I do now own Kim Possible. I often reference people, paces, and things. I don't own them either. I only own my OC Jack Giri.
Chapter ten: You make this house a home.
Jack woke up the next morning and found that Brandi wasn't there. Considering he could still feel her presence he knew that she must still be around. Since he didn't smell anything burning he knew she wasn't in the kitchen. So he figured maybe she was in the shower. Jack got off the couch and walked upstairs to the bedroom. The bathroom door was open and he didn't hear the shower running so she wasn't there either. Next he thought maybe she was in his office down the hall. Jack walked down the hall and knocked on the door. No answer.
Jack scratched his head and thought a little. "I wonder if I focus really hard that I will be able to sense her exact location?" He thought. Jack closed his eyes and slowed his breathing as he focused deeply on Brandi's energy. It wasn't easy, but with a bit of effort he was able to do it. Jack walked downstairs and opened the garage door that was behind the steps on the way back to the living room. He found her with her car parked half way in the garage, bent over doing something und her hood.
"So you were looking for me. I thought I felt something weird." Said Brandi as she turned her head to look at him while still under the hood of her car. She was in her disguise and she had grease on her arms and a bit on her face. Jack thought it was really hot. "Yea… So what you doing?" Jack asked as he walked over to her. " I'm trying to adjust the blow off valve and derestrict the turbo to get more boost." Brandi said confidently like she knew what she was doing. "More boost? You sure the stock engine can handle more boost? It makes like 15 pounds stock doesn't it?" Asked Jack with curiosity. "Yea, these engines have a steel block and are really sturdy. Besides I need all the power I can get to keep up with your Jeep." Brandi said glancing over at his Jeep that was still on the lift.
"And I don't even know what your Rx7 is packing under the hood, but it sounds mean." Continued Brandi as she went back to what she was doing. "Actually the Rx7 has the stock 4.0 straight six that was in the Jeep. It just has six Webber carbs since I didn't want to deal with figuring out fuel injection. Other than that it has a racing style exhaust, dry sump oiling, and has been rotated slightly to the side so it would fit under the hood. So it might be making 215 horse power, maybe? But it is light." Jack told her.
"Wow! So you did that yourself? That's pretty cool that you know how to do that." Said Brandi with an impressed look on her face. Jack shrugged his shoulders. "I do it for a living. Your car is just so new I don't know much about it. Speaking of which how did you get it? You said you didn't steal it." Jack asked her. "I may not have stolen it, but I am a criminal, and there is a such thing as the black market." Brandi replied coolly
"oh great, so you didn't steal it but someone else did." Jack said with slight annoyance and a sigh. "Anyways, I have to go to work today so I'm going to go make breakfast." Said Jack. Brandi giggled. "Thank you Jack." She said sweetly. "Yea, yea… If you wanna go racing I know a spot up in the hills we can go tonight. If you want." Jack said nonchalantly. "I'd like that." Brandi said with a smile as she worked on her car.
Jack then went back into the kitchen and cooked a breakfast of toast, scrambled eggs, hash browns, and bacon. About 20 minutes later he came back out to the garage as Brandi was just finishing up. "Oooh, breakfast! Looks good." Brandi said as she shut the hood then went to wash her hands and face in the sink over on the back wall. Jack stood, leaning against the front of her car as he held their plates in his hands. He watched her as she walked back over to him. He noticed that she seemed to have more sway in her hips than usual. Not that she was doing it in a seductive manor, but that she just seemed much more happy all around than when they first agreed to become friends.
Brandi took her plate from his hand as she sat on the hood of her car beside him. As Jack looked at her he came a realization. Brandi and Shego may have been the same person, but Shego was just a persona. It wasn't the real her. Jack didn't know why Brandi had created this persona of Shego, but he understood that sometimes it was easier to pretend to be someone else, to put on a front. It's harder for life to hurt you if you're not really you.
"Thanks." Brandi said sweetly as she began to eat. Jack looked at her a while. It wasn't awkward, it felt comfortable, even normal. "So how much power you think it's making now?" Jack asked as he ate his breakfast. "About 412. Brandi replied confidently." Jack chuckled. "Still got a ways to go before you can match the Jeep." Said jack. "Yea but the lancer is lighter and lower to the ground. But we can talk about that later. I can tell you got something on your mind." Brandi said just like she was talking to a lifelong friend. Jack swallowed his food before letting out a content sigh. "You know, I'm glad I can't hide anything from you. Keeps us honest. Yea I got something on my mind so I'm just going to say it. Why Shego?" Asked jack as they had their heart to heart.
"What do you mean?" Brandi asked nonchalantly. It seemed she had become use to his behaviors. "I mean Shego is just a character. Something that you play. It's not really you." Brandi swallowed her food before letting out a long sigh as she looked at the ground. There was a silence as she pondered his question, but it was comfortable. "You know, I never thought I could trust someone again. Then you came along. And you just had to give me everything I didn't deserve." Brandi said somewhat bitterly towards the end.
"None of us deserve anything Brandi. Were all evil in some way." Jack said comfortingly. "Yea, yea, you have said that before." Brandi said dismissively as she waved her hand. "I don't I don't get it, but it doesn't matter right now. The point is that somehow you are the most honest, kind hearted, trust worthy… Point is no matter how hard I try I can find no fault with you." Brandi said rambling with slight irritation. "And I find no fault with you." Jack said warmly as he looked into her eyes. "Stop that!" Brandi said with irritation as she looked away with a small blush.
"Stop what?" Jack asked after he swallowed his bite of food. "Being so loving, and Kind, and accepting. I'm not like you. I really don't get it, how could you possibly see us as the same?" Brandi asked with frustration. She wasn't mad or upset, she just really didn't understand. Jack swallowed his last bite of food and placed his fork down on his plate. "You and I really arn't that different Brandi perhaps I'm just a bit more complicated than most, so it will take you time to realize that. But do you remember the tattoos on my back?" Jack asked calmly. "Yea?" Brandi said in suspicious confusion.
"I'm a Christian Brandi. By no means am I the best. I'm really quite bad at it actually. But you bring out the good in me. Anyways, not the point. My point is, until you understand the love of the lord you will never be able to understand how I can see us at the same." Jack said with honesty.
Jack then looked at the clock on the wall and knew he was going to have to cut this conversation short. "We got a little off topic. I asked why Shego but I'm going to have to go to work in a minute. Anyways, I'm not going to preach to you but if you want to know all you have to do is ask." Jack said before getting up. "…I'll think about it." Brandi said as she looked at the floor.
Jack then hugged her quickly before making his way towards the door. Brandi hadn't hugged him back, but she didn't resist. She seemed to be deep in thought. Before Jack left she began to speak and he stopped in the doorway to look at her. "Thanks Jack. I don't understand it but I accept it. And as far as Shego goes, I'll just say this. I am only Brandi to you. I am Shego to everyone else. And you are the only one I will ever let see who I truly am." Brandi said as she finished sternly with a slight glare.
Jack made a zipper like movement with his hand across his mouth. "Don't worry Brandi, I will never tell anyone. Besides, I like it like this. The fact that I am the only one who gets to see the real you means far too much to me to ever give up." Jack said with a warm smile, causing Brandi to blush a little as she sat on the hood of her car with her legs crossed and her hands on the hood. She looked so cute.
"Well I'm off to work now. Make yourself at home while I'm gone." Jack told her. Brandi smirked deviously with a playful smile. "Oh I will. I have the key remember? So I think that makes this my home too." She said in a playful mischievous tone. Jack just chuckled and walked out the door. Brandi sat on the hood of her car thinking. She was content and happy. She didn't really understand, but she didn't really care. She trusted Jack like she did herself, maybe even more. She didn't really believe that this could have ever happened. To have such a friend, someone she viewed as her equal. Somehow she believed that this could last forever. However a part of her greatly feared that it wouldn't
After work Jack had picked Kim up from school and they were headed to Taco bell for lunch and because Kim was looking for a part time job so she could pay for some new fashionable green jacket she wanted or something. As they drive down the street Kim turned to look at Jack slyly as she rested her chin against her hand. "So when am I going to get to meet this secret girlfriend of yours?" Kim asked slyly. Jack turned to look at her with a sigh. "Let me guess? I smell like her again." Jack said with slight irritation. "That's riiight." Kim said slyly. Jack groaned. "Oh come on Jack, what's her name? And no getting out of it this time." Said Kim. Jack groaned again. "Alright Kim. Her name is Brandi." Jack said in defeat. "Aww how cute." Kim said playfully. "So how did you meet her?" Kim asked. Jack paused for a moment before answering. "…Work related." Jack said somewhat distantly. It was the closest he had come to directly lying since he wasn't sure the missions could be considered "Work related". "Oh so she's into cars and stuff? So when do I get to meet her?" Kim asked sweetly, seemingly missing the distant tone in his voice.
Jack glanced over at Kim for a second. "I'm not sure that's such a good idea." Jack said in a slightly warning tone. "Why not?" Kim asked suspiciously with a cocked eyebrow. "Let's see, how do I put this…? Brandi is, alpha female. Highly territorial, possessive, moody, aggressive. The type that doesn't play well with others." Jack said as he carefully chose his wards. "So she's like Bonnie?" Kim asked with slight confusion. "Ehh… Sort of. But Brandi is on a whole nother level. There in different leagues really. Really no comparison." Jack replied cautiously. "Oh come on, she can't be that bad. I mean you have gotten close to her clearly." Said Kim. Jack turned and blinked at Kim a few times. "You clearly don't understand how alpha males and female interact with each other." Jack said dismissively before looking back at the road.
"So she's into whips and chains?" Kim asked with a sly grin. Jack blushed uncomfortably and look away making Kim laugh. "Were not like that Kim. Besides even if we were more than just friends I don't believe in sex till marriage. It just gets in the way of a meaningful relationship." Jack told her. "Oh come on. You know you like her." Kim teased slyly. "How do you even know about whips and chains anyways?" Asked Jack. Kim scoffed. "What am I, 4? I have internet you know." Kim replied indignantly. "Yea well don't watch that stuff. It poisons your mind. And watch what you're doing with Mankey." Jack warned. "Yea, yea." Kim said dismissively. "I mean it Kim. I don't want to see you get hurt." Jack said caringly. Kim sighed. "Alright…" She said in defeat. "I also don't want to have to send him floating down the river." Jack joked. "Jack!" Kim exclaimed.
Later that night Jack came home from hanging out with Kim. Brandi wasn't home. Part of him thought that maybe Drakken had some job for her to do. It was so easy for him to forget that she was a world wanted villainess , since that's not what she was to him. Jack looked around the dark and empty house and thought about earlier that day when Brandi said that this was her home too. And he realized that she was right. Somehow the house really didn't feel like a home without her.
Jack must have been so busy in thought that he didn't feel Brandi's presence till he heard her car in the distance. Jack then went outside and lit up a cigar as she pulled into the driveway. "You just get home?" Brandi asked as she got out the car. "Yea. How was your day?" Jack asked her as he blew out a puff of smoke. "It was good. It was nice to be able to just relax for once." She said as she walked up to him and took the cigar out of his mouth and put it in hers. She coughed hard, grabbing her chest as she took a drag.
Jack chuckled lightly. "You ok?" He asked. "How do you even smoke these things?" Brandi asked once she was done coughing. "You're not supposed to inhale it." Jack told her. "Oh…" Brandi said stupidly as she blinked at him a few times. She then tried it again without inhaling this time. "Ok that's better." She said after letting the smoke out. Jack chuckled. "It's nice to have a place to call home isn't it?" Jack asked as he looked at her. Brandi was looking out at the street, taking another puff of his cigar as she tuned back to him, blinking in surprise. "Y-yea." She said softly with a smile after letting out the smoke.
Brandi then handed him back his cigar. "So does that mean we get to share a bed now?" Brandi asked slyly. Jack let out a puff of smoke with an annoyed look on his face. "Only in your dreams Brandi. Only in your dreams." Jack told her. "Aww, so we can share a couch but not a bed?" Brandi asked feigning disappointment as she brought her face close to his. Jack blushed and took a step back. Brandi licked her lips with a smirk as she chuckled, crossing her warms in a smug and seductive way.
Jack looked away blushing but glanced at her a few times out the corner of his eye. "Anyways, Kim said she wants to meet you." Said jack before turning back to her. "Why?" Brandi asked emotionlessly as she deadpanned, her attitude changing to that of clear displeasure. "Well you remember I told you I'm sure she's altered? Apparently she has super smell. She keeps saying that I smell like you." Jack told her honestly. "Guess I'm going to have to take her nose off." Brandi said in a threatening tone as she lit a finger, holding it up. In truth she was feeling really quite jealous and possessive. She really wasn't interested in sharing Jack with Kim. Or anyone for that matter.
Jack quickly grabbed her hand and lowered it as he looked around to make sure no one saw. He didn't think anyone did. Brandi pulled her hand away with a slight growl. "I don't need to meet her! Why should I meet her?" Brandi demanded. Part of her wanted to grab him by the throat and tell him that he belonged to her and only her. But that was only part of her. And she knew that wouldn't go down well.
"Oh come on, you don't even know her. You might like her." Jack said normally. Brandi snatched the cigar out of his hand and put it back in her mouth as she glared at him. If she couldn't grab him she was going to grab something. "I told you! I am only Brandi to you. I am Shego to everyone else." Brandi warned as she held one of her sharp fingernails close to his face between them as she glared deep and angrily into his eyes. "Oh come on Brandi don't be like that, please?" Jack asked softly with pleading eyes.
Brandi's resolve quickly began to waver. "Oh, alright…" Brandi said in defeat with a sigh as she looked away. "Thank you Brandi." Jack said softly before pulling her into a hug. Brandi was a little bit surprised at first but soon returned his embrace as she took in his scent, which smelled like Tabaco and gasoline since he had just got off work. Brandi felt happy again but her happiness was soon interrupted when her communication device went off.
Brandi growled loudly as she separated from Jack and pulled the device from her pocket. "What do you want!?" She shouted as she turned it on and the cigar fell out of her mouth. "Huh? Who are you?" Asked a confused Dr. Drakken. "It's me you idiot!" Brandi roared with burning venom as she bared her teeth. If she had fangs they would be dripping. Drakken jumped back in fear for a moment as he covered his face before he once again realized she couldn't hit him threw the screen.
"Oh, Shego. I was calling to tell you, I need you back at the lair. I need your help stealing the world's largest laser drill in Antarctica." Said Dr. Drakken. Jack walked over and picked his cigar up off the ground while making sure to stay out of sight of the blue doctor. As Jack picked up his cigar and walked away Drakken began to rant about his plan. Brandi had been keeping her eyes glued on Jack since he picked up his cigar but luckily Drakken hadn't noticed that Shego was paying attention to something other than him.
Brandi watched Jack as he stood with his back to her, smoking his cigar as Drakken went on about a giant cheese wheel and magma or something. As usual she really didn't care. "Yea yea whatever. I'll be there as soon as possible." Brandi said before hanging up. "…Hey, sorry… I got to go." Brandi said sheepishly as she put the device back in her pocket. Jack let out a puff of smoke before turning back to her. "I understand… See you when you get home." Jack said somewhat disappointedly.
Brandi rubbed her hands together sheepishly as she looked away. "I'm sorry I got mad." She said. "It's ok Brandi, I know how you are. Besides, we both knew this wouldn't be easy." Jack said in a warm and understanding tone. "Damn you for being so nice to me again." Thought Brandi. "I don't know when I'll be home…" She told him a bit awkwardly.
"It will still be here when you get back." Jack joked. "But I'm sure we will be seeing each other before then." He told her. "Heh… Yea, I guess so." Brandi said somewhat nervously. Jack walked over and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder as he looked deeply into her eyes. "Hey, you worry too much." Jack said warmly before pulling her into a hug. Brandi settled into the hug, for a moment all of her problems faded away. She wished it could last forever.
Brandi forced a smile as they parted. "I'll see you soon." She said warmly as she pulled away. They waved goodbye to each other as Brandi got in her car and drove away. Brandi didn't like this. She didn't want to leave. And she wasn't looking forward to when they would meet as enemies again, even if they had both agreed that it was just business. She knew she couldn't just give up being evil, even if she wanted to. And right now she had a job to do.
Jack had watched as Brandi got in her and drove away. He could tell that it was bothering her more than it was him. He also knew their wasn't anything he could do for her. She was a grown woman with her own choices to make. All he could do was be there for her. After his cigar Jack went back inside and finished his work on the Jeep before going to bed. He had a feeling he would need it for upcoming missions.