June — October 2006

Drew sat with Sierra and her siblings at Jack's graduation, cheering as loud as the rest of them. He looked over at Sierra, whose own face radiated joy. How she could be so happy for him after everything he'd said to her, he wasn't sure. Then again, if Brandon had said similar things, would Drew have forgiven him? But he supposed he would never know.

As Drew clapped for Jack Go, his new constant companion, his vine, snaked his way out of the back of his neck and over his shoulder. He slapped it away, and Sierra snickered. "It just wants to join in the fun," she said as the next graduate walked across the field.

"I have to learn how to control it," he said, still keeping one ear open for Killigan, Duff.

"I'll help you," she promised, and then turned back to the ceremony. They didn't talk about it again for the rest of the day, but Drew held tightly to that promise, that hope of control.

Sierra spent much of the summer teaching Drew to command his powers. They were sitting on the back step of Drew's house, taking a break to drink lemonade and let Flower bask in the sun. "It seems to listen to you," Sierra said, gently stroking a petal.

He could hardly feel her fingers there, but it sent chills down his spine all the same. "Did you have trouble? When you first got your powers?"

"I … Yes. I burned … a lot." She flexed her fingers, then curled her hand into a fist. "We were all kept at Global Justice for observation for about two years. Until I was 12."

"And then you moved here."

"Yeah."

"Do you ever think about … How do I phrase this …" Sierra waited a moment before Drew finally said, "Do you ever think that you could use your powers for evil?"

After a long moment, he almost didn't expect Sierra to answer. And then she said, "Yes. I was really angry when it first happened. And then I hated the pressure. Of being Shego. Of being expected to miss school to save the world and still keep my grades up."

"Hated. So you don't anymore?"

"No. Not since you."

"Oh."

"I mean it," she said. "You're what keeps me sane, Drew." She saw Drew blush slightly, and then realized she had grabbed his hand. She cleared her throat and quickly stood. "C'mon. Flower isn't going to learn by itself."

God, why did she have to notice now how he was building muscle –

"DREW P. THEODORE LIPSKY, WHAT IS THAT?" Both Sierra and Drew whipped around at Mama Lipsky's voice to see the woman red-faced on the back step, glaring at the vine snaking its way out of Drew's neck.

"Ah. Well. I suppose I should explain …" Beside him, Sierra turned away to hide her laughter.

Senior year came upon them suddenly and swiftly, and with it, new assignments, both in school and out. It was bad enough dealing with four brothers. Now Global Justice had asked them to take on another boy? Apparently the prince of Rodeghan or whatever he was had gotten himself into danger, blah, blah, blah, something about a prophecy. Sierra didn't really care enough to pay attention. What she did care about was that, because Rodeghan was in her year, she had to watch him at school.

"He's not so bad," Junior offered at lunch. "He has good hair."

"He's a prick," Sierra said.

"Hey, you don't have to deal with him at home," Alex mumbled.

"I am right here you know," Prince Wally protested.

"Yeah, whatever," Alex said. "Have fun with him in algebra, Sis."

It seemed Global Justice couldn't do their damn jobs, Sierra thought privately. September passed and there was no sign of the knights supposedly after the prince, though both Rockwaller and Team Kim and Zorpox had tried to nab him for themselves. This was how Sierra found herself with Wally and Drew one day after school, waiting for Alex and the twins to come get him and watching the leaves fall from the browning trees when Martin Smarty came by. "Hey, Sierra."

"Hi?" She quickly tried to recall where she knew him from, other than seeing him in the hallway. And then it clicked. She'd hooked up with him a few times last year. While Drew was dating Amy.

Where had that thought come from? Sierra pushed it away.

"I was actually hoping I'd run into you," he said. "Are you doing anything this Friday?" Sierra shook her head, and Martin said, "I got two tickets to the ballet downtown and I was wondering if you'd go with me?"

"Oh. I mean, sure." It was something to do. And kissing Martin hadn't been bad.

"Great. I'll text you," he said.

When had she given Martin Smarty her number? "Sounds good." Martin walked away, and Wally squealed. "You got the richest guy in the school to ask you on a date! How'd you do that?"

"I dunno. I guess I'm a good kisser."

Behind her, Drew let out a squeak. "You what?"

"I hooked up with Smarty for a little while last year. I dunno."

"You did? I didn't know that."

"Yeah. It was when … Well, it wasn't a long time."

"Oh."

Wally looked back and forth between the two of them. "Am I missing something?"

"No," they both yelled. They locked eyes, then both looked away.

At last, toward the end of the month, Wally went home. Something about a golf course and her brothers making stupid decissions. "As long as he's gone, I don't particularly care," Sierra said on her and Drew's walk to school.

"Yeah."

"You ok? You've been really quiet lately. That's not like you."

"Oh yeah. Um, hey, I never asked how your date with Martin Smarty went. Just, you know, completely forgot until now. Heh."

"Went ok. He's a little weird."

"So you don't think you'll see him again?"

Sierra shrugged. "Probably not."

"Oh. Ok." And Drew walked the rest of the way to school with an extra spring in his step, chatting all the way.