A/N:: I want to thank you guys for the reviews and understanding of the slowness of the chapter releases right now. I have had many PM's and Anons on tumblr asking when I'm going to end it... so for some perhaps its gone on far too long I'm seeing.

There is a set ending planned... just have to get there.


Another Heist Part 6


Shego had expected to have to sit and endure the flirtations of Shawna towards Drakken the moment he had returned, but he didn't retake his seat in between them. Drakken looked poised to take the seat on Shego's right instead but was halted by their other table guests reappearing. Hermes and Pandora had found their way through the tangles of people to return to their seats. Shego felt her shoulders stiffen as now the table was no longer even in their heist teams. Shego glanced at Drakken for confirmation as he moved behind her to return to his seat. He looked calm and completely unbothered by the arrival, and Shego looked over at Shawna. She momentarily wondered if Drakken was starting to doubt the plans entirely. She was mid-agitated sigh when she felt gloved hands on the bare part of her arms.

"Sheila." The name barely came as a whisper in her ear. "I believe I owe you a few dances?"

Shego looked towards where Drakken was slightly hovering over her shoulder. She was having trouble deciding if the expression on his face was apologetic or mildly bothered. She was about to decline, especially with the table's occupants returning, but the selfish part of her wanted nothing more than to return to her evening and let them take the ring for all she cared. She chose the latter and smirked up at him.

"Yes actually, you do," she took the hand offered to her, "Drew."

The grip on her hand flexed slightly as she got up, but she ignored it, focusing on the music now playing as they left the table. A few steps away and she suddenly wondered if he'd just wanted to go over the plan, or a new plan he may have schemed. She rolled her eyes as the smile faded from her face before they reached the dance floor.

"So, are we waiting for the other four to strike and make fools of themselves or—" Shego was cut off.

"We're dancing," he stated, his hand locking with hers before his other found her waist.

Shego opened her mouth to argue that he clearly wasn't about to give up on his ring for dancing, but instead, she let it go. At least for now. She was still bitter at their evening's turn, but at least they were dancing.


Drakken fought the need to hum the music that played through the ballroom. Shego seemed less tense and withdrawn from him at the moment, instead finding her head resting slightly on his shoulder as his hand may have moved to the small of her back to bring her closer to him. He was enjoying the moment as best he could, but his mind was pulled in different directions. He wanted to enjoy the evening with Shego, but he also wanted to finish the heist and get the ring he desired... And then there was the awkward table situation as a whole. His eyes glanced towards the table and he had to fight a grumble at how much the glasses he wore enhanced everything. He knew the table wasn't that close.

Shego's hand gripped the back of his coat and he glanced back towards her expecting an angry expression, but her head was still tucked onto his shoulder so he could see her. His eyes darted around as they danced near some of the shiny, unmoving band instruments, where he could see a slightly distorted image of two people dressed like them. His eyes found their way briefly away from the reflection to follow where his hand was locked with hers and then up her arm to her bare shoulder. Her hand moved to grip his shoulder and he quickly looked back at the instruments.

What was that?

He furrowed his brow as he began an internal pep talk, reminding himself he was allowed to look at her bare shoulder...wasn't he? He didn't honestly know, and tonight was not the night to inquire about boundaries...as he knew Shego was still upset about her night being infringed upon. This circled his thoughts back to the table and caused his adjusted plans to come to his mind, wondering at what point he could get away with initiating them.

He must have tensed as Shego's head pulled away from his shoulder and she gave him a curious look. He was relieved to see there was no disdain in her eyes or concern across her features. She looked genuinely relaxed.

"Thinking about the table?" she sighed. Drakken noticed the slack in her grip at her question.

"Are you mad at me?" Drakken had no idea why he asked that, aloud especially. He was about to backpedal at her perplexed expression, but she cut him off.

"Even if I was, we both know you're still going to do...whatever is going on in there," she gently knocked on his head. "So there's no point."

"It won't be long until we get the ring and then—" Drakken's explanation was silenced at Shego's scoff and eye roll. "...We can get back to the evening?"

Shego raised a brow and he watched her lips purse as she glanced back at the table.

"I don't think your little crush over there's going to let the evening end so quickly," scoffed Shego.

Drakken stared for a moment and then looked back towards the table where he could in fact see Shawna talking to Motor Ed, but glancing at he and Shego. Drakken raised a brow at Shego. He knew she'd been upset by Shawna's attention, and he'd assumed most of it was because her evening was being cut into; that she was rightfully annoyed at playing simply a partner for their ruse. He may have overlooked something in plain sight.

"Are you jealous?" He raised a brow. He watched her brows flare as she didn't meet his eyes. "Wow."

He was torn between elation and concern. He'd missed a very serious cue and mistook it for something mild. He knew Shego could be jealous; plenty of history with not getting noticed or getting less praise over others while doing villainy had made that very clear. His mind flitted to Warmonga and his attempt at taking over the world without Shego. The dark few months that had followed had seemingly been pushed aside over the year after it. But this was more than just attention or professional business praise.

"Wow?" she questioned. "Wow, what?"

"You're jealous of a person who means nothing." He fought the smirk, but it won over.

Shego rolled her eyes as she made eye contact with him.

"Who says I'm jealous?" Her nails dug into his arm, only confirming his words.

"Your actions," Drakken responded. "Honestly Shego, you don't think I'm about to strike some deal with a possible con-artist for a ring."

Shego raised a brow and then shook her head before responding.

"To be clear. I'm not jealous of your blast from the past buddy over there and her idiocy in even thinking of striking a deal with a person she hasn't seen in decades," corrected Shego. "I'm more annoyed by her blatant eye-batting and some very clear obsession with bagging a successful scientist...if what we know about her is true."

Drakken nodded in agreement.

"So you think Cleopatra will lock her in that tomb after tonight?" asked Drakken. Shego's expression stiffened. "What?"

"You're kidding, right?" Shego pulled away from him slightly. "It's clear to anyone that she has a particular focus. Drewie."

"Me?" asked Drakken. It was his turn to roll his eyes. "Nostalgia perhaps, but interest...no. She would find it very quickly, Drew doesn't fit that category."

"Successful, wealthy scientist who saved the world from aliens?" Shego teased. "Kind of a top tier snag there, Drew Lipsky."

Drakken felt the creeping up his spine that he knew wasn't Flower. The image of seeing his reflection fleetingly in surfaces all evening pushed through his mind. His face was clearly pulled in a displeased expression but Shego seemed to pay it no mind.

"That elaborated claim belongs to Dr. Drakken. Not Drew Lipsky," corrected Drakken. He watched Shego's expression shift through several before falling on annoyed. "So I think she's more caught up on Eddie. Despite my cousin's antics, he does have a certain public notoriety... Not just for tinkering with stolen rockets."

"Something tells me...she'll make an exception then." Shego glared over at the table again, and Drakken narrowed his eyes further.

"Yes, well I won't," declared Drakken. "Despite the current ruse...I'm not keen on making a downgrade."

He wasn't sure if he'd said the correct thing in easing whatever misplaced feelings Shego was having about Shawna and him...but she clearly chose to change the subject as Drakken continued their dancing as the music changed again.

"Speaking of Motor Ed and company...how many dances are we staying out here for?" sighed Shego. "Not that I'm complaining."

"Kind of seems like you are," Drakken muttered. Shego kneed him in the leg as they turned. "Ow!"

"Big baby... So, what's to stop them from running off with both the ring and that bracelet while we're out here?" asked Shego as she returned her head to his shoulder.

Drakken smirked as his plan came rushing back.

"Easy." He watched her pull back and raise her brow again. "Hermes and Pandora."

"Run that by me again?" Shego snorted. "Uh, hello... They're working with them. And they don't seem as grateful for the Tibet ride since they canned my hoverboard."

Drakken shrugged.

"While I was gone I may have accidentally— Intentionally run into them at the bar area... May have struck up my own deal that trumps Eddie and Cleopatra's offer," he said with confidence. "Had you come with me, I would have been able to clue you in on this."

Shego snorted loudly.

"Are you trying to end up testing out Cleopatra's tomb threat?" sighed Shego. "We should really let Motor Ed be the test dummy for that."

"Oh, I am certain he will be," snickered Drakken. Shego pulled back to look at him. "What?"

"Sure you're not secretly playing around in villainy and not telling me?" Drakken furrowed his brow at her questioning, and she pushed further. "I mean...swindling deals out from under people...is a very villainous thing to do?"

"Is it? Here I thought I was just making a good business move," smirked Drakken. "Besides, it wasn't very hard to sway them. After their last little marital squabble caused by Cleopatra's little exiling she pulled on them...they didn't even hesitate."

"What did you offer— Marital squabble?" Shego looked confused again. "What, are they secretly married?"

"Well...yes," snorted Drakken, about to mock Shego's lack of memory when it occurred to him and his eyes shot open. "I never told you!"

"Wait... You knew before you made this little deal of yours?" Shego sputtered and Drakken swallowed nervously.

"Ohm...no," Drakken said sheepishly.

Shego's eyes narrowed.

"Fine. Yes... But in my defense I found out while in Tibet and I had a lot on my mind trying to break into a hidden lair to get to you...and...also...we should probably hire our henchmen back...or...do we call them staff?"

"Just because you managed to change topic three times in one sentence does not mean I'm letting this withheld information slide." She narrowed her eyes but sighed. "We're talking about this lack of gossip-sharing later."

"I promise, I have no other forgotten gossip or facts you don't know already," Drakken paused in thought, "that I remember not telling you."

He watched Shego's eye-roll for what felt like the hundredth time through the last two dances, but he saw the ghost of a smirk on her lips as she glanced to their left.

"Really... So that hideous hat over there...escaped your notice, or is that something you just found not worth a discussion?" asked Shego as she tilted her head in that direction.

Drakken glanced over to see an older woman in a very large emerald stained hat with—

"Is that a skunk?" whispered Drakken. Shego nodded.

"Not even good quality," sighed Shego.

Drakken and her slowed their dancing to make eye contact in the shared absurdity of the woman dancing past them. It took only a moment for them to both snort under their breath.

"Where and why do people buy those things?" asked Shego. "Must be the same place Cleopatra got her purse."

"I don't know... That bedazzled fish clutch seems to pale in comparison to the skunk hat décor," chimed in Drakken. "You know, if she asked Eddie to pick that purse up...chances are it was snatched from one of Stephanie and Stephan's collections."

"I was going to say that about the hat and your cousins," said Shego. Drakken made a dramatic gasp.

"One. They are Eddie's technical cousins and two... They have far better quality stock," Drakken smiled. Shego's expression softened before she sighed as the song ended.

"We should get back to the table." She pulled away from him. "Don't want your little deal to unravel."

"You're probably right... Shego—"

"I'm still not letting go of the fact you didn't tell me villain secrets," she cut in. Drakken whined under his breath in protest. "Oh come on... Let's get over there so you can continue to woo what's-her-face."

Drakken frowned and he slowed their pace as he saw Shego's smile had vanished.

"I am not trying or even pretending to woo Shawna," he corrected. "I'm playing an unattached old friend at best."

"If that was the case— Never mind," Shego sighed as she put distance between them.

Drakken's shoulders slumped at the coldness that surrounded him by those actions. He watched her return to the table when a thought occurred that may help the evening run much smoother...for them. Drakken looked down the hallway and quickly darted down it.


Shego had managed to make it to the table and forced a pleasant expression on her face, before realizing...Drakken had vanished.

"Geesh, we thought you moved out there," said Motor Ed. "How many dances do you need there? Green?"

"One would be nice," muttered Cleopatra. It was clear that her mood had soured in the disguised couple's absence.

"It looked like you two were having fun," smiled Shawna. Shego saw the slight narrowing of her brow.

"Eh," said Shego, her eyes scanning for where Drakken had vanished. "Did you see where he took off to?"

"Sprinted down the hallway," muttered Pandora.

Shego looked at she and Hermes, both looked in an unpleasant mood and Shego wondered what had transpired in the three songs.

"Did I miss anything?" asked Shego, gesturing vaguely.

"We got to hear some lovely stories about Edward," said Hermes casually. "Mostly from him with confirmation from Shawna...but it was a lot."

"Also about his little childish crush on Shawna," Cleopatra said through a forced smile.

Motor Ed might be testing that tomb thing tonight.

Shego looked to her right and frowned as she couldn't even make knowing confirming eye contact with Drakken.

"But then," chimed in Pandora, "we got to hear about Shawna's crush on...Drew. Which he should have been here for."

Shego fought the twitch that ran through her body.

"Here for what?" Drakken breathed heavily behind her before sitting down.

"Where did you go?" asked Shego. Drakken shook his head.

"Bathroom... What did I need to be here for?" asked Drakken again as he took a drink from a water glass at random.

"I was talking about simple childhood stories," Shawna interrupted. "I hope you're not all danced out, Drewie."

"Eh, for the moment." Drakken cleared his throat. "Sheila...did you know how close we are to the Gulf of Mexico?"

"Well I did say that when we flew in," Shego answered, rolling her eyes. Drakken drank more water. "Drew... How much water have you drank this evening?"

"Not enough," Drakken seemed to be glancing at her before looking at Shawna. "I was mostly thinking...it's a bit close isn't it?"

Shego vaguely listened to Shawna dismiss Drakken's concern for their location as she glanced towards the waiters, her eyes spotting one with a few glasses of water on their tray. She gestured to the waiter and was relieved when they headed their way.

"Your concern is sweet," Shawna shrugged. "But since I've only seen her twice in the decade we've known each other...I doubt she'd even recognize me."

Shego swiped the water glasses swiftly and wordlessly plopped them down in front of Drakken, zoning back in on the conversation.

"Risky business though," Shego added. "Rule of thumb...never steal identities of people you know...right?"

She gestured around the table.

There was a series of head shakes and shrugs. Shawna raised a brow.

"Yes, well... I'm not worried." Shawna drank her own drink. "There are far more concerns than...her."

"Who are we talking about?" whispered Hermes in confusion.

"No one," shrugged Shawna. She raised a brow at Shego and Drakken. "I appreciate the concern...very much. Besides...how will she ever know."

"Let's say she saw she was invited and had wanted to attend," shrugged Shego. "You're very close and running a very interesting...gambit."

"Someone should enjoy the benefits of her status," shrugged Shawna. "And I doubt she'll ever know...let alone care."

Shego could see her point, as the only time she'd ever seen the woman in question was when she'd stolen from her and then when she'd come to reclaim said stolen item. Shego excluded the apparent mis-meeting at the villain Valentine's party years prior, as she hadn't known that was the same person. Shego still narrowed her eyes in curiosity at the woman masquerading as the villain. She hadn't figured out yet if Shawna was simply who she said she was or a daring con-artist.

Shego's analysis of her was cut short rather quickly.

Everything changed in the matter of seconds to cause this.

A loud shrill sound rang through the entire ballroom as the lights began to flicker and the doors to exits were slammed shut. Shego took a defensive stance as everyone began making a commotion at the sudden shift of the evening. Her eyes cast towards Drakken, her years of hired protection sinking in as she moved slightly in front of him. The lack of alarm in his expression agitated her, but it was something she would bring up later. Shego's eyes locked on the only open entrance as a metallic frame came into view, its familiar sinister and feminine form one of the last memories of she and Drakken's old volcanic lair. Shego looked at Shawna, who wore a wide and horrified expression as they looked at the doorway where Protonia flanked by other forms now stood.

Shego scoffed.

"Something tells me...she minds."