Author's note:

Ok, chapter two of three. The chapter title this time, Marooned, is the name of an instrumental track from Pink Floyd's The Division Bell. In this instance, I think it is a good fit for how stuck Kim is both inside her own head and the Possible house. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy.

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Chapter Twenty-nine: Marooned

If Kim Possible had thought the previous night had been bad, it was nothing compared to the one she had just endured. While the codeine had initially sent her into ga-ga land, she had woken up in the middle of the night in a massive fit of coughing and subsequently struggled to breathe. Fortunately, her mom had, unbeknownst to her, gotten the Tweebs to set up a glorified baby monitoring system and so the woman too had been wakened and rushed up the stairs to give her oxygen. She'd also been dripping with sweat and required both a pyjama and bedsheet change before she could settle back down. Her temperature had then gone up and down like a yo-yo for the remainder of the night and the pain from her ribs had returned twofold once the codeine had worn off. Her whimpers must have been enough to wake her mom a second time because she'd soon found herself with a cold compress on her forehead, while her mom prepared a small syringe. At the time, she'd had enough of her wits to ask what it contained, to which her mom had replied, "morphine." While curious, the guilt at her mom having done something so unethical on her behalf, prevented Kim from asking how exactly she had acquired it. However, it mattered naught, as the drug had quickly taken effect and sent her back into the land of dragons and fables.

Kim had finally been roused at about eleven am by her mom. Groggily, she had eaten breakfast, allowed herself to be led out of bed and much like a robot, complied to each of the commands the woman had given her as she underwent a thorough examination and been given her morning dose of antibiotics. It was only when she had stepped out of the wardrobe, after having had more x-rays taken, that she finally woke up enough to say, "how bad am I?" She had not even considered suggesting that she was fine, because they both knew she felt awful and for once, Kim did not feel like trying to hide it. She then broke out into another coughing fit, the third or was that fourth, since she had woken.

"It's not good news, Kimmie," her mom replied from the desk, where she sat staring at the digital x-rays. "The stress you put your lungs under last night has caused the infection to worsen. Not to mention that you've probably set the healing of your ribs back by a few days."

"Recovery time," she asked, dreading the response. In hindsight, this was a question she probably should have asked yesterday. However, because she'd felt fine, bar the pain coming from her ribs, she hadn't thought it necessary. She would have gone off on a light mission today and simply taken whatever painkillers she needed to keep her going. Rinse and repeat until it had fully subsided. Only now, given how she currently felt, she knew a few days on the sidelines was inevitable.

"It's going to be several days before that infection clears up, if we keep treating it with antibiotics. As for your ribs, normal recovery time is about three weeks, but given how fast you heal, they should be done in about two. If you don't overexert yourself."

"Two weeks!" Kim exclaimed. Her eyes then darted to the bracelet on her right wrist. While she was yet to test it, if it did as her mom claimed and brought down the respective blast shutters when she went within four feet of a window or outside door, she'd need to find some way to circumvent it. I'll go insane if I'm stuck here for two weeks and that's before adding in the Tweeb factor. She recalled the last time she'd been side-lined; with her back. She had been figuratively clawing at the walls by day four and only managed to last one week before she'd gone back into the field.

"I'm sorry, Kimmie, but that's how long it takes to recover from broken ribs. And that's assuming your body does indeed heal at an increased rate."

"I can't take two weeks off! What if Drakken or some other villain tries to take over the world?"

"Then someone else will just need to handle it, because you're grounded until I say otherwise, Missy," her mom said in her no-nonsense, no-argument tone, as she stood up from the computer.

"Mom! You can't seriously expect me to stay here for two weeks," Kim exclaimed. "The Tweebs will drive me mental. Can't I go home once my cough clears up?"

"If I thought you would listen to sound medical advice, I might have let you go home today," her mom admonished. "But your actions last night proved that I can't trust you to take proper care of yourself. So, you'll be staying here until I decide otherwise."

Kim opened her mouth to convey her displeasure, but all that came out was another series of coughs.

"You need to rest, Kim. And I think this time off will give you the chance to stop and think about some important matters that you've been neglecting, like your friends for instance. Monique was quite upset when I spoke to her last weekend after what you said about nothing here at home being enough for you. Not to mention the fight the two of you got into last night."

On hearing her mom's words, Kim had a sinking feeling that the woman had already spoken to Monique about what happened last night. How much have the two of them been communicating? She quickly decided that the amount was immaterial. All that mattered was that over the past forty-eight hours, it had become crystal clear that the two women had been discussing her at length behind her back. "If you want to know what's going on in my life, why don't you try asking me first," she said testily.

"I do, but all I ever get from you is half-truths and a coat of whitewash," her mom replied firmly. Then much to Kim's chagrin, the woman added, "Monique has a point, Kim. You seem to be rapidly losing touch with everyone and everything you used to care about."

I feel absolutely crap, yet am still having to put up with this shit! She felt the anger from last night resurface and before she could stop herself, she spat with venom, "what, so you think I'm living in my own little Kim Possible world too, do you?" recalling the phrase Monique had used.

Her mom looked slightly taken aback by her tone and quickly said, "I didn't say that, Kim."

However, she was in no mood to accept the attempt to placate her. "But it's what you mean, isn't it? You and Monique are as bad as each other. You both think you know what's best for me, but you're wrong. It's my life and I can do what I want. I can do anything!" She reached over and futilely started clawing at the bracelet that encircled her right wrist. "And take this stupid thing off! I'm going home!"

"No, Kimberly Ann, I won't," her mom replied sternly.

Kim shot her mom a murderous glare but her olive-green eyes met with blues that looked to have been reinforced with some mad-science steel. "MOM!" she yelled viciously, "TAKE IT OFF! NOW!" she had just managed to bellow the final word before she broke down in another coughing fit. Immediately, her mom was at her side and helped guide her back over to the bed. When she was seated, she gratefully took the oxygen mask the woman held out to her and began to suck in slow breaths.

"Kimmie, you can't overexert your lungs like that," her mom said in a voice full of tenderness and love; the stern admonishment having vanished. The woman then sat down beside her and gently began to rub her back.

Kim briefly lowered the mask. "I want to go home," she said firmly, before replacing it.

"I'm sorry, Kimmie, but I can't let you do that. This is for your own good."

Sensing that she would not get her way, but feeling no less angry, Kim lay down on her bed and rolled over so that her back was now to her mom. She slipped the mask down only to say, "then just leave me alone!"

Kim felt her mom stand up and drape the duvet over her. "I need to go and get ready for work. The codeine is on your nightstand, take two every four hours or three if your pain increases again. I'll hopefully be back by ten o'clock tonight to come and check you over." Her mother then leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, but she shrugged away from her.

Kim listened to her mom's footsteps become fainter as the woman left her old bedroom. The coughing fit had caused her ribs to ache again, but that was not the reason why she pummelled her fist against the mattress. Who does she think she is, conspiring with Monique behind my back? This is exactly why I don't stay home for very long and why I neglected to call her last week; because when I do, all I get this bullshit. I can take care of myself and know what's best for me. It's my life, I can do what I want with it!

Inside her head, Kim heard a voice say, "exactly, Princess. It's your life you can do what you want with it."

Shego! she barked internally, her interior eyes scanning her mind for any sign of the green-skinned woman.

"The one and only," the voice replied. "Well, the one and only inside your head. But let's not get into that existential debate, we've got bigger issues to deal with."

Kim closed her eyes as she intensified her internal search for her rival. Where are you? Show yourself!

"Right here, Cupcake."

The voice was akin to a whisper in her ear and she spun around, coming face to face with the green-skinned woman; clad in her usual catsuit.

"Miss me?"

Without thinking, internal Kim lashed out with a vicious axe-kick, but Shego effortlessly evaded it with a neat backstep.

An amused smile tugged at the corners of her rival's mouth. "Didn't I tell you that it's rude to ask a lady to dance before buying her a drink first?"

Screw you! she spat and she leapt after the green-skinned woman, quickly rattling off a turning-kick, hook-kick, axe-kick combo.

Shego evaded them all but did not throw a single punch or kick in return.

FIGHT BACK! Kim bellowed. Taking to the air, she fired off her four-front-snap-kick combo, only to have Shego catch her leg on the last one and hurl her to the ground. Even though it was all in her head, she felt the pain shooting through her right-hand ribs as though it had happened in real life. Through watery eyes, she could only watch, helpless as her rival lazily advanced towards her.

When the green-skinned woman finally towered over her, Shego effortlessly prodded her in the chest in order to roll her onto her back. A foot was then planted atop Kim's throat, with just enough pressure to convince her not to try and raise her hands. "Now, where have I seen this before," Shego said in mock thought as she tapped her chin with one finger. "Ah yes, I remember, this is exactly how you looked last night when I kicked your ass. Don't you agree, Kimmie?"

She drew a ragged breath in through gritted teeth. Given that the woman was bang on, refuting the claim would be pointless. Instead, she fired back, if you're done being a Disney villain, let me up!

"Sorry, Princess, not until we've had a little chat.

Kim stared murderously at her rival. Shego! Let me up now!

"Or what, Kimmie? Are you going to set Stevie-boy on me?"

At the mention of Barkin-dragon, her eyes darted around in search of him, but he was nowhere to be seen.

As if to answer her unasked question, Shego then said, "he's taking a long nap after you KO'd him last night with that shit show in Heartbeats, followed by your pursuit of yours truly. And if I have my way, he'll be getting the boot before he has the chance to wake up."

What the hell are you talking about? she spat.

"You, Kimmie. You and your continual refusal to accept that you don't like boys," a thin smile formed on Shego's lips, "that you actually like girls."

Kim felt her anger towards her rival intensify, as another shovel of coal was heaped onto the furnace. I do not.

Shego rolled her eyes. "Seriously, after you completely failed to feel anything while snogging that boy last night, you're still going to peddle that bullshit?"

It's not bullshit, Kim said hotly, but there was a hint of desperation about her voice, I like boys! Now, let me up!

"Really? Well, why don't we put that to the test?" Shego then gave her a wolfish grin as instantaneously, she changed from her catsuit into her green and black swimsuit. Like a bolt of lightning, the green-skinned woman descended atop her chest and pinned her arms to the ground with her knees.

Fuck you! Kim yelled as she hopelessly struggled under what felt like an impossibly heavy dead weight. Her eyes then found themselves staring at Shego's crotch. Involuntarily, her gaze slowly travelled up the woman's taught midriff, over her voluptuous breasts, past the playful smile on her lips and to those piercing emerald eyes. All the while, her heart rate kicked up a notch and her breathing became slightly more ragged.

"Like what you see, Kimmie?" Shego replied seductively as she rotated her hips and tossed her mane of raven-hair backwards.

Yes; No, given that this was all happening inside her head, she managed to utter both responses at the same time. She stared up at her rival in confusion.

"Hmm, sounds like someone's a little confused. I suppose that's a start." Shego sensually ran her hands up her own body, raised them high above her head and arched her back as she stretched. "How about we cut through all this bullshit of yours?"

Not trusting her mouth not to betray her, Kim clamped it shut, as the woman put one of her green-tinged fingers into her own mouth and seductively sucked. It emerged enveloped in her plasma. In what could only be described as a mix of horror and lust, she watched Shego provocatively drag it down her chest; slicing the fabric of her bathing suit in two. When it cleared her breasts, the two large mounds broke free and caused a breath to catch in Kim's throat. She stared transfixed at Shego's perfectly round breasts, with their large dark green nipples. Her heart rate increased further. She felt the urge to reach up and touch them but was prevented from doing so by the raven-haired woman herself, whose knees still pinned her arms to the ground. However, Shego was not finished and Kim's eyes were drawn downward as the lit finger ran over the woman's midriff and towards her crotch. She could practically feel her heart in her mouth when she caught her first sight of jet-black pubic hair.

When Shego's finger reached the base of her swimsuit, she straightened up and then burned the tattered remains from her skin in a shimmer of green flames. Now completely naked, she pressed her breasts together as she wiggled her hips. "See, you're all hot and bothered at the mere sight of me." The woman then began to rub at her own nipples and Kim could feel hers stiffening in response. "Well, aren't those nice and perky."

Kim tore her eyes away from her rival's breasts and met her gaze, what do you… she trailed off when she received a wicked smile and her gaze hurriedly darted south to see that she too was butt naked. ARGH! she exclaimed in alarm, SHEGO! How did you do that! Give me my clothes back this instant!

"Nothing to do with me, Princess," the green-skinned woman said in a sultry voice.

Kim then felt her wrists being seized in Shego's vice-like grasp and pinned above her head. Helpless, she could do nothing as the woman slithered her lithe frame backwards and gently pressed their bodies together. A jolt, like a bolt of lightning striking her, surged through her body when their breasts came into contact and their nipples rubbed together. It was like nothing Kim had ever experienced before.

Shego then brought her black lips to Kim's ear and whispered, "this is all in your head, Princess. Now," she raised her head slightly and piercing emerald eyes bored into olive-greens, "look me in the eye and tell me that you don't like girls."

Kim screwed up her eyes as she wrestled against Shego, against herself and everything she had been taught throughout her whole life about sexuality. She knew that part of her wanted to scream yes, to entwine herself in the green-skinned woman's embrace and meet those black lips with her own pink ones. Except the weight of family, friends, school and society, all having told her that she should like boys, proved too much for her to surmount. "No…" she whimpered, feeling as though she had just taken a blow to her injured ribs, "…I like boys… I like boys… I like boys!"

A monstrous roar, which could only belong to some mythological creature of gargantuan proportion, boomed out around them and was accompanied by the thundering sound of massive clawed feet. Kim's eyes snapped open just in time to see the massive jaws of the Barkin-dragon grab Shego by the hair, wrench the woman off of her and launch her into the air. It didn't even pause as its gigantic form leapt over her in pursuit of its quarry. Kim scrambled to her feet, once again fully clothed. In front of her, she saw the Barkin-dragon lash out with its claws and the air was filled with a blood-curdling scream. Her eyes widened in horror as she watched the beast stomp back towards her, Shego's limp and bloody form in one set of claws.

"I've obviously not been hard enough on this one," the Barkin-dragon barked, as its chest materialised on the ground beside them. The lid shot open and the beast held Shego above the breach. "I'll just have to lock her up tighter this time."

However, before it managed to thrust the green-skinned woman inside, Shego's eyes snapped open. "Stevie-boy can't dictate who you are or who you like. You like girls, Kim, and that's ok."

I like girls, Kim whispered to herself as Shego was slammed inside the chest and the lid snapped shut.

"Don't you listen to that villainous trouble maker, Possible," the Barkin-dragon bombed, "boys like girls, boys kiss girls and boys mate with girls. End of discussion."

But what if I…

"BOYS LIKE GIRLS!"

Boys like girls… and I like boys, Kim whispered to herself, but it sounded completely hollow.

Kim's eyes snapped open and she had to check her surroundings to ensure that her bedroom had not become home to a massive dragon resembling her old school teacher. She looked down and saw two erect nubs in her pyjama top that she knew belonged to her nipples. She reached a hand inside her trousers and discovered to her horror that she was wet between the legs. Cheeks burning bright red, she slammed her free hand into the mattress.

"Damn you, Shego," Kim spat viciously as her anger towards her rival boiled over once more. This is all your fault! Not only did you have to ruin my time with Matt last night, but now you're messing with my head again! She ground her teeth and sucked in a few ragged breaths. I'm going to beat the shit out of you next time we meet! Unfortunately, she had not managed to take in sufficient air and so she broke out into another coughing fit. Her ribs hurt again as she struggled to sit up and put on the oxygen mask. By the time her breathing had stabilised, the pain had intensified and she knew she only had one option.

Grudgingly, Kim reached out and picked up the codeine bottle from her nightstand. Unscrewing the cap, she tipped three pills into her hand, before putting it back; knowing that nothing less would make the pain subside. Looks like it's back to ga-ga land for me, she groaned as she swallowed them with a drink of water. She then found a tissue with which to clean her downstairs parts. Screw you, Shego! Lying back, amidst the soft sheets, she closed her eyes, the bulk of her mind hoping beyond hope that the green-skinned woman stayed in her chest this time. Except she had a sinking feeling that a tiny part of her brain was desperate to see her rival again. The last thought she was consciously aware of having was, next time I see her I have to beat her. I have to drive her out of my head.