nodded. "Please."
Shego grinned, standing up. She held out her hand. "Then come with me, Princess, and I'll show you the time of your life."
Kim took her hand, letting her pull her to her feet. Without another word, Shego claimed her lips with her own, and all was forgotten.
They landed about an hour later, the wheels of the jet bouncing on the ground.
The two women stepped out of the plane a short time later, looking around.
"So...this is Salem?" Kim asked, her eyes scanning the surrounding area, looking for anything suspicious.
Shego nodded, tense. "Yeah. See anything?"
The red-head shook her head, confused. "No...I don't."
"Shit...me either." Shego looked up at the sky, watching as the sun disappeared behind the mountain in front of them. "It's going to be dark soon, Princess. I don't want to be caught out here when it's nighttime."
"Don't worry about that." A voice said, a metallic tinge to its tone. "You won't be."
Shego and Kim froze, searching for the voice.
"Just stop looking." The voice said, laughing. "You won't find me. At least, not yet."
"I just want William!" Shego yelled, turning around in a circle. "Just give me my brother, and we'll leave!"
Cold laughter filled the air. Kim felt a shiver work its way down her spine. "I don't want you to leave, Ms. Go. Not at all."
"Then what the fuck do you want?" Shego yelled, her hands sparking with emerald flames. Kim glanced over, worried.
"For you to suffer."
There was a sharp crack, and a burst of fire. Shego yelled, moving to knock Kim to the ground, but it was too late.
Kim looked down at the blossom of crimson that was quickly spreading across her shirt. "Huh." She whispered, before her knees buckled underneath her. She hit the ground, unconscious.
Shego howled, falling to her knees. "Kim! Kim!" She turned the fallen heroine over, staring at the blood that was pouring out of Kim's body. "No...no...no..." she whispered, pressing her hands over the bullet wound, applying pressure. Blood quickly coated her hands, sticky and warm.
"Can you feel the life slipping out of her, Ms. Go? Can you feel her heart slowing down?"
"Shut up, you bastard!"
"Tsk...tsk. That the best you can come up with?" the voice taunted. "I'm disappointed in you, Ms. Go. Oh well."
Another sharp crack, though there was no fire this time.
Shego felt the dart pierce her neck, felt the cold poison burn through her veins.
Her vision went fuzzy, her thoughts swimming around in her head. "Fuck..." she whispered, trying to fight it off. But, she was unsuccessful.
"Princess..." She whispered, before the drug stole away the last of her consciousness.
