New day, new chapter.

Thanks for the reviews and faves. Some big stuff coming in the story, starting in this chapter.

Enjoy.

Chapter 11

It was a Tuesday when things started to go wrong.

Shego was in the kitchen, washing dishes from the night before. Ron had been trying new dishes the last couple nights in prep for catering Felix and Zita's big date, which was supposed to be next Saturday. Felix had manage to get Zita to relent on demanding extra courses to make up for having been forced to walk to Ron's place in the rain, but Master wanted to go the extra mile to make up for it anyways by making the best food he could.

Last night he'd made goat cheese crostini with fig-olive tapenade, and pumpkin sage bisque. It had been light, but wonderful and there were even some left overs in the fridge for her to have later. And for dessert he'd slowly and agonizingly brought her to completion right there on the table.

The floor creaked behind her and only years of training saved her from being clocked in the back of the head as she ducked to the side, the dish clattering into the sink. She spun around and managed to get her arms up to block the savage knee that was driving into her gut, but the blow knocked her back against the counter. Shaking her hair out of her face as she kept her guard up, she saw Kim's determined face as a fist slammed into her blocking arms.

"Possible?!" Shego shouted, throwing herself to the side to keep from being trapped in against the counter. "What the hell?"

Another knee savagely tried to strike, but she was free and leaped back, taking a more open guard stance. She stared at Kim's determined face, wondering how the red head had gotten into the house.

"Shego, just make it easy on yourself and give up now," Kim said firmly, some strange fey light touching her fiery eyes.

"Like Hell," Shego spat. "You come in here, you try to sucker punch me, won't tell me why, and you want me to just surrender? Besides, aren't you supposed to be in school?"

"Lunch period," Kim said, edging closer, "Now are you going to give up or do I have to do this the hard way?"

Shego rolled her eyes. "Do what the hard way?" She growled, "I don't even know what you're doing here. I've been an absolute good girl and not done anything since I moved in, and as far as I know everyone is still content to leave me alone. Hell, I'm a completely domesticated house pet who does dishes."

"No," Kim spat, "what you're doing is fooling everyone and manipulating Ron. He refuse to see you for what you are, because he's a nice person and you've been playing him from the start. That ends now."

Shego scowled. Kim wasn't exactly wrong about her, at least at the start, but the red head was completely wrong about Ron. He did see her for who she was. "So that's a reason to come in here and try and beat me up?" Shego growled. "What's the plan, pumpkin? Gonna fight me, get some bruises, then go running to Ron an claim I attacked you?"

"Nope," Kim said, smirking as she edged closer, making Shego retreat towards the hallway. Then she pulled something out of her pocket and Shego's blood turned to ice. It was a nuero-control chip. "This is. You're going to let me put this on you, and then you'll be a nice, safe obedient Shego who can't hurt anyone."

Plasma exploded from Shego's hands. "You are not putting that on me," She hissed.

Kim's eyes narrowed. "You don't really have a choice, Shego," the red head said coolly. "It's the best solution. I don't trust you, even with that collar on. Especially since you've manage to manipulate Ron into letting you have your powers back. You're too much of a threat. You're playing my best friend like a sucker, and I'm not going to tolerate it. And I'm not going to wait for you to hurt him when you finally get tired of whatever this is and decide to escape. Now, you can either let me put this chip on you, or we can do like old times and I can beat you and put the chip on you."

Shego considered her options. Put the chip on, and become trapped in her own body for who knew how long. Maybe forever. Completely at Kim's mercy. Trapped in a prison of her own body, torn away from Ron and this odd little life she was building. Or fight Kim. She could probably win, but she was out of shape and practice, while Kim had kept up her own training. But if she won, then she was an animal who had attacked a human and who knew how that would turn out. Or she lost, and Kim put that chip on her. She could run. She'd be a run away pet, and who knew how that would turn out, though she might be able to make it to Ron or Zita or Felix at the school. Assuming GJ didn't assume she was trying to make a brake for it and take her down. That meant capture, torture, the dissection table, and death.

"D-did you talk to Ron about this?" Shego asked softly. Praying he was still on her side. Praying he had no part in this.

"I mentioned the possibility over the weekend, but he was absolutely against it," Kim said, disgusted. "I tried to explain it was the best option for everyone, but he wouldn't have it."

Shego wondered if that had helped her Master decide to destroy the chips and their research. "And you think he's going to just accept it if you do this?" Shego asked, edging towards the hall. Death or death, were her only options.

"I'm sure he'll come around," Kim said, "I've got the only controls to this chip and they're the only way to remove it once it's on. He might not like it, but he'll see my point of view. We've been best friends since pre-k."

Was Kim right? Would Ron just accept it? Any path that lead with her beating Kim and avoiding the chip meant she was dead. The only, tiny, minuscule hope she had was...unthinkable. Take the chip and pray Ron managed to free her. A dozen times of her fingers hushing him as he almost said words too dangerous to be spoken flashed through her mind. But could he beat Kim? Could he over come her logic and arguments and their friendship and her martial arts to free her?

She lowered her arms and released her plasma. 'Please," she prayed, kneeling on the ground in defeat, 'Master, please save me.' She closed her eyes against Kim's triumphant smirk.

She felt the prongs of the chip sink into her forehead. There was a beeping sound, and then she lost control of her body.

"Stand up, Shego," Kim ordered.

"Of course, Kim!" her voice came out cheerful and subservient. Her eyes opened and she saw Kim's triumphant face smiling back at her.

The red head looked her over and gave a disgusted look at the exercise shorts and sports bra the raven haired woman was wearing. "Geez, such a slut," Kim spat, "Go put on something more modest."

"Of course, Kim!" her voice said. Her body turned and marched up the stairs. Soon she came back wearing a simple black dress that still showed off her figure. Kim gave her another disgusted look.

"Seriously, do you own anything that doesn't make you look like a whore?" Kim asked, "Who even bought this stuff for you."

"Ron bought them for me," her voice cheerfully answered and Shego was so glad she hadn't said master. Kim's face grew even more sour. Shego clung to the slight bit of sadistic pleasure it brought.

"Whatever," Kim spat, "I have to get back to school. Finish cleaning the kitchen, then wait in the hallway. I'll be back with Ron after school."

"Of course, Kim!" her voice said cheerfully as her body moved to obey.

The dishes didn't take long to finish and she found herself standing in the hallway. There was a mirror across from her and she had to stare at her empty, happy expression, the little red light from the chip blinking slowly.

If she ever met that damn scientist who made these things again, she was going to kill him. He was too dangerous to be left alive for one, and for another he was absolutely incompetent. For one his chip turned people into happy puppets, but while it stripped virtually all motor control from the victim, it had no concept of bodily functions or needs. If you set someone on a task and left them to it, they wouldn't eat, drink, piss, or anything. Back when Dr. D had used it on her and Possible, as incompetent as he was, he realized what was happening and had ordered them to "see to their biological needs as necessary."

Kim either hadn't realized it because Draken put that in her original orders, or knew and didn't care. Shego wasn't sure it wasn't the latter. She did know she'd desperately needed to use the bathroom for the last hour when she finally heard Ron and Kim walking up the steps to the door.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Ron's shocked face when he spotted her in the hallway as he followed Kim into the house. 'Please,' she tried to beg with her eyes, 'please save me Master!"

"Kim," Ron's voice was the purest embodiment of danger Shego had ever heard. "What's going on."

Kim looked completely innocent. "Oh, I came by during lunch and had a little talk with Shego," she said, "and we agreed that things weren't working out the way they are. So after some discussion, she agreed to have me install a neuro-control chip. That way she can't possibly hurt anyone and Global Justice doesn't have to consider her a threat anymore, because they trust me and I hold the command console." Kim pulled out what looked like a pda and held it up. "In fact, we talked and she's going to come stay with me from now on, so you don't need to worry about her hurting you or destroying your place. It's a win-win for everyone."

Ron had moved and Shego couldn't see him any more. 'Please, Master!' Shego screamed in her head, 'She's lying! It's all a lie! I wanna stay with you! I love you!"

The admission broke something in her. The dangerous words had been spoken. Everything was lost. And if Ron believed Kim's words, which given their long history and friendship why shouldn't he, then it was all over. She should have fought. The bruises would have paid lie to Kim's story, though the cheerleader would probably have come up with a different one, emphasizing how dangerous Shego was, how she was out of control.

Tears leaked out of her eyes and down her cheeks. It was over. Ron would believe Kim, Kim would drag her away, and she'd be at Kim's mercy until she died of thirst or some biological function going wrong Kim forgot about and didn't realize needed taking care of under the chip.

"Kim," Ron said. "Turn off the chip, and let her go."

Kim's shocked face was the only one she could see beside her own cheerfully crying one, and it was completely shocked. "Ron," the red head said gently. "I won't do that. Shego wanted this. We agreed it's the best for everyone. You don't have to worry about her or this whole sitch anymore." Shego saw Kim reach out of her vision, probably to put a comforting hand on Ron. "Look, I know it probably seems really weird and awkward, but it will be okay. Let me just take her home and then we can go get some Beuno Nacho and you can get back to normal without her messing with your head."

There was a long silence that felt like eternity. Shego's heart broke. Kim had won. It was over. She should have fought and died a free woman. This was what she got for giving into her emotions and trusting someone, anyone, even if they were as nice as Ron. The abyss yawned beneath her. A gaping black maw, ready to devour her body and soul.

Good people did good things, and that was the problem.

"Kim," Ron's said, his voice hard. "Let. Shego. Go."

Hope, that damned emotion almost as bad as love, flickered.

"Ron," Kim said gently, "Why are you fighting this? It's what Shego wants too. Do you really think any woman would want to live as someone's pet? It's humiliating and sick, of course she wouldn't want that, she was just pretending so she could manipulate you and save her life. Well this way, she's safe and she doesn't have to play that kind of game anymore."

It was, Shego hoped, the absolute worst thing that Kim could have said. Sure, maybe she could have convinced Ron that the raven haired woman was playing him, except Kim had no idea about their true relationship. And she had no idea about Zita and Felix, or their love and petplay and how much Zita loved it and proved that a woman truly could want to play such a game.

"Kim," Ron said softly. "Either let Shego go, or give me the controls so I can do it." If she could have swallowed in fear, Shego would have. Something in that voice brought back terrifying memories of when Ron had turned evil. Zorpox. One of the most dangerous people she'd ever met, even if he had only been obsessed with food at the time. Ron was a nice guy, who cared about people, and that held him back. Zorpox had absolutely none of those limitations an he could use all of Ron's potential skills.

"No, Ron," Kim said with a huff.

"Fine," was all Ron said, and Shego wondered if he had given up.

Then the room filled with the sound of bones snapping and Kim screamed in agony. Frozen, Shego couldn't see what happened, but then Kim retreated back with her left forearm bent at an impossible angle.

"R-r-r-ron?" Kim whimpered, staring in complete shock. "W-w-w-what the fuck? My-My arm?!"

Ron finally came into her view and Shego felt absolute terror at the look in his eyes, and absolute joy because he was saving her! "Kim," he said, his voice sounding calm but she could hear the absolute fury under it. "I know for a fact Shego would never, ever ask to be put under one of those chips." He moved forwards, Kim retreating. "And besides, no one has the right to do what those chips do to people. I know there's evil in this world, and those chips are a physical embodiment of it. Now you let her go, or I will take that controller from you even if I have to break your other arm."

"Y-yo-you wouldn't!" Kim sobbed in pain. Ron merely pointed to her already shattered limb. "This isn't you Ron! She made you like this! See?! She's too dangerous to be left alone with you, or with anyone!"

The redhead slipped the pda back into her pocket and took a fighting stance, clutching her shattered limb to her chest to try and protect it. "Please, Ron, don't make me fight you." The cheerleader begged. "Don't give into her evil. You're a good person!"

Ron went utterly still. "Like you are, Kim?" He asked softly.

"Yes!" Kim said, smiling and crying thinking she was getting through. "Yes, just like me! We're good people, Ron! Don't go evil like her. Stay good, stay with me!"

"Just like putting that chip on Shego is good?" Ron asked, in that same terrifyingly still voice.

"It's no different than an ankle bracelet Ron" Kim sobbed in pain, "She's a criminal, she belongs in prison. At least this way she's contained and everyone's safe from her."

"So it's good?" Ron said.

"Y-yes...it's good..." Kim said, sobbing, "Now please, stop this. Everything will be okay. We can go fix my arm and put this all behind us and everything will be back to normal."

Even with years of training, Shego had trouble seeing what happened next. Ron moved so fast it looked like he teleported, suddenly in front of Kim as she rose up into the air with his fist buried deep in her guts. The violence of it terrified her, because even as his fist pulled away and Kim started coming down, his knee spiked in the air and hit the same place again. Kim didn't even scream, she just vomited helplessly as the knee withdrew and she slammed into the floor, her shattered arm the only cushion to her fall.

Then Kim screamed and as much as Shego hated the other woman it tore at her soul. Ron pulled the pda out of Kim's pocket and studied it for a moment before pressing a button. The light quit blinking and the chip fell from Shego's head. She felt her body returning to her.

She turned her head and saw Ron reaching down to grab Kim by the hair, dragging the girl up. His fist pulled back and Shego threw herself through the air, wrapping her arms around him.

"Ron! STOP!" She yelled. "That's enough! Stop, please!"

He froze and she clutched him, sobbing into his back. "Please, Ron, that's enough, you don't have to keep going!" she pleaded. He'd saved her, now she had to save him. "Please, let her go. Just let her go. It's over."

He wilted and let go. Kim slammed into the floor again and gave a half broken scream. The acrid scent of urine filled the hallway and Shego worried she'd lost control when the chip quit, but then realized it was coming from Kim's traumatized body.

"Get out, Kim," Ron said, his voice broken. "Get out of my house and never come back here."

Kim stared up at him, sobbing. "Ron, please..." she begged.

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE RIGHT NOW KIMBERLY ANNE POSSIBLE!" Ron roared, and the red head dragged herself outside as fast as she could. She made it to her feet on the porch, and turned back to give Shego a look of pure, undying hatred, before stumbling away.

Ron walked over to the door and slammed it shut so hard Shego though the little windows would shatter. When he turned around, the look in his eyes terrified Shego. He looked so angry, and broken, and it was all her fault. She threw herself into his chest and clutch him.

"I'msosorryimsosorryimsosrry," she sobbed, "Itsallmyfaultimsosorry!"

She felt his arms wrap around her and hold her tight. "Shego," he said softly, "Tell me what happened. Was she telling the truth?"

She shook her head against his chest. "I-I was washing dishes in the kitchen. She tried to get me by surprise, but I managed to dodge. She explained she had the chip and what she was gonna do. I wanted to fight her, I was going to, but I knew either she was going to beat me and put the chip on, or I was going to win and have to run and GJ would catchmeandkillmeandicouldntdothattoyouandiloveyouandimsosorrythatinevertoldyouandnowyouhadtodothisandimsosorryyyyyy!"

He held her close and his body shook with his own sob. They collapsed on the floor, crying. Him, because of what he'd just done. Her because he'd had to do it because of her and she knew what it had cost him.

Eventually, Ron stood up and pulled her to her feet. "Okay, well, we're screwed." he said softly. "I have no idea how badly, but I'm sure of it, but I'll do everything I can to protect you, Sheila."

'And I'll give my life to protect you, Master,' She thought, but didn't dare say out loud.

"Wade," she said, softly. When Ron gave her a confused look, she pressed. "Call Wade. Assuming Kim hasn't gotten him yet, he's been able to help us with legal advice, and he's a tech genius, maybe he can help?"

Ron nodded and started down the hallway. He paused when he reached the chip and pda. With the same ruthless speed he'd used on Kim, his foot smashed the offending objects to bits. Shego felt relief, watching them turn into little more than dust.

Her master called Wade while she skittered into the bathroom and took care of extremely pressing needs.

"I still can't believe she did that," the black kid said as she entered Ron's room. "I mean, okay I'm certainly a gray hat and I'm willing to bend the rules a lot, but geez."

"So, you'll help?" Ron asked softly, slumped in his chair. Shego went over and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, nuzzling and trying to provide what comfort she could.

"Yeah," Wade said. "I have contacts with the local law enforcement and a few lawyers in your area. If any charges show up I'll know and I'll have the law office contact you in the next hour."

There was a loud knocking from the front door and Ron gave a resigned sigh. "That's probably the cops," he said. He handed his phone to Shego. "Call Zita or Felix, tell them we need them to come over here and watch you." At Shego's confused look he kissed her. "Look, they could be here for both of us, but honestly you may just be a pet and I'm the one who beat the shit out of Kim, so hopefully they're just here for me."

She rushed over to the door and blocked it. "I-I won't let them take you!" she hissed, tears in her eyes. The pounding sounded again and Ron kissed her gently. When she wilted in his arms, he moved her aside. Went down.

She didn't bother to try not to cry as she laid down at the top of the stairs to watch. It was all her fault. Absentmindedly she texted Zita, begging her to come over because it was an emergency.

Ron opened the door, and instead of the cops it was an older woman wearing a doctor's coat, with bob-cut red hair. Shego recognized her right as the woman's fish lashed out and connected with Ron's jaw.

"What the HELL did you do to my daughter!" Anne Possible shouted as Ron landed on his ass. In an instant, Shego was down the stairs, crouched over her Master and growling, fists raised up in a guard. Anne turned her glare on Shego, but didn't advance.

"You leave him alone," Shego said. Then slowly, she stood up and dropped her hands and raised her chin. "Everything he did, he did to protect me. So if you have to hit someone, you hit me, not him." She closed her eyes and waited.

When nothing happened she slowly opened her eyes to see Anne staring at her in consternation. Given she had the woman's attention, she wasn't going to squander it. "Kim put a mind control chip on me," Shego said softly. "Ron repeatedly asked her to take it off. She refused. Repeatedly. She was going to take me away. Ron stopped her." She looked down, her voice filling with emotion. "He saved me. He hurt his best friend in the world to save my sorry ass. So if you have to hurt anyone, hurt me. But please, don't hurt my master."

Anne's shock was blatant, but she relaxed her fists. "Okay," she said after a moment. "Okay, maybe you two should explain what happened."

So they did. About the neuro-control chips. What it was like under them, what they did to a person. What Kim had said to both of them. How Ron had desperately tried to talk Kim down, and then when he realized that was impossible and that she could beat him in a fair fight, how he used overwhelming force in a desperate attempt to save Shego. By the end, the brain surgeon could see what her daughter had missed, and what Shego had spent so long trying to deny, that the young man and raven haired woman were deeply in love.

"The boys never talked about those chips," Anne said after a long moment. "I knew Kim used them on the twins at least once, but I figured it wasn't a big deal given she'd been under their effects as well."

"Kim probably had it easier under them." Shego said softly. "Draken can be oblivious, but he's not a complete idiot, he quickly realized some of the flaws in their control. So while he couldn't alter the chips, he could issue orders to make up for it. Kim got the benefit of that."

Anne dragged her hands over her face. "Damn it," she said, "I thought I raised her better than that."

"You raised her to be a good person, Mrs. Dr. P." Ron said, "The problem is good people can justify a lot of things in the name of good."

Anne gave him an appraising look, and Ron blushed. "Shego taught me that," he said bashfully, which got Shego the look as well.

"Well, my husband wants to fire you off in a rocket." Anne said tiredly. Ron blanched and Shego found herself growling, but the red head made a placating gesture. "I managed to talk him into holding off until I'd confronted Ron myself. I wasn't expecting this though."

The door opened and Zita and Felix came blasting into. Shego yelped as the Hispanic girl practically tackled her. "Ohmygodareyouokayyousaidtherewasanemergncy!" The girl asked.

"Oh, hey Mrs. Possible," Felix said, casting a worried look around. "Did something happen to Kim?"

"More like something happened because of Kim" Shego tried to croak out from Zita's crushing hug.

So they gave a quick rundown about what happened, which left Felix pale and Zita having to be restrained in his arms so she couldn't run off and do something stupid.

"So...are you guys pressing charges?" Ron asked Anne softly.

"Charges!" Zita yelled, "If anyone should be charge-" Felix cut her off with a hand firmly over her mouth. She struggled valiantly for several minutes before relenting.

Anne looked utterly defeated. "My husband absolutely wants too," she said, "But looking at it rationally, Ron was defending Shego in his own house and Kim did technically commit assault and battery on Shego." She looked at the former villain. "I don't understand your situation completely, so maybe I'm wrong."

"It certainly would count as animal abuse," Felix said, holding Zita tightly. "Any lawyer worth his salt would push the fact Kim basically committed breaking and entering, animal abuse, damage to property, and that Ron was literally just defending his pet." When everyone stared at him he colored. "I...there was a law and order marathon a couple weeks ago that I ended up watching."

"Damn this is a mess," Anne sighed.

"I'm surprised the cops haven't shown up," Ron said softly.

"James refused to call them," Anne said tiredly, "He wanted to jump straight to the rocket. And Kim's on some pretty heavy pain killers. I don't know what you did, but you broke her arm in three places, and almost hemorrhaged her diaphragm." A mix of emotions played across her face. "I want to punish you for what you did, Ron, but...part of me admits Kim was in the wrong." Her eyes hardened. "You went too far."

Ron looked down ashamed and nodded.

"Do you think he could have beaten Kim in a fair fight?" Shego asked softly. Anne's looked at her, startled. "If he had held back, at all, do you think he would have won?" Shego pressed. "It's easy to sit there, and punish him, and tell him he went too far. But I've fought Kim for years, and she's good. She's really good. She can go toe to toe with martial arts masters and super villains." She pinned Anne with an iron gaze. "Now take everything you know about Ron. You've known him since before kinder garden right?" Anne nodded. "He even says you're like a mom to him. He loves you. So I know you know him." She placed her hand on Ron's shoulder. "So look at this boy who is like a son to you. Think of everything you know about him. And then ask yourself if you honestly think he could have beaten Kim Possible, teen hero and master of martial arts, in a fair fight without being as brutal as he possibly could be, even as it killed him to do so."

The room was silent as Anne did just that. The minutes dragged on and Shego watched the woman's emotions play across her face, and didn't feel an ounce of guilt for playing with the woman's heart. Anything to protect her Master.

Anything to protect the man she loved.

Anne broke with a soft sob, her head falling down as she covered her mouth. "I'm sorry," Anne said, standing up, "I'm going to go. I'll see you later Ron."

Everyone stayed silent as the older woman left. It stayed like that until the phone rang. Shego got up and answered it. "Hello?" She asked.

"Hello, this is the offices of Bergman, Slate, and Gamble, calling for Ron Stoppable," a woman said.

"One moment, I'll get him." Shego said. She took the phone to her Master. "It's the lawyer."

Ron nodded and took the phone, leaving the kitchen. Shego started to follow, but he gave her a smile and nudged her back to their friends in the kitchen.

An hour later, Shego, Zita, and Felix were sitting in a melancholic funk at the kitchen table, eating a dinner of turkey and cheese sandwiches the raven haired woman had made. She'd taken a plate to Ron, who was still deep in conversation with one of the lawyers and Wade surprisingly enough, but had left him alone after he'd kissed her and told her to take care of their friends.

The knock on the door made all three of them jump, and Shego's plasma flared to life as she panicked, thinking the Cops were coming to take Ron away. Zita stayed to calm her down, while Felix answered the door.

"Jim, Tim, what are you doing here?" Felix asked.

"We came-"

"To check up on Ron-"

"And his badical pet!" A pair of voices said, alternating. Two young tween boys suddenly appeared in the kitchen, with spiky brown hair. They grinned when the saw her, hands flaming.

"Oh sweet-"

"She's still got-"

"The plasma!" The said, swarming around her, studying the emerald flames as she raised her hands in the air. "How do you-"

"still have it-"

"While wearing the collar-"

"It was supposed to block it."

"Whoa, personal space much?" Shego asked as she was swarmed. She wanted to despise them, being Kim's brothers. Yet, they were reminding her too much of her own little brothers.

"Is it true-"

"Kim put the-"

"Chip on you?" They asked suddenly appearing in front of her and gazing up at her.

"Yes," she said, slowly. She didn't know these boys well, but she knew they were mechanical geniuses and if they wanted revenge it was going to be a struggle.

"Are there-"

"Anymore?"

"I don't know," She said slowly, "I know Ron destroyed the one on me and the controller she had."

For a moment the boys didn't say or move and she started getting nervous. Then to her absolute shock they both hugged her tightly around the waist, bodies limp with relief. She released her plasma and lightly patted them on the backs. "Are you brats okay?" She asked softly.

One of them nodded, his head buried in her belly.

"So long-"

"As there's-"

"No more of them."

She stood there awkwardly for a moment as Zita gave her a cheeky grin. "Look, amante," the Hispanic girl said, "Shego has puppies."

Shego flushed and glared at her friend, but the twins turned around and glared at the girl.

"We're not-"

"Puppies!" the said.

'Maybe not,' fluttered through Shego's mind, 'But I'd be happy if some as sweet as them.' She quashed the though quickly. Still, standing up for her deserved reward.

"You brats hungry?" She asked, trying to ignore Zita's grin, "I can make some more sandwiches."

"We never-"

"Say no to food."

"Right," Shego drawled, "okay, grab some seats, I'll fix up something."

Soon the boys were tucking in greedily into a double stack of sandwiches and potato chips. Shego felt a pang in her heart. Her own youngest twin brothers were probably the same age as them, and she'd had to leave them behind years ago. She found herself missing them deeply. Maybe she could find a way to contact them soon. As she poured them both extra large sodas, she wondered if she was transferring some of those feelings to Jim and Tim.

She decided even if she was, it was okay. Besides, never a bad thing to have a couple of young geniuses at your side.

"Thanks Shego!"

"You're a great cook!"

"Not as good as Ron though."

"Who is?"

"No one," she said, ruffling their hair to mild protests. "Ron is the best cook, and one day he is going to make me fat if I'm not careful."

"Speaking of cooking, what he's got planned for our date?" Zita asked conspiratorially.

"Sorry," Shego replied, "I am sworn to secrecy. All I can say is you and Felix should be here by seven on Saturday and that dinner will be on the back porch...assuming..." She trailed off, looking worried.

"Oh, yeah," Zita said, looking crest fallen.

"I wouldn't-"

"Worry too much-"

"About that." the twins said, drawing everyone's attention.

"Why?" Felix asked, drumming his fingers on the table.

"Dad's pissed-"

"So's mom-"

"But Kim fucked with those chips-"

"And we're not gonna let Ron suffer-"

"Not when he got rid of them."

"Boys, language." Shego chided. Still, she felt a flutter of hope. She had no idea what they could actually do, but she got the impression they'd go to hell and back to try, and that Kim's life was about to become very, very miserable regardless. And anyone who caused Kim suffering deserved to be rewarded.

"So," Shego said, grinning down at them, "What would you boys like for dessert."