Hello people. Ceartainly the longest chapter yet. Don't make war people, it sucks the root. If you don't believe me look at pictures from Verdun and Somme. Just google it and you'll surely understand what this chap is trying to say.
Drakken kept looking at the sleeping beauty before him. Mostly at her lips. Just the ones that had touched his own. He bit his lower lip at the thought. He had, somehow, kissed Shego. The feeling had been very exciting, reviving and he still shivered everytime he thought about what Shego would do to him if she knew. Drakken tried to look away but failed. Everytime he tried to catch the landscape with his eyes they moved back to her lips.
He mused about how delicate they had tasted, how warm they had been and how neatly they had closed around his own. He knew she had been unconscious but it fazed him how her lips had reacted. Drakken felt like she had done all the work for him. He quickly shook his head. He moved so fast that he almost fell to the car's ground.
Henry turned around for a quick look and Drakken gave him a thumbs-up. He knew almost nothing about his driver. But he knew that it was still not sure if Henry's eye would be healed. Or if it could heal at all. And Drakken knew that Henry had good reason to hate Shego. It had been her fault. Drakken gave the sleeping fury another look.
She was like a sleeping angel. He had always liked the black hair and in that moment it was not different. It was spread out and made a small pillow for her head. Her mouth was covered with a transparent small breathing mask that allowed perfect view on mouth and lips. Her head moved a bit and the lips parted minimally. They didn't close again, instead they kept standing where they were. It made her look even more desirable than she already was.
Drakken didn't allow himself to think that way, feel the fellings he had and follow his urge. The urge to desire, to want and to wish. Shego was very beautyfull, and her fighting skills together with her temper made her even more desirable. He knew his female assistant had a soft side, just as he had. She was just too afraid to show it to anyone. Too afraid to trust anyone. That was the reason she was sarcastic and rejected any positve feelings from others: She didn't want anyone close to her.
But what if she DID want someone to be close? And what if she was just afraid of being hurt when she let someone into her circle of trust? Drakken had seen her emotional a few times. He knew she locked her feelings and wishes away deeply inside her. And he knew she did it from the knowledge they never got fullfilled.
He wondered if he could fullfill those wishes and satisfy the needs. He knew he could make her happy. It was obvious that Shego was just sad of being disappointed. At least it was obvious to him who had spent years with her.
The hovercar stopped infront of an old lonely warehouse. Its old walls were dark blue just as the roof which held huge layers of snow. Small windows allowed light to enter the old building's upper floor. A wave of nostalgic feelings came over him. Just this had been his very first lair. He jumped off the car and looked at the old door. His hand turned around the knob and it kreeked just as he had expected.
He got back to the car and looked at Shego. Her chest slowly rose again and again. Everytime it did a soft and faint snore came when fresh air entered her lungs. It sounded harmless and sweet. He knew she would be asleep for a time and couldn't walk. Her leg would spoil any attempt of walking even in awake status.
"You should take off the blood-connection." Henry spoke. Drakken looked at his arm and withdrew the thing. After that he quickly pressed upon the small injury and let the rest of the blood flow into his assistant. He touched her bare arm and put the straw away. The cold wind blew and he shivered. Then an idea crossed his mind: Drakken took his labcoat off and put it over Shego like a blanket.
He mentally slapped himself for being stupid again. It had been a miracle that the straw hadn't broken intwo when he had jumped off.
After that his arms went underneath her knees and chest and he pulled her up. She still sat on the ground so he used his free arm to wrap the coat around her. He shivered heavily as the wind blew: He wore nothing but his jeans and a white muscleshirt. Nothing but her head and hands remained uncovered. He put her arms around his neck and the breathing mask off. Her head rested on his shoulder.
Then he got the idea that the old lair might not have anymore food in stock. But the hovercar had some food. In a small crate there was a few supplies and food.
"Get that box over there into the house!" He demanded while loosily pointing at the box with a leg. Henry gave him an arched brow and Drakken started to rant:
"I am the great Doctor-" He was quickly cut off by Henry taking the box and looking at him expectingly.
"Pull that lever! It will lower the car enough." Drakken ordered. Henry nodded and moved his arm. Drakken stood up with Shego in his arms and waited until the car was only a few inches above ground. His arms weren't used to the stress of holding a human body. They slowly sank but he hieved them up again. Together with the human cargo he walked towards the door and turned around.
Henry ran towards the door, opened it, put the box somewhere and closed the door again. After that the man ran back to the car and jumped into it. Drakken grumbled at the closed door and his temporary assistants incompetence. He turned around.
"I want that car back in one piece and without... oh."
Henry had already flown away. It was him and the injured woman. No one else. The wind howled and threw snow at him like as if it wanted to mock him. He shivered and pulled Shego closer while walking towards the door.
He rested against the wall and used his barely free arm to open the door. It kreeked and slowly opened. He had to caugh from all the dust that flew around. After that he slowly moved in and was carefull not to wake or hurt Sheego by making too many vibrations. Again his arms started to feel like lead but he made it to resist.
As he moved through the dark room memorys came back: How he had unpacked his things in this lair for the first time, how he had helped Shego to furniture her new room, how they had their first fight and how they had ignored each other for a whole week. He had, of course, been the one to give in.
Shego mourned slightly and her head moved a bit. Drakken pulled his arms high again and pulled her a bit closer. She rested her head on his shoulder what made him smile a bit. He looked around and found what he searched: A hidden door, barely seeable through the dust that lay around and on the walls. He pressed a button and entered a passcode to enter. He entered a small old elevator and pressed the up-switch.
He had bought the lair from some guy named Vinnie who got blown up in an oversized baseball-superhero-boy costume in an old, spooky and abandoned tv show's themepark. After some ex-cop rampaged the whole place in a gangwar. Howeveer since it had been a crimescene and he hadn't been a known villain with a criminal record it had been dirtcheap.
Shego mumbled something and he pulled her a bit closer. Both because of his arms had almost given out again and because she seemed to want to. After that he looked around: The whole place was just a little bit dusty for over six years of abandonship and was in good shape. He was especially proud of the old chimney in the livingroom and the huge tv that hung above it.
The elevators old metallic doors opened. In fact they were nothing but two straws of metal. He stepped into the room and moved towards the couch that stood a few feet infront of the chimney. He carefully and slowly dropped Shego on it and went into the bedroom. He found the blanket and dusted it off.
The dust flew again and he coughed wildly. Then something made a dropping noise. He took it up: It was a book with the words "My Diary" on the top. He thought very hard and struggled to remember but he couldn't find memories of him writing into a diary. Curiosity packed him and he opened the books first page. After doing so he whispered while reading the words:
"First day, met that guy named Drakken. Weirdo. At least he promises good pay. We'll see.
Second day: Nothing especial. the blue guy kept 'ranting' about how he'd take revenge on his old friends 'n stuff. Had a bad night.
Sixth day: He's a dork. Even though he cooks good. I've had nothing to do so I listened to him phoning his mom: What a whimp. Didn't sleep well."
"WHAT!" Drakken yelled and quickly covered his mouth. He intently listened but nothing came. He relaxed: Shego hadn't woke up. He skipped a few pages and read again:
"Second month, day two: The blue man tried a socalled 'deathray'. It didn't work and even if: A yellow ball with grandma's speed? Why doesn't he just buy a stupid gun? Felt pretty tired after waking up that morning.
"2 mo, d 3: 'whaw whaw whaw villains honor and tradition whaw whaw BLAH. What a CRAP. No wonder he failed to rob that electronic store over the street. I had to save his sorry ass. He seemed to be pretty sad 'bout it. Just like EVERY stupid man on this planet. But then he came up, gave me my favourite meal and say thank you! Duh... this is getting way too personall... Slept a bit better later.
2 mo d 4: Found the blue dork standing infront of the fridge mumbling something. Took somethin' to eat and then suddenly the whole thing shot a yellow ball at me! He grabbed my tigh and stomach and pulled me away from it. It hit the chimney and boy was that hot. Even through the distance I felt the immense heat coming over. Then I realised it was his hands...
2 mo d 5: OKAY fine! It did feel a bit of nice that day ago. I still remember how quickly he had let me free again talking about 'not violating my privacy' and stuff. Well at least he knows how to treat me right. Or at least how to mask him touching me as some sort of accident... But he's not smart enough for that."
"Am I just 'the blue dork' for her?" He mumbled angrily and skipped a lot of pages.
"year 2m3dhellknowswhat: Oh god oh god oh god ... I let him in that himalaya-lair! He's SO gonna kill me... Oh god he's gotta hate me for yelling at him and even letting him freeze to death out there! Oh god please make him pull through!
y2- " Drakken scowled. He noticed that the handwriting got a lot worse and that few small dark spots stood on the paper.
"I really should have fixed the roof back than..." He could only read a few words and those didn't make much sense.
"m... who cares? Drakken's barely alive... had to call his mom 'n tell her he'd be fine but busy... oh god this is so bad... been in the sickbay and some henchdude called me murderer... I hope he's not right with that... couldn't sleep the whole night...
m blah d blub: I still remember the day he 'n me had stood infront of the chimney: His hands had been so warm and gentle... something sparked in his eyes... I can't sleep anymore... henchmen hate me but who blames them? IT'S MY FAULT!
m... found him barely conscious... told him I'd be sorry and that I didn't hate him... "
"Shego's been sorry?" Drakken was confused. "And what about her sleep? Maybe I should buy some medicine for her." He skipped again. The handwriting was strangely harmonic and nice. Also everything had its order eycept for the missing dates.
"HuuuuuuuuUh! I'm having a date with him!" He looked at that confused and was about to skip again when he noticed something.
"I slept so well that night: I dreamt of us standing infront of the chimney again, that time he didn't tense up and turn away. And I didn't look at him like at a strange weirdo. His eyes reflected the chimney's fire, or was it his own? He slowly moved a hand from my tigh and into my hair and I got warm all over my body. Then he slowly moves my head closer, I close my eyes and... I wake up. URGHHH!
y5 m8 d4: I woke up whirled into my blanket and pillow in... naughty ways. I dreamt of him again. I know was just that chip... or was it? I went to that date with him and we ate ice together, went to the fair and actually made fotos."
Drakken spotted the photos of him and Shego all very carefully and neatly glued into the page. His eyes caught one especiall photo: Their heads can't be seen but Shego threw herself at him in an, even to him, obvous way. He couldn't remember that moment. He couldn't remember many moments with Shego in the six years. Mostly when she hit him or the princess hit him.
"I really tried! I can't believe I really tried to kiss him! But I was too... passionatte..."
Drakken bit his lower lip and swallowed hard: Could it be they had already kissed and he simply didn't remember?
"My body threw his into the corner and his head bumped into its wall... poor Drakkie... I think I'll... nurse... him a bit tomorrow..."
Drakken relaxed very much. They hadn't kissed without him remembering it. They had kissed without HER remembering it just a few minutes ago. Then his brows furrowed and he thought about what exactly Shego meant with 'nursing' him 'a bit'. He wasn't THAT stupid but Shego was a complicated woman. It could mean she just wanted to make him a plaster, or to be a little bit nicer than normal, or maybe-
He quickly stopped at that point. It sounded interesting at least to think she could have actually gone so far if the buffoon hadn't found the remote and got what it really did. His eyes slowly moved across the wall as pictures formed: Shego lying on top of him under a blanket, Shego lying alone under a blanket and Shego sit-standing on him with his hands on her hips-
He stopped. It was very entertaining to think that way but he didn't want to allow himself to. Well he wanted to allow himself but knew Shego wouldn't allow himself to. Or would she? He couldn't decide and before his mental defences totally crumbled under the weight of Shego's delicate forms he got his anchor: His mother.
She had always told him one thing: "Always respect a woman's privacy, Drewbie! Don't even think of her if you know she doesn't think of you that way!"
But Drakken never found out HOW anyone of two should start to think if the other wasn't thinking and wasn't allowed think until he did. It remained a mystery to him.
"Wait mother never told me women weren't allowed to think about me when I wasn't thinking about them... Maybe she wanted me to wait until some lady thinks of me first?" He grumbled over the mystery of female minds until he diecid to turn the page. The handwriting got very big and clear.
"If I get this DORK he'll pay so hard! Drakken and DORK. D n' D. DOCTOR D. How about Doctor Dork? Would make much sense. Although I really doubt he has a doctor's title. Bet he just wants to get women with the 'doctor'. I'll SO beat him to rubber...
next day: He came up to me with the ultrahard door between us. Nice idea. It took me some time to get through. He told me it'd been that chip and that it'd be okay to hate him n' stuff since he hadn't even noticed and that he had broke the chip by trying to control little princess. Then he told me I could leave if I want. But I saw it was a lie- he wouldn't last one day without me! HAH!
next-next day: Slept HORRIBLE. Maybe I souldn't be so bad to him anymore: It really wasn't his fault. And maybe I should thank him for... nahhh! That was standart. But I just don't know how to apologize to him though. He REALLY got a scar from he in his belly. I was so angry it's a miracle I didn't slice his guts... duh that had been horrible! I mean... having... killed him...
over next next-next day: Bought some of his stupid cartoon dvd's. I really gotta thank him though... He didn't fire after that himalaya-thing and he didn't... take advantage of me. I mean I know less men who would have done like he did than I have family! I wonder if it was just his stupor or real character-
4-next day: Kinda tried to apologize but failed. He really looked irritated. He does look a bit... sweet when he's ranting. I wonder if he still thinks I'd not listen to his rantings. It's just fun to see him angry and not bossing me around. I would like to do more fun things like that waterfight. And he even remembered my birthday a few months ago. Even though I hadn't told him about it! And me dork screamed at him. I wonder if he finds out one day that I use his teleport-thingy to get back to this place so often. He still hasn't got a clue WHY I'm so long in my room everytime. I've got everything I want here- peace, my favourite blanket, a glass of Jack Daniels and a nice fire-
I wonder if Drakken does massages... I'd maybe like that- for as long as he knows how far I allow him to go though."
Drakken slowly closed the book. He knew a lot more about her. If she knew she'd hate him. He took the blanket and moved into the livingroom. After setting the fire on and putting the blanket over the sleeping Shego he moved to the Elevator: There had food to be taken care of. The door opened and a darkness he hadn't believed his old lair could possess surrounded him. Little did he know that there were other people surrounded by another form of darkness at the same moment...
---
FHHHHHEEEEEEUUUW- Another shockwave rummed above the figures head and body, ready to smash it, pump it full with the splinters and shrapnell it carried as payload. Another series off dull thuds sounded and it hieved its aching body up to run again. It made a few huge steps and threw its body down again. FWuuu-dummm- A huge cluster of dirty muddy earth got thrown up and landed on its back like a swift shower of hard water.
FWEEuu-THummm Fwe- The figure stood up from the flat ground and crawled onwards to the saving crater's rimm. It got inside just in time to receive the earths saving embrace. -TfUMMM The impact had lain right where it had lain before. The shape slid into the deep hole: The mud delivered no solid grip. But it didn't slide down completely and instead crawled among gravity's pull and made a small jump. It landed on the opposite part of the crater instead of the middle. The figure had reasons for it.
The hole had swallowed the shape willingly, just as the past. But the past always came back while holes weren't so cruel. FWEEEEEU-FWUmmm and then the howling, angry and hatefilled whistles came too close after each other and build multiple layers of sound. It pressed itself prone into the protective earth, its cold already ate into the body. The person just wanted to stay and keep the wonderfully safe and protective earth in its arms.
But the person wasn't allowed too. It didn't allow itself to. DUmmm-FUmmm- Wave after wave of shock and pressure hammered through earth, air and the person. Every single compression of air rocked through the shapes body. The heart hammered towards the earth: Just keep lying would feel good. But feelings were a lie.
Feelings only got people killed.
The body wanted to stay but the person gripped the craters rimm and pulled itself up again. The thrust, comparable to a sprint-runner's speedstart, brought it enough distance to get a few steps done without stepping. Its few steps were accompanied by another series of dull plops as the launchers fired again. But they weren't all the plops. Something was wrong and the person knew what: It jumped sideways and bullets impacted the ground where its body could have lain, where it could have stood and where it could have ran towards.
So they impacted everywhere they had expected the shape to be, but it knew the tricks.
Fwwwww- the shells were still a bit away, not further than a heartbeat but still far enough. The crawled over the ground, pushed the legs faster than most humans would over the muddy earth which willingly gave in and. It moved the arms faster than most humans would. Because it knew how to move. The person knew not only that. It got over the rimm and into the hole again. Instead of moving further into it the lonely shape put itself flat, headfirst towards the black hole inside the center.
It looked like a pit of darkness. DUMMM DWummm FWUMMM- It got up again and moved in a ducked run since it knew they'd expect the body to run. Loudly the bullets whistled by where normal people had kept their torsos. But the person didn't: It knew the game and the rules: There weren't any. DWUMMMMmmmm...
Each and every one of the shells came closer to the ground to do their task: Impact and explode. That they easily killed people, ripped apart families, ended long rows of ancestors was just an accepted and tolerated sideeffect. The figure knew it'd be too late so it got up again and ran the left distance only to jump like a swimmer from his starting block. It flew with almost zero resistance of air and oxygen into a new but still familiar black pit of comfort in a world of white death.
---
Drakken felt like being watched. Something grumbled in his stomach. Against his inner will, pride and villainy he just turned around and ran the two steps towards the elevator. And instead of letting the door close itself automaticly after the button was pressed he smashed it close. It proved to be the right thing as strong blows hammered against the metallic hinderence. His eyes widened but the stomach ordered him to don't.
He didn't panic, instead he pressed the up button and gripped at the metal. His stomach made him stop that right in time as something went through the metal where his hand had been upon. It seemed to be nothing, not even there but still powerfull to grip his arm and smash it into the hole. He knew the metal wouldn't give in so he would lose his arm. Finally the elevator started up and he got an idea: He pressed a certain button.
The blows continued just as the elevators silent humming as it sped up. A huge metallic clank made him shiver and then came what he had expected: The sentrygun opened fire. It wasn't a deathbeam, it had already been installed when he had bought the 'lair'. Its firing suddenly stopped and he listened intently: It was the small electric engine that moved the gun back to its old position.
He got back into the livingroom and shoved a huge closet infront of the elevators 'door'. Then he got a few bandages and medicine from the bathroom and put it on the tabe that stood beside the couch. After that he went towards the chimney. The fire calmed him and gave him the feeling of safety and comfort.
"Uuuu... Daddy... no..." He heard Shego's voice behind himself. It was barely recognisable through the flames cracking.
He sat down infront of the couch and looked at Shego. Her lips suddenly lost all their beauty as he saw them shiver. He slightly shook his assistant and whispered into her ear:
"Shhhh... No one hurts you Shego." It seemed to calm her so he put his arms around her injured leg. He moved the limp to a slight stance and ran into the bedroom. With two pillows he ran into his own room and got the two others. After that he ran back to her and put pillows under her injured leg's upper- and lowerleg. Then her upper body lay upon a pillow.
It had been difficult to get the pillow underneath her butt without touching it. Shego began to whimper something inaudible. His face immediatly showed worry as he shook her carefully. A rather loud single whimpering noise came and her eyes shot open. Shego made another whimpering sound as she sunk into the couch and moved her head far away from his.
"It's me Shego. The great Doctor Drakken! I'll... protect you from your father!" The gentleness of his voice surprised Drakken. Shego kept looking at him frightingly. He wanted to carefully pet her but knew it would only frighten her more. Any sort of touch created fear in someone who had just went through a nightmare. He had to give her time to reorient.
"You're safe here! It's the first lair we had. Remember the time I... uuu...saved you from the fridge?" Any nice memory was helpfull to reestablish someones wellbeing. Her eyes quickly darted around and slowed until they stopped on him. The brows furrowed in faint confusion.
"I'm Drakken." He smiled at her. She thought for a moment and then slowly and quietly spoke:
"D-Drakken? What... Why am I here?"
"You're injured and it's safe here."
"Why?"-Was just the question that Drakken didn't want to answer so he just restated the facts:
"You have an injured leg and shouler. Your chest is injured too. Just lay still I took care of everything for you."
She faintly nodded and cuddled a bit deeper into the blanket and coat. He stayed by her side.
"Will you... I mean..." Shego was obviously very uneasy on that question: "Keep me from falling asleep again?"
Drakken knew that rejecting any offer from a person in Shego's position was very destructive so he just nodded.
"Promise!" It didn't sound like her usual demanding voice. It sounded more like a defiant child.
"I promise to stay so you don't fall asleep." She eased and something softened in her eyes: Something went normal again.
---
It impacted the earth hardly: Jumping far into a deeper crater and landing on the blank stomach was painfull. The poor person fought the sting in its lungs and the pain that came in regular rythms among the heavily pressing heartbeat. The entire stomach ached from the about double as normally high gravity's push. And because the earth had been hard.
The entire body was pressed flat against the earthand teeth were gritted hard while the eyes were closed even harder. A heart hammered and a chest raised to press towards the cold earth underneath. The shape would never have believed that a single hole of dirty, cold, mudbrown and squashy, smooth and tender earth could be all iz wanted. FWSCHUU-TWZUMM
Again dirty earth flew over and onto it, giving the 'clothes' one more fine matt brown color and layer. It didn't want to leave the sheltering, protecting, comforting and healthy embrace of what lay underneath. The heart didn't want to leave, it wanted to stay there for long. The person knew that it would lie in just the same earth when it all was over. When it all ended, one way or another. Cold but sheltering earth.
"I'll come back earth. I promise."
It felt the ground agreeing and that somehow gave the phantom comfort. Within an artilleryraid. But a heart didn't count, neither a mind. Both emotions and thought were useless in the persons situation.
The stomach took over. Only very few people on the planet were able to actively let their stomach take over command. Most of them were cripples, veterans or rotting in mother earth. The stomach hieved it up. Science had found out that human stomachs had cells similar to the ones in human's brain. Like as if mankind had NEVER known that before.
The person raised its body once again for a push forward. TWUMMM Everything was replaced by a highpitched whistle but it didn't matter. The phantom could live without ears if necessary. It had been a direct shot, one of the mean ratsh-bumm's: One heard the firing sound after the impact. Way too late.
The shape knew the tricks: One or more would try to keep it pinned, one would fire directly and two or more indirect. FHupblubflupblpbluflupriff a new swarm of rounds made these sounds as they raced past the body. It had known where they would fly by and that they had expected it to jump sideways. They adapted: Time ran out for the shape. It landed in another crater.
To its surprise the shape wasn't alone.
---
"Should I cook something? Ok?" Drakken asked. There had to be food somewhere. The crate was out of reach, there could be more somethings waiting for him to feel safe enough. To feel like there had been only one of the somethings. Shego slowly nodded. Drakken stood up and walked into the citchen which was no seperate room. Instead it was a corner with a few barseats behind a wall that led into the bedroom.
The wall had a huge opening like a window without glass so people could see into the kitchen easily. And get their food from it quickly. Shego had to live in that lair instead of her own room at least sometimes so ther had to be food in the fridge. The fridge didn't offer much food but eggs, a bit of toast and ham.
The ham was in small and thin layers. He got an idea: First came the toast, then ham and the eggs ontop. He smiled at his ingenious idea and put everything beside the cooking place. Drakken turned it on and opened the eggs to take them into the pan. They would need a few minutes. He put toast into the toaster and the ham aside. After that he returned to Shego.
She lay still on her little fluffy pillowcastle.
"How do you feel?" He asked.
"Not good... I don't feel much at all." Drakken sensed it would be the painkillers.
"Do you want to talk about your father? You mumbled something about him." Shego tried to hide her surprise and looked away.
"No... Maybe you should talk about yours?"
He had expected her to lit her hands and threaten him as the typical defensive reaction but nothing like that came. Shego started to pull her legs back to make him space but he took and held them gently. Then he took place before her again instead of beside her.
"You know... my dad and me we... ummm." He thought for a moment and then went on: "I... don't know him. He died when I was five. The only thing I know is that he disappeared in the arctis. I have a few pictures of him just as my mom has. But I never started to know him because he was rarely at home. My mom was really sad."
Shego's brows furrowed and she tilted her head lightly.
"Sometimes I heard her cry in the night when she thought I'd be asleep. I just listened for a few times until I just got up and went into her room. Then I just quietly sneaked into the bed and hugged her closely. She suddenly noticed me and couldn't say anything. I hugged her and then we cried pretty much. When she was finished she looked into my eyes and said: "I miss him too." That happened very night..."
A long pause followed.
"After some time it didn't happen so often anymore. When I'm at home she sometimes looks at me just like she did that night. It was like she wouldn't be SO sad about it when I was around... But it's not like I'm some sort of replacement for dad. Sometimes she even smiles, but only when I'm around her. I mean: Truly smiling, not just her strange sort of happyness. That's just a fassade. It kinda helped her to forget a bit of the pain but it's still just a fassade."
Shego looked at him intently. His face had taken a sad expression and his eyes still reflected the burning fire. But it didn't shine as much as when he had looked at her.
"That whole thing began when I was five... It started to happen less often when I got ten. Nowadays its pretty rare... The last time was three weeks ago..."
His face was nothing but a mask of sorrow. But faintly, invisible to purely the eye, was a very distant bit of relief.
"Sorry for all the momma's boy jokes." Drakken knew it was the first time Shego truly appologized to him.
"I wouldn't have said them if I had known it would hurt you so much." Drakken made a gestue of throwing something away and hid his face.
"Now you know. That's gotta be enough."
"No it's not enough! You should have-"
"Told you? So that you could hurt me even more? I kinda numbed off from all the 'jokes' I already had in school. 'Who's yo' daddy?' 'Wanna cry with momma?' And you only differ between 'hurt a bit' and 'hurt a lot'. You would just have kept hurting me so much I wouldn't snap or fight back." He looked her straight into the eyes and spoke:
"Shego you're just the same kind as all the bullies. You hurt because you think you'd be hurt yourself if not."
Shego looked shocked. It was like he had smashed a fist into her. It wasn't the words but the stern look he gave her that hurt.
"I... no! I mean yes just not... I...-"
"had my reasons? What reasons can excuse such behaviour? I say: None. You could have told me about your problems. And do you really think that these little words of 'excuse' would just wash away all the pain you caused?" Shego looked away in defeat.
"Words can only hurt. They flew away like the wind but their pain remaines, Shego. Actions show you care for someone, not words."
---
Everything was loud. It had all happened so fast. Crystal sat in the dirty hole while again and again the explosions came. Sometimes she could see the dirt that flew up into the sky, stopped in meterhigh pillars and then came down on everyone. It was always a loud bang and something went through her. It felt like she would stand beside a big soundsystem that hammered bass. All the other cheerleaders were in that hole with her.
Once more a loud bang came down. It close. Earth showered down on them again. They had been told to stay there and it was what they kept doing. After the 'shower' seized she took a look on her mates: Bonnie sat beside her and stayed still. Her arms were crossed before the chest and she kept staring into the ground opposite to her. Liz sat just a few inches furhter away and had an arm around Hanna. She poked her head up and looked around but Hanna quickly pulled her down again.
A series of loud whistles flew past the place where Liz had poked her head over the rim. Some flew by while others rammed into the holes rimm and a few entered the hole in a very low angle. They hit the opposite side of the two cheerleader's seat and threw up earth. They made really ugly loud whistles and howls as they flew closely past the girls bodies. All of them except for Bonnie ducked and moved closer to each other.
Hanna quietly whimped and covered her ears. Liz put her arm around the young woman again and whispered something into her ear. Tara lay at the rimms edge behind a huge piece of metal. She had been told how it worked and to stay behind it. Tara looked behind her and their eyes met. It somehow calmed Crystal, it felt like everything would come out nicely. Tara smiled and it eased both a bit.
Then Tara heard something. Crystal didn't know what it was but it sounded dangerous. Tara suddenly pressed herself closer into the mud and her expression changed to a fearfull face with gritted teeth. Then Hanna began to scream something:
"Make it stop! Make it STOP!"
"SHhhhh! We're safe here that's what-" Liz was quickly cut off:
"No! I wanna go home now!" Hanna stood up and ran out of the hole towards where they had come from. Crystal stood up to look after her. The entire street had holes like the one they were in already. Tara was about to stand up when another series of whistles came and many of the earththrowing fountains came up along the street. One was close to her right and she fell to the left side. She began to scream weakly.
Many of the other whistles sped over them and Tara pushed Crystal's head down. A few of the noises flew past where her head had been and landed in the earth behind her. They formed small holes and little stones, among of very small chunks of earth, rolled down into the holes deepest point and center. They had been told to not go close to the center but Crystal didn't know why.
A few seconds passed and no one moved. Another wave of explosions came and Hanna began to scream for Help. Liz stood up and Tara did the same. She had been whispered something and she was surely about to do what she's been told. Liz gripped the holes rimm and wanted to run to Hanna. But Tara gripped her tigh and stomach and tried to hold her back. Liz tried to struggle free but failed.
"Remember: Don't leave the hole! That's what we've been told!" Tara brought out as she pulled stronger.
"But Hanna-"
"We can't do anything now! Just stay calm and sit there!" Tara finally made it to pull Liz back undearneath the surface and into the hole. They both rolled down and Tara made it to grip an old root while Liz kept on rolling. Crystal packed her arm and made her stop before entirely landing in the holes center which was pitchblack. The rest of the hole was loose, cold, slippy and brown earth. Liz slowly came up again.
Hanna screamed for help again but a wave of explosions made her voice drown in the louder noises. Liz started to scratch her legs like crazy and Tara put off her top. She started to move it over Liz's legs many times while everyone heard Hanna's shouts for help. Tara stopped and put her cheerleading top back on. Liz scratched her leg one more time and then stopped. Everyone stopped and looked bewildered at the Tara except for Bonnie.
"Ummm Gas! That's what -" Tara started but sensed that it was futile to say more. They had all been told a few things but most of the girls had forgotten them already. Again the low whistles sped over them and Crystal heard steps between them. Then a figure slid into the hole and barely stopped sliding before the center. It was covered in wet and dirty brown mud all over the body and looked at them. The bright white of its eyes differed much in comparison to all the other matt colors it 'wore'.
It seemed to count them with lightning speed and then ran towards the rimm opposite to the one it had come from. Tara pointed towards the direction where Hanna lay. The person pushed itself over the rimm. Hanna once again called for help. But her calls had become a quiet whimping and sobbing. The girls knew she cried: They were all shortly before doing so.
"Stay here, I'm back soon! NEVER leave and NEVER look!" It said and ran out of view. Another bunch of explosions sounded but they didn't went through Crystal as strong as they had done before. She stood up just as all the other girls. Except for Bonnie who still sat still. Crystal saw the figure run in a strangely bowed way towards one of the holes and jumped into it before another series of explosions rocked the earth.
The whistling low angeled things flew again and sped after the person as it ran towards another hole. Crystal was about to shout at it to run faster when Tara put a hand on her shoulder. Again their eyes met and she lost the will to shout. The figure emerged from its hole again and finally reached Hanna. The whistles flew past it, over it and with its run but didn't hit. Smaller fountains of earth came close to wherever its feet touched ground.
---
Drakken kept watching the eggs until they got ready. He combined them with the ham and toast and cut them into small pieces. After that he came back to Shego and held the plate towards her together with a fork. he waited for a few moments and then cleared his throat loudly. Shego seemed to awake from a trance and was about to unwind both of her arms when he motioned her not to. Drakken took the blanket away from her chest and slowly opened the coat with one hand.
Shego took a sharp breath in and then looked at him. Drakken sensed her unease but couldn't help it: She had to eat something even if it wasn't her diet-food or salad. She slowly moved her arms but stopped suddenly. One of the arms lowered slowly while the other took the fork. She gave him a glare at his worried look.
"I'm sorry I hurt you Shego but... " He tilted his head aside and thought for a moment. "we should have had that talk long ago. And we're still not finished."
Shego had a piece off egg, ham and toast on her fork and was about to put it into her mouth. She stopped and looked at him frightingly.
"But your part can wait a bit."
She looked at the piece of food and was about to protest when Drakken gave her a mean stern look. Normally Shego would just have beaten or otherwise defeated him but that wasn't a normal moment. Shego was at the weak end. And she knew that very well. Her eyes met his and they stayed like that for a few moments. Then she quickly looked away and returned the gaze. Drakken's look hadn't softened just a bit.
Shego grumbled and started chewing. After a second she stopped and looked and looked at him with wide eyes. He grinned as she took another piece and ate it. Shego started to eat it all away very quickly.
"Hah! I knew you like it!" Than his expression changed to a questioning one and he asked: "Do you think taking over the world's egg production and mixing them with mindcontrolling ingredients might work?"
Shego nodded very quickly without stopping to eat. It took her a few more minutes to finish and he put the plate away. Than he looked at the kitchen closely: It was in a very bad order and everything barely made sense. And that hadn't been his fault. He wondered if Shego would want him to teach her about kitchen work and cooking.
Her eyes closed and she leant into the couch. Drakken shook her and she looked surprised.
"You were about to fall asleep again..."
A long pause followed. He didn't know what to do or say after the cooking and bandaging was finished. Shego just lay there and kept looking at him.
Shego didn't get why Drakken was so nice to her. She just hoped he didn't know abou her nightmares. That would be the last thing she'd want him to: Know too much about her. She cuddled a bit deeper into the coat. It smelled nicely like Drakken. Normally he didn't smell nice but it must have been her own smell in his coat that mixed them to something nice. She took a little breath and looked at him.
It wasn't like Drakken would be especially hot or beautifull: She simply hadn't seen him in the muscleshirt before. Drakken wasn't the best example of a man but he did look nice. Shego did what she always did when someone appeared new: She analyzed who she saw. It just took a little bit longer that time. Something made her wonder: Had Drakken's entire skin that strange but nice blue?
Shego thought about how she got to her hideout. Had he found out? She didn't know. What surprised her was that she didn't feel mch of the injuries she had. When she just quietly lay there it seemed like she wouldn't be injured at all. But everytime she moved an injured muscle it hurt like hell.
"Do you want to take a shower? Or change clothes?" Drakken's voice had returned to normal again. One thing bothered her: The small point on his arm. A shower would be nice but how shower or bath with such injuries?
"No. Did you give yourself a shot?" She pointed at his arm. He looked at it.
"No. I actually... " He took a long breath and spat it out: "gave you some of my blood through a needlelike connection. Don't worry 'cause of the rhesus thing. So no blood poisoning and...stuff."
No one spoke for a moment and one of the huge wood blocks broke intwo. It send sparks flying everywhere in the chimney and illuminated the room a bit more. In fact, it was the only source of light and warmth. Shego snuggled a bit deeper into her coat and blanket. Drakken put his bodys weight from one foot to the other. He started to shiver a bit. He seemed to be pretty uneasy about something and eager to ask a question about it.
"Shego... did your father... rape you as a child?" His voice was forcefully clear and he fought to say the meaningfilled words. A log pause followed as Shego thought over what to say. She lay comfortly on pillows and seemed to enjoy it. But simply not at that moment.
"No he had sometimes hit me. Mostly when he had been drunk." It was difficult to say it for her. It was the first time she opened to someone. No reply came for a long time. She like the silence even though it seperated both of them from each other. Shego wanted Drakken to sit beside her and tried to move her leg. A heavy stinging made her stop with it and she yelled quietly.
Would she ever be able to fight again? Would the lost muscle regrow? Would she become nothing but a limping and useless cripple? A liability to everyone and especially to Drakken? Shego doubted that he would keep her close when she was useless. She doubted he would keep trying to take over the world. At least he'd stop trying with her as fighter...
Drakken quickly held her leg in the air without pressing on the injured muscle. Then he slowly moved it a bit higher together with the other leg and sat down. The muscle kept hurting heavily but the pain didn't increase at least. He carefully put both legs down on his lap with the injured one's knee slightly angled upwards. She wondered what he would do when he put the blanket and coat away from her crippled leg.
Would he care for her? She doubted it since her only usefull feature was to fight for him and save him. He had always been the weak one, HE had always been the one in need for help. Could it be that he would keep saving her? Or would she end in a gossip with a cheap bottle of whiskey and two bums who greedily kept waiting for to fall asleep? So she couldn't defend herself against their naughty desires? All these questions roamed in her head.
Everything was kinda bad. The people had used her and only tolerated her when she had been usefull. Would Drakken be the same? She remembered all the sweet nice moments they had. The waterfight, their unintended hug with the lightning and their date during the chip's active time. That made her think even further: Would Drakken really reject her after all they've gone through? She hoped not.
Suddenly her eyes went wide and she snapped back to reality: Something happened to her leg. It felt warm. She looked and saw Drakken moving over her injury with his fingers. It didn't hurt but felt a bit warm. Then he took the old bandage off very carefully. She couldn't believe that the wet and crimson piece of cotton with a few white stains could be her bandage. And she couldn't believe how she could have lost so much blood without dying.
She bent forward and the heavy sting came to her shoulder: It burnt through her shoulder with hunger and greed.
"Shego!" Drakken quickly put a hand to his shoulder and gently pressed her down again. The pain slowly went back to the subtle light sting but his warm had remained. His face was full of concern. And it was just a very few inches away from hers. It stayed that way for a rather long time. She wanted to knw it very exactly, no matter of how much space she opened for him to attack. No matter how of what she thought to be weakness she showed:
But before she could say anything Drakken started speaking:
"You'll be fine Shego really! Even if we've got to cancel world qonquest for a few weeks or even months that's no problem. I mean I'm kinda blown off without you..."
"So you won't... fire me?"
"I wouldn't fire even a henchman!" He said pretty determinated and then worriedly: "Do you know how much they cost nowadays?"
She looked away. Money. So everything that counted was her value in money.
"And It's my fault you're injured Shego..." He looked sad at saying that. Her mind whirled.
Did he care? Was he just unable to express it otherwise than by hiding behind money and small reasons? Could it be he cared about her?
"I mean even if it wouldn't be I'd not abandon you." Then he boasted his chest: "I am a villain of first class Shego and even I have ceartain ehtics! And leaving the people you order around behind like useless tools isn't what I do." Then he mumbled: "At least not with you..."
"What do you mean?" Her mood rose. It seemed to be at least important to him, maybe even more.
He rolled his eyes but not in a way of sarcasm. "Uhhhh... I mean you're kind of my personal assistant and so... you're experienced and... I mean six years of such shouldn't be thrown away..."
Working experience? Cash value? She didn't know. IF Drakken cared for her he knew how to talk around it.
"And... ummm we've been through much so..."
"So?" Shego bit her lower lip what she rarely did. It was, to say it clearly, a situation that resembled nothing that had been before.
"So we are kinda... uhh... close." He expected her to protest and sped up: "I mean if people work together there's always something coming up between them: Love, hatred, caring there's always something."
Shego swallowed and bit down her pride to ask:
"And what do we have?" Drakken looked into her eyes and didn't know what to say. Another huge block of lumber broke under the flames immense fire and sparks flew around. The fire intensed just as two ceartain heart's paces. They kept looking like that for at least ten seconds before he fought words out of his mouth.
"If we've got to stop being villains because you can't recover and..." It was just the thing she had feared: He was abandoning her.
"I mean we were together for long..." Tears began to collect in her heart and soul, but not in her eyes. Not yet. She tried to fight them off but failed. Tears freely flowed off her cheeks.
"So I'd like kinda... umm..." She put her free arm around his back and her hand into his hair. She'd keep him close no matter what. He didn't notice her crying quietly because he kept looking away into different directions every few seconds. Then he started again.
"I'd just take a job and we'd move to some quiet place with no police and... just keep on going. I mean I'll care for you and earn money and stuff..."
Could it realy be that he cared? Had he just pokered to see her true oppinion? Had he just played or was he really insecure?
"I mean we could just pretend to be a couple and live on like we did before... just without traveling the world and stealing and using funky gadgets and no huge lairs and stuff..."
What exactly he talked about Shego wasn't sure of. It could be interpreted as positive and negative. She had always believed that Drakken was an idiot. A nice and, somehow, caring idiot but stupid nonetheless. Not really stupid but far away from real life. He needed her to keep him on the ground.
"I know it'd be hard to find a job but as long as you don't suffer I'd be happy..."
Suddenly Drakken seemed to be a very grown-up person. Or maybe was he just the person that only came when serious matters like lost fathers and crippled assistants were to solve?
"I mean I'd never just leave you alone somewhere because I... need you Shego. I only have my mom and she's not really much company..."
Drakken suddenly blushed. "I'd... care for you and it'd be not much change to now Shego. I would like you to stay around me. That's if..."
If? What if? Could he just throw away everything they had? She knew she cared for him. It was just her strange, special and unconventional way. It was just different.
"You'd allow me to take care of and for you. I mean I'd do everything for you because you've always been loyal to me and I'll return that. If you want to. If not then... " His eyes saddened a bit, he looked away and bit his lip. "I'll just respect that. So... shortly said:
I'd love to care for you and I would never in my life just leave you." he tried to escape the difficulty: "I mean what's a villain without his trusted assistant? And I'd always trust my life to your care. I mean we can pull through everything if we just work together. And I don't want to miss you, Shego."
The tears didn't stop coming. It could all still break, fall apart, crumble. A small smile appeared on her face as he said the words she had been waiting for:
"I need you Shego. You're my... guidance. I would just have stopped after my first defeat but I thought: 'What about Shego? She's got nowhere to go to and I would just leave her down.' I thought that everytime I failed Shego. I'd just... degenarate without you, Shego."
That was all she had ever wanted: Care. Someone who cared about and for her. Someone who appreciated her being close, someone who showed her he was thankfull for her attention. Hadn't he always praised her everytime she stole him something, saved him or made him get an idea? Hadn't he thanked her for so much everytime? And hadn't he forgiven her any mistake, even the himalaya? Shego didn't want to admit it but she had missed Drakken when she had worked for Senior, son and father.
He looked at her and frowned. "Shego why are you cr-" He didn't get further because she pressed his head down and kissed him. It was an amateurs kiss, it was kinda stupid, kinda unfitting and he didn't kiss back but it was a clear sign of affection. And it was very romantic.
---
The used its bolt-action to pull the girl. It had barely made a third of the way as a series of impacts came down near them. He bent over the young female and took the blows for her. It was like fists of hatefilled air smashed on his back. The figure started pulling her further as the detonations stopped and ignored the warm feeling that spread downwards on and through his right leg. Feelings only got people killed.
Barb wire had cut through its hands and legs, claws had scarred its entire body, tentacles had lashed at it like whips but it didn't matter:
The girl mattered. An innocent life in a time of war mattered.
It pulled her into the crater and looked at her. Nothing happened except for another volley. And again the phantom bent down over her to shelter her with its own flesh. Most of the shockwaves weren't strong because they were inside a crater. Even if it was just a small one it sheltered them from splinters, too. The shadow rested its carbine, among the bloodtipped bayonett at its front, beside its bleeding right leg.
Max sensed that the girl's heart had stopped beating.